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CNN Live Sunday

Recent Suspected al-Qaeda Tape Threatens U.S.

Aired August 03, 2003 - 16:04   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.


SEAN CALLEBS, CNN ANCHOR: OK. Homeland Security officials are not surprised by the threats against America on a newly released audiotape. The tape was aired on al-Arabiya television, is purportedly from Ayman al-Zawahri, Osama bin Laden's right-hand man. The voice on the tape warns that the U.S. will pay dearly if any detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, are tried for terrorism. The tape has not been authenticated, but attorney General John Ashcroft says his office takes all such threats seriously.
How is President Bush, who is on a working vacation in Texas, reacting to this new al Qaeda threat? And what's the latest in the war on terror? Let's bring in our Dana Bash at the president's ranch in Crawford for the very latest information on that -- Dana.

DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Sean. Well, we're near the president's ranch here in Crawford. It is his first full day of his August break here. And as far as he is concerned he spent the day, according to an aide, fishing. He took a walk with the first lady, and he also cleared some brush at his ranch.

But as you mentioned, his two top law enforcement officials were out on the Sunday talk shows talking about the war on terrorism, specifically in response to this purported tape by a top al Qaeda official. Both Homeland Security Director, Tom Ridge, and John Ashcroft made clear that they are not surprised by it, although they can't confirm that it is actually authentic. But what they did make clear is that the threat against America right now is very real.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN ASHCROFT, ATTORNEY GENERAL: We haven't identified who actually submitted the tape, but from a terrorist threatening American interests is not really surprising. We take the threat and have taken the threats since September 11 seriously.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: Now, what the attorney general said was that what may be happening is that top al Qaeda officials may feel the need to reassert themselves because they are feeling constricted by U.S. policies and the fact that the attorney general said that the U.S. has done a pretty good job over the past two years of trying to get some of these top leaders.

He made the point that he is confident that they have stopped some 100 events, as they called them, and about 3,000 people who were potential threats to the U.S. And Homeland Security Director, Tom Ridge was touting the fact that a lot has gone into upgrading the nation's airports and airlines in terms of security, talking about hardening the cockpits and other baggage security, and also made the point that in light of the very real threat last week that some -- perhaps some suicide hijackers might take control of airplanes in the U.S. and abroad.

They have, over the weekend, changed their policy, not allowing any more transit visas, people with transit visas to come through the United States without actually getting checked. He also said to Wolf Blitzer earlier today that he -- that they are trying to enhance security for some 27 country -- passengers from friendly countries who don't currently need visas to come into the United States, they are making sure that those people are also checked and make sure that there's security with those passengers as well -- Sean.

CALLEBS: Well, Dana, clearly, the work still goes on while the president continues his working vacation in Crawford, Texas. Dana Bash, thanks very 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 August 3, 2003 - 16:04   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN ANCHOR: OK. Homeland Security officials are not surprised by the threats against America on a newly released audiotape. The tape was aired on al-Arabiya television, is purportedly from Ayman al-Zawahri, Osama bin Laden's right-hand man. The voice on the tape warns that the U.S. will pay dearly if any detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, are tried for terrorism. The tape has not been authenticated, but attorney General John Ashcroft says his office takes all such threats seriously.
How is President Bush, who is on a working vacation in Texas, reacting to this new al Qaeda threat? And what's the latest in the war on terror? Let's bring in our Dana Bash at the president's ranch in Crawford for the very latest information on that -- Dana.

DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Sean. Well, we're near the president's ranch here in Crawford. It is his first full day of his August break here. And as far as he is concerned he spent the day, according to an aide, fishing. He took a walk with the first lady, and he also cleared some brush at his ranch.

But as you mentioned, his two top law enforcement officials were out on the Sunday talk shows talking about the war on terrorism, specifically in response to this purported tape by a top al Qaeda official. Both Homeland Security Director, Tom Ridge, and John Ashcroft made clear that they are not surprised by it, although they can't confirm that it is actually authentic. But what they did make clear is that the threat against America right now is very real.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN ASHCROFT, ATTORNEY GENERAL: We haven't identified who actually submitted the tape, but from a terrorist threatening American interests is not really surprising. We take the threat and have taken the threats since September 11 seriously.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: Now, what the attorney general said was that what may be happening is that top al Qaeda officials may feel the need to reassert themselves because they are feeling constricted by U.S. policies and the fact that the attorney general said that the U.S. has done a pretty good job over the past two years of trying to get some of these top leaders.

He made the point that he is confident that they have stopped some 100 events, as they called them, and about 3,000 people who were potential threats to the U.S. And Homeland Security Director, Tom Ridge was touting the fact that a lot has gone into upgrading the nation's airports and airlines in terms of security, talking about hardening the cockpits and other baggage security, and also made the point that in light of the very real threat last week that some -- perhaps some suicide hijackers might take control of airplanes in the U.S. and abroad.

They have, over the weekend, changed their policy, not allowing any more transit visas, people with transit visas to come through the United States without actually getting checked. He also said to Wolf Blitzer earlier today that he -- that they are trying to enhance security for some 27 country -- passengers from friendly countries who don't currently need visas to come into the United States, they are making sure that those people are also checked and make sure that there's security with those passengers as well -- Sean.

CALLEBS: Well, Dana, clearly, the work still goes on while the president continues his working vacation in Crawford, Texas. Dana Bash, thanks very 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