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CNN Sunday Morning

Concerns About a Possible New Terrorist Attack

Aired May 19, 2002 - 08:01   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: Concerns about a possible new terrorist attack against the U.S. This comes as the White House is embroiled in a controversy over its handling of pre-September 11 intelligence reports. CNN's Kathleen Koch joining us live from the White House with the latest on all this. Good morning, Kathleen.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning. CNN has learned that intelligence agencies have seen, quote, an increased level of chatter and activity over the past couple of months suggesting that another al Qaeda terrorist attack could possibly be in the works.

That from a senior administration official who did not want to be identified. The official said the information was, quote, "nonspecific in nature." Not specific as to time, date, or method. Another government official also conferred that the volume of communications among suspected al Qaeda operatives has, "quote" definitely picked up in the last month or so, but that there was, quote, "no time, no target, no location."

Miles the official characterized that information as troubling and said that it has prompted a heightened level of concern. The source added unfortunately that the volume and the pattern of this information is very similar to what we saw apparently in the months prior to the September 11 attacks. The official, though, didn't read too much into that information and he did caution that the credibility of some of this information is questionable but that the signs apparently pointed toward a possible attack overseas.

We don't know if this means against U.S. military installations or what type of installations overseas. A senior administration official who spoke with cnn said, quote, "we are watching this" and that the U.S. will take, quote, "every appropriate precaution." Now, five terrorism alerts have issued since September 11 because of the nonspecific nature of this information, another terrorism alert has not yet been issued.

This comes, Miles, as you pointed out, that the White House is trying to dissipate and put down any political damage from this revelation last week, that the president received a briefing in August about a month before the September 11 attacks, that al Qaeda operatives might try to hijack U.S. aircraft. A "Newsweek" poll was taken on Thursday and Friday of some 1000 U.S. adults and found his approval rating right about where it was in February, at a good 73 percent as far as job approval. However those same Americans split on the question of whether or not the president had done enough with this pre-September 11th information, some 48 percent saying he did do enough, but another 39 percent saying he didn't. Now, this does come as some on the hill, many Democrats and a few Republicans are calling for a broad investigation into just what happened.

Why did law enforcement agencies and intelligence agencies basically not connect the dots or put together the bits of piece of information they had prior to September 11 that might have indicated some sort of terrorist attack was coming? At this point, the White House is trying to throw cold water on some of those charges the president didn't do enough saying they are politically motivated -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: CNN's Kathleen Koch, at the White House. Thank you very much. I appreciate that.

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