Counterterrorism Activities of the FBI: At Home and Abroad

摘要

It was in Afghanistan where the utility of law enforcement expertise and techniques in a conflict zone first became evident. Shortly after the land campaign had begun, the FBI deployed two agents to Bagram. At first they were met with skepticism and concern what, after all, would the FBI be looking at. After they had been there only a short time the FBI decided to recall them out of concern for maintaining good relations. Before that could occur, however, on a cold Saturday morning in February of 2002, an FBI employee in Washington, D.C. received a phone call from Bagram on his secure cellular phone. An Army general's opening words were specific and to the point: You ve got to help me; they re trying to take my FBI agents away. How respect for law enforcement and law enforcement skills developed among the military is instructive. Prior to the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the FBI, and more specifically the New York Field Office, was the single most complete repository of information about Al Qaeda. The two agents deployed to Bagram were from the New York Field Office, and their knowledge of Al Qaeda organization, personnel, and modus operandi quickly became invaluable in helping military forces to understand what and who they were confronting, both on the battlefield and in detention facilities.