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National Security & Defense

valerief

(53,235 posts) Sat Apr 11, 2015, 12:23 AM Apr 2015

CIA or FBI? [View all]

I hope someone can answer this for me.

I have a story set in 1961. A subplot involves a U.S. agent who goes to Mexico, because he suspects he'll find an elusive German spy who spied on the Allies during WWII. This spy is an American, and he wants to arrest her. Or detain her so she'll be arrested.

Would the agent be FBI or CIA? FBI is domestic but they're enforcement. CIA is international but they're intelligence.

Please don't tell me I'm stupid for not knowing this. I know I'm stupid. Thanks.

16 replies

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CIA or FBI? [View all] valerief Apr 2015 OP

ummmm monkeyofstick Apr 2015 #1

You pulled that out of your monkey stick just now, right? valerief Apr 2015 #2

The CIA was huge in Iran monkeyofstick Apr 2015 #3

lol monkeyofstick is my native name monkeyofstick Apr 2015 #4

Thanks! I knew this was the right group to ask. nt valerief Apr 2015 #5

I think it would be CIA as set in those days the FBI was not allowed to work outside the country. jwirr Apr 2015 #6

Thanks. I just didn't think the CIA had the power to arrest. valerief Apr 2015 #7

I think I have it. Almost. valerief Apr 2015 #8

Great lit from that era:Norman Mailer monkeyofstick Apr 2015 #9

Ha, I couldn't outdo Doctor Seuss! Thanks. nt valerief Apr 2015 #10

The FBI did Nazi hunting in MX, but lost most of its budget and manpower in Latin Amer after WWII leveymg Apr 2015 #11

Local authorities, huh? Okay. Thanks. So the CIA agent IDs the spy and valerief Apr 2015 #12

That sounds about right. The real problem with that scenario is that leveymg Apr 2015 #15

What rules there are, or were, about this are more guidelines, that is they do what they want. bemildred Apr 2015 #13

You know, I think I may just do "U.S. agent." He'll use the local authorities valerief Apr 2015 #16

The FBI Sienna86 Apr 2015 #14