NATIONAL SECURITY

Obama to Name New Counterrorism Chief

Updated: July 1, 2011 | 2:23 p.m.
July 1, 2011 | 1:44 p.m.

President Obama plans to nominate Matthew Olsen (left) to become the White House counterterrorism director. (JOHN THYS/AFP/GETTY IMAGES)

President Obama announced on Friday that he will nominate a new White House counterterrorism director.

Matthew Olsen will be named the director of the National Counterterrorism Center. He is currently the general counsel for the National Security Agency and principal legal adviser to the NSA director.

(PICTURES: The White House Personnel Shuffle)

"Matt has a distinguished record of service in our intelligence community and I’m confident he will continue to build on our strong counterterrorism efforts," Obama said in a statement. "Matt will be a critical part of my national security team as we work tirelessly to thwart attacks against our nation and do everything in our power to protect the American people."

Olsen, a graduate of Harvard Law School and the University of Virginia, is an adjunct professor of law at Georgetown University.

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