Concerns about foreign spies and terrorists have prompted the Homeland Security Department (DHS) to set up its own counterintelligence division and require strict reporting from employees about foreign travel, according to a memo obtained by The Associated Press. The new directive comes as the federal government increases its counterspy efforts across all agencies and raises the awareness of intelligence vulnerabilities in the private industry as well as in protecting government secrets.
DHS "is vulnerable to adversaries who seek information about our nation's Homeland defense programs, classified or unclassified," Secretary Michael Chertoff wrote in the Aug. 4 memo to employees obtained by AP.
The agency, formed in 2003 after the 9/11 attacks, has about 216,000 employees and posts around the world. It includes divisions that protect the country's borders, develop new radiation detection equipment, study and test infectious diseases, enforce immigration and maritime laws, protect the president and other dignitaries, coordinate disaster response, work to keep terrorists off of airplanes and other transportation and monitor and prevent cyber-intrusions. Homeland Security is creating a counterintelligence system now, because there is currently no place for such a function in the department -- which was formed by 22 disparate agencies -- senior U.S. government officials say.
"We are still a relatively young department," Homeland Security spokesman Russ Knocke told the AP, adding that the memo reflects the department's maturity over the past five years.
Counterintelligence is an organized effort to block an enemy's sources of information and access to sensitive material. It can also be used to give misinformation.
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