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CNN Live At Daybreak

American Accused of Trying to Sell Bomb to al Qaeda; Gadgets for Fitness Buffs

Aired May 24, 2005 - 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.


(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. ROBERT BYRD (D), WEST VIRGINIA: Thank god for this moment and for these colleagues of mine.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Oh, thank god for that moment.

Straight ahead on DAYBREAK, senators invoke the lord's name and they prove their last minute deal making was not all in vain.

Also, the Army takes a rare step after a military family's outrage hits it hard.

And are property taxes turning your dream home into a nightmare? What can you do about it?

It's Tuesday, May 24.

You are watching DAYBREAK.

And good morning to you.

From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.

Now in the news, hundreds are behind bars this morning in Baghdad as a joint military offensive enters its third day. The U.S. military says U.S. and Iraqi forces have arrested nearly 430 suspected terrorists as part of Operation Squeeze Play.

Syria has put an end to military and intelligence cooperation with the United States. The "New York Times" reports the move comes in response to Bush administration complaints. The White House says Syria is not doing enough to stop the flow of funds and fighters aiding the Iraqi insurgency.

Stem cell research takes center stage today in the House of Representatives. Two separate bills would be debated, with votes expected as early as this afternoon. We'll have more on the stem cell debate coming up at 6:30 Eastern with CNN Radio's Dick Uliano.

To the Forecast Center now and Chad with some lousy spring weather.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, for some.

COSTELLO: I know. I'm selfish.

MYERS: But it's beautiful for others.

COSTELLO: I'm just thinking about me.

MYERS: See, this is a national network, Carol. We have to say, you know, it's not going to be lousy in Dallas.

COSTELLO: All right.

MYERS: But, of course, they're sleeping. At least some of you are, I hope.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Our top story this hour, a big deal on Capitol Hill as the Senate reaches an agreement that averts a filibuster showdown over President Bush's judicial nominees.

Here are some details for you. Final confirmation votes for three of the president's controversial nominees will be allowed. Now, there's no commitment to vote on two other stalled nominees. Future nominees will be filibustered only under "extraordinary circumstances" and there will be no change to Senate rules on filibusters, meaning Republicans can't put into play that so-called nuclear option.

Now, the senators who worked long and hard to reach this deal say they are relieved to have gotten through the ordeal. It was down to the wire.

But as the agreement was announced last night, there was a sense of history and of pride.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: We are here, 14 Republicans and Democrats, seven on each side, to announce that we have reached an agreement to try to avert a crisis in the United States Senate and pull the institution back from a precipice that would have had, in the view of all 14 of us, lasting impact -- damaging impact -- on the institution.

BYRD: I am very proud of these colleagues of mine on the Republican side and the Democratic side. We have lifted ourselves above politics and we have signed this document in the interests of the United States Senate, in the interests of freedom of speech, freedom of debate and freedom to dissent in the United States Senate. And I say thank god, thank god for this moment and for these colleagues of mine.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: You don't hear that every day. We'll have more reaction from the Senate leadership when we talk to our Joe Johns at the half hour, plus details ahead about the judges President Bush has nominated who have faced such opposition from the Democrats.

Now for a CNN "Security Watch."

Another scare in D.C. after a plane wanders into restricted airspace. This time a small Cessna entered into the area called the air defense identification zone. That's the outermost ring of the no fly zone you see there. Two Air Force F-16s were scrambled to intercept the plane. You can see this video. It shows them dropping a flare. I know it's hard to see, but that's what they're doing. They're dropping a flare to alert the Cessna's pilot.

The Secret Service interviewed the pilot after he landed in Maryland. It is the second time in two weeks that a plane entered restricted space over Washington.

Now, the pilot from that other incident received a punishment. Hayden Scheaffer had his license revoked and will not be allowed to pilot a plane for at least a year. Scheaffer and a student pilot flew within three miles of the White House before they were turned away. The incident prompted the evacuation of the White House, the Capitol Building and the Supreme Court.

Now, that incident apparently has the Department of Homeland Security considering other options. The new laser warning system went into effect this past weekend. It's intended to alert pilots who wander into restricted airspace. You see that, the colors there? But an internal memo leaked to the Associated Press says the Department may also seize the authority to shoot down errant planes.

Well, he's 68, he seems mad at the world and this morning he is an accused terrorist. Ronald Grecula is accused of trying to sell a bomb to an al Qaeda operative. Texas investigators say he attempted to build and sell a bomb to an undercover agent who was posing as a member of the terror group.

For more, we're joined by former FBI special agent in charge, Don Clark, who is in Houston this morning.

Good morning, Don.

DON CLARK, FORMER FBI SPECIAL AGENT: Good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: First off, this guy is a grant research for energy efficient programs.

How does he find an al Qaeda terrorist to make a deal with?

CLARK: Well, this is a very amateurish attempt to try to get yourself connected to some international terrorist group, Carol. And I suspect, if you notice that we know in his background that he had moved overseas and he probably did talk to some people and figure that he might have the knowledge to deal with an international group. But I don't think that's the case with him.

COSTELLO: Well, that's what it sounded like to me, not that I'm the expert you are, so -- but anyway, he allegedly cuts this deal with an undercover officer.

How far did he actually go?

CLARK: Well, he actually went to a point that he traveled from Pennsylvania or someplace down here to Houston to try to make the deal. But even before that, Carol, he had been dealing with some confidential informants of the government to try and talk to them about this.

It almost sounds like that he had a real ax to grind with the government. And we know that he did have some ax to grind with his kids, that his kids had been taken and that he had been arrested for taking them out of the country. So it sounds like an Eric Rudolph type of a domestic terrorist activity as opposed to some major connection to an international terrorist group.

COSTELLO: Do you know how the undercover officer hooked up with him?

CLARK: Well, I don't know how they hooked up with him in this particular case, but I can tell you from experience that usually in these situations somebody is reaching out to try to identify with a person that they feel that they can make contact with and that they feel can further their movement, whatever their activity may be.

In this case, it's trying to sell a bomb. And you notice they said that he was trying to build a bomb and trying to sell a bomb. So that's why I said earlier that it was pretty amateurish.

And when you talk about that with someone else, then they can tell you that, yes, we can connect you with somebody. And there are a lot of sources of information out there who are really waiting to go to the authorities when people come to them with information such as this.

COSTELLO: And, finally, even -- he could face a lot of jail time for this, couldn't he?

CLARK: Well, he certainly could. I think they're going to look at the entire parameters of this, is that what this -- was this bomb really something that could do bodily harm, to do a lot of damage to things and look at the totality of his background, mental stability and so forth, to see just really what, before the judge makes any -- once he pleads or once he goes to trial, the judge gives him a sentence. But he could serve up to 15 years.

COSTELLO: I was just going to say that.

Don Clark, thanks for joining DAYBREAK this morning.

And be sure to stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security. Other stories across America this Tuesday, Edgar Ray Killen is going on trial next month in Mississippi as planned. A judge denied a defense motion to dismiss murder charges against the reputed former Klansman. He's accused in the death of three civil rights workers attacked by the Ku Klux Klan in 1964. Killen's attorney says he looks forward to the trial so he can be exonerated.

The mayor of Spokane, Washington says he will not resign. Mayor James West has come under fire after allegations surfaced that he molested two young boys more than 20 years ago, solicited sex online and offered jobs to men he'd met over the Web. West denies those allegations, but admits to using poor judgment in his personal life. Local business leaders say he should step down for the good of the city.

The Coast Guard successfully pulled three fishermen out of rough waters off the California coast. See them hanging onto those rocks? They became stranded here after their boat sank. They clung to those rocks for 45 minutes before the Coast Guard arrived. One person was treated for hypothermia, but those two fishermen are going to be all right this morning.

Legendary record producer Phil Spector may hear some hair raising accusations in court. I don't know what he was thinking. The judge ruled that past allegations of pulling guns on women can be introduced at his trial. Spector is accused of murder in the shooting of actress Lana Clarkson at his southern California mansion.

Still to come on DAYBREAK, there are some cool new gadgets to get you motivated to move.

And later, what has one senator accusing Bill Maher of treason?

And as real estate prices go up and up, so do property taxes. So what can be done about that?

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

COSTELLO: Do you like gadgets? Oh, we've got gadgets for you this morning. And if you're a fitness fanatic you will love them all.

Neal Boulton is editor-in-chief of "Men's Fitness" magazine.

Good morning, Neal.

NEAL BOULTON, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, "MEN'S FITNESS": Good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: I have to say, this is cool stuff.

BOULTON: This is cool stuff. COSTELLO: Really cool stuff.

Let's start with this GPS device.

BOULTON: This is, you know, a map and a fitness center on your wrist. Seriously. This is the Garmin Forerunner GPS system. This thing will measure -- anything your body does, this will measure it -- your heart rate, your lung capacity, your calories burned, fat burned. And it has a GPS system, so if you're trail running or you're lost in the woods it'll tell you how to get out of there.

COSTELLO: Now, I absolutely need one of those.

BOULTON: That's true. Right?

COSTELLO: And it'll tell you exactly how many miles you're actually running, which is what I like best about this, because that's so hard to calibrate unless you're running on a track.

BOULTON: That's right. Exactly. So, I mean it just keeps track of the, you know, sort of your progress in your fitness plan. That's important.

COSTELLO: I love that. How much is this?

BOULTON: This is about $290. This is not an inexpensive product. And you can get it at Garmin.com. But, again, it does so many valuable things for your fitness plan to keep you sharp.

COSTELLO: Oh, I'd wear it strapped to my body 24-7.

OK, let's move on to the scale.

BOULTON: Yes, now...

COSTELLO: What's special about this?

BOULTON: This is a great scale. Now, note, you know, no one loves a scale, let's face it, folks.

COSTELLO: Right.

BOULTON: But this scale is interesting in that it can store information for up to 10 folks. That's a humongous family, obviously. But the thing is that it's very sleek and it's very modern and it also measures the total fat, you know...

COSTELLO: So not just your weight, your fat content -- or how much...

BOULTON: Your fat content, of your total weight. Now, that's a really good thing because when you are trying to lean, or get leaner, this can actually help you keep track of that. Again, anything that will help you maintain that program is very good.

COSTELLO: Because it's not your weight that's so important, it's really the amount of fat you have on your body.

BOULTON: That's right. That's right.

COSTELLO: Oh, it sounds so gross, doesn't it?

OK, let's move on to the Suunto t6 Wrist-Top Computer.

BOULTON: This is an amazing -- this is, you know, you've seen a desktop computer. Welcome to the Wrist-Top computer. This is a very important device here. This also has a GPS system. And, again, it measures heart rate and lung capacity and oxygen capacity for the trail runner or someone who loves being in the outdoors. This has a GPS system that sinks up with the National Park Service. So you can literally be trail running in a national park, get lost and find your way back. And it's actually a very helpful device.

COSTELLO: Yes, because you hear about hikers getting lost all the time.

BOULTON: All the time. All the time, yes.

COSTELLO: That is perfect.

So how much is that compared to this?

BOULTON: Well, this is a little more expensive. This is about $450. Again, though, ultra light. You know, it's gallon of gas some breath here so -- and your wrist won't get too sweaty. It's very small. And, again, this GPS system is amazing. To synch up like that with the National Park Service, I think, is a very, very brilliant thing.

COSTELLO: Oh, I love that.

OK, let's move on to Nike's MP3 Run.

BOULTON: Now, the Nike MP3 Run is really, I think it's the coolest MP3 player out there because its sleek design, its waterproof. I mean you could go swimming with this thing. And you put it on your wrist here, but what's interesting is that this Blue Tooth wireless microchip device straps onto your shoe and it sends all of the running data, the laps, the calories burned, the time, everything, the distance, into this device so that you can see the songs that you're playing along with monitoring your progress on the track.

COSTELLO: That is crazy.

BOULTON: It's really great, yes.

COSTELLO: OK, so how much is that?

BOULTON: Now, this is about $160. And you can get this on nike.com.

COSTELLO: $160?

BOULTON: That's right, yes.

COSTELLO: Oh, that's pretty good.

I think I'm going to get one of those GPS things.

BOULTON: Yes, this is great.

COSTELLO: Those are cool.

Thank you, Neal, for coming in this morning.

BOULTON: Absolutely.

My pleasure.

COSTELLO: We appreciate it.

It was a lot of fun.

We're going to be back in a moment.

You are watching DAYBREAK for a Tuesday.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: The Army has taken the extraordinary step of apologizing to the family of former pro-football player Pat Tillman for what the family calls a lie and a cover-up.

CNN senior Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre has the whole story for you.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): By the time of his memorial service May 3, 2004, the Army already knew the sad truth -- Corporal Pat Tillman, the former NFL player who gave up a multi- million dollar football deal to serve his country as an Army Ranger, died from friendly fire 11 days earlier.

The Army had rushed to approve his posthumous Silver Star and the accompanying citation sang his praises. Tillman died, it said, engaging a well armed enemy while displaying audacious leadership and issuing commands to take the fight to the enemy.

His parents now charge it was all a sham and a cover-up.

Tillman's father, Patrick, Sr., told the "Washington Post": "They realized that their recruiting efforts were going to hell in a hand basket if the truth about his death got out. They blew up their poster boy."

An Army investigation that has not yet been released found that there was no official reluctance to report the truth. But an Army official confirms to CNN the report also concluded the failure to acknowledge Tillman was killed by friendly fire created an atmosphere of suspicion on the part of the family.

And in a statement, the Army told CNN: "The Army made mistakes in reporting the circumstances of his death to the family. For these, we apologize. We cannot undo those early mistakes. In the 393 days since his death, the Army actively and directly informed the Tillman family, keeping them apprised of the results of three separate investigations to answer questions with candor and completeness."

(on camera): Among the mistakes, an Army official concedes, was keeping Tillman's own brother in the dark for over a month, even though he's also an Army Ranger in the same unit and was there at the time. But the Army insists that Tillman deserved his Silver Star, which can only be awarded for gallantry against an enemy force. The Army argues that Tillman's courage under fire came well before the tragic accident that claimed his life.

Jamie McIntyre, CNN, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

COSTELLO: So now the Army is apologizing profusely. But should someone pay for what Tillman's family calls a cover-up?

Brigadier General David Grange, our military analyst, joins us now -- good morning, General.

BRIG. GEN. DAVID GRANGE, U.S. ARMY (RETIRED), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Good morning.

COSTELLO: How unusual is it for the Army to apologize for something like this?

GRANGE: It's not unusual at all. When mistakes are made, they -- the Army does apologize. They should apologize. And obviously the facts were not reported accurately, like they were supposed to be, up front, and so it's due.

COSTELLO: So do you think this was merely a mistake?

GRANGE: You know, I'm not sure. There's a lot of confusion, as those in combat all can tell you. Friendly fire deaths, injuries, happen. They've happened the entire time I served. I've had soldiers killed by friendly fire, as well as enemy fire. But if it was delayed because they didn't want the word to get out, if that, in fact, happened somehow, that's a big mistake.

COSTELLO: It seems like that's what happened because from all we've heard the Army pretty much knew right after it happened that friendly fire was the cause of Tillman's death. But they didn't tell the family that until after a public memorial service.

What would be -- why would they wait that long?

GRANGE: I don't know. If, in fact, the Army knew the facts, they shouldn't have waited. That is wrong. I mean news doesn't get better, obviously, if it's bad. The thing is, in a friendly fire accident, what normally happens, it's induced by some type of enemy action. So there was enemy action somewhere in this operation. In a firefight, especially in rugged terrain, it's hard to tell where all people are located. And as a friendly incident occurs, obviously the enemy is fleeing at the initiation of the firefight, in this case, the combat situation. It gets very confusing. It probably took a while to sort some of that out.

But once it's sorted out, you have to report the facts. And that's what -- that's the duty of the military to the American citizens, to report what actually has happened. If that was done then, then it is a mistake.

COSTELLO: General Grange, the family is saying that high ranking Army officers purposely interfered with the investigation, they covered it up.

Will anything come of those charges?

GRANGE: That could very well happen. You know, it's not proper, it's not correct. And if it was a cover-up, then I'm sure there'll be some action taken.

COSTELLO: So, but in essence, the Army is investigating itself, right? It's come out with all these apologies. It probably will end here, don't you think?

GRANGE: I don't know if it'll end just in apologies. If it was, in fact, a deliberate cover-up, I think action should be taken.

COSTELLO: General Grange joining us this morning.

Thank you.

Still to come on DAYBREAK, a last minute save averts a meltdown in the U.S. Senate. We'll have a live report from Capitol Hill on where lawmakers go from here.

And on the other side of the Capitol, the House of Representatives takes on stem cell research. We'll look at the bills up for a vote and what President Bush is doing to promote his stand.

You are watching DAYBREAK for a Tuesday.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Good morning to you.

From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.

Now in the news, at least 15 are dead in the northern Iraqi town of Tal Afar after a pair of suicide car bombings. The two bombers targeted the home of a Shiite leader. He apparently survived. But another 50 people were wounded. More arrests in last year's deadly train bombings in Madrid, Spain. Police have three men in custody this morning. They're accused of supporting the attacks through drug and weapons dealings. More than 100 people have been charged in the case.

A new study challenges the government's decision to keep Crestor on the market. The study says the risk of side effects from the cholesterol lowering drug are higher than first thought. The FDA says Crestor is just as safe as other cholesterol drugs.

To the Forecast Center now and Chad -- good morning.

MYERS: Good morning, Carol.

(WEATHER REPORT)

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


Aired May 24, 2005 - 06:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. ROBERT BYRD (D), WEST VIRGINIA: Thank god for this moment and for these colleagues of mine.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Oh, thank god for that moment.

Straight ahead on DAYBREAK, senators invoke the lord's name and they prove their last minute deal making was not all in vain.

Also, the Army takes a rare step after a military family's outrage hits it hard.

And are property taxes turning your dream home into a nightmare? What can you do about it?

It's Tuesday, May 24.

You are watching DAYBREAK.

And good morning to you.

From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.

Now in the news, hundreds are behind bars this morning in Baghdad as a joint military offensive enters its third day. The U.S. military says U.S. and Iraqi forces have arrested nearly 430 suspected terrorists as part of Operation Squeeze Play.

Syria has put an end to military and intelligence cooperation with the United States. The "New York Times" reports the move comes in response to Bush administration complaints. The White House says Syria is not doing enough to stop the flow of funds and fighters aiding the Iraqi insurgency.

Stem cell research takes center stage today in the House of Representatives. Two separate bills would be debated, with votes expected as early as this afternoon. We'll have more on the stem cell debate coming up at 6:30 Eastern with CNN Radio's Dick Uliano.

To the Forecast Center now and Chad with some lousy spring weather.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, for some.

COSTELLO: I know. I'm selfish.

MYERS: But it's beautiful for others.

COSTELLO: I'm just thinking about me.

MYERS: See, this is a national network, Carol. We have to say, you know, it's not going to be lousy in Dallas.

COSTELLO: All right.

MYERS: But, of course, they're sleeping. At least some of you are, I hope.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Our top story this hour, a big deal on Capitol Hill as the Senate reaches an agreement that averts a filibuster showdown over President Bush's judicial nominees.

Here are some details for you. Final confirmation votes for three of the president's controversial nominees will be allowed. Now, there's no commitment to vote on two other stalled nominees. Future nominees will be filibustered only under "extraordinary circumstances" and there will be no change to Senate rules on filibusters, meaning Republicans can't put into play that so-called nuclear option.

Now, the senators who worked long and hard to reach this deal say they are relieved to have gotten through the ordeal. It was down to the wire.

But as the agreement was announced last night, there was a sense of history and of pride.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: We are here, 14 Republicans and Democrats, seven on each side, to announce that we have reached an agreement to try to avert a crisis in the United States Senate and pull the institution back from a precipice that would have had, in the view of all 14 of us, lasting impact -- damaging impact -- on the institution.

BYRD: I am very proud of these colleagues of mine on the Republican side and the Democratic side. We have lifted ourselves above politics and we have signed this document in the interests of the United States Senate, in the interests of freedom of speech, freedom of debate and freedom to dissent in the United States Senate. And I say thank god, thank god for this moment and for these colleagues of mine.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: You don't hear that every day. We'll have more reaction from the Senate leadership when we talk to our Joe Johns at the half hour, plus details ahead about the judges President Bush has nominated who have faced such opposition from the Democrats.

Now for a CNN "Security Watch."

Another scare in D.C. after a plane wanders into restricted airspace. This time a small Cessna entered into the area called the air defense identification zone. That's the outermost ring of the no fly zone you see there. Two Air Force F-16s were scrambled to intercept the plane. You can see this video. It shows them dropping a flare. I know it's hard to see, but that's what they're doing. They're dropping a flare to alert the Cessna's pilot.

The Secret Service interviewed the pilot after he landed in Maryland. It is the second time in two weeks that a plane entered restricted space over Washington.

Now, the pilot from that other incident received a punishment. Hayden Scheaffer had his license revoked and will not be allowed to pilot a plane for at least a year. Scheaffer and a student pilot flew within three miles of the White House before they were turned away. The incident prompted the evacuation of the White House, the Capitol Building and the Supreme Court.

Now, that incident apparently has the Department of Homeland Security considering other options. The new laser warning system went into effect this past weekend. It's intended to alert pilots who wander into restricted airspace. You see that, the colors there? But an internal memo leaked to the Associated Press says the Department may also seize the authority to shoot down errant planes.

Well, he's 68, he seems mad at the world and this morning he is an accused terrorist. Ronald Grecula is accused of trying to sell a bomb to an al Qaeda operative. Texas investigators say he attempted to build and sell a bomb to an undercover agent who was posing as a member of the terror group.

For more, we're joined by former FBI special agent in charge, Don Clark, who is in Houston this morning.

Good morning, Don.

DON CLARK, FORMER FBI SPECIAL AGENT: Good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: First off, this guy is a grant research for energy efficient programs.

How does he find an al Qaeda terrorist to make a deal with?

CLARK: Well, this is a very amateurish attempt to try to get yourself connected to some international terrorist group, Carol. And I suspect, if you notice that we know in his background that he had moved overseas and he probably did talk to some people and figure that he might have the knowledge to deal with an international group. But I don't think that's the case with him.

COSTELLO: Well, that's what it sounded like to me, not that I'm the expert you are, so -- but anyway, he allegedly cuts this deal with an undercover officer.

How far did he actually go?

CLARK: Well, he actually went to a point that he traveled from Pennsylvania or someplace down here to Houston to try to make the deal. But even before that, Carol, he had been dealing with some confidential informants of the government to try and talk to them about this.

It almost sounds like that he had a real ax to grind with the government. And we know that he did have some ax to grind with his kids, that his kids had been taken and that he had been arrested for taking them out of the country. So it sounds like an Eric Rudolph type of a domestic terrorist activity as opposed to some major connection to an international terrorist group.

COSTELLO: Do you know how the undercover officer hooked up with him?

CLARK: Well, I don't know how they hooked up with him in this particular case, but I can tell you from experience that usually in these situations somebody is reaching out to try to identify with a person that they feel that they can make contact with and that they feel can further their movement, whatever their activity may be.

In this case, it's trying to sell a bomb. And you notice they said that he was trying to build a bomb and trying to sell a bomb. So that's why I said earlier that it was pretty amateurish.

And when you talk about that with someone else, then they can tell you that, yes, we can connect you with somebody. And there are a lot of sources of information out there who are really waiting to go to the authorities when people come to them with information such as this.

COSTELLO: And, finally, even -- he could face a lot of jail time for this, couldn't he?

CLARK: Well, he certainly could. I think they're going to look at the entire parameters of this, is that what this -- was this bomb really something that could do bodily harm, to do a lot of damage to things and look at the totality of his background, mental stability and so forth, to see just really what, before the judge makes any -- once he pleads or once he goes to trial, the judge gives him a sentence. But he could serve up to 15 years.

COSTELLO: I was just going to say that.

Don Clark, thanks for joining DAYBREAK this morning.

And be sure to stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security. Other stories across America this Tuesday, Edgar Ray Killen is going on trial next month in Mississippi as planned. A judge denied a defense motion to dismiss murder charges against the reputed former Klansman. He's accused in the death of three civil rights workers attacked by the Ku Klux Klan in 1964. Killen's attorney says he looks forward to the trial so he can be exonerated.

The mayor of Spokane, Washington says he will not resign. Mayor James West has come under fire after allegations surfaced that he molested two young boys more than 20 years ago, solicited sex online and offered jobs to men he'd met over the Web. West denies those allegations, but admits to using poor judgment in his personal life. Local business leaders say he should step down for the good of the city.

The Coast Guard successfully pulled three fishermen out of rough waters off the California coast. See them hanging onto those rocks? They became stranded here after their boat sank. They clung to those rocks for 45 minutes before the Coast Guard arrived. One person was treated for hypothermia, but those two fishermen are going to be all right this morning.

Legendary record producer Phil Spector may hear some hair raising accusations in court. I don't know what he was thinking. The judge ruled that past allegations of pulling guns on women can be introduced at his trial. Spector is accused of murder in the shooting of actress Lana Clarkson at his southern California mansion.

Still to come on DAYBREAK, there are some cool new gadgets to get you motivated to move.

And later, what has one senator accusing Bill Maher of treason?

And as real estate prices go up and up, so do property taxes. So what can be done about that?

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

COSTELLO: Do you like gadgets? Oh, we've got gadgets for you this morning. And if you're a fitness fanatic you will love them all.

Neal Boulton is editor-in-chief of "Men's Fitness" magazine.

Good morning, Neal.

NEAL BOULTON, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, "MEN'S FITNESS": Good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: I have to say, this is cool stuff.

BOULTON: This is cool stuff. COSTELLO: Really cool stuff.

Let's start with this GPS device.

BOULTON: This is, you know, a map and a fitness center on your wrist. Seriously. This is the Garmin Forerunner GPS system. This thing will measure -- anything your body does, this will measure it -- your heart rate, your lung capacity, your calories burned, fat burned. And it has a GPS system, so if you're trail running or you're lost in the woods it'll tell you how to get out of there.

COSTELLO: Now, I absolutely need one of those.

BOULTON: That's true. Right?

COSTELLO: And it'll tell you exactly how many miles you're actually running, which is what I like best about this, because that's so hard to calibrate unless you're running on a track.

BOULTON: That's right. Exactly. So, I mean it just keeps track of the, you know, sort of your progress in your fitness plan. That's important.

COSTELLO: I love that. How much is this?

BOULTON: This is about $290. This is not an inexpensive product. And you can get it at Garmin.com. But, again, it does so many valuable things for your fitness plan to keep you sharp.

COSTELLO: Oh, I'd wear it strapped to my body 24-7.

OK, let's move on to the scale.

BOULTON: Yes, now...

COSTELLO: What's special about this?

BOULTON: This is a great scale. Now, note, you know, no one loves a scale, let's face it, folks.

COSTELLO: Right.

BOULTON: But this scale is interesting in that it can store information for up to 10 folks. That's a humongous family, obviously. But the thing is that it's very sleek and it's very modern and it also measures the total fat, you know...

COSTELLO: So not just your weight, your fat content -- or how much...

BOULTON: Your fat content, of your total weight. Now, that's a really good thing because when you are trying to lean, or get leaner, this can actually help you keep track of that. Again, anything that will help you maintain that program is very good.

COSTELLO: Because it's not your weight that's so important, it's really the amount of fat you have on your body.

BOULTON: That's right. That's right.

COSTELLO: Oh, it sounds so gross, doesn't it?

OK, let's move on to the Suunto t6 Wrist-Top Computer.

BOULTON: This is an amazing -- this is, you know, you've seen a desktop computer. Welcome to the Wrist-Top computer. This is a very important device here. This also has a GPS system. And, again, it measures heart rate and lung capacity and oxygen capacity for the trail runner or someone who loves being in the outdoors. This has a GPS system that sinks up with the National Park Service. So you can literally be trail running in a national park, get lost and find your way back. And it's actually a very helpful device.

COSTELLO: Yes, because you hear about hikers getting lost all the time.

BOULTON: All the time. All the time, yes.

COSTELLO: That is perfect.

So how much is that compared to this?

BOULTON: Well, this is a little more expensive. This is about $450. Again, though, ultra light. You know, it's gallon of gas some breath here so -- and your wrist won't get too sweaty. It's very small. And, again, this GPS system is amazing. To synch up like that with the National Park Service, I think, is a very, very brilliant thing.

COSTELLO: Oh, I love that.

OK, let's move on to Nike's MP3 Run.

BOULTON: Now, the Nike MP3 Run is really, I think it's the coolest MP3 player out there because its sleek design, its waterproof. I mean you could go swimming with this thing. And you put it on your wrist here, but what's interesting is that this Blue Tooth wireless microchip device straps onto your shoe and it sends all of the running data, the laps, the calories burned, the time, everything, the distance, into this device so that you can see the songs that you're playing along with monitoring your progress on the track.

COSTELLO: That is crazy.

BOULTON: It's really great, yes.

COSTELLO: OK, so how much is that?

BOULTON: Now, this is about $160. And you can get this on nike.com.

COSTELLO: $160?

BOULTON: That's right, yes.

COSTELLO: Oh, that's pretty good.

I think I'm going to get one of those GPS things.

BOULTON: Yes, this is great.

COSTELLO: Those are cool.

Thank you, Neal, for coming in this morning.

BOULTON: Absolutely.

My pleasure.

COSTELLO: We appreciate it.

It was a lot of fun.

We're going to be back in a moment.

You are watching DAYBREAK for a Tuesday.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: The Army has taken the extraordinary step of apologizing to the family of former pro-football player Pat Tillman for what the family calls a lie and a cover-up.

CNN senior Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre has the whole story for you.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): By the time of his memorial service May 3, 2004, the Army already knew the sad truth -- Corporal Pat Tillman, the former NFL player who gave up a multi- million dollar football deal to serve his country as an Army Ranger, died from friendly fire 11 days earlier.

The Army had rushed to approve his posthumous Silver Star and the accompanying citation sang his praises. Tillman died, it said, engaging a well armed enemy while displaying audacious leadership and issuing commands to take the fight to the enemy.

His parents now charge it was all a sham and a cover-up.

Tillman's father, Patrick, Sr., told the "Washington Post": "They realized that their recruiting efforts were going to hell in a hand basket if the truth about his death got out. They blew up their poster boy."

An Army investigation that has not yet been released found that there was no official reluctance to report the truth. But an Army official confirms to CNN the report also concluded the failure to acknowledge Tillman was killed by friendly fire created an atmosphere of suspicion on the part of the family.

And in a statement, the Army told CNN: "The Army made mistakes in reporting the circumstances of his death to the family. For these, we apologize. We cannot undo those early mistakes. In the 393 days since his death, the Army actively and directly informed the Tillman family, keeping them apprised of the results of three separate investigations to answer questions with candor and completeness."

(on camera): Among the mistakes, an Army official concedes, was keeping Tillman's own brother in the dark for over a month, even though he's also an Army Ranger in the same unit and was there at the time. But the Army insists that Tillman deserved his Silver Star, which can only be awarded for gallantry against an enemy force. The Army argues that Tillman's courage under fire came well before the tragic accident that claimed his life.

Jamie McIntyre, CNN, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

COSTELLO: So now the Army is apologizing profusely. But should someone pay for what Tillman's family calls a cover-up?

Brigadier General David Grange, our military analyst, joins us now -- good morning, General.

BRIG. GEN. DAVID GRANGE, U.S. ARMY (RETIRED), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Good morning.

COSTELLO: How unusual is it for the Army to apologize for something like this?

GRANGE: It's not unusual at all. When mistakes are made, they -- the Army does apologize. They should apologize. And obviously the facts were not reported accurately, like they were supposed to be, up front, and so it's due.

COSTELLO: So do you think this was merely a mistake?

GRANGE: You know, I'm not sure. There's a lot of confusion, as those in combat all can tell you. Friendly fire deaths, injuries, happen. They've happened the entire time I served. I've had soldiers killed by friendly fire, as well as enemy fire. But if it was delayed because they didn't want the word to get out, if that, in fact, happened somehow, that's a big mistake.

COSTELLO: It seems like that's what happened because from all we've heard the Army pretty much knew right after it happened that friendly fire was the cause of Tillman's death. But they didn't tell the family that until after a public memorial service.

What would be -- why would they wait that long?

GRANGE: I don't know. If, in fact, the Army knew the facts, they shouldn't have waited. That is wrong. I mean news doesn't get better, obviously, if it's bad. The thing is, in a friendly fire accident, what normally happens, it's induced by some type of enemy action. So there was enemy action somewhere in this operation. In a firefight, especially in rugged terrain, it's hard to tell where all people are located. And as a friendly incident occurs, obviously the enemy is fleeing at the initiation of the firefight, in this case, the combat situation. It gets very confusing. It probably took a while to sort some of that out.

But once it's sorted out, you have to report the facts. And that's what -- that's the duty of the military to the American citizens, to report what actually has happened. If that was done then, then it is a mistake.

COSTELLO: General Grange, the family is saying that high ranking Army officers purposely interfered with the investigation, they covered it up.

Will anything come of those charges?

GRANGE: That could very well happen. You know, it's not proper, it's not correct. And if it was a cover-up, then I'm sure there'll be some action taken.

COSTELLO: So, but in essence, the Army is investigating itself, right? It's come out with all these apologies. It probably will end here, don't you think?

GRANGE: I don't know if it'll end just in apologies. If it was, in fact, a deliberate cover-up, I think action should be taken.

COSTELLO: General Grange joining us this morning.

Thank you.

Still to come on DAYBREAK, a last minute save averts a meltdown in the U.S. Senate. We'll have a live report from Capitol Hill on where lawmakers go from here.

And on the other side of the Capitol, the House of Representatives takes on stem cell research. We'll look at the bills up for a vote and what President Bush is doing to promote his stand.

You are watching DAYBREAK for a Tuesday.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Good morning to you.

From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.

Now in the news, at least 15 are dead in the northern Iraqi town of Tal Afar after a pair of suicide car bombings. The two bombers targeted the home of a Shiite leader. He apparently survived. But another 50 people were wounded. More arrests in last year's deadly train bombings in Madrid, Spain. Police have three men in custody this morning. They're accused of supporting the attacks through drug and weapons dealings. More than 100 people have been charged in the case.

A new study challenges the government's decision to keep Crestor on the market. The study says the risk of side effects from the cholesterol lowering drug are higher than first thought. The FDA says Crestor is just as safe as other cholesterol drugs.

To the Forecast Center now and Chad -- good morning.

MYERS: Good morning, Carol.

(WEATHER REPORT)

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