Bassem Youssef
Encyclopedia
Bassem Youssef is the highest ranking Arab-American agent employed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation
. He is currently a Unit Chief in the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. Prior to holding his current position, Youssef coordinated the national counterterrorism investigation into the Islamic Group (the organization responsible for the first World Trade Center
bombing). He speaks fluent Arabic (the highest ranking FBI official with this skill).
In 1994, he earned the Intelligence Community’s prestigious and coveted award, the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal
, awarded by the Director of Central Intelligence (DCI). The award was for outstanding accomplishments in a terrorism case involving an al-Qaeda-related investigation.
After obtaining the DCI award, he was selected by the former FBI Director Louis Freeh
to head of the FBI’s overseas office with responsibility for Saudi Arabia and the contiguous Gulf States, including UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Yemen, Bahrain and Qatar. The FBI’s internal inspection of that office, conducted in 2000, highly praised Youssef’s performance. Inspection reports are kept confidential within the FBI, and are tasked with identifying problems in various programs.
According to an FBI report drafted in 2000, within three months of his arrival in Saudi Arabia Youssef's "efforts led to the establishment of direct communications with senior officials of the Mabahith [Saudi Arabia's security service] which had previously been unavailable to US Embassy personnel." These contacts were crucial in establishing a first-ever meeting between then-FBI director Louis Freeh and Saudi officials.
In July, 2006 the Justice Department's Office of Professional Responsibility
concluded that the FBI illegally retaliated against Youssef because he had allegedly made whistleblower disclosures to the Director of the FBI and a Member of Congress.
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
. He is currently a Unit Chief in the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. Prior to holding his current position, Youssef coordinated the national counterterrorism investigation into the Islamic Group (the organization responsible for the first World Trade Center
World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
bombing). He speaks fluent Arabic (the highest ranking FBI official with this skill).
In 1994, he earned the Intelligence Community’s prestigious and coveted award, the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal
National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal
The National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal is the highest decoration awarded for service to the United States Intelligence Community...
, awarded by the Director of Central Intelligence (DCI). The award was for outstanding accomplishments in a terrorism case involving an al-Qaeda-related investigation.
After obtaining the DCI award, he was selected by the former FBI Director Louis Freeh
Louis Freeh
Louis Joseph Freeh was the 5th Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, serving from September 1993 to June 2001....
to head of the FBI’s overseas office with responsibility for Saudi Arabia and the contiguous Gulf States, including UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Yemen, Bahrain and Qatar. The FBI’s internal inspection of that office, conducted in 2000, highly praised Youssef’s performance. Inspection reports are kept confidential within the FBI, and are tasked with identifying problems in various programs.
According to an FBI report drafted in 2000, within three months of his arrival in Saudi Arabia Youssef's "efforts led to the establishment of direct communications with senior officials of the Mabahith [Saudi Arabia's security service] which had previously been unavailable to US Embassy personnel." These contacts were crucial in establishing a first-ever meeting between then-FBI director Louis Freeh and Saudi officials.
In July, 2006 the Justice Department's Office of Professional Responsibility
Office of Professional Responsibility
The Office of Professional Responsibility is part of the United States Department of Justice responsible for investigating attorneys employed by the DOJ who have been accused of misconduct or crimes in their professional functions...
concluded that the FBI illegally retaliated against Youssef because he had allegedly made whistleblower disclosures to the Director of the FBI and a Member of Congress.
External links
- Daily Show with Jon Stewart Clip
- FBI Whistleblower Answers Questions in Philadelphia
- Bassem Youssef's Information at the National Whistleblower Center
- NBC Nightly news
- http://www.npr.org/about/press/archives.html
- http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/DOJ/story?id=4905061&page=1
- http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2008-01-12-fbi-whistleblower_N.htm
- http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/11/AR2008011103665.html
- http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/WTARC/2008/ss_terror0165_05_23.asp