‘I’m Part of Something That’s Really Evil’

<p><i>This episode contains strong language.</i></p><p>Terry Albury joined the F.B.I. just before the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, drawn in by the bureau’s work fighting child exploitation. His role quickly changed after 9/11 however, and he subsequently spent over a decade working in counterterrorism.</p><p>Around 2015, he began to deeply question his work. “This is not what I joined the F.B.I. to do,” he recalled thinking.</p><p>His doubts about the bureau’s workings led him to leak classified information to journalists. Today, we hear his story.</p><p>Guest: Janet Reitman, a contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine. </p><p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/newsletters/signup/NTTD?smid=pc-thedaily">Sign up here</a> to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And for an exclusive look at how the biggest stories on our show come together, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/newsletters/the-daily?module=inline">subscribe to our newsletter</a>. </p><p>Background reading: </p><ul><li>Here’s<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/01/magazine/fbi-terrorism-terry-albury.html"> Janet Reitman’s profile of Mr. Albury</a>, the first F.B.I. special agent since Robert Hanssen in 2001 to be convicted under the Espionage Act.</li></ul><p>For more information on today’s episode, visit </p><p><a href="http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily">nytimes.com/thedaily</a></p><p>. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.</p>