Film/tv Plot: CIA(?) fake captive's plane crash death(?)

January 30, 2013 8:23 AM

Please help me to remember where I saw this: A US agency (CIA?) captures/kills an Arab(?) terrorist(?) prince(?) (or South American drug lord?) but then makes it look like his plane crashed while taking off from a Caribbean(?) island so that their involvement is hidden and people don’t realise the CIA(?) knew he was a wrong 'un. Our hero(?) is in on the airplane plot but her/his colleague is suspicious about the crash and starts looking into it and finding holes in the story. I think they might have to kill the colleague to shut him up.

Thank you, this driving me nuts.

posted by Gomoryhu to Media & Arts (4 answers total)

Best answer: There was a plotline on the West Wing that is similar to this.
posted by sevenyearlurk at 8:26 AM on January 30, 2013 [3 favorites]

The Sherlock episode A Scandal in Belgravia? This doesn't exactly fit what you are describing (no spoilers), but it's a similar idea.
posted by payoto at 8:29 AM on January 30, 2013

Response by poster: That's it, the West Wing! Thank you so much sevenyearlurk. Very fast fingers too. My misery is ended.
posted by Gomoryhu at 8:31 AM on January 30, 2013

The real tension that develops later in that West Wing plotline is that the terrorist is the Defense Minister of Qumar (a fictional Middle Eastern nation), and they know we did it. However, they still elect to blame Israel, putting the Bartlet administration in a tight spot.

The government is forced to acknowledge the operation during a crisis the following year.
posted by spaltavian at 10:33 AM on January 30, 2013 [1 favorite]