The Daily

The Sunday Read: ‘The “Herald Square Bomber” Who Wasn’t’

Apr 25, 2021

Rozina Ali, a contributor to the New York Times Magazine, delves into the shocking tale of Shahawar Matin Siraj, a young man ensnared in a bomb plot by an informant posing as a mentor. The discussion explores the moral dilemmas of government entrapment post-9/11 and the personal toll on those involved. Ali highlights the complexities of a controversial terrorism trial, life in high-risk prisons, and the emotional struggles of those labeled as terrorists. The episode raises critical questions about surveillance, exploitation, and the impact on marginalized communities.

01:13:17

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Episode guests

Rozina Ali

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Episode notes

Intro

3min

Catalysts of Conflict

32min

The Complexities of a Terrorism Trial and Sentencing

3min

Life in a High-Risk Prison Unit

3min

Life Inside a Communications Management Unit: Isolation and Surveillance

5min

The Shadows of Terrorism and Informants

19min

Challenging Surveillance and Domestic Extremism

6min

The Weight of Labels: A Journey Through Betrayal and Identity

4min

In summer 2003, Shahawar Matin Siraj, then 21, met Osama Eldawoody, a nuclear engineer twice his age. To Mr. Siraj’s delight they struck up an unlikely friendship — never before had someone this sophisticated taken him so seriously.

At the older man’s encouragement, Mr. Siraj became entangled in a plot to place a bomb in Herald Square subway station. He would later want out of the plan, but it was too late: Mr. Eldawoody, it turned out, was one of thousands of informants recruited by the police and the F.B.I. after the Sept. 11 attacks.

Today on The Sunday Read, did the U.S. government’s network of informants create plots where none existed?

This story was written by Rozina Ali and recorded by Audm. To hear more audio stories from publishers like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android.

Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

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