The Untold Story of the Abbey Gate Plot

Five years after the Abbey Gate bombing, we know the name of the suicide bomber. But that is only part of the story.

In this episode of The Watch Floor, Sarah Adams reconstructs the twelve days leading to the August 26, 2021 attack at Abbey Gate, tracing how the plot moved from authorization to execution and identifying the Taliban, Haqqani Network, al-Qaeda, and ISKP figures her investigation found connected to the operation.

The story begins on August 14 in Kandahar province, moves through the fall of Kabul and the release of the future bomber from prison, and follows the network that selected him, moved him, prepared him, provided the explosive vest, controlled the checkpoints around the airport, and ultimately helped him reach the Marines at Abbey Gate.

It also asks the question that remains five years later: Who was actually held accountable?

Thirteen American service members and nearly 170 Afghans were killed that day. This episode names the people responsible, but it ends where the story should end: with the Americans standing at Abbey Gate, trying to get others to safety.