"His first wife wasn't in the CIA, and didn't know he worked for the government agency. He couldn't tell her where he'd actually been that day or why he'd sometimes come home late. Even harmless details he couldn't share with her, he said. He'd come home, and she'd ask how his day was, what he'd done, and who he'd interacted with, and he recalled only giving one-word answers like "great," "nothing," and "nobody.""
"Kiriakou was stationed in Athens from 1999 to 2000, which he describes as one of the most dangerous postings for American officers at the time. Greece was confronting the revolutionary organization called 17 November, a group responsible for the assassinations of diplomats and officials. One of his main objectives was to combat that group. The stakes were high, and he protected himself accordingly, carrying two guns and a knife."
John Kiriakou served approximately 15 years at the CIA, eventually becoming chief of counterterrorism operations in Pakistan. The secrecy inherent to his work created significant strain on his first marriage, as his wife was unaware he worked for the government and he could not discuss his activities, whereabouts, or daily interactions. He could only provide minimal responses to her questions about his day. His posting in Athens from 1999 to 2000 proved particularly dangerous, as he worked to combat the 17 November terrorist organization responsible for assassinating diplomats and officials. The threat escalated when the group targeted him individually, forcing Kiriakou and his family to flee Greece.
#cia-operations #marriage-and-secrecy #counterterrorism #personal-security #17-november-terrorist-group
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