WASHINGTON, Jan 11: US President George Bush on Tuesday named a former federal prosecutor who helped craft the early "war on terror" strategy, as new homeland security chief.

Michael Chertoff, a Harvard law graduate, previously headed the Justice Department's criminal division, where he played a central role in the Bush administration's legal response to the 9/11 attacks.

Before that he was in private practice and in 1994-96 served as the Senate Republicans' chief counsel for the Clinton-era White water investigation. As head of the Justice Department's criminal division, Mr Chertoff helped prosecute hundreds of terror suspects.

Mr Chertoff currently sits on the Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia. President Bush appointed him to the federal bench almost two years ago. Mr Chertoff, who still needs to be confirmed by the Senate, will replace Tom Ridge.