Federal Bureau of Investigation
The principal federal law enforcement and domestic security agency of the United States
Overview
Founded in 1908 and shaped by J Edgar Hoover, who directed it from 1924 to 1972, the FBI combines criminal investigation with counterintelligence inside the United States. Its espionage record includes the Rosenberg atom spy case, the 1994 arrest of Aldrich Ames, and the 2001 arrest of Robert Hanssen, the most damaging spy in bureau history. After the September 11 attacks its mission pivoted toward terrorism prevention. The bureau operates under the Attorney General and remains the lead agency for catching foreign spies on American soil.
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