CIA Base Attack in Afghanistan: How a Triple Agent Duped

When the CIA thought it had a line on Ayman al-Zawahiri—al Qaeda’s new chief—almost any risk seemed worth it. But in the world of terrorism, no one’s loyalty is ever certain. In this week’s Newsweek, Joby Warrick reports on the man who left seven CIA operatives dead.

Published Jun. 20 2011 1:17AM EDT

On Dec. 30, 2009, seven CIA operatives were killed at a U.S. base in Khost, Afghanistan, when a Jordanian double agent who claimed to have cracked al Qaeda’s inner circle proved instead to be a suicide bomber—in other words, a triple agent.

The warning signs, painfully obvious in hindsight, were obscured...

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CIA Base Attack in Afghanistan: How a Triple Agent Duped

When the CIA thought it had a line on Ayman al-Zawahiri—al Qaeda’s new chief—almost any risk seemed worth it. But in the world of terrorism, no one’s loyalty is ever certain. In this week’s Newsweek, Joby Warrick reports on the man who left seven CIA operatives dead.

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