Ep 12. The World Trade Center Bombing

On February 26, 1993, a truck filled with explosives was detonated in the parking garage beneath the World Trade Center in New York City. The blast created a massive hole in the building, killing six people and injuring over a thousand others.

In The FBI Files season 1 episode 12, titled "The World Trade Center Bombing," viewers are taken through the investigation that followed the attack. The episode starts by introducing the FBI's New York City Field Office, which was tasked with investigating the bombing. At the time, the FBI was no stranger to terrorist attacks on American soil, but this was the first time a bombing of this magnitude had occurred.

The investigation was initially focused on identifying potential suspects and gathering evidence. The FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) was called in to assist with the investigation, which included members from the FBI, NYPD, and other law enforcement agencies. The task force worked around the clock to identify the perpetrators of the attack, poring over video surveillance footage and collecting evidence from the scene.

One of the most important pieces of evidence came in the form of a vehicle identification number (VIN) found at the scene of the explosion. The VIN led investigators to a rental van that had been used to transport the explosives. The van had been rented by a man named Mohammad Salameh, a Palestinian living in New Jersey. Salameh was quickly identified as a suspect and was arrested just days after the attack.

The episode goes on to detail the tireless efforts of law enforcement to identify and arrest the other individuals involved in the bombing. One of the key players in the attack was a man named Ramzi Yousef, who had been living in the Philippines. Yousef had rented the bomb-making factory where the explosives used in the attack were created, and had also helped build the bomb itself. Yousef eventually fled to Pakistan, where he was eventually arrested and turned over to U.S. authorities.

The episode also delves into some of the challenges that law enforcement faced during the investigation. For example, the JTTF was made up of multiple agencies, which meant that cooperation and communication were critical to the success of the investigation. Additionally, the attackers had taken steps to cover their tracks, using false identities and encrypted communications to avoid detection.

Overall, "The World Trade Center Bombing" is a gripping and informative episode that takes viewers through the investigation of one of the worst terrorist attacks in American history. Through interviews with law enforcement officials and eyewitnesses, viewers get a firsthand account of the challenges and successes of the investigation, which ultimately led to several arrests and convictions.