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Hunt for Bin Laden: Dead or Alive?

Aired November 18, 2002 - 13:01   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.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: We have a developing story, and it concerns the lingering question over whether Osama bin Laden is dead or alive.
For the latest, we turn to Washington and CNN's David Ensor.

So, David, this tape has now been analyzed, and what's the verdict?

DAVID ENSOR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The verdict is, it's real, Marty. They've had the tape for about a week now. And as you recall last week, they were saying they were almost certain. Now they are even closer than that. It's almost 100 percent, officials say, that this is the voice of bin Laden, genuine, and an official said there's no reason to believe that the tape was manufactured or altered. They believe that this is the voice of bin Laden and recorded within recent weeks.

An official saying that the tape has been analyzed by knowledgeable linguists and translators in the intelligence community, and also subjected to highly sophisticated technical analysis, which is ongoing.

We had a comment just minutes ago, by the White House deputy press secretary, Scott McClellan. Here's what he had to say:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOTT MCCLELLAN, DEP. WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECY.: The intelligence experts have -- intelligence experts do believe that it is -- that the tape is genuine. It cannot be stated with 100 percent certainty, and it is clear the tape was made in the last several weeks as well.

But again, I emphasize that they can't make a 100 percent conclusion there, but they do believe it is. And again, it's a reminder that we are at war on terrorism. It's a reminder that we need to continue doing everything we can to go after these terrorist networks and their leaders wherever they are. And we will.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ENSOR: It's also a reminder say some Democrats on the hill, that even after all this time since 9/11, the Bush administration has not managed to captured public enemy number one, Osama bin Laden. Although, just last week, officials were saying, that they have captured another significant Al Qaeda leader. They're not saying what his name is. He's being held in an unnamed country, and being interrogated by the CIA.

Back to you, Marty.

SAVIDGE: David, the white house has never come out and said emphatically that Osama bin Laden is dead. Still, they must have had some hope. What has this done to change their attitude, if at all?

ENSOR: To be honest, the officials I talked to have always said they thought bin Laden was probably still alive, and so this has not really changed their view. The question is where, and how to get it. The consensus still is that he's probably in the area along the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, this is sort of a tribal area that we've reported on a lot about on CNN, a difficult area for law enforcement, and for intelligence efforts and military efforts. So it's going to be perhaps a while before they get him, but they're certainly determined to do so, that I can assure you.

SAVIDGE: And along that line, either the way the tape was delivered, or anything on the tape, does it give officials a clue as to where bin Laden may be now?

ENSOR: No, it doesn't.

One thing I did hear is that the tape was clearly sent over a telephone line at some point in its life before it got to Al Jazeera. That perhaps may provide some clues. It would have been more useful if it had been a videotape, which is perhaps why it wasn't.

SAVIDGE: Exactly the point. David Ensor, thank you very much, live from Washington.

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 November 18, 2002 - 13:01   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: We have a developing story, and it concerns the lingering question over whether Osama bin Laden is dead or alive.
For the latest, we turn to Washington and CNN's David Ensor.

So, David, this tape has now been analyzed, and what's the verdict?

DAVID ENSOR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The verdict is, it's real, Marty. They've had the tape for about a week now. And as you recall last week, they were saying they were almost certain. Now they are even closer than that. It's almost 100 percent, officials say, that this is the voice of bin Laden, genuine, and an official said there's no reason to believe that the tape was manufactured or altered. They believe that this is the voice of bin Laden and recorded within recent weeks.

An official saying that the tape has been analyzed by knowledgeable linguists and translators in the intelligence community, and also subjected to highly sophisticated technical analysis, which is ongoing.

We had a comment just minutes ago, by the White House deputy press secretary, Scott McClellan. Here's what he had to say:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOTT MCCLELLAN, DEP. WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECY.: The intelligence experts have -- intelligence experts do believe that it is -- that the tape is genuine. It cannot be stated with 100 percent certainty, and it is clear the tape was made in the last several weeks as well.

But again, I emphasize that they can't make a 100 percent conclusion there, but they do believe it is. And again, it's a reminder that we are at war on terrorism. It's a reminder that we need to continue doing everything we can to go after these terrorist networks and their leaders wherever they are. And we will.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ENSOR: It's also a reminder say some Democrats on the hill, that even after all this time since 9/11, the Bush administration has not managed to captured public enemy number one, Osama bin Laden. Although, just last week, officials were saying, that they have captured another significant Al Qaeda leader. They're not saying what his name is. He's being held in an unnamed country, and being interrogated by the CIA.

Back to you, Marty.

SAVIDGE: David, the white house has never come out and said emphatically that Osama bin Laden is dead. Still, they must have had some hope. What has this done to change their attitude, if at all?

ENSOR: To be honest, the officials I talked to have always said they thought bin Laden was probably still alive, and so this has not really changed their view. The question is where, and how to get it. The consensus still is that he's probably in the area along the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, this is sort of a tribal area that we've reported on a lot about on CNN, a difficult area for law enforcement, and for intelligence efforts and military efforts. So it's going to be perhaps a while before they get him, but they're certainly determined to do so, that I can assure you.

SAVIDGE: And along that line, either the way the tape was delivered, or anything on the tape, does it give officials a clue as to where bin Laden may be now?

ENSOR: No, it doesn't.

One thing I did hear is that the tape was clearly sent over a telephone line at some point in its life before it got to Al Jazeera. That perhaps may provide some clues. It would have been more useful if it had been a videotape, which is perhaps why it wasn't.

SAVIDGE: Exactly the point. David Ensor, thank you very much, live from Washington.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com