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CNN Live Sunday
White House Downplays New al Qaeda Terrorist Threats
Aired November 17, 2002 - 18:39 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.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: The White House is downplaying new terrorist threats against New York and Washington. The warnings of violence have not even resulted in a change in the threat alert level. It is still at yellow at this point. And that is sparking some controversy for the homeland security team.
CNN's Frank Buckley joins us from the White House where the administration says the warnings are nothing new -- Frank.
FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Anderson. They say the same thing about the terror bulletin that was issued late last week that talked of spectacular attacks possibly coming in the U.S. -- administration officials saying that that was simply a summary of intelligence -- not related to any direct, new threat. Still, that put some people on edge last week and this weekend it brought some criticism of the Bush administration.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): In the course of just one week, hospitals in four cities were put on alert. A law enforcement bulletin suggested spectacular attacks could be coming and a tape attributed to Osama bin Laden offered an ominous threat.
OSAMA BIN LADEN (through translator): Just like you kill us, we will kill you.
BUCKLEY: Despite the information, the national threat level status didn't change -- it remained at yellow. The government's performance the target of criticism from elected leaders.
SEN. CHRISTOPHER DODD (D), CONNECTICUT: It looks to me as though people are trying to cover themselves here. In case something happens they can then say, "Well, we warned you about all of this.
BUCKLEY: From law enforcement.
EDWARD NORRIS, BALTIMORE POLICE: I don't need to know if the levels are orange or yellow. I need to know why it is that and what the threat is to my city. Is it the same in Los Angeles as it is in Baltimore as it is in New York?
So it's really -- it's not working out that well.
BUCKLEY: From the media -- "The New York Times" saying that the Bush administration was issuing "chicken little" alerts that warned that "the sky was falling." "The terror threat against the U.S. is too critical and too lethal to be handled in this ludicrous manner."
But Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge defended the dissemination of the intelligence summary to local law enforcement agencies.
TOM RIDGE, DIRECTOR, HOMELAND SECURITY: But on a day to day basis when we get information, we need to share with the law enforcement community or with the private sector. We're going to have to give that out. With the times sometimes it's with an abundance of caution, sometimes it's not corroborated and we want to go back and see if we can find -- verify it more completely.
BUCKLEY: Ridge also defended the government's decision not to raise the threat level, saying the intelligence is not specific enough.
RIDGE: If we have the specificity associated with time, place, venue, method and means of attack certainly we would be in a position to go out and apprehend and take action.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BUCKLEY: Now despite the criticisms on homeland security, the Bush administration is also celebrating a political victory on this front. This week we are expecting the passage of the Senate bill creating a new department of Homeland Security -- Anderson.
COOPER: Well, Frank, are we hearing anything from the White House today about this incident with El Al and the possible hijacking there?
BUCKLEY: Not yet. Same here -- believe to be monitoring but we've put out calls on that and so far the White House has not responded.
COOPER: All right -- Frank Buckley -- thanks a lot tonight.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired November 17, 2002 - 18:39 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: The White House is downplaying new terrorist threats against New York and Washington. The warnings of violence have not even resulted in a change in the threat alert level. It is still at yellow at this point. And that is sparking some controversy for the homeland security team.
CNN's Frank Buckley joins us from the White House where the administration says the warnings are nothing new -- Frank.
FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Anderson. They say the same thing about the terror bulletin that was issued late last week that talked of spectacular attacks possibly coming in the U.S. -- administration officials saying that that was simply a summary of intelligence -- not related to any direct, new threat. Still, that put some people on edge last week and this weekend it brought some criticism of the Bush administration.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): In the course of just one week, hospitals in four cities were put on alert. A law enforcement bulletin suggested spectacular attacks could be coming and a tape attributed to Osama bin Laden offered an ominous threat.
OSAMA BIN LADEN (through translator): Just like you kill us, we will kill you.
BUCKLEY: Despite the information, the national threat level status didn't change -- it remained at yellow. The government's performance the target of criticism from elected leaders.
SEN. CHRISTOPHER DODD (D), CONNECTICUT: It looks to me as though people are trying to cover themselves here. In case something happens they can then say, "Well, we warned you about all of this.
BUCKLEY: From law enforcement.
EDWARD NORRIS, BALTIMORE POLICE: I don't need to know if the levels are orange or yellow. I need to know why it is that and what the threat is to my city. Is it the same in Los Angeles as it is in Baltimore as it is in New York?
So it's really -- it's not working out that well.
BUCKLEY: From the media -- "The New York Times" saying that the Bush administration was issuing "chicken little" alerts that warned that "the sky was falling." "The terror threat against the U.S. is too critical and too lethal to be handled in this ludicrous manner."
But Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge defended the dissemination of the intelligence summary to local law enforcement agencies.
TOM RIDGE, DIRECTOR, HOMELAND SECURITY: But on a day to day basis when we get information, we need to share with the law enforcement community or with the private sector. We're going to have to give that out. With the times sometimes it's with an abundance of caution, sometimes it's not corroborated and we want to go back and see if we can find -- verify it more completely.
BUCKLEY: Ridge also defended the government's decision not to raise the threat level, saying the intelligence is not specific enough.
RIDGE: If we have the specificity associated with time, place, venue, method and means of attack certainly we would be in a position to go out and apprehend and take action.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BUCKLEY: Now despite the criticisms on homeland security, the Bush administration is also celebrating a political victory on this front. This week we are expecting the passage of the Senate bill creating a new department of Homeland Security -- Anderson.
COOPER: Well, Frank, are we hearing anything from the White House today about this incident with El Al and the possible hijacking there?
BUCKLEY: Not yet. Same here -- believe to be monitoring but we've put out calls on that and so far the White House has not responded.
COOPER: All right -- Frank Buckley -- thanks a lot tonight.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
