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CNN Saturday Morning News

Conflicting Reports Surface in Supposed Spy Plane Shoot-Down

Aired September 22, 2001 - 09:11   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.
JOHN KING, CNN ANCHOR: We want to check in now on the latest on a developing story this morning, reports out of Afghanistan, the Taliban militia saying it has shot down an unmanned surveillance airplane. Some conflicting information this morning.

For the very latest now and an update, we turn to CNN's Christiane Amanpour. She joins us from the Pakistani capital of Islamabad. Christiane?

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well John, as you reported, there has been a lot of confusion about this aircraft, or what was shot down over Afghanistan. I called the foreign ministry spokesman about half an hour ago in Kandahar, which is the seat of the Taliban ruling militia, and he quoted the foreign minister and the defense minister of the Taliban as saying, quote, "One hundred percent sure that this was a spy plane," they say, unmanned, that had been shot down by the Taliban, what they called their air force.

They said that it contained computerized equipment and that they were trying to bring wreckage of it to Kandahar, where perhaps there may be some pictures that may eventually be broadcast of that.

In any event, that is the latest from the foreign ministry in Kandahar, in Afghanistan itself. Apparently it was shot down slightly north of Kabul, the capital, at about 9:00 a.m. Afghan time, local time in Afghanistan.

So those are the very latest details we have about that. They said that they did not know whether it was a Russian plane or an American plane or -- basically, the did not know the nationality of this plane.

Now, on another matter, the United Arab Emirates, one of the last countries to recognize the Taliban, today cut off relations with the Taliban. The foreign ministry spokesman said that they understood the pressure that the UAE was under.

Pakistan remains one of the only countries to have diplomatic relations, although the Taliban saying there are no negotiations, no diplomatic effort under way at all at the moment. Pakistan itself is monitoring the situation here, taking stock after yesterday's demonstrations. There was another demonstration in the north of Pakistan today near the Afghan border. It was peaceful, it was orderly, despite the anti-American and pro-Taliban slogans.

But the Pakistani president meeting with his provincial governors and police chiefs to discuss and review security as this crisis goes on -- John.

KING: Christiane, you were reporting on this unmanned plane being shot down this morning. But any reactions from the Taliban to the latest war of words with the Bush administration? The Taliban yesterday saying it would not turn over Osama bin Laden unless it received definitive proof from the United States government. Mr. Bush, of course, responding that he would not provide that evidence because he believes it would help the terrorists and his military planning was continuing.

Any response from the Taliban?

AMANPOUR: We had official response at the press conference by the ambassador here yesterday, that this was -- they just didn't respond to the demand or the ultimatum. They said, We will not until there's evidence.

Today again we asked the foreign ministry spokesman what exactly is going on and why the leader of the Taliban did not take up the recommendation from the religious council that met a couple of days ago. And they told us that it was, again, just a recommendation, and that the Mullah Omar, leader of the Taliban, had said that Osama bin Laden was free to go if he wants.

So we're at that point still.

KING: You mentioned also more protests today. President Musharraf nationally televised speech the other day urging his people to understand and accept his decision to side with the United States. Some scattered protests. Give us your perception of how large these are. And has the Pakistani president spoken out in public again? Is he trying to control the situation?

AMANPOUR: Well, firstly, the Pakistani president has not spoken out in public since then, only saying -- officials saying that he has met with his police and military chiefs and other security officials, including provincial governors and students, even today, as he continues to try to build a consensus and to review security in the wake of yesterday's demonstrations and to discuss measures that will be taken if there are other demonstrations.

They say that they are relieved that yesterday's demonstrations, although maybe about 100,000 people came out, it was not as large as in the past when demonstrations had been held, and it wasn't nationwide, and it wasn't a mass sort of uprising, if you like. Clearly, there was a nasty incident down in Karachi where there was confrontation at one of those demonstrations between the police and the demonstrators, and security officials confirmed that three people were killed.

But right now, they're hoping to be able to contain these protests at the current level. KING: Christiane Amanpour tracking developments in Pakistan, also in neighboring Afghanistan for us from the Pakistani capital of Islamabad. Thank you very much.

And of course, these developments overseas of great interest to U.S. military planners at the Pentagon.

Keeping track of developments there this morning, CNN's Jeanne Meserve -- Jeanne.

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John, U.S. officials saying nothing to clarify the situation relating to the possible downing of an unmanned spy plane. An official here issuing a statement saying they will not comment on operational details, and they are not going to be in a position of responding to every claim the Taliban makes.

They do indeed have these on-demand aerial, aerial aircraft which conduct surveillance. They can stay aloft for 243 hours at a time. It's real-time surveillance. Very useful, but again, no illumination from the Pentagon today as to whether or not they have lost one of these over Afghanistan.

Meantime, the deployments continue. B-52 bombers left Barksdale Air Force Base overnight, destination unknown. And a second deployment order is being prepared that would send more support aircraft to the Persian Gulf and to central Asia. No details have been released about where those aircraft are coming from or going to or how many aircraft might be involved.

Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld has not yet signed that deployment order. Rumsfeld will be taking part today in a national security briefing that's being conducted via teleconference with President Bush up at Camp David. Rumsfeld tomorrow expected to appear on several of the Sunday talk shows, but at this point no briefing scheduled here at the Pentagon today. That, of course, is subject to change.

John, back to you.

KING: All right, Jean Meserve, keeping track of developments of the Pentagon. Thank you very much.

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