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

  • Allegion, Comfort Technologies Implement Mobile Credentials at the Artisan Apartment Homes in Florida

    Artisan Apartment Homes, a luxury apartment complex in Dunedin, Florida, recently transitioned from mechanical keys to electronic locks and centralized system software with support from Allegion US, a leading provider of security solutions, technology and services, and Florida-based Comfort Technologies, which specializes in deploying multifamily access control, IoT devices and software management solutions. Read Now

  • Mall of America Deploys AI-Powered Analytics to Enhance Parking Intelligence

    Mall of America®, the largest shopping and entertainment complex in North America, announced an expansion of its ongoing partnership with Axis Communications to deploy cutting-edge car-counting video analytics across more than a dozen locations. With this expansion, Mall of America (MOA) has boosted operational efficiency, improved safety and security, and enabled more informed decision-making around employee scheduling and streamlining transportation for large events. Read Now

  • Security Industry Association Launches New “askSIA” AI Tool

    The Security Industry Association (SIA) has unveiled a brand-new SIA member benefit – askSIA, a conversational AI agent designed to help users get the most out of their SIA membership, easily access SIA resources and find the latest information on SIA’s training and courses, reports and publications, events, certification offerings and more. SIA members can easily find askSIA by visiting the SIA homepage or looking for the askSIA icon in the top left of webpages. Read Now

    • Industry Events
  • Industry Embraces Mobile Access, Biometrics and AI

    A combination of evolving workplace dynamics, technology innovation and new user expectations is changing how people enter and interact with physical spaces. Access control is at the heart of these changes. Combined with biometrics and AI, mobile access control has become increasingly crucial for deploying entry solutions that are seamless, secure and adaptive to user needs. Read Now

  • Sustainable Video Solution Delivered for Landmark City of London Office Development

    An advanced, end-to-end video solution from IDIS, with a focus on reducing waste and costs, has helped a major office development in the City of London align its security with sustainability objectives. Read Now

New Products

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

  • Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems, an industry-leading manufacturer of pedestrian and vehicle secure entrance control access systems, is pleased to announce the release of its groundbreaking V07 software. The V07 software update is designed specifically to address cybersecurity concerns and will ensure the integrity and confidentiality of Automatic Systems applications. With the new V07 software, updates will be delivered by means of an encrypted file.