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FBI opens office in Cambodia |
The FBI has announced the opening if its latest oversees office,
which are actually called Legal Attaché or "Legat." It is
opening in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and is one of more than 60 such
offices around the world.
The head of the office, whose official title is Legat, will be FBI
Agent Laro Tan, who was born in Cambodia and fled the Khmer Rouge
with his family as a small child. He is a member of the diplomatic
staff of the US Embassy in Cambodia and is his responsibility to
build a productive working relationship with his counterparts in
Cambodia.
These overseas offices play an important part in the FIB's
investigative efforts. Just a few months ago, the FBI office in
China worked with Chinese authorities to break up a counterfeit
computer software organization that was operating in both
countries. This led to arrests in both countries and the recovery
of millions of dollars worth of counterfeit material.
Cambodia was chosen because the nearest office is in Bangkok, more
than 330 miles away and in a different country. The new office in
Cambodia will handle both Cambodia and Viet Nam.
Tan, who's regular assignment is to the Weapons of Mass
Destruction Directorate in Washington describes his Cambodia
assignment as being very busy. He says he is constantly providing
assistance to the office in the United states regarding threats
that might migrate to U.S. shores. In his day to day operations, he
works with the Cambodian National Police, and in Vietnam, the
Interpol office of the General Department of the Police, a division
of the Ministry of Public Security.
They have been working together even before the office was
officially opened and have the help of the Cambodian Government in
capturing a terrorist named Riduan Bin Isamuddin and back in 2000,
a cooperative effort by the FBI and the Cambodian authorities led
to the arrest of several freedom fighters who tried to overthrow
the Cambodian Government. The United States does not have the
authority to go into a foreign country, conduct investigations and
make arrests. We need to have the cooperation of the host countries
and their law enforcement agencies and it is through the Legat that
the cooperation is achieved.
Tan looks at his mission to be one of getting to know his
counterparts in both countries personally in order to build up new
working relationships and expand on the ones already in place
between the US and Cambodia and Viet Nam.
Source:
FBI
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