FBI Director Summarizes Key National Security and Criminal Threats at Budget Hearing

March 17, 2012

Director Mueller briefed a U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on the FBI’s fiscal year 2013 budget request, highlighting for members the primary national security and criminal threats that the Bureau is focusing its resources on.

In the area of national security, the Director discussed the changing terrorism threat—including the threat from self-radicalized individuals as well as attempts by al Qaeda to use online chat rooms and websites to recruit and radicalize followers. He also highlighted the foreign intelligence threat—in particular “insiders” who steal their company’s secrets to benefit another country and/or company—and he warned of the increasing number, sophistication, and danger of cyber attacks and cyber crimes to the nation’s security and economy.

According to Mueller, domestic and international criminal threats facing the U.S.—posed by criminal organizations and individuals—include financial and mortgage fraud, health care fraud, gangs and violent crime, violence along the Southwest Border, organized crime, and crimes against children.