Transcript: Ashcroft, Mueller Discuss Terrorist Threat

When intelligence is properly collected and shared, government agencies can then act to prevent terrorist acts to protect the American people.

Specific intelligence is the foundation for effective counterterrorism strategies such as hardening targets, intercepting terrorist communications, disrupting cells, elevating threat levels and alerting state and local law enforcement.

May I be clear on this: We seek unprecedented levels of cooperation with state and local law enforcement in collecting intelligence to enable America's entire terror-fighting apparatus to act decisively to disrupt any Al Qaida presence in the United States.

And we will appropriately share unprecedented access to precisely what our intelligence needs and findings are.

It is imperative that all law enforcement and intelligence agencies be enlisted to assist in identifying Al Qaida operatives and activities; activities such as surveillance of buildings, bridges, tunnels, ports of entry, et cetera.

For 32 months now, we have not had a major terrorist attack on American soil. We are winning the war on terror, but we should never forget that it is a war.

ASHCROFT: Fighting terrorists is a tough business. I have faith that Americans will continue to be equal to the task.

Thank you.

MUELLER: Good afternoon, everyone.

This summer and fall, our nation will celebrate a number of events that serve as powerful symbols of our free and democratic society. As the attorney general has pointed out, they include the 4th of July celebrations, the Democratic and Republican conventions, and the November presidential election amongst others.

And unfortunately, the same events that fill most of us with hope and pride are seen by terrorists as possible opportunities for attack.

So today I want to talk briefly about three things: first, the threat; second, our response; and third, what you can do to help.

Over the next few months, we have reason to believe that there will be a heightened threat to United States interests around the world. Unfortunately, we currently do not know what form the threat may take.

And that is why it is so important that we locate the seven individuals shown to my right. Though we do not have any reason at this time to believe that they are working in concert, we will not take any chances. And in light of the March terrorist bombings in Madrid, we must be prepared for any plans to launch attacks in the next several months.

Now, let me take a moment if I could to review why we are interested in each of these individuals.

Abderraouf Jdey appears in a martyrdom video that was seized in Afghanistan. His tape and the tape of four others is the last will and testament of five possible jihad martyrs. He was reportedly selected to get flight training in preparation for a second attack in the United States. He is a Canadian citizen born in Tunisia.

Adnan Shukrijumah, as has been mentioned by the attorney general, is a trained operative who poses an operational threat to the United States. As was pointed out, he's English-speaking, spent 15 years in the United States, left the United States when he was led to believe that we were interested in his activities. He was born in Saudi Arabia and carries a Guyanese passport.

MUELLER: Adam Gadahn is a U.S. citizen who converted to Islam, is associated with Abu Zubaydah in Pakistan, and he attended the training camps in Afghanistan. He is known to have performed translations for Al Qaida as part of the services he has provided to Al Qaida.

Aafia Siddiqui is an Al Qaida operative and facilitator, she attended colleagues in the Boston area, and is believed to have left Boston in January of 2003.

Amer El-Maati, an Al Qaida member and a licensed pilot is believed to have discussed hijacking a plane in Canada and flying it into a building into the United States. He is a Canadian citizen of Egyptian and Syrian origin.

The last two individuals are Fazul Abdullah Mohammed and Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani. These individuals were participants in the 1998 East Africa bombings. These individuals were indicted in the Southern District of New York and have been fugitives since.

They are known to have participated in the 1998 East Africa embassy bombings and have the wherewithal, the skill, the ability, to undertake attacks both against American interests overseas as well as in the United States.

These are the seven individuals whom we are seeking. Each of these seven individuals is known to have a desire and the ability to undertake planning, facilitation and attack against the United States whether it be within the United States itself or overseas.