New agency looks to bring new spy tools to government

Using a laptop and a satellite link, FBI agents can find out within two minutes whether the fingerprint from a newly captured suspect overseas matches a terrorist database in Virginia.The fingerprint-recognition system is an example of new spy gear that National Intelligence Director Mike McConnell bought last year. It’s for a research center developing futuristic technology for use by the federal government’s 16 spy agencies.

Another project of the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity is a computer program known as English Now. It converts documents written in languages such as Arabic into English.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press.