AN EXCERPT WAS BROADCAST TONIGHT ON THE

“CBS EVENING NEWS WITH SCOTT PELLEY” (6:30-7:00 PM, ET)

MORE OF THE INTERVIEW WILL BE BROADCAST SUNDAY

ON “FACE THE NATION WITH BOB SCHIEFFER” (10:30 AM, ET)

Director of National Intelligence James Clapper says he does not believe ISIS and al Qaeda are working together in Syria in an interview with CBS News Chief Washington Correspondent and Anchor of FACE THE NATION Bob Schieffer.

An excerpt was broadcast tonight, Nov. 14 on the CBS EVENING NEWS WITH SCOTT PELLEY (6:30-7:00 PM, ET) on the CBS Television Network. More of the interview will be broadcast Sunday, Nov. 16 on FACE THE NATION WITH BOB SCHIEFFER (10:30 AM, ET, check local listings).

It is the first time a senior intelligence official has commented on reports that ISIS and al Qaeda terrorists in Syria had decided to stop fighting each other and work together. In the interview, Clapper also discussed his recent trip to North Korea to bring home two Americans who were held captive there.

A transcript of tonight’s excerpt is below.

SCHIEFFER: Could I get your take on what’s happening now in Iraq and Syria, where we hear of this alliance between al-Qaeda in Syria and ISIS.

CLAPPER: We don't see that. There have been tactical accommodations, on the battlefield, on occasion, where local groups have united in the interest of the tactical objective, but broadly, I don't see those two uniting, at least yet.

SCHIEFFER: I also asked Clapper about his recent trip to North Korea to bring home Kenneth Bae and Matthew Todd Miller, two Americans being held captive. He remembers flying in after dark and not really knowing what to expect.

SCHIEFFER: You must have been at least a little bit apprehensive about what was going to happen.

CLAPPER: Well, yes I was. I was quite apprehensive because we weren’t sure how this was going to play out. I personally was not completely confident that we would actually – that they would actually release our two citizens.

SCHIEFFER: Do you think this has changed anything?

CLAPPER: I think that remains to be seen, as to where do we go from here. Will this perhaps serve as a catalyst or stimulus for more dialogue? I hope so, but I don’t know.

Mary Hager is the Executive Producer of FACE THE NATION WITH BOB SCHIEFFER.

Steve Capus is the Executive Producer of the CBS EVENING NEWS WITH SCOTT PELLEY and Executive Editor of CBS News.

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Press Contact:  Lance Frank  212-975-5959  FrankL@cbsnews.com