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CNN Live Today

Pentagon Discovers Second American Taliban

Aired April 04, 2002 - 13:29   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.
FREDERICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: CNN is learning a lot more about the man who is being described as the second American Taliban. Our Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr joins us with details now. Hi there, Barbara.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredericka. Well, a plan has now been put into place for this man, this so-called second American Taliban to be brought back to the United States later today. The plan is in place. All that remains is for it to be activated once the justice department makes a formal decision later today that he is an American citizen.

What we are told is that a military aircraft is on standby, will go into Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to the naval station where the detainees are being held later today. It will pick him up. He will be placed into the custody of federal agents. He will then be flown back to the United States. There may be a single stop at a naval base along the East Coast. We are led to believe he will then be brought to northern Virginia, not very far from here and the Pentagon, taken to the same federal detention facility where Zacarias Moussaoui and John Walker Lindh, the first American Taliban, are being held.

This man is Yasser Esam Hamdi. He was born 22 years ago in Baton Rouge, Louisiana to Saudi parents who then, when he was a toddler, took him back to Saudi Arabia. We don't know if he ever returned to the United States at any point. But there is what apparently is now a valid birth certificate from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, showing that he was born here.

The justice department and the Pentagon have been looking this situation very intensively for the last couple of days. We do expect an announcement later this afternoon and that will, we are told, begin the process of moving him back to the United States. So he will be in the federal court system, not being held by the U.S. military -- Fredericka.

WHITFIELD: So, Barbara, are you being made privy to the details of what more do they need to investigate or uncover to verify his birthplace or his nationality?

STARR: Well, this process is actually both very simple and very complicated at the same time. What they look for are these valid birth documents. They did find a birth certificate. What we are told, though, is some of the things the lawyers are still pouring over at this hour, and this could change, are the key questions about his claim of citizenship. In other words, does he possibly hold dual citizenship, both U.S. and Saudi citizenship. Is there any question, for example, that he may have forfeited his U.S. citizenship by fighting for a foreign power. He was seized during that prison uprising in Mazar-e Sharif, Afghanistan late last year. He was said to be fighting with the Taliban when he was seized. Could that be some sort of forfeiture of his U.S. citizenship? These are all the questions the lawyers are continuing to pour over.

WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks very much. Barbara Starr from the Pentagon.

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