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CNN Live Sunday

Authorities Investigate Connections of Five Suspected Terrorists Under Arrest in Buffalo

Aired September 15, 2002 - 17:05   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: A federal prosecutor says authorities are investigating whether five suspected terrorists, under arrest in Buffalo, New York, may have connections with similar groups in other states. CNN National correspondent Susan Candiotti is in Buffalo where the five will be back in court later this week for a bond hearing.
Hi, there Susan.

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredricka.

Today CNN spent more time with relatives of the five men, who stand accused of being part of a al Qaeda trained cell. Now, many may have gone overseas last year, according to the family, for religious training. But the relatives say they could not possibly been involved in being able to, or willing, to carry out attacks. You're about to hear from the brother, Shaffel (ph) Mosed.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AIBAN MOSED, SUSPECT'S BROTHER: It's all a big misunderstanding -- I know it is, because I talk to my brother about everything. I'll talk to my brother, he'll tell me anything. He would not hide nothing from me, because I wouldn't hide nothing from him. He knows that. We're close all of us. We're only 4 years apart from him. My other brother's one year old. And we all talk close, everyone of us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CANDIOTTI: Government sources now characterize the five men, who were accused, of being less important in their overall investigation. And, in fact, authorities are not willing to call the men a sleeper cell per se.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PETER AHEARN, FBI SPECIAL AGENT: The investigation will continue and as I'm sure you're aware, too, that there's two phases of an investigation. The covert phase of this investigation, right now, has concluded. Now, that the opportunity is there, there will be a lot more investigation that needs to be done. And that will be done and followed up with.

(END VIDEO CLIP) CANDIOTTI: Now, at a bond hearing coming up next week we certainly expect to hear more from the government about what kind of evidence they have, not only again the five men but we expect to hear more about one or more of the so-called undercharged co-conspirators, known only to us as A, B and C, now living two of them Yemen, and another one somewhere else outside the United States. All being, at least two of them, rather, U.S. citizens. So, that's the key thing we're going to be watching for. What we're going to learn from that bond hearing on Wednesday of this week -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, Susan Candiotti, thank you.

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