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CNN Sunday Morning

Is America Prepared to Handle Terrorism Threats?

Aired June 02, 2002 - 10:04   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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: That "Newsweek" article about the CIA tracking two suspected terrorists is raising more questions about America's preparedness for handling terrorism. Let's get more now on what some see as an intelligence failure from our White House correspondent Kelly Wallace -- oh, Kathleen Koch. Good morning, Kathleen.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Kyra. A little surprise there. Kelly has the day off, and a well-deserved one, I must say.

But no reaction yet from the White House to this very disturbing "Newsweek" report that, again, apparently the CIA for some one year and nine months prior to the 9/11 attacks was tracking two of the hijackers, actually knew that they had entered the United States and did not share that information with the FBI.

Now, President Bush earlier this week did state that when it comes to the FBI, that he did have complete confidence in its new director, Robert Mueller, that he said he believed that the reforms would help the United States, and he said that the constitution would be honored that guaranteed freedoms would be respected. That, to address some of the concerns that some senators have expressed that those reforms might go too far.

Now, U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft this morning called Mueller "a battle-tested veteran," "the right man for a very tough job." The attorney general went on to say that he believes the reforms were important because the U.S. is at war and that, quote, "we've got very serious challenges to address, and to leave us with agents who have their hands tied in the field is foolhardy."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN ASHCROFT, U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: I don't believe we can rule out any kind of terrorist attack. And as soon as we say, well, something couldn't happen here, that probably elevates the risk that it could happen here, because it would -- it would reduce our sensitivity, or it would reduce our vigilance.

We know that the Oke-bomb (ph) situation with Timothy McVeigh -- it wasn't a suicide bombing, but that was a very substantial terrorist act that took the lives of close to a couple hundred of people...

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: In Oklahoma City?

ASHCROFT: Yeah, in Oklahoma City. So we need to be involved preparing to prevent. We don't need to be involved in trying to think, well, what is it that we can get smug about and think that can't happen here? My goodness, we need to understand that we need to do everything possible to strengthen our prevention.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOCH: Now, Attorney General Ashcroft this morning said that the FBI and the CIA are now working together in a significantly better way than they have ever done before, citing one instance, saying that the CIA is actually now stationing some of its agents at the FBI headquarters, something that's never been done before. And the attorney general concluding, saying that he believed that what we need to do now is to get involved in preparing to prevent the next terrorist attack and stop looking in the rearview mirror. Back to you, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, our Kathleen Koch, live from the White House, thank you.

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