Terrorists Strike Fast... Interpol has to Move Faster... Ron Noble is on the Case

Interpol has had its share of high-profile cases: Carlos the Jackal, the notorious Venezuelan terrorist and longtime fugitive who was apprehended in Sudan in 1994, and James Kopp, who was arrested in France last year for the murder of a Buffalo, New York doctor who performed abortions. In April, officials in Madrid announced the arrest of Abu Talha, who was suspected of funneling money to members of Al Qaeda, some of whom may have helped organize the September 11 attacks. As usual, though, it wasn't clear exactly what part Interpol played in the arrest.

Ask Noble, and he demurs. Then he smiles and shrugs. He finds himself in the peculiar position of lauding Interpol's effectiveness while revealing little about its operations. "I can't talk about the really great cases," he says.

The Global Imperative
Noble didn't join Interpol cold. In fact, he initiated reforms before he was elected secretary general. In 1998, Noble, who at one point served on Interpol's executive committee, conducted a study of the dues structure and suggested shifting greater responsibility to the wealthier members, as the UN does. Many of the poorest countries were behind in their payments and had lost voting privileges. He argued that Interpol was less global without these members, and therefore less effective. Interpol adopted his plan. As secretary general, he is adamant about upgrading the computer and communications equipment used by the NCBs of the poorest countries. Wealthy members such as the United States should invest in the project, he says, because it's in their interest. "Wouldn't you pay for your neighbor to have a phone so that he could tell you when someone was coming to burglarize your house?" asks Noble.

With police officers and law-enforcement agents from 55 countries working under one roof, Interpol headquarters is the epitome of international teamwork. But Noble says that it should be even more diverse: Nearly three-quarters of the member countries still don't have representatives in Lyon. This is partly due to the fact that the Lyon facility isn't big enough to house them, but it's also true that Interpol has long had a decidedly European -- more specifically, French -- orientation. In addition to its locale (until 1989, its headquarters was outside of Paris), its leadership has been historically French since World War II. Noble has appointed subdirectors from each geographic region -- a first for Interpol -- and courted officials in Asia and Africa. During visits to Lebanon, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and Singapore, he urged the authorities there to assign officers to Lyon.

Interpol's critics, however, argue that the agency is too inclusive. As long as Cuba, Iraq, and Libya are members, they say, the U.S. should not participate. But Noble insists that inclusion is Interpol's strength. The first country to issue an Interpol red notice for the arrest of Osama bin Laden wasn't the United States -- it was Libya, in 1998, for the murder of two German nationals. "If you're looking for dangerous people," Noble says, "you don't care whether it's your enemy or your friend who tells you, as long as you find out."

In 2000, 92 countries shared terrorism-related information with Interpol. Noble wants to see that number go up. But member countries aren't required to share. They decide how much to disclose and stipulate which members have access. Interpol's criminal database, the International Criminal Information System, or ICIS, is the global equivalent of the U.S. National Crime Information Center, or NCIC. When a country gives information to Interpol, each piece of evidence -- license-plate number, type of drug or weapon -- is stored in a single relational database that makes links between cases and people.

Stephen Brown is an intelligence analyst in the organized-crime and drugs division. He sifts through evidence from different cases looking for any connections or patterns that might suggest a larger operation or trend. "You can search by phone numbers, hotel rooms -- anything, and the database tells you if the new information matches anything we already have," says Brown, who exudes the patience, curiosity, and meticulousness required to solve elaborate puzzles. As he describes the moment when he realizes that separate investigations overlap, he sounds like an explorer excitedly retracing his route.

Of course, law-enforcement outfits won't share what they know unless they believe that Interpol is trustworthy. "We are the keeper of the key," says Frank Spicka, assistant director of public safety and terrorism at Interpol headquarters. "The only way to instill trust in people is by working with them and proving that you're worthy of it. Interpol is an evolving partnership."