Return to Transcripts main page
Live From...
State Department Warns Americans in Saudi Arabia of Possible Attack
Aired May 16, 2003 - 13:07 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: Well, now, can more American deaths be prevented? That is a very important question. What is the U.S. State Department doing to protect American interests and citizens in Saudi Arabia?
Our David Ensor is following that angle. He's in Washington -- David.
DAVID ENSOR, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, as you mentioned, the State Department has warned Americans and others that U.S. intelligence has information -- credible information, suggesting there could be another terrorist plot planned against Westerners in the Saudi port city of Jeddah, so they've made that public and that warning is obviously being heard in that city very clearly. They're also withdrawing, as you mentioned, nonessential U.S. government personnel from the entire country of Saudi Arabia, and that process is underway now.
For some months before that, there had been a voluntary withdrawal program for families and various other associated people connected with the U.S. presence in Saudi Arabia, but there will still be a presence, and there is this great effort now between the Saudis, U.S. State Department, U.S. intelligence, and law enforcement from the FBI, to try to get to the bottom of who did this of what we're looking at now in Riyadh, and how to prevent them from doing it again. We did hear questions at the White House a short time ago to the spokesman to Ari Fleischer, about how the U.S. views the Saudi effort and the whole issue. Here's what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: This attack does serve as a reminder to the Saudi authorities and to the Saudi government of the importance of taking on terrorism within their own country, because this terrorism presents a threat not only to the United States and to Westerners living in Saudi Arabia, but to the Saudi government, and the reaction of the Saudi government has been good. I think they understand this. They understand the very real threat this type of terrorism poses.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ENSOR: So U.S. officials are hoping that the Saudi government will see this as the kind of wake-up call that 9/11 was for the United States -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: David Ensor, thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Possible Attack>
Aired May 16, 2003 - 13:07 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, now, can more American deaths be prevented? That is a very important question. What is the U.S. State Department doing to protect American interests and citizens in Saudi Arabia?
Our David Ensor is following that angle. He's in Washington -- David.
DAVID ENSOR, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, as you mentioned, the State Department has warned Americans and others that U.S. intelligence has information -- credible information, suggesting there could be another terrorist plot planned against Westerners in the Saudi port city of Jeddah, so they've made that public and that warning is obviously being heard in that city very clearly. They're also withdrawing, as you mentioned, nonessential U.S. government personnel from the entire country of Saudi Arabia, and that process is underway now.
For some months before that, there had been a voluntary withdrawal program for families and various other associated people connected with the U.S. presence in Saudi Arabia, but there will still be a presence, and there is this great effort now between the Saudis, U.S. State Department, U.S. intelligence, and law enforcement from the FBI, to try to get to the bottom of who did this of what we're looking at now in Riyadh, and how to prevent them from doing it again. We did hear questions at the White House a short time ago to the spokesman to Ari Fleischer, about how the U.S. views the Saudi effort and the whole issue. Here's what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: This attack does serve as a reminder to the Saudi authorities and to the Saudi government of the importance of taking on terrorism within their own country, because this terrorism presents a threat not only to the United States and to Westerners living in Saudi Arabia, but to the Saudi government, and the reaction of the Saudi government has been good. I think they understand this. They understand the very real threat this type of terrorism poses.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ENSOR: So U.S. officials are hoping that the Saudi government will see this as the kind of wake-up call that 9/11 was for the United States -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: David Ensor, thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Possible Attack>
