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American Morning
Arrest of Charles McCoy; U.S. Forces Search for Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan
Aired March 17, 2004 - 07:00 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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Leading police to a capture in Las Vegas, Nevada.
So, extraordinary videotape taken from a CIA spy plane three and a half years ago -- is the man in white Osama bin Laden? Does the tape represent a significant missed opportunity?
Anguish after the trial from Martha Stewart's family. Her only daughter speaking out in this exclusive interview.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALEXIS STEWART, MARTHA STEWART'S DAUGHTER: She's disappointed of her feeling like her life was wasted and everything she did.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: And from the Midwest to the Northeast, millions seeing white, not green, on today's St. Patrick's Day.
Those stories this morning on AMERICAN MORNING.
ANNOUNCER: From the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Bill Hemmer and Soledad O'Brien.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, ANCHOR: And good morning and welcome everybody. Happy St. Patrick's Day to you.
HEMMER: And to you as well.
O'BRIEN: And to all of you. Thank you very much.
Lots of news to talk about this morning -- breaking news.
HEMMER: There is. Want to get to that breaking news today.
The Columbus, Ohio shootings. Authorities in Las Vegas say they've arrested Charles McCoy, Jr. -- the man wanted in connection to that case. Picked up this morning at a hotel in Las Vegas.
Authorities have been searching for McCoy since releasing his name and picture earlier this week. The tape you're seeing from KTMV -- we'll back it up, roll it again for you.
Was the car that was spotted in Las Vegas -- not quite clear how he got there. We do know that his picture had been posted in the airports in Columbus and in various parts across the country. We also are told that he had only $600 in cash, was running low on that money.
There was an appeal yesterday afternoon by his own sister to turn himself in. The family had feared the possibility of more violence.
Today, though, this is the headline. Charles McCoy, Jr., age 28, a man wanted for many months in Columbus, Ohio, spreading fear through that area, as he carried out allegedly these attacks, these shootings, that took place around the beltway, I-270 around the Ohio capitol.
Much more on this story throughout the morning.
Sean Callebs is working this story in Columbus. Also talk with a reporter from the Columbus dispatch; find out what he is learning as well this morning.
So stay tuned, much more on this as we go throughout the morning here.
O'BRIEN: And there are other stories that we're following this morning this as well.
Politics, for example. Back and forth between President Bush and Senator John Kerry about world leaders backing the Democratic presidential candidate's campaigns. Really heating up now -- hasn't gone away.
We're going to hear the latest shots back and forth.
Also this morning talk to a Democrat and a Republican about whether naming names is really the right thing to do.
HEMMER: Also this morning, more controversy over the Medicare overhaul signed by President Bush about a year ago.
An investigation is being ordered to determine whether or not if administration official tried to cover up the cost. We'll look at that this morning as well.
It's a busy morning here as you can tell already.
O'BRIEN: It is. Mr. Cafferty.
JACK CAFFERTY, ANCHOR: How you doing?
O'BRIEN: I'm doing great.
CAFFERTY: Some stunning poll results. The United States in it's 230-plus year history may never never have been more isolated from the rest of the world than it is right now.
Multi-nation polling around the globe of President Bush, the war against terror, the war in Iraq, and the results are a little scary. We'll talk about it. HEMMER: All right, Jack thanks.
O'BRIEN: Let's get to our top stories this morning.
Are U.S. and Iraqi military forces stepping up their search for insurgents and illegal weapons in Baghdad?
The new campaign called Operation Iron Promise follows Monday's attack on American missionaries in Mosul.
Four died as a result of the shootings. We're going to hear from someone who served as a missionary with two of the victims. That's coming up in our next hour.
An Algerian man detained in connection with the Madrid train attacks goes before a Spanish judge today. Meanwhile police in Spain say they have a man named Jamal Zougam in custody. The Spanish newspaper "El Pais" says this is him seen in this picture here, this videotape.
Investigators say that they know the identities of at least six Moroccans who are now suspected of carrying bombs onto trains in last Thursday's attacks.
There's been a missile attack in Gaza. Palestinian sources say two Palestinians were killed, three others injured, when an Israeli helicopter fired into a refugee camp. Israel says the strike was targeted at armed Palestinians who were firing on Israeli troops operating in the area.
Here in the U.S., baseball's commissioner Bud Selig could strong- arm the sport into a new get-tough policy on steroids. Selig reportedly may use his best interest of baseball powers to force random drug tests year round.
Players who test positive would be suspended for 15 days without pay on the first offense. All this according to the "Chicago Tribune" this morning.
And well we all know it; it ain't over till it's over. A late season storm dumped a record-breaking 18 inches of snow in parts of the Midwest yesterday.
Slippery roads were blamed for numerous crashes, including several in Ohio. The storm moved east overnight wreaking havoc in New Jersey, New York and Connecticut, and stretching as far as Maine.
O'BRIEN: We have a lot of snow here in New York City but...
HEMMER: A fair amount, yes.
O'BRIEN: But...
HEMMER: Never sticks around here.
O'BRIEN: No. HEMMER: All that heat generated by all these people. Come on.
O'BRIEN: Is that your scientific explanation?
(WEATHER REPORT)
HEMMER: Want to get back to Columbus, Ohio. Sean Callebs is with us now.
More details on this breaking story. Sean, good morning there.
What are you learning from police at this hour?
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN: Well, Bill, this has really been an investigation that has been characterized by authorities who have said very little publicly about the information that led them to believe that 28-year-old Charles McCoy is, indeed, the suspect in the shootings that has terrorized the capitol city here for the past ten months.
We came to learn McCoy is in custody in Las Vegas.
How, exactly, he got there -- what led authorities to arrest him -- still unknown at this hour. Sort of the details still sketchy.
We are trying to get in touch with the Franklin County authorities, the passport authorities here. The FBI as well to try and determine how exactly that went down.
We can tell you, of course, what happened yesterday. You saw McCoy's sister come out very emotionally -- make a plea asking him to contact either the sister or the mother yesterday.
This, of course, after authorities said that he was a very troubled young man, someone who had a history of mental problems. Mental instability.
Investigator here told me yesterday that he is someone who is suicidal with homicidal tendencies so this is someone authorities were very scared about.
Whether he was, indeed, armed and dangerous as they had said all day yesterday still unknown, and when or if he will be brought back here to Columbus we can only presume he will be as soon as possible. We will of course bring you those details as well.
But of course right now Charles McCoy, 28-years old, is in custody in Las Vegas. His mother said that he was upset about a potential move -- moving out of the home in the south Columbus area and moving on to somewhere else.
He has said that he was going to leave; he took some $600 out of an ATM and simply vanished. That was the last time authorities saw him as well.
Sort of -- authorities had him under surveillance here but lost him Friday. Mother filed a missing persons report yesterday. He is now in custody in Las Vegas, Bill, and we'll bring you more details soon.
HEMMER: Sean, let me try this for a second here with you. I know it's early, and I completely understand that. However, have police said how much the family support has aided them in their investigation and search?
CALLEBS: They have not said that. They have said, of course, through various sources, that the father apparently supplied them with the two handguns, and that apparently is the ballistic information that led authorities to believe that he is indeed a suspect, and certainly they were talking with authorities yesterday. We saw what appeared to be an attorney with the family there yesterday afternoon.
Bill, we'll bring you that information as soon as we get it.
HEMMER: Sean, thanks. We're looking at a videotape of that four-door car, that green car.
The description put out late on Tuesday night -- or Monday night, rather. A day and a half ago. Also the license description as well.
Many thought that it would only be a question of time before Charles McCoy would be apprehended. It is difficult to run for long when the country is looking out for you.
Sean, again, thanks. Charles McCoy, Jr. apprehended just a short time ago, age 28, in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is one of our top stories throughout the morning. We will not leave it for long.
Now Soledad with other news.
O'BRIEN: Another top story, Bill, is overseas as U.S. forces search for Osama bin Laden in rugged areas of Pakistan.
A senior intelligence official now confirms the authenticity of a U.S. government video shot three and a half years ago that may show the al Qaeda leader.
The video was shot by a CIA Predator drone. It was first aired yesterday by NBC News. It shows a group of people, including a tall man wearing a white robe. Analysts believe it may be bin Laden.
National security correspondent David Ensor live in Washington for us this morning. David, good morning to you.
And the obvious question, I guess, is if the CIA was so sure at that point that it was bin Laden why wasn't he captured then?
DAVID ENSOR, NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well problem was all they had was a Predator drone picture of a very distance place, Tarnac (ph) Farms in Afghanistan. It would have taken three to seven hours, I'm told by officials, to attack that sight with cruise missiles or with bombs from aircraft. They had, of course, tried to hit bin Laden once before, back in 1998, when they thought they had a fix on him, and he moved while the cruise missiles were in the air.
This incident I am told, Soledad, was contributory to the decision to speed up putting Hellfire missiles on the Predator drones and that happened in early 2001, a little while after this incident.
So, this was one of the catalysts that led to putting Hellfire missiles on the Predators and since then, a senior al Qaeda leader was in fact executed by the CIA, using Hellfire missiles that were on the drones themselves.
But at this point when these pictures were taken, there was no such capability.
O'BRIEN: Interesting. What's been the reaction from the CIA about this tape now being made public?
ENSOR: Well, officials are quite upset about it. They say this is a classified tape. There were copies, obviously, at the CIA and at the Defense Department and perhaps other agencies.
I'm told there is likely to be an investigation into who may have illegally given this tape to NBC News.
O'BRIEN: David Ensor for us this morning.
David thanks for that update. Interesting stuff.
Well, terror concerns remain front and center for U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell.
He is now traveling to meet with Pakistani President Musharraf.
Earlier Secretary Powell was in Kabul, Afghanistan to discuss the war on terror and the hunt for Osama bin Laden with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: Our forces, the U.S. forces, have been focused on the region down along the Pakistan border, and we have been doing everything we can to encourage the Pakistani leaders, especially President Musharraf, of course, to be more active along the border areas and the tribal areas.
If Taliban elements are forced from Pakistan back into Afghanistan as a result of actions on the Pakistan side of the border, I'm sure that our military forces here working with Afghan forces will deal with those elements.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: And addressing questions regarding the U.S. commitment in Afghanistan, Secretary Powell stressed that the U.S. will remain for the long term.
HEMMER: Also there's been a story out of Vegas -- just looking at the wire reports, Soledad, a little more information to pass along. Apparently without incident they captured Charles McCoy earlier today.
Not quite clear yet if he was armed or not. According to police there in Vegas they have not been in the motel room yet.
They have not been in that four-door Geo Metro just yet but that investigation obviously moving quickly there. He has been taken into custody, interviewed now after an arrest earlier today at the Budget Suites Motel, which is near the Stardust Casino in Las Vegas.
So, again, as our top story this morning, just wanted to pass along to you all that information from the Associated Press.
Clearly we're working our folks in Columbus and Vegas to get you more so stay tuned.
O'BRIEN: Seems as if someone turned him in after recognizing him from media reports.
HEMMER: Exactly.
O'BRIEN: Obviously, the preponderance of throwing that picture everywhere was something that really worked for authorities there.
HEMMER: More on this in a moment. Also in a moment here, Democrat John Kerry still faces heat to name names now from the president himself. A closer look at that story in a moment.
O'BRIEN: Also a controversy over the true cost of the Medicare revamp. It's now spurred an investigation of the Bush administration. We're going to take you live to Capitol Hill.
HEMMER: And Martha Stewart's daughter reveals a side of her mother that she says most people do not know. That's ahead in an exclusive interview here on CNN.
Back in a moment on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Welcome back here on AMERICAN MORNING. Breaking news out of Las Vegas by way of Columbus, Ohio.
The suspect that the police have named earlier in the week. Charles McCoy, Jr., age 28, was picked up in the early morning hours on this Wednesday morning in Las Vegas.
That Geo Metro, that green four-door car, 1999 with a license tag that was put out the other night on Monday night, some videotape here KTMV our affiliate working that story in Vegas.
Apparently Charles McCoy has driven to Nevada despite the fact that his picture had been posted at a number of airports across the country.
But on Monday night when such a firm description was put out, it was considered by many people just to be a question of time.
The Associated Press reporting in custody now without incident. He's being interviewed, picked up at a motel near the Stardust Casino, if you're familiar with Las Vegas.
At least one person called police and said they recognized him from the various media reports throughout the week. Said not to be armed, however, police at last check had not gone into the hotel, had not gone into his car, so much more on this story out of Vegas.
Charles McCoy, Jr., the suspected Columbus, Ohio sniper now in custody in Las Vegas. More when we get it here -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: To politics now. President Bush himself has now joined the chorus calling on Senator John Kerry to name some names. Senator Kerry won't say which foreign leaders have told him that they would prefer to see him in the White House.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think it's -- if you're going to make an accusation in the course of a presidential campaign you ought to back it up with facts.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: Rand Beers used to work in the Bush administration. Now he's advising the Kerry campaign on national security and homeland security issues. He joins us this morning from Washington, D.C.
Nice to see you, sir. Thanks for being with us.
RAND BEERS, KERRY CAMPAIGN ADVISER: Good morning, nice to see you, too.
O'BRIEN: Thank you very much. You just heard a little bit from the president there. Do you think it's unfair to ask the senator to back up his accusations and clarify whom he's actually speaking about?
BEERS: I absolutely do. I mean, I think we've been in a number of situations on the administration's side at the beginning of the Gulf War they claimed to have a large number of Arab leaders who were supporting them that they could not make the names public of.
It's not at all unusual for foreign leaders to make comments privately, and it would be inappropriate for John Kerry to make their names public. That's the nature of international politics so I don't find it at all (inaudible).
O'BRIEN: The senator when asked -- admittedly -- by -- from the person who was asking the question was a Bush supporter he didn't say listen I feel uncomfortable answering that question because it would put the security of these foreign leaders at risk. He didn't say I feel uncomfortable going forward with this information because of course some of this stuff has to be protected. He said it's none of your business. And there are certainly voters who think actually it is their business.
Do you think he took the wrong tack by putting it that way?
BEERS: I think that he was just being absolutely candid that this is an issue that's between him and the people that he talks to, and I don't think that there's a need for him to reveal that.
You all don't reveal sources and methods and you can verify this quite easily if you were to ask your foreign correspondents what the attitudes are in the countries that are in Western Europe for example.
We had a poll yesterday, which indicated the very sad state of affairs of U.S. relations with our European allies. I think this is something we've really got to turn around.
O'BRIEN: Why should American voters be swayed by what foreign leaders think or whom foreign leaders think should be running the country? Wouldn't it just be much more appropriate for American voters to be swayed by what American voters think?
BEERS: Of course it's more important for American voters to think and have their own mind.
John Kerry was simply making a point that our status in the world today has been effected quite negatively by the conduct of this presidency and I think that's a relevant issue for American voters to ponder. It goes to the issue of America's credibility and the president's credibility and I think that is a relevant issue for this election.
O'BRIEN: The Bush campaign has released a new commercial and I want to play a little bit for you.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BUSH: I'm George W. Bush and I approved this message.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Few votes in Congress are as important as funding our troops at war. Though John Kerry voted in October 2002 for military action in Iraq, he later voted against funding our soldiers.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Kerry.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.
Body armor for troops in combat.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Kerry.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.
Higher combat pay.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Kerry.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.
And better health care for reservists and their families.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Kerry.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.
Wrong on defense.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: Obviously the Kerry campaign is not exactly loving this commercial.
Senator -- Senator Kerry was one of only 12 senators who voted against the funds. Was that a mistake to read into that vote as not supporting the troops?
BEERS: That is absolutely a mistake and a misrepresentation of John Kerry's position.
I think it's outrageous. John Kerry has supported the troops through his entire career in the senate.
And his vote in this instance was not a vote against the troops; it was a vote against the administration's policy and the administration set the vote up in such a way that John could only express his view by voting no.
He voted to support the troops all along, and he will continue to do that, and he will speak out about that today.
O'BRIEN: Rand Beers joining us this morning. Thanks for being with us. Appreciate it.
Let's turn now to the Republican side. Michigan Congressman Peter Hoekstra is a Bush supporter; he joins us from the Capitol this morning.
Nice to see you, thanks for being with us.
What exactly is the big deal, sir, about naming names? You certainly as we heard just a moment ago -- this poll that shows a list of foreign leaders who actually say their favorability rating toward President Bush is so high -- I mean look at that list there.
You can almost take anybody from those lists and that could be one of the leaders who spoke to Senator Kerry, so what's the big deal, exactly?
REPUBLICAN. PETE HOEKSTRA (R) MICHIGAN: Well, the big deal is that you know, this is a man who is running for the presidency of the United States, the most powerful job in the world, who is now saying that one of his key platforms is that foreign leaders support me more than this president without laying out the policy.
You know, I've been to a number of these countries in the Middle East and met with their heads of state. What they are looking for from America; they're looking for America for leadership; they're looking for America in the war on terrorism to take decisive action and they're looking for resolve saying America is going to embark on a course and they're going to stay -- stay the course and they're going to finish the job that they started.
So President Bush has clearly laid out a strategy. Senator Kerry is just saying you know well there's people out there that support me more than President Bush and if that's his platform that's a pretty weak platform.
O'BRIEN: When you look at these unfavorability ratings, though, Britain 57 percent, Russia 60 percent, Turkey 67 down to Jordan 95 percent.
Unfavorability ratings for the president how concerned is the administration and should the administration be about these numbers?
HOEKSTRA: Well, you need to take a look at the numbers but you also have to take a look at the job that needs to be done.
There is a global war on terrorism. The Jordanians are helping us in that war on terrorism. The Egyptians are helping us in that war on terrorism.
Even on certain occasions the Syrians are helping us. And in many cases they've said America welcomes the war on terrorism and we're going to stand beside you; their leaders are going in that direction.
Obviously there's going to be some additional work that needs to be done in these countries to convince them that the direction that we are taking is the most effective way to combat this war and to combat the terrorist elements in the world today.
O'BRIEN: Michigan Congressman Peter Hoekstra thank you for being with us this morning. Appreciate your time.
HOEKSTRA: Great, thank you.
O'BRIEN: A short break. We're back in just a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: All right, welcome back.
Question of the day and Jack.
CAFFERTY: Thank you, Bill. The image of the United States overseas has never been lower. According to a poll by the non-partisan Pew Research Center. Results of a nine-nation poll show a majority of people in every country except this one says the war in Iraq hurt the fight against terrorism.
Also, majorities in Great Britain, France, Germany, and Turkey all allies and members of NATO say Western Europe should take a more independent approach to its security and diplomacy.
And, majorities in every country except the United States have an unfavorable opinion of President Bush. The question is this: has the war on terror permanently damaged America's relations with its allies? You can e-mail us at am@cnn.com.
Pretty startling study.
O'BRIEN: The poll numbers are fascinating, aren't they?
CAFFERTY: Pretty startling stuff.
O'BRIEN: All right, thanks, Jack. We'll see what everybody has to say when they write in.
Still to come this morning how prosecutors are trying to bolster their case against former NBA star Jayson Williams. We've got the latest in his manslaughter case just ahead as AMERICAN MORNING continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Laden in Pakistan>
Aired March 17, 2004 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Leading police to a capture in Las Vegas, Nevada.
So, extraordinary videotape taken from a CIA spy plane three and a half years ago -- is the man in white Osama bin Laden? Does the tape represent a significant missed opportunity?
Anguish after the trial from Martha Stewart's family. Her only daughter speaking out in this exclusive interview.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALEXIS STEWART, MARTHA STEWART'S DAUGHTER: She's disappointed of her feeling like her life was wasted and everything she did.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: And from the Midwest to the Northeast, millions seeing white, not green, on today's St. Patrick's Day.
Those stories this morning on AMERICAN MORNING.
ANNOUNCER: From the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Bill Hemmer and Soledad O'Brien.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, ANCHOR: And good morning and welcome everybody. Happy St. Patrick's Day to you.
HEMMER: And to you as well.
O'BRIEN: And to all of you. Thank you very much.
Lots of news to talk about this morning -- breaking news.
HEMMER: There is. Want to get to that breaking news today.
The Columbus, Ohio shootings. Authorities in Las Vegas say they've arrested Charles McCoy, Jr. -- the man wanted in connection to that case. Picked up this morning at a hotel in Las Vegas.
Authorities have been searching for McCoy since releasing his name and picture earlier this week. The tape you're seeing from KTMV -- we'll back it up, roll it again for you.
Was the car that was spotted in Las Vegas -- not quite clear how he got there. We do know that his picture had been posted in the airports in Columbus and in various parts across the country. We also are told that he had only $600 in cash, was running low on that money.
There was an appeal yesterday afternoon by his own sister to turn himself in. The family had feared the possibility of more violence.
Today, though, this is the headline. Charles McCoy, Jr., age 28, a man wanted for many months in Columbus, Ohio, spreading fear through that area, as he carried out allegedly these attacks, these shootings, that took place around the beltway, I-270 around the Ohio capitol.
Much more on this story throughout the morning.
Sean Callebs is working this story in Columbus. Also talk with a reporter from the Columbus dispatch; find out what he is learning as well this morning.
So stay tuned, much more on this as we go throughout the morning here.
O'BRIEN: And there are other stories that we're following this morning this as well.
Politics, for example. Back and forth between President Bush and Senator John Kerry about world leaders backing the Democratic presidential candidate's campaigns. Really heating up now -- hasn't gone away.
We're going to hear the latest shots back and forth.
Also this morning talk to a Democrat and a Republican about whether naming names is really the right thing to do.
HEMMER: Also this morning, more controversy over the Medicare overhaul signed by President Bush about a year ago.
An investigation is being ordered to determine whether or not if administration official tried to cover up the cost. We'll look at that this morning as well.
It's a busy morning here as you can tell already.
O'BRIEN: It is. Mr. Cafferty.
JACK CAFFERTY, ANCHOR: How you doing?
O'BRIEN: I'm doing great.
CAFFERTY: Some stunning poll results. The United States in it's 230-plus year history may never never have been more isolated from the rest of the world than it is right now.
Multi-nation polling around the globe of President Bush, the war against terror, the war in Iraq, and the results are a little scary. We'll talk about it. HEMMER: All right, Jack thanks.
O'BRIEN: Let's get to our top stories this morning.
Are U.S. and Iraqi military forces stepping up their search for insurgents and illegal weapons in Baghdad?
The new campaign called Operation Iron Promise follows Monday's attack on American missionaries in Mosul.
Four died as a result of the shootings. We're going to hear from someone who served as a missionary with two of the victims. That's coming up in our next hour.
An Algerian man detained in connection with the Madrid train attacks goes before a Spanish judge today. Meanwhile police in Spain say they have a man named Jamal Zougam in custody. The Spanish newspaper "El Pais" says this is him seen in this picture here, this videotape.
Investigators say that they know the identities of at least six Moroccans who are now suspected of carrying bombs onto trains in last Thursday's attacks.
There's been a missile attack in Gaza. Palestinian sources say two Palestinians were killed, three others injured, when an Israeli helicopter fired into a refugee camp. Israel says the strike was targeted at armed Palestinians who were firing on Israeli troops operating in the area.
Here in the U.S., baseball's commissioner Bud Selig could strong- arm the sport into a new get-tough policy on steroids. Selig reportedly may use his best interest of baseball powers to force random drug tests year round.
Players who test positive would be suspended for 15 days without pay on the first offense. All this according to the "Chicago Tribune" this morning.
And well we all know it; it ain't over till it's over. A late season storm dumped a record-breaking 18 inches of snow in parts of the Midwest yesterday.
Slippery roads were blamed for numerous crashes, including several in Ohio. The storm moved east overnight wreaking havoc in New Jersey, New York and Connecticut, and stretching as far as Maine.
O'BRIEN: We have a lot of snow here in New York City but...
HEMMER: A fair amount, yes.
O'BRIEN: But...
HEMMER: Never sticks around here.
O'BRIEN: No. HEMMER: All that heat generated by all these people. Come on.
O'BRIEN: Is that your scientific explanation?
(WEATHER REPORT)
HEMMER: Want to get back to Columbus, Ohio. Sean Callebs is with us now.
More details on this breaking story. Sean, good morning there.
What are you learning from police at this hour?
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN: Well, Bill, this has really been an investigation that has been characterized by authorities who have said very little publicly about the information that led them to believe that 28-year-old Charles McCoy is, indeed, the suspect in the shootings that has terrorized the capitol city here for the past ten months.
We came to learn McCoy is in custody in Las Vegas.
How, exactly, he got there -- what led authorities to arrest him -- still unknown at this hour. Sort of the details still sketchy.
We are trying to get in touch with the Franklin County authorities, the passport authorities here. The FBI as well to try and determine how exactly that went down.
We can tell you, of course, what happened yesterday. You saw McCoy's sister come out very emotionally -- make a plea asking him to contact either the sister or the mother yesterday.
This, of course, after authorities said that he was a very troubled young man, someone who had a history of mental problems. Mental instability.
Investigator here told me yesterday that he is someone who is suicidal with homicidal tendencies so this is someone authorities were very scared about.
Whether he was, indeed, armed and dangerous as they had said all day yesterday still unknown, and when or if he will be brought back here to Columbus we can only presume he will be as soon as possible. We will of course bring you those details as well.
But of course right now Charles McCoy, 28-years old, is in custody in Las Vegas. His mother said that he was upset about a potential move -- moving out of the home in the south Columbus area and moving on to somewhere else.
He has said that he was going to leave; he took some $600 out of an ATM and simply vanished. That was the last time authorities saw him as well.
Sort of -- authorities had him under surveillance here but lost him Friday. Mother filed a missing persons report yesterday. He is now in custody in Las Vegas, Bill, and we'll bring you more details soon.
HEMMER: Sean, let me try this for a second here with you. I know it's early, and I completely understand that. However, have police said how much the family support has aided them in their investigation and search?
CALLEBS: They have not said that. They have said, of course, through various sources, that the father apparently supplied them with the two handguns, and that apparently is the ballistic information that led authorities to believe that he is indeed a suspect, and certainly they were talking with authorities yesterday. We saw what appeared to be an attorney with the family there yesterday afternoon.
Bill, we'll bring you that information as soon as we get it.
HEMMER: Sean, thanks. We're looking at a videotape of that four-door car, that green car.
The description put out late on Tuesday night -- or Monday night, rather. A day and a half ago. Also the license description as well.
Many thought that it would only be a question of time before Charles McCoy would be apprehended. It is difficult to run for long when the country is looking out for you.
Sean, again, thanks. Charles McCoy, Jr. apprehended just a short time ago, age 28, in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is one of our top stories throughout the morning. We will not leave it for long.
Now Soledad with other news.
O'BRIEN: Another top story, Bill, is overseas as U.S. forces search for Osama bin Laden in rugged areas of Pakistan.
A senior intelligence official now confirms the authenticity of a U.S. government video shot three and a half years ago that may show the al Qaeda leader.
The video was shot by a CIA Predator drone. It was first aired yesterday by NBC News. It shows a group of people, including a tall man wearing a white robe. Analysts believe it may be bin Laden.
National security correspondent David Ensor live in Washington for us this morning. David, good morning to you.
And the obvious question, I guess, is if the CIA was so sure at that point that it was bin Laden why wasn't he captured then?
DAVID ENSOR, NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well problem was all they had was a Predator drone picture of a very distance place, Tarnac (ph) Farms in Afghanistan. It would have taken three to seven hours, I'm told by officials, to attack that sight with cruise missiles or with bombs from aircraft. They had, of course, tried to hit bin Laden once before, back in 1998, when they thought they had a fix on him, and he moved while the cruise missiles were in the air.
This incident I am told, Soledad, was contributory to the decision to speed up putting Hellfire missiles on the Predator drones and that happened in early 2001, a little while after this incident.
So, this was one of the catalysts that led to putting Hellfire missiles on the Predators and since then, a senior al Qaeda leader was in fact executed by the CIA, using Hellfire missiles that were on the drones themselves.
But at this point when these pictures were taken, there was no such capability.
O'BRIEN: Interesting. What's been the reaction from the CIA about this tape now being made public?
ENSOR: Well, officials are quite upset about it. They say this is a classified tape. There were copies, obviously, at the CIA and at the Defense Department and perhaps other agencies.
I'm told there is likely to be an investigation into who may have illegally given this tape to NBC News.
O'BRIEN: David Ensor for us this morning.
David thanks for that update. Interesting stuff.
Well, terror concerns remain front and center for U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell.
He is now traveling to meet with Pakistani President Musharraf.
Earlier Secretary Powell was in Kabul, Afghanistan to discuss the war on terror and the hunt for Osama bin Laden with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: Our forces, the U.S. forces, have been focused on the region down along the Pakistan border, and we have been doing everything we can to encourage the Pakistani leaders, especially President Musharraf, of course, to be more active along the border areas and the tribal areas.
If Taliban elements are forced from Pakistan back into Afghanistan as a result of actions on the Pakistan side of the border, I'm sure that our military forces here working with Afghan forces will deal with those elements.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: And addressing questions regarding the U.S. commitment in Afghanistan, Secretary Powell stressed that the U.S. will remain for the long term.
HEMMER: Also there's been a story out of Vegas -- just looking at the wire reports, Soledad, a little more information to pass along. Apparently without incident they captured Charles McCoy earlier today.
Not quite clear yet if he was armed or not. According to police there in Vegas they have not been in the motel room yet.
They have not been in that four-door Geo Metro just yet but that investigation obviously moving quickly there. He has been taken into custody, interviewed now after an arrest earlier today at the Budget Suites Motel, which is near the Stardust Casino in Las Vegas.
So, again, as our top story this morning, just wanted to pass along to you all that information from the Associated Press.
Clearly we're working our folks in Columbus and Vegas to get you more so stay tuned.
O'BRIEN: Seems as if someone turned him in after recognizing him from media reports.
HEMMER: Exactly.
O'BRIEN: Obviously, the preponderance of throwing that picture everywhere was something that really worked for authorities there.
HEMMER: More on this in a moment. Also in a moment here, Democrat John Kerry still faces heat to name names now from the president himself. A closer look at that story in a moment.
O'BRIEN: Also a controversy over the true cost of the Medicare revamp. It's now spurred an investigation of the Bush administration. We're going to take you live to Capitol Hill.
HEMMER: And Martha Stewart's daughter reveals a side of her mother that she says most people do not know. That's ahead in an exclusive interview here on CNN.
Back in a moment on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Welcome back here on AMERICAN MORNING. Breaking news out of Las Vegas by way of Columbus, Ohio.
The suspect that the police have named earlier in the week. Charles McCoy, Jr., age 28, was picked up in the early morning hours on this Wednesday morning in Las Vegas.
That Geo Metro, that green four-door car, 1999 with a license tag that was put out the other night on Monday night, some videotape here KTMV our affiliate working that story in Vegas.
Apparently Charles McCoy has driven to Nevada despite the fact that his picture had been posted at a number of airports across the country.
But on Monday night when such a firm description was put out, it was considered by many people just to be a question of time.
The Associated Press reporting in custody now without incident. He's being interviewed, picked up at a motel near the Stardust Casino, if you're familiar with Las Vegas.
At least one person called police and said they recognized him from the various media reports throughout the week. Said not to be armed, however, police at last check had not gone into the hotel, had not gone into his car, so much more on this story out of Vegas.
Charles McCoy, Jr., the suspected Columbus, Ohio sniper now in custody in Las Vegas. More when we get it here -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: To politics now. President Bush himself has now joined the chorus calling on Senator John Kerry to name some names. Senator Kerry won't say which foreign leaders have told him that they would prefer to see him in the White House.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think it's -- if you're going to make an accusation in the course of a presidential campaign you ought to back it up with facts.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: Rand Beers used to work in the Bush administration. Now he's advising the Kerry campaign on national security and homeland security issues. He joins us this morning from Washington, D.C.
Nice to see you, sir. Thanks for being with us.
RAND BEERS, KERRY CAMPAIGN ADVISER: Good morning, nice to see you, too.
O'BRIEN: Thank you very much. You just heard a little bit from the president there. Do you think it's unfair to ask the senator to back up his accusations and clarify whom he's actually speaking about?
BEERS: I absolutely do. I mean, I think we've been in a number of situations on the administration's side at the beginning of the Gulf War they claimed to have a large number of Arab leaders who were supporting them that they could not make the names public of.
It's not at all unusual for foreign leaders to make comments privately, and it would be inappropriate for John Kerry to make their names public. That's the nature of international politics so I don't find it at all (inaudible).
O'BRIEN: The senator when asked -- admittedly -- by -- from the person who was asking the question was a Bush supporter he didn't say listen I feel uncomfortable answering that question because it would put the security of these foreign leaders at risk. He didn't say I feel uncomfortable going forward with this information because of course some of this stuff has to be protected. He said it's none of your business. And there are certainly voters who think actually it is their business.
Do you think he took the wrong tack by putting it that way?
BEERS: I think that he was just being absolutely candid that this is an issue that's between him and the people that he talks to, and I don't think that there's a need for him to reveal that.
You all don't reveal sources and methods and you can verify this quite easily if you were to ask your foreign correspondents what the attitudes are in the countries that are in Western Europe for example.
We had a poll yesterday, which indicated the very sad state of affairs of U.S. relations with our European allies. I think this is something we've really got to turn around.
O'BRIEN: Why should American voters be swayed by what foreign leaders think or whom foreign leaders think should be running the country? Wouldn't it just be much more appropriate for American voters to be swayed by what American voters think?
BEERS: Of course it's more important for American voters to think and have their own mind.
John Kerry was simply making a point that our status in the world today has been effected quite negatively by the conduct of this presidency and I think that's a relevant issue for American voters to ponder. It goes to the issue of America's credibility and the president's credibility and I think that is a relevant issue for this election.
O'BRIEN: The Bush campaign has released a new commercial and I want to play a little bit for you.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BUSH: I'm George W. Bush and I approved this message.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Few votes in Congress are as important as funding our troops at war. Though John Kerry voted in October 2002 for military action in Iraq, he later voted against funding our soldiers.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Kerry.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.
Body armor for troops in combat.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Kerry.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.
Higher combat pay.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Kerry.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.
And better health care for reservists and their families.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Kerry.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.
Wrong on defense.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: Obviously the Kerry campaign is not exactly loving this commercial.
Senator -- Senator Kerry was one of only 12 senators who voted against the funds. Was that a mistake to read into that vote as not supporting the troops?
BEERS: That is absolutely a mistake and a misrepresentation of John Kerry's position.
I think it's outrageous. John Kerry has supported the troops through his entire career in the senate.
And his vote in this instance was not a vote against the troops; it was a vote against the administration's policy and the administration set the vote up in such a way that John could only express his view by voting no.
He voted to support the troops all along, and he will continue to do that, and he will speak out about that today.
O'BRIEN: Rand Beers joining us this morning. Thanks for being with us. Appreciate it.
Let's turn now to the Republican side. Michigan Congressman Peter Hoekstra is a Bush supporter; he joins us from the Capitol this morning.
Nice to see you, thanks for being with us.
What exactly is the big deal, sir, about naming names? You certainly as we heard just a moment ago -- this poll that shows a list of foreign leaders who actually say their favorability rating toward President Bush is so high -- I mean look at that list there.
You can almost take anybody from those lists and that could be one of the leaders who spoke to Senator Kerry, so what's the big deal, exactly?
REPUBLICAN. PETE HOEKSTRA (R) MICHIGAN: Well, the big deal is that you know, this is a man who is running for the presidency of the United States, the most powerful job in the world, who is now saying that one of his key platforms is that foreign leaders support me more than this president without laying out the policy.
You know, I've been to a number of these countries in the Middle East and met with their heads of state. What they are looking for from America; they're looking for America for leadership; they're looking for America in the war on terrorism to take decisive action and they're looking for resolve saying America is going to embark on a course and they're going to stay -- stay the course and they're going to finish the job that they started.
So President Bush has clearly laid out a strategy. Senator Kerry is just saying you know well there's people out there that support me more than President Bush and if that's his platform that's a pretty weak platform.
O'BRIEN: When you look at these unfavorability ratings, though, Britain 57 percent, Russia 60 percent, Turkey 67 down to Jordan 95 percent.
Unfavorability ratings for the president how concerned is the administration and should the administration be about these numbers?
HOEKSTRA: Well, you need to take a look at the numbers but you also have to take a look at the job that needs to be done.
There is a global war on terrorism. The Jordanians are helping us in that war on terrorism. The Egyptians are helping us in that war on terrorism.
Even on certain occasions the Syrians are helping us. And in many cases they've said America welcomes the war on terrorism and we're going to stand beside you; their leaders are going in that direction.
Obviously there's going to be some additional work that needs to be done in these countries to convince them that the direction that we are taking is the most effective way to combat this war and to combat the terrorist elements in the world today.
O'BRIEN: Michigan Congressman Peter Hoekstra thank you for being with us this morning. Appreciate your time.
HOEKSTRA: Great, thank you.
O'BRIEN: A short break. We're back in just a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: All right, welcome back.
Question of the day and Jack.
CAFFERTY: Thank you, Bill. The image of the United States overseas has never been lower. According to a poll by the non-partisan Pew Research Center. Results of a nine-nation poll show a majority of people in every country except this one says the war in Iraq hurt the fight against terrorism.
Also, majorities in Great Britain, France, Germany, and Turkey all allies and members of NATO say Western Europe should take a more independent approach to its security and diplomacy.
And, majorities in every country except the United States have an unfavorable opinion of President Bush. The question is this: has the war on terror permanently damaged America's relations with its allies? You can e-mail us at am@cnn.com.
Pretty startling study.
O'BRIEN: The poll numbers are fascinating, aren't they?
CAFFERTY: Pretty startling stuff.
O'BRIEN: All right, thanks, Jack. We'll see what everybody has to say when they write in.
Still to come this morning how prosecutors are trying to bolster their case against former NBA star Jayson Williams. We've got the latest in his manslaughter case just ahead as AMERICAN MORNING continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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