National Security Branch
The FBI created the National Security Branch (NSB) in September 2005 in response to a presidential directive to establish a “National Security Service” that combines the missions, capabilities, and resources of the FBI’s national security elements under the leadership of a senior FBI official.
Mission: Protect the national security of the United States.
Vision: Blend resources across all national security components to work together; normalize integration, training, and sharing; and seize upon every opportunity to disrupt and defeat our enemies as a joint team.
Structure of the NSB
The traditional distinction between national security and criminal matters is increasingly blurred as terrorists commit crimes to finance their activities and computer hackers create vulnerabilities that can be exploited.The integration of intelligence and investigations makes the FBI uniquely situated to address these threats and vulnerabilities across programs. We draw on both intelligence and law enforcement tools to determine strategically where and when to disrupt threats, and the NSB’s five components work together to accomplish the Branch’s overarching national security mission.
Counterintelligence
The Counterintelligence Division protects the United States by identifying, understanding, and combating threats posed by foreign intelligence services and their proxies. The division accomplishes this by investigating foreign intelligence activities within the U.S., targeting both traditional and emerging non-traditional threats, and using a combination of intelligence and law enforcement techniques to investigate espionage activities.
Terrorism
Combating terrorism is the FBI’s top investigative priority. Working closely with a range of partners, we use our suite of investigative and intelligence capabilities to neutralize terrorist cells and operatives here in the U.S., to help dismantle extremist networks worldwide, and to cut off financing and other forms of support provided by terrorist sympathizers. Our overall goal, as we lead law enforcement and domestic intelligence efforts to defeat terrorism, is to eliminate the risk of terrorism, both international and domestic, to the homeland and to U.S. interests abroad
High-Value Detainee Interrogation Group
The FBI administers an interagency body called the High-Value Detainee Interrogation Group (HIG) that brings together personnel from the U.S. Intelligence Community to conduct lawful interrogations that strengthen national security.
Terrorist Screening Center
Born out of the events of September 11, 2001 and created in 2003, the Terrorist Screening Center maintains the U.S. government’s consolidated Terrorist Watchlist—a single database of identifying information about those known to be (or reasonably suspected of being) involved in terrorist activity. By supporting the ability of front-line screening agencies to positively identify known or suspected terrorists trying to obtain visas, enter the country, board aircraft, or engage in other activity, the consolidated Terrorist Watchlist is one of the most effective counterterrorism tools for the U.S. government.
WMD
The FBI created the Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Directorate in 2006 to support a cohesive and coordinated approach to incidents involving chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear (CBRN) material. The Directorate leads U.S. government efforts to prevent and neutralize WMD threats against the homeland and interests abroad by focusing on outreach, intelligence, operational response, and investigative capabilities designed to keep WMD threats from becoming a reality.
- 09.16.2020 — Minnesota Man Charged with Providing Material Support to ISIS
- 09.16.2020 — Jacksonville Woman Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Illegally Export Maritime Raiding Craft and Engines to China
- 09.16.2020 — United States Citizen Who Joined ISIS Charged with Material Support Violations
- 09.15.2020 — Somerset County Man Admits Concealing Material Support to Hamas
- 09.15.2020 — Former Employee at Los Alamos National Laboratory Sentenced to Probation for Making False Statements About Being Employed by China
- 09.14.2020 — Man Who Tried to Procure Ricin Sentenced to Three and One Half Years in Prison
- 09.11.2020 — United States Files Complaint to Forfeit Nearly $1 Million from Companies Accused of Enabling North Korean Sanctions Evasion
- 09.09.2020 — Jefferson County Man Sentenced for Beaumont Bombings
- 09.08.2020 — Local Man Charged with Making Threat During University Zoom Lecture
- 09.04.2020 — Gloucester City Man Charged with Bombing and Unlawful Possession of Explosives and Short-Barreled Rifle
