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Decision Expected in Case of Six Men in Buffalo Area

Aired October 08, 2002 - 11:18   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.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: A decision is expected today in the case of six men in the Buffalo area. They are accused of being part of a terrorist sleeper cell. A federal magistrate will decide whether the men will be allowed to post pail. Our Jeff Flock is live in Buffalo. He has details on this case.
Jeff, hello.

JEFF FLOCK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, hello to you from Buffalo.

It is the bond hearing that just won't quit. We started this proceeding back on the 18th of last month, and now three weeks later, it's still going on at the federal courthouse you see behind me.

By now, perhaps you know the pictures of these six men from Lackawanna, New York. Five of them arrested in the Buffalo suburb, one of them overseas. Now the question is jail or bail for them, while they wait for their trial on charges are providing -- quote, unquote -- "material support for Al Qaeda."

The judge in this case, magistrate Kenneth Schrader (ph), has really gone to great lengths to try to make certain that both the government's arguments against bond, as well as the arguments for these men, who most of them grew up in this community, and say they are not dangerous to the community.

Most of those arguments have been heard. In one case, they pointed out the man had two different social Security Cards, 11 different credit cards, and say he's clearly dissembling. They were able to prove the second Social Security card belonged to his brother, and the credit cards were all legitimate credit cards for members of his family.

On the other side, however, we point out that two similar cases, one in Seattle and the other in Detroit, similar charges, men were not granted bond. So a big question, the government has about a 50-page memorandum in support of their position, that these men should not get out.

The local community, by the way, the Yemeni community here, has pledges up to $2 million toward bond so that if they do get bond, they'll be able to make it. Today, at about 2:30, the judge is expected to announce a final ruling on this, and we'll be here to let you know how it turns out.

That's the latest from Buffalo. Daryn, Leon, back to you. KAGAN: Jeff, we call it the Buffalo six, but in a way, isn't it really the Buffalo eight and two of the wanted men are still overseas, and not really within the reach of U.S. authorities?

FLOCK: That's true, and in some ways, it's the Lackawanna six or eight perhaps as well, because they're from the suburb to the south here. But we're in Buffalo, so what do you know.

KAGAN: So when in Buffalo, do as Buffaloans do.

Jeff Flock, thank you.

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 8, 2002 - 11:18   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: A decision is expected today in the case of six men in the Buffalo area. They are accused of being part of a terrorist sleeper cell. A federal magistrate will decide whether the men will be allowed to post pail. Our Jeff Flock is live in Buffalo. He has details on this case.
Jeff, hello.

JEFF FLOCK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, hello to you from Buffalo.

It is the bond hearing that just won't quit. We started this proceeding back on the 18th of last month, and now three weeks later, it's still going on at the federal courthouse you see behind me.

By now, perhaps you know the pictures of these six men from Lackawanna, New York. Five of them arrested in the Buffalo suburb, one of them overseas. Now the question is jail or bail for them, while they wait for their trial on charges are providing -- quote, unquote -- "material support for Al Qaeda."

The judge in this case, magistrate Kenneth Schrader (ph), has really gone to great lengths to try to make certain that both the government's arguments against bond, as well as the arguments for these men, who most of them grew up in this community, and say they are not dangerous to the community.

Most of those arguments have been heard. In one case, they pointed out the man had two different social Security Cards, 11 different credit cards, and say he's clearly dissembling. They were able to prove the second Social Security card belonged to his brother, and the credit cards were all legitimate credit cards for members of his family.

On the other side, however, we point out that two similar cases, one in Seattle and the other in Detroit, similar charges, men were not granted bond. So a big question, the government has about a 50-page memorandum in support of their position, that these men should not get out.

The local community, by the way, the Yemeni community here, has pledges up to $2 million toward bond so that if they do get bond, they'll be able to make it. Today, at about 2:30, the judge is expected to announce a final ruling on this, and we'll be here to let you know how it turns out.

That's the latest from Buffalo. Daryn, Leon, back to you. KAGAN: Jeff, we call it the Buffalo six, but in a way, isn't it really the Buffalo eight and two of the wanted men are still overseas, and not really within the reach of U.S. authorities?

FLOCK: That's true, and in some ways, it's the Lackawanna six or eight perhaps as well, because they're from the suburb to the south here. But we're in Buffalo, so what do you know.

KAGAN: So when in Buffalo, do as Buffaloans do.

Jeff Flock, thank you.

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