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CNN Live At Daybreak

Latest From White House on Saudi Terror Attacks

Aired May 14, 2003 - 06:31   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: President Bush is vowing to find the terrorists who killed eight Americans in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi government now says at least 34 people were killed in the bombings at three residential compounds in Riyadh on Monday.
President Bush says he can't be sure that al Qaeda was behind the attack, but he says he wouldn't be surprised if it was.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Let me get back to Washington, find out the facts. We'll assess all of the threats. We'll take the necessary precautions. But one thing is for certain: The people that killed the Americans and other innocent life will be tracked down and they will be brought to justice. It doesn't matter how long it takes. The war on terror goes on, and this incident in Saudi Arabia shows the country that we still have got a war to fight, and we will fight it and we will win it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Let's see what we might expect from the president regarding this bombing in Saudi Arabia later today.

Senior White House correspondent John King is live from the White House with more on that.

Good morning – John.

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Carol.

If we hear from the president about all of this today, it most likely will not be until later this evening, but President Bush will get the latest on the investigation within the next hour. CIA Director George Tenet among those who will be here to deliver the president's daily intelligence briefing. Obviously an update on the investigation of the bombings in Saudi Arabia at the top of the agenda.

The president himself saying he can't say for sure whether al Qaeda is involved, but other U.S. officials -- senior U.S. officials are saying all the fingerprints certainly point that way. As they look at these pictures, as they have investigators on the scene and as they get information from the Saudi government, the early conclusion here at the Bush White House is that this is yet another attack on Americans and other Westerners, and Saudis in this case as well, by the al Qaeda terrorist group.

The president spoke to the Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah late yesterday. U.S. officials very impressed by the public statement the Saudi leader delivered, calling the bombers "monsters," promising to work thoroughly on the investigation. White House officials hoping this is a sign that there will be very close cooperation, not only in investigating this bombing but also on cracking down on al Qaeda groups and suspects operating within Saudi Arabia.

This evening, the president's focus turns to another foreign policy problem, the nuclear standoff with North Korea. South Korea's president is here in the United States on his first big overseas trip for his first meeting with President Bush.

President Roh says he very much wants to resolve the nuclear standoff peacefully. He's hoping to reach an accord with President Bush as to how to proceed in the very delicate diplomacy of trying to convince North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons program.

One thing President Roh says he will urge the White House to do is to back off a bit from the rhetoric in which the South Korean president believes the North is antagonized because it believes that the White House is threatening it with possible military action.

That meeting here tonight. At that meeting, reporters will be allowed in briefly to see President Bush and South Korea's President Roh. Perhaps if the president has anything to say, whether it's developments with North Korea or the Saudi bombing, word perhaps tonight -- Carol.

COSTELLO: John King live from the White House, many thanks.

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 May 14, 2003 - 06:31   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush is vowing to find the terrorists who killed eight Americans in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi government now says at least 34 people were killed in the bombings at three residential compounds in Riyadh on Monday.
President Bush says he can't be sure that al Qaeda was behind the attack, but he says he wouldn't be surprised if it was.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Let me get back to Washington, find out the facts. We'll assess all of the threats. We'll take the necessary precautions. But one thing is for certain: The people that killed the Americans and other innocent life will be tracked down and they will be brought to justice. It doesn't matter how long it takes. The war on terror goes on, and this incident in Saudi Arabia shows the country that we still have got a war to fight, and we will fight it and we will win it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Let's see what we might expect from the president regarding this bombing in Saudi Arabia later today.

Senior White House correspondent John King is live from the White House with more on that.

Good morning – John.

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Carol.

If we hear from the president about all of this today, it most likely will not be until later this evening, but President Bush will get the latest on the investigation within the next hour. CIA Director George Tenet among those who will be here to deliver the president's daily intelligence briefing. Obviously an update on the investigation of the bombings in Saudi Arabia at the top of the agenda.

The president himself saying he can't say for sure whether al Qaeda is involved, but other U.S. officials -- senior U.S. officials are saying all the fingerprints certainly point that way. As they look at these pictures, as they have investigators on the scene and as they get information from the Saudi government, the early conclusion here at the Bush White House is that this is yet another attack on Americans and other Westerners, and Saudis in this case as well, by the al Qaeda terrorist group.

The president spoke to the Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah late yesterday. U.S. officials very impressed by the public statement the Saudi leader delivered, calling the bombers "monsters," promising to work thoroughly on the investigation. White House officials hoping this is a sign that there will be very close cooperation, not only in investigating this bombing but also on cracking down on al Qaeda groups and suspects operating within Saudi Arabia.

This evening, the president's focus turns to another foreign policy problem, the nuclear standoff with North Korea. South Korea's president is here in the United States on his first big overseas trip for his first meeting with President Bush.

President Roh says he very much wants to resolve the nuclear standoff peacefully. He's hoping to reach an accord with President Bush as to how to proceed in the very delicate diplomacy of trying to convince North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons program.

One thing President Roh says he will urge the White House to do is to back off a bit from the rhetoric in which the South Korean president believes the North is antagonized because it believes that the White House is threatening it with possible military action.

That meeting here tonight. At that meeting, reporters will be allowed in briefly to see President Bush and South Korea's President Roh. Perhaps if the president has anything to say, whether it's developments with North Korea or the Saudi bombing, word perhaps tonight -- Carol.

COSTELLO: John King live from the White House, many thanks.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.