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CNN Live Today

Voice of Terror

Aired October 20, 2003 - 11:13   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: Well, the voice of terror may be speaking again. The CIA said that it is likely that Osama bin Laden's voice was one of two audio tapes aired on Al-Jazeera over the weekend, and the CIA believes the tape was recorded in the last six months.
For more on this, we want to bring in our Mike Boettcher to explain what's on them and the significance of it truly being Osama bin Laden.

MIKE BOETTCHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it certainly did sound like him on the tape. The phraseology and his voice. At times his voice seemed a little weak. There's speculation about his health, because he did not show up on camera again, not in a videotape, just audio tape.

But he did have two strong messages for two audiences. The American people and also for the Iraqi people and others in the Arab world. To the American people, he promised suicide attacks both within and outside of the United States. And to the Iraqis, he asked them not to participate in any government formed by the United States there.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Any government that's formed by America will be an agent, a puppet government, just like all the other governments in the areas, like Karzai or Mahmoud Abbas, that were set up to shed the blood of Muslims.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOETTCHER: You heard the reference to Mahmoud Abbas, the former Palestinian prime minister. That is one way the CIA is able to date that tape. He resigned on September 6th, so they believe the recording was done before. Then he also talked about economic figures, deficit figures in the U.S. Those were released in mid-July. So there's a speculation it could have been in that window, July to September, although the CIA's saying within the past six months.

KAGAN: So, Mike, What about the timing of the follow through on those threats?

BOETTCHER: Well, in the past, there have been attacks launched after Osama bin Laden has made a statement. Certainly in this one, he did not disguise what he intended to do, launch suicide attacks inside the United States and outside the United States. And it is concerning to terrorism analysts, this tape. KAGAN: And then it's interesting, the timing of it, that he put dates in it -- sometimes he does this -- this time he apparently did, that show that it could be current, if it is him. Why can't they use it backtrack way? And is there enough lagtime between the time it's released that they can't use it to try to track down better where he is?

BOETTCHER: Well, what I am told that the bin Laden followers do is use a chain of people to pass off the tape. They're called cutouts. So there could be as many as six, maybe more different people along the way to tapes passed to. So one person is caught. It's then very difficult to trace it back to where bin Laden was if you catch it in mid-chain. So it's difficult, and especially where he's believed to be, in Waziristan (ph) province, in Pakistan, on the Afghan border. It's called the tribal areas. It's very difficult to operate in there, as the Pakistanis have found out.

KAGAN: Even if you know where he is, it doesn't necessarily you can go in there and get him.

BOETTCHER: It would be a very, very tough task. It's a tough area.

KAGAN: Mike Boettcher, thank you for that. Appreciate that.

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 20, 2003 - 11:13   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, the voice of terror may be speaking again. The CIA said that it is likely that Osama bin Laden's voice was one of two audio tapes aired on Al-Jazeera over the weekend, and the CIA believes the tape was recorded in the last six months.
For more on this, we want to bring in our Mike Boettcher to explain what's on them and the significance of it truly being Osama bin Laden.

MIKE BOETTCHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it certainly did sound like him on the tape. The phraseology and his voice. At times his voice seemed a little weak. There's speculation about his health, because he did not show up on camera again, not in a videotape, just audio tape.

But he did have two strong messages for two audiences. The American people and also for the Iraqi people and others in the Arab world. To the American people, he promised suicide attacks both within and outside of the United States. And to the Iraqis, he asked them not to participate in any government formed by the United States there.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Any government that's formed by America will be an agent, a puppet government, just like all the other governments in the areas, like Karzai or Mahmoud Abbas, that were set up to shed the blood of Muslims.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOETTCHER: You heard the reference to Mahmoud Abbas, the former Palestinian prime minister. That is one way the CIA is able to date that tape. He resigned on September 6th, so they believe the recording was done before. Then he also talked about economic figures, deficit figures in the U.S. Those were released in mid-July. So there's a speculation it could have been in that window, July to September, although the CIA's saying within the past six months.

KAGAN: So, Mike, What about the timing of the follow through on those threats?

BOETTCHER: Well, in the past, there have been attacks launched after Osama bin Laden has made a statement. Certainly in this one, he did not disguise what he intended to do, launch suicide attacks inside the United States and outside the United States. And it is concerning to terrorism analysts, this tape. KAGAN: And then it's interesting, the timing of it, that he put dates in it -- sometimes he does this -- this time he apparently did, that show that it could be current, if it is him. Why can't they use it backtrack way? And is there enough lagtime between the time it's released that they can't use it to try to track down better where he is?

BOETTCHER: Well, what I am told that the bin Laden followers do is use a chain of people to pass off the tape. They're called cutouts. So there could be as many as six, maybe more different people along the way to tapes passed to. So one person is caught. It's then very difficult to trace it back to where bin Laden was if you catch it in mid-chain. So it's difficult, and especially where he's believed to be, in Waziristan (ph) province, in Pakistan, on the Afghan border. It's called the tribal areas. It's very difficult to operate in there, as the Pakistanis have found out.

KAGAN: Even if you know where he is, it doesn't necessarily you can go in there and get him.

BOETTCHER: It would be a very, very tough task. It's a tough area.

KAGAN: Mike Boettcher, thank you for that. Appreciate that.

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