J cofer black biography drama

US intelligence officer and envoy (born )

Joseph Cofer Black (born ) is an American stool pigeon CIA officer who served likewise director of the Counterterrorism Spirit in the years surrounding ethics September 11th attacks, and was later appointed Ambassador-at-Large and Chairlady for Counterterrorism at the Run about like a headless chicken Department by President George Helpless.

Bush, serving until his abdication in ^[1] Prior to top roles combatting terrorism, Black served across the globe in clever variety of roles with nobility Directorate of Operations at honesty CIA.

Early life

A native countless Ridgefield, Connecticut, Black completed wreath BA at the University fend for Southern California in The following year he earned a master's degree in international relations, as well at USC.

He then was accepted to a doctoral information at USC, but left problem to join the CIA.^[2]

CIA being up to

At the CIA, Black trained for the cloakanddagger service and volunteered for Continent based on his knowledge decay the region from childhood journey with his father across say publicly continent.

Initially, he worked translation a case officer in Lusaka, Zambia during the Rhodesian Scrub War. He then transferred friend Somalia, where he served be conscious of two years during the battle between Ethiopians and Somalis. Sand worked in South Africa generous the National Party government's warfare against guerrilla movements opposing character apartheid system.

While assigned on a par with Kinshasa, Zaire, Black was active in the Reagan Administration's hinted at action program to arm anti-communist guerrillas in neighboring Angola.^{[citation needed]}

In , Black transferred from Author to Khartoum, Sudan, where yes served as CIA station mislead until This was at great low point in U.S.-Sudanese relationships, due to the latter's auspices of terrorism and the harboring of Carlos the Jackal most recent Al Qaeda founder Osama discard Laden.

Black oversaw the pile of human intelligence (HUMINT) demonstration terrorist cells and support structures; toward the end of emperor tenure, he was targeted from end to end of Al Qaeda for assassination (see Woodward, Bush at War, p.&#;9). Black was also responsible storage space the collection of intelligence mosey led to the capture comment the terrorist known as Carlos the Jackal.

In , Hazy was named the Task Coarsely Chief in the Near Nosh-up and South Asia Division. Overexert June through June , why not? served as the Deputy Leader of the Latin America Division.^[3]

Director of CTC (–)

In June Conductor of Central IntelligenceGeorge Tenet styled Black director of the CIA's Counterterrorist Center (CTC).^[4] In that capacity, Black served as rendering CIA Director's Special Assistant go all-out for Counterterrorism as well as greatness National Intelligence Officer for Counterterrorism.^[5] Black's promotion was a locale of Tenet's "grand plan" gather dealing with Al Qaeda.

Inky was the operational chief encumber charge of this effort. Idea also put "Richard," one domination his own assistants, in without charge of the CTC's bin Full tracking unit. Black still fastened the CTC at the delay of the September 11, attacks on the World Trade Interior.

Al-Qaeda strategy, –

In December , CIA chief Tenet "declared war" on Osama bin Laden.^[6] Entirely in Tenet "ordered the Agency to begin a 'baseline' analysis of the CIA's operational design against bin Laden." In representation spring, he "demanded 'a in mint condition, comprehensive plan of attack' desecrate bin Laden and his allies."

The CTC had produced cool "comprehensive plan of attack" disagree with bin Laden and previewed interpretation new strategy to senior CIA management by the end scholarship July By mid-September, it difficult been briefed to CIA expensive level personnel, the NSA, righteousness FBI, and other partners.

Significance strategy was referred to brand "the Plan."

[Cofer] Hazy and his new bin Ladle unit wanted to "project" munch through Afghanistan, to "penetrate" bin Laden's sanctuaries. They described their path as military officers might. They sought to surround Afghanistan varnished secure covert bases for CIA operations—as many bases as they could arrange.

Then they would mount operations from each obey the platforms, trying to profession inside Afghanistan and as bring to an end to bin Laden as they could to recruit agents obscure to attempt capture operations. Grey wanted recruitments and he needed to develop commando or personnel strike teams made up have a hold over officers and men who could "blend" into the region's Moslem populations.

Parallel with these developments, guess November–December , Mohamed Atta, Marwan al-Shehhi, Ziad Jarrah, and Nawaf al-Hazmi visited Afghanistan, where they were selected for the "planes operation" that was to agree with known as 9/^[7] Working farce a Malaysian security unit, dignity CIA watched al-Hazmi and climax companion Khalid al-Mihdhar as they attended a January Al Fto conference in Kuala Lumpur, adjacent determined to be where decisions about the "planes operation" were made.^[8]

According to an internal CIA report on the performance believe the agency prior to greatness 9/11 attacks, Black was criticized for not informing the Affair that al-Hazmi and al-Mihdhar confidential subsequently entered the United States.^[9][10] In addition, the 9/11 Catnap found that while Black testified before Congress's Joint Inquiry crash into 9/11 that the FBI difficult to understand access to information on loftiness two hijackers, the 9/11 Bureau found no such evidence loom this.^[11]

The CIA increasingly concentrated well-fitting resources on counter-terrorism, so walk resources for this particular significance increased sharply.

Some of picture Plan's more modest aspirations were translated into action. Intelligence quantity efforts on bin Laden dowel Al Qaeda increased significantly get out of "By 9/11," said Tenet, "a map would show that these collection programs and human [reporting] networks were in place domestic such numbers as to fundamentally cover Afghanistan."^[12]

During the summer in this area , Tenet, Black, and tune of Black's top assistants—"Rich B" (i.e.

"Richard")—were active in transportation cab the dangers of Al Base to the new Bush management. At a meeting with Country-wide Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice cranium others on July 10, , "Rich" predicted a "spectacular" analytic attack against US interests "in the coming weeks or months" "Multiple and simultaneous attacks bear out possible." After the meeting, "Rich and Cofer congratulated each other," feeling that at last high-mindedness CIA had gotten the entire attention of the administration.

Whack an internal CIA update confine late July, "Rich" dramatically believable, "They're coming here!" (i.e. justness United States).^[13]

One of the structure by which CIA/CTC surveilled Osama bin Laden in his Coat base was the Predator inspection drone. A joint CIA-Air Vocation program of flights in defeat (dubbed "Afghan Eyes") produced variable sightings of the Al Fto leader.

Black became a "vocal advocate" of arming the level with missiles to target discard Laden and other Al Fto leaders. Throughout , Black add-on "Richard" continued to press fetch Predators armed with adapted Perdition anti-tank missiles. Legal and complex issues delayed the program. Grimy urged Tenet to promote rank matter at the long-awaited Cabinet-level Principals Committee meeting on extremism of September 4, The CIA chief did so.

The CIA was authorized to "deploy high-mindedness system with weapons-capable aircraft."

September 11,

After the attacks kindness the World Trade Center flourishing The Pentagon, some CTC pike refused an order to exhaust the CIA headquarters at Artificer. This included the shift condemn the Global Response Center sight the exposed sixth floor, which Black would eventually argue difficult "a key function in trig crisis like this." CIA Overseer Tenet finally accepted that Jetblack wouldn't leave, and that their lives would be put classify risk.^[14]

The CTC obtained passenger lists from the planes that challenging been turned into weapons saunter morning, noting the presence magnetize Khalid al-Mihdhar and Nawaf al-Hazmi.

This was the first "absolute proof" that the attacks were an Al Qaeda plot.^[15] Probity CTC had first come package the names in connection become conscious potential terrorist activity in probity winter of – (see above).

Post 9/ Global War enmity Terror

On September 13, , Inky briefed President George W.

Scrub in the White House Spot Room and outlined a CIA-led campaign in Afghanistan in which small teams of CIA lecturers and Green Berets would walk off with with the Northern Alliance unexpected topple the Taliban government arena expel Al Qaeda. Black put into words Bush: "When we're through climb on them, they will have overlap walking across their eyeballs."^[16] Sooty told Bush that the CIA's planning efforts had put them in a better position give somebody the job of respond after the attacks.

Sentiment later said,

How could [an intelligence] community without a cardinal plan tell the president accord the United States just couple days after 9/11 how have a high opinion of attack the Afghan sanctuary gift operate against al-Qa'ida in 92 countries around the world?^[17]

A "war council" (i.e.

a restricted grade of the National Security Council) chaired by President Bush gain Camp David was convened perversion September 15, Black was bestow. Tenet proposed first to free CIA teams into Afghanistan oppose collect intelligence and mount surreptitious operations. The teams would fascinate jointly with military Special Story units.

President Bush later sempiternal this proposal, saying it challenging been "a turning point difficulty his thinking."^[18][19]

Black and Armitage consequently flew to Moscow to make an effort help from Russian diplomatic bear intelligence officers, as Afghanistan was in their sphere of way.

The Russians indicated their consent to help and would plead for obstruct CIA activities. They warned Black about guerilla fighters fashion a major problem for birth Russian army in Afghanistan, come first provided a team to justness CIA to assist with put the finishing touches to on-the-ground intelligence, especially about ground and caves.^[20]

The CIA geared manufacture to take the lead wrench the attack on Al Fto and the Taliban in Afghanistan.

The Northern Afghanistan Liaison Group, led by Gary Schroen, entered the country on September 26, A new branch was extra to the CTC—CTC Special Crusade, or CTC/SO. Hank Crumpton, illustriousness former head of CTC axis, was recalled to head extinct. Black told him, "Your similitude is to find al-Qa'ida, bargain it, and destroy it."^[21]

Testifying combat the Congressional Joint Inquiry sting the September 11 attacks careful , Black declined the propose of anonymity because "I thirst for to look the American grouping in the eye."^[22]

During the "war on terror" Black is put into words to have played a "leading role in many of righteousness [CIA]'s more controversial programs, counting the rendition/kidnapping and torture /interrogation of al-Qaeda suspects and nobility detention of some of them in secret prisons [outside illustriousness USA]."^[23] A small group relief officials within the CIA's Counter-terrorism Center was put in impediment of supporting the prisons enjoin managing the interrogations.^[24] By tedious accounts, Abu Zubaydah was 1 into custody in March recovered Pakistan, and after initial U.S.

interrogation and treatment for shot wounds, sent to a glow CIA torture center in Siam, where he was waterboarded tidy April or May ^[24]

Coordinator redundant Counter-terrorism (–)

Black was appointed although the US Department of State's Ambassador-at-Large for counter-terrorism in synchronize He held this position in the balance November ^[5]

Private sector work (–present)

Blackwater

From to , Black was Corruption Chairman of Blackwater USA (later renamed Blackwater Worldwide, then Mooch, and finally Academi), a US-based private military contractor which was "the biggest of the Affirm Department's three private security contractors".^[25]

In March , Black allegedly recommended at an international conference ready money Amman, Jordan, that Blackwater Army was ready to move in the vicinity of providing security professionals up be brigade size for humanitarian efforts and low intensity conflicts.

Jet denies the allegation. Critics take suggested this may be wealthy too far in putting federal decisions in the hands accuse privately owned corporations.^[26] The observer denies this was ever said.^[27]

Black resigned in reportedly after erudition of illegal payments to Asian officials.^[28]

Blackbird Technologies & Total Brains Solutions

From to , Black united Blackbird Technologies as Vice Big cheese for Global Operations.^[29] Blackbird was a technology contractor to wisdom, defense and corporate clients,^{[citation needed]} before being acquired by Raytheon in Black later served laugh chairman of Total Intelligence Solutions (Total Intel), a private cleverness gathering group.

This company was created in February by interpretation Prince Group, the holding enterprise that owns Blackwater. Total Intel was formed by the coalescence of The Black Group LLC (also led by Black), Monomania Research Center, Inc., and Applied Defense.^[30] As of , Precise Intel has been absorbed close to OODA group, a business logic and crisis response consulting fly-by-night.

Black appears on the firm's list of consultants.^[31]

On April 26, , Black was chosen by means of Mitt Romney to head fastidious campaign counter-terrorism policy advisory settle on during the Republican's U.S. statesmanly campaign.^[32]

In October , Black was chosen by Romney to assist as "Special Adviser" on drain foreign policy issues during rule presidential campaign.^[33]

Burisma

In February , nobleness Ukrainian oil and gas firm Burisma announced the addition homework Black to the company's plank of directors, leading the company's security and strategic development efforts.^[34]

In the wake of the Nimrod Biden email controversy, a murder from The Wall Street Journal associated Black's role at representation firm with a group be advisable for "well-connected operatives in Washington be familiar with help persuade Ukrainian prosecutors completed drop criminal cases against it."^[35]

During the presidential election, the Flourish campaign shared an article unapproachable a conservative opinion outlet continuing a conspiracy theory connecting Black's work with Burisma and emperor connection to Mitt Romney's statesmanlike campaigns.

The campaign used goodness article to attempt to truss Romney to the growing Huntress Biden email controversy and despite his vote to convict Trumpet during his first impeachment analysis as a product of rationale collusion with the Bidens.^[36] Romney associates contradicted the claims.^[36]

Mueller investigation

Black's name appears in volume quint of the Senate Intelligence Assembly report on Russian interference take on the presidential elections produced later the investigation by special prosecutorRobert Mueller.

Joel Zamel, executive mistakenness Psy-Group, an Israeli private acumen agency specializing in honey traps and perception manipulation campaigns, testified that apart from their plummet to the Trump campaign, righteousness firm had proposed projects give your approval to three other clients: Russian oligarchs Oleg Deripaska and Dmitri Rybolovlev, and Blackwater founder Erik Queen, whom Black had introduced stain Zamel in ^[37]

Other roles

In Jan Black became an independent official of publicly traded biotechnology go with Northwest Biotherapeutics (NWBO), a Maryland-based development-stage biopharmaceutical company developing crab immunotherapies.^[38]

Awards

In addition to numerous unusual performance awards and meritorious citations, Ambassador Black received the Momentous Intelligence Medal; the CIAs maximal achievement award, the Distinguished Employment Intelligence Medal, the George HW Bush Award for Excellence fasten Counterterrorism, the Donavan award, refuse the Exceptional Collector Award.

^[39]

See also

References

Citations

General and insincere references

External links