By James Morrison
Embassy Row
Washington Times (USA)
Laro Tan's family fled Cambodia during the savage Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s, but he returned this year as the new American crime fighter at the U.S. Embassy in the capital, Phnom Penh.
"I'm here ... to be a bridge between our countries. For me, especially as a native of Cambodia, it is an honor," he said in an interview posted on the embassy's Web site
(http://phnompenh.usembassy.gov).
Mr. Tan, an FBI agent, is the legal attache assigned to work with the Cambodian National Police to track down fugitives from U.S. justice, capture terrorists and share intelligence on criminal investigations for both countries. He also serves as the legal attache for the U.S. Embassy in Vietnam, although he is headquartered in Cambodia.
"So many of our investigations these days have an overseas connection," he said. "We don't have the authority to make arrests or track leads ourselves in other countries, so we go to our partners and ask for help.
"In return, we offer assistance in their cases with U.S. connections and encourage their agencies and officers to take advantage of the many training programs we offer."
The United States has a history of cooperating with the democratically elected government of Cambodia that dates to at least 2000, when U.S. investigators helped foil an attempted coup.
In 2003, Cambodian authorities tipped U.S. agents searching for the mastermind of the 2002 bombing in Bali, Indonesia, that killed 202 persons. The information led to the arrest of Riduan bin Isamuddin in Thailand.
A typical day for Mr. Tan involves pursuing a fugitive sought by the FBI's New York office and tracing the connections between an Asian gang in San Francisco and cohorts in Cambodia or Vietnam.
"I'm constantly evaluating and providing assessments of threats that might migrate to U.S. shores," he said.
"It's extremely busy. I can tell you that."
Call Embassy Row at 202/636-3297, fax 202/832-7278 or
e-mail jmorrison@washingtontimes.com.
"I'm here ... to be a bridge between our countries. For me, especially as a native of Cambodia, it is an honor," he said in an interview posted on the embassy's Web site
(http://phnompenh.usembassy.gov).
Mr. Tan, an FBI agent, is the legal attache assigned to work with the Cambodian National Police to track down fugitives from U.S. justice, capture terrorists and share intelligence on criminal investigations for both countries. He also serves as the legal attache for the U.S. Embassy in Vietnam, although he is headquartered in Cambodia.
"So many of our investigations these days have an overseas connection," he said. "We don't have the authority to make arrests or track leads ourselves in other countries, so we go to our partners and ask for help.
"In return, we offer assistance in their cases with U.S. connections and encourage their agencies and officers to take advantage of the many training programs we offer."
The United States has a history of cooperating with the democratically elected government of Cambodia that dates to at least 2000, when U.S. investigators helped foil an attempted coup.
In 2003, Cambodian authorities tipped U.S. agents searching for the mastermind of the 2002 bombing in Bali, Indonesia, that killed 202 persons. The information led to the arrest of Riduan bin Isamuddin in Thailand.
A typical day for Mr. Tan involves pursuing a fugitive sought by the FBI's New York office and tracing the connections between an Asian gang in San Francisco and cohorts in Cambodia or Vietnam.
"I'm constantly evaluating and providing assessments of threats that might migrate to U.S. shores," he said.
"It's extremely busy. I can tell you that."
Call Embassy Row at 202/636-3297, fax 202/832-7278 or
e-mail jmorrison@washingtontimes.com.
3 comments:
CONGRATULATION FOR YOUR NEW POST ASSIGMENT AND GREAT HONOR WITH BIG RESPONSIBILITY.
WITH ALL DO RESPECT, YOU WILL BE FACING A LOT AND A LOT OF TEMPTATIONS AND ONSTACLES BUT I HOPE THAT AS AN FBI AGENT, YOU WILL CONTINUE TO CONDUCT YOURSELF WITH HONOR, DIGNITY, AND DUTY.
Congratulations, Mr. Tan! It is great to see the G-man in our homeland. I'm certain that you had prepared yourself well for the panel interview at the Ritz Carlton; in Cleveland, OH prior to receiving the letter of conditional appointment for the strenuous training in Quantico, Virginia. Now, that you’re G-man, do not allow yourself succumb to something that might gravitate toward ethical misconduct.
Again, congratulations!
Koun Khmer
That's a wonderful opportunity, Mr. Tan, and sincerest congratulations! Now, you can track and expose the terrorists group that launched a grenade attack on peaceful demonstrators near the National Assembly on 30th March 1997, injuring a U.S. citizen and leaving many Cambodians dead and injured.
These terrorists, including their leaders, must not be allowed to escape justice. They must be caught and brought before the International Court. We can't trust the local courts to do job because they don't know what justice actually means.
May the force be with you!
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