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Ashcroft Addresses Media

Aired April 30, 2002 - 14:50   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: To D.C. quickly, Attorney General John Ashcroft talking about the arrest that was made in Illinois. U.S. authorities claiming that the arrest has links, strong links, to Osama bin Laden, operating a charity for the past ten years. Here is the attorney general.

JOHN ASHCROFT, ATTORNEY GENERAL: As I mentioned, U.S. Attorney Pat Fitzgerald in Chicago will be making further announcements about this matter at a news conference of his own later today. Yes?

QUESTION: Is your continued detention of material witnesses in the September 11th investigation jeopardized by this federal judge's ruling in New York?

ASHCROFT: The opinion of the one trial judge in New York represents an anomaly. We are studying our appellate options there. The Department's use of material witness warrants is fully consistent with the law and long-standing practice.

Numerous other judges have authorized the use of material witness warrants in the settings that we have been using them. And the use of such warrants has been validated at the appellate level. Yes, sir?

QUESTION: So, this case in Chicago, how significant is this guy in this organization in supporting al Qaeda? Do you have any sense of what kind of significance this arrest has?

ASHCROFT: I'm going to limit my remarks to what I have said about that case. The prosecutor is holding a press conference in Chicago at 5:00 Eastern Time. The contents of the indictment itself are instructive about certain relationships between the defendant and al Qaeda.

Yes, sir?

QUESTION: Back to the Fark (ph) case, sir. If this is a symbol of an expansion of the war on terrorism, or I should say, a symbol of the government's willingness to prosecute terrorists anywhere, where will you be drawing the lines elsewhere in the world?

There are a lot of terrorist organizations around the world, including the group in the Philippines that currently has two Americans hostage. If you could give us some thoughts on how you're going to weigh prosecution of other groups or individuals. ASHCROFT: Well, specific prosecutions always require the evaluation of specific facts. And this administration and this department is committed to defending the rights of Americans when the facts are available to support effective prosecution. Yes?

QUESTION: In order to go after the Fark (ph) on things other than drug-related offenses, don't you need some kind of -- haven't you asked for congressional help to have a law that will enable to you to go after terrorists and kidnappers and so forth, in the Columbia? And how is that progressing?

ASHCROFT: Well, at the fear of walking out in an area that is the specialty of these prosecutors, let me say that these prosecutions are based on a law that is focused on those who would terrorize by killing Americans, threatening Americans and intimidating Americans.

And this is an anti-terrorist prosecution in that respect. And it specifically charges and alleges not only a conspiracy to commit murder, three specific ANNOUNCER: ts of murder, as well as the use of a gun in the commission of a violent crime.

HEMMER: Three topics there to handle. One indictment handed down against some members from Colombia. But the attorney general was addressing prior to that, though, there are two issues on the plate that we have covered the past two hours.

One deals with this case in Chicago, where a Syrian-born naturalized U.S. citizen, age 39, apparently he has been picked up and is being charged with essentially lying to authorities. But the key to that case is that U.S. authorities believe they have a connection to Osama bin Laden, that stretches anywhere between ten years or more, back in time.

The other case has to do with this Jordanian student, 21 years of age, picked up in San Diego shortly after the days, the attacks, of 9- 11. A judge has thrown out his case, essentially throwing out a perjury indictment against that college student, by the name of Osama Awadallah -- again, I mentioned, 21 years old.

They say errors were made in the investigation and apprehension of that man. U.S. authorities insist they will continue to pursue that case, however.

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