Frontline: In the Shadow of 9/11

Premiering Tuesday, Aug. 10 at 8 p.m.

Discover how seven men in Miami were indicted for the biggest alleged Al Qaeda plot since 9/11. From the director of “Leaving Neverland” comes the bizarre story of an FBI sting that led to a terror prosecution, though the men had no weapons or connection to Al Qaeda.

Set in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, this searing tale of injustice introduces the so-called “Liberty City Seven” – a group of young Black men accused of assisting Al Qaeda in a plot to blow up buildings within the United States. Although these young men had no weapons and never communicated with Al Qaeda, five of them were convicted at the third federal trial, after two mistrials.

In an article for The Intercept, journalist Trevor Aaronson delves into FBI investigations of domestic terrorism, including the Liberty City Seven, the Herald Square bombers of NYC and more. The U.S. government has prosecuted more than 800 people for terrorism since the 9/11 attacks, and more than 400 were released by 2017.

Terrorism is a frequent topic on “Frontline.” See the program’s reporting on terrorism around the world, from domestic terror in the U.S. to ISIS, Al Qaeda and far-right hate groups on Frontline.org.