[announce] OASIS to Create Framework for Global Sharing of Criminaland Terrorist Evidence

[Carol Geyer <carol.geyer@oasis-open.org>]

OASIS Members to Create Framework for Global Sharing of Criminal and
Terrorist Evidence

XML Specification Will Deliver Reliable Authentication and Auditing to
Safeguard Privacy and Increase Effectiveness of Lawful Intercepts

Boston, MA, USA; 23 January 2003 -- The OASIS standards consortium today
announced the formation of a new technical committee to develop a
universal global framework for supporting rapid discovery and sharing of
suspected criminal and terrorist evidence by law enforcement agencies.
The OASIS LegalXML Lawful Intercept XML (LI-XML) Technical Committee was
formed to meet critical needs emerging from several national and
intergovernmental mandates around the world, including the recently
passed United States Homeland Security Information Sharing Act of 2002,
the new Lawful Intercept additional protocol of the European Convention
on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters,
and e-Government mandates in Europe and the United States.

"As the ability for criminals and terrorists to access technology
increases, the challenge for law enforcement to detect, comply with
legal process, and implement evidence discovery tools also grows," noted
Anthony M. Rutkowski of VeriSign, chair of the OASIS LegalXML LI-XML
Technical Committee. "Government agencies as well as providers of
electronic communication services worldwide will benefit from uniform
XML schema that facilitates fully electronic receipt, authentication,
and implementation of lawful process."

Rutkowski added that the enhanced precision, authentication, and audit
features provided by LI-XML will result in greater public trust in the
traditionally sensitive area of legal discovery.

As part of the OASIS LegalXML Member Section, the LI-XML specification
will be designed to support an end-to-end legal process where law
enforcement, justice, and security agencies are the principal
beneficiaries. LI-XML Technical Committee members plan to work closely
with related OASIS efforts including the LegalXML Electronic Court
Filing and OASIS e-Government Technical Committees.

"LI-XML is the latest in a growing number of OASIS Technical Committees
that address the needs of the public sector," noted Karl Best, vice
president of OASIS. "We are encouraged to see government agencies and
representatives from around the globe joining OASIS to advance this
effort, along with our e-Government, Tax XML and other LegalXML
initiatives."

Participation in the OASIS LegalXML LI-XML Technical Committee remains
open to all organizations and individuals. OASIS will host an open mail
list for public comment, and completed work will be freely available to
the public without licensing or other fees. Information on joining OASIS
can be found on http://www.oasis-open.org/join.


About OASIS (http://www.oasis-open.org)

OASIS (Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information
Standards) is a not-for-profit, global consortium that drives the
development, convergence, and adoption of e-business standards. Members
themselves set the OASIS technical agenda, using a lightweight, open
process expressly designed to promote industry consensus and unite
disparate efforts. OASIS produces worldwide standards for security, Web
services, XML conformance, business transactions, electronic publishing,
topic maps and interoperability within and between marketplaces. Founded
in 1993, OASIS has more than 2,000 participants representing over 300
companies as well as individual members in 100 countries around the
world.

For more information:

Carol Geyer
Director of Communications
OASIS (www.oasis-open.org)
carol.geyer@oasis-open.org
+1.978.667.5115 x209