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CNN Live At Daybreak

Latest FBI Warning That Terrorists Could be Preparing Attack on U.S. Soil; Report on Latest Fighting Between Iraqi Insurgents, U.S. Forces

Aired May 26, 2004 - 06:00   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.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: A major terror attack could come as early as this summer and the U.S. is planning for it.
This is DAYBREAK for Wednesday, May 26.

And good morning to you.

From the CNN global headquarters in Atlanta, I'm Carol Costello.

Let me bring you up to date now.

Is America in the bull's eye? Several U.S. officials say intelligence indicates a heightened concern for terrorist attacks in the United States this summer. The FBI will have more on this in its bulletin, out later today.

The case of Terry Schiavo, the brain damaged Florida woman moves into a Clearwater courtroom this afternoon. A judge will hold a hearing into visitation rights for the parents.

In money news, the sale of existing homes moved at a furious pace last month. The adjusted annual rate was more than six and a half million. That is the second best month ever for the sale of existing homes.

In sports, the Calgary Flames win their ninth road play-off game, beating the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first game of the Stanley Cup finals.

And in pop culture, instant fame on the line -- the voting is over and fans of "American Idol" will learn tonight if Diana DeGarmo or Fantasia Barrino will win that coveted recording contract -- Chad.

CHAD MYERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There are actually odds on the Internet. You can bet on that.

COSTELLO: Have you done it?

MYERS: No. I like my money where it is, thank you.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Is a terror attack imminent? That is the concern coming out of Washington this morning, where officials say an attack could come before the November elections. This morning, FBI Director Robert Mueller and Attorney General John Ashcroft will unveil a plan for increased security in the wake of those new concerns.

For more on the warnings, let's head live to Washington and CNN's Bill Prasad -- good morning, Bill.

BILL PRASAD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

This is news you probably did not want to hear -- terrorists could be gearing up for an attack right here on U.S. soil as early as this summer. This as thousands of tourists head to Washington this weekend.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PRASAD (voice-over): One hundred forty thousand people are expected to attend the dedication of the nation's WWII Memorial this Saturday in Washington. This while several U.S. officials confirm a steady stream of intelligence suggests increasing concern a major terrorist attack is planned for U.S. soil some time in the next five months. The officials say the goal may be to try to influence the November elections.

JOHN MILLER, LAPD: Either in a way that reflects the Madrid attack against a soft public target or in a way that falls into the September 11 paradigm.

PRASAD: Officials describe the intelligence as credible, but not very specific -- no date, method or target mentioned. From L.A. to Boston, officials assure citizens everything is being done to foil an attack.

ROBERT MUELLER, FBI DIRECTOR: We all know terrorists and their supporters are mobile, networked, operate across jurisdictional boundaries, and we can defeat these adversaries only, only if our agencies work together.

PRASAD: The FBI is sharing some of its counter-terrorism data with New York State Troopers, sheriffs and local police, hoping to cast a giant dragnet.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is a major step forward for that cop on the street.

PRASAD: Security is expected to be tight for this weekend's WWII Memorial dedication in Washington, with 1,000 law enforcement officers on alert.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PRASAD: Federal law enforcement officials plan to hold a news conference right here in the District later today to talk about the threat. At this point, there is no plan to raise the national terror alert from yellow to orange -- Carol, back to you.

COSTELLO: Bill Prasad live from D.C. this morning.

You can hear more about the potential for terrorist attacks from Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge. He will appear in the seven o'clock Eastern hour of "American Morning" with Bill and Soledad.

The clock is ticking on Iraq. There are 35 days left until the U.S.-led coalition turns over sovereignty of Iraq to an interim government.

Checking the latest for you, Russia's foreign ministry says two of its citizens were killed and five wounded when their bus was attacked south of Baghdad.

Top Bush administration officials say Iraq's new prime minister likely will be Hussain Sharistani, a Shiite Muslim nuclear scientist. Sharistani was imprisoned for 12 years for refusing to take part in Saddam Hussein's weapons programs.

The State Department is considering recommending that the reward for Abu Musab al-Zarqawi be raised from $10 million to $25 million. The State Department says Zarqawi has links to al Qaeda.

And tests of an artillery shell used in a roadside bombing near Baghdad show the presence of the nerve agent sarin.

In Iraq's holy city of Najaf, heavy fighting continues to rage between American forces and militiamen loyal to a radical Shiite cleric.

CNN's Baghdad bureau chief, Jane Arraf, live in Najaf with that and a potentially high level arrest.

Tell us -- Jane.

JANE ARRAF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, the high level arrest is, indeed, one of Muqtada al-Sadr, the radical Shia leader's, chief aides. The name, according to coalition sources is Riyadh al-Nouri. And he's one of three top aides. He acts as a spokesman for Sadr.

Now, U.S. forces (UNINTELLIGIBLE) him last night in a series of coordinated precision raids to arrest Anuri. They've detained him and have taken him to a place for questioning.

Now, this does appear to be a way of putting pressure on Muqtada al-Sadr. They are not likely to go after the main Shia leader himself. They say they're still waiting for that political process to work, although it doesn't seem to be going too far in the last few days. And we have sporadic fighting, as you mentioned, Carol. The Iraqi police stations have come under almost constant attack in these areas. A five hour battle there yesterday with mortars and rocket propelled grenades (UNINTELLIGIBLE) militia. This base is now, this main Army base came under severe attack, as it does almost every night. (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

Fighting does continue, although not near the holy shrines and not in the holy sites, but around the edges (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Jane Arraf reporting live from Najaf.

And we apologize for the audio quality of that report, but she's in the midst of a wartime situation.

Time now for some stories making news across America this Wednesday.

In just a few hours, an Oklahoma jury will begin deliberations in the Terry Nichols murder case. Nichols is charged with 161 counts of first degree murder stemming from his involvement in the Oklahoma City bombing. If convicted, Nichols could face the death penalty.

Thousands of churchgoers in Boston are being forced to find a new place to worship. The Boston Archdiocese announces 65 parish closings. It's part of a massive restructuring. Church leaders blame a shortage of money and priests for the closings.

Firefighters have controlled a chemical warehouse fire outside of Atlanta. Hundreds of homes were evacuated. Nine people had to go to the hospital. Many residents in the path of the toxic fumes have been told to stay inside. People more than 150 miles away are getting a whiff of the chlorine that was stored inside that warehouse.

Still to come on DAYBREAK, you don't have to live in the eye of the storm to be concerned about the weather. Coming up, Chad and a fellow storm expert explain some of the season's severe weather and why it's happening.

And then the Arab voice -- how do the Iraqi people view the handover of power and the new name that has surfaced for the prime minister?

And the life and death battle between one woman's husband and her parents -- a new development in the Terry Schiavo case.

This is DAYBREAK for May 26.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: A lot has been going on in Iraq this week and that's been stirring a lot of reaction here in the United States, and especially in the Middle East.

Our Arab affairs editor, Octavia Nasr, joins us this morning with details of what they're saying in the Arab world -- welcome.

OCTAVIA NASR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thank you.

COSTELLO: Shall we first talk about this new name that has surfaced to lead Iraq? Who is he?

NASR: He's a Shiite. He's an Iraqi. He is a nuclear scientist. And apparently the way he's being portrayed on Arab media is that he belongs to no one. He stands nowhere. He's right in the middle. A lot of his statements that we're hearing on Arab media are those that say I am with the people, for the people, I want to serve the people. That's who he is.

COSTELLO: So it's a pretty good choice? NASR: It looks like it, if you watch Arab media, if you read the press. It looks like this is the person that Iraqis are going to accept because the fear has been -- any time you read articles and opinions in Arab media, it seems that they're worried about this person being handpicked by the U.S., therefore being their puppet. So this one seems like he's going to do well.

COSTELLO: Is he now part of the Iraqi Governing Council or is he totally removed from that?

NASR: He's removed from that. As a matter of fact, an Arab newspaper is quoting him as saying he doesn't want to be playing a role in politics, he doesn't want to be the prime minister. But he also says that if he is asked and he feels like he has to serve his people, he will gladly accept the position.

COSTELLO: So Hussain Sharistani is his name, and we'll see what happens.

Adnan Pachachi is supposedly another name being bandied about. He is part of the Iraqi Governing Council now. He's 80 years old.

Will he take part in a new government and will the Iraqis accept him?

NASR: And Arab media are reporting that he is a name and that he's most likely the person, the other person, to play a major role in the new government. The issue of age is not a problem. The issue of, you know, where he is, that he's a part of the Governing Council now or not, that's not an issue on Arab media.

What concerns them is this idea of handpicking -- who's going to pick these people and what kind of agenda they're going to serve. So it seems to me from reading a lot of articles and opinions, it seems to me that he is another good choice.

COSTELLO: OK, let's talk about this program that Arab television is running called "The Iraq Scene." It's very interesting. Tell us about it.

NASR: Very interesting. Arab networks -- we're talking about the big networks -- they're devoting a lot of time on their air looking at Iraq, looking at the plight of the Iraqi people, their daily routines, what kind of problems they face. So they talk a lot about water shortages, power shortages, no telephone lines. You hear a lot of complaints, basically, just ordinary Iraqis...

COSTELLO: But are there things other than complaints included in the show?

NASR: Well, there are. Sometimes these shows get poetic. So, sort of yes, but it looks like...

COSTELLO: But really no.

NASR: But really no. No, the bad things definitely outweigh the good things at this point in Iraq, judging by these shows.

COSTELLO: All right, Octavia Nasr, thanks for joining us this morning.

NASR: You bet.

COSTELLO: We appreciate it.

Your news, money, weather and sports.

It is 6:14 Eastern.

Here's what's all new this morning.

Just a few hours ago, police in Japan arrested several people as part of an ongoing al Qaeda investigation. Police raided several homes looking for suspects who may have tied to the terrorist organization.

The "Washington Post" is reporting this morning that convicted sniper John Allen Muhammad will face a second trial. Muhammad was sentenced to death last year after being found guilty in the murder of an FBI analyst.

In money news, prescription drug prices are rising at surprising levels. Two leading consumer groups say prices of brand name medicines have risen at triple the rate of inflation.

In sports, the Cincinnati Reds won their seventh straight game thanks to a late home run from Ken Griffey, Jr. Griffey's blast was his third in the last three games. It moves him into 21st place on the all time home run list, and, boy, isn't it good to see him playing well?

In culture, New York City Policeman Daniel Rodriguez is turning in his badge in order to pursue a singing career. Rodriguez first gained national attention for his singing talents at a September 11 prayer service. His first big gig will be the opera "La Boheme" in New Zealand next year -- Chad.

MYERS: Yes, some stirring "Star Spangled Banners" from him in the days after 9/11.

COSTELLO: I remember.

MYERS: Yes, absolutely.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Those are the latest headlines for you this morning.

As Chad said, fierce tornadoes and destructive storms are par for the course this time of year.

Coming up, Chad will cross-examine another weather expert and a fellow storm predictor. What's next for Tornado Alley? Plus, more on the terror warnings going out to U.S. cities this morning and how some cities are handling it.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MYERS: I know you've seen this video a couple of times here, but storm chasers getting significantly too close to the tornado in Hallam, Nebraska. And this is literally -- this is less than a football field away. And this is what we kind of -- we're concerned about this here on CNN and also at the National Weather Service, because we get all this great video and we think people are going to get out there and they're actually going to go try to find it and send it to us. We want you to be safe. We don't want you to go out there and shoot video. And that's part of the problem. It's a catch-22. We want to get out there and see it, you want to be safe and be in your basement.

Our warning coordinator, a meteorologist from the National Weather Service out in Norman, Oklahoma.

Dan McCarthy joins us this morning.

Dan I go back a long way, in fact. I just saw you out at the severe weather conference a couple of months ago, talking about the big weather that was so many years ago.

But, Dan, we're going to have a pretty active season this year. You guys in Oklahoma actually missed a lot of the severe weather and it's traveled on up a little bit farther to your north this season so far. It's going to be all around us, though, this next couple weeks.

DANIEL MCCARTHY, STORM PREDICTION CENTER: Yes, I think so, Chad.

Here in Oklahoma, usually our peak is late April going into mid- May.

MYERS: Sure.

MCCARTHY: But looking at the weather pattern, we still may have a shot in parts of western and northern Oklahoma coming up this weekend.

MYERS: It has been a couple of ugly days and people kind of, they get all concerned that we're going to have day after day after day because that's how it sets up. You get a trough in the West, you get a ridge in the East. That trough wants to keep ejecting little storms out. And the last four days have really been pretty violent.

MCCARTHY: Well, we've recorded 183 tornado reports from Friday through Monday. And that is the most active we've been this year. Up until Friday, we were running 40 percent below normal for annual tornadoes for the country. We are now right at normal for the year.

MYERS: I was showing and actually reading some data over the weekend on vacation -- which I should have been actually not reading something, but I was -- how we have more tornadoes reported in some sports but yet we're getting littler tornadoes being reported. And that's really because there are storm spotters out there, not because there are more F1s or F0 tornadoes out there.

Literally, it's just the law of averages, right?

MCCARTHY: I think it is. We do have a lot of helpers out there in the country. Usually about this time of the year, from mid-April through June, there are people who take a lot of time in going out and looking for storms and chasing the storms. But more importantly, they are reporting this activity to the National Weather Service, and that's really important.

MYERS: Folks always want to ask me how far can you actually forecast severe weather. And the right answer actually is when the storm literally develops, when you actually see it on radar or when you can see the tops firing to your west or northwest or wherever they may be.

How far in advance can we really start taking a look at the next storm coming out of the West and know where the severe weather is going to be one day after another?

MCCARTHY: I think with some confidence, we can definitely forecast out to three days. We are starting to recognize patterns. Now, that's different than recognizing conditions.

MYERS: Correct.

MCCARTHY: We can recognize patterns that are favorable for severe weather, probably with confidence, five to seven days. But you're right in the fact that when you're forecasting severe storms, it is a day to day type of thing. And to know the severity or the number of storms or what can you expect in a probability sense, you're probably getting two or three days.

MYERS: Talking about the two or three days out, we're talking about areas maybe the size of states -- Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma -- or even regions -- the Ohio Valley. But then we get closer, that day or that morning, the seven o'clock sounding or whatever we're looking at that morning. Then we start to narrow it down to smaller and smaller focus areas.

But then you don't get warnings out until we actually see a storm on radar or get a report in, right?

MCCARTHY: That is correct. We were just talking about how we can forecast out to three days. And at the NOAH Storm Prediction Center, that's exactly what we do with our severe weather outlooks. You can also get a good idea, a more defined area, when we talk about tornado watches, which is also what we do at the Noah Storm Prediction Center, with coordination with the local offices and the warning forecast offices across the country.

But you're right, when you look at Doppler radar you can see the circulations up to 30 minutes, possibly even a hint up to maybe even 40 minutes, that a storm is brewing. And if it's rotating, it has the potential of producing a severe storm, or at least a tornado. And that's something that the weather forecast offices really concentrate on during severe weather episodes.

MYERS: A lot of folks, Dan, are under the impression, oh, I live in the city or I live in a valley, my valley's never been hit. It's not going to get hit because I live in a valley, this is really just a random event, an F4, F3, F5, whatever tornado, it doesn't look and say oh, there's a city, I have never hit that before, I'm going around it. Right? I mean in general...

MCCARTHY: Well, there was once a theory that heat islands did protect cities. But our cities are getting much larger around their epicenters and we're seeing more and more activity near those outer edges or, in some cases, like in the Oklahoma City case several years ago, it moved through a large population part of town.

But, you know, the tornado and how they're rated depends on the damage that it causes.

MYERS: Sure.

MCCARTHY: And the more houses or the more buildings that you have, the greater it gets that you're going to have significant damage.

MYERS: Yes, my point was just that when you do get a tornado, like an F3, four or five, a major tornado on the ground, it doesn't skip around typically. It may turn right, it may. But once it's got its mind set up and it's on the ground, it's going in that direction whether you want it to or not.

MCCARTHY: Yes, and there's many stories in the fact that back in 1974 the Brandenburg tornado in Kentucky actually crossed the Ohio River. And we've actually seen numerous tornadoes that have come over mountains and things like that in Tennessee.

So when a large tornado develops, it's going to do what it needs to do to spend its energy.

MYERS: Dan, thank you very much.

We're out of time for this morning.

But he's the man right there that keeps you all safe and we look at his stuff every morning here at CNN.

So thanks for your work and thanks to all the guys down there at the offices down there in Norman, Oklahoma.

MCCARTHY: Thank you, Chad.

MYERS: Carol, I was down there just, I don't know, maybe a couple of months ago for the severe storms forecast center.

COSTELLO: I know. MYERS: We were literally at that ground zero area. And it's amazing to see the technology those guys have at their disposal. That's why we know that (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

COSTELLO: I know. You talked about it for days afterwards, to the delight of us all, I might add.

MYERS: I'm sure.

COSTELLO: Thank you, Chad.

MYERS: You're welcome.

COSTELLO: Here's what's all new the next half hour of DAYBREAK.

Will the high price of gas keep you in park this summer? We'll see how Americans are answering that question.

But a new development in the life support controversy surrounding Terry Schiavo. Why can her parents see her now? We'll check in with our legal analyst Kendall Coffey for some Coffey Talk this morning.

And how healthy is it for you to cut carbs from your diet?

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Terror plans possibly under way for a strike on U.S. soil. This morning, the U.S. is planning to prevent any terror attacks.

This is DAYBREAK for Wednesday, May 26.

And good morning to you.

From the CNN global headquarters in Atlanta, I'm Carol Costello.

Let me bring you up to date now. Several U.S. officials say intelligence does indicate a heightened concern for terrorist attacks in the United States this summer. The FBI will have more on this in its bulletin, out later today.

Amnesty International says the U.S. war on terror has made the world a more dangerous place. In its latest report, the human rights group criticizes the U.S. for unlawful killings of Iraqi citizens.

In money news, now that Wal-Mart has taken over the burbs, it wants to move into urban areas. The retailing giant will try for the second time today to get zoning approval from Chicago's city council.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com


Aired May 26, 2004 - 06:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: A major terror attack could come as early as this summer and the U.S. is planning for it.
This is DAYBREAK for Wednesday, May 26.

And good morning to you.

From the CNN global headquarters in Atlanta, I'm Carol Costello.

Let me bring you up to date now.

Is America in the bull's eye? Several U.S. officials say intelligence indicates a heightened concern for terrorist attacks in the United States this summer. The FBI will have more on this in its bulletin, out later today.

The case of Terry Schiavo, the brain damaged Florida woman moves into a Clearwater courtroom this afternoon. A judge will hold a hearing into visitation rights for the parents.

In money news, the sale of existing homes moved at a furious pace last month. The adjusted annual rate was more than six and a half million. That is the second best month ever for the sale of existing homes.

In sports, the Calgary Flames win their ninth road play-off game, beating the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first game of the Stanley Cup finals.

And in pop culture, instant fame on the line -- the voting is over and fans of "American Idol" will learn tonight if Diana DeGarmo or Fantasia Barrino will win that coveted recording contract -- Chad.

CHAD MYERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There are actually odds on the Internet. You can bet on that.

COSTELLO: Have you done it?

MYERS: No. I like my money where it is, thank you.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Is a terror attack imminent? That is the concern coming out of Washington this morning, where officials say an attack could come before the November elections. This morning, FBI Director Robert Mueller and Attorney General John Ashcroft will unveil a plan for increased security in the wake of those new concerns.

For more on the warnings, let's head live to Washington and CNN's Bill Prasad -- good morning, Bill.

BILL PRASAD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

This is news you probably did not want to hear -- terrorists could be gearing up for an attack right here on U.S. soil as early as this summer. This as thousands of tourists head to Washington this weekend.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PRASAD (voice-over): One hundred forty thousand people are expected to attend the dedication of the nation's WWII Memorial this Saturday in Washington. This while several U.S. officials confirm a steady stream of intelligence suggests increasing concern a major terrorist attack is planned for U.S. soil some time in the next five months. The officials say the goal may be to try to influence the November elections.

JOHN MILLER, LAPD: Either in a way that reflects the Madrid attack against a soft public target or in a way that falls into the September 11 paradigm.

PRASAD: Officials describe the intelligence as credible, but not very specific -- no date, method or target mentioned. From L.A. to Boston, officials assure citizens everything is being done to foil an attack.

ROBERT MUELLER, FBI DIRECTOR: We all know terrorists and their supporters are mobile, networked, operate across jurisdictional boundaries, and we can defeat these adversaries only, only if our agencies work together.

PRASAD: The FBI is sharing some of its counter-terrorism data with New York State Troopers, sheriffs and local police, hoping to cast a giant dragnet.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is a major step forward for that cop on the street.

PRASAD: Security is expected to be tight for this weekend's WWII Memorial dedication in Washington, with 1,000 law enforcement officers on alert.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PRASAD: Federal law enforcement officials plan to hold a news conference right here in the District later today to talk about the threat. At this point, there is no plan to raise the national terror alert from yellow to orange -- Carol, back to you.

COSTELLO: Bill Prasad live from D.C. this morning.

You can hear more about the potential for terrorist attacks from Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge. He will appear in the seven o'clock Eastern hour of "American Morning" with Bill and Soledad.

The clock is ticking on Iraq. There are 35 days left until the U.S.-led coalition turns over sovereignty of Iraq to an interim government.

Checking the latest for you, Russia's foreign ministry says two of its citizens were killed and five wounded when their bus was attacked south of Baghdad.

Top Bush administration officials say Iraq's new prime minister likely will be Hussain Sharistani, a Shiite Muslim nuclear scientist. Sharistani was imprisoned for 12 years for refusing to take part in Saddam Hussein's weapons programs.

The State Department is considering recommending that the reward for Abu Musab al-Zarqawi be raised from $10 million to $25 million. The State Department says Zarqawi has links to al Qaeda.

And tests of an artillery shell used in a roadside bombing near Baghdad show the presence of the nerve agent sarin.

In Iraq's holy city of Najaf, heavy fighting continues to rage between American forces and militiamen loyal to a radical Shiite cleric.

CNN's Baghdad bureau chief, Jane Arraf, live in Najaf with that and a potentially high level arrest.

Tell us -- Jane.

JANE ARRAF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, the high level arrest is, indeed, one of Muqtada al-Sadr, the radical Shia leader's, chief aides. The name, according to coalition sources is Riyadh al-Nouri. And he's one of three top aides. He acts as a spokesman for Sadr.

Now, U.S. forces (UNINTELLIGIBLE) him last night in a series of coordinated precision raids to arrest Anuri. They've detained him and have taken him to a place for questioning.

Now, this does appear to be a way of putting pressure on Muqtada al-Sadr. They are not likely to go after the main Shia leader himself. They say they're still waiting for that political process to work, although it doesn't seem to be going too far in the last few days. And we have sporadic fighting, as you mentioned, Carol. The Iraqi police stations have come under almost constant attack in these areas. A five hour battle there yesterday with mortars and rocket propelled grenades (UNINTELLIGIBLE) militia. This base is now, this main Army base came under severe attack, as it does almost every night. (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

Fighting does continue, although not near the holy shrines and not in the holy sites, but around the edges (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Jane Arraf reporting live from Najaf.

And we apologize for the audio quality of that report, but she's in the midst of a wartime situation.

Time now for some stories making news across America this Wednesday.

In just a few hours, an Oklahoma jury will begin deliberations in the Terry Nichols murder case. Nichols is charged with 161 counts of first degree murder stemming from his involvement in the Oklahoma City bombing. If convicted, Nichols could face the death penalty.

Thousands of churchgoers in Boston are being forced to find a new place to worship. The Boston Archdiocese announces 65 parish closings. It's part of a massive restructuring. Church leaders blame a shortage of money and priests for the closings.

Firefighters have controlled a chemical warehouse fire outside of Atlanta. Hundreds of homes were evacuated. Nine people had to go to the hospital. Many residents in the path of the toxic fumes have been told to stay inside. People more than 150 miles away are getting a whiff of the chlorine that was stored inside that warehouse.

Still to come on DAYBREAK, you don't have to live in the eye of the storm to be concerned about the weather. Coming up, Chad and a fellow storm expert explain some of the season's severe weather and why it's happening.

And then the Arab voice -- how do the Iraqi people view the handover of power and the new name that has surfaced for the prime minister?

And the life and death battle between one woman's husband and her parents -- a new development in the Terry Schiavo case.

This is DAYBREAK for May 26.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: A lot has been going on in Iraq this week and that's been stirring a lot of reaction here in the United States, and especially in the Middle East.

Our Arab affairs editor, Octavia Nasr, joins us this morning with details of what they're saying in the Arab world -- welcome.

OCTAVIA NASR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thank you.

COSTELLO: Shall we first talk about this new name that has surfaced to lead Iraq? Who is he?

NASR: He's a Shiite. He's an Iraqi. He is a nuclear scientist. And apparently the way he's being portrayed on Arab media is that he belongs to no one. He stands nowhere. He's right in the middle. A lot of his statements that we're hearing on Arab media are those that say I am with the people, for the people, I want to serve the people. That's who he is.

COSTELLO: So it's a pretty good choice? NASR: It looks like it, if you watch Arab media, if you read the press. It looks like this is the person that Iraqis are going to accept because the fear has been -- any time you read articles and opinions in Arab media, it seems that they're worried about this person being handpicked by the U.S., therefore being their puppet. So this one seems like he's going to do well.

COSTELLO: Is he now part of the Iraqi Governing Council or is he totally removed from that?

NASR: He's removed from that. As a matter of fact, an Arab newspaper is quoting him as saying he doesn't want to be playing a role in politics, he doesn't want to be the prime minister. But he also says that if he is asked and he feels like he has to serve his people, he will gladly accept the position.

COSTELLO: So Hussain Sharistani is his name, and we'll see what happens.

Adnan Pachachi is supposedly another name being bandied about. He is part of the Iraqi Governing Council now. He's 80 years old.

Will he take part in a new government and will the Iraqis accept him?

NASR: And Arab media are reporting that he is a name and that he's most likely the person, the other person, to play a major role in the new government. The issue of age is not a problem. The issue of, you know, where he is, that he's a part of the Governing Council now or not, that's not an issue on Arab media.

What concerns them is this idea of handpicking -- who's going to pick these people and what kind of agenda they're going to serve. So it seems to me from reading a lot of articles and opinions, it seems to me that he is another good choice.

COSTELLO: OK, let's talk about this program that Arab television is running called "The Iraq Scene." It's very interesting. Tell us about it.

NASR: Very interesting. Arab networks -- we're talking about the big networks -- they're devoting a lot of time on their air looking at Iraq, looking at the plight of the Iraqi people, their daily routines, what kind of problems they face. So they talk a lot about water shortages, power shortages, no telephone lines. You hear a lot of complaints, basically, just ordinary Iraqis...

COSTELLO: But are there things other than complaints included in the show?

NASR: Well, there are. Sometimes these shows get poetic. So, sort of yes, but it looks like...

COSTELLO: But really no.

NASR: But really no. No, the bad things definitely outweigh the good things at this point in Iraq, judging by these shows.

COSTELLO: All right, Octavia Nasr, thanks for joining us this morning.

NASR: You bet.

COSTELLO: We appreciate it.

Your news, money, weather and sports.

It is 6:14 Eastern.

Here's what's all new this morning.

Just a few hours ago, police in Japan arrested several people as part of an ongoing al Qaeda investigation. Police raided several homes looking for suspects who may have tied to the terrorist organization.

The "Washington Post" is reporting this morning that convicted sniper John Allen Muhammad will face a second trial. Muhammad was sentenced to death last year after being found guilty in the murder of an FBI analyst.

In money news, prescription drug prices are rising at surprising levels. Two leading consumer groups say prices of brand name medicines have risen at triple the rate of inflation.

In sports, the Cincinnati Reds won their seventh straight game thanks to a late home run from Ken Griffey, Jr. Griffey's blast was his third in the last three games. It moves him into 21st place on the all time home run list, and, boy, isn't it good to see him playing well?

In culture, New York City Policeman Daniel Rodriguez is turning in his badge in order to pursue a singing career. Rodriguez first gained national attention for his singing talents at a September 11 prayer service. His first big gig will be the opera "La Boheme" in New Zealand next year -- Chad.

MYERS: Yes, some stirring "Star Spangled Banners" from him in the days after 9/11.

COSTELLO: I remember.

MYERS: Yes, absolutely.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Those are the latest headlines for you this morning.

As Chad said, fierce tornadoes and destructive storms are par for the course this time of year.

Coming up, Chad will cross-examine another weather expert and a fellow storm predictor. What's next for Tornado Alley? Plus, more on the terror warnings going out to U.S. cities this morning and how some cities are handling it.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MYERS: I know you've seen this video a couple of times here, but storm chasers getting significantly too close to the tornado in Hallam, Nebraska. And this is literally -- this is less than a football field away. And this is what we kind of -- we're concerned about this here on CNN and also at the National Weather Service, because we get all this great video and we think people are going to get out there and they're actually going to go try to find it and send it to us. We want you to be safe. We don't want you to go out there and shoot video. And that's part of the problem. It's a catch-22. We want to get out there and see it, you want to be safe and be in your basement.

Our warning coordinator, a meteorologist from the National Weather Service out in Norman, Oklahoma.

Dan McCarthy joins us this morning.

Dan I go back a long way, in fact. I just saw you out at the severe weather conference a couple of months ago, talking about the big weather that was so many years ago.

But, Dan, we're going to have a pretty active season this year. You guys in Oklahoma actually missed a lot of the severe weather and it's traveled on up a little bit farther to your north this season so far. It's going to be all around us, though, this next couple weeks.

DANIEL MCCARTHY, STORM PREDICTION CENTER: Yes, I think so, Chad.

Here in Oklahoma, usually our peak is late April going into mid- May.

MYERS: Sure.

MCCARTHY: But looking at the weather pattern, we still may have a shot in parts of western and northern Oklahoma coming up this weekend.

MYERS: It has been a couple of ugly days and people kind of, they get all concerned that we're going to have day after day after day because that's how it sets up. You get a trough in the West, you get a ridge in the East. That trough wants to keep ejecting little storms out. And the last four days have really been pretty violent.

MCCARTHY: Well, we've recorded 183 tornado reports from Friday through Monday. And that is the most active we've been this year. Up until Friday, we were running 40 percent below normal for annual tornadoes for the country. We are now right at normal for the year.

MYERS: I was showing and actually reading some data over the weekend on vacation -- which I should have been actually not reading something, but I was -- how we have more tornadoes reported in some sports but yet we're getting littler tornadoes being reported. And that's really because there are storm spotters out there, not because there are more F1s or F0 tornadoes out there.

Literally, it's just the law of averages, right?

MCCARTHY: I think it is. We do have a lot of helpers out there in the country. Usually about this time of the year, from mid-April through June, there are people who take a lot of time in going out and looking for storms and chasing the storms. But more importantly, they are reporting this activity to the National Weather Service, and that's really important.

MYERS: Folks always want to ask me how far can you actually forecast severe weather. And the right answer actually is when the storm literally develops, when you actually see it on radar or when you can see the tops firing to your west or northwest or wherever they may be.

How far in advance can we really start taking a look at the next storm coming out of the West and know where the severe weather is going to be one day after another?

MCCARTHY: I think with some confidence, we can definitely forecast out to three days. We are starting to recognize patterns. Now, that's different than recognizing conditions.

MYERS: Correct.

MCCARTHY: We can recognize patterns that are favorable for severe weather, probably with confidence, five to seven days. But you're right in the fact that when you're forecasting severe storms, it is a day to day type of thing. And to know the severity or the number of storms or what can you expect in a probability sense, you're probably getting two or three days.

MYERS: Talking about the two or three days out, we're talking about areas maybe the size of states -- Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma -- or even regions -- the Ohio Valley. But then we get closer, that day or that morning, the seven o'clock sounding or whatever we're looking at that morning. Then we start to narrow it down to smaller and smaller focus areas.

But then you don't get warnings out until we actually see a storm on radar or get a report in, right?

MCCARTHY: That is correct. We were just talking about how we can forecast out to three days. And at the NOAH Storm Prediction Center, that's exactly what we do with our severe weather outlooks. You can also get a good idea, a more defined area, when we talk about tornado watches, which is also what we do at the Noah Storm Prediction Center, with coordination with the local offices and the warning forecast offices across the country.

But you're right, when you look at Doppler radar you can see the circulations up to 30 minutes, possibly even a hint up to maybe even 40 minutes, that a storm is brewing. And if it's rotating, it has the potential of producing a severe storm, or at least a tornado. And that's something that the weather forecast offices really concentrate on during severe weather episodes.

MYERS: A lot of folks, Dan, are under the impression, oh, I live in the city or I live in a valley, my valley's never been hit. It's not going to get hit because I live in a valley, this is really just a random event, an F4, F3, F5, whatever tornado, it doesn't look and say oh, there's a city, I have never hit that before, I'm going around it. Right? I mean in general...

MCCARTHY: Well, there was once a theory that heat islands did protect cities. But our cities are getting much larger around their epicenters and we're seeing more and more activity near those outer edges or, in some cases, like in the Oklahoma City case several years ago, it moved through a large population part of town.

But, you know, the tornado and how they're rated depends on the damage that it causes.

MYERS: Sure.

MCCARTHY: And the more houses or the more buildings that you have, the greater it gets that you're going to have significant damage.

MYERS: Yes, my point was just that when you do get a tornado, like an F3, four or five, a major tornado on the ground, it doesn't skip around typically. It may turn right, it may. But once it's got its mind set up and it's on the ground, it's going in that direction whether you want it to or not.

MCCARTHY: Yes, and there's many stories in the fact that back in 1974 the Brandenburg tornado in Kentucky actually crossed the Ohio River. And we've actually seen numerous tornadoes that have come over mountains and things like that in Tennessee.

So when a large tornado develops, it's going to do what it needs to do to spend its energy.

MYERS: Dan, thank you very much.

We're out of time for this morning.

But he's the man right there that keeps you all safe and we look at his stuff every morning here at CNN.

So thanks for your work and thanks to all the guys down there at the offices down there in Norman, Oklahoma.

MCCARTHY: Thank you, Chad.

MYERS: Carol, I was down there just, I don't know, maybe a couple of months ago for the severe storms forecast center.

COSTELLO: I know. MYERS: We were literally at that ground zero area. And it's amazing to see the technology those guys have at their disposal. That's why we know that (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

COSTELLO: I know. You talked about it for days afterwards, to the delight of us all, I might add.

MYERS: I'm sure.

COSTELLO: Thank you, Chad.

MYERS: You're welcome.

COSTELLO: Here's what's all new the next half hour of DAYBREAK.

Will the high price of gas keep you in park this summer? We'll see how Americans are answering that question.

But a new development in the life support controversy surrounding Terry Schiavo. Why can her parents see her now? We'll check in with our legal analyst Kendall Coffey for some Coffey Talk this morning.

And how healthy is it for you to cut carbs from your diet?

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Terror plans possibly under way for a strike on U.S. soil. This morning, the U.S. is planning to prevent any terror attacks.

This is DAYBREAK for Wednesday, May 26.

And good morning to you.

From the CNN global headquarters in Atlanta, I'm Carol Costello.

Let me bring you up to date now. Several U.S. officials say intelligence does indicate a heightened concern for terrorist attacks in the United States this summer. The FBI will have more on this in its bulletin, out later today.

Amnesty International says the U.S. war on terror has made the world a more dangerous place. In its latest report, the human rights group criticizes the U.S. for unlawful killings of Iraqi citizens.

In money news, now that Wal-Mart has taken over the burbs, it wants to move into urban areas. The retailing giant will try for the second time today to get zoning approval from Chicago's city council.

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