January 23, 1992
MEMORANDUM
TO: All United States Attorneys
FROM: Robert S. Mueller, III
Assistant Attorney General
SUBJECT: Designation of an International and National Security
Coordinator
With the ever increasing internationalization of the criminal
activity we investigate and prosecute has come a concomitant increase in the
importance we must attach to international cooperation, particularly in the
areas of evidence gathering and extradition.
To this end, pursuant to the recommendation of the Attorney
General's Advisory Subcommittee on International Affairs (currently chaired
by United States Attorney Lourdes Baird of the Central District of
California), I am asking you to designate one of your Assistant United
States Attorneys as International and National Security Affairs Coordinator
for your office. Please make your designation and provide my office with
the relevant contact information for the designee by February 14, 1992.
It would be this individual's responsibility to provide "in-house"
expertise and guidance on international matters and to shepherd the progress
of incoming and outgoing requests for evidence and fugitives between the
United States and other countries.
The Criminal Division will offer appropriate specialized training
for the person you designate; provide necessary materials (copies of
relevant international treaties, manuals on international procedures, etc.);
and serve as liaison, through our Office of International Affairs, for
monitoring these activities.
In selecting the person to handle these responsibilities, in
addition to considering experience in international extradition and evidence
requests, I would appreciate your designating someone with sufficient
seniority and investing them with sufficient authority to be able to ensure
the prompt meeting deadlines in both preparation of outgoing and fulfillment
of incoming requests for international assistance. I hope the designated
individual will perform this function on a relatively long-term basis to
ensure "continuity" within your Office and to eliminate the need to retrain
new individuals on a repetitive basis.
Implementation of this effort will increase consistency and
efficiency in the Department's efforts to enhance international cooperation.
Most importantly, by expediting the provision of assistance to foreign
countries, it will help ensure the prompt reciprocal assistance we need from
abroad to obtain critical evidence and fugitives located overseas for our
own prosecutions.
I appreciate your cooperation in this matter, and await contact
information for your designee so that we can begin our training and
implementation program.
[cited in USAM 9-90.050] |