On CNN Chat
Hosted by Mike Boettcher
Jordanian anti-terrorism and
the al Qaeda manuals
November 20, 2001
CNN Center
Atlanta, GA
Mike
Boettcher is a national correspondent for CNN. Boettcher is the recipient of
numerous awards, including two national Emmys, two National Headliner awards and
the highest honor from the National Society of Professional Journalists. He
joined the CNN.com chat room from CNN Center, Atlanta, GA.
CNN: Thank you for joining us today, Mike Boettcher, and welcome.
MIKE BOETTCHER: Hello to everyone, and it's very good to be here.
CNN: What exactly would al Qaeda accomplish by attacking Jordan?
BOETTCHER: Number one, to destabilize the kingdom of Jordan. Number two,
revenge for Jordan's role in thwarting previous attacks.
CHAT PARTICIPANT: Is there any risk of internal destabilization of the
current regime in Jordan by al Qaeda members?
BOETTCHER: I do not think there is a risk in the short term, but that is
why Jordan has built up such a vigorous intelligence service. Because of their
peace treaty with Israel, and involvement in the Mid-East peace process, they
consider themselves a constant target of destabilization.
CHAT PARTICIPANT: Mike, do you believe that Jordan can prevent
other terrorist attacks?
BOETTCHER: I believe it is very likely that Jordanian intelligence is in
a position to prevent future attacks, yes.
CNN: How did CNN get access to the al Qaeda terrorism manuals, how large
are they, and how would you describe the quality of the information in them?
BOETTCHER: From intelligence sources who are part of the anti-terror
coalition. There are now 11 volumes, including the newest chem-bio volume. The
information in them, according to former Special Operations people who have seen
them, is very good and very detailed.
CHAT PARTICIPANT: Mike: Was the discovery of these manuals a big
surprise to everyone or was it not unexpected?
BOETTCHER: The existence of the 10-volume encyclopedia of jihad has been
known for quite some time. Intelligence agencies had their hands on it. It is
just that no one has been able to see it before, until we were given permission
to videotape sections of it. The manual on chemical and biological warfare did
come as a surprise. It was not known that they had put together a volume that
was a repository of their knowledge of chemical and biological weapons. It
should be pointed out that the chem-bio manual instructs operatives in the
manufacture of agents that can be easily put together in the field with
ingredients readily available.
CHAT PARTICIPANT: Were these documents used in September 11
training?
BOETTCHER: In terms of planning, security, surveillance and choosing
targets, yes, I believe the manual played a role. In terms of how the targets
were specifically attacked, there is no instruction in the manual about flying
planes into buildings.
CHAT PARTICIPANT: With the information in the 11 volumes, can
future attacks be predicted, or preventive arrests be made?
BOETTCHER: Yes, it gives intelligence agencies a view into the mind of
their adversaries. It gives them a glimpse of their tactics, how they prepare
for an operation, the kinds of targets that they look for. So, in that sense,
yes, it is very helpful.
CNN: Does anyone know how many of them have been published, and thus
distributed around the world?
BOETTCHER: No, we do not know how many have been published. The original
ten-volume encyclopedia of jihad has been around for a number of years, although
the public was never allowed to see it. So it is believed that there was wide
distribution of it on CD-ROM. The newer chem-bio manual, which was only
discovered in October, and is also available to al Qaeda members on CD-ROM,
probably has less distribution, according to my sources.
CHAT PARTICIPANT: Mike, how much of the material contained in the
manuals could be easily attained from the Internet, etc?
BOETTCHER: Well, I would say that a good deal of the information could be
found on the Internet, but you'd have to look really hard. A lot of it is
contained in classified manuals used by special forces in the West, as well,
which aren't available on the Internet. Some items were probably obtained in the
late 1980's, when the CIA was involved in helping to train and equip the
Mujahedeen during the Soviet-Afghan war.
CHAT PARTICIPANT: Mr. Boettcher, is it likely that this manual
could be available to terrorist groups other than al Qaeda ?
BOETTCHER: Yes, very likely. As we have reported, al Qaeda has
associations with a number of terrorist groups around the world. Those groups
have sent people to train in al Qaeda camps in Afghanistan, and they would have
access to those manuals. For example, in the African Embassy bombing case, a
smaller version of the manual was introduced as evidence. That particular manual
was recovered in the United States.
CHAT PARTICIPANT: Is there evidence that bin Laden ordered the
compilation of these terrorist manuals?
BOETTCHER: We do not know who wrote them. We do not know who ordered them
published. In the preface, there are passages honoring Osama bin Laden. My best
assumption from the information I have is that they were supervised by the
military wing of al Qaeda, which was led by Mohammed Atef, who was reported
killed this week.
CHAT PARTICIPANT: Are there any references to a particular
religion - are they similar to the manuals for jihad?
BOETTCHER: One of the names given to them is Encyclopedia of Jihad, but
the more precise title would be the Encyclopedia of Afghan Resistance. Once you
get past the preface, however, there is no talk of religion. Only technical
speak about tactics and weapons.
CHAT PARTICIPANT: Mike, do the manuals speak of firearms training
in country of residence and the availability of firearms and shooting ranges in
United States?
BOETTCHER: Not that I have read specifically, but there are precise
instructions in how to fire a wide variety of weapons. How to use them in
ambushes. How to fire a weapon in various positions, sitting, standing,
crouching, lying down.
CHAT PARTICIPANT: Is there information in the manuals on the code
they use?
BOETTCHER: It does not describe specific codes to use. It gives
recommendations on when and how to use codes, and that codes should be agreed
upon in person before an operation begins.
CHAT PARTICIPANT: Mr. Boettcher were they commercially printed? If
so can they be traced?
BOETTCHER: The volume I saw was commercially printed. I have been told
that they know where they were printed, but they would not give me that
information.
CHAT PARTICIPANT: Will any of this manual help with airport
security?
BOETTCHER: Yes, in the sense that the manual describes how to conceal
weapons, and that will help airport screeners.
CHAT PARTICIPANT: Are the manuals dated?
BOETTCHER: In terms of the expertise provided, no, they are not dated.
The information included in the volumes is still current to this day. There was
no date on the manuals. Not that I saw.
CHAT PARTICIPANT: Mike, Does text speak of physical training,
exercise, running etc?
BOETTCHER: Yes, there is a section on keeping fit. There's another
section about first aid. There are other sections about how to blend in in a
foreign country. It touches on the whole variety of things that an operative
would need to know.
CNN: Do you have any closing comments to share with us?
BOETTCHER: These manuals have spawned a series of shorter booklets that
are used by al Qaeda operatives around the world, but they are the template of
al Qaeda operations, and recent discoveries in Afghanistan of training centers
used by al Qaeda point to the fact that the manuals have been used extensively
in the training process of that organization.
CNN: Thank you for joining us today
BOETTCHER: Good bye, it was great chatting with you. We will keep
digging. I look forward to speaking with you in the future
Mike Boettcher joined the CNN.com chat room by telephone and CNN provided a
typist. This is an edited transcript of the interview which took place on
Tuesday, November 20, 2001.