Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live At Daybreak

Hussein's Stepson Arrested on Immigration Charges

Aired July 04, 2002 - 06:18   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: A man believed to be the stepson of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein has been arrested in Miami on immigration charges.

Marybel Rodriguez of affiliate WFOR is outside of a federal detention facility where Mohammad Saffi is being held.

Good morning, what can you tell us?

MARYBEL RODRIGUEZ, WFOR-TV REPORTER: Well exactly as you said, officials tell us Mohammad Saffi, the stepson of Saddam Hussein, is held here at the Krome Detention Center on immigration violation charges.

Now they tell us he was arrested last night at a Comfort Inn across Miami International Airport. Now the reason why they say Saffi came to south Florida was to attend a flight school, the same school as some of the September 11 terrorists attended.

Now according to officials, Saffi was tracked Wednesday as he flew from Los Angeles to Miami's International Airport. Officials say Mohammad Saffi is a citizen of New Zealand and worked as a commercial airline pilot for Air New Zealand. They say he planned to take a course at Aeroservice Aviation Center, a Miami flight school where some of the September 11 terrorists trained. However, the INS Saffi entered the country under the visa waiver program, which entitles the citizens of New Zealand to enter this country without a visa, but that does not allow him to take courses.

Now Saffi was picked up at a Comfort Inn across Miami International Airport by INS and FBI agents along with the south Florida joint terrorism task force and driven right here to Krome Detention Center where he is being interviewed.

COSTELLO: What is Saffi saying about all of this?

RODRIGUEZ: Well we really haven't had the opportunity to speak to Saffi. He basically just said that he was coming to south Florida to take a re-certification program for his pilot's license.

COSTELLO: And from what I understand, he's even denying he is Saddam Hussein's stepson?

RODRIGUEZ: Well according to officials, when he arrived to Los Angeles he never told those -- the INS agents that he was actually coming to south Florida to take these courses.

COSTELLO: But do we know about him denying that he's Saddam Hussein's stepson and how do authorities know that he is?

RODRIGUEZ: According to -- according to officials, they told us that they've been interviewing him and that's how they came to the conclusion that exactly he is Saddam Hussein's stepson.

COSTELLO: And apparently his mother was a flight attendant and that's how she met Saddam Hussein and she later married him. Is that how the case goes?

RODRIGUEZ: According to officials that's correct.

COSTELLO: OK, so how long will be -- he be held in that detention facility?

RODRIGUEZ: Well right now he's just waiting for his deportation hearing back to New Zealand.

COSTELLO: And it's a pretty sure bet that he will be deported?

RODRIGUEZ: That's what officials say.

COSTELLO: All right, thank you very much for that live report.

RODRIGUEZ: Thank you very much, Carol.

COSTELLO: We appreciate it.

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