About The Rest Is Classified
Enter the secretive world of spies, espionage, and covert operations. Hosted by former CIA analyst turned spy novelist, David McCloskey, and veteran security correspondent, Gordon Corera, this podcast unravels real-life spy stories, intelligence secrets, and the hidden power struggles shaping global events. From Cold War espionage to modern-day intelligence agencies like the CIA, MI6, and Mossad...
The Rest Is Classified episodeslatest 50
#192192. 9/11: The War on Terror (Ep 6)
· 57:17
What was the nature of the intelligence failures leading up to 9/11? Could the attacks have been prevented? And what is the enduring impact, 25 years on, of that grim day in September 2001? Listen as David and Gordon...
#191191. 9/11: The Twin Towers Fall (Ep 5)
· 48:55
What happened on 9/11? This is the day itself, as seen through the eyes of those who lived and died… Listen as David and Gordon take us through the day that changed America, forever. ------------------- THE REST IS...
#190190. 9/11: Could the Attacks Have Been Prevented? (Ep 4)
· 54:31
By July 2001 the plan for 9/11 was almost complete… All that was missing was a day. How do you set the date the world changes? Listen as David and Gordon unpack the night before the 9/11 hijackers carried out their...
#189189. 9/11: How Much Did the Saudis Know? (Ep 3)
· 1:07:04
Fifteen of the nineteen hijackers on 9/11 came from Saudi Arabia, many from a handful of poor remote villages. Who were the men known as ‘the muscle’, and what made them? Listen as David and Gordon explore the alleged...
#188188. 9/11: How to Recruit a Hijacker (Ep 2)
· 1:04:20
What kind of men do you recruit to fly planes into skyscrapers? And as the 9/11 plot developed, why didn’t the CIA spot what was coming? Listen as David and Gordon chart the mission to recruit the attackers for the 9/11...
The Man Who Briefed the President on 9/11
· 15:12
*** TO LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW, SUBSCRIBE TO THE DECLASSIFIED CLUB *** ------------------- What was the first thing the President said after the September 11th attacks? Was 9/11 really a strategic failure? And...
#187187. 9/11: The Rise of Osama bin Laden (Ep 1)
· 1:03:38
9/11 was the most devastating terrorist attack in history, but where did the plot come from? And when a freelance terrorist walks in with a plan to fly planes into American buildings, why did Osama Bin Laden almost say...
#186186. The Secret Spy Network: Can Five Eyes Survive Trump? (Ep 4)
· 47:48
The Five Eyes is an intelligence alliance that has endured for decades. But can it survive Donald Trump in the White House? Listen as David and Gordon are joined by Richard Kerbaj for the final instalment of their...
#185185. The Secret Spy Network: How Snowden Nearly Destroyed Everything (Ep 3)
· 52:35
The Five Eyes are watching the world. But what happens when one eye is bigger than the other? And what happens when new threats emerge? Listen as David and Gordon are joined again by author, journalist and filmmaker...
#184184. The Secret Spy Network: Kim Philby Threatens the Alliance (Ep 2)
· 37:17
An intelligence alliance established to spy on the Soviets during the Cold War. But will it be able to hold together under crisis? David and Gordon are once again joined by journalist, author and filmmaker Richard...
#183183. The Secret Spy Network: How The US and UK Spy Together (Ep 1)
· 39:54
It is most powerful intelligence alliance the world has ever seen But what is the Five Eyes and how did it begin? Listen as David and Gordon are joined by journalist, author and filmmaker Richard Kerbaj, to explore one...
#182182. The Imitation Game: The Codebreakers Who Defeated Hitler (Ep 2)
· 59:09
Alan Turing is working frantically to break the German codes at Bletchley Park. But can the Brits and Americans really trust each other? Listen as David and Gordon conclude their two-part exploration of the incredible...
#181181. The Imitation Game: How Alan Turing Broke Enigma (Ep 1)
· 45:52
A secret mission in the middle of a war to Bletchley Park. One that will lead to the closest intelligence alliance in history. Listen as David and Gordon tell the secret history of how the codebreakers at Bletchley Park...
#180180. Have the US and Israel Always Spied on Each Other? (Ep 2)
· 51:49
How did Israel’s spy in America Jonathan Pollard wind up getting caught? And what does the sordid episode tell us about the nature of the spy relationship between America and Israel? David and Gordon explore how an...
#179179. Did Israel Spy on Trump’s Iran Negotiations? (Ep 1)
· 58:19
Do Israel and America spy on each other? And how do close allies navigate stealing each other’s secrets? Listen as David and Gordon step inside the tricky intelligence sharing relationship between the US and Israel...
#178178. The Plot to Destroy Russia’s Gas Empire (Ep 2)
· 56:01
How did a group of civilian divers carry out what’s been described as one of the greatest acts of sabotage of the 21st century? And have they finally been exposed? Listen as David and Gordon unpack the investigation...
#177177. Who Blew Up the Nord Stream Pipeline? (Ep 1)
· 47:00
Why did an undersea pipeline that sent Russian gas to Germany explode in 2022? And could a group of Ukrainian operatives really have been behind it? David and Gordon are joined by Bojan Pancevski, Chief European...
#176176. The True Story of the Spies Held Hostage by China (Ep 2)
· 47:29
A Chinese fighter jet and American spy plane collide over the South China Seas. And now a US aircrew are held hostage by their Chinese captors. David and Gordon reach the dramatic crescendo of their story exploring the...
#175175. How China Downed a US Spy Plane (Ep 1)
· 36:38
What happens when a Chinese Fighter jet crashes into a US spy plane? The result is death, hostages and a major crisis with lessons for what could spark a war today. Listen as David and Gordon tell the infamous story of...
#174174. The Murder of Litvinenko: Did the British State Hide the Truth? (Ep 6)
· 47:36
Did the British state try to bury the truth of what happened to Alexander Litvinenko? And how did his wife, Marina, continue battling for justice? Listen as David and Gordon conclude their series on the murder of...
#173173. The Murder of Litvinenko: The Killers Escape (Ep 5)
· 37:38
Radioactive poison has been used to kill Alexander Litvinenko on the streets of London. But where will the trail lead and can the police follow it to find his killers? Listen as David and Gordon reach the penultimate...
#172172. The Murder of Litvinenko: Russia’s Nuclear Weapon (Ep 4)
· 42:57
Alexander Litvinenko has been poisoned in London… Now the race is on to work out what is slowly killing him. In this episode David and Gordon tell the story of the race to discover what the Russian security services...
#171171. The Murder of Litvinenko: Killed in Plain Sight (Ep 3)
· 40:35
Russian assassins are closing in on Alexander Litvinenko… But who will deal the fatal blow? Listen as David and Gordon explore the dramatic moments leading up to the murder of Alexander Litvinenko in London...
#170170. The Murder of Litvinenko: Putin’s Plan To Kill (Ep 2)
· 52:12
Former Russian Security Service officer Alexander Litvinenko is in exile in London. But his clash with Vladimir Putin will only increase in its intensity - placing the two men on a collision course towards certain doom...
#169169. The Murder of Litvinenko: Poisoned in London (Ep 1)
· 52:12
A Russian security service officer murdered in London, with radioactive poison. But who gave the orders and why? Listen as David and Gordon begin their six-part investigation into the 2006 murder of former FSB officer...
#168168. Trump's New Director of National Intelligence and the CIA's Missing Gold Bars
· 1:03:12
Who is Trump's new Director of National Intelligence? Is the US Intelligence Community becoming increasingly politicised? And what's the story behind the CIA officer who has allegedly stolen millions of dollars in gold...
#167167. The Covid Origin Story: What the CIA Really Found (Ep 2)
· 1:02:12
What do the CIA think caused the Covid pandemic? And did Trump and Biden sway the CIA’s intelligence assessments? Listen as David and Gordon assess whether Trump and Biden played politics with the investigation into the...
#166166. The Covid Origin Story: Lab Leak or Animal Outbreak? (Ep 1)
· 39:04
Where does the CIA think the Covid-19 virus came from? And could it have been intentionally leaked as an act of biological warfare? Listen as David and Gordon step inside the investigation as to where Covid came from...
#165165. Why England Didn't Win the 1970 World Cup (Ep 2)
· 55:35
Could England have won the 1970 World Cup if their star goalkeeper, Gordon Banks, hadn't contracted food poisoning the day before the quarter-final? And could the CIA have had anything to do with England's 60 years of...
#164164. Did the CIA Poison England's World Cup Goalkeeper? (Ep 1)
· 45:46
Why did Gordon Banks pull out of the 1970 World Cup quarter-final against West Germany? And was the CIA to blame? Listen as David and Gordon are joined by journalist Gabriel Gatehouse who has spent the past three years...
#163163. Argo: Smuggled Out of Khomeini's Iran (Ep 4)
· 48:12
Six American diplomats are about to walk through the Tehran airport with alias Canadian passports. But will they make it through? And how does the real Argo end? As the story reaches its dramatic conclusion, David and...
#162162. Argo: How the CIA Made a Movie That Never Existed (Ep 3)
· 47:09
Tony Mendez has just landed in revolutionary Tehran. Now he must teach six terrified diplomats to be a Hollywood film crew… in 72 hours. Listen as David and Gordon reach the climax of their adventure into the true story...
Is Iran Recruiting Spies to Conduct Anti-Semitic Attacks?
· 41:38
Are groups linked to the Islamic Republic recruiting spies on Telegram to coordinate anti-semitic attacks in Europe? How are Jordanian people feeling about the war in Iran? And why is anti-western sentiment reaching new...
#161161. Argo: Six Fugitives in Revolutionary Tehran (Ep 2)
· 1:05:38
Six Americans are hiding out as Canadian houseguests in Tehran. To get them out, the CIA will invent a Hollywood film studio that does not exist. In this episode, David and Gordon examine how the CIA worked with...
#160160. Argo: The Secret Iranian Hostage Crisis (Ep 1)
· 1:05:37
One of the most audacious rescue operations the CIA has ever run. It begins with a mob at the gates of the US Embassy in Tehran, six diplomats slipping out a side door, and a man painting a wolf in a studio above his...
#159159. Is NATO Prepared for a Russian Attack?
· 52:49
How worried are Baltic countries about the threat from Russia? Would the US protect its NATO allies from Putin? And what is happening on the Estonian border? Last weekend, Gordon headed to the annual Lennart Meri...
#158158. The Road to Iraq: George Bush's Unstoppable War (Ep 6)
· 1:00:07
Was Iraq WMD one of history’s biggest intelligence failures? Why couldn’t Saddam Hussein prove he has destroyed his weapons of mass destruction? And what is the legacy of the Iraq War in the Middle East? Listen as David...
#157157. The Road to Iraq: What the Spies Got Wrong (Ep 5)
· 53:50
Who was “Curveball”? Why did Colin Powell rely so heavily on flawed intelligence in his presentation to the UN? And how did this set the tone for the opposition to war? As David and Gordon reach the penultimate episode...
#156156. The Road to Iraq: Tony Blair's Campaign for War (Ep 4)
· 56:38
What was the difference between the so-called “dodgy dossier” and the real dossier prepared by Tony Blair and Alastair Campbell? Why did the US rush their vital National Intelligence Estimate? And why was the...
#155155. The Road to Iraq: How 9/11 Changed Everything (Ep 3)
· 54:51
How significant a role did 9/11 play in the decision to go to war in Iraq? And why did Tony Blair commit to standing by George W. Bush “no matter what”? Listen as David and Gordon continue their series on Iraq WMD...
#154154. The Road to Iraq: Saddam Hussein's Fatal Error (Ep 2)
· 48:45
Why did Saddam Hussein secretly destroy his weapons of mass destruction? When did the CIA start plotting against the Iraqi dictator? And did Hussein and Osama bin Laden ever meet? In the second part of their series on...
#153153. The Road to Iraq: Weapons of Mass Destruction (Ep 1)
· 1:04:09
How did Saddam Hussein become one of history’s most notorious dictators? How did the Iran-Iraq war begin? And what really happened to Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction? Listen as David and Gordon begin their 6-part...
#152152. Britain’s Man Inside the IRA: Unmasking the Traitor (Ep 4)
· 1:02:44
What brought about Stakeknife’s downfall? How did the IRA react when they realised there was a spy at the very top of their organisation? And what was Operation Kenova, and how did it reveal the truth of the Stakeknife...
#151151. Britain’s Man Inside the IRA: From Spy to Executioner (Ep 3)
· 52:00
What happens when an agent has to commit horrific crimes whilst undercover? What did the British government know about Stakeknife’s crimes? And did the IRA suspect Scappaticci of being a double agent? Listen as David...
Why Do Russian Spies Interfere in Global Politics?
· 57:55
What does a Russian interference campaign look like? What did Russian spies get up to in Hungary recently? And are Chinese spies the next threat to international politics? Listen as David and Gordon are joined by...
#150150. Britain’s Man Inside the IRA: How to Run a Killer (Ep 2)
· 48:02
How did the British security forces recruit agents during The Troubles? And how did the IRA try and hunt down those who had become informers? In the second part of their series on the infamous Stakeknife, David and...
#149149. Britain’s Man Inside the IRA: The Truth Behind Stakeknife (Ep 1)
· 44:58
Who was the real man behind the infamous codename, “Stakeknife”? Why did he join the ranks of the IRA? And how did he become a spy for the British? Listen as David and Gordon begin a four-part series delving into the...
#148148. Can Europe Salvage its Relationship with Trump?
· 36:36
Is there anyone telling Trump, ‘No’? Is Trump’s use of power getting more unhinged? And should Europe have done more to open the Strait of Hormuz? Listen back to David and Gordon live on YouTube with Washington Post...
#147147. Will Trump Destroy Iran’s Nuclear Programme? (Ep 2)
· 1:11:18
How do you actually destroy a nuclear programme? What would a US boots-on-the-ground raid inside Iran look like? And do David and Gordon think Trump will take Operation Epic Fury to the next level? Listen as David and...
#146146. How the CIA Rescued a Pilot Inside Iran (Ep 1)
· 59:55
How involved were the CIA in the operation to rescue a US pilot stranded inside Iran? What does it take to "destroy" a nuclear programme? And what could Iran learn from North Korea? Listen as David and Gordon discuss...
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The Rest Is Classified has published 285 episodes so far. This page carries the 50 most recent, newest first.
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The most recent episode is "192. 9/11: The War on Terror (Ep 6)", published on 9 Sep 2026. New episodes appear here as soon as they go out on the programme's feed.
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