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American Morning
Interview with Alabama Republican Senator Richard Shelby
Aired May 21, 2003 - 07:06 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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: How well-prepared are American authorities now for the possibility of an attack here at home? Alabama Republican Senator Richard Shelby, a member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee, the former vice president of the Intelligence Committee in the Senate, is our guest today in D.C.
Senator, thanks for coming back here on AMERICAN MORNING.
SEN. RICHARD SHELBY (R), ALABAMA: Good morning.
HEMMER: We hear this phrase "spooky stuff." What does that mean?
SHELBY: Well, it means that there have been a lot of indications that through the signals -- that is the chatter we pick up -- that there could be hits against our targets here -- individuals, shopping centers, you name it, the whole list. We cannot ignore that.
You will recall that before September the 11th there were indications that there were going to be possible targets overseas hit, but that was not altogether true. The targets turned out to be here.
HEMMER: So, when Tom Ridge goes to Capitol Hill yesterday and says that al Qaeda right now is on a worldwide operational phase, when we see the events in Morocco and Saudi Arabia, which could well be linked and tied directly to al Qaeda, how far does this operational phase go for al Qaeda?
SHELBY: Well, I believe it extends all around the world. You have to remember that there were several thousand terrorists trained in Afghanistan. They have been disbursed. You know, we have disrupted. We've destroyed their sanctuaries. But they're around, they are operating individually in small groups and they're very dangerous.
HEMMER: Critics will tell you though that this is another reason why they believe the war in Iraq was wrong. They say al Qaeda was simply let off the hook. How do you defend that charge?
SHELBY: Well, I don't believe that at all. I think we had to do what we had to do with Iraq, and I believe that we're a lot better off than we were here as far as the terrorism is concerned before September the 11th. But we have a long way to go. There are terrorists in this country, there are cells in this country, and we have to be mindful of that.
HEMMER: How is it then if you say terrorists are here in the U.S. that they have not been located, found and arrested?
SHELBY: Well, some of them have been arrested by the FBI. Some of them are behind bars. Some of them are being watched. But we know and the FBI knows where a lot of these potential people are. They don't know where all of the specific targets that they believe will be hit will come from.
HEMMER: So, then police forces across the country, Senator, when they go on the lookout today for the potential for a terrorist operating in their city, what in the world do they look for, knowing that there is nothing specific that was in this warning contained yesterday?
SHELBY: Well, there are all kinds of indications, suspicious behavior, things that don't put together, don't jibe. The American people are very much on alert now. The police are on alert and should be. And we should never ignore these kinds of signals that have indicated before that there will be terrorist attacks. And what we've got to work against and protect -- work for and protect are the soft targets.
HEMMER: Senator Shelby, thanks for your time.
SHELBY: Thank you, Bill.
HEMMER: We'll be talking about this throughout the morning here. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Aired May 21, 2003 - 07:06 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: How well-prepared are American authorities now for the possibility of an attack here at home? Alabama Republican Senator Richard Shelby, a member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee, the former vice president of the Intelligence Committee in the Senate, is our guest today in D.C.
Senator, thanks for coming back here on AMERICAN MORNING.
SEN. RICHARD SHELBY (R), ALABAMA: Good morning.
HEMMER: We hear this phrase "spooky stuff." What does that mean?
SHELBY: Well, it means that there have been a lot of indications that through the signals -- that is the chatter we pick up -- that there could be hits against our targets here -- individuals, shopping centers, you name it, the whole list. We cannot ignore that.
You will recall that before September the 11th there were indications that there were going to be possible targets overseas hit, but that was not altogether true. The targets turned out to be here.
HEMMER: So, when Tom Ridge goes to Capitol Hill yesterday and says that al Qaeda right now is on a worldwide operational phase, when we see the events in Morocco and Saudi Arabia, which could well be linked and tied directly to al Qaeda, how far does this operational phase go for al Qaeda?
SHELBY: Well, I believe it extends all around the world. You have to remember that there were several thousand terrorists trained in Afghanistan. They have been disbursed. You know, we have disrupted. We've destroyed their sanctuaries. But they're around, they are operating individually in small groups and they're very dangerous.
HEMMER: Critics will tell you though that this is another reason why they believe the war in Iraq was wrong. They say al Qaeda was simply let off the hook. How do you defend that charge?
SHELBY: Well, I don't believe that at all. I think we had to do what we had to do with Iraq, and I believe that we're a lot better off than we were here as far as the terrorism is concerned before September the 11th. But we have a long way to go. There are terrorists in this country, there are cells in this country, and we have to be mindful of that.
HEMMER: How is it then if you say terrorists are here in the U.S. that they have not been located, found and arrested?
SHELBY: Well, some of them have been arrested by the FBI. Some of them are behind bars. Some of them are being watched. But we know and the FBI knows where a lot of these potential people are. They don't know where all of the specific targets that they believe will be hit will come from.
HEMMER: So, then police forces across the country, Senator, when they go on the lookout today for the potential for a terrorist operating in their city, what in the world do they look for, knowing that there is nothing specific that was in this warning contained yesterday?
SHELBY: Well, there are all kinds of indications, suspicious behavior, things that don't put together, don't jibe. The American people are very much on alert now. The police are on alert and should be. And we should never ignore these kinds of signals that have indicated before that there will be terrorist attacks. And what we've got to work against and protect -- work for and protect are the soft targets.
HEMMER: Senator Shelby, thanks for your time.
SHELBY: Thank you, Bill.
HEMMER: We'll be talking about this throughout the morning here. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
