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CNN Live Saturday
New Concerns About Al Qaeda Aircraft Attack
Aired January 31, 2004 - 14:01 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.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: New concerns today that al Qaeda may be planning an attack using commercial airliners. The U.S. government says it has intelligence that raises specific concerns about flights by British Airways and Air France. Those carriers have canceled some flights.
On the story now in London, Paula Hancocks.
At Dulles International Airport out Washington, D.C., Elaine Quijano.
And at the Pentagon. Chris Plante.
Let's begin with Paula in London.
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Fredricka.
Well, that U.S. intelligence identifying that possible al Qaeda threat to the inbound U.S. flight has led to cancellations here in Europe. That U.S. intelligence was shared with the British government and with the French government who then spoke to the two airlines involved and they decided flights had to be canceled.
British Airways and Air France are the two involved. The British Airways flight to Washington's Dulles Airport, BA223, will not be flying on Sunday and on Monday, although it did take off today. And the BA207 to Miami will not be flying on Sunday, although it did fly earlier on this morning.
Air France also canceling two flights between Washington -- between Paris and Washington Sunday and Monday. Again, those are the two key days intelligence is saying. And a flight from Paris to Philadelphia, but Air France is saying that is for operational reasons.
Now this isn't the first time that British Airways and Air France have been targeted with security risks and security threats. Last month, early in January, British Airways had to cancel the same flight, BA223 to Washington's Dulles Airport twice. And even when it did fly, there were hours of delays as, obviously, security is extremely tight at the moment.
Also, back in December, on Christmas Eve, there were six Air France flights to Los Angeles canceled, three for security reasons and then three for operational reasons.
Now, the U.K. government is not giving much away. They are not saying what this intelligence is. But they are saying it's credible and they decided with the airlines and the Department of Transport to cancel these flights -- quote -- "in light of information received. Our first priority is always the traveling public." Similar situation for the French government as well.
So, eight flights between Europe and the United States have been canceled for Sunday and for Monday. These -- the governments and the British Airways and Air France not saying anything beyond that time.
Fredricka, back to you.
WHITFIELD: Paula Hancocks, thank you, from London.
Now on to Dulles Airport outside of Washington, D.C., with CNN's Elaine Quijano -- Elaine.
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello to you, Fredricka.
I just talked to a senior Bush administration official a short time ago, and this person tells me regarding the airline security situation that just as weather and mechanical failures will cause flights to be canceled at times, so will security concerns. Now, this official going on to say, however, that there is new, credible, specific intelligence gathered over the past 48 to 72 hours that has been shared with the international partners, as you heard Paula say a moment ago, shared with international government.
Intelligence indicating that al Qaeda may target international flights into the United States. Officials again saying that there are two airlines mentioned, British Airways and Air France, specifically BA Flight 223 from London to here, Dulles Airport. And that same flight, as you recall, was canceled several times earlier this year, right around the holidays, because of security concerns.
Now, British Airways and Air France have canceled several flights Sunday and Monday. Again, BA Flight 223. Also, BA Flight 207 from London to Miami. And Air France Flight 026 from Paris to Washington has been canceled as well.
The information that we have is that there's already a domino effect. Some of those return flights, then, will not make it back to Europe, specifically BA Flight 222 and Air France Flight No. 027.
Now, also a short time ago, I got a chance to talk to a passenger that was getting ready to board an Air France flight later this afternoon and asked him whether or not he was concerned at all by this new information. He said that he did not feel concerned, that it was not enough to stop him from traveling. This was a person who travels for business on a regular basis. And he said he was actually glad to see that the precautions were, in fact, being taken.
Now, as for the information, it's important to note that the intelligence, although it is similar to intelligence that was gathered previously over the holidays, officials are saying that it is not -- the threat does not appear to be as imminent, and o far they have no plans to raise the national terror threat level -- Fredricka. WHITIFELD: All right. Elaine Quijano at Dulles, thank you very much.
Chris Plante is at the Pentagon, and he has been following this story and working his sources -- Chris.
CHRIS PLANTE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, we're hearing much the same here as our other reporters are hearing, that this is a situation that the U.S. -- U.S. intelligence community and other agencies in the U.S. government have been tracking closely since even before the Christmas holiday. As we know, flights were canceled there not just from Europe but also from Mexico.
There is great concern, of course, based on intelligence that has been picked up over the last month or more now that there is an al Qaeda plot afoot to once again use commercial airliners in some capacity to execute and attack, perhaps like the September 11 attack, perhaps not like the September 11 attack. But we are told by officials that in the last 48 to 72 hours, additional intelligence has come in with greater specificity, we are told, raising another red flag, and prompting enough concern for the U.S. officials to sit down with the British and French officials regarding the intelligence, resulting in these flights being canceled.
Now, we've asked a number of questions -- of course, these situations often raise more questions than you can get answered. And one of them is this is Super Bowl Sunday. Does it look like this is any way tied to Super Bowl Sunday? At this point, there is no indication that there is any link to Super Bowl Sunday. Houston, Texas, not at all an area of concern, we're told, geographically, at this point.
New York, Washington, D.C., Miami and Los Angeles continue to be areas of concern. The flights canceled over the weekend, of course, destined for Washington and Miami. But they are monitoring the situation very closely. At this point in our history, they are opting to err on the side of caution and not wait until they have additional evidence or intelligence that leads them further down the path -- Fredricka.
All right. Chris Plante, at the Pentagon, 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 January 31, 2004 - 14:01 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: New concerns today that al Qaeda may be planning an attack using commercial airliners. The U.S. government says it has intelligence that raises specific concerns about flights by British Airways and Air France. Those carriers have canceled some flights.
On the story now in London, Paula Hancocks.
At Dulles International Airport out Washington, D.C., Elaine Quijano.
And at the Pentagon. Chris Plante.
Let's begin with Paula in London.
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Fredricka.
Well, that U.S. intelligence identifying that possible al Qaeda threat to the inbound U.S. flight has led to cancellations here in Europe. That U.S. intelligence was shared with the British government and with the French government who then spoke to the two airlines involved and they decided flights had to be canceled.
British Airways and Air France are the two involved. The British Airways flight to Washington's Dulles Airport, BA223, will not be flying on Sunday and on Monday, although it did take off today. And the BA207 to Miami will not be flying on Sunday, although it did fly earlier on this morning.
Air France also canceling two flights between Washington -- between Paris and Washington Sunday and Monday. Again, those are the two key days intelligence is saying. And a flight from Paris to Philadelphia, but Air France is saying that is for operational reasons.
Now this isn't the first time that British Airways and Air France have been targeted with security risks and security threats. Last month, early in January, British Airways had to cancel the same flight, BA223 to Washington's Dulles Airport twice. And even when it did fly, there were hours of delays as, obviously, security is extremely tight at the moment.
Also, back in December, on Christmas Eve, there were six Air France flights to Los Angeles canceled, three for security reasons and then three for operational reasons.
Now, the U.K. government is not giving much away. They are not saying what this intelligence is. But they are saying it's credible and they decided with the airlines and the Department of Transport to cancel these flights -- quote -- "in light of information received. Our first priority is always the traveling public." Similar situation for the French government as well.
So, eight flights between Europe and the United States have been canceled for Sunday and for Monday. These -- the governments and the British Airways and Air France not saying anything beyond that time.
Fredricka, back to you.
WHITFIELD: Paula Hancocks, thank you, from London.
Now on to Dulles Airport outside of Washington, D.C., with CNN's Elaine Quijano -- Elaine.
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello to you, Fredricka.
I just talked to a senior Bush administration official a short time ago, and this person tells me regarding the airline security situation that just as weather and mechanical failures will cause flights to be canceled at times, so will security concerns. Now, this official going on to say, however, that there is new, credible, specific intelligence gathered over the past 48 to 72 hours that has been shared with the international partners, as you heard Paula say a moment ago, shared with international government.
Intelligence indicating that al Qaeda may target international flights into the United States. Officials again saying that there are two airlines mentioned, British Airways and Air France, specifically BA Flight 223 from London to here, Dulles Airport. And that same flight, as you recall, was canceled several times earlier this year, right around the holidays, because of security concerns.
Now, British Airways and Air France have canceled several flights Sunday and Monday. Again, BA Flight 223. Also, BA Flight 207 from London to Miami. And Air France Flight 026 from Paris to Washington has been canceled as well.
The information that we have is that there's already a domino effect. Some of those return flights, then, will not make it back to Europe, specifically BA Flight 222 and Air France Flight No. 027.
Now, also a short time ago, I got a chance to talk to a passenger that was getting ready to board an Air France flight later this afternoon and asked him whether or not he was concerned at all by this new information. He said that he did not feel concerned, that it was not enough to stop him from traveling. This was a person who travels for business on a regular basis. And he said he was actually glad to see that the precautions were, in fact, being taken.
Now, as for the information, it's important to note that the intelligence, although it is similar to intelligence that was gathered previously over the holidays, officials are saying that it is not -- the threat does not appear to be as imminent, and o far they have no plans to raise the national terror threat level -- Fredricka. WHITIFELD: All right. Elaine Quijano at Dulles, thank you very much.
Chris Plante is at the Pentagon, and he has been following this story and working his sources -- Chris.
CHRIS PLANTE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, we're hearing much the same here as our other reporters are hearing, that this is a situation that the U.S. -- U.S. intelligence community and other agencies in the U.S. government have been tracking closely since even before the Christmas holiday. As we know, flights were canceled there not just from Europe but also from Mexico.
There is great concern, of course, based on intelligence that has been picked up over the last month or more now that there is an al Qaeda plot afoot to once again use commercial airliners in some capacity to execute and attack, perhaps like the September 11 attack, perhaps not like the September 11 attack. But we are told by officials that in the last 48 to 72 hours, additional intelligence has come in with greater specificity, we are told, raising another red flag, and prompting enough concern for the U.S. officials to sit down with the British and French officials regarding the intelligence, resulting in these flights being canceled.
Now, we've asked a number of questions -- of course, these situations often raise more questions than you can get answered. And one of them is this is Super Bowl Sunday. Does it look like this is any way tied to Super Bowl Sunday? At this point, there is no indication that there is any link to Super Bowl Sunday. Houston, Texas, not at all an area of concern, we're told, geographically, at this point.
New York, Washington, D.C., Miami and Los Angeles continue to be areas of concern. The flights canceled over the weekend, of course, destined for Washington and Miami. But they are monitoring the situation very closely. At this point in our history, they are opting to err on the side of caution and not wait until they have additional evidence or intelligence that leads them further down the path -- Fredricka.
All right. Chris Plante, at the Pentagon, 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
