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CNN Live At Daybreak

Arrest in Saudi Arabia of Kuwaiti Psychiatrist

Aired January 23, 2003 - 05:03   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: Turning now to that arrest in Saudi Arabia of a Kuwaiti psychiatrist accused of ambushing two Americans in Kuwait.
Our Martin Savidge joins us on the phone with details from Kuwait City -- a psychiatrist, how strange.

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is strange, Carol. Let me tell you exactly where we are. We're right now in a vehicle heading back to the headquarters for CNN here, having just covered what was an impromptu sort of memorial or wreath laying ceremony that took place out at the site of this tragic shooting of two days ago.

Now, about this arrest, reportedly it is a Kuwaiti who several hours after the attack attempted to cross into Saudi Arabia. The border is not that far away from here. And tried to do so without a passport. In other words, it appeared he was trying to sneak across the border.

He was picked up by Saudi authorities and then he was detained. And now has since, we have been told, turned over to Kuwaiti authorities and they are investigating him quite seriously.

We are also hearing from investigators here that apparently there were images, in fact, captured by those traffic monitoring cameras we told you about that were located at the intersection where the shooting took place. The idea now is to take the suspect, match him up with the photograph that may have been captured by those cameras and then add to it perhaps the eyewitness account of the American, David Caraway, who survived the attack.

There's a great feeling of confidence right now here in Kuwait that they have the suspect involved in the shooting -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Martin, do we know any more about this psychiatrist? Was he a practicing doctor in Saudi Arabia?

SAVIDGE: No, we don't know right now. We hope to learn more coming from Kuwaiti officials. We're still just basically getting the information on the arrest. Exactly who he was, why he was motivated to do what he did is still being determined.

COSTELLO: But he is Kuwaiti, not Saudi Arabian?

SAVIDGE: Correct, he is Kuwaiti.

COSTELLO: Martin Savidge reporting live from Kuwait City this morning.

The latest ambush has added to the fear factor, of course, for Americans who live in Kuwait.

Our Ryan Chilcote reports U.S. citizens in the Emirate are being ever vigilant.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Ever since Warren Chavis (ph) left Louisiana to live in Kuwait eight years ago, he's been a little obsessed with knowing what's going on around him. Warren never leaves for work at the same time, tries to switch cars, doesn't always stop at intersections and never takes the same road.

WARREN CHAVIS: I have several different routes that I choose throughout the years that has been mapped out. And I know the area. I don't use the same area every day.

CHILCOTE: An American civilian contractor who works with the U.S. military, just like the two Americans ambushed yesterday, Warren knows he's a likely target but says that doesn't mean he has to be a sitting duck.

Tuesday's shooting was the third time Americans have been targeted by gunmen in Kuwait since the military buildup began here. The U.S. Embassy has warned the more than 8,000 American civilians who live in Kuwait to be alert to their surroundings. And the estimated 17,000 American troops stationed in Kuwait, with the blessings of the Kuwaiti government and most Kuwaitis, have been restricted to their bases for everything but the most essential business.

As the U.S. moves further down the road to a possible war with Iraq, many here believe the threat to Americans in this neighboring country will only grow. And while Warren says he can't do anything about that, he can take care of himself.

Ryan Chilcote, CNN, Kuwait.

(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 January 23, 2003 - 05:03   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Turning now to that arrest in Saudi Arabia of a Kuwaiti psychiatrist accused of ambushing two Americans in Kuwait.
Our Martin Savidge joins us on the phone with details from Kuwait City -- a psychiatrist, how strange.

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is strange, Carol. Let me tell you exactly where we are. We're right now in a vehicle heading back to the headquarters for CNN here, having just covered what was an impromptu sort of memorial or wreath laying ceremony that took place out at the site of this tragic shooting of two days ago.

Now, about this arrest, reportedly it is a Kuwaiti who several hours after the attack attempted to cross into Saudi Arabia. The border is not that far away from here. And tried to do so without a passport. In other words, it appeared he was trying to sneak across the border.

He was picked up by Saudi authorities and then he was detained. And now has since, we have been told, turned over to Kuwaiti authorities and they are investigating him quite seriously.

We are also hearing from investigators here that apparently there were images, in fact, captured by those traffic monitoring cameras we told you about that were located at the intersection where the shooting took place. The idea now is to take the suspect, match him up with the photograph that may have been captured by those cameras and then add to it perhaps the eyewitness account of the American, David Caraway, who survived the attack.

There's a great feeling of confidence right now here in Kuwait that they have the suspect involved in the shooting -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Martin, do we know any more about this psychiatrist? Was he a practicing doctor in Saudi Arabia?

SAVIDGE: No, we don't know right now. We hope to learn more coming from Kuwaiti officials. We're still just basically getting the information on the arrest. Exactly who he was, why he was motivated to do what he did is still being determined.

COSTELLO: But he is Kuwaiti, not Saudi Arabian?

SAVIDGE: Correct, he is Kuwaiti.

COSTELLO: Martin Savidge reporting live from Kuwait City this morning.

The latest ambush has added to the fear factor, of course, for Americans who live in Kuwait.

Our Ryan Chilcote reports U.S. citizens in the Emirate are being ever vigilant.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Ever since Warren Chavis (ph) left Louisiana to live in Kuwait eight years ago, he's been a little obsessed with knowing what's going on around him. Warren never leaves for work at the same time, tries to switch cars, doesn't always stop at intersections and never takes the same road.

WARREN CHAVIS: I have several different routes that I choose throughout the years that has been mapped out. And I know the area. I don't use the same area every day.

CHILCOTE: An American civilian contractor who works with the U.S. military, just like the two Americans ambushed yesterday, Warren knows he's a likely target but says that doesn't mean he has to be a sitting duck.

Tuesday's shooting was the third time Americans have been targeted by gunmen in Kuwait since the military buildup began here. The U.S. Embassy has warned the more than 8,000 American civilians who live in Kuwait to be alert to their surroundings. And the estimated 17,000 American troops stationed in Kuwait, with the blessings of the Kuwaiti government and most Kuwaitis, have been restricted to their bases for everything but the most essential business.

As the U.S. moves further down the road to a possible war with Iraq, many here believe the threat to Americans in this neighboring country will only grow. And while Warren says he can't do anything about that, he can take care of himself.

Ryan Chilcote, CNN, Kuwait.

(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