FBI
Director Mueller Names John S. Pistole Executive
Assistant Director for Counterterrorism and Counterintelligence
Washington,
DC – FBI Director Robert Mueller today named
John S. Pistole to be Executive Assistant Director
(EAD) for Counterterrorism and Counterintelligence.
Mr. Pistole has served as Assistant Director for
Counterterrorism since September 2003; he was Acting
Assistant Director from June until September. As
EAD, Mr. Pistole will oversee the FBI’s top
two priority programs and will report directly to
Director Mueller.
Director Mueller said, “John Pistole has shown
tremendous leadership and has greatly contributed
to the success of our counterterrorism mission during
a time of tremendous pressure and significant change.
Many more challenges lie ahead as we adapt to meet
the transnational threats of the future. I have
every confidence in John’s ability to keep
us ahead of those challenges.”
Mr. Pistole began his career with the FBI in 1983
as a Special Agent assigned to the Minneapolis Division,
where he investigated organized crime and violent
crimes. In 1985, Mr. Pistole was transferred to
the New York Division, where he focused on La Cosa
Nostra investigations. In 1990, he was promoted
to Supervisor in the Organized Crime Section at
FBI Headquarters. In that capacity, Mr. Pistole
distinguished himself by coordinating FBI efforts
to assist the Italian National Police in finding
those responsible for the assassinations of two
prominent Italian Magistrates.
In 1994, Mr. Pistole was promoted to field supervisor
of a White Collar Crime and Civil Rights squad in
Indianapolis, Indiana. The following year, Mr. Pistole
was the FBI representative to a State Department
delegation sent to Sofia, Bulgaria to assess their
laws and police response to Russian/Eurasian organized
crime and financial crime. He also led FBI training
on three occasions at the International Law Enforcement
Academy in Budapest, Hungary.
In 1999, Mr. Pistole was promoted to the position
of Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Boston
Field Office. In November 1999, he led one aspect
of the investigation into the Egypt Air 990 crash
off the coast of Rhode Island.
In July of 2001, Mr. Pistole was promoted to the
position of Inspector in the Inspection Division
at FBI Headquarters, where he led teams conducting
evaluations and audits of FBI field offices and
Headquarters Divisions. That same year, Mr. Pistole
led a team that addressed security issues in the
wake of the arrest of Robert Hanssen.
In April 2002, Mr. Pistole was appointed by Director
Mueller to the position of Deputy Assistant Director
for the Counterterrorism Division, where he oversaw
operations in international and domestic terrorism,
and terrorist financing. He was also responsible
for directing the National Joint Terrorism Task
Force, the Foreign Terrorist Tracking Task Force,
and the Terrorism Reports and Requirements Section.
His authority was expanded to include leadership
and oversight of the FBI’s overall counterterrorism
efforts when he was named Assistant Director of
the Counterterrorism Division in September 2003.
Mr. Pistole practiced law for two years prior to
joining the FBI.
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