The Spy Who Lived Inside Al-Qaeda | The Struggle Within | 2

Summary

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The Spy Who: "The Spy Who Lived Inside Al-Qaeda | The Struggle Within" | Episode 2

Hosts: Indira Varma & Raza Jaffrey
Date: November 4, 2025

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Episode Overview

This episode continues the extraordinary true story of Morten Storm, the Danish biker-turned-jihadi-turned-spy, as he navigates life as a deep-cover operative inside Al-Qaeda circles. The central theme focuses on Storm’s role in a high-stakes operation: using a Western convert, "Amina," as bait to help Western intelligence locate and kill Anwar Al Awlaki, the U.S.-born cleric turned senior Al-Qaeda figure in Yemen. The episode explores the moral ambiguity, logistical complexity, and personal toll of espionage amidst the war on terror.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Stage: Yemen, 2009 – Awlaki Summons Storm

• Storm travels to meet Anwar Al Awlaki in the dangerous northern badlands of Yemen, bringing his wife Fadia along under pretense.
• Awlaki expresses concern about compromised communication, introducing Storm to new encryption software ([02:00]).
• Storm’s trust is questioned after a mutual contact accuses him of being a British agent.
  • Quote:
    • Awlaki: "Muhammad Usman... he’s suspicious of you. He thinks you work for British Intelligence." (03:50)
    • Storm (wryly): "Well, he won't be staying with us again." (04:15)

2. The Spy's Mission: Finding Awlaki a Wife

• Storm, to bolster Awlaki’s trust, agrees to find him a third wife—a white Western convert ([06:29]).
• Through a Facebook fan page, Storm makes contact with "Amina," a 32-year-old Croat convert ([07:30]).
• Dialogue highlights Amina’s naivety and willingness to face hardship for Awlaki’s cause, reinforcing the desperation and danger involved.

3. The Recruitment Debate: Ethics of Espionage

• In a Copenhagen hotel, Storm briefs his CIA, MI5, and Danish PET handlers on using Amina as bait, planting a tracking device in her suitcase ([10:00–13:00]).
  • Lively ethical debate unfolds across agencies:
    • Kevin (MI5): "We're talking about sending a naive, vulnerable woman into a volatile country to live with a terrorist." (11:10)
    • Jed (CIA): "Anwar Al Awlaki is instigating mass murder on our nation's soil. Or have you already forgotten what just happened in Fort Hood?" (11:40)
• The MI5 handler expresses concern for Amina’s safety; CIA is focused on the operational opportunity.

4. Shifting Loyalties: The Special Relationship Frays

• Over a meal in Scotland, MI5 urges Storm to stop the operation—"We do not want to see you get screwed over." (16:00)
• In Iceland, PET handler Clang bluntly steers Storm toward the Americans, promising higher pay and a bonus ([17:00]):
  • "If I were you, I'd go with the Americans. Yeah? Yeah. It'd be much more fun. And more money too." (17:39)
• The episode exposes how national interests and money influence field decisions and alliances.

5. The Suitcase Plot—and Its Failure

• Storm delivers the CIA’s bribe and suitcase with transponder to Amina in Vienna ([19:20]).
• Memorable moment:
  • Amina: "I might not be able to fit all I hoped in this."
  • Storm: "The Sheikh himself requested this very case." (20:05)
• Later, word arrives: Amina made it, but was forced to abandon her suitcase before reaching Awlaki, foiling the high-tech assassination attempt ([22:30]).
  • "The suitcase and its hidden tracker never made it to Al Awlaki." (23:20)
• CIA is left empty-handed, Storm collects his $250,000 reward from Danish intelligence—but his guilt grows.

6. Consequences and Fallout

• Storm is alienated, suspected by CIA, and witnesses his Danish handlers celebrating success carelessly ([26:47]):
  • "You're the ones hooking up with women who are probably sex trafficking victims."
  • Clang (PET): "Screw you, Morton." (28:00)
• A period of self-destruction follows; Storm turns to drugs and burns bridges with his last intelligence contacts.

7. Resurrection: Bin Laden’s Death and Renewed Purpose

• After a year’s spiral, news of Osama bin Laden’s death brings Storm back into CIA and PET’s good graces. Awlaki is now America’s top target ([29:00–30:00]).
  • Jed (CIA): "Osama's worm food. And now we're talking again." (30:30)
  • Storm: "I'm ready. Let's get him." (30:55)

8. Cat-and-Mouse: Awlaki Survives Drone Strike

• Illustrative scene: Awlaki narrowly escapes a U.S. drone attack in Yemen’s mountains, helped by his followers’ sacrificial swap of vehicles ([31:30]).
• Awlaki’s increasing paranoia thickens the fog of war, making further operations ever-riskier.

9. Back to Espionage: Encrypted Thumb Drives and Courier Chains

• With Yemen in chaos post-Arab Spring, Storm attempts to re-establish communication with Awlaki using trusted go-between Abdul ([33:45–36:00]).

  • Awlaki sets up a complex courier chain to mask locations; even a portable fridge is requested, likely for explosives ([38:00]).

• Storm’s handlers stress-test the risk, discuss using thumb drives for tracking, and dangle a $5 million reward if the operation succeeds ([38:45]):

  • Klang (PET): "With that much money, you could buy one of the expensive villas here... If you do, you better let us come and stay." (40:20)
  • Storm, conflicted: "I'm about to become a millionaire by facilitating the murder of a man I once considered a friend." (41:46)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Ethical Dilemma in Espionage:

  • Kevin (MI5): "We're talking about sending a naive, vulnerable woman into a volatile country to live with a terrorist." (11:10)
  • Jed (CIA): "All our Lucky is to be found and dealt with. And Amina can lead us right to him." (12:15)

• On Money and Motivation:

  • Clang (PET): "And I’m not supposed to tell you this, so act surprised when Jed tells you there’ll be a bonus if the mission with Amina goes well." (17:50)

• Moral Reckoning:

  • Storm: "I'm about to become a millionaire by facilitating the murder of a man I once considered a friend." (41:46)

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Important Segment Timestamps

• Al Awlaki's Paranoia & Encryption: 02:00–04:15
• Recruiting Amina as Awlaki's Wife: 06:29–09:00
• Agency Ethics Showdown in Copenhagen: 10:00–13:00
• Storm's "Special Relationship" Dilemma: 16:00–18:00
• Vienna Hand-Off – Amina Gets the Suitcase: 19:20–21:00
• Suitcase Mission Fails: 22:30–23:20
• Debrief & Fallout, Storm's Isolation: 26:47–29:00
• Bin Laden's Death, Awlaki Becomes Top Target: 29:00–31:00
• Awlaki Evades Drone Strike: 31:30–33:20
• Courier Chain & $5M Bounty: 38:45–41:45

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Themes & Tone

The episode is tense, gritty, and unflinching, maintaining the underlying paranoia and moral uncertainty of its real-life plot. Dialogues reflect Storm’s conflicted loyalties and his handlers’ cold calculus—never shying from the life-and-death stakes or from the cost of deception.

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Summary

Episode 2 details Morten Storm’s high-wire act as a triple agent—balancing demands from Western intelligence and jihadist leaders, grappling with personal guilt, and encountering sharp divides among his handlers over operational ethics. The failed attempt to use Amina to track down Awlaki sets off a series of betrayals and investigative setbacks, before intelligence priorities shift and Storm is called back as the only man who can help eliminate America’s new top terrorist target. The account is as much an exploration of moral boundaries as it is of real-world espionage tactics.

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Transcript

[Narrator]

Wondery plus subscribers can binge full seasons of the Spy who early and ad free on Apple Podcasts or the Wondery app.

[Raza Jaffrey]

Please be advised this episode contains depictions of drug use. September 2009 Shukra, Yemen Danish spy Morton Storm pulls his rented Hyundai into the petrol station on the edge of town. Next to him in the passenger seat is his wife, Fadia. Her black niqab only reveals her eyes, but it can't hide her unease. Storm attempts a reassuring smile. I just want to stretch my legs. Storm steps into the warm night. The place is quiet and the surrounding landscape inky dark. Up ahead on a billboard is the smiling face of Yemen's mustached president. Past that, the road splits in two. One fork continues east along the coast. The other swings north to the country's interior, where the president's forces hold little sway. That way lies bandits, warlords, and Al Qaeda fighters. And that's where Anwar Al Awlaki wants Storm to go. Storm last saw the US Born terrorist cleric a year ago. Since then, they've both been busy. Storm's been helping his Danish, American and British spymasters infiltrate jihadi networks in Europe and East Africa. Al Awlakhi's been using YouTube to spread his message of religious violence worldwide. Now Al Awlaki wants a face to face with Storm. It's a rare invitation and too good an opportunity to refuse. But Al Awlaki's not said why he wants to meet. Storm wonders if he's heading into a trap. Storm returns to the car and resumes his journey as he turns north into the badlands. He regrets bringing Falia with him, but leaving her behind would only invite questions. She has no idea he's a spy. As far as she knows, Storm regards Al Aulahi as a friend and a religious teacher. Storm reaches the remote spot where Al Awlaki told him to wait for an escort to his compound. In the distance, a vehicle is approaching from the north. Its headlights draw closer. It's a Toyota Land Cruiser with armed men riding on the back. Storm grasps his wife's hand. If things are about to go wrong, they'll know soon enough. An hour later, the escort delivers Storm and his wife to Al Awlaki's high walled compound. The jihadi cleric emerges from one of the buildings. He's wearing a camouflage jacket over his top and has an AK47 slung over his shoulder. My Danish friend, it's good to see you. Tell me, you found me a wife yet? Not yet, but I'm working on it. Good, because I'm never gonna find another wife all the way out here. Walk with me. Allah. Lucky leads Storm into his office. Thank you for coming to see me. I have something important to show you. New encryption software for our communications. The old method of leaving each other draft emails on webmail is no longer secure. You think our communications are compromised? I have no evidence, but it's a possibility. The unbelievers know I'm a threat. You know, just the other day a brother visited me. Muhammad Usman. He said he knows you. Yes, he stayed with us in Sanaa. Well, he's suspicious of you. Really? Yes. He thinks you work for British Intelligence. Of course, he had nothing to support such a ridiculous accusation. Storm cracks a smile. Well, he won't be staying with us again. Storm hopes his laughter will put this to rest. But out here, distrust can have fatal consequences. He feels Al Awlaki's eyes studying him, sizing him up and trying to divine whether he can still be trusted.

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From Wondery I'm Raza Jaffrey and this is the spy who in the last episode, Danish biker Morten Storm found Islam and turned Jihadi. But after losing his faith, he became a spy for the West. Now he's helping his spymasters monitor the threat from Anwar Al Awaulahi, the American born terrorist preacher who operates out of Yemen. This is episode two of the Spy who Lived Inside Al Qaeda the struggle within November 2009. Birmingham, England. @ his home, Morton Storm logs onto Facebook. It's been two months since he visited Anwar Al Awlaki in Yemen. The radical cleric seems to have dismissed the idea that Storm is a spy. But Storm wants to shore up his trust all the same. So he stepped up his efforts to find Al Awlakhi a new wife. Al Awlakhi wants his third wife to be a white Western convert. He feels his other wives lack the maturity and education to relate to his journey from American kid to jihadi leader. So Storm sought help from an Al Awlaki fan page. And this morning he got a reply from a Croat named Amina. She wants to know if Storm's in contact with Al Awlaki. He checks their profile. She seems real enough. Yes, I am in contact with the Sheik, Amina replies moments later. Do you know the Sheik personally? If so, may I be so liberal as to ask you something? Yes, I know him. Feel free to ask. I emailed him and proposed marriage. I do not know how silly that is, but now I am in contact with you. Maybe you could recommend me. Storm sits up. This is promising. Tell me, why do you wish to marry the Sheikh? I'm seeking a way out of Croatia and a husband who will teach me and who I can help. I deeply respect him and all he does. For the Ummah, you would be wife number three. He has two already, but they don't stay with him. You will stay with him all the time. You should expect hardship and moving from place to place while taking care of your duties as a wife. Be patient with all that you will see and face, as he may be exposed to danger and Allah is our protector. Can you accept this? Storm hit send. 5 minutes pass and 10. He wonders if his reality check has put Amina off. But then she replies, I would go anywhere with him. I am ready for dangerous things. I am not afraid of death. I didn't know he has two wives already, but I do not mind at all. I want to help him in his work. I am good at housekeeping. Storm leans back in his chair. He's found Al Awlaki's new bride. One month later Denmark In a hotel suite in Copenhagen, Storm briefs his handlers on Amina while nursing a bottle of Carlsberg. She's 32, blonde, describes herself as attractive and says people think she's in her mid-20s, never married, no kids. She could ensure Al Awlaki trusts me. We could also use her to locate him. Storm CIA handler Jed breaks into A broad smile. Yeah, I like that. Thinking if we plant a satellite transponder in a makeup box or a suitcase. Even better. Storm's Danish handler, Clang, joins in. I agree. A suitcase is the ideal Trojan horse. Al Awlaki's always on the move. There's little chance she'll leave her suitcase behind. Everyone turns to look at Storm's British handler, Kevin. He looks unimpressed. Jed scowls.

[Commercial Announcer]

What?

[Raza Jaffrey]

Well, the plan is achievable. We're talking about sending a naive, vulnerable woman into a volatile country to live with a terrorist. I believe Morton shares our concerns. Jed spins round to face Storm. That true? Well, I wouldn't want it to become, I don't know, collateral damage in a drone strike. Kevin looks at Jed. See? Oh, come on. Will you all stop with this bleeding heart bullcrap? Anwar Al Awlaki is instigating mass murder on our nation's soil. Or have you already forgotten what just happened in Fort Hood? Fort Hood is a U.S. army base in Texas. Last month, a Muslim major radicalized by Al Awlaki went on a rampage. He shot 13 people dead and left more than 30 injured. Jed starts to pace the room. The mood music in Washington's changed. All our Lucky is to be found and dealt with. And Amina can lead us right to him. Kevin crosses his arms. And if she's with him when you launch a drone strike? We need eyes on Al Awlaki. She need not die. Somehow I doubt you'd miss your shot just to spare her. Kevin looks at Clang, hoping for backup from Danish intelligence. Doesn't Danish law prohibit PET from participating in assassinations? Clang says nothing. Jed cuts in. I want to hear from Morton. He knows the risks better than all of us. And Amina is his asset. Morton, what do you want to do? All eyes in the room focus on Storm. He drains his beer, then replies, I'm going to tell OLO Lucky I found him a wife. He might still reject her. And we can always cancel the operation before she goes to Yemen if we want. A few weeks later, Edinburgh, Scotland In a restaurant on the Royal Mile, Storm stares at the unfamiliar meal on his plate. On it, next to some mashed potato and swede, is a clump of dark gray. Storm's MI5 handler, Kevin, leans forward. Just taste it. It's a Scottish tradition. Storm forks some of the haggis into his mouth. It's okay. Peppery and nutty. So what is it? Awful of notes? Sheep heart? Lungs, Suets oatmeal. Storm pulls a grossed out face as his handler laughs to himself. All right, you got me. But I've eaten worse. Okay, enough. What's really going on? I appreciate the tour of Scotland and these free meals, but nothing is ever really free. Okay? Right you are. We wanted to show we appreciate you. But I also need to talk to you about Amina. What about her? We're not comfortable with what the Americans want to do with her. Our job is to gather intelligence, not arrange assassinations. We don't think we should help her get to Yemen. So much for the special relationship. Morton, we can't offer you the money they can. But what we can promise is we will take care of you. We do not like this plan and we do not want to see you get screwed over. So please think about it. Okay? A few weeks later. Reykjavik, Iceland Storm is on another all expenses paid trip. But this time he's with his Danish handlers and the CIA is paying the tab. They've spent the day lazing in the geothermal spa waters of the Blue Lagoon. Now they're back in Storm's five star hotel suite and Storm wants advice. The Brits don't want me to help Amina get to Yemen. They asked me to stop the operation, Pet. Officer Clang looks concerned. I did? Yeah. Took me on a tour of Scotland to try and convince me not to. And I get a sense the CIA are paying for this trip to get me to go through with it. Well, what are you thinking about Amina? I don't know. All our lucky needs to be stopped. And that follower of his tried to blow up that passenger plane. I've got no doubts about that. But Amina, I'm torn. I understand. Which way are you leaning? I hoped you might advise me. Oh, okay. Well, if I were you, I'd go with the Americans. Yeah? Yeah. It'd be much more fun. And more money too. I heard they'll pay you a retainer of £2,600amonth. Storm's eyes widen. Ever since he quit the Bandidos biker gang, he's been either broke or about to go broke. Being a Jihadi is poorly paid and he gets just 900 pounds a month from the Danes for his spying. Clang leans closer also. And I'm not supposed to tell you this, so act surprised when Jed tells you there'll be a bonus if the mission with Amina goes well. A bonus? How much? Clank smiles and leans back into his seat. I don't know, but it'll be big. Two MONTHS later Birmingham Airport, England Storm collects his boarding pass and passport from the check in assistant and heads for the security gate. He's about to fly to Copenhagen to meet with the city CIA and Danish intelligence. The operation to get Amina to Al Awlaki is gathering speed. Al Awlaki is smitten with his new European bride. Amina remains resolute in her desire to marry him and the CIA is preparing a transponder to plant in her suitcase. A storm near security. His phone rings. It's Kevin. Is that my 5 handler? Kevin, can I call you back? I know you are Morton and I know where you're going to. Oh, don't get on that plane. Jed's expecting me. Morton if you get on that plane, our work together is over. Really? Yes. We enjoyed working with you and we achieved a lot. But this operation crosses a line. We cannot be part of it. If you get on that plane, this is our goodbye. Storm. Tom hesitates. He looks towards the security gates, then to the automatic doors that lead out of the airport. He picks up his bag and heads for the gates.

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Spring 2010 Vienna, Austria In a McDonald's restaurant, Mawson, storm sits at a table cradling a cup of coffee. Sitting opposite is Amina. She's now just a few days away from going to Yemen to become Anwar Al Awlaki's wife. She's wearing a hijab, and there's a vulnerability in the way she carries herself. Storm ignores it. He's got a mission to do. He hands her a thick envelope. Inside is $3,000 in cash provided by the CIA. Not that he can tell her that. The money was raised by our brothers in England to help you. Your plane tickets are there too. You fly to Istanbul first, only then to Yemen. That will raise less suspicion. And when I reach Sanaa, Go to the address I gave you. The people there will look after you until someone comes to collect you. How long will that take? That is for God to decide. Maybe as long as a month. Finally, there is this. Storm pushes a mid sized suitcase towards Amina. It's a new Samsonite case, but hidden within its hard grey shell is a transponder that would allow the CIA to track its every move to ensure Amina takes it. Storm asked Al Awlaki to specify what kind of case she should bring. But Amina looks disappointed by it. I might not be able to fit all I hoped in this. The Sheikh himself requested this very case. If there are items you have to leave behind, let me know and I will try to bring them when I visit. Amina pulls the case towards her. Storm notices her hand is trembling. She looks at him. I don't know how I will ever pay you back. You've done so much for me. May Allah reward you. Then she leaves, wheeling her new suitcase behind her. The suitcase that will lead the CIA right to Al Awlaki's doorstep. One month LATER Copenhagen, Denmark Morton Storm waits in the lobby of the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Amina and the suitcase arrived in Yemen a few days ago and while she waits in Sanaa for her escort to Al Awlaki, Storm's ready to collect his bonus. Storm's Danish handler, Klang, enters the lobby. He's carrying a slim black briefcase and it's handcuffed to his wrist. He gestures for Storm to follow. Storm joins him at the elevators. After reaching a room on an upper floor, Clang places the briefcase on the table in front of Storm gets the code. Storm looks at the three number combination lock. Clang smiles. 007. Storm opens the lock, lifts the lid and gasps. Inside is a quarter of a million dollars in bundles of hundred dollar bills. Clang grins. Congratulations, Morton. How does it feel to be rich? Storm stares at the money, then at Clang. How am I supposed to deposit all this cash in the bank? That, Morton, is your problem. A few days later, Birmingham, England at his home, Storm opens his laptop and inserts the USB stick Al Awlaki gave him on his last visit to Yemen. On it is the encryption program he and Al Awlaki now use to keep their email communications secure. Storm copies and pastes the jumble of characters from Al Awlaki's latest email into the program and watches as they are decrypted before his eyes. He reads Al Awlaki's letter with relief. Aminah is now with Al Awlaki, and he is delighted with his new wife. There's also a message from Aminah. She says everything went to plan, except that the people who came to collect her made her leave her electronics and her suitcase behind. Storm stares at the words, hoping they might disappear, but they don't. The suitcase and its hidden tracker never made it to Al Awlaki. Storm wonders what this means. Is this just Al Awlaki being careful? Or did Storm's questions about what suitcase Amina should bring raise suspicions? Did Al Awlaki's people discover the transponder? And what will the CIS say when it learns it paid Storm a fortune for a failed mission? The next day, Sanaa, Yemen. In the lodgings where Amina stayed before being taken to Al Awlaki, a CIA informant checks the coast is clear. The informant's mission is to locate a gray hard top Samsonite suitcase. The CIA want to know if it's still at the lodgings and still intact. The informant's also been warned this could be a trap. Seeing no one, the informant enters the room where Amina stayed. The abandoned suitcase is there, standing in the corner of the room, and there's no sign of significant damage. As instructed, the informant leaves the case right where it is. An hour later, the informant relays this information to the CIA. It's confirmation that the suitcase transponder went undiscovered and that Storm's cover is intact. But it also confirms that the mission to use Amina to locate Al Awlaki has failed.

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June 2010 Barcelona, Spain. In a secluded gated villa, three officers from the Danish Intelligence service PET are throwing a private party to mark the end of their latest debrief with Morton Storm. Young women in chiffon dresses and high heels top up their champagne flutes. PET Officer Klang raises his glass to Morton. Go to Morton. Storm forces a half hearted smile. He's not in the party mood. As the PET officers drink, he stares into space. The Amina operation was a disaster. First the British dumped him. Now the CIA has too. The Americans suspect Storm of playing them. Storm understands why. Al Awlaki got a wife. Storm got a quarter of a million dollars. The CIA got zilch. But his Danish handlers don't seem to care. They're too busy getting drunk and pairing up with the escorts. Storm watches one of the PET officers follow one of the women to her bedroom. A woman's voice interrupts his thoughts. Hi there. I'm Aleya. Storm looks at her, but he doesn't see her face. Instead, he sees Amina, the woman he turned into a terrorist's bride. He feels guilt, but it's too late now. Olea takes Storm by the hand and leads him to her bedroom. As she closes the door behind them, Storm snaps out of his stupor. Sorry I can't sleep with you. I'm married. Aleya's face sags. Oh. Do you want to talk? No, I'd rather get a high. Is that possible? Aleya looks relieved. She gets a vial of white powder from a secret compartment behind an oil painting. Storm watches her tap out a line, then bends over to snort it. The door bursts open. It's Clang and he looks horrified. MORTON what the hell are you doing? You can't do that. I'm doing exactly what it looks like I'm doing. No, no, not. Not with us here. You can't. We're part of the police. Storm frowns. You? I'm only abusing myself. You're the ones hooking up with women who are probably sex trafficking victims. Screw you, Morton. Clang barges past Aleya and out of the room. First the British, then the Americans. Now Storm's burning bridges with Danish intelligence too. He glances at the half finished line of cocaine on the table and thinks it may 2011 almost a year later Hornbeck, Denmark In a holiday villa next to a tree lined lake, Storm is having a reunion with PET and the CIA. He feared it'd be awkward. Instead, CIA Officer Jed is in a buoyant mood. And that's because today U.S. special forces killed Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden. This is a great day, Morton. Osama's worm food. And now we're talking again. Yeah. Congratulations on getting him. Thank you. Been a long time coming, PET Officer Clang interjects. Of course, with Bin Laden dead, that means Al Awlaki is now America's top target, doesn't it? Damn right. And Morton, we need your help to find him. Storm smiles. He wants this reunion more than they know. He spent the past year lost. He snorted away a good chunk of money he got from the CIA. He doesn't just want to get back in the spy game. He needs to to save him from himself. He looks at Jed. I'm ready. Let's get him. May 2011 the foothills near Attack Yemen it's night and in a white pickup truck, Anwar Al Awlaki is on the move. He repositions his round wire framed glasses as the vehicle rumbles over the pitted and parched ground towards his latest hideout. Ahead, the lights of the village of Nishab beckon in the gloom. The force of an explosion slams into the side of the truck. The windows shatter, showering Alaki with glass. The driver shouts Drone. The driver slams on the accelerator and starts veering wildly, zigzagging over the pockmark terrain to evade the American drone in the sky above. Alaki clings onto the grab handle as he is flung from side to side. He glances back. Smoke is rock rising from where the drone's missile hit mere meters from his vehicle. The truck seems to pivot onto two wheels for a moment as another missile hits close by. Then it slams back down hard onto four wheels before resuming its bone shattering dash for safety. By now Al Qaeda vehicles are racing out of the village towards their position. Al Awlaki cranes his neck to the sky and sees thick clouds converging directly above them. He yells to the driver, allah has provided cover. Stop. The driver breaks hard and turns to Al Awlaki Sheikh we cannot stay here. These clouds will soon pass. We need to reach the mountains. It's the only place we can hide. One of the vehicles from the village pulls up next to them. Inside are two Al Qaeda fighters. Shake. Swap vehicles with us. We will draw the infidel's Fire so you can escape. Our Lucky doesn't need to be asked twice. Bless you, my brothers. May Allah protect you. The men switch vehicles. The dark two fighters from the village zoom off in the white pickup truck. Al Awlaki and his driver head in the opposite direction in their new vehicle. As they reach the mountains, Al Awlaki looks out of the back window. In the distance, he sees the white pickup truck he was in speeding away. This time, the drone's missile is on target. The white pickup and the fighters in it are instantly incinerated. Al Awlaki's escaped, but next time, the first missile might hit. His margin for error is shrinking. It's a few days later, and Morton Storm is back in Sanaa, and the mood in the Yemeni capital is febrile. The Arab Spring revolts are spreading throughout the Middle East. Protesters are on the streets. To the south, Al Qaeda has seized the coastal town of Zinjibar. Yesterday, a bomb attack left Yemen's president seriously injured. The country feels close to civil war, and that makes Storm's mission all the more urgent. He's come to find where Al Awlaki's hiding so the CIA can kill him. But the jihadi preacher isn't replying to Storm's encrypted emails asking to meet up. That leaves Storm with just one option, and it's a risky one. He must ask Abdul for help. Abdul is his closest friend in Yemen and a courier for Al Qaeda. But Al Awlaki distrusts Abdul and might be wary of a message sent via him. And as Storm reaches Abdul's home, he's reminded of why most jihadis struggle to get by. But Abdul owns a nice home and smart part of the city. And there's a new car in the driveway. Abdul opens the door and is surprised to see Storm there. He beckons him inside and pours him a glass of milk tea. Return to Yemen at an interesting time. Yeah. I had hoped to meet Sheikh Al Awlaki. Hoped? He's not answering my emails. It may be too risky for him to reply in case the Americans find him. I thought the same, which is why I hope that you could help. Oh. So Storm reaches into his pocket and pulls out a USB thumb drive. I have put an encrypted message to Al Awlaki on this drive. I need it delivered to him and his reply brought to me. Do you know way I. I know a brother. He's a go between. Between our people here and the fighters in the south. He could get it to them. Is he reliable? He's never let me down before. Leave the thumb drive with me. I will call him now. Abdul takes his phone from his pocket. It's a Nokia N900 smartphone, the exact same model that the CIA gave Storm to use. Storm hands over the thumb drive and wonders again who Abdul really works for. Several days later, Sanaa. In a traditional Yemeni restaurant, Storm sits by himself, waiting for an Al Qaeda messenger to bring him a reply from Al Awlaki. Two Yemeni men sitting nearby glance at him again. They've been doing it all evening. As a large white Dane with a ginger beard, Storm knows he stands out. But these two men seem just a little too interested. He wonders if they are Yemen secret service. It's also possible they are Al Qaeda members sent to ensure their messenger isn't walking into a trap. It could also be paranoia setting in. A skinny teenager wearing a headscarf enters the restaurant and approaches Storm's table color. Storm feels the exchange of code words seems pointless. It's not like anyone else here matches his description, but he gives the required response anyway. Green. The teenager hands Storm the same thumb drive he gave to Abdul. Then he gives Storm an envelope full of US Dollars before pointing at the thumb drive to indicate that the message on the drive will explain the money. An hour later, in his apartment, Storm plugs the thumb drive into his laptop and decrypts Al Awlaki's message. Al Awlaki apologizes for not replying to Storm's emails, but says it's too risky to communicate online now. He also fears that Storm will be under surveillance. Instead, they should continue sending messages to each other via thumb drives. Hello, Lucky Explanation explains that he's built a chain of couriers to obscure his location. Each courier in the chain only knows their portion of the journey. That way, if one gets captured, they cannot betray his whereabouts. The money is to buy a portable refrigerator. Al Awlaki doesn't say why he wants it, but Storm suspects it's for storing explosives at the correct temperature. There's also a message from Amina. She misses her family, but has grown used to the conditions she now lives in. She wants Storm to bring her sanitary towels and lint chocolate. She also wants some European dresses, as her Yemeni clothes are too hot to wear. Storm's back in touch with Al Awlaki. But finding out where he's hiding is still going to be a challenge. A few days later. Malaga, Spain. In a hotel suite, Storm is debriefing the CIA and the Danish intelligence service PET on how he re established Contact with Alaki. CIA officer Jed can't hide his glee. This is huge, Morton. Do you think you can travel to meet him? If I bring him the fridge and the other supplies he wants? Maybe. But the security situation in Yemen is a lot worse. Now, that might not work out. What about the thumb drives I'm using to communicate with him? Could you track those? That would lead you right to him. Yeah. Something to explore, for sure. Jed thinks for a moment and then refocuses on Storm. But I have a question that I need you to answer. It's about the message to Alaki that you had Abdul sent to him. What about it? In it, you told Al Awlaki that you don't trust Abdul. Why did you say that? Because I know that Al Awlaki doesn't trust him. I wanted to reassure Al Awlaki that I am being careful. Huh. Okay, I get it. This is great work, Morton. And if this deal leads us to Alalaki, there'll be a very significant reward for you. Jed stands. But now, if you'd excuse me, I need to go talk to a man about a horse. Storm waits for Jed to enter the bathroom, then turns to his pet handler. Clang. What was all that song and dance about Abdul? Does Abdul work for the Americans? Klang shrugs. Who knows? The important thing is the Americans will pay you $5 million if you lead them to Uno. Lucky. Storm stares at Jensen in shock. It's a breathtaking sum, but it also rings true. The US Considers Al Awlaki a major security threat, a jihadi Pied piper who stokes terrorist attacks across the world. $5 million is a small sum to pay to eliminate him. Klang talks again. You know, Morten, with that much money, you could buy one of the expensive villas here. If you do, you better let us come and stay. Storm grunts in ascent, but he feels no elation, just the cold knowledge that he's about to become a millionaire by facilitating the murder of a man he once considered a.

[Narrator]

Wondery. Subscribers can binge full seasons of the Spy who early and ad free on Apple Podcasts or the Wondery app.

[Raza Jaffrey]

Have you got a spy story you'd like us to tell? Email your ideas to the spywhooandery.com from Wondery. This is the second episode in our series season, the Spy who Lived Inside Al Qaeda. A quick note about our dialogue. We can't know everything that was said or done behind closed doors, particularly far back in history. But our scenes are written using the best available sources. So even if a scene or conversation has been recreated for dramatic effect. It's still based on biographical research. We used various sources in our research for this season, including Agent Storm, My Life Inside Al Qaeda and the CIA by Morton Storm with Paul Cruikshank and Tim Lister. The Spy who is hosted by me, Raza Jaffrey. Our show is produced by Vespucci with writing and story editing by Yellow Ant for Wondery. For Yellow Ant, this episode was researched by Louise Byrne. Pronunciation guidance from Reka Kirstein and Paula Richardson. Our managing producer is Jay Priest. For Vespucci, our senior producer is Ashley Clibbery. Our sound designer is Ivor Manley. Natalia Rodriguez is the supervising producer. Music supervisor is Scott Velasquez for Fris? N Sink. Executive producers for Vespucci are Johnny Galvin and Daniel Turkan. Executive producer for Yellow Ant is Tristan Donovan. Executive producer producers for Wondery are Estelle Doyle, Theodora Leludis and Marshall Louis.