The Major Crimes Task Force (MCTF) was created in 2006 by the Attorney General in response to a rash of high-profile murders, assassinations and acts of sectarian violence throughout Iraq. The task force includes members of the Justice Department’s four primary law enforcement components: the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Agency, and the United States Marshals Service.

The MCTF’s primary mission is to provide on-the-job training and real-time support to Iraqi law enforcement. As such, U.S. law enforcement agents from all participating components are working closely with Iraqi law enforcement officers, providing training and technical assistance to their Iraqi counterparts in conducting investigations of serious crimes. This includes participation in crime scene investigations, analysis of physical evidence, witness and suspect interviews, and other related activities. This is a capacity-building operation in which U.S. assets fulfill a senior advisory and mentor role to the Iraqi task force members.