Following the terrorist attacks of 9/11/01, our investigation took us to many new places in the world. One of these was the United Arab Emirates, or U.A.E., an ancient land of great history that runs down the Persian Gulf and around the Strait of Hormuz. We asked officials of the U.A.E. government for support, and they said, "How can we help?"

With the permission and support of the U.A.E., we temporarily stationed Special Agents in Abu Dhabi, its capital, to coordinate the many details of the 9/11 investigation.

By all accounts, cooperation has been strong: the Dubai Police and other colleagues have helped us run down countless counterterrorism leads, trace terrorist money flows (particularly through Dubai, one of U.A.E.'s seven emirates and a leading financial and commercial hub in the Middle East), and extradite criminals despite the absence of formal treaties between our two nations. Through it all, U.A.E. has been an vital partner in the worldwide fight against crime and terror.

The Next Step. This month, we officially opened the Legal Attache Office, or Legat, in the American Embassy in Abu Dhabi. Heading the office is an FBI Legat, who is a Special Agent and now a formal member of the Embassy's diplomatic staff.

How will the new Legat bear fruit? By keeping on top of the region's threats. By building mutually beneficial relationships with our counterparts that will translate into growing support for FBI investigations. And by continuing to strengthen expertise among international partners through training at the Middle Eastern Law Enforcement Training Center, run jointly by the FBI and the U.A.E. at the Dubai Police Academy.

How do you contact the Legat in Abu Dhabi? Call the U.S. Embassy at 011-971-2-414-2200.

The end of the story? Definitely not! The FBI will be opening more Legats in the coming weeks and months. We'll keep you posted.

Links: FBI Legats; for background on the U.A.E.,see the CIA World Factbook.