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Jacques Battiste served in the FBI for 22 years. He was a member of the Washington Field Office (WFO) Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) as the lead case agent covering National Security Special Events in the Washington metropolitan area. He also served on the FBI Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team. In this episode of FBI Retired Case File Review, he reviews the FBI’s international response to the 1998 attacks in Africa of the Nairobi US Embassy bombing in Kenya and US Embassy bombing in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and extraterritorial jurisdiction.
Later in his career, he was assigned to the Hazardous Devices Response Unit as a bomb technician/team medic and on the FBI Anti-Terrorism Unit. He was also assigned to the Counterterrorism Division and served as the Program Manager of the Africa Fusion Cell, managing strategies for dismantlement of terrorist groups in Northern and Western Africa. During his FBI career, Jacques also responded to crisis incidents such as the Centennial Park bombings at the 1996 Summer Olympic Games, the bombing of the USS Cole, the bombings in Mumbai, India.
In his final FBI career position, Jacques was assigned to the Director’s Office of Partner Engagement (OPE), where he participated in a six month Fellowship with the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), helping to build better bridges of information sharing and law enforcement policy design between the FBI and state, local and international law enforcement agencies.
Upon retirement, Jacques went on to serve for two years as the Chief of Police/Director of Public Safety for Xavier University of Louisiana. He currently serves as a Deputy Constable/Training and tactical Coordinator for the Orleans Parish Constables Office First City Court. Jacques, who has a law degree from the Southern University School of Law, is an instructor with the FBI-Law Enforcement Executive Development Association and currently instructs on active shooter, human trafficking, and first responder security awareness measures.
Special Agent
Jacques Battiste
July 1995 – August 2017
“We were there not only because our Embassy was attacked, but we were there also to help capture the people that had hurt their people, of the Kenyan government.”—Retired Agent Jacques Battiste
The following are links to articles, photos, and videos related to the Nairobi US Embassy Bombing:
FBI Website – Famous Cases: East African Embassy Bombings
CNN – 10/6/2013: 1998 US Embassies in Africa Bombings Fast Facts
NY Times Archives – Two U.S. Embassies in East Africa Bombed
NY Times Archives – Photo Essay of the Destruction
AP Archives (VIDEO) – The 1998 US Embassy Bomb in Nairobi, Kenya
To learn more about the FBI’s extraterritorial jurisdiction – listen to these episodes:
Episode 110: Oliver “Buck” Revell – Operation Goldenrod, G-Man’s Journal
Episode 016: John Cosenza – Extraterritorial Jurisdiction & Global Threats
On February 3, 2021, Special Agent Laura Schwartzenberger and Special Agent Daniel Alfin were shot and killed in the line of duty while executing a federal court-ordered search warrant in a crimes against children investigation in Sunrise, Florida. Three other agents were also shot and wounded. This episode is dedicated to Laura and Dan and their families and friends.
Director Wray’s Statement Regarding Agent-Involved Shooting in Florida
