Voting Station

John P. O'Neill

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Crime Fighter

The Resume

    (February 6, 1952-September 11, 2001)
    Born in Atlantic City, New Jersey
    FBI agent (1976-2001)
    Head of the counterterrorism section (1995-2001)
    Investigated the World Trade Center bombing (1993), the Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia (1996) and the bombing of the USS Cole in Yemen (2000)
    After retiring from the FBI, became head of security for the World Trade Center
    Killed in the 9/11 attacks
    Subject of the Frontline documentary 'The Man Who Knew' (2002) and the book 'The Man Who Warned America' (2003)

Why he might be annoying:

    He clashed repeatedly with his superiors, with the result that he was not sent to investigate the US embassy bombings in Nairobi and Dar Es Salaam (1998).
    He repeatedly conflicted with Barbara Bodine, the US ambassador to Yemen, during the Cole investigation.
    During the months before he left the FBI, he lost track of a briefcase containing sensitive documents, lost an agency Palm Pilot and cell phone, and improperly borrowed a car from a safe house.
    After his death, his three girlfriends and his wife were each surprised to discover there were other women in his life.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He established the Fugitive Task Force to promote cooperation between the FBI and local law enforcement.
    He coordinated the capture and extradition of Ramzi Yousef.
    At a conference on terrorism (1997), he warned, 'A lot of these groups now have the capability and the support infrastructure in the United States to attack us here if they choose to.'
    His supporters think the missing briefcase (it was recovered shortly with no documents missing) was part of a smear campaign to force him out of the FBI.
    On 9/11, he made a cell phone call to his son, then went back into the WTC to help with the evacuation.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 16 Votes: 43.75% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 15 Votes: 6.67% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 23 Votes: 39.13% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 477 Votes: 49.90% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 125 Votes: 53.60% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 1283 Votes: 49.73% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 195 Votes: 65.64% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 22 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 60 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 25 Votes: 48.00% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 14 Votes: 42.86% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 104 Votes: 55.77% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 38 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 54 Votes: 40.74% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 77 Votes: 32.47% Annoying