Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

America Under Attack: Terrorism Expert Gives Perspective on List of Suspects

Aired September 14, 2001 - 10:26   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: We're going to get some help in understanding the information on this list that we're getting so far. We're going to bring in Peter Bergen, he is a terrorism expert, also a CNN consultant.

Peter, good morning. Thanks for being with us.

PETER BERGEN, TERRORISM EXPERT: Good morning.

KAGAN: Have you had a chance to look at this list yourself.

BERGEN: A quick review of this (UNINTELLIGIBLE) familiar with certain Middle Eastern names, in particularly Saudi names, reveals that about half of the people on this list are distinctive Saudi tribal names; a lot of them are from the southwest area of Saudi Arabia, abutting Yemen. As you undoubtedly known, bin Laden is not only a Saudi citizen, but his family originated in Yemen. A lot of Yemenese moved from Yemen to Saudi Arabia in the past century. So you're seeing that probably about half the people on this list are Saudi, you're seeing a couple of Yemenese. And then a third thing which I think is important, a source familiar with the bin Laden organization told me just recently, in fact, a few weeks ago, that veterans -- bin Laden veterans returning to Saudi Arabia from Afghanistan have been talking about some big action that was planed in the coming weeks.

Now, at the time, my source felt that it might be in Saudi Arabia. Now it appears, of course, that it was in the United States -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Also -- that also brings the question, if people were hearing that weeks ago, why wouldn't U.S. intelligence sources pick up on that as well?

BERGEN: Well, U.S. intelligence sources did sort of picked up on it, but, you know, like everything human being, we always tend to see things through the prism of the last event that happened. And there were warnings in Saudi Arabia. For instance, July 18th the State Department released a warning of imminent and the specific threats against U.S. Saudi Arabia. There was also a closing of the embassy in Yemen in June. There was also arrests of people in New Deli. So there was tension in the Middle East, but not in the United States.

KAGAN: I want to follow up on a couple of points that you made here, Peter.

First of all, you were pointing out that you think that some of the names on this list are Yemenese. Yemen brings to mind the attack on the USS Cole, and I can't help but make the association between that attack and what's now happened here in the U.S.

BERGEN: Well, indeed, and of course the Cole was an unprecedented attack. The U.S. -- the embassy bombings in Africa were also unprecedented. This organization does the unexpected. It's not where the United States thought that the attack was going to come. Clearly, as I mentioned, there were indications an attack was (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and the United States government was prepared for it in the Middle East, but obviously not here -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Also, I think were learning slowly as we follow this story not to just see things in terms of black and white and one point doesn't necessarily lead to another. This attack did not come with a return of address, is one way that I've heard it said. So that when you look down a list like this and you see what you say are Saudi names or Yemenese names, that -- does that or does that not necessarily mean a link with those particular countries, or do you have to be careful not make that association?

BERGEN: Well, I think there various countries in the world where it's a lot easier to get a false passport from. I am not very familiar with how easily it is to obtain a Saudi passport, but I would guess it's fairly difficult. So -- I mean, some of these passports may be fake, some not, but the point is that the names on these passports are at least Saudi tribal names, which does to seem to brings it back again to Osama bin Laden.

KAGAN: And understanding the world of terrorism as you do, looking at this list and what little information is on it so far, what would be the next bit of information that you would like to see to help put this picture together better?

BERGEN: I would like to find out the two closest friends of each of these people on the list and find out what they have to say.

KAGAN: And where those people might be would be a good question as well, I guess?

BERGEN: Indeed.

KAGAN: Peter Bergen in our Washington bureau, thank you very much for helping us understand this list and think of the next questions to ask.

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