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CNN Sunday Morning

Rumsfeld to Visit Guantanamo Bay

Aired January 27, 2002 - 07:12   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.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Less than two hours from now, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld is due to arrive at Guantanamo Navy base accompanied by four U.S. senators. They will inspect the facilities where some 158 detainees are being held, but according to U.S. military officials, a different structure is also beginning to emerge from within the ranks of the prisoners. Here's CNN's John Zarrella.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Heavily armed Marines patrol the perimeter around Camp X-ray. Inside, Taliban and al Qaeda fighters are, U.S. military officials say, beginning to show signs of a leadership structure.

BRIG. GEN. MICHAEL LEHNERT, SECURITY COMMANDER: We're seeing that some leaders are beginning to emerge. We have indications that many have received training and that they are observing actions such as security procedures. We've seen some attempts to secret away materials or to coordinate activities.

ZARRELLA: Military officials say the detainees may also be passing notes. They don't have paper so they scratch messages on the floor with rocks. Military police charged with guarding the detainees say the leadership is still very subtle.

LT. COL. BARNEY LISWELL, 415 MP BATTALION: I say they come out mostly at the religious times, when they pray during their specific times of prayer. That's when the emergence comes out, at this point.

ZARRELLA: Saturday, the military leadership here continued the offensive, deflecting criticism of detainee treatment. They displayed what they call comfort items given to detainees, including Fruit Loops and a sawed off toothbrush that can't be turned into a weapon.

UNIDENTIFIED SOLDIER: We give them a sheet, a blanket, two towels, a shower cloth - correction, a cloth.

ZARRELLA: To satisfy the detainees' desire for traditional food, they are often getting pita bread now with their meals.

(on-camera): Even here, at this newly erected hospital, the military took the opportunity to press its message that the detainees are being treated well and getting the best of care. (voice-over): The 20 bed hospital brought in in pieces can be expanded to treat up to 500. So far, four of the detainees have undergone surgery here.

CAPT. PAT ALFORD, JOINT TASK FORCE DOCTOR: The real message there is, this is exactly the same type of facility that we take to the field to treat our own people.

ZARRELLA: The number of detainees stands at 158. There probably won't be any new arrivals until the U.S. government feels it's put the issue of detainee care to rest.

John Zarrella, CNN, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: Kay Bailey Hutchison is one of the lawmakers to accompany Secretary Rumsfeld on that fact-finding trip to Guantanamo Bay. Senator Hutchison will discuss her findings tonight on CNN at 10:00 p.m. Eastern. We invite you to tune in for that.

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