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CNN Live Saturday

U.S. Discovers Chemical/Biological Warfare Lab in Afghanistan

Aired March 23, 2002 - 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.
KATE SNOW, CNN ANCHOR: Now to the discovery of a potential chemical and biological warfare lab in Afghanistan. CNN's Jonathan Aiken has been tracking this story. He joins us now live from the Pentagon with more details about this. Good afternoon, Jonathan.

JONATHAN AIKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Kate.

What the Pentagon is confirming to us today is that, indeed, a laboratory capable of chemical and biological weapon production or material production was discovered. A lab, we are told, that was under construction. The Pentagon tells us the discovery was made by U.S. troops operating in a region near Kandahar, in an area the military describes as eastern Afghanistan.

The Pentagon is careful to say the lab wasn't close to producing anything toxic. There were no biological or chemical agents. No evidence of anthrax at that location, we're told. And also, no evidence, according to the military, that there was any active production of material. And you can read that to suggest that the lab itself wasn't up and running and wasn't manufacturing anything yet.

The Pentagon points to this discovery as evidence, further evidence, that al Qaeda is serious about its long-declared intention to obtain what the military calls "biological weapons of mass destruction." The Pentagon says a total of about 60 sites have been discovered and investigated by U.S. officials, and there are other sites they do, in fact, want to look at.

Getting back to this laboratory in particular. The military says what was there was medical supplies, commonly available laboratory equipment and materials that describes as suitable for the growing of biological samples as well as associated supplies.

So, according to the military, there is evidence that some kind of construction was under way, the potential for building a laboratory, capable of producing biological and chemical weapons. How they found this lab, the military isn't say saying, Kate, whether they stumbled on it by luck, it was information gathered through intelligence or the interrogation of detainees, either at Kandahar air base in Afghanistan or Guantanamo Bay in Cuba -- Kate.

SNOW: Jonathan, turning a corner here, there's also talk today about whether the U.S. would be willing to pursue al Qaeda into Pakistan, if that should become the case, if they go over, they're fleeing over the border, would the U.S. start pursuing, go in hot pursuit in Pakistan? What do you know about that?

AIKEN: It's a hot question, and it's one that's really a tricky one for the U.S. and Pakistan itself to consider.

A few things to point out here: Al Qaeda forces are crossing the border east into Pakistan. They're in an area that's predominantly mountainous, lawless. The Pakistani central government really hasn't had a great presence nor has its military had a presence there for decades. The general law comes under tribal and family leadership, many of whom are sympathetic to al Qaeda and the Taliban.

The military has suggested, field commanders in Afghanistan have suggested that the U.S. may chase these al Qaeda fighters across the border in what's called hot pursuit. And that's an important distinction to make, because under international law, it could be argued that if you are chasing a combatant from one country to another and cross that border, doesn't mean you're at war with the neighboring country; you're at war with the people who crossed over. Whether or not this is going to happen, Kate, still up for discussion. It's a pretty sticky question to be answered.

SNOW: OK. Jonathan Aiken at the Pentagon today. Thank you.

AIKEN: Sure.

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