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CNN Live Sunday
Has al Qaeda Switched Targets?
Aired May 18, 2003 - 16:11 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.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: The recent attacks attributed to al Qaeda indicates the organization is still working despite the global war on terror. The attacks also suggest a change in al Qaeda targets. CNN's Chris Plante is at the Pentagon now with details on that. Hi, Chris.
CHRIS PLANTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Heidi. That's right. U.S. counter-terrorism officials contacted by CNN suggest that these attacks indicate that al Qaeda is sending out a message that they are still in business, they are still a viable organization. They can reach out and kill, and the soft targets they have selected, that's to say, civilian targets undefended in locations where they were not expecting any attacks suggest that they may not be capable at this point of hitting more heavily defended targets like U.S. military targets. Peter Bergen, who is CNN military -- excuse me, terrorism analyst had an ominous warning on CNN's "LATE EDITION" earlier today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PETER BERGEN, CNN TERRORISM ANALYST: Al Qaeda is not just an organization. It's an ideology. You don't necessarily -- the people in Morocco may well not have actually been part of al Qaeda, the organization. They just signed up to, you know, basically attack westerners.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PLANTE: Officials also say that the selection of targets in Saudi Arabia and Morocco indicate that they may -- al Qaeda in particular has singled out these two regimes in the past as being too favorable to the United States -- wishes of the United States and too easy with western civilization, western culture, and that they have targeted the regimes, as they would say, in defense of Islam. Peter Bergen also adding that there are tens of thousands, he said, of people willing to sign up for this sort of mission -- Heidi.
COLLINS: All right. Chris Plante live from the Pentagon for us, thanks so much.
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 May 18, 2003 - 16:11 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: The recent attacks attributed to al Qaeda indicates the organization is still working despite the global war on terror. The attacks also suggest a change in al Qaeda targets. CNN's Chris Plante is at the Pentagon now with details on that. Hi, Chris.
CHRIS PLANTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Heidi. That's right. U.S. counter-terrorism officials contacted by CNN suggest that these attacks indicate that al Qaeda is sending out a message that they are still in business, they are still a viable organization. They can reach out and kill, and the soft targets they have selected, that's to say, civilian targets undefended in locations where they were not expecting any attacks suggest that they may not be capable at this point of hitting more heavily defended targets like U.S. military targets. Peter Bergen, who is CNN military -- excuse me, terrorism analyst had an ominous warning on CNN's "LATE EDITION" earlier today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PETER BERGEN, CNN TERRORISM ANALYST: Al Qaeda is not just an organization. It's an ideology. You don't necessarily -- the people in Morocco may well not have actually been part of al Qaeda, the organization. They just signed up to, you know, basically attack westerners.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PLANTE: Officials also say that the selection of targets in Saudi Arabia and Morocco indicate that they may -- al Qaeda in particular has singled out these two regimes in the past as being too favorable to the United States -- wishes of the United States and too easy with western civilization, western culture, and that they have targeted the regimes, as they would say, in defense of Islam. Peter Bergen also adding that there are tens of thousands, he said, of people willing to sign up for this sort of mission -- Heidi.
COLLINS: All right. Chris Plante live from the Pentagon for us, thanks so much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
