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CNN Live Today

U.S. Sudanese Pilot May Have Plotted Attacks

Aired September 20, 2002 - 12:26   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.


MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: U.S. authorities say they may have foiled a hijacking plot that sounds, on the surface at least, eerily similar to the 9/11 attacks.
CNN justice correspondent Kelli Arena has details for us.

Hello, Kelli.

KELLI ARENA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Miles.

Well sources tell CNN that the INS has in custody a Sudanese airline pilot who, certain intelligence suggested, may have been planning to hijack an airliner and fly it into a target in the United States.

Now officials say that an internal communication went out on Wednesday from FBI headquarters to all FBI field offices and state and local law enforcement partners to be on the lookout for a Sudanese pilot who -- quote -- "may represent a possible threat."

Now the pilot's name was provided as well as other identifying information, and a search began.

Now according to those sources, there was no information that came in at any time suggesting that the threat involved the Washington D.C. area, which has been reported.

And it is unclear at this time where the pilot is being held.

Milot -- Miles, back to you. Milot, pilot, I'm totally messing it up.

O'BRIEN: That's all right, we got the point. Thank you very much, Kelli.

We'll talk to you a little bit later.

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






Aired September 20, 2002 - 12:26   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: U.S. authorities say they may have foiled a hijacking plot that sounds, on the surface at least, eerily similar to the 9/11 attacks.
CNN justice correspondent Kelli Arena has details for us.

Hello, Kelli.

KELLI ARENA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Miles.

Well sources tell CNN that the INS has in custody a Sudanese airline pilot who, certain intelligence suggested, may have been planning to hijack an airliner and fly it into a target in the United States.

Now officials say that an internal communication went out on Wednesday from FBI headquarters to all FBI field offices and state and local law enforcement partners to be on the lookout for a Sudanese pilot who -- quote -- "may represent a possible threat."

Now the pilot's name was provided as well as other identifying information, and a search began.

Now according to those sources, there was no information that came in at any time suggesting that the threat involved the Washington D.C. area, which has been reported.

And it is unclear at this time where the pilot is being held.

Milot -- Miles, back to you. Milot, pilot, I'm totally messing it up.

O'BRIEN: That's all right, we got the point. Thank you very much, Kelli.

We'll talk to you a little bit later.

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