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American Morning
Saudi Arabia Has Made Arrests in Riyadh Terrorist Attack
Aired May 28, 2003 - 07:35 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.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Saudi Arabia has made arrests in the Riyadh terrorist attack that killed 25 people, including eight Americans and nine suicide bombers. At least eight people were arrested, including the so-called mastermind of the May 12th attacks.
Walter Rodgers is in Riyadh now with the very latest on this -- good morning to you, Walter.
Walter, can you hear me?
WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Heidi.
This is Walt Rodgers here in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The manhunt is obviously going on here, both in Riyadh, and the main focus now may even be the holy city of Medina. There have been conflicting reports of arrests there overnight. Some of those arrests overnight, the numbers have gone as high as eight, although some of the numbers of those arrested may be three and five. Part of the confusion stems from the fact that the Saudi government is not really saying very much at all on any of this. That is, there is no official confirmation of this latest spate of arrests.
But it's clear the Saudis are very interested in bringing to justice those who were responsible for perpetrating the attacks on the Western residential compounds here May 12th.
Earlier this morning, the American ambassador in Saudi Arabia, Robert Jordan, had a news conference in which he suggested that the threat level here continues to be very high.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERT JORDAN, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO SAUDI ARABIA: And we are continuing to treat the threat level here as an elevated threat level. There is no indication that this was a one time effort, a one time attack, and that these terrorists are satisfied that they have made some sort of point. Instead, we believe that there is a reason to be very concerned about future attacks here in the kingdom on Western American interests and I think obviously now even Saudi interests and Saudi civilians.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RODGERS: The FBI has been conducting a forensic investigation of the evidence of the explosions, the bombings May 12th. It should be noted the FBI has said that they are going to return most of the 60 investigators here to the United States. A smaller FBI team may return to Saudi Arabia later. Again, the American ambassador and American sources here say this time the Saudis are being more than cooperative with the investigation -- Heidi.
COLLINS: All right, Walter Rodgers live from Riyadh this morning.
Thanks so 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
Aired May 28, 2003 - 07:35 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Saudi Arabia has made arrests in the Riyadh terrorist attack that killed 25 people, including eight Americans and nine suicide bombers. At least eight people were arrested, including the so-called mastermind of the May 12th attacks.
Walter Rodgers is in Riyadh now with the very latest on this -- good morning to you, Walter.
Walter, can you hear me?
WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Heidi.
This is Walt Rodgers here in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The manhunt is obviously going on here, both in Riyadh, and the main focus now may even be the holy city of Medina. There have been conflicting reports of arrests there overnight. Some of those arrests overnight, the numbers have gone as high as eight, although some of the numbers of those arrested may be three and five. Part of the confusion stems from the fact that the Saudi government is not really saying very much at all on any of this. That is, there is no official confirmation of this latest spate of arrests.
But it's clear the Saudis are very interested in bringing to justice those who were responsible for perpetrating the attacks on the Western residential compounds here May 12th.
Earlier this morning, the American ambassador in Saudi Arabia, Robert Jordan, had a news conference in which he suggested that the threat level here continues to be very high.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERT JORDAN, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO SAUDI ARABIA: And we are continuing to treat the threat level here as an elevated threat level. There is no indication that this was a one time effort, a one time attack, and that these terrorists are satisfied that they have made some sort of point. Instead, we believe that there is a reason to be very concerned about future attacks here in the kingdom on Western American interests and I think obviously now even Saudi interests and Saudi civilians.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RODGERS: The FBI has been conducting a forensic investigation of the evidence of the explosions, the bombings May 12th. It should be noted the FBI has said that they are going to return most of the 60 investigators here to the United States. A smaller FBI team may return to Saudi Arabia later. Again, the American ambassador and American sources here say this time the Saudis are being more than cooperative with the investigation -- Heidi.
COLLINS: All right, Walter Rodgers live from Riyadh this morning.
Thanks so 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
