Which agency would most likely use a paid informant to gather intelligence on a terrorist group?

• A. FBI or other law enforcement agency
• B. CIA
• C. NSA
• D. DHS Office of Intelligence and Analysis

Answer: (A)

Paid informants are a common field tool for infiltrating terrorist networks, gathering insider information, and building criminal cases within the domestic security landscape. The agency most involved in counterterrorism investigations on home soil uses these assets to penetrate groups, verify leads, and support prosecutions, making it the best fit for gathering intelligence through paid assets.

Other agencies have different primary focuses. The CIA concentrates on foreign intelligence and overseas operations, not domestic group infiltration. The NSA handles signals intelligence and cyber aspects rather than human-source operations in domestic groups. The DHS Office of Intelligence and Analysis mainly analyzes information and provides risk assessments and situational awareness, rather than conducting undercover operations with paid informants.