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American Morning

How Has Latest and More Specific Threat Changed Security at Winter Games?

Aired February 12, 2002 - 08:10   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: And as you know, Jack, security was already on high alert at the Olympics. The FBI, of course, issuing a terror warning last December and then extending it to cover the Olympics through March 11th. So how has this latest and more specific threat changed security at the Winter Games?

We're going to go now to CNN's Carol Lin, who joins us from Salt Lake City this morning. Good morning, Carol.

CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, Paula. Yes, security absolutely is extremely tight. But officials will tell you that these threats are not specific to the winter games. In fact, they've had no credible threats, they say. However, there has been some security action surrounding the games. For example, I do know that F-16s were dispatched from Hill Air Force Base over the past few days to intercept small aircraft.

And security on the ground is extremely tight. They have more than 200 hidden cameras around the venue site, covering some 900 square miles. From a central command post, they can see everything from traffic coming in to whether different venues are getting congested with spectators.

And, Paula, I myself went through a security checkpoint yesterday right outside the Delta Center, where the figure skating took place. And let me tell you, it was extremely tight. If you want to get an idea of how sensitive those magnetometers are, in my hand right now 50 cents. That was enough to set off the magnetometer and have me pulled over by one of the National Guard's people who went over me thoroughly -- and I am talking about three times -- with a wand. And every little bit of metal in my jacket set that wand off. So despite the fact that I left a backpack behind to try to get through very quickly, they were very quick to pull me aside.

ZAHN: I actually have to admit I'm relieved to hear that given how concerned obviously people are -- spectators at the Olympics. Let's move on to the medal count now. A clean sweep for American snowboarders on the men's front. Tell us a little bit about that this morning.

LIN: Yeah, that was really amazing. I mean considering now that the Americans have won six medals so far, and four of them have been in the half (UNINTELLIGIBLE) snowboarding. You're talking about those three great guys who took the stand yesterday, and what a site it was. Because it is an all American sport invented right here in the United States in 1965. Ross Powers won the gold. Danny Cass (ph) won the silver. And J.J. Thomas took the stand with the bronze. And when you looked up there, you saw a whole new generation of sports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This sweep is huge for us. I mean it's huge for America and huge for the three of us. And there's no better time to sweep it after everything that's happened this past year. And I'm just so happy to be up here right now.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It makes it way more special, you know. Instead of just one or two of us up here, it's all three of us. So, yeah, that's definitely an added bonus, no doubt.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: It is a pretty new sport for the Olympics. Only two times prior that Americans have competed in this sport. And when you want to get an idea of the athletics involved in this, I mean, there's flipping, there's twisting. These guys go down a wall of ice and flip some 30 feet up in the air. Where I'm sitting right now is about the view that they would have at the height of their amplitude when they take flight off of that wave -- Paula.

ZAHN: Yeah, I've got to admit, I'm a skier. I never wanted to try that, but I certainly stand in awe of their athletic prowess. On to a controversy now that's raging at the Olympics over the Russians taking home the gold in the pairs figure skating. A lot of people across the country saying the Canadian team simply got ripped off. Was there a suggestion that something was rigged there?

LIN: You know what, I'd have to look more into that, Paula. But we had a team from CNN who was at that figure skating competition, and everybody was saying, you know, you're sitting in the stands and people were so upset. Especially after the Canadian skater had an accident prior to the games, running into the Russian skater during practice. So she was going into this injured, and her performance was spectacular. I mean everybody said it was absolutely flawless.

And, you know, that really lends to the debate, is this a sport in the sense that -- how do you -- there's no line that you cross in order to cross the finish line. There's no time that you necessarily finish. What is it that you're competing against, except for the subjectiveness of the judges?

ZAHN: Well, I guess that's the criticism that they operate as a block. Because three of the five judges that scored the Russians higher were from the Eastern European countries, and then, of course, the judges from the USA, Canada, Germany and Japan had the Canadians first. Keep us posted on that controversy. That could get to be an ugly one, couldn't it?

LIN: All right. We'll check back. Thanks.

ZAHN: All right. Thanks, Carol.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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