OnBackground

An online journal of politics, policy, and society with a special focus on Maryland -- Contact: on_background at yahoo.com.

Tuesday, July 13, 2004

Government Officials Get Implants

 
Mexican Attorney General Gets Security Microchip Implant in Arm

July 12 (Bloomberg) -- Mexico's Attorney General Rafael Macedo de la Concha said he had a non-removable microchip implanted in his arm as a security measure to track him throughout Mexico and to give him access to a crime data bank.

Other high-ranking law enforcement officials who have access to the databank will also receive the chip implants, Macedo said in a transcript of an informal interview he gave to journalists in Mexico City provided by the attorney general's office.

``The system is already in place and I already have it,'' he said. ``It's only for access, for security and so that I can also be located at any moment anywhere I am.''

The $26 million data bank was created to link information on criminals and records of outstanding arrest warrants among the attorney generals branch offices in all 31 states and the federal district.

The chip can't be removed, but will be deactivated after Macedo's term as attorney general expires, he said.

About 160 Mexican officials will carry the microchip, according to the Mexico City daily El Universal.