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CNN Sunday Morning

U.S. Says Australian Warning of Attacks in Kenya Deemed Not Specific

Aired December 01, 2002 - 09:01   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.


CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: Time now to get more on the war on terrorism following this week's attacks in Kenya. Airports across the U.S. are reviewing existing measuring to protect against shoulder- fired missile attacks. The U.S. says that it did not consider Australian intelligence about possible terror attacks in Kenya credible. And the State Department is warning Americans of new terrorist threats against U.S. interests in Yemen.
Well, President Bush is now being briefed about the terror attacks and threats against Americans. He is at his ranch in Crawford, Texas. That's where we find our senior White House correspondent John King.

John, what's the latest from there?

JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Catherine. Senior officials telling us that Mr. Bush is being told in his briefings that it's just too soon to tell, too early in the investigation to know whether al Qaeda had any hand in those attacks in Kenya. As Mr. Bush is briefed on the continuing investigation, another concern among senior administration officials is that Americans overseas could be targeted next as the terrorists change their tactics.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As the investigation of the Kenya terror attacks continues, U.S. officials are warning there could be similar strikes targeting Americans. The State Department updated its travel warning for Yemen, noting the hotel bombing and attempt to shoot down an Israeli airliner in Mombasa, the warning says the U.S. government has received information the credibility of which has not yet been confirmed that similar attacks may also occur in Yemen.

A separate bulletin dealing with East Africa warns that similar attacks may also occur in Djibouti. That announcement says Djibouti is one of a number of countries in East Africa where there may be an increased terrorist threat.

U.S. forces are training in Djibouti, and the country also is a staging point for CIA missions designed to track al Qaeda in Yemen and East Africa. The hotel attack in Kenya reinforced fears that the terrorists are shifting strategy. The new government alerts say that because of increased security at embassies and official government facilities, terrorists are seeking softer targets, such as residential areas, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, hotels, schools, outdoor recreation events, resorts, beaches and planes.

President Bush remained in seclusion at his Texas ranch, receiving an early morning briefing on the latest terror attacks.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KING: Back to Washington later today for the president, as Mr. Bush prepares to return to the White House. U.S. officials also confirm to CNN that about two weeks ago, Australia passed on its concerns its intelligence that there might be attacks planned in Mombasa. U.S. officials, though, say they did not believe that information warranted any new U.S. government warning because they did not deem it to be specific or credible enough -- Catherine.

CALLAWAY: But John, did they say why they didn't deem it to be credible?

KING: This is one of the great debates since September 11. The Australian government did pass on what it said was intelligence information, information it had picked up suggesting possible attacks against westerners in Mombasa, in Kenya, and specifically mentioning Mombasa. U.S. officials say it did not say what kind of attack, where those attacks would take place, did not specifically say that Americans were targeted. U.S. officials say they'll review now the conversations back and forth to see if, perhaps, they should have done more.

More angry than the U.S. officials are the Kenyan government. The Kenyan government has complained that it would have liked to receive that warning as well. But this is a debate that we've had consistently. U.S. officials say they get so much intelligence data, they are picking up so many conversations from al Qaeda operatives, other suspected terrorist groups, that they have to pick and choose based on specificity. They insist in this case it did not reach the threshold of being specific enough to take any action.

CALLAWAY: All right, John, thank you. That's John King with the president.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




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Aired December 1, 2002 - 09:01   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: Time now to get more on the war on terrorism following this week's attacks in Kenya. Airports across the U.S. are reviewing existing measuring to protect against shoulder- fired missile attacks. The U.S. says that it did not consider Australian intelligence about possible terror attacks in Kenya credible. And the State Department is warning Americans of new terrorist threats against U.S. interests in Yemen.
Well, President Bush is now being briefed about the terror attacks and threats against Americans. He is at his ranch in Crawford, Texas. That's where we find our senior White House correspondent John King.

John, what's the latest from there?

JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Catherine. Senior officials telling us that Mr. Bush is being told in his briefings that it's just too soon to tell, too early in the investigation to know whether al Qaeda had any hand in those attacks in Kenya. As Mr. Bush is briefed on the continuing investigation, another concern among senior administration officials is that Americans overseas could be targeted next as the terrorists change their tactics.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As the investigation of the Kenya terror attacks continues, U.S. officials are warning there could be similar strikes targeting Americans. The State Department updated its travel warning for Yemen, noting the hotel bombing and attempt to shoot down an Israeli airliner in Mombasa, the warning says the U.S. government has received information the credibility of which has not yet been confirmed that similar attacks may also occur in Yemen.

A separate bulletin dealing with East Africa warns that similar attacks may also occur in Djibouti. That announcement says Djibouti is one of a number of countries in East Africa where there may be an increased terrorist threat.

U.S. forces are training in Djibouti, and the country also is a staging point for CIA missions designed to track al Qaeda in Yemen and East Africa. The hotel attack in Kenya reinforced fears that the terrorists are shifting strategy. The new government alerts say that because of increased security at embassies and official government facilities, terrorists are seeking softer targets, such as residential areas, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, hotels, schools, outdoor recreation events, resorts, beaches and planes.

President Bush remained in seclusion at his Texas ranch, receiving an early morning briefing on the latest terror attacks.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KING: Back to Washington later today for the president, as Mr. Bush prepares to return to the White House. U.S. officials also confirm to CNN that about two weeks ago, Australia passed on its concerns its intelligence that there might be attacks planned in Mombasa. U.S. officials, though, say they did not believe that information warranted any new U.S. government warning because they did not deem it to be specific or credible enough -- Catherine.

CALLAWAY: But John, did they say why they didn't deem it to be credible?

KING: This is one of the great debates since September 11. The Australian government did pass on what it said was intelligence information, information it had picked up suggesting possible attacks against westerners in Mombasa, in Kenya, and specifically mentioning Mombasa. U.S. officials say it did not say what kind of attack, where those attacks would take place, did not specifically say that Americans were targeted. U.S. officials say they'll review now the conversations back and forth to see if, perhaps, they should have done more.

More angry than the U.S. officials are the Kenyan government. The Kenyan government has complained that it would have liked to receive that warning as well. But this is a debate that we've had consistently. U.S. officials say they get so much intelligence data, they are picking up so many conversations from al Qaeda operatives, other suspected terrorist groups, that they have to pick and choose based on specificity. They insist in this case it did not reach the threshold of being specific enough to take any action.

CALLAWAY: All right, John, thank you. That's John King with the president.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




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