ASSASSINS

ABC Australia

History often moves slowly, almost imperceptibly. But sometimes, the world is changed forever by a single, brutal act of violence. ASSASSINS tells the stories of these moments of chaos and fire. Each week host Aslan Pahari will bring you stories of the world's most shocking assassinations that changed the course of history.

From the lone wolf hitman to the professional assassin, you'll hear how famous figures like Abraham Lincoln, Benazir Bhutto, Ramses III, Tupac, Rasputin, and Gandhi met their end and the fallout when the world is upended by an assassin's hand.

Every episode will be available as audio and video, just search for ASSASSINS with Aslan Pahari on the ABC listen app, ABC iview or wherever you get your podcasts.

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26 episodes
weekly
Avg 17 min
English

Episodes 26

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September 16 · 18 min
The Mossad assassination of Ghassan Kanafani
Nine days after a massacre at an Israeli airport, Mossad assassinates one of the Arab world's most celebrated writers in Beirut. Ghassan Kanafani never carried a gun. But his words had power and influence, and he was a spokesperson for the group who carried out the bloody airport attack. The first part in our special series about Israel and Palestine in the 1970s is about the life and death of writer Ghassan Kanafani. Host: Aslan Pahari Producer: Hannah Jose Audio Engineer: Tegan Nicholls, Emr
September 9 · 30 min
Hit Em Up: The assassination of Tupac Shakur [UPDATE]
UPDATE: On August 31st 2026, Duane ‘Keffe D’ Davis was found guilty of orchestrating the murder of rapper Tupac Shakur. Prosecutors argued that Davis supplied the weapon, and ordered the shooting – but did not pull the trigger himself. Davis maintains his innocence and says he will appeal the conviction.
September 2 · 15 min
1990s Cabramatta: Australia’s heroin capital
Cabramatta was the epicentre of Australia's worst heroin epidemic. It was also the electorate of John Newman, the state MP gunned down outside his own home in 1994. This week we look beyond the assassination and into the epidemic itself, with Don Weatherburn, a professor at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre at UNSW.
August 27 · 18 min
Who killed the Australian politician John Newman?
John Newman, the Australian politician, was shot dead in his driveway while he was still in office. The gunman has never been found. Newman was the State MP for the south-western Sydney electorate of Cabramatta. At the time of his death, the suburb was in the throes of a massive heroin epidemic. Host: Aslan Pahari Producer: Hannah Jose Audio Engineer: Tegan Nicholls, Emrys Cronin Video Producers: Tejas Bhat, Dylan Behan Special thanks: Michael Osmond for archives research Supervising Producer
August 19 · 18 min
How an Al Qaeda propagandist fell for a long-con
When Anwar al-Awlaki joined Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, he knew he could be jailed or killed by the US government. What he didn’t know was that his death would come at the hands of a person he trusted with his life.
August 12 · 19 min
Anwar Al-Awlaki: a US citizen assassinated on foreign soil (Part 1)
It was the first killing of an American citizen by his own government, without a trial, on foreign soil. And it was President Barack Obama who approved the order.
August 5 · 16 min
Who killed the most powerful man in British India?
The Viceroy of India was considered the most powerful man in Britain’s most valuable colony. An untouchable figure representing the Crown with all its power. And yet, he was killed in an unlikely place, by an unlikely man. A man whose motives are still questioned today. Host: Aslan Pahari Producer: Hannah Jose Audio Engineer: Emrys Cronin Video Producers: Tejas Bhat, Dylan Behan Special thanks: Michael Osmond for archives research Supervising Producer: Kyla Slaven Executive Producers: Joe
July 29 · 15 min
The Chinese re-education camps for Muslim "extremists"
Yalkun Uluyol has not seen or spoken to his father since 2018 — until recently he wasn't even sure if his father was still alive. That's because his father had disappeared into a Chinese re-education and training camp for ethnic Uyghur Muslims in the far west of the country. The Chinese government admits to creating "vocational education and training centres" as part of its campaign against extremism, but it says the camps are completely voluntary. Yalkun Uluyol is now a researcher for Human
July 22 · 15 min
The killing of a Uyghur Imam in China
Juma Tayir was an ethnic Uyghur. He was also the Chief Imam of China's largest mosque. In 2014, during a security crackdown by the Chinese Government, Tayir was brutally assassinated outside the mosque. But who wanted Juma Tayir dead — and why? Host: Aslan Pahari Producer: Hannah Jose Audio Engineer: Tegan Nicholls, Emrys Cronin Video Producers: Tejas Bhat, Dylan Behan Special thanks: Michael Osmond for archives research Supervising Producer: Kyla Slaven Executive Producers: Joel Werner, Eric
July 1 · 15 min
Pim Fortuyn: The anti-Islam populist
In the early 2000s, Pim Fortuyn was one of the most famous gay politicians in the world. Determined to protect the tradition of progressive Dutch values, Fortuyn was also anti-immigration, and a fierce critic of Islam. All this against a backdrop of the War on Terror, which, at the time was in full swing. Host: Aslan Pahari Producer: Hannah Jose Audio Engineer: Tegan Nicholls Video Producers: Tejas Bhat, Dylan Behan Special thanks: Michael Osmond for archives research Supervi
June 24 · 21 min
L FRESH The LION on Sidhu Moose Wala and the Punjabi diaspora
You might know L-FRESH The LION from tracks like 1 in 100,000 or his Like A Version performance of Survive on triple j. As a Sikh Punjabi-Australian artist, he’s built his career around questions of identity and culture and the melding of musical genres. In the final instalment of our Punjabi music special, Aslan sits down with L-FRESH to talk about the Punjabi musicians who’ve influenced him. Check out Aslan's Punjabi Music playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7FOjbBMbEQeucu
June 17 · 15 min
Punjab’s Elvis: Chamkila gunned down at a wedding
Chamkila, the so-called 'Elvis of Punjab', famously outraged religious leaders with his 'vulgar' music. But what was so taboo about his songs that he was forced to fold his hands and apologise? And in the end, that apology wasn't enough! In 1988, Punjabi musician and cultural icon Amar Singh Chamkila had his rise cut cruelly short. To this day, it's not clear who pulled the trigger. Host: Aslan Pahari Producer: Hannah Jose Audio Engineer: Tegan Nicholls Video Producers: Tejas Bhat, Dylan Beh
June 10 · 18 min
The mystery of who murdered Moose Wala
July 2022. Drake, the famous and at times controversial musician, takes to the stage in his home city of Toronto, Canada. That evening, Drake performs in a sweatshirt emblazoned with the face of a turbaned Punjabi man. And underneath the image, in large black font, is his name: Sidhu Moose Wala. 1993 to 2022. So, who is this man on Drake's sweatshirt? And why is he dead? This is the first instalment in a 3-part series from the world of Punjabi music. Host: Aslan Pahari Producer: Hannah Jose
June 3 · 17 min
The cult of Thomas Becket the martyr
During the middle Ages, the shrine of Thomas Becket was one of the most popular destinations for Christian pilgrims. Aslan talks to Mary McGilivray about the cult of St Thomas, the pilgrims who went to see the place he died, and the medieval souvenirs they took home. And if you haven't yet, check out our recent full episode about the assassination of Thomas Becket. Host: Aslan Pahari Producer: Hannah Jose Audio Engineer: Tegan Nicholls Video Producers: Dylan Behan, Tejas Bhat Special thanks: M
May 27 · 16 min
The assassination that created a saint
The murder of Archbishop Thomas Becket in 1170 rocked medieval Europe. For hundreds of years, the place of his death — Canterbury Cathedral — became one of the most popular Christian pilgrimage destinations in the world. Thomas Becket was even made a saint. But why did this man become such an important and influential figure after his death? Host: Aslan Pahari Producer: Hannah Jose Audio Engineer: Tegan Nicholls Video Producers: Dylan Behan, Tejas Bhat Special thanks: Michael Osmond for arc
May 22 · 15 min
The assassination of British MP Jo Cox
After the young British MP Jo Cox was assassinated in 2016, police raided the house of her killer. He lived in Cox’s West Yorkshire electorate, a region with a large and flourishing South Asian population. Inside his home were disturbing clues about what motivated his attack. Neighbours had thought that the assassin was harmless, just a quiet, solitary middle-aged man. But the local South Asian taxi drivers knew better… Host: Aslan Pahari Producer: Hannah Jose Audio Engineer: T
May 13 · 14 min
The Trung Sisters who took on the Chinese Empire
In the year 40 AD, the Trung sisters led one of the most incredible rebellions against China, taking on the powerful Eastern Han dynasty. Born into an aristocratic family in what’s now northern Vietnam, the sisters were trained from an early age in combat and military strategy. Sparked by an assassination, they went to war. But history holds different accounts of how this story ended. Host: Aslan Pahari Producer: Hannah Jose Audio Engineer: Tegan Nicholls Video Producers: Dylan Beh
May 6 · 15 min
The American journalist assassinated in Karachi
When Daniel Pearl touches down in Karachi, Pakistan, he knows he's taking a risk. A big one. He's a Jewish American reporter for the Wall Street Journal, investigating terrorism in a country hostile to America. He’s also highly experienced and well-versed in security protocols. So how does it all go so wrong? Host: Aslan Pahari Producer: Hannah Jose Audio Engineer: Tegan Nicholls Video Producers: Dylan Behan, Tejas Bhat Special thanks: Michael Osmond for archives research Supervising Produce
April 29 · 16 min
How to defeat the Sicilian mafia: Part two
Magistrate Giovanni Falcone should have been too scared to take on the Sicilian mafia. After all, many of his colleagues had died trying to bring the Cosa Nostra to justice. So how did he do it? And why was victory, when it came, so bittersweet? This is the second in a two-part series about mafia assassinations in Italy. Host: Aslan Pahari Producer: Hannah Jose Audio Engineer: Tegan Nicholls Video Producers: Eve Cogan, Dylan Behan, Tejas Bhat Special thanks: Michael Osmond for archives resear
April 22 · 15 min
The magistrate vs the mafia: Part one
The Italian mafia once held regular meetings to decide which public figure needed to be assassinated. Some decisions were because of long-held grudges by these Sicilian "men of honour". Other killings were about stopping someone from challenging the mafia's power in southern Italy. For Sicilian magistrate Cesare Terranova, both of those reasons made him the target of the notorious Cosa Nostra. This is the first in a two-part series about mafia assassinations in Italy. Host: Aslan Pahari Prod

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