Pentagon probes Cole's security

The USS Cole in Yemen on Friday

Navy takes hard new look at rules

In this story: Threat condition Bravo Dozens of people questioned A bin Laden connection? RELATED STORIES, SITES

CNN Military Affairs Correspondent Jamie McIntyre, CNN Senior International Correspondent Walter Rodgers and CNN National Security Correspondent David Ensor contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- While the FBI and Yemeni authorities try to find out who was behind the attack on the USS Cole, the Pentagon is reviewing the procedures that are supposed to protect U.S. warships from terrorist attack.

VIDEO CNN's Walter Rodgers tells of a possible sequence of events in the attack on the Cole Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)     INTERACTIVE 'Shipboard terrorist threatcon measures' US Defense Department Threat Conditions Timeline: The attack on the USS Cole See a 3-dimensional image of the USS Cole Get the plugin Animation of a transport ship conducting a recovery procedure at sea     ALSO Defense official resigned after Cole attack, says warnings were ignored Afghanistan fearful of U.S. military strike after warship attack Cole victims remembered at Arlington memorial     INFORMATION Information for families of sailors serving on the USS Cole: 1-800-372-5463 Click here for facts about the Arleigh-Burke class destroyer     MESSAGE BOARD USS Cole attack

The attack on the Cole demonstrated what the U.S. Navy has tried not to publicize: That its warships when operating in commercial waterways at home or abroad are vulnerable to attacks from small boats that give no outward appearance of hostile intent.

The Navy is now taking a hard look at its existing security rules, which make no provisions for the approach of small boats unless there is some intelligence warning of a possible threat.

Dozens of people questioned

Seventeen U.S. sailors were killed and 39 others wounded when a small boat loaded with explosives pulled up next to the Cole while it was docked for refueling and exploded.

Yemeni authorities are leading the investigation into the Cole bombers' network and say they have detained and questioned dozens of people, none of whom have been charged.

No protective picket boat, seen here after the attack, was in the water when the Cole was most vulnerable

Shortly after the attack, bomb-making materials were found in an apartment near the harbor. Authorities found what they believe to be the hideout of conspirators and the car and trailer they believe was used to get the boat in the water. There was even a small metal water tank, presumably used to test the outboard motor.

At least three safe houses were used, and up the steps of one apartment, binoculars can provide a view of U.S. warships refueling. Yemeni fishermen may also have served as sources of information on ship movements.

A neighbor of the suspected bombers said they spoke like Saudis and that they rented one house for two months.

Investigators say the bombers launched their small boat six miles from where the Cole was refueling. The trip across the harbor would have taken 20 minutes.

Yemen President Ali Abdullah Saleh said that among those who have been detained are senior Yemeni, Algerian and Egyptian members of the Islamic Jihad. A number are Arab veterans of Afghanistan's war against Soviet troops.

In an interview with the Middle East Broadcasting Centre, Saleh said Wednesday that an Egyptian -- who is not in custody and may have been killed in the attack -- has emerged as one suspect.

A machine gun was mounted on the bow of the USS Cole after the attack

But when referring to the Islamic Jihad, the Yemeni president would not clarify whether he was referring to Egyptian Islamic Jihad, which is known to have close ties to Saudi-born millionaire Osama bin Laden, who has been indicted on charges of masterminding the twin 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in Tanzania and Kenya.

In an interview with CNN last week, Saleh had specifically cited Egyptian Islamic Jihad. When asked if he believed bin Laden was responsible for the attack, Saleh said, "Maybe, but we won't know until there is a further investigation."

Bin Laden was prominently involved in the Afghan resistance and now lives in Afghanistan, but in the MBC interview, Saleh declined to say whether the attackers or detainees had any connection to bin Laden's Al-Qaida group.

A representative of Afghanistan's ruling Taliban in the United States said that "if the U.S. government or any other government provided us evidence, we are willing to take (bin Laden) to trial, according to their desire and their demands."

But Abdul Hakim Mujahid -- making a rare public speech at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in Massachusetts on Wednesday -- said he doubted there was any evidence tying bin Laden to the attack.

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October 18, 2000

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