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American Morning

Possible al Qaeda Audiotape Released

Aired May 21, 2003 - 09:30   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: Our top story for the half-hour right now continues to be the word we're getting from overseas right now. The second in command to al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden apparently releasing some sort of audiotape. That's the headline as Nic Robertson waits for us down at the CNN Center. We'll get Nic's reaction to this right now. Apparently, the early word we have right now, though, is that he is urging more attacks against Americans and possibly British citizens as well.
Nic, what have you heard so far in this? What is the headline?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Bill, it's a minute 49 statement that we have heard so far from, essentially the second in command of al Qaeda, Ayman al-Zawahiri, the right-hand man to Osama bin Laden. This statement essentially a statement similar in some ways to a statement he issued back in October last year saying to the Muslim world that the war in Iraq goes beyond the borders of Iraq. He says that the states of Egypt, of Saudi Arabia, of Bahrain, of Qatar, of Jordan, the leaders of those countries are all being duplicitous, saying that they are opposed to a war in Iraq, yet they supported it with their airports, with providing access through their countries. It is, in many ways, a call to arms, or it tries to be a call to arms to Muslims inside those countries.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): ... operate services and bases, letting ships go through their canals and water, and they let planes go through their airspace. Not just that, but also taking off from their airports and also letting their army go through their land to attack on Arab land. Saudi Arabia, you can see, and Kuwait, you can see, planes taking off and army taking off from Kuwait and Qatar. Letting this happen (ph) in Bahrain, allowing troops and boats going through it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON: Now, this time, Bill, we should caution that we don't know for sure that this is Ayman al-Zawahiri's voice. It could be, but we're listening to the tape. It's only just been made available to us. We are only just beginning to be able to analyze it. One of the other things we're noticing about this tape, as well as the fact that it may not be his voice, is that there appears to be some heavy editing on this tape. It has been cut, pasted together. So again, we're analyzing it at this time.

But the tape goes on this call to arms, if you will, for Muslims in these countries, not so much directed at the leaderships of those countries, but directed specifically at the interests of the United States, of Great Britain, of Australia and, quite interestingly, of Norway as well. So this appears to be a call to arms. But at this time, we are just beginning to listen to it, just beginning to analyze, if in fact, this is Ayman al Zawahiri's voice, and beginning to analyze, indeed, how it was put together. Was it cut and pasted together or is it one track, trying to get more information out of it at this time -- Bill.

HEMMER: Nic, I know it is early, and stop me here if I'm going too far, don't mean to put you in a bad spot right now. What about time references. He mentioned planes from Kuwait and Qatar, clear references to the war in Iraq. Were more there, though, those references regarding time?

ROBERTSON: Well, Bill, we might have been looking for references here to events in Saudi Arabia, events in Morocco. But so far, there has been no references to those instances, so, at the moment, very clear references to what has happened and transpired in Iraq. But this tape, from what we have seen so far, could have been recorded a month ago, maybe could have been recorded before that. We understand that there may be other elements of this tape that are yet to be released, and we'll listen and see what information we can glean from those as well. The tape went on to say that Muslims around the world would hear news soon that would gladden their hearts -- Bill.

HEMMER: And what about Western interests? Was it just directed, according to the message anyway, against Americans and Brits, or were there more countries involved?

ROBERTSON: America, Britain, Australia, Norway. The message said to light a fire under their feet in those countries. Targeting, specifically, the interests of those countries, of the United States, of Great Britain, of Australia and of Norway. Quite interesting to hear Norway brought into the grouping here. Obviously the United States, Australia, Great Britain, all members of the coalition that fought in Iraq. Quite how and why, Ayman al-Zawahiri, if it is him, brings Norway into this equation at this time -- we have yet to get a clear understanding of that as well.

HEMMER: Interesting back in Afghanistan and Kandahar, Norway sent a number of mine-sweeping, mine-clearing teams there. Not clear, can't draw the reference right now as to why that was mentioned there. But nonetheless, the word is out. Nic, quickly, was this an interview or a statement? Do we know?

ROBERTSON: We don't know at this time, and it is interesting that it appears to have been cut together. So was it meant to be with the questions cut out, was it a part of a longer statement that was edited down? Who edited it down? Was it al Qaeda members? Was it the broadcaster that aired it? All of that is still not clear at this time.

HEMMER: All right. Nic, thanks. We will cut you free. As you get more, bring it to us, all right? Nic Robertson there at the CNN Center. 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 - 09:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Our top story for the half-hour right now continues to be the word we're getting from overseas right now. The second in command to al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden apparently releasing some sort of audiotape. That's the headline as Nic Robertson waits for us down at the CNN Center. We'll get Nic's reaction to this right now. Apparently, the early word we have right now, though, is that he is urging more attacks against Americans and possibly British citizens as well.
Nic, what have you heard so far in this? What is the headline?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Bill, it's a minute 49 statement that we have heard so far from, essentially the second in command of al Qaeda, Ayman al-Zawahiri, the right-hand man to Osama bin Laden. This statement essentially a statement similar in some ways to a statement he issued back in October last year saying to the Muslim world that the war in Iraq goes beyond the borders of Iraq. He says that the states of Egypt, of Saudi Arabia, of Bahrain, of Qatar, of Jordan, the leaders of those countries are all being duplicitous, saying that they are opposed to a war in Iraq, yet they supported it with their airports, with providing access through their countries. It is, in many ways, a call to arms, or it tries to be a call to arms to Muslims inside those countries.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): ... operate services and bases, letting ships go through their canals and water, and they let planes go through their airspace. Not just that, but also taking off from their airports and also letting their army go through their land to attack on Arab land. Saudi Arabia, you can see, and Kuwait, you can see, planes taking off and army taking off from Kuwait and Qatar. Letting this happen (ph) in Bahrain, allowing troops and boats going through it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON: Now, this time, Bill, we should caution that we don't know for sure that this is Ayman al-Zawahiri's voice. It could be, but we're listening to the tape. It's only just been made available to us. We are only just beginning to be able to analyze it. One of the other things we're noticing about this tape, as well as the fact that it may not be his voice, is that there appears to be some heavy editing on this tape. It has been cut, pasted together. So again, we're analyzing it at this time.

But the tape goes on this call to arms, if you will, for Muslims in these countries, not so much directed at the leaderships of those countries, but directed specifically at the interests of the United States, of Great Britain, of Australia and, quite interestingly, of Norway as well. So this appears to be a call to arms. But at this time, we are just beginning to listen to it, just beginning to analyze, if in fact, this is Ayman al Zawahiri's voice, and beginning to analyze, indeed, how it was put together. Was it cut and pasted together or is it one track, trying to get more information out of it at this time -- Bill.

HEMMER: Nic, I know it is early, and stop me here if I'm going too far, don't mean to put you in a bad spot right now. What about time references. He mentioned planes from Kuwait and Qatar, clear references to the war in Iraq. Were more there, though, those references regarding time?

ROBERTSON: Well, Bill, we might have been looking for references here to events in Saudi Arabia, events in Morocco. But so far, there has been no references to those instances, so, at the moment, very clear references to what has happened and transpired in Iraq. But this tape, from what we have seen so far, could have been recorded a month ago, maybe could have been recorded before that. We understand that there may be other elements of this tape that are yet to be released, and we'll listen and see what information we can glean from those as well. The tape went on to say that Muslims around the world would hear news soon that would gladden their hearts -- Bill.

HEMMER: And what about Western interests? Was it just directed, according to the message anyway, against Americans and Brits, or were there more countries involved?

ROBERTSON: America, Britain, Australia, Norway. The message said to light a fire under their feet in those countries. Targeting, specifically, the interests of those countries, of the United States, of Great Britain, of Australia and of Norway. Quite interesting to hear Norway brought into the grouping here. Obviously the United States, Australia, Great Britain, all members of the coalition that fought in Iraq. Quite how and why, Ayman al-Zawahiri, if it is him, brings Norway into this equation at this time -- we have yet to get a clear understanding of that as well.

HEMMER: Interesting back in Afghanistan and Kandahar, Norway sent a number of mine-sweeping, mine-clearing teams there. Not clear, can't draw the reference right now as to why that was mentioned there. But nonetheless, the word is out. Nic, quickly, was this an interview or a statement? Do we know?

ROBERTSON: We don't know at this time, and it is interesting that it appears to have been cut together. So was it meant to be with the questions cut out, was it a part of a longer statement that was edited down? Who edited it down? Was it al Qaeda members? Was it the broadcaster that aired it? All of that is still not clear at this time.

HEMMER: All right. Nic, thanks. We will cut you free. As you get more, bring it to us, all right? Nic Robertson there at the CNN Center. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com