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Iran Not Taking Kindly to U.S. Intelligence Report Claiming Al Qaeda There

Aired August 28, 2002 - 12:32   ET

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

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The government of Iran isn't taking kindly to a U.S. intelligence report claiming senior Al Qaeda leaders have taken refuge there.
CNN's Barbara Starr has that story now from the Pentagon.

BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, none of this should really come as a surprise to anybody. For weeks now, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has been publicly saying that there are Al Qaeda operatives in both Iraq and Iran. Now, none of this has been completely verified of course, because no U.S. intelligence agents have laid eyes on any of these people, but there is now an ability to put some names to who the U.S. suspects is hiding out in both of those countries.

Now in terms of Iran, U.S. officials say that they believe a man nicknamed Abu Haf, also known as the "Morataneum (ph)," is in Iran, just over the border from Afghanistan, having fled there from fighting in previous months. What's interesting is U.S. military officials thought at one point this man had been killed in the U.S. military attack, but in recent weeks, they have come to understand he is alive, that is their assessment, and that he is most likely hiding in Iran with a significant number of Al Qaeda operatives.

Another man that is currently in Iran is an Al Qaeda operational planner. He is an Egyptian called Saif Al-Adel. Now, in Iraq, the U.S. believes there is also a top Al Qaeda planner hiding out in northern Iraq under the protection as it were of Kurdish militant groups. This man is named Abu Massad Zachari (ph). He is said to be very knowledgeable about the Al Qaeda's efforts to gain chemical and biological weapon, and possibly, he even has ties to the terrorist group Hezbollah.

Now of course, again, Don Rumsfeld has been saying all of this for weeks. He has not public names to it publicly, but on background, intelligence officials believe this is their best guess to who some of the very top tier Al Qaeda are, and where they're hiding out -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Thank you.

Iran's president today added his voice to the chorus, urging no U.S. attacks aimed at ousting Saddam Hussein. The leader made clear, he is no fan of his counterpart in Baghdad, but said the U.S. war on terror is "worse than terrorism itself." Yesterday, Saudi Arabia again stressed its opposition to a new Iraq war, but Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said that decision, when it comes, will not depend on consensus.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD RUMSFELD, DEFENSE SECY.: The president's not made a decision with respect to Iraq. There is a discussion, a debate, a dialogue, taking place in our country and the world as it properly should be taking place. These are important decisions. They are important issues.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Let's go now to CNN's Kelly Wallace. She is at the president's ranch in Texas.

Kelly, hello.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Well, in the past 24 hours, a number of leaders of top countries have come out and said, internationally, they won't support a attack on Iraq?

WALLACE: It is interesting, Kyra, and following Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who also said yesterday, that if the United States makes the right decision, other countries will follow. But just take a look right now, Britain is the only country sort of broadly supportive of the U.S. goal of regime change in Iraq.

Teak a look at all of the countries so far that have expressed opposition or reservations about any military attack on Iraq, 14 countries in all, ranging from Australia, and Jordan, to China, Egypt. We are not going to run through the whole list. You can see that on your screen there, including Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Yemen, again, 14 countries in all. Now what the administration would say to that, Kyra, is the president has not made a decision., and that once he makes a decision. He will make the case to the American people, members of Congress, and to U.S. allies.

But, Kyra, clearly the president will have a big challenge ahead trying to change the minds -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: No doubt, and a lot of these international leaders saying, just go through the U.N., what do you think about that?

WALLACE: Exactly, and one country in particular, Saudi Arabia also, and that was the message delivered to President Bush yesterday. We had Prince Bandar, the Saudi Arabian ambassador in Washington, visiting with the president at his ranch, and the Saudis made it very clear, they are opposed to military action. The president's meeting did little to change the Saudi position, and the Saudis are saying, look, let's get weapons inspectors back inside the country.

Let's go through the United Nations, and try to get that inspections regime back into the country. What's clear, Kyra, is there are different goals here. The Saudis and others believe the goal should be getting inspectors in the country to deal with threat of weapons of mass destruction, whereas the U.S. goal is regime change -- Kyra.

KAGAN: Kelly Wallace in Crawford, Texas, see you again, Kelly.

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