Shifting from a radical Islam to an agent for the Danish Intelligence, a branch of the CIA , Morten Storm shares his story about the life-changing experiences he has been through. Having a close relationship with top leaders in Al-Qaeda, caught the eye of the CIA and made him the ideal man to carry out the job. Originally born in Denmark, Storm was a troubled teen with the absence of a father figure. This pushed him quickly to move down the path of crime and trouble. With his life dwindling away, Storm found interest in Islam after finding a book on the life of the Prophet Muhammad in his hometown, Korsor.

“It changed me. It spoke to me, that book. This is the truth” he tells CNN reporters. This book seemed to be the path of light for Storm and changed his life forever. After his findings, he traveled to Yemen with a Danish journalist, Nagieb Khaja, and began to learn in depth about the Muslim faith, going as far as changing his name to Murad Storm. That was the beginning of a life he never expected to have.

Always living an extreme lifestyle, Storm went out and befriended Anwar al-Awlaki and many other Al-Qaeda top administrators who were major US targets. With that, Storm worked his way up through the ranks of Al-Qaeda and was even called to travel to Somalia to join jihadists. Jihadists are participants of war in an attempt to spread religion or any beliefs they have to their society. Unfortunately, the decision prompting his arrival changed at the last moment and Storm was told not to come. Ultimately, this decision triggered the original growth of doubt in his group and faith. He began to read different opinions on the beliefs in Islam and concluded they were contradictions that completely wiped away his faith.

“I’m so deeply disappointed, and devastated. I felt betrayed”, Storm reports. As a result, Storm began to do research on the most important thing in his life, Islam. He began to realize the opposite perspective of his faith and that is what nudged him towards the decision of becoming a spy in the Al-Qaeda operatives. Storm fit the ideal image of a spy for the CIA. Following the obligations that came with becoming a spy for CIA, Storm turned on his friends and religion to fight the actual enemy.

Throughout this time, Storm adapted to the different ways of Islam faith and culture which was a difficulty because he was constantly switching between two identities. Learning the ropes and ties of Islam and learning Arabic transformed him into a completely different person that he was originally before. Storm had been trusted by multiple senior Al-Qaeda leaders and had to watch his every move just in fear of blowing his cover.

“For half a decade, I moved back and forth between two worlds and two identities—when one misplaced sentence could have cost me my life” Storm reports during his interview with CNN reporters. He described his life as a “schizophrenic lifestyle” because there was always that constant fear if someone had figured him out, but that was not the case.

“I don’t think that there are many people like him that have all those different dimensions. He was the real deal” Magnus Ranstorp, one of Scandinavia’s top counterterrorism experts, tells CNN reporters.

Storm played the Matchmaker for Awlaki, pairing him with a young, European, Aminah. Aminah had recently converted to Islam and was used essentially as bait to find Awlaki. Storm was offered $5 million dollars for any information he gave the CIA about the location of Awlaki and in 2011, Awlaki was killed in a U.S drone strike. Expecting his profit, Storm was informed he was not going to get paid his $5 million because of a separate source of information, even though his information was believed to be the key in finding Awlaki. After he was cheated out of his money, Storm announced he was going public with his story and the CIA quickly attempted to buy his silence but Storm declined. After the huge breakthrough, Storm still faces a huge obstacle ahead: staying alive. Last year, the hatred was made clear when ISIS fighters issued a video of them shooting at a picture of him on the wall.

“Either they will slice your throat, behead you, or they shoot you and hang you up and crucify you, I would get executed” Storm states. Storm is currently living in hiding after multiple death threats by militant Islamist who were former comrades.

FSA Connection Questions

1. In the article, the author describes the various aspects of life Storm had to change in order to become an Islam. Describe how those changes were significant in terms of joining Al-Qaeda?
2. Throughout the article, the author uses the word jihadists, what do you think that means in context with the article?
3. Describe the tone the author seems to portray through writing this article.
4. Based on your answer from number 4, select two sentences in the article that supports your idea.
5. In two or more sentences, explain your opinion on the story in terms of Morten Storm becoming a double agent.