Brodie crossed Karl-Marx, then turned onto a side street and retraced the route to the Al Mahdi Islamic Center. As he approached it, he spotted a blue-and-white van markedPOLIZEIparked at the curb nearby. Behind the wheel was a police officer in black combat fatigues. Flanking the front entrance of the Al Mahdi Center were two more officers, also head-to-toe inblack fatigues, each holding an assault rifle. The word POLIZEI was emblazoned across their body armor.
A little farther down the road on Brodie’s side of the street was the same gray van that David Kim had suggested was a surveillance vehicle.
Brodie pulled out his phone and called Kim, who picked up after one ring.
“Scott. Hi. Crack the case?”
“Tomorrow. For now, I’m at the Al Mahdi Islamic Center and the gray van is where we left it, and there’s now a police van and a couple of heavily armed cops that are guarding the center.”
Kim let him know, “I heard through channels that there has been a threat against mosques in the area because of the murder. Probably nothing, but the authorities have to take these things seriously even if it’s just one idiot making a phone call.”
Brodie watched as three Arab men in coats and skullcaps walked between the police officers and into the center. Neither the Arabs nor the cops acknowledged each other. “So you think they’re standing guard, but also conducting surveillance and planning a raid?”
“That is what’s happening. You’ve got a place that is suspected of Islamic terrorist links and now also a possible target of white-supremacist terrorist activity. So the police have to protect the people that they’re going to bust later.” Kim thought that was funny and laughed.
Brodie changed the subject and told Kim about the narcotics and terrorism case in Mannheim that Vance and Jenkins had worked together. “Were you aware of this case?”
“I was aware of it generally, and I just got briefed an hour ago by my superior in New York that Mr. Vance was one of the investigating agents. CID ought to make every agent involved in the Mannheim investigation aware that they may be a target.”
Well, that might be overreacting. But maybe not. He said, “Mr. Jenkins thinks he already is a target.” He described his and Taylor’s meeting with Mark Jenkins, and the man’s account of being followed.
Kim processed that. “He needs to get out of Berlin.”
“He is. Tomorrow. At the moment, he’s lying low in his hotel room. Chief Inspector Schröder is aware of all this.”
“Good. Maybe they need to provide a protective detail.”
“I think Mr. Jenkins is more than capable of taking care of himself and asking for help if he needs it.”
“Right.”
Brodie asked, “Have you heard of the Khazali network?”
“I have.”
“Tell me.”
Kim replied, “I’ve read the bio they sent me on you. You served in Iraq. Oh-three and oh-four, mostly Baghdad. So I assume you’re aware of the Mahdi Army.”
Brodie was well aware of the Mahdi Army, a Shi’ite militia run by a radical cleric named Muqtada al-Sadr that had set up de facto rule in one of the most violent quarters of Baghdad during the war. “We exchanged gunfire with the Mahdi Army on a few occasions.”
“I’m glad they couldn’t shoot straight.”
“They killed two of my men.”
“Sorry.”
Brodie didn’t respond.
Kim continued, “Qais Khazali used to be one of al-Sadr’s lieutenants but was expelled from the group for going rogue. He started his own militia to direct attacks on U.S. troops. Khazali also ran death squads to kill Iraqi Sunnis. These guys are financed and trained by the Iranian Quds Force and have fought side by side with Hezbollah.” He added, “This is all starting to come together.”
“Not in my mind.”
“You’re a criminal investigator, Scott. I’m a counterterrorism expert, specifically Islamic terrorism.” He added, “We think differently.”
“You want me to think like an FBI guy? I’d need a brain injury for that.”
Kim laughed. “No. We can complement each other’s area of expertise. We don’t need to butt heads.”
