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American Morning

Update on Operations in Afghanistan Campaign

Aired December 27, 2001 - 07:00   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.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm joined now by my colleague, Bill Hemmer, who's heading up our operation happy holidays in Afghanistan -- Bill, bring us the latest from Kandahar.

BILL HEMMER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Miles, good late afternoon from Kandahar.

It was about 15 hours ago in the middle of the night here in Afghanistan at the airport when the latest round of detainees were brought in, 20 in all suspected al Qaeda and Taliban members.

As has been the case in the past, they were brought in shackled and bound and led into a detention facility about 200 yards behind from where we are standing and reporting now.

Sources here at the base indicate the latest round of detainees were brought in after being nabbed and picked up on the Afghan- Pakistani border. There have been some concerns for some time that hundreds or possibly thousands of al Qaeda fighters may flee the Tora Bora region and head into Pakistan to the east and to the direction of the south. In part that is why the Pakistani Army two weeks ago tried to beef things up along that border.

However, at this time 20 have been picked up and transferred here to Kandahar. At this point they'll be processed and questioned, some to be questioned as many as 10 times a day, we are told.

They want to know two things first, Miles. How much do they know and how much do they know in connection to al Qaeda and the Taliban leadership? Certainly it's another critical question as to the whereabouts of Osama bin Laden and there are also questions about Mullah Mohammad Omar and his whereabouts here in southern Afghanistan.

In addition to that, another security concern at the air base here today, late today a group of journalists normally scheduled to come on the base and interview marines and see what's happening today for their stories were told they could not come in today because of a security concern the marines have that journalists, or rather the enemy, possible elements of al Qaeda or Taliban, may pose as journalists and try and breach security here. Therefore, those journalists were turned away for today. Possibly they'll be allowed back on the base tomorrow.

Also, momentarily, Miles, we'll report on the Osama bin Laden tape, reaction here in southern Afghanistan. And also more reaction on the Tora Bora decision. The marines will not go there. We will see how that it is sitting with the 1,800 who are here at the Kandahar Airport.

Once again (AUDIO GAP) -- Miles, back to you now in Atlanta.

O'BRIEN: All right, good timing, Bill Hemmer, as that satellite transmission goes to hash there. We'll try to rectify that before we check in with him again.

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