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U.S. Soldier Accused of Trying to Assist Al Qaeda

Aired February 13, 2004 - 11:31   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: The U.S. military is preparing formal charges against a National Guardsman today, accusing him of trying to help al Qaeda. Authorities say that Specialist Ryan Anderson used an Internet chat room in an effort to reveal military secrets.
Kelly McAlister (ph) from our affiliate KCPQ reports from Fort Lewis, Washington.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLY MCALISTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Specialist Anderson was among these soldiers, more than 3,000, given a heroes send off last Saturday in Tacoma.

LT. COL. STEPHEN BARGER, I CORPS AND FORT LEWIS PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER: His job as a National Guardsman was what we call 19 KILO (ph), the armed crewman (ph).

MCALISTER: But instead of eventually deploying to Iraq with the 81st Brigade, Anderson will sit behind bars. He is alleged to have betrayed his country. Defense sources say Anderson tried to contact al Qaeda operatives online with information about U.S. military capabilities. But officially, the Army remains mum.

BARGER: An actual charge seeding (ph) specifications will be released at a later date.

MCALISTER: Lt. Col. Barger says Anderson was implicated in a sting operation conducted with the help of the Justice Department and FBI but would not say how long the investigation lasted nor exactly what sparked the inquiry or whether Anderson was successful, though he is not believed to have been.

BARGER: Again, that's a matter of specifics of the investigation I can't get into.

MCALISTER: Lorenzo Jones (ph) lives near Fort Lewis. He says he is disappointed by the news but is glad a proactive approach was taken to keep soldiers, like his sister, safe.

LORENZO JONES, RESIDENT: I mean it was kind of scary that it was going on to begin with. But the fact that they did crack down on it, and you know that does make me feel a little bit better.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: And the report coming to us from KCPQ, and thank you to them for that report.

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 February 13, 2004 - 11:31   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. military is preparing formal charges against a National Guardsman today, accusing him of trying to help al Qaeda. Authorities say that Specialist Ryan Anderson used an Internet chat room in an effort to reveal military secrets.
Kelly McAlister (ph) from our affiliate KCPQ reports from Fort Lewis, Washington.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLY MCALISTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Specialist Anderson was among these soldiers, more than 3,000, given a heroes send off last Saturday in Tacoma.

LT. COL. STEPHEN BARGER, I CORPS AND FORT LEWIS PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER: His job as a National Guardsman was what we call 19 KILO (ph), the armed crewman (ph).

MCALISTER: But instead of eventually deploying to Iraq with the 81st Brigade, Anderson will sit behind bars. He is alleged to have betrayed his country. Defense sources say Anderson tried to contact al Qaeda operatives online with information about U.S. military capabilities. But officially, the Army remains mum.

BARGER: An actual charge seeding (ph) specifications will be released at a later date.

MCALISTER: Lt. Col. Barger says Anderson was implicated in a sting operation conducted with the help of the Justice Department and FBI but would not say how long the investigation lasted nor exactly what sparked the inquiry or whether Anderson was successful, though he is not believed to have been.

BARGER: Again, that's a matter of specifics of the investigation I can't get into.

MCALISTER: Lorenzo Jones (ph) lives near Fort Lewis. He says he is disappointed by the news but is glad a proactive approach was taken to keep soldiers, like his sister, safe.

LORENZO JONES, RESIDENT: I mean it was kind of scary that it was going on to begin with. But the fact that they did crack down on it, and you know that does make me feel a little bit better.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: And the report coming to us from KCPQ, and thank you to them for that report.

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