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CNN Live At Daybreak

Saudis Ignored Warnings?

Aired May 15, 2003 - 06:32   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: Let's talk about Saudi Arabia now. An FBI team that will help with the Saudi bombing investigation is expected to arrive in Saudi Arabia sometime today. Thirty-four people were killed in Monday's attack, including eight Americans.
Now comes word that a top U.S. official secretly visited Saudi Arabia two days before the attack and asked the government to increase security at one of the buildings hit. The Saudi ambassador said Saudi security officials investigated the site and believed it had adequate security. But did it? And how is that playing on the Hill?

Our senior White House correspondent, John King, is live in Washington.

What's the Bush administration saying about that -- John?

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, new questions this morning about not only the level of Saudi cooperation in the war on terrorism, but the openness, if you will, the candor of the Bush White House in describing Saudi cooperation, or what some this morning will say lack of cooperation.

We learned last night that one of the president's top advisors, his deputy national security advisor, Steven Hadley, was sent on a secret mission to Saudi Arabia just last weekend. And we are told that in meetings with Saudi officials, Steve Hadley showed them intelligence suggesting that what happened was about to happen. He showed them intelligence suggesting that there were terrorist plots planned against residential compounds housing Americans and other Westerners.

Steve Hadley, we are told, appealed to the Saudis to put a very robust, physical, noticeable security presence, including armed guards surrounding those compounds, including one of those that was struck by the terrorists on Tuesday.

Steve Hadley was there for just a day. He returned to Washington, and the Saudis did not act on that advice.

U.S. officials telling this now to us, although just yesterday here at the White House the press secretary, Ari Fleischer, dismissed any questions about Saudi cooperation. He said Saudi Arabia was a full partner in the war on terrorism.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: We want to continue to work with Saudi Arabia on this. But make no mistake, Saudi Arabia continues to cooperate with us, and we will continue to push Saudi Arabia for additional cooperation, as we work together. But the people who carried this attack...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Now, look for this one not only to raise new questions here at the White House, but on Capitol Hill. A number of lawmakers over the past year or so, since September 11, have been harshly critical of the Saudi role in the war on terrorism. Look for them now to pick up that criticism, especially after this revelation that just two days before the attack one of the president's top national security advisors went to Saudi Arabia, appealed for more security and more help, and that request was denied -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Understand. John King live from Washington 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 May 15, 2003 - 06:32   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Let's talk about Saudi Arabia now. An FBI team that will help with the Saudi bombing investigation is expected to arrive in Saudi Arabia sometime today. Thirty-four people were killed in Monday's attack, including eight Americans.
Now comes word that a top U.S. official secretly visited Saudi Arabia two days before the attack and asked the government to increase security at one of the buildings hit. The Saudi ambassador said Saudi security officials investigated the site and believed it had adequate security. But did it? And how is that playing on the Hill?

Our senior White House correspondent, John King, is live in Washington.

What's the Bush administration saying about that -- John?

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, new questions this morning about not only the level of Saudi cooperation in the war on terrorism, but the openness, if you will, the candor of the Bush White House in describing Saudi cooperation, or what some this morning will say lack of cooperation.

We learned last night that one of the president's top advisors, his deputy national security advisor, Steven Hadley, was sent on a secret mission to Saudi Arabia just last weekend. And we are told that in meetings with Saudi officials, Steve Hadley showed them intelligence suggesting that what happened was about to happen. He showed them intelligence suggesting that there were terrorist plots planned against residential compounds housing Americans and other Westerners.

Steve Hadley, we are told, appealed to the Saudis to put a very robust, physical, noticeable security presence, including armed guards surrounding those compounds, including one of those that was struck by the terrorists on Tuesday.

Steve Hadley was there for just a day. He returned to Washington, and the Saudis did not act on that advice.

U.S. officials telling this now to us, although just yesterday here at the White House the press secretary, Ari Fleischer, dismissed any questions about Saudi cooperation. He said Saudi Arabia was a full partner in the war on terrorism.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: We want to continue to work with Saudi Arabia on this. But make no mistake, Saudi Arabia continues to cooperate with us, and we will continue to push Saudi Arabia for additional cooperation, as we work together. But the people who carried this attack...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Now, look for this one not only to raise new questions here at the White House, but on Capitol Hill. A number of lawmakers over the past year or so, since September 11, have been harshly critical of the Saudi role in the war on terrorism. Look for them now to pick up that criticism, especially after this revelation that just two days before the attack one of the president's top national security advisors went to Saudi Arabia, appealed for more security and more help, and that request was denied -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Understand. John King live from Washington 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.