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Was Osama bin Laden Responsible for Bombings in Saudi Arabia?
Aired May 16, 2003 - 15:03 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.
KATE SNOW, CNN ANCHOR: After this week's terror attacks in Saudi Arabia, many people once again are asking is Osama bin Laden still alive and is he in control of al Qaeda? Our senior Pentagon correspondent, Jamie McIntyre, went looking for answers.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SR. PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Despite the failure of the United States to capture, kill or otherwise account for Osama bin Laden, U.S. officials believe any involvement he may have had in this week's bombings in Saudi Arabia was probably limited.
DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: If he is alive and functioning, and playing a role, which I don't know, it is a much more difficult role than it had been previously. It's more difficult in terms of raising money. It's more difficult in terms of moving people and things and weapons.
MCINTYRE: U.S. intelligence believes bin Laden remains holed up in an ungoverned region between Pakistan and Afghanistan. So while bin Laden and other senior al Qaeda leaders may support or inspire the attacks, U.S. officials argue they likely lack the communication and freedom of movement to effectively direct them.
GEN. RICHARD MYERS, JOINT CHIEFS CHAIRMAN: Our suspicions are they're living in areas where they can bribe the local, the tribals that are inclined to support them and protect them. And they're in very difficult areas on this Earth.
MCINTYRE: U.S. intelligence experts are divided about what the attacks say about the strength of what's left of al Qaeda. Clearly, it shows the terrorist network, or at least one cell, can still carry out a coordinated strike, resulting in significant casualties. But the latest tactic may also reveal a weakness, having to go for easier targets that kill Arabs and Muslims, as well as Americans and Westerners.
MYERS: I think one thing that the bombings in Riyadh remind us of is that one thing that has not changed is the intentions of this terrorist group.
MCINTYRE (on camera): So why can't the U.S. find bin Laden? The Pentagon offers three reasons: the difficulty of finding any single individual, the ease of hiding in ungoverned areas, and the support of countries like Iran who continue to harbor al Qaeda leaders. Jamie McIntyre, CNN, the Pentagon.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SNOW: In addition to Osama bin Laden, several other top al Qaeda leaders do remain at large: the number two man, Ayman al-Zawahiri and security chief Saif al Adel. U.S. officials also are hunting for an al Qaeda spokesman and its operations planner.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
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Aired May 16, 2003 - 15:03 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KATE SNOW, CNN ANCHOR: After this week's terror attacks in Saudi Arabia, many people once again are asking is Osama bin Laden still alive and is he in control of al Qaeda? Our senior Pentagon correspondent, Jamie McIntyre, went looking for answers.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SR. PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Despite the failure of the United States to capture, kill or otherwise account for Osama bin Laden, U.S. officials believe any involvement he may have had in this week's bombings in Saudi Arabia was probably limited.
DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: If he is alive and functioning, and playing a role, which I don't know, it is a much more difficult role than it had been previously. It's more difficult in terms of raising money. It's more difficult in terms of moving people and things and weapons.
MCINTYRE: U.S. intelligence believes bin Laden remains holed up in an ungoverned region between Pakistan and Afghanistan. So while bin Laden and other senior al Qaeda leaders may support or inspire the attacks, U.S. officials argue they likely lack the communication and freedom of movement to effectively direct them.
GEN. RICHARD MYERS, JOINT CHIEFS CHAIRMAN: Our suspicions are they're living in areas where they can bribe the local, the tribals that are inclined to support them and protect them. And they're in very difficult areas on this Earth.
MCINTYRE: U.S. intelligence experts are divided about what the attacks say about the strength of what's left of al Qaeda. Clearly, it shows the terrorist network, or at least one cell, can still carry out a coordinated strike, resulting in significant casualties. But the latest tactic may also reveal a weakness, having to go for easier targets that kill Arabs and Muslims, as well as Americans and Westerners.
MYERS: I think one thing that the bombings in Riyadh remind us of is that one thing that has not changed is the intentions of this terrorist group.
MCINTYRE (on camera): So why can't the U.S. find bin Laden? The Pentagon offers three reasons: the difficulty of finding any single individual, the ease of hiding in ungoverned areas, and the support of countries like Iran who continue to harbor al Qaeda leaders. Jamie McIntyre, CNN, the Pentagon.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SNOW: In addition to Osama bin Laden, several other top al Qaeda leaders do remain at large: the number two man, Ayman al-Zawahiri and security chief Saif al Adel. U.S. officials also are hunting for an al Qaeda spokesman and its operations planner.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
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