FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
     AG
     MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2001
     (202) 514-2007
     WWW.USDOJ.GOV
     TDD (202) 514-1888


                                ATTTORNEY GENERAL REQUESTS REVIEW
                                        OF HANSEEN MATTER


     WASHINGTON, DC-- On Friday, March 9, Attorney General John Ashcroft requested that
     the Inspector General of the Justice Department conduct a thorough review of the
     Robert Phillip Hanssen matter.

     The review will examine the Department's performance in preventing, detecting and
     investigating Hanssen's espionage activities, similar to the Office of Inspector
     General 's April 1997 review of the Aldrich Ames matter. The Inspector General will
     coordinate this review with the Hanssen prosecution team, so as to not interfere with
     the ongoing criminal investigation and with Judge William Webster's review of the
     FBI's internal security functions and procedures in order to avoid unnecessary
     duplication of effort.

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