Episode 120: Al Finch – Pakistani C-130 Crash, Accident or Terrorism?

Retired agent Alfred Finch served in the FBI for 22 years. During his career, he was assigned to a variety of investigative and executive positions handling public corruption, kidnapping, extortion, bank robbery, and terrorism cases. In this episode of FBI Retired Case File Review, Al Finch reviews his investigation of a 1988 plane crash that took the lives of Pakistani President Zia, a U.S. Ambassador, and 28 others. Al Finch found himself involved in international intrigue and misinformation when possible evidence that the Pakistani C-130 crash was an accident was suppressed, and the unproven theory that the cause was a terrorist event was put forward instead. Al Finch finished his career as the Legal Attaché to Cairo and later as a Deputy Chief with the U.S. National Central Bureau of Interpol. Upon retiring from the FBI, he was a contract employee with the FBI assigned to the National Counter Terrorism Center. He later served as Director of Security for the Middle East Broadcasting Networks, in Springfield, Virginia where he set up personnel security apparatus for all radio and television employees and the physical plants that housed them. He is  currently a contract employee with the Voice of America.

Supervisory Special Agent (Retired)

Alfred Finch

9/10/1978 – 7/31/2000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The following are links to newspaper articles about the 1988 Pakistani C-130 crash that took the lives of the Pakistani President Zia and U.S. Ambassador Arnold Raphel:

LA Times – 8/25/1988:   Theories Vary on C-130 Crash; One Is the ‘Mango Bomb’ : Zia’s Death Brings Plenty of Speculation

President Mohammed Zia ul-Haq and U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Arnold Raphel were killed in a Pakistani C-130 crash. Al Finch investigated, but the cause of the crash was never officially determined. Photo from NYT.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jerri Williams

View posts by Jerri Williams
Jerri Williams, a retired FBI agent, author and podcaster, jokes that she writes about the FBI to relive her glory days. After 26 years with the Bureau specializing in major economic fraud and corruption investigations, she calls on her professional encounters with scams and schemers to write police procedurals inspired by true crime FBI cases in her Philadelphia FBI Corruption Squad crime fiction series featuring flawed female FBI agent Kari Wheeler. Jerri’s FBI for Armchair Detectives nonfiction series enables readers to discover who the FBI is and what the FBI does by debunking misconceptions about the FBI in books, TV, and movies. Her books are available as ebooks, paperbacks, and audiobooks wherever books are sold. She’s also the host of FBI Retired Case File Review, a true crime podcast with more than 300 episodes available on all popular podcast apps and YouTube.

4 Comments

  1. Dr. Larry BartonJune 21, 2018

    This interview with Mr. Finch is extremely well done. Jerri, you are a fine podcaster because you listen and allow the guest to articulate their thoughts. I was unfamiliar with the nuances of this case and learned much. Bravo.

    Reply
    1. Jerri WilliamsJune 21, 2018

      Thank you for taking the time to write and let me know you are enjoying the podcast. I appreciate your kind words.

      Reply
  2. Tony Richardson,June 16, 2018

    Jerri, just finished listening to your pod cast with Wayne Davis, whom I had the pleasure of meeting early in my career! It was truly fascinating and enlightening. Every new/old agent should listen to it. I was in the Bureau for 30 years and was not aware of a lot of his historic facts. I’m in the very early stages of writing a book about my experience in and out of the Bureau. Look forward to future pod cast re the FBI. Be Safe;

    Reply
    1. Jerri WilliamsJune 16, 2018

      I’m especially proud of my interview with Wayne Davis. He was a mentor who helped guide my career. —- Jerri

      Reply

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