Return to Transcripts main page
American Morning
Interview with Tom Ridge
Aired December 30, 2003 - 07:32 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: American security concerns now focusing on international airline flights in this week's celebration of the new year. The Homeland Security Department ordering armed officers on board some international flights here to the U.S.
From the White House this morning, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge is here to explain.
Secretary Ridge, good morning to you.
Nice to have you with us today.
TOM RIDGE, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: Bill, nice to join you again.
Thank you.
HEMMER: Thank you, sir.
What is different about this threat that forces you to make such a significant order so suddenly?
RIDGE: Well, we had begun conversations with some of our partners around the world about putting armed, well trained sky marshals on flights of interest. But we decided to take a more comprehensive approach and just alert the world community and remind them, I think in a very polite but very appropriate way, that international travel is everyone's concern and that when we get specific information about flights coming into the United States, we hope we can have their cooperation so they can add another level of security to those flights.
HEMMER: You say that it's just an alert. Is this only tied to Air France or is there more behind the story that we do not know?
RIDGE: Well, there's a continuous stream of threat reporting that's been in -- that we've seen now for two years that al Qaeda continues to look at commercial aviation, passenger traffic, as either a target or as a weapon. And given the fact that millions of people travel around the world with dozens and dozens of airlines, we've decided to just put the world on -- not necessarily on notice, but remind them that we're all in this together and when we get information about a flight coming from one of these countries, we hope they cooperate with us and secure the flight, put on air marshals.
HEMMER: Secretary Ridge, how credible are these reports about the possibility that al Qaeda may have infiltrated some staffs on international carriers working on behalf of that airline, maybe as a pilot, perhaps as a flight attendant? How credible do you think those reports are?
RIDGE: Well, we know that they're interested in, obviously, in aviation, and we know that some of the individuals involved in 9/11 had flight training. Whether or not the reports demonstrate that they're able to take off and land these flights, we're not real sure. But there are ways that we can combat those reports and we to have assume, in part, that they are credible. And for that reason, we deal with the reality of getting our international friends to help us secure these flights.
HEMMER: Yes, is there proof that that's the case?
RIDGE: You know, there's a lot of, there's a lot of speculation. There's a lot of discussion about al Qaeda having pilots. And since we know they've trained them before, we have to presume whether or not the source is credible or not, that there may be some out there. And it's precisely that concern that leads us to asking our international partners to do more with us to protect commercial flights.
HEMMER: You said just speculation. Do you leave it at that or is there proof?
RIDGE: Oh, no, I -- the credibility of the source is one matter. But since we know that they've trained pilots before, we take it as a fact that there may be some out there that have been trained. How completely trained we don't know, but that's one of the reasons we continue to add more and more security in the United States. We continue to look to our partners around the world to add security.
HEMMER: Why do you believe that al Qaeda is so obsessed with airplanes? Is it easy? Is it dramatic? What's your answer?
RIDGE: Well, I think it's no longer easy given the comprehensive layered series of security measures we've put in, but it is very dramatic. And there is no doubt that during the past two years, since 9/11, some of the information that we've received from credible sources suggests that they're still very interested in commercial aviation.
But we're interested in adding levels of security. And so from the curbside through to the cockpit where we're going to arm some of the pilots, we've hardened the cockpit doors. We've got thousands and thousands of air marshals. We've got baggage screeners and passenger screeners. We're going to see even greater improvements in technology. We've got hardened cockpit doors on international flights coming into the United States. We have Transportation Security Administration inspectors going around the country, going around the world to see what additional measures other countries are taking to screen people and cargo and baggage.
So I think every single day, the international aviation community takes additional steps to improve safety around the world.
HEMMER: We're in an orange alert right now. What's the possibility we go one step higher, the highest alert, red, before the holiday weekend is over?
RIDGE: Well, right now we think that the level of threat is appropriately at orange and we have ramped up in an unprecedented way levels of security around the country and I think you're going to see it remain there for -- through the balance of the week.
HEMMER: Secretary, there's about a half a million people that may plow into Times Square on New Year's Eve.
RIDGE: Absolutely.
HEMMER: Are they safe?
RIDGE: Oh, they're safe. I will tell you that you start with your Commissioner Kelly and Mayor Bloomberg and Governor Pataki and they've, I don't think there is a city that has done more and sustained a higher level of security and protection than New York City. We're obviously working with them and providing some additional assistance, upon their request. We've got a good partnership with the city of New York and I hope everybody has a great -- a lot of fun in Times Square on New Year's Eve.
HEMMER: Thank you, Mr. Secretary.
RIDGE: Thank you.
HEMMER: Tom Ridge from the front lawn at the White House this morning.
Appreciate it.
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 December 30, 2003 - 07:32 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: American security concerns now focusing on international airline flights in this week's celebration of the new year. The Homeland Security Department ordering armed officers on board some international flights here to the U.S.
From the White House this morning, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge is here to explain.
Secretary Ridge, good morning to you.
Nice to have you with us today.
TOM RIDGE, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: Bill, nice to join you again.
Thank you.
HEMMER: Thank you, sir.
What is different about this threat that forces you to make such a significant order so suddenly?
RIDGE: Well, we had begun conversations with some of our partners around the world about putting armed, well trained sky marshals on flights of interest. But we decided to take a more comprehensive approach and just alert the world community and remind them, I think in a very polite but very appropriate way, that international travel is everyone's concern and that when we get specific information about flights coming into the United States, we hope we can have their cooperation so they can add another level of security to those flights.
HEMMER: You say that it's just an alert. Is this only tied to Air France or is there more behind the story that we do not know?
RIDGE: Well, there's a continuous stream of threat reporting that's been in -- that we've seen now for two years that al Qaeda continues to look at commercial aviation, passenger traffic, as either a target or as a weapon. And given the fact that millions of people travel around the world with dozens and dozens of airlines, we've decided to just put the world on -- not necessarily on notice, but remind them that we're all in this together and when we get information about a flight coming from one of these countries, we hope they cooperate with us and secure the flight, put on air marshals.
HEMMER: Secretary Ridge, how credible are these reports about the possibility that al Qaeda may have infiltrated some staffs on international carriers working on behalf of that airline, maybe as a pilot, perhaps as a flight attendant? How credible do you think those reports are?
RIDGE: Well, we know that they're interested in, obviously, in aviation, and we know that some of the individuals involved in 9/11 had flight training. Whether or not the reports demonstrate that they're able to take off and land these flights, we're not real sure. But there are ways that we can combat those reports and we to have assume, in part, that they are credible. And for that reason, we deal with the reality of getting our international friends to help us secure these flights.
HEMMER: Yes, is there proof that that's the case?
RIDGE: You know, there's a lot of, there's a lot of speculation. There's a lot of discussion about al Qaeda having pilots. And since we know they've trained them before, we have to presume whether or not the source is credible or not, that there may be some out there. And it's precisely that concern that leads us to asking our international partners to do more with us to protect commercial flights.
HEMMER: You said just speculation. Do you leave it at that or is there proof?
RIDGE: Oh, no, I -- the credibility of the source is one matter. But since we know that they've trained pilots before, we take it as a fact that there may be some out there that have been trained. How completely trained we don't know, but that's one of the reasons we continue to add more and more security in the United States. We continue to look to our partners around the world to add security.
HEMMER: Why do you believe that al Qaeda is so obsessed with airplanes? Is it easy? Is it dramatic? What's your answer?
RIDGE: Well, I think it's no longer easy given the comprehensive layered series of security measures we've put in, but it is very dramatic. And there is no doubt that during the past two years, since 9/11, some of the information that we've received from credible sources suggests that they're still very interested in commercial aviation.
But we're interested in adding levels of security. And so from the curbside through to the cockpit where we're going to arm some of the pilots, we've hardened the cockpit doors. We've got thousands and thousands of air marshals. We've got baggage screeners and passenger screeners. We're going to see even greater improvements in technology. We've got hardened cockpit doors on international flights coming into the United States. We have Transportation Security Administration inspectors going around the country, going around the world to see what additional measures other countries are taking to screen people and cargo and baggage.
So I think every single day, the international aviation community takes additional steps to improve safety around the world.
HEMMER: We're in an orange alert right now. What's the possibility we go one step higher, the highest alert, red, before the holiday weekend is over?
RIDGE: Well, right now we think that the level of threat is appropriately at orange and we have ramped up in an unprecedented way levels of security around the country and I think you're going to see it remain there for -- through the balance of the week.
HEMMER: Secretary, there's about a half a million people that may plow into Times Square on New Year's Eve.
RIDGE: Absolutely.
HEMMER: Are they safe?
RIDGE: Oh, they're safe. I will tell you that you start with your Commissioner Kelly and Mayor Bloomberg and Governor Pataki and they've, I don't think there is a city that has done more and sustained a higher level of security and protection than New York City. We're obviously working with them and providing some additional assistance, upon their request. We've got a good partnership with the city of New York and I hope everybody has a great -- a lot of fun in Times Square on New Year's Eve.
HEMMER: Thank you, Mr. Secretary.
RIDGE: Thank you.
HEMMER: Tom Ridge from the front lawn at the White House this morning.
Appreciate it.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
