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Riyadh Bombings, Warning From Washington
Aired May 15, 2003 - 13:03 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: We'll go to Andrea Koppel. She is keeping track of the finger-pointing that's going on from the State Department with regard to that story we were just talking about, about Saudi Arabia -- Andrea.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, that's exactly right. CNN has learned that over the weekend Deputy National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley traveled to Saudi Arabia, the capital. He was already in the region. But he made a secret trip to the Saudi capital to issue a warning in person, to provide Saudi leaders, including the crown prince, Abdullah, who's the de facto leader, with hard intelligence that the U.S. had that attacks, perhaps by al Qaeda, were imminent.
Sources tell CNN that the intel was not specific to particular sites, but that Hadley did lay out to Saudi officials concern, and specifically did ask them to beef up security at one of those three expatriate housing compounds that was hit two days later.
Now, the Saudi ambassador to Washington did acknowledge that there was a request made, and he said that there was a move made by Saudi officials to increase security at one of those compounds, and in fact points out that that was the only one of three compounds that terrorists were unable to penetrate.
Nevertheless, there are accusations flying back and forth, quite publicly, between Riyadh and Washington. And just a short time ago, FBI agents, a small team, including not only FBI investigators but also State Department officials and intelligence officials, did land in Riyadh, where they're expected to begin their investigation.
Now, sources tell CNN as well, Kyra, that it was due to the lack of confidence that U.S. officials have in the Saudi ability to protect Americans on the ground that the State Department ordered the withdrawal of all nonessential U.S. personnel and all family members from the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh and from the consulates in Dhahran and Jeddah -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, Andrea Koppel from the State Department, we'll check in with you again next hour. Thanks, Andrea.
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 May 15, 2003 - 13:03 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: We'll go to Andrea Koppel. She is keeping track of the finger-pointing that's going on from the State Department with regard to that story we were just talking about, about Saudi Arabia -- Andrea.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, that's exactly right. CNN has learned that over the weekend Deputy National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley traveled to Saudi Arabia, the capital. He was already in the region. But he made a secret trip to the Saudi capital to issue a warning in person, to provide Saudi leaders, including the crown prince, Abdullah, who's the de facto leader, with hard intelligence that the U.S. had that attacks, perhaps by al Qaeda, were imminent.
Sources tell CNN that the intel was not specific to particular sites, but that Hadley did lay out to Saudi officials concern, and specifically did ask them to beef up security at one of those three expatriate housing compounds that was hit two days later.
Now, the Saudi ambassador to Washington did acknowledge that there was a request made, and he said that there was a move made by Saudi officials to increase security at one of those compounds, and in fact points out that that was the only one of three compounds that terrorists were unable to penetrate.
Nevertheless, there are accusations flying back and forth, quite publicly, between Riyadh and Washington. And just a short time ago, FBI agents, a small team, including not only FBI investigators but also State Department officials and intelligence officials, did land in Riyadh, where they're expected to begin their investigation.
Now, sources tell CNN as well, Kyra, that it was due to the lack of confidence that U.S. officials have in the Saudi ability to protect Americans on the ground that the State Department ordered the withdrawal of all nonessential U.S. personnel and all family members from the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh and from the consulates in Dhahran and Jeddah -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, Andrea Koppel from the State Department, we'll check in with you again next hour. Thanks, Andrea.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
