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FBI to Station Agents in Budapest
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(http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=D76501:3919ACA

Federal Bureau of Investigation's director, Robert Mueller, says
purpose is to combat organized crime and terrorism in Central, Eastern
Europe, former Soviet Union  





FBI Director Robert S. Mueller during a meeting with Hungarian prime
minister, Ferenc Gyurcsany, in Budapest

The director of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation says
the agency is permanently stationing agents in Hungary in an effort to
combat organized crime and terrorism in Central and Eastern Europe and
the former Soviet Union.

 Robert Mueller traveled to Budapest to meet Hungarian politicians and
to participate in the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the
International Law Enforcement Academy.

Director Mueller says FBI agents and Hungarian national police have
been participating in a joint task force to combat organized crime and
terrorism.

Mr. Mueller says the task force has been "so successful" since it
began five years ago, that the FBI is now permanently stationing
agents in Hungary.

He explains the agents closely cooperate with a Hungarian police
organization, which follows the FBI model, to combat organized crime
activities.

"Particularly activities such as terrorism, narcotics trafficking,
extortion and most particularly trafficking in persons which continues
to be a substantial problem throughout Europe and throughout the
Western hemisphere," he said.

Mr. Mueller made the comment during the 10th anniversary meeting of
the Budapest based International Law Enforcement Academy on Thursday
and Friday. The meeting was attended by interior ministers and law
enforcement officials from 26 countries.

The academy was set up by the United States and Hungarian governments
to better train and equip police officers and other law enforcement
officials, including judges and prosecutors, mostly located in former
Communist nations.

U.S. officials fear Russian and other crime groups as well as
terrorist organizations are able to more easily smuggle weapons of
mass destruction and conduct human and drug trafficking since the
collapse of the Soviet Union.



FBI Director Mueller says the academy in Budapest, known as ILEA, has
already trained thousands of police from dozens of nations to tackle
this growing threat.

"We have trained 2,300 graduates of the academy, 2,300 graduates from
26 countries," he said. "We have produced a generation of law
enforcement officers that are better equipped to address the threats
of the 21st century. Today whether it be Hungary, the United States or
other countries in Europe or elsewhere face a threat of terrorists and
criminals crossing easily our borders. To address those threats we
must work hand in hand. ILEA, this academy, is a centerpiece of that
effort."

On Friday, the graduation ceremony was held at ILEA behind closed
doors apparently for security reasons.

Carl Truscott, director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms
and Explosives, urged the graduates from former Communist countries to
begin their work with what he called "a basic idea: the concept of
right and wrong."

With corruption remaining a problem within underpaid police forces of
former Soviet satellite states, U.S. officials hope the State
Department-funded academy in Budapest will help to improve ethics and
effectiveness of law enforcement agencies throughout the region.