D.A. SEEKING FUNDS TO FIGHT TERRORISM.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley said Thursday he has asked for additional funds from the Board of Supervisors to hire terrorism investigators.

Cooley said the six new investigators would be assigned to a unit he plans to create to deal with organized crime and hate crimes.

``Last year, California had more terrorist threats than any state in the nation,'' Cooley said. ``We're in a new era and we better get ready. Anyone with any imagination could figure out ways to harm this tremendous urban center.''

To pay for the terrorism investigators, Cooley wants $2.7 million for the unit instead of the $2.1 million he requested earlier this year, which he said would allow him to expand the unit to 31 people instead of 25.

Cooley said California has the toughest anti-terrorism laws in the nation and those laws can be used to protect residents from nuclear, chemical and biological terrorist attacks.

``The problem today is that Los Angeles County no longer has a cohesive law enforcement mechanism in place to address future threats posed by a variety of criminal conspiracies, including those of terrorist organizations,'' Cooley wrote in a letter to Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich.

On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors will vote on whether to postpone until Oct. 16 a decision to adopt the county's final $16 billion budget. The delay would allow county officials to project the costs for emergency operations due to last week's terrorist attacks.

``In light of the national emergency and our county's responsibility to our 88 cities and 137 unincorporated communities, it is vital for the county to prepare for any emergency,'' Antonovich said. ``During this time of national crisis, it's vital that the sheriff, the Fire Department, public safety and health services have the necessary resources to protect the public.''