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Terrorism by Audiotape

Aired January 05, 2004 - 13:46   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 turn now to one of today's top stories, the latest audiotape attributed to Osama bin Laden. How does the CIA determine the voice on the tape? We put that question to national security analyst Ken Robinson. He's in Washington.
But before we talk about that, Ken, you're telling me you're getting word from some of your sources, via your blackberry. Do tell.

KEN ROBINSON, CNN NATL. SECURITY ANALYST: Well, one of the things that's important in this story as we move forward is it seems that, when we report on these tapes being released, we spend a disproportionate amount of time discussing what the message is, and not as much time dissecting and trying to understand what it means and what the motivations might be for him to put it out.

I've been speaking with several sources in several departments and agencies, and I had a few things I thought were worthy of quoting that I'd like to try to do real quick.

When I was speaking with some people, one of the first things a very senior government official mentioned was the fact that he simply, speaking of Osama bin Laden, is reeling on the constant pressure and the desperate attempts that he has to try to garner support to reenergize his jihadist movement.

Another senior official that I was speaking with said almost the same thing, and that, clearly, by putting these tapes out at this time, he's losing the initiative. He's trying to galvanize his fledgling jihadist movement, and he's trying to keep hitting the same old things, of trying to threaten the members of the Gulf states who are supporting the coalition.

The thing that's interesting about this is that he said was that, you know, terrorists only need to win one in 91 attempts to attack us. We have to win 100 percent of the attempts in order to protect the Homeland of the United States of America.

In regard to analyzing these tapes forensically, the voice identification tapes have been on file on Osama bin Laden for many years, and that is what enabled both the government of the United Kingdom and the United States to specifically say within the last 12 hours that they believed that this probably is Osama bin Laden.

PHILLIPS: Now, Ken, whether this is Osama bin Laden or not, let's read between the lines. Obviously, messages are getting out. Media is talking about the tapes. You're hearing hidden messages, I presume. ROBINSON: There has been a belief that when Osama bin Laden issued tapes, he issued them with a meeting for essentially call for action. We that on some of his Web sites that he's broadcast that there is what they call stenography, where there are hidden messages within the tapes, within photographs that were presented on his Web sites, which can be decrypted. And the national intelligence community is working 24 hours a day to stay ahead of that dissemination, if it occurs.

PHILLIPS: Now, Ken, you've been talking, obviously, with your sources. We have a number of special operation forces who have come on our air. Some say he's dead, some say he's not. What are you hearing?

ROBINSON: The issue of whether Osama bin Laden had been captured or killed recently cropped up on the air about a week ago, and every source that we've spoken with in the investigative unit at CNN has unequivocally said that that is not true.

PHILLIPS: That he's being tracked, that they know where he is?

ROBINSON: They believe he's in Wizirstan (ph), that he's in this tribal area, which is on the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. And for someone to actually be able to confirm or deny whether or not he specifically was killed in an attack, boots have to get on the ground in that area, and they need to come back with some DNA, and that area, that lawless area, is a pretty tough area. We can't unilaterally move around in that area.

One of the big concerns is these recent assassination attempts on the government of Pakistan, specifically Musharraf. Both of the individuals that I've spoke to today said one of the things that they fear is a continued resurgence in trying to destabilize the regime of President Musharraf, because there's a fear that his cooperation is putting pressure on Osama bin Laden.

PHILLIPS: National security analyst Ken Robinson, out of Washington today. Thanks, Ken.

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 January 5, 2004 - 13:46   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: We turn now to one of today's top stories, the latest audiotape attributed to Osama bin Laden. How does the CIA determine the voice on the tape? We put that question to national security analyst Ken Robinson. He's in Washington.
But before we talk about that, Ken, you're telling me you're getting word from some of your sources, via your blackberry. Do tell.

KEN ROBINSON, CNN NATL. SECURITY ANALYST: Well, one of the things that's important in this story as we move forward is it seems that, when we report on these tapes being released, we spend a disproportionate amount of time discussing what the message is, and not as much time dissecting and trying to understand what it means and what the motivations might be for him to put it out.

I've been speaking with several sources in several departments and agencies, and I had a few things I thought were worthy of quoting that I'd like to try to do real quick.

When I was speaking with some people, one of the first things a very senior government official mentioned was the fact that he simply, speaking of Osama bin Laden, is reeling on the constant pressure and the desperate attempts that he has to try to garner support to reenergize his jihadist movement.

Another senior official that I was speaking with said almost the same thing, and that, clearly, by putting these tapes out at this time, he's losing the initiative. He's trying to galvanize his fledgling jihadist movement, and he's trying to keep hitting the same old things, of trying to threaten the members of the Gulf states who are supporting the coalition.

The thing that's interesting about this is that he said was that, you know, terrorists only need to win one in 91 attempts to attack us. We have to win 100 percent of the attempts in order to protect the Homeland of the United States of America.

In regard to analyzing these tapes forensically, the voice identification tapes have been on file on Osama bin Laden for many years, and that is what enabled both the government of the United Kingdom and the United States to specifically say within the last 12 hours that they believed that this probably is Osama bin Laden.

PHILLIPS: Now, Ken, whether this is Osama bin Laden or not, let's read between the lines. Obviously, messages are getting out. Media is talking about the tapes. You're hearing hidden messages, I presume. ROBINSON: There has been a belief that when Osama bin Laden issued tapes, he issued them with a meeting for essentially call for action. We that on some of his Web sites that he's broadcast that there is what they call stenography, where there are hidden messages within the tapes, within photographs that were presented on his Web sites, which can be decrypted. And the national intelligence community is working 24 hours a day to stay ahead of that dissemination, if it occurs.

PHILLIPS: Now, Ken, you've been talking, obviously, with your sources. We have a number of special operation forces who have come on our air. Some say he's dead, some say he's not. What are you hearing?

ROBINSON: The issue of whether Osama bin Laden had been captured or killed recently cropped up on the air about a week ago, and every source that we've spoken with in the investigative unit at CNN has unequivocally said that that is not true.

PHILLIPS: That he's being tracked, that they know where he is?

ROBINSON: They believe he's in Wizirstan (ph), that he's in this tribal area, which is on the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. And for someone to actually be able to confirm or deny whether or not he specifically was killed in an attack, boots have to get on the ground in that area, and they need to come back with some DNA, and that area, that lawless area, is a pretty tough area. We can't unilaterally move around in that area.

One of the big concerns is these recent assassination attempts on the government of Pakistan, specifically Musharraf. Both of the individuals that I've spoke to today said one of the things that they fear is a continued resurgence in trying to destabilize the regime of President Musharraf, because there's a fear that his cooperation is putting pressure on Osama bin Laden.

PHILLIPS: National security analyst Ken Robinson, out of Washington today. Thanks, Ken.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com