Countered Terrorism
4.5/5
Critic Rating
What's your worst nightmare, the one scenario that can wake you up in the middle of the night, filled with complete and utter terror and dread? The chances are that being caught up in a very serious and deadly terrorist act is high on your list. To be trapped in a burning skyscraper, thousands of feet up in the air, where the only hope of escape is descending through a burning hell. To be on a plane whose fuselage has just been ripped apart by an undetected bomb. They say that terrorists have to be lucky only once to carry out their deadly plan. The security services have to be lucky every single time to foil the evil plotters. So what happens when the security services roll the dice and actually thwart a major terror plot? An intriguing life or death question, which is set to be answered in a ground breaking new Audible Original series. In six action packed episodes, Countered Terrorism goes behind the scenes to uncover how counter terrorism units have managed to foil or derail a number of major terror plots in recent years. From preventing carnage at the Notting Hill Carnival to thwarting Islamic fundamentalists and far right Nazi sympathisers across the globe, Countered Terrorism highlights the bravery, expertise, intuition and dedication of the anti-terror experts, who work 24/7 to keep us safe from deadly attacks. With unprecedented access to some of the world's leading counter terrorism and intelligence units – including Interpol and the UK CTU, the series brilliantly interweaves exclusive interview material with dramatic reconstruction, historic archive and an immersive sound track to place the listener at the very heart of the fight against terror. With the clock ticking in each storyline, you'll feel like you're alongside the investigators as they unearth vital clues, make key breakthroughs and take the toughest operational decisions - all determining whether a terror plot succeeds or fails. Whether countless lives are lost. Or saved. Countered Terrorism is narrated by David Harewood (credits include playing CIA Counterterrorism Director David Estes in Homeland) and is produced by award winning production team Novel.
Critic Reviews
Score: 4
Miranda Sawyer • The Guardian • Mar 18, 2023
"That great actor David Harewood is our narrator, apparently because he once played a CIA counter-terrorism director in Homeland. He gives the script some full-on actor-ing, but unfortunately this staginess provides an unreal feel, as though we are listening to fiction. However, the interviews are good – the one with an American IRA member is spooky, such is his calmness – and this is a revealing listen. Career hint: being an undercover agent is an absolutely thankless task."
Score: 5
Alexi Duggins • The Guardian • Mar 16, 2023
"...the gravitas of Harewood’s narration lends even more drama to their tales."