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CNN Live At Daybreak

Possible Link to 9/11 Terror Attacks Now Under Investigation in Germany

Aired September 10, 2002 - 05:09   ET

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


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: A possible link to the 9/11 terror attacks is now under investigation in Germany. Federal prosecutors have searched two locations of an import-export firm that they suspect has been used to smuggle Islamic fundamentalists. The manager, his wife and two sons are suspected of links to people under investigation in the attacks.
CNN Berlin bureau chief Stephanie Halasz joins us by phone with Berlin with more details -- good morning.

Stephanie, are you there? Stephanie?

STEPHANIE HALASZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, hi, Carol. Can you hear me?

COSTELLO: Stephanie. Yes, I can.

Can you tell us about this investigation there?

HALASZ: Yes, this morning raids in five locations in Hamburg and the northern state of Schleswig-Holstein. As you said, four people have been taken in. No arrests. The four who are being questioned at the moment are what the German federal prosecutor is describing as a German-Syrian businessman and his wife and two sons.

The federal prosecutor who is in charge of this investigation is investigating because of suspicion of membership in a criminal organization and he says there is suspicion that under cover of their trading company, they founded a criminal organization to smuggle Islamic fundamentalists, as you said.

Also, there is suspicion of violation of visa and resident permits law, documentation violation and money laundering. The German prosecutor is also saying there is suspicion that these people may have had contact with persons who were connected to the terrorist attacks in the U.S. on September 11 of last year.

Again, we should stress that they're, that no arrests have been made yet -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Stephanie, can you explain this more to me? There was an import-export business and they were smuggling people, fundamentalists. How were they doing that, allegedly?

HALASZ: Well, basically this has to do with German residence permits. Of course, when you come into Germany as a foreigner, a non- European Union citizen, you need certain residence permits, just like in other countries. And now this German-Syrian businessman who seemed to have both citizens, German and Syrian, would have had contacts with people in the Islamic world and would have taken them in possibly as an apprentice, as a relative who he vouched for.

It is fairly easy to get into Germany as a foreigner because Germany has liberal foreigner laws. But, of course, there have, you know, people have to have residence permits -- Carol.

COSTELLO: We understand a little more now.

Stephanie Halasz, I know you have to go.

Thank you for joining us live from Germany this morning.

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