Justice Department panel to coordinate intelligence efforts

The Justice Department officially established a Justice Intelligence Coordinating Council Wednesday that will coordinate all the intelligence collection activities of the department with other federal agencies.

"By coordinating our intelligence collection, the JICC will provide better support and information to the Terrorist Threat Integration Center recently created by President Bush, and will aid the functions of the new Terrorist Screening Center as well," Attorney General John Ashcroft said.

The JICC will help identify which intelligence collected during the department's law enforcement operations should be fed to other federal agencies.

"It will improve the integration of the department's intelligence-related activities conducted for national security, homeland security and criminal law enforcement purposes," Ashcroft said.

Ashcroft said he intends to appoint Maureen Baginski, the FBI's executive assistant director for intelligence, as the council's first chairperson. She will be responsible for developing guidance and oversight procedures for the council, and for coordinating with other intelligence entities to meet JICC requirements.

Other agencies that will have members on the council include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Bureau of Prisons; Drug Enforcement Administration; National Central Bureau (Interpol); Office of Intelligence Policy and Review; Office of Tribal Justice; U.S. Marshall's Service; and the FBI.

A coordinating staff made up of representatives from all member organizations is expected to work in concert with each Justice Department intelligence organization to prepare material for the council.