FBI’s Counterterrorism
Analysis Branch

The Counterterrorism Analysis Branch oversees the majority of the Counterterrorism Division’s (CTD) intelligence operations including analysis and preparation of finished intelligence products.  As the central clearinghouse for intelligence gathering and processing, the CAB is divided into the Counterterrorism Analysis Section and the Communications Exploitation Section.

Sub-Divisions within the Counterterrorism Analysis Branch

Within the Counterterrorism Analysis Section are five divisions used to evaluate data and make recommendations for the CTD’s Operations Branches:

  1. Terrorist group composition
  2. Activities
  3. Tradecraft
  4. Ideology
  5. Linkages

The Communications Exploitation Section utilizes a variety of linguistic and decryption skills to process information and retrieve it from data storage media.

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The Counterterrorism Analysis Branch is an agile and flexible organization that recognizes the evolving nature of national security threats.  Using a large workforce of intelligence analysts and FBI personnel, it identifies intelligence assets and devotes FBI resource to their cultivation.  It also uses a self-assessment system that constantly evaluates its own methodologies in order to identify blind spots and gaps in U.S. intelligence.

The Analysis Branch is continuously identifying and evaluating the threat levels of domestic terrorists, organizations without state sponsorship, and organizations that derive funds and other support from governments. This is done using a comprehensive approach to intelligence gathering and analysis. Among the most dangerous organizations that the Analysis Branch monitors are Al Qaeda, Hezbollah and Hamas.

The Analysis Branch is one of the primary points of contact with other agencies like the DIA, CIA, and NSA.  To better enable cooperation and coordination of counterterrorism operations, the Analysis Branch shares intelligence through the Department of Homeland Security and Joint Terrorism Task Forces.

Counterterrorism Analysis Branch

Jobs within the Counterterrorism Analysis Branch involve fulfilling the following responsibilities:

  • Maintain constant situational awareness of major terrorist organizations
  • Identify potential informants and human intelligence assets within terrorist networks
  • Intercept and translate communications between members of terrorist groups
  • Observe and evaluate processes within Analysis Branch to heighten efficiency, and prompt delivery of actionable insights
  • Identify gaps in the intelligence networks of the United States and allocate resources to developing sources
  • Identify financial and resource support networks for terrorist groups
  • Share information with FBI operational personnel and partner agencies in order to facilitate mission success
  • Present recommendations to FBI supervisors and strategists in presentations or finished intelligence products

 

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