Fighting the Specter of Terror

In recent years, many of the perpetrators of terrorist violence in the United States-- the Boston marathon bombers, the shooters in San Bernardino and Orlando, and most recently, the alleged Chelsea bomber-- have all been inspired by the words of the same man: Anwar al-Awlaki, a mainstream imam turned Al Qaeda propagandist. Though Awlaki was killed in a CIA drone strike five years ago, his calls to violence still live on the internet.

Scott Shane of The New York Times talks to Bob about Awlaki's appeal to jihadists, and the difficulty of combating the legacy of someone who exists only in symbolic and digital form. Shane is also author of Objective Troy: A Terrorist, a President, and the Rise of the Drone. 

Song:

Marjane's Inspiration by David Bergeaud