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CNN Live At Daybreak

America Strikes Back: Investigation of September 11th Attacks Continues Here and Abroad

Aired October 22, 2001 - 07:40   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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: While the military campaign in Afghanistan goes on, so does the investigation into the September terrorist attacks that led to those airstrikes. We turn now to CNN's Eileen O'Connor, who joins us from Washington this morning. Good morning, Eileen.

EILEEN O'CONNOR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning. Well the latest in the investigation is also that health officials are looking into what could be five possible cases -- additional cases in D.C. of anthrax. As you said, there is that confirmed case. That man is hospitalized on -- in a suburban Virginia hospital.

He's being treated aggressively, officials say, with antibiotics. Now some of the possible cases involve people already in the hospital, in various hospitals in Washington. They're being treated now protectively with antibiotics. It's unclear whether any of them are connected to the postal facility at Brentwood where the man originally infected with inhalation anthrax here worked.

And while officials say intelligence indicates that there may still be the possibility of future attacks planned, investigators believe they have thwarted possible other attacks by rounding some 800 people who were connected to the hijackers.

And as we reported last week, there was a considerable amount of C-4 plastique explosive found with a detonator wire in a Philadelphia bus station. Enough to level the investigators -- officials say. Investigators will clearly look at anything like that as possibly indicative of a thwarted attack.

Now in addition, in Europe, investigators are still gathering evidence on dozens arrested in Spain, France, England, Germany, and the Netherlands. They believe they were connected to cells, which had already planned several attacks on U.S. interest in Europe, particularly the U.S. embassy in Paris.

And in addition, you know, Paula, there was a report given to the Hackensack police. They passed it on last week to the FBI about a man buying considerable amounts of candy at Costco in New Jersey. Now the Hackensack police say when they passed it onto the FBI, the FBI indicated that they were already investigating it and that the man is now in federal custody on an INS violation.

Paula.

ZAHN: Thanks Eileen.

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