Military

DATE=4/3/02

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=RUMSFELD/TERRORIST (L-ONLY)

NUMBER=2-288306

BYLINE=ALEX BELIDA

DATELINE=PENTAGON

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says the top U-S priority in dealing with a detained top al-Qaida official is extracting intelligence information on planned terrorist attacks. More from V-O-A Pentagon Correspondent Alex Belida.

TEXT: Mr. Rumsfeld is incensed by news reports speculating that the United States might turn over captured al-Qaida leader Abu Zubaydah to some foreign country, where he could be tortured to force him to talk.

Mr. Rumsfeld tells Pentagon reporters:

/// RUMSFELD ACTUALITY ///

Reports to that effect are wrong, inaccurate, not happening and will not happen.

///END ACTUALITY///

Mr. Rumsfeld says Abu Zubaydah is currently in U-S custody at an undisclosed location, following his capture by Pakistani authorities last week.

He says the al-Qaida official suffered multiple gunshot wounds, and is receiving medical treatment so he can be interrogated.

/// RUMSFELD ACTUALITY ///

He will be properly interrogated by proper people who know how to do those things.

/// END ACTUALITY ///

But Mr. Rumsfeld says concerns for Abu Zubaydah's well-being are, in his view, misdirected. He says the top priority is getting intelligence information from him.

/// RUMSFELD ACTUALITY ///

Here's a man who knows about additional terrorist acts. Here's a man who trained people to do this, and all this concern about that individual as opposed to concern about the terrorist acts that individual has tried to commit, has in fact participated in, who has trained people to do it, and who has knowledge of additional people located around the world -- it seems to me, I have it exactly right. I've got first things first, and anything else comes a clear 10th, 11th or 12th.

/// END ACTUALITY ///

Mr. Rumsfeld says the United States has received a great deal of intelligence materials in connection with the capture of Abu Zubaydah and other suspected al-Qaida fighters in Pakistan.

He says it is all under examination. He says the goal is protecting the people of the United States and other countries. (Signed)

NEB/BEL/TW