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American Morning

London Terror; Egypt Attacks; Killer Heat; "Minding Your Business"

Aired July 25, 2005 - 07:00   ET

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

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.
"AMERICAN MORNING" starts right now.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning to you, Carol, thank you.

And good morning to all of you, from London. We're coming to you live from Abington Green this morning. It's near the House of Lords. It's a major commuter walkway and a major tourist destination, too, in the heart of Central London.

Today, unnerved commuters making their way to the office, and new information about the investigation. A third arrest to report. New links between the bombers who died on July 7 and the four bombers who are still on the run.

This morning, we bring you the very latest from Scotland Yard. And we go along on the commute with a woman who says, from now on, she's walking to work. We're coming to you live from New York and London on this AMERICAN MORNING.

And good morning, welcome, everybody.

Let me give you a sense of where we are. We're at Abington Green. It's actually a fairly small place, but its location prime as it's right next to the House of Lords, which you can see over my shoulder. We're also just a stone's throw away from the residence of the British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Underground, the Westminster Tube is very close to us. And, of course, lots of tourists, as well, making their way through here, in spite of the relatively inclement weather we've been having off and on here in London.

In addition to the arrests and the investigation that's going on into the second round of bombers who are still missing, there are, Miles, some questions about why police shot an innocent Brazilian man five times at point blank range. They now say they're sorry. We've got more on that end of the investigation ahead this morning.

Miles, good morning.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to you, Soledad.

Also coming up on this side of the Atlantic, new developments in the Egypt bombing investigation that killed 84 people over the weekend. Authorities say they're looking for a group of Pakistani men. We'll have a live report from Sharm el-Sheikh.

Also, a story breaking now in Maryland. A tour bus has overturned near Baltimore. We're getting more details on this story, and we'll bring you the latest from there.

Back to Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: All right, Miles, thanks.

And let's bring you up to date on the investigation. Nic Robertson is live for us this morning. He's at Scotland Yard, not very far from where we are.

Nic, good morning to you, what's the very latest?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.

Well, three people have been arrested so far, two on Friday night, one on Saturday night. They're currently being questioned at a police station in Central London. Not clear if they are among the four failed bombers from Thursday. It appears that they're not, but police haven't clarified that.

Also on Saturday, late on Saturday, police discovered a backpack that they said had some similarities to the backpack bombs that were discovered on Thursday. They performed a controlled explosion. They have taken that backpack away for investigation. They say potential of some similarities between that backpack and the backpack used in the failed attacks on Thursday -- Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: Nic, speaking of similarities, investigators have new information, too, that links the bombers who perished in the July 7 attacks and the bombers they're still looking for, right?

ROBERTSON: Absolutely. The police are currently investigating and talking to a whitewater rafting company in Wales about three or four hours drive from London here. The July the 7th bombers, two of those bombers were seen taking a whitewater rafting trip in early June. They are photographed. That photograph has been carried in a number of national newspapers here. The police are talking to that whitewater rafting company as a line of investigation, not just on those July the 7th bombings, but also on those failed July the 21st bombings.

And indeed, the manager of the whitewater rafting center confirms that the whitewater rafting company is talking to the police in connection with both of those bombings. They confirm that two of the bombers from the first bombings were on the trip. They say the same day, a second group of people, of the same ethnicity, took a trip in the afternoon. They say they have 15,000 people through. These guys didn't stand out. But again, it's an important line of investigation, apparently, for the police here -- Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: Yes, and certainly, a curious link. Nic Robertson is at Scotland Yard. Nic, we're going to obviously continue to check in with you throughout the morning to get the very latest on the investigation on many fronts.

Let's go bring it back to Miles in New York -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: All right, thank you very much, Soledad.

Random searches begin today in New Jersey for passengers carrying bags and packages on trains and buses. New York City Police have been doing the same since last week to subway and bus riders, as we've been telling you.

Authorities cleared New York's Penn Station after a bomb scare on Sunday. Police and military personnel ordered hundreds of commuters to evacuate to the street. Amtrak police say one man threw a big bag at an Amtrak agent, saying it was a bomb. There he is. The false alarm lasted for about an hour.

Another false alarm Sunday in midtown Manhattan, meanwhile, a double-decker tour bus driver got suspicious about five male passengers. She called police. They handcuffed the men. Police searched a backpack, turned up nothing.

New developments out of Egypt this morning, authorities there say they are searching for several Pakistani men in connection with Saturday's triple bomb attacks at the Red Sea resort of Sharm el- Sheikh. At least 84 were killed. One, we have learned, is an American.

CNN's Chris Burns is in Sharm el-Sheikh.

Chris, just bring us up to date on the investigation, if you could, please.

CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Miles, there is a possible Pakistani connection, as with the London attacks. Authorities say they've been looking for a number of Pakistanis, even before the attacks here in Sharm el-Sheikh.

Also, they've been rounding up dozens, reportedly dozens of people here in the Sinai. The interior minister says there is quite possibly a link with the Tabah resort bombings that happened back in October here on the Sinai that killed some three dozen people.

There is a human rights group that says to be careful about the number of people that they arrest. They say some 3,000 people were arrested after the Tabah bombings and hundreds remain in jail right now. Only two people are on trial. They allege that there's been some torture involved -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: So a rather large net is employed in these cases. Those links that you talk about, what specific links do they see between the two events?

ROBERTSON: Well in terms of suspects, it's not very clear. They're being very, very reticent about how much information they're giving on that. There is a report that, on the Internet, one group out of Iraq showed that they were questioning that Egyptian diplomat that was reportedly killed in Iraq recently, where he was questioned by his captors asking him about what sort of people visit the Sinai? Whether Jews visit there, and he said, yes, they visit in that area from Tabah down to Sharm el-Sheikh, seeming to indicate that perhaps there might be a link between terrorists and these attacks here.

M. O'BRIEN: Chris Burns in Sharm el-Sheikh, thank you.

BURNS: Thank you.

M. O'BRIEN: Later this hour, we'll talk with someone who was perilously close to one of those bombings, was slightly injured, and he'll tell his tale.

Much of the country, the U.S., that is, remains in the grip of a deadly heat wave this morning. The high temperatures taking especially heavy toll in the mid and southwest regions. Today, Illinois State officials expected to ask the federal government for emergency funds to help the most vulnerable people survive the extreme heat. Also, an emergency response plan remains in effect in Chicago. That plan was designed after 700 died during a heat wave 10 years ago.

Our correspondent Chris Lawrence is in Chicago.

Chris, tell me about the heat wave and the loss of life that is already occurring there.

CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Miles, the fire department here says at least three deaths may appear to be contributed by the heat, but the medical examiner hasn't confirmed that yet. And a doctor for the city of Chicago says that discrepancy isn't all that unusual. It can take up to a couple days after a day as intense as Sunday to determine how many people died and whether their deaths had anything at all to do with the heat.

Now the city has certainly been doing whatever it can to keep the damage low from that incredible heat wave that we got. The most vulnerable are elderly people who live alone, and city workers have been calling them since late last week. They've been sending caseworkers out to their apartments and their homes, knocking on the door, saying are you OK? Checking on them. Making sure that they have air conditioning or some other way to keep cool.

If they don't, they're actually taking them to cooling centers, air conditioned buildings here in the city, giving them juice and water, just enough to get them by for a couple of days until the temperature starts to go down.

Of course Chicago not alone in this heat wave. St. Louis hit 104 over the weekend. Omaha, Nebraska, 105. Here in Chicago, there was a heat advisory and a heat alert out. And we had Lollapalooza here this weekend, so you had thousands of people outside all weekend. One band had to quit playing because their lead singer collapsed on stage and had to be taken back stage. Just to give you an idea of just how hot it was here over the weekend -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: Chris Lawrence in Chicago, thank you.

Much the same in the steamy southwest. Temperatures in Phoenix, Arizona could hit 106 today. Officials there say the deadly heat wave has claimed at least 18 lives. They're used to triple digits there, but it's worse than it normally is.

Let's bring in Chad Myers now and get a sense of where this heat wave is headed. Any relief in sight -- Chad?

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Certainly relief for Chicago, Minneapolis, Duluth and even into Michigan today.

(WEATHER REPORT)

Miles, your streets will be wet in less than a half-hour.

M. O'BRIEN: All right, we'll be looking for that. Chad, thank you very much.

Emergency crews on the scene of an overturned Greyhound bus near Baltimore. According to The Associated Press, Baltimore city fire officials are reporting 14 people injured as a result of this rollover. The fire department is calling it a mass casualty incident and responding as such. Details are coming in right now, as you see some of the pictures which are just coming in from our affiliate WBAL and others. Northbound Interstate 95 is shut down. And we're watching that one closely for you.

Back to Soledad in London.

S. O'BRIEN: All right, Miles, thanks.

Some progress for commuters in London to tell you about. Aldgate Station, you'll recall that was the station that was damaged by the blast on July 7. So that station has now been reopened as of this morning. Seven people, seven commuters, you will recall, were killed in the blast there. And also the bomber, Shahzad Tanweer, as well.

Some other information, Circle Line still shut. And the roads near Tavistock Square, that's where the bus exploded, the roads there still shut as well.

The numbers truly tell the story here in London. Bike sales are up, way up. And people are finding, obviously, alternate ways to get to work. Those who are not riding bikes, they are essentially hoofing it, taking to the streets and walking to the office. The latest bombing, the latest round of bombings really making people nervous, they tell us.

One woman tells us that, frankly, she's not going to ride the Tube anymore.

Victoria Snow (ph) took us along on her commute this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

S. O'BRIEN (on camera): Good morning.

VICTORIA SNOW, COMMUTER: Morning. Hi.

S. O'BRIEN: All right. Let's go. OK.

SNOW: OK.

S. O'BRIEN: How long do you think this walk will take us?

SNOW: About 50 minutes.

S. O'BRIEN: Five zero?

SNOW: Five zero, yes.

S. O'BRIEN: That's quite a hike.

SNOW: Yes, it's quite a nice walk, though.

S. O'BRIEN: And it's not raining.

SNOW: Not raining, thank goodness, yes.

S. O'BRIEN: What has been the scariest thing to contemplate in going down into the Underground?

SNOW: Well, I don't like being deep underground anyway. So it's just the sort of air of vulnerability that, you know, if something happened and you were trapped down there, that sort of creeps me out.

S. O'BRIEN: You're going down several levels, aren't you?

SNOW: Yes, it's quite a deep one, yes.

S. O'BRIEN: And it's pretty crowded?

SNOW: Yes.

S. O'BRIEN: Do the cameras make you feel more secure? I mean there are cameras everywhere here. You're being watched all the time, pretty much.

SNOW: Yes, no, because we've always had those. So I don't feel any sort of reassurance from those now really.

S. O'BRIEN: You had kind of a scary experience last week, and I guess it's the experience that ended your Underground riding for a while. What happened?

SNOW: Yes. Yes, I was on a Tube, and there was just a normal guy there, but he just had a big rucksack with him. And he started rummaging around in his rucksack trying to find something.

S. O'BRIEN: And what did you think it was? SNOW: Well we all thought -- everyone in the carriage sort of obviously were thinking the same thing as me, oh my god, what's he looking for? Is he going to detonate a bomb? And it was just that horrible feeling for us, a few seconds, that made me think, actually, I have a choice, so I should probably start walking to work, at least for the present time.

My favorite part of the walk is walking over Waterloo Bridge in the morning. And it's very quiet. There are no tourists around. And you can see the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, the Gerkin (ph) the city. And it's quite amazing to think I actually live and work here.

S. O'BRIEN: How long can you keep it up for? I mean a 50-minute walk each way. You're spending almost two hours a day commuting.

SNOW: Yes, it's really nice at the present time. It's great weather. And you know you put your iPod in the morning, and it's a great time to think, you know, before the day. I probably will reevaluate when the British weather starts to get much worse. Part of my walk to work, I walk through Embankment Gardens, where I've actually sat at the pagoda where there are epicov (ph) condolence and there are floral tributes there.

S. O'BRIEN: For the people who died in the July 7 bombing?

SNOW: Yes. Yes, and that's sort of quite a nice peaceful place. You can see people sat there in the mornings, just sort of contemplating what's happened. It's quite a nice place to be.

S. O'BRIEN: Kind of drives it home for you, I guess, while you're walking?

SNOW: Exactly, yes, yes, it's sort of a fitting end to the walk really.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

S. O'BRIEN: Victoria Snow, who was nice enough to let us follow her around this morning, says that she's not sure how long she can keep up that fairly lengthy commute. She says as soon as the weather starts to change, she thinks she might be going back underground.

Ahead this morning on AMERICAN MORNING, police are now saying the man that was shot and killed had nothing to do with the London bombings. That tragedy, though, has Muslims around London on edge. We're going to talk about that ahead this morning.

Also, they call it CCTV for closed circuit TV, millions of them around London. How useful are they, though, in preventing crime? And what lessons can Americans learn from what's happening here in London? That's ahead, too.

Stay with us, you're watching a split edition of AMERICAN MORNING from London and New York. We're back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) S. O'BRIEN: And welcome back to AMERICAN MORNING. We're coming to you from New York and London this morning.

In London, a new poll says that 7 out of 10 people here support the shooting of British police, the shoot-to-kill policy in the wake of that shooting of an innocent Brazilian who was killed mistakenly. Police now apologizing for that.

There will be a meeting later today between members of the Muslim community and also the Commissioner of Police, Ian Blair. And certainly a big topic of conversation is going to be how to prevent a shooting like this from happening again.

Sher Khan is with the Muslim Council of Britain, and he is joining us this morning as our guest.

You're organization is going to be reaped at this meeting later today. What do you hope concretely to come out of a meeting like this, which is, on the face of it, to a very large degree, very political?

SHER KHAN, MUSLIM COUNCIL OF BRITAIN: Well, I think one of the key things we've got to do is reassure the community. I mean, particularly the Muslim community, who, at the moment, have a lot of anxiety and a lot of fear as a result of what's happened. I mean, clearly, the person looked foreign. So you know what other procedures that led to the shooting of this individual, was it that they thought this person was a Muslim? Or were the actual evidences that they were basing their assumption on properly thought out to avoid, you know, misidentifying someone? Those are the kind of things.

S. O'BRIEN: What are the concerns in the Muslim community right now? I mean, as you point out, here is a man mistakenly identified as a terrorist and mistakenly potentially identified as a Muslim as well. What sorts of things are Muslims taking away from the shooting?

KHAN: Well, from the shooting, as I said, they're very fearful. For example, we had loads of calls straight after the shooting where people were asking, well, do I carry a rucksack? If someone looks overtly Muslim, has a beard, or a woman that wears a head scarf, they're a lot more fearful.

But of course our fear goes, it's not just the police force, there's a wider fear of how they're perceived within the wider community. So a lot of work needs to be done to reassure communities, to make sure that there isn't that kind of misunderstanding, because we're all Londoners as well.

S. O'BRIEN: You have Muslim clerics who are hard liners, who essentially say the bombing was deserved. I mean, what kind of a role should community leaders, like yourself, have in saying that these clerics are wrong?

KHAN: Well I think we have that role, and that's a role that we've been taking very seriously. For example, when they say these things, we're very much there in the camera trying to contradict what they say. I think the best way to deal with these difficulties in democratic society is to challenge those views and defeat their argument publicly so that they can't go on preaching hate to others. And that we ensure that the kind of misinterpretation that leads to the kind of evil that happened is stopped in its tracks.

S. O'BRIEN: Don't you run a real risk, though, when you start to marginalize and essentially squeeze the clerics, you run the risk of increasing the extremism?

KHAN: This is why it's very important not to push them underground. Have them come out, have them make their arguments in public, if they really believe in what they're saying, and then we should defeat that argument, which shouldn't be too difficult to do. It's a very silly argument, you know out of hatred, out of confusion and frustration. These are not sound arguments, they're not intellectual arguments, they're emotional arguments that are quite easily dealt with.

S. O'BRIEN: What's the Muslim community doing and when you consider that to a large degree you're the victims of the backlash?

KHAN: Yes.

S. O'BRIEN: So what do you do then to -- I mean you have a huge self-interest in stopping terror on many levels.

KHAN: Absolutely. Yes, exactly. I mean, first of all, we're Londoners, which means you know I missed the actual first bombing by three minutes. I catch the Tube every morning. So I'm in a risk just as any other Londoner. But on top of that, of course, there's the double risk of being misidentified or, you know, perceived to be a threat and so on because I have a rucksack. So there are all these sort of fears.

The only way we can deal with that, to ensure, as I say, to continue the work we do for years, which is building relationships between different members of the community. This is a very diverse community. London is a magnificent city of many cultures, many colors and faith. It's that what we are trying to protect together.

S. O'BRIEN: Mr. Khan of the Muslim Council of Britain, thank you for talking with us this morning. We certainly appreciate your time.

And let's go back to Miles in New York -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: Thank you, Soledad.

Still to come in the program, the travel industry likes to say it's business as usual, but the London bombings may soon have an impact on tourism, of course. Andy's "Minding Your Business" next on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

M. O'BRIEN: The London terror attacks are expected to take a toll on the city's tourism industry. Just how big an impact will it have? Andy Serwer, back from vacation, and "Minding Your Business."

Andy, good to have you back.

ANDY SERWER, "MINDING YOUR BUSINESS": Good morning, Miles, good to see you.

Government officials are trying to sift through the numbers this morning, Miles, to assess just how severe the impact will be on the British economy. Tourism accounts for about 4 percent of that nation's overall economy. And London, particular, depends heavily on that business.

Some early numbers coming in, about 500,000 fewer visitors are expected there, according to a recent study done. That's only a 2 percent or so out of the 30 million visitors to the country, but it's a significant number because the economy in the U.K. has been rather weak lately. So anything on the margin could tip things rather dramatically.

You can see here also that we're down 20 percent in terms of shoppers, on that screen, from after the bombing and the attempted bombing last week. But that's not as bad as the previous bombing on July 7 when shopping was down 77 percent.

And just one other quick note, Miles, in Egypt, tourism is even more important for that economy. About nine million tourists spend over $6 billion there. And according to a recent news story, the flights into Sharm el-Sheikh on the Red Sea are very, very empty going in, as you might imagine. So the impact there could be even more severe for that nation.

M. O'BRIEN: And of course, that is the victory for terrorists if that does happen, all right.

SERWER: Unfortunately so.

M. O'BRIEN: Thank you -- Andy.

SERWER: You're welcome.

M. O'BRIEN: Appreciate that.

Back to Soledad in London -- Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: All right, Miles, thanks.

Ahead this morning on AMERICAN MORNING, a closer look at the closed circuit TV. Those security cameras clearly critical in tracking down bombing suspects, but some people here say it's too little, too late. We'll take a look at what the technology could do for the U.S. ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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