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Saudi Assassination Squelched — SID Employee Receives FBI Award

SUMMARY

An NSA agent received an award for “Outstanding Counterterrorism Investigation.” The NSA and FBI used intercepted communications and the “Follow the People” travel tracking program to verify information from interviews conducted by the Saudi Security Service. The agencies’ work “prevented the assassination” of the Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah. 

DOCUMENT’S DATE

Aug 05, 2005

PUBLICLY AVAILABLE

Mar 01, 2018

TAGS

Saudi Arabia

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DYNAMIC PAGE -- HIGHEST POSSIBLE CLASSIFICATION IS TOP SECRET // SI / TK // REL TO USA AUS CAN GBR NZL (S) Saudi Assassination Squelched -- SID Employee Receives FBI Award FROM: SIGINT Communications and Customer Gateway (S11) Run Date: 08/05/2005 (S) NSAer is the recipient of the "FBI Director's Annual Award for Outstanding Counterterrorism Investigation." He earned this team award for work done while posted to the FBI's Washington Field Office (WFO). Specifically, the team was cited for a case in which a U.S. person was convicted of complicity in trying to assassinate the Saudi Crown Prince* (pictured here with Tony Blair). This plot also had ties to the Libyan leader Mu'ammar Qadhafi. (S) Working together, the Libyan shop at NSA (S2E32), Counterterrorism (S2I), and FBI HQ used metadata and DNI** analysis, as well as travel tracking ("Follow the People"), to corroborate much of the information reported by the Saudi Internal Security Service (Mabahith) in detainee interviews. The WFO used this information to successfully bring an indictment and conviction in the case. (S) The bottom line? The investigation prevented the assassination and ultimately neutralized a large terrorist cell in Saudi Arabia. The case spawned dozens of other terrorism investigations as well. (U//FOUO) and his teammates received their award in the Bonaparte Auditorium at FBI HQ (J Edgar Hoover Building) on July 28th. He also received a personal letter of congratulations from the FBI Director. is the Deputy Chief, National Customer Account Information (S112), and is currently detailed to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). (U) Notes: *Crown Prince Abdullah recently assumed the throne upon the death of King Fahd. **DNI = Digital Network Intelligence "(U//FOUO) SIDtoday articles may not be republished or reposted outside NSANet without the consent of S0121 (DL sid_comms)." DYNAMIC PAGE -- HIGHEST POSSIBLE CLASSIFICATION IS TOP SECRET // SI / TK // REL TO USA AUS CAN GBR NZL DERIVED FROM: NSA/CSSM 1-52, DATED 08 JAN 2007 DECLASSIFY ON: 20320108