Return to Transcripts main page
Live From...
Powell Says Al-Jazeera Has Statement From bin Laden
Aired February 11, 2003 - 14:02 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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. is already in one war on terrorism, a war that began with the terror attacks of 9/11, and a focus primarily on one man. Today came word we may not have heard the last of Osama bin Laden.
For more, let's go to our State Department correspondent, Andrea Koppel -- Andrea.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, Secretary of State Colin Powell was speaking on Capitol Hill before a Senate budget committee, something which can often be a real snoozer, when suddenly out of the blue, Secretary Powell mentioned the name of the al Qaeda leader, Osama bin Laden, someone whose name we haven't heard from in a long time. In fact, President Bush didn't even mention his name during his recent State of the Union address. This is what Secretary Powell had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: This morning it was brought home to me once again when I read the transcript of what bin Laden, or who we believe to be bin Laden will be saying on Al-Jazeera during the course of the day. You'll be seeing this as the day unfolds. Where once again he speaks to the people of Iraq and talks about their struggle and how he is in partnership with Iraq. This nexus between terrorists and states that are developing weapons of mass destruction can no longer be looked away from and ignored.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOPPEL: Now, remember that the last time we've heard from Osama bin Laden was in an audiotape. We didn't see him. That was back in November, and there have been other sort of suggestions that Osama bin Laden is still alive, and that messages have been sent from various Osama bin Laden lieutenants. But this would be the first time -- we don't know yet whether it's an audiotape or videotape -- that we've heard from Osama bin Laden, then, this year.
Now, Al-Jazeera, that's that Arab satellite network in Qatar -- has denied, Kyra, that there is any tape that exists of this nature. Ari Fleischer, the White House spokesman, was asked about that, and this was brought to his attention just a short time ago during the daily briefing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: I'm not sure who you're talking to there, but I don't think Secretary Powell would have said it if he didn't have a good basis to say it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOPPEL: So the question is whether or not this tape exists. Al- Jazeera says it doesn't, the Bush administration is saying it does. I should add this footnote. George Tenet, the CIA director, was also asked about this during his testimony today on the Hill, and he said he doesn't know what the contents will be, but Kyra, he said the administration caught wind of this last night -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Andrea, meanwhile Condoleezza Rice in New York for a crucial meeting.
KOPPEL: That's right. CNN has learned from a senior administration official that the national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice, went to New York today to meet with the chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix. I'm told again by this U.S. official that Ms. Rice's message was very blunt and direct to Mr. Blix telling him that the U.S. plans to go ahead with military action, and that he knows what he needs to do, that his report on Friday needs to be, in U.S. eyes, very clear. That what he heard during his recent trip to Baghdad this weekend was not an endorsement of complete cooperation by the Iraqi regime and that Mr. Blix needs to make this very clear in his presentation.
The U.S., as you know, Kyra, is going ahead, talking with the British, moving ahead full speed ahead, as you could say, on this second U.N. resolution. The draft text of that, which could be introduced as soon as later this week -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right. State Department correspondent Andrea Koppel, thank you. Let's take you back now live to Kuwait City, our Martin Savidge standing by with the latest from there -- Marty.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: Thank you, Kyra. The Middle East may be the focus of attention, but at this hour, everyone's eyes are on that failed emergency meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. CNN's Matthew Chance is standing by in Brussels with the details on that.
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thank you very much, Martin. That's right. NATO officials have already been attempting to downplay the significance of the fact that that North Atlantic Council emergency session meeting where the ambassadors sat across the table from each other, lasted only 20 minutes before it abruptly came to an end. NATO officials saying there simply was not enough common ground between the various parties to find a solution to a dispute that really is undermining legitimacy, that in the words of NATO officials of this North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
This is a problem -- focuses, of course, on Turkey and its request for military assistance to bolster its defenses ahead of any possible war against Iraq. France, backed by Belgium and Germany, saying the time is not right for NATO to deploy in this way because, they say, it would send a message that a decision to go to war against Iraq has already been taken. France also saying it wants the world to give diplomatic efforts being taken on by the U.N. more of a chance to bring to a peaceful end the Iraq crisis.
Well, Yves Brodeur is the chief NATO spokesman here in Brussels.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
YVES BRODEUR, NATO SPOKESMAN: There are a number of options that have been discussed. I cannot give you details right now because, again, there is no agreement, and essentially, the talks will continue throughout tonight to try to find common ground that could lead to such a consensus.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHANCE: Well, the U.S. says whatever NATO does, even if it doesn't come through with the support they've been asking for, it will give Turkey whatever military support it needs. NATO officials, though, concerned that if America -- Washington goes to Turkey alone with military assistance outside the framework of the NATO alliance, that could have big implications for the future of the organization -- Martin.
SAVIDGE: Matthew Chance live in Brussels. 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 February 11, 2003 - 14:02 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. is already in one war on terrorism, a war that began with the terror attacks of 9/11, and a focus primarily on one man. Today came word we may not have heard the last of Osama bin Laden.
For more, let's go to our State Department correspondent, Andrea Koppel -- Andrea.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, Secretary of State Colin Powell was speaking on Capitol Hill before a Senate budget committee, something which can often be a real snoozer, when suddenly out of the blue, Secretary Powell mentioned the name of the al Qaeda leader, Osama bin Laden, someone whose name we haven't heard from in a long time. In fact, President Bush didn't even mention his name during his recent State of the Union address. This is what Secretary Powell had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: This morning it was brought home to me once again when I read the transcript of what bin Laden, or who we believe to be bin Laden will be saying on Al-Jazeera during the course of the day. You'll be seeing this as the day unfolds. Where once again he speaks to the people of Iraq and talks about their struggle and how he is in partnership with Iraq. This nexus between terrorists and states that are developing weapons of mass destruction can no longer be looked away from and ignored.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOPPEL: Now, remember that the last time we've heard from Osama bin Laden was in an audiotape. We didn't see him. That was back in November, and there have been other sort of suggestions that Osama bin Laden is still alive, and that messages have been sent from various Osama bin Laden lieutenants. But this would be the first time -- we don't know yet whether it's an audiotape or videotape -- that we've heard from Osama bin Laden, then, this year.
Now, Al-Jazeera, that's that Arab satellite network in Qatar -- has denied, Kyra, that there is any tape that exists of this nature. Ari Fleischer, the White House spokesman, was asked about that, and this was brought to his attention just a short time ago during the daily briefing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: I'm not sure who you're talking to there, but I don't think Secretary Powell would have said it if he didn't have a good basis to say it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOPPEL: So the question is whether or not this tape exists. Al- Jazeera says it doesn't, the Bush administration is saying it does. I should add this footnote. George Tenet, the CIA director, was also asked about this during his testimony today on the Hill, and he said he doesn't know what the contents will be, but Kyra, he said the administration caught wind of this last night -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Andrea, meanwhile Condoleezza Rice in New York for a crucial meeting.
KOPPEL: That's right. CNN has learned from a senior administration official that the national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice, went to New York today to meet with the chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix. I'm told again by this U.S. official that Ms. Rice's message was very blunt and direct to Mr. Blix telling him that the U.S. plans to go ahead with military action, and that he knows what he needs to do, that his report on Friday needs to be, in U.S. eyes, very clear. That what he heard during his recent trip to Baghdad this weekend was not an endorsement of complete cooperation by the Iraqi regime and that Mr. Blix needs to make this very clear in his presentation.
The U.S., as you know, Kyra, is going ahead, talking with the British, moving ahead full speed ahead, as you could say, on this second U.N. resolution. The draft text of that, which could be introduced as soon as later this week -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right. State Department correspondent Andrea Koppel, thank you. Let's take you back now live to Kuwait City, our Martin Savidge standing by with the latest from there -- Marty.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: Thank you, Kyra. The Middle East may be the focus of attention, but at this hour, everyone's eyes are on that failed emergency meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. CNN's Matthew Chance is standing by in Brussels with the details on that.
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thank you very much, Martin. That's right. NATO officials have already been attempting to downplay the significance of the fact that that North Atlantic Council emergency session meeting where the ambassadors sat across the table from each other, lasted only 20 minutes before it abruptly came to an end. NATO officials saying there simply was not enough common ground between the various parties to find a solution to a dispute that really is undermining legitimacy, that in the words of NATO officials of this North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
This is a problem -- focuses, of course, on Turkey and its request for military assistance to bolster its defenses ahead of any possible war against Iraq. France, backed by Belgium and Germany, saying the time is not right for NATO to deploy in this way because, they say, it would send a message that a decision to go to war against Iraq has already been taken. France also saying it wants the world to give diplomatic efforts being taken on by the U.N. more of a chance to bring to a peaceful end the Iraq crisis.
Well, Yves Brodeur is the chief NATO spokesman here in Brussels.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
YVES BRODEUR, NATO SPOKESMAN: There are a number of options that have been discussed. I cannot give you details right now because, again, there is no agreement, and essentially, the talks will continue throughout tonight to try to find common ground that could lead to such a consensus.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHANCE: Well, the U.S. says whatever NATO does, even if it doesn't come through with the support they've been asking for, it will give Turkey whatever military support it needs. NATO officials, though, concerned that if America -- Washington goes to Turkey alone with military assistance outside the framework of the NATO alliance, that could have big implications for the future of the organization -- Martin.
SAVIDGE: Matthew Chance live in Brussels. 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
