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Key Suspect in Riyadh Bombings Surrenders to Top Saudi Official

Aired June 27, 2003 - 11:32   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.


HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: A key suspect in last month's Riyadh bombings has surrendered to a top Saudi official.
National security correspondent David Ensor joining us now with details on that.

Hello to you, David.

DAVID ENSOR, NATL. SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Heidi.

Well, a knowledgeable U.S. official is telling us the man the Saudis now hold is very a senior Al-Qaeda operative in Saudi Arabia who played a central role in the Riyadh bombing attacks of May 12th. Ali Abd Al Rahman Al Faqazi Al Ghamdi turned himself in to Saudi authorities yesterday, officials say. Saudi officials say that no deals were made, and he will be tried under Islamic law.

Also known as Abu Bakr Al Azni (ph), he was intimately involved in the planning and execution of the bombings, U.S. officials say, and they're calling his capture a significant get.

They say he is known to have been in contact with former Al-Qaeda operations chief Khalid Shaikh Muhammad, who is now a U.S. prisoner, as well as other Al Qaeda leaders, and he claims to have been in Tora Bora during the battle with American and Afghan forces there in 2001, the battle during which Osama bin Laden and many of his fighters managed to escape capture. U.S. officials say they have no reason to doubt his claim to have been there.

Now, in the past, Saudi Arabia denied American investigators access to those convicted of killing American servicemen, at the bombing of Khobar Towers. U.S. official says cooperation has improved a lot since then, and they are very much hoping to have access to this new prisoner. They say they expect it, in fact, but they are by no means not sure of it -- Heidi.

COLLINS: David Ensor, thank you very much for that.

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Aired June 27, 2003 - 11:32   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: A key suspect in last month's Riyadh bombings has surrendered to a top Saudi official.
National security correspondent David Ensor joining us now with details on that.

Hello to you, David.

DAVID ENSOR, NATL. SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Heidi.

Well, a knowledgeable U.S. official is telling us the man the Saudis now hold is very a senior Al-Qaeda operative in Saudi Arabia who played a central role in the Riyadh bombing attacks of May 12th. Ali Abd Al Rahman Al Faqazi Al Ghamdi turned himself in to Saudi authorities yesterday, officials say. Saudi officials say that no deals were made, and he will be tried under Islamic law.

Also known as Abu Bakr Al Azni (ph), he was intimately involved in the planning and execution of the bombings, U.S. officials say, and they're calling his capture a significant get.

They say he is known to have been in contact with former Al-Qaeda operations chief Khalid Shaikh Muhammad, who is now a U.S. prisoner, as well as other Al Qaeda leaders, and he claims to have been in Tora Bora during the battle with American and Afghan forces there in 2001, the battle during which Osama bin Laden and many of his fighters managed to escape capture. U.S. officials say they have no reason to doubt his claim to have been there.

Now, in the past, Saudi Arabia denied American investigators access to those convicted of killing American servicemen, at the bombing of Khobar Towers. U.S. official says cooperation has improved a lot since then, and they are very much hoping to have access to this new prisoner. They say they expect it, in fact, but they are by no means not sure of it -- Heidi.

COLLINS: David Ensor, thank you very much for that.

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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