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CNN Live Today
9/11 Testimony Provides Timeline After First Aircraft Hijacked Until Crash of United Airlines Flight 93 in Pennsylvania
Aired June 17, 2004 - 10:00 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: We will be getting back to those hearings, as they become important as there's more riveting testimony to share with you. There's also though, a lot of other news to get to this morning, and we're going to do that from CNN headquarters beginning with the headlines.
A car bomb exploded outside an Iraqi army recruitment center today, killing at least 35 people and wounding 145 others. Iraqi interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi visited the scene of the Baghdad blast, calling it a, "cowardly attack." U.S. military officials say the casualties were innocent bystanders.
President Bush is meeting with his cabinet in just a few minutes. Then after a lunchtime speech to an independent business group, the president returns to the campaign trail. He'll travel to the battleground state of Washington for a fund raiser for GOP Senate candidate George Nethercutt.
How safe are drugs bought on the Internet? A Senate panel tries to answer that question today. Among those testifying: former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and a woman whose husband died after buying illegal prescription drugs on the web.
And fans of Ray Charles can pay their respects in Los Angeles today. There's going to be a public viewing of the body. People can also sign a book of condolences. The singer died one week ago from acute liver disease.
And we get back to the final public hearing of the 9/11 Commission. It is underway in Washington with audiotape providing a haunting glimpse aboard one of the doomed airliners. What you're about to hear is one of the hijackers believed to be alleged ringleader Mohamed Atta speaking to the passengers.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At 8:34, the Boston Center controller received the third transmission from American 11.
MOHAMED ATTA, 9/11 HIJACKER: Everybody move please, we are going back to the airport. Don't try to make any stupid moves.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: Our Sean Callebs is in our Washington bureau, and joins us with the latest on dramatic testimony that we were listening to earlier today.
Sean, good morning.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good day to you, Daryn. Indeed, this last day of public hearings provide a sobering look at the confusion and miscommunication affecting the military and the Federal Aviation Administration on September 11. The testimony providing a timeline after the first aircraft, American Flight 11, was hijacked until the crash of United Airlines Flight 93 in a field in Pennsylvania more than an hour later. This of course, after passengers fought with hijackers.
For many who lost loved ones in the attacks, the testimony was emotional.
The report was interspersed with tape recordings from the aircraft, including this exchange that came from Flight 93, believed to be that of hijacker Ziad Jarrah, shortly after the terrorist seized the cockpit.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Between 9:33 and 9:38, the controller observed United 93 climbing to 40,700 feet and immediately moved several aircrafts out of its way. The controller continued to try to contact United 93 and asked for the pilot to confirm that he was hijacked. There was no response. Then at 9:39, a fifth radio transmission came over the radio frequency from United 93.
ZIAD JARRAH, 9/11 HIJACKER: Hi. This is the captain; I would like you all to remain stiff, all aboard. And we're going to make the airport. And I demand you remain quiet.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The controller responded, quote, "United 93, I understand you have a bomb on board. Go ahead," end quote. The flight did not respond.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CALLEBS: Aside from audio of the hijackers, the presentation also detailed the crooked flight paths, like this one of Flight 9 -- Flight 11, after taking off from Boston following all the way to the World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan.
The report said emergency measures in the United States were simply inadequate. The defense plans at the time geared to a traditional hijacking, or a Cold War scenario, rather than terrorists taking a plane and turning it into a missile.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PHILIP ZELIKOW, STAFF, 9/11 COMMISSION: Nine/eleven, the existing protocol was unsuited in every respect for what was about to happen. What ensued was the hurried attempt to create an improvised defense by officials never encountered or trained against the situation they faced. (END VIDEO CLIP)
CALLEBS: The FAA and military leaders struggled to respond to the series of hijackings. President Bush was in Florida speaking at a grade school. After the second plane hit the World Trade Center and another hit the Pentagon, Mr. Bush then called Vice President Cheney, saying -- and we quote here, "Sounds like we have a minor war going on here. I heard about the Pentagon. We're at war. Somebody is going to pay."
Critically important time ticked away, while officials debated how to scramble military aircraft, and make the agonizing decision to possibly shoot down a commercial aircraft if it appeared headed toward the White House or another target.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ZELIKOW: Vice president said there's been at least three instances here where we have reports of aircraft approaching Washington. A couple were confirmed hijacked. And pursuant to the president's instructions, gave authorization for them to be taken out. Hello?
Secretary of Defense: Yes. I understand. Who did you give that direction to?
Vice President: It was past from here through the operating center at the White House from the shelter.
Secretary of Defense: OK. Let me ask the question here. Has that directive been transmitted to the aircraft?
Vice President: Yes. It has.
Secretary of Defense: So, we've got a come of aircraft up there that have those instructions at the present time?
The Vice President: That is correct. And it's my understanding they've already taken a couple of aircraft out.
Secretary of Defense: We can't confirm that. We're told that one aircraft is down, but we do not have a pilot report that they did it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CALLEBS: Just some of the confusion going on that day. And finally, Dan, this statement from the report and quote we here. NORAD officials, of course, the North American Command, had maintained that they would have intercepted and shot down 93. "We're not sure," the report says. "We are sure that the nation owes a debt to the passengers of United 93. Their actions saved the lives of countless others and may have saved either the U.S. Capitol or White House from destruction" -- Dan.
KAGAN: Well, that we knew even before today's hearings, which do go on at this hour.
Sean Callebs in D.C., we'll be back to you. Thank you for that.
And now to the war on terror, Pakistan's army today converged on a suspected al Qaeda hideout that is nestled in the seclusion of a tribal area. In fact, there is growing evidence that U.S.-led military action in Afghanistan has chased training camps across the border.
Our senior international correspondent Nic Robertson has that story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INT'L. CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): According to Gulf broadcaster al Jazeera, the first to receive these pictures, this is al Qaeda training. Inside Afghanistan or the nearby tribal region of Pakistan. Tests of physical fitness including leapfrogging, reminiscent of pre-September 11 al Qaeda training videos.
PETER BERGEN, CNN TERRORISM ANALYST: This material appears to be, to be new material. We haven't seen it before, it also strongly suggest it was shot in the tribal areas along the Afghan-Pakistan border.
ROBERTSON: On the tape, two grainy nighttime pictures of what al Jazeera says is a nighttime attack on a government building in Afghanistan. Showing dead combatants. And glowing under the camera's infrared illumination, a man al Jazeera identifies as al Qaeda field commander Abu Laith al Libi. If authenticate, and we have no independent verification of that, the pictures raise the possibility U.S. aims to deny al Qaeda the time and space to train, in and around Afghanistan are failing. Intelligence experts believe al Qaeda is still actively recruiting.
BERGEN: The significance of this material is that the al Qaeda in the Afghan-Pakistan tribal areas, feel sufficiently confident, as it were, to actually film some of their operations and film some of their training.
ROBERTSON (on camera): According to recently deployed U.S. Marines, they've been involved in firefights with up to 100 anti- coalition forces at one time. And although U.S. forces are bringing limited stability to the small areas where they operate, security experts inside Afghanistan say the countryside is far from secure.
Nic Robertson, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: To Baghdad now. Iraq's interim prime minister is denouncing a deadly suicide bombing, calling it a, "cowardly attack." But also says it was entirely not unexpected, as the impending handover draws near. At least 35 people killed and some 145 others were wounded in the blast, outside of a recruitment center for the Iraqi army.
We get details now from CNN chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): The death toll and the casualty toll has climbed steadily since the attack in the early morning rush hour, outside the recruiting center for the Iraq Civil Defense Corps. According to American soldiers who were at the scene after the blast and cordoned off, it was a suicide car bomb attack. It was a white SUV, a sports utility vehicle, they say, that was packed with explosives.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is where they recruit for the Iraqi army. so the people that were inside the gate were here to sign up as patriots for Iraq. To help defend their country. The people that were outside the gate, unfortunately, were just pedestrians, either on their way to work or possibly on their way to the park across the street. Those were the casualties came from. It was innocent civilians that just happened to be on the street when this bomb went off.
AMANPOUR: Several hours after the attack, Iraq's new interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi visited the site. This is quite a rare occurrence to see these high level officials go to the scenes of this kind of bombing and carnage, because they too, are targets.
Insurgents and terrorists seem to have shifted tactics over the last days and weeks leading up to the handover. Straying away, for the most part, from attacking American military forces and going straight for the heart of the Iraqi infrastructure: Iraqi's new security forces and Iraqi officials, sow government officials, as well. Ministers tell us the aim is to sow as much panic, as much confusion as possible, and to destabilize any chance of getting this democratic, new Iraq up and running by June 30.
Many of the dead and wounded were brought to two of the Baghdad hospitals, two main hospitals they were brought to. And indeed, many of the Iraqis we speak to say they are extremely worried about their physical safety on a daily basis. One of Iraqi colleagues said it was like playing Russian roulette every single time you leave the house.
And we passed this very site of the car bombing today, we passed it yesterday at the same time, and we saw the hundreds of Iraqi recruits standing outside there, just waiting for a job, waiting to be a part of the new Iraqi Armed Services.
I'm Christiane Amanpour, CNN, reporting from Baghdad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: The family of American Paul Johnson the Third, the contractor who is being held by extremists in Saudi Arabia, is issuing a plea that grows more urgent each hour. Tomorrow is the deadline set by his captors, they're demanding that the Saudi government release all al Qaeda prisoners or they will kill the American contractor.
Our Deborah Feyerick is outside the family home in Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey.
Deb, good morning.
DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Morning, Daryn. Well, people here at Johnson's hometown are going to be turning out for a candlelight vigil this evening. Somebody has donated about 500 candles. Others simply plan to bring their own. These are neighbors and friends who watched Johnson grow up. They hope they will see him grow old. This, as Johnson's family prays that the kidnappers will show mercy.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FEYERICK (voice-over): As the Friday deadline nears for American captive Paul Johnson, his mother remains secluded in New Jersey, sick, frail, and unaware how bad her son's situation really is. (on camera): Does she know that there's a 72-hour deadline?
DONNA MAYEUX, JOHNSON'S SISTER: No. She does not. We -- she has not viewed the video. I told her that he's alive and that this is serious. but we did not discuss any demands with her because her health is fragile.
FEYERICK (voice-over): Johnson's sister, Donna said she had seen the videos of other American hostages: Daniel Pearl and Nicholas Berg, but never for a moment did she believe her brother was in any danger.
(on camera): You see the kidnappers, one behind him. Clearly, one is there shooting the video. What goes through your mind?
MAYEAUX: For me, it's disbelief. My brother always felt safe in Saudi Arabia. He never feared living there.
FEYERICK (voice-over): Johnson's wife is still in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Lockheed Martin engineer was abducted from his car there Saturday.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She is waiting for my father to come through the front door.
FEYERICK: A videotape released by the kidnappers makes two demands: the withdrawal of all westerners from the Arabian Peninsula, and the release of all al Qaeda in Saudi Arabia. Otherwise, the kidnappers say, they will kill Johnson Friday.
(on camera): What is the message that you have for your dad right now?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just want him brought home safely.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FEYERICK: American hostage rescuers have been sent to Saudi Arabia. The government there saying it is doing everything it humanly can to bring him home -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Deb, we watched that very emotional interview you conducted live on this program yesterday. In the meantime, what possibly can the family do except sit and wait, and await word, hopefully, the ultimate would be to get to talk to their dad and brother, or perhaps government officials.
FEYERICK: Well, that's exactly what they're doing. They're sort of waiting. They're waiting for the phone to ring. They're waiting for the State Department to call to give them any updated information. They're waiting for politicians to ring the house. Or to ring where it is they're staying, they're in a secluded area. Right now, they've left the house, which is where we are right now.
But they're waiting to speak to politicians. They're waiting to get any sort of word. And they're doing the best they can to try to give each other strength in certainly this agonizing time for them. They're truly suffering and the wait is just -- is just so painful that they can barely understand it. They're still in shock. That's what the sister told me.
KAGAN: Yes. There are many people around the country and world sending thoughts and prayers their way.
Deb Feyerick in New Jersey, Thank you for that.
It is 14 minutes past the hour. What happens when medicine is not enough? Where can you find healing?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. HERBERT BENSON, MIND/BODY MED. INST.: To say what we can do for ourselves, and what medicine can do for us are separate and work alone, is a mistake.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: For some people, the answer is in faith. Our Anderson Cooper will be joining us later this hour, to reflect on his weeklong series "Faith In America."
Also, the outcome of the November elections may look like a cookie. Find out why.
And up next, is this a boathouse or a houseboat? You'll find out next on CNN LIVE TODAY.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: Let's take a look at some other stories making news "Coast to Coast."
First, to Minneapolis/Saint Paul International Airport, it will be the first test site for a new screening program intended to speed up passenger lines. Frequent airline travelers would volunteer to undergo background checks. They still will be screened at the airport but they wouldn't have to submit to additional random checks.
The Olympic torch is crossing the U.S. again. Carriers took the torch through Los Angeles yesterday. It is now heading to former Olympic cities: St. Louis today, Atlanta, right here in Atlanta tomorrow. The torch will return to Athens for the summer games beginning on August 13.
And sometimes old Kentucky home has become -- or actually, someone's old Kentucky home has become a houseboat. Crews who finally secured the structure say it probably fell into the Kentucky River after storms two weeks ago, and then floated down the Ohio River. Authorities are trying to find the owner who now has some water front property. Not exactly what they are hoping for.
Can a simple prayer become a cure for cancer? You will be surprised to find out what science says about faith can do for your body. Anderson Cooper joins us next on CNN LIVE TODAY to reflect on faith in America.
And in the next hour of CNN LIVE TODAY, everything to know about health, family and finances for senior citizens. We are taking your questions for the savvy senior. Send them to livetoday@cnn.com.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: This week, on "ANDERSON COOPER 360," they're looking at the impact that faith has on Americans. One part of the series is dealing with the power of prayer and the healing process. Does it work? Does it help?
Our senior medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta has that story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It has been 50 years since 61-year-old Kate Williams had been to church. Or even knelt down to pray. Then she was diagnosed with cancer.
KATE Williams, CANCER PATIENT: I felt so empty. I needed something to grab on, to something to hold on to that would take me through this.
GUPTA: Now, after all these years, Kate trusts faith to ward off her cancer, as ardently as she does her treatments. And it could be working for her.
WILLIAMS: God is in me. God is taking care of me.
GUPTA: Studies show religious involvement appears to have health benefits, including reducing anxiety, depression and substance abuse and increasing longevity. Still, those associations are admittedly vague. For patients like Kate, a more important question remains. Can something as intangible as faith help treat the ravages of cancer?
Studies show prayer, meditation, and other calming practices, like yoga ward off stress, which can exacerbate conditions like cancer. They also activate a measurable relaxation response in the brain.
BENSON: There's decreased blood pressure, heart rate, rate of breathing.
GUPTA: And so, many doctors agree that faith is essential to healing. Still others believe that raising patients' expectations could do more harm than good.
BENSON: To say what we can do for ourselves and what medicine can do for us, are separate and can work alone is a mistake. They must be balanced.
GUPTA: Kate Williams says her faith gives her solace and a strength she wouldn't possess on her own.
WILLIAMS: I still don't know if I'm cancer free. I feel that I am. But I also feel that whatever happens, I'm going to be fine.
GUPTA: Old-fashioned faith could be a new elixir.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: Oh, I took a leap of faith and called my friend Anderson Cooper, asking him to come in early to talk about his series "Faith in America."
Anderson, thanks for doing that.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN CO-ANCHOR: It's my pleasure, Daryn. Good morning.
KAGAN: Good morning to you. Let's talk about what you'll be looking at tonight, in particular a book that I know I've heard a lot about, "The Purpose Driven Life."
COOPER: Yes. We're going to be talking to the author of "The Purpose Driven Life." Also showing his ministry. It's a hugely popular book. We're also talking to two other authors, Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins, who have written the "Left Behind Series." Now, that's a series, which has sold over 60 million books since 1995. It's a apocalyptic -- it's life after the apocalypse. and they have a new book out and it's hugely popular series. We're going to talk to them tonight a little bit later on.
KAGAN: And so, there's two sides of this because it's very -- it's fascinating to even talk about the pursuit of faith and spirituality. And yet, when someone is really successful, that can turn into big business, as well.
COOPER: It's a huge business. All this week, we've actually been looking at some of sort of the business aspects. And how sort of faith -- I mean you know, today I think a lot of people are searching for spirituality, men and women. We had an author Iyanla Van Zant on, who said she seeing more and more men searching for -- she didn't call it searching for spirituality. She said she saw it as sort of a was a journey within. But that, more and more men are kind of doing what women have been doing for years now, trying to find out ways to sort of connect with God in their own lives.
And we've been looking also at sort of all the different ways people are doing that. Some critics say that, you know, there's sort of a buffet style now. People are kind of picking and choosing what spirituality or little bits from different religion. Some people are saying look, that's the ultimate in narcissism. Others say spirituality should feel good and there's nothing wrong with it. We're also looking at a lot of commercialization of it: T-shirts. We even went to a Christian nightclub, where young kids are dancing to sort of house and techno music with sort of biblical themes behind it. So, people trying to find God in many different ways here in America.
KAGAN: Interesting stuff.
Not on topic. But I have to ask you about the hair cut.
(LAUGHTER)
KAGAN: The purpose?
COOPER: I'm going...
KAGAN: The purpose of that?
COOPER: Well, it's -- I know. It's a little tight. I got shaved a little too close to a buzz saw. I'm going to Baghdad tomorrow, so I thought I wouldn't be able to wash my hair very much. So I figured, you know what? Why not just cut it all off?
KAGAN: Well, it looks good.
COOPER: It's kind of a Matt Lauer thing I'm going for.
KAGAN: You know what? You don't need a Matt Lauer thing. You have got the Anderson Cooper thing working. And it's working just well. Very good for you.
COOPER: Thanks, Daryn.
KAGAN: And you will be in our thoughts, as you're traveling to that dangerous part of the world. Thank you.
COOPER: Thanks.
KAGAN: Thank you. Anderson Cooper, thanks for joining us.
You can watch the next part of the "Faith in America" series. Anderson's show, "ANDERSON COOPER 360," tonight at 7:00 p.m. Eastern.
Well, one of these ladies may hold a recipe for winning the White House. Up next on CNN LIVE TODAY.
Plus, who's the greatest television dad of all time? George Jefferson is on the list. But the winner is -- well, you know, we're not going to tell you quite yet. Stick around. We'll be talking TV dads in honor of Father's Day.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Aired June 17, 2004 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We will be getting back to those hearings, as they become important as there's more riveting testimony to share with you. There's also though, a lot of other news to get to this morning, and we're going to do that from CNN headquarters beginning with the headlines.
A car bomb exploded outside an Iraqi army recruitment center today, killing at least 35 people and wounding 145 others. Iraqi interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi visited the scene of the Baghdad blast, calling it a, "cowardly attack." U.S. military officials say the casualties were innocent bystanders.
President Bush is meeting with his cabinet in just a few minutes. Then after a lunchtime speech to an independent business group, the president returns to the campaign trail. He'll travel to the battleground state of Washington for a fund raiser for GOP Senate candidate George Nethercutt.
How safe are drugs bought on the Internet? A Senate panel tries to answer that question today. Among those testifying: former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and a woman whose husband died after buying illegal prescription drugs on the web.
And fans of Ray Charles can pay their respects in Los Angeles today. There's going to be a public viewing of the body. People can also sign a book of condolences. The singer died one week ago from acute liver disease.
And we get back to the final public hearing of the 9/11 Commission. It is underway in Washington with audiotape providing a haunting glimpse aboard one of the doomed airliners. What you're about to hear is one of the hijackers believed to be alleged ringleader Mohamed Atta speaking to the passengers.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At 8:34, the Boston Center controller received the third transmission from American 11.
MOHAMED ATTA, 9/11 HIJACKER: Everybody move please, we are going back to the airport. Don't try to make any stupid moves.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: Our Sean Callebs is in our Washington bureau, and joins us with the latest on dramatic testimony that we were listening to earlier today.
Sean, good morning.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good day to you, Daryn. Indeed, this last day of public hearings provide a sobering look at the confusion and miscommunication affecting the military and the Federal Aviation Administration on September 11. The testimony providing a timeline after the first aircraft, American Flight 11, was hijacked until the crash of United Airlines Flight 93 in a field in Pennsylvania more than an hour later. This of course, after passengers fought with hijackers.
For many who lost loved ones in the attacks, the testimony was emotional.
The report was interspersed with tape recordings from the aircraft, including this exchange that came from Flight 93, believed to be that of hijacker Ziad Jarrah, shortly after the terrorist seized the cockpit.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Between 9:33 and 9:38, the controller observed United 93 climbing to 40,700 feet and immediately moved several aircrafts out of its way. The controller continued to try to contact United 93 and asked for the pilot to confirm that he was hijacked. There was no response. Then at 9:39, a fifth radio transmission came over the radio frequency from United 93.
ZIAD JARRAH, 9/11 HIJACKER: Hi. This is the captain; I would like you all to remain stiff, all aboard. And we're going to make the airport. And I demand you remain quiet.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The controller responded, quote, "United 93, I understand you have a bomb on board. Go ahead," end quote. The flight did not respond.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CALLEBS: Aside from audio of the hijackers, the presentation also detailed the crooked flight paths, like this one of Flight 9 -- Flight 11, after taking off from Boston following all the way to the World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan.
The report said emergency measures in the United States were simply inadequate. The defense plans at the time geared to a traditional hijacking, or a Cold War scenario, rather than terrorists taking a plane and turning it into a missile.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PHILIP ZELIKOW, STAFF, 9/11 COMMISSION: Nine/eleven, the existing protocol was unsuited in every respect for what was about to happen. What ensued was the hurried attempt to create an improvised defense by officials never encountered or trained against the situation they faced. (END VIDEO CLIP)
CALLEBS: The FAA and military leaders struggled to respond to the series of hijackings. President Bush was in Florida speaking at a grade school. After the second plane hit the World Trade Center and another hit the Pentagon, Mr. Bush then called Vice President Cheney, saying -- and we quote here, "Sounds like we have a minor war going on here. I heard about the Pentagon. We're at war. Somebody is going to pay."
Critically important time ticked away, while officials debated how to scramble military aircraft, and make the agonizing decision to possibly shoot down a commercial aircraft if it appeared headed toward the White House or another target.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ZELIKOW: Vice president said there's been at least three instances here where we have reports of aircraft approaching Washington. A couple were confirmed hijacked. And pursuant to the president's instructions, gave authorization for them to be taken out. Hello?
Secretary of Defense: Yes. I understand. Who did you give that direction to?
Vice President: It was past from here through the operating center at the White House from the shelter.
Secretary of Defense: OK. Let me ask the question here. Has that directive been transmitted to the aircraft?
Vice President: Yes. It has.
Secretary of Defense: So, we've got a come of aircraft up there that have those instructions at the present time?
The Vice President: That is correct. And it's my understanding they've already taken a couple of aircraft out.
Secretary of Defense: We can't confirm that. We're told that one aircraft is down, but we do not have a pilot report that they did it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CALLEBS: Just some of the confusion going on that day. And finally, Dan, this statement from the report and quote we here. NORAD officials, of course, the North American Command, had maintained that they would have intercepted and shot down 93. "We're not sure," the report says. "We are sure that the nation owes a debt to the passengers of United 93. Their actions saved the lives of countless others and may have saved either the U.S. Capitol or White House from destruction" -- Dan.
KAGAN: Well, that we knew even before today's hearings, which do go on at this hour.
Sean Callebs in D.C., we'll be back to you. Thank you for that.
And now to the war on terror, Pakistan's army today converged on a suspected al Qaeda hideout that is nestled in the seclusion of a tribal area. In fact, there is growing evidence that U.S.-led military action in Afghanistan has chased training camps across the border.
Our senior international correspondent Nic Robertson has that story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INT'L. CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): According to Gulf broadcaster al Jazeera, the first to receive these pictures, this is al Qaeda training. Inside Afghanistan or the nearby tribal region of Pakistan. Tests of physical fitness including leapfrogging, reminiscent of pre-September 11 al Qaeda training videos.
PETER BERGEN, CNN TERRORISM ANALYST: This material appears to be, to be new material. We haven't seen it before, it also strongly suggest it was shot in the tribal areas along the Afghan-Pakistan border.
ROBERTSON: On the tape, two grainy nighttime pictures of what al Jazeera says is a nighttime attack on a government building in Afghanistan. Showing dead combatants. And glowing under the camera's infrared illumination, a man al Jazeera identifies as al Qaeda field commander Abu Laith al Libi. If authenticate, and we have no independent verification of that, the pictures raise the possibility U.S. aims to deny al Qaeda the time and space to train, in and around Afghanistan are failing. Intelligence experts believe al Qaeda is still actively recruiting.
BERGEN: The significance of this material is that the al Qaeda in the Afghan-Pakistan tribal areas, feel sufficiently confident, as it were, to actually film some of their operations and film some of their training.
ROBERTSON (on camera): According to recently deployed U.S. Marines, they've been involved in firefights with up to 100 anti- coalition forces at one time. And although U.S. forces are bringing limited stability to the small areas where they operate, security experts inside Afghanistan say the countryside is far from secure.
Nic Robertson, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: To Baghdad now. Iraq's interim prime minister is denouncing a deadly suicide bombing, calling it a, "cowardly attack." But also says it was entirely not unexpected, as the impending handover draws near. At least 35 people killed and some 145 others were wounded in the blast, outside of a recruitment center for the Iraqi army.
We get details now from CNN chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): The death toll and the casualty toll has climbed steadily since the attack in the early morning rush hour, outside the recruiting center for the Iraq Civil Defense Corps. According to American soldiers who were at the scene after the blast and cordoned off, it was a suicide car bomb attack. It was a white SUV, a sports utility vehicle, they say, that was packed with explosives.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is where they recruit for the Iraqi army. so the people that were inside the gate were here to sign up as patriots for Iraq. To help defend their country. The people that were outside the gate, unfortunately, were just pedestrians, either on their way to work or possibly on their way to the park across the street. Those were the casualties came from. It was innocent civilians that just happened to be on the street when this bomb went off.
AMANPOUR: Several hours after the attack, Iraq's new interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi visited the site. This is quite a rare occurrence to see these high level officials go to the scenes of this kind of bombing and carnage, because they too, are targets.
Insurgents and terrorists seem to have shifted tactics over the last days and weeks leading up to the handover. Straying away, for the most part, from attacking American military forces and going straight for the heart of the Iraqi infrastructure: Iraqi's new security forces and Iraqi officials, sow government officials, as well. Ministers tell us the aim is to sow as much panic, as much confusion as possible, and to destabilize any chance of getting this democratic, new Iraq up and running by June 30.
Many of the dead and wounded were brought to two of the Baghdad hospitals, two main hospitals they were brought to. And indeed, many of the Iraqis we speak to say they are extremely worried about their physical safety on a daily basis. One of Iraqi colleagues said it was like playing Russian roulette every single time you leave the house.
And we passed this very site of the car bombing today, we passed it yesterday at the same time, and we saw the hundreds of Iraqi recruits standing outside there, just waiting for a job, waiting to be a part of the new Iraqi Armed Services.
I'm Christiane Amanpour, CNN, reporting from Baghdad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: The family of American Paul Johnson the Third, the contractor who is being held by extremists in Saudi Arabia, is issuing a plea that grows more urgent each hour. Tomorrow is the deadline set by his captors, they're demanding that the Saudi government release all al Qaeda prisoners or they will kill the American contractor.
Our Deborah Feyerick is outside the family home in Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey.
Deb, good morning.
DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Morning, Daryn. Well, people here at Johnson's hometown are going to be turning out for a candlelight vigil this evening. Somebody has donated about 500 candles. Others simply plan to bring their own. These are neighbors and friends who watched Johnson grow up. They hope they will see him grow old. This, as Johnson's family prays that the kidnappers will show mercy.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FEYERICK (voice-over): As the Friday deadline nears for American captive Paul Johnson, his mother remains secluded in New Jersey, sick, frail, and unaware how bad her son's situation really is. (on camera): Does she know that there's a 72-hour deadline?
DONNA MAYEUX, JOHNSON'S SISTER: No. She does not. We -- she has not viewed the video. I told her that he's alive and that this is serious. but we did not discuss any demands with her because her health is fragile.
FEYERICK (voice-over): Johnson's sister, Donna said she had seen the videos of other American hostages: Daniel Pearl and Nicholas Berg, but never for a moment did she believe her brother was in any danger.
(on camera): You see the kidnappers, one behind him. Clearly, one is there shooting the video. What goes through your mind?
MAYEAUX: For me, it's disbelief. My brother always felt safe in Saudi Arabia. He never feared living there.
FEYERICK (voice-over): Johnson's wife is still in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Lockheed Martin engineer was abducted from his car there Saturday.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She is waiting for my father to come through the front door.
FEYERICK: A videotape released by the kidnappers makes two demands: the withdrawal of all westerners from the Arabian Peninsula, and the release of all al Qaeda in Saudi Arabia. Otherwise, the kidnappers say, they will kill Johnson Friday.
(on camera): What is the message that you have for your dad right now?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just want him brought home safely.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FEYERICK: American hostage rescuers have been sent to Saudi Arabia. The government there saying it is doing everything it humanly can to bring him home -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Deb, we watched that very emotional interview you conducted live on this program yesterday. In the meantime, what possibly can the family do except sit and wait, and await word, hopefully, the ultimate would be to get to talk to their dad and brother, or perhaps government officials.
FEYERICK: Well, that's exactly what they're doing. They're sort of waiting. They're waiting for the phone to ring. They're waiting for the State Department to call to give them any updated information. They're waiting for politicians to ring the house. Or to ring where it is they're staying, they're in a secluded area. Right now, they've left the house, which is where we are right now.
But they're waiting to speak to politicians. They're waiting to get any sort of word. And they're doing the best they can to try to give each other strength in certainly this agonizing time for them. They're truly suffering and the wait is just -- is just so painful that they can barely understand it. They're still in shock. That's what the sister told me.
KAGAN: Yes. There are many people around the country and world sending thoughts and prayers their way.
Deb Feyerick in New Jersey, Thank you for that.
It is 14 minutes past the hour. What happens when medicine is not enough? Where can you find healing?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. HERBERT BENSON, MIND/BODY MED. INST.: To say what we can do for ourselves, and what medicine can do for us are separate and work alone, is a mistake.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: For some people, the answer is in faith. Our Anderson Cooper will be joining us later this hour, to reflect on his weeklong series "Faith In America."
Also, the outcome of the November elections may look like a cookie. Find out why.
And up next, is this a boathouse or a houseboat? You'll find out next on CNN LIVE TODAY.
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KAGAN: Let's take a look at some other stories making news "Coast to Coast."
First, to Minneapolis/Saint Paul International Airport, it will be the first test site for a new screening program intended to speed up passenger lines. Frequent airline travelers would volunteer to undergo background checks. They still will be screened at the airport but they wouldn't have to submit to additional random checks.
The Olympic torch is crossing the U.S. again. Carriers took the torch through Los Angeles yesterday. It is now heading to former Olympic cities: St. Louis today, Atlanta, right here in Atlanta tomorrow. The torch will return to Athens for the summer games beginning on August 13.
And sometimes old Kentucky home has become -- or actually, someone's old Kentucky home has become a houseboat. Crews who finally secured the structure say it probably fell into the Kentucky River after storms two weeks ago, and then floated down the Ohio River. Authorities are trying to find the owner who now has some water front property. Not exactly what they are hoping for.
Can a simple prayer become a cure for cancer? You will be surprised to find out what science says about faith can do for your body. Anderson Cooper joins us next on CNN LIVE TODAY to reflect on faith in America.
And in the next hour of CNN LIVE TODAY, everything to know about health, family and finances for senior citizens. We are taking your questions for the savvy senior. Send them to livetoday@cnn.com.
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KAGAN: This week, on "ANDERSON COOPER 360," they're looking at the impact that faith has on Americans. One part of the series is dealing with the power of prayer and the healing process. Does it work? Does it help?
Our senior medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta has that story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It has been 50 years since 61-year-old Kate Williams had been to church. Or even knelt down to pray. Then she was diagnosed with cancer.
KATE Williams, CANCER PATIENT: I felt so empty. I needed something to grab on, to something to hold on to that would take me through this.
GUPTA: Now, after all these years, Kate trusts faith to ward off her cancer, as ardently as she does her treatments. And it could be working for her.
WILLIAMS: God is in me. God is taking care of me.
GUPTA: Studies show religious involvement appears to have health benefits, including reducing anxiety, depression and substance abuse and increasing longevity. Still, those associations are admittedly vague. For patients like Kate, a more important question remains. Can something as intangible as faith help treat the ravages of cancer?
Studies show prayer, meditation, and other calming practices, like yoga ward off stress, which can exacerbate conditions like cancer. They also activate a measurable relaxation response in the brain.
BENSON: There's decreased blood pressure, heart rate, rate of breathing.
GUPTA: And so, many doctors agree that faith is essential to healing. Still others believe that raising patients' expectations could do more harm than good.
BENSON: To say what we can do for ourselves and what medicine can do for us, are separate and can work alone is a mistake. They must be balanced.
GUPTA: Kate Williams says her faith gives her solace and a strength she wouldn't possess on her own.
WILLIAMS: I still don't know if I'm cancer free. I feel that I am. But I also feel that whatever happens, I'm going to be fine.
GUPTA: Old-fashioned faith could be a new elixir.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: Oh, I took a leap of faith and called my friend Anderson Cooper, asking him to come in early to talk about his series "Faith in America."
Anderson, thanks for doing that.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN CO-ANCHOR: It's my pleasure, Daryn. Good morning.
KAGAN: Good morning to you. Let's talk about what you'll be looking at tonight, in particular a book that I know I've heard a lot about, "The Purpose Driven Life."
COOPER: Yes. We're going to be talking to the author of "The Purpose Driven Life." Also showing his ministry. It's a hugely popular book. We're also talking to two other authors, Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins, who have written the "Left Behind Series." Now, that's a series, which has sold over 60 million books since 1995. It's a apocalyptic -- it's life after the apocalypse. and they have a new book out and it's hugely popular series. We're going to talk to them tonight a little bit later on.
KAGAN: And so, there's two sides of this because it's very -- it's fascinating to even talk about the pursuit of faith and spirituality. And yet, when someone is really successful, that can turn into big business, as well.
COOPER: It's a huge business. All this week, we've actually been looking at some of sort of the business aspects. And how sort of faith -- I mean you know, today I think a lot of people are searching for spirituality, men and women. We had an author Iyanla Van Zant on, who said she seeing more and more men searching for -- she didn't call it searching for spirituality. She said she saw it as sort of a was a journey within. But that, more and more men are kind of doing what women have been doing for years now, trying to find out ways to sort of connect with God in their own lives.
And we've been looking also at sort of all the different ways people are doing that. Some critics say that, you know, there's sort of a buffet style now. People are kind of picking and choosing what spirituality or little bits from different religion. Some people are saying look, that's the ultimate in narcissism. Others say spirituality should feel good and there's nothing wrong with it. We're also looking at a lot of commercialization of it: T-shirts. We even went to a Christian nightclub, where young kids are dancing to sort of house and techno music with sort of biblical themes behind it. So, people trying to find God in many different ways here in America.
KAGAN: Interesting stuff.
Not on topic. But I have to ask you about the hair cut.
(LAUGHTER)
KAGAN: The purpose?
COOPER: I'm going...
KAGAN: The purpose of that?
COOPER: Well, it's -- I know. It's a little tight. I got shaved a little too close to a buzz saw. I'm going to Baghdad tomorrow, so I thought I wouldn't be able to wash my hair very much. So I figured, you know what? Why not just cut it all off?
KAGAN: Well, it looks good.
COOPER: It's kind of a Matt Lauer thing I'm going for.
KAGAN: You know what? You don't need a Matt Lauer thing. You have got the Anderson Cooper thing working. And it's working just well. Very good for you.
COOPER: Thanks, Daryn.
KAGAN: And you will be in our thoughts, as you're traveling to that dangerous part of the world. Thank you.
COOPER: Thanks.
KAGAN: Thank you. Anderson Cooper, thanks for joining us.
You can watch the next part of the "Faith in America" series. Anderson's show, "ANDERSON COOPER 360," tonight at 7:00 p.m. Eastern.
Well, one of these ladies may hold a recipe for winning the White House. Up next on CNN LIVE TODAY.
Plus, who's the greatest television dad of all time? George Jefferson is on the list. But the winner is -- well, you know, we're not going to tell you quite yet. Stick around. We'll be talking TV dads in honor of Father's Day.
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