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CNN Sunday Morning

Suspected Terrorists Possibly Linked to Bin Laden

Aired June 17, 2001 - 09:32   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.
BRIAN NELSON, CNN ANCHOR: In New Delhi, India police believe they have foiled a bombing plot against U.S. embassies with the arrest of three men. Authorities linked all three suspects to Osama bin Laden, and CNN's Kasra Naji joins us on the phone with the latest on it -- Kasra.

KASRA NAJI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Brian, police say they acted on a tip off from the CIA the three that they have arrested. They had planned according to them to blow up the American embassies here in New Delhi and also in the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka.

They were planning to do this in August -- mid-August -- using a car bomb. One of the rats said it's said to be a Sudanese national by the name of Adbul Raul Hawaz (ph). He is said to be an associate of Osama bin Laden and in his home police found a map of the U.S. embassy in New Delhi, six kilograms of RDX explosive and a detonator. A copy of the letter was also found -- the letter that he has written to bin Laden saying preparations are complete.

The police say they acted, as I said, on a tip off from the U.S. embassy and officials from the CIA and the fact that they are closely watching and involved in the investigation -- Brian.

NELSON: Kasra, any reason for them choosing Dhaka and New Delhi? Is it because perhaps security there is not as strong as in some other centers?

NAJI: Well, if you look at the embassy buildings both here in Delhi and also in Dhaka they're pretty fortified -- they're very much built with this in mind -- that there are threats in this part of the world. I guess Delhi is the big country -- India is a big country -- and there are reports that some of them infiltrated here from Afghanistan -- they come through Nepal. And maybe it is for that reason that they find it possibly easier to get into India and to Delhi.

NELSON: All right, thank you. CNN's Kasra Naji reporting to us from New Delhi.

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