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CNN Live Today

Tape Offers Inside View of Terror Network

Aired August 20, 2002 - 11:07   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: We move on to other news this morning, and the other news that would have been our top story had this situation in Berlin not unfolded: Osama bin Laden's declaration of war on the West, and his vow to kill Americans all captured on tape.
Now, among the 64 al Qaeda videotapes obtained by our correspondent, Nic Robertson, is a May, 1998 news conference by bin Laden. And on this tape, we see him arriving at the compound in eastern Afghanistan, accompanied by his top advisers and surrounded by bodyguards. And he is greeted there by a gunfire salute.

Inside, bin Laden speaks to the select group of invited journalists, and that is where he issues his declaration of war. On the tape, bin Laden says in Arabic -- quoting here -- "We have formed with many other Islamic groups and organizations in the Islamic world a front called the International Islamic front to do jihad against the crusaders and Jews" -- end quote.

He also went on to say that the men involved are going to have a successful result in killing Americans and getting rid of them.

As he leaves the compound, you see here bin Laden flinches when a rocket-propelled grenade is launched nearby. He inspects his security detail, and then sets off to wage his campaign of terror.

Within 11 weeks, al Qaeda launches attacks on the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.

CNN's terrorism analyst says that the tape represents a key moment for al Qaeda, when the terror group goes public with its war against the U.S. and the West.

Joining us now with more insight is CNN national correspondent, Mike Boettcher, who has covered al Qaeda extensively.

Mike -- what do you make of what we have seen here?

MIKE BOETTCHER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's a candid view of bin Laden, a candid view of his security. When this entire process was allowed to be witnessed by the Pakistani journalists back in May of 1998, they weren't allowed to take any pictures, except for the three principals at the press conference.

So you saw no pictures of bin Laden traveling with his entourage, with those bodyguards, the heavy security. You saw no pictures of candid conversations after the press conference itself by Ayman al- Zawahiri to Pakistani journalists, talking about the U.S. Embassy in Cairo being a nest of spies.

So you see a candid glimpse, and there could be some key figures among those people wrapped -- their faces wrapped with the black cloth. It is likely that some of those people, I am told by coalition intelligence sources, are key figures, who have intimate knowledge of al Qaeda operations.

HARRIS: Is that the reason why this tape was not published? Well, I am just guessing here, Mike. You tell me if it's...

(CROSSTALK)

BOETTCHER: Oh, I would say -- yes, Leon. I'd say certainly that was not the reason why. When they have released tapes to various channels around the world, particularly al-Jazeera, the videotapes were pre-produced and heavily edited. He would not want to see -- have the world see his security preparations, and I'm sure he would not want the world to see him flinching when that RPG was fired over his head.

Now, in talking to analysts, they tell me that it appeared to them, by the way the security was acting and the heaviness of the security, that bin Laden was in an area that he had not visited before or infrequently, that he didn't feel secure there. And when he was leaving and it was quiet and all of a sudden there was this gun blast, or the RPG blast, he flinches. They say it's an indication that it's an area he was unfamiliar with.

CNN terrorism analyst, Peter Bergen, believes it's a camp near Khost. He has been in that area. But further analysis is being done.

HARRIS: All right. We may be familiar with -- and we see behind you the section of that tape where that rocket launcher went off, and you can see him flinch, Osama bin Laden, and raise his hand to his face as if to protect himself. And I can understand how that would indicate that he was in an unfamiliar area.

But have any of the faces that have popped up on this tape presented any surprises or any revelations to some of the analysts and the experts that you have talked to?

BOETTCHER: Well, the analysts I have talked to believe they recognize a couple of the faces, but they want to make double sure. So at this time with only limited ability to confirm, we are not going to reveal the identity of those two people. But I will say that some people in that entourage do have very intimate knowledge of al Qaeda operations, both past and present.

And you also have to remember that it has been reported that several al Qaeda bodyguards for bin Laden are being held by coalition authorities in various places around the world, and that could be of interest and help to people interrogating them. It could give proof to the coalition that this particular person was with bin Laden and have may have more information than he is admitting to.

HARRIS: Yes, but what I find fairly interesting, Mike, as we wrap up here, is what appears to me to be the level of paranoia that bin Laden seems to be expressing in that security detail, and you see how close they are to him, and aside from the way that he is flinching. And this, before he actually even launches this war?

BOETTCHER: Yes, you've got a -- you know, that's a very good point, Leon. This is 11 weeks before the attacks on the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. At that time, he was on the U.S. radar screen, but he wasn't target No. 1. And if you extrapolate and look down the line, you have to consider that he must be even more concerned -- not must be -- he is more concerned about his security.

But the interesting thing is, at the present time, he actually, according to my sources, has jettisoned a lot of his security, is traveling with fewer bodyguards, because he has to keep a lower profile and move more secretly in the area he is. And that would be, according to my sources, the northwest territories of Pakistan, the tribal areas.

HARRIS: Mike Boettcher, joining us now with more perspective on these incredible tapes uncovered by our Nic Robertson in Afghanistan -- thanks, Mike.

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