Former U.S. Justice Department official warns Europe on election hacking

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Carlin addresses a news conference to announce indictments on Iranian computer hackers, in Washington March 24, 2016. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File Photo

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A former Justice Department official who served in the Obama administration said European countries must be willing to respond forcefully to efforts by Russia or others to use cyber attacks to meddle in their elections, saying the U.S. response fell short.

Former Assistant Attorney General John Carlin, who ran the national security division at the Justice Department and oversaw the pursuit of cyber criminals, said the United States did not do enough to deter the hacking and leaking of Democratic Party emails during the 2016 presidential campaign.