Only Director of FBI, CIA, William H. Webster Passes Away at 101

(MENAFN) William H. Webster, the sole American to serve as director of both the FBI and CIA, passed away Friday at the age of 101, his family announced.

A former federal judge, Webster was appointed FBI Director in 1978 amid a period of intense turmoil following revelations of corruption and illegal surveillance within the bureau. He held the position for nearly ten years before being named CIA Director from 1987 to 1991 during the Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations.

Webster’s family honored him as a cherished husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and patriot. The FBI praised him as a “dedicated public servant” with a career lasting over sixty years and expressed it would be “forever grateful” for his service.

Born March 6, 1924, in St. Louis, Missouri, Webster served as a US Navy lieutenant in World War II and the Korean War. After earning his law degree from Washington University in 1949, he pursued a career as a federal prosecutor and district judge. His FBI appointment came at a time when the agency was reeling from scandals involving unauthorized surveillance and break-ins. Just six weeks after he took office, a federal grand jury indicted former FBI officials for illegal raids on associates of far-left fugitives.

After accepting the position, Webster stated that CIA and FBI directors must be prepared to resign if instructed to carry out actions they believe are wrong.

At the CIA, Webster managed the agency through the Iran-Contra affair—a scandal where senior US officials covertly sold weapons to Iran, despite an embargo, and redirected the funds to Nicaraguan rebels in defiance of congressional bans. Webster retired in 1991 but continued to serve in various public roles, including advising on homeland security and receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Despite his esteemed reputation, Webster’s tenure was not without controversy. Critics at the CIA faulted him for failing to detect Soviet spy Aldrich Ames sooner and questioned his limited foreign policy background. His intelligence assessments during the Gulf War and the collapse of the Soviet Union also faced scrutiny.

In 2002, Webster briefly chaired a board overseeing accounting standards but resigned before its first meeting amid disputes over links to a company accused of fraud. Additionally, some criticized his measured approach to domestic surveillance while leading the FBI.

Webster’s legacy remains that of a dedicated public servant navigating some of the most challenging periods in American intelligence history.

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