Dale Watson
Encyclopedia
Dale L. Watson is the former Assistant Director for the Counterterrorism Division of the FBI
, as such he headed the FBI investigation into the September 11, 2001 attacks
and the 2001 anthrax attacks
.
. He graduated from Florida State University
with a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1972. After college, Watson was commissioned as a regular U.S. Army
Infantry Officer where he served five and one-half years.
and in 1982 he was transferred to New York City
. In January, 1985, he was ordered to FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. He later was assigned a field supervisory desk at the Washington Field Office before returning to FBI Headquarters between 1991 through 1994 as Chief of the Iran
Unit, Counterterrorism
Section, National Security Division (NSD).
Division, where he served until June 1996. In this position he played a key role in the investigation into the Oklahoma City bombing
. Watson was then named as the Deputy Chief of the Central Intelligence Agency
's (CIA) Couterterrorism Center where he was instrumental in the successful investigation of the Khobar Towers bombing
in 1996.
.
. In December 2001 Watson was named Executive Assistant Director for Counterterrorism/Counterintelligence.
Watson retired from the FBI in 2002 to join the Washington D.C.-based consulting firm of Booz Allen Hamilton
.
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
, as such he headed the FBI investigation into the September 11, 2001 attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
and the 2001 anthrax attacks
2001 anthrax attacks
The 2001 anthrax attacks in the United States, also known as Amerithrax from its Federal Bureau of Investigation case name, occurred over the course of several weeks beginning on Tuesday, September 18, 2001, one week after the September 11 attacks. Letters containing anthrax spores were mailed to...
.
Education
Watson is a native of Central FloridaFlorida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. He graduated from Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
with a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1972. After college, Watson was commissioned as a regular U.S. Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
Infantry Officer where he served five and one-half years.
Early career
In February 1978, Watson received his appointment as a Special Agent with the FBI. He was first assigned to Birmingham, AlabamaBirmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
and in 1982 he was transferred to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. In January, 1985, he was ordered to FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. He later was assigned a field supervisory desk at the Washington Field Office before returning to FBI Headquarters between 1991 through 1994 as Chief of the Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
Unit, Counterterrorism
Counter-terrorism
Counter-terrorism is the practices, tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, militaries, police departments and corporations adopt to prevent or in response to terrorist threats and/or acts, both real and imputed.The tactic of terrorism is available to insurgents and governments...
Section, National Security Division (NSD).
Move to Kansas City
In May 1994, he was selected as the Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Kansas CityKansas City Metropolitan Area
The Kansas City Metropolitan Area is a fifteen-county metropolitan area that is anchored by Kansas City, Missouri and is bisected by the border between the states of Missouri and Kansas. As of the 2010 Census, the metropolitan area has a population of 2,035,334. The metropolitan area is the...
Division, where he served until June 1996. In this position he played a key role in the investigation into the Oklahoma City bombing
Oklahoma City bombing
The Oklahoma City bombing was a terrorist bomb attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995. It was the most destructive act of terrorism on American soil until the September 11, 2001 attacks. The Oklahoma blast claimed 168 lives, including 19...
. Watson was then named as the Deputy Chief of the Central Intelligence Agency
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
's (CIA) Couterterrorism Center where he was instrumental in the successful investigation of the Khobar Towers bombing
Khobar Towers bombing
The Khobar Towers bombing was a terrorist attack on part of a housing complex in the city of Khobar, Saudi Arabia, located near the national oil company headquarters of Dhahran. In 1996, Khobar Towers was being used to house foreign military personnel.Al-Qaeda has incorrectly been described by...
in 1996.
Reassignment
In January 1997, he was reassigned to FBI Headquarters as the Chief of the FBI's International Terrorism Section, NSD, where he served until his appointment in July 1998, as the Inspector Deputy Assistant Director of NSD with responsibility for the FBI's Counterterrorism programs. In this capacity he oversaw the international investigations into the 1998 U.S. embassy bombings and USS Cole bombingUSS Cole bombing
The USS Cole Bombing, or the USS Cole Incident, was a suicide attack against the United States Navy destroyer on October 12, 2000 while it was harbored and refueled in the Yemeni port of Aden. Seventeen American sailors were killed, and 39 were injured...
.
Later Career and Retirement
In 1999 Watson was promoted to be the first Assistant Director of the newly formed Counter-terrorism Division at FBI Headquarters by FBI director Louis FreehLouis Freeh
Louis Joseph Freeh was the 5th Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, serving from September 1993 to June 2001....
. In December 2001 Watson was named Executive Assistant Director for Counterterrorism/Counterintelligence.
Watson retired from the FBI in 2002 to join the Washington D.C.-based consulting firm of Booz Allen Hamilton
Booz Allen Hamilton
Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. , or more commonly Booz Allen, is an American public consulting firm headquartered in McLean, Fairfax County, Virginia, with 80 other offices throughout the United States. Ralph Shrader is its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. The firm was founded by Edwin Booz in...
.
Testimony
- September 26, 2002 Watson testified before the Select Committee on Intelligence, United States Senate and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, House of Representatives as the former Executive Assistant Director, Counterterrorism/Counterintelligence.
- February 24, 1998 Watson testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Technology, Terrorism, and Government Information as the Chief International Terrorism Section, National Security Division regarding foreign terrorists in America.
Quotes
- "I personally think he is probably not with us anymore but I have no evidence to support that."
- Speaking of Osama bin LadenOsama bin LadenOsama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was the founder of the militant Islamist organization Al-Qaeda, the jihadist organization responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets...
at a conference of law enforcement officials in Washington DC on July 17, 2002
- Speaking of Osama bin Laden
- When asked whether he, as the FBI's former counterterrorism chief, knew any of the differences between Shiite and Sunni Muslims, Watson replied, "Not technically, no."