Backlash fears prompt rise in US spying budget

By ELEANOR BLACK and AGENCIES

Amid fears of further terrorist attacks on the United States, Washington is pouring nearly $NZ2 billion into intelligence.

At the same time, ties between international intelligence agencies are closer than ever before. At least 100 countries have stepped forward to share information with the US.

The Central Intelligence Agency, which has already committed hundreds of employees to the hunt for Osama bin Laden, plans a "very significant" increase in staff and resources.

On Friday, the House of Representatives voted to boost the CIA's $NZ70.3 billion budget by an undisclosed sum, thought to be around $2 billion. More agents will be sent out into the field and more support offered to analysts with specialised language skills.

An unnamed intelligence official said a major culture change was also in the works - fighting terrorism was now the CIA's highest priority.

"The nature and extent of the effort was intensive before the attacks but we're ramping up in all phases."

Sources at the CIA say they are sorting through a crush of intelligence data from countries with diplomatic ties to the US and even some which do not normally share information.

Even data from "questionable" sources will be used, because the House of Representatives also decided to let the CIA use "dirty intelligence".

But while the response from friendly countries has been heartening, much of the information provided so far has proved useless.

Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said the armed forces could not track down bin Laden without "actionable intelligence", tips which are so reliable they can be followed up with a missile launch or troop deployment.

While British, Saudi Arabian and Jordanian intelligence is rated "top notch", data coming from Israel and Pakistan is not as valuable because it can be selective, meant to serve the country providing it rather than the US.

Former CIA counter-terrorism chief Vince Cannistraro said this sort of information had to be examined critically in the context of other evidence.

Meanwhile, fears that bin Laden's organisation will soon attack another high-profile American target have reached fever pitch.

The hijacking of a Greyhound bus by a mentally disturbed Croatian man last week, resulting in the deaths of five passengers and the assailant, was at first thought to be another terrorist act.

Residents of Salt Lake City, host of next year's Winter Olympics, want to shut down schools for the 15 days of the games to protect their children from possible attacks.

Their fears are well-founded, said a CIA official.

"The probability is high that there will be more terrorist attacks, regardless of any retaliatory action on the part of the United States."

Attorney-General John Ashcroft is pushing for legislation that will expand law enforcement agencies' powers to detain suspected terrorists, tap their telephones, track their internet activity and prosecute anyone who knowingly harbours a terrorist.

Map: Opposing forces in the war against terror

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