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CNN Live At Daybreak
The War on Terror: Arrest in Britain
Aired November 28, 2003 - 06:33 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.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: Now to the War on Terror. And in Britain, police have arrested a man that they suspect may have ties to al Qaeda.
Let's turn to Matthew Chance who is on the phone with us now for the very latest on these investigations.
Matthew, what can you tell us?
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Catherine, police here in Britain suddenly believe this is significant counterterrorism breakthroughs that they have made in Gloucester, which is a city to the west of England, about 100 miles from London.
I'm in the area now where the latest raids have taken place. Just across the street from where I am talking to you, a raid was carried out on a house here in the early hours of this morning. No further arrests made there, but police forensic teams are inside that house now, as we speak, carrying out investigations for any traces of explosive material.
Already, a few hours before that, there has been an arrest made of a 24-year-old British man said to have been of Asian origin. Small, but significant quantities of explosives have also been found inside his residence. British security officials say they believe that this individual is linked in some way with the al Qaeda terrorist network. British authorities on a state of heightened alert, because they say they intercepted intelligence which is telling them that al Qaeda is planning some kind of attack here on the British mainland -- Catherine.
CALLAWAY: Matthew, tell me -- tell me a little bit more about these suspects, were they on a watch list before they were arrested?
CHANCE: Yes, this is the culmination of an observation operation, a surveillance operation that's been going on for many, many months, which has involved the local police force here in Gloucester, as well as Britain's domestic security services. MI5, the military intelligence there, have been conducting this jointly with the police. It's a nationwide operation. The operation hasn't come to an end on this occasion. Indeed, there have been other arrests around the country in recent days. One man, 39 years old, also arrested in the northern city of Manchester and charged with terrorism charges there as well -- Catherine.
CALLAWAY: And some reports that one of these suspects was linked to Richard Reid, who of course is the shoe-bomber suspect or shoe- bomber. What -- any idea what led to that connection?
CHANCE: The connection hasn't been publicly made yet, certainly not officially made. But it's certainly one branch of the investigation that the police and MI5 are proceeding with here. Richard Reid, of course, convicted of attempting to blow up that airliner earlier this year with explosives stuffed in his shoe.
CALLAWAY: All right, Matthew, thank you very much for keeping us up to date. That's Matthew Chance.
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 November 28, 2003 - 06:33 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: Now to the War on Terror. And in Britain, police have arrested a man that they suspect may have ties to al Qaeda.
Let's turn to Matthew Chance who is on the phone with us now for the very latest on these investigations.
Matthew, what can you tell us?
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Catherine, police here in Britain suddenly believe this is significant counterterrorism breakthroughs that they have made in Gloucester, which is a city to the west of England, about 100 miles from London.
I'm in the area now where the latest raids have taken place. Just across the street from where I am talking to you, a raid was carried out on a house here in the early hours of this morning. No further arrests made there, but police forensic teams are inside that house now, as we speak, carrying out investigations for any traces of explosive material.
Already, a few hours before that, there has been an arrest made of a 24-year-old British man said to have been of Asian origin. Small, but significant quantities of explosives have also been found inside his residence. British security officials say they believe that this individual is linked in some way with the al Qaeda terrorist network. British authorities on a state of heightened alert, because they say they intercepted intelligence which is telling them that al Qaeda is planning some kind of attack here on the British mainland -- Catherine.
CALLAWAY: Matthew, tell me -- tell me a little bit more about these suspects, were they on a watch list before they were arrested?
CHANCE: Yes, this is the culmination of an observation operation, a surveillance operation that's been going on for many, many months, which has involved the local police force here in Gloucester, as well as Britain's domestic security services. MI5, the military intelligence there, have been conducting this jointly with the police. It's a nationwide operation. The operation hasn't come to an end on this occasion. Indeed, there have been other arrests around the country in recent days. One man, 39 years old, also arrested in the northern city of Manchester and charged with terrorism charges there as well -- Catherine.
CALLAWAY: And some reports that one of these suspects was linked to Richard Reid, who of course is the shoe-bomber suspect or shoe- bomber. What -- any idea what led to that connection?
CHANCE: The connection hasn't been publicly made yet, certainly not officially made. But it's certainly one branch of the investigation that the police and MI5 are proceeding with here. Richard Reid, of course, convicted of attempting to blow up that airliner earlier this year with explosives stuffed in his shoe.
CALLAWAY: All right, Matthew, thank you very much for keeping us up to date. That's Matthew Chance.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
