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CNN Saturday Morning News

Three Terrorist Suspects Make First Appearance in Court

Aired October 05, 2002 - 09:12   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: Three of six people accused of aiding and attempting to join the al Qaeda group made their first appearance today -- yesterday, I should say -- in Portland, Oregon.
CNN's James Hattori has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAMES HATTORI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Before a federal magistrate in Portland, Oregon, 31-year-old Patrice Ford pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiring to levy war against the U.S., to support and contribute services to al Qaeda, and possessing firearms.

Two other defendants, 32-year-old Jeffrey Battle and 25-year-old October Lewis delayed entering pleas until they can meet with their attorneys.

Ford and Battle are among a group accused of conducting firearms training in a nearby gravel pit in southwest Washington State, just weeks after the 9/11 attacks. It was a complaint about noise from the weapons that led local authorities to investigate.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One of them was using some different names, and he -- it just did not seem to be adding up. So the investigation then went from there.

HATTORI: According to the indictment, Battle and Ford were also among five defendants who attempted to travel to Afghanistan to take up arms against the U.S. and allied forces. They never made it.

October Lewis is accused of wiring a series of money orders to Battle in China and Bangladesh to support his trip.

The three Portland suspects were taken into custody early Friday morning at two residences. Neighbor Matt Hawkey says he called the FBI a year ago after a 5-year-old child belonging to two of the suspects made some disturbing remarks.

MATT HAWKEY, NEIGHBOR: And was proceeding to tell our kids that 9/11 was a good thing, and that these people deserved to die. Listen to me, Listen to me, this -- and their parents came out and grabbed him, took him inside. So like I was telling them, you know, a 5-year- old doesn't get that notion -- he gets that straight from above, the parents, you know.

HATTORI: Hawkey says he knew the FBI was taking him seriously, but he didn't realize how seriously until agents and police units swarmed into his apartment complex Friday morning.

James Hattori, CNN, Portland, Oregon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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 October 5, 2002 - 09:12   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Three of six people accused of aiding and attempting to join the al Qaeda group made their first appearance today -- yesterday, I should say -- in Portland, Oregon.
CNN's James Hattori has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAMES HATTORI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Before a federal magistrate in Portland, Oregon, 31-year-old Patrice Ford pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiring to levy war against the U.S., to support and contribute services to al Qaeda, and possessing firearms.

Two other defendants, 32-year-old Jeffrey Battle and 25-year-old October Lewis delayed entering pleas until they can meet with their attorneys.

Ford and Battle are among a group accused of conducting firearms training in a nearby gravel pit in southwest Washington State, just weeks after the 9/11 attacks. It was a complaint about noise from the weapons that led local authorities to investigate.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One of them was using some different names, and he -- it just did not seem to be adding up. So the investigation then went from there.

HATTORI: According to the indictment, Battle and Ford were also among five defendants who attempted to travel to Afghanistan to take up arms against the U.S. and allied forces. They never made it.

October Lewis is accused of wiring a series of money orders to Battle in China and Bangladesh to support his trip.

The three Portland suspects were taken into custody early Friday morning at two residences. Neighbor Matt Hawkey says he called the FBI a year ago after a 5-year-old child belonging to two of the suspects made some disturbing remarks.

MATT HAWKEY, NEIGHBOR: And was proceeding to tell our kids that 9/11 was a good thing, and that these people deserved to die. Listen to me, Listen to me, this -- and their parents came out and grabbed him, took him inside. So like I was telling them, you know, a 5-year- old doesn't get that notion -- he gets that straight from above, the parents, you know.

HATTORI: Hawkey says he knew the FBI was taking him seriously, but he didn't realize how seriously until agents and police units swarmed into his apartment complex Friday morning.

James Hattori, CNN, Portland, Oregon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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