CHILD PORN DATA BASE TO BE RAISED AT JHA

UNCLAS BRUSSELS 003561

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR INL/PC, EUR/ERA; DOJ FOR BRUCE SWARTZ

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KCRM KJUS EUN USEU BRUSSELS
SUBJECT: CHILD PORN DATA BASE TO BE RAISED AT JHA
MINISTERIAL OCTOBER 6


1. Summary. On September 15 the G-8 Lyon Law Enforcement
Subgroup formally presented a report on the deployment of an
International Child Sexual Exploitation Image Database (ICSE
DB) to Interpol. The ICSE DB is intended to increase the
effectiveness and efficiency of investigations by improving
the accessibility and retrieval by law enforcement of data
concerning international child sexual exploitation crimes.
Costs for development and initial implementation of the
project are estimated at Euro two million, with operation and
maintenance costs over one million Euros for a three-year
period. The UK has requested that discussion of funding
options for the ISCE DB be included on the agenda for the JHA
Troika to be held in Washington October 6. End summary.

Background
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2. In 2001 under the Italian presidency of the G8, Justice
and Interior Ministers directed their officials to find new
and more effective measures to counter the sexual
exploitation of children on the Internet. The result was the
STOP II Feasibility Study which was presented to G8 ministers
in December 2002. The feasibility study set out a number of
recommendations regarding the use of a sophisticated
networked international child sexual exploitation image
database, together with the technical and legal requirements
to make this a reality. The on-going political will of G8
ministers was reinforced at their meeting in June 2005 in
Sheffield when they endorsed the project and committed
themselves to working with Interpol to secure the additional
resources necessary for Interpol to implement it.

Project Proposal
--------------


3. The proposed database would enhance of the existing
Interpol child pornography database and should be an
effective tool for law enforcement which is currently
hampered in fighting these offenses by national borders and
limited resources in identifying victims and offenders of
child sexual exploitation on-line around the world. The
proposed system will be operative 365 days per year, 24 hours
per day for Interpol's 182 member countries using Interpol's
24/7 communication network. The report encourages
participants to contribute images it uncovers to the
database, but recognizes that some national laws proscribe
such transfers. In that event, descriptive case data is to
be supplied for inclusion in the database. A CD ROM of the
Implementation Report has been sent to DOJ Criminal Division
attorney Tom Burrows.


4. The Implementation Study indicates the costs for
development and initial implementation of the project at
approximately Euro 2 million, with operation and maintenance
costs estimated at over Euro one million over a three-year
period. These figures are to be considered estimates only;
actual expenditures may be higher.


5. Comment. The UK Presidency of the EU has requested that
funding options for the ISCE DB be included in the agenda for
the JHA Troika to be held in Washington on October 6. USEU
DOJ Senior Counsel Mark Richard played a key role as chair of
Legal Working Group for the Study and will attend the Troika.
While the USG will not be expected to make a precise
financial commitment at the meeting, Interpol will be looking
to Washington for a pledge of resource assistance to this
important project. End comment.

McKinley
.