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CNN Live At Daybreak
Coffey Talk: Al Qaeda Arrest
Aired March 03, 2003 - 06:41 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: Time to break it up now and get in some "Coffey Talk." We want to talk more about the big arrest of suspected al Qaeda mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohammed.
Our legal analyst, Kendall Coffey, joins us live on the phone.
Good morning -- Kendall.
KENDALL COFFEY, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Hey, good morning -- Carol.
COSTELLO: You know what many people are wondering, will this man be tortured for information?
COFFEY: Well it's not just one of the most important U.S. interrogations ever, you captured the enemy general in the middle of a war, but it's going to be one of the most aggressive because they're racing against time to learn of terrorist plans before they strike. He has no constitutional rights in a CIA interrogation overseas. Short of physical torture, they'll do whatever it takes.
COSTELLO: He's been taken to an undisclosed location. Would it be beneficial for authorities to pick which country in which he's interrogated?
COFFEY: Well they're going to focus on that because it's not only a security matter, but they want to make sure that there's no complications. But the ground rules are going to include everything from sleep deprivation, sensory deprivation, a fair amount of physical discomfort, but no rack, no thumb screws. We do observe some basic rules of decency in this country.
COSTELLO: Got you. Will he ever be brought to trial or is he in for a military tribunal or no hearing at all?
COFFEY: He will never be tried in a U.S. civilian court. At some point, when we're at a point where we have all the information we think we could possibly get from him, it would be a military tribunal, probably in Guantanamo.
COSTELLO: Yes, I don't know, you know. You think about this and you think about their questioning and you think about how much he'll really spill and you have to be skeptical that he may not say much of anything or may mislead investigators.
COFFEY: And from some of the prior questionings, we've gotten a mixed bag. There's been misinformation, there's also been some helpful elements. But given the depth of what he knows, this is going to be a questioning unlike any we've ever seen before.
COSTELLO: From that picture, he doesn't look good so we'll see what happens.
Kendall Coffey, many thanks to you for giving us some "Coffey Talk" 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 March 3, 2003 - 06:41 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Time to break it up now and get in some "Coffey Talk." We want to talk more about the big arrest of suspected al Qaeda mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohammed.
Our legal analyst, Kendall Coffey, joins us live on the phone.
Good morning -- Kendall.
KENDALL COFFEY, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Hey, good morning -- Carol.
COSTELLO: You know what many people are wondering, will this man be tortured for information?
COFFEY: Well it's not just one of the most important U.S. interrogations ever, you captured the enemy general in the middle of a war, but it's going to be one of the most aggressive because they're racing against time to learn of terrorist plans before they strike. He has no constitutional rights in a CIA interrogation overseas. Short of physical torture, they'll do whatever it takes.
COSTELLO: He's been taken to an undisclosed location. Would it be beneficial for authorities to pick which country in which he's interrogated?
COFFEY: Well they're going to focus on that because it's not only a security matter, but they want to make sure that there's no complications. But the ground rules are going to include everything from sleep deprivation, sensory deprivation, a fair amount of physical discomfort, but no rack, no thumb screws. We do observe some basic rules of decency in this country.
COSTELLO: Got you. Will he ever be brought to trial or is he in for a military tribunal or no hearing at all?
COFFEY: He will never be tried in a U.S. civilian court. At some point, when we're at a point where we have all the information we think we could possibly get from him, it would be a military tribunal, probably in Guantanamo.
COSTELLO: Yes, I don't know, you know. You think about this and you think about their questioning and you think about how much he'll really spill and you have to be skeptical that he may not say much of anything or may mislead investigators.
COFFEY: And from some of the prior questionings, we've gotten a mixed bag. There's been misinformation, there's also been some helpful elements. But given the depth of what he knows, this is going to be a questioning unlike any we've ever seen before.
COSTELLO: From that picture, he doesn't look good so we'll see what happens.
Kendall Coffey, many thanks to you for giving us some "Coffey Talk" 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
