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American Morning

Target: Terrorism - FBI Releases New Hijacker Photos; Officials Warn of New Attacks

Aired October 05, 2001 - 11:33   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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: With that, want to turn our attention -- our focus back to the investigation. Several new developments to talk about at this hour, including new photographs of two of the suspected hijackers.

Eileen O'Connor in Washington, watching this and a whole lot more. Eileen, good morning.

EILEEN O'CONNOR, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill. Well, there were photographs that were released yesterday by the FBI in Portland, Maine. Photographs of Abdul Alomari and Mohamed Atta. Now there were photographs taken of them at bank ATM machines, also at a gas station and at a Wal-Mart in the 24 hours before they left Portland, Maine to go to Boston and board the American Airlines flight 11 they flew into the first World Trade Center tower. Now officials want to release those photographs, they say, to see if they can jog people's memories and see if perhaps they can find out if those men met anyone in the Portland, Maine area.

That, they say, would be critical to see if there are any other support systems or supporters out there still at large in the United States. As you were talking about it before -- U.S. officials basically this is the "Washington Post" story -- just a reiteration really of what U.S. officials, including the president and attorney general have been saying for at least a week. That there is a very real threat of future attacks. Now the difficulty for official is walking the line between taking the proper precautions and panicking people.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: What the president is working very hard to do, is find that balance to let Americans know that threats do remain, the government is taking all steps necessary to counter those threats, including planning domestically at home. But the most important action the government can take is going after the terrorists who did it so they don't have any abilities to do it again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'CONNOR: Now, the FBI and international law enforcement agencies believe they have already thwarted plans in Europe to stage attacks on U.S. installations overseas, like the U.S. embassy in Paris. Bill?

HEMMER: Eileen, when they talk about this -- quote, unquote -- "very real possibility". do we have a better indication about what specific threats they're talking about? Or is that everything -- is that everything underneath right now -- kept pretty much on the QT.

O'CONNOR: No, some of them are actually threats that have been made right out in the open. What's driving the caution -- the warnings about future attacks is in large part the certainty of past attacks. According to my sources, they say the evidence officials say they have that Osama bin Laden was behind all those attack -- his vows in the past to continue to kill what he calls the enemy Americans.

(voice-over): Also the public pronouncements coming from people in the region, like former some former Mujahideen leaders who say although they might not have supported the Taliban in the recent past, they will come to their aid and fight Americans if Afghanistan is attacked.

(on camera): Now, in addition, you have had, this week the leader of the Taliban, Mullah Omar, calling on Muslims everywhere to come to the Taliban's assistance and fight back against America if they are attacked. Bill?

HEMMER: And Eileen, also there is a snare that people talk about, not often at this point, but they do talk about it. If Osama bin Laden is found and captured, is there a scenario or plan that follows after that?

O'CONNOR: Well, you heard the president say -- it's a long-term battle. And although they believe that Osama bin Laden is in fact the instigator and inspiration for the Al-Qaeda network and the -- and the attacks that they do, basically they're saying -- sources say that just because bin Laden may be captured or brought to justice doesn't mean the threats going to go away. In that case, some officials say they believe that there are those groups and supporters who will see him as a martyr and that could inspire other retaliatory strikes -- in fact probably will inspire other retaliatory strikes. In addition, you know, he does have -- we've seen them in some videos -- other military leaders, advisers in his organization, who could well take over to fill the void, so to speak. Bill.

HEMMER: Alright, Eileen. Eileen O'Connor, live in Washington. Thanks.

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