Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live At Daybreak

Interview With Author Harvey Kushner

Aired December 22, 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: How are we supposed to react to the heightened terror threat? It's a question that we want to ask our guest, Harvey Kushner. He's the author of the "Encyclopedia of Terrorism," joining us by telephone from New York this morning.
Good morning to you.

HARVEY KUSHNER, "ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TERRORISM": Good morning.

CALLAWAY: I can barely hear you, Harvey. Are you there?

KUSHNER: I'm here.

CALLAWAY: Oh, good.

It seemed there was -- should we be taking this terror alert more serious than before? There seemed to be a different atmosphere in the presentation of this raising of the terror alert yesterday.

KUSHNER: Well, certainly, you know, when it comes at this time of the year, the government is concerned. You know, there are political reasons, and don't forget our economy is important to us. And to bring out a terror alert on a Sunday when the country is out shopping and trying to make up for the bad weather we had the last two weekends, you know, the government thought twice about doing this. But they have information that concerns them of the possibility, not specific information about a time and a place.

And, you know, it's cover your butt time as well. You know, it comes on the anniversary yesterday of Pan Am 103, when they had information and it wasn't shared with the general public.


Aired December 22, 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: How are we supposed to react to the heightened terror threat? It's a question that we want to ask our guest, Harvey Kushner. He's the author of the "Encyclopedia of Terrorism," joining us by telephone from New York this morning.
Good morning to you.

HARVEY KUSHNER, "ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TERRORISM": Good morning.

CALLAWAY: I can barely hear you, Harvey. Are you there?

KUSHNER: I'm here.

CALLAWAY: Oh, good.

It seemed there was -- should we be taking this terror alert more serious than before? There seemed to be a different atmosphere in the presentation of this raising of the terror alert yesterday.

KUSHNER: Well, certainly, you know, when it comes at this time of the year, the government is concerned. You know, there are political reasons, and don't forget our economy is important to us. And to bring out a terror alert on a Sunday when the country is out shopping and trying to make up for the bad weather we had the last two weekends, you know, the government thought twice about doing this. But they have information that concerns them of the possibility, not specific information about a time and a place.

And, you know, it's cover your butt time as well. You know, it comes on the anniversary yesterday of Pan Am 103, when they had information and it wasn't shared with the general public.