James Risen

Intelligence correspondent - The New York Times - Washington Bureau

James Risen covers national security for The New York Times. He writes regularly on the intelligence community and how it is used in U.S. foreign policy. Most recently, he has covered the use of U.S. intelligence capabilities in the Afghanistan (2002) and Iraq (2003) wars. He was a member of the reporting team that won the Pulitzer Prize in 2002 for explanatory reporting for coverage of Sept. 11 and terrorism, and is coauthor of Wrath of Angels.

Among the stories Risen has broken for his readers:

  • approval by the U.S. of covert weapons shipments from Iran to Bosnian Muslims in the 1990's
  • investigation of a Chinese-American citizen for espionage at the Los Alamos weapons laboratory
  • misuse of classified computer files by former CIA Director John Deutch

Risen is co-author, with former CIA intelligence officer Milt Beardon, of The Main Enemy, being published in May, 2003. He lives outside Washington, D.C. with his wife and three sons.