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CNN Live Today
National Mourning in Spain over Bomb Victims; How Safe is American Rail?; Anti-War Activist Charged with Spying for Iraq; Chicago Firefighters Accused of Racism
Aired March 12, 2004 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, ANCHOR: It is 11 a.m. on the East Coast and 8 a.m. on the West Coast. From CNN Center in Atlanta, good morning once again. I'm Daryn Kagan.
Up first on CNN, the carnage in Spain. Millions are gathering for rallies and candlelight vigils across Spain tonight to remember the almost 200 people killed in the attack on Madrid's commuter train network.
Our chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour filed this late report from the Spanish capital.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, ANN CORRESPONDENT: The rain has been falling on and off today. And we don't know how that's going to affect the numbers of people who are going to turn out to these rallies that have been called for this evening.
Already, Spanish people have come out in one show of respect, at about noontime, local time, here. They came out of their work places, out of their homes, cars stopped in the middle of the road, in many minutes of silence as they respected the dead.
Flags are hung from balconies. Flags are also at half-mast. Black ribbons are being hung and worn on people's lapels.
Also, as I say, the government has been broadcasting on radio, television, putting up full-page notices in today's newspapers, calling on millions of Spaniards to come out into the streets, just like thousands did last night in Delbar, in the capital of the Basque region, to come out in a show of peaceful defiance, against these killers and to confront these terrible attacks that took place here more than 24 hours ago, now.
The Spanish prime minister again now has addressed the people of Spain, talking about who could have been responsible and about the investigation and the police work that's involved to find the perpetrators and to prosecute them.
There are conflicting claims and conflicting clues in this investigation. The government immediately blamed ETA, the Spanish terrorist organization, which has been waging a 35-year armed struggle for independence for the Basque region. The prime minister said that documentation that had been found, as well as forensic and circumstantial evidence led them to believe that it was ETA.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): what were the group trained -- when they were trained to come into Madrid with 500 kilos of explosive last week? What were they looking for? What were the terrorists that were arrested -- that were going to Chamachana (ph) station on Christmas eve to blow the trains and to blow Chamachana (ph) station. What were they looking for?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
AMANPOUR: But there are conflicting leads now being pursued, specifically, the minister of the interior and now the prime minister have talked about this van that has been found with detonators in it also with Quaranic verses on tape.
That, they say is leading them to open another line of investigation into who might have been responsible for what happened.
Even though the government immediately blamed ETA, in the immediate aftermath of this attack, and continues to say that ETA is the prime suspect, many here are asking questions now as to whether it could have been al Qaeda or any other Islamist group, whether it could have been an alliance between ETA and any Islamist group, or whether indeed, it could have been ETA copying Islamist tactics or al Qaeda tactics in inflicting such heavy civilian casualties in these synchronized kinds of attacks.
Back to you.
KAGAN: The Madrid bombings have prompted increased security measures on U.S. railways. Amtrak has increased its patrols by police and canine units. Electronic surveillance of bridges and tunnels has also been intensified.
Amtrak is once again stressing to its employees that they should report anything suspicious. Amtrak says there is no credible threat against it or any other railroads.
Want to talk about the security of the American rail network and who might be behind the Spanish attacks. Terrorism expert Jeff Beatty is president of Total Security U.S., and he's here with us live in Atlanta.
Good morning.
JEFF BEATTY, TERRORISM EXPERT: Good morning, Daryn.
KAGAN: First look at Madrid. When you see that, what jumps out to you?
BEATTY: Well, I think that it was a mistake for the Spanish to rush to judgment that it might have been ETA, or E-T-A, as some people say. ETA, it's a different type of operation than they traditionally run. And when you're out there immediately after the attack, looking for ETA, other people who may be responsible, can slip through the initial dragnet.
So I think that there are really three possibilities. Either ETA, who has upgraded their operations significantly or maybe learned by watching al Qaeda, or al Qaeda itself is trying to punish the Spanish for participation in the American coalition.
Or another possibility that hasn't been too widely talked about is, just like the IRA had splinter groups that jumped off when they didn't think the main IRA was being tough enough, it's quite possible that now has happened to ETA. So some splinter group may be wanting to be more violent, may have, in fact, either copied or created a liaison with al Qaeda.
KAGAN: So to add to the confusion the complication you have ETA denying responsibility. Then you have a group writing a letter into an Arabic newspaper, "Al-Quds," saying that al Qaeda is responsible.
So you have the people who are not claiming responsibility being blamed for it and it's kind of twisted all around.
BEATTY: Well, ETA's smart to deny responsibility, because we draw the parallel to what happened to the America militia movement in the mid-'90s. I mean, we had a pretty strong militia movement happening here until the Oklahoma City bombing. That did so much to wipe the militia movement out, more than the government could have done. People just said...
KAGAN: The emotional support --
BEATTY: That's true. The hearts and minds went away from the militia movement.
And that, if it turns out that this was ETA, this would have been a grievous error on their part to do so.
In terms of the claim made by somebody else, the timing of that tells me they're just opportunistic. If they had done that at the time of the attack, rather than how long it takes to type out an e- mail and send it in, it might be more credible.
KAGAN: Let's bring this home here to the U.S. and the thousands of people who will be getting on trains at the end of work today, perhaps over the weekend to travel, how do you possibly protect the thousands and thousands of miles of railways here in the U.S.?
BEATTY: Well, the good news is the Americans have not been asleep at the switch.
Ever since 9/11, the Federal Transit Administration has been very, very active. I was actually disappointed yesterday to hear a consultant on the air here saying, you really can't defend this system, it's vulnerable. You can't -- I'm not sure we'd want to try to protect it.
That is not the view that the FTA has, that their Jennifer Dorn, their administrator has. They've been aggressive in doing threatened vulnerability analysis, aggressive in doing technical assistance to the properties, installing security equipment, doing training. We just trained 5,000 people last month on how to detect casing and rehearsal activity.
And we're doing live fire exercises and emergency operation summits that will actually replicate the thing that happened in Spain on U.S. soil for training for these people. So...
KAGAN: So you would get on a train in the U.S.?
BEATTY: I rode a train yesterday in Washington, D.C.
KAGAN: All right. Well, that pretty much says it all. Jeff Beatty, thank you for your expertise today.
BEATTY: Thank you.
KAGAN: Thank you for stopping by. I appreciate it.
Other news today, a Maryland woman is due back in court today on charges that she acted as an agent for Iraq. We broke the story yesterday at this hour.
She denies the charges and says she was working to get weapons inspectors back in Iraq.
Our justice correspondent, Kelli Arena, explains the conspiracy case against this woman.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KELLI ARENA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Susan Lindauer is due back in court today. The former journalist and congressional aide insists that she is not an Iraqi spy.
SUSAN LINDAUER, ARRESTED FOR SPYING: I'm an anti-war activist, and I'm innocent!
ARENA: An indictment says Lindauer had repeated contacts with Iraqi intelligence officers in New York and Baghdad between 1999 and 2002 and conspired with two sons of Iraq's former liaison with U.N. weapons inspectors.
Lindauer says she was trying to get inspectors back into Iraq.
LINDAUER: I'm very proud, and I will very proudly stand by my achievements.
ARENA: In January 2003, two months before the U.S. invaded Iraq, prosecutors say she took a letter to the home of a U.S. official, saying she had access to Saddam Hussein's regime. Sources tell CNN that official was White House chief of staff Andrew Card, Lindauer's second cousin. The White House says Card never met with Lindauer and called the incident very sad.
LINDAUER: I'm an anti-war activist.
ARENA: Sources say Card alerted authorities; then the FBI set up a sting operation.
In June, prosecutors say, Lindauer met with an undercover FBI agent posing as an agent for Libyan intelligence, looking to support resistance groups in post-war Iraq. And near her home in Takoma Park, they say she followed instructions to leave unspecified documents at dead drop locations.
Neighbors were surprised.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She was a Takoma Park-type person, pretty unique around here. We're a nuclear-free zone, as you know. So a very laid back, liberal sort of person.
ARENA: Prosecutors say Iraq paid Lindauer $10,000 for expenses and services. She faces up to 25 years in prison if she's convicted on all charges.
LINDAUER: This is what democracy is all about.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, she's not going to make any comments.
ARENA: Kelli Arena, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: Kobe Bryant's accuser will have to break her silence. Her sexual past is about to be questioned. That story is coming up next.
And then, the incredible story out of Utah, a mother charged with murder after her baby is still born. Was her refusal to listen to doctors to blame?
And later, if it were a boxing match, you wouldn't even be into round one yet, but the gloves are already coming off. Kerry and Bush go at it when CNN LIVE TODAY returns.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(STOCK REPORT)
KAGAN: The legal path is now clear for Kobe Bryant's accuser to testify about her sexual history.
The Colorado Supreme Court refused the prosecution's request to step in and stop that questioning. The defense says the testimony will show the accuser had a scheme to sleep with Bryant and had sex multiple times during the week of the encounter. The woman's lawyer has called the defense claims, quote, "patently false."
A source tells CNN that Martha Stewart is expected to resign from the board of directors of the company that she founded but keep a full-time role in a creative capacity.
The source says an announcement could come as early as today. But the deal has not been finalized and could still fall through.
Stewart's friend and stylist was a guest on CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING." She says Stewart doesn't wear her emotions on her sleeve but was deeply saddened by her conviction.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EVA SCRIVO, FRIEND OF MARTHA STEWART: Martha is a very stoic, strong human being, who has went through a tremendous amount of adversity to build an empire of this size. So I think that she is somewhat -- can be self-contained, you know, the sadness.
But it doesn't mean it's not real and doesn't exist. You know, she's a real person with a lot of feelings about this and it saddens her greatly it's come to this decision.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: Stewart faces sentencing in June for conspiracy, obstruction of justice and making false statements. She vows to appeal.
A woman in Utah who refused to have a cesarean section is now charged with murder in the death of one of her twins.
Authorities say that doctors repeatedly warned Melissa Ann Rowland that her unborn babies would probably die if she didn't have the procedure. One baby did survive. The other was still born.
Rowland reportedly refused recommendations from two hospitals. A nurse told police that Rowland said that she'd rather lose one of the babies than have a cesarean section.
Chicago firefighters are defending the department against accusations that some in the ranks are racist.
CNN's Keith Oppenheim looks at the controversy.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KEITH OPPENHEIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In a city formed by a great fire the people who fight fires are valued and admired. And so many were taken aback when in February a Chicago firefighter got foul mouthed and was caught using racist language on a two-way radio.
That firefighter was suspended. But in weeks following, five more similar incidents were reported. This time, the culprits weren't identified.
MAYOR RICHARD DALEY, CHICAGO: We ask firemen to join us and their families to identify these cowards.
JIM MCNALLY, CHICAGO FIREFIGHTERS' UNION: We don't condone any, you know, racial or ethnic slurs.
OPPENHEIM: The firefighters' union has been reacting to critics who suggest racism in the ranks is widespread.
MCNALLY: I think it's unfortunate that you're trying to use firefighters and paramedics who do a great job every single day and to misrepresent who we are and what we do.
OPPENHEIM: But there have been problems in the past, including a 1997 video of Chicago firefighters using racist language at a party.
(on camera) And one Chicago alderman, after criticizing the radio behavior a few days ago, got an anonymous and threatening piece of mail.
ED SMITH, CHICAGO ALDERMAN: The letter states that if I ever have a fire at my house, I better have some black firemens (sic) there. Otherwise, the house will burn up.
OPPENHEIM: Alderman Ed Smith joined others in praising the skill and bravery of Chicago firefighters overall. Still, the ugly words continue to reach the airwaves, putting an entire department on the defensive.
Keith Oppenheim, CNN, Chicago.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: Politics can certainly get a bit rough. Usually, though, not like this. We'll tell you what was behind this free-for-all, coming up.
But first, another of best place to take a summer vacation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARION ASNES, "MONEY" MAGAZINE: Las Vegas is a place where you can get a great deal on airfare, which makes it easier than ever to go to this incredible city.
It's an extraordinary place. And although in summer, Las Vegas can get hot, hot, hot, the truth is, you really don't have to go outside all that much if you don't want to.
Las Vegas is America's playground for grown-ups. Whether or not you intend to gamble, it's the center of extraordinary entertainment featuring the country and the world's top performers.
One of Las Vegas's most extraordinary experiences is actually for free, and that is going out in the evening when the neon lights are bright and walking the strip. You've got fountains and you've got a skyline that is unbeatable anywhere.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: A first-time skydiver says there will be a second time.
The Georgia woman landed in the tree. She spent almost four hours dangling like that, 60 feet above the ground. She says she was cracking jokes about her predicament for the first hour, and then it wasn't so funny after things dragged on well into the night.
Yes, not so funny.
(WEATHER REPORT)
KAGAN: The military announces the final lineup for its Mojave Desert race today. This is part of the Pentagon effort to build an unmanned combat vehicle. Robots is what we're talking.
Tomorrow, self-navigating robots will try to make it from Barstow, California, to south of Las Vegas in ten hours. The team that comes in first wins a million dollars.
Our technology correspondent, Daniel Sieberg, is on the phone now. He's in Ontario, California.
Good morning.
DANIEL SIEBERG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, good morning.
It was supposed to be the week that DARPA, which is the research agency of the Defense Department, separated the bots from the boys, if you will. All the 21 competitors have been actually going through a fairly rigorous qualification process this week.
You can think of it as racecars qualifying for the big day. Appropriately, it's been happening at the California speedway in Fontana, California.
What's changed throughout the week is that DARPA has realized that this whole undertaking has been really challenging. In other words, it's called the DARPA grand challenge for a reason.
Some of the robots have not moved from the start line. Others, though, have cruised through the course. Most of the teams failed to complete the entire qualification course. And as of last night, only seven had completed it.
Now, what we've just found out -- there is a news conference under way. We've learned that more of the robots have actually qualified for the race than the seven who completed it.
We do have a list of the seven who completed the actual course. They include Carnegie Mellon university, Cal Tech, Virginia Tech, Axion (ph) Racing, Digital Auto Drive (ph), both of the last two from California. Team Teramax (ph), which had Ohio State involved. And a company called Psiotonics (ph), which is actually an Israeli/U.S. combination.
Now, those are the seven that completed the course. As I say, this news conference is under way right now, where more teams are learning that they could be in the race on Saturday.
Of the seven that completed the race, some of them are poised to perform OK on Saturday. But there's still a lot of speculation that no robot will be able to traverse the entire 200-plus miles across the desert.
They will not be going over roads. They will be going over a lot of desert terrain. They all use similar navigation tools, GPS, laser sensors, cameras, sonar, you name it.
No human help whatsoever, other than people standing on the sidelines, pleading with the robot to continue.
The course is going to go from Barstow, California, to Prim, Nevada, which is just outside Las Vegas. It is about 200-plus miles of all different sorts of different obstacles. They may have to go through some water. There may be some mountainous terrain.
They won't know the exact route until about two hours before the race. They'll get a CD-ROM and have to program their robots in a mad fury.
I can tell you, there's been a lot of stressed out, sleep- deprived on-edge engineers here this week, working around the clock in their pit areas, surviving on fast food and caffeine.
But you know, a million bucks can motivate people to do just about anything, Daryn.
KAGAN: A lot of jittery plastic pocket protectors, it sounds like there, in the California desert.
Daniel, what happens if no vehicle completes the race? What happens to the million dollars?
SIEBERG: Well, what they're saying is they're going to at least have another one in a couple of years. We talked to DARPA officials, and there likely won't be one next year, but they'll hold the million dollars for a couple of years and then have it again in 2006.
You know, the whole idea behind this -- although this robot race may seem, you know, strange and rather quaint to people and, you know, it kind of is. But the whole idea behind these robots is to one day replace soldiers, as one official put it, in situations that may be dull, dirty, or dangerous.
And maybe one day part of our lives, as well. You know, there's this congressional mandate that by 2015 a third of the military vehicles need to be autonomous. And that's what these vehicles are. There are no humans. And once these humans kind of let them go, like nervous parents at the playground, these robots are on their own. They need to navigate where they're going without any human help whatsoever.
So DARPA is very -- they say they're very committed to this idea of an autonomous robot and moving forward with this and, you know, for the past week there's been all off this activity and enthusiasm. Robotics people out here, even just spectators and people looking on at these -- these creations.
It's a rather unique and even historic event, although it may seem sort of like a bunch of geeks and engineers gathering out in the desert. It really is kind of amazing event they're putting together.
KAGAN: I think it's one of those things that it's all true, really important, and yet there's a ton of robotic engineer jokes that are just sitting out there, just waiting.
SIEBERG: They're sitting out there. You know it.
KAGAN: Enjoy the good time, that wild time there.
SIEBERG: Yes, we'll there be on Saturday, no matter what, to see these teams compete.
KAGAN: Yes. I know this is just like big time for you.
SIEBERG: It is. I'm a little excited.
KAGAN: We'll let you go then.
SIEBERG: All right.
KAGAN: Daniel Sieberg, our technology correspondent, having the time of his life with a bunch of robots and engineers in the California desert.
Angry words, bitter accusations and name-calling. It sounds like a new reality television show. Actually, though, it's the new reality of presidential politic.
The gloves are off. It's only March. Your wrap-up from D.C. is coming up next.
And if you think politics can get nasty here, well, how about South Korea? At least we don't smash the furniture over here. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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American Rail?; Anti-War Activist Charged with Spying for Iraq; Chicago Firefighters Accused of Racism>
Aired March 12, 2004 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, ANCHOR: It is 11 a.m. on the East Coast and 8 a.m. on the West Coast. From CNN Center in Atlanta, good morning once again. I'm Daryn Kagan.
Up first on CNN, the carnage in Spain. Millions are gathering for rallies and candlelight vigils across Spain tonight to remember the almost 200 people killed in the attack on Madrid's commuter train network.
Our chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour filed this late report from the Spanish capital.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, ANN CORRESPONDENT: The rain has been falling on and off today. And we don't know how that's going to affect the numbers of people who are going to turn out to these rallies that have been called for this evening.
Already, Spanish people have come out in one show of respect, at about noontime, local time, here. They came out of their work places, out of their homes, cars stopped in the middle of the road, in many minutes of silence as they respected the dead.
Flags are hung from balconies. Flags are also at half-mast. Black ribbons are being hung and worn on people's lapels.
Also, as I say, the government has been broadcasting on radio, television, putting up full-page notices in today's newspapers, calling on millions of Spaniards to come out into the streets, just like thousands did last night in Delbar, in the capital of the Basque region, to come out in a show of peaceful defiance, against these killers and to confront these terrible attacks that took place here more than 24 hours ago, now.
The Spanish prime minister again now has addressed the people of Spain, talking about who could have been responsible and about the investigation and the police work that's involved to find the perpetrators and to prosecute them.
There are conflicting claims and conflicting clues in this investigation. The government immediately blamed ETA, the Spanish terrorist organization, which has been waging a 35-year armed struggle for independence for the Basque region. The prime minister said that documentation that had been found, as well as forensic and circumstantial evidence led them to believe that it was ETA.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): what were the group trained -- when they were trained to come into Madrid with 500 kilos of explosive last week? What were they looking for? What were the terrorists that were arrested -- that were going to Chamachana (ph) station on Christmas eve to blow the trains and to blow Chamachana (ph) station. What were they looking for?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
AMANPOUR: But there are conflicting leads now being pursued, specifically, the minister of the interior and now the prime minister have talked about this van that has been found with detonators in it also with Quaranic verses on tape.
That, they say is leading them to open another line of investigation into who might have been responsible for what happened.
Even though the government immediately blamed ETA, in the immediate aftermath of this attack, and continues to say that ETA is the prime suspect, many here are asking questions now as to whether it could have been al Qaeda or any other Islamist group, whether it could have been an alliance between ETA and any Islamist group, or whether indeed, it could have been ETA copying Islamist tactics or al Qaeda tactics in inflicting such heavy civilian casualties in these synchronized kinds of attacks.
Back to you.
KAGAN: The Madrid bombings have prompted increased security measures on U.S. railways. Amtrak has increased its patrols by police and canine units. Electronic surveillance of bridges and tunnels has also been intensified.
Amtrak is once again stressing to its employees that they should report anything suspicious. Amtrak says there is no credible threat against it or any other railroads.
Want to talk about the security of the American rail network and who might be behind the Spanish attacks. Terrorism expert Jeff Beatty is president of Total Security U.S., and he's here with us live in Atlanta.
Good morning.
JEFF BEATTY, TERRORISM EXPERT: Good morning, Daryn.
KAGAN: First look at Madrid. When you see that, what jumps out to you?
BEATTY: Well, I think that it was a mistake for the Spanish to rush to judgment that it might have been ETA, or E-T-A, as some people say. ETA, it's a different type of operation than they traditionally run. And when you're out there immediately after the attack, looking for ETA, other people who may be responsible, can slip through the initial dragnet.
So I think that there are really three possibilities. Either ETA, who has upgraded their operations significantly or maybe learned by watching al Qaeda, or al Qaeda itself is trying to punish the Spanish for participation in the American coalition.
Or another possibility that hasn't been too widely talked about is, just like the IRA had splinter groups that jumped off when they didn't think the main IRA was being tough enough, it's quite possible that now has happened to ETA. So some splinter group may be wanting to be more violent, may have, in fact, either copied or created a liaison with al Qaeda.
KAGAN: So to add to the confusion the complication you have ETA denying responsibility. Then you have a group writing a letter into an Arabic newspaper, "Al-Quds," saying that al Qaeda is responsible.
So you have the people who are not claiming responsibility being blamed for it and it's kind of twisted all around.
BEATTY: Well, ETA's smart to deny responsibility, because we draw the parallel to what happened to the America militia movement in the mid-'90s. I mean, we had a pretty strong militia movement happening here until the Oklahoma City bombing. That did so much to wipe the militia movement out, more than the government could have done. People just said...
KAGAN: The emotional support --
BEATTY: That's true. The hearts and minds went away from the militia movement.
And that, if it turns out that this was ETA, this would have been a grievous error on their part to do so.
In terms of the claim made by somebody else, the timing of that tells me they're just opportunistic. If they had done that at the time of the attack, rather than how long it takes to type out an e- mail and send it in, it might be more credible.
KAGAN: Let's bring this home here to the U.S. and the thousands of people who will be getting on trains at the end of work today, perhaps over the weekend to travel, how do you possibly protect the thousands and thousands of miles of railways here in the U.S.?
BEATTY: Well, the good news is the Americans have not been asleep at the switch.
Ever since 9/11, the Federal Transit Administration has been very, very active. I was actually disappointed yesterday to hear a consultant on the air here saying, you really can't defend this system, it's vulnerable. You can't -- I'm not sure we'd want to try to protect it.
That is not the view that the FTA has, that their Jennifer Dorn, their administrator has. They've been aggressive in doing threatened vulnerability analysis, aggressive in doing technical assistance to the properties, installing security equipment, doing training. We just trained 5,000 people last month on how to detect casing and rehearsal activity.
And we're doing live fire exercises and emergency operation summits that will actually replicate the thing that happened in Spain on U.S. soil for training for these people. So...
KAGAN: So you would get on a train in the U.S.?
BEATTY: I rode a train yesterday in Washington, D.C.
KAGAN: All right. Well, that pretty much says it all. Jeff Beatty, thank you for your expertise today.
BEATTY: Thank you.
KAGAN: Thank you for stopping by. I appreciate it.
Other news today, a Maryland woman is due back in court today on charges that she acted as an agent for Iraq. We broke the story yesterday at this hour.
She denies the charges and says she was working to get weapons inspectors back in Iraq.
Our justice correspondent, Kelli Arena, explains the conspiracy case against this woman.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KELLI ARENA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Susan Lindauer is due back in court today. The former journalist and congressional aide insists that she is not an Iraqi spy.
SUSAN LINDAUER, ARRESTED FOR SPYING: I'm an anti-war activist, and I'm innocent!
ARENA: An indictment says Lindauer had repeated contacts with Iraqi intelligence officers in New York and Baghdad between 1999 and 2002 and conspired with two sons of Iraq's former liaison with U.N. weapons inspectors.
Lindauer says she was trying to get inspectors back into Iraq.
LINDAUER: I'm very proud, and I will very proudly stand by my achievements.
ARENA: In January 2003, two months before the U.S. invaded Iraq, prosecutors say she took a letter to the home of a U.S. official, saying she had access to Saddam Hussein's regime. Sources tell CNN that official was White House chief of staff Andrew Card, Lindauer's second cousin. The White House says Card never met with Lindauer and called the incident very sad.
LINDAUER: I'm an anti-war activist.
ARENA: Sources say Card alerted authorities; then the FBI set up a sting operation.
In June, prosecutors say, Lindauer met with an undercover FBI agent posing as an agent for Libyan intelligence, looking to support resistance groups in post-war Iraq. And near her home in Takoma Park, they say she followed instructions to leave unspecified documents at dead drop locations.
Neighbors were surprised.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She was a Takoma Park-type person, pretty unique around here. We're a nuclear-free zone, as you know. So a very laid back, liberal sort of person.
ARENA: Prosecutors say Iraq paid Lindauer $10,000 for expenses and services. She faces up to 25 years in prison if she's convicted on all charges.
LINDAUER: This is what democracy is all about.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, she's not going to make any comments.
ARENA: Kelli Arena, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: Kobe Bryant's accuser will have to break her silence. Her sexual past is about to be questioned. That story is coming up next.
And then, the incredible story out of Utah, a mother charged with murder after her baby is still born. Was her refusal to listen to doctors to blame?
And later, if it were a boxing match, you wouldn't even be into round one yet, but the gloves are already coming off. Kerry and Bush go at it when CNN LIVE TODAY returns.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(STOCK REPORT)
KAGAN: The legal path is now clear for Kobe Bryant's accuser to testify about her sexual history.
The Colorado Supreme Court refused the prosecution's request to step in and stop that questioning. The defense says the testimony will show the accuser had a scheme to sleep with Bryant and had sex multiple times during the week of the encounter. The woman's lawyer has called the defense claims, quote, "patently false."
A source tells CNN that Martha Stewart is expected to resign from the board of directors of the company that she founded but keep a full-time role in a creative capacity.
The source says an announcement could come as early as today. But the deal has not been finalized and could still fall through.
Stewart's friend and stylist was a guest on CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING." She says Stewart doesn't wear her emotions on her sleeve but was deeply saddened by her conviction.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EVA SCRIVO, FRIEND OF MARTHA STEWART: Martha is a very stoic, strong human being, who has went through a tremendous amount of adversity to build an empire of this size. So I think that she is somewhat -- can be self-contained, you know, the sadness.
But it doesn't mean it's not real and doesn't exist. You know, she's a real person with a lot of feelings about this and it saddens her greatly it's come to this decision.
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KAGAN: Stewart faces sentencing in June for conspiracy, obstruction of justice and making false statements. She vows to appeal.
A woman in Utah who refused to have a cesarean section is now charged with murder in the death of one of her twins.
Authorities say that doctors repeatedly warned Melissa Ann Rowland that her unborn babies would probably die if she didn't have the procedure. One baby did survive. The other was still born.
Rowland reportedly refused recommendations from two hospitals. A nurse told police that Rowland said that she'd rather lose one of the babies than have a cesarean section.
Chicago firefighters are defending the department against accusations that some in the ranks are racist.
CNN's Keith Oppenheim looks at the controversy.
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KEITH OPPENHEIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In a city formed by a great fire the people who fight fires are valued and admired. And so many were taken aback when in February a Chicago firefighter got foul mouthed and was caught using racist language on a two-way radio.
That firefighter was suspended. But in weeks following, five more similar incidents were reported. This time, the culprits weren't identified.
MAYOR RICHARD DALEY, CHICAGO: We ask firemen to join us and their families to identify these cowards.
JIM MCNALLY, CHICAGO FIREFIGHTERS' UNION: We don't condone any, you know, racial or ethnic slurs.
OPPENHEIM: The firefighters' union has been reacting to critics who suggest racism in the ranks is widespread.
MCNALLY: I think it's unfortunate that you're trying to use firefighters and paramedics who do a great job every single day and to misrepresent who we are and what we do.
OPPENHEIM: But there have been problems in the past, including a 1997 video of Chicago firefighters using racist language at a party.
(on camera) And one Chicago alderman, after criticizing the radio behavior a few days ago, got an anonymous and threatening piece of mail.
ED SMITH, CHICAGO ALDERMAN: The letter states that if I ever have a fire at my house, I better have some black firemens (sic) there. Otherwise, the house will burn up.
OPPENHEIM: Alderman Ed Smith joined others in praising the skill and bravery of Chicago firefighters overall. Still, the ugly words continue to reach the airwaves, putting an entire department on the defensive.
Keith Oppenheim, CNN, Chicago.
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KAGAN: Politics can certainly get a bit rough. Usually, though, not like this. We'll tell you what was behind this free-for-all, coming up.
But first, another of best place to take a summer vacation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARION ASNES, "MONEY" MAGAZINE: Las Vegas is a place where you can get a great deal on airfare, which makes it easier than ever to go to this incredible city.
It's an extraordinary place. And although in summer, Las Vegas can get hot, hot, hot, the truth is, you really don't have to go outside all that much if you don't want to.
Las Vegas is America's playground for grown-ups. Whether or not you intend to gamble, it's the center of extraordinary entertainment featuring the country and the world's top performers.
One of Las Vegas's most extraordinary experiences is actually for free, and that is going out in the evening when the neon lights are bright and walking the strip. You've got fountains and you've got a skyline that is unbeatable anywhere.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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KAGAN: A first-time skydiver says there will be a second time.
The Georgia woman landed in the tree. She spent almost four hours dangling like that, 60 feet above the ground. She says she was cracking jokes about her predicament for the first hour, and then it wasn't so funny after things dragged on well into the night.
Yes, not so funny.
(WEATHER REPORT)
KAGAN: The military announces the final lineup for its Mojave Desert race today. This is part of the Pentagon effort to build an unmanned combat vehicle. Robots is what we're talking.
Tomorrow, self-navigating robots will try to make it from Barstow, California, to south of Las Vegas in ten hours. The team that comes in first wins a million dollars.
Our technology correspondent, Daniel Sieberg, is on the phone now. He's in Ontario, California.
Good morning.
DANIEL SIEBERG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, good morning.
It was supposed to be the week that DARPA, which is the research agency of the Defense Department, separated the bots from the boys, if you will. All the 21 competitors have been actually going through a fairly rigorous qualification process this week.
You can think of it as racecars qualifying for the big day. Appropriately, it's been happening at the California speedway in Fontana, California.
What's changed throughout the week is that DARPA has realized that this whole undertaking has been really challenging. In other words, it's called the DARPA grand challenge for a reason.
Some of the robots have not moved from the start line. Others, though, have cruised through the course. Most of the teams failed to complete the entire qualification course. And as of last night, only seven had completed it.
Now, what we've just found out -- there is a news conference under way. We've learned that more of the robots have actually qualified for the race than the seven who completed it.
We do have a list of the seven who completed the actual course. They include Carnegie Mellon university, Cal Tech, Virginia Tech, Axion (ph) Racing, Digital Auto Drive (ph), both of the last two from California. Team Teramax (ph), which had Ohio State involved. And a company called Psiotonics (ph), which is actually an Israeli/U.S. combination.
Now, those are the seven that completed the course. As I say, this news conference is under way right now, where more teams are learning that they could be in the race on Saturday.
Of the seven that completed the race, some of them are poised to perform OK on Saturday. But there's still a lot of speculation that no robot will be able to traverse the entire 200-plus miles across the desert.
They will not be going over roads. They will be going over a lot of desert terrain. They all use similar navigation tools, GPS, laser sensors, cameras, sonar, you name it.
No human help whatsoever, other than people standing on the sidelines, pleading with the robot to continue.
The course is going to go from Barstow, California, to Prim, Nevada, which is just outside Las Vegas. It is about 200-plus miles of all different sorts of different obstacles. They may have to go through some water. There may be some mountainous terrain.
They won't know the exact route until about two hours before the race. They'll get a CD-ROM and have to program their robots in a mad fury.
I can tell you, there's been a lot of stressed out, sleep- deprived on-edge engineers here this week, working around the clock in their pit areas, surviving on fast food and caffeine.
But you know, a million bucks can motivate people to do just about anything, Daryn.
KAGAN: A lot of jittery plastic pocket protectors, it sounds like there, in the California desert.
Daniel, what happens if no vehicle completes the race? What happens to the million dollars?
SIEBERG: Well, what they're saying is they're going to at least have another one in a couple of years. We talked to DARPA officials, and there likely won't be one next year, but they'll hold the million dollars for a couple of years and then have it again in 2006.
You know, the whole idea behind this -- although this robot race may seem, you know, strange and rather quaint to people and, you know, it kind of is. But the whole idea behind these robots is to one day replace soldiers, as one official put it, in situations that may be dull, dirty, or dangerous.
And maybe one day part of our lives, as well. You know, there's this congressional mandate that by 2015 a third of the military vehicles need to be autonomous. And that's what these vehicles are. There are no humans. And once these humans kind of let them go, like nervous parents at the playground, these robots are on their own. They need to navigate where they're going without any human help whatsoever.
So DARPA is very -- they say they're very committed to this idea of an autonomous robot and moving forward with this and, you know, for the past week there's been all off this activity and enthusiasm. Robotics people out here, even just spectators and people looking on at these -- these creations.
It's a rather unique and even historic event, although it may seem sort of like a bunch of geeks and engineers gathering out in the desert. It really is kind of amazing event they're putting together.
KAGAN: I think it's one of those things that it's all true, really important, and yet there's a ton of robotic engineer jokes that are just sitting out there, just waiting.
SIEBERG: They're sitting out there. You know it.
KAGAN: Enjoy the good time, that wild time there.
SIEBERG: Yes, we'll there be on Saturday, no matter what, to see these teams compete.
KAGAN: Yes. I know this is just like big time for you.
SIEBERG: It is. I'm a little excited.
KAGAN: We'll let you go then.
SIEBERG: All right.
KAGAN: Daniel Sieberg, our technology correspondent, having the time of his life with a bunch of robots and engineers in the California desert.
Angry words, bitter accusations and name-calling. It sounds like a new reality television show. Actually, though, it's the new reality of presidential politic.
The gloves are off. It's only March. Your wrap-up from D.C. is coming up next.
And if you think politics can get nasty here, well, how about South Korea? At least we don't smash the furniture over here. We'll be right back.
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