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American Morning

Reports Based on Intercepted E-Mails That Al Qaeda Fighters Trying to Regroup

Aired March 07, 2002 - 09:06   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: There are new reports based on intercepted e-mails that Al Qaeda fighters are trying to regroup in isolated areas on the Pakistani side of the border with Afghanistan. Pakistani security forces are on patrol there, as is CNN's Kamal Hyder, who joins us now by videophone from Miran Shah, Pakistan.

Thanks for joining us. Good morning.

KAMAL HYDER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.

Yes, indeed, a lot of apprehension here as Operation Anaconda gains momentum, and apprehension also that the weather is changing and that rain and heavy snow and high wind, which has only started even in the border areas there, will hamper air operations.

At the same time, there are reports that the Pakistani army and, of course, the militia forces and the tribunal political administration here is also not taking any chances, and they have found out they are patrolling the borders of the sensitive region. Pakistan had the longest border with Afghanistan and here in Miran Shah. It us their border with Paktia, the center of activity for allied aircraft.

And also the area that we have visited, very difficult areas. We did not see any evidence of Al Qaeda resistance amassing here in any way. The air operations that the United States and allied aircrafts have had in Afghanistan has prevented any grouping of people in the mountains or any serious logistical effort, and there is now belief here that the are Shahi Kot Mountains, where this fighting was -- is intensive, that this area was supplied and replenished during the Taliban area and not recently -- Paula.

ZAHN: So, Kamal, if you would, further address these reports that the e-mail trail seem to indicate that these Al Qaeda members might be going back into Pakistan to refortify.

HYDER: Well, Paula, it's interesting that this news has come up. As you remember, even a few weeks ago, with the tragic death of Daniel Pearl, even at that time, e-mails were written notes on pieces of paper, (UNINTELLIGIBLE), and then e-mailed by somebody to some cafe, Internet cafe or something. Now if there have been e-mails intercepted out of the tribal area, it must be understood that there are e-mail facilities in many tribal areas now, and if indeed these were Al Qaeda reports or Al Qaeda trying to reorganize, that it could have been done by courier. But in Pakistan, there is a feeling, and the government of Pakistan is trying to stop any militant from coming in here and also curtailing their movement within Pakistan with apprehensions of thousands of fundamentalist here -- Paula.

ZAHN: All right, Kamal Hyder, we're going to leave it there for this morning. Thanks you very much for that late update.

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