John O'Neill
John O'Neill (1952-2001) became the chief of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) counterterrorism unit in 1995. Retiring from the Bureau in August 2001, he became chief of security for the World Trade Center, and died in the 9-11 Attack in New York.
He worked closely with Richard Clarke at the National Security Council, and also exchanged deputies with the Central Intelligence Agency. His relationship with Michael Scheuer at the CIA, however, was hostile.
O'Neill was a larger-than-life personality, entertaining lavishly, dressing somewhere between elegantly and theatrically, and both giving and expecting personal loyalty.
e talked tough, in a New Jersey accent that many loved to imitate. He was darkly handsome, with black eyes and slicked-back hair. In a culture that favors discreet anonymity, he cut a memorable figure. He favored fine cigars and Chivas Regal and water with a twist, and carried a nine-millimetre automatic strapped to his ankle. His manner was bluff and dominating, but he was always immaculately, even fussily, dressed. One of his colleagues in Washington took note of O'Neill's "night-club wardrobe" -- black double-breasted suits, semitransparent black socks, and ballet-slipper shoes. "He had very delicate feet and hands, and, with his polished fingernails, he made quite an impression."[1]
He would push the rules of the strict FBI. Even when his retirement was scheduled, he was investigated for misplacing a briefcase of classified documents, which he was authorized to have but was to safeguard. [2]
Entering counterterrorism
In 1995, Richard Clarke discovered Ramzi Yousef, a suspect in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, had been located in Pakistan, and called the FBI operations center, reaching O'Neill, who literally had just arrived chief of the F.B.I.'s counter-terrorism section, his suitcases not yet unpacked. O'Neill put together the team that apprehended Yousef and brought him back; while an Assistant U.S. Attorney and the Pakistani government were aware of the mission, it easily could be considered an extraordinary rendition; there was no formal international extradition hearing in Pakistan. [1]
1996 Khobar Towers bombing
He assembled the law enforcement investigation team for the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing, and later joined them in Saudi Arabia with FBI Director Louis Freeh. O'Neill became convinced the Saudis were obstructing the investigation, and, at first, Freh, who though there was progress, refused to speak to him. Eventually, however, O'Neill went back, but were "more close-mouthed than any police organization he had ever worked with."[3]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lawrence Wright (14 January 2002), "The counter-terrorist; John O'Neil was an F.B.I. agent with an obsession: the growing threat of Al Qaeda.", The New Yorker
- ↑ Kelli Arena (19 August 2001), "FBI probing top counter-terrorism agent", CNN
- ↑ Lawrence Wright (2006), The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11, Alfred A. Knopf, ISBN 037541486X, pp. 237-239