A series of forced boardings of merchant ships in the Mediterranean Sea prompts the United States State Department to send Major Tom Blake (Donald Woods) on a secret mission aimed at stopping the extortion being perpetrated by Yusof, the Bey of Tripoli (Stefan Schnabel). When saving the Bey's life puts Blake in his good graces, he learns that the African ruler has a confidante inside the State Department who is telegraphing confidential information about U.S. ships in the region. But after refusing to sign a treaty offered by the United States, the Bey ignores threats of an invasion and orders all Americans in Tripoli imprisoned and executed, forcing Blake to escape and take on the chieftain in order to save lives and end the attacks.