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CNN Live Today
Al Qaeda Connection to Saudi Bombings
Aired May 19, 2003 - 11:05 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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: In Saudi Arabia, investigators say that the al Qaeda terror group at least played a role in last week's attacks in Riyadh, 25 people were killed, eight of them Americans, as you may recall.
Senior international correspondent Sheila MacVicar, has more now on the motive and the menace that echoes from the blasts.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SHEILA MACVICAR, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): Saudi investigators believe the men who carried out the attacks in Riyadh, like the one that did this damage to the Al Hamra (ph) compound, were looking for soft targets, targets that were not well-protected, targets that would send a message to Westerners and the Saudi government and drive away foreign investment.
Of the nine bombers who died in the attacks, Saudi officials said Sunday they have identified three, part of the group of 19 men publicly sought in Saudi Arabia after the discovery of a cache of weapons and explosives in early May. Not all of those who carried out the attacks died. An unknown number escaped and are still at-large.
NAWAF OBIED, ANALYST: Some of them did get away, actually. And they are actually still out, and unfortunately there hasn't been any substantial success in getting them.
MACVICAR: There is a manhunt under way, but at a press conference, the Saudi interior minister says only four men with what he described as some knowledge of the attacks have been taken into custody. All of the indications of the Saudi interior minister are that these men are tied to al Qaeda. Saudi officials say there are other links.
This is one of the men intelligence agencies say may have played a key role in planning and perhaps carrying out the Riyadh attacks. His name is Khaled Jehani (ph). This videotape was recovered from what the U.S. says was an al Qaeda house in Afghanistan.
And according to intelligence agencies, this man, Turki al- Dandani (ph), is also believed be a key al Qaeda operative in Saudi Arabia. He is said to be working with Jehani (ph).
(on camera): There is no suggestion those key operatives have been arrested. Intelligence sources say they are still believed to be in Saudi Arabia and may be planning new attacks, one of the major reasons why the threat level here remains so high. Sheila MacVicar, CNN, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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 19, 2003 - 11:05 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: In Saudi Arabia, investigators say that the al Qaeda terror group at least played a role in last week's attacks in Riyadh, 25 people were killed, eight of them Americans, as you may recall.
Senior international correspondent Sheila MacVicar, has more now on the motive and the menace that echoes from the blasts.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SHEILA MACVICAR, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): Saudi investigators believe the men who carried out the attacks in Riyadh, like the one that did this damage to the Al Hamra (ph) compound, were looking for soft targets, targets that were not well-protected, targets that would send a message to Westerners and the Saudi government and drive away foreign investment.
Of the nine bombers who died in the attacks, Saudi officials said Sunday they have identified three, part of the group of 19 men publicly sought in Saudi Arabia after the discovery of a cache of weapons and explosives in early May. Not all of those who carried out the attacks died. An unknown number escaped and are still at-large.
NAWAF OBIED, ANALYST: Some of them did get away, actually. And they are actually still out, and unfortunately there hasn't been any substantial success in getting them.
MACVICAR: There is a manhunt under way, but at a press conference, the Saudi interior minister says only four men with what he described as some knowledge of the attacks have been taken into custody. All of the indications of the Saudi interior minister are that these men are tied to al Qaeda. Saudi officials say there are other links.
This is one of the men intelligence agencies say may have played a key role in planning and perhaps carrying out the Riyadh attacks. His name is Khaled Jehani (ph). This videotape was recovered from what the U.S. says was an al Qaeda house in Afghanistan.
And according to intelligence agencies, this man, Turki al- Dandani (ph), is also believed be a key al Qaeda operative in Saudi Arabia. He is said to be working with Jehani (ph).
(on camera): There is no suggestion those key operatives have been arrested. Intelligence sources say they are still believed to be in Saudi Arabia and may be planning new attacks, one of the major reasons why the threat level here remains so high. Sheila MacVicar, CNN, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
