Top Homeland hires considered

The Bush administration is considering hiring New York City's counterterrorism chief and Coca-Cola Co.'s top cybersecurity watchdog for top jobs in the new Homeland Security Department, Federal Computer Week has learned.

Retired Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Frank Libutti, who took on the New York City post Jan. 16, 2002, is being considered as undersecretary for intelligence analysis and infrastructure protection for the new department.

And Robert Liscouski, the director of information assurance for the soft-drink maker, is under consideration for assistant secretary for infrastructure protection.

Background checks are just beginning for the potential candidates, and the nomination process could take weeks or months to complete.

Prior to his service for New York City, Libutti served as special assistant for homeland security at the Defense Department. Prior to that, he was commander of Marine Corps Forces in the Pacific.

Libutti's office at the New York City Police Department declined to comment. The office was created to detect, prevent and investigate terrorism.

Little is known about Liscouski. Calls to his office were not returned.