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American Morning

Officials Say al Qaeda Planning Attack as Big as 9/11

Aired May 20, 2002 - 07:02   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: "Up Front" this morning, there are some new concerns about domestic security. Over the weekend, Vice President Dick Cheney said a future attack against the U.S. is almost certain.

Administration officials are now saying intercepted messages indicate al Qaeda is planning an operation as big as the September 11 attacks or bigger. It is not a matter of if, but when, the vice president says, of al Qaeda's second wave.

Here now with more from the White House, CNN's Kathleen Koch -- good morning, Kathleen.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula. We began hearing about this over the weekend from senior administration and government officials who said that intelligence agencies had noted this increase, this spike in chatter and activity that is very similar to what was detected in the days and months before the September 11 attacks.

Officials say, though, that this information is not specific as to time, date or method. One did say that it seemed to point to the possibility of an attack overseas. Still most, including the vice president, agree that this is a troubling omen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DICK CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: In my opinion, the prospects of a future attack against the United States are almost certain. I'd like to be able to say it's never going to happen again, but I don't think anybody who has really looked at it can say that. We don't know if it's going to be tomorrow or next week or next year.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not a matter of if, but when.

CHENEY: Not a matter of if, but when.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOCH: There was also a great deal of discussion over the weekend about launching an independent inquiry into the 9/11 attacks and whether the Bush administration did enough with the intelligence warnings that it got as recently as August that al Qaeda operatives might try to hijack U.S. aircraft. The Bush administration said yesterday very forcefully that such a commission could create a circus-like atmosphere. It could compromise intelligence sources and methods that could be vital in helping to prevent future terrorist attacks.

So it really prefers leaving the probe to the existing House and Senate intelligence committees. It says it trusts them that it can work with them, and that it believes that they are better at safeguarding classified information -- Paula.

ZAHN: All right. More on that debate with two members of the intelligence committee, Senator Richard Shelby and Senator Bob Graham, later on in our next hour. Thanks so much, Kathleen Koch, for that live update.

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