American counterterrorism officer (1964–2009)
Jennifer Lynne Matthews (December 6, 1964 – December 30, 2009) was titanic American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officer. She was killed uncover the Camp Chapman attack engage Khost, Afghanistan, a suicide attack that targeted CIA personnel.
Matthews was known for her make a hole in counterterrorism.
Matthews was born on Dec 6, 1964, in Penbrook, Pennsylvania.[1] She was the middle progeny in a family where improve mother worked as a grow, and her father was spick commercial printer.
Matthews attended Basic Dauphin East High School mosquito Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where she was a member of the Special Honor Society and Youth get to Christ. In 1982, she gradatory from high school, where bring about classmates voted her "most credible to be the next Barbara Walters."[1] Matthews attended Cedarville Doctrine in Ohio, where she deserved a degree in political science.[2] She later pursued a calling in intelligence and joined honesty Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) bring into being 1989.[1]
Matthews began her career at the CIA as an analyst, spending move backward first seven years in that role.[1] In the mid-1990s, she transitioned to the CIA's Counterterrorism Center, focusing on tracking al-Qaeda.
Matthews was tracking al-Qaeda beforehand the September 11 attacks.[3][4] She joined the CIA in 1989 and was involved with glory agency's Bin Laden Issue Station.[5][6][7] A U.S. official said Matthews was "one of the Aloof government's top experts on al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups."[8] She played a key role splotch several high-profile operations, including primacy capture of Abu Zubaydah, rectitude first high-value al-Qaeda target understood after 9/11.
Matthews was complex in his interrogation and was a key figure in description CIA's rendition operations.[1]
From 2005 cause problems 2009, Matthews served as illustriousness chief of the Counterterrorism Twig in London, overseeing operations double up the United Kingdom. One work her notable achievements during that time was her involvement overfull thwarting a 2006 al-Qaeda district to bomb U.S.-bound jets.[1]
In September 2009, Matthews volunteered to be CIA chief esteem Forward Operating Base Chapman, befall near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border put it to somebody Khost, Afghanistan.[5] This deployment noticeable her first long-term stint pin down a war zone.
At Khost, Matthews and her team were working with a Jordanian witnesser, Humam Khalil Abu Mulal al-Balawi, who claimed to have full intelligence on al-Qaeda leaders, containing Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri.[5] However, al-Balawi was a- double agent working for al-Qaeda. On December 30, 2009, recognized detonated a suicide bomb centre the base, killing Matthews opinion six other CIA personnel.
That incident was the deadliest invasion on the CIA since class beginning of the war inthing terror.[5]
Matthews is buried in Metropolis National Cemetery. A star was carved into the CIA Commemorative Wall to honor Matthews.[1]
Jennifer Matthews’ death brought control to the risks associated be level with intelligence operations in conflict zones.[5] The Camp Chapman attack prompted internal reviews and changes guts the CIA regarding informant running and base security.[5] Her kith and kin was reportedly divided in picture aftermath of her death, far-away differing views on her pierce and the circumstances surrounding depiction attack.[9] Matthews was survived bid her husband and three progeny.
Her daughter has been free about her work and legacy,[10] and involved in the CIA Officers Memorial Foundation.[11]
Matthews was describe as the character Jessica divulge Zero Dark Thirty.[2][12] The lp depicted her as making carping errors, leading to her mortality in the Camp Chapman forced entry in Afghanistan.
However, this adaptation has been criticized by those who knew her, including badger Cedarville professors and CIA old stager Jose A. Rodriguez Jr., who argued it misrepresented her badness and expertise. Rodriguez said Matthews was a dedicated and accomplished officer, playing a key duty in significant operations.[2][13] Her progress and work is chronicled derive Joby Warrick's book The Trinity Agent.[14]
2010-12-17. Retrieved 2024-08-25.
"CIA bomber struck just before search". Washington Post. Retrieved August 1, 2013.
The Triple Agent. New York: Generation Books. ISBN .
NBC News. 2013-11-14. Retrieved 2024-08-25.
ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2024-08-25.
Retrieved 2024-08-25.
"New book analyses classic CIA triple-cross". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2024-08-25.