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CNN Live At Daybreak

Walker Likely to Appear in Virginia Court This Week

Aired January 23, 2002 - 06:41   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 COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: American-Taliban John Walker Lindh is in the air. He's on his way to Washington-Dulles International Airport. That plane is expected to land later today, and then John Walker will be taken to nearby Alexandria, Virginia.

And that's where we find CNN's Elaine Quijano -- good morning, Elaine. You've got to believe security is tight where you are.

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It certainly it is, and officials are not saying a whole lot about the security measures that they are putting into place -- good morning, Carol.

The government says he helped the Taliban to fight against Americans. Now military officials say John Walker is on a plane headed back to the U.S. to face trial here in Alexandria.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

QUIJANO (voice-over): Amid tight security in Kandahar, Afghanistan, a plane with a single detainee arrived at the city's airport. Although there's no official confirmation that person was American John Walker, a U.S. government source says a plane carrying the 20-year-old will likely land Wednesday at Dulles International Airport, just outside Washington, by late afternoon or early evening.

Walker was taken into custody last fall while fighting with the Taliban in Afghanistan. One of about 80 fighters who survived a violent prison uprising near Mazar-e Sharif in Northern Afghanistan, Walker now faces multiple federal charges, including conspiracy to kill Americans. His parents have hired a lawyer, who last week expressed concern about the government interrogating Walker without access to an attorney.

Sources say his trial is likely to take place at U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Virginia, just south of Washington. But officials are not laying out details of their plans to move him, citing security concerns.

DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: Mr. Walker has been turned over to the Department of Justice. He will go where they want him. He will not go to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. What kind of a cell he is put into is up to the prison that he is held in during the period that he is being processed through the criminal justice system of the United States. (END VIDEOTAPE)

QUIJANO: Now, so far, there is no word on exactly when Walker's first court appearance might take place. If he's convicted, he could face life in prison.

We're live in Alexandria, Virginia. I'm Elaine Quijano -- Carol, back to you.

COSTELLO: Elaine, is he going to be kept in the same place as is Zacarias Moussaoui?

QUIJANO: There's no telling at this point, Carol. As I mentioned before, officials are not saying a whole lot. As you can imagine, with such a high-profile case -- not only this one, but the case of Zacarias Moussaoui, the accused September 11th conspirator -- they are very concerned about the safety of these -- of these two that are in custody now.

At this point, we just don't know what the government's plan is in terms of detaining them, as far as where exactly, what facility they will be keeping at, and we are likely not going to be given that information because of those safety concerns -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Yeah, talking about the security, as you look around, can you see anything?

QUIJANO: Well, we have seen federal marshals, we have seen sheriffs, quite a number of law enforcement cars out here. Early this morning, when I got here at about 4:30, I can tell you they were at the entrances to the federal courthouse here. They are not taking any chances at this point.

Last week, Attorney General John Ashcroft said that we were not going to -- likely not going to even be hearing about the movement of John Walker as this process is taking place. Any kind of information that we might be getting would be coming to us after the fact. At this point, very tight security, as you can imagine. As I said, for such a high-profile, prominent case -- Carol.

COSTELLO: I'm certain the people of Alexandria appreciate that, too. All right, thank you. Elaine Quijano, reporting live for us from Alexandria, Virginia this morning.

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