Nation IN BRIEF : WASHINGTON, D.C. : Justice Nominee Defends BCCI Probe

William P. Barr, President Bush’s nominee for attorney general, denied that the Justice Department was taking too long to act on the Bank of Credit & Commerce International scandal. “All allegations that have surfaced are being pursued vigorously,” Barr told the Senate Judiciary Committee. He said further evidence was needed before indictments could be sought. The Luxembourg-based bank’s operations were seized in July by regulators in the United States and several other countries, amid accusations of widespread corruption. The Justice Department has been criticized for not pressing a full-scale investigation as soon as the bank’s misdeeds became apparent to federal officials. Barr, 41, has been acting attorney general since August.