7 documentaries like Attack on London: Hunting the 7/7 Bombers

7 documentaries like these that everyone needs to watch (Image via Netflix)
7 documentaries like these that everyone needs to watch (Image via Netflix)

Attack on London: Hunting the 7/7 Bombers chronicles the story of that day when London witnessed a coordinated terrorist attack from four suicide bombers who targeted the public transport system by bombarding three underground stations as well as a bus. The attacks resulted in the death of 52 people, with over 770 injured.

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This brand new Netflix docuseries about that day retells the attacks with input from survivors, victim families, and those who participated in the investigation. Some of those interviewed include former MI5 Director General Eliza Manningham-Buller and former Prime Minister Tony Blair.

While the docuseries title clearly indicates 7/7 attacks, the focus of the four-part series is also on the near-successful bombings on 21/7, less than two weeks away, and the nationwide manhunt that followed thereafter. It is not shy of revealing some uncomfortable truths, including that the innocent man was shot dead by police in a series of events.

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If Attack on London: Hunting the 7/7 Bombers left you wanting more real-life investigations and survivor accounts, here are 7 gripping documentaries that dive into terrorism, manhunts, and the human stories behind national tragedies.


These documentaries will have the viewers hooked just like Attack on London: Hunting the 7/7 Bombers

7) Turning Point: 9/11 and the War on Terror (Netflix)

Still from Turning Point: 9/11 and the War on Terror (Image via Netflix)
Still from Turning Point: 9/11 and the War on Terror (Image via Netflix)

A five-part docuseries on Netflix that tells the story of September 11, 2001, and its ramifications. The docuseries combines archival footage with interviews with survivors, U.S. officials, military personnel, and even former Taliban, to illustrate how a single day changed the global politics, security frameworks, and many lives. The series not only addresses the attacks, but it also explores the aftermath of the attacks, including the war in Afghanistan and the transformations in counterterrorism over the decades.

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Viewers who enjoyed Attack on London will also view Turning Point with intrigue. Each documentary provides layered depictions that articulate how incidents of terror are sequenced, how governments react, and how individuals are also left carrying the burdens of tragedy. The attack on London has a mix of personal stories and investigative journalism. Turning Point offers the same, but on a global scale.


6) American Manhunt: The Boston Marathon Bombings (Netflix)

Still from American Manhunt: The Boston Marathon Bombings (Image via Netflix)
Still from American Manhunt: The Boston Marathon Bombings (Image via Netflix)

The Manhunt: The Search for the Boston Marathon Bombers is an absorbing documentary about the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing and the chilling days that followed. Survivor, first responder and journalist interviews walk the viewers through the horror of the attack, a massive investigation and the chilling nature of an entire city on lockdown as the last suspect was arrested. The documentary examined the strength and the unity of the community that stood up to terror.

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For viewers who found Attack on London compelling and troubling, The Manhunt presents an equally sobering look at the city's anger at violence as investigators race against time to unearth the guilty.


5) November 13: Attack on Paris (Netflix)

Still from November 13: Attack on Paris (Image via Netflix)
Still from November 13: Attack on Paris (Image via Netflix)

Following the siege on the Bataclan theatre on November 13, 2015, coordinated unfurling of gunfire on concert goers was one of Europe's deadliest terror attacks. The film is a reconstitution of the tense hours of that siege, wherein quick-thinking decisions and evacuation of the crowds actually saved lives in schools.

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Against this immediate backdrop of terror, the documentary goes deeper and checks for the aftermath of the incident and its effects on Parisian society—how the ordinary citizens came up to help the victims, how the intelligence agencies rethought about the threats of terrorism, and the trauma that shook a city once known for its joie de vivre.

For those who loved Attack on London, they will greatly enjoy this contemporary juxtaposition of personal testimonies with investigative insights.

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4) Manhunt: The Inside Story of the Hunt for Bin Laden (Max)

Still from manhunt: the inside story of the hunt for bin laden (Image via HBO)
Still from manhunt: the inside story of the hunt for bin laden (Image via HBO)

This documentary chronicles the decade-long search of the CIA for the world's most wanted man. Through interviews with intelligence officers, analysts, and military personnel, the series recreates the arduous detective work, clandestine surveillance, and risky decisions the CIA made that ultimately brought them to Osama bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad. The viewer gets an insider's view of how signals intelligence, human intelligence, and inter-agency cooperation all came together in one of the most complex manhunts in history.

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There is ample archival footage and declassified material to accompany regaled personal dedication to the task. For instance, examples of both ethical and political dilemmas that arose on the path to hunting bin Laden are shared as the story unfolds.

Fans of Attack on London will find familiar terrain in the hybrid of precision police work with the human element that both series share.


3) Unmasking Jihadi John: Anatomy of a Terrorist (Max)

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Still from Unmasking Jihadi John: Anatomy of a Terrorist (Image via HBO)
Still from Unmasking Jihadi John: Anatomy of a Terrorist (Image via HBO)

Unmasking Jihadi John: Anatomy of a Terrorist covers the story of Mohammed Emwazi's metamorphosis into the masked executioner for ISIS known by the name of "Jihadi John." The film combines interviews with security and intelligence officials, journalists, and friends with archival video footage and intercepted communications to uncover the ideology and online recruitment that formed the basis of his radicalization.

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The film has a careful balance of strategic intelligence analysis with personal, human experience to indicate the complex bureaucratic nature of the job and the human toll; that families and lives were shattered and destroyed. It showcases the hurdles all security agencies must grapple with when pursuing fleeing and always hyper-aware targets who exist inside terrorist organizations.

For those who enjoyed Attack on London, it is easy to see that the same deep dive investigation and evocative perspective of surviving victims bring these stories to life.

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2) The Rise of the Murdoch Dynasty (BBC)

Still from The Rise of the Murdoch Dynasty (Image via BBC)
Still from The Rise of the Murdoch Dynasty (Image via BBC)

This documentary reviews the global media empire Rupert Murdoch built, beginning with a single, daily, Australian newspaper, and then moving into television, film, and digital outlets. With at least one dozen interviews with journalists, insiders, and documentary footage throughout the film, The Rise of the Murdoch Dynasty tells the story of Murdoch's sophisticated decision-making, boardroom conflicts, and controversies that ushered his many outlets towards their rise to power.

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The documentary offered a blend of insider comments and documented evidence that also laid bare the mixed relationship between media moguls and the networks they influence. To illustrate this point, viewers see the degree to which editorial decisions and choices can influence public opinion, how corporate ambition drives the news agenda, and how checks and balances sometimes evaporate in the context of profit and other forms of influence.

The Rise of the Murdoch Dynasty is not about terrorism, but if viewers liked Attack on London, they will appreciate the investigation and painstaking detail that illustrate the invisible, yet articulated, influences surrounding a headline-making incident.

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1) The Great Hack (Netflix)

Still from The Great Hack (Image via Netflix)
Still from The Great Hack (Image via Netflix)

The Great Hack investigates the Cambridge Analytica scandal by following the exploitation of personal data acquired from millions of Facebook accounts and how that personal data was weaponized to influence elections and public opinion. Footage from internal meetings and leaked documents highlight the extraordinary lengths to which these companies will go to influence narratives and how they influence the way people vote.

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The Great Hack not only offers a detailed account of how technical aspects of weaponized data work through the specifics of the learning algorithms, but it also addresses the moral implications of exploiting personal data and explains the legal issues that surround the problem of exploiting data in a disembodied world.

For those who enjoyed Attack on London, the investigative rigor of The Great Hack will resonate with you, especially its intention to highlight unseen powers and structures in society.

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Attack on London: Hunting the 7/7 Bombers is currently streaming on Netflix.

Edited by Bharath S
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