The best thing about being a spy is that even when a person is the focus of headlines, he can still remain anonymous. Recently, the CIA announced the appointment of its new Director of the National Clandestine Service (NCS). Officials refuse to release any information regarding his identity, however. The only thing that is actually known it that his first name is Greg. Codenamed “Spider,” this agent’s resume reads like something out of an espionage novel.
Spider is a former Marine who has earned an almost legendary reputation amongst his peers. He first entered the public eye back in 2010 when he was the subject of a detailed profile in the Wall Street Journal. Lately he has been in the spotlight again, due to his assignment as the NCS Director. This will make him the agency’s top spy, in charge of managing all intelligence gathering activities.
Just like his identity, his exact age is not known. Supposedly, he is in his 50’s and has coordinated and supported the USA’s counter-terrorism efforts in Afghanistan. In 2001, Spider was accidentally targeted by a US air strike while he was meeting with Hamid Karzai, who was not the intended target either. He has supported Karzai over the years, til he became Afghanistan’s president. Unfortunately, this positive relationship between Karzai and the US would later dissolved due to differing political views.
The National Clandestine Service’s new director went on to coordinate assaults against the Taliban and al Qaeda in 2002.
Despite all the information regarding his activities, Spider’s identity remains shrouded in mystery. The agency still refuses to release any personal details, and when asked, a spokesperson only talked about his versatility and range of expertise. Given the highly unstable situation in the Middle East, it is easy to see why Spider was selected as the new NCS director.