The movie opens with a tense scene where Allison Janney, playing an Assistant D.A., discusses terrorist training tapes, setting the tone for a story rooted in law enforcement investigations. The narrative then shifts to a seemingly routine traffic stop in New Jersey, where a car is pulled over and the driver, El Sayyid Nosair, claims to be a city worker and runs a car dealership. Despite his claims, the officer just lets him go, unwittingly allowing a key figure in the plot to escape.
As the story unfolds, we are introduced to an array of plotters involved in a complex terrorist scheme. These include Rodney Hampton-El, a [hospital worker], Ibrahim El-Gabrowy, a [contractor], Mohammed Salameh, a [delivery man], and Mahmud Abouhalima, a [limo driver]. Their lives and routines are intertwined with the escalating conspiracy, highlighting the meticulous planning behind their actions.
The narrative then introduces Emad Salem, a pivotal figure who formally approaches the FBI as an informant. Despite initial skepticism, his credibility as an intelligence officer is acknowledged, and he provides vital information about the suspects. Salem requests a weekly salary of $500 for his cooperation, emphasizing the uneasy balance between law enforcement and informants.
In September 1992, two key figures arrive in the United States: Razmi Yousef, a confessed mastermind and bomb builder, and Ahmad Ajaj, a pizza delivery man. They face suspicion from immigration inspectors; Yousef has multiple IDs and lacks a visa, requesting political asylum, which raises alarms. Ajaj’s interrogation reveals diagrams of a bomb, intensifying the concern about their intentions. Despite red flags surrounding Yousef’s multiple identities, he is eventually released due to overcrowded cells, while Ajaj remains under scrutiny.
Over the following months, the plot intensifies. Ramzi Ahmed Yousef rents an abandoned house, while Salameh pays for a storage unit where chemicals necessary for the bomb are stored. Yousef begins acquiring chemicals, with help from chemical engineer Nidal Ayyad, who orders the remaining ingredients. During transport, Salameh and Yousef are involved in a car accident that hospitalizes Ramzi, temporarily disrupting their plans.
On February 25th, 1993, Salameh and Yousef purchase a Ryder van to carry the explosives. Despite encountering a storage facility manager who informs them that chemicals are not allowed on-site, they persuade him by claiming a van will pick up the chemicals later. That night, the terrorists assemble the bomb inside the van and park it beneath the World Trade Center. When Yousef ignites the fuse and runs away, the bomb detonates, causing death and injury — two people die, and over a hundred are injured. Miraculously, the towers remain standing, though the attack exposes their vulnerability.
Back at FBI headquarters, investigators work tirelessly to identify the perpetrators. Meanwhile, Salameh attempts to reimburse his money for the van by claiming it was stolen, but with no receipt, his effort fails. He tries again, only to be secretly monitored by federal agents, leading to his arrest once the transaction concludes.
In May 1993, Salem uses a tape recorder to secretly monitor the remaining conspirators. Rodney reveals that they are using code names for their targets. Salem then meets with the controversial Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman, discussing future targets. The Sheikh hints that the next attack will not involve the United Nations, but refuses to specify further details, heightening the tension and unpredictability of the threat.
As law enforcement closes in, more arrests are made, and Yousef is marked for bounty. Peter Gallagher, playing John Anticev, questions Salem about his involvement. Salem is later seen recording conversations with Hampton about plans to blow up the Holland Tunnel and other key sites, underscoring the scale of the threat.
Finally, the FBI gathers enough compelling evidence to make arrests, successfully dismantling the conspiracy. In November 1995, the terrorists face trial, receiving lengthy prison sentences—Salem is awarded a million dollars and enters a witness protection program, while Yousef is extradited and vows to "bring them both down," signaling the ongoing danger and unresolved stakes in this battle against terrorism.
