Law enforcement and intelligence agencies operate on information—the right, reliable and detailed information is essential to performing their duties and in defending the nation. Counterterrorism is one of the most important specialized foci of FBI intelligence analysts, who have the unique job of analyzing information, creating judgments and providing recommendations to major decision makers in an effort to help mitigate threats against the United States.
Counterterrorism analysis agents provide knowledge, strategies and advice to help not just identify threats, but to combat them. They work closely with state, federal and local partner agencies to identify, track and stop threats before they begin. Explore the exciting career of counterterrorism analysis, why it’s vital to our nation’s security, and what you will do in this rewarding field.
What Counterterrorism Analysis Agents Do
Counterterrorism analysis is a specialized field of an FBI intelligence analyst. They take information that has been gathered by field and other agents, break it down into its various components and extract the essential elements that provide details regarding potential threats to the United States. This makes them a first line of defense against terrorist agencies in a national security function.
The Counterterrorism analyst’s job is to work to identify threats against the country and make decision makers aware of the threats. They help to assess and create strategies to mitigate these threats, and develop relationships and partnerships to form a reliable intelligence network across the nation and outside it, in a variety of law enforcement and intelligence communities.
Finally, they use their ability to collate and break down knowledge as well as their own understanding of culture, history and language to remain two steps ahead of potential threats and combat these threats when they arise.
Skills of Counterterrorism Analysts
Counterterrorism analysts need a variety of specific and specialized skills. They must be adept at analyzing, collating, and breaking down data, as well as exploiting information. These agents must be proactive and detail-oriented, as well as team players. Analysts work closely with Special Agents and the greater Intelligence Community at large.
To function as an analyst, the agent must have a unique ability to consolidate a breadth of information into concise knowledge which can be used to enhance security and reduce or eliminate vulnerabilities and gaps. They often must collect this information on their own, so research and investigation skills are also paramount.
Finally, any FBI agent must be flexible. They can be called upon at any time, not just to perform their duties, but to relocate to a new area. There are 57 division and field offices across the nation, including the main headquarters in Washington, DC.
Becoming a Counterterrorism Agent
Walking the path of a counterterrorism agent, be it an analyst or any other specialization, requires the deepest commitment, drive and hard work. If you think this field would be an ideal and fulfilling match for your skills set, take the time to read over what it takes to become an FBI agent, and get started on the path to a rewarding career today.