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CNN Live At Daybreak

Criminal Charges Brought Against Former Iraqi National Congress Head; Look at Highway Watch, a Class That Trains Truck Drivers to Spot Suspicious Activity

Aired August 09, 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: We'll have more on those terror alerts and the terror suspects arrested in Albany, New York.
This is DAYBREAK for a Monday morning.

And good morning to you.

From the CNN Global Headquarters in Atlanta, I'm Carol Costello.

Now in the news, fierce fighting in Iraq's holy city of Najaf. This morning, Shiite Muslim cleric Muqtada al-Sadr is vowing to fight on until the last drop of blood. More than 300 of Sadr's militia members have been killed since Thursday in clashes with U.S. Marines and Iraqi troops.

West of the Iraqi capital, another U.S. Marine is killed. The military says the Marine died of wounds received during security and stability operations in Anbar Province.

A nuclear power plant accident in Japan kills at least four workers. steam leak also severely burns several others at the plant west of Tokyo. Government officials say no radioactivity was involved.

Terry Nichols is already serving life in federal prison. Today, the Oklahoma City bombing conspirator is set to be sentenced to life in state prison. His lawyers say he may use the court appearance to make a statement.

To the forecast center and Chad -- good morning.

CHAD MYERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: This is week two of the new heightened terror alert here in the United States, yet the war on terror is not the big topic for average Americans, even those who live in cities under alert. And there are new developments in Washington's war on terror overseas, as well.

Let's head live to Washington for more and CNN's Jennifer Davis -- good morning, Jennifer.

JENNIFER DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning, Carol. This week begins with the arrests of three suspected Al Qaeda members in Pakistan and criminal charges brought against former U.S. ally and Iraqi exile leader Ahmad Chalabi.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

DAVIS (voice-over): Ahmad Chalabi, the former head of the Iraqi National Congress, is charged with counterfeiting old Iraqi dinars.

AHMED CHALABI, FORMER IRAQI NATIONAL CONGRESS MEMBER: It is a ridiculous charge.

DAVIS: His nephew, Salem Chalabi, the head of Iraq's special tribunal that will try Saddam, faces an arrest warrant in connection with a murder charge. Both men say they're innocent.

New arrests in Pakistan today. Intelligence officers are questioning three al Qaeda members. The arrests come with criticism from Pakistan that in a rush to justify raising the terror alert level, U.S. officials leaked the name of an al Qaeda operative who had been providing crucial information up to that point.

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: We've tried to strike a balance. We think, for the most part, we've struck a balance.

DAVIS: A newly discovered al Qaeda training video has surfaced. It shows members of the terror group learning to use surface to air missiles and building and detonating a bomb using a cell phone.

On the campaign trail this week, President Bush stumps with John McCain on a Florida bus tour Tuesday, to be followed by stops out West later in the week; while Senator John Kerry starts the week out West at the Grand Canyon and then campaigns in Las Vegas and Los Angeles.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

DAVIS: Now, also this week here in Washington, on the Hill, House committees are going to hold hearings to work on the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission.

In Washington, Jennifer Davis, CNN -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right, thank you, Jennifer.

In other terror related news, a tip from Pakistan could lead to even more security in the Big Apple. U.S. security sources tell the "New York Times" that Pakistan has given them credible information about an al Qaeda tactic. The information suggests the terror network has considered using tourist helicopters for attacks in New York.

Truck bombs using ammonium nitrate are al Qaeda's weapon of choice. So says New York Senator Charles Schumer, and he's got a solution. Schumer is calling for restrictions on ammonium nitrate sales.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CHARLES SCHUMER (D), NEW YORK: We want to create background checks for anyone who purchases a large amount of ammonium nitrate; a hot line system, a 1-800 number, so any store, any place that sells ammonium nitrate, before they sell over a large amount, over a certain amount, should have to call up an 800 number and check and see if anyone is on a terrorist watch list, is a former criminal, etc. We do this for guns. There's no reason we shouldn't do it for explosives.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Most ammonium nitrate is sold to farmers for fertilizer.

Guiding an 18 wheeler down the interstate, a trucker has to keep his eyes on the road and on traffic. But in this time of terror alerts, truckers are also watching other things, as CNN's Alina Cho reports.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Every time Scott Harris climbs into his truck, every time he's on the road, he's watching for anything that seems suspicious.

SCOTT HARRIS, TRUCK DRIVER: A truck that will be underneath this railroad trestle we keep an eye out for that.

CHO: Harris has been driving trucks for 19 years. He knows what to watch for because he has been through this.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're looking to make you more aware of security threats.

CHO: Highway Watch, a class for truck drivers teaching them what to look out for when they're on the road.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you spot suspicious activity, we want to know about it.

CHO: Everything from a lesson on chemical threats.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sarin is a nerve-type gas.

CHO: To getting in the mind of a terrorist.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is what the bad guys are up to.

CHO: Take this al-Qaeda training tape.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When you are driving down the road are you see a pick-up truck with the tarp over it? Who knows. Who knows. These kind of things -- just to kind of to put a spark in your mind.

CHO: The goal is simple.

JOHN WILLARD, AMERICAN TRUCKING ASSOCIATION: Make the trucking industry safe. Try to ensure that no truck is used as a weapon.

CHO: Trucks have been used as weapons before, the first World Trade Center attack, Oklahoma City. Now police are hoping watchful drivers can be a first line of defense like in 2002 when a trucker called in a tip that led to the arrest of the Washington, D.C. sniper.

(on camera): So far, 10,000 now truckers have gone through this program. The department of Homeland Security recently announced a $19 million grant to train 400,000 more truckers and as many pairs of eyes.

(voice-over): There are more than 3 million truckers in the U.S., people like Tim Maryniak who says truck drivers work 24/7.

TIM MARYNIAK, TRUCK DRIVER: So, we sort of become security blanket for people while they're asleep.

CHO: Others say post 9/11 patriotism plays a role. Joe Todd drives for Wal-Mart.

JOE TODD, TRUCK DRIVER: I'm American and I have a lot of pride, and I take a lot of pride in what I do.

CHO: Scott Harris says:

HARRIS: Just be observant of your surroundings.

CHO: It could help save lives.

Alina Cho, CNN Albany, New York.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

COSTELLO: In Florida, the Xbox murders. Four men now under arrest for brutally killing six people over a stolen Xbox game system. Police say the bodies of four men and two women were found in a blood spattered home, stabbed and beaten. The county sheriff says they were attacked with baseball bats and knives as they slept.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHERIFF JOHNSON, VOLUSIA COUNTY, FLORIDA: Early on, we had had some people identify Tory Victorino as a possible suspect, that he'd had some problems with some of these individuals. And from there, we were able to identify several different possible accomplices of him. And one of those started breaking for us. He started telling us a little bit about what was going on.

Victorino and Jerone Hunter were both arrested. Actually, Victorino was taken into custody for another charge, a violation of probation, and his -- one of the fellows who was with Jerone Hunter broke down and then told us about the murders. At that time, we were able to get the names of two other individuals, Robert Cannon and Michael Salas, and all three of the four have confessed to the murder.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: The sheriff says the alleged ringleader, a 27-year-old ex-convict, recruited three teenagers for the attacks. Bail hearings are scheduled for this afternoon.

Here are some more stories making news across America this Monday morning.

A potential disaster avoided in Texas. Police stopped a tractor trailer carrying at least 60 illegal immigrants. They'd been in the unventilated trailer for more than 12 hours with very little water. Just over a year ago, 19 immigrants died after being trapped in a truck on a Texas highway. The driver of this truck is expected in court today to face charges of human smuggling.

In Washington State, it's back to the drawing board for one team vying for the $10 million prize for private space flight. Their rocket malfunctioned and exploded less than a thousand feet off the ground. Ooh, there it goes. More than two dozen teams are competing for the prize.

Maryland authorities are trying to figure out why dozens of young people got sick. More than 100 high schoolers came down with possible food poisoning Sunday and were taken to the hospital. Most of them have now been released. They'd been attending a conference at the University of Maryland.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ELLY ALPAN, PARENT: She said everybody ate the same turkey sandwich the day before, with the boxed lunch. And basically when we got here, she collapsed and she kept vomiting. And they put her on I.V. and gave her medication that was necessary. But her blood pressure kept coming down.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Officials haven't pinned down the source of the sickness.

Ever wonder where your money goes when you fill up that tank? Coming up at a quarter past the hour, some high octane talk about your wallet and the price of gas.

Then at 25 after, they're not the candidates and they don't even work for the campaigns, but they're footing the bill for some of the ads. Will independent groups affect your vote?

And later, history at the Brickyard. Some NFL players make history of their own, on the ball field, that is. It's all on today's DAYBREAK score card.

But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Monday morning.

(WEATHER REPORT) COSTELLO: Welcome back to DAYBREAK.

It's 6:12 Eastern.

So, just where does the money go when you pump it into your gas tank? Well, according to AAA, the latest nationwide average is $1.87 for regular unleaded. But using California's sky high price as a guide, here's the way gas prices break down. The middlemen get $0.18. The oil to make the gas costs $1. Refining the oil to produce that gallon of gas costs less than $0.50. And then there's $0.50 in local, state, excise and federal taxes.

So in a nutshell, gas ain't cheap and you want to save. One easy way would be to skip the premium gas, but can you? Is it just a marketing ploy?

Why don't we ask AAA's Justin McNaull?

He's in our Washington bureau.

Good morning, Justin.

JUSTIN MCNAULL, AAA: Hey, good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: So how much octane do I really need?

MCNAULL: Open up the car, look in the owner's manual, it'll tell you. The vast majority of us, more than 90 percent, just need 87 octane, the regular, the cheap stuff.

COSTELLO: Well, what the heck is octane?

MCNAULL: Octane, that's a chemical term related to the actual composition of the gasoline. Basically, the higher the octane, the more you can compress the gasoline before it combusts on its own. So in a high performance engine, you need the higher octane, generally.

But for the driving that the vast majority of us do in our typical Toyotas, Hondas, that sort of thing, and Fords that we drive, the 87 octane works just fine.

COSTELLO: Well, you know, some manufacturers recommend premium gas. Others require it. Does that mean if I put regular gas in my high performance car it'll just destroy my engine?

MCNAULL: It's certainly not going to fall apart on you. And there are actually some engineers of these fancy sports cars that actually put the 87 octane in and they drive just fine. I mean if you're in an Acura NSX and you go out on the weekends and you race it around the track, you might notice the difference. But for most of us, it's really a matter of just -- it's almost like a Polaroid. You sort of point and shoot. You put your foot down on the pedal and the car accelerates. And most of us aren't going to notice the difference.

COSTELLO: Exactly. Those words, though, recommend and require, they're important words to notice when you're looking in your owner's manual, aren't they?

MCNAULL: Require is certainly one of those big words. It almost gets into that legalese where if there is something that goes wrong on the engine side, for the sake of your warranty you need to show that you've abided by it. But recommend is a little less stringent. It's just a strong suggestion that they have.

COSTELLO: Got you.

What about those additives? They say higher octane gas burns cleaner. Does it? And can you buy the additives yourself and add them into your gas tank?

MCNAULL: Well, actually, all gasoline has additives in it that help it burn a little more cleanly and help out your engine so you don't get too much buildup in there. By and large, the additives that you're paying extra for when you buy a brand new gasoline from Texaco or Chevron or Shell or Exxon really doesn't make a huge difference in the way that the oil burns. You can actually -- or the gasoline burns. You can actually go to Napa or Pet Boys or wherever you want and buy some of this stuff on your own and put it in.

But most of us really don't even need to worry about that. If you want something to worry about performance wise and maintenance wise, make sure you're changing your oil, make sure you're getting regular tune-ups and that you're keeping your tires inflated. That's the stuff that should keep you up at night.

COSTELLO: I understand.

Chad wants to jump in here.

He has a question, Justin.

MYERS: We have these emission tests here in Georgia, and I know a lot of other states do. And I find that if I put this premium stuff in my old junk pickup truck, that I actually get better scores on my emission tests. I mean do other people find that or is this just a figment of my imagination?

MCNAULL: Really, different cars run different ways. With some cars, even some older cars that just need an 87 octane, they might find slightly better performance in some of these -- with some of these higher performance fuels. But the majority of us work just fine with the 87. So I mean if that's what Chad needs to dip him under the level, be sure that he's using it all the time for the sake of his air pollution...

(CROSSTALK)

MYERS: Yes, sure, right. I'll get right on that.

COSTELLO: Justin McNaull from AAA, thank you for joining us from Washington this morning.

MCNAULL: You bet you.

Have a good morning.

COSTELLO: You, too.

Your news, money, weather and sports.

It's 6:16 Eastern.

Here's what's all new this morning.

Another day of fighting in Najaf. Iraqi security forces backed by American troops once again clashed with militia members loyal to cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. Al-Sadr vows that his forces will not give up their weapons or the city.

The world's most famous fireman has died of natural causes at his home in Houston. "Red" Adair fought oil well fires for a living and was also the real life inspiration of the John Wayne movie "The Hellfighters." "Red" Adair was 89.

In money news, oil prices are coming back down, but it may be a while before we see any savings. Crude oil figures fell $0.28 a barrel for next month. It's the second straight -- for last month, I should say. It's the second straight drop since prices reached record levels last week.

In culture, the show about nothing now comes with something. The first three years of "Seinfeld" are coming out on DVD in November. Included in the release are new scenes, commentary from the cast and memorabilia from the show itself.

In sports, Jeff Gordon is the king of the Brickyard again. Gordon won his fourth career NASCAR Brickyard 400 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. finished 27th. Points leader Jimmy Johnson finishes 36th -- Chad.

MYERS: Yes, Dale Jarrett, though, came in second, though. And great news for Casey Mears and Martin Truex and all those guys that had other races this weekend and did actually really well there in Indiana.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Those are the latest headlines for you.

Time for a little business buzz now.

Security for Windows XP gets tougher, finally.

Carrie Lee has more on that story. She's live at the Nasdaq market site -- good morning.

CARRIE LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Carol. People have been waiting for this for a while. Microsoft has now released SP2. That is Service Pack 2. This is a long awaited patch, a security update for its Windows XP operating system.

Now, the free upgraded isn't going to be available to everyone right away. It depends on your Internet usage, location and language, as well as the overall demand for the package. Customers who have computers set up to receive automatic updates will begin getting SP2 within a few days and about 100 million customers are expected to receive the automatic updates over the next two months.

Right now it's only available in English. Customizing the fixes in 25 languages will take two months.

But, Carol, certainly it will be interesting to see how this fares and how this helps Microsoft fight against security threats. Each thing gets more sophisticated, you know, worms, viruses getting more sophisticated. So the patches have to keep up with those programs.

COSTELLO: Yes, but they should keep up a lot faster.

LEE: So a lot of people are saying that, yes.

COSTELLO: Oh, yes, because a lot of people I know are angry.

LEE: That's right.

COSTELLO: A quick look at the futures.

LEE: Things looking pretty flat to slightly higher for today's session. We're seeing maybe a little bounce in the technology related sectors. However, we are coming off of a lot of selling. All of the major market indices down 1 1/2 percent or more on Friday alone, on the heels of that weak July jobs report. In fact, stocks pretty much their lowest levels of the years. We'll see what happens probably tomorrow next, is the big event, when the Federal Reserve meets. We'll see if they still plan on raising interest rates a quarter point in light of that weak jobs report -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Carrie Lee live from the NASDAQ market site.

Thank you.

Still to come on DAYBREAK, not every political ad you see on television is connected to the candidates.

What's the deal behind the independent groups asking for your vote?

Plus, we'll introduce you to the latest class of NFL Hall of Famers.

This is DAYBREAK for a Monday morning.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) COSTELLO: Oh, the countdown has begun. Ninety-two days until election day, Chad.

MYERS: I can't wait.

COSTELLO: It will be an exciting election, are you kidding? Voters will go to the polls to pick a president and fill a host of congressional and local offices, as well.

On the subject of politics this morning, conservative political commentator Alan Keyes is in the race for the U.S. Senate, but he's not running from his home state of Maryland. Keyes has accepted the Illinois Republican Party's nomination. He faces Democrat Barack Obama, who, as you might remember, gave the keynote address during last month's Democratic convention. Keyes is not promising a win, but he is promising a fight.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALAN KEYES (R), ILLINOIS SENATE CANDIDATE: I looked at the situation. I heard what Senator Obama had said about the race itself. And I guess I came to the conclusion that he does seem to be somebody who wants to have a serious discussion about these issues, to focus them in such a way that we could very well end up having an exchange here such as America has not seen since the last time Illinois saw two people of diverse principle duke it out over those principles in the context of a great national crisis.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Also tackling big campaign issues today is President Bush. He's just back from a weekend in New England. And this afternoon he'll participate in an "Ask President Bush" event at Northern Virginia Community College. Bush will spend the rest of the week campaigning in nine states. He and his wife Laura will be guests on CNN's "Larry King Live" on Thursday. That's at 9:00 Eastern, 6:00 Pacific.

John Kerry, in the meantime, is on a 21-state campaign tour. Today, he'll be at the Grand Canyon and in Kingman, Arizona. This week, the Democratic presidential nomination won the endorsement of Native American tribal and community leaders during a visit to New Mexico.

And while the candidates campaign, the ad wars take aim.

Our Bill Schneider looks at who's behind that big battle.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

BILL SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST (voice-over): Who made this campaign ad? Watch closely.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: After almost four years, when is George Bush going to start taking care of America? Shouldn't America be a top priority. The Media Fund is responsible for the content of this advertisement.

SCHNEIDER: That's an independent political group, not the John Kerry campaign. Groups like that can raise and spend as much money as they like, as long as they remain wholly uncoordinated with the campaigns. This month, the Kerry campaign is relying on spending by these independent groups and by the Democratic Party.

RYAN TRACEY, CNN ADVERTISING CONSULTANT: All tolled these groups have spend about $4.5 million since the convention on behalf of Kerry.

SCHNEIDER: When Kerry was officially nominated at the convention last month, he received $75 million in federal subsidies, but that's the only money his campaign can spend until election day. President Bush will not be officially re-nominated until September 1. Meanwhile, his campaign can spend as much of its own money as it wants.

TRACEY: Their spending since the end of the Democratic Convention is approaching over a million a day.

SCHNEIDER: But independent anti-Kerry ads are out there. This one released last week has created a furor.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: John Kerry betrayed the men and women he served with in Vietnam.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He dishonored his country. He most certainly did.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I served with John Kerry. John Kerry cannot be trusted.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Swift Boat Veterans for Truth is responsible for the content of this advertisement.

SCHNEIDER: Questions are being raised about the motives of he men testifying in the ad and exactly how much of Kerry's service they witnessed. Senator John McCain, a Bush supporter called the ad dishonest and dishonorable.

Ads like that can backfire. That's the problem with independent ads. They're not controlled by the campaigns. They're independent.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

COSTELLO: And more on the candidates and plans for an international team to monitor the November election, log onto our Website at cnn.com.

Headlines coming your way in two minutes.

But first, your DAYBREAK "Day-Timer," stories you'll see later on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired August 9, 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: We'll have more on those terror alerts and the terror suspects arrested in Albany, New York.
This is DAYBREAK for a Monday morning.

And good morning to you.

From the CNN Global Headquarters in Atlanta, I'm Carol Costello.

Now in the news, fierce fighting in Iraq's holy city of Najaf. This morning, Shiite Muslim cleric Muqtada al-Sadr is vowing to fight on until the last drop of blood. More than 300 of Sadr's militia members have been killed since Thursday in clashes with U.S. Marines and Iraqi troops.

West of the Iraqi capital, another U.S. Marine is killed. The military says the Marine died of wounds received during security and stability operations in Anbar Province.

A nuclear power plant accident in Japan kills at least four workers. steam leak also severely burns several others at the plant west of Tokyo. Government officials say no radioactivity was involved.

Terry Nichols is already serving life in federal prison. Today, the Oklahoma City bombing conspirator is set to be sentenced to life in state prison. His lawyers say he may use the court appearance to make a statement.

To the forecast center and Chad -- good morning.

CHAD MYERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: This is week two of the new heightened terror alert here in the United States, yet the war on terror is not the big topic for average Americans, even those who live in cities under alert. And there are new developments in Washington's war on terror overseas, as well.

Let's head live to Washington for more and CNN's Jennifer Davis -- good morning, Jennifer.

JENNIFER DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning, Carol. This week begins with the arrests of three suspected Al Qaeda members in Pakistan and criminal charges brought against former U.S. ally and Iraqi exile leader Ahmad Chalabi.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

DAVIS (voice-over): Ahmad Chalabi, the former head of the Iraqi National Congress, is charged with counterfeiting old Iraqi dinars.

AHMED CHALABI, FORMER IRAQI NATIONAL CONGRESS MEMBER: It is a ridiculous charge.

DAVIS: His nephew, Salem Chalabi, the head of Iraq's special tribunal that will try Saddam, faces an arrest warrant in connection with a murder charge. Both men say they're innocent.

New arrests in Pakistan today. Intelligence officers are questioning three al Qaeda members. The arrests come with criticism from Pakistan that in a rush to justify raising the terror alert level, U.S. officials leaked the name of an al Qaeda operative who had been providing crucial information up to that point.

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: We've tried to strike a balance. We think, for the most part, we've struck a balance.

DAVIS: A newly discovered al Qaeda training video has surfaced. It shows members of the terror group learning to use surface to air missiles and building and detonating a bomb using a cell phone.

On the campaign trail this week, President Bush stumps with John McCain on a Florida bus tour Tuesday, to be followed by stops out West later in the week; while Senator John Kerry starts the week out West at the Grand Canyon and then campaigns in Las Vegas and Los Angeles.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

DAVIS: Now, also this week here in Washington, on the Hill, House committees are going to hold hearings to work on the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission.

In Washington, Jennifer Davis, CNN -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right, thank you, Jennifer.

In other terror related news, a tip from Pakistan could lead to even more security in the Big Apple. U.S. security sources tell the "New York Times" that Pakistan has given them credible information about an al Qaeda tactic. The information suggests the terror network has considered using tourist helicopters for attacks in New York.

Truck bombs using ammonium nitrate are al Qaeda's weapon of choice. So says New York Senator Charles Schumer, and he's got a solution. Schumer is calling for restrictions on ammonium nitrate sales.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CHARLES SCHUMER (D), NEW YORK: We want to create background checks for anyone who purchases a large amount of ammonium nitrate; a hot line system, a 1-800 number, so any store, any place that sells ammonium nitrate, before they sell over a large amount, over a certain amount, should have to call up an 800 number and check and see if anyone is on a terrorist watch list, is a former criminal, etc. We do this for guns. There's no reason we shouldn't do it for explosives.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Most ammonium nitrate is sold to farmers for fertilizer.

Guiding an 18 wheeler down the interstate, a trucker has to keep his eyes on the road and on traffic. But in this time of terror alerts, truckers are also watching other things, as CNN's Alina Cho reports.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Every time Scott Harris climbs into his truck, every time he's on the road, he's watching for anything that seems suspicious.

SCOTT HARRIS, TRUCK DRIVER: A truck that will be underneath this railroad trestle we keep an eye out for that.

CHO: Harris has been driving trucks for 19 years. He knows what to watch for because he has been through this.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're looking to make you more aware of security threats.

CHO: Highway Watch, a class for truck drivers teaching them what to look out for when they're on the road.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you spot suspicious activity, we want to know about it.

CHO: Everything from a lesson on chemical threats.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sarin is a nerve-type gas.

CHO: To getting in the mind of a terrorist.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is what the bad guys are up to.

CHO: Take this al-Qaeda training tape.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When you are driving down the road are you see a pick-up truck with the tarp over it? Who knows. Who knows. These kind of things -- just to kind of to put a spark in your mind.

CHO: The goal is simple.

JOHN WILLARD, AMERICAN TRUCKING ASSOCIATION: Make the trucking industry safe. Try to ensure that no truck is used as a weapon.

CHO: Trucks have been used as weapons before, the first World Trade Center attack, Oklahoma City. Now police are hoping watchful drivers can be a first line of defense like in 2002 when a trucker called in a tip that led to the arrest of the Washington, D.C. sniper.

(on camera): So far, 10,000 now truckers have gone through this program. The department of Homeland Security recently announced a $19 million grant to train 400,000 more truckers and as many pairs of eyes.

(voice-over): There are more than 3 million truckers in the U.S., people like Tim Maryniak who says truck drivers work 24/7.

TIM MARYNIAK, TRUCK DRIVER: So, we sort of become security blanket for people while they're asleep.

CHO: Others say post 9/11 patriotism plays a role. Joe Todd drives for Wal-Mart.

JOE TODD, TRUCK DRIVER: I'm American and I have a lot of pride, and I take a lot of pride in what I do.

CHO: Scott Harris says:

HARRIS: Just be observant of your surroundings.

CHO: It could help save lives.

Alina Cho, CNN Albany, New York.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

COSTELLO: In Florida, the Xbox murders. Four men now under arrest for brutally killing six people over a stolen Xbox game system. Police say the bodies of four men and two women were found in a blood spattered home, stabbed and beaten. The county sheriff says they were attacked with baseball bats and knives as they slept.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHERIFF JOHNSON, VOLUSIA COUNTY, FLORIDA: Early on, we had had some people identify Tory Victorino as a possible suspect, that he'd had some problems with some of these individuals. And from there, we were able to identify several different possible accomplices of him. And one of those started breaking for us. He started telling us a little bit about what was going on.

Victorino and Jerone Hunter were both arrested. Actually, Victorino was taken into custody for another charge, a violation of probation, and his -- one of the fellows who was with Jerone Hunter broke down and then told us about the murders. At that time, we were able to get the names of two other individuals, Robert Cannon and Michael Salas, and all three of the four have confessed to the murder.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: The sheriff says the alleged ringleader, a 27-year-old ex-convict, recruited three teenagers for the attacks. Bail hearings are scheduled for this afternoon.

Here are some more stories making news across America this Monday morning.

A potential disaster avoided in Texas. Police stopped a tractor trailer carrying at least 60 illegal immigrants. They'd been in the unventilated trailer for more than 12 hours with very little water. Just over a year ago, 19 immigrants died after being trapped in a truck on a Texas highway. The driver of this truck is expected in court today to face charges of human smuggling.

In Washington State, it's back to the drawing board for one team vying for the $10 million prize for private space flight. Their rocket malfunctioned and exploded less than a thousand feet off the ground. Ooh, there it goes. More than two dozen teams are competing for the prize.

Maryland authorities are trying to figure out why dozens of young people got sick. More than 100 high schoolers came down with possible food poisoning Sunday and were taken to the hospital. Most of them have now been released. They'd been attending a conference at the University of Maryland.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ELLY ALPAN, PARENT: She said everybody ate the same turkey sandwich the day before, with the boxed lunch. And basically when we got here, she collapsed and she kept vomiting. And they put her on I.V. and gave her medication that was necessary. But her blood pressure kept coming down.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Officials haven't pinned down the source of the sickness.

Ever wonder where your money goes when you fill up that tank? Coming up at a quarter past the hour, some high octane talk about your wallet and the price of gas.

Then at 25 after, they're not the candidates and they don't even work for the campaigns, but they're footing the bill for some of the ads. Will independent groups affect your vote?

And later, history at the Brickyard. Some NFL players make history of their own, on the ball field, that is. It's all on today's DAYBREAK score card.

But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Monday morning.

(WEATHER REPORT) COSTELLO: Welcome back to DAYBREAK.

It's 6:12 Eastern.

So, just where does the money go when you pump it into your gas tank? Well, according to AAA, the latest nationwide average is $1.87 for regular unleaded. But using California's sky high price as a guide, here's the way gas prices break down. The middlemen get $0.18. The oil to make the gas costs $1. Refining the oil to produce that gallon of gas costs less than $0.50. And then there's $0.50 in local, state, excise and federal taxes.

So in a nutshell, gas ain't cheap and you want to save. One easy way would be to skip the premium gas, but can you? Is it just a marketing ploy?

Why don't we ask AAA's Justin McNaull?

He's in our Washington bureau.

Good morning, Justin.

JUSTIN MCNAULL, AAA: Hey, good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: So how much octane do I really need?

MCNAULL: Open up the car, look in the owner's manual, it'll tell you. The vast majority of us, more than 90 percent, just need 87 octane, the regular, the cheap stuff.

COSTELLO: Well, what the heck is octane?

MCNAULL: Octane, that's a chemical term related to the actual composition of the gasoline. Basically, the higher the octane, the more you can compress the gasoline before it combusts on its own. So in a high performance engine, you need the higher octane, generally.

But for the driving that the vast majority of us do in our typical Toyotas, Hondas, that sort of thing, and Fords that we drive, the 87 octane works just fine.

COSTELLO: Well, you know, some manufacturers recommend premium gas. Others require it. Does that mean if I put regular gas in my high performance car it'll just destroy my engine?

MCNAULL: It's certainly not going to fall apart on you. And there are actually some engineers of these fancy sports cars that actually put the 87 octane in and they drive just fine. I mean if you're in an Acura NSX and you go out on the weekends and you race it around the track, you might notice the difference. But for most of us, it's really a matter of just -- it's almost like a Polaroid. You sort of point and shoot. You put your foot down on the pedal and the car accelerates. And most of us aren't going to notice the difference.

COSTELLO: Exactly. Those words, though, recommend and require, they're important words to notice when you're looking in your owner's manual, aren't they?

MCNAULL: Require is certainly one of those big words. It almost gets into that legalese where if there is something that goes wrong on the engine side, for the sake of your warranty you need to show that you've abided by it. But recommend is a little less stringent. It's just a strong suggestion that they have.

COSTELLO: Got you.

What about those additives? They say higher octane gas burns cleaner. Does it? And can you buy the additives yourself and add them into your gas tank?

MCNAULL: Well, actually, all gasoline has additives in it that help it burn a little more cleanly and help out your engine so you don't get too much buildup in there. By and large, the additives that you're paying extra for when you buy a brand new gasoline from Texaco or Chevron or Shell or Exxon really doesn't make a huge difference in the way that the oil burns. You can actually -- or the gasoline burns. You can actually go to Napa or Pet Boys or wherever you want and buy some of this stuff on your own and put it in.

But most of us really don't even need to worry about that. If you want something to worry about performance wise and maintenance wise, make sure you're changing your oil, make sure you're getting regular tune-ups and that you're keeping your tires inflated. That's the stuff that should keep you up at night.

COSTELLO: I understand.

Chad wants to jump in here.

He has a question, Justin.

MYERS: We have these emission tests here in Georgia, and I know a lot of other states do. And I find that if I put this premium stuff in my old junk pickup truck, that I actually get better scores on my emission tests. I mean do other people find that or is this just a figment of my imagination?

MCNAULL: Really, different cars run different ways. With some cars, even some older cars that just need an 87 octane, they might find slightly better performance in some of these -- with some of these higher performance fuels. But the majority of us work just fine with the 87. So I mean if that's what Chad needs to dip him under the level, be sure that he's using it all the time for the sake of his air pollution...

(CROSSTALK)

MYERS: Yes, sure, right. I'll get right on that.

COSTELLO: Justin McNaull from AAA, thank you for joining us from Washington this morning.

MCNAULL: You bet you.

Have a good morning.

COSTELLO: You, too.

Your news, money, weather and sports.

It's 6:16 Eastern.

Here's what's all new this morning.

Another day of fighting in Najaf. Iraqi security forces backed by American troops once again clashed with militia members loyal to cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. Al-Sadr vows that his forces will not give up their weapons or the city.

The world's most famous fireman has died of natural causes at his home in Houston. "Red" Adair fought oil well fires for a living and was also the real life inspiration of the John Wayne movie "The Hellfighters." "Red" Adair was 89.

In money news, oil prices are coming back down, but it may be a while before we see any savings. Crude oil figures fell $0.28 a barrel for next month. It's the second straight -- for last month, I should say. It's the second straight drop since prices reached record levels last week.

In culture, the show about nothing now comes with something. The first three years of "Seinfeld" are coming out on DVD in November. Included in the release are new scenes, commentary from the cast and memorabilia from the show itself.

In sports, Jeff Gordon is the king of the Brickyard again. Gordon won his fourth career NASCAR Brickyard 400 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. finished 27th. Points leader Jimmy Johnson finishes 36th -- Chad.

MYERS: Yes, Dale Jarrett, though, came in second, though. And great news for Casey Mears and Martin Truex and all those guys that had other races this weekend and did actually really well there in Indiana.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Those are the latest headlines for you.

Time for a little business buzz now.

Security for Windows XP gets tougher, finally.

Carrie Lee has more on that story. She's live at the Nasdaq market site -- good morning.

CARRIE LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Carol. People have been waiting for this for a while. Microsoft has now released SP2. That is Service Pack 2. This is a long awaited patch, a security update for its Windows XP operating system.

Now, the free upgraded isn't going to be available to everyone right away. It depends on your Internet usage, location and language, as well as the overall demand for the package. Customers who have computers set up to receive automatic updates will begin getting SP2 within a few days and about 100 million customers are expected to receive the automatic updates over the next two months.

Right now it's only available in English. Customizing the fixes in 25 languages will take two months.

But, Carol, certainly it will be interesting to see how this fares and how this helps Microsoft fight against security threats. Each thing gets more sophisticated, you know, worms, viruses getting more sophisticated. So the patches have to keep up with those programs.

COSTELLO: Yes, but they should keep up a lot faster.

LEE: So a lot of people are saying that, yes.

COSTELLO: Oh, yes, because a lot of people I know are angry.

LEE: That's right.

COSTELLO: A quick look at the futures.

LEE: Things looking pretty flat to slightly higher for today's session. We're seeing maybe a little bounce in the technology related sectors. However, we are coming off of a lot of selling. All of the major market indices down 1 1/2 percent or more on Friday alone, on the heels of that weak July jobs report. In fact, stocks pretty much their lowest levels of the years. We'll see what happens probably tomorrow next, is the big event, when the Federal Reserve meets. We'll see if they still plan on raising interest rates a quarter point in light of that weak jobs report -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Carrie Lee live from the NASDAQ market site.

Thank you.

Still to come on DAYBREAK, not every political ad you see on television is connected to the candidates.

What's the deal behind the independent groups asking for your vote?

Plus, we'll introduce you to the latest class of NFL Hall of Famers.

This is DAYBREAK for a Monday morning.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) COSTELLO: Oh, the countdown has begun. Ninety-two days until election day, Chad.

MYERS: I can't wait.

COSTELLO: It will be an exciting election, are you kidding? Voters will go to the polls to pick a president and fill a host of congressional and local offices, as well.

On the subject of politics this morning, conservative political commentator Alan Keyes is in the race for the U.S. Senate, but he's not running from his home state of Maryland. Keyes has accepted the Illinois Republican Party's nomination. He faces Democrat Barack Obama, who, as you might remember, gave the keynote address during last month's Democratic convention. Keyes is not promising a win, but he is promising a fight.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALAN KEYES (R), ILLINOIS SENATE CANDIDATE: I looked at the situation. I heard what Senator Obama had said about the race itself. And I guess I came to the conclusion that he does seem to be somebody who wants to have a serious discussion about these issues, to focus them in such a way that we could very well end up having an exchange here such as America has not seen since the last time Illinois saw two people of diverse principle duke it out over those principles in the context of a great national crisis.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Also tackling big campaign issues today is President Bush. He's just back from a weekend in New England. And this afternoon he'll participate in an "Ask President Bush" event at Northern Virginia Community College. Bush will spend the rest of the week campaigning in nine states. He and his wife Laura will be guests on CNN's "Larry King Live" on Thursday. That's at 9:00 Eastern, 6:00 Pacific.

John Kerry, in the meantime, is on a 21-state campaign tour. Today, he'll be at the Grand Canyon and in Kingman, Arizona. This week, the Democratic presidential nomination won the endorsement of Native American tribal and community leaders during a visit to New Mexico.

And while the candidates campaign, the ad wars take aim.

Our Bill Schneider looks at who's behind that big battle.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

BILL SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST (voice-over): Who made this campaign ad? Watch closely.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: After almost four years, when is George Bush going to start taking care of America? Shouldn't America be a top priority. The Media Fund is responsible for the content of this advertisement.

SCHNEIDER: That's an independent political group, not the John Kerry campaign. Groups like that can raise and spend as much money as they like, as long as they remain wholly uncoordinated with the campaigns. This month, the Kerry campaign is relying on spending by these independent groups and by the Democratic Party.

RYAN TRACEY, CNN ADVERTISING CONSULTANT: All tolled these groups have spend about $4.5 million since the convention on behalf of Kerry.

SCHNEIDER: When Kerry was officially nominated at the convention last month, he received $75 million in federal subsidies, but that's the only money his campaign can spend until election day. President Bush will not be officially re-nominated until September 1. Meanwhile, his campaign can spend as much of its own money as it wants.

TRACEY: Their spending since the end of the Democratic Convention is approaching over a million a day.

SCHNEIDER: But independent anti-Kerry ads are out there. This one released last week has created a furor.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: John Kerry betrayed the men and women he served with in Vietnam.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He dishonored his country. He most certainly did.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I served with John Kerry. John Kerry cannot be trusted.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Swift Boat Veterans for Truth is responsible for the content of this advertisement.

SCHNEIDER: Questions are being raised about the motives of he men testifying in the ad and exactly how much of Kerry's service they witnessed. Senator John McCain, a Bush supporter called the ad dishonest and dishonorable.

Ads like that can backfire. That's the problem with independent ads. They're not controlled by the campaigns. They're independent.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

COSTELLO: And more on the candidates and plans for an international team to monitor the November election, log onto our Website at cnn.com.

Headlines coming your way in two minutes.

But first, your DAYBREAK "Day-Timer," stories you'll see later on CNN.

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