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CRM 2000 - 2500

2048. January 23, 1992, Memorandum Directing U.S. Attys To Designate A Prosecutor As An International And National Security Coordinator

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 JM 9-90.050]