Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Saturday Morning News

Al Qaeda Detainees in Cuba Won't Have Same Rights as U.S. Prisoners

Aired January 12, 2002 - 08:04   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: Now to the war on terrorism. The 20 al Qaeda and Taliban prisoners who are now being held at a U.S. Navy base in Cuba will not have the same constitutional rights as prisoners held in the U.S.

For the latest on the detainees, we go live to Brian Andrews in Cuba. He comes to us via video phone this morning -- hello again, Brian.

BRIAN ANDREWS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And that, of course, would explain the temporary delay we're having because of that satellite technology.

Let's bring you up to speed on what's happening with this group of prisoners, described to us as a tough group of guys, the worst of the worst representing the al Qaeda and the Taliban, who spent the night at that prison camp called X-ray. It's in a remote part of the Guantanamo Bay Navy Base. We don't have access to it. It's in a state of lockdown ringed by military police both internally and externally, making sure that it's a secure facility. Prisoners are spending the night in their six by eight cells after being processed overnight.

We're not told what that processing entailed, but we are told that they were issued several items, including towels, one for bathing, one for prayers. They were issued a foam rubber matters to sleep on. They were also issued flip flops to walk around the facility in.

We're told that they will be brought out of their cells at some point today and allowed to exercise. But they spend the majority of the time in these cells, which have been specially constructed at this camp.

One of the things that's unclear is a health issue that has been raised. Last night we were told by one of the colonels that they had information before the plane landed here at Gitmo that at least one, as many as two, many have been exposed to tuberculosis. So as a precaution, they had those surgical masks on when they arrived here.

We're now being told that in accordance with humanitarian international law, of course, there are some medical treatment that these two detainees are receiving. The detainees are currently wearing an orange jumpsuit. And this is one of them. The military loaned it to us this morning so we could show it to you. It is a zippered jumpsuit, standard issue. This is what they're wearing along with the flip-flops. The hats that we told you about that they came off the aircraft with, we're told that the reason why they had on the bright orange hats is because it was a warmth issue. It was freezing cold in that C-141 transport.

Also, we're told the goggles that they were wearing during the flight were blacked out so they couldn't see. And they also couldn't hear because they were wearing special headphones as ear protectors because of the loud noise volume inside that cargo plane.

That also explains, according to the military, why members of the media who witnessed their arrival heard some shouting and yelling coming from the tarmac when these folks stepped off the plane. It was merely so that they could communicate instructions to the detainees to get on the bus.

We expect to hear more within the hour on how the overnight went out at Camp X-ray when the colonel who's running security comes here to brief all of us. And again, we hope to bring that to you live.

Reporting from Gitmo, I'm Brian Andrews. Now back to you.

PHILLIPS: All right, Brian, thank you so much.

And for the latest on the war against terrorism in Afghanistan, we go to our own Bill Hemmer, who joins us live from Kandahar -- first, Bill, what's the latest from there?

BILL HEMMER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, at this point 30 new detainees came in earlier today. We're pushing 400, 391 the count. And more indications, Kyra, that Kandahar will be the focal point for transporting the detainees from here to Guantanamo Bay. That runway that has been in disrepair as a result of the U.S. bombing now fixed, capable of taking a C-141. That was the aircraft that completed the first leg or actually completed the first trip, the second leg of the first trip to Guantanamo Bay. They had to do some repairs to get it up to 6,000 feet. That helps that C-141 take off and land from here.

Also more signs the 101st Airborne Division will be here in force very soon, Kyra, just a couple of days away.

PHILLIPS: Well, Bill, you and I have been talking a lot about the personal side of things, especially for you. This has definitely been a pretty amazing assignment compared to other assignments that you've taken on.

Let's talk a little bit about what you've been experiencing and some stories. Share some stories with us.

HEMMER: You want some stories. I can turn the camera around and about 10 guys over here could probably give you a whole lot of stories. But we're starting our fourth week, Kyra. We've been on the floor ever since. We sleep on a tile floor inside the terminal building that's been bombed out from the U.S. bombing. Half the windows are gone.

The runway is about 30 yards from our sleeping bags, which makes for an extremely loud and long night, as you can imagine. A giant C- 130 or C-17 backing up right behind you with the full force of those jets blowing on the windows here, what's left of them anyway, makes for a pretty harrowing experience and a pretty long night as well.

About five days ago, Kyra, they opened up a shower, if you want to call it that, basically some sometimes warm water inside of a tent that a lot of people have taken advantage of in the past five days and up to that point, Kyra, and actually we still do it. We still boil water in the morning off a propane heater and heat up a razor so we can shave daily. So we are keeping our hygiene in check to a point. But this is more or less like camping in Afghanistan and certainly the amenities of the KOA are not present, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Well, Bill, you know, it's very easy to sit behind this desk and read stories about the military and talk about this war against terror. But you're right there living with the marines. Has this changed your feelings about the military at all, what these soldiers go through?

HEMMER: Yes, great point, Kyra. I can tell you, you know, I'm sitting here and explaining and describing our experiences but to be honest with you the marines and now the 101st Airborne Division, soon to be here, go through this stuff all the time. And when they came here, as we did, the better part of three and a half weeks ago, there was nothing here. And they virtually took a place with no heat and no electricity, they go off generator power still, and made it into a virtual city at this point. It continues to grow on a daily basis.

And I've got to tell you, this is the closest I have been in terms of a long-term relationship with the U.S. military and these guys have been absolutely fantastic to us and I can tell you, the marines we worked with and now the 101st here, top notch professionals. They take their jobs incredibly seriously and they are, they're full of respect, too, not just for us, but for one another. And to see that front and center as an American, I can tell you, it made me feel pretty good.

PHILLIPS: It does. They're definitely men of honor.

Our Bill Hemmer live in Kandahar. We'll talk more next hour. Thanks so much, Bill.

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