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Prism

Yemen Reveals New Details On Nigerian Bombers Ties To Muslim Cleric

Aired January 07, 2010 - 12:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

STAN GRANT, CNN INT'L. ANCHOR, PRISM (voice over): A meeting in Yemen. New details about the Nigerian accused in the Christmas Day airline bombing attempt involving a controversial Muslim cleric, we're live in Sanna with the latest.

Al Qaeda claims responsibility for the devastating suicide attack on CIA offices in Afghanistan. Who was the bomber loyal to?

And officials say three bomb-sniffing dogs stationed at U.S. airport flunk a critical test, twice. In our "Prism Segment" tonight, airport security, just what actually works?

From CNN Abu Dhabi in United Arab Emirates, this is PRISM, where we take a story and look at it from multiple perspectives. I'm Stan Grant.

Missteps that allowed a near catastrophe. We begin with that foiled Christmas Day plot to blow up a U.S. jetliner. The White House is poised to release an unclassified version of its initial report on security lapses, ones that allowed the suspect to board a plane with explosives hidden on his body.

Meanwhile a U.S. federal grand jury has indicted Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab. The Nigerian man faces six counts, including trying to murder the other 289 people on the plane.

We're also getting new details about Abdulmutallab's contacts during his time in Yemen. Paula Newton is tracking that part of the story. She joins us from the capital, Sanna.

What are you hearing, Paula?

PAULA NEWTON, CNN INT'L. CORRESPONDENT: Well, Stan, first thing this morning a high-ranking government official, in fact, a deputy prime minister said that the Yemeni government has information that in fact Abdulmutallab had met with Awlaki. And for that reason they believe that definitely he was in some way, shape or form, inspired by him. They won't give any details about the nature of that contact, or exactly what went on. But they did confirm that which is significant.

The United States has been worried about Awlaki for several months now, especially after they found out that he had some kind of contact with the Fort Hood killer. And for that reason, now, the Yemeni officials are continuing to check his links. Exactly where Abdulmutallab was here in Yemen, how many times he would have met Al-Awlaki exactly, if they had gone to any training -Al Qaeda training camps here in the south.

GRANT: Yes, Paula, this also goes to the broader question of extremism in Yemen, in general. There have been questions posed about the capacity of the government to actually deal with it. What are you hearing there about the attitudes towards cracking down on it and the capacity to carry that through.

NEWTON: Well, I think - Stan, everyone admits, including the government itself that they haven't been concentrating on the Al Qaeda threat as much as they have been concentrating on all the other challenges in this country. Now they are and I think we have heard from many corners that in fact the Yemeni government is trying the best it can. That it has a good intelligence network to try and figure out where Al Qaeda is and where they have been hiding out. And that they will continue to try and pursue Al Qaeda.

And the Yemeni government points out that, look, we have warned three American administrations about the potential for Al Qaeda in this country and for Al Qaeda cells to become what Hillary Clinton has called the "incubator of extremism". I think what is surprising to me was to hear officials say that, look, we believe the Yemeni officials now are committed to tackling this. And that, not only that, they do have some competence when it comes to the intelligence gathering.

GRANT: Paula, thank you for that. Paula Newton joining us live there from Sanna in Yemen.

Well, top White House aides say the report on security and intelligence lapses involving that failed attack may include a shock for Americans. President Barack Obama is expected to speak about it in a few hours. Senior White House Correspondent Ed Henry joins us now from Washington.

Ed, what can we expect?

ED HENRY, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Stan, we will hear from the president in a little less than three hours. Bottom line is, as you noted, one of the president's top aides is saying this may shock the American people, when they see the results of this. That claim coming from the president's national security advisor, Retired General Jim Jones. The general telling "USA TODAY", that clearly the dots were not connected. That there were all kinds of clues through intelligence that U.S. officials had, that this eventual suspect could have been a problem, could have been a terrorist. And bottom line, he never should have gotten on that plane in the first place.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEN. JIM JONES, (RET.) U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: I think there is a certain shock to it, in the sense that, you know, the man on the street will, say, will be surprised that, you know, these correlations weren't made, because there is that out there. There was a number of things that could have triggered a prevention of this individual ever getting on an airplane.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

So, a lot of unanswered questions, including who will be held accountable. The president, last week, promised when all this broke out, that he would hold government officials accountable at every level of the U.S. government. And he also said there were systemic and human failings that lead to this near terror attack. So far we have heard a lot about the systemic problems. No fly lists that need to be fixed, as you just heard. You know, intelligence gathering and sharing that needs to be done better, aviation security that needs to be beefed up.

What we have not heard a lot about those human failings. Which officials? Which agencies sort of dropped the ball? Who is going to step up and take responsibility to make sure U.S. government doesn't make the same mistake again, Stan.

GRANT: Ed, while you are talking about that intelligence gathering and sharing, I understand also, media reports saying that more information was coming to light about Abdulmutallab's connections, or extremists connections, while he was on his way to the United States. And the administration saying about that?

HENRY: They are. This is a "Los Angeles Times" report suggesting that U.S. officials on the ground, while the flight was going from Amsterdam to Detroit on Christmas Day, had plugged in all the names of everybody on that flight. And that is pretty routine for an international flight coming in to the U.S. And they saw a match between the eventual suspect and this broad terror list of about a half million names.

What the White House is pushing back on, though, is the notion that that would have prevented him from ever getting on the plane. They say that is not true. The story is suggesting that if this information had gotten into the right hands a little bit sooner, maybe they would have kept him off the plane in Amsterdam. The White House says no, actually, we have known for some time that he was on this broad terror database of potential terrorists, but was not on the no-fly list, which is much more select. And they are saying that is the real problem here, is to try to figure out how somebody, who may have some terrorist type, can get on that kind of select list, so they don't get on the plane in the first place, Stan.

GRANT: Ed, thank you for that. Ed Henry joining us there, from the White House .

Al Qaeda now says it was behind last week's slaying of seven CIA officers in Afghanistan. Al Qaeda's leader in Afghanistan says the suicide was revenge, a payback for death of Attuallah Masoud, a Pakistani Taliban leader killed by a missile strike in August.

Precisely how the devastating attack was carried out is a story worthy of spy novel. Our Barbara Starr has that, and a look at its implications from the Pentagon.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARBARA STARR, CNN SR. PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The sophistication was unprecedented. The alleged Jordanian suicide bomber, Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi, may have been a triple agent, a one-time militant, who then promised to help the U.S., but then, attacked Americans.

Bruce Riedel, a former CIA officer, has advised President Obama on Al Qaeda.

BRUCE RIEDEL, FMR. CIA OFFICER: It is a very, very sophisticated operation. It must have taken a long time to plan and to set up. And it demonstrates that their capacity to strike back at us remains very, very significant.

STARR: Several sources tell CNN the bomber was driven to a U.S. base by American operatives. He was never searched. No one has said why. And it is believed most of the Americans had never even met him. But he was offering irresistible information, the possible whereabouts of Osama bin Laden's deputy Ayman Al-Zawahiri. He detonated his explosives within minutes of arriving.

The U.S. and Jordan courted al-Balawi over the last year, believing he e-mailed back with credible information on possible Al Qaeda attacks. But still a Jordanian intelligence officer was there as a crucial go- between. Now it is all brought to light. Perhaps the CIA's most covert partner in the hunt for both Osama bin Laden and Zawahiri.

RIEDEL: The Jordanian intelligence service is the best intelligence service in the Middle East and South Asia, bar none. They are far more effective in working against jihadist groups like Al Qaeda in Iraq, like the Al Qaeda core in Pakistan, than any other intelligence service.

STARR (on camera): The question now, was the bomber always a trusted informant, who was forced by Al Qaeda to carry out the attacks? Or was he always misleading his U.S. and Jordanian handlers? Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GRANT: Now, to the Iranian capital where five people, arrested after street clashes during Ashura religious observances, could soon face the death penalty. That is according to Iran's Labour News Agency. Citing the nation's judiciary the agency says the case will begin soon, with five defendants to be tried for waging war against God. Witnesses say at least seven people were killed and hundreds arrested in the Ashura disturbances on December 27.

Tons of humanitarian aid has finally arrived in Gaza one day after its delay sparked clashes along the territory's border with Egypt. One Egyptian guard was killed and dozens of Palestinians wounded. Tensions were already high after Egypt announced it was building an underground metal wall to curb smuggling. Hamas has dubbed it the death wall. But some Palestinians hope it could lead to a lifting of the Israeli imposed blockade.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAHLID (through translator): The wall that Egypt built might strengthen the siege on the Palestinians people, but by increasing the blockades and pressure on us this may lead into lifting the siege and opening the crossings and will increase the pressure on Israel to open crossings.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRANT: Now in southern Egypt thousands of stone-throwing protestors faced off against police during a Christian funeral procession. The anger of the deaths of seven people, the Coptic worshipers and a security guard, were killed Wednesday while leaving a midnight mass. Egypt's interior ministry says the Christian were likely targeted as retaliation for the rape of a Muslim girl by a Christian man in November.

We have all grown accustomed to those long lines at airport security check points, but whether you leave your shoes on or take them off, are we really flying safer post-9/11? Tonight's "Prism Segment" we'll look at what is working and what is not in airline security.

Plus, "MARKETPLACE MIDDLE EAST" John Defterios joins us on this take on the world's tallest building, and more. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRANT: The debate over airport security is intensifying. Two weeks after that attempt to blow up a U.S.-bound airliner has countries around the world considering new screening methods; the benefits and drawbacks are coming to light. In our "Prism Segment" we are taking a closer look at what works in the post 9/11 era.

Some leaders are demanding increased security, calling for full body scanners and other technology to be put in place. Others say enough is enough. EU aviation specialists meeting in Brussels are divided. Belgium's secretary of transport, Etienne Schouppe (ph), called the measures excessive, saying, here in Belgium, and in the large majority of European airports security controls were strict enough.

Who is on board? The United States, Italy, Britain and the Netherlands, all said they will install body scanners. Belgium and Spain have expressed skepticism, while France and Germany remain uncommitted.

CNN's Phil Black picks up our coverage now from Manchester Airport in England, as we look at the main objection to the full body scanners.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right, sir, will you step forward please?

PHIL BLACK, CNN INT'L. CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The British government has said body scanners will be rolled out at all British airports despite strong concerns over privacy. To protect his identity, we won't show you this man's face, while we show you the image the machine produces.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A couple of areas (ph) there, that I would like to be highlighted up.

BLACK: In a nearby room another security staff member can see through the man's clothes. Potentially threatening items, obviously, but if there is anything that is interest to us it is going to show up. Anything that is metal or that his dense on the body, I prefer them to have a closer look at, outside, as a localized search. I'd definitely want a proper look at that one.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can see what we've got.

BLACK: Back at the scanner this is how suspect areas are identified. So security staff know where to look.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, your belt buckle is fine. OK, will you just turn around for me and show me what you've got in this.

BLACK: The airport says it is all done with privacy in mind. Only one person looks at the images. They are never stored. The computer is bolted down. And cameras, apart from the CC TV above, are usually forbidden in here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, sir, if you will step out please.

BLACK (On camera): Thank you.

I have used these machines in other parts of the world and they are fast, they are not intrusive as full pat down. But in a room not far from here, there is someone right now looking at an image of me, well, pretty much naked. And there are people, in Britain and across Europe, who still have real concerns about those images.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GRANT: Phil Black, there, from Manchester, in England.

Now, it is not just a privacy issue. The director of Privacy International, an independent watchdog on surveillance issues, said the call for more body scanners is a diversion from the real issue in the failed Christmas Day plot. "The biggest failure in this case was a failure of intelligence." It is a sentiment that is shared.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BEN WALLACE, MEMBER, BRITISH PARLIAMENT: It doesn't really matter how many scanners you have around the world. It is not going to currently pick up what is being posed by Al Qaeda, plastics and liquid and chemical bombs.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRANT: Now, while President Obama is leading the call for stepped up security, there is a lot of finger pointing on Capitol Hill. At incidents at U.S. airports in recent days have put passengers on edge. That means growing pressure on the federal agents in charge of securing U.S. airports. Randi Kaye has a closer look for us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): On Sunday at Terminal C, in Newark Airport, a man slips past a security checkpoint. A TSA worker is distracted and doesn't notice. Even when a passenger alerts officials, the TSA waits more than an hour before alerting airport police to the security breach. If this was a real threat that is precious time.

And when the TSA tries to view security tape of the incident, it discovers the cameras are running, but not recording. And we have learned that is not unusual. The union representing airport police tells us the TSA routinely informs them of illegal activity long after the fact. The TSA says it accepts full responsibility for the failure and has placed the employee involved on administrative leave.

The unidentified man? No trace. Keeping them honest. What is going on at the TSA? And who is in charge?

(On camera): The man nominated as its head has admitted improperly accessing a government database 20 years ago to run a background check on his ex-wife's new boyfriend. The nomination has also been held up because of Republicans' concern he would allow TSA workers to join a labor union. And there are other problem.

(voice over): The TSA spent $30 million on its fancy puffer machines, which blow air on you to release explosive material. They didn't work and are being phased out. One security expert says TSA pat-down practices miss all sorts of things.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Any pat-down that you experience that doesn't embarrass you physically, is one that is not very effective.

KAYE: Even the agencies seem out of sorts. In Philadelphia three of the TSAs bomb-sniffing dogs failed consecutive tests. The dogs were responsible for checking cargo at Philadelphia International. Ten other airport dogs did pass the test.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They don't retrain them. They have got to retrain them, recertify them. It is not the dog's fault. Dog can't say, I can't smell a bomb.

KAYE: TSA's response? There are more than 700 dog teams at airports in mass transit hubs and all are supposed to be recertified occasionally. Back in December, when the TSA inadvertently posted its screening procedures manual on line, a leak that might aid terrorists, five employees were put on leave. Just this week, in Bakersfield, California, the airport was evacuated, shut down for five hours after two TSA workers found what they thought were traces of explosive on bag in bottles. They complained they felt sick after smelling fumes from the bottles. Turns out the bottles contained honey, officials are still puzzled.

On his website the TSA says its vision is to, quote, "continuously set the standard for excellence in transportation security." A vision that, to some, seems blinded by mishaps and confusion. Randi Kaye, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GRANT: There are new technologies in the pipeline but it could be years before they are ready for actual use. Terrorism and security expert Richard Bloom has some thoughts on what complications the new technology will face.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICHARD BLOOM, TERRORISM & SECURITY EXPERT: When it comes to various kinds of technologies, unfortunately none of them have 100 percent accuracy rate, when they are tested in the lab, when they are field tested, or when they are employed operationally.

Number two, a sophisticated terrorist entity has its own intelligence surveillance and recognizance capabilities. It is easy enough to find out what the capabilities of technology will be how it is being used. And then you can plan to beat it, to go around it. Or launch another terrorist attack at another aviation environment, another transportation modality or pick one of the infinite venues and locations at which terrorism can occur. Technology, any kind of technology is certainly not the be all or end all.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRANT: The challenges of technology and security and just how much security is enough. Some different perspectives in our "Prism Segment" for you on airport security technology.

Financially 2009 was a rough year for Dubai, but the emirate has some tower expectations for 2010. John Defterios will join us with that story and more.

And when will it get warmer? The U.S. heartland remains locked in a deep freeze. Things are no better in the East or the South.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRANT: Welcome back.

DP World is hoping for an image enhancing listing on the London stock exchange. It comes as DP's parent company, Dubai World tries to claw its way out of debt. Meanwhile, the cash strapped emirate has some very high hopes for the newly opened Burj Khalifa. And oil prices, they haven't been this high in more than a year.

Let's touch on some of those stories now with John Defterios, he joins us from London.

We have to start with the Burj Khalifa, formerly known as the Burj Dubai. Now is this evidence of a can-do spirit in the emirate, or are we reaching, John?

JOHN DEFTERIOS, CNN ANCHOR, MARKETPLACE MIDDLE EAST: Well, it is interesting, Stan, I think when the dust settles in the desert sands, that in fact, this will become an iconic brand. If you think about it this skyscrapers like the Empire State Building in New York or the Petronas Towers, going east, to Malaysia, they do identify the skyline and they last for decades on end.

The question is, what happens from this point forward? One thing it does provide is a turning point to change the mood in Dubai. Just don't forget, just over a month ago, the merger was called off between Emaar, which is the builder of the Burj Khalifa, as it is called now, and Dubai Holding. We don't talk about that anymore. The $25 billion injected into Dubai, from Abu Dhabi, not talked about anymore. Now the next big hurdle, of course, is whether Dubai World can restructure its debts. And that is a big challenge going forward.

I do like the discretion in which the name change was handled. It was seen as a gesture from Dubai, from Abu Dhabi; of course, linked in part because of the money. We don't the terms of it. And it very much like the politics of the Gulf we will probably never will. But the name will remain as the Burj Khalifa going forward. And if you think of the other iconic brand that is there, it is the Burj Hotel. The sail-like structure, you don't it, as it is now. And this just adds to that sort of branding for the emirate.

GRANT: I like the subtle use of the word there, that it is given there, as a "gesture". But anyway, John, well, talk about the bigger question of debt. You mentioned that, just there, only a month ago, that was what everyone was talking about. Dubai World caught up in that. Dubai Ports suffering because of its association with Dubai World, the parent company. Now looking to improve on that image with a listing in London.

DEFTERIOS: Yes, in fact, I dug around to look back when, in fact, DP World raised money in the Dubai market. It was going back to November of 2007. A very different climate, of course, Stan, back then. They raised nearly $5 billion. And it was just May of 2009 that a private equity group, Abraj (ph), also based in Dubai, wanted to take a 15 percent stake for nearly $1 billion. Now, those days are long gone. They are not going to raise that kind of money in Dubai, because of the lack of liquidity in the emirate right now, and the lack of momentum in the regional stock markets.

It is not just a Dubai story. The markets in the region are up just 15 percent compared to some 70 percent for the global emerging markets in 2009. So, much more liquidity in London. They can get away with it, politically, in a sense, because Bourse Dubai is the largest shareholder in the London Stock Exchange. So basically they can say, we can go to our partner. This will give us a better evaluation. More liquidity in the markets for us to rebuild going forward.

DP World, by the way, is quite a business and throws off a lot of cash. So, they won't have difficulty raising the funds.

GRANT: John, thank you again. John Defterios joining us there, from London. Of course, you can more of John on CNN's "MARKETPLACE MIDDLE EAST", tune in Friday night, 23:45 in Abu Dhabi, 20:45 in Central Europe.

Another major winter storm is rumbling across the U.S., Midwest, bringing more snow and even colder temperatures. Strong winds across the Dakotas have driven the wind chill down to nearly minus 50, believe that. Some areas have reported five straight days of double-digit negative temperatures.

In Texas homeowners are stocking up on wood, a sure source of heat, if the power fails. Freeze warnings have been posted across nearly all of Florida and the state's citrus and berry crops are threatened.

Let's take a look now at the global weather picture with Mari Ramos at the CNN World Weather Center.

(WEATHER REPORT)

GRANT: And that's it for me, Stan Grant, in Abu Dhabi. "LIVING GOLF" coming up next, that is after we update the headlines.

END