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American Morning

FBI Unit Specializing in Long-Term Cases Takes Over Levy Search

Aired July 19, 2001 - 10:00   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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: After spending several days beating the bushes in local parks and sniffing the cyber trail left on her computer, investigators show signs that the Chandra Levy search is stalling. The FBI has now handed the case over to agents who specialize in investigations that offer little promise of a quick solution.

Our national correspondent Bob Franken has been our point man on the story, and he's joining us with the latest.

Bob, frustrating times, I imagine, for law enforcement officials.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, they are frustrated. It's now the 80th day since Chandra Levy disappeared. And the FBI, of course, which really is subordinate in this investigation, to the Washington, D.C. police nevertheless concluded that it's expectation of an immediate resolution has not been met. So, in a very normal way, this has been switched to a unit that specializes in long-range investigations, raising people's concerns that the police officials now believe this could be a long one.

Of course, the real answer is, it could be over at any time or could never be over. That is the nature of a missing persons case. The Washington police are planning to release later today, they think, some more information from the last venture that Chandra Levy took on her computer. They're going to be showing some of the restaurant sites she surfed; that type of thing in an effort to see if somebody's memory can be jogged about Chandra Levy who, as I said, has been missing for over 11 weeks.

Now, as a result of a previous computer search, the police began their search of wooded areas around Washington, particularly the Rock Creek Park area. They're continuing this for a fourth day. The officers are out there -- actually, the recruits are out there from the academy. They're fanning out, and they're laterally going over some dense underbrush. You can see them walking into that right now. It is an extremely difficult job, and one that does not necessarily have a high expectation of success. It's a job that's being done at this location.

It's being done at several other parts in a different part of the city. What makes the Rock Creek Park area you see here significant is that is the one that is near Chandra Levy's apartment and where she would go and run sometimes, according to friends. She was a physical fitness person. And that's why they're searching this one so particularly closely, thus far without any success.

And meanwhile the other major figure in the case, Congressman Gary Condit, continues to be the subject of media focus wherever he goes. Congressman Condit, of course, had his relationship with Chandra Levy; one that, according to police sources, he said to investigators was a romantic relationship.

You are seeing him here as he once again attends a meeting of the House Agriculture Committee, considering the farm bill. This is something that he has done, and his staff people say it is proof that you see on live television that he, in fact, is going about his business day after day even though -- even though this distraction is swirling and him -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Bob, tell us a little bit more about this unit that -- within the FBI that has taken over the investigation. In terms of being within the FBI, what are some other high-profile cases that these agents have handled?

FRANKEN: Well, you might remember the case of the person who stood outside the CIA headquarters nearby and killed some of the people who were employees of the CIA, and how that eventually ended up in Pakistan with the arrest of a man who was convicted of that, actually.

That was one that was handled by this unit. More close to Washington, there was a very celebrated case involving -- this is the scene right outside the CIA when that case first broke so many years ago -- this was a case handled by that unit.

Now, another one involved a Starbucks coffee shop in northwest Washington -- Georgetown; an affluent area. That was one in which three people who were workers at the coffee shop were killed. This same unit got involved with that.

So you see the nature of the cases. Now, one very, very important difference: This is not a criminal case. The police are always quick to point out the one that we're dealing with now is a missing persons case but, of course, it's remarkably unique/ Pardon the redundancy, but it is a unique case. It is involving the FBI, and it's involving a unit that is as significant as that in an investigation -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Bob Franken in Washington; Bob, thank you.

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