In the early 2000’s 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 

Supervising Producer: Kyla Slaven 

Executive Producers: Joel Werner, Eric George, Jessica Radburn 

To binge even more great episodes of ASSASSINS with Aslan Pahari go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find more stories of the world’s most shocking assassinations – from the lone wolf hitman to the professional assassin, you’ll hear how famous figures like Abraham Lincoln, Benazir Bhutto, Ramses III, Tupac and Gandhi met their end.

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/7FOjbBMbEQeucu3q7kZOx0

Host: Aslan Pahari 

Producer: Hannah Jose 

Audio Engineer: Tegan Nicholls 

Video Producers: Tejas Bhat, Dylan Behan 

Special thanks: Michael Osmond for archives research 

Supervising Producer: Kyla Slaven 

Executive Producers: Joel Werner, Eric George, Jessica Radburn 

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 Behan
• Supervising Producer: Kyla Slaven
• Executive Producers: Joel Werner, Eric George, Jessica Radburn
• Special thanks: Michael Osmond for archives research; Tiwana Music Evolution/Prabhjot Singh Tiwana; Chamkila.in/Shamsher Singh Sohi

To binge even more great episodes of ASSASSINS with Aslan Pahari go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find more stories of the world's most shocking assassinations — from the lone wolf hitman to the professional assassin, you'll hear how famous figures like Abraham Lincoln, Benazir Bhutto, Ramses III, Tupac and Gandhi met their end.

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
• Audio Engineer: Tegan Nicholls
• Video Producers: Dylan Behan, Tejas Bhat
• Special thanks: Michael Osmond for archives research
• Supervising Producer: Kyla Slaven
• Executive Producers: Joel Werner, Eric George, Jessica Radburn

To binge even more great episodes of ASSASSINS with Aslan Pahari go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find more stories of the world's most shocking assassinations — from the lone wolf hitman to the professional assassin, you'll hear how famous figures like Abraham Lincoln, Benazir Bhutto, Ramses III, Tupac and Gandhi met their end.

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: Michael Osmond for archives research
• Supervising Producer: Kyla Slaven
• Executive Producers: Joel Werner, Eric George, Jessica Radburn

To binge even more great episodes of ASSASSINS with Aslan Pahari go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find more stories of the world's most shocking assassinations — from the lone wolf hitman to the professional assassin, you'll hear how famous figures like Abraham Lincoln, Benazir Bhutto, Ramses III, Tupac and Gandhi met their end.

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 archives research
• Supervising Producer: Kyla Slaven
• Executive Producers: Joel Werner, Eric George, Jessica Radburn

To binge even more great episodes of ASSASSINS with Aslan Pahari go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find more stories of the world's most shocking assassinations — from the lone wolf hitman to the professional assassin, you'll hear how famous figures like Abraham Lincoln, Benazir Bhutto, Ramses III, Tupac and Gandhi met their end.

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: Tegan Nicholls 

Video Producers: Dylan Behan, Tejas Bhat 

Special thanks: Michael Osmond for archives research 

Supervising Producer: Kyla Slaven 

Executive Producers: Joel Werner, Eric George, Jessica Radburn 

To binge even more great episodes of ASSASSINS with Aslan Pahari go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find more stories of the world’s most shocking assassinations – from the lone wolf hitman to the professional assassin, you’ll hear how famous figures like Abraham Lincoln, Benazir Bhutto, Ramses III, Tupac and Gandhi met their end. 

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 Behan, Tejas Bhat 

Special thanks: Michael Osmond for archives research 

Supervising Producer: Kyla Slaven 

Executive Producers: Joel Werner, Eric George, Jessica Radburn 

To binge even more great episodes of ASSASSINS with Aslan Pahari go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find more stories of the world’s most shocking assassinations – from the lone wolf hitman to the professional assassin, you’ll hear how famous figures like Abraham Lincoln, Benazir Bhutto, Ramses III, Tupac and Gandhi met their end. 

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 Producer: Kyla Slaven
• Executive Producers: Joel Werner, Eric George, Jessica Radburn

To binge even more great episodes of ASSASSINS with Aslan Pahari go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find more stories of the world's most shocking assassinations — from the lone wolf hitman to the professional assassin, you'll hear how famous figures like Abraham Lincoln, Benazir Bhutto, Ramses III, Tupac and Gandhi met their end.

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 research
• Supervising Producer: Kyla Slaven
• Executive Producers: Joel Werner, Eric George, Jessica Radburn

To binge even more great episodes of ASSASSINS with Aslan Pahari go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find more stories of the world's most shocking assassinations — from the lone wolf hitman to the professional assassin, you'll hear how famous figures like Abraham Lincoln, Benazir Bhutto, Ramses III, Tupac and Gandhi met their end.