They are young people in their twenties. They have families, are well educated, and most have clean criminal records. On the surface, they blended in with the British community without doing anything that would arouse public suspicion. But counterterrorism experts are keeping tabs on each of them. These seemingly ordinary citizens are actually members of a brave and vicious terrorist organization planning the deadliest mass attack since 9/11. The liquid bomb plot outlines their devious plan and celebrates the brave agents who managed to thwart them.
Britain has been rocked by a spate of fresh terror attacks and Scotland Yard is on edge. Realizing that potential terrorists are hiding in their own backyard, they feel a sense of urgency like never before.
Throughout the film, the agents guide the viewer step-by-step through the investigation. Through close 24-hour surveillance of numerous suspects and the unparalleled intelligence-gathering skills of U.S. counterterrorism officials, they were able to determine the group’s methods of sowing chaos and causing mass casualties. By injecting flammable compounds into everyday household soda bottles, terrorists have created an ideal weapon of chaos — an easily transportable and unobtrusive improvised explosive device.
They plan to put these devices on the plane. If successful, the plot could have killed thousands of unsuspecting victims within hours.
Agents intercepted the terrorists before they could carry out their deadly missions and created anti-terrorism protocols that are still in effect today. As a direct result of this investigation, passengers must limit the amount of liquids they carry on board.
The filmmakers meticulously capture the memoirs of each agent, looking back on their toil, diligence and resourcefulness with gratitude and awe.
With a beautifully recreated and hauntingly percussive score, the Liquid Bomb episode is as gripping and chilling as our greatest work of spy fiction. In this case, however, the stakes are all too real.
Directed by: Ben Chanan
