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CNN Live At Daybreak
Wake-Up Call: U.S. Tells Many Americans to Leave Saudi Arabia
Aired May 14, 2003 - 06:04 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: The U.S. State Department is calling Saudi cooperation in the bombing probe "outstanding." Still, the State Department's message today to many Americans in Saudi Arabia: Get out.
We've placed a "Wake-Up Call" to our State Department producer, Elise Labott.
Good morning Elise.
ELISE LABOTT, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT PRODUCER: Good morning, Carol.
COSTELLO: Tell us more about that warning from the State Department.
LABOTT: Well, Carol, those attacks seemed to target the American expatriate community in particular. Those communities were favored by Americans working for U.S. companies. Many of them defense contractors working with the Saudi National Guard.
For instance, seven of those Americans and two others killed were from the Vinnell Corporation. Their housing compound is the one that was the most devastated, which Secretary Powell visited yesterday. Thirty or more of the Vinnell employees there were injured.
And the State Department is worried about further attacks. Yesterday, they ordered the departure of all nonessential personnel and embassy and consul personnel in the country and their families, because they feel the threat is still very high. They issued another travel warning for Saudi Arabia, urging Americans not to travel there, and for those currently in the county to consider leaving.
You know, the State Department had warned that they had information of terrorists in the final planning stages of attacks against American interests in Saudi Arabia, and they're not just concerned about attacks in the kingdom, Carol. They're worried that there is a huge fear these attacks are part of a growing trend to attack U.S. interests in the Persian Gulf and Middle East countries like Egypt and Jordan. So, they're asking all ambassadors in the region to get together with their staff and assess their security situation Carol.
COSTELLO: Understand. Let's talk more about the cooperation between Saudi investigators and American investigators. Traditionally it hasn't been that great. How is the State Department rating it today? LABOTT: Well, that's true. After the 9/11 attacks, the Saudis were criticized for not doing enough, but they say that the Saudi authorities have been outstanding, very helpful in getting U.S. embassy and consular personnel to the bombing sites, quickly sharing information.
For instance, Carol, Saudi approval for that FBI team's travel to Riyadh to aid with the investigation came within hours of the blast. One official said it was the quickest approval he ever saw by the Saudi government, and that was very significant.
And, in addition, they say over the last four or five months or so they have been very pleased with recent Saudi counterterrorism cooperation in recent months. Officials say they have entered a new phase in their counterterrorism cooperation. You might remember a few months ago Saudi foreign policy advisor Otto Al-Jabeir (ph) gave a press conference in which he said that the Saudis are cooperating with the United States.
And so, the Americans feel the Saudis have sent a new message to their people and to the world that they're with the Americans in the fight against terrorism, and now they feel that right now it's going really well. Of course, we'll have to see as we go further into the investigation, but certainly they think they're on the right track Carol.
COSTELLO: All right, Elise Labott, thanks for waking up early with DAYBREAK.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
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Aired May 14, 2003 - 06:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. State Department is calling Saudi cooperation in the bombing probe "outstanding." Still, the State Department's message today to many Americans in Saudi Arabia: Get out.
We've placed a "Wake-Up Call" to our State Department producer, Elise Labott.
Good morning Elise.
ELISE LABOTT, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT PRODUCER: Good morning, Carol.
COSTELLO: Tell us more about that warning from the State Department.
LABOTT: Well, Carol, those attacks seemed to target the American expatriate community in particular. Those communities were favored by Americans working for U.S. companies. Many of them defense contractors working with the Saudi National Guard.
For instance, seven of those Americans and two others killed were from the Vinnell Corporation. Their housing compound is the one that was the most devastated, which Secretary Powell visited yesterday. Thirty or more of the Vinnell employees there were injured.
And the State Department is worried about further attacks. Yesterday, they ordered the departure of all nonessential personnel and embassy and consul personnel in the country and their families, because they feel the threat is still very high. They issued another travel warning for Saudi Arabia, urging Americans not to travel there, and for those currently in the county to consider leaving.
You know, the State Department had warned that they had information of terrorists in the final planning stages of attacks against American interests in Saudi Arabia, and they're not just concerned about attacks in the kingdom, Carol. They're worried that there is a huge fear these attacks are part of a growing trend to attack U.S. interests in the Persian Gulf and Middle East countries like Egypt and Jordan. So, they're asking all ambassadors in the region to get together with their staff and assess their security situation Carol.
COSTELLO: Understand. Let's talk more about the cooperation between Saudi investigators and American investigators. Traditionally it hasn't been that great. How is the State Department rating it today? LABOTT: Well, that's true. After the 9/11 attacks, the Saudis were criticized for not doing enough, but they say that the Saudi authorities have been outstanding, very helpful in getting U.S. embassy and consular personnel to the bombing sites, quickly sharing information.
For instance, Carol, Saudi approval for that FBI team's travel to Riyadh to aid with the investigation came within hours of the blast. One official said it was the quickest approval he ever saw by the Saudi government, and that was very significant.
And, in addition, they say over the last four or five months or so they have been very pleased with recent Saudi counterterrorism cooperation in recent months. Officials say they have entered a new phase in their counterterrorism cooperation. You might remember a few months ago Saudi foreign policy advisor Otto Al-Jabeir (ph) gave a press conference in which he said that the Saudis are cooperating with the United States.
And so, the Americans feel the Saudis have sent a new message to their people and to the world that they're with the Americans in the fight against terrorism, and now they feel that right now it's going really well. Of course, we'll have to see as we go further into the investigation, but certainly they think they're on the right track Carol.
COSTELLO: All right, Elise Labott, thanks for waking up early with DAYBREAK.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
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