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CNN Live Today

Body of Nicholas Berg Flown Home Today

Aired May 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, CNN ANCHOR: It is 11:00 A.M. on the East coast and 8:00 a.m. on the west coast. Good morning, I'm Daryn Kagan.
Up first on CNN, the body of Nicholas Berg is being flown home to the U.S. today. The Philadelphia area man was beheaded by captors in Iraq. In a videotape posted on an al Qaeda-linked Web site.

The murder was apparently meant to avenge the humiliation and mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners. We begin our coverage with our National Security Correspondent David Ensor.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICHOLAS BERG: My name is Nick Berg. My father's name is Michael.

DAVID ENSOR, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): "My name is Nick Berg" says the 26-year-old American civilian on the tape. Then he names his parents, his brother and sister and his hometown.

Standing behind Berg, who disappeared April 9, one of five hooded terrorists reads a statement, referring to the controversy over abuse of prisoners by American soldiers. "The dignity of the Muslim men and women in Abu Ghraib prison is not redeemed except by blood and souls."

The speaker promises coffins after coffins. And then on the tape the last cry of Nick Berg is heard as his head is cut off with a knife.

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC), ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE: We're dealing with an enemy that has absolutely no boundaries, that's despicable in every way, and really behaves like animals in the name of god.

ENSOR: The Web site claims that the killing was done by Abu Musab al Zarqawi, a Jordanian terrorist whose al Qaeda-affiliated group is held responsible by U.S. intelligence for a string of bombings in Iraq, and for the killing of an American diplomat in Amman.

CNN Arabic linguists say however that the voice on the tape has the wrong accent. They do not believe it is Zarqawi. U.S. officials said the killers tried to take advantage of the prison abuse controversy to gain attention. TOM RIDGE, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: I think need to understand that Zarqawi, or none of the other terrorist leaders have needed in the past any particular provocation for their deadly destructive designs and conduct.

ENSOR (on camera): On the tape, the hooded terrorist's claims they offered to exchange Berg for Iraqi prisoners held in Abu Ghraib prison. U.S. officials say that's false. They know of no such offer.

David Ensor, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: U.S. officials in Iraq promise a thorough investigation into the kidnaping and killing of Nicholas Berg. For more on that and reaction from within Iraq, let's bring in CNN's Karl Penhaul, who is live in Baghdad -- Karl.

KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Daryn. Yes, in an afternoon press briefing, coalition spokesman Dan Senor did promise a thorough coalition investigation into the murder of Nick Berg.

That said there were far more questions than answers at that press briefing. What Dan Senor did tell us was that Nick Berg came into Iraq from Jordan. He was a self-employed contractor looking for work but with no firm promise of work. He was though Dan Senor told us arrested by Iraqi police near the northern city of Mosul on March 24.

He was held then for the following 12 days. During that time, Dan Senor says he was visited at least three times by the FBI on suspicion that he may be involved in some kind of criminal terrorist activity, though they found no evidence of that.

General Kimmitt, the coalition military spokesman, said that U.S. military police also visited Nick Berg to see what his conditions were like. That said, after that, Dan Senor says he doesn't know why Nick Berg was released.

He said he doesn't know the circumstances of his arrest. He's referring all further questions about this to Mosul police station. That said, Mosul police station is very firmly under coalition control and unclear at this stage why Dan Senor is referring those questions to the Mosul police rather than taking them on himself.

Now, in addition, some other matter that came out of this press conference was the announcement by General Kimmitt that two more soldiers, a sergeant and staff sergeant, will face court marshals with regard to alleged prisoner abuses in Abu Ghraib prison. These two soldiers will face charges ranging from dereliction of duty, through to assault, and also maltreatment of subordinates -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Karl Penhaul in Baghdad, thank you for the latest on that. Nick Berg hailed from Westchester, Pennsylvania. That's where our Maria Hinojosa is this morning with more on his life and family -- Maria. MARIA HINOJOSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well a tremendous sense of sadness in this community. A really picturesque community about 45 minutes away from Philadelphia. The family that lives in the home behind me the Berg family remains in seclusion.

We've not seen or heard from them in more than 24 hours. And some confusion about who in fact, had custody over Nick Berg. Now, what we know the father said before the murder happened that at some point during his 13-day detention, U.S. officials took custody of my son and the father said, he was not allowed contact or able to make any kinds of phone calls.

That is what the father said previously before he knew that his son had been murdered. We know now that the coalition spokesperson has said that there is some confusion. Let's hear what he had to say from that press conference.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAN SENOR, COALITION SPOKESMAN: He was detained and arrested by Iraqi police. American authorities, the FBI, had contact with Mr. Berg and met with him on three occasions and made their own determination that he was not suspected of being involved in any criminal or terrorist activities. But he was at no time under the jurisdiction or detention of coalition forces.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HINOJOSA: Now, yesterday, Michael Berg, the father of Nick Berg, spoke to WBUR a local public radio station in Boston. And it appears that he does in fact, believe he son was in U.S. custody.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

MICHAEL BERG, FATHER: That's really what cost my son his life, was the fact that the United States government saw fit to keep him in custody for 13 days without any of his due process or civil rights. And released him when they were good and ready.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

HINOJOSA: Again, we have not heard from the Berg family, but we do know that they did file a federal lawsuit on April 5. They were charging that their son was being held without due process. That was filed here outside of Philadelphia on April 5. On April 6, their son was released. They heard from him up until April 9. At that point, all communication was lost.

Of course at this point now, they are simply hoping the body will arrive some time today in the United States at Dover Air Force Base -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Instead of focusing on the very unfortunate end of his life, how about the quick life that Nicholas Berg did lead? It sounds like he was a free spirit, a young man who was determined to see world and be a part of it. HINOJOSA: Not only see the world he apparently cared for the poor of the world. He made two trips to Africa to build cement blocks and to build communications towers. A young man that did support the war effort.

But according to his father, felt that he could be part of the rebuilding effort of a country that many of us often see just images of destruction. But for him, it was according to his parents, a chance to help a country actually get back on track.

The people who you speak to around here who knew him said you couldn't have wished for a better son a smarter son a more committed son. Entirely helpful. A real humanitarian. They just say he's going to be terribly missed -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Hopefully, that's what they will be holding on to, the very quick life the very meaningful life that he did lead. Thank you so much. Maria Hinojosa in Westchester Pennsylvania.

The beheading of Nicholas Berg has provoked outrage around the world but not every where. More on international reaction to the brutal act from CNN's Diana Muriel who was in London.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DIANA MURIEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): From Britain to Brunei, these horrifying pictures have flashed around the world. The videotape death by beheading of Nick Berg in Iraq, first shown on an Internet Web site linked to al Qaeda and affiliated groups. The site claims the killing was in revenge for alleged abuses of Iraqis at the hand of U.S. Soldiers. Condemnation from Iraq.

ADEL KARIM, BAGHDAD CITIZEN (through translator): If they are Muslims, the messenger of Allah Muhammad says don't kill even sick dogs.

ATEF JASSEM, BAGHDAD CITIZEN (through translator): Musab is a terrorist and all of the resistance is coming from outside Iraq like Syria and other parts of the world.

MURIEL: Some in Afghanistan defended the murder, blaming the United States for starting a cycle of violence following the coalition invasion of Iraq.

JABAR KHAN, KABUL SPOKESPERSON (through translator): This beheading is a good act because the Iraqis have been oppressed and whoever is oppressed should defend themselves. As a Muslim, I support this act.

MURIEL: Some sympathy, too, in the most populous Muslim nation in the world, Indonesia, although the actions of the hostage takers could be not be excused.

BUDI, JAKARTA RESIDENT (through translator): Even hostages, under the teachings of Islam, must be treated humanely. If others did otherwise it doesn't mean we should do the same. But then under the current conditions, such chaos in Iraq, we cannot blame the Iraqis whose lives have been totally destroyed.

MURIEL: But in Japan, as well as other parts of the non-Muslim Asia, Berg's murder was widely condemned. Sympathy on streets in Tokyo for the United States' predicament in Iraq.

NORKI KATO, TOKYO RESIDENT (through translator): I think the situation will become more of a quagmire. If you think about world peace, it's necessary for the U.S. to be there. I mean, the Iraqis had the horrible president, didn't they?

MURIEL: Just one word spelled it out in British newspaper headlines. Some leading British politicians warning the execution highlights the growing threat to British soldiers in Iraq, in the wake of allegations of abuse made against American and British troops there.

Diana Muriel, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: Many Americans are in shock over the brutal beheading of Nicholas Berg in Iraq. Coming up, we're going to the streets to get reaction that coming up in our next half hour. Up next, though, the young female private we see in those prison abuse pictures, she breaks her silence. We'll hear from her just ahead. And later, the pain at the pump could get even worse.

We'll be joined by one man who wants to help you save. CNN LIVE TODAY comes right back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Americans have come to know her face over the last two weeks. Private Lynndie England is featured prominently in several photographs that showed alleged Iraqi prisoner abuses. She is seen smiling and gesturing at detainees.

Now England is speaking out for the first time. Her body language appears to be very different in the interview. She says she was following orders to put psychological pressure on the prisoners.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PFC. LYNNDIE ENGLAND, U.S. ARMY: We all agree that we don't feel like we were doing things that we weren't supposed to because we were told to do them. We think everything was justified because we were instructed to do this and to do that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Meanwhile, England faces court marshal over her role in the photographs. For now, she has been reassigned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, because she's pregnant.

Senators will have a chance today to view more photos from Abu Ghraib prison, that happens later today. It happens in private. Ed Henry is on Capitol Hill with more on that.

ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: In breaking news now. CNN has confirmed that House members as well will be able to view these photos and videos that are being sent over by the Pentagon.

They should be over within the next couple of hours. House members and Senators will be viewing them starting at 2:00 p.m. Behind closed doors. House members will do it in the Rayburn building on their side of the campus. The Senate will be viewing them in an S- 407, that's a secure room in the Capitol, normally reserved for classified briefings.

A House democratic leadership source is also telling CNN that there are about 1,000 photos that are being sent over. About 3 to 400 of them are related directly to the investigation.

They document more prison abuses. But the rest of them are pornographic or just silly photos that are unrelated directly to the investigation. Significance here though overall, is that Senators are also expecting, privately that they will get these photos in two different batches.

In the Senate, there will be two different tables. That's the expectation, according to a republican staffer. One table with photos that are directly related to the investigation. Another table dealing with photos that are not directly related to the probe.

So that if senators do not want to view them or graphic photos that are not urgent to the investigation, they can skip over them. In the House, we're also told there will be some sort of a slide show of the photos showed continuously from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m.

So lawmakers can see it. Overall, the significance is the Pentagon will not be giving custody of the photos to the House or Senate. Pentagon officials will screening these images throughout.

The key there is lawmakers do not want to be the ones who have custody of this, they do not want to be the ones deciding whether or not they will be released publicly. That will be up to the Bush administration -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Let's talk about something else happening on Capitol Hill. Donald Rumsfeld giving more testimony today. This one involving dollars. What can you tell us about that?

HENRY: That's right. Secretary Rumsfeld is talking to the Senate defense appropriation subcommittee about his budget for next year, over 400 billion dollars that the Pentagon is seeking.

There is also, of course, talk about this 25 billion dollar emergency spending proposal that the Pentagon also wants to help deal with getting more money to the troops in the short term.

There have been Democrats, including Patrick Leahy of Vermont, that have been beating up on the secretary, bringing up this prison abuse scandal, even though this is an unrelated hearing. That really sparked some anger from Senate Appropriations Chairman Ted Stevens.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. TED STEVENS (R-AK), CHAIRMAN, APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: This is not a hearing on Iraq abuse. It's not a hearing on al Qaeda. This is a hearing on trying to ask questions concerning the information we've been given on the appropriations request so far.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We haven't even given the request yet and we're already...

(CROSSTALK)

STEVENS: That's what we're talking about this morning. We haven't received reserve request, that's true, but that's you know, I have no court to put in senator's mouths or witnesses' mouths, but my hope is that we pursue the information we've gotten so far with regard to the information we've gotten so far but we still need information about the 401 billion dollars.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENRY: Daryn, the bottom line, the big picture, is that while the republican congress for the most part has given the republican president a free hand to conduct the war on terror and conduct the war in Iraq, we now see in light of the prison abuse scandal in light of the questions about how the Pentagon is spending its money, a much more muscular congress now providing more oversight.

You see Democrats being more aggressive about asking tough questions of Secretary Rumsfeld and also General Myers as well, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. And you're seeing a lot of oversight now, a lot of back and forth. This prison abuse scandal has certainly made congress a little more aggressive in its oversight of the war -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Ed Henry on Capitol Hill. A lot happening there today. We'll be back with you. Thank you.

The cleanup has started after a tornado's descent on Texas. The latest pictures and information next on that.

And later, he's a force in rock 'n' roll and politics. Bono is joining us live from Canada. He has an important message about fighting AIDS.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: In the Texas panhandle, officials say that a tornado knocked a freight train off the tracks near the town of Hartley. Two locomotives and 15 cars derailed. There were no injuries. Tornadoes were also reported at the other end of the state near Houston. Again no injuries were reported, but many businesses in the town of Conroe sustained structural damage. Wish those folks well in cleaning up that mess Rob Marciano, any other messes in the weather world to talk about? (WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: What's the deal? You'd think its Friday already. Something tells me the women of America are not calling and complaining to CNN.

KAGAN: Do you feel like you're getting mugged at the pump? The government says gas prices will likely peak at a national average of $2.03 in June. They should stay high through the summer since the first of the year prices are up roughly 50 cents.

Brad Proctor is the CEO and founder of gaspricewatch.com. He is in Cincinnati this morning. Good morning.

BRAD PROCTOR, CEO AND FOUNDER OF GASPRICEWATCH.COM: Good morning thanks for having me back.

KAGAN: What did it cost you to drive to the studio today?

PROCTOR: It was about a dollar and a half.

KAGAN: Dollar and a half. Almost a gallon of gas to get there.

PROCTOR: That's right.

KAGAN: What are prices like in Cincinnati?

PROCTOR: We're seeing about a dollar ninety three is the average. We went up Monday about 20 cents a gallon.

KAGAN: In one day?

PROCTOR: In one day, the average in this town went up 20 cents.

KAGAN: Wow I bet that got some people's attention. Where's the worse place in the country, though?

PROCTOR: California gets that distinction. It has the highest. Over $3 a gallon in some cities out there. Their average is about $2.25 a gallon. So there are some extremes out there.

KAGAN: What is it about California that makes it so expensive?

PROCTOR: Well California has a unique blend of gasoline. 90% of the gasoline that's blended that is used by California is actually manufactured in California because of EPA regulations.

So they can't really bring in a lot of extra gasoline. They've got one of the highest demands of the entire United States in terms of gasoline. So it puts supply and demand out of whack.

KAGAN: And one of the best places in the country?

PROCTOR: Texas seems to be a great place right now. They're seeing in the $1.60 areas. So you kind of expect there's a lot of oil down there, some fields in terms of being able to have the refining capacity. So they have the ability to keep the price very affordable in Texas.

KAGAN: Here's the really frustrating part. The worst is yet to come.

PROCTOR: Oh, absolutely. We've seen just an incredible increase over the last 30 days. We're probably 60 cents above what we were a year ago. We've got a long way to go with the summer coming.

You see today we're up about 4.5% of demand over last year. We have actually got a little extra refining capacity, but due to terrorism issues, the fact that our economy is heating up, China's economy is heating up, the demand for the oil is getting to be very prevalent across the country and across the world.

But at the same time, you have a real uncertainty in what's happening in the Middle East and especially in Saudi Arabia right now, which is a big...

KAGAN: What can we do to fight back? Trying to keep the prices down at the pump. Some people are saying ride a bike and use public transit. Yes there is that. But if you're trying to find lower gas prices?

PROCTOR: We'd like to let everybody know about our Web site, gaspricewatch.com. We have an army of spotters out there who have all volunteered to put prices in from across the nation.

We're always looking for more. But the idea is we have about 129,000 stations ready to be tracked. We have 88,000 volunteers. So the idea is to encourage those low-price leaders in your own community by buying.

You have the economic power in your own wallet. It's your money, it's your credit cards. Buy from the low price leader. What you'll do is you'll encourage the oil companies to keep those prices lower.

KAGAN: Very good. Your Web site is free, right?

PROCTOR: Absolutely.

KAGAN: That's why we pass it on. Brad Proctor from gaspricewatch.com, Brad thank you.

PROCTOR: Thank you.

KAGAN: Here's to cheap gas prices for you.

It is the horrifying image shocking many people around the world. Nowhere is the outrage and anger stronger than it is in the U.S. We have the latest on the beheading of an American in Iraq. That's coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired May 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, CNN ANCHOR: It is 11:00 A.M. on the East coast and 8:00 a.m. on the west coast. Good morning, I'm Daryn Kagan.
Up first on CNN, the body of Nicholas Berg is being flown home to the U.S. today. The Philadelphia area man was beheaded by captors in Iraq. In a videotape posted on an al Qaeda-linked Web site.

The murder was apparently meant to avenge the humiliation and mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners. We begin our coverage with our National Security Correspondent David Ensor.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICHOLAS BERG: My name is Nick Berg. My father's name is Michael.

DAVID ENSOR, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): "My name is Nick Berg" says the 26-year-old American civilian on the tape. Then he names his parents, his brother and sister and his hometown.

Standing behind Berg, who disappeared April 9, one of five hooded terrorists reads a statement, referring to the controversy over abuse of prisoners by American soldiers. "The dignity of the Muslim men and women in Abu Ghraib prison is not redeemed except by blood and souls."

The speaker promises coffins after coffins. And then on the tape the last cry of Nick Berg is heard as his head is cut off with a knife.

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC), ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE: We're dealing with an enemy that has absolutely no boundaries, that's despicable in every way, and really behaves like animals in the name of god.

ENSOR: The Web site claims that the killing was done by Abu Musab al Zarqawi, a Jordanian terrorist whose al Qaeda-affiliated group is held responsible by U.S. intelligence for a string of bombings in Iraq, and for the killing of an American diplomat in Amman.

CNN Arabic linguists say however that the voice on the tape has the wrong accent. They do not believe it is Zarqawi. U.S. officials said the killers tried to take advantage of the prison abuse controversy to gain attention. TOM RIDGE, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: I think need to understand that Zarqawi, or none of the other terrorist leaders have needed in the past any particular provocation for their deadly destructive designs and conduct.

ENSOR (on camera): On the tape, the hooded terrorist's claims they offered to exchange Berg for Iraqi prisoners held in Abu Ghraib prison. U.S. officials say that's false. They know of no such offer.

David Ensor, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: U.S. officials in Iraq promise a thorough investigation into the kidnaping and killing of Nicholas Berg. For more on that and reaction from within Iraq, let's bring in CNN's Karl Penhaul, who is live in Baghdad -- Karl.

KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Daryn. Yes, in an afternoon press briefing, coalition spokesman Dan Senor did promise a thorough coalition investigation into the murder of Nick Berg.

That said there were far more questions than answers at that press briefing. What Dan Senor did tell us was that Nick Berg came into Iraq from Jordan. He was a self-employed contractor looking for work but with no firm promise of work. He was though Dan Senor told us arrested by Iraqi police near the northern city of Mosul on March 24.

He was held then for the following 12 days. During that time, Dan Senor says he was visited at least three times by the FBI on suspicion that he may be involved in some kind of criminal terrorist activity, though they found no evidence of that.

General Kimmitt, the coalition military spokesman, said that U.S. military police also visited Nick Berg to see what his conditions were like. That said, after that, Dan Senor says he doesn't know why Nick Berg was released.

He said he doesn't know the circumstances of his arrest. He's referring all further questions about this to Mosul police station. That said, Mosul police station is very firmly under coalition control and unclear at this stage why Dan Senor is referring those questions to the Mosul police rather than taking them on himself.

Now, in addition, some other matter that came out of this press conference was the announcement by General Kimmitt that two more soldiers, a sergeant and staff sergeant, will face court marshals with regard to alleged prisoner abuses in Abu Ghraib prison. These two soldiers will face charges ranging from dereliction of duty, through to assault, and also maltreatment of subordinates -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Karl Penhaul in Baghdad, thank you for the latest on that. Nick Berg hailed from Westchester, Pennsylvania. That's where our Maria Hinojosa is this morning with more on his life and family -- Maria. MARIA HINOJOSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well a tremendous sense of sadness in this community. A really picturesque community about 45 minutes away from Philadelphia. The family that lives in the home behind me the Berg family remains in seclusion.

We've not seen or heard from them in more than 24 hours. And some confusion about who in fact, had custody over Nick Berg. Now, what we know the father said before the murder happened that at some point during his 13-day detention, U.S. officials took custody of my son and the father said, he was not allowed contact or able to make any kinds of phone calls.

That is what the father said previously before he knew that his son had been murdered. We know now that the coalition spokesperson has said that there is some confusion. Let's hear what he had to say from that press conference.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAN SENOR, COALITION SPOKESMAN: He was detained and arrested by Iraqi police. American authorities, the FBI, had contact with Mr. Berg and met with him on three occasions and made their own determination that he was not suspected of being involved in any criminal or terrorist activities. But he was at no time under the jurisdiction or detention of coalition forces.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HINOJOSA: Now, yesterday, Michael Berg, the father of Nick Berg, spoke to WBUR a local public radio station in Boston. And it appears that he does in fact, believe he son was in U.S. custody.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

MICHAEL BERG, FATHER: That's really what cost my son his life, was the fact that the United States government saw fit to keep him in custody for 13 days without any of his due process or civil rights. And released him when they were good and ready.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

HINOJOSA: Again, we have not heard from the Berg family, but we do know that they did file a federal lawsuit on April 5. They were charging that their son was being held without due process. That was filed here outside of Philadelphia on April 5. On April 6, their son was released. They heard from him up until April 9. At that point, all communication was lost.

Of course at this point now, they are simply hoping the body will arrive some time today in the United States at Dover Air Force Base -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Instead of focusing on the very unfortunate end of his life, how about the quick life that Nicholas Berg did lead? It sounds like he was a free spirit, a young man who was determined to see world and be a part of it. HINOJOSA: Not only see the world he apparently cared for the poor of the world. He made two trips to Africa to build cement blocks and to build communications towers. A young man that did support the war effort.

But according to his father, felt that he could be part of the rebuilding effort of a country that many of us often see just images of destruction. But for him, it was according to his parents, a chance to help a country actually get back on track.

The people who you speak to around here who knew him said you couldn't have wished for a better son a smarter son a more committed son. Entirely helpful. A real humanitarian. They just say he's going to be terribly missed -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Hopefully, that's what they will be holding on to, the very quick life the very meaningful life that he did lead. Thank you so much. Maria Hinojosa in Westchester Pennsylvania.

The beheading of Nicholas Berg has provoked outrage around the world but not every where. More on international reaction to the brutal act from CNN's Diana Muriel who was in London.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DIANA MURIEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): From Britain to Brunei, these horrifying pictures have flashed around the world. The videotape death by beheading of Nick Berg in Iraq, first shown on an Internet Web site linked to al Qaeda and affiliated groups. The site claims the killing was in revenge for alleged abuses of Iraqis at the hand of U.S. Soldiers. Condemnation from Iraq.

ADEL KARIM, BAGHDAD CITIZEN (through translator): If they are Muslims, the messenger of Allah Muhammad says don't kill even sick dogs.

ATEF JASSEM, BAGHDAD CITIZEN (through translator): Musab is a terrorist and all of the resistance is coming from outside Iraq like Syria and other parts of the world.

MURIEL: Some in Afghanistan defended the murder, blaming the United States for starting a cycle of violence following the coalition invasion of Iraq.

JABAR KHAN, KABUL SPOKESPERSON (through translator): This beheading is a good act because the Iraqis have been oppressed and whoever is oppressed should defend themselves. As a Muslim, I support this act.

MURIEL: Some sympathy, too, in the most populous Muslim nation in the world, Indonesia, although the actions of the hostage takers could be not be excused.

BUDI, JAKARTA RESIDENT (through translator): Even hostages, under the teachings of Islam, must be treated humanely. If others did otherwise it doesn't mean we should do the same. But then under the current conditions, such chaos in Iraq, we cannot blame the Iraqis whose lives have been totally destroyed.

MURIEL: But in Japan, as well as other parts of the non-Muslim Asia, Berg's murder was widely condemned. Sympathy on streets in Tokyo for the United States' predicament in Iraq.

NORKI KATO, TOKYO RESIDENT (through translator): I think the situation will become more of a quagmire. If you think about world peace, it's necessary for the U.S. to be there. I mean, the Iraqis had the horrible president, didn't they?

MURIEL: Just one word spelled it out in British newspaper headlines. Some leading British politicians warning the execution highlights the growing threat to British soldiers in Iraq, in the wake of allegations of abuse made against American and British troops there.

Diana Muriel, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: Many Americans are in shock over the brutal beheading of Nicholas Berg in Iraq. Coming up, we're going to the streets to get reaction that coming up in our next half hour. Up next, though, the young female private we see in those prison abuse pictures, she breaks her silence. We'll hear from her just ahead. And later, the pain at the pump could get even worse.

We'll be joined by one man who wants to help you save. CNN LIVE TODAY comes right back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Americans have come to know her face over the last two weeks. Private Lynndie England is featured prominently in several photographs that showed alleged Iraqi prisoner abuses. She is seen smiling and gesturing at detainees.

Now England is speaking out for the first time. Her body language appears to be very different in the interview. She says she was following orders to put psychological pressure on the prisoners.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PFC. LYNNDIE ENGLAND, U.S. ARMY: We all agree that we don't feel like we were doing things that we weren't supposed to because we were told to do them. We think everything was justified because we were instructed to do this and to do that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Meanwhile, England faces court marshal over her role in the photographs. For now, she has been reassigned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, because she's pregnant.

Senators will have a chance today to view more photos from Abu Ghraib prison, that happens later today. It happens in private. Ed Henry is on Capitol Hill with more on that.

ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: In breaking news now. CNN has confirmed that House members as well will be able to view these photos and videos that are being sent over by the Pentagon.

They should be over within the next couple of hours. House members and Senators will be viewing them starting at 2:00 p.m. Behind closed doors. House members will do it in the Rayburn building on their side of the campus. The Senate will be viewing them in an S- 407, that's a secure room in the Capitol, normally reserved for classified briefings.

A House democratic leadership source is also telling CNN that there are about 1,000 photos that are being sent over. About 3 to 400 of them are related directly to the investigation.

They document more prison abuses. But the rest of them are pornographic or just silly photos that are unrelated directly to the investigation. Significance here though overall, is that Senators are also expecting, privately that they will get these photos in two different batches.

In the Senate, there will be two different tables. That's the expectation, according to a republican staffer. One table with photos that are directly related to the investigation. Another table dealing with photos that are not directly related to the probe.

So that if senators do not want to view them or graphic photos that are not urgent to the investigation, they can skip over them. In the House, we're also told there will be some sort of a slide show of the photos showed continuously from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m.

So lawmakers can see it. Overall, the significance is the Pentagon will not be giving custody of the photos to the House or Senate. Pentagon officials will screening these images throughout.

The key there is lawmakers do not want to be the ones who have custody of this, they do not want to be the ones deciding whether or not they will be released publicly. That will be up to the Bush administration -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Let's talk about something else happening on Capitol Hill. Donald Rumsfeld giving more testimony today. This one involving dollars. What can you tell us about that?

HENRY: That's right. Secretary Rumsfeld is talking to the Senate defense appropriation subcommittee about his budget for next year, over 400 billion dollars that the Pentagon is seeking.

There is also, of course, talk about this 25 billion dollar emergency spending proposal that the Pentagon also wants to help deal with getting more money to the troops in the short term.

There have been Democrats, including Patrick Leahy of Vermont, that have been beating up on the secretary, bringing up this prison abuse scandal, even though this is an unrelated hearing. That really sparked some anger from Senate Appropriations Chairman Ted Stevens.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. TED STEVENS (R-AK), CHAIRMAN, APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: This is not a hearing on Iraq abuse. It's not a hearing on al Qaeda. This is a hearing on trying to ask questions concerning the information we've been given on the appropriations request so far.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We haven't even given the request yet and we're already...

(CROSSTALK)

STEVENS: That's what we're talking about this morning. We haven't received reserve request, that's true, but that's you know, I have no court to put in senator's mouths or witnesses' mouths, but my hope is that we pursue the information we've gotten so far with regard to the information we've gotten so far but we still need information about the 401 billion dollars.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENRY: Daryn, the bottom line, the big picture, is that while the republican congress for the most part has given the republican president a free hand to conduct the war on terror and conduct the war in Iraq, we now see in light of the prison abuse scandal in light of the questions about how the Pentagon is spending its money, a much more muscular congress now providing more oversight.

You see Democrats being more aggressive about asking tough questions of Secretary Rumsfeld and also General Myers as well, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. And you're seeing a lot of oversight now, a lot of back and forth. This prison abuse scandal has certainly made congress a little more aggressive in its oversight of the war -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Ed Henry on Capitol Hill. A lot happening there today. We'll be back with you. Thank you.

The cleanup has started after a tornado's descent on Texas. The latest pictures and information next on that.

And later, he's a force in rock 'n' roll and politics. Bono is joining us live from Canada. He has an important message about fighting AIDS.

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KAGAN: In the Texas panhandle, officials say that a tornado knocked a freight train off the tracks near the town of Hartley. Two locomotives and 15 cars derailed. There were no injuries. Tornadoes were also reported at the other end of the state near Houston. Again no injuries were reported, but many businesses in the town of Conroe sustained structural damage. Wish those folks well in cleaning up that mess Rob Marciano, any other messes in the weather world to talk about? (WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: What's the deal? You'd think its Friday already. Something tells me the women of America are not calling and complaining to CNN.

KAGAN: Do you feel like you're getting mugged at the pump? The government says gas prices will likely peak at a national average of $2.03 in June. They should stay high through the summer since the first of the year prices are up roughly 50 cents.

Brad Proctor is the CEO and founder of gaspricewatch.com. He is in Cincinnati this morning. Good morning.

BRAD PROCTOR, CEO AND FOUNDER OF GASPRICEWATCH.COM: Good morning thanks for having me back.

KAGAN: What did it cost you to drive to the studio today?

PROCTOR: It was about a dollar and a half.

KAGAN: Dollar and a half. Almost a gallon of gas to get there.

PROCTOR: That's right.

KAGAN: What are prices like in Cincinnati?

PROCTOR: We're seeing about a dollar ninety three is the average. We went up Monday about 20 cents a gallon.

KAGAN: In one day?

PROCTOR: In one day, the average in this town went up 20 cents.

KAGAN: Wow I bet that got some people's attention. Where's the worse place in the country, though?

PROCTOR: California gets that distinction. It has the highest. Over $3 a gallon in some cities out there. Their average is about $2.25 a gallon. So there are some extremes out there.

KAGAN: What is it about California that makes it so expensive?

PROCTOR: Well California has a unique blend of gasoline. 90% of the gasoline that's blended that is used by California is actually manufactured in California because of EPA regulations.

So they can't really bring in a lot of extra gasoline. They've got one of the highest demands of the entire United States in terms of gasoline. So it puts supply and demand out of whack.

KAGAN: And one of the best places in the country?

PROCTOR: Texas seems to be a great place right now. They're seeing in the $1.60 areas. So you kind of expect there's a lot of oil down there, some fields in terms of being able to have the refining capacity. So they have the ability to keep the price very affordable in Texas.

KAGAN: Here's the really frustrating part. The worst is yet to come.

PROCTOR: Oh, absolutely. We've seen just an incredible increase over the last 30 days. We're probably 60 cents above what we were a year ago. We've got a long way to go with the summer coming.

You see today we're up about 4.5% of demand over last year. We have actually got a little extra refining capacity, but due to terrorism issues, the fact that our economy is heating up, China's economy is heating up, the demand for the oil is getting to be very prevalent across the country and across the world.

But at the same time, you have a real uncertainty in what's happening in the Middle East and especially in Saudi Arabia right now, which is a big...

KAGAN: What can we do to fight back? Trying to keep the prices down at the pump. Some people are saying ride a bike and use public transit. Yes there is that. But if you're trying to find lower gas prices?

PROCTOR: We'd like to let everybody know about our Web site, gaspricewatch.com. We have an army of spotters out there who have all volunteered to put prices in from across the nation.

We're always looking for more. But the idea is we have about 129,000 stations ready to be tracked. We have 88,000 volunteers. So the idea is to encourage those low-price leaders in your own community by buying.

You have the economic power in your own wallet. It's your money, it's your credit cards. Buy from the low price leader. What you'll do is you'll encourage the oil companies to keep those prices lower.

KAGAN: Very good. Your Web site is free, right?

PROCTOR: Absolutely.

KAGAN: That's why we pass it on. Brad Proctor from gaspricewatch.com, Brad thank you.

PROCTOR: Thank you.

KAGAN: Here's to cheap gas prices for you.

It is the horrifying image shocking many people around the world. Nowhere is the outrage and anger stronger than it is in the U.S. We have the latest on the beheading of an American in Iraq. That's coming up next.

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