US willing to help Israel thwart computer crime

Public Security Minister Avi Dichter met the head of the US Federal Witness Protection Program.

The US is willing in principle to help Israel thwart computer crime and share relevant technologies and procedures, US Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff told Minister of Public Security Avi Dichter during a meeting in Washington. Dichter returned to Israel last night after five days of meetings with US and Canadian security and police agencies.

Dichter asked Chertoff for the US to share its wealth of experience in fighting computer crime. The US is the leader in the fight against online criminals in both the economic and security spheres, and Israel wants to adopt the latest technologies in this effort. Chertoff said that a response to Israel request was dependant on through discussions about specific technologies.

Chertoff offered to share with Israel lessons learned from a recent Department of Homeland Security exercise on handling an attack by non-conventional weapons.

Dichter also met the head of the US Federal Witness Protection Program, which Israel is emulating. The Israeli program will begin operating in early 2008 to help the police fight organized crime, high-level corruption, and other serious crimes. The program will operate in a manner similar to the US Marshals Service.

The idea of a witness protection program was raised in Israel a year ago, following the murder of several witnesses even though they were in prison at the time. Arie Livne, a former General Security Services district commander and head of its protection branch, will head the new agency.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on November 1, 2007

© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2007

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