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Friday, June 4, 2004

The division would be largely independent from the rest of the FBI and have its own budget. It would include all the bureau's intelligence-gathering resources, from translators to surveillance activities. The chief would report directly to Mueller.

Mueller told a House Appropriations subcommittee that an independent domestic spy agency would have to duplicate much of the expertise already in the FBI and harm what's become the bureau's top priority: fighting terrorism.

"Any reform proposal must recognize that intelligence is fundamental to successful FBI operations," he said. "Intelligence functions are woven throughout the fabric of the bureau, and any changes to this integrated approach would be counterproductive."

Mueller did not provide estimates of how many new people would be hired or any additional costs for the initiative.

Congressional reaction has been mixed on the need for a domestic spy agency.

The chairman of the subcommittee, Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va., asked Mueller in February to consider creation of the separate entity within the FBI. Wolf said he disagreed with those who would create a separate agency similar to the British intelligence service.

Britain's Security Service, known as MI5, collects, analyzes and disseminates intelligence aimed at disrupting terrorism, espionage and sabotage directed against Britain but has no law enforcement powers.

Creating such an agency "would take a considerable amount of time and effort to implement, disrupting the bureau when the country will likely remain on high alert for terrorist attacks in the foreseeable future," Wolf said.

Roberts Not in Favor

Sen. Pat Roberts, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, told reporters he did not favor pulling domestic intelligence out of the FBI.

"Under Director Mueller, the FBI has actually moved mountains since 9/11, and I believe that we should wait to see what further results the director can deliver," said Roberts, R-Kan.

Some members of Congress question whether an agency devoted for decades to law enforcement can make intelligence a mission of equal or greater importance. Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., has been pushing for a new Homeland Intelligence Agency that would have no law enforcement duties or powers.

Edwards said recently, "What we need is a domestic intelligence agency that is focused on fighting terrorism here at home and having a watchdog in place to make sure our freedoms are protected."

Since the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, the FBI's budget has increased from $3.1 billion to $4.6 billion.

The bureau has beefed up its anti-terrorism activities with joint-agency terrorism task forces, creating new training programs for agents and analysts and upgrading computer operations. Last year, Maureen Baginski, a veteran of the National Security Agency, was hired to coordinate the FBI's intelligence activities.

If a separate agency were to be established, Mueller said, the FBI would have to wonder "when the intelligence agency will throw information over the transom to a law enforcement agency."

Former FBI Director Louis Freeh; current Attorney General John Ashcroft and his predecessor, Janet Reno; and CIA Director George Tenet all have recommended against a new homeland spy agency.

The independent commission investigating the Sept. 11 attacks will make recommendations on ways to improve intelligence-gathering and is considering whether a stand-alone domestic agency is needed to buttress the CIA, which collects information overseas.

© 2004 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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