Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

Ashcroft Asks 3,000 Middle Eastern Men to Talk to Law Enforcement

Aired March 20, 2002 - 14:05   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: You saw it earlier here on CNN, the nation's highest law enforcement officer today asked another batch of visitors to the U.S. to come in for questioning, voluntarily, we are told, by federal prosecutors. More now from Susan Candiotti. Susan, good afternoon to you. It appears once again -- we saw something similar after 9-11, that once again more questioning is the request, anyway, at this point. Good afternoon.

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Bill. Yes, it's a repeat. Claiming success the first time around, the Justice Department is now again tracking down mostly Middle Eastern men in the U.S., defending its actions as one of the best ways to combat terrorism.

In round two of what's called the interview project, roughly 3,000 men are being sought this time, with passports from countries with ties to al Qaeda. Sources say the mostly Middle Eastern men are range in age from 18 to 46, just as they did last November when the program began. The non-immigrant aliens entered the U.S. after the September 11 attacks.

Attorney General John Ashcroft says they'll ask these men to meet voluntarily with law enforcement to see if they have any information about friends and neighbors who might be involved in terrorism. Ashcroft insists the interview subjects are not themselves suspected of terrorism.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN ASHCROFT, ATTORNEY GENERAL: These visitors to our country have been selected for interview because they fit criteria designed to identify persons who might have knowledge of foreign-based terrorists. We believe that these individuals might either wittingly or unwittingly be in the same circles, communities or social groups as those engaged in terrorist activities.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CANDIOTTI: In round one that began last November, 5,000 mostly Middle Eastern men were sought nationwide. Less than half were interviewed. The others couldn't be found or left the U.S. Fewer than 20 people were arrested on charges that had nothing to do with terrorism. The attorney general bolstered the first round of interviews forged new trust between Middle Eastern communities and law enforcement, but some activists charge Ashcroft's got it wrong.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES ZOGBY, ARAB AMERICAN INSTITUTE: The fact is that this creates more of a chill than cooperation. When law enforcement finds leads, they go and talk to people. They can go and talk to people every day of the week, and do. But what this does is it creates a PR stunt for the broader public.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CANDIOTTI: The attorney general says some of the people they interviewed provided solid leads, and others volunteered to be informants. This latest round is supposed to last about a month -- Bill.

HEMMER: All right, Susan, thanks. Susan Candiotti there in D.C.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com