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American Morning

Bush Administration Set to Release Tape It Says Shows Bin Laden Implicating Himself in Terrorist Attacks

Aired December 12, 2001 - 07:05   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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Now, more on the American who fought for the Taliban. Reportedly he is predicting another terrorist attack in the U.S. and very soon. The "Washington Times" is reporting this morning that John Walker has told U.S. officials that al Qaeda's next attack will take place at the end of Ramadan and that it will involve biological weapons.

Today is the 27th day of the month long observance. The "Washington Times" cites as its source U.S. intelligence debriefings of John Walker. But intelligence officials also say they question the veracity of Walker's claim. He was not a high ranking member of the Taliban.

Now, back to the issue of that much discussed Osama bin Laden videotape. The Bush administration is set to release that tape it says shows Osama bin Laden implicating himself in the terrorist attacks.

Senior White House correspondent John King is standing by at the executive mansion this morning -- good morning, John. Any idea of when that tape might be released? Is it a done deal?

JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is almost a done deal, Paula. I spoke to senior administration officials just a few moments ago who say barring a last minute glitch, the tape will be released this morning. The administration brought in some outside, independent translators. There will be subtitles on the bottom of the tape. Bin Laden is speaking in Arabic. We are told to look for a release from the Pentagon perhaps later this morning. The target certainly is today. The goal is later this morning.

Now, the president says this videotape, in his words, shows that Osama bin Laden has no conscience and no soul and the tape has been watched not only by senior administration officials but now also by members of the intelligence committees on Capitol Hill. And law makers who had a viewing of that tape emerged telling frightening and chilling stories of their own.

One, Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois, says when the American people and people around the world see this videotape of Osama bin Laden, they will have no doubt he is responsible for the September 11 attacks.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. DICK DURBIN (D-IL), INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE: It is graphic. It is compelling. It's conclusive. He smiles. He laughs. He marvels at the destruction and death. He holds up his hand like the World Trade Center and shows the plane crashing into it and says how surprised he was that it wasn't just the floors above his hand that were destroyed, but everything below, too.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: You mentioned the continuing threat, in the view of U.S. officials, during the winding down of the Muslim holy period of Ramadan. Because of that, some questioned whether they should provoke Islamic extremists, if you will, by releasing this videotape of Osama bin Laden. There was a debate about that within the administration. In the end, they decided to go ahead with the release at this moment. In the words of one senior administration official, saying they hope this tape proves Osama bin Laden is "a false prophet." And asked why he thought that might happen, this official said when you watch this videotape you will see Osama bin Laden laughing scornfully about the death of those hijackers.

Officials again hoping that not only in the United States, but that throughout the Arab and Muslim world the release of this videotape sends a powerful message -- Paula.

ZAHN: John, has there been any reaction this morning to this "Washington Times" piece where John Walker, who apparently was questioned by U.S. intelligence officials, saying that there would be another attack of the biological weapon kind in the next several days in the United States?

KING: Well, senior officials here say that that information, if he passed that on through intelligence, has not reached the White House anyway in any way that it is viewed as particularly credible. But they also say that the high alert that the administration has put out remains in effect, one official saying that today and the next couple of days law enforcement officials and citizens should be on particularly high alert.

But because of all the added precautions, it is the operating assumption within the administration that if there were a biological attack planned, it would have been done by now. But they say that is a hunch. But they certainly do say, Paula, that as we enter into the final days of Ramadan, the American people and law enforcement agencies should be on very high alert.

ZAHN: Thanks so much for the update, John. See you later this morning.

Those who have seen this tape say Osama bin Laden's own words will convince the world of his guilt. One U.S. senator told CNN's Wolf Blitzer it was a frightening display of evil.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SEN. DICK DURBIN (D-IL), INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE: I think if there are any doubters left in the world -- there are few in America -- they need to see this videotape. They need to see the compelling evidence of the glee that this man shows when he talks about the deaths that were involved. This cold-blooded videotape tells the story better than any words could tell it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZAHN: And we may see that for ourselves a little bit later on this morning.

But what does the tape mean and how will it play in the Muslim world?

We turn to former CIA Director Stansfield Turner, who joins us from Washington. Good to see you again, sir. Welcome.

STANSFIELD TURNER, FORMER CIA DIRECTOR: Good morning, Paula.

ZAHN: So, Mr. Turner, I wanted to start off to see if you had any reaction at all to this "Washington Times" piece, where it is suggested that Johnnie Walker has been interviewed by U.S. intelligence officials and he has apparently told them that Osama bin Laden does have another attack planned, one that will unfold in the next couple of days and it will be, it will involve biological weapons. Do you, do you put any stock in this report?

TURNER: You never can just wash that kind of report away, but you have to analyze the source. And it doesn't seem to me that Walker is a very credible source or that it's very likely Walker would have that kind of information. It's just a very puzzling situation for us. We've got to stay alert, but I think the odds are slim that he really had that information.

ZAHN: Yes, I guess the folks who are really quite skeptical of this report are saying that he didn't have the kind of access that one would need to have to Osama bin Laden in the first place.

TURNER: Yes, and it's been a number of days since he was captured and he hasn't got the latest information in any event.

ZAHN: All right, let's move on to the issue of these tapes. What is your concern about their being released, as John King said, almost a hundred percent sure shot, later today?

TURNER: I think that the concern the administration has was less for protecting the source of those tapes, how we got hold of them, than the credibility of them in the rest of the world, and particularly in the Muslim world. You know, a lot of people around the world this morning, if they are released, will say oh, the Americans concocted that.

So I believe the administration was trying hard to find a way to release them so as to be persuasive. And apparently they are so persuasive on their own content that they decided that that was all they could do was just send them out.

ZAHN: You raise an interesting issue about how potentially some viewers of this tape might accuse the U.S. government of doctoring them. But I guess the internal debate at the administration level was how exactly you show this to the American public. And John King just reported we will hear Osama bin Laden's words in Arabic and then there will be English subtitles.

Do you think that helps defend the U.S. from some of these charges that might come from individual Muslims?

TURNER: Oh, yes. I think it's very important that the original Arabic as far as it's intelligible on the tape, be played so that the rest of the world, the Arab world in particular, can see that it is as genuine as it is.

ZAHN: The other issue being raised, we have spoken with a number of senators who have seen this tape and they say the most shocking part of this tape is the cynicism that Osama bin Laden displays towards the hijackers, many of whom he acknowledged didn't even know they were on a suicide mission until they boarded their planes.

If that part of the tape is accepted by Muslims, do you think that he will end up not only being accused of murdering thousands of innocent people, but murdering his own?

TURNER: I was just astounded when that was released and think it's wonderful from our point of view. It certainly will have some deterrent effect on future people who are coerced into that kind of a situation. It seems to me it's all to our advantage to get that word out.

ZAHN: I need a real quick answer to this one. Do you have any idea how the U.S. got its hands on this tape?

TURNER: No, I don't have any knowledge whatsoever. But my guess would be that there's some money changed hands here with the individual who had that in Afghanistan.

ZAHN: Stansfield Turner, good of you to join us.

TURNER: Sure.

ZAHN: We always love having your perspective on the air. Thank you so much for your time.

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