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US President Barack Obama has nominated a former justice department official under President George W Bush as the next FBI director.
If confirmed by the Senate, James Comey will replace outgoing director Robert Mueller III, serving for 10 years.
At the White House, Mr Obama praised Mr Comey as a model of "fierce independence and deep integrity".
Mr Comey is known for successfully opposing a warrantless wiretapping programme backed by other Bush aides.
Wide praise
Mr Mueller took up his post shortly before the 9/11 attacks and is retiring as director on 4 September.
In remarks on Friday, Mr Obama said the outgoing director had displayed "a steady hand and strong leadership" during his time at the head of the FBI.
One of the most dramatic episodes of Mr Comey's tenure as deputy attorney general in the Bush administration came in 2004, when then-Attorney General John Ashcroft was ill in hospital.
Mr Bush's White House counsel Alberto Gonzales and Chief of Staff Andrew Card pressed him in his hospital bed to re-authorise a controversial programme allowing federal agents to eavesdrop on phone conversations without a warrant.
Mr Comey, who was acting as attorney general in Mr Ashcroft's stead, rushed to the hospital and intervened.
Changes were subsequently made to the programme and Mr Comey drew wide praise.
After leaving the Bush administration, Mr Comey was general counsel for Bridgewater Associates, a hedge fund in the US state of Connecticut. He now lectures at Columbia University law school in New York.
Before he became deputy attorney general, Mr Comey had a long tenure at the justice department, serving in many posts including as US attorney for the Southern District of New York.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-23010863
If confirmed by the Senate, James Comey will replace outgoing director Robert Mueller III, serving for 10 years.
At the White House, Mr Obama praised Mr Comey as a model of "fierce independence and deep integrity".
Mr Comey is known for successfully opposing a warrantless wiretapping programme backed by other Bush aides.
Wide praise
Mr Mueller took up his post shortly before the 9/11 attacks and is retiring as director on 4 September.
In remarks on Friday, Mr Obama said the outgoing director had displayed "a steady hand and strong leadership" during his time at the head of the FBI.
One of the most dramatic episodes of Mr Comey's tenure as deputy attorney general in the Bush administration came in 2004, when then-Attorney General John Ashcroft was ill in hospital.
Mr Bush's White House counsel Alberto Gonzales and Chief of Staff Andrew Card pressed him in his hospital bed to re-authorise a controversial programme allowing federal agents to eavesdrop on phone conversations without a warrant.
Mr Comey, who was acting as attorney general in Mr Ashcroft's stead, rushed to the hospital and intervened.
Changes were subsequently made to the programme and Mr Comey drew wide praise.
After leaving the Bush administration, Mr Comey was general counsel for Bridgewater Associates, a hedge fund in the US state of Connecticut. He now lectures at Columbia University law school in New York.
Before he became deputy attorney general, Mr Comey had a long tenure at the justice department, serving in many posts including as US attorney for the Southern District of New York.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-23010863
