Counterterrorism - I


August 4, 2009

The FBI's Counterterrorism Division Assistant Director discusses the roles and responsibilities of the division and its mission to the American people.


Audio Transcript

Mr. Schiff: The FBI’s Counterterrorism Division has an important mission.

Mr. Heimbach: "Our mission is to ensure that the American people can live without fear of terrorism.”

Mr. Schiff: That’s Mike Heimbach. He is the FBI assistant director for counterterrorism.

Mr. Heimbach: “It’s basically to find any potential terrorists that are here in the United States , whether known or those that are unknown to us; to eliminate their ability to conduct a homeland attack; and/or to allow our citizens to live in freedom . ”

Mr. Schiff: Heimbach says terrorists use computers and the Internet, and he wants the latest in technology for his agents and analysts.

Mr. Heimbach: “Have systems that show a correlation between different subjects, different travel patterns, different types of connectivity that allows them to cull through in a timely manner and not a very tedious manner in terms of connecting the strategic dots.”

Mr. Schiff: More on counterterrorism at FBI.gov. I’m Neal Schiff of the Bureau, and that’s what’s happening at the “FBI, This Week.”

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