#198 Blerim Skoro - CIA & FBI Asset / Al-Qaeda Infiltrator

Summary

Shawn Ryan Show – Episode #198: Blerim Skoro - CIA & FBI Asset / Al-Qaeda Infiltrator

Host: Shawn Ryan
Guest: Blerim Skoro (also referred to as Blair Emscoro in the transcript)
Release Date: May 8, 2025

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Introduction and Early Life in Kosovo

[04:00] Shawn Ryan welcomes Blerim Skoro, highlighting his tumultuous background as a Kosovan Albanian immigrant and former Yugoslav army soldier. Skoro’s early years were marked by ethnic tensions under Yugoslav rule, leading him to serve in the military to escape persecution during the Kosovo War.

Skoro:
"I was in a group with one of the most dangerous criminals, Raznathovich Arkan. I witnessed beheadings, killings, rapes—I saw it all up close."
[05:27]

At the age of 20, amidst the horrors of war, Skoro was forced to confront the brutal realities of ethnic conflict. He describes his first experience with violence when he was ordered to shoot Serbian Chetnik volunteers attempting to infiltrate their base.

Skoro:
"It was my first time shooting people. They didn’t want to stop, so I pulled the trigger to protect myself and my family."
[07:00]

Desertion and Escape from Yugoslavia

Torn by the atrocities he witnessed and faced with the threat of retribution against his family, Skoro made the daring decision to desert the Yugoslav military in October 1991. His escape route took him through multiple countries, utilizing fake passports and leveraging his street smarts to navigate through borders undetected.

Skoro:
"I believe God gave me the skills to survive. I used my connections and forged multiple identities to make it to Switzerland and eventually to the United States."
[35:46]

Life in the United States and Involvement with the Mafia

After arriving in New York City in 1994, Skoro was granted political asylum in May 1995. He quickly immersed himself in various jobs to support his American-born wife and daughters. However, financial pressures led him into the underworld, where he became involved with the Albanian and Italian mafia, engaging in drug smuggling operations.

Skoro:
"I started dealing drugs to support my family. It was a lucrative but dangerous path, and I had to keep it hidden from my loved ones."
[54:26]

Skoro recounts his successful tenure in drug trafficking, describing how he managed significant sums of money while maintaining a low profile. Despite the risks, his military background earned him respect within the mafia circles, allowing him to operate effectively.

Skoro:
"We were transporting cocaine at high volumes—up to $55,000 per kilo. It was a profitable venture, but I was always cautious."
[61:30]

Arrest and Prison Experience

In 2000, Skoro’s illicit activities caught up with him, leading to his arrest and an eight-year prison sentence. During his incarceration, he encountered members of Al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations, which would later play a pivotal role in his involvement with U.S. intelligence agencies.

Skoro:
"In prison, I became a leader among the Muslim community. I interacted with Hezbollah, Hamas, and Al-Qaeda members, gathering crucial intelligence."
[99:22]

Crossroads During 9/11 and Recruitment by U.S. Intelligence

On September 11, 2001, while in prison, Skoro overheard fellow inmates discussing the terrorist attacks. The following day, he was approached by members of the CIA and FBI who recognized his potential as an informant and asset.

Skoro:
"The day after 9/11, CIA agents contacted me. They saw an opportunity to use my unique position to infiltrate terrorist networks."
[108:38]

Skoro underwent rigorous training with the CIA, learning advanced skills in communication, weapons handling, and counter-surveillance. His mission was to leverage his connections within terrorist organizations to gather intelligence and disrupt their operations.

Skoro:
"I was trained to communicate effectively with terrorists, understand their networks, and identify their financiers and operatives."
[116:52]

Operational Activities and Sabotage

Throughout his collaboration with U.S. intelligence from 2001 to 2007, Skoro played a significant role in identifying and dismantling terrorist cells. He facilitated the smuggling and destruction of weapons intended for Al-Qaeda and participated in operations aimed at weakening terrorist infrastructure.

Skoro:
"We intercepted shipments of explosives and weapons. I personally ensured their destruction, preventing them from reaching their intended targets."
[150:27]

Betrayal and Assassination Attempt

In 2010, Skoro became embroiled in a betrayal orchestrated by within the CIA. During a meeting at a safe house, he was ambushed and shot multiple times by individuals posing as hostile agents. This event shattered his trust in the intelligence community, leading to severe injuries and questioning the integrity of his handlers.

Skoro:
"I was shot four times in a staged assassination attempt. They used my past against me, betraying my dedication and sacrifices."
[177:27]

Release, Deportation, and Aftermath

After recovering, Skoro was released from prison but found himself further entangled in legal and bureaucratic challenges. In 2016, he was unjustly arrested again due to internal CIA betrayals and misinformation, leading to prolonged detention and additional distrust towards U.S. agencies.

Skoro:
"Despite my cooperation and the intelligence I provided, I was mistreated and further persecuted by the very agencies I helped."
[201:24]

Eventually, Skoro managed to secure his status in the United States, allowing him to reunite with his family. However, he remained disillusioned with the intelligence community, citing systemic failures and personal betrayals that cost him dearly.

Current Life and Documentary Project

Today, Skoro drives a cab in New York City, leading a quiet life far removed from his past exploits. His story is being chronicled in a forthcoming documentary titled "Accidental Spy", set to release soon. The film aims to shed light on his complex journey from a persecuted soldier to a pivotal intelligence asset and the subsequent betrayals he endured.

Skoro:
"I hope through my documentary, people understand the sacrifices made and the flaws within the intelligence system that left me betrayed."
[240:16]

Closing Remarks

Shawn Ryan concludes the episode by expressing gratitude for Skoro’s contributions and resilience. Skoro emphasizes his desire for the documentary to highlight both his personal struggles and broader systemic issues within U.S. intelligence operations.

Skoro:
"I did everything for my country and my family. I deserve to be treated with respect, not as a fallen asset."
[241:48]

Shawn Ryan:
"Thank you for sharing your incredible story, Blerim. Your courage and experiences provide invaluable insights into the complexities of intelligence work and personal sacrifice."
[240:33]

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Notable Quotes:

1. Skoro on Witnessing War Atrocities:
   "I witnessed beheading, killings, rape—you name it."
   [05:27]

2. Skoro on Desertion:
   "I had no choice but to protect my family from being killed."
   [12:48]

3. Skoro on Engagement with the Mafia:
   "We were transporting cocaine at high volumes—up to $55,000 per kilo."
   [61:30]

4. Skoro on Prison Leadership:
   "I became a leader among the Muslim community. I interacted with Hezbollah, Hamas, and Al-Qaeda members, gathering crucial intelligence."
   [99:22]

5. Skoro on Betrayal by CIA:
   "I was shot four times in a staged assassination attempt. They used my past against me, betraying my dedication and sacrifices."
   [177:27]

6. Skoro on the Documentary:
   "I hope through my documentary, people understand the sacrifices made and the flaws within the intelligence system that left me betrayed."
   [240:16]

Conclusion

Blerim Skoro's narrative is a harrowing tale of survival, betrayal, and resilience. From the ravages of ethnic conflict in Kosovo to the clandestine operations within U.S. intelligence agencies, his story underscores the often-overlooked personal costs of espionage and counterterrorism efforts. The upcoming documentary promises to delve deeper into these themes, offering a compelling look at the human side of intelligence work.

Transcript

[Sean Ryan]

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[Blair Emscoro]

We're gonna come to the points how I was offered from ISIS to become leader of ISIS. So September 11th, I'm in a cell with one of the terrorists. The first flight hit, he jumps from the bogging bag and happy, this is from my leader. Now I'm thinking if I kill this guy in the prison or not. I see two guys coming down and they pulled a gun, shot me four times. Not once.

[Sean Ryan]

This they taught you how to make bombs?

[Blair Emscoro]

Absolutely. All right.

[Sean Ryan]

Blair Emscoro, welcome to the show.

[Blair Emscoro]

Thank you very much. Honor to be in your show.

[Sean Ryan]

Honor to have you.

[Blair Emscoro]

Thank you.

[Sean Ryan]

Man, you've got a hell of a life story. Growing up in Kosovo. Coming in, being recruited by the CIA as an asset infiltrating Al Qaeda, an assassination attempt. I mean, this is going to be a really good interview. Really good interview.

[Blair Emscoro]

Yes, it is going to be good.

[Sean Ryan]

And your story's so interesting. They're doing a documentary about you.

[Blair Emscoro]

Yes.

[Sean Ryan]

When's that coming out?

[Blair Emscoro]

Hopefully we're planning soon. Yeah, I don't have too much control over that. It's people involved, so. But it's gonna come soon.

[Sean Ryan]

Do you know where it's gonna go?

[Blair Emscoro]

We are guest in May 21 to May 26 in California for six days. And after that I will find out what's going to be the next step. But I am in California, in Hollywood from May 21st to May 26th.

[Sean Ryan]

Congratulations.

[Blair Emscoro]

Thank you very much.

[Sean Ryan]

Congratulations.

[Blair Emscoro]

Thank you. Thank you.

[Sean Ryan]

Well, everybody starts off with a introduction here. So here we go. Blairum Scoro, Kosovan Albanian immigrant and former Yugoslav army soldier who deserted to escape ethnic persecution during the Kosovo war. Turned to crime to save your family from genocide. Smuggling drugs to fund their escape from Kosovo, only to face an eight year prison sentence in 2000. Then became a CIA asset who infiltrated Al Qaeda after 9 11. All for a chance to reunite with your American born wife and daughters. You survived an assassination attempt in 2010 while serving as a CIA informant, a husband and and a father who won a landmark immigration case in 2022. And now you drive a cab in New York City. Your story is the subject of a new documentary called the Accidental Spy, which hopefully comes out in May. So couple things to knock out here real quick. We have a. I have a Patreon account and we've grown quite the community there. We actually, we just, we just took all their names. We're building a new studio. It's about three and a half times the size of this. We took all 28,000 people who have ever been a Patreon member and supported us, and we just put that on the wall inside. And the whole studio will be built around it. But one of the things I do is I offer them the opportunity to ask each and every guest a question. A question. Excuse me. So this is from Tindog. Do you consider yourself a patriot of the US or a subversive because of the betrayal? Where is your head at today?

[Blair Emscoro]

I am 100% American.

[Sean Ryan]

I thought you would say that. Thought you would say that.

[Blair Emscoro]

And I'm proud to be that.

[Sean Ryan]

Good, good. We're proud to have you. We're proud to have you. So, quick answer. But. And then lastly, you watch the show, so you know, everybody gets a gift.

[Blair Emscoro]

Thank you very much. I appreciate it.

[Sean Ryan]

Vigilance Elite Gummy bears.

[Blair Emscoro]

Yes.

[Sean Ryan]

Legal in all 50 states. There you go. But this is going to be a heavy interview and I hope, I hope we go down some rabbit holes. I mean, just, just since you've been here, you brought up the fact that something about uranium coming out of Russia. I definitely want to dive into that and, and some of your outlook on Syria that we just discussed off camera. So, but let's start with life in Kosovo. So you're born in 1971 in Kosovo during a time of ethnic tension under Yugoslav rule.

[Blair Emscoro]

I was obligatory service in Yugoslav army. What was the worst war ever existed in Balkans? I know you've been seeing a lot and a lot of the viewers and a lot of the guests, but I saw also very bad and a lot. I was in a group with one of the most dangerous criminal Raznathovich known, AKA Arkhan.

[Sean Ryan]

Wow.

[Blair Emscoro]

And I see, I witnesses with my own eyes, beheading, killing, rape, you name.

[Sean Ryan]

It, all of it.

[Blair Emscoro]

And I survived.

[Sean Ryan]

How young were you when you started witnessing those things?

[Blair Emscoro]

I tell you, my 20 years birthday was in the military, so I started 19 years old.

[Sean Ryan]

So you started seeing beheadings, rapes, all these kind of things at age 20 is a 20 year old kid?

[Blair Emscoro]

Yes.

[Sean Ryan]

What was the first time you saw a beheading?

[Blair Emscoro]

I didn't believe it first. I thought it's like something you watch in the movie. I saw a woman getting raped from those paramilitary groups of Archon. And there was Croatians. I was in the Yugoslav army. And to me I didn't believe because when we called for duty, we called for duty to serve the country against enemy outside, not inside of their own people. So Croats. That time when I was serving, it was still Yugoslavia, which I started. I started my service March 20, 1991. And I was, you know, serving even that time. Albanians from Kosovo, we had no rights. We was considered like second class citizens. Because history of ourselves it's. Kosovo used to be always part of the Albania. Because the communism dictator it broke up and the Yugoslavia took over my country. But the history is always there. It's black and white. We cannot change it. Some people may like, some people don't like, but Kosovo was part of the Albania. So we start this uprise, you know, to be separated from Yugoslavia. But we couldn't do it. We always had a lot of issues and stuff and we couldn't do it. Then I was called in March 20, 1991. And I start. I finished three months of training, which is in the beginning, it was eight weeks. If I don't make mistake and start war in Slovenia. I was in a training camp in one of the cities of Yugoslavia. City called Shabazz. It's pretty very close to the Croatian border. That's where was. I was. I started my military training for war. That's a little different than regular training. That's how I came out to see one of the worst criminal, Razntovich Arkan. And there was volunteers. I was regular military. And we started those training and stuff. And one time I never talked in my life. CIA knew this part, but my family of course knows. When we was in the training. You have some pictures we can demonstrate if you want later in the camp. It's a pictures in the camp. I was ordered. It was stolen weapons in that camp from those volunteers. And when we said volunteers, it's two different groups. I was in regular military. And there was those Chetnik volunteers, those. They're butchering people, women raping those with a group of Rajnathovich Arkhan. And since the military officers saw me like I was little kind of skilled soldier. They put me to be security, not to allow nobody to move in a base. And group of six or seven of them, they. They tried to sneak in. And I tell them, you cannot go in, stop. And they didn't want to stop. And then second time, because that's how was Our rules. You ask them one time to stop. If they don't stop, then second time you pull the gun, you put the bullet in the chamber and you're ready to shoot. And they don't want to stop. That's first time in my life I shoot in the people. That was kidding. June or July of 1991, and I was age 20. I never talked in no media this part of the story. First time in my life. But when I said I didn't talk. CIA knew everything. So when you come to. I did a polygraph test to the CIA, but we're not going to change the subject where it's beginning. So you shot in a group of six or seven volunteers of the Chetniks, the worst Chetniks. You have the picture? I did send it to you guys. The picture I shot in them with the AK47. Like nothing like first time in my life shooting to the people. Was that in age 20, did you kill them? I cannot say that I killed, but they don't want to say it, but I know everybody was laid down on the ground, nobody was moving. But I pulled the trigger. And I know I'm a sharpshooter. I don't miss easy. I can. I'm very good in a shooting, so maybe one of them went down, but definitely I did shot in a group of them. And then that's how I become like, very honored to the military, Yugoslav military. Like, you know, I created trust. And then we still continue in a training camp in city Shabbats. Exact. I will.

[Sean Ryan]

You didn't go to make sure they were dead or anything?

[Blair Emscoro]

No, I cannot. You're not allowed because the officers come and escort me right away. And they took them out and we not allowed. You know, it's strict rules. If you shoot, then they have to escort you, keep you in a safe place for a couple of days. And I was given a pistol extra from one of the officers in case he said, if you get problem with one gun, you have an extra spare gun. So he kind of liked me, and he gave me his personal gun and I kept for a couple of weeks or a month.

[Sean Ryan]

Wow. Did that bother you at age 20, to. To potentially kill?

[Blair Emscoro]

Honestly, I feel very great because I knew what I was shooting in Serbians, and we consider them enemy of my country, enemy of my people. And in my. For example, I didn't talk too much from all these 35 years about this. I left because, you know, sometimes legacy is good to leave in the end of the story of your life. But my family Knows very well the story. My kids know very well and it's 100% true. And I communicate after 35 years with officers who helped me 35 years ago. I communicated just recently, a couple of months ago.

[Sean Ryan]

No kidding.

[Blair Emscoro]

I still remember they are retired in the Yugoslav. Former Yugoslav military. And they said we was proud what you did that time.

[Sean Ryan]

And what did you call them? Do you call them Chechens?

[Blair Emscoro]

No, it's. It was a Yugoslav officer, captain first class. It was a regular officers in Yugoslav military. So that. That's Serbia's Chetniks.

[Sean Ryan]

Chetniks.

[Blair Emscoro]

So when I shot, I shot in the Chetniks. So this is. Was Yugoslav, regular Yugoslav military. So it's a little too different. My officer didn't like them because he knew they are criminals. So he liked us. So he liked the regular military, but he didn't like the volunteers because volunteers is the one who commit the genocide.

[Sean Ryan]

Wow.

[Blair Emscoro]

Yeah.

[Sean Ryan]

And what about the beheadings and the rapes? Who did you witness?

[Blair Emscoro]

I witnessed those volunteers Chetniks did to the Croats. So I witnessed a woman got. I know one part. For example, it was a woman didn't have a 12 year kids. She had a baby, it was 9 months or 10 month old. They killed the baby in front of me and the rest of the soldiers. And they raped the lady and then they killed the lady too. So I witnessed that it was somewhere in August of 1991. I was present myself. And then there was another story. A former Yugoslav military guy finished his service and he came to visit his family in city Vukovar. It was one of the most dangerous wars in the city of Vukovar. So he came in that to visit his family because he finished his service. When they found out, he came over there. They killed his father and they killed a former soldier who served in Yugoslav military. And they. They shot him from the behind, they execute him. They kill his father first and then execute him. I witnessed that too. And then another part, this Chetniks. You have the pictures. They throw hand grenades. They put a woman and kids in one of the basement. And I remember family last name Chutura. I helped them. They throw hand grenades in the basement. And me and one of my officers, he's originally from Bosnia, Bosnia Herzegovina, but it was regular military. He said it was around 2am he said, let's go. We hear the noise. They held, asking for help. We went in a basement, what we saw in that basement, all murdered, killed women and kids. And I went in and it was a little slippery. And I said to the Officer, you have any match or anything? Because it's slippery. And my foot was inside of the baby's body, right inside at age 20. And it was an old lady over there calling for help in Croatian Pomon, Pomon. And I went and took the lady. She was all butchered from hand grenades. I took her out less than 10, 15 minutes. She passed away in my hand. I tried to help her. And then after like start seeing all this, then you get used to it. It's a war, you know, of course you young in an age, but when you see all this thing, then it becomes like it's a normal, you know, you're in a war, war you have to do, you have to defend yourself, protect yourself, you not to get killed. And we did the best for me, for example, we never shoot innocent civilians. Even I was more pro Croats, I was more able dreaming to help Croats, because we are more close with Croats than Serbs. Serbs is Chetniks who are ally with Russia and we consider all its enemy.

[Sean Ryan]

So the Serbs and the Chetniks are the same?

[Blair Emscoro]

Are the same, yes, Chetniks are the base of them. The more fanatics, like we have Islamic radical Al Qaeda and stuff. So Chetniks are in Serbians, like that. So if we compare with Al Qaeda. So Chetniks are like Al Qaeda.

[Sean Ryan]

And they were doing this to your people?

[Blair Emscoro]

Not to my people, to Croats. Then after a little while, when they started war in Kosovo, they was doing to my people. But first, this was 1991, and to my people was 96, 97, 98, 99. So in 91 I was in a Yugoslav military.

[Sean Ryan]

Geez, how common was this?

[Blair Emscoro]

Look, it was not unusual, like for my generation. Like even when I give an interview before, in like short interview in English, one of the newspaper, I see people who I grew up, they don't know me much because we was young, 15, 16 years. And I don't talk about stories like that. It's not normal for me to talk, you know, because like one time I had nightmares. I couldn't sleep for a little while. Because when I start talking about past what I saw, you had the. You have a trouble sleeping, you know. And I never want my kids to know this kind of stories, because I want my kids to grow up to love people, not to hate. Because if you tell your child what you've been through, then they're going to have a bad feeling thinking, look, my father, what he went through, you know, I want to hate those people too. So I don't want to give my kids idea to hate anybody. I want my kids. They are born and raised in us. I want to be free not to be having hate in their mind, because when you start having hate, you have no space to love people. So I wanted to be educated, extremely free and good not to have ideas of the wars and murders and death. So I want to be very calm and educated and civilized.

[Sean Ryan]

Wow. There's not a lot of people that think like that.

[Blair Emscoro]

No.

[Sean Ryan]

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[Blair Emscoro]

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[Blair Emscoro]

No, I was obligatory military that time when I was in Yugoslavia. You must serve. There was no choice because I couldn't have no passport, I couldn't leave the country. So was a complete dictator. You know, you must between age 18 and 20. At age 18 you have to go in a recruiting center for four or five days. So if you capable to serve. So I was in a recruiting center. I was 18 years old. And then at age 19, they sent me the letter, I have to serve the country. And I took that responsibility. Then I went and served the country. I thought, you know, I'm serving a normal Yugoslavian country. It's not like I'm going to be part of the committing genocide. It was a clear genocide. Nothing, it's no secrets. I passed that situation. I was there until October 13th when complete Croatian city Vukovar collapsed. And I say it, I repeat it again, like I grew up with the people they didn't even believe. When they heard a little bit the story, they said, no, it's not that, but trust me, I passed very ruthless war. Look, I've been in Afghanistan, I've been in a country Iraq and Syria and Lebanon and Jordan and all these countries. I saw the wars, I saw what Al Qaeda did. But this war was also dangerous too.

[Sean Ryan]

Wow.

[Blair Emscoro]

Wow.

[Sean Ryan]

And how long were you involved in that?

[Blair Emscoro]

Until October 13, 1991. From March 1991 until October 13. So around almost eight, nine months.

[Sean Ryan]

And who was committing the genocide?

[Blair Emscoro]

Serbs. Chetniks.

[Sean Ryan]

Were you guys committing?

[Blair Emscoro]

Me personally? Not, no, but group in my side? Yes, yes, absolutely.

[Sean Ryan]

How was the woman being raped? How did that happen?

[Blair Emscoro]

It's very bad. I saw, I can tell you this. I remember one picture I saw like today. I never forget that young, maybe 35 years old, one that took that trial. I couldn't do much, you know, because look, I thought many times if I turn my gun to everybody and kill all this. But the problem was family. Because if he was doing that to Serbs and Chetniks, they was going to execute my family. Because that's how they used to do to Albanians. If Albanian guy shot the Serbian or Chetnik Then they was going to kill the family. So then I was ruining my family. It's not me to get killed. I always thought I was, like. Since I grew up, I grew up, no fear. Like, I know one day I'm gonna die.

[Sean Ryan]

I mean, weren't they trying to kill you anyways?

[Blair Emscoro]

They try. They try. It was a time they said, look, we're gonna crucify him. When I shot those group, there was rumors, oh, we're gonna butcher him. We're gonna make a cross in his. You know, Chetniks, they have four S's, cross and four S's, because they knew it. I was Muslim born, so they were sending me threats through the soldiers and stuff. But look, Sean, I'll be very honest. I was ready to die when I started that military. I said, regardless, if I die Today or after 50 years, one day I'm going to die. So I had no kids. I was not married. I was young. So that age is, you know, the most dangerous age, ages you don't fear nothing, you know, not everybody, I'm telling you, not you have kids. Like I can tell you. Example, I have a boy, 12 years old. If you see him, he's a big, giant boy, but he will not kill cockroaches. He's so, like, polite and nice. He would say, daddy, no, don't kill that. You know. But us was different because we had that hate between us and Serbians. So we grew up. My grandfather was executed in a communist country. My mother's father, he was executed in 1940. So. And we grew up, you know, having that hate. So if I knew how my grandfather was executed. So now automatically, my parents educate me, you know, look, we live here, but those are our enemy. You know, my grandfather was killed, so now we cannot trust them. So I was very educated and trained to not to trust them. So to be always prepared, you know, if you have ever to come cross, you have to defend yourself or you're gonna get killed or you have to kill.

[Sean Ryan]

So this was also a religious war.

[Blair Emscoro]

It's not a religious war because, like us, it was more like we grew up in Communist. Albania was not religious the way it's in the Middle East. You know, Albanians, we marry among Christians, we don't have no issue. Albanian is like one of the best example you can live in the whole world. Because we have no issue. Christians or Muslims, we are friends. We celebrate all Christmas, Ramadan, all together. So we have no issues between us. Of course, lately we have very dangerous fanatics. We crazy fanatics, because Albanians Come out to go in a Syrian war over foreign number one country from the population. Give more jihadists to the ISIS and Al Qaeda than any different countries. So. But us, we was not religious like that. So we was modernized, educate, drink. I was partying, I was drinking, I was doing life no different from you and rest of the world. So there was no issue with religion. But Serbia side, they used to look us like that. The other side always used to look us. Oh, they are dangerous because they are Muslims, you know, they can threaten us, they can kill us, but we was not like that.

[Sean Ryan]

And they were supposedly Christian Christians?

[Blair Emscoro]

Yes, Orthodox Christians. No different from Russians.

[Sean Ryan]

Holy shit.

[Blair Emscoro]

But Croatians are Catholics. With Croats, we have very good relation. We never had issues with them, only with the Serbians. Chetniks was. They are, you know, like Slavic. No different from Russians.

[Sean Ryan]

Wow. What happened? What. What happened with your parents? Do you have any brothers and sisters?

[Blair Emscoro]

I one brother passed away here in eight, nine years ago. One of them oldest one is in Switzerland. I had. I bring my parents and the rest. And my parents passed away few years ago in United states. They're all U.S. citizens. So I bring everybody. I'm the one I sponsor bringing all my family here. Only my wife and kids are born and raised here. My parents become naturalized citizens from me here.

[Sean Ryan]

And did they fight too?

[Blair Emscoro]

No, my parents not. My father served in Yugoslav military two years, but he served 1960.

[Sean Ryan]

Your brothers?

[Blair Emscoro]

My brother did service, but he didn't caught up in a war. The youngest one, he came young here in US so he didn't went in a war.

[Sean Ryan]

How did it end?

[Blair Emscoro]

The end was. It's good. My older brother, he served in the Yugoslav military. He did in 1988. So that time was no war. And my father did in 1940. It was no war that time. And the rest of the family didn't serve.

[Sean Ryan]

Michael Kirk how did the war end?

[Blair Emscoro]

Very brutal. Still, it's a threat. Croatia separated. Yugoslavia is now seven countries. It should start Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia, Macedonia and Kosovo, Montenegro. So it's seven different countries from Yugoslavia. But still we have little issues. We have a US military in Kosovo, which is our number one protector. To us, it's Albanians. We believe God is in the sky. America, it's in the ground. For Albanians, it's Albania and Kosovo, it's like a 53rd state of us. You know, we are more pro, but we have also issue with the terrorists, with fanatics. Definitely we have a problem. So it's not like we are clean. We're not. Because it was Albanian From Kosovo, who came out in Frankfurt, Germany a few years ago. If I don't make mistakes. Six, seven years ago, he executed two U.S. marines in Frankfurt, Germany. He shot two or three.

[Sean Ryan]

Wow.

[Blair Emscoro]

Yeah. And not to pass in 1991, October 9, 1991, I tried to escape from the military, from the war zone on November 9, October 9, I'm sorry. And I got caught in entering the Belgade airport. And my father was in a bus and my brother in law, they was trying to help me to escape the war. And I got arrested from military police. And that was one of the worst ever days I passed in my entire life. I was tortured so badly, when I had to use the bathroom, I was leaking blood. That's how they tortured me. Yugoslav military, how did they torture you? They handcuffed me from the right hand with the left. And they was hitting me those black sticks they used to use in the military. I was bleeding badly, they was letting me stay in that and they was doing in the right foot just to have me to admit I'm leaving, I'm a deserter from military. And Sean for me was or me to die, or my family. So I decided to sacrifice myself, not to sacrifice my family. So what I did, I took the pain. They tortured me so badly. And I never admit it. I said, I'm going to die that day in military prison. I'm not going to admit that I'm leaving the military. They tortured me so badly after four days, because in Yugoslavia I was a communist, have a little skills. Because 1981, my father was a police for four years in Yugoslavia. Police that I'm a regular police. So I learned how when they torture people, if you take a pain for 72 hours, they will let you go. So if you don't take the pain and you give up, you say, yes, I did that. Then of course you're going to get tortured and you're going to get the prison. So now it was two things or me to die or my family. So I never admitted. And they took me from a military prison that sent me right away in a war zone. And you have a piece of paper proof. I send it to you guys and you can see it clear. In October 13, one of the officers, Captain Kablinovich Vayev, he's the one who helped me sign that permit. I'm going to be for two days visiting my family. But actually I was not going to visit the family, but he was helping me to leave the war because I was going to go in military court, minimum 25 years just to enter the military court. Because I did that shot against Chetniks. So I was between 25 years or death sentence. So I had no choice to do that. And I successfully left Yugoslav army. My family thought I was dead. I went in my city, Kosovo that night. It was 4am Midnight in the morning and I jumped from the wall. All my family thought I was there. When I knocked the window of complete family was waiting for my dead body to send it from military. When they saw me live in my city, everybody thought I was dead. I got killed because I was arrested from the military police. And then finally I received help from some family members and I left Yugoslavia in October 14, 1991. I went in Switzerland. Took me 10 days journey to enter Switzerland from Yugoslavia.

[Sean Ryan]

How did you get to Switzerland from Yugoslavia?

[Blair Emscoro]

It was a long journey. I'll be very honest. Not easy young guy to do like that. I guess my nature is a little bit like brave. They helped me to give me a fake passport. Not fake passport, fake my picture, but different name. I never traveled like that. But I guess God gave me some kind of skills, my nature. That's how even I came out to CIA, because I was capable, you know, I'm a street smart. Even I was not who knows what kind of education in a school. But I was a natural street smart. And I came out to use that passport. My name was Jacob Ramosoli. When I used that passport, I did use least in my life maybe 10 or 13 different names by now. So I took that passport, I traveled from Macedonia to Bulgaria. From Bulgaria I flew to Italy. And in Italy I got arrested. They were not letting me go through from Bulgaria to Italy. I had a little cash with me and they keep me one night in a prison in Italy and they send me back to Bulgaria. But now if I don't come out with my ideas to enter Switzerland, if I go in Yugoslavia, I was going to be in a military prison and life or death. So when you have this kind of situation then now you gotta do whatever it takes to survive. You know, it's not like you have experience, but experience you guys do is little different because you have a strong support. When you have a U.S. military or U.S. government, you feel more strong, you know, it's a different feeling. But me, I don't have that support. My support is only me how I'm going to survive. So I was returning from Italy to Bulgaria and I called from my one of couple of best friend and a family member to come and help me. So they smuggled me From Bulgaria to Romania. Illegal. And then from Romania I did all my trips. Romania, Hungaria. Germany, Germany, Belgium. Belgium, France, France, Switzerland. I entered Switzerland in October 26, 1991.

[Sean Ryan]

And all that was. I mean, how did you fund that?

[Blair Emscoro]

With money. I had a lot.

[Sean Ryan]

How much money does it take?

[Blair Emscoro]

It took that time, I believe it was not over 2,300 marks that time. So basically like $2,300. Because I was always using buses, local buses and stuff. So to pay a little cheap and stuff, not to be expensive. I never pay smuggler. So everything in my life I did, I never pay smuggler. All I did myself, I used to.

[Sean Ryan]

You did this all yourself?

[Blair Emscoro]

All myself. Just using my connection friends, you know, like that. Knowing me, how I was brave and tough. So always I used to receive support.

[Sean Ryan]

I mean, that's a lot of friends in a lot of countries.

[Blair Emscoro]

Yes. Yes, I do. Even today.

[Sean Ryan]

Siberia, Italy, Germany, Belgium, France, Sweden.

[Blair Emscoro]

I mean, France, Belgium. Yes.

[Sean Ryan]

Holy shit. So you knew people in every one of these countries?

[Blair Emscoro]

Every one of the countries, yes.

[Sean Ryan]

Who were they? Were they family members?

[Blair Emscoro]

Albanians. Albanians. Everywhere Albanians. It's all connection. Even today I'm speaking to you. I can easily say it if you pick a globe and turn and put the finger. I'm sure I have a friend somewhere, somehow. It's kind of. I'm very friendly with people and I'm loyal to my friends. It's not the job I did. My friends are never bad guys. I never have a friend bad guys. When I said friend bad guys, meaning hating United States. All my friends are good with us, good with their life, regardless what they do with their personal life. When it's come to choose a US or terrorist, I don't have no friends who side with terrorists. All I have friends who side 100% with us. Wow.

[Sean Ryan]

And so what happens when you get to Switzerland?

[Blair Emscoro]

I came out in Switzerland then. I have 10 or 15 first cousins in Switzerland, including my older brother. He was working that time in Switzerland. I stayed in Switzerland for a couple of months, from October to December. In December 23, I started working. After one week in Switzerland, I started working construction in Switzerland. Illegal, staying illegal. And I get arrested two days before Christmas. I'm sleeping in apartment in Switzerland. And my brother and my first cousins, 10 of them, they were in a club, they was all young. And they come in with two cars, I think 11 or 12 guys. And the police obviously know. Only Albanians can be six, seven guys in one small car. So they get arrested. So they come now they. When they arrest, they come close to the building I used to live. But nobody knew what floor I was living because one of my cousins gave me free apartment for a few months. Because I came from military. Everybody knew what I been through in the Yugoslav military. So they was kind of respecting me from my past, what I did it. So they kind of like treated me a little special than the rest of the friends and cousins. I was like a brave man to them and special treatment. So they arrested me now. And it was December 23rd. The police come 3am in apartment where I used to live in Geneva. And me and one of my cousins were sleeping. The bell was ringing that night. And he said, it's a bell. I said, okay, wake up and just open the door. And he said, but I see people with a white shirt. I said, okay, you can open the door. They just went in, 10, 15 cops, the Swiss police, with the guns and everything. And they're telling us, don't move, don't move. And they in French. And I was very little at that time in French. Now I know, because I used to live in Geneva side and Quebec side. So I'm good in five, six different languages. And now they're asking me for passport. They turned the light on and the passport was next to tv. And that night I see very bad dreams in a war. And he said, your name. And I said in French. And he looked at, oh, shit, now what I'm going to do, you know. And he, the other one get arrested. My brother get arrested. And 10 other 15, 10 or 12 first cousins, all of them get arrested together. They send us in a prison in Geneva. I stayed for four or five days in Geneva. Now it's my plan to survive because everybody gonna get deported in Yugoslavia. And nobody said from military, only me, from all of us. So what I'm gonna do, I need to plan something myself. They're taking us from Geneva to Zurich, and from Zurich, Tika to Yugoslavia. And now everybody walking in an airplane. It was two days after Christmas, between Christmas and New Year 1991. I'm planning my plan B using my skills. Everybody moving in a flight. I'm the last to enter the airplane. And I'm telling the police. I'm saying to him, monsieur, to me, don't. The passport, which is. Can you give me the passport? He said, yes, I want to show it to you something. And he gave me the passport with a boarding ticket. I took the passport, complete passport in front of him, and I threw in a floor and I pushed the police and then they punched me. That's Where I was looking, I was looking to get hit. So to seek the asylum. And I was in a floor. Everybody walked in a flight. They closed the flight right away the door. Now they jump all the police in me. What I did, I said, moassa, deserter of military the Yugoslavia. And they got stuck. When you mentioned deserter, meaning deserter, it was from Yugoslav military. Because that time a lot of Albanians was deserting the Yugoslav military. And they believe it. They sent me back to Geneva. They give me a translator. And I told the translator, look, I can bring my military IDs. I'm from former military. I came from war zone, from Vukovo. And they bring me translator and they give me asylum in Switzerland temporarily. That was December 1991. I stayed in Switzerland from 1991 to October 1994. In Switzerland. October 1994, I came to United States.

[Sean Ryan]

How did you get to the United States?

[Blair Emscoro]

It's a very good question and it's excellent answer. In 1994, my uncle came here. In 1960 he emigrated from Albania. He was a U.S. citizen. So I dreamed all the time. I have my aunt and a lot of first cousin. They came that time. So I always dreamed United States, you know, because they used to come from US to Koso to visit us. And you know, we see like always, it's good, you know, to be in United States. You know, my first cousins, they always talk nice. Some of them, they're born in us that time we talking 35 years ago, because I have family members. They came 50 years ago, 60 years ago. And I was dreaming to come here. And Switzerland was not giving us asylum for good like in United States. They were given us just temporary. All the former military was receiving status, only temporary in Switzerland. So I asked my uncle, I said, can you send me invitation? I want to come in the United States. He said, I would send it to you, but it's not easy to get that visa. I said, look at you, send it to me, I'm going to get the visa. And he sent me the visa. And with his invitation they denied. So what I did it. Now I use again my skills. I got the passport from somebody friend of mine and I went in a US Embassy in Switzerland and got the visa myself. I got the visa with a different name, not my name, Blair and Skora. Again, my skills to get the visa in the US Embassy. And I went in Zurich and I got visa. They gave me a multiply one year visa for us. I got the visa. I came in JFK. I flew in October 1994. And my uncle was waiting for me in JFK. And it was funny because like I'm using my skills not to trust still even my uncle, but not to tell him what I'm coming with name. So he's coming in information in JFK calling for Blerim, but my name was a different name, Femi Husseini. So totally different name now. So he's waiting in airport. I took cab from jfk. I mean Astoria, according to his house. And then I see my uncle's wife, she's American, not Albanian American born. And Patricia, she said, welcome. She's asking me, I did let a few words. Where is your uncle? I said, I don't see my uncle. Then she paged him. That time there was no cell phones. And then my uncle respond said, where are you? I said, I'm in your apartment. How come you was not waiting? I said, because I took a different passport, different name, you know. And then he come and I start live in US 1994.

[Sean Ryan]

Wow, that's quite the journey. Yes, that's quite the journey. Had you ever met your uncle before that was here in the us?

[Blair Emscoro]

Yes, I did.

[Sean Ryan]

You did?

[Blair Emscoro]

Yes, I did, yes.

[Sean Ryan]

And how long had he been here before you arrived?

[Blair Emscoro]

Oh, he came here in 1960.

[Sean Ryan]

Oh, 19. When did you meet him?

[Blair Emscoro]

Oh, he used to come always from here in my country.

[Sean Ryan]

Okay.

[Blair Emscoro]

He used to, he was, he become US citizen and he had no problem to come to visit us.

[Sean Ryan]

And you didn't trust him?

[Blair Emscoro]

I didn't trust him because I was fearing if I get arrested then I will put him in trouble.

[Sean Ryan]

Gotcha.

[Blair Emscoro]

So I was trying to save him.

[Sean Ryan]

Gotcha.

[Blair Emscoro]

You know how it's a loss if he knows I'm coming? With a fake passport, different name, he can get trouble.

[Sean Ryan]

Mm mm. Holy shit. Yeah, that's quite the journey. And how old, how old were you when you got to the US, father?

[Blair Emscoro]

I was 20. 23, 24.

[Sean Ryan]

All that in three to four years?

[Blair Emscoro]

Yes, yes. After the military. Three, four years. So I started military in 19, I finished 20. And after 20, it's until 1994. So basically, 23, 24 at young age with strong skills.

[Sean Ryan]

Let's take a quick break. When we come back, we'll pick up with your life in the U.S. no problem.

[Blair Emscoro]

Foreign.

[Sean Ryan]

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[Blair Emscoro]

A few months I stay if I don't make a mistake, two or three months until my I got my own apartment. My own apartment. I got somewhere in February 1995 and I applied for asylum in 95. I started in December 94 and then we sent the papers to immigration 1995 and my asylum was right away approval and granted. In May 1995 I got granted political asylum in US which is it was my dream Come true. You know, I was always dreaming that. And I become like very quick, very easy. A lot of people was struggling and suffering not being able to become a US resident. I did in less than three, four months. And after I got granted 95, I started working, did a lot of different jobs and restaurant construction, I was doorman, I was in a cleaning company and supporting my family. I was always full time worker, never no job. And somewhere 95, 96, it started breaking war in Yugoslavia between my country, Kosovo and Yugoslavia. Because those years it was Slovenia and Croatia where it got separated. So it was left over Kosovo, Montenegro and Macedonia. And it was not easy. I'll be very honest. I was working hard and single person with one check, paying the bills and supporting family was not easy. It was good you to make a living for yourself. But that time my family was not working in Yugoslavia. So I had over my back maybe 10, 15 family members. No job in Kosovo. So there was all dependent from me. So all my family was waiting for me. So no pension, no income, no nothing, Just blurring to send it to them. And I was young, hanging out with, becoming friends with other Albanians. And one day, it was 1996, I'm in a bar with all Albanians, you know, drinking party again. I'm a through the religion Muslim, but, you know, enjoying life. Nothing strict, no Wahhabi, no strict Islam. And I'm telling my friends, look, I'm having a little hardship, you know, supporting my family and stuff. But I always used to live by myself. No roommate, no nobody. Just my own apartment and enjoying the life. And one day they approached me, they said, look, we can help you, you know, And I said, help? You know, how is the help possible? They said, you know, we can say we can. You can send drugs to Albania. I sent drugs to Albania. No, I never did that. You know, first time, you know, having this conversation. I was in a military service war and stuff like that, but not. But in the community. I was highly respected in New York. So by knowing my past, how I got arrested in the military, because it was not easy somebody to survive that torture. It's crazy, you know. So now everybody knows that torture I did. And you know, how I served in the Croatian war, you know, was one of the most dangerous war in Balkan. So kind of, not kind of, but even in a mafia community, my name started becoming among the five, six families. Gambino crime family, Genovese, Bonanno, Lucchese, all these Italian mafia included Albanians. And I was respected. We was hanging out in one of the Gambino crime club in Bensonhurst. Used to be well known neighborhood of mobsters in New York. I used to live in that neighborhood, you know, living all in the middle of the mobster, so all surrounded with mafia and I kind of blend in good with good skills. And now it's quick spread the rumors, oh, he came from the war, you know, knowing through the media he comes from the war zone, they give you highly respect, you know, they treat you more than the rest of the people, you know, because, you know, surviving in that Croatian war, it's kind of big things. I start the trip first trip, if I don't make mistake somewhere, end of 96 first, drug dealing, sending jokes to Albania.

[Sean Ryan]

So hold on, what's going through your head when the Albanian mafia says, we can help, we just need you to push drugs to Albania.

[Blair Emscoro]

Those moments, for example, I didn't much ask because I know the nature of the mafia. It's not to ask too much question. Because if you ask questions, then you're raising questions. Maybe you work for government, you know, because my asylum was granted right away. So a lot of them were still illegal. Because that time in US nobody was asking you for documents, you know, you can live here, you know, like rest the illegal immigrants. Nobody will ask you if you have any paper, you know. So it was like normal. Everybody else and since I started hanging out with them, I said not to ask questions. All I need to follow the whatever they tell me to follow, you know, nothing, no questions. And they said, they teach me how to do all these things. And I said, okay, we start, you know, hanging out, being more close to them, more, you know. But they had a good reputation. I tell you, this Albanians Italian mafia was very dangerous. But Italian mafia would not play with Albanian mafia because they was taking them too serious. Albanians was killing them with no problems, you know, it was more kind of serious Albanians than Italians, you know, they used to see them. Then when I came out to the prison, then I found out Albanians was really more strong than Italians.

[Sean Ryan]

So the Italian mafia was. They were scared of the Albanians.

[Blair Emscoro]

Absolutely. 100%. Absolutely. Even me, for example, when I was in that club, look, the time mafia, how they was functioning, you know, when it's a club, they all know each other. Even it's not social club, but they all know each other. So now they know it is a guy who came from the war and it's me. And I used to be known like Benny. My nickname was Benny. Everybody used to know me. Benny. So now, oh, Benny came from the war. So when I walk in that club, they always respect me, so. But I never worked with Italian mafia. Never had, you know, any. We. I had the friends, you know, we communicated, hang out, but never any business like being in Italian mob.

[Sean Ryan]

So it was friendly?

[Blair Emscoro]

Friendly, but never been in mob, Never.

[Sean Ryan]

Crossed the business line?

[Blair Emscoro]

No, never. Just without Albanian.

[Sean Ryan]

Did you know these guys were in the mob before they approached you?

[Blair Emscoro]

No, I never knew it until I start, I think, I believe second or third trip. Then I started becoming friendly, seeing them gambling, using drugs, drinking, party, you know, all these things and controlling gambling. You know, they used to control a lot of gambling stuff in New York City. Albanians, they used to control a lot of the Italian mobsters. You know, it's not like. Albanians was not like a big group, but small group, very strong, very loyal to each other.

[Sean Ryan]

Interesting, interesting. What else. What else was the mafia into in New York?

[Blair Emscoro]

Gambling, gambling, drugs was always drugs in them. Prostitution, always with them. Racketeering, extortion, all this, whatever. It's in a.

[Sean Ryan]

All the bad shit.

[Blair Emscoro]

All illegal things. They used to be under the control of mafia.

[Sean Ryan]

And so let's. Let's talk about how you got into drug running. What kind of drugs was.

[Blair Emscoro]

Was cocaine. Sending cocaine from United States. First I start in Albania for few trips. And then from Albania I start going to Italy. Then I start dealing with the mopses of Albania Mobsters in Italy.

[Sean Ryan]

Okay, so you went. So let me get. Let me just get this straight. So they sent you to Albania?

[Blair Emscoro]

Yeah, I flew from JFK to Italy. Used to change flight in Switzerland or Germany. Always it was a transit. Germany, Frankfurt or Italy. And then from Italy to Albania. But mostly of the time, Germany and Albania or Switzerland, Albania.

[Sean Ryan]

So did you live there or would you come back to New York?

[Blair Emscoro]

I would come always back to New York. I just send the drugs, bring the money. Send the drugs, bring the money. So we used to take two pieces. One piece, one case of cocaine, send it or two sometimes we used to be two. Three of us sent six, seven kilos and come back with money.

[Sean Ryan]

Did you have any fear about going back?

[Blair Emscoro]

Fear back to go where?

[Sean Ryan]

Albania.

[Blair Emscoro]

No, I didn't have no fear.

[Sean Ryan]

None?

[Blair Emscoro]

None. How would you smuggle the drugs in the body? We used to. We used to sew a little bit those like a swimming suit tight and make a piece of pieces in a body. That time was. It's a very. I can explain a little bit. Checks in the airport used to be very different, very easy. You couldn't smuggle, you couldn't walk. Like I used to Have a nice three piece of suit, nice clothes and drugs inside. And tied it up good in the body. And you pass it through before you do the trip. Same clothes we wear. And we go do test one day before. If it's going through alarm detector. If it goes those closed alarm detector. Then you change it. You do something closed, no bell. So they didn't ring the alarm. So the next day. I used to smuggle the drugs. Take the drugs from New York, send it to Albania or Italy. And then Italy in a sell it in the street. But I never dealt in the street life meaning selling in the streets. Always. I used to deal with big guys like bosses.

[Sean Ryan]

Strictly transport.

[Blair Emscoro]

Yeah. Just, you know, not the smuggling and selling in the street. Never dealt in a street cell.

[Sean Ryan]

So how would the cocaine be packaged?

[Blair Emscoro]

The way it comes from Colombia, it would be in a. Yeah, in a piece break? Yes, always break.

[Sean Ryan]

And you wouldn't break it up.

[Blair Emscoro]

Never break. Because if you break, then they don't want to buy it. So always hard breaks. I used to take. It was time. Three kilos in the body. So one in the front and two sides. A three piece of suit. Very nice. Suit tie. Like businessman with a suitcase. With you pass it, no problem.

[Sean Ryan]

Wow. How many times did you do this?

[Blair Emscoro]

I did easy. I can say minimum 10 times. Eight to 10 times? Yes.

[Sean Ryan]

And what would the process be like when you got to Albania?

[Blair Emscoro]

Oh, hanging out over there. Three, four days given to the people. We used to always have waiting people with money. Just you stayed three days to one week. Not to be suspicious when you come back in US So not to raise suspicious how you come right away next day. So you stay, hang out, enjoy Albania, Albanian coast. One we can come back, bring the money, no problem.

[Sean Ryan]

How much do you get smuggled in a key of cocaine into Albania?

[Blair Emscoro]

It was kilo. At that time was $55,000 a kilo.

[Sean Ryan]

55,000 a kilo. So you're smuggling about three kilos a trip?

[Blair Emscoro]

Yes, 150. It was a time one shot. I bring it the highest amount of money. $560,000 cash.

[Sean Ryan]

Holy shit. And that's all for you to keep with the group.

[Blair Emscoro]

With the group, yeah, with the group, yeah. Sharing. We was always partners and sharing.

[Sean Ryan]

So that was your money. You didn't need to transport the money and give it to the Albanian mob back in New York?

[Blair Emscoro]

We used to share 5,000. There was three, four of us all the time sharing.

[Sean Ryan]

How much would you be able to keep?

[Blair Emscoro]

It was a time 80,000, 90,000 per kilo. I'm saying, oh, per kilo was maybe per kilo, I can say 8 to $9,000.

[Sean Ryan]

8. So you would get paid roughly a little under $10,000 per kilo?

[Blair Emscoro]

Yes, yes.

[Sean Ryan]

It's a lot bigger than working at a cleaners.

[Blair Emscoro]

Absolutely.

[Sean Ryan]

Yeah.

[Blair Emscoro]

Big difference. Especially like this is a trick, you know, you think it's a big money, sweet money, but that's the worst thing today. I would freely say I would never even dream, even advise anybody to do any work like that, because that's short time.

[Sean Ryan]

What do you think would have happened if you would have said, no, I.

[Blair Emscoro]

Don'T want to smuggle drugs in the beginning? Nothing, Nothing, nothing. Absolutely. I need the money. So they didn't care. They have a man. It's not that everybody was brave the way I used to, with the military experience, but there still was people to do and still continue doing. They don't do the way they did it. They change all those things, but they're still doing drugs would never stop. It's a business.

[Sean Ryan]

And so what would the meetup look like? How would you know who you're meeting.

[Blair Emscoro]

Over there in Europe? Yes, always through the friends, you know, always to the names, always to the mediator. So I go, for example, to one of the family members from here in Albania, not to my family, to the members of the group. And then they waited for me in airport. They're taking me home. I stay in the apartments in Albania and next day they come in to take the drugs, giving the money, always drugs, money exchanging, never long. So always paid in the spot, in the hand, giving the drugs, taking the money.

[Sean Ryan]

Did your family know you were doing this?

[Blair Emscoro]

No.

[Sean Ryan]

Your uncle?

[Blair Emscoro]

No, nobody.

[Sean Ryan]

You don't think they. You don't think they picked up on.

[Blair Emscoro]

I never showed to them money my family knew over there was easy to believe because I was telling them I'm doing two jobs. So I was never telling my uncle how much I'm sending over there because then he would know what I'm doing. So I try to keep very strict because I learned one thing in the crimes. If a person knows, he can be charged with the crime. So I learned that part to keep the secret. But after like few years, my uncle found out I did it. And then we're going to come to the point. It's a funny part how my wife caught me doing the drug dealing, found out. It's very. I didn't even believe.

[Sean Ryan]

Let's go.

[Blair Emscoro]

I'm in a phone, using different language, Serbian, talking to somebody in a Serbian because my wife Is born and raised in US Then I was never sure she understands Serbian. I never thought. She was five or six years old. They left us to live in the valley called Preschevo, which is in the Serbian side. Her parents took her for a couple of years to live there when she was young and she went in Serbian school. I never told my wife she was no Serbian. So I'm talking in the phone, home, having a nice conversation. I got married. I hung up the phone. My wife, she think I'm working restaurant. And I took her to work with me. And then she came out. She said, you're a drug dealer. I said, how you know?

[Sean Ryan]

That's what you said. How do you know?

[Blair Emscoro]

Yeah, I said, baby, she's telling me, you just had a conversation about drugs. You're talking in Serbian. And then she tell me whatever I said. I said, geez, what happened with me? Now that's how I call up my wife to know what was the conversation. I was. We was making meeting how we're going to take the drugs. But I was home. So for my wife not to know, I told them, look, we're going to talk in this language because my wife, she doesn't know she's American born. You know, I never thought American can learn Slavic, you know, it was like common sense.

[Sean Ryan]

How did she respond to that?

[Blair Emscoro]

Oh, she didn't like that. She didn't like that. She freaked out. If my family knows I marry a drug dealer, they will behead me, her family. It's interesting because before I got married, we met each other. We dated, we met each other. It's a. It's a. In a document. It's like some part. Is like a love story in. I met her in 1996, 97. I'm sorry, in Albanian party. And that time I was. You know, my name was the best in Albanian community. I was. Everybody used to know it's Albanian mob. Albanian gangster, very good reputation. Driving Mercedes, few years in United States. You know, not a lot of immigrants can do that. Bulletproof car, you know, all these things. I started dating her for a few months, and I'm picking the phone, calling her parents, you know, to get engaged. And the first thing her father asked me, what do you do for a living? I said, I work in Rostown. How long you been here? I said, I've been here three, four years. He said, I cannot give you my daughter. You know, you just want to marry her because you want to become US Citizen. But I was granted asylum. You know, I didn't need to get Married with my wife to become US Citizen. I said, look, sir, I don't need to get married. I have my papers, I'm traveling to my country. I don't have no problem with the papers. No, he said. And he hung up the phone. I said, okay, if you hang up the phone, then. Then we start. We engaged and she took a vacation with their parents. We planned everything. And in June 97, they're going back to Kosovo and they are on vacation. And after a couple of weeks, I'm going on vacation too. But I decided with my wife to get married. And I told her in my family, I'm going to come in Kosovo and make a wedding party and get married. And I'm going. The parents in Kosovo, they don't want to give it to get married. They told her no. And I said, look, are you going to get married? She tell her parents in front of me, you know what? I love my husband, my boyfriend. We was engaged and I'm going to go with him. She had, you know, Choice. I was 20 years old, 19. Between 19 and 20. So she left the family and come and got married with me in Kosovo. And then we come in us in 97, 98. My first daughter was born April 98, and the second daughter was born in September 1999. But those years. Then I started drug dealing, Working always. I always used to have a job, so to be good to the government side, paying taxes and everything, but doing drug dealing.

[Sean Ryan]

And your wife, she found out before you got married or after?

[Blair Emscoro]

After she found out, after we got married.

[Sean Ryan]

And you kept doing it?

[Blair Emscoro]

I kept doing that, yes. Then money was sweet. Money was sweet. And it's. Did she come to terms with it then? I used to take her a couple of times. A few times I used to take her with me when I used to go. Then I start changing, working myself, working with Italy only not no more with Albania. Now I build a relation friendship with Italians. And I used to work myself in Italy. Then I used to take her with me just to look good in aeroports, like a couple traveling. Just, you know, like the customs, not to be suspicious in what we're doing. So I used to take her and just fly from JFK to Italy. Always using transit, even going to Italy. I used to always use Germany.

[Sean Ryan]

Interesting. So what did the Albanian mafia think when you started working for the Italian?

[Blair Emscoro]

They never thought I was working for Italian. I was working for myself. But I have a good friendship with mobsters, so nothing like I'm under them. I'm also in my Own, but not under mafia.

[Sean Ryan]

So there was no.

[Blair Emscoro]

No suspicious anything. I never. I always keep my loyalty to Albanian mobsters.

[Sean Ryan]

How did the conversation start with the Italians?

[Blair Emscoro]

I learned a language. They the conversation start reputation building up. I build my name from Benson's Brooklyn, New York. So when you build in New York, you hanging out with mobsters, you know, always become friends, drinking together every night in the bars. And that's how, you know, build a friendship with them.

[Sean Ryan]

How did they approach you?

[Blair Emscoro]

How they see, how they respect my people, how they was respecting me. They used to know I came from the military. They used to know I came from the war zone. We used to have a conversation when we in a club. We always talk, you know, I was there, you know, we did this, we did that, you know. Then, now you become strong, you know, Because I barely saw anybody being in a past like me, you know, it was. I didn't see anybody coming from the war like the way I came. So it was like only me in the group. Of course, there was guys in the street life way. They did crazy things, beating, breaking legs, breaking arms. There was a guys like that. But to them was still. They can do that. But if Benny get crazy, he can shoot us. So Benny is respected. It's among ourselves. We can play and joke, but still we gotta respect him for his past.

[Sean Ryan]

So you saw him breaking people's legs.

[Blair Emscoro]

And it's not eyewitnesses, but I knew it. When they came from the situation, I knew they broke somebody's legs or, you know, I hear the they shot somebody in a trunk. They told me we shot somebody and left him in the car in a trunk.

[Sean Ryan]

They would just tell you this, yeah.

[Blair Emscoro]

Yeah, there's no problem. And I know who was the person who got shot.

[Sean Ryan]

Give me one example.

[Blair Emscoro]

It's one. It's Albanian. It's considered like a traitor to them. And I can. I will think his name because it's a little long time. And they told me we shot so and so. And then I found out he got shot. And they left him in his car in the trunk. And then I know people got beat up, breaking legs, breaking jars and stabbing knife and stuff like that. I used to know. I went far. I used to know son in law of the Jangari Carmine. We was in the same room in a prison. I met John Jr from Gambino crime family. I met boss of Colombo family. I met Genovese boss with one of them. Anthony Spiro, who passed away in prison. He was my cell partner. He was head of the genovese Antony Spiro was life sentence. He was my cell partner. So I spent time with head co founder of the Bloods in New York, Pistol Pete and his son is in Florence, Colorado. I was very close with him. He was my cell partner. Three years we went alone. Excellent.

[Sean Ryan]

Wow. Did you know who these guys were at the time?

[Blair Emscoro]

Not the time, no. No. In the beginning, some of the mobsters I used to know, like from the Gambino, for example, one of the two brothers, Saul and Tommy. I knew there was a wise guy there was. You know, very strong in the rank in a Gambino crime family.

[Sean Ryan]

How did you eventually get picked up?

[Blair Emscoro]

It's again, it's my past in a prison. I tell you, this is the best part of the story of the life that trip. Sean, I did not do that trip. I was set up. I was not involved in that trip. When I get arrested, it's a mistake of the US Government. When I say mistake of US Government How Informers was using government. So informer. One of the informers. There was two of them. He came out from the prison and what he did? I started lending him money. We used to do loan shark in Larabet. And he sent somebody in Pakistan for drugs. He's dead today. He's deceased. In a prison. They said he got killed or something, but it's not my problem. I don't care. He got what he deserved. And this guy who set me up, he said one day we coming from the Bronx to Queens. He said we used to call each other son. He said, be careful. Maybe government one day arrest you. They can tell you I'm informal, but I'm not.

[Sean Ryan]

Sean.

[Blair Emscoro]

When you don't have no, when you're not in a system federal prison. Look, you have a very strong good experience. I see you part of the life story. You've been in seals, you've been in a intelligent agency. And it's excellent experience you have. But it's a different my experience. You can know the laws a little bit. I don't know the laws. Only time you learn the laws. Today, speaking with you, I'm like a paralegal. I know the law very well. I can tell you about the US laws. You will never believe it. So I'm coming informal, telling me, hey, be careful. If they arrest you, they can tell you, you know, I'm working for the FBI. I didn't believe. One of my first cousin told me one day, look, cousin, don't trust Nick because Nick is FBI informer. I said, come on. Nick cannot be informal. Because he knows me. I come from the war. I will shoot him. You know, he's fearing me. But I learned all these two years when I was friends with that informer, when he talked to his family, he always mentioned my name because his phone was tapped. So if something happened, he get killed. So they know his family, who he was with, you know. So every time he's with me, he talk to his wife or somebody or family and tell him, oh, I'm with Benny, Benny, Benny, Benny, Benny. And then one day he got me paranoia. And I told him, son, how come you always mention my name in the phone? Oh, no, no. Just because I love you. Okay? One day we playing pool and somebody called him from Greek. He was deported. He was arrested and deported. He stayed in a federal prison. But this guy went in a bathroom. So the phone ringing. And Kleonthi, the guy who got killed was Vito Albanian guy in a trunk from the past story. We were talking, it came in my head. His name is Vito, Albanian name. So he got killed from one of the Albanian mobsters. He was shot in the head in a trunk. So now Klianth is the guy Albanian who called him from the Greece. This guy is in the bathroom, the informer. But he's my friend, my ex friend. And I answered the phone, his phone. And this guy cursing me, saying, hey, you mother f. Why you not answering the phone, you effing snitch. This that. I said, yo, who you talking to? You know, I'm not Nick, I'm Benny. Oh, I'm sorry. Where is Nick? He's not answering my phone. I said, he's in the bathroom. He said, you know, he's an informer. I said, really?

[Sean Ryan]

See had a lot of signs that says this guy was an informer.

[Blair Emscoro]

But Sean, it was too late for me. This is coming in 1991. It's very government is very investigating me. They watching me. So I'm very followed from the US government, from the FBI and da. So it was no more. Only choice was me to stop. But there still was building case against me. So what he did, he asked me to do a favor to send him $21,000 in Pakistan. I did wire from the Western Union. I make that mistake in my name. But I was young and it's not like I thought. I used always myself to say, hey, he's going to be scared to snitch me because he knows my past. But he did it. He snitched me. And I don't want to use that. It was informal, you know, we're trying to be more polite in the language so the viewers not to think, no, I'm going rough in the people. And I sent $21,000 to somebody who was in Pakistan and he was connected to one of the most wanted. You have a picture with Bin Laden. So he was supporter of Bin Laden. I saw pictures with him and Bin Laden after I went to Pakistan. So Now I wire $21,000 and this guy comes back in somewhere in November 1999 and he get arrested in New York, but he doesn't tell nobody. He gets arrested in six or seven Albanian group of the mafia. Everybody goes in jail, only this one get bail. So now everybody rumors how come this guy get bailed. Long story short, he doesn't call me, he doesn't come to see me. He owes me $21,000. So Informer Nick, he tells me, you have to go yourself in Pakistan me to pay you the money. But he was setting me up. Now it's not, I'm not. I'm 100% clean according to the US laws and I'm witnessing today in this interview, I was 100% clean. I was never dealing with heroin, never dealing with Afghanistan or Pakistan. All I was dealing with cocaine with Italy, never with terrorists. So I was always used to think if I give them money so that money is going to support terrorists. So I was keeping myself because US was to me my dream place. So regardless what I do with Italy and gangs and mafia, long as I keep myself clean with terror group. So I don't mind dealing with mafia, I mind dealing with terror group. So this guy send me to Pakistan.

[Sean Ryan]

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[Blair Emscoro]

I'm taking a first trip in February of 2000 in Pakistan. That's my first trip in my life in Pakistan. I'm going over there not knowing nothing, country never visited in my life. Landing over there, I took my wife with me, which is strictly over there bad. But I never took my wife when I was meeting. And now this informer has a good strong relation friendship with one of the Pakistani wanted. He still wanted Today he's in the still Abi wanted list. And I'm going his name, I can say it. It's not, I don't mind to say his name. His real name is Mirkazim Shah. It's lives in a tribal area in Peshawar, Mardan, it's a city, Peshawar, near the Afghanistan border. So he still wanted from early 90s, he's still in FBI. He's indicted twice in Eastern District Court. First trip landing in Karachi, Pakistan. From Karachi, Pakistan I'm going to Islamabad, Pakistan in Islamabad I'm waiting for this guy. But this guy, he knew what he wanted. He was very smart and he doesn't come in my time. He call in hotel and hotel tell me you have phone call from guest. And he said it's you. I said yeah, it's me, I'm gonna come and see. I waited one week, 10 days, he doesn't want to come and see me and I'm calling the informer. I said that time he was my friend. I said, he said this is how it works, you gotta wait only in his time. Then one time he show up nighttime, he doesn't want to get caught up in the cameras and stuff. He walks in. He is known Amir, AKA Amir, but his real name Mir Kazim Shah. He said, hi, how are you? Good, English speaking, you know, at that time he was easy. I was maybe 26, 27. He was for sure 40, 45 said look, you want to do this? I said yeah, I bring some money, I give him a, if I don't make mistake, another $20,000 cash to him. So for the trip. So he preparing 5 kilos of heroin to bring it back. So I took after one week five kilos of heroin. How he did it, son, it's a good part. When we were sitting, I started hanging out a few times. I went to visit him. I wanted. He took me to Afghanistan to see how they grow in the opinion they have maybe at least 5,6000 security those Afghanis with AKs and stuff like that. But I was clean shave. It's different than working for CIA. So I was like clean western guy, no beard, no nothing. So it's a little bit different than when I work for the CIA. He took me over there, he said look, we're gonna plan this trip but I want to tell you one thing. I know I'm wanted in the US government. He told me straight up the first time when I went in his house. He told me I'm wanted from the US government. If I want to be bad guy. I can send a bomb the way I'm going to send you drugs. And you can leave it in JFK and blow the JFK. That's what he told me in the first trip in 2000. We're talking when there was not too much Al Qaeda skin, you know the Al Qaeda because you have experience. But now the rest of the world, you know. So at age 27, I meeting first time somebody who hates the US and then I see picture with not just him with Bin Laden in the crew black and white picture and he's in one of the corner, bin Laden in the middle. He was a former Mujahideen. He was shot in Afghan war. So he fought with Mujahideen's Russian war. So he's a former Mujahedin against Soviet. So it's not young and we talk a nice conversation. He taking me to Afghanistan coming back and I stay I think around three weeks for sure.

[Sean Ryan]

Where did you go to Afghanistan? Do you know?

[Blair Emscoro]

Near the tribal area. We passed through the Mardan. We went to from Balochistan site and we went. I went as far as Kandahar. We went to Kandahar. I was in Kandahar. I was one time I think we visited for few hours Mazar Sharif. So we spent those tribal areas where it's always control. From that time was complete control from Taliban. It's not Taliban after collapse. So time when I was there was control of the Taliban and nice I came and bring the drugs. It was excellent.

[Sean Ryan]

What was the point of you going to Afghanistan? He just wanted to show you the.

[Blair Emscoro]

Fields, how he's strong. He wants to bring me in. He wants me to kind of recruit me in. In their view. My. My interest was just to take that drugs and bring it and get my money. My interest was nothing be Al Qaeda not supporting terrorists. My interest was to bring the drugs so I can get my money and finish this. So I bring the drugs, they bring the drugs. They pass the customs in Pakistan. They bring it in the bathroom after you do all the checkpoints. Because in Pakistan they pat you down when you enter the airport. They pat you down. But the police of Pakistani police, this guy has all connection police brings the drugs in a bathroom. So one day before I meet the police outside and I know that police gonna bring the drugs. So he bring west with wearing himself. So now when you pass customs, Pakistani customs, they open the luggage and they put the tag. That luggage is searched so they don't have to go through. And they patch you down. You go the alarm detector and everything. And you clean. You pass the security before you board. It's a bathrooms. So he goes, the police goes first. He comes to watch me and I follow him. So he goes in one bathroom. He takes his vest in the bathroom. He comes out. I enter the bathroom. I wear the vest in the bathroom. So I'm clear in The Customs now 5 kilos of heroin west. It's in my body. So now I'm just waiting to board. When you board an airplane, they check the ticket. It's a. It was screened back at the carry on. And they know they don't have to touch it because it was went to checkpoint. But drugs is in my body. So I'm coming now from Karachi to Shannon Airland. And then from Shannon to jfk. When I come to jfk, I passed one time. But first trip, I came from Karachi to Canada, Toronto. I never came back. What I did, Sean, we planned the trip for me to avoid the suspicious. Because when you come in customs here, they ask you where you coming from. And if you tell them you're coming from Pakistan, they will right away suspicious. But when you tell them you're coming from Canada, it's no problem, you know. But in Canada, when I come. Look, Sean, I want to just to understand something very clear. You plan this kind of life in an intelligent way. You to avoid detection. We planned this before how the government function which can avoid tracing you. So when you come in from Pakistan to Canada, in Canadian customs, I said I couldn't get a straight flight for jfk. I have one day to stay in Canada. So you just, you know one word. You're lying to them, protecting yourself. Because Canadians they think, okay, you're gonna go back to New York tomorrow. So they don't need to ask you if you're bringing anything. You know, you clean. Just transit one day, you understand? So then when you come in in Toronto the next day when the customs, you come straight. Because in that time in Canada, you pass the customs. Only Canada. When you come in laguardia, you go straight in the street. They don't search you, they don't ask no questions. You pass in the customs in Canada. So I'm clear, I bring the drugs. Five kilo. That's the first trip we want to make.

[Sean Ryan]

How many passports did you have?

[Blair Emscoro]

All my life I did maybe 12 or 13.

[Sean Ryan]

12 or 13 passports?

[Blair Emscoro]

Yes.

[Sean Ryan]

Where would you get the passports?

[Blair Emscoro]

It's very easy. Everywhere. All like four or five times. I had the passport from CIA four.

[Sean Ryan]

Times least not those ones.

[Blair Emscoro]

Yes, mine it's maybe at least six, seven times. Buying from the people, they would just.

[Sean Ryan]

Make them for you, no problem.

[Blair Emscoro]

Any passports, you name it, I couldn't get it.

[Sean Ryan]

So you would fly to Canada from Pakistan on a different passport than you.

[Blair Emscoro]

Would and come with my passport, original travel document, US travel document. I used to use my name so I can be clear. I will not show the passport. I had a visa for Pakistan. Because, you know, to go in Pakistan you have to have a visa regardless if you're a citizen or anybody. Everybody who traveled to Pakistan, you have to have a Pakistani visa. You have the visas in passport. So I used to use two different passports all the time.

[Sean Ryan]

So would you go from the US to Canada to Pakistan?

[Blair Emscoro]

Yes.

[Sean Ryan]

Okay. So it just looked like you were in Canada and you would keep that passport separate. So it just looked like you were.

[Blair Emscoro]

In and out of town using two different passports.

[Sean Ryan]

Okay. Okay. And so how did you get. How did you get arrested? How did they catch you?

[Blair Emscoro]

Oh, I'm coming in May 2000. Coming, getting arrest. When I went in May 2000. I'm going to make a short this because we have a lot of story and he's setting me up now it's a clear I'm not dealing. I'm going second trip. Because those first drugs I bring. He said it's no good informer telling me. But informal saying to the FBI and dea I'm dealing with ban, different ban. Not with Nick all the drugs. He's telling the government. I'm not dealing with informer. I'm dealing with totally different source. But he's a double agent. He's profiting himself. He is using DEA and FBI. He's giving information, but he never telling the DEA and FBI he's dealing with drugs, I'm dealing with somebody. So he's only informer. So he's profiting from himself in a drug dealing. And he's profiting from the government paycheck. It's a double agent. So then he's telling me, you have to go back, bring another five kilos. I said, come on, man. I go, I had a bad accident over there in Pakistan with Horse. I'm not bringing drugs. Two different people bringing drugs from Pakistan to Germany. In Germany somebody else supposed to come. What informer does he and his wife sets my sets up my sister in law and my wife. So my sister in law to come and bring the drugs. Because his wife used to know my sister in law. But I'm with those two different carriers in Pakistan. So we bring in the drugs. Then in Germany, I see my sister in law and my wife was in Germany. And I got mad. But there was a last minute change plan. So he planned. So my sister in law get arrested and I take the blame. So now we coming from Germany to jfk. They let me go through informal, give information about my sister in law. So now I passed the costumes. Then I see my sister in law get stopped and my wife and that time it was my daughter with them. Baby, this is one of the worst mistake in my life. I never forgive myself. This is the worst part. And then I walked in. I walked in and I said to the customs, I'm with them. I said to myself, I have no choice. But the agents, the custom agents played me very dirty in my life. Very unfair. In United States you have to have a Miranda rights. The agent, custom agent. I remember his name to the day I died. Jamal. He left the door cracked a little bit. And my baby, my daughter, year and a half was walking around and he's in the office with me, me and him. He said, sir, you have two choices or you to take this blame or us to take your daughter to put in a shelter to somebody else. And I didn't know my rights. And I said to myself, you know what? It was very hard feeling moments. I said, okay, let my daughter go home. I take full responsibility. I take all the blame. I didn't do that Trip. I said, I'm a man, I will take the blame and then let my daughter go home and let my wife and my sister in law. I took that. But I was happy. If I was given right, no, but I was happy. I saw my child going home because I make a mistake. Every father would do that for the child. And I Get arrested, put it in a prison. Sending me to metropolitan detention Center. This is not first time in a prison, but regretting my mistakes. How father can let that you know I was meant to die. I was meant to be killed. I was meant to be shot. But you know not to take a blame for your child. Every normal human being would do that. And this is the part when I get arrested and I said to myself, you know what? It's okay, I'm going to pay this. I did that. But we.

[Sean Ryan]

How old was your daughter?

[Blair Emscoro]

Year and a half. Only year and a half. She just was walking the oldest one before in a drug dealing time. I was involved with KLA. We missed one of the good part. In 98, 99. I went from here to fight to help my people In Kosovo War one US bombing was in 78 days Yugoslavia. I was inside fighting for my people. I was also another war joint Kosovo Liberation Army. I volunteered from us from New York City. I didn't stay long, four months until the war finished. And then when I came from the war, I was very like extremely good reputation. Like they used to look me like I'm a killer. They used to look me like I'm two different wars men, you know, one in Croatian, one in Kosovo Liberation. I'm very brave human. So now getting arrested and not taking the blame, you know, it's. I get charged with conspiracy to import 1 kg.

[Sean Ryan]

Were you a killer the second time?

[Blair Emscoro]

I was warrior. What did you do in a war fighting against Serbs? It's bottom of my heart. Not even thinking second thought. If I have to kill, I will kill.

[Sean Ryan]

Did you kill?

[Blair Emscoro]

It was shoot. It was sudden. You never go to see victims. You always distance, but you always shoot it. It's not. It's a war. So if I have the gun with me, I'm in a war zone. I'm defending my country, defending my people. Proudly. Proudly. If I have to do with two countries, I will fight even today. I will have no problem to fight for us. I have no problem to fight for my country. If they call me today, I'm volunteering anywhere, any zone. I have no problem. I get arrested. I've been put now in a prison among the middle of terrorists. All kind of groups, you name it. Hezbollah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Al Qaeda, Al Aqsha, Taiba. I want to share one of the pictures because it's very good pictures with. I have one of the pictures in a prison maybe one, two, four or five different members of terror groups with me in prison. I become very quick muezzin in a prison.

[Sean Ryan]

You become what Muezzin?

[Blair Emscoro]

The leader of Muslims calling for prayer. And become prisons are run from the Muslims. Every federal prison runs from the Muslims. So I become a strong leader in the Muslim community. I start dealing with FBI and DEA cooperating, taking my blame. When I took my blame. I was promised to be released in a short period of time. I got two years to hold pretrial prison. So. So in 911 I got caught up being in a cell with one of them of four or five guys. They bring the bombing from Canada to LA. 2000 million in bombing. One of the terrorists was my cell partner. I can mention the name, it's not a problem. It's public information. It's, you know, Mokhtar Haoruri, Algerian born with a Canadian and Algerian passport. Rasam and Meskini. There was three or four of them. The smuggling bomb from Canada to Los Angeles that time in 2000. So one of them was my cell partner and dealing with FBI and DEA. But you know, now 911 become. So September 11th. I'm in a cell with one of the terrorists. But he was not convicted yet. He was only arrested. So it's a 2000 and 2001. So he got arrested in Los Angeles bombing and bring in a prison. So he becomes sole partner with me. First flight hit the twin tower. I'm in the seventh floor, my room cell. It's tower, the Freedom Tower. You can see both buildings. Hudson River, Manhattan and Brooklyn. I'm in Brooklyn jail. So this now the first flight hit. It's a morning, 8:45 if I don't make mistake Tuesday. And this guy called me in a prison. I used to be known Amir same way it's nickname of the. The wanted guy. Mirkhazim Shamir. I choose that name because Amir. It's kind of in Arabic. It's a leader. So Amir al Mu' Mineen. So leader of believers. So now I'm in a prison known prison name Amir. He jumps on the bogging band and happy. God is a great Allahu Akbar. Allahu Akbar. This is from my leader. He's happy now. And I'm looking. I'm a former KLA member. I'm a very patriotic to United States united. I was 78 days bombing us Yugoslavia. Now I'm thinking if I kill this guy in a prison or not. It's my mixed feeling. How can be this human happy When I'm die hard. I'm a Muslim, but I'm also die hard patriotic. I love the country US So what I Do. And I tell him, habibi, come on. He said, this is where my leader. And he's continued dancing. We watch in the first plane hit. Now it's coming the second flight hit in the second tower. I witnessed that. Because when I give some interview, I see the questions. All this conspiracy, look, it's bs. I don't care how people think. I saw with my own eyes the second flight. I don't care what people think. I care what I see. You can't tell me, oh, no, it's not true. It's true. I saw the flight. What's behind is not my problem. What's behind. But I know terror attack was. I saw that second flight. So now I'm staying with him in a cell. Next day, he coming from FBI and CIA Counterterrorism unit. Complete institution is shut down. I'm watching people jumping from the tower. The both towers collapse. I'm seeing all day. It's not the way you see in the movie. I'm witnessing with my own eyes, regardless if I'm in prison. But I'm still my heart now. Now what I'm gonna do, how I can pay back. They start bringing a lot of terrorists. The first day in my life, I mechanically the counterterrorism unit from FBI and CIA. They came to speak to me. It was September 12, 2001.

[Sean Ryan]

They came to speak to you September 12, the very next day.

[Blair Emscoro]

So next day. So this is how I started myself to pay back to the U.S. i said, you know what if I get in prison killed by helping government. I don't care because I know I'm doing good. I don't care how they're gonna say, oh, somebody was killed. Because it was informal. No, no. Me, I was looking my side. My side was, I want to be clean to the Americans. I don't care. How about terrorists and Muslims? Look me, my point was American side. They came and sit down with me first day. This is how my journey start with CIA from that first day. And then the first name of the CIA ever spoke. Sean Lynch. After second day meeting with the FBI. Phone rings, I'm walking. They opened the common area in seventh floor. I'm walking with one of the Taliban members in a prison. And they call in my number 548-820-0053. And I'm looking to corrections officer over there. Quiet in the prison. But the still debris and burning of the Twin Towers is there. Because my cell I was in J71. J71 is pointed straight my window to the Twin Tower. Only Hudson river separates. It's very close view, you can see it. And I'm going to the correction officer, he's saying, somebody wants to talk to you. I said, okay. I go in the consul's office like a legal phone call. He said, you're attorney because you have right to talk to the attorney. And this is how I introduce. My name is Sean Linz. I'm calling you from CIA. This is the clear conversation. We need your help. Are you willing to help us? I said, anything I can do from today, I will do it right off the bat. He revealed no question, nothing. Regardless what how I felt that moment when my child was with me, I forgot everything I said, you know what? I am going to help the US Intelligence Agency, no problem. And I tell them, anytime from today, you can count on me. And I start dealing. They start bringing a lot of terrorists from the streets. They're picking up all kind of people from the street, bringing in prison. You know, that time CIA was not prepared. The US agency was not prepared for the 9 11. Regardless how much they say, look Sean, I read in a prison I will mention the name. Maybe you even met the guy. The best ever. Two books I read. It was Imperial Anonymous. Two of this book. He was Mike Scheuer. He was in bin Laden's unit 25 years. Investigating bin Laden for 25 years. CIA agent. I read both of his book. The best books in a prison. I read all kind of books. I read the book of the George Tennant and that's the time when I start. It was George Tennant, chief of the CIA. And the chief of operation was James Pavitt, running the agency. Head of the CIA was George Tennant. James Pavitt was running the field agency. So this is what my first step with the CIA in September 12, 2001.

[Sean Ryan]

What did he tell you after he revealed that he was CIA? That he wanted you to work with him? What did he say?

[Blair Emscoro]

He said, we need your help. I know you Albanian. I know you've been through with the federal prison, with prosecutors. We're not like them. We're different than them. When we say things, we do what. And now we're gonna bring a lot of people. We're gonna need to find out who's who. Because Sean, in a prison, when you're in the beginning, you speak right away because you need help. And you like you're in the middle of ocean and you drowning and you see shark and you think shark gonna help you because you're drowning. So in a prison, when you get arrested, you don't know the laws, you trust people and you tell them what's going on. So that's how I got to come out through the lot of Al Qaeda members, lot of people that was supporting Al Qaeda, giving them money. You know, the most dangerous was with the terror group. Financial is number one. It's not hard to find the foot soldiers. How much is hard to find? Finance. So for the intelligence agency was important to find out who's financing them, then to find out who's a foot soldier of Al Qaeda. So foot soldier is not hard. They brainwash 18, 19 years old, 20 years old, 21, 22. Some people, they have a bad past in their life. That's how they brainwash them. But finance they get from higher level Muslims, like business people who wants to donate charity. So they want to know that I start dealing with the CIA. For year and a half I was in contact always with agent Sean Lenz. So I hope when he see this interview he will remember me. I dealt with him from September 2012 to 2022 until I was transferred designated to Pennsylvania federal prison. So roughly two years. I dealt with the CIA in that time.

[Sean Ryan]

What was in it for you? Did they pay you?

[Blair Emscoro]

No, they was promising me they're gonna cut my sentence and recruit me to work agent in a street after.

[Sean Ryan]

What kind of stuff were you revealing to them while inside prison?

[Blair Emscoro]

I revealed a lot of the guys. For example there was Al Qaeda supporters, Al Qaeda financier. I I met with a guy who met bin Laden after 9 11. So I met with a group of Lackawanna 6. They met with bin Laden after 9 11. So I was with them. I was with Yemeni group. I was with one of the Hezbollah members who was kidnapped from the in the adriatic coast, early 80s. I don't know if you remember when the TW pilot was shot in hijacking Hezbollah member, he was with me. So it was a missing body of the Israeli soldier and they were trying to get the information. But it was something very interesting, Sean. CIA was interesting to get information from informers, even people admitted in things. I'm going to give you a little small detail in the short points. You know, in Islam for example, if you get arrested, you can even say you're not no more Muslim. They train them and it's. That's only one thing I don't like in religion. If you get arrested, you give up all the information and then you say to the agency, okay, I can be with you, you know, and then you lie. Then you go in the street, you become again terrorist group, terror members. You know, you never get burned with a terrorist group. Even today I give you an example myself. We're going to come to the points how I was offered from ISIS to become leader of isis. Not a foot soldier, a leader of isis. Even being somebody suspicious if I was a CIA spy, they called me, I spoke with very high ranking ISIS leader.

[Sean Ryan]

Wow, we'll get to that. We'll get to that.

[Blair Emscoro]

It's more to the story.

[Sean Ryan]

Yeah, there's a lot more to the story. And so when they would bring these guys into prison, how would you know who to target?

[Blair Emscoro]

I was muezzin. They come in, we talking, we eating, we praying together, we're reading Quran together. So now I'm picking. They would tell me, for example, I would say it one day, name. Now just his last name, Seria. He was a, a Hamas leader member. So he told me, I'm not Al Qaeda member, brother, I'm Hamas member. So he never admitted to the government anything. But he was telling me, because we want to know who's member of Al Qaeda in a group in a prison, who's member of Hamas or Hezbollah, who's a Shiite, who's a, who followed Salafi, Saliheen, who's the first three generation of Prophet Muhammad, peace be and him. So I found out, I tried to find all this information through communication with them. And that's how I was sharing the information with the CIA.

[Sean Ryan]

What other kind of information were they interested in? So they would bring everybody in and then you would figure out which terrorist group they were associated with, if it's.

[Blair Emscoro]

A threat or if it's innocent, if he did something or not, if somebody was really innocent. I always said, look, my opinion, this guy has nothing to do. He was just pick up like a wrong time, wrong place. He has nothing to do with this. And I saw people got released not just because my opinion, but you know, at least they want to, you know how they're acting in a prison and if they're saying something. And then the biggest part, when I met with all these terror groups members, I built my reputation. The CIA advised me. So it's the interest was so I can build my name among the group. Sean, these people, they talk if I'm in a prison with them. And they said, oh, we have a brother Amir. It's very strict Salafi, he's willing to fight against us. If he come out from the prison, he gonna be number one mujahideen, you believe or not, 98 to 99% of the correction officers in a prison, they all used to think I'm gonna be future leader of Al Qaeda from the prison when I come out. But they didn't know I was in the CIA side, in the government side. My bear was up to here. I learned Quran, I read Arabic, write the. I learned for at least four months Arabic. I became imam in prison among terror group me. Why Caucasian to lead terror groups, you have to be step of head to know the Islam more than them. Especially when they know to the people who was interested in the CIA, I used to tell them, look, they kidnapped my daughter. I took this blame, I was not doing this crime. I was not involved. You know, a lot of the fanatics, when you tell them you got arrested coming from Pakistan, they don't think you was coming because you was involved from drugs. They think you was involved with Al Qaeda. So right away the trust came out for me to become very powerful in a prison. I was strong in a prison community and that's how CIA advised me, build your reputation in prison so when you come out, you can be straight inside of Al Qaeda high ranking position.

[Sean Ryan]

So there was a long play right from the get go.

[Blair Emscoro]

Yes, sir.

[Sean Ryan]

It wasn't just sort through these guys to figure out who they are associated with. It was building your reputation.

[Blair Emscoro]

Almost eight years, almost decade. And learning Islam a lot like I can freely sit in debate with any Islamic scholar. I'm good, knowledgeable, any Islamic scholar. I can talk about religion no different from Al Qaeda members, not foot soldiers. We talk in high rank in Al Qaeda. That's how they accept me, by testing me, how much, what kind of knowledge I have in religion. Then it came out very easy. Using my family, how they hold my child. Like a kidnapping.

[Sean Ryan]

How long were you working for the CIA inside of prison?

[Blair Emscoro]

From 2000, September 12, 2001 to the day I was released, December 11th December 2007. All these years I worked with the CIA. I want to be very clear. I work with the FBI counterterrorism unit. All the agency used to come and talk every time, anything. Sean. It was a lot of different terrorists. It's a lot of different members. I had Akshataba from the Virginia group. I had the, the Iraqi war, the Ali Tamimi, Ali Shandia, all these, they are in Florence, Colorado. All this group, they was getting arrested after the war in Iraq. So it's not like just little bit Mickey Mouse. It was a lot of groups of people, lot of dangerous people. So I was always among the most dangerous groups of the terrorists. It's not like something small, not like a foot soldier like lackawanna6 or the. The. I'm going to come back to the story in 2016 when I met the leader of Al Qaeda in a group of five in New York. They got arrested. But we don't want to change the subject from this part to the end of the subject. You know the story because we're going to come out. I asked the leader, you would never believe what he told me. How he wants to go become a leader of ISIS was the reason why he wants to become leader and why he wants to become ISIS member. I was in shock. What he tell me. I was in shock. We talking in a prison where he told me why he wants to become ISIS member, why he wants to have a woman. He never had woman in his life. He wants to go get those slaves over there, those Yazidi, and take hostage over woman in Syria. This is only reason he become a jihadist.

[Sean Ryan]

That's it.

[Blair Emscoro]

Crazy.

[Sean Ryan]

It's not for religion.

[Blair Emscoro]

It's against religion. Absolutely. And I can show it to you. He's now in prison in a federal prison. I said, brother, are you crazy? You telling me you want to fight? Sake of God, because you never had a woman? I can date woman anytime you want. You in America. He's a born American. It's not a convert. He's born us and he wants to become an ISIS member. He's the ringleader of one of the five of the group. He said, because he wants to have a girlfriend, he wants to have a slave. He wants to have three, four wives. Five wives over there. I know the guy who shot another jihadist just to take his wife. That's not Islam. We're going to come to the points. You will never believe it. People are not going to. They're going to say, this is crazy. This is like, you want a prostitute, you don't want to fight. Sake of God. This is how they brainwash them.

[Sean Ryan]

Wow. Did you ever feel like you were compromised in prison? Like anybody was on to you working for the CIA?

[Blair Emscoro]

Look it, I will tell you this. I'm sitting in a yard. I have a lot of tattoos in my arms and stuff. I have AK47. I have a tattoo right from his Bulam member, his handwriting. And I'm sitting in a yard with a tank top. And one of the informers, Albanian, he asked me, what do you have here? I have an AK47 and it says, God is a great. And I said, that's bin Laden's Name. But he doesn't know Arabic. In 24 hours, son FBI come in my in a federal prison. Remember, not all the agency used to know I'm connected to the CIA. You know, it's very strict control. They don't share no information. It's not like a lot of times I was informers used to give information about me. Think giving information to the government. I'm a terrorist. I'm a very fanatic. But I was linked to CIA. You know, I was never fanatic. But people I was interviewed from FBI in prison. I was interviewed from DEA in prison a few times from the FBI. And this guy in the morning they calling me go Airbnb. Meaning you're going to visit a room. And I didn't have no visitors. And when I walk in two FBI agents. I'm sitting down. My name is so and so. We want to know what kind of tattoos you have in your body. They put me in a strip room naked. They look my tattoo. They're taking picture of my tattoo. Can you tell me what you have? I said, this is God is great. Another one. I be a witness. There is no God but Allah. And another part here. Here I have Islamist religion of peace in Arabic. Sign of peace. All this thing. They're taking picture and I laugh. I started laughing with FBI. I said, I'm sorry, sir, we keeping between us. Informer Antoine give you yesterday information. I was in the yard working out. He asked me about this don't depend on with this informer. And I told him straight up, I work for CIA. Straight in prison. I told him the FBI if you don't believe, call so and so. And then they never came back. They said, I'm sorry if you are like that. We apologize. They walk away. They took informal from the prison right away. Because they thought if I go back in the prison, I will stab him or something. Because I'm a leader to Muslim community in a prison. Sean. When I was a leader of Muslims, I used to have bodyguards. I used to have Muslims. It was 150 Muslims. If I was given order something to do in prison, I couldn't put prison shut down completely. They was going to do whatever I was telling to do. It was a time I had to prove myself. I'm a good Muslim. I had to beat somebody a few times. Not once, two times. I used to be the Muslim one is Pakistani Muslim, one Lebanese Muslim. Because they had the problem with a gang group. Now gangs not to stab them. I was ordered to prove myself I'm a good jihadist. I had to go beat them in a bathroom. I had to beat them one was bleeding so I can prove myself. I'm a fanatic, I'm a sympathizer, I'm a jihadist. So I had to do that. And the CIA knew it, FBI knew it. I did that and sis the best ever in federal prison. I tell you this, he has your past 100% because he was with Navy and Marines. Lieutenant Lyon Lyons the best ever men of American deal in my life. Lieutenant Lyon, I hope you hear that. He was the best man. He knew everything what I was doing with CIA, every connection, every conversation I needed, I was going through him. Every special things I was needing to do, special visit with my family. He was just telling me bloody when you need to do that next week I do it for you. That was the best ever from American agency who treat me good does the Lieutenant Lyon in FCI Allenwood Penitentiary.

[Sean Ryan]

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[Blair Emscoro]

I had one time after I got my granted refugee, I mean status from the immigration phone call for two minutes private, saying, like, you don't have to worry too much now about documentaries and stuff. Just enjoy your life, you know, keep yourself low profile. And.

[Sean Ryan]

And here you are.

[Blair Emscoro]

Look at Sean. I'll be very honest. If I had to go from beginning, I swear to God I would do it from beginning. It's just the mistake of the agency. They promise you. They promise you the biggest problem. I want to highlight this, the biggest problem of the US Government. When you have a source like me, for example, give a chance to have somebody if I have a question. Because if I deal with the agent I dealt for a year and a half, if he make a mistake, I have nowhere to complain or to ask questions. Everything has to go through one, the best intelligence. You have to have another second source, you know, to see what's going on if the agents make a mistake. Because I know agent. I was not perfect, John. I mean, I'm sorry, Sean, I was not perfect, but I was the best. When you said why? And people wants to know why. The best. Look, look, I was not Afghani, I was not Iraqi, I was not Syrian, I was not Jordanian. I was not. None of this But I came out to operate all of these places I went I believe strongly if CIA was still going on to support me and work. I believe strongly I will go meet the Bin Laden. Not that I won. He would ask to meet with me because I came out to meet very high ranking leaders. And you know in terrorism this is how they go. The way they got my record from the people in a prison families my name that's how they go. Oh you know what the Amir let's let me see what he is if we want to make him a leader in Balkan to recruit the Al Qaeda members or how we can use that's how terrorists work. They're desperate to have somebody like me in a group. It's white, Caucasian, somebody who have the skills to pass any airport. Sean, believe or not, if you tell me today can you go in this country I promise you in one week I can go in any country. You point today the way I'm exposed. If you tell me if you can travel to any country you said one week, ten days I will be in the country. You said I have no problem. I'm not young but I still my head works. I can do still things. And government agencies sometimes they have an issue among themselves sharing the information. We're going to come to the point there was an issue with them. They're trying to recruit me again after and I came in US in 2015. But they said a lot of agency has to be in a loop, you know, I was not exposed yet. The biggest problem, the biggest mistake they make with New York Times. One president said it's a lot of fake news. Trust me, it's a lot of fake news. Why? Because New York Times put me in the first page. I was arrested for jumping something I was never ever shown arrested. When they arrest me, I don't want to come to the story. It's this is like to the ends of the story. When they arrest me in 2016, it was over 50 agents arresting me. Bin Laden didn't have that kind of agents. Helicopter with a sniper was on top of my car wash arresting me. And when they arrest me, I'm reading the names of the agents. They're all from New Jersey, not from New York. But in meantime, Sean, I'm meeting with with head of the intelligence of New York, John Miller. I was meeting with him like with you with him and five of his workers in my lawyer's office. Why would you burn somebody who's meeting with John Miller?

[Sean Ryan]

Well, I mean I think they keep that tight to the vest because the more people that know, the higher the chance that it leaks.

[Blair Emscoro]

No, I think it's more than that.

[Sean Ryan]

Really. What do you think it is?

[Blair Emscoro]

It's, you know, agents, they have one problem. They like to cover each other. Even if you're wrong, they want to cover. Because when I give information, Sean, I want to be very clear. I didn't talk about this. One day Al Qaeda told me not to be in a blue area in Pakistan. I updated to CIA. Sean, I can tell you I was communicating WorldNewsrop.com I had my code and everything. And when I update CIA, I said, look, please tell them if because I was in blue area. A lot of Americans I see because I was there, I watched you know them, they don't know who I am, but I know them. I can tell when it's supposed to if it's an American agent or not. Like you, for example, I can tell why are you in that hotel. When I tell them, please share this information because it's in a blue area. They're trying to send suicide bomber. Believe it or not, less than, I think 24 hours there was a suicide bomber and killed all of them. And he failed to update that. When I came to provide the information from the field back in the Balkans, from Pakistan, he said, fuck, I fucked her up. I said, why Chris? I failed here. He couldn't update it. That's why all those people got killed. I was not spying in an agent. But if he make a mistake, he should say, you know what, I'm sorry I was late. I couldn't update to the CIA this information. I did update it from over there right away. I said, look it, it's going to be tomorrow after tomorrow. Suicide bomb in this area. And it was suicide bombing. I think four or five Americans got killed. So I don't want a credit, I don't want nothing. I didn't work this job because I can make money. I make money in normal life. It just respect me said, you know what, let's help him. Why he got to go through the process of immigration when he was working for us. I didn't want it to be hero. I don't want to have a medal honor. But least you know I did that. I have my family here who wants to do this dangerous job. It's very hard, especially when they start hearing this story. Look, while I talk to you, I know who works for the CIA today from my country. I found out in my way, it's nothing, it's piece of garbage. He doesn't even Know nothing. So you cannot have somebody in charge. Like that person, for example. They take him to train him. They train me too. I receive training too. I was trained from CIA. I don't hide that you know, I'm capable to do anything you tell me you want to do bomb. I can do the bomb. It's no problem. And do you think Al Qaeda don't want a member like me? Even I'm exposed today, they will take me tomorrow. Even if I'm exposed until this moment, they will still take me. They want a man like me. But why you want to avoid to have to CIA somebody who can help? I couldn't translate things. I couldn't even decode the phone conversation. I know how they communicate the terrorists. So why you want to like make. And look, it's a crazy. We talking like. It's very interesting part. I had the sources. I was receiving information from inside of the job of the CIA just recently. Look at who I am. I received a lot of crazy stuff from the CIA in Virginia. We talking from the base. What CIA told people about me. CIA tried to spread the rumor very bad about me. It's not to be trusted. How can I not be trusted? You burn me. And then they said, oh, we cannot. One of them said, we not denying, but we not accept him. You know, hey, I'm coming. I show you the picture with the Stinger missile. You think in U.S. soil? You show that picture and you don't get indicted from the federal prosecutor in heartbeat. But I was a CIA spy. And I don't regret that. Never to the day I die. I'm proud what I did. And I told my kids, if I had to do again, I would do it again. But least treat me, man. I deserve to be treated, you know, Tell him, look, Judge, this man doesn't need to be in immigration court. It's our man. It's not easy to. It cost money to train somebody like me. It cost. Hey agent came from the. From here to train me overseas. I was in a training camp from the agent, from us, you know. So you spending all this money and losing the source like that. Come on. It's not normal. We'll get to go ahead.

[Sean Ryan]

We'll get to it. But I mean, were they paying you?

[Blair Emscoro]

Yeah, they was paying me.

[Sean Ryan]

They were paying you?

[Blair Emscoro]

Yeah. Yeah, absolutely.

[Sean Ryan]

So it was a business transaction that.

[Blair Emscoro]

You expected the maximum, the. The highest amount? I did receive one time. Over 40 grand. One shot. 40 grand cash.

[Sean Ryan]

And so I guess what I'm saying is you are expecting more from them. Than just the payment, you know, business arrangement.

[Blair Emscoro]

No, not the payment. I was never accepting no more money just to tell the immigration judge look, he deserved to be with his family here. He did for his family. He has a wife born and raised here. Every country in the world, son, they give a chance to somebody. I did mistakes in the past. I'm not clean. I'm not saying. But I deserve to have a second chance to be with my family. I don't need to be arrested in 2016 and expose myself. They couldn't be low profile. Give him his papers back and let him enjoy his life here. He deserved. He worked for us. He put his life in a danger to protect us. To save our country. So why we don't go and just give a. Just signature paper. I didn't ask for anything, just a paper tell to the judge he deserved to be here. Let him be out with his family. I was $50,000 bombed. 50 grand here for five years. And they investigate Sean. They recruit a woman who cleaned my room, my house. I'm sorry overseas and give her paper today. They brought her from overseas. She was cleaning my house in the city. I used to. I was born, I was alone. I was paying her. I feel bad family member just what she tell them? I have weapons. CIA knew that I love weapons. I had the trucks. This is this room. It's nothing. It was four times, five times bigger than this full of ton of weapons. But we pulled with the CIA from bad guys from Al Qaeda members. It was not my weapons.

[Sean Ryan]

Was the initial arrange. Well, we'll get into this. Yes, let's get into the interview because at end the. I think maybe some clarity will come to me on that. So how did you get out of prison?

[Blair Emscoro]

First time or second time?

[Sean Ryan]

First time.

[Blair Emscoro]

I finished my time.

[Sean Ryan]

You finished your time?

[Blair Emscoro]

Completed my time. Eight years.

[Sean Ryan]

Eight years and four months just to backtrack. I thought that they had contacted you again to infiltrate the terrorist networks, but that was. That was the long game. They wanted to start with you in prison for a longer.

[Blair Emscoro]

So I can be in a statehood. Yes.

[Sean Ryan]

Okay, so you get out of prison, what happens then?

[Blair Emscoro]

I'm going to the US embassy in 2008, walking in asking because before I got out of prison I want to just so you can be clear. Two times I was interviewed from dod, Department of Defense. Two months before I got from the prison. They tell me when you get back home, you want to work for us because maybe you're going to look good if they deport you. I said yeah, no problem. And what's going to be exchanged? We bring you back when we promise you we do it. We're not federal. This is always the award. When we promise you we're not a federal prosecutor. CIA. Keep the words. This is what they tell me. They promise me they're going to bring me back. Help me. They say they you are going to be safe for rest of your life. You're just going to keep your mouth shut, not to expose anything. I couldn't keep my mouth shut if I'm. If you left me in the middle of nowhere, I get interview. I'm going back to US embassy in Macedonia. Walking in, meeting Mr. Devon, the best ever CIA agent I met. If he was still working with me, I will be maybe more happy. And I hope you hear that Mr. Devon. He's the one who I started working with them. I did polygraph test, I signed the contract agreement, everything at the embassy. And tell me from today you work for CIA. You have a paycheck, you have all expenses paid, all the travels, whatever. You're going to need it. We are here to support it. All you need. We need it now you to collect information to see if you cannot come up to Al Qaeda. We are interested to know if it's bin Laden alive or dead. And if you work yourself in a circle of Al Qaeda, we'll be very happy and we're going to help you. And I said, I have no problem. They helped me. They was giving me money, no question. They paid my vacation for my wife and kids in Turkey and all these things. It's no problem. And even today, even today I am very grateful to the immigration. They allowed me to stay today. I'm clean with the laws. I have no issues with the laws. Absolutely. I'm like normal, like. It's just the problem. I cannot travel overseas. They don't give me no document to travel overseas. I can be here, enjoy my life. I'm working, paying taxes, everything. But it's still not enough. It couldn't be, you know, right path. My wife is born and raised. I have right to do adjustment of status so I can become US Citizen. My wife is born here. Every country who has a wife citizen, they still can give a chance. They don't deport them. My three kids are American born. My family is all American. Mother, father, sisters, brother. All of them even they passed away, they was American citizen. So why you abusing me? Why you went? I would never go in the media or documentary, even this documentary, if they was not going to arrest me in 2016. But they arrest me. I look like a piece of garbage. You train me. You know how much skills I have. What do you want? And I believe. I also believe, Sean, sometimes. Maybe you know, some different informers, they want to get the credit. They think maybe. Or he gonna become terrorist. Never. I commit suicide myself. I hang myself. I will never go against the country my kids born. Never ever. It's impossible. So maybe informers spread these rumors to their sources. Or maybe Blarimi can be Al Qaeda member or ISIS member. Never, Sean. Again, repeat it. I would never. I will hang myself. Never be Al Qaeda member. No terror group. I have a beautiful kid, born American. I don't go against my family.

[Sean Ryan]

So you get out of prison, you get deported.

[Blair Emscoro]

Yes.

[Sean Ryan]

And then you go through immigration at the Macedonian Embassy, where you meet your.

[Blair Emscoro]

No, I have nothing to do with immigration. I'm going to the Macedonian Embassy and meeting with CIA agents.

[Sean Ryan]

Okay.

[Blair Emscoro]

In an embassy meeting with the CIA.

[Sean Ryan]

Agents, how did they contact you?

[Blair Emscoro]

When I go over there, they put me in one room, small room. I give my id. He came Devin, he said, give me a half hour. He go in office. He said, welcome back. We know who you are. All the details. He said, we're gonna have to meet the next week.

[Sean Ryan]

How did they initially contact you? Was it a phone call?

[Blair Emscoro]

No, I went to there myself.

[Sean Ryan]

You went there yourself?

[Blair Emscoro]

I went to the US Embassy in Macedonia myself, so to see my rights to come to United States. And then they told me, we know who you are. Come here. Then they make a meeting next week with me. We spent six, seven hours. They said, look, we know what happened with you. We know what you did in the past. We know what the prosecutors did. But this is the best time for you. Everybody knows here now, you got deported. How they got arrest your family, holding them this. And that is the best time to be covered, to work for us. And we can bring you back. This is my first step. How I started with the CIA in 2008. Field agent.

[Sean Ryan]

Was there any discussion of pay at that initial meeting?

[Blair Emscoro]

Payment. Payment I had in beginning first week. I started with €400, €700, €1200, then €2,500amonth and the whole expenses. And they said, we're going to help you to be with your family. Nothing more than that. No extra payment over this. But they said, always, we're going to keep you safe.

[Sean Ryan]

And so when did you take the polygraph?

[Blair Emscoro]

I think after a month or two, if I don't make a mistake. My first trip in Pakistan, when I came back Just to see if I'm double agent or just for the CIA.

[Sean Ryan]

How long did that take?

[Blair Emscoro]

It took a couple hours, three hours, I think. Two hours.

[Sean Ryan]

One polygraph.

[Blair Emscoro]

One time. Yes.

[Sean Ryan]

You passed the first time?

[Blair Emscoro]

Yes, first time I passed.

[Sean Ryan]

Right on. Not a lot of people pass.

[Blair Emscoro]

I passed first time. And they told me. And they told me, look, Sean, we're going to come to the stories. You will never believe what I did. And even people, they're going to say, what are you lying? I don't. Sean, in United States, if you make a story, you commit perjury, you get charged, it's a federal crime. I cannot come and say, hey, this is who I am or this is what I did. I cannot come and say, I was trained to build a bomb. So this way I can show to terrorists I can build a bomb. So if I. If the federal prosecutors know that in two minutes they will arrest me. I say that a few times.

[Sean Ryan]

So you get recruited, you have the meeting the next week. What is the next week?

[Blair Emscoro]

Next week meeting. We signed the contract. It was three agents, two male and one female. I remember like today we spent like five, six hours that day in the embassy. And then they instruct me. First they said, build a enterprise in your city, among the community. And then next trip, start using the phone contacts you had in a prison. I had her from Yemen, from Saudi Arabia. I visited, I went. I was guest to number one, the strongest grand mufti of Saudi. I was invited. He never knew what I was CIA spy, I was his guest. I used the sources from family prisoners, from being in terror charges. That's how I came out, to build my name so good. Like I didn't believe. There was a time I didn't even believe they trust me so much. I said to myself, if I'm a sick or liar or something, how come they invite me so much? But I found out from the people. I used to use sources, you know, just to build my reputation. They can bring me in.

[Sean Ryan]

And so what did the training involve?

[Blair Emscoro]

Training?

[Sean Ryan]

You said you received training with the CIA? Yes.

[Blair Emscoro]

First there was how to communicate with people, language skills. And they advised me how to do weapons deal in case. So this way, if the Al Qaeda try test you, or if you need to pull some weapons, they teach me how to do this. We put a lot of bombs and explosives from bad guys hands in the Kosovo, in Albania too. So I took with the trucks all the explosives. TNT, C4, you name it, rocket launchers, Stingers, all of them. And all with my hands. When the CIA took them. They took, like in a package, like, all. When they bring me trucks. CIA brought me trucks. They trucks. I loaded the truck myself with my people. You know, you have to take the detectors and all this, you know, so not to explode. So I took one by one, all the detectors, all the explosives. We have mines, land mines, all this stuff. Put it in a truck, and the CIA took it and they destroyed it.

[Sean Ryan]

And so how long was the training?

[Blair Emscoro]

It was like, I can tell you easy. Like three, four months. You can put always training. When I meet with them, like. Like every first week, second week, eight hours, nine hours. Eight hours. It was a time three days. We didn't never come out from the place with the CIA. Three days sleep, day and night. How to deal, how to communicate, how to use the weapons. Three days. Never come out from the place with the CIA, with three agents and me.

[Sean Ryan]

Where was it?

[Blair Emscoro]

Where? In Macedonia.

[Sean Ryan]

In Macedonia? Yes.

[Blair Emscoro]

They used to have safe houses everywhere. Then they used the bones deal in the military base in Kosovo.

[Sean Ryan]

And so you get recruited in Macedonia, I guess you go through the training, they tell you they want you to infiltrate Al Qaeda specifically.

[Blair Emscoro]

Yes.

[Sean Ryan]

And they tell you to do it through your previous contacts in prison and just to grow your network even wider.

[Blair Emscoro]

Yes, sir.

[Sean Ryan]

So who's the first person that you reached out to?

[Blair Emscoro]

The first person? I was sentenced 25 years or 30 years in a federal prison for supporting Al Qaeda. His name is Salim. He was in prison. He introduced me in his family in Pakistan.

[Sean Ryan]

What did you ask him?

[Blair Emscoro]

Oh, I told him, when I come out from the prison, I'm going to join brothers. Everybody knew it. When I come out from the prison, all the fanatic, all the terrorists knew it the first day. They're gonna deport me. I'm gonna go join the jihadist, all of them.

[Sean Ryan]

And who did he connect you with?

[Blair Emscoro]

First he took me, his brother, to somebody. And that's how it started with Baitullah Massoud, the ringleader of Al Qaeda in Pakistan. So right off the bat, it's second time.

[Sean Ryan]

Second time, yes. And what would these meetings be like.

[Blair Emscoro]

When I meet him, when I give an oath to them. They took all my clothes off. They took me with those motorcycles. They changed the car. They played. Look, I want to say this so people cannot. I know sometimes they don't trust easy, but they use word. Oh, we're going to put you in a trunk, because if the checkpoint is police, we are from here, local. So if they see you foreigner, we're going to give them more excuse to question US and to check us, the Pakistani agency. So I said, okay. They put me in the trunk of the car for a few hours. I was riding inside of the trunk. I didn't see nothing roughly roads and whatever, you know. Then when they put me inside, I met Abu Muhammad Al Masri. He still wanted. He's still in his life because I was reading one of the books recently for Ali Sufyan. He did it. He was a former CIA for 10, 15 years after 9, 11. He wrote the book. And I see his picture, the one I was meeting with him. He put in a book he still wanted. So he was there. It was another jihadist from Egyptian, but born in, fought in Bosnia. I speak Bosnian, so when he speaks, I speak Bosnian to. So when he talked and he tell me, brother, you still want to be with brothers? I said, alhamdulillah, that's why I'm here for. And then he hugged me and he said to introduce me. He never introduced my name to nobody, only Amir or Abu Medina. So not to be known where I'm coming from. So Amir or Abu Medina is our new mujahideen with us.

[Sean Ryan]

Wow. Were you nervous at all?

[Blair Emscoro]

I mean, not at all because I had the strong support, only nervous. I was just afraid not to be leak. So then I get killed.

[Sean Ryan]

And how would you communicate back to the CIA?

[Blair Emscoro]

WorldNewsRob.com I tell you here is I give you the detail. CIA never knew it when I was in a field, Sean, if I had to update quick something. I used to call my wife and talk to her in Albania and she was updating, but this is what I broke. This is where I make a mistake because I was told nobody can know this, but my wife knew it. I told my wife, Sean. I told my wife because I thought if I get killed, they're gonna think I got killed in a drug dealing or something, you know, at least somebody to know I'm working for the government, you know, so they can be one day proud. Look, my husband got killed working for CIA, not being drug dealer. So this is the reason I told my wife. So my kids grow up, they don't want to hear, oh, my dad got killed in a drug deal in somewhere in Pakistan or overseas. But to be proud. My dad was killed because he was working for our agency to protect us, to keep us safe. So this is why I told my wife. And then when I need to update it, I give a quote to her worldnewswap.com and I have all those numbers to click on. And then she was writing whatever I tell her in Albanian. Because over there was more easy somebody to spy on me. If it's a different language than Albanian, it was not Albanian. Nobody was Albanian over there in Al Qaeda at that time. I was now, yes, but that time was nobody Albanian, only me. So I was feeling safe and I was telling my wife, okay, tell them this, tell them that. And then she was going to computer and update it. CIA never knew it. My wife is updated from New York City. They always knew it. I'm updating from somewhere those Internet cafes and stuff like that. But I did it also in the Internet cafes. I did update the CIA and I used to look around where it's poor neighborhoods. I used to go like I'm looking some Quranic stuff and then I'm going to my website, then I'm deleting complete and I'm coming out. But I was always careful because, you know, when I first time I give oath, I stay I think three, four, four days if I don't make mistake in Al Qaeda camp. Then after four days I went back and stayed in the guest house. So I had the chance to update. There was like there was not Al Qaeda, Sean. Al Qaeda recruited me. The way I saw. They thought I was going to be leader to recruit foreigners in Balkans. This was the goal, you know, not me to be like a foot soldier the way you saw in Iraq throwing a RPG and stuff like that. They was not looking me like that. They was looking me like to be high rank in Al Qaeda. So there was. This is the interest of Al Qaeda in me. And this was the best opportunity for CIA, you know, to have me like that.

[Sean Ryan]

And so what was it Inside? How would WorldNews.com work?

[Blair Emscoro]

I will show it to you if you want a later from my phone. It was very like you go and you click enroll news. It comes news. Then you have in a site login. You don't think if you don't know the website and then you have a login. When you go login, it comes a little small place. You put your quote, your numbers. I had the numbers. I don't want to mention that. I don't want to. You know, something exposed is not good. And I was clicking that again, was giving me another code. And then it was open me and those communication. You see writing, typing and then logging out and disappear everything. Another option I had. I used to have some white papers somewhere when I travel. And if I need to write it, I will be right it. If they stop me, I couldn't put that white paper in a wall, it melts everything and you don't see nothing no more. You just put the white paper. Yeah, everything.

[Sean Ryan]

Would they be able to give send you traffic through worldnodes.com?

[Blair Emscoro]

Yes and I used to have also GPS some places when I used to be in a weapons or if I was in danger or if I was tracing something or I want to buy something, I used to, you know, click it and they used to know what button I click it and they know where I am, the location. So it's connected. It was a small piece like that.

[Sean Ryan]

A beacon.

[Blair Emscoro]

Yeah.

[Sean Ryan]

What did it look like?

[Blair Emscoro]

It's like a yellow and black. You don't talk, you just. It's a tracing device.

[Sean Ryan]

Yeah.

[Blair Emscoro]

And has those buttons. If I was in a dangerous I would put click it three times and they will try to help me if I'm in a dangerous situation. So if it's something for location, I used to just click one. If it's for weapons, it's two times. Only three times. It was a piece to click it if I was in a danger. So I needed help. It never happened. So I never needed. I was never in a situation dangerous.

[Sean Ryan]

Wow, that's. That's surprising. That's surprising. And so you. Okay, so let's go. Let's go back again. So you get the training. You meet with the head of Al Qaeda in Pakistan or one of the top guys in Al Qaeda and Pakistan. And the whole premise of all of this was they wanted you to set up a new cell of Al Qaeda where you're from. Become a leader and become a leader.

[Blair Emscoro]

Yes, sir. Become a leader of Al Qaeda for Balkan.

[Sean Ryan]

What did they want that cell of Al Qaeda to do in the Balkans?

[Blair Emscoro]

So to see if it's going to be threat. If it's a threat to US troops, if it's threat to somewhere. If it's threat because it was planned, we're going to come. It was a plan. They thought I'm coming here to attack with few guys. For example, I have today it's now we saying they are our friends, like a new leader. But I know somebody who's in a group. You have in a picture. He was in prison with me, got deported. He would never ever be pro us. Never. And I'm. I was close to him like my brother and I know him like if he can nuke us, he will nuke today. But maybe today they think he's now become a good friend. He's a freedom fighter of Syria. It's not he's a leader of freedom fighters in Syria now, but he was Al Qaeda member. He become ISIS member. And I used to come. We're going to come to the point. I used to communicate live from New York City. FBI was telling me to call, communicate with them in 2015, 16, 17, not 17. I'm sorry, 2014, 15, 16. I was communicating live. I spoke to leader of ISIS from New York City, Abu Omar Al Shashani live like the way with you. But through the signal, I was talking, he begged me and I told the FBI, look, tonight, 10 o' clock, I'm going to talk to them. And I give the number and they hear that, they see it. We Talk in 2015. He said, Please, brother, come to us. We'll give you anything you want. We need you here. This is isis.

[Sean Ryan]

Wow. They taught you how to make bombs?

[Blair Emscoro]

Absolutely. What kind of bombs? With TNTC4, all kind of explosives I can do with pressure, cooking things, all those, you know, homemade stuff.

[Sean Ryan]

So everything C4, I can do anything.

[Blair Emscoro]

You name it, I can do it. I'm good in the guns, I'm good with the weapons. I'm very good. I can tell you I shot with. You name it. All the US military weapons, you name it, I shot with every one of them. Snipers, rpg. It's a piece of cake. You know, those kind of weapons is nothing to me. You know, I'm like that. And I love the guns. So it's compromising both things. Training me. And in my nature, I love them. I cannot leave no guns.

[Sean Ryan]

And so your training was building networks, surveillance, counter surveillance, how to make deals, how to make bombs, weapons training, communications, training.

[Blair Emscoro]

Do you want me to give you one specific? One time when we was training, when we was with agents in the field with the CIA, they throw me somewhere in the middle of crowded community and they want maybe three, four cars of CIA to follow me with their sources if they're going to catch me. You never believe. Whole day they watch me. They couldn't catch me. Whole day they follow me. You want me to tell you what I did? Second quick plan of me, I went in a mosque. Now they know me. That day I was with tactical clothes, with a 511 black. So now CIA agents, they're following me. They see me when I came from the truck pickup truck. They know me blaring, was with tactical. And I'm walking in a mosque. Now they're waiting for me, where I'm going to go. What I did is, Sean, I went, you know, in a mosque sometimes, you have those you can wear so you can be praying clean. And the scarf and everything. And now all the agents, this is how they're smart. Ten or 15 of them, I don't want to, you know, insult them. So now they're all waiting how I'm going to come out, you know, with the black clothes. I wear all the white clothes. I took a scarf, you know, everything and I walked out. All day I walk away from them. They couldn't find me. In the evening, when we was a place to meet, they all watching me. They're going to catch me. They couldn't find me nowhere. I'm just knocking to the window and they got stuck. Oh man. This is the trainer they had. And then when I told them now when I knock the window, I'm knocking them with a black clothes. They said, please tell us right away how you come out from that location. And I put the, you know, those clothes, they become like that. And I pull from inside of my shirt, scarf and everything. I said this sir fucking told me. Oh, you thought you're gonna wear this so quick. Because I thought you guys gonna watch me with the black clothes. Did you? Was our training was, you know, if you're gonna catch me? Yes. So this is my skills. So I need to do whatever it's good for you not to catch me. This is what I did.

[Sean Ryan]

Maybe you should be training them.

[Blair Emscoro]

I think so. I tell you too, I think so. I should train them.

[Sean Ryan]

Who would have thought they would have never thought of a change of clothes.

[Blair Emscoro]

When we're gonna pull the weapons, I'm gonna come to the point when we pull the weapons. They was drunk, you couldn't believe we're pulling like this room weapons. Two or three CIA agents, they're all drunk. They couldn't even talk. Imagine you make a small mistake, all the city goes in the air.

[Sean Ryan]

Yeah.

[Blair Emscoro]

And I did all myself with them in my city with American agents. And then you don't want to come to the immigration say, let me sign for him. Come on, man.

[Sean Ryan]

And so. Okay, let's back to so you meet with Al Qaeda. That's the plan. They want you to set up a terrorist cell in the Balkans. They want you to lead it, be a high ranking Al Qaeda official. And so where do you go from there?

[Blair Emscoro]

I go back to Balkans, update all the CIA whatever I went through. And then al Qaeda thing, I'm recruiting and I did bring a lot of people. A lot of people was interested to be Al Qaeda members. But I give information to the CIA.

[Sean Ryan]

How would you Recruit.

[Blair Emscoro]

Oh, very easy. Europeans, Balkans. Soon as they find out you come from Pakistan, soon as they see one stamp, you've been in Pakistan a month and a half, they know right away why you've been there. They see money. The recruiters, they thought al Qaeda financing me, but I had the CIA money. Money. The Al Qaeda thought they helping me in Balkans. People like from the charity because it's no paper, you know, Al Qaeda cannot trace me where I'm getting the money in Balkans. They cannot trace me. But CIA knew it. I had all the money from CIA, all the new bills, whatever I needed. They was offering me anything. Here, the money. Sign here. Get the money.

[Sean Ryan]

And so what was your pitch to recruit?

[Blair Emscoro]

To see who wants to be Al Qaeda members.

[Sean Ryan]

And how would you broach that? How would you start that conversation, brother?

[Blair Emscoro]

I was meeting our mujahideen brothers over there, Alhamdulillah, you know, they're doing good. They're interested to recruit brothers, you know, so we can fight these infidels. They're very easy in that. And especially in the young generation. It's like nothing like, really. No, look at Sean. Today, my country is becoming breeding ground. Even like 90% it's pro US country. But two weeks ago, group of seven, I know the leader. We're gonna come up to talk about the leader. His leader was killed from the drone in Syria. And just seven members, they went and killed the best cop in my city who was investigating them in front of the house. They execute him. Just two weeks ago, in my country, all Al Qaeda members, if I tell you what kind of threats I receive in my first interview before crazy, and I come out to even investigate myself, who threatened me? I cannot even believe some people that threatened me. If I was next to them, they couldn't even look in my face. How they were scared of me. But they send me threat crazy. They're gonna behave me. They're gonna chop my head, they're gonna chop my pieces in messages. I don't fear them. Believe me. I don't fear them. I don't have. Look, I don't have no problem to die. I'm not gonna live 500 years. I have a little bit to go. At least my kids know what I'm. I'm proud. I have no problem. I will be hero to my family if I get killed because I was working for a US Government, because I was protecting my family. America is not in a war with Islam. One, it's a lie. Two is with Albanians. America, it's like God for Albanians. So I'm proud to die for America. I have no problem. My people in Kosovo, they will consider me hero. I don't care for fanatics and radicals. Group of people. I don't care for them, they're minority. For me it's important. Majority. Majority is my people.

[Sean Ryan]

How many people did you recruit?

[Blair Emscoro]

Well, I can easily say maybe 30, 40.

[Sean Ryan]

30, 40 people.

[Blair Emscoro]

Time span, easy. Like nothing.

[Sean Ryan]

Like nothing.

[Blair Emscoro]

Like nothing. Two years. In two years. But we're talking very fanatics, like sympathizers coming to try to support me. Maybe 2, 300.

[Sean Ryan]

What would you tell them the mission is?

[Blair Emscoro]

My mission is to open the cell so we can fight America. Here. I was appointed from al Qaeda leader. I'm here to recruit you guys.

[Sean Ryan]

And who would you specifically target?

[Blair Emscoro]

Those, you can see how they talk in places when they was gathering, when we was in Muslim communities. And I picked the one, the more fanatics one that say openly, we gotta kill Americans, we gotta do this, we gotta do that. Those people I will pick all the time.

[Sean Ryan]

So you would go, you would essentially.

[Blair Emscoro]

Be friends, take them parties. You would invite them for party, show.

[Sean Ryan]

Them local conversations, show the guns all the time.

[Blair Emscoro]

I used to show the guns all the time. Look at what I have. I'm ready to fight. They used to see, or sometimes I used to record myself with all kind of weapons. And I said, brother, you want to see something black and white? Here, look at the video. Oh, shit, brother. You got all this? Yeah, I got everything you want, but those are all destroyed. But I used to buy from different fanatics. There's a lot of guns over there, lot of all kind of stuff.

[Sean Ryan]

How would you communicate back to Al Qaeda from Albania?

[Blair Emscoro]

When I go over there, back always.

[Sean Ryan]

When I go back, always in person.

[Blair Emscoro]

They never use phones. I hear somebody from here said, how this guy communicated with the phone. Sean, it's a stupid question, man. There's no such thing. You can sit down and make a love story in a terror cab and it's no phones. They change my clothes. They give me own clothes. So you have no rights, you cannot even smell to have some phones with you. But I hear the questions. They're writing, oh, how this guy communicated, how he used the phone. They would never use the phone. I did not use the phone. I did not use the phone. I used communicate face to face. I was in the camp.

[Sean Ryan]

How often would you go to the camp and go back?

[Blair Emscoro]

Like every, let's say if I stay one month in Pakistan or one month in Syria, I go back, stay two, three months. In Balkans. And then I come back, remember I was in Al Qaeda camp in capital of isis, where they declare capital isis, Raqqa. I was there. You have a video live. And you know how I come to record that? I said, look, we need this video. I need to record for propaganda, to act like I'm a visitor, but also to recruit people. And they let me record that in a camp, not outside in a camp. But this is why I'm saying now, this is where I use the language, what the CIA trained me, what I need to learn, and how can I use things. So you can tell them, look, we need some video to show people to recruit who I am. If I go tell them this is who I am and I don't show nothing, how are they going to believe you? So you got to show them. So this is what I used to use, skills of the language. So to recruit them and to have evidence where I am.

[Sean Ryan]

Okay, and so how did. Where did you go from Pakistan?

[Blair Emscoro]

I used to go back to Balkan Turkey. Fly Pakistan. Turkey, Turkey. Pristina. Stay a couple of months, come back, go to Syria, go to Jordan, go to Lebanon, Egypt, Saudi Arabia.

[Sean Ryan]

Why would you go to all these places?

[Blair Emscoro]

Oh, everywhere, fanatics, everywhere. CIA point, somebody. They used to tell me, we want to know so and so. What do you think? They used to tell me who they was interested in. They used to show me pictures on them.

[Sean Ryan]

And how would you get yourself in there?

[Blair Emscoro]

How would you get yourself through the reputation. Through the imams in my city. Imams in my city. Everybody know now, I did eight years and. Eight years and four months in prison. I was deported. I was separated from family. I cannot see no more my family only if they come back. So now they think this guy's gonna revenge them. He has a long history of in military. Two different wars. This guy's not gonna play. He's gonna go revenge Americans. So this is the dream for me to do these things.

[Sean Ryan]

So what would the point of you. I guess what I'm asking is, what is the point of you going from Pakistan to Syria, to Saudi Arabia, to Iraq? Did you go to Yemen?

[Blair Emscoro]

Because I had the sources everywhere. Yemen was my last trip that day. I was going to meet Al Awlaki.

[Sean Ryan]

Before we get there.

[Blair Emscoro]

Yes.

[Sean Ryan]

Just asking. So you went from Pakistan in the Balkans to Syria was your next stop?

[Blair Emscoro]

Yes, because I used to have fanatics in prison, and through them, for example, I had a Syrian guy I go meet in Syria.

[Sean Ryan]

So these were. This wasn't a connection from the Pakistan cell to the Syrian cell. This was all back from the prison tax that you had made in prison, from federal prison. So you were working all of your contacts from prison to get into all these 100%. And now, did the Pakistani Al Qaeda cell know that you were in Syria? Yes, they did?

[Blair Emscoro]

Yes.

[Sean Ryan]

What did you tell them you were doing in Syria?

[Blair Emscoro]

Meeting the brothers. I used to be in prison. They have family members to Al Qaeda.

[Sean Ryan]

And they had no inclination?

[Blair Emscoro]

No, because remember, only in Al Qaeda can know somebody who controlled Al Qaeda. A couple of men, 1, 2, 3 people where they are the cells and stuff. Not all the Al Qaeda members know everybody. It's impossible. Never, never happened. That so. Let's say Bin Ladin, who was running Al Qaeda after him, he used to know, for example, who's who, where, but not everybody else. Like we have a colleague, Sheikh Mohammed bin Al Shiba, Abu Zubayd, all of them. They didn't know all the members, but somebody who had the control. It can be one or two, not all Al Qaeda.

[Sean Ryan]

How did it go in Syria?

[Blair Emscoro]

Al Qaeda?

[Sean Ryan]

Yeah. When you met him?

[Blair Emscoro]

Me how I go, I go met the man who used to be. It's in a picture. He was like my best brother. When I saw him with 14 years old, 13 years old slave. Last time in 2015 or 14, I got shocked. He showed me the slave from Yazidi. Lady, woman, girl. I have a kids that age. I said, come on, brother, this is sad. Our religion allowed us. You are 45 years old. What do you need at 13 years old? I hated that. Come on, I have two daughters. You're going to take 30. He showed me, I was talking to him. Life. He showed me the girl, 13 years old. Imagine I go back, tell my child, my friend is 45 years old. He's having sex with 13 years old. Come on, this is a religion. Absolutely not. Absolutely not. If I can kill, I will kill everybody. I have no problem. Religion tells you not to bother them. Religion teach you. You take hostage. You try to trade or do something. Treat them very good and with dignity. Not to rape them. I know the religion very well. So they're going off the religion. It's nothing in Islam what Al Qaeda does. They're doing nothing, I tell you. I'll give you another example. Jordanian pilot got burned life. Quran, Shariat. I started very good. Two years I spent only started. The Sharia law forbids to burn. Human body forbids regardless your enemy, what he does to you. If you believe in God, you have to pray. Make a dua. Make a prayer To God to change that thing. But not you go burn. So if you imitate the way they say you doing, the way your enemy doing to you, then you become just like them. So you're not following the Islam, Quran and Sunnah. You're going against complete Islam. So this is what they're doing.

[Sean Ryan]

You were inside Al Qaeda training camps.

[Blair Emscoro]

Three or four times.

[Sean Ryan]

What kind of training are they doing? What was that?

[Blair Emscoro]

It's experience. Small weapons. Like for example, one time, I remember we went in one of the places like three, four hours driving from Karachi. It was like very old, those old houses, ugly garbage. We were sleeping 15, 20 of us in the same place. Like a sardine stinking garbage, you know. And they were shooting with RPGA case, you know, running, showing some skills. Target all these things.

[Sean Ryan]

What were the conversations like?

[Blair Emscoro]

How to kill Americans. How to fight infidel. Every word. To fight infidel. How to kill the infidel.

[Sean Ryan]

What would you report back to the CIA?

[Blair Emscoro]

The way I was seeing that everything the way they're telling me, that's how I the CIA knew that I'm a CIA. So I was telling they want to kill infidel.

[Sean Ryan]

What specific information did they want out of the caps?

[Blair Emscoro]

Specific. For example, when I met this leader who was wanted, they asked me I was going to meet with him. They told me, you're not going to meet because maybe it's suspicious you are a spy. Sean, he was wanted and I went and meet him and I went in a court against him in US federal court, in case if he get arrested, I can be witness against him. I went and meet with him. He couldn't believe when he saw me like that with a beard. He hugged me. Now he tell me, you're my brother, now you can fight with us. CIA didn't believe another thing. I want to say it. I think you have this passport or different one. Sean, I was in Saudi Arabia. You know, when you're in Saudi Arabia, you cannot get visa to go to Pakistan. You have to be resident of Saudi Arabia or citizen. When I say to CIA, they invite, they calling me from Pakistan to go to Pakistan, from Saudi Arabia. CIA said they trying to scam me. Maybe you're dealing with low level Al Qaeda or sympathizers. It's impossible you to get the visa in Saudi Arabia to go Pakistan. Sean, I got the proof. I got the visa in a Pakistani embassy in Jeddah. CIA would never believe when I update them, I send screenshots, they thought it's a fake. I took a flight from Saudi Arabia straight to Pakistan. They didn't believe it. I said sir I'm in Pakistan, this is my passport. When I came back, I went trip back to back Saudi and Pakistan, then from Pakistan. When I went back to Balkans, when I showed documents, they freaked out how this Pakistani intelligence felt. Two days in a row I was interrogated from isi, from Pakistani intelligence in the embassy. Two days, all day they thought or I'm spy or maybe I'm Al Qaeda member. I said look I'm here for business. I'm trying to open a leather factory business. I want to bring leather from Pakistan to Balkans. It's a bs. And I got the visa and I went in Al Qaeda. See I didn't believe even when I show said how it's possible. I said sir we gotta communicate diplomatical way with them how they give visa like that. And I got it and I can prove it to you. I went in Saudi Arabia, I met with Abu Sayf, he was nine years in prison for Al Qaeda in Saudi prison. He was fighting with Bin Laden. He was die hard mentor of Bin Laden. I met with him in his house. CIA said how you got the source? Sir, I'm here with Abu Saif, I'm mentioning his name. He was eight years in Saudi prison. CIA didn't believe I was his guest.

[Sean Ryan]

When did you start smuggling Weapons in?

[Blair Emscoro]

From 2000, right away, after I was deported.

[Sean Ryan]

And so how would that work? So you're building because you didn't mention that. And so I thought maybe it came later. You were smuggling weapons from all these different terrorist organizations and getting them into CIA's hands to destroy them. Correct?

[Blair Emscoro]

Yes sir.

[Sean Ryan]

And so was that part of the initial recruitment or was the initial recruitment just to.

[Blair Emscoro]

No, after I got recruit, they see how much I'm having skills, I'm capable to do everything like there was. Look, when we did one mission, I don't know if I give it to you. There was seven agents, CIA agents and me. When we did one, we took the weapons and I asked, I said please, I want to not to make me feel good, I want to tell me how I did this job with this weapon. One of the CIA agents said I would trust my mother to be with you the way you did the job I will never be able to do. I don't have that kind of heart. Because I will be scared if I make a mistake, I will kill myself. And I did that. That's how they spread me everywhere. They want me now, everywhere to be. And like I said, I mentioned, I thought like I'M better than James Bond. I was doing so good, I didn't even believe myself. But you know what is the good part, Sean? When you know you have a support from a powerful agency, you have more will to do things. Because you don't think you can get caught and put in prison. You're free to do things. Like you can read the instruction. I'm free to do anything, just not to kill Americans or diplomatic or anybody. If I have to shoot, shoot in the air. Don't aim to the. If you get caught up with US troops, you surrender yourself. Pretend you are sick or something, but don't shoot. This is how I was instructed and this is I did it. Whatever they told me, I did it the way they told me.

[Sean Ryan]

What do you think helped you the most in your mindset doing this, Mr. Devon? Mr. Devin.

[Blair Emscoro]

Yeah. The best agent star I can tell you. He can be running the CIA with no problem. I guess the worst one. Chris.

[Sean Ryan]

Chris. Why was he the worst?

[Blair Emscoro]

The day when I got shot. I swear to God, if he was aiming to Chris, I would jump in a gun me to get killed. Not the CIA agent. That's how I was loyal. I swear to God. Never forgive that. He left me like a dog.

[Sean Ryan]

He was there?

[Blair Emscoro]

Yeah, he left Iran. When they come and rescue me, I don't see him. Never no more. And he tell the other agents, tell him you're in your own from today. Bullet wound everywhere. I couldn't even drive the car.

[Sean Ryan]

Let's talk about that experience when you got assassinated. What was going on that day?

[Blair Emscoro]

I'm going to get the OR when.

[Sean Ryan]

They attempted to assassinate you.

[Blair Emscoro]

Let me correct before that, before March. It was February. We're supposed to have a meeting. We were planning to go in Yemen in November of 2009. I received death threat in my phone November of 2009 and I sent the phone to Chris. I said I received this message. He said don't worry. Sometimes somebody they try to bluff and threat but it's nothing serious. I said okay. I was preparing my territory to go to meet with Ali Awlaki February. He said Abu in communication never mentioned my name. Always Abu Ursal Abu. Can we change meeting of February for more story first 2010, 02:00 I said, no problem. Please bring your GPS coordination. The passport. I had one extra passport from them and something I tracked somewhere from the weapons. I said okay, no problem. And bring a two picture of passport picture size of yourself. I said, okay. I go like a route usual I'm parking my car under the Garage where is the CIA safe house? Like, super, super careful, like very good not to trace me. I left the house 6:30, 7:00am changing two different cities. Sitting there, sitting here. So to see if ever somebody followed me. Nobody. I go to the garage, two floors under. So if it's any tracing device. So not to track that. So I park my car, deep to ground. Down I go. I'm entering the safe house. I see old man, car in the grass. And I greet him. He has the white kufi. I say that, you know, salaam alaikum. Alaikum salaam. No problem. It's carrying the flowers. Big building in a penthouse. It was a CIA safe house. The way you see me stretching in a stretcher taken out. I see two guys coming down, very calm me in between. I opened the door, enter. And now I see they got separated. But I never thought. I thought maybe the Macedonians entering. And they pulled the gun, shot me four times, not once. The first bullet went through my leg and I collapsed. Pretending like. Because there was not professional shooters. They're not somebody who is trained, you know, I can see, you know, not having skills in that. And he pulled the gun right to my head, jammed the gun. I hear click. Once, twice, three times. All he said they couldn't kill me. And I'm not moving because when I see the way I saw them, I thought they are like, not the guys, they have experience. Like myself, for example. I can control myself in a shooting and stuff like that. I'm very calm. Not, you know, I didn't move. I saw blood everywhere. I said, let them go out. I was thinking, let me go in a basement because I don't want to bring blood. Maybe they're coming back and if I go in a basement, they will come behind me. If I go in fourth floor, maybe they come, they trace me and they kill him and me. It's a moment. I said to myself, you know what? I'm going to die. I'm not going to betray them. I don't want to think CIA. Oh, he was a double agent. He killed our agent. I stayed for a moment. Blood was not stopping. I pulled myself quick. I couldn't move much. I started bleeding a lot. I thought I got the van here, but I couldn't even look my leg, because bullet went through. So I didn't know where I got shot. I see bleeding here, bleeding in the back. Like it's a quick moment. And I went to fourth floor. We used to have a code. If you see newspaper in A floor in Macedonian writing. So that means Chris is inside. So I don't have to put the key so neighbors to hear. I'm opening the door and I see Chris inside. And he said, what happened? I said, I got shot. He said, who did it? I said, I don't know. Two people. I'm going there. He pulled his belt. He pulled my belt. He tied it up. He's, you know, I stopped bleeding. And I see he's calling for backup for, you know, to help us. And he's talking continue, Our man is down. Our man is down. I need help. Our man is down. And I can hear that he had this different phone using with them saying, we are in a way, we are. In a way, we're going to rescue. Just, you know, careful control the situation. Bleeding. And I started losing the control. Then the. I guess, neighbor saw the blood. The local police came over there, and the secret police came. They almost clashed with each other. Local police and secret police. Secret police supposed to be our friends from Macedonia. So now Chris is talking to them. It's our man. He's down, but he's not opening the door. And all I see when they open the door, I see AK47 right in my head. Now. I said, they're gonna kill me because they see me with a bear. Now he's a white, clean American. I'm with a bear. Now they're gonna think maybe I'm trying to kill him. You know, it's 10, 15 people. Different, two different groups of agency. It's like. And I lost the control. Chris gone. They took me with a stretcher. They sent me one day or two days in one hospital. And that moment when they came after two days, they gave me stash of money. I don't need the money. They said, from today, you're in your own from hospital.

[Sean Ryan]

That was it.

[Blair Emscoro]

Yeah. That's the worst part.

[Sean Ryan]

How did you get burned?

[Blair Emscoro]

It's a good question. Million dollar question. Sorry. I've been through everything in my life. I may repeat that many times today. I don't have no problem to die, but to be betrayed like that. Come on. Central Intelligence Agency, the strongest agency in the. You rushed into judgment. You didn't investigate anything. Cameras everywhere. Sean. I went after one week. Sorry.

[Sean Ryan]

Want to take a break?

[Blair Emscoro]

Yeah, a few minutes.

[Sean Ryan]

Let's take a break.

[Blair Emscoro]

All right.

[Sean Ryan]

Blair, we're at the safe house. You get shot. I could tell you're very disappointed at how the agency treated you after that and abandoned you. We asked, how do you think you got compromised? I Mean, I'll bet that's gone through your head day after day after day. How do you think you got compromised?

[Blair Emscoro]

The way I looked at one day. They did a passport for me. And the passport that did was real my name. But I was not from that country. The people who did the passport, they stopped me one time in a border for four or five hours investigating me. Me, I was with three or four fanatics. One of them was arrested for terrorism in the border. Same people who came out to help us that day. When I got shot, same one was there. Sean, you know how Balkans function. Regardless how friend can be over there with you. They still have like a family. Like me. I have some trusted person. I tell look, I know this. So I strongly believe agent make a mistake. Leaked me my name. And they leaked the information to the fanatics. This is what happened. So now for him not to be blamed. I don't know what he put in my jacket behind to the CIA. He can't say anything. I don't know. And CIA they never asked me, so he couldn't say anything. But they never give a chance to hear my voice. Like today. I did nothing wrong. If I have to start again, I would die for this country if I was that day the guy was trying to shoot Chris. I swear to God, I will put myself in front and get killed. Never betrayed. Doesn't matter. This job is dangerous job. I'm very proud. What I did, I did for my kids. And I did for us. And I say that early. All my family is Americans, Albanians has nothing to do with terrorism.

[Sean Ryan]

At what point did Chris leave?

[Blair Emscoro]

Daddy?

[Sean Ryan]

Did he leave when the police showed up?

[Blair Emscoro]

Yeah, as soon as they took him? Yes, the Chris left that moment. When the police. Two groups of police came. One supposed to be our friends. Because we used to have a court. If it's friend of Chris, that means they are our friends. So when they walk in that day, it was our friend supposed to be. And after all this, I investigate. I did the research myself, Sean. Somebody who was trying to help me. March 31st, he got killed. May 9th. After a month and a half, him and three, four friends. Maybe he become victim because of me. He was trying to help me. He got assassinated. If you see the van, you will never believe how they kill him. Because he was trying to help me. To find out who tried to kill me.

[Sean Ryan]

How did they kill him?

[Blair Emscoro]

In a minivan. Execute him. Four guys, not one. All four of them. All four my friends in Macedonia. If you see the van, you would think there was fire. 10,000 bullets in that van. He was trying to help me to find out who tried to kill me. Somebody's covering up somewhere, Sean. I went after six days. April 7th, my birthday. It's April 8th. One day before my birthday. At US embassy where I was recruited. I was with a can. I couldn't even walk. And I parked the car right in front of the embassy, so they can see it. I entered the embassy, somebody came out to talk to me. They told me in embassy, you cannot drive no more. That car from the agency, from the CIA. Don't drive no more. Don't come here no more. Don't come to Macedonia. You are in your loan. And I tell them simple. How come it's a camera in front of the safe house everywhere? How come you guys didn't find out who did that? I don't know, sir. I'm just passing a message. When I came from the embassy, Sean, in a Macedonian border, I was threatened from Macedonian agents cursed me badly. Don't ever f come in our country. This that I'm a friend of Chris. He's telling me at the border. And I tell him straight up, f you and him, if you want to kill me, kill me. So something is behind covered. So what is something? I will advise in this interview. Intelligence agency. U.S. intelligence agency is the best. But they need to investigate the source. Sometimes it's nobody perfect. I'm not perfect. I did make mistakes. I was not perfect spy. But trust me, I was diamond. I operated everywhere. I was never exposed. Never was nobody suspicious in me. I did very good. But I was not perfect. But agent maybe make a mistake. Why? Don't question him. Why you want to lose the source? Sean, I can say to you, I want people to hear that believe me, I'm better than hundred CIA agents. I was better than a hundred CIA agents. I was CIA agents. They can do job job. Don't take me wrong. They are intelligent, they have money, they have sources, everything. But I was in sight. CIA agent couldn't go where I went. CIA agent couldn't sleep between Al Qaeda members. I slept with them. With 15 of them. I was in Raqqa sleeping with 15, 20 of them. Imagine one of them just smell I'm a spy. They will burn me life. But I did that. But the agent would not do that. So this kind of hard I had. So if you have a man like that, why you want to lose him? I hope they listen and they correct the mistakes. They always have a source. If they have a spy, let's see what he Said maybe the agents make a mistake, we don't need to rush the judgment and just ban them. Let's help him. So to find the truth, what's behind who's behind.

[Sean Ryan]

I mean, unfortunately, that's just kind of how it works, you know, I mean they. They recruited Assad to do the dirty work. I mean, it's in the outline. Throwaway spy.

[Blair Emscoro]

Yes.

[Sean Ryan]

And that's just how it. That's just how it works.

[Blair Emscoro]

But the best will be to make changes. You want me to advise you One thing complete US Agency government did with my help. One thing good, and I know I don't care, they don't want to honor that. Sean here used to be very easy to make a U.S. passport. I instruct them how it's easy. And I'm not saying 100% just my help. But believe me, US passport rules was changed because of me. I teach them how to change. Because there was piece of cake to make a US passport a piece of cake. Two days you couldn't make it. It's not you. And you can get US passport. United States changed that because my help, I used to. I told them who doing that from inside job how they're doing. A lot of people got the passport. Even terrorists couldn't get that. And me, I blur him scholar. I teach in that. But they never say that. They always that moment said you did very good job. But after, who cares? I did a lot of things good, but they don't care. That's what you say it. That's how agency works. If they have that, they ban you. This is how they never come to admit or accept. I was in touch with George Tennant two times from federal prison. Remember I mentioned that with George tennant twice in 2003 and four. Two times with the head of CIA from federal prison. So if I was like that person changing your agency, I don't need to know that, but have somebody to investigate that. You know, make agencies stronger. We need sources.

[Sean Ryan]

It probably has more to do with blowing their own cover.

[Blair Emscoro]

Absolutely.

[Sean Ryan]

Assets. Because once your cover is blown, they don't want the rest of their, their, their staff, their employees burned so they could continue on doing work. But. So in the hospital, you said they came to you in the hospital with a stack of money.

[Blair Emscoro]

Yes.

[Sean Ryan]

And what was that conversation like?

[Blair Emscoro]

The conversation was, we're gonna escort you to one of the borders. Nighttime, they asked me to escort me to Albanian border. I said no. They escort me to Kosovo border. They gave me the money. They said you have to be on your Own don't ask to speak with nobody from US Agency. You have to be safe. Then when I went after six days or seven, April 7, they told me to get away that car. I found two tracking device in my car at the mechanic shop under the car. Two tracking device in that car CIA purchased for me.

[Sean Ryan]

And that's the car that they said don't drive anymore?

[Blair Emscoro]

Yes.

[Sean Ryan]

What point did they tell you? Have a nice life. Don't go high profile.

[Blair Emscoro]

In after my immigration case finished in 2022.

[Sean Ryan]

So they were in contact with you.

[Blair Emscoro]

Again after the private no name friend of Chris.

[Sean Ryan]

That's what they said?

[Blair Emscoro]

Yeah.

[Sean Ryan]

This is a friend of Chris?

[Blair Emscoro]

Yeah. Bashan. You see how I'm sitting with you? Believe it or not, I used to get the information from inside CIA in this few years from the source who's very close to the CIA. American. American. Not Albanian American who's very close to CIA. And the source told me what they even saying about me.

[Sean Ryan]

What were they saying?

[Blair Emscoro]

It's crazy. I don't want to even I feel bad to say it.

[Sean Ryan]

Why?

[Blair Emscoro]

Because like they use you. They use you and you nothing like I don't want people to be scared to work for the agency after this. I don't want to use those things. They. They want to make you look so bad. And the source telling me source is very close to CIA every day with them source of Iran, Iraq situation war. So they don't think I came out to get to somebody who I can get things Person who was planning in Iraq side in Iraq war. Three, four years. And this is what they're saying about you. I said, why, son? If somebody wants me to be bad person, maybe I believe strong that too. They want to have a business more work. So maybe this guy go crazy. No, son, I'm proud to be American. Maybe somebody has crazy ideas.

[Sean Ryan]

What were they saying about you?

[Blair Emscoro]

It's. I don't if I say it, it's not good people to hear that.

[Sean Ryan]

Did they paint you to be a double asset?

[Blair Emscoro]

No, never, Never double asset. Like who can do that job where it's bad to say it in the air? I don't want to, you know, because people are going to think then, hey, I would never do this job. If they say it about him like that, they're gonna say that about me. Same thing.

[Sean Ryan]

So they completely washed their hands of you?

[Blair Emscoro]

Yeah.

[Sean Ryan]

And then in one way or another painted you out to be bad.

[Blair Emscoro]

Yeah. And then came back after. After 2012, 13, 14. They still want to communicate with me. They call my Lawyer in New York City. He's in US soil. I don't know how to. We can take him from U.S. soil. And I told them, I told my lawyer, tell them, you don't have to take me. You tell me what do you want me to meet? I can come and meet. I don't need your help. You never helped me to take me somewhere I came my way. We're talking after I got burned, after I got shot.

[Sean Ryan]

Why did they. Why did they contact your lawyer? What did they want?

[Blair Emscoro]

Because I think there was scare something when there was a Belgian bombing. They thought I knew some of those guys. And Syria. I prized isis. They knew what I was in Syria. I knew it from 2008, 9. They was bringing weapons from Iraq, Sean. I was there. I was witnessing trucks full of the weapons this was going to be. But I never knew the name ISIS because still was Al Qaeda. Then they changed to Jabhat al Nusra Dawl al Islamiya. Then they changed to isis. But the same people. It's not. They didn't go away. It's the same people. Al Qaeda changed the name. It's the same fanatics. It's never different. I had very strong source inside of the Syria. I spent three, four months in Syria. And they found out maybe it's a plant in US soil. I was communicating with them. Believe it or not, somebody got killed with a drone just because of my health. From New York. They tell me to talk to him and I talk. And they never said because of me, they kill him. But after two days, I found out he's killed. But he was talking to me on a phone in New York from Syria. But then We Talk in 2015. If I was bad like that, why are you talking to me then?

[Sean Ryan]

So what's interesting is earlier you were saying all the communication goes through couriers, person to person, face to face. That's it?

[Blair Emscoro]

Yes.

[Sean Ryan]

And now we're talking about. You're on a phone call with one of the top guys in Syria who gets killed in a drone strike.

[Blair Emscoro]

Yes.

[Sean Ryan]

And so when did that switch? Well, when did they switch from ISIS uprise?

[Blair Emscoro]

They was using Telegram system. They thought they cannot trace nothing. It's Russian control. So there was talking very free just now when ISIS came out.

[Sean Ryan]

Okay.

[Blair Emscoro]

In Telegram. It's that app, Telegram from Russia. So they was using that and signal. Two of them and signal too. So we was communicating with them through those two things. It was a time. I told them what time I'm going to talk to them from here, from New York. And they was listening the conversation. Sean, viewers going to want to know if it's true or not. Sean, if I communicate with the terrorists overseas from US soil, you end up in US penitentiary. You get arrested in two minutes. So this is me. I was communicating from US soil with terrorists. If I was not CIA source, I couldn't get why I didn't get arrested if I'm lying, you know, because people look, you have a sick people everywhere. They come like one in Denmark. He worked for CIA a little bit for a couple of months. And lunatic. Now I hear he's drinking and stuff. He was not Muslim. He was converted in Islam in a prison. But I was not like that. I was strongly skilled person.

[Sean Ryan]

Are they aware, do you think that you're coming on the show?

[Blair Emscoro]

I don't think so.

[Sean Ryan]

Are they aware?

[Blair Emscoro]

No. Maybe, maybe these two, three days they listen my conversation. But if they're going to like it, I'm 100% they're going to hate it. I'm 100% they're going to blaming you. Why this guy bring this source here now who knows people, how they're going to think for us, how it's going to be our image.

[Sean Ryan]

Are they aware of the documentary?

[Blair Emscoro]

Yes, that's what they told me. Yes, they told me, you know, go stay calm with your life. You know, you don't need to expose yourself in that two minute conversation. That's what they told me. But I said, I don't need advice. I don't have no problem to die. I want people to know what I did. I'm not dirt person. I'm not garbage the way you think. I'm a normal human being. I'm following of three beautiful kids. I go on live with normal life.

[Sean Ryan]

What did they say about the documentary?

[Blair Emscoro]

They didn't say nothing. I didn't still hear after nothing.

[Sean Ryan]

Did you tell them you're doing it?

[Blair Emscoro]

Oh yes, yes.

[Sean Ryan]

And they didn't say anything?

[Blair Emscoro]

No, they didn't say anything. I told them I'm going to put the book and it's going to be six episode movie. Also after the documentary, I'm planning to put the six episode movie.

[Sean Ryan]

And you do still have a contact there?

[Blair Emscoro]

I don't contact them, they contact me. I don't contact them. You know, we missed Sean, when I got shot, it was one more mistake in my side. You see, I say it. I have no problem to admit my mistake. I had a secret number. If I'm in danger situation, I have to call that number at the CIA, which is Washington. It's free. I can call from everywhere. Only if it's a dangerous situation in my life. Like if it starts something, I can call that nightmare. So you can help me. When I didn't call my wife because I told her if I don't call 48 to 72 hours. You need to call this number. And she called them the answer. What is the message related? This is message from Abu. And what is the message I can take? She said my husband disappeared. And the phone after that is disconnect. And she tried to call again. No more ringing that phone. That's the mistake I make in this. All these two years or ten years working with the U.S. intelligence Agency. And one time with the weapons. The way they told me to do the weapons. I guess they thought I was not capable to do in professional way not to be dangerous. I did it good. And we changed the spot where we're going to get the weapons. It was crazy. Bombs, landmines and everything. And Chris was with crew with two, three cars with the CIA. And I changed the spot. He came in my city. I told him, not in my city because everybody knows in my city know me. God forbid one human see me with this bear and six, seven people Americans with clean shave. I will be suspicious right away. So I did changes myself. I switched the place. I told him not in that place, but through the communication, not the in a plan like last minute. And he got angry in that. I said, I gotta save my. I gotta be safe. I don't want to expose me. And you're gonna tell me f yourself. And you're in your own yourself alone. I changed that spot. I did the job excellent. All I did that mistake to change the job. And my wife called in the CIA. Two mistakes I did with CIA. The rest never anything. I was perfectly clear in time. Whatever I was instructed to do, I went 100% according to the instruction from the CIA.

[Sean Ryan]

Where would you procure the weapons.

[Blair Emscoro]

I used to have?

[Sean Ryan]

Were these coming from Syria, Pakistan, Saudi?

[Blair Emscoro]

Were they weapons in Balkans?

[Sean Ryan]

They were all coming in Balkans, all in Balkans.

[Blair Emscoro]

But the uranium, it was coming from Russia through the Germany. We did investigate and it was possible. They want to build the dirty bomb fanatics. They want to sell it to me knowing it's going in Al Qaeda's hand. There was a lot of money involved and we was investigating that one of the source, one of those two brothers got shot. We not mention the name because still they investigated. Still it's under. You know, I don't know what's going on with Government, but they still are there. One of them got shot I guess because this issue and but his life. They tried to assassinate him. One of those two brothers. This is the issue. I was involved directly with them. We were trying to put hands in that because they thought it's coming. It was a missing in nuclear head from the former from that time Ukraine when they give up to the Russians so that it's still saying it's a missing. So they thought maybe that's the part it's coming and it's coming in Al Qaeda's hand.

[Sean Ryan]

So the Russians were selling Al Qaeda uranium?

[Blair Emscoro]

Yes.

[Sean Ryan]

What year was this?

[Blair Emscoro]

It was in 2009, 8 or 9. You can look in the communication. It's clearly over there.

[Sean Ryan]

And you were involved in that?

[Blair Emscoro]

I was 100% involved.

[Sean Ryan]

How did that. How did you get connected to the Russians?

[Blair Emscoro]

Through the fanatics they bring from Germany to Italy. From Italy to Albania.

[Sean Ryan]

And so why were the Russians involved at all?

[Blair Emscoro]

I have no idea. It's a good question. If I know, I will say it.

[Sean Ryan]

How easy is it to get uranium in Russia?

[Blair Emscoro]

It's very hard because you need a lot of skills. You have to be real professional in that part to deal with that.

[Sean Ryan]

Seems like it would have to be somebody inside the government.

[Blair Emscoro]

Yes, 100%.

[Sean Ryan]

Did they get it to him?

[Blair Emscoro]

I have no idea. More I know he was there because we was going to purchase. CIA was telling me hold on, we're going to have expert to do this. You cannot deal yourself. So if we get that you're going to be disappearing, you're not going to be able no more to work. So we have to have our to deal with that. You just have to keep them whole. You bind that.

[Sean Ryan]

How much uranium?

[Blair Emscoro]

They was saying he can easily kill half a million.

[Sean Ryan]

How many bombs would this go in?

[Blair Emscoro]

3 or 4.

[Sean Ryan]

And they would have Al Qaeda smuggle it into the us?

[Blair Emscoro]

Yeah.

[Sean Ryan]

Do you think that happened?

[Blair Emscoro]

Look, if it's that plan, why didn't happen until now? And again terrorists need to get lucky one time, not all the time. Once they have a patient. Sean, those people are no joke. Not everyone but the brains are really smart. That's why they want me in after I got shot 2010 they begged me 2014 to go back to be leader after I got shot. And the best source I had, he knew that I got shot, but he never thought I got shot because I was spy. He thought maybe our secret agents they want to assassinate me. So I'm not a fanatic, so I cannot attack us. So maybe it's inside job from the government of my country or neighbors, Serbia or Macedonia. So they try to assassinate me so I don't do something bad.

[Sean Ryan]

When's the last time you had contact with them?

[Blair Emscoro]

With us?

[Sean Ryan]

With the agency?

[Blair Emscoro]

2022.

[Sean Ryan]

That's the last time.

[Blair Emscoro]

Three years ago. January 2022. Six or the seventh of January. Two minutes.

[Sean Ryan]

Cause I'll tell you what's going through my mind. What if they got in contact with you to tell me that in this show?

[Blair Emscoro]

Ah, not never.

[Sean Ryan]

To drive a narrative.

[Blair Emscoro]

Never, Never ever. I never planned to come in your show. I was watching your show, the best show. Seeing you passed free the new CV they asked me to give. Look, I mentioned New York Times. It's a crazy interview headline. New York Times number one newspaper. But to come here, I don't believe it. But if they're going to like it. I don't think so.

[Sean Ryan]

Well, there's a lot of higher ups that want us at war. We both know that.

[Blair Emscoro]

I know very well. And you know very well, Sean, if it's like that. You saw the story. You seen me. I don't hide what I can do. I don't tell people in the street. I don't tell family members. But this is who I am. So why you don't work with him to keep him quiet? It's very easy. You are the strongest agency in the world. You don't need to come and bow down and say I'm sorry. No, absolutely. Just let him stay calm with your family. Here is your green card. US Passport. Stay calm. Enjoy. They give informal, Sean. They give a lady who was cleaning my room. Look at this. I want you to see this. Listen. They give a lady with four kids. They bring her from over there here for nothing. And you not giving me. She's a piece of garbage loser lady. She was deported from European countries involved in the crimes. And they bring her because she was cleaning my room. She told them, oh, he has a lot of slash weapons. And you want me to funny thing, joke. When the immigration prosecutor asked me, do you know. Do anybody has your papers ever? Guess what? I left envelope with some papers this lady to touch it. She did it. And she gave to the immigration that information. Just me and you, we know this bottle, correct? Right. Now, if somebody else ask us from outside, you or me told them. So that lady told the immigration. That lady told the CIA. Oh, Bladim has the weapons. The lady was cleaning the room my house. She tell me how you got shot. I said, I got shot accidentally because I don't want to. It's a family. I don't want to be scared kids because gossip. No, I said I was playing with a gun. I got shot here. She told CIA that lie. He got shot himself. I never got shot myself because CIA helped me. Why CIA didn't go back and say, hey, why are you lying? Somebody tried to kill him. You're telling us he told you he got shot himself. Do you understand? It makes sense to you. She tell them, oh, he told me he got shot himself accidentally with his gun. He likes gun. He shot accidentally himself. I don't shoot with left. I shoot. I'm a rider. I'm not lefter. I had no gun. You know another thing we missed when I was in hospital, they came local police to see if I have a gunpowder in my hands. They did that wrapping things with aluminum thing. They do it. If I was engaged with shooting. I was not engaged in shooting. I had no. I never cross. I crossed the border one time trying to show samples with uranium to the CIA and they tell me, please don't ever do that. It's very dangerous. And then one time it was something issue with some kind of size of ammunition we found. And I took it. I took it because I'm brave. I'm not scared. It's not like. Like people can say, is it sick? No, it's not Sikh. I have no problem to deal with the weapons. It's like somebody do draw the flag. I'm good with the weapons. If you good draw with the flag. I'm good with the weapons. So this is how I am. And you taking a BS from somebody from nowhere from source who you had decade working for you. Decade. I spent from 91 to 2010, nine years plus after that communicated. Sean, you can. You're super intelligent. Look at who's John Mueller? John Mueller requested to meet with me. I met with John Mueller head of counterterrorism unit. Not the Asian head of counterterrorism who met bin Laden. John Mueller met bin Laden 25 years ago. I met with him. He request to meet and I went and see him. And I was after I came from Canada after I got shot in 2015 and 23 different time. I met with the CIA and FBI in my lawyer's office. Not once. So if I'm bad like that. So why you want to meet with me if I'm no good? So why you want to meet with me? And I will not come into your show. I will not go in immigration or nowhere to put my name in the dangerous and family Name in the dangerous if they was coming and said, you know what? We're not saying if we make a mistake or not, we're going to call the judge and say, the judge, you enjoy your life, get your papers and that's it. They never did that. They're supposed to do it. They told me we're not like a federal prosecutors. Many times, not once. DOD, Department of Defense, twice in your county, Pennsylvania said, Mr. Skoro, we're not like federal prosecutors. We are Department of Defense. If we say something, we keep that none of them. I have to keep my loyalty to you and agency, but you don't keep nothing to me. We gotta work something together. I'm not interested to make money off my movie and book and document. Trust me, I work. I can make a lot of money. My wife works, my two kids works. We work, four of us. It's not really money. It's no money to the CIA working. Trust me, you get some money. But for me it's nothing. It can be for Afghani goalkeeper. You know those poor guys. You give $500 or 1,000. I'm not Afghani, you know, I can earn money in proper way. You bring in 200,000 afghanis and you say they help us? No, those 200,000 afghanis, they didn't help us. It's stupid to think like that. It's embarrassment. We helped them. They give up not to fight. They're coward. I'm using this word. I'm sorry to use that. How come they didn't find Taliban? Why they left all those weapons over there? Why'd they give up so quick? They didn't even fire a bullet. They ran away. We spent 20 years over there. We spent all that money. We invest all that money and now you bring in 200,000 Afghanistan. But you don't want to help your source. You had a 10 year source who was working everywhere.

[Sean Ryan]

What did they plan on using the all the weapons that you procured? How did they. I mean, you talked about landmines and all of that kind of.

[Blair Emscoro]

They destroy all of them. They took and destroyed.

[Sean Ryan]

They took it and destroyed everything.

[Blair Emscoro]

Wherever I got it, all the CIA took it.

[Sean Ryan]

Would the network that you set up in. In. In Slovakia, the network that you set up, would they ever ask where the weapons were?

[Blair Emscoro]

They was thinking, I'm getting for Al Qaeda.

[Sean Ryan]

But did they ever want to see him?

[Blair Emscoro]

No, never. Because it's a strict rules. Al Qaeda doesn't show nothing to you guys. I cannot. That's a 2 secret. Maybe if they ask me I would say, oh, you're a spy. You're working for somebody. Maybe you're working for Americans or foreign agency. You see the bathroom you have downstairs? I can say three or four times bigger than that place. I took C4 from the terror group. Just C4 two or three times least like that bathroom you have full. Not just a little bit full.

[Sean Ryan]

Yeah.

[Blair Emscoro]

This with my hands and all give to the CIA. I didn't have a problem. I never caused no damage. No. No CIA was ever hurt or something. Everybody was safe and good. I did everything myself.

[Sean Ryan]

How did you get back into the.

[Blair Emscoro]

US How I came back. It's very easy for me. It's no problem to come to us. It's no problem for me. Today after 10 days to be in Afghanistan, it's very easy. It's all open border. Sean. I always keep my sources. I always have friends. My good friends. They know I will never betray them. I would die never betray them. I'm very loyal. But I'm not loyal to Darist. But I can be your friend. I never betrayed you. But not to terrorists. I'm not loyal to terrorists. But to friends I'm loyal. I can pick a phone. If I want to assassinate somebody, I can do that. I have a friend.

[Sean Ryan]

So are you saying that you came back into the country illegally in U.S.

[Blair Emscoro]

Yeah, somebody drove me from Canada. There's no problem. You have an open border in a lot of places.

[Sean Ryan]

And so what's your status now?

[Blair Emscoro]

Well, now I'm to stay. My status is granted from immigration judge. I have no problem now I'm legally permitted in US I have no issue no more. I have no courts or nothing. I'm free. It's just I cannot fly overseas.

[Sean Ryan]

And what do you do now?

[Blair Emscoro]

I'm a cab driver.

[Sean Ryan]

Hell of a hell of a cab to get into.

[Blair Emscoro]

Yeah, but I never talk to the customers.

[Sean Ryan]

You don't?

[Blair Emscoro]

No.

[Sean Ryan]

I don't think they would believe you.

[Blair Emscoro]

Anyways or it's not that. And I meet all kind of people sometimes it's interesting. Some people they want to show off or tell you story. And I don't buy easy. I have more skills than them. I was a car wash owner for 10 years. I had a car wash business. I lost car wash business because my bad friends CIA 2016. They're sending me team 50 people to arrest me in Brooklyn with helicopter, with sniper. They arrested like arrested me like arresting Al Qaeda leader. I couldn't believe it.

[Sean Ryan]

What did they arrest you for?

[Blair Emscoro]

For nothing. Complain. And they released me. What complaint? What was the complaint, they said, the prosecutor here, I can give you small details. The prosecutor who arrest a terror guy who's convicted in US Oil overseas. When they came in Canada, they thought I was going to testify something against. And the prosecutor convict him with my source information. And he give credit to informers all my information. What CIA provide to him. And then he went against me, saying he's a liar. The prosecutor. And then I go in a court in front of the federal judge. I said, you, Honor, I want to. Because I know now I'm not mouse not to know my rights. And I told a lawyer who was defending excellent lawyer. I have the best lawyers in the United States this time. Before I didn't have that. Now I have the best lawyers in United States. And they're willing always to defend me for free. I don't have to pay them. They're so good lawyers. They're willing to defend me for free because they know I'm honest. They know I put my life in the dangers to protect Americans. They come the judge said to prosecutors, are you going to indict him? Prosecutor had no indictment. Sean, if you reentry to us, if you have all these pictures, the prosecutor will send you for life in prison. So they didn't do anything. They didn't do anything. And the same prosecutor, after a while, you know, the worst part in the Justice Department are federal prosecutors because they work one year, two years. They don't work to stop a criminal. They just work to build a little bit of reputation, to create experience so they can be private lawyers, to make money. Because prosecutors don't make no money money. So a lot of people become victim for that the way I become victim. But thank God judge make a right decision. I really appreciate. I have nothing to say to that judge is going to be. I have a. I have all the recording. Like, you see the way I was talking to you today? The judge didn't know I record all the decision. I'm not supposed to do that, but I was so happy when they make that decision. Like I'm born for second time because my kids was there. They seen, they know what I've been through. They was all the time present with me. They went in a pain the way I went. They suffer with me, my wife and kids. So the judge said, I cannot deport this guy. This guy gonna stay in my country. She made decision. She was a lady. She grant me state and I'm here. I'm happy with the judge, but I'm not happy with agency. Because agency couldn't do that Me not to be here, Sean. Agency. I still couldn't help the agency a lot of things. Even after my assassination attempt, I couldn't help them a lot. I was more brain than them. Not from all of them. Not like Devin and Scott. Those Devin and Scott I dealt in the beginning. They were brilliant agents. Super good CIA agents. And the one in the federal prison? Lieutenant Lyons, he was former marines. He was excellent. I will welcome to work again with them. But the last one. Crazy.

[Sean Ryan]

Would you do it all over again?

[Blair Emscoro]

Absolutely.

[Sean Ryan]

Even knowing how they treated you? Yes.

[Blair Emscoro]

With no mistake? No second thought. Just. I will put one condition. I want everything black and white in a paper writing. The way agents work inside of the agency. I want like that too. If you're not gonna have me to have that paper because I signed contract with them. If I cannot keep that paper, my kids cannot have that, then I will not. But if I. If you offer me that, I will do it from beginning. And you don't believe how much this country in the dangers today. You're not going to see that today. You're going to remember my interview with you after 10 years. How much? What? I see it in a country. How it's fanatics growing in us.

[Sean Ryan]

How are they growing?

[Blair Emscoro]

Badly.

[Sean Ryan]

I mean I see it. I know they're recruiting out of the little bit.

[Blair Emscoro]

You see it's me different because when I see what they're reading, I can tell if they're gonna be bad to the country. You know when Imam tells you hey, you don't need to ask me all the time. Fight for your rights. Do what you have to do for your rights. That means he's instigating you. He's preaching you. He's brainwashing you you to do something that's bad. And the US Agency failing badly. Another thing, they have no control of finance. How much money they give US government have zero control. And those goes that finance goes into bad people's hands. You know why it's quiet today? Because they want to grow in a fanatics ideology is this. I can easily tell you that the ideology is a sick ideology. Because they can. They wanted to get strong with finance. So when it's time to fight you, they can fight you. They're not making peace with you. They're just quiet. They're telling you. Yeah, like a situation in Syria. But when it's time, they will fight you back. We help Al Qaeda and Bin Laden in Afghanistan. You know what the. The CIA agent, I read his book. I don't want to Mention his name. Now to advertise him, he said we offer him over half a billion dollar to Bin Laden. In his book, you can read that. Just to come in TV and say I'm giving up jihad, I'm not fighting against crusaders, I'm going to live in Saudi Arabia. He said no. I read in his book, he was 25 years CIA agent in bin Laden Junit investigator. That's what he said. So same thing happened today. A lot of breeding of fanatics is there. But the agency is failing. You know it's a joke. The biggest breathing come from the prison from institution crazy. You don't believe it.

[Sean Ryan]

I believe it.

[Blair Emscoro]

I tell you, the way I see it, it's crazy. And we're gonna feel the pains after 10, 15 years. But it's gonna be too late. Shawn here you asked me, it's easy to get weapons. I can get weapons. Much as you want it in the United States. Give me the money, I can buy you anything you want. Anything. You name it, I can get you. So if I can get that, you think one day terrorists not gonna get that? Of course.

[Sean Ryan]

Oh, I know they're getting it. We talk about it a lot on this show.

[Blair Emscoro]

I see it. So look at me. I see that what's going on. And I tell you that and you don't wanna source like that. Come on. I can make a living anywhere you want. If you want to understand my mind, what I think. If you throw me in the middle of Atlantic Ocean, no clothes, no money. I come out from Atlantic Ocean with clothes and money. This is how I trust myself. This is who I am. I don't see movies, but I'm the person you're dealing now. I can do things. I don't need attention. I didn't need my name to be there. I couldn't be very low profile like before and do things which benefit you and the country. I didn't got no benefit. Did you see me how I was emotion? It's 54 years old. It's very heartbroken, you know, to come to that point. You betrayed me. Why you have a man. I can die for you. Why you don't just give me the hand? Said, let me pull you. You don't need to drown. I can help you. I'm a normal human. I love my kids, I love my family. I did everything for my kids and family. Somebody who loved the kids and family, he will not hurt you. Never. Because when I saw that they jumping from 9 11, 83rd floor, people jumping. I saw. I don't Care what they're saying with conspiracy. I was thinking to kill that guy in my cell because he was happy seeing them. I swear there was moments. I swear to God. I'm telling you. Believe or not, I was thinking to kill that guy, that terrorist guy in cell.

[Sean Ryan]

I believe it.

[Blair Emscoro]

Come on. I want to be happy. People jumping. People who feed my kids, people who help me all the time. I'm going to be happy. Never religion. I will ban my religion. If they push me like that, I will ban. I want to live normal human being. I rather be with my kids normal than be judged like that. Oh, look at what he did. Killed innocent people. I don't have to be in a problem in a war. War. It's a war. War. It's a war, but not the way they do it. Kill, taking hijacking a plant or blowing yourself in supermarket. That's not a war.

[Sean Ryan]

Yeah.

[Blair Emscoro]

Come on.

[Sean Ryan]

Well, we're wrapping up the interview. Do you have anything in particular you want to say?

[Blair Emscoro]

I hope right people listen this. I don't want attention for me, it's quality of the people to hear this. I'm not against nobody. I'm against terrorists. I was never double, never one side. If I was double, I couldn't do a lot of things until today. A lot. But I'm proud who I am. I proudly serve this country. I deserve to be treated just a little bit like human. Not too much, just a little bit.

[Sean Ryan]

Well, I would agree.

[Blair Emscoro]

Everybody enjoys that. Not taking wrong my interview.

[Sean Ryan]

Well, they're gonna enjoy it. Thank you for what you've done for the country. Thank you for being here and can't wait to see that documentary hit.

[Blair Emscoro]

Thank you very much. I'm honored to be in your place.

[Sean Ryan]

It's an honor.

[Blair Emscoro]

I'll be very honest with you. When I saw you shows I said this is my dream place to be. The way I never mention every code in the banks and stuff. One day you have to put something password. I put my dream job CIA. So this is who I was. I'm a Muslim, but my dream job was CIA.

[Sean Ryan]

You might want to change those passwords now.

[Blair Emscoro]

From now I have to Sean Ryan.

[Sean Ryan]

All right.

[Blair Emscoro]

Thank you very much. I really appreciate man. I really appreciate it. Former MLB all star Sean Casey, AKA.

[Sean Ryan]

The mayor, keeps hitting it out of the park. Take my 30 years of experience. Take the wisdom and knowledge I've learned from the failures when I got sent down my rookie year, all the injuries I had to overcome. Your mind is the most important tool you have in life. Be relentless, keep charging. It matters how you talk to yourself, how you look at the world.

[Blair Emscoro]

That matters.

[Sean Ryan]

We talk about that. I don't know.

[Blair Emscoro]

I'm fired up.

[Sean Ryan]

Baseball's back, and it's going to be incredible. I love it. The mayor's office with Sean Casey from.

[Blair Emscoro]

Believe, Follow and Listen on your favorite platform.