Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Event/Special

America Under Attack: FBI Holds Press Briefing in Pennsylvania

Aired September 12, 2001 - 11:58   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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We want to take our viewers now live to Pennsylvania, it is a news conference with the FBI with the latest on the plane that crashed there. Let's listen in.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wallace Miller (ph).

We don't have much to add from yesterday's press conference. However, we'll go over some of the things that we are doing.

Presently, we have over 200 personnel on-site from the FBI, Pennsylvania State Police, ATF, NTSB, FAA, postal, IRS, Civil Air Patrol, the Somerset County Coroner, as I mentioned, as well as representatives of United Airlines, their aircraft (UNINTELLIGIBLE) team.

This morning, members of our hazardous materials response unit conducted an assessment of the crime scene, particularly the area around the crater. Their assessment was to determine the levels of toxicity and flammability. Based upon that assessment they found that our evidence-collection personnel could go on-site to conduct their work. They found low levels of aircraft fuel.

After they finished their assessment, we began mapping and griding the crime scene. The griding process is important to help facilitate an orderly and methodical approach to evidence collection. Basically, as we get further away from the crater, the grids will probably increase in size. The crater area, the grids will be very, very small.

We are looking to recover human remains, the black box or the voice data recorder, personal effects, and aircraft parts. Before the evidence collection team, which numbers approximately 80 personnel from various agencies, before they enter the scene, again, they'll be again the safety briefing in as much as there are still materials out there that could prove potentially hazardous.

As you can expect, the search will be painstaking, will probably last -- and again, this is an estimate -- three to five weeks. I can't overstate how methodical and painstaking this process will be.

The NTSB will be conducting a flyover sometime this afternoon in order to better assess the scope of the scene. Certainly, in light of their experience, they are able to compare the scene here to scenes of past to give us a better indication of what we might have here. One important point I want to the make is that if anyone out there has any information to provide they can do so via the Internet, and the Web site address is: ifccfbi.gov. Should there be any interest in finding out about the attacks, individuals should feel free contact, 86-483-5137.

If there is any information to provide to the FBI with respect to when it occurred feel free to contact the FBI Pittsburgh office, 412- 471-2000.

I would like to defer now to the lieutenant colonel and the major, they will discuss the efforts of the Pennsylvania State Police.

QUESTION: Can you spell your name, please?

Robert Hickes, H-I-C-K-E-S.

And we..,

KAGAN: We were listening to an update there from Pennsylvania, the latest on the information on flight -- United Airline Flight 93 that crashed yesterday just southeast of Pittsburgh.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com