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CNN Live At Daybreak

Gitmo Spy?

Aired October 01, 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: Another arrest to tell you about linked to possible spying at Guantanamo Bay. This time a civilian translator is behind bars in Boston.
Our Dan Lothian reports the Egyptian-born U.S. citizen was caught with classified information.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAN LOTHIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Ahmed Mehalba appeared in federal court on Tuesday, one day after he was arrested at Boston's Logan International Airport, after returning from a trip to Cairo, Egypt.

Federal investigators say Immigration and Customs officials stopped him during a random questioning process, and they sent him through for further examination after something just did not add up. He did present them with an I.D. from work he had performed as a translator at the federal prison facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Upon searching his luggage, they found what they described as a suspicious disk and other documents, which they believe contains classified information.

He's currently being held on suspicion of making false statements after allegedly telling authorities that he did not possess any government-related documents on Guantanamo Bay.

Mehalba, in filing documents, says he does not know how any of this information ended up on his disks. He said that his CDs had music and movies.

His next court date is set for October 8.

Dan Lothian, CNN, Boston.

(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 October 1, 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: Another arrest to tell you about linked to possible spying at Guantanamo Bay. This time a civilian translator is behind bars in Boston.
Our Dan Lothian reports the Egyptian-born U.S. citizen was caught with classified information.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAN LOTHIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Ahmed Mehalba appeared in federal court on Tuesday, one day after he was arrested at Boston's Logan International Airport, after returning from a trip to Cairo, Egypt.

Federal investigators say Immigration and Customs officials stopped him during a random questioning process, and they sent him through for further examination after something just did not add up. He did present them with an I.D. from work he had performed as a translator at the federal prison facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Upon searching his luggage, they found what they described as a suspicious disk and other documents, which they believe contains classified information.

He's currently being held on suspicion of making false statements after allegedly telling authorities that he did not possess any government-related documents on Guantanamo Bay.

Mehalba, in filing documents, says he does not know how any of this information ended up on his disks. He said that his CDs had music and movies.

His next court date is set for October 8.

Dan Lothian, CNN, Boston.

(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.