CONFLICTED 7/7: The Inside Story – The Voices of Londonistan • Episode 2
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Sep 17, 2025 In this compelling discussion, Peter Clarke, former head of the Metropolitan Police's anti-terrorist branch, shares his insights on how counterterrorism strategies evolved post-9/11. Eamon Dean, a former jihadist turned intelligence agent, reveals chilling early warnings about al-Qaeda's ambitions. Sir David Omond explains the creation of CONTEST, the UK's new counterterror strategy, and the challenges of identifying threats from within. They delve into the radicalizing effects of events like the Rushdie affair and how identity crises among British Muslims have contributed to vulnerabilities.
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Agent Warned Before 9/11
- Eamon Dean recounts being summoned in Afghanistan and warned not to return because a major operation was planned.
- He realized on 9/11 in London that the attack matched the briefing he’d given MI5 and MI6 months earlier.
London As A Dissident Magnet
- Raffaello Pantucci explains London became a hub for dissidents and returning fighters in the 1980s–90s.
- That mix of exiles and Afghanistan veterans helped incubate radical networks in the UK.
Rushdie Affair Radicalized Communities
- The Salman Rushdie affair politicized British Muslims and fueled radical activism in the 1980s.
- That episode helped connect UK-based dissidents to global Islamist causes.
