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CNN Sunday Morning

Interview With Peter Ahearn

Aired September 15, 2002 - 11:02   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: This week, the five men arrested on terrorism charges near Buffalo, New York will be back in court for a scheduled bond hearing. Their arrests come on the heels of a year-long investigation. Were these men all U.S. citizens, in their 20s, planning a terrorist attack on U.S. soil? CNN national correspondent Bob Franken is in Buffalo with the latest. Bob, are we any closer to knowing what the suspected intentions might have been?
BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, according to a variety of sources, both on the record and not on the record, they did not have a clear idea of what this group of people was planning, but they allegedly were coming up with what they call chatter. We've heard that word a lot of times now, the electronic intercepts, which suggested that something might be in the works. As a matter of fact, we're told by sources that that very fact contributed to the decision -- you have to excuse me, I have a bee here -- that very decision contributed to the decision to raise the alert level in the United States to orange.

We're also told by sources it's now being confirmed that this is an investigation that actually began before the September 11 attacks. It began, according to the sources, when members of the Muslim community in Lackawanna, which is a suburb of Buffalo, when members of that community alerted the FBI to the allegation that these five had attended a training camp, the now infamous training camp run by al Qaeda near Kandahar in Afghanistan. It's a camp that became famous by among others John Walker Lindh.

Now, according to the officials in the affidavit that they've prepared, that was a violation of the U.S. law, which prevents material support being provided to terrorist groups. The material support, in effect, being their presence at that camp. That, of course, is going to be fought out in the courts.

But as for what the plan was, there is no indication, no proof, no evidence at least that we've been able to discern that they have found a former al Qaeda -- a formal al Qaeda network, nor is there any proof of a specific attack, just a concern that what they were saying to each other had become ominous enough that the investigation had to move from its covert state to the one that is now out in the open -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, Bob Franken, thank you very much.

Well, investigators say they used, quote, "every sophisticated technique to monitor communications of the five arrested men." To help explain the roots of the investigation and where it goes from here, Peter Ahearn. He is a special agent in charge of the terror task force for the Buffalo FBI. Good to see you.

PETER AHEARN, FBI: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right. Well, Mr. Ahearn, what more can you tell us, if anything, about what you've learned about what the suspected intentions are since that has not been announced officially otherwise? Are you able to comment on what you believe the intentions of these five men may have been?

AHEARN: Well, at this stage right now it would be inappropriate to comment on that. But I can tell you that part of the investigation that moves from this stage will be to continuing to find out exactly everything that we can about what happened, what transpired, what they did in the camps, why they were in the camps, and that part of the investigation will continue.

WHITFIELD: And what about the communication that there may have been following their training at this training camp in Afghanistan? What were you able to monitor in terms of communication between them and any other operatives abroad or in other parts of the U.S.?

AHEARN: Well, obviously I think it's important for me to tell you that I can't really comment on those specifics. I mean, the techniques, the way that we gather our information and our evidence is something that I just don't want to even talk about at all.

WHITFIELD: There are three other unnamed co-conspirators that are in the complaint. What roles did they play? Are you able to comment on that?

AHEARN: At this time, because of the investigation, there are still things going on. There's still information being provided to us relating to those individuals, and right now I, again, shouldn't comment on that at this time.

WHITFIELD: Is it likely at some point that those co-conspirators might be facing similar charges, providing material support?

AHEARN: Is it possible? Yes, everything is possible in this case. And, again, we're still continuing and trying to address the issues with those unnamed individuals.

WHITFIELD: Now, were there any weapons found in the residence, or on the persons of these five men that were arrested?

AHEARN: I can tell you that there were no weapons found. As far the other information as a result of the searches, I don't want to get into, but I feel it's important for people to realize that, again, we didn't uncover anything right there that was a threat to the public safety or health of anybody here in the western New York community. And I will at least say that we found no weapons at any of the search locations.

WHITFIELD: And where does it go from here? At this point, these men have a scheduled bond hearing for Wednesday. Is it your expectation that more arrests are imminent?

AHEARN: Won't comment on more arrests being imminent. But the hearings now will be Wednesday with regard to whether or not the government can present the evidence to keep them remanded to the custody of the United States, and we'll have to see what happens on Wednesday and what the judge's ruling is.

WHITFIELD: All right, Peter Ahearn, thank you very much for joining us. I appreciate it.

AHEARN: You're welcome. Thank you.

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