CONFLICTED

7/7: The Inside Story – The Hunt • Episode 3

Sep 22, 2025
In this gripping discussion, senior police officers and counterterrorism investigators dive into the chaotic aftermath of the 7/7 attacks. They unpack the urgent investigative questions that arose and the chilling implications of finding a familiar name. From scanning Al Qaeda chatrooms to tracing suspects via CCTV, the intricate details of the manhunt are laid bare. A second wave of panic strikes with copycat attacks, forcing authorities to confront the shocking realities of their failures and the ongoing threat of radicalization.
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INSIGHT

Chaos And Fast Intelligence Leads

  • The immediate aftermath of 7/7 was chaotic and full of unknowns about whether attackers remained at large.
  • Early intelligence work, including MI6 infiltration of Al Qaeda chatrooms, quickly produced suspicious leads that focused the investigation.
ANECDOTE

Agent Tip Sparks CCTV Manhunt

  • MI6 agent Ayman Deen passed forum discoveries to GCHQ, triggering deeper analysis of suspicious posts.
  • Metropolitan Police then used CCTV and forensic leads to trace identities and movements within days.
INSIGHT

Small Traces Yield Big Breakthroughs

  • A fragmentary ID found in blast sites provided a crucial link to known associates and home addresses in Leeds.
  • Linking small forensic traces to CCTV allowed police to map the bombers' route within three days.
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