A FORMER FBI agent who led the investigation into an al-Qaeda bombing of a US warship that killed 17 sailors is to discuss global terrorism at the RUC George Cross Foundation lecture at Queen’s University.
Ali Soufan will deliver the second annual lecture at the Belfast university tonight, with the theme 'Global Security Challenges: Terrorism and Violent Extremism in an evolving security landscape'.
The Lebanese-American former federal agent headed the probe into the terrorist attack on the USS Cole ship in October 2000, and also the 1998 bombings at US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.
An outspoken critic of the use of torture methods on terrorism suspects, he said his lecture, which takes place tonight at 6pm, "will take in the increasingly complex and unpredictable global security landscape".
Chair of the RUC George Cross Foundation, Professor Stephen White, said Mr Soufan's lecture is "eagerly awaited", adding: "I know it will generate considerable interest from all those charged with and interested in how best to counter the global threat posed by extremists whilst safeguarding democracies and upholding the rule of law."