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CNN Live Saturday
White House Has Strong Remarks Against Sentiments In Alleged bin Laden Tape
Aired October 18, 2003 - 18:06 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.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, this is what President Bush's spokesman had to say about the tapes. And it is a quote here: "It is a reminder that global war on terrorism continues and the enemy has not regard for innocent life. The terrorists seek to spread their fear and that is why the president's message is that we have a responsibility to take the fight to the killers."
Well, the worries about terrorism coincide with new worries about airline security. This week box cutters and other contraband were left on two Southwest Airlines jets. Authorities are now questioning a 20- year-old college student from Maryland who is suspected of hiding the items.
Kathleen Koch joins us now with more on this story.
Kathleen, it really raises a lot of questions about airport security.
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It certainly does, Carol.
And all this attention is focused right now on a 20-year-old student a Gilford College in Greensboro, North Carolina named Nat Heathqual (ph). He lives in Damascus, Maryland where reporters have been unsuccessfully waiting outside his home all afternoon hoping that he would come out and talk.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KOCH (voice over): He told a newspaper in the North Carolina town, where he attends college, that he'd been questioned by the FBI for allegedly hiding box cutters, bleach and clay in at least two Southwest Airlines planes.
"They were pretty quick. I wasn't surprised," said Heathqual (ph), "I'd love to speak to all of this. I have a ton of stuff I'd like to say, but now is not the time," he added. "I have to work with the government before I work with the media."
The items were found Thursday by maintenance workers aboard Southwest airplanes in New Orleans and Houston.
A federal government source tells CNN that similar items were found in at least two other planes back in April. Federal officials were quick to downplay the incident.
ROBERT MUELLER, FBI DIRECTOR: I will tell you that it does not appear to be a terrorist event and there is not eminent threat.
KOCH: The Transportation Security Administration says the individual responsible sent an e-mail to them last month citing the locations, times, and places the contraband was put on planes. The e- mail said it was "civil disobedience to expose weaknesses in the system", according to an administration official.
Some worry the incident shows the need for quicker response and better airport security.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There were a lot of signals indicating that action should have been taken more promptly. But I think a lot of these people are almost like 21st century burglars. They're rattling on the doors, in effect, looking for points of vulnerability. And it's clear that there are simply too many left today.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Clearly, what we've got on line now, which is old technology and mind numbing work, is not failsafe. So what's next?
KOCH: Immediate changes, the TSA says it will better train personnel at it's contact center to red flag such e-mails in the future.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KOCH: Heathqual (ph) is expected in Baltimore, Maryland, Monday for a preliminary hearing. In U.S. district court and if he is charged and it is not definitely clear yet the he definitely will be, he could face up to 10 years in prison for carrying a weapon on an aircraft.
Carol?
LIN: All right. That was Kathleen Koch, in Washington.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Alleged bin Laden Tape>
Aired October 18, 2003 - 18:06 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, this is what President Bush's spokesman had to say about the tapes. And it is a quote here: "It is a reminder that global war on terrorism continues and the enemy has not regard for innocent life. The terrorists seek to spread their fear and that is why the president's message is that we have a responsibility to take the fight to the killers."
Well, the worries about terrorism coincide with new worries about airline security. This week box cutters and other contraband were left on two Southwest Airlines jets. Authorities are now questioning a 20- year-old college student from Maryland who is suspected of hiding the items.
Kathleen Koch joins us now with more on this story.
Kathleen, it really raises a lot of questions about airport security.
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It certainly does, Carol.
And all this attention is focused right now on a 20-year-old student a Gilford College in Greensboro, North Carolina named Nat Heathqual (ph). He lives in Damascus, Maryland where reporters have been unsuccessfully waiting outside his home all afternoon hoping that he would come out and talk.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KOCH (voice over): He told a newspaper in the North Carolina town, where he attends college, that he'd been questioned by the FBI for allegedly hiding box cutters, bleach and clay in at least two Southwest Airlines planes.
"They were pretty quick. I wasn't surprised," said Heathqual (ph), "I'd love to speak to all of this. I have a ton of stuff I'd like to say, but now is not the time," he added. "I have to work with the government before I work with the media."
The items were found Thursday by maintenance workers aboard Southwest airplanes in New Orleans and Houston.
A federal government source tells CNN that similar items were found in at least two other planes back in April. Federal officials were quick to downplay the incident.
ROBERT MUELLER, FBI DIRECTOR: I will tell you that it does not appear to be a terrorist event and there is not eminent threat.
KOCH: The Transportation Security Administration says the individual responsible sent an e-mail to them last month citing the locations, times, and places the contraband was put on planes. The e- mail said it was "civil disobedience to expose weaknesses in the system", according to an administration official.
Some worry the incident shows the need for quicker response and better airport security.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There were a lot of signals indicating that action should have been taken more promptly. But I think a lot of these people are almost like 21st century burglars. They're rattling on the doors, in effect, looking for points of vulnerability. And it's clear that there are simply too many left today.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Clearly, what we've got on line now, which is old technology and mind numbing work, is not failsafe. So what's next?
KOCH: Immediate changes, the TSA says it will better train personnel at it's contact center to red flag such e-mails in the future.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KOCH: Heathqual (ph) is expected in Baltimore, Maryland, Monday for a preliminary hearing. In U.S. district court and if he is charged and it is not definitely clear yet the he definitely will be, he could face up to 10 years in prison for carrying a weapon on an aircraft.
Carol?
LIN: All right. That was Kathleen Koch, in Washington.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Alleged bin Laden Tape>
