The Spy Who Fooled the CIA

On December 30, 2009, the CIA believed it had found the spy who could lead it to al-Qaeda’s top leaders: a Jordanian doctor working as its double agent. To protect his cover, he was driven onto a CIA base in Khost, Afghanistan, without being searched. He was wearing a bomb. This is the story of Humam al-Balawi, the double agent who was secretly working for the other side, and the warnings that were missed before the deadliest attack on the CIA since 1983. Seven CIA officers and contractors, a Jordanian intelligence officer and an Afghan driver were killed.