Loss of a Friend
By Jeffrey Breinholt
It is with great sadness that I report the death of my friend Bryan Sierra yesterday, following his long bout with cancer. The American counterterrorism community knew Bryan as the Department of Justice's main public spokesman on international terrorism prosecutions, though he was always quick to note he never wanted to be part of the story. I met him shortly after 9/11. A former Fox News reporter, Bryan was a smooth operator who understood working journalism and appreciated the public's right to know what is being done on its behalf. He was dedicated to getting as much accurate information into the open as possible, consistent with the requirements of the most sensitive government operations, and he never wavered in his commitment to his job. His final months would find him working in the halls of Main Justice and in the courtyard with a gaunt smile, even as his illness was obviously taking its toll. His last days included phone calls from his hospital bed, to assure that DOJ laywers who needed his help knew where to find him. Bryan's passing means the country has lost one of its most committed servants. His colleagues and friends will miss him.
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