CIA IN HIGH-TECH ANTI-SPY EFFORT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000605680001-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2010
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: January 23, 1983
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

STAT
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/24: CIA-RDP90-00552R000605680001-7
UNITED PRESS _:;TEP ATIONAL
23 January 1983
Cl."'. IN I r -TECH ANTI-SPY EFFORT
3r SPE\CEP S'r'.EF~is~
s.~:: ;__N C I S C 0
T;-,e Central Intelligence Agency and the Defense Intelligence Agency
b_:r istec in the government's attempt to cut Off Japanese theft of
chnc~_ev iri Ca?fornia's Silicon Valley, according to the official in charge.
U.S. Attorney .'oseoh Russoniello said the role of the CIA and DIA would be
sy infcrc,ation from inside Japan and other countries about where the
tech; oloov may be used if it gets out of the United States.
Russoniello, in an interview with UPI, said plans for the ''Critical
Technology Task Force'' to fight illegal export of high technology are ready.
The unit will begin functioning as soon as funds are allocated by the
administration.
The new force will include agents from the Department of Justice, the Federal
Bureau of Investigation, Customs Service and Postal Service as well as the CIA
and DIA, Russoniello said.
The -core of -the tas-k--force-will be seven assistant U.S. attorneys based in-._.--
San Jose to coordinate activities among the various agencies and the U:5. high
,.---,technology -bus! raass__commun.ity_.in the Silicon Valley and elsewhere.---
Russoniello, chief U.S. attorney in San Francisco, said he is confident
?Attorney General William French Smith will approve the.necessary funds for the
task force.
If the budget does not include seven new attorneys, Russoniello said, his-
office will act on an ''ad hoc basis'' with his present staff in dealing with
high technology industrial espionage until money becomes available.
The U.S. attorney said his staff is already deeply involved in the
investigation.
Russoniello said he hopes to set up a computerized information bank on the
high technology industry to keep track of what types of hardware and programming
might be the target of foreign espionage efforts.
Cross-referencing data on classified and unclassified technology being
developed here with information provided by the CIA and DIA on what the Soviet
Union, for example, lacks, would help the task force keep an eye on companies
that may be the targets for espionage, Russoniello said.
When a foreign company sought an export license for high-tech products, the
CIA and DIA would be asked to determine whether the products are actually
needed for legitimate activities of the foreign firm or might be destined for
resale or an illegitimate purpose.
While he did not rule out the possibility of CIA agents pursuing
high-technology espionage cases into the Silicon Valley on their own, he said
-the wnole idea of the task force is to coordinate investigative activities."
He Expects if the CIA develops leads of its own in hi ?h technology
;,:nui w r k, with -Lip task fnrco- unrvr Ruccnnip11n'S rr3ntrol
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/24: CIA-RDP90-00552R000605680001-7 '