Terrorism, a new Internet-based criminal identification system and a budget increase were expected to top the agenda at this week's annual Interpol meeting, which began yesterday and ends Thursday in the Cameroonian capital, Yaounde.

Nearly 450 senior police officials from 139 countries plan to look into ways to heighten the role of Interpol in fighting crime and terrorism across international boundaries and to vote on proposals to increase the organization's $24.5 million budget by 23 percent.  Interpol is also expected to induct East Timor and Afghanistan into its ranks, bringing the number of its members to 185.

"Since Sept. 11, 2001, Interpol is reshaping and redefining itself to fight terrorism," said the organization's secretary general, Ronald Noble.  "That's our number one priority."

Interpol is about to unveil a new Internet-based system to speed up identification of wanted criminals that will enable digital transfer of pictures, fingerprints and, in the future, DNA profiles.  The system, which Interpol hopes to have ready by late next year, will also allow translation of texts into any of the organization's four official languages -- English, Spanish, Arabic and French.  According to Noble, Interpol handled 18 cases linked to Sept. 11, 2001, and is seeking to expand a 24-hour rapid response system set up after the attacks.

Critics have called Interpol too slow in disseminating key information about wanted suspects in an era of high technology.  Some notices can take months to assemble, translate and transmit, Associated Press reports (Edward Harris, AP/Boston Globe, Oct. 22).

For the meeting program, click here.  For more from Interpol about U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan's message calling for "ever closer cooperation between Interpol and the United Nations," click here.