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CNN Live At Daybreak
International Wrap: New Zealand Handyman Building Cruise Missile
Aired June 03, 2003 - 06:36 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: It's a challenge not many would take on, building a cruise missile in your basement. Everyone needs a project, though, right?
Our senior international editor, David Clinch, is here to talk about that.
Why? Why?
DAVID CLINCH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL EDITOR: Yes, very interesting. Well, that's a good question. He -- this fellow in New Zealand, who is an inventor -- some people call him a crackpot apparently -- but an inventor-type has put on his Web site, or created a Web site in which he says that he's going to build a cruise missile at home, not necessarily on the same standard and level of a U.S. military cruise missile, but a workable, usable cruise missile.
He's doing it, first of all, he says to perfect testing on a type of engine that he's developing...
COSTELLO: Oh.
CLINCH: ... but also, according to his Web site, to illustrate the fact that it can be done, and apparently on a fairly strict budget. He's got a whole list on the Web site of what you need, where you can buy it, how you put it together.
And he's making it absolutely clear -- you see a picture of the fellow here with his engine -- he's making it clear he's not putting it on there so that terrorists or somebody else can pick up the information and go and build a cruise missile. He says that he's doing it to show that it can be done, and that the people in the intelligence community and the military need to be aware...
COSTELLO: Because...
CLINCH: ... that somebody could be out there doing it who has far more dangerous intentions than he has.
COSTELLO: So, there's nothing anyone can do to stop him from doing this, because this...
CLINCH: Well...
COSTELLO: ... could be disturbing to many people. CLINCH: ... actually the reason we have called attention to the story today is that the police in New Zealand are actually indicating that they're now going to keep a close eye on this fellow while he does this to see whether he, in fact, is creating a danger or is an intelligence or security risk.
So, they'll be watching him; so will we. There he is testing the engine in his back yard from yesterday. I think he's on some kind of a cart or something. Well, anyway, so that's...
COSTELLO: Well, I don't mean to laugh, but...
CLINCH: That's very interesting, though. I mean, the fact that these things can be done with materials that can be bought on the open market, very interesting. So, we'll be keeping an eye on that.
And another thing that popped up just now, we've been following the attack in Saudi Arabia. Apparently, a Saudi newspaper today saying one of the suspects who was killed in that had a letter from Osama bin Laden in his pocket.
COSTELLO: You're kidding.
CLINCH: So, we're watching that very closely.
COSTELLO: So, we don't know when the letter was from, though, what date.
CLINCH: Apparently quite recently, but we're checking on that report.
COSTELLO: Interesting. We look forward to more information on that. David Clinch, many thanks.
CLINCH: OK.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Missile>
Aired June 3, 2003 - 06:36 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: It's a challenge not many would take on, building a cruise missile in your basement. Everyone needs a project, though, right?
Our senior international editor, David Clinch, is here to talk about that.
Why? Why?
DAVID CLINCH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL EDITOR: Yes, very interesting. Well, that's a good question. He -- this fellow in New Zealand, who is an inventor -- some people call him a crackpot apparently -- but an inventor-type has put on his Web site, or created a Web site in which he says that he's going to build a cruise missile at home, not necessarily on the same standard and level of a U.S. military cruise missile, but a workable, usable cruise missile.
He's doing it, first of all, he says to perfect testing on a type of engine that he's developing...
COSTELLO: Oh.
CLINCH: ... but also, according to his Web site, to illustrate the fact that it can be done, and apparently on a fairly strict budget. He's got a whole list on the Web site of what you need, where you can buy it, how you put it together.
And he's making it absolutely clear -- you see a picture of the fellow here with his engine -- he's making it clear he's not putting it on there so that terrorists or somebody else can pick up the information and go and build a cruise missile. He says that he's doing it to show that it can be done, and that the people in the intelligence community and the military need to be aware...
COSTELLO: Because...
CLINCH: ... that somebody could be out there doing it who has far more dangerous intentions than he has.
COSTELLO: So, there's nothing anyone can do to stop him from doing this, because this...
CLINCH: Well...
COSTELLO: ... could be disturbing to many people. CLINCH: ... actually the reason we have called attention to the story today is that the police in New Zealand are actually indicating that they're now going to keep a close eye on this fellow while he does this to see whether he, in fact, is creating a danger or is an intelligence or security risk.
So, they'll be watching him; so will we. There he is testing the engine in his back yard from yesterday. I think he's on some kind of a cart or something. Well, anyway, so that's...
COSTELLO: Well, I don't mean to laugh, but...
CLINCH: That's very interesting, though. I mean, the fact that these things can be done with materials that can be bought on the open market, very interesting. So, we'll be keeping an eye on that.
And another thing that popped up just now, we've been following the attack in Saudi Arabia. Apparently, a Saudi newspaper today saying one of the suspects who was killed in that had a letter from Osama bin Laden in his pocket.
COSTELLO: You're kidding.
CLINCH: So, we're watching that very closely.
COSTELLO: So, we don't know when the letter was from, though, what date.
CLINCH: Apparently quite recently, but we're checking on that report.
COSTELLO: Interesting. We look forward to more information on that. David Clinch, many thanks.
CLINCH: OK.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Missile>
