kolbye thumbnail

FBI Special Agent Discusses Counterterrorism at GovSec West 2013

Kevin Kolbye, as assistant special agent in charge of the FBI’s Dallas office, spoke about the FBI’s counterterrorism efforts.

At GovSec West 2013, Dallas native Kevin Kolbye, an assistant special agent in charge of the FBI’s Dallas office, discussed terrorism in a presentation entitled, “Terrorism, An Ever Evolving Threat: An Overview of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Mission.” Kolbye served as the FBI’s On-Scene Commander for the Benghazi investigation. In addition to talking about the Benghazi investigation, he discussed threats that our nation faces and how the FBI is addressing these threats.

Before speaking about Benghazi, Kolbye spoke about the FBI’s involvement in previous terrorist threats abroad. He also discussed other threats that our nation faces, such as cybercrime, weapons of mass destruction, homegrown violent extremism and active shooters.

kevinkolbyeIn countries such as Afghanistan, Kolbye pointed out, the FBI has six missions, which include: detainee interviews, biometrics, sensitive site exploitations, combined explosive exploitation cell, criminal investigations and capacity building.

Kolbye then began discussing international threats and stressed the importance of dealing with a terrorist attack toward the US that doesn’t occur on our turf (i.e. Benghazi) and stated, “If we’re going to be involved, we have to be there on the ground.” This is why the FBI went to Benghazi and also goes to foreign countries when an American citizen is kidnapped or murdered.

Having recently returned from Libya, Kolbye discussed the troubles the country is facing, both with creating a successful political system and with managing crime and terrorism. There are several indigenous terrorist groups plaguing Libya, as well as international ones such as Al-Qaeda. Before Gaddafi was thrown out of power, the country was under such a strict dictatorship that little to no crime occurred. Now the country is plagued with severe crime and terrorism, while also struggling to create a working political and legal system.

Toward the end of the presentation, when asked by an audience member what Kolbye saw as the biggest threat to the US, he said active shooters. According to Kolbye, while the FBI can manage something like taking down a terrorist plot, controlling active shooters is much more difficult because of gun availability, mental health troubles and the unpredictability factor. 

About the Author

Jamie Friedlander is an associate content editor at Security Products magazine.

Featured

  • Pragmatism, Productivity, and the Push for Accountability in 2025-2026

    Every year, the security industry debates whether artificial intelligence is a disruption, an enabler, or a distraction. By 2025, that conversation matured, where AI became a working dimension in physical identity and access management (PIAM) programs. Observations from 2025 highlight this turning point in AI’s role in access control and define how security leaders are being distinguished based on how they apply it. Read Now

  • Report: Cyber Attackers Continue to Turn to AI-Based Tools to Avoid Detection

    Comcast Business recently released its 2025 Cybersecurity Threat Report, a comprehensive analysis of 34.6 billion cybersecurity events detected between June 1,2024 and May 31, 2025. Now in its third year, the report offers business leaders a unique perspective into the evolving threat landscape and provides actionable insights to help organizations strengthen their defenses and align cybersecurity with business risk. Read Now

  • Axis Communications Creates AI-powered Video Surveillance Orchestra

    What if cameras could not only see the world, but interpret it—and respond like orchestra musicians reading sheet music: instantly, precisely, and in perfect harmony? That’s what global network technology leader Axis Communications set to find out. Read Now

  • Just as Expected

    GSX produced a wonderful tradeshow earlier this week. Monday was surprisingly strong in the morning, and the afternoon wasn’t bad at all. That’s Monday’s results and asking attendees to travel on Sunday. Just a quick hint, no one wants to give up their weekend to travel and set up an exhibit booth. I’m just saying. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • GSX
  • NOLA: The Crescent City

    Twenty years later we finds ourselves in New Orleans. Twenty years ago the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina forced exhibitors and attendees to look elsewhere for tradeshow floor space. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • GSX

New Products

  • Mobile Safe Shield

    Mobile Safe Shield

    SafeWood Designs, Inc., a manufacturer of patented bullet resistant products, is excited to announce the launch of the Mobile Safe Shield. The Mobile Safe Shield is a moveable bullet resistant shield that provides protection in the event of an assailant and supplies cover in the event of an active shooter. With a heavy-duty steel frame, quality castor wheels, and bullet resistant core, the Mobile Safe Shield is a perfect addition to any guard station, security desks, courthouses, police stations, schools, office spaces and more. The Mobile Safe Shield is incredibly customizable. Bullet resistant materials are available in UL 752 Levels 1 through 8 and include glass, white board, tack board, veneer, and plastic laminate. Flexibility in bullet resistant materials allows for the Mobile Safe Shield to blend more with current interior décor for a seamless design aesthetic. Optional custom paint colors are also available for the steel frame.

  • Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden Door Controls has relaunched its CV-7600 card readers in response to growing market demand for a more secure alternative to standard proximity credentials that can be easily cloned. CV-7600 readers support MIFARE DESFire EV1 & EV2 encryption technology credentials, making them virtually clone-proof and highly secure.

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge.