May 3, 2002

Peter Bergen talks terrorism

One of the few Western journalists to have interviewed the world's most wanted man, Osama bin Laden, spoke at Loyola on April 18. Peter Bergen addressed a large audience in Roussel Hall as part of the seventh annual Father Carter Lecture Series.

Bergen, an internationally respected authority on global terrorism, aired bin Laden's first television appearance on CNN in the 1990's.

Bergen began his address to Loyola with his examples of "pre-9/11 evidence," citing examples from the summer of 2001. "It was very clear to me," he said. "But people expected attacks elsewhere, not in the U.S."

Bergen also highlighted his actual interview experience with bin Laden. Armed men in a van picked him up and carried him high into the Afghanistan mountains. He met with bin Laden and his translator in the middle of the night. "He was polite but uninterested," says Bergen of bin Laden's presence. "Not very personal, he mainly wanted to talk about the history of his negative feelings towards the U.S."

Bergen addressed America's current position in the war on terrorism. "Terrorism against America is always going to happen. We can declare a victory when terrorism reverts back to what it was before 9/11, when you don't have to come listen to people like me talking about terrorism."

Following his talk, the journalist answered questions from the audience and signed copies of his book at a reception in Dixon Court. The University Programming Board and the Student Government Association sponsored Bergen's appearance.

Caitlin Rull, A'03, Intern Offices of Public Affairs and Publications