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CNN Live At Daybreak
Israel's Strategy to Stop Suicide Bombings Has Been Successful
Aired January 20, 2003 - 06:35 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.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Now to the matter of suicide bombings in Israel. Although the blasts and their aftermath have become sadly familiar, Israeli officials say they have been successful in preventing several such attacks.
CNN's Kelly Wallace is live in Jerusalem with more on just how they do that -- Kelly.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Heidi, to give you a sense of how successful the Israelis have been in preventing some of these suicide attacks, there were two suicide bombings over the past two months in Israel, but Israeli officials say they have been dealing with alerts of 25 to 30 possible suicide attacks each and every week.
And so, Israeli officials credit a number of factors with their success. No. 1: Stepped up arrests and interrogations. They say each arrest leads to another interrogation, which often leads to real- time intelligence to stop these suicide attacks.
No. 2: They also say the demolition of homes belonging to suicide bombers is serving as a bit of a deterrent, encouraging some loved ones of families to try and prevent their loved ones from engaging in suicide attacks.
No. 3: You have curfews and checkpoints, which Israeli officials say are making it much more difficult for suicide bombers to move around.
And No. 4: You have bomb detection equipment at public places. For example, the Jerusalem Mall. When you go there, you have to pass through an x-ray detection machine, your bags are passed (ph) and checked for any possible explosives.
Also, two years ago, a new law in Israel encouraging -- or calling for armed guards at all public places. So, even at the Mall, you will see an armed guard patrolling the parking lot for any possible suicide bombers. Now, as for restaurants, they are not required to have armed security guards, but many do, and many feel these have been helpful in preventing suicide attacks -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Kelly, you talked about the success Israel is having, but what are some of the issues that Israeli officials are most concerned about?
WALLACE: Well, one thing they're concerned about is they say they're having good success at checkpoints, preventing people with any suicide bombing equipment from passing into Israel. But they're a bit concerned about what they could possibly see, and that could be someone would be able to get inside the country, and then hook up with someone else who is already inside Israel, and get the equipment needed to carry out a suicide bombing.
Now, Israeli officials say they haven't seen this in any large numbers, but it's something they are concerned about. And so, they have some technology they use. They have 12 roving x-ray and bomb detection equipment devices that they use throughout the country, again, to try and stop these possible attacks -- Heidi.
COLLINS: All right, Kelly Wallace live from Jerusalem this morning -- thanks, Kelly.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Successful>
Aired January 20, 2003 - 06:35 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Now to the matter of suicide bombings in Israel. Although the blasts and their aftermath have become sadly familiar, Israeli officials say they have been successful in preventing several such attacks.
CNN's Kelly Wallace is live in Jerusalem with more on just how they do that -- Kelly.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Heidi, to give you a sense of how successful the Israelis have been in preventing some of these suicide attacks, there were two suicide bombings over the past two months in Israel, but Israeli officials say they have been dealing with alerts of 25 to 30 possible suicide attacks each and every week.
And so, Israeli officials credit a number of factors with their success. No. 1: Stepped up arrests and interrogations. They say each arrest leads to another interrogation, which often leads to real- time intelligence to stop these suicide attacks.
No. 2: They also say the demolition of homes belonging to suicide bombers is serving as a bit of a deterrent, encouraging some loved ones of families to try and prevent their loved ones from engaging in suicide attacks.
No. 3: You have curfews and checkpoints, which Israeli officials say are making it much more difficult for suicide bombers to move around.
And No. 4: You have bomb detection equipment at public places. For example, the Jerusalem Mall. When you go there, you have to pass through an x-ray detection machine, your bags are passed (ph) and checked for any possible explosives.
Also, two years ago, a new law in Israel encouraging -- or calling for armed guards at all public places. So, even at the Mall, you will see an armed guard patrolling the parking lot for any possible suicide bombers. Now, as for restaurants, they are not required to have armed security guards, but many do, and many feel these have been helpful in preventing suicide attacks -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Kelly, you talked about the success Israel is having, but what are some of the issues that Israeli officials are most concerned about?
WALLACE: Well, one thing they're concerned about is they say they're having good success at checkpoints, preventing people with any suicide bombing equipment from passing into Israel. But they're a bit concerned about what they could possibly see, and that could be someone would be able to get inside the country, and then hook up with someone else who is already inside Israel, and get the equipment needed to carry out a suicide bombing.
Now, Israeli officials say they haven't seen this in any large numbers, but it's something they are concerned about. And so, they have some technology they use. They have 12 roving x-ray and bomb detection equipment devices that they use throughout the country, again, to try and stop these possible attacks -- Heidi.
COLLINS: All right, Kelly Wallace live from Jerusalem this morning -- thanks, Kelly.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Successful>
