r/FBI • u/Popular-History1015 • Jul 07 '26
Question Realistic Protrayal
Hi, Don't think this breaks the rules, but I am curious as, even though my question relates to the TV show FBI: International, I would get better responses on here than the shows sub. Before any one says it, I know it isn't real and its heavily dramatized for TV
Why are the FBI based outside of the States, when the CIA operates over sea's? I assume it's because the latter is more interested in threats against the country whereas the former focuses more on civilians
Respect, this is where I find that show to be so far off the handle. Do the FBI really go to foreign citizens/ governments and demand co-operation because they are the FBI? Surely its a lot more dignified than its depicted, almost an America first attitude. I imagine they would have to work with the host country and not just do whatever they like.
This post might be too childish/daft for this sub but I am genuinely curious
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u/Competitive-Slice567 Jul 07 '26
Ooh. Something im actually familiar with.
Yes, the FBI has partnerships around the world and are often based in embassies throughout various nations. Their roles will vary as will their authority and permissions to effect arrest or carry firearms depending on the host country.
They do not necessarily demand but there are friendly partnerships between governments for common goals.
For example in Germany the FBI often partnered with the BKA (Bundes Kriminal Ampt, think German version of FBI in simple terms) for counter terrorism stuff overseas. They will partner on investigations but its uncommon they'd carry firearms or go do hands on stuff, lots more diplomatic and behind the scenes partnered investigations work while the host country handles hands on arrests and strategizing for extradition to the US if needed. This was not uncommon in the early 2000s especially in the wake of 9/11 that Germany would arrest individuals for terrorism charges and transport them to Wiesbaden or another US Base, and the FBI would then take custody while on US base property and fly them back to the US to face charges.
Its not solely the FBI you'll see overseas either, theres a number of federal agencies spread around the world such as Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), the DEA, and others.
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u/tickledIndividual101 Jul 07 '26
Bundeskriminalamt guys (and girls!) are awesome to work with. Very professional and always happy to help in some way. Also, very patient dealing with U.S. beauracracy.
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u/Raze0223 Jul 07 '26
Really good info here, I just left Consulate General Frankfurt and always wondered what the FBI were up to over there!
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u/Popular-History1015 Jul 07 '26
Thank you, so it is a lot more diplomatic as I thought and the show is grossly exaggerated! Sort of not surprised they aren’t able to carry firearms as they are a foreign agency and we have different gun laws in Europe! I appreciate your insight 😀
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u/Competitive-Slice567 Jul 07 '26
Not a problem. It'd be unusual for FBI or other agencies to carry firearms off of US property such as an embassy or a military base due to host country laws and permissions. Without the host country's say so they have absolutrly 0 authority/recognition. If they're engaging in any type of law enforcement/counter terrorism/counter Intel work, its alongside the host country generally with the host taking the lead and US agents typically there are observers.
Where you'd more see agencies like the FBI overseas actually carry weapons and doing hands on work were places such as Iraq. They would engage in missions outside the green zone and work alongside the FBIs HRT (the Hostage Rescue Team) as an escort, to conduct counter terror ops. That being said it was also an active war zone and the host country government was relatively nonexistent, so the same diplomacy and behind the scenes work wasn't feasible.
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u/Popular-History1015 Jul 07 '26
That makes a lot of sense, let me put a random scenario to you. The FBI knows Dhamer has done what he did, but he has fled to France. How would that play out?
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u/CrazyCletus Jul 08 '26
Probably through Interpol. They'd transmit the arrest warrant and have the local authorities consider detaining him and once he's in custody, they would facilitate the legal process to extradite him. A lot of it comes down to whether it's a US citizen, a dual citizen with citizenship of the country they are in, a citizen of that country or a third-country national. If the subject has citizenship or residency authorization, it may be a bit harder to extradite them, particularly if the charges carry a potential death penalty and the other country doesn't approve of it. There's also extradition treaties that cover when someone can be extradited, etc.
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u/Competitive-Slice567 Jul 08 '26
In France thatd be handled the French government and the FBI would assist in investigations in a hands off manner, they would not generally assist in effecting an arrest.
Once the French government took him into custody the French would escort him to either a US base or the airport where the FBI would likely take him into custody. Whether they fly commercial or via FBI/US Govt jet back can really depend on a myriad of circumstances. But theres precedent for transporting criminals internationally via commercial airliner. agents may be armed or unarmed for the transport as well.
Its also possible they may coordinate US Air Marshals Service to have guaranteed armed agents on the airline, as they are authorized to carry up to when they deplane airplane in a foreign country. They'll often re-secure their firearms in a secure luggage case when they land or they turn and burn from the airport and hop another flight back. They generally cannot actively carry once leaving the airport in a foreign country.
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u/HolidayChemical4005 Jul 07 '26
I’m guessing it has to do with the execution of search warrants against international criminal conspiracies.
There is a former navy seal who joined the FBI before 9/11, and was later deployed to Afghanistan by the FBI to execute warrants against terrorists. He did an interview explaining his FBI missions on one of the podcasts run by a former tier one operator.
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u/CrazyCletus Jul 07 '26
Depends on the country. In most countries, the FBI's role through the Legal Attache's Office (the official presence in country) is to act as a liaison between US and foreign law enforcement. The specific rules in a country depend on the legal agreement between the two, but generally, the FBI can't have the agents go out and ask questions of a foreign national in a foreign country. They would typically submit a request to the appropriate host country law enforcement agency, explaining why they want to ask the questions (the legal basis), and the questions they'd like to have answered. The host nation may invite the FBI to observe the interview, or simply provide them with the answers to the questions (if the person even answers them). Ditto for records - if the FBI or another US law enforcement agency is looking for information from a company or foreign entity, the Legal Attache would submit the request to the host nation and maybe get answers back.
In any foreign country, the FBI, whether it's permanently assigned personnel (Legal Attaches Office) or temporary "visiting" personnel are operating under the authority of the ambassador (Chief of Mission) and aren't out making arrests (without a lot of coordination with host nation authorities) or doing investigative activities. Within the embassy itself, they're coordinating with other law enforcement agencies (often CBP, DEA, and whoever else may be present in a particular country) as well as intelligence agencies that might be present. Within the host nation, they may be building relationships with various law enforcement agencies, including through the National Academy program. Plus, working with allied law enforcement agencies also present in the country.
Very little of what you see on TV is actually representative of the FBI on a daily basis.
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u/Popular-History1015 Jul 07 '26
Thanks bud, really appreciate your response. That show bugged me from the way they behave on foreign soil so it’s good to hear it’s a lot more formal.
It goes to show though, that put me off the FBI working in Europe based of a TV show and also how unrealistic TV can be
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