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CNN Live At Daybreak

Civil Libertarians Questioning Whether Some Detainees Since 09/11 Are Prisoners of War

Aired October 26, 2001 - 08:44   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: A few minutes ago, we told you about the detainees being held since just after the September 11 attacks. As they sit in jail, roughly 800 of them, some civil libertarians are questioning whether they are prisoners of war, and questioning the methods being used to obtain information from them.

Philadelphia police commissioner John Timoney joins me now from Philadelphia to talk about interrogations and possible tactics.

Welcome back. Good to see again, sir.

Good morning, Paula. How are you?

JOHN TIMONEY, PHILADELPHIA POLICE: Good morning, Paula. How are you?

ZAHN: I'm fine, thanks.

So in your estimation, what is an appropriate way to get information out of detainees?

TIMONEY: My sense is that, first of all, I don't think that prisoners of war, even though there is a war going on, it looks like the vast majority were brought in for specific reasons, violations of law, entering the country illegally, overstayed their Visa, and my sense is knowing how this business works, that obviously they weren't picked up willy nilly or at random. Somebody, whether it is a friend or foe, has pointed the FBI or some other federal agent in their direction, and they brought them in for questioning.

Now the best way, the easiest way, the quickest way, to get yourself out of those situations is to cooperate. And my sense is from just from reading news reports that there has been unwillingness or a refusal in some dice cooperate, and so, you know, you are left to kind of, dig up information yourself, which will take a long time.

ZAHN: There has been talk that truth serum to be used to try to get information out of these guys. Would you support that?

TIMONEY: No, I think use good old-fashioned interviewing techniques, that most good investigators developed over time, there is no -- I don't think any need for truth serum, no need for beatings, anything that enters imagination of some folks. My sense is, if you know what you are doing good, you're a investigator, you can get people to talk. If they don't talk and they are here illegally, then they don't get out. That's it.

ZAHN: And if you use these good old-fashioned techniques and you don't get what you need to hear, would there be any justification for beating someone?

TIMONEY: No. No. This is America, you know. That may play well on television, with due respect, but it does not belong in an interrogation room. You use legal methods, you are allowed to interrogate, and the Supreme Court say you are even allowed to lie and trick, and that's not a problem, but you are not allowed to use physical abuse -- beatings, coercions, things of that nature.

ZAHN: I want to talk to you about something, other things going on in your own hometown. Can you tell us any more about that investigation into the explosives found in a suitcase at one of your bus stations.

TIMONEY: Correct.

ZAHN: Do you know where that was headed, who put it there?

TIMONEY: No, it's raised a whole host of curious speculation, because it makes no sense. It is not uncommon to find military ordinance, you know, that may be sold on the black market. It may be used for illegal purchases, like imploding a building, but here it is kept under lock and key at a bus terminal locker. That makes no sense at all. So the FBI, we handed over to the FBI, their lab is investigating, taking prints, looking to trace the C-4 back to its place of origin, and hopefully, in about a week to 10 days, we should know something.

ZAHN: In closing this morning, wanted to talk to you about something, that the "Philadelphia Daily News" wrote about a 28 percent increase in murders during the four weeks from September 14th to October 11 in comparison with the previous four weeks. How -- what is your explanation for that? Is it because you're resources are so strained right now because of all these other distractions you've had?

TIMONEY: Yes, I mean, quite naturally, most police departments, until they got their act together, regardless had to move. We have to move hundreds of police officers away from serious crime fighting into uniform, high visibility presence in and around city transportation hubs, signature buildings, historic buildings, and so quite a few of those were normal narcotics officers who were out there, you know, usually, making a lot of narcotics arrests, engaged in locking up those who are engaged in violence, killings, what have you, and so, we were taken a little off focus. Those officers had been returned about a week and a half ago to normal duties, and we are still at heightened sense of alert, state of alert, but we have been able to redeploy back a lot of those highway officers and narcotics officers to normal duties.

ZAHN: As you know, the speculation about your future continues. Last time I spoke with you, commissioner, you told me if and when could you talk about any action in the homeland security department, you would confirm that. Can you tell us anything more about this morning? Are you that way? Are you going to work for Governor Rich.

TIMONEY: No, I am fine.

I'm here in Philadelphia. I've got plenty on my table, plenty to do. I love being here, love working for Mayor Street (ph), having a great time and I'm not headed to Washington. Thank you very much though.

ZAHN: OK, I'm not offering you the job. We just speculated that someone else is offering the job. As always, appreciate your joining us this mornings.

TIMONEY: Thank you.

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