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CNN Saturday Morning News

U.S.: Conditions for al Qaeda Detainees Humane, Not Comfortable

Aired January 12, 2002 - 10:15   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: Twenty al Qaeda and Taliban detainees spent their first night at a U.S. Navy base in Cuba. Military officials say their detention conditions are humane, but not comfortable.

CNN's Jeff Levine joins us now from the Pentagon with latest on the detainees and a foiled plot against the U.S.

Hi, Jeff.

JEFF LEVINE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Kyra.

Well, the Pentagon says it is protecting the rights of Afghan detainees and maintaining security at the same time. They say that delicate balancing act is necessary because these people are considered to be extremely dangerous.

Now, when they arrived at Guantanamo Naval Base on Friday, the detainees were taken off the plane one at time. They were shackled and hooded. Even though there had been objections that the human rights of these al Qaeda and Taliban fighters are being violated, the Pentagon says that their treatment is justified.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: They will be handled not as prisoners of war because they are not, but as unlawful combatants. The -- as I understand it, technically unlawful combatants do not have any rights under the Geneva Convention. We have indicated that we do plan to, for the most part, treat them in a manner that is reasonably consistent with the Geneva Conventions; to the extent they are appropriate. And that is exactly what we have been doing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEVINE: Now, certain concessions are being made to the prisoners. For example, they have access to the Koran and a culturally appropriate diet.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon reminds us that the struggle against terrorism is a global one indeed.

We understand that the Singapore government has broken up an al Qaeda plot. Officials there say they've arrested 13 people with ties to the terrorist network. They were allegedly scouting targets for possible attacks. The videotape allegedly made by one of the suspects shows buses used by U.S. military personnel. The scheme reportedly included plans to attack U.S. Navy ships and nightspots popular with American sailors.

Now, we understand that that videotape was confiscated from al Qaeda terrorist training base in Afghanistan -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, Jeff Levine, live from the Pentagon, thank you so much.

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