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Breaking News
Man Arrested Related to Potential Espionage Probe at Guantanamo Bay
Aired September 30, 2003 - 08:12 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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: There is breaking news right now from the Pentagon by way of Boston and Guantanamo Bay.
To try and connect the dots for us, here's Barbara Starr -- Barbara, what you are learning there?
Good morning.
BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Bill, good morning to you.
Administration officials are now confirming the arrest of a man at Logan Airport in Boston within the last several hours related to the potential espionage probe at Guantanamo Bay. This man's name is Ahmed Mehalba. He was apparently returning to the United States from Egypt. He was searched by U.S. officials. He was at that point found to be carrying classified documents, we are told both CD-ROMs and hard copy paper classified documents relating to the detainees at Guantanamo Bay.
He worked at Guantanamo Bay as a civilian translator. We are told he was not a member of the U.S. military and he is not in military custody this morning, but is under custody of civilian law enforcement officials.
This probe is continuing. This is now the third arrest, of course, related to potential espionage at Guantanamo Bay -- Bill.
HEMMER: Quite obvious, Barbara Starr, as you were reporting last week, so, too, Jamie McIntyre, that there would be a follow-up arrest. So this is the one, then, we were warned about last week?
STARR: No, indeed, Bill, this one apparently does come as somewhat of a surprise. This man is not a member of the U.S. military, worked as a civilian translator at Guantanamo Bay. What we have known for several days now and have reported here on CNN that there are two additional members of the U.S. military under scrutiny, under investigation for potential wrongdoing, a member of the U.S. Air Force and a member of the U.S. Navy. Those two people have not been detained, have not been arrested. Their cases remain under investigation.
This, now, a third case of an arrest in addition to two other military people, the army chaplain and a U.S. Air Force airman. They're under arrest. Now a civilian translator under arrest. Two other members of the U.S. military under investigation.
HEMMER: This will only feed the questions about security at Guantanamo Bay.
Thanks, Barbara Starr at the Pentagon this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Guantanamo Bay>
Aired September 30, 2003 - 08:12 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: There is breaking news right now from the Pentagon by way of Boston and Guantanamo Bay.
To try and connect the dots for us, here's Barbara Starr -- Barbara, what you are learning there?
Good morning.
BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Bill, good morning to you.
Administration officials are now confirming the arrest of a man at Logan Airport in Boston within the last several hours related to the potential espionage probe at Guantanamo Bay. This man's name is Ahmed Mehalba. He was apparently returning to the United States from Egypt. He was searched by U.S. officials. He was at that point found to be carrying classified documents, we are told both CD-ROMs and hard copy paper classified documents relating to the detainees at Guantanamo Bay.
He worked at Guantanamo Bay as a civilian translator. We are told he was not a member of the U.S. military and he is not in military custody this morning, but is under custody of civilian law enforcement officials.
This probe is continuing. This is now the third arrest, of course, related to potential espionage at Guantanamo Bay -- Bill.
HEMMER: Quite obvious, Barbara Starr, as you were reporting last week, so, too, Jamie McIntyre, that there would be a follow-up arrest. So this is the one, then, we were warned about last week?
STARR: No, indeed, Bill, this one apparently does come as somewhat of a surprise. This man is not a member of the U.S. military, worked as a civilian translator at Guantanamo Bay. What we have known for several days now and have reported here on CNN that there are two additional members of the U.S. military under scrutiny, under investigation for potential wrongdoing, a member of the U.S. Air Force and a member of the U.S. Navy. Those two people have not been detained, have not been arrested. Their cases remain under investigation.
This, now, a third case of an arrest in addition to two other military people, the army chaplain and a U.S. Air Force airman. They're under arrest. Now a civilian translator under arrest. Two other members of the U.S. military under investigation.
HEMMER: This will only feed the questions about security at Guantanamo Bay.
Thanks, Barbara Starr at the Pentagon this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Guantanamo Bay>
