Nathan Gray, a veteran lawman with experience in counter-terrorism and big-time drug smuggling, has been selected to head up the FBI's Phoenix office.
The FBI didn't put out a picture of Gray, but posted a bio of him today on its Web site. Gray previously worked here in 2002 as an assistant special agent in charge of the office. His extensive resume includes stints in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia as a legal attache, anti-drug-smuggling efforts with the CIA and a few years in Washington D.C. as an assistant to an FBI deputy director.
Gray replaces John Lewis, a counter-terrorism expert who infamously admitted in 2006 he didn't know his Sunnis from his Shiites. Lewis had recently ramped up scrutiny of local Muslim leaders, as reported in a November Arizona Republic article.
With the potential for widespread violence by drug cartels and a rugged international border that might attract terrorists, Arizona needs a strong FBI field office. Gray seems to have the right qualifications for the right time.
