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CNN Live Today

America Under Attack: How The Investigation Works

Aired September 12, 2001 - 12:34   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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Perhaps we can get insight how the investigations work with Stanley Bedlington, a former CIA analyst. He is joining us -- it looks sir like you are in our Washington bureau, or is it New York?

STANLEY BEDLINGTON, FMR. CIA SENIOR ANALYST: No, I'm in Washington.

KAGAN: In Washington. Thanks for joining us, sir.

Give us an idea and some clues as to how investigators are trying the put together some information. I was thinking particularly looking at the plane manifest, who got onboard these four airplanes?

BEDLINGTON: First of all I think you approach that investigation on two levels. First from the level of law enforcement, secondly from the level of intelligence, both of which working closely in tandem. You look at the passenger manifest, you do checks with your records your data banks either in CIA or in FBI. And then you go out and investigate the people, you find out their houses, addresses, and just follow up on that. That I think is very, very important.

KAGAN: You look at everybody onboard each of those four airplanes?

BEDLINGTON: Absolutely, all must be very closely scrutinized.

KAGAN: Who they, how they bought their ticket, how did they get to the airport. These are all things that could point to the direction as to who was involved in this operation.

BEDLINGTON: Of course, you would investigate the taxi drivers who took them to the airport, every single detail about their getting on the plane, that is very important.

KAGAN: This of course today has so many people scratching their heads, yesterday as well. America living in fear of a lot of things in recent years, but things like nuclear war, biological warfare. How many people stop to think an airplane could be a deadly weapon.

BEDLINGTON: Very few, including myself. I note Louis Freeh, director of FBI just before he retired made a point, saying most likely form of terrorism, forms of terrorism in the United States in the near future would be first cyberwar fair secondly biological, chemical and radiological warfare. This is conventional terrorism admittedly in a very, very deadly form.

KAGAN: And as people try to put their lives together the question becomes how do we avoid future attacks?

BEDLINGTON: The point is, that will be extraordinarily difficult. I think we need a complete reordering of the homeland defense system both in law enforcement and intelligence level. Most of all and most important, we need something that's recommended over the years, never been implemented. That is a setting up of some sort of body that coordinates throughout the country the activities of various departments of government and of state and local authorities.

KAGAN: So you're suggesting that one of the basic problems is just communication between agencies and the people already trying to work on this problem?

BEDLINGTON: It's not the major problem but it is a problem. I think we will be able to attack the problem far more effectively if we had such a committee with a very important person at the head who reports directly to the president.

KAGAN: Stanley Bedlington, former CIA senior analyst, thank you for your insight.

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