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CNN Live Saturday
State Department Issues Travel Advisory
Aired November 30, 2002 - 18:04 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.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: The State Department says it has got incredible reports about threats of U.S. attack -- of attacks on U.S. interests in Yemen and East Africa. So it is now warning Americans they shouldn't go there.
CNN White House correspondent John King has details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN KING, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As the investigation of the Kenya terror attacks continues U.S. officials are warning there could be similar strikes targeting Americans.
The State Department updated its travel warning for Yemen noting the hotel bombing and an attempt to shoot down an Israeli airliner in Mombasa. The warning says the U.S. government has received information the credibility of which has not yet been confirmed that similar attacks may also occur in Yemen.
A separate bulletin dealing with East Africa warns that similar attacks may also occur in Djibouti. That announcement says Djibouti is one of a number of countries in East Africa where there may be an increased terrorist threat.
U.S. forces are training in Djibouti and the country is also a staging point for CIA missions designed to track al Qaeda in Yemen and East Africa.
The hotel attack in Kenya reinforced fears that the terrorists are shifting strategy. The new government alerts say that because of increased security at embassies and official government facilities terrorists are seeking softer targets such as residential areas, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, hotels, schools, outdoor recreation events, resorts, beaches and planes.
President Bush remained in seclusion at his Texas ranch receiving an early morning briefing on the latest terror attacks.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KING: And senior officials tell us the president was told it is simply too early in the investigation to answer the most pressing question -- was there any al Qaeda role in those Kenya strikes -- Anderson.
COOPER: John, I heard a very strong statement from Ariel Sharon yesterday saying that Israel will find -- will hunt and find the people responsible for these attacks.
Is the U.S. concerned about Israeli response?
KING: It is a major concern at the White House -- the administration in a bit of a box on this one.
Certainly this president who sent U.S. troops into Afghanistan against the Taliban and al Qaeda cannot make the case that the Israeli government does not have a right to respond to a terrorist attack if it finds out who is responsible.
But the U.S. is concerned that if Israel projected force outside of its borders and beyond the Palestinian territories, as we have seen in the past, that there would be outrage in the Arab and Muslim world and that that outrage, even if the U.S. agreed in theory with the Israeli response, would make it all the more complicated for the president when it comes to diplomacy in the Arab world in the continuing confrontation with Iraq.
COOPER: John, I talked to a couple of Africa hands who say, "Look -- if the U.S. is going to want to shore up the African war on terrorism, they're going to have to pony up some more money."
Now I know Daniel Arap Moi is coming -- the president of Kenya -- is coming to meet with Bush next week. Are they going to talk about more aid for Kenya?
KING: They will talk about more aid but they will also talk -- the White House says it wants better answers about what has been done with the aid already spent.
Since the 1998 attacks on the U.S. embassy in Kenya about $3.1 million in counterterrorism money directly to the Government of Kenya -- millions more across Africa. Seven hundred and fifty thousand went to the Government of Kenya just about two weeks ago to improve security around its airports.
So U.S. officials say if there is a need for more assistance they are ready to provide it but they also want to make sure that the millions already provided to the Kenyan government and other governments across Africa is being well spent and properly spent on security improvements. Anderson?
COOPER: All right -- John King -- thanks very much.
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 November 30, 2002 - 18:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: The State Department says it has got incredible reports about threats of U.S. attack -- of attacks on U.S. interests in Yemen and East Africa. So it is now warning Americans they shouldn't go there.
CNN White House correspondent John King has details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN KING, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As the investigation of the Kenya terror attacks continues U.S. officials are warning there could be similar strikes targeting Americans.
The State Department updated its travel warning for Yemen noting the hotel bombing and an attempt to shoot down an Israeli airliner in Mombasa. The warning says the U.S. government has received information the credibility of which has not yet been confirmed that similar attacks may also occur in Yemen.
A separate bulletin dealing with East Africa warns that similar attacks may also occur in Djibouti. That announcement says Djibouti is one of a number of countries in East Africa where there may be an increased terrorist threat.
U.S. forces are training in Djibouti and the country is also a staging point for CIA missions designed to track al Qaeda in Yemen and East Africa.
The hotel attack in Kenya reinforced fears that the terrorists are shifting strategy. The new government alerts say that because of increased security at embassies and official government facilities terrorists are seeking softer targets such as residential areas, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, hotels, schools, outdoor recreation events, resorts, beaches and planes.
President Bush remained in seclusion at his Texas ranch receiving an early morning briefing on the latest terror attacks.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KING: And senior officials tell us the president was told it is simply too early in the investigation to answer the most pressing question -- was there any al Qaeda role in those Kenya strikes -- Anderson.
COOPER: John, I heard a very strong statement from Ariel Sharon yesterday saying that Israel will find -- will hunt and find the people responsible for these attacks.
Is the U.S. concerned about Israeli response?
KING: It is a major concern at the White House -- the administration in a bit of a box on this one.
Certainly this president who sent U.S. troops into Afghanistan against the Taliban and al Qaeda cannot make the case that the Israeli government does not have a right to respond to a terrorist attack if it finds out who is responsible.
But the U.S. is concerned that if Israel projected force outside of its borders and beyond the Palestinian territories, as we have seen in the past, that there would be outrage in the Arab and Muslim world and that that outrage, even if the U.S. agreed in theory with the Israeli response, would make it all the more complicated for the president when it comes to diplomacy in the Arab world in the continuing confrontation with Iraq.
COOPER: John, I talked to a couple of Africa hands who say, "Look -- if the U.S. is going to want to shore up the African war on terrorism, they're going to have to pony up some more money."
Now I know Daniel Arap Moi is coming -- the president of Kenya -- is coming to meet with Bush next week. Are they going to talk about more aid for Kenya?
KING: They will talk about more aid but they will also talk -- the White House says it wants better answers about what has been done with the aid already spent.
Since the 1998 attacks on the U.S. embassy in Kenya about $3.1 million in counterterrorism money directly to the Government of Kenya -- millions more across Africa. Seven hundred and fifty thousand went to the Government of Kenya just about two weeks ago to improve security around its airports.
So U.S. officials say if there is a need for more assistance they are ready to provide it but they also want to make sure that the millions already provided to the Kenyan government and other governments across Africa is being well spent and properly spent on security improvements. Anderson?
COOPER: All right -- John King -- thanks very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
