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Your World Today

After the Attacks; Police Arrest Bomb Suspect in West Yorkshire; Israel Bombing

Aired July 12, 2005 - 12:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: British authorities descend on homes and vehicles in two cities looking for links to the London bombings.
Whatever his salary, it's not enough. Meet the man who stepped up to save his home city, Baghdad.

And launching a new era at NASA, looking to the past as a new group of astronauts aims for the skies.

It's 5:00 p.m. in London, England; noon at Kennedy Space Center in Florida; and 8:00 p.m. in the Iraqi capital.

I'm Becky Anderson. Welcome to our viewers throughout the world. This is CNN International, and you've watching YOUR WORLD TODAY.

And we'll have those stories in just a moment, but we begin with breaking news out of Israel. Police and rescue services rushing to the scene of an explosion at a shopping mall in the coastal city of Netanya. At least two people have died, some 30 people are reported as wounded.

Police say the bomb exploded at the entrance to the mall when it was crowded with shoppers. We will bring you more information on this story as it becomes available.

Now for the investigation into last Thursday's terror attacks in London. British media reporting that a bomber was among those killed in the London bus explosion.

Meanwhile, an anti-terror sweep is under way north of London. Authorities evacuated several hundred residents and cordoned off streets in the Leeds area. Police carried out a controlled explosion and also raided several homes there. British media report a number of arrests.

Police are still sifting through evidence from the bomb sites. So far, only five victims have been identified. At least 52 people died in the four bombings last Thursday.

Now, the nation will pause for two minutes of silence on Thursday at noon to remember the victims of the worst attack on the country in more than 60 years.

Well, in Brussels, Britain's chancellor, Exchequer Gordon Brown, called on European Union governments to crack down on the financial assets of terrorists and their supporters.

Well, let's get to King's Cross, where my colleague, Jim Clancy, is standing by.

Jim, significant developments in this investigation this Tuesday.

JIM CLANCY, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: It certainly is. It would appear that police have at least a break, if not the break, in this case. They have been active throughout the day.

We're expecting to get an update from British police both in the town of Leeds, as well as here in London. We're going to take you to those live as they happen.

But first, let's go live to Leeds and our own Nic Robertson -- Nic.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Jim, this is where it became clear that the police did have a break in the case today. They raided -- they began by raiding houses here at 6:30 in the morning.

Five different premises were raided, one house on this particular street here that is still sealed off. According to one neighbor, they say that one person was taken away by police. Police have not yet said whether they've detained or arrested anyone in connection with the raids this morning, but the raids at 6:30 on five different premises followed up by another raid about three-and-a-half hours ago on another premise in Leeds.

This time, the police force bringing in the army, bomb disposal experts, to gain entry to the building by using a controlled detonation. They believed they said that there was a possibility that weapons or explosives may be in the building. And as they -- before they went into that particular building, before they used the explosives, they not only evacuated some 500 to 600 people, but they also placed police marksmen around the building.

A little while ago, a police explained why the security measures were so high.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The position at the moment is West Yorkshire Police are searching a number of addresses, one of which is the Hyde Park area, which is where we are at the moment. Due to the nature of the incident that we're dealing with, we have taken a variety of security and safety precautions, both for the police officers deployed here, and for the members of the public.

Part of that is obviously we're searching the premises as we speak for explosives and bits and pieces. To ensure the safety of everybody concerned, the army are here to assist with that search.

At the moment, we have evacuated a number of houses to have a safe cordoned area outside of it, which is the necessity for keeping you all back here. At the moment, the military, together with police officers, are entering the premises, and hopefully in the not too distant future we should be able to return back to normal.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON: Now, we understand that the police did get into the building, that they have secured the building, and the area is now returning to normality, that particular part of Leeds, Jim.

CLANCY: We're hearing now, Nic, that British media are reporting that four of the bombers were killed in Thursday's attacks here in the underground at King's Cross and at three other locations across London. They're now saying that there were four bombers killed.

As we all recall, they said that at least three of those devices appeared to be on timers because they exploded within moments of one another, literally within seconds or even less than one another in 8:50 in the morning.

We're going to learn more now. We're going to take you now live to British police holding a press conference right now here in London.

DICK FEDORCIO, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, SCOTLAND YARD: In the light of today's developments, we thought it important to bring you up to date as far as we can at this time.

As you'll appreciate, this is an ongoing investigation. My colleagues will be making some statements, we will not be able to take any questions or do any one-to-one interviews at this time.

We'll start with Assistant Commissioner of Specialist Operations Andy Hayman, who will then hand over to Peter Clarke, deputy assistant commissioner, head of the Scotland Yard anti-terrorist branch and the national coordinator for terrorism investigations.

Andy?

ANDY HAYMAN, ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER, SPECIALIST OPERATIONS, SCOTLAND YARD: It's now nearly a week since more than 50 people were murdered and several hundred injured in an appalling terrorist attack here in London. Innocent people going about their daily live lives, be it as tourists, working or simply living here as residents, have been affected.

From that moment on, as my commissioner declared to everyone last week, we have worked painstakingly to put together every shred of evidence that we could to mount what we want to be a successful investigation.

I'd like to thank, at this juncture, the support of everyone: the media, the communities, and those trying to live, work and visit London. The patience has been a very important ingredient to get where we are now.

To give us all some idea of exactly what the team have been going through, I'd like to describe some of the activity we've been engaged in.

There's been several hundred witness statements taken. Over 1,000 different actions being raised which have been prompted by some very useful and constructive calls from the public to our anti- terrorist hotline. They've been in excess of 2,000.

Doesn't that say an awful lot about our communities here in London and around the rest of the U.K.?

In addition, we have seized and started to view over 2,500 CCTV tapes. And they've been urgently viewed, for obvious reasons.

HAYMAN: What I'd like to do now is hand over to my colleague, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Peter Clarke, who is head of the Anti- Terrorist Branch, who will go into more detail about the developments of today's activity and investigation.

Peter?

CLARKE: Thank you.

As you're obviously all aware, we are conducting a complex and intensive terrorist investigation. And I have to tell you, this investigation is moving at great speed.

The investigation quite early led us to have concerns about the movements and activities of four men, three of whom came from the West Yorkshire area. We're trying to establish their movements in the run- up to last week's attacks and specifically to establish if they all died in the explosions.

Today, we executed six warrants issued under the Terrorism Act at various premises in the West Yorkshire area. These included the home addresses of three of the four men to whom I've referred.

A detailed forensic examination will now follow, and this is likely to take some time to complete.

We now know that all four of these men arrived in London by train on the morning of Thursday, July 7th. We have identified CCTV footage showing the four men at King's Cross Station shortly before 8:30 a.m. on that morning, July 7th.

One of the men who had set out from West Yorkshire was reported missing by his family to the Central Casualty Bureau shortly after 10:00 o'clock last Thursday, July 7th. We have now been able to establish that he was joined on his journey to London by three other men.

We have since found personal documents bearing the names of three of those four men close to the seats of three of the explosions.

As regards to the man who was reported missing, some of his property was found on the Route 30 bus in Tavistock Square.

Property in the name of a second man was found at the scene of the Aldgate bomb.

And in relation to a third man, property in his name was found at the scene of both the Aldgate and the Edgware Road bombs.

We also have very strong forensic and other evidence that it is very likely one of the men from West Yorkshire died in the explosion at Aldgate. This, of course, is subject to formal confirmation by the coroner.

The investigation is still in its early stages. As and when we find areas where the public can be of specific help, we will, of course, give more information and ask for their help, which we know will be forthcoming.

PETER CLARKE, DEPUTY ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER, ANTI-TERRORIST BRANCH, SCOTLAND YARD: However, I would like at this stage to thank the public for all the support and assistance they have already provided. It is invaluable.

At one of the searches in West Yorkshire, some material has been found which has caused the West Yorkshire police to take measures to ensure that there is no risk to the public.

The investigation of what has been found will be a detailed and lengthy exercise.

At Luton, a vehicle has been found in the station car park which we expect is connected to this investigation. Again, steps are being taken to make ensure that there is no risk to the public.

One man has been arrested in West Yorkshire and will be brought to London to be investigated.

I'm sure you'll understand that in this fast-moving and very complex situation it would not be appropriate for me to answer questions about other aspects of the investigation. My absolute priority is the safety of the public.

We will, of course, give you further information as and when it's possible to do so in the future.

Thank you.

HAYMAN: Now, understand that times like this can be very difficult for our communities. There's a need to be reassuring and also calm. And the excellent relationship the police service right across the United Kingdom enjoys with our communities will be there to support and encourage and reassure.

I said only a couple of days ago it times like this when communities do bind together.

I want to conclude by making it absolutely clear that no one should be in any doubt that the work last Thursday is that of extremists and criminals. So that being the case, no one should smear or stigmatize any community with these acts. Good afternoon.

FEDORCIO: That concludes this briefing. We will come back and update you as and when. It'll likely to be tomorrow at the earliest.

Thank you.

CLANCY: All right. We're listening there as Peter Clarke laid it all out for us. And we listened and heard some of the details, as many as he was willing to put forward there.

He is saying now that four of the men believed connected to those blasts were all killed in the bombings themselves. Some of their -- some of their personal documents have been recovered, and one man has been arrested in West Yorkshire.

Let's go to Nic Robertson now in West Yorkshire, in Leeds -- Nic.

ROBERTSON: Jim, also, the police saying that material they discovered at one of the sights under investigation here in West Yorkshire, material that caused them to take precautions for public safety, they didn't say what that material was. It wouldn't be unreasonable to believe, therefore, at this time that it might be explosive material.

We did understand earlier on that they did evacuate 500 or 600 people as they gained entry to a building they believed might contain explosives. But one man from West Yorkshire arrested, according to the police. Three men involved in the bomb attack from West Yorkshire.

Traveled by train from here, from Leeds, to King's Cross. The train line linking Leeds to London goes directly to King's Cross. The police saying that they spotted those three men, plus one individual on CCTV, camera footage at King's Cross station at 8:30 in the morning. That's about 20 minutes before the bombs went off.

The police saying that all four of those men have died. The documents relating to them have been found on the bus -- Jim.

CLANCY: All right, Nic. Right now we have another press conference under way in leads. Let's join that.

CHIEF CONSTABLE COLIN CRAMPHORN, WEST YORKSHIRE POLICE: Good evening, ladies and gentleman. Thanks for your patience.

If you'll appreciate, we've been waiting for the Metropolitan Police Service's press conference to finish before commencing this one. My role here today as chief constable of West Yorkshire Police is to provide reassurance to the people of West Yorkshire. This is both in the delight of the tragic events in London last Thursday and in respect for the ongoing police operations in Yorkshire earlier today.

I hope that you will appreciate the answers to some of the questions about what has taken place this morning across my force area are for the Metropolitan Police to give. They are leading the investigating inquiry and they are the best people to help you.

Please bear with me in accepting that I cannot answer some of the questions that you may have.

Today's events may give people cause for concern that the threat from terrorism they thought lay elsewhere is this country is to be found rather closer to home.

If that is so, then I hope that the actions of my officers and staff, acting in direct support of the Metropolitan Police Service's effort, gives them confidence. I also hope that it will encourage them to remain vigilant.

My officers are continuing to work extremely hard locally in support of the Metropolitan Police Service to find answers to the questions presented to us all about the bombings in London last week.

CRAMPHORN: I recognize that these are difficult and uncertain times for many people. However, I would seek the cooperation of the public in not using the 999 system simply to ask question as to what is happening.

Whilst the concerns are understandable, a very high volume of such calls is creating demand on my officers and staff that might put at risk our attendance at real emergencies.

As chief constable, I know that the people of West Yorkshire will have increased concerns for themselves and their families. I also know that there are those who would seek to exploit those concerns.

I urge the public to continue to be alert but not alarmed by events here today. I also urge them to reject any form of extreme response to them. They can be reassured that my officers are in patrol in greater numbers than is usual, and they will deal with any incidents that threaten the safety or security of the community.

Finally, I ask that people continue to be calm, resilient and measured in what they say and how they act. We cannot afford to let those who seek to undermine our society to succeed.

West Yorkshire Police is here to protect and serve all the communities of West Yorkshire and it will continue to do so. Thank you.

We'll start on the right, shall we?

QUESTION: The car that was found in Luton Station, is it believed that...

CRAMPHORN: Sorry. Found at?

QUESTION: The car that is being searched in Luton...

CRAMPHORN: I'm sorry. Luton is Bedfordshire, 120 miles away from here. We did say in the introduction we're dealing with questions about Yorkshire. QUESTION: Has anybody been arrested locally?

CRAMPHORN: Yes. If you've seen the statements from the Metropolitan Police, then let me say they have identified that one person has been arrested in West Yorkshire and is being taken to London. QUESTION: How many properties were raided this morning by your officers with the assistance of the Met Police?

CRAMPHORN: It's the other way around, actually. The Met Police had the search warrants. We assisted them.

QUESTION: How many?

CRAMPHORN: Six search warrants were executed. Again, that's part of the Met Police statement.

QUESTION: The three areas that were involved, Hyde Park, Easton (ph) and also Doosebury (ph) -- are any or all of them in the specific areas where you would find predominantly Pakistanis, in terms of the ethnic mix?

CRAMPHORN: No.

QUESTION: Can I ask, have any of the men identified by the Metropolitan Police as having travelled to London Thursday morning, or the person who was arrested, were any of them known to your force?

CRAMPHORN: Well, that's a question about the investigation. I've already said that's one of those questions you will have to direct to the Metropolitan Police. They are in the lead on this inquiry, not West Yorkshire Police. We are in a supporting role.

QUESTION: There have been reports from the (inaudible) about various people who have gone missing (inaudible) in advance of today's developments. Will you be following those up?

CRAMPHORN: Again, the Metropolitan Police statement of just a few moments ago makes clear that one person had been reported missing to the Casualty Bureau, the Central Casualty Bureau, and, of course, actions were taken accordingly around that.

QUESTION: What were the -- the person who was arrested, was he -- do we know anything about the charges against him? Or what is his...

CRAMPHORN: He has not been charged. He's been arrested in accordance with the terms of the warrants and taken to London. Again, any further detail you would have to ask of the Metropolitan Police. It's their inquiry.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

CRAMPHORN: I'm sorry, I didn't hear that.

QUESTION: Is it right that four men who placed the bombs possibly died in the attacks? All four died... CRAMPHORN: There are statements about that that have just been given by the Metropolitan Police at their press conference. You must take your guidance from that.

QUESTION: Has there been any backlash that you know of since (inaudible)? Any racial tensions that you've...

CRAMPHORN: Speaking for West Yorkshire, I'm happy to say that community tensions remain low. We have, in fact, been taking extensive community intervention and community impact measures since last Thursday, and that means that we have a very good and positive dialogue with the various communities across West Yorkshire.

CRAMPHORN: And that has maintained a low state of community tensions.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

CRAMPHORN: No.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

CRAMPHORN: Again, that's a question you have to ask the Met Police.

QUESTION: Did you have any problems during the arrest?

CRAMPHORN: Did we have any?

QUESTION: Problems, any troubles?

CRAMPHORN: No.

I have read some press reporting today describing these matters as raids, which does rather imply forced entry and so on and so forth.

I have to say that it hasn't been like that. These are warrants that are being executed at the addresses. Entry has been by agreement. It's not of that nature.

There is one exception to that which I think you are all aware of, which is the address in Hyde Park, where there was a controlled explosion used as part of entry to a vacant property, an unoccupied property.

ANDERSON: A press conference being held there in Leeds, where the investigation into the terror attacks of Thursday is now the focus.

Let me just bring you up to date on what we have just heard in this complex and intensive investigation. Peter Clarke, who is head of the anti-terror squad, has said it is very likely that one of the men from West Yorkshire -- there are four being investigated here -- that one of the men from West Yorkshire is a bomber, and that he died in the explosion at Aldgate. They are focusing their investigation on four men. Three of them are from West Yorkshire. All four arrived in London on Thursday there at King's Cross at 8:30 in the morning. It is likely that one of the bombers died in those explosions.

We will take a short break. We'll be back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: You're watching CNN. A number of casualties are reported in the explosion on Tuesday at a shopping mall in Netanya in Israel. For more, we turn to Guy Raz, who is on the line from Jerusalem -- Guy.

GUY RAZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Becky, you'll forgive us if information is still spare at this point. What we do know is that there was an explosion in the Israeli coastal town of Netanya, just about 35 minutes ago. It happened outside of a shopping mall, the Ha Sharon (ph) Shopping Center, a relatively large shopping mall in that coastal city, about 25 miles north of Tel Aviv.

Now, Israeli police are saying it was a suicide bombing. They know that two people and one -- rather three people in total, two, and a suicide bomber, have been confirmed killed. At least 30 others injured.

Now, this is the second time this year there has been a suicide bombing in Israel. The last was in February in Tel Aviv, a bombing that also killed three people.

We've also received a statement from the Palestinian Authority, from the chief Palestinian negotiator, Saeb Erekat, who just spoke to us a short time ago. He said, "We condemn this attack. We believe whoever carried it out aims to sabotage the efforts being exerted to revive the peace process and to have a smooth and peaceful disengagement from Gaza." Dr. Erekat referring to Israel's upcoming plan to withdraw from the occupied Gaza Strip.

But at this point, it's still early. It happened, as I say, about 35 minutes ago in the coastal town of Netanya. The last time a bombing happened in this town was in 2002.

Becky, you'll recall that in March of 2002, Netanya was the site of one of the largest suicide bombings that killed 28 people enjoying a Passover meal. That bombing then prompted Israel's government to launch what it then called Operation Defensive Shield, when it reoccupied most of the West Bank, and remains in most of the West Bank to this day -- Becky.

ANDERSON: OK. Guy Raz on the latest from Netanya.

An explosion occurring Tuesday near a shopping mall in Netanya, injuring some 30 people. Some seriously, of course. And Guy suggesting that two deaths, plus the suicide bomber.

Of course, we'll update our top stories for you in just a moment and bring you more on that as we get it.

Also ahead, a harrowing exercise at the best of times. NASA prepares for a shuttle mission with even more than the usual riding on its success.

You're watching CNN. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Welcome back to YOUR WORLD TODAY. I'm Becky Anderson in London along with Jim Clancy at King's Cross. Here are some of the top stories that we are following this hour and some pictures just out of Netanya. Israeli police say an explosion in the coastal city of Netanya was a suicide bombing. These pictures coming live to us here at CNN. At least two people were killed along with the suspected suicide bomber.

Now the bomb went off at the entrance to a crowded shopping mall a short time ago. Dozens of people were wounded. It's been the target of a number of suicide bombings and attacks of course in the past. One of the worst known as the Passover suicide blast, which happened in March of 2002.

An explosion on Tuesday near a shopping mall in Netanya injuring some 30 people, some seriously -- two deaths and the death of the suicide bomber as well -- the investigation of the London bombings is focusing on four men, three from West Yorkshire. One man has been arrested in West Yorkshire in connection with the attacks. Peter Clarke, head of the London Police Antiterrorist Section, said all four men arrived in London by train on the morning of the bombing. Clarke says at least one bomber was killed in the attacks. He said they were seen on closed-circuit television at King's Cross Station.

Well, South Korea is reaching out to the North to economic and diplomatic talks. Seoul has promised Pyongyang 500,000 metric tons of rice to alleviate a severe food shortage there. South Korean officials have also revealed details of an offer that may have helped bring the North back to the nuclear negotiation table. They've promised energy aid if Pyongyang gives up its nuclear arsenal at six- party talks later this month.

Well officials in Lebanon are investigating the first car-bombing there this year that targeted a pro-Syrian politician. Deputy Prime Minister Elias Murr was one of 12 people injured when the bomb went off near his motorcade in a suburb of Beirut. Two other people were killed. The blast is the latest in a string of attacks targeting Lebanese politicians.

All right, back to the investigation of the terror attacks last Thursday in London. The police are calling this a complex and intensive investigation. They say it is picking up at great speed. Details announced in the last hour also at a press conference by those leading this investigation. Jim, listening to this. He is at King's Cross. The Jim, the details, if you will, of what we know to date.

JIM CLANCY, CNN ANCHOR: Well, what we know so far -- and I guess we begin at the beginning -- it was closed-circuit television tape right here at King's Cross Station that showed four men, three of them that were from West Yorkshire, in the station here 20 minutes before the bombs ripped through three separate trains, Underground trains almost simultaneously. A fourth bomb, as you recall, exploded onboard a double-decker bus. That all happened almost an hour later.

Now, the police say that they have traced those men back. They believe they have strong forensic evidence that at least one of them died in the bomb blasts. They say they've also found the personal property of the three other men at the site of those other three blasts, they said either at or very near the seat where the bombs went off.

Nic Robertson has been covering this story now from Leeds. That is where we have had that one arrest made. That is also where police conducted early-morning searches. Let's go up to Nic. Nic?

ROBERTSON: Jim, and the other -- one of the other key details we learned in that press conference and again confirmed in another press conference by the chief of the West Yorkshire Police, that perhaps one of the first indications that police had that the bombers or one of the bombers could have been from this area was when a family in West Yorkshire called the investigation hotline barely an hour after the initial bombings took place. Now, the chief of West Yorkshire police indicated that call in itself from the family saying that a family member was missing set off a chain of events in that investigation. And that chain of events appeared to come back to Leeds this morning at 6:30 in the morning.

The arrest of one man now confirmed by the police in those raids today. They say that man will be taken back to London for part of the investigation.

The other item discovered amongst all of the other forensic evidence discovered on the six raids here in Leeds today, the police say that there was a material found that gave them cause for concern for public safety. We know that as the police went into one building today, they evacuated some 500 to 600 people, placed police marksmen around the building, used a controlled explosion to gain entry because they believed explosives were in that building.

The police not saying what material it is that they've discovered that could be harmful to the public. But they are saying that one man arrested here. They are saying that material discovered in the forensic searches here that could be harmful to the public. And that key first information leading perhaps to this arrest and leading the police down this investigative line that brought them to West Yorkshire that a family member called up the investigation hotline just hours after those blasts took place last week, Jim.

CLANCY: All right, now, I think there's some confusion here, and it may be just understanding specifically what the police had to say. And certainly earlier, they were indicating that these were not suicide bombers. Has that changed?

ROBERTSON: Jim, that is still not clear. The police are saying that one of the bombers died. They know that for sure from forensic evidence. They're saying that they found the documents from three of the other bombers close to those Underground train blasts. There's an indication there in that statement that those bombers were caught up in the explosions.

The police have not said exactly what type of bombs they were. They said they contained high explosives, that they were perhaps between five to 10 pounds of explosives were used. They haven't said what the triggers might have been. There's been much speculation the triggers could have been timers on mobile phones.

There has also been much speculation about whether or not these could have been suicide bombers with suicide vests. The police have previously ruled that out, saying that the detonations appeared to go off not at mid-body level, but at foot level, indicating that bags were on the ground. However, the many people that travel the Underground network in London are very aware that the set of coincidences and circumstances that could allow three bags on three different trains to be left unnoticed and unspotted on the trains has raised some people's suspicions that even if timing devices were used with those bombs, that the bombers may have well accompanied the bombs until they detonated. That is not clear, Jim. But what the police are saying is that the documents relating to three of the bombers have been discovered. The other bomber there, confirming, died in one of the explosions, Jim.

CLANCY: All right, Nic Robertson in Leeds. And as Nic is pointing out here, this major break in the London bombings case comes. Police, if nothing else, have identified four men they suspect planted those bombs. At least one of the men, according to strong forensic evidence -- one of the men died in the blast. Did the others? Those questions are yet unanswered -- Becky, back to you.

ANDERSON: OK. Thank you very much indeed for that. A complex and intense investigation, as its being called by those who are running it. Now, Britain's top ministers are appealing to European Union nations to crack down on the financial assets of terrorists and their supporters. In Brussels, Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown called for sanctions against countries that failed to crack down on money laundering within their borders. He says that Britain would work closely at the E.U. level to apply and improve an existing action plan against financing terror.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GORDON BROWN, BRITAIN'S CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER: I think there's two reasons why this financial effort is important. One is to cut off the supply of funds. Now, that is obviously important -- it's very important to do it, whether it's money going from banks to terrorists. The second thing is our research, our action, to try and identify money transactions that are taking place across borders, has given us vital and important information about what potential terrorists and terrorists are doing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, he remarks, too, a European and foreign affairs -- British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, also calling for new security laws. Well, for more on all of this, I'm joined by our European political editor Robin Oakley.

Let's start with the Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown. He's not calling for anything new here, is he? He's calling to speed actions already been agreed on.

ROBIN OAKLEY, CNN EUROPEAN POLITICAL EDITOR: Absolutely and what he's determined on is that there's going to be not only no safe haven for anybody who perpetrates an act of terrorism, but there's going to be no hiding place for those who have helped finance acts of terrorism. And as we heard him say, you know, people say that actually tracing the money going into terrorism may not be that important because, sadly, you can mount some of these hideous attacks comparatively cheaply. It's not megabucks, like the drug business, and so on.

But the key is that if you can fasten in on the transactions going on between the bombers and the conspirators who help them, then that helps you trace them -- perhaps the purchase of their materials or whatever. And Gordon Brown was pointing out that the perpetrators of the 9/11 attacks on the United States, the key link between them was one set of bank accounts, which in the end helped to trace all those names.

ANDERSON: This, of course, amid concern that terror is -- or terrorists -- are living Europe-wide, of course, at present. How coordinated are European governments when it comes to issues like that which Gordon Brown is suggesting, and indeed security issues as a whole?

OAKLEY: Yes. Not nearly as coordinated as they should be, is the answer to that, particularly with a lot of the people coming in from North Africa into southern Europe. And they did agree, this big action plan, after the Madrid bombings, after 9/11, 150 different items. Many of them could be very useful in countering terrorism.

The problem is that every country has a different policing system, a different judicial system, different way of prosecuting and chasing after terrorists. Some countries, the secret services have the lead. Others, you know, police forces are regionally controlled. Some are nationally controlled. Very difficult to get that degree of coordination. But they're determined that they're going to improve on that now.

ANDERSON: European political editor Robin Oakley, we thank you. And coming up, all systems are go for Wednesday's launch of the U.S. space shuttle. We'll get the final details of the final countdown for Discovery and why its mission is so important for NASA.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) ANDERSON: You're watching CNN. I want to bring you up-to-date on news coming to the CNN Center in the last hour.

Two people have died this Tuesday when a suicide bomb blew up outside a shopping ball in Netanya in Israel, wounding about another 30 people. Six of them have been wounded seriously, according to Israeli police. These are live pictures coming out of Netanya as we speak. Police said that the suicide bomber was also killed. That would, of course, bring the deaths to three in this. The suicide bomb blew up outside the shopping mall in Netanya, wounding about another 30 people.

The chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said the Palestinians have condemned the attack. He has said, and I quote, "We believe whoever carried it out aimed to sabotage the efforts being exerted to revive the peace process and to have a smooth and peaceful disengagement from Gaza." That is what Saeb Erekat has told CNN in the past hour. Netanya, of course, is north of Tel Aviv and only a few miles from the West Bank. It's been the target of a number of suicide bombings and attacks in the past.

Two people have died this Tuesday in a suicide bomb outside a shopping mall in Netanya -- these pictures coming to us from Israel -- wounding about 30 other people, six of them seriously. More on that story, of course, as we get it.

Now, a day of pomp and ceremony in Monaco with Prince Albert ascending to the throne (INAUDIBLE) by the death of his father Prince Rainier. The 47-year-old bachelor and members of royals attended Mass early in the day, ahead of parties and fireworks in the principality. Albert's recent admission that he has a son with a French flight attendant did little to dampen local enthusiasm for today's events.

Well, when the Space Shuttle Discovery arcs into orbit on Wednesday, its official mission will be to re-supply the International Space Station. Another less tangible goal, though, abridging the gap between NASA's previous doomed mission in what the space agency hopes is a brighter, smarter future.

Sean Callebs joins us from Kennedy Space Center with an update from there. First question, of course, how's the weather, Sean? Because it's been awful in that region, hasn't it?

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it really has. You heard, no doubt, about Hurricane Dennis, which really touched the western part of Florida. NASA engineers were concerned about that, but dodged that one. However, in the last half an hour, we heard sirens go off here at the Kennedy Space Center. There had been a tornado warning, but that warning was lifted just a minute ago. But no doubt, they expect some thunderstorms to move into the area.

And that -- if this happened tomorrow -- now, the launch is scheduled for 3:51 Eastern time tomorrow. That's about 27 hours from now. There's only a five-minute window to launch. So NASA really is counting on the weather to hold out. However, there is 40 percent chance that foul weather could adversely affect the scheduled liftoff. And it wouldn't necessarily mean rain or lightning or strong winds.

If, indeed, it was just extremely cloudy, that could cancel the launch. And here is why. One of the changes made over the past two- and-half years since Colombia disintegrated, re-entering the Earth's atmosphere, NASA is now aiming about 100 cameras at Discovery during liftoff. They will take all kinds of information and engineers and scientists will be able to pore over those photographs while Discovery is in orbit and they will try and see if any damage was caused by debris during liftoff.

After a long study, NASA determined that Columbia was doomed when a one-and-a-half pound chunk of foam struck the leading edge of the wing during liftoff. Just the force of liftoff caused that damage. It caused a small crack, and once reentering the atmosphere, hot gasses seeped into the orbiter, and then just disintegrated and doomed the seven astronauts onboard.

Becky, there's also a lot of international interest in this flight, let alone the pride in serving the International Space Station. There's a Japanese astronaut, as well as an Australian astronaut aboard. Among the 2,600 people credentialed to watch this launch scheduled for tomorrow, some hundreds of Japanese journalists and about one-quarter of those 2,600 are international journalists -- Becky.

ANDERSON: Sean Callebs at Kennedy Space Center.

And CNN will bring you the launch of Discovery live. Liftoff scheduled for 19:51 GMT, which correspondents to the times on your screens.

Now do join us for that. We will take a very short break. We'll be back after this.

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ANDERSON: You're watching CNN.

There's been an explosion at an Israeli shopping mall. Let's get back to Netanya, the site of that bomb in Israel.

And joining us with an update is Azi Zohar, head of Israeli emergency services.

Describe what you can of the scene, if you will, Azi.

AZI ZOHAR: It's is the Israeli Red Cross. And I am at the scene from the first three, four minutes, as were informed about (INAUDIBLE) casualties. Three dead on the scene area, six seriously injured. All of the others moderate and light. All of them are in hospitals in Israel.

(INAUDIBLE) the same place where attacks -- (INAUDIBLE) in this same place exactly. Our station is very close to this place. So in a few minutes, when all of the patients well on the way to the hospitals, and maybe we are ready for such a case. Northern city (ph) ambulances reached the scene area in 10 to 12 minutes. And in this case, not any injured, or any light injured or (INAUDIBLE) people, that also sometimes are cut from the explosion in the center of Netanya, 7:00 in the evening, 6:45 exactly. Rush hour in this area near the mall, but as they say, we are used to that. We hope it will be the last.

ANDERSON: Netanya, of course is north of Tel Aviv, and only a few miles from West Bank. As you say, it's been the target of a number of suicide bombings and attacks in the past. What do you do? What can you do to secure this area?

ZOHAR: Yes, the situation is -- you know, Netanya is about less than seven miles from Tulkarem (ph), and what you call the West Bank, the (INAUDIBLE) area. And it's really sometimes easy to smuggle to this area with small explosives, maybe not more than 10 to 15 pounds. The suicider also is dead. So what I can say about that, that Tel Aviv is a little bit more far, it is easier to come. And it could be in Tel Aviv, but Netanya of course -- let's say it's beyond Jerusalem, it's the second town that was mostly attacks, and as we mentioned in this place, exactly in the entrance to this mall, it's is the third time that we have such explosions by suicider.

ANDERSON: OK. We're going to leave it there. Azi Zohar, we thank you so much indeed.

Two people died Tuesday when a suicide bomb blew up outside a shopping mall in Netanya, wounding about another 30 people. That news just coming to us in the past hour also.

From Jim Clancy and the rest of the CNN team reporting this hour, I'm Becky Anderson. The news continues here on CNN.

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