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CNN Saturday Morning News

Discussion of Arrest of Top al Qaeda Operative

Aired September 14, 2002 - 09:10   ET

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

CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: And now to the arrest of top al Qaeda operative Ramzi Binalshibh. He was one of 10 al Qaeda suspects that were captured during some raids in Karachi on the anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
CNN justice correspondent Kelli Arena is joining us now from Washington with the latest on this. A big coup in this investigation now, Kelli. This man a former roommate of the hijacker Mohammed Atta.

KELLI ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: That's right, a very big step forward in the 9/11 investigation.

It was U.S. intelligence that led Pakistan to Binalshibh. And he was taken into custody by Pakistani intelligence officials on Wednesday. Now, by his own admission, Binalshibh was directly involved in the September 11 attacks. Authorities allege that he provided money and logistical support to the hijackers.

But investigators believe that he was originally intended to be the 20th hijacker. He did try to enter the United States four times before 9/11, but he was denied entry. He remains in Pakistan at this time.

Now, when asked directly, Attorney General John Ashcroft this morning at a press conference refused any comment on the fact Binalshibh had been captured or what the next step may be.

So we are waiting to hear on that front.

Back to you.

CALLAWAY: Do we expect to learn anything from him, Kelli? You know, we were talking earlier with Kelly about he has certainly not a shy man. We've heard audiotapes on Al-Jazeera television of him, I guess, bragging of his involvement.

ARENA: That's right.

CALLAWAY: What is going to happen during the interrogation?

ARENA: Yes. Well, you know, you really don't know. And that is really an individual case-by-case basis. This is a high-level al Qaeda operative. This is someone who is trained in the art of deception. This is someone who has prepared his whole life for jihad.

And it really does depend on the individual and how they react in that situation. You do know that one other-- this is probably the second most important person that is in custody behind Abu Zubaydah. You have him. And we know that he has provided information in a general-- in general terms, of a general nature.

Sometimes, investigators say, more than he thinks he has, because they've had other pieces of the puzzle that they've been able to put together--

CALLAWAY: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) know about.

ARENA: --and so he'll give them-- right-- he'll give them a little what he thinks is a nibble, but actually turns out to be something they are able to fit in into a larger scope.

So we'll see what happens here. It is really up to the individual and how, you know, committed they are to either jihad, or if they break down and do provide useful information. We have to see.

CALLAWAY: Or how boastful they are, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) of him.

Thank you very much, Kelli, thanks for being with us.

ARENA: You're welcome.

CALLAWAY: Kelli Arena.

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