Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Sunday

U.S. Coast Guard Warns of Terrorist Threats to U.S. Coastline

Aired June 09, 2002 - 17:01   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.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Back to our top story now. The U.S. government recently warned that scuba divers might be used in a terrorist attack, and now the U.S. Coast Guard is issuing a new alert because of it. CNN's Patty Davis has been looking into what prompted this latest threat reporting. She is joining us now from Washington. Hi there, Patty.

PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredricka. Well, what prompted the Coast Guard to issue its maritime threat report was additional information from more than one government agency.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(voice-over): Crews ships and ferry boats as well as ports on alert from terrorism on the nation's waterways. The U.S. Coast Guard issuing a warning: Be on the outlook for suspicious swimmers and drivers.

TOM RIDGE, HOMELAND SECURITY DIRECTOR: To send out that that knowledge to report directors and port authorities along with accompanying protective measures is precisely the kind of thing that the federal government should to and has done through the Coast Guard.

DAVIS: Officials are tight-lipped about the threat scenario or target. The threat of terrorism on the water a new realty for these boaters in Washington state.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're living if a different age today, ever since 9/11. And I think we need to just be on a higher alert. Everybody.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It gives you pause for thought,, but I have never been fearful on the water.

DAVIS: The terrorist attack on the USS Cole two years ago, in which 17 people were killed, shows how devastating an attack from the water can be.

The warning was the second in a month involving divers. The first came from the FBI in May. A Coast Guard official said the agency issued this maritime threat report because there is now additional information from across the government. The FBI says it has no new information. This the latest in a series of terrorism warnings as support builds for a Cabinet-level Department of Homeland Security.

SEN. BOB GRAHAM (D-FL), INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN: What that says to me is that we need to do the sorts of thing that establishing this new Department of Homeland Security will do, which is to protect us as best we can.

DAVIS: A sentiment felt by a majority of Americans. A CNN-"USA Today"-Gallup poll finds 72 percent of Americans approve of creating a Department of Homeland Security.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DAVIS: It's a new agency the Bush administration says is necessary to guard against al Qaeda in the U.S. and ready to strike, which is why the Coast Guard is taking the latest threat seriously, and it's urging people on the water to report anything suspicious or abnormal -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Measures are any ports taking to make sure that they are secure?

DAVIS: Well, that's a good question, and that's one that we posed both to the homeland security chief and to the Coast Guard. Neither of them are saying what they're doing specifically. But as you heard the homeland security chief say, there are -- they have been having conversation with ports, trying to come up with some suggestions for them. So there are additional measures being taken; it's just not being made public at this point -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, and that makes sense, of course. All right. Thanks very much, Patty Davis from Washington.

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