Justice Dept. Holds Firm on Access to NICS Records The U.S. Department of Justice is halting an FBI attempt to review gun purchaser records compiled under the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). The Bureau sought review of the files to determine whether individuals being investigated in conjunction with the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks had purchased firearms. But after a preliminary check that revealed two suspects had indeed been approved by NICS, Justice put a halt to the process, citing federal law that prohibits the government from maintaining a permanent file of gun buyers and bars using the NICS data for anything other than auditing purposes to insure that the system is operating properly. Under the law, NICS records must be destroyed after 90 days, but the FBI effort sought to review files beyond that time frame.