Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com
It hasn’t been long since the FBI’s primary focus was putting away bank robbers, kidnappers and gang members.
That focus has dramatically shifted in the post-9/11 era, creating a new generation of counterterrorism experts who know the ins and outs of al Qaeda and Hezbollah, Newsweek reports.
Most of the counterterrorism experts are in their mid- to late-40s – a relatively young age for agents with their responsibilities.
“The last generation was more reactive,” an intelligence expert said, “and the current guys are extremely proactive. I think they will initiate things just to find out if there’s something there, as opposed to waiting and seeing.”
Leading the group of experts is Andrew McCabe, head of the FBI’s National Security Branch. He’s 45 and rose to the top by acquiring in-depth knowledge of terrorism, Newsweek wrote.
