The terrorist bombing that wasn’t

A closer look at The terrorist bombing that wasn’t

Article topic and angle

This Substack post recounts a 1985 episode in Khartoum in which a handful of car bombs went off around the city’s edge without causing injuries. The piece argues those bombings were used as a false-flag covert operation to cast blame on Libya and to influence the new Sudanese junta’s stance toward Gaddafi.

What you can read and how the story is presented

The excerpt describes investigators finding paperwork in a hotel room linking the suspected perpetrator to Libyan propaganda and alleged plans to target Sudanese officials and their families. It then states CIA case officers in Khartoum saw the incident as an opportunity to exploit. The post is part of a series titled In The Kill Zone: The Life and Times of Willie Merkerson (Part 8).

The page indicates the post is for paid subscribers, so the full article content is behind a paywall.

Who might find this useful

Readers interested in Cold War-era covert actions, Libyan-Sudanese relations in the 1980s, intelligence operations, or detailed investigative narrative will find the subject matter relevant. Because the full text requires a paid subscription, people who follow the author’s Substack series or who are willing to subscribe to read full installments would get the complete account.

Questions people ask about The terrorist bombing that wasn’t

Can I read the full article immediately?

The page states the post is for paid subscribers, so the full article is behind a paywall.

What specific event does the post focus on?

It focuses on car bombs in Khartoum in 1985 that caused no casualties but were described as a false-flag effort linked to Libya and later exploited by CIA case officers.

Is this part of a larger series?

Yes, the excerpt is labeled as Part 8 of the series In The Kill Zone: The Life and Times of Willie Merkerson.

The terrorist bombing that wasn’t was shared on NexURLs by Nexis on October 31, 2026, in History & Culture.