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CNN Live Saturday
FBI, Homeland Security Warn Of Possible Cargo Plane Hijacking
Aired November 08, 2003 - 16:06 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.
KELLI ARENA, CNN ANCHOR: Back in the U.S., the FBI and Department of Homeland Security are focusing on another potential threat. Advisories warn al Qaeda may be planning to use cargo planes as a weapon. CNN's Kathleen Koch joins us from Washington.
KATLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kelli, this is a threat that many people have been very concerned about since 9/11, but this is the first direct warning on the subject from both the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security. And the advisory went out not just to the air cargo industry and state and local law enforcement, but it also went out to those who are responsible for securing the safety of the potential targets, like bridges, dams, nuclear power plants, warning that al Qaeda might use cargo planes as a weapon.
Now, a senior U.S. official told CNN on Friday that there has been chatter suggesting that an al Qaeda terrorist might fly those cargo planes in from outside the United States. Though the official said that that information is uncorroborated, they still did want to act on it out of an abundance of caution.
Cargo planes both here and abroad are very vulnerable. 60 percent don't even have cockpit doors. Most do carry some passengers, like company employees or air couriers. At least in the United States, they must be screened first.
And then a threat could also come from inside a cargo crate like that young man in September who mailed himself from New York to his parents' home in Texas. Of course, he was no terrorist. You see him there behind bars for a brief period. But experts do fear that a terrorist could follow his lead and commandeer a cargo plane in mid air.
Stowing away is indeed possible, since most cargo operations are located in scarcely secured parts of airports. Also, security experts point out that cargo planes are more attractive terrorist targets because they don't carry a plane load of passengers who would fight back, certainly after 9/11.
An interesting point, Kelli, that has been made to me today is single 747, which is flown by many cargo carriers, carries more fuel, in and of itself, than all four of the planes that were crashed on 9/11. It could do a lot of damage
ARENA: Sure could. What is the security status of cargo planes overseas compared to here in the United States?
KOCH: The Transportation Security Administration does inspect international airports where cargo carriers are, but it is unclear what the status of those facilities are. And the consensus, though, is there's certainly not any more secure than they are in the U.S. they have the very same vulnerabilities.
ARENA: So, what happens, worst case scenario, one of these is taken over by a terrorist?
KOCH: Well say from our neighbor, Canada or Mexico, as an example, if a cargo plane were hijacked the FAA radar would pick it up if it diverted from its flight path and into the U.S. And then basically they'd notify the military, which would have to make that tough decision whether to try to get that plane to land or shoot it down.
ARENA: All right. Kathleen Koch, 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
Hijacking>
Aired November 8, 2003 - 16:06 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KELLI ARENA, CNN ANCHOR: Back in the U.S., the FBI and Department of Homeland Security are focusing on another potential threat. Advisories warn al Qaeda may be planning to use cargo planes as a weapon. CNN's Kathleen Koch joins us from Washington.
KATLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kelli, this is a threat that many people have been very concerned about since 9/11, but this is the first direct warning on the subject from both the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security. And the advisory went out not just to the air cargo industry and state and local law enforcement, but it also went out to those who are responsible for securing the safety of the potential targets, like bridges, dams, nuclear power plants, warning that al Qaeda might use cargo planes as a weapon.
Now, a senior U.S. official told CNN on Friday that there has been chatter suggesting that an al Qaeda terrorist might fly those cargo planes in from outside the United States. Though the official said that that information is uncorroborated, they still did want to act on it out of an abundance of caution.
Cargo planes both here and abroad are very vulnerable. 60 percent don't even have cockpit doors. Most do carry some passengers, like company employees or air couriers. At least in the United States, they must be screened first.
And then a threat could also come from inside a cargo crate like that young man in September who mailed himself from New York to his parents' home in Texas. Of course, he was no terrorist. You see him there behind bars for a brief period. But experts do fear that a terrorist could follow his lead and commandeer a cargo plane in mid air.
Stowing away is indeed possible, since most cargo operations are located in scarcely secured parts of airports. Also, security experts point out that cargo planes are more attractive terrorist targets because they don't carry a plane load of passengers who would fight back, certainly after 9/11.
An interesting point, Kelli, that has been made to me today is single 747, which is flown by many cargo carriers, carries more fuel, in and of itself, than all four of the planes that were crashed on 9/11. It could do a lot of damage
ARENA: Sure could. What is the security status of cargo planes overseas compared to here in the United States?
KOCH: The Transportation Security Administration does inspect international airports where cargo carriers are, but it is unclear what the status of those facilities are. And the consensus, though, is there's certainly not any more secure than they are in the U.S. they have the very same vulnerabilities.
ARENA: So, what happens, worst case scenario, one of these is taken over by a terrorist?
KOCH: Well say from our neighbor, Canada or Mexico, as an example, if a cargo plane were hijacked the FAA radar would pick it up if it diverted from its flight path and into the U.S. And then basically they'd notify the military, which would have to make that tough decision whether to try to get that plane to land or shoot it down.
ARENA: All right. Kathleen Koch, 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
Hijacking>
