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CNN Sunday Morning

Moroccan Police Round Up Dozens of Suspects for Questioning

Aired May 18, 2003 - 10:06   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.


HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Progress is reported in the investigation in the suicide attacks in Morocco. Authorities say they've rounded up dozens of suspects for questioning.
CNN's Jim Bittermann joins us now by phone with the very latest on this.

Hello, Jim. What's the latest that you can tell us?

JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, in fact there are some reports around that they may have taken into custody here the brains behind the attacks here on Friday night. However, they're just reports at this stage and I don't think we can give it much credence.

The government says, though, and does confirm that it's been rounding up dozens of people, more than 40, they said, they warned journalists don't play the numbers game because it's an ongoing operation. They're going to keep pulling in people that are likely suspects or implicated somehow until they get more information about exactly who was behind those attacks that killed 41 people on Friday night.

Now here in Casablanca, we are waiting for the visit of King Mohammed VI, which is set to happen any moment now. He's going to visit some of those sites that were attacked and pay his respects to the people that died in them.

He has also promised to give financial aid to the families of the victims, something that I'm sure is a very welcome gesture for the families.

The -- one of the key suspects, of course, that is being closely questioned now is the one bomber who survived. He had a suicide belt around his waist and it did not go off. He was taken into custody and there are some indications that he has been cooperating with police. And also cooperating with police and helping them out are French and American counter-terrorism experts who arrived here yesterday, less than 24 hours after the blast, and they have been to the sites and are looking over the sites and looking for clues this morning -- Heidi.

COLLINS: Jim, I'm just wondering if they have any idea what these suspects could possibly offer them? What exactly will the questions be, do you think, that they'll be trying to get the answers to in talking with them?

BITTERMANN: Well, I think one of the things they want to determine is to what extent this is a local operation and to what extent it is an international operation. I mean, were these terrorists locally bred and born?

Now the interior ministry has said that all 14 involved in the five attacks were Moroccan citizens. But I think more than that, they want to know to what extent the planning came from Morocco or came from abroad.

They've been watching very carefully here the activities of al Qaeda for more than a year now, ever since they picked up some al Qaeda members who were plotting to blow up some American war ships in the straits of Gibraltar. Three of those involved in the plot were Saudi citizens and they were sent off to jail back in February.

However in March, just a month later, they arrested a Moroccan citizen who was part of an al Qaeda splinter group. And I think the government would very much like to know to what extent they have a local problem on their hands and how they're going to address that -- Heidi.

COLLINS: I bet they will. CNN's Jim Bittermann with the very latest on the Morocco blast. Thanks so much, Jim.

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




Questioning>


Aired May 18, 2003 - 10:06   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Progress is reported in the investigation in the suicide attacks in Morocco. Authorities say they've rounded up dozens of suspects for questioning.
CNN's Jim Bittermann joins us now by phone with the very latest on this.

Hello, Jim. What's the latest that you can tell us?

JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, in fact there are some reports around that they may have taken into custody here the brains behind the attacks here on Friday night. However, they're just reports at this stage and I don't think we can give it much credence.

The government says, though, and does confirm that it's been rounding up dozens of people, more than 40, they said, they warned journalists don't play the numbers game because it's an ongoing operation. They're going to keep pulling in people that are likely suspects or implicated somehow until they get more information about exactly who was behind those attacks that killed 41 people on Friday night.

Now here in Casablanca, we are waiting for the visit of King Mohammed VI, which is set to happen any moment now. He's going to visit some of those sites that were attacked and pay his respects to the people that died in them.

He has also promised to give financial aid to the families of the victims, something that I'm sure is a very welcome gesture for the families.

The -- one of the key suspects, of course, that is being closely questioned now is the one bomber who survived. He had a suicide belt around his waist and it did not go off. He was taken into custody and there are some indications that he has been cooperating with police. And also cooperating with police and helping them out are French and American counter-terrorism experts who arrived here yesterday, less than 24 hours after the blast, and they have been to the sites and are looking over the sites and looking for clues this morning -- Heidi.

COLLINS: Jim, I'm just wondering if they have any idea what these suspects could possibly offer them? What exactly will the questions be, do you think, that they'll be trying to get the answers to in talking with them?

BITTERMANN: Well, I think one of the things they want to determine is to what extent this is a local operation and to what extent it is an international operation. I mean, were these terrorists locally bred and born?

Now the interior ministry has said that all 14 involved in the five attacks were Moroccan citizens. But I think more than that, they want to know to what extent the planning came from Morocco or came from abroad.

They've been watching very carefully here the activities of al Qaeda for more than a year now, ever since they picked up some al Qaeda members who were plotting to blow up some American war ships in the straits of Gibraltar. Three of those involved in the plot were Saudi citizens and they were sent off to jail back in February.

However in March, just a month later, they arrested a Moroccan citizen who was part of an al Qaeda splinter group. And I think the government would very much like to know to what extent they have a local problem on their hands and how they're going to address that -- Heidi.

COLLINS: I bet they will. CNN's Jim Bittermann with the very latest on the Morocco blast. Thanks so much, Jim.

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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