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CNN Live Saturday

White House Collecting Facts Regarding Bombing in Saudi Arabia

Aired October 06, 2001 - 17:06   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.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: At the beginning of this broadcast we told you about the explosion -- the bombing -- that has taken place in Saudi Arabia. We want to bring in CNN's Kathleen Koch. She's at her post at the Pentagon with any word or update and reaction from there -- Kathleen.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Martin, we also have reaction from here -- or from the White House nearby. A Bush administration official telling CNN that based on first reports that this appears to be an isolated incident not related to September 11 but -- quote -- "Again, we are collecting the facts."

Now this Bush official could not confirm whether any of the dead or injured were Americans.

Our viewers may remember that it was near Khobar back in 1996 that some 19 U.S. servicemen were killed when their barracks were bombed. Since that point the U.S. military personnel who had been stationed there were moved to the Saudi Arabian desert to Prince Sultan Air Base.

Now we are hearing from the Pentagon that at this point they have no information -- that any U.S. personnel whatsoever, Martin, were hurt or injured in this bombing.

SAVIDGE: Kathleen, we're also getting reports hearing of military activity in Uzbekistan at this point. Any word from the Pentagon there?

KOCH: Martin, what might be happening at this point -- we were told -- CNN was told -- that a number of troops -- some 1,000 light infantry troops -- part of the U.S. Army's 10th Mountain Division based in Fort Drum, New York would be sent to Uzbekistan and should begin arriving there -- should have begun arriving on Friday.

Obviously transport planes, helicopters -- all sorts of action. So that may be what's being seen at this point. Their deployment comes very soon after a meeting between Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and the Uzbek President Islam Karimov. This was during Rumsfeld's five-country swing through the Middle East and Central Asia to garner support for the U.S. campaign against terrorism in the region. And a very important commitment that the defense secretary was secured was that U.S. troops could be based at this air base in southern Uzbekistan but only for humanitarian purposes for, say, food drops or rescue missions.

Now the U.S. is though hopeful that perhaps that could change in the future because President Karimov did not 100 percent rule out any potential U.S. offensive attacks ever being made from his territory -- Martin.

SAVIDGE: Kathleen Koch at the Pentagon. Thanks very much for the update.

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