U.S. eager to question suspected 9/11 plotter

Ramzi Binalshibh was a roommate of September 11 hijack leader Mohammed Atta in Germany.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. officials said Sunday they are looking forward to questioning suspected September 11 planner Ramzi Binalshibh, who was captured after a shootout with Pakistani police on the attacks' anniversary.

In a Sunday interview on CNN's "Late Edition With Wolf Blitzer," Secretary of State Colin Powell did not say whether the United States wanted Binalshibh extradited.

CNN NewsPass VIDEO CNN's Kelli Arena reports on the capture of Ramzi Binalshibh in Pakistan and his suspected role in the 9/11 hijackings. (September 13) Play video    Profile: Ramzi Binalshibh Born May 1, 1972, in Hadramawt, Yemen A member of the al Qaeda cell in Hamburg, Germany, that included September 11 hijackers Mohammed Atta, Ziad Jarrah and Marwan Al-Shehhi Described in an Arabic TV news network Al-Jazeera documentary as the "coordinator of the September 11 operation" Tried to get a visa for entry to the U.S., but was denied. Some investigators believe he was to be the 20th hijacker Handled numerous money transfers to hijacker Marwan Al-Shehhi and for Zacarias Moussaoui Whereabouts unknown until his capture. Last seen in Hamburg in August 2001 Source: Interpol  CNN.COM SPECIAL REPORT  CNN NewsPass Video  Agencies reportedly got hijack tips in 1998  MORE STORIES Intelligence intercept led to Buffalo suspects Report cites warnings before 9/11  EXTRA INFORMATION Timeline: Who Knew What and When? Interactive: Terror Investigation Terror Warnings System Most wanted terrorists What looks suspicious? In-Depth: America Remembers In-Depth: Terror on Tape In-Depth: How prepared is your city?  RESOURCES On the Scene: Barbara Starr: Al Qaeda hunt expands? On the Scene: Peter Bergen: Getting al Qaeda to talk

"I'm sure that we're anxious to have access to him and to get him under control," said Powell, who called Binalshibh "a pretty big fish."

"I mean this is perhaps within the circle of those who were responsible for 9/11. And so I think he is a pretty big catch."

Authorities have said Binalshibh, 30, a Yemeni who belonged to an al Qaeda cell in Hamburg, Germany, played a major role in planning the attacks that killed more than 3,000 people. He once was a roommate of lead hijacker Mohammed Atta and two other hijackers.

Germany, which issued an international arrest warrant for Binalshibh, has said it will seek his extradition.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Inam ul-Haq said Saturday that no decisions on extradition requests will be made until his country's investigation is completed.

Binalshibh recently acknowledged a role in planning the attacks, telling the Qatar-based, Arabic-language TV news network Al-Jazeera that he had hoped to be one of the hijackers but could not obtain an entry visa into the United States.

National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice called his arrest "very good news."

"We certainly want custody of him, and we certainly want to be able to find out what he knows," Rice told "Fox News Sunday."

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf said that Wednesday's gun battle in the port city of Karachi ended with the capture of 10 al Qaeda suspects -- an Egyptian, one Saudi and eight Yemenis.

Among them was an "important" person, Musharraf said, although he would not confirm if it was Binalshibh.

Seven members of Pakistan's security forces were wounded in the assault, Musharraf said.

Powell praised the Pakistan leader's cooperation with U.S. antiterrorism efforts.

"What he understands is that these terrorists are as great a danger to the people of Pakistan and to his government as they are to the people of the United States and our government," Powell said.

Rice said U.S. officials are learning more about al Qaeda and its decision-making process from captured agents.

"It has caused us to fight on several fronts, not just Afghanistan, but to do law enforcement activities of the kind that we're doing in Pakistan," she said, "to work with governments like Yemen to make sure that these remnants can't coalesce again in a place like Yemen."