Return to Transcripts main page
Live From...
Missile Smuggler Called Americans "Bastards," bin Laden "Hero"
Aired August 13, 2003 - 14:00 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 buyer was a snitch, the missile was a dud and the plot was a sting. But prosecutors say a British arms dealer's motives were frighteningly real and might well have proved deadly to hundreds of innocent Americans.
CNN justice correspondent Kelli Arena live from D.C. with details that could have come straight from a Tom Clancy novel -- Kelli.
KELLI ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well that's right, Kyra. Hemant Lakhani thought he was dealing with terrorists who wanted to blow up a U.S. commercial airliner. So he allegedly arranged for the sale and delivery of a SA-18 surface-to-air missile, it is called an Igla. It's most advanced missile of its type.
Now U.S. officials say that there's no doubt that he is sympathetic to the cause of terrorist who want to harm U.S. citizen, and they say they have the proof on tape.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRISTOPHER CHRISTIE, NEW JERSEY U.S. ATTORNEY: ... in recorded conversations refer to Americans as "bastards," Osama bin Laden as a "hero who had done something right and set the Americans straight," and who knew full well that the arms dealing he was engaging in was being engaged in to attempt to kill American citizens...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ARENA: Now Lakhani is described as a significant international arms dealer. In fact, when he made the deal to sell the first missile, he allegedly insisted on selling the buyer 50 more. He is charged with attempting to provide material, support and resources to terrorists and with acting as an arms broker without a license. He is being held without bail at this time.
Now two other defendants in this case, Moinuddeen Ahmed Hameed and Yahuda Abraham, are charged with money laundering. Kyra, back to you.
PHILLIPS: Kelli, at any point was the public in danger?
KAGAN: No, Kyra. Officials say that at no time was the public in danger. That's because the missile was a dud. It was just souped- up to look like it was real. And they say that they were in complete control of this during transport. It came from a country near Russia to, allegedly, to the port of Baltimore, according to officials. And then it was flown by the FBI from Baltimore over to Newark. And so the they had complete control of the thing.
But in any case, even if they didn't, it was not operable. It was a complete dud.
PHILLIPS: Justice correspondent Kelli Arena, thank you.
ARENA: You're welcome.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
"Hero">
Aired August 13, 2003 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The buyer was a snitch, the missile was a dud and the plot was a sting. But prosecutors say a British arms dealer's motives were frighteningly real and might well have proved deadly to hundreds of innocent Americans.
CNN justice correspondent Kelli Arena live from D.C. with details that could have come straight from a Tom Clancy novel -- Kelli.
KELLI ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well that's right, Kyra. Hemant Lakhani thought he was dealing with terrorists who wanted to blow up a U.S. commercial airliner. So he allegedly arranged for the sale and delivery of a SA-18 surface-to-air missile, it is called an Igla. It's most advanced missile of its type.
Now U.S. officials say that there's no doubt that he is sympathetic to the cause of terrorist who want to harm U.S. citizen, and they say they have the proof on tape.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRISTOPHER CHRISTIE, NEW JERSEY U.S. ATTORNEY: ... in recorded conversations refer to Americans as "bastards," Osama bin Laden as a "hero who had done something right and set the Americans straight," and who knew full well that the arms dealing he was engaging in was being engaged in to attempt to kill American citizens...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ARENA: Now Lakhani is described as a significant international arms dealer. In fact, when he made the deal to sell the first missile, he allegedly insisted on selling the buyer 50 more. He is charged with attempting to provide material, support and resources to terrorists and with acting as an arms broker without a license. He is being held without bail at this time.
Now two other defendants in this case, Moinuddeen Ahmed Hameed and Yahuda Abraham, are charged with money laundering. Kyra, back to you.
PHILLIPS: Kelli, at any point was the public in danger?
KAGAN: No, Kyra. Officials say that at no time was the public in danger. That's because the missile was a dud. It was just souped- up to look like it was real. And they say that they were in complete control of this during transport. It came from a country near Russia to, allegedly, to the port of Baltimore, according to officials. And then it was flown by the FBI from Baltimore over to Newark. And so the they had complete control of the thing.
But in any case, even if they didn't, it was not operable. It was a complete dud.
PHILLIPS: Justice correspondent Kelli Arena, thank you.
ARENA: You're welcome.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
"Hero">
