By Christine June
Public Affairs Office
George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies  

GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany (March 18, 2016) – Special Agents Thomas F. O’Connor and Jean K O’Connor, both with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, gave a presentation on Evidence and Prosecution to 75 Program on Terrorism and Security Studies 16-06 participants from 44 countries March 18 at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

The Program on Terrorism and Security Studies started Feb. 24 and ends March 23. The PTSS course addresses numerous aspects of a threat that confronts nations around the globe. The four-week course is designed for government officials, military officers and police administrators currently working in mid- and upper- level management positions of counterterrorism organizations throughout the world.

In their presentation, the husband- and wife-team, who are Marshall Center PTSS alumni, discussed terrorism and major scene evidence collection and prosecution techniques. Thomas attended PTSS in 2011, and Jean attended PTSS in 2012.

“It’s too late to build partnerships when the bomb goes off,” said Thomas during his presentation. “PTSS builds those partnerships. PTSS is the international form of the FBI JTTF, which has 40 agencies working together to combat terrorism.”

Thomas entered the FBI in 1997. He was assigned to work in the Washington Field Office on the Joint Terrorism Task Force. During this time, he has worked both international and domestic terrorism cases. Prior to entering the FBI, he was a Police Officer in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Jean entered the FBI in 1998. She was assigned to the Washington Field Office on a White Collar Crime Squad, where she worked undercover specializing in drug diversion cases. She later transferred to an International Drug Squad where she worked complex narcotics trafficking cases. In 2000, she was accepted to the Washington Field Office, Evidence Response Team. On Sept. 11, 2001, she was a first responder to the terror attacks at the U.S. Pentagon in Arlington, Va.

The PTSS 16-6 participants hail from: Afghanistan; Bangladesh; Burkina Faso; Cambodia; Cameroon; Canada; Columbia; Côte d'Ivoire; Cyprus; Djibouti; Dominican Republic; El Salvador; Estonia; Ghana; Greece; Guyana; Honduras; India; Indonesia; Ireland; Jordon; Kazakhstan;  Kenya; Lebanon; Macedonia; Malta; Montenegro; Morocco; Norway; Oman; Pakistan; Palestinian Authority; Peru; Philippines; Republic of Korea; Saudi Arabia; Serbia; Sierra Leone; Thailand; Togo; Tunisia; Turkey; Uganda; and, United States.

The mission of the Marshall Center, as a vital instrument of German-American cooperation, is to create a more stable security environment by advancing democratic institutions and relationships; promoting active, peaceful, whole-of-government approaches to address transnational and regional security challenges; and creating and enhancing enduring partnerships worldwide.