Justice Department plans more labs focused on cyber crime

Attorney General John Ashcroft said on Monday that the Justice Department soon will expand its capabilities for pursuing cyber crimes by broadening its forensic analysis capabilities.

The department has five regional centers for such analysis in the prosecution of cyber crimes and will increase the number to 13, he said. He did not provide further details.

"We recognize that proper forensic analysis of computer evidence is critical for the successful investigation and prosecution of crime," he said in a keynote address at a conference held by the High Technology Crime Investigation Association.

Ashcroft delivered a speech that outlined the growing importance and role of the prosecution of cyber crimes within Justice. In particular, he noted a greater emphasis on prosecuting computer hacking and crimes related to intellectual property.

"The cornerstone of the department's prosecutorial effort is the computer crime and intellectual property section ... a highly-trained team of three dozen expert prosecutors who specialize in coordinating all kinds of international computer crime and intellectual property offenses," he said.

Ashcroft noted that the number of computer hacking and intellectual property (CHIPS) units that FBI chief Robert Mueller established before Mueller became head of the FBI has been expanded to 13 units within Ashcroft's tenure as attorney general.

As part of the current appropriations cycle, Justice has asked Senate appropriators to increase funding of the CHIPs units. Lobbyists for the entertainment and software industry also have asked appropriators to allot more dedicated resources to pursuing intellectual property theft.

Ashcroft pointed to Justice's recently announced operations called Websnare and Digital Gridlock as examples of an increasing focus on cyber crime and as examples of successful coordination among law enforcers.

"Over the past few decades, we've seen human ingenuity unleash new ideas, new products and new ways of doing business," he said. "Freedom and innovation have produced the personal computer revolution, a revolution that extended the Internet beyond all borders. It increased trade and increased commerce, delivered unimaginable opportunities to new spheres of human aspiration. But with this tremendous boon to human potential, we've seen a small group of predators try to make cyberspace a space where crime and terrorism can be conducted, and it is the duty and privilege of the Justice [Department] to fight these predators."

Ashcroft did not take questions after his 40-minute speech.