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Michael Jacobson
Senior Fellow, Stein Program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence
Tel: 202-452-0650 · Fax: 202-223-5364
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Michael Jacobson is a senior fellow in The Washington Institute's Stein Program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence. His areas of focus include sanctions and financial measures to combat national security threats, as well as other issues related to counterterrorism, national security law, and intelligence reform. From September 2004 to June 2005, he worked as a Soref fellow at the Institute, authoring the monograph The West at War: U.S. and European Counterterrorism Efforts, Post-September 11.

Mr. Jacobson rejoins the Institute from the Treasury Department, where he served as a senior advisor in the Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence (TFI) from June 2005 to March 2007. In that capacity, he fulfilled a wide range of responsibilities, including involvement in the office's strategic planning, priorities, and budget. He was also a liaison to TFI's congressional oversight committees, to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and to the National Counterterrorism Center.

Previously, he served as counsel on the 9-11 Commission, where he was assigned to two teams: one that focused on domestic intelligence policy issues, and another investigating the September 11 plot. In addition to his work with the commission, he served as counsel with the Congressional September 11 investigation, participating in the team that assessed the FBI's performance.

Mr. Jacobson also worked for the FBI for more than five years, first as an intelligence analyst, then as assistant general counsel in the Office of the General Counsel. He holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from Brandeis University, a master's degree in international relations from Tufts University, and a law degree from Boston College Law School.

Expertise: Terrorism, sanctions, national security, intelligence

Current Research: The financing of Middle Eastern terrorism and proliferation; sanctions regimes directed toward Iran, Syria, and Sudan


Michael Jacobson's work in the Bookstore
·Countering Transnational Threats: Terrorism, Narco-Trafficking, and WMD Proliferation February 2009
·The Money Trail: Finding, Following, and Freezing Terrorist Finances November 2008
·Terrorist Threat and U.S. Response: A Changing Landscape September 2008
·The West at War: U.S. and European Counterterrorism Efforts, Post-September 11 May 2006
PolicyWatch / PeaceWatch by Michael Jacobson
·Assessing Progress against the Global Jihadist Threat May 11, 2009
·Throwing the Book at Tehran April 28, 2009
·The Iran-al-Qaeda Conundrum January 23, 2009
·The Money Trail: Finding, Following, and Freezing Terrorist Finances November 24, 2008
·Highlighting al-Qaeda's Bankrupt Ideology May 7, 2008
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Articles & Op-Eds by Michael Jacobson
·Terrorist Financing on the Internet June 2009
·Combating the Financing of Transnational Threats June 2009
·Punitive Power: Combating Proliferation with SanctionsMay 2009
·Drug Wars January 27, 2009
·Targeting Terrorists' Financial Networks January 6, 2009
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Event Summaries featuring Michael Jacobson
·The Money Trail: Finding, Following, and Freezing Terrorist Financing November 17, 2008
·The Role of Financial Tools in the Diplomatic Approach to the Iranian Nuclear Question October 27, 2008
·Adding Hezbollah to the EU Terrorist List June 20, 2007
  View all content by this author.





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Countering Transnational Threats: Terrorism, Narco-Trafficking, and WMD Proliferation

The Money Trail: Finding, Following, and Freezing Terrorist Finances

Terrorist Threat and U.S. Response: A Changing Landscape

The West at War: U.S. and European Counterterrorism Efforts, Post-September 11

Terrorist Financing on the Internet

Combating the Financing of Transnational Threats

Assessing Progress against the Global Jihadist Threat

Throwing the Book at Tehran

The Money Trail: Finding, Following, and Freezing Terrorist Financing

The Role of Financial Tools in the Diplomatic Approach to the Iranian Nuclear Question

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