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CNN Saturday Morning News
Mullah Omar Remains at Large
Aired January 05, 2002 - 11:02 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: A senior trainer of the al Qaeda terrorist network is now in the hands of the U.S. military officials. Our Bill Hemmer is on the ground in Kandahar where he is being held, and brings us more on this story.
Hello again, Bill.
BILL HEMMER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Kyra, thank you. The cargo fleet has begun another night here. Thousands of tons of cargo to deliver here to the Kandahar Airport. In fact, you probably hear a giant C-130 in the background.
Let's talk about the latest detainee, the man who's getting a lot of attention right now, his name Ibn Al-Shaykh al-Libi. According to the White House, he was one of the 12 most wanted in terms of al Qaeda leaders.
He is here now at the Kandahar facility. Originally from Libya, his assets frozen back in September by the White House, and what we're being told right now, of 275 detainees, al-Libi is right now kept separate from the others.
The sources indicate that they do not want him to have any contact with any of the other detainees being held here in Kandahar, and certainly this would be an intelligence coup if they could get him to talk.
Two main questions: What's happening with al Qaeda leadership and the network here in Afghanistan, and certainly what's happening in other parts of the world with regard to al Qaeda and possible plans for that organization? That's the first thing we want to talk about.
The second thing is the hunt for Mullah Mohammed Omar, still on the run, who know's where he is at this point? Some reports indicate he may have slipped the net in northern Helmand Province, and locally here in Kandahar some local officials indicate he could be in Helmand, could be in Kandahar Province. It's anybody's guess right now.
And a spokesperson for the foreign minister in the interim Afghan government up in Kabul also was talking about this today. He says as well, it is a wide open picture for Omar.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) OMAR SAMAD, AFGHAN FOREIGN MINISTER: Mullah Omar has obviously becoming a question mark. His whereabouts are becoming a question mark. He is definitely to the point, to the extent that we know from our resources, in southern Afghanistan. Whether he has moved from the province of Helmand into Kandahar or from Kandahar into Helmand or from Helmand into Oruzgan is an issue that is being followed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: And throughout the week, we've been trying to track the rumors and the reports. It seems like every day, if not every hour, the reports and rumors have changed. But suffice it to say at this point, the U.S. military does not have custody of Mullah Mohammed Omar.
One final note, Abdul Salam Zaeef, the former Taliban Ambassador to Pakistan, Islamabad turned him over. He's back in this country right now. We anticipate the high possibility that U.S. authorities will have their hands on him as well very soon, and certainly there's an issue here outstanding as to where is Omar. He may know the answer there. That's it from Kandahar. Back to Atlanta now and Kyra once again. Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Bill, I know it's a little hard to hear, but I can hear the helicopters firing up in the background. Is this a nightly training, or are they going out on a mission?
HEMMER: No, essentially I can tell you this, Kyra. Every single night here we get an absolute fleet of cargo planes, C-130s and C-17s that come in here. It gets very loud and very noisy. They land about every 30 minutes. They never shut their engines, never cut off their props. They just land, stop, unload and then take off again. It makes for a long and loud night, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right. Our Bill Hemmer in Kandahar, thanks so much.
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