The Looming Tower (2018) s01e05 Episode Script
Y2K
1 ALI: Al-Qaeda isn't a normal enemy force.
It's not going to be like executing a crime boss.
Fire! You can't just cut the head off the snake.
It's more pervasive.
[MOHAMMED SPEAKING IN ARABIC.]
As Saudi citizens You can easily acquire US visas.
We've been babysitting this guy in witness protection for three friggin' years.
He was with the UBL in Sudan, one country north.
- He's got no leads for us? - He's got nothing.
Are you implying that there is some degradation - here at the Agency? - No, sir.
But at times there may be a lack of momentum.
As I see it, you're leading Alec Station into a wild goose chase of absurdity.
SCHMIDT: Well, you can't fire me, Leonard.
You can move me to the broom closet.
You can make me process meaningless cables all day, but you cannot fire me.
The Bureau simply can't cover what you're spending.
Also, you happen to be in serious debt.
Are you going through my fucking credit cards? I definitely want us to be more than buddies.
I want to take you home.
To my place.
Right now, I'm here with you.
And I will keep coming to see you, and I'll bring you news of our progress.
- Talk to me.
- VINCE: Boss, I got nothing.
They fucking closed the blinds every time I walk by the conference room.
- JOHN: What about Toni-Ann? - VINCE: Same situation.
They treat us like we're their friggin' hostages.
[DARK MUSIC.]
JOHNNY: How old is she now? DINA: Old enough to think she can party her little ass off in Times Square for Y2K.
Young enough that she needs Mommy to buy her the damn plane ticket.
Like I didn't spend enough this Christmas.
[TENSE MUSIC.]
Talking about her little boyfriend that's going with her so she'll be safe.
I told her she ain't grown.
And I got to work that night, so I'll be damned if Shit.
What the fuck? [GRUNTING.]
[SPEAKING FRENCH.]
[HANDCUFFS CLICKING.]
[GROANING.]
We need backup down here immediately.
We have a suspicious individual, possible bomb-making supplies.
He just tried to flee the premises.
[SPEAKING IN ARABIC.]
A tree begins with a seed.
A tree begins with a seed.
A tree Security's enhanced and on alert.
Airports, malls, amusement parks, power plants, water supplies, and I want to lock down the embassies in Abuja, Tehran, Sanaa, and Ashgabat.
- Evacuate them? - No, but I do want to shutter Tripoli, Rabat, Tunis, Islamabad, and Damascus.
Blame it on the holidays.
Then we'll reassess.
And get me that report on what the hell you guys are proposing - if Y2K blows the energy grid.
- Yes, sir.
- This afternoon.
- You got it.
Anything to add, George? No.
I'd like to say that covers it, but when can we ever say that? We never can say that, which is why we keep working.
Transit office lost and found? - Down to the right.
- Thanks.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
There it is.
Man, that Palm Pilot's some expensive shit to leave lying around.
You got kids? Yeah, two girls.
Oh, man, that's nice.
I love my little man, but there's just something about my daughter.
- They're special, right? - Yeah, they are.
Listen, anyone else share this office with you? Nobody comes in here without me.
You legit FBI, huh? Like for real, for real? Yeah.
This Y2K shit keeping you guys crazy like us around here? You bet.
Anybody else handle this device, besides you? After we spoke, I just locked it up in my stuff.
- Nobody touched it? - I said I locked it up, man.
Okay, okay.
It's all good.
Thank you.
Here, uh uh, buy your daughter something nice.
[DARK MUSIC.]
BOB: [MUTTERING.]
Nitroglycerine.
LAX.
[MUTTERING.]
You're telling me he gave all that up in one interrogation? SEATTLE AGENT: I wish I could tell you I put my best people on this, but this guy must have been dying to confess.
He was petrified at first, and then he started singing.
Un-fucking-believable.
SEATTLE AGENT: The way he cracked, there's no fuckin' way he was working alone.
I haven't even given you the best news yet.
We got a number.
A Brooklyn number.
We found it in Ressam's car.
The press knows nothing about this.
718-134-6827.
Abdul Ghani Meskini.
BOB: Meskini.
All right.
Thank you.
MALE NEWSCASTER: Officials with the Clinton administration say they are quite concerned that terrorist financier Osama Bin Laden has stepped up his efforts to attack Americans around the world.
MAN: The State Department recently warned Americans to stay away from large gatherings and millennium celebrations abroad.
But with preparations now underway for big New Year's parties in major U.
S.
cities, the White House today extended the Y2K warning to American soil.
Occupied.
What do you know about a guy named Meskini? Hmm.
Meskini.
Abdul Ghani Meskini.
Ah, Meskini.
Him, I remember.
Uh, Algerian, maybe? Yes, definitely Algerian.
Can you think of any reason why Ressam would have been in touch with him? Does he make bombs? - Could be.
- What the fuck does that mean? Junior, we need to know if he was helping Ressam plan the attack on LAX or if there's another possible millennium plot underway, like in New York City, we need to find out right fucking now.
You have me here, alone, now over four years.
- It's not to complain - I'm not complaining either.
But I'm not sure the American people are getting their fucking money's worth yet.
You got the royal treatment here.
Maybe that's the problem.
What do you think, Floyd? You think maybe a week in Riker's will help jog his memory? I know some people who know some people.
Okay, okay, okay.
Meskini's in New York long time now.
And I can remember, he was good.
Special guy.
Good with making the connections.
Good with money.
A resourceful guy with connections in New York.
So what, he's an accountant for the organization? Could be.
Not sure, but I have different idea.
Maybe you want to hear? You mean maybe we want to hear something other than "could be"? Yes, Junior, please.
I'm thinking that he is here, making the money move around.
You think he's funneling al-Qaeda money from Brooklyn? I think.
[TENSE MUSIC.]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER IN OTHER ROOM.]
[AL-MIHDHAR SPEAKING ARABIC.]
From Dubai to Kuala Lumpur.
But first I'm coming from Yemen.
Yes, I'm Saudi.
No, it cannot be the Shah airport.
When are you leaving? I'm not worried about the price, I'm worried about those expecting to meet me at Kuala Lumpur Airport.
[SOFT CLICKING IN BOX.]
Hello? Hello.
[SOFT CLICKING.]
[SPEAKING ARABIC.]
A better question is when do you come back? Long before our son's arrival.
You mean our daughter's? Another daughter? And the men joining you Are they committed? Is that what worries you? HODA: Nothing worries me, Khalid.
There is a small part of me that wishes you could serve without leaving us, but I know our reward is coming.
[SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
[PEOPLE CONVERSING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGES.]
[AL-MIHDHAR SPEAKING ARABIC.]
No, it cannot be the Shah Airport.
I'm not worried about the price I'm worried about those expecting to meet me at Kuala Lumpur Airport.
Our friends over at Saudi intelligence have been keeping an eye on Mihdhar because he's a citizen, and he was flagged as being a member of al-Qaeda.
Which is why other friends at the NSA sent this little gift over.
We know now that he's Hada's son-in-law, and he and his wife are expecting their second child.
And we know that he's currently headed for a hotel in Dubai.
Okay, but to me the question is, where is headed after Dubai and Malaysia? Diane? [SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC.]
[WHISPERING INDISTINCTLY.]
[WHISPERING CONTINUES.]
Hey.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
This guy Meskini's funneling money from Brooklyn for some millennium plot? [SIGHS.]
All he's done the last 12 hours is watch fucking soccer games.
Diet again? Regular.
Thanks.
[SODA TOP POPS.]
[BURPING.]
My ass is numb.
I have not had a home-cooked meal in three days, and I saw ten roaches in the bathroom the last time I pissed.
Rough times, I know.
Thought it couldn't get no worse until I started to smell what just came out of your mouth.
[KEYPAD BEEPS.]
[BEEPS.]
[COMPUTER BEEPS.]
[PHONE RINGS.]
- Yeah.
- JACKSON: Jackson here.
- Check your email.
- Uh I'm looking at a plane ticket, a passport, and a U.
S.
visa, which means he's coming here.
And if he's coming, kind of makes you wonder - who's already there.
- Fucking hell.
Hold on, Jackson.
This is the officer in Dubai.
He says Mihdhar has a U.
S.
Visa.
- Diane Marsh.
- JACKSON: Mihdhar's flying Dubai to Kuala Lumpur, and he has a multiple entry U.
S.
visa.
Okay, I'll get the Malaysian special branch on this immediately.
We're gonna need eyes and ears in Kuala Lumpur.
[SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
[SCANNER WHIRRING.]
[KEYBOARD CLACKING.]
You're missing an H.
M-I-H-D-H-A-R.
U.
S.
Visa ain't gonna mean shit in a minute.
We'll be all over him before he can get a foot off the plane.
Knowing O'Neill, it'll be before he can even get out of Malaysia.
Especially with all this Y2K shit going on.
How long do you think it'll take Diane to give us the okay to share? She'll read it as soon as you'll let me send.
Any more problems, Captain Spell Check? Looks good.
[CHILDREN LAUGHING.]
[INDISTINCT PA ANNOUNCEMENTS.]
[STAMMERING PLAYFULLY.]
[SPEAKING ARABIC.]
My friend Welcome to Kuala Lumpur.
[TENSE MUSIC.]
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
[INAUDIBLE.]
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
[DOOR OPENS.]
New Year's is fucking tomorrow night.
Good to know everyone's taking this shit seriously.
- Thank you.
- Yeah.
Now where's this fucker going? What are you doing? It's noon prayers.
I think I'll go to the mosque.
BOB: Hey, we don't need you to be a hero.
You don't just break protocol.
We got Murphy and O'Sullivan on the street.
Two white boys? That's who we got on this guy? What has that got to do with anything? We're not chasing Italian mobsters anymore.
- You think I don't know that? - I think you don't.
- Most of you don't get it.
- But you do? Wasn't born white.
Wasn't raised Catholic.
But I can't keep watching this guy on TV.
We can do better.
[DOOR SHUTS.]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
[TENSE MUSIC.]
[MAN PRAYING IN ARABIC.]
[CONTINUES PRAYING IN ARABIC.]
[MIDDLE-EASTERN INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC.]
[FAINT INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
[MUTTERING.]
50-fucking-3, what the fuck? Hey, I need you to come look at something right now.
Listen, I promised my therapist I would eat my breakfast hot one day this week before doing any work.
- Toni, the Mihdhar cable - Vince.
If you don't let me finish this ham and cheese croissant while it's still hot, I promise I will lose my shit.
Hmm-mmm.
Now, what the fuck is going on? Look.
She read our cable.
Diane read it.
Now look at the Mihdhar cable, the one from Dubai.
50-fucking-3 motherfuckin' people have read it.
And Diane won't answer ours? There's got to be a reason.
They sent a fucking cable saying that this guy is coming into our country, that he has a Saudi passport and a U.
S.
visa.
53 people from the CIA have read it.
We're not sharing this yet? Vince, you got to trust the process.
Diane will tell us when we can share.
I'm calling O'Neill.
There's a reason for the wall.
There is a reason.
We do not just share this information.
That's not our job.
You want to get fired? You want to get me fired? Are you so convinced Alec Station isn't busy looking out for Alec Station? You really think Diane gives a shit about working with O'Neill and I-49? Why else would they have stationed us here, then? That's exactly what I'm starting to wonder.
Why the fuck did they Why the fuck did they bring us here? [CAMERA SHUTTERS CLICKING.]
George Tenet has testified that this cable simply fell through the cracks.
He told us under oath that no one read it and that he wasn't aware of it.
How do you make sense of that? I don't have to make sense of the director's claims.
I know for a fact that 50 to 60 people read the cable.
Think about what that means.
50 to 60 people and I was never told.
And John O'Neill was never told.
Why? There is little doubt in my mind.
This had to go all the way up.
WOMAN ON PA: Welcome to Los Angeles International Airport.
Please have your passport and declaration form ready as you enter the customs area.
[TENSE MUSIC.]
Welcome to America, sir.
Thank you.
Next.
Thank you.
Thank you.
[ALL SPEAKING ARABIC.]
[UPBEAT MUSIC OVER SPEAKERS.]
[SPEAKING ARABIC.]
Ah, Gulf accents! Greetings.
I have many brothers in the Gulf.
Where are you from? I am Saudi, but I live in Yemen.
He's also Saudi.
Are you visiting the States, or settling in? A bit of both.
It's always easier to settle in if you can meet people from home.
Have you lived here long? It's been a few years for me.
I was lucky enough to find work with the Saudi Consulate.
[SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
Mr.
Director.
Mr.
Ambassador.
Figs.
- For you and Stephanie.
- Thank you.
- They're from Saudi? - Of course.
In the desert, we grow the sweetest fruits.
So Mr.
Director.
I asked for the privilege of your company so as to inform you that a resolution has been reached.
That problem we recently discussed? Yes, our problem.
- It's being taken care of.
- Good man.
I had no doubt a solution would present itself.
My grandfather used to tell me "Make distance between yourself and every dirtiness.
" Important advice for men like us.
My grandfather carried a handkerchief.
I hope your wife enjoys the figs.
[DOOR OPENS.]
Where's my guy? Your guy left his assigned position.
Must have had a good reason.
I figured you'd say that.
After all, what's agency protocol when you can just play Cowboys and Indians? Pretty sure Meskini's from Algeria.
[CAN TOP POPS.]
Best to you.
By the way, that open slot heading up the New York office? I just found out Louis Freeh's D.
C.
guy got the job.
Yeah.
He's a good guy, Sanchez.
One of the best.
Tell Soufan to come see me.
If you find him.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
[BOTH SPEAKING ARABIC.]
[MAN SPEAKING ARABIC.]
- Oh.
- Hey.
[SPEAKING ARABIC.]
- Peace be upon you.
- MAN: And upon you.
I'd like to speak to your esteemed boss.
I saw him at the mosque.
I would like to give to my brothers.
And who are your brothers? Ressam is my brother.
You know my brother as Abu Reda.
You can decide how to use this.
Welcome to the family.
May God bless you.
MALE NEWSCASTER: With 2 million expected here before the night is done, it appears police are doing everything they can to be accommodating.
But the 8,000 cops on duty are not taking any chances.
NYPD helicopters have been buzzing the Square all day.
Police say security will be tight even after the ball drops at midnight.
The party here does not end until just after 6:00 tomorrow morning.
- SOUFAN: Hey.
- Hey, man.
Soufan! Get in here.
[DOOR SHUTS.]
With everything I got going on, everyone on my ass, you broke protocol by going into a mosque? I went in there to pray.
You left your post yesterday because you had a sudden urge to do something I've never seen you do before, pray? This may come as a shock to you, boss, but I'm a Muslim.
It was afternoon prayers.
I went inside, took off my shoes, and I prayed.
And yeah, I saw Meskini while I was in there.
But if you really have a problem with me going inside of a mosque to pray, maybe it's because you never had to think about the fact that I'm an actual Muslim.
- Maybe that's the problem.
- Don't you dare.
This is about working the case the right way in the very limited fucking time that we have.
Which means you cannot do this.
Cannot do what? Pray? Every day, five times a day, over a billion Muslims pray together.
But you don't want me to do that, ever? Okay, Ali, okay, I'm not doing this with you right now.
Okay, pray whenever the fuck you want.
In the meantime, we have to make a move.
I saw enough to know that this guy Meskini knows the whole community, that he is a mover, and he's got to be high up there, maybe a direct connection to Zawahiri.
- He's collecting money for them.
- How do you know that? - 'Cause I saw.
- You saw? I introduced myself.
- You what? - Not by name, I Listen, we're on the right track.
But there's got to be so much more to this guy that we don't know.
I just need a few days to figure out exactly where he fits in.
You know this is the tip of the iceberg.
One of the guys that you want to follow could just be about ready to pull another Ressam, except he'll be successful, and he'll be at the biggest, most fucking congested party in the world.
So that's it? Fuck the big picture? You know we've got 14 goddamn hours to stop these guys if they're gonna do something.
We're not gonna get them your way, not in time.
Get out of my office.
[SIGHS.]
[SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
Fuck it.
All right, kids, clock's run out on our Brooklyn friends.
Arrest everybody we got leads on.
Connected to Meskini or not.
We're shutting this the fuck down today.
And Soufan, make the arrests.
Then you can sit tonight out.
- FBI, let me see your hands! - Put your hands up.
- Turn around.
- Up against the wall! Turn around.
Up against the window.
- Hands up! Hands up! - Turn around! Don't try anything.
- [DOOR SLAMS OPEN.]
- [WOMAN SCREAMING.]
[SPEAKING IN ARABIC.]
- FBI, let me see your hands.
- Let's go.
- Come on.
- Stand up, stand up.
- FBI.
- [SPEAKING IN ARABIC.]
Sit down! I need you to sit down.
[BABY CRYING.]
[CROWD CHEERING.]
[MASE'S "FEEL SO GOOD" PLAYING.]
KELLY PRICE: You make me feel so good You know you make me feel so good [INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
Bad bad bad bad boy I wouldn't change you if I could I wouldn't change you if I could I wouldn't change you if I could MASE: You can't understand we be Ride kinky sippin' DP to the TV look greedy Little kids see me way out in DC With a Z3 chrome VBs they want to be me Niggas talkin' shit they ought to quit I'm fortunate they don't see a fourth what I get [CROWD CHEERING ON TELEVISION.]
Just started seeing cars 'cause they alternate So while you daydream Mama's city gleam And I deal with hoes that pose in Maybeline One time you had it all I ain't mad at y'all Now give me the catalog I'll show you how daddy ball Six cars in power the five big stars [CROWD CHEERING, COUNTING DOWN.]
CROWD: Five four three two one [CROWD CHEERING.]
[MASE'S "FEELS SO GOOD" CONTINUES.]
And there'd be, like, photos of him everywhere and videos, and his clothes.
Like a museum.
Except you get to, like, smoke and be naked inside.
[CHUCKLES.]
HEATHER: You're here.
Why didn't you come find me? Hey.
You look like you need rescuing.
[SOFT CHUCKLE.]
KELLY PRICE: Bad bad bad bad boy You make me feel so good Hey, you know I like you, but I'm not sure about your friends.
Hey.
Those are my neighbors, not my friends.
And they smoke way too much weed.
I noticed.
I noticed that you said you like me.
When did that happen? Sometime between "Where's Waldo" and, uh, that thing you did the other night.
- What thing? - You know what thing.
Oh, that thing.
Yeah.
Happy New Year.
Happy New Year, beautiful.
- Cheers.
- Cheers.
- To you.
- Happy New Year, Floyd.
[LAUGHING.]
Happy New Year.
- FLOYD: To two-triple-oh.
- KATHY: [LAUGHS.]
FLOYD: I think I think I'm gonna be in my prime this year.
- KATHY: Oh, really? Really? - FLOYD: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
- I think I think - KATHY: Why do you think that? - You think that? - Hey.
You guys can get on out of here.
Welcome to a new century, fellas.
All right, boss.
Hey, Vince, you need a ride uptown? Uh, no, I'm gonna hang here for a minute.
All right.
Happy New Year, y'all.
BOB: Yeah, happy New Year.
Take care, Floyd.
Boss.
I think there's something you should know.
I was gonna say you can relax now.
The bad guys lost tonight.
Vince, tell me honestly.
What is it we did here? What are you talking about? We stopped them.
We won.
We won? I'm telling you, it's like whack-a-mole.
They're here.
They're here in America.
They're in London and Afghanistan.
They're in Kenya, Tanzania.
And we We have no idea what we're up against.
[DARK MUSIC.]
Well, our broadcast is coming to an end.
I should remind you that if you, uh, if you want to see more of it, and some of it has been fantastic from around the world, Sam Donaldson will be on duty at 8:00 eastern time I was tempted to say tomorrow but I really mean today From Washington for a broadcast called "Dawn of a New Era.
" And he will have all of the great highlights that we've seen touches of in the last few minutes from around the world.
And just before we leave, some absolutely unplanned, unrehearsed comments.
I feel a little bit, as I think a lot of us do, like the people that were entering the 20th century 100 years ago with great fascination that we were on the edge of the unknown and, because there was so much yet to be known, a real hunger to know more and a certain trepidation.
They were coming into the technological age and we now go into a new technological age.
There'll be lots of time in the days ahead to revisit all of the commentary that has been offered up about the millennium in the last several days and weeks and months.
I remind myself of only one thing at the end of this thing and it's what one of our great futurists We do have futurists, you know.
[CHUCKLES.]
At the end of the 20th century said, "Remember when you put the known and the unknown "into a computer, the unpredictable always outweighs the predictable.
" So the future is exciting, and it is uncertain.
[MOBY'S "NATURAL BLUES".]
VERA HALL: Trouble so hard Oh Lordy, trouble so hard Don't nobody know my troubles but God Don't nobody know my troubles but God Oh Lordy, trouble so hard Oh Lordy, trouble so hard Don't nobody know my troubles but God Don't nobody know my troubles but God Went down the hill The other day Soul got happy and stayed all day Went down the hill The other day Soul got happy and stayed all day Oh Lordy, trouble so hard Oh Lordy, trouble so hard Don't nobody know my troubles but God Don't nobody know my troubles but God Oh Lordy, trouble so hard Oh Lordy, trouble so hard Don't nobody know my troubles but God Don't nobody know my troubles but God Went in the room didn't stay long Looked on the bed and brother was dead Went in the room didn't stay long Looked on the bed and brother was dead [VOCALIZING.]
Oh Lordy, trouble so hard Oh Lordy, trouble so hard Don't nobody know my troubles but God Don't nobody know my troubles but God
It's not going to be like executing a crime boss.
Fire! You can't just cut the head off the snake.
It's more pervasive.
[MOHAMMED SPEAKING IN ARABIC.]
As Saudi citizens You can easily acquire US visas.
We've been babysitting this guy in witness protection for three friggin' years.
He was with the UBL in Sudan, one country north.
- He's got no leads for us? - He's got nothing.
Are you implying that there is some degradation - here at the Agency? - No, sir.
But at times there may be a lack of momentum.
As I see it, you're leading Alec Station into a wild goose chase of absurdity.
SCHMIDT: Well, you can't fire me, Leonard.
You can move me to the broom closet.
You can make me process meaningless cables all day, but you cannot fire me.
The Bureau simply can't cover what you're spending.
Also, you happen to be in serious debt.
Are you going through my fucking credit cards? I definitely want us to be more than buddies.
I want to take you home.
To my place.
Right now, I'm here with you.
And I will keep coming to see you, and I'll bring you news of our progress.
- Talk to me.
- VINCE: Boss, I got nothing.
They fucking closed the blinds every time I walk by the conference room.
- JOHN: What about Toni-Ann? - VINCE: Same situation.
They treat us like we're their friggin' hostages.
[DARK MUSIC.]
JOHNNY: How old is she now? DINA: Old enough to think she can party her little ass off in Times Square for Y2K.
Young enough that she needs Mommy to buy her the damn plane ticket.
Like I didn't spend enough this Christmas.
[TENSE MUSIC.]
Talking about her little boyfriend that's going with her so she'll be safe.
I told her she ain't grown.
And I got to work that night, so I'll be damned if Shit.
What the fuck? [GRUNTING.]
[SPEAKING FRENCH.]
[HANDCUFFS CLICKING.]
[GROANING.]
We need backup down here immediately.
We have a suspicious individual, possible bomb-making supplies.
He just tried to flee the premises.
[SPEAKING IN ARABIC.]
A tree begins with a seed.
A tree begins with a seed.
A tree Security's enhanced and on alert.
Airports, malls, amusement parks, power plants, water supplies, and I want to lock down the embassies in Abuja, Tehran, Sanaa, and Ashgabat.
- Evacuate them? - No, but I do want to shutter Tripoli, Rabat, Tunis, Islamabad, and Damascus.
Blame it on the holidays.
Then we'll reassess.
And get me that report on what the hell you guys are proposing - if Y2K blows the energy grid.
- Yes, sir.
- This afternoon.
- You got it.
Anything to add, George? No.
I'd like to say that covers it, but when can we ever say that? We never can say that, which is why we keep working.
Transit office lost and found? - Down to the right.
- Thanks.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
There it is.
Man, that Palm Pilot's some expensive shit to leave lying around.
You got kids? Yeah, two girls.
Oh, man, that's nice.
I love my little man, but there's just something about my daughter.
- They're special, right? - Yeah, they are.
Listen, anyone else share this office with you? Nobody comes in here without me.
You legit FBI, huh? Like for real, for real? Yeah.
This Y2K shit keeping you guys crazy like us around here? You bet.
Anybody else handle this device, besides you? After we spoke, I just locked it up in my stuff.
- Nobody touched it? - I said I locked it up, man.
Okay, okay.
It's all good.
Thank you.
Here, uh uh, buy your daughter something nice.
[DARK MUSIC.]
BOB: [MUTTERING.]
Nitroglycerine.
LAX.
[MUTTERING.]
You're telling me he gave all that up in one interrogation? SEATTLE AGENT: I wish I could tell you I put my best people on this, but this guy must have been dying to confess.
He was petrified at first, and then he started singing.
Un-fucking-believable.
SEATTLE AGENT: The way he cracked, there's no fuckin' way he was working alone.
I haven't even given you the best news yet.
We got a number.
A Brooklyn number.
We found it in Ressam's car.
The press knows nothing about this.
718-134-6827.
Abdul Ghani Meskini.
BOB: Meskini.
All right.
Thank you.
MALE NEWSCASTER: Officials with the Clinton administration say they are quite concerned that terrorist financier Osama Bin Laden has stepped up his efforts to attack Americans around the world.
MAN: The State Department recently warned Americans to stay away from large gatherings and millennium celebrations abroad.
But with preparations now underway for big New Year's parties in major U.
S.
cities, the White House today extended the Y2K warning to American soil.
Occupied.
What do you know about a guy named Meskini? Hmm.
Meskini.
Abdul Ghani Meskini.
Ah, Meskini.
Him, I remember.
Uh, Algerian, maybe? Yes, definitely Algerian.
Can you think of any reason why Ressam would have been in touch with him? Does he make bombs? - Could be.
- What the fuck does that mean? Junior, we need to know if he was helping Ressam plan the attack on LAX or if there's another possible millennium plot underway, like in New York City, we need to find out right fucking now.
You have me here, alone, now over four years.
- It's not to complain - I'm not complaining either.
But I'm not sure the American people are getting their fucking money's worth yet.
You got the royal treatment here.
Maybe that's the problem.
What do you think, Floyd? You think maybe a week in Riker's will help jog his memory? I know some people who know some people.
Okay, okay, okay.
Meskini's in New York long time now.
And I can remember, he was good.
Special guy.
Good with making the connections.
Good with money.
A resourceful guy with connections in New York.
So what, he's an accountant for the organization? Could be.
Not sure, but I have different idea.
Maybe you want to hear? You mean maybe we want to hear something other than "could be"? Yes, Junior, please.
I'm thinking that he is here, making the money move around.
You think he's funneling al-Qaeda money from Brooklyn? I think.
[TENSE MUSIC.]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER IN OTHER ROOM.]
[AL-MIHDHAR SPEAKING ARABIC.]
From Dubai to Kuala Lumpur.
But first I'm coming from Yemen.
Yes, I'm Saudi.
No, it cannot be the Shah airport.
When are you leaving? I'm not worried about the price, I'm worried about those expecting to meet me at Kuala Lumpur Airport.
[SOFT CLICKING IN BOX.]
Hello? Hello.
[SOFT CLICKING.]
[SPEAKING ARABIC.]
A better question is when do you come back? Long before our son's arrival.
You mean our daughter's? Another daughter? And the men joining you Are they committed? Is that what worries you? HODA: Nothing worries me, Khalid.
There is a small part of me that wishes you could serve without leaving us, but I know our reward is coming.
[SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
[PEOPLE CONVERSING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGES.]
[AL-MIHDHAR SPEAKING ARABIC.]
No, it cannot be the Shah Airport.
I'm not worried about the price I'm worried about those expecting to meet me at Kuala Lumpur Airport.
Our friends over at Saudi intelligence have been keeping an eye on Mihdhar because he's a citizen, and he was flagged as being a member of al-Qaeda.
Which is why other friends at the NSA sent this little gift over.
We know now that he's Hada's son-in-law, and he and his wife are expecting their second child.
And we know that he's currently headed for a hotel in Dubai.
Okay, but to me the question is, where is headed after Dubai and Malaysia? Diane? [SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC.]
[WHISPERING INDISTINCTLY.]
[WHISPERING CONTINUES.]
Hey.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
This guy Meskini's funneling money from Brooklyn for some millennium plot? [SIGHS.]
All he's done the last 12 hours is watch fucking soccer games.
Diet again? Regular.
Thanks.
[SODA TOP POPS.]
[BURPING.]
My ass is numb.
I have not had a home-cooked meal in three days, and I saw ten roaches in the bathroom the last time I pissed.
Rough times, I know.
Thought it couldn't get no worse until I started to smell what just came out of your mouth.
[KEYPAD BEEPS.]
[BEEPS.]
[COMPUTER BEEPS.]
[PHONE RINGS.]
- Yeah.
- JACKSON: Jackson here.
- Check your email.
- Uh I'm looking at a plane ticket, a passport, and a U.
S.
visa, which means he's coming here.
And if he's coming, kind of makes you wonder - who's already there.
- Fucking hell.
Hold on, Jackson.
This is the officer in Dubai.
He says Mihdhar has a U.
S.
Visa.
- Diane Marsh.
- JACKSON: Mihdhar's flying Dubai to Kuala Lumpur, and he has a multiple entry U.
S.
visa.
Okay, I'll get the Malaysian special branch on this immediately.
We're gonna need eyes and ears in Kuala Lumpur.
[SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
[SCANNER WHIRRING.]
[KEYBOARD CLACKING.]
You're missing an H.
M-I-H-D-H-A-R.
U.
S.
Visa ain't gonna mean shit in a minute.
We'll be all over him before he can get a foot off the plane.
Knowing O'Neill, it'll be before he can even get out of Malaysia.
Especially with all this Y2K shit going on.
How long do you think it'll take Diane to give us the okay to share? She'll read it as soon as you'll let me send.
Any more problems, Captain Spell Check? Looks good.
[CHILDREN LAUGHING.]
[INDISTINCT PA ANNOUNCEMENTS.]
[STAMMERING PLAYFULLY.]
[SPEAKING ARABIC.]
My friend Welcome to Kuala Lumpur.
[TENSE MUSIC.]
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
[INAUDIBLE.]
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
[DOOR OPENS.]
New Year's is fucking tomorrow night.
Good to know everyone's taking this shit seriously.
- Thank you.
- Yeah.
Now where's this fucker going? What are you doing? It's noon prayers.
I think I'll go to the mosque.
BOB: Hey, we don't need you to be a hero.
You don't just break protocol.
We got Murphy and O'Sullivan on the street.
Two white boys? That's who we got on this guy? What has that got to do with anything? We're not chasing Italian mobsters anymore.
- You think I don't know that? - I think you don't.
- Most of you don't get it.
- But you do? Wasn't born white.
Wasn't raised Catholic.
But I can't keep watching this guy on TV.
We can do better.
[DOOR SHUTS.]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
[TENSE MUSIC.]
[MAN PRAYING IN ARABIC.]
[CONTINUES PRAYING IN ARABIC.]
[MIDDLE-EASTERN INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC.]
[FAINT INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
[MUTTERING.]
50-fucking-3, what the fuck? Hey, I need you to come look at something right now.
Listen, I promised my therapist I would eat my breakfast hot one day this week before doing any work.
- Toni, the Mihdhar cable - Vince.
If you don't let me finish this ham and cheese croissant while it's still hot, I promise I will lose my shit.
Hmm-mmm.
Now, what the fuck is going on? Look.
She read our cable.
Diane read it.
Now look at the Mihdhar cable, the one from Dubai.
50-fucking-3 motherfuckin' people have read it.
And Diane won't answer ours? There's got to be a reason.
They sent a fucking cable saying that this guy is coming into our country, that he has a Saudi passport and a U.
S.
visa.
53 people from the CIA have read it.
We're not sharing this yet? Vince, you got to trust the process.
Diane will tell us when we can share.
I'm calling O'Neill.
There's a reason for the wall.
There is a reason.
We do not just share this information.
That's not our job.
You want to get fired? You want to get me fired? Are you so convinced Alec Station isn't busy looking out for Alec Station? You really think Diane gives a shit about working with O'Neill and I-49? Why else would they have stationed us here, then? That's exactly what I'm starting to wonder.
Why the fuck did they Why the fuck did they bring us here? [CAMERA SHUTTERS CLICKING.]
George Tenet has testified that this cable simply fell through the cracks.
He told us under oath that no one read it and that he wasn't aware of it.
How do you make sense of that? I don't have to make sense of the director's claims.
I know for a fact that 50 to 60 people read the cable.
Think about what that means.
50 to 60 people and I was never told.
And John O'Neill was never told.
Why? There is little doubt in my mind.
This had to go all the way up.
WOMAN ON PA: Welcome to Los Angeles International Airport.
Please have your passport and declaration form ready as you enter the customs area.
[TENSE MUSIC.]
Welcome to America, sir.
Thank you.
Next.
Thank you.
Thank you.
[ALL SPEAKING ARABIC.]
[UPBEAT MUSIC OVER SPEAKERS.]
[SPEAKING ARABIC.]
Ah, Gulf accents! Greetings.
I have many brothers in the Gulf.
Where are you from? I am Saudi, but I live in Yemen.
He's also Saudi.
Are you visiting the States, or settling in? A bit of both.
It's always easier to settle in if you can meet people from home.
Have you lived here long? It's been a few years for me.
I was lucky enough to find work with the Saudi Consulate.
[SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
Mr.
Director.
Mr.
Ambassador.
Figs.
- For you and Stephanie.
- Thank you.
- They're from Saudi? - Of course.
In the desert, we grow the sweetest fruits.
So Mr.
Director.
I asked for the privilege of your company so as to inform you that a resolution has been reached.
That problem we recently discussed? Yes, our problem.
- It's being taken care of.
- Good man.
I had no doubt a solution would present itself.
My grandfather used to tell me "Make distance between yourself and every dirtiness.
" Important advice for men like us.
My grandfather carried a handkerchief.
I hope your wife enjoys the figs.
[DOOR OPENS.]
Where's my guy? Your guy left his assigned position.
Must have had a good reason.
I figured you'd say that.
After all, what's agency protocol when you can just play Cowboys and Indians? Pretty sure Meskini's from Algeria.
[CAN TOP POPS.]
Best to you.
By the way, that open slot heading up the New York office? I just found out Louis Freeh's D.
C.
guy got the job.
Yeah.
He's a good guy, Sanchez.
One of the best.
Tell Soufan to come see me.
If you find him.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
[BOTH SPEAKING ARABIC.]
[MAN SPEAKING ARABIC.]
- Oh.
- Hey.
[SPEAKING ARABIC.]
- Peace be upon you.
- MAN: And upon you.
I'd like to speak to your esteemed boss.
I saw him at the mosque.
I would like to give to my brothers.
And who are your brothers? Ressam is my brother.
You know my brother as Abu Reda.
You can decide how to use this.
Welcome to the family.
May God bless you.
MALE NEWSCASTER: With 2 million expected here before the night is done, it appears police are doing everything they can to be accommodating.
But the 8,000 cops on duty are not taking any chances.
NYPD helicopters have been buzzing the Square all day.
Police say security will be tight even after the ball drops at midnight.
The party here does not end until just after 6:00 tomorrow morning.
- SOUFAN: Hey.
- Hey, man.
Soufan! Get in here.
[DOOR SHUTS.]
With everything I got going on, everyone on my ass, you broke protocol by going into a mosque? I went in there to pray.
You left your post yesterday because you had a sudden urge to do something I've never seen you do before, pray? This may come as a shock to you, boss, but I'm a Muslim.
It was afternoon prayers.
I went inside, took off my shoes, and I prayed.
And yeah, I saw Meskini while I was in there.
But if you really have a problem with me going inside of a mosque to pray, maybe it's because you never had to think about the fact that I'm an actual Muslim.
- Maybe that's the problem.
- Don't you dare.
This is about working the case the right way in the very limited fucking time that we have.
Which means you cannot do this.
Cannot do what? Pray? Every day, five times a day, over a billion Muslims pray together.
But you don't want me to do that, ever? Okay, Ali, okay, I'm not doing this with you right now.
Okay, pray whenever the fuck you want.
In the meantime, we have to make a move.
I saw enough to know that this guy Meskini knows the whole community, that he is a mover, and he's got to be high up there, maybe a direct connection to Zawahiri.
- He's collecting money for them.
- How do you know that? - 'Cause I saw.
- You saw? I introduced myself.
- You what? - Not by name, I Listen, we're on the right track.
But there's got to be so much more to this guy that we don't know.
I just need a few days to figure out exactly where he fits in.
You know this is the tip of the iceberg.
One of the guys that you want to follow could just be about ready to pull another Ressam, except he'll be successful, and he'll be at the biggest, most fucking congested party in the world.
So that's it? Fuck the big picture? You know we've got 14 goddamn hours to stop these guys if they're gonna do something.
We're not gonna get them your way, not in time.
Get out of my office.
[SIGHS.]
[SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
Fuck it.
All right, kids, clock's run out on our Brooklyn friends.
Arrest everybody we got leads on.
Connected to Meskini or not.
We're shutting this the fuck down today.
And Soufan, make the arrests.
Then you can sit tonight out.
- FBI, let me see your hands! - Put your hands up.
- Turn around.
- Up against the wall! Turn around.
Up against the window.
- Hands up! Hands up! - Turn around! Don't try anything.
- [DOOR SLAMS OPEN.]
- [WOMAN SCREAMING.]
[SPEAKING IN ARABIC.]
- FBI, let me see your hands.
- Let's go.
- Come on.
- Stand up, stand up.
- FBI.
- [SPEAKING IN ARABIC.]
Sit down! I need you to sit down.
[BABY CRYING.]
[CROWD CHEERING.]
[MASE'S "FEEL SO GOOD" PLAYING.]
KELLY PRICE: You make me feel so good You know you make me feel so good [INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
Bad bad bad bad boy I wouldn't change you if I could I wouldn't change you if I could I wouldn't change you if I could MASE: You can't understand we be Ride kinky sippin' DP to the TV look greedy Little kids see me way out in DC With a Z3 chrome VBs they want to be me Niggas talkin' shit they ought to quit I'm fortunate they don't see a fourth what I get [CROWD CHEERING ON TELEVISION.]
Just started seeing cars 'cause they alternate So while you daydream Mama's city gleam And I deal with hoes that pose in Maybeline One time you had it all I ain't mad at y'all Now give me the catalog I'll show you how daddy ball Six cars in power the five big stars [CROWD CHEERING, COUNTING DOWN.]
CROWD: Five four three two one [CROWD CHEERING.]
[MASE'S "FEELS SO GOOD" CONTINUES.]
And there'd be, like, photos of him everywhere and videos, and his clothes.
Like a museum.
Except you get to, like, smoke and be naked inside.
[CHUCKLES.]
HEATHER: You're here.
Why didn't you come find me? Hey.
You look like you need rescuing.
[SOFT CHUCKLE.]
KELLY PRICE: Bad bad bad bad boy You make me feel so good Hey, you know I like you, but I'm not sure about your friends.
Hey.
Those are my neighbors, not my friends.
And they smoke way too much weed.
I noticed.
I noticed that you said you like me.
When did that happen? Sometime between "Where's Waldo" and, uh, that thing you did the other night.
- What thing? - You know what thing.
Oh, that thing.
Yeah.
Happy New Year.
Happy New Year, beautiful.
- Cheers.
- Cheers.
- To you.
- Happy New Year, Floyd.
[LAUGHING.]
Happy New Year.
- FLOYD: To two-triple-oh.
- KATHY: [LAUGHS.]
FLOYD: I think I think I'm gonna be in my prime this year.
- KATHY: Oh, really? Really? - FLOYD: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
- I think I think - KATHY: Why do you think that? - You think that? - Hey.
You guys can get on out of here.
Welcome to a new century, fellas.
All right, boss.
Hey, Vince, you need a ride uptown? Uh, no, I'm gonna hang here for a minute.
All right.
Happy New Year, y'all.
BOB: Yeah, happy New Year.
Take care, Floyd.
Boss.
I think there's something you should know.
I was gonna say you can relax now.
The bad guys lost tonight.
Vince, tell me honestly.
What is it we did here? What are you talking about? We stopped them.
We won.
We won? I'm telling you, it's like whack-a-mole.
They're here.
They're here in America.
They're in London and Afghanistan.
They're in Kenya, Tanzania.
And we We have no idea what we're up against.
[DARK MUSIC.]
Well, our broadcast is coming to an end.
I should remind you that if you, uh, if you want to see more of it, and some of it has been fantastic from around the world, Sam Donaldson will be on duty at 8:00 eastern time I was tempted to say tomorrow but I really mean today From Washington for a broadcast called "Dawn of a New Era.
" And he will have all of the great highlights that we've seen touches of in the last few minutes from around the world.
And just before we leave, some absolutely unplanned, unrehearsed comments.
I feel a little bit, as I think a lot of us do, like the people that were entering the 20th century 100 years ago with great fascination that we were on the edge of the unknown and, because there was so much yet to be known, a real hunger to know more and a certain trepidation.
They were coming into the technological age and we now go into a new technological age.
There'll be lots of time in the days ahead to revisit all of the commentary that has been offered up about the millennium in the last several days and weeks and months.
I remind myself of only one thing at the end of this thing and it's what one of our great futurists We do have futurists, you know.
[CHUCKLES.]
At the end of the 20th century said, "Remember when you put the known and the unknown "into a computer, the unpredictable always outweighs the predictable.
" So the future is exciting, and it is uncertain.
[MOBY'S "NATURAL BLUES".]
VERA HALL: Trouble so hard Oh Lordy, trouble so hard Don't nobody know my troubles but God Don't nobody know my troubles but God Oh Lordy, trouble so hard Oh Lordy, trouble so hard Don't nobody know my troubles but God Don't nobody know my troubles but God Went down the hill The other day Soul got happy and stayed all day Went down the hill The other day Soul got happy and stayed all day Oh Lordy, trouble so hard Oh Lordy, trouble so hard Don't nobody know my troubles but God Don't nobody know my troubles but God Oh Lordy, trouble so hard Oh Lordy, trouble so hard Don't nobody know my troubles but God Don't nobody know my troubles but God Went in the room didn't stay long Looked on the bed and brother was dead Went in the room didn't stay long Looked on the bed and brother was dead [VOCALIZING.]
Oh Lordy, trouble so hard Oh Lordy, trouble so hard Don't nobody know my troubles but God Don't nobody know my troubles but God