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CNN Live At Daybreak

Interview with Magnus Ranstorp

Aired December 06, 2002 - 06:32   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.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Let's get back to the threat al Qaeda is reportedly making against Israel. The terrorist group is allegedly vowing to launch suicide attacks in the Jewish state.
For a perspective on this, we are joined on the phone by terrorism expert, Magnus Ranstorp. He's a professor at St. Andrews University in Scotland.

Good morning.

MAGNUS RANSTORP, TERRORISM EXPERT: Good morning to you.

COSTELLO: How established do you think al Qaeda is in Gaza?

RANSTORP: Well, I certainly think that there are individuals with a nominal degree of connection to al Qaeda, but I think that the Israelis particularly, because the Gaza is (UNINTELLIGIBLE) sealed, is that doesn't represent a major problem for the Israelis.

COSTELLO: Have you heard about the Web site that was cited in "The Washington Post" story this morning that al Qaeda was planning suicide attacks within Israel?

RANSTORP: Yes, I've heard about the Web site. It's very true that the Web site sort of belongs to al Qaeda elements. The same Web site a couple of weeks ago threatened to launch attacks in Europe against two European states, as well as Arab -- sorry -- western targets in the Arab world. So, the Web site is known on the radar screen to those who watch al Qaeda and are sympathetic to al Qaeda.

COSTELLO: You know, you'd think with the Web site out there that maybe some investigators could track whoever is running that Web site down, but they don't.

RANSTORP: Well, this is the problem. I mean, there are a number -- I mean, al Qaeda and other, you know, radical Islamist elements have been really sort of hijacking the instruments of globalization. In many ways, they are very active in command and control communications using e-mail, using cyberspace to, you know, wage ideological war and to threaten a new action. So...

COSTELLO: Understand. Let me ask you this before you have to go. Why would al Qaeda target Israel? I mean, what's the real reason behind that?

RANSTORP: Well, you know, we narrowly escaped -- Israel certainly narrowly escaped -- I mean, the attack in Kenya was a failed operation, because you know, it was the difference between three Israelis and 300 Israelis being killed. And you can imagine what the Israel response would have been had that happened in terms of action.

Certainly, there has been a confluence of action of militant groups, including al Qaeda elements, particularly coalescing in the region and in the neighboring states, who have been planning to pull off -- or wanted to pull off an act of catastrophic terrorism inside of Israel. And there has been a worrying sign of an escalation in terms of the plans.

A couple of months ago, there was an attempt by Hamas activists to blow up the Central Gas Depot in Tel Aviv.

COSTELLO: Right.

RANSTORP: And this worries, of course, many people, not only the Israelis, but also that there is an effort to connect or be connected to the Palestinian issue, both from the inside as well as from the outside.

COSTELLO: Exactly, we understand. Thank you for your perspective, Magnus Ranstorp reporting live -- or actually giving us his expert opinion from Scotland this morning.

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 December 6, 2002 - 06:32   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Let's get back to the threat al Qaeda is reportedly making against Israel. The terrorist group is allegedly vowing to launch suicide attacks in the Jewish state.
For a perspective on this, we are joined on the phone by terrorism expert, Magnus Ranstorp. He's a professor at St. Andrews University in Scotland.

Good morning.

MAGNUS RANSTORP, TERRORISM EXPERT: Good morning to you.

COSTELLO: How established do you think al Qaeda is in Gaza?

RANSTORP: Well, I certainly think that there are individuals with a nominal degree of connection to al Qaeda, but I think that the Israelis particularly, because the Gaza is (UNINTELLIGIBLE) sealed, is that doesn't represent a major problem for the Israelis.

COSTELLO: Have you heard about the Web site that was cited in "The Washington Post" story this morning that al Qaeda was planning suicide attacks within Israel?

RANSTORP: Yes, I've heard about the Web site. It's very true that the Web site sort of belongs to al Qaeda elements. The same Web site a couple of weeks ago threatened to launch attacks in Europe against two European states, as well as Arab -- sorry -- western targets in the Arab world. So, the Web site is known on the radar screen to those who watch al Qaeda and are sympathetic to al Qaeda.

COSTELLO: You know, you'd think with the Web site out there that maybe some investigators could track whoever is running that Web site down, but they don't.

RANSTORP: Well, this is the problem. I mean, there are a number -- I mean, al Qaeda and other, you know, radical Islamist elements have been really sort of hijacking the instruments of globalization. In many ways, they are very active in command and control communications using e-mail, using cyberspace to, you know, wage ideological war and to threaten a new action. So...

COSTELLO: Understand. Let me ask you this before you have to go. Why would al Qaeda target Israel? I mean, what's the real reason behind that?

RANSTORP: Well, you know, we narrowly escaped -- Israel certainly narrowly escaped -- I mean, the attack in Kenya was a failed operation, because you know, it was the difference between three Israelis and 300 Israelis being killed. And you can imagine what the Israel response would have been had that happened in terms of action.

Certainly, there has been a confluence of action of militant groups, including al Qaeda elements, particularly coalescing in the region and in the neighboring states, who have been planning to pull off -- or wanted to pull off an act of catastrophic terrorism inside of Israel. And there has been a worrying sign of an escalation in terms of the plans.

A couple of months ago, there was an attempt by Hamas activists to blow up the Central Gas Depot in Tel Aviv.

COSTELLO: Right.

RANSTORP: And this worries, of course, many people, not only the Israelis, but also that there is an effort to connect or be connected to the Palestinian issue, both from the inside as well as from the outside.

COSTELLO: Exactly, we understand. Thank you for your perspective, Magnus Ranstorp reporting live -- or actually giving us his expert opinion from Scotland this morning.

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