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CNN Live Today

9/11 Investigation Still Underway

Aired March 11, 2002 - 12:35   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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Here in the U.S. and in Europe and in Asia, investigators still trying to piece together that global puzzle: who all was involved in the attacks against America? Susan Candiotti now, updates today, six months later, on the investigation.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): We know who hijacked the planes, the 19 men who turned airliners into flying bombs, but six months later, the man overseeing the government's 9/11 task force admits there are still holes in the case.

MICHAEL CHERTOFF, ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL: We may never know everybody who participated, but actually I'm encouraged by the fact that as we have pulled together, information that comes globally to us, we've filled in more and more of the pieces of the puzzle.

CANDIOTTI: Among the pieces, investigators are convinced the plan was hatched and brainstormed mostly in Western Europe and Malaysia, financed by Mid East sources, executed by terrorists trained in Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda camps and at U.S. flight schools, a plot carried out with remarkable secrecy.

But in the last six months, only one person directly linked to the attacks has been charged in the U.S., Frenchman Zacarias Moussaoui.

JOHN ASHCROFT, ATTORNEY GENERAL: Moussaoui is charged with undergoing the same training, receiving the same funding, and pledging the same commitment to kill Americans.

CANDIOTTI: But who else was involved? Investigators believe hijacking ringleader Mohammed Atta's former roommate in Hamburg, Germany, Ramzi bin al-Shibh, was a paymaster. He and others have been charged as co-conspirators on international warrants, but...

CHERTOFF: We don't know if they're dead or alive, whether they're buried in the rubble in Afghanistan.

CANDIOTTI: Or whether unknown 9/11 confederates are hiding in plain sight.

After September 11, America also found itself vulnerable to biological warfare. The anthrax letter attacks have stopped, but the FBI appears no closer no capturing the killer who claimed five lives and terrorized a nation.

ROBERT MUELLER, FBI DIRECTOR: I will tell you that we have no one person specifically that stands out above others at this juncture.

CANDIOTTI: What does stand out is frustration, trying to solve both the anthrax and September 11 attacks. The FBI determined to get answers, unable to predict when that might be.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CANDIOTTI: FBI Director Robert Mueller counts 4,000 agents still following parts of the investigation. Many leads, now, being worked overseas, where more than 1,000 terrorist suspects have been arrested, or detained. Authorities say there could be more arrests in the U.S. directly connected to September 11th, but the FBI's self-described priority now is preventing another day like the one we are remembering, six months later -- Bill.

HEMMER: Susan, with regard to that overseas connection. How much is the U.S. saying that they are able to really, truly get good cooperation from other governments overseas on what they want to get answers for?

CANDIOTTI: Time and again, U.S. officials, including FBI Director Robert Mueller, and the U.S. attorney general insist that there is full cooperation. Now mind you, there have been no moves now to charge anyone that is being held overseas, but evidentially, there is information that is being shared, and authorities here insist they have been able to avert future attacks, possible attacks, because of that cooperation.

HEMMER: Got it. Susan, thank you. Susan Candiotti live there in Washington.

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