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CNN Live Today
Some Reporters Getting Firsthand Look at Videotaped Arrest of Khalid Shaikh Mohammed
Aired March 10, 2003 - 10:09 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.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: On now to Islamabad, Pakistan, where some reporters are getting their firsthand look at the videotaped arrest of top Al Qaeda operative Khalid Shaikh Mohammed. That arrest taking place over a week ago.
Our Tom Mintier among those that got a firsthand look at that tape, and he joins us now on the telephone to give us your view of what it looked like -- Tom.
TOM MINTIER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, first of all, the briefing was unbelievable. The ISI, which is the Pakistani equivalent of the CIA, called international journalists to their headquarters here in Islamabad and sat down for almost an hour, providing us their outlook for Al Qaeda and the hunt for Osama bin Laden, outlining the structure of Al Qaeda as they see it from those they've arrested and interrogated.
And then they showed us a videotape that lasted about eight minutes. It showed us preparations of the raid, the briefing of the ISI agents. Also, they claimed that no outsiders, no Americans present when the raid was conducted, and they showed this tape that you could see the agents going into this compound and then into the bedroom, and you see someone pressed up against the wall. You could you not see their face. The ISI claims it is Khalid Shaikh Mohammed as he was arrested. They said that for first two days during interrogation that he provided nothing except his name, admitting who he was by nodding his head, and then on the third day, they say, he started talking, providing information to the ISI about a meeting that Mohammed said he had with Osama bin Laden at an undisclosed location and wouldn't say who was present and with what was discussed, only that the meeting took place between Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and Osama bin Laden in the month of December.
So this is the first indication of what kind of information they are getting from this man that they've arrested over a week ago, but it runs counter to earlier reports he was only in Pakistan for about 16 to 18 hours before he was handed over to U.S. authorities.
So, they are saying on the third day he started providing useful facts to his interrogators, but showing this video as the arrest was taking place was pretty extraordinary.
WHITFIELD: Well, Tom, were they able to reveal, or would they reveal any more information about that interrogation and why after day three he was willing to talk? there have been many reports that defined the levels of terrorist attacks is, meaning perhaps he was kept awake for days on end, and perhaps no darkness was allowed in the rooms in which he was being interrogated?
MINTIER: We asked as soon as they provided information that he started talking on the third day, why did Khalid Shaikh Mohammed start talking to them, providing them useful information? We were met with people looking at each other inside this briefing room, and no real answer was provided. They said that he simply started talking on day three, and no other details of the interrogation was going to be released.
But it was clear that the Pakistani officials in the room wanted to take credit, if you will, for making the arrest. They said that outside countries, including United States, provided some electronic information that was used during the raid, but they also claim that human intelligence led them to Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, and that only there, agents conducted the raid, that there were no outsiders.
WHITFIELD: Is there a feeling that this information that Khalid Shaikh Mohammed has been providing will help officials really close in on Osama bin Laden? Are they feeling confident about that?
MINTIER: That was a question we asked ISI, if they were prepared to make an arrest, or if they had him in custody. I asked that question even before the briefing started, and I was told, no, they don't have him. And at the end of the briefing, were they any closer? They said, yes, we are closer, we've had better information than we've had in a long time, but are we ready to make an arrest of Osama bin Laden? No. Do we know where he is? No. Is he in Pakistan? We're pretty sure he's not.
So that's about the extent of the possible arrest of Osama bin Laden. It doesn't appear any closer than they were, but they do new information from a man they arrested a week ago.
WHITFIELD: Fascinating. Tom Mintier, among those among the first to be briefed by officials on exactly how Khalid Shaikh Mohammed was arrested one week ago, and being shown that eight-minute tape of the things that took place just prior to the arrest and during the arrest.
Just minutes ago, officials with the Bush administration wrapped up their informal daily meeting, dubbed "the gaggle."
And CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux was there, and tells us what was said.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, some harsh words for Russia, the news that perhaps they would be vetoing, or voting no on that resolution, White House spokesman Ari Fleischer using some very strong language when he was asked about it. He says, we hope this not the case, it's worth noting what happened to people in Kosovo and Rwanda that U.N. previously sat on sidelines when people died. We went on to ask whether it would damage U.S. and Russia relations. He went on to say that the president would be disappointed, that it would be a missed opportunity to take a moral stand to prevent mass catastrophe. The president and the administration really framing this in terms of a moral issue now. We are told that the president is going to be making a lot of phone call today. He's already called leaders of China, as well as Japan. He'll be making calls for U.N. Security Council members, as well as countries he feels can influence those members, saying that this is a moral argument here, that they have to take a stand at this time. It's not only about U.N. credibility, but also preventing a human catastrophe.
Now, we also talked about as well Secretary Powell and other administration officials very frustrated now with U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix. That's because there was a report, an addendum provided on Friday after Blix made his presentation that talked about some details about drones and about rockets and things of this nature. We asked was this new information, not included in the presentation, was it new?
Well, Ari Fleischer said there was some details that were not provide before. The administration wants Blix to answer to this, why it wasn't included. That, we're told, is going to happen at 4:00 in New York in a closed meeting, in the U.N. Security Council. The administration definitely wants some answers when it comes to that.
But, Fredricka, as you know, this is going to be a very busy day, the next 24, 48 hours here, we are told the president all day is going to be making those critical calls, trying to get that support on that second resolution -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And in fact, Suzanne, it's getting rather confusing as to there really is indeed that support, or whether they're close to getting that support over the weekend. Over the weekend, Powell quoted as saying he thinks they have the nine votes. Then suddenly, some administration officials are saying they are far from having the nine votes. So there has to be a lot of frustration out of White House, too, about the mixed messages that are sent publicly.
MALVEAUX: Well, that's a very good point, Fredricka, because we asked Ari Fleischer what his assessment was. Secretary Powell was very optimistic yesterday, but Ari Fleischer said he hope we get the support. So some differences from one official to the next when you ask the question. But Ari Fleischer saying this vote could happen any time this week, so obviously, the administration wants to take that time necessary to try to win over those key votes, those critical votes. They're going to let this play out as long as they can, but that vote is going to happen some time this week. The administration making it very clear they would like their support, but they'll go ahead without them.
WHITFIELD: All right, Suzanne Malveaux, from the White House. Thank you very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR
USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
of Khalid Shaikh Mohammed>
Aired March 10, 2003 - 10:09 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: On now to Islamabad, Pakistan, where some reporters are getting their firsthand look at the videotaped arrest of top Al Qaeda operative Khalid Shaikh Mohammed. That arrest taking place over a week ago.
Our Tom Mintier among those that got a firsthand look at that tape, and he joins us now on the telephone to give us your view of what it looked like -- Tom.
TOM MINTIER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, first of all, the briefing was unbelievable. The ISI, which is the Pakistani equivalent of the CIA, called international journalists to their headquarters here in Islamabad and sat down for almost an hour, providing us their outlook for Al Qaeda and the hunt for Osama bin Laden, outlining the structure of Al Qaeda as they see it from those they've arrested and interrogated.
And then they showed us a videotape that lasted about eight minutes. It showed us preparations of the raid, the briefing of the ISI agents. Also, they claimed that no outsiders, no Americans present when the raid was conducted, and they showed this tape that you could see the agents going into this compound and then into the bedroom, and you see someone pressed up against the wall. You could you not see their face. The ISI claims it is Khalid Shaikh Mohammed as he was arrested. They said that for first two days during interrogation that he provided nothing except his name, admitting who he was by nodding his head, and then on the third day, they say, he started talking, providing information to the ISI about a meeting that Mohammed said he had with Osama bin Laden at an undisclosed location and wouldn't say who was present and with what was discussed, only that the meeting took place between Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and Osama bin Laden in the month of December.
So this is the first indication of what kind of information they are getting from this man that they've arrested over a week ago, but it runs counter to earlier reports he was only in Pakistan for about 16 to 18 hours before he was handed over to U.S. authorities.
So, they are saying on the third day he started providing useful facts to his interrogators, but showing this video as the arrest was taking place was pretty extraordinary.
WHITFIELD: Well, Tom, were they able to reveal, or would they reveal any more information about that interrogation and why after day three he was willing to talk? there have been many reports that defined the levels of terrorist attacks is, meaning perhaps he was kept awake for days on end, and perhaps no darkness was allowed in the rooms in which he was being interrogated?
MINTIER: We asked as soon as they provided information that he started talking on the third day, why did Khalid Shaikh Mohammed start talking to them, providing them useful information? We were met with people looking at each other inside this briefing room, and no real answer was provided. They said that he simply started talking on day three, and no other details of the interrogation was going to be released.
But it was clear that the Pakistani officials in the room wanted to take credit, if you will, for making the arrest. They said that outside countries, including United States, provided some electronic information that was used during the raid, but they also claim that human intelligence led them to Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, and that only there, agents conducted the raid, that there were no outsiders.
WHITFIELD: Is there a feeling that this information that Khalid Shaikh Mohammed has been providing will help officials really close in on Osama bin Laden? Are they feeling confident about that?
MINTIER: That was a question we asked ISI, if they were prepared to make an arrest, or if they had him in custody. I asked that question even before the briefing started, and I was told, no, they don't have him. And at the end of the briefing, were they any closer? They said, yes, we are closer, we've had better information than we've had in a long time, but are we ready to make an arrest of Osama bin Laden? No. Do we know where he is? No. Is he in Pakistan? We're pretty sure he's not.
So that's about the extent of the possible arrest of Osama bin Laden. It doesn't appear any closer than they were, but they do new information from a man they arrested a week ago.
WHITFIELD: Fascinating. Tom Mintier, among those among the first to be briefed by officials on exactly how Khalid Shaikh Mohammed was arrested one week ago, and being shown that eight-minute tape of the things that took place just prior to the arrest and during the arrest.
Just minutes ago, officials with the Bush administration wrapped up their informal daily meeting, dubbed "the gaggle."
And CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux was there, and tells us what was said.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, some harsh words for Russia, the news that perhaps they would be vetoing, or voting no on that resolution, White House spokesman Ari Fleischer using some very strong language when he was asked about it. He says, we hope this not the case, it's worth noting what happened to people in Kosovo and Rwanda that U.N. previously sat on sidelines when people died. We went on to ask whether it would damage U.S. and Russia relations. He went on to say that the president would be disappointed, that it would be a missed opportunity to take a moral stand to prevent mass catastrophe. The president and the administration really framing this in terms of a moral issue now. We are told that the president is going to be making a lot of phone call today. He's already called leaders of China, as well as Japan. He'll be making calls for U.N. Security Council members, as well as countries he feels can influence those members, saying that this is a moral argument here, that they have to take a stand at this time. It's not only about U.N. credibility, but also preventing a human catastrophe.
Now, we also talked about as well Secretary Powell and other administration officials very frustrated now with U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix. That's because there was a report, an addendum provided on Friday after Blix made his presentation that talked about some details about drones and about rockets and things of this nature. We asked was this new information, not included in the presentation, was it new?
Well, Ari Fleischer said there was some details that were not provide before. The administration wants Blix to answer to this, why it wasn't included. That, we're told, is going to happen at 4:00 in New York in a closed meeting, in the U.N. Security Council. The administration definitely wants some answers when it comes to that.
But, Fredricka, as you know, this is going to be a very busy day, the next 24, 48 hours here, we are told the president all day is going to be making those critical calls, trying to get that support on that second resolution -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And in fact, Suzanne, it's getting rather confusing as to there really is indeed that support, or whether they're close to getting that support over the weekend. Over the weekend, Powell quoted as saying he thinks they have the nine votes. Then suddenly, some administration officials are saying they are far from having the nine votes. So there has to be a lot of frustration out of White House, too, about the mixed messages that are sent publicly.
MALVEAUX: Well, that's a very good point, Fredricka, because we asked Ari Fleischer what his assessment was. Secretary Powell was very optimistic yesterday, but Ari Fleischer said he hope we get the support. So some differences from one official to the next when you ask the question. But Ari Fleischer saying this vote could happen any time this week, so obviously, the administration wants to take that time necessary to try to win over those key votes, those critical votes. They're going to let this play out as long as they can, but that vote is going to happen some time this week. The administration making it very clear they would like their support, but they'll go ahead without them.
WHITFIELD: All right, Suzanne Malveaux, from the White House. Thank you very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR
USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
of Khalid Shaikh Mohammed>
