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American Morning

Saudi Arabia Arrests Seven Al Qaeda Members

Aired June 18, 2002 - 09:01   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: Thirty minutes ago we told you about the breaking news out of Saudi Arabia. David Ensor watching this and tracking it from Washington. More now on the potential for arrest of al Qaeda members in Saudi Arabia.

David, what do we have?

DAVID ENSOR, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, Bill, the seven arrests were announced today by the Saudi interior ministry. But U.S. officials say, in fact, most of the arrests occurred months ago.

Basically, they are putting out in public now that they've arrested seven individuals, six of them Saudis and one of them Sudanese. And I understand that that Sudanese arrestee is the man who is alleged to have fired a shoulder-launched missile at a U.S. aircraft at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia.

You will recall that the remnants of a SAM-7 or SAM-6 shoulder- launched missile were found in the desert outside Prince Sultan Air Base. This is the air base showing American aircraft taking off. No damage was done to U.S. aircraft, but when that SAM was found, an investigation was launched and eventually an arrest was made in Sudan.

That man is now in Saudi Arabia, along with six Saudis all charged with plotting to plan bomb and missile attacks against various key installations in the Saudi kingdom. So this is another success for the coalition against al Qaeda, if you will. This time, an effort by the government of Saudi Arabia. The country that of course most of the hijackers of September 11th came from -- Bill.

HEMMER: Indeed it is -- David, thank you. David Ensor, in Washington, tracking that story.

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