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CNN Live At Daybreak

Even With Intelligence More Finely Tuned to Terrorism, Danger of Disseminating False Information

Aired May 14, 2002 - 05:07   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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Even with U.S. intelligence more finely tuned to the potential for terrorism, there is also the danger of disseminating false information.

As CNN's David Ensor reports, it's a problem for the news media and for the Justice Department.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID ENSOR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): U.S. officials say they did receive word from a foreign intelligence service that Islamic terrorists might be planning an attack on a U.S. nuclear power plant on or around July 4, the nation's birthday. But they stress they believe the information may not be reliable at all. It comes, officials say, from a foreign government that has been wrong in the past.

The first report on this in the "Washington Times" mentioned the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania as a possible target. U.S. officials, however, tell CNN the intelligence information did not name any particular nuclear power plant. An officials at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said the NRC is not aware of any credible threat against a specific plant.

Another example of threat information that could be misleading -- are Islamic extremists stowing away on ships entering the U.S.? Probably not. But officials told CNN's Kelli Arena that an internal government memo suggested as many as 25 Islamic extremists could have entered the U.S. since March. U.S. officials say there is no evidence whatsoever to back up that assertion.

But when another news organization reported the existence of the memo, officials confirmed the memo does exist.

(on camera): Since September 11, U.S. intelligence and law enforcement agencies have increased exponentially the amount of information they are gathering on possible terrorist threats. Most of it later turns out not to be credible, not reliable. The question for U.S. policymakers and editors, too, is how good does information have to be before you put it out?

David Ensor, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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