The Weekly season 1, episode 4 recap: Collision

THE WEEKLY “Collision” Episode 4 (Airs Sunday; June 23, 10:00 pm/ep) — Pictured: New York Times Reporter, Rukmini Callimachi meets with Police Officer Jumakhon Nazarzoda, in the city where the attackers were apprehended. CR: FX

The Attackers

At first, the Tajik government tried to blame the attack on an outlawed opposition party in the country. But then ISIS released a video of the five men pledging their allegiance to the Islamic State.

The Weekly shifts here to focus on those five men. (It’s arguable whether or not a program like this should be using the names of the killers and giving their names and their cause this kind of free press. But they give their names. I’ll only use one, because it’s necessary to recap this episode.)

Callimachi is led by Radio Free Europe reporter, Abdumumin Sherkhonov to the site where the men recorded their allegiance video. He points out that everyone in the country knew that spot and would recognize that view. The video (which is shown) was meant to send a message that ISIS was there in the country.

The five men were led by Hussein Abdusamadov, the perceived mastermind behind the attack, who spent time in Syria with the Islamic State.

Callimachi then sits down with the lead investigator on Hussein’s case (hiding his identity for his safety). The investigator shows Callimachi evidence that has been gathered, including Hussein’s cell phone, which has messages between Hussein and his ISIS handler.

More disturbing, though, is the fact that his phone has footage of the attack, which he tried to sent to his contact, but couldn’t because of a weak cell signal.

Thankfully, The Weekly doesn’t show the full video (at the request of the investigator—the video was made as propaganda, that doesn’t deserve the air time). But they do show the men in the car before the attack and the men running back to the car after they had gotten out and them talking about hitting a woman as they turned the car to drive away. It’s still pretty upsetting video with the most gruesome parts omitted.

The episode then heads to the town of Tutbuloq, where the men fled after the attack. It’s assumed they were headed to the boarder with Afghanistan.

I say “assumed” because the men never made it there. The Tutbuloq villagers noticed the car and were very suspicious when they was the broken windshield and blood on the car. The five men ditched the car and tried to flee. But cell phone video shows villagers pursuing the men with sticks and clubs until the authorities get there.

Callimachi then talks to Jumakhon Nazarzoda, who was there when the men were apprehended and who works for the ministry of internal affairs. He talks about the encounter and details that four of the men were killed and Hussein was arrested. (Content warning: the dead bodies of the other four are shown.)