Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

Al Qaeda Terrorist Plots in New York City

Aired June 20, 2003 - 07:03   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.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We have more details now about that Ohio truck driver who has pleaded guilty to aiding al Qaeda. Iyman Faris lived in Columbia, making -- excuse me -- making deliveries around the country, while also helping to plot terrorist attacks.
One of the intended targets was the Brooklyn Bridge, and that's where we find our Michael Okwu this morning.

Michael -- good morning.

MICHAEL OKWU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Daryn.

It's a very quiet New York City morning, and it's somewhat a soggy morning as well. But this is the site of what authorities say would have been a major terrorist attack against the United States. The Brooklyn Bridge, of course, is a major landmark in the city connecting Brooklyn, where I'm standing now, to Manhattan, which you can see just over my shoulder.

Now, Faris apparently was casing the 116-year-old bridge for quite some time. He had been ordered essentially to get some gas cutters that could be used to burn through the bridge's suspension cables, basically the backbone of the bridge.

For weeks, police had posted marked cars just on either side of the bridge considered to be the most vulnerable sections for the suspension cables. He apparently took a look at this, concluded that the structure of the bridge, as well as the security, made it not as a successful potential terrorist attack, and called his al Qaeda connections, essentially telling them -- quote, Daryn -- "The weather is too hot."

Daryn -- back to you.

KAGAN: All right, Michael, thank you for that.

New York City's police commissioner, Ray Kelly, says it's believed that Faris had been getting instructions directly from senior al Qaeda leaders.

Commissioner Kelly is with us now.

Commissioner, good morning. Thanks for being with us.

RAY KELLY, COMMISSIONER, NEW YORK CITY POLICE: Good morning, Daryn. KAGAN: We are just learning about this now. But did you hear about it from the federal government when they first knew of it as well?

KELLY: Yes, when Faris was taken into custody, we found out about it through our joint terrorist task force, and we have been aware of his being taken into custody and questioned for a period of time.

KAGAN: Did it surprise you that someone would plan to attack the Brooklyn Bridge? Or at this point, was everything that you've seen from attacks that have been carried out and threats that have been thwarted, does nothing surprise you now?

KELLY: Well, so-called chatter has been out there for a while about the Brooklyn Bridge, so it didn't particularly surprise us. We had put additional security on the bridge in the vicinity of the bridge. We now have cameras and alarm systems on the bridge with our Department of Transportation.

KAGAN: Just from the specific threat and the potential of this plot or other threats that are out there?

KELLY: Well, the information out there, the chatter that was out there that the bridge was targeted, not from this specific information that we received, but we've had this out there for a while.

KAGAN: Can you tell me anything more about Faris getting his directions directly from al Qaeda?

KELLY: Well, as the attorney general said yesterday, he met with Osama bin Laden. He was in Pakistan. He was in Afghanistan. He went back to Pakistan. So, it's clear that he was getting direction from a fairly high level.

KAGAN: As police commissioner of New York City, you've set up this thing called Operation Atlas. This is, like, your own antiterrorism task force within New York City. Why is that necessary in addition to what the federal government offers?

KELLY: Well, this shows why it's necessary. New York is very high on the target list, as is Washington, D.C. We spend a lot of money. We put a lot of effort in to protect New York from terrorism. I think in this instance, it looks like it's paid off.

KAGAN: And you've worked for the federal government. You've worked local. Do you think the federal government gives New York City enough of the support that it needs in order to keep the city safe?

KELLY: No. We need more resources from the federal government. That's clear. We've gotten some positive statements from the federal government that they are going to give us resources. We have not received anything as yet.

KAGAN: The bottom line I think for people who might be planning a summer trip here to New York City, is it safe to come here? Is it safe to live in New York?

KELLY: New York is the safest big city in America, as far as crime is concerned...

KAGAN: How can you say that when there are people out there planning things like this?

KELLY: Well, planning, but they didn't do it. And obviously we've got a lot of police officers assigned throughout the city. Our crime is as low as it's been in 40 years. We are the safest big city of the 25 biggest cities in America. So, we want people to come here. It's a great town. Come and spend some money and enjoy New York.

KAGAN: Yes, if you could just bring some sunshine, Commissioner Kelly, then you'd -- then we'd be talking. Thank you for your time. Appreciate it.

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 June 20, 2003 - 07:03   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We have more details now about that Ohio truck driver who has pleaded guilty to aiding al Qaeda. Iyman Faris lived in Columbia, making -- excuse me -- making deliveries around the country, while also helping to plot terrorist attacks.
One of the intended targets was the Brooklyn Bridge, and that's where we find our Michael Okwu this morning.

Michael -- good morning.

MICHAEL OKWU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Daryn.

It's a very quiet New York City morning, and it's somewhat a soggy morning as well. But this is the site of what authorities say would have been a major terrorist attack against the United States. The Brooklyn Bridge, of course, is a major landmark in the city connecting Brooklyn, where I'm standing now, to Manhattan, which you can see just over my shoulder.

Now, Faris apparently was casing the 116-year-old bridge for quite some time. He had been ordered essentially to get some gas cutters that could be used to burn through the bridge's suspension cables, basically the backbone of the bridge.

For weeks, police had posted marked cars just on either side of the bridge considered to be the most vulnerable sections for the suspension cables. He apparently took a look at this, concluded that the structure of the bridge, as well as the security, made it not as a successful potential terrorist attack, and called his al Qaeda connections, essentially telling them -- quote, Daryn -- "The weather is too hot."

Daryn -- back to you.

KAGAN: All right, Michael, thank you for that.

New York City's police commissioner, Ray Kelly, says it's believed that Faris had been getting instructions directly from senior al Qaeda leaders.

Commissioner Kelly is with us now.

Commissioner, good morning. Thanks for being with us.

RAY KELLY, COMMISSIONER, NEW YORK CITY POLICE: Good morning, Daryn. KAGAN: We are just learning about this now. But did you hear about it from the federal government when they first knew of it as well?

KELLY: Yes, when Faris was taken into custody, we found out about it through our joint terrorist task force, and we have been aware of his being taken into custody and questioned for a period of time.

KAGAN: Did it surprise you that someone would plan to attack the Brooklyn Bridge? Or at this point, was everything that you've seen from attacks that have been carried out and threats that have been thwarted, does nothing surprise you now?

KELLY: Well, so-called chatter has been out there for a while about the Brooklyn Bridge, so it didn't particularly surprise us. We had put additional security on the bridge in the vicinity of the bridge. We now have cameras and alarm systems on the bridge with our Department of Transportation.

KAGAN: Just from the specific threat and the potential of this plot or other threats that are out there?

KELLY: Well, the information out there, the chatter that was out there that the bridge was targeted, not from this specific information that we received, but we've had this out there for a while.

KAGAN: Can you tell me anything more about Faris getting his directions directly from al Qaeda?

KELLY: Well, as the attorney general said yesterday, he met with Osama bin Laden. He was in Pakistan. He was in Afghanistan. He went back to Pakistan. So, it's clear that he was getting direction from a fairly high level.

KAGAN: As police commissioner of New York City, you've set up this thing called Operation Atlas. This is, like, your own antiterrorism task force within New York City. Why is that necessary in addition to what the federal government offers?

KELLY: Well, this shows why it's necessary. New York is very high on the target list, as is Washington, D.C. We spend a lot of money. We put a lot of effort in to protect New York from terrorism. I think in this instance, it looks like it's paid off.

KAGAN: And you've worked for the federal government. You've worked local. Do you think the federal government gives New York City enough of the support that it needs in order to keep the city safe?

KELLY: No. We need more resources from the federal government. That's clear. We've gotten some positive statements from the federal government that they are going to give us resources. We have not received anything as yet.

KAGAN: The bottom line I think for people who might be planning a summer trip here to New York City, is it safe to come here? Is it safe to live in New York?

KELLY: New York is the safest big city in America, as far as crime is concerned...

KAGAN: How can you say that when there are people out there planning things like this?

KELLY: Well, planning, but they didn't do it. And obviously we've got a lot of police officers assigned throughout the city. Our crime is as low as it's been in 40 years. We are the safest big city of the 25 biggest cities in America. So, we want people to come here. It's a great town. Come and spend some money and enjoy New York.

KAGAN: Yes, if you could just bring some sunshine, Commissioner Kelly, then you'd -- then we'd be talking. Thank you for your time. Appreciate it.

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