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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports

Explosions at Chemical Plant Lead to Fire; U.K. in Massive Manhunt for Bombers; Man Arrested in Connection with Bombings; Shuttle Fleet Grounded after Discovery; American Muslims Condemn Terrorism; Former Miami Commissioner Kills Self in Newspaper Lobby

Aired July 28, 2005 - 17:00   ET

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

ZAIN VERJEE, HOST: Happening now, an explosion tears through a chemical plant. Fire officials say there are some injuries. We go there live.
Stand by for hard news on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VERJEE (voice-over): Manhunt.

SIR IAN BLAIR, COMMISSIONER, LONDON METROPOLITAN POLICE: It does remain possible that those at large will strike again.

VERJEE: British police cast a wide net. Should they have acted sooner?

Discovery docks at its home away from home. But will future shuttle missions get off the ground?

BILL PARSONS, SHUTTLE PROGRAM MANAGER:: We are not going to fly again until we understand and fix this problem.

VERJEE: No flower power? Researchers pour cold water on a herbal cold remedy.

ANNOUNCER: This is WOLF BLITZER REPORTS for Thursday, July 28, 2005.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VERJEE: Thanks so much for joining us. I'm Zain Verjee. Wolf has the day off.

We begin with a developing story in Ft. Worth, Texas, a major and a very dangerous fire at a chemical and solvent plant. It started with an explosion just after 1:00 this afternoon local time. Soon, flames and choking black smoke were pouring from the scene. There are reports of some injuries.

For the latest, we go to Ft. Worth and to Jim Grimes from our affiliate KDAF.

What can you tell us about injuries? JIM GRIMES, KDAF CORRESPONDENT: Well, Zain, the good news right now is that those people who were transported to the hospital all were treated for minor injuries. All of them are expected to be OK. There was about six people in all that had to be transported here. But again, they are expected to be OK.

But as you can see behind me, still plenty of black smoke pouring out from behind this building. Firefighters have asked us to stay back quite a distance because of the smoke. They say that it is filled with different types of chemicals that are burning inside that plant.

And as you can see, the smoke itself blowing now toward the south of Ft. Worth. And that has been a bit of a concern, because there are some homes in that area. A temporary shelter has been set up. No evacuations have been issued for people in that area. The fire department here just asking people to stay indoors and try to stay away from this smoke -- Zain.

VERJEE: Any indication as to how long it could take to get under control?

GRIMES: Well, right now, we're told that firefighters may just let this thing burn itself out. They have been putting some water on it. But the big problem is, is that water is going to mix with some of those chemicals inside there, and that could cause a problem with runoff. The EPA happens to be out here, by the way, to make sure that that runoff itself doesn't get into some of the sewer drains and so forth.

So they were taking some extra precautions. But they say they may let this thing burn itself out. You have to keep in mind, these tanks, thousands of gallons of chemicals are being stored in these huge tanks. Those are the tanks that have been exploding. I know you've been showing some of these pictures throughout the day on CNN. And those tanks are exploding, and every once in a while you'll see that here in the background -- Zain.

VERJEE: It's not clear, is it, what the cause is?

GRIMES: They're still speculating at this point. We do know that a truck was -- arrived at this facility earlier today. It was actually pumping some chemicals into one of those tanks, but they're not sure exactly what may have set this off. And that's something they're going to have to really decide over the next few days from talking to witnesses.

VERJEE: Jim Grimes reporting. Thanks a lot.

Overseas now, it's Britain's biggest manhunt since World War II. Calling it a race against time, police are going all out to catch those behind the botched bombings in the London transit system. One of the suspected bombers is in custody, three more still on the loose. The search has spread across Britain and beyond.

CNN's Robyn Curnow reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBYN CURNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Police say it's the biggest manhunt since World War II, and police warn the threat to the British public is still very real.

BLAIR: It does remain possible that those at large will strike again. And it does also remain possible that there are other cells who are capable and intent on striking again.

CURNOW: Police say Londoners should not be lulled by the fact that last Thursday's bombs failed to explode.

BLAIR: This is not the B-team. These weren't the amateurs. They made a mistake, only made one mistake. And we're very, very lucky.

CURNOW: A chilling reminder of the threat, pictures showing undetonated bombs, some containing nails, that were found in a car rented by the July 7 suicide bombers, images that underscore the urgency of the police investigation.

Nine men were arrested Thursday morning at two separate properties in south London. They are being questioned by police in a central London station.

Also, in Stockwell, London, three women arrested on suspicion of harboring offenders. Neighbors telling CNN that they believe the would-be Shepherd's Bush station bomber lived there. They recognized him from police photographs.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, that's him.

CURNOW (on camera): The police relying on the public for help and information. So far, they say they've taken 1,800 witness statements and that they've received around 5,000 calls to the anti-terrorist hotline. And the police say they're also trawling through 15,000 security camera tapes. The authorities and the public all too aware of the urgency of this investigation.

Robyn Curnow, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VERJEE: Before the London attacks, British police may have missed an opportunity to detain a man now thought to have had ties to the July 7 bombers. Haroon Rashid Aswat was sought by the United States. He's now in custody in Zambia.

CNN justice correspondent Kelli Arena joins us now from Washington with more on that -- Kelli.

KELLI ARENA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Zain, officials say there are very high level negotiations underway with Zambia concerning who will get access to Aswat and when. British officials obviously want him in connection with the first London bombing. Investigators allege that he may have provided some sort of support to the bombers.

The United States wants him in connection with a plot to set up a jihad training camp in Oregon.

U.S. officials say that Aswat was in South Africa about four weeks before the first London bombings under surveillance. They say that the U.S. wanted to render him back to the United States. They say there is a sealed warrant for Aswat's arrest in New York, but those sources say the British refused to have one of its citizens rendered to the U.S.

We don't know exactly what happened after that or where Aswat traveled. All we know is at this point, he is in Zambia in custody.

VERJEE: Kelli, what are officials saying? I mean, do they believe that they could have averted the attacks in some ways if he was taken into custody?

ARENA: No one -- no one is going that far. First of all, we don't know what, if any, role he played in the London bombings. And if he did play a role and he was taken into custody, were things already in motion and would have happened anyway? Would he ever have given investigators any information? All very hypothetical at this point.

But as one investigator told me, it's very easy to play Monday morning quarterback at this point. Let's wait and see what the facts show.

VERJEE: Kelli Arena reporting from Washington.

We want to take you back now to a developing story that we're following in Ft. Worth in Texas, and show you these pictures that are happening right now. It is a fire under way at a chemical and a solvent plant. The fire described as very, very dangerous.

It started with an explosion just after 1 p.m. local time this afternoon. There you can see the black smoke rising there as the fire continues to burn.

It's not clear what the cause of this fire is. There have been some injuries. Our affiliate reporter on the scene said just a moment ago that those injured had been taken to a hospital and most of them really had suffered only minor injuries.

There were businesses west of the fire, all the way to the I-35 highway, that have been evacuated.

Joining us now is Bill Davis. He's the owner of Valley Solvents and Chemicals.

How did this start? What do you know?

BILL DAVIS, OWNER, VALLEY SOLVENTS AND CHEMICALS: Well, I don't know a whole lot at this point. I'm en route to the scene now. We do have our senior management on the scene, but they're being kept at bay a little bit by the authorities as they get the fire under control. But what I do know is the good news, and that is that all of our employees and any people that were in the plant or were on the site at the time are accounted for and safe. We did have two people that have been taken to the hospital. My understanding is that they are very minor injuries. And they're taken there for treatment and observation. But thanks to God's grace, everyone is safe.

VERJEE: How toxic are these chemicals?

DAVIS: Well, what we handle at the site there are industrial solvents and chemicals. These are chemicals that are used in things like paints and coatings, inks, dyes, adhesives, those type of things. And they can be toxic but not tremendously so. Not to the extreme level or anything.

VERJEE: My understanding is by law, you would have had to register with the local fire department that would have emergency protocols that, I believe, are being implemented as we speak. Can you give us a sense of what exactly they are, and how far you know that they've been executed effectively?

DAVIS: What I do know is that the emergency plans and our procedures were followed to the "T" and that helped everyone get out of our plant safely.

We don't really know the cause right now of the fire. But we, what we understand was it started when a truck was unloading into one of those tanks, but I really don't have verification of that, and it's too soon to know those details until we can get into the plant and start the investigation.

VERJEE: Bill Davis, the owner of Valley Solvents and Chemicals.

We're going to continue to follow this developing story and bring you details as soon as they happen. We are hearing that all employees there have been accounted for. And all those injured that were taken to hospital only have minor injuries.

To another story now where the mission goes on, but there is some dismay at NASA over Space Shuttle Discovery and the entire shuttle program now on hold after a disturbing discovery.

CNN's space correspondent, Miles O'Brien, is live in New York with more details -- Miles.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT/ANCHOR: Zain, it was ecstasy after that launch of Discovery a couple of days ago. But very quickly it turned into depression for NASA as they saw that piece of falling foam and quickly realized they would have to ground the shuttle fleet.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Liftoff for the Space Shuttle Discovery.

O'BRIEN (voice-over): After years of hard work and months of anticipation, the thrill of the launch lasted little longer than the plume Discovery left behind.

MICHAEL CABBAGE, SPACE EDITOR, "ORLANDO SENTINEL": I think it's hard to overstate just how big of a disappointment this is to NASA.

O'BRIEN: There it was again, two minutes, six seconds after liftoff, a big piece of foam peeling away, missing the orbiter, thankfully, but hitting the NASA family right in the gut.

JONATHAN CLARK, WIDOWER OF COLUMBIA ASTRONAUT: When I heard about it last night, I thought wow.

O'BRIEN: NASA flight surgeon John Clark lost his wife, Laurel, on board Columbia on February 1, 2003. Sixteen days before, when she and her crewmates launched to space, a big piece of foam pierced the heat shield, and Columbia was unable to withstand the blistering heat of reentry.

CLARK: The thermal reentry system on the shuttle is its Achilles heel. And the debris shedding which they anticipated very small size amounts, very small size objects coming off, is now obviously not the case. So they're reassessing the whole -- the whole process.

O'BRIEN: Reassessment indeed.

JOHN SHANNON, FLIGHT OPERATIONS MANAGER: We're wrong and we missed something and we have to go figure out what it was and go fix it. Whether that's just changing techniques or redesign, we don't know.

O'BRIEN: The errant piece fell from a long wedge-shaped section of the tank called the PAL ramp. Engineers felt it might be a source of large foam debris, but they were not certain because they'd never had pictures like these before.

MICHAEL GRIFFIN, NASA ADMINISTRATOR: There are a lot of areas on the shuttle where we know ultimately improvement should be had. We were not able to fix all of those. And frankly, we will never be able to fix all of those. At some point, it's just time to retire the shuttle and move on to a newer, better system.

O'BRIEN: NASA can only do so much with the shuttle design, flawed as it is -- frangible insulation on the inside, a fragile spacecraft downstream. Clearly there won't be any shuttle launches any time soon, and many wonder if Discovery's mission might be the last.

CLARK: Like any aircraft you fly that eventually gets phased out, it leaves you with kind of an empty feeling in your heart. So I will always have fond memories of the shuttle and being part of the shuttle team. And I know that we are near the end.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: NASA's plan, and this comes from the White House, is to fly the shuttle till 2010. That might amount to 12 or 15 more missions. But this problem, of course, could change the number of flights they can accomplish in that period of time. The question now is, how many flights, how long will it take to get the shuttle back flying -- Zain.

VERJEE: Miles O'Brien reporting. Thanks, Miles.

Targeting terror. A major Muslim American group takes the offensive. We'll show what they're saying and why.

Also, Congress is working on a major energy bill. What it means for your wallet.

Plus new research that could change your thinking on a popular cold remedy.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VERJEE: A group of American Muslims is taking aim at terror, issuing a fatwa, or a religious ruling, against terrorism and extremism. The Council on American-Islamic Relations is putting that message out with a public service announcement.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We often hear claims Muslims don't condemn terrorism.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And that Islam condones violence.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: As Muslims, we want to state clearly.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That those who commit acts of terror in the name of Islam are betraying the teachings of the Quran and the prophet Muhammed.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We reject anyone of any faith who commits such brutal acts.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And will not allow our faith to be hijacked by criminals.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Islam is not about hatred and violence. It's about peace and justice.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VERJEE: For more, we're joined now by Nihad Awad in Washington. He's the co-founder and executive director of the Council on American- Islamic Relations.

Thanks so much for joining us.

NIHAD AWAD, CO-FOUNDER/EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, COUNCIL ON AMERICAN- ISLAMIC RELATIONS: Thank you for having me.

VERJEE: This fatwa, in practical terms, what does it do?

AWAD: What it does is, first of all it's a reflection and a decision by the Council of Legal Islamic Scholars coordinated by CAIR and supported by national Muslim organizations around the country and this was presented today at a news conference. I think the aim is to clearly disassociate Islam from any claim to terrorism. And also, it's a message to our young people not to be misled by any recruiters who may exploit their sometimes unhappiness about certain policies and feelings.

And also, it's a message to the wider society that American Muslims are speaking and speaking up very clearly on unequivocally condemning terrorism.

VERJEE: Speaking up unequivocally, condemning terrorism. Isn't it time, though, for the Muslim community to ask itself some tough questions? To go beyond condemnation and even a sense of victimization?

AWAD: No, I think, you know, many people in some quarters tell you that American Muslims have not condemned it in the first place. And I think we say we have.

VERJEE: But going beyond condemnation.

AWAD: What we have beyond condemnation is we have programs.

VERJEE: Like? Like what?

AWAD: You know, involving people in the political process, urging young Muslims to become active in civic programs in their communities nationwide. And working with their communities around the country just to build coalitions with interfaith organizations and feel that we, as citizens of this country, belong to it. We love it and we're going to protect it together.

VERJEE: But is that good enough? I mean, you look at the situation in Britain, the terror attacks, the young men, home grown Muslims, coming from decent hard-working families. So when the Muslim community in the United States looks at that and then looks at itself, what are organizations like yours, like CAIR, doing to monitor the youth and to fight extremism in the U.S.?

AWAD: I hope that the situation is a little bit different in the United States. The Muslim community in this country has been integrated, has been involved in the political process.

VERJEE: But you have to be proactive.

AWAD: Definitely.

VERJEE: Right.

AWAD: And through our 35 or plus offices and with the work with other organizations, when you walk -- when you walk into any of their mosques, you will see that the mosque is a community center. Youth are part of their program.

And that's why, you know, I'm glad to say that, you know, this phenomenon of extremism or radicalism is not very existing in our communities. And I hope that our statement and our programs are preventive.

And the PSA that you just showed at the beginning of the program is not only aiming at the general public but our young people. And in the PSA, young Muslims are disassociating their faith from terror and terror attacks.

VERJEE: Let's talk about the young people and about the leaders of mosques, known as imams. There's a concern that imams in mosques in the United States, many of them come from abroad. They don't speak good English. Some of them don't get paid well. And you know what? They're just out of touch with the popular culture of the United States, and the reality is they're out of touch with young Muslim youth. And that's a problem, isn't it?

AWAD: It is a problem. And this probably was so probably 10, 15 years ago.

VERJEE: It's solved?

AWAD: No, it's not solved yet. We're working on it. You see that young people and young blood, you know, is being put in the leadership of mosques. And you know, again, I travel around and I see that the leadership of the mosques are politically astute. They understand the name of the game. And I think they pledge allegiance to the country they live in, the United States of America.

And we're working together to assure ourselves and the public that we are all on the same page. We're partners in the challenge and opportunities in this country.

VERJEE: How is it that Muslim leaders explain to non-Muslims as to why it is young extremists use your faith to justify killing, they use your faith to blow themselves up? How do you confront it? How do you explain it?

AWAD: I think -- and I said that many times -- I challenge any Muslim and any non-Muslim to quote me a verse from the Quran that they can base their act.

In fact, the basis of the fatwa today, or the religious ruling, is saying that using the Quran text, that nobody can justify any attacks on civilian lives. And the famous quote in the Quran is, you know, "Whoever kills an innocent person, as though he has killed the entire humanity. And whoever saves one life, as though he has saved the entire humanity."

These are the bases that I think help us, you know, move forward with disassociating Islam from acts of terrorism.

VERJEE: OK.

AWAD: People are maybe not coping well with their anger in the Middle Eat and some parts of the world. And it's a great chance for us here to say that the political process in the United States is open.

VERJEE: Right. AWAD: If you're not happy, write to your congress-people, meet with the media, and build coalitions and make a difference.

VERJEE: Nihad Awad in Washington, the co-founder and executive director of the Council on American-Islamic relations. Thank you very much.

AWAD: Thank you.

VERJEE: A tragic end to a growing scandal. Details of the suicide that's rocking one U.S. city.

Also, we'll take you live to Niger where efforts are under way to avert a mounting humanitarian privacy.

Plus, it's one of the most popular herbal remedies. What new research is saying about Echinacea.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VERJEE: A growing scandal in Miami has taken a tragic turn with the suicide of a former city commissioner.

CNN's Brian Todd joins us now live from Washington with the story -- Brian.

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Zain, from every account we're getting, the story of Arthur Teele is one of a brilliant political career that at one time seemed to have no limits but took a torturous path downward.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TODD (voice-over): Former colleagues on the Miami City Commission say Arthur Teele was a fighter, instinctively tough, a talented brilliant politician. They are staggered, they say, that his life unraveled in such dramatic fashion.

JOE SANCHEZ, CHAIRMAN, MIAMI COMMISSION: I think it's a sad day for the city of Miami; it's a sad day for his family.

TODD: Miami Police say the 59-year-old former city commissioner walked into the lobby of the "Miami Herald" newspaper Wednesday evening and spoke briefly with a security guard.

DELRISH MOSS, MIAMI POLICE SPOKESMAN: He removes a gun from a bag, a plastic bag, and he puts it to his head. That security guard then retreats and calls the police.

TODD: Arthur Teele was later pronounced dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Earlier on Wednesday, an expose about Teele in another newspaper, the "Miami New Times" had hit newsstands. In it, graphic details based on, the paper says, police interviews and surveillance of Teele's alleged participation in kickback schemes, charges that he'd taken drugs, and been with a transvestite male prostitute.

The reporter tells CNN he had not spoken with Teele to get comment on the charges. We asked the reporter if he felt his article was the last straw for the former commissioner.

FRANCISCO ALVARADO, "MIAMI NEW TIMES": You know, I've been put in the middle of this because, I mean, it's a coincidence my story came out the day he decided to do this. But you know, his problems were mounting way before this article ever came out. So I mean, and you know, I don't even know if he got a chance to read or see the article.

TODD: Authorities had been closing in on Arthur Teele. He'd faced multiple state and federal charges of fraud and money laundering, some of it relating to alleged contract schemes at Miami International Airport.

ARTHUR TEELE, FORMER MIAMI COMMISSIONER: That's absolutely not true.

TODD: Teele pleaded not guilty at his federal arraignment last week. But earlier this year, Florida Governor Jeb Bush had removed Teele from his seat on the Miami City Commission after he was convicted of threatening a police officer.

Ninety minutes before his death in the "Herald" lobby, Teele called "Herald" columnist Jim Defede. Defede says Teele spoke mainly about the sexual allegations.

JIM DEFEDE, FORMER "MIAMI HERALD" COLUMNIST: He was very emotional and very distraught and, you know, it's -- he was just trying to reach out at that point.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TODD: In one last conversation before he shot himself, Teele called Jim Defede again, and Defede said Teele didn't appear so upset.

Late Wednesday evening after Teele's death, Jim Defede was fired by the "Herald" after he admitted taping part of that phone conversation with Teele without Teele's knowledge.

Now as for why Teele chose the lobby of the "Herald" to take his own life, that newspaper had done several articles on Teele, and one city commissioner told me that maybe, in Teele's mind, that was payback -- Zain.

VERJEE: Brian Todd reporting from Washington.

London remains a city on alert and, as police flood every bus stop and every tube station on the lookout for potential bombers, investigators continue their hunt for the suspected attackers. The latest from London next.

Plus, awaiting the aid. We'll take you to one remote village where many can't even remember the last time they ate.

And later, the drive to pass an energy bill on Capitol Hill and what that means for motorists, ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VERJEE: Welcome back. We're continuing to follow a developing story in Ft. Worth, Texas where there is a very major and very dangerous fire at a chemical and solvent plant. There were a few injuries, but we understand they are not serious. No employees at this plant have been injured badly, or have been hurt at all.

On the scene right now is Lieutenant Kent Worley. He is a spokesman with the Ft. Worth Fire Department and he is on the scene. Thanks for being with us. How long will it take to get this under control?

LT. KENT WORLEY, SPOKESMAN, FT. WORTH FIRE DEPT: Well, we're getting to the end of it, we believe, right now. The flames themselves have receded quite a bit. But we still have some areas that we're going to have to watch very, very closely. But we're about three hours into the incident right now and we still have some heavy fire in the center portion of the building.

VERJEE: What are you going to do now, though? Is this a situation where this kind of fire needs to be suffocated and there's probably not even enough water to put it out?

WORLEY: We've had several issues here today. Early on, there was continuing explosions. So we obviously had safety concerns for firefighters of just how close we could get them. And then obviously, it was so intense that I'm not sure we'd have enough water to actually make a major impact.

But then the third and probably most critical issue is putting out the fire too soon, we'd actually be then dealing with runoff from the thousands of gallons of various chemicals that we have here in the plant. So the decision was made to actually try to let this burn as long as possible to try to get most of the chemicals out of the building so that when we do finish it up, we've got a lot less product to deal with.

VERJEE: In most instances like this, there is a high toxic level. Should people around that area be worried?

WORLEY: Right now, we feel like we're very lucky. We're in a large industrial complex here. What smoke has been generated has gone up in the atmosphere fairly high. We have the prevailing north wind today due to this cold front that came down through the center part of the country which has helped us tremendously that's dissipating that, as well.

What we've done is an area about five miles south of the incident, we are sending out word that we're just recommending people shelter in place, which obviously means just stay in their homes and businesses as much as possible. But as far as any evacuations, none has taken place.

VERJEE: Lieutenant Kent Worley, a spokesman with the Ft. Worth Fire Department. Thank you so much. Appreciate it.

WORLEY: You're quite welcome.

VERJEE: Back now to our top story, the manhunt in Britain and beyond for those behind the London transit attacks.

CNN's Jonathan Mann has the story now from London's Scotland Yard.

JONATHAN MANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There's a picture being seen on the front page of newspapers all across Britain, a picture which shows the chilling fear that many people have of what might still be ahead with bombing suspects still at large. It very clearly shows a plastic container of a kind you can find in almost any supermarket filled with explosives. There are two detonator cables coming out of the top and there are nails held to the sides of the bomb by plastic wrap. This is one of the devices that was left behind by the bombers who struck on July 7, killing 52 people. And it's an indication of just why police are working so hard to find the other bombers who are still at large.

In that respect, there was an arrest early in the morning before dawn in a southern London neighborhood known as Tooting. Police took away nine men from two different sites in the neighborhood. None of them is believed to be one of the suspects wanted for the botched bombings one week ago. But all of them, police believe, may be able to help them with their investigation trying to find the three men who are still missing.

Three men at large. Their faces have been seen widely in images that the police have circulated. And yet, thousands of police officers are still at work on this investigation trying to track down the bombers before they can strike again. At Scotland Yard, Sir Ian Blair, the head of the London Metropolitan Police, described the effort underway this way.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BLAIR: It's the greatest operational challenge that the metropolitan police service has faced since the Second World War. I genuinely believe that to be the case. It, therefore, is the largest ever investigation that the Met has ever mounted. And that was at 7/7. At 21/7 it got even larger.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MANN: Here at Scotland Yard we had some indication of just how enormous this effort is. Clearly London alone cannot supply the police manpower that the investigation is requiring. And so through the day, we've seen an unusual sight -- police officers arriving here with luggage in tow, almost as if this were a hotel rather than the police headquarters. Personnel are coming from around the country to help in the effort that is underway trying to find three men, and others as well, who equipped trained and inspired them, trying to unravel a network that's still unknown to police, before the network can strike again.

Jonathan Mann, CNN at Scotland Yard in London.

VERJEE: The United Nations is beginning an emergency airlift designed to provide 44 tons of emergency food rations to Niger.

CNN's Jeff Koinange visited a remote village that's a three-hour drive outside of Maradi where he saw the carcasses of dead animals littering the landscape. He joins us now by videophone. Jeff, what did the villagers you met tell you?

JEFF KOINANGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, Zain, most of these villagers are Tuaregs, nomad herdsmen, and cows are their livelihood. When we saw those carcasses, we asked them what's going on and they told us this is the worst they have ever seen in living memory. You should have seen those carcasses. They're incredibly sad pictures littering the landscape. And the people, they are saying the aid is not coming to them, and, moreover, if their cows are dying, they just might be next.

VERJEE: The little aid that there is there, though, and the aid workers trying to get it to the people, tell us a little bit about that and what it's like for aid workers to operate in Niger.

KOINANGE: Well, Zain, this is unlike any other refugee camp or displacement camp that I've visited, at least in the last few years, because most of the aid agencies knew that there was - a crisis (ph) -- it's not like Darfur or Eastern Congo where you have makeshift tents, sanitation, water are problems. Here, everything is pretty much set up. But, guess what, the only thing that's missing is that aid -- the food that needs to go out to the people. So aid workers are telling us the food needs to get here, not tomorrow or the next day, Zain, it needs to get here now in order to save those lives. One hundred fifty thousand children could die in the coming year. Three point five million people across the country facing starvation -- Zain.

VERJEE: The U.N. says, though, this could have been avoided, right?

KOINANGE: This is no doubt the point, Zain. And this is what agencies have been saying. The last eight months, they were raising the red flag saying there's a famine looming in Niger. The crops had been devastated by a locust invasion and then there was a recurring drought the last three, four years. If anyone could do the math on that, you could tell that there was a famine looming.

We've walked through fields of millet, now millet is a staple crop of this country. The millet, at this point any other year, should have been above my head. Zain, the millet was below my knees. It shows that the harvest this year, if the rains don't come, could make it a fourth year in succession. It could be a bigger catastrophe looming, Zain.

VERJEE: CNN's Jeff Koinange reporting to us from southern Niger. Thanks Jeff.

Coming up at the top of the hour, LOU DOBBS TONIGHT. And Lou is standing by in New York with a preview. Hi, Lou.

LOU DOBBS, HOST, LOU DOBBS TONIGHT: Hi, Zain. Thank you. At 6:00 p.m. Eastern here on CNN, tonight, political outrage and protests after the House of Representatives votes in the middle of the night in favor of a so-called free trade agreement with Central America by the narrowest of margins. Two leading congressmen on opposite sides of the issue join us.

And China's energy assault. I'll talk with a leading senator and top congressman about their joint effort to block China's aggressive attempt to buy one of our most important energy assets.

And the Shuttle Discovery successfully docks with the International Space Station one day after NASA grounded the entire space shuttle fleet. We'll have a special report for you tonight on the future of NASA and the American space program.

All of that, a great deal more, coming up at the top of the hour. We hope you'll join us. Now back to you, Zain.

VERJEE: Thanks, Lou.

A new federal energy bill hits Capitol Hill. Why critics say it's really just a gift to the oil and gas industry.

And later, millions of Americans use Echinacea to fight the sneezing, runny nose and sore throats of colds. But is it a helpful herb or a snake oil? Information you need to know before cold season.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VERJEE: Six nations are meeting in Beijing to try and negotiate an end to North Korea's nuclear weapons program. But two of those nations have been meeting on the sidelines. U.S. and North Korean diplomats sat down for a third time today. And the top American envoy says he hopes they can agree on a joint statement signaling some sort of progress. The White House, though, making it clear there will be no separate deal with the North.

Now a quick look at some other news making headlines around the world.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VERJEE (voice-over): A bacterial disease believed to be spread by pigs has infected at least 131 people in China. At least 31 have died. And the World Health Organization says it's watching closely.

Monsoon deaths. Record-breaking rains have killed hundreds in India this week. More than 37 inches of rain fell in Mumbai over a 24- hour period. At least 45 people are missing and presumed dead after a mudslide in a Mumbai suburb.

Running again. As expected, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak says he'll seek reelection in September to a fifth six-year term. A new law will allow other candidates to run against Mr. Mubarek for the first time, but some opponents plan to boycott the race, saying the election law is still unfair.

And that's our look around the world.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VERJEE: The House passes an energy bill and sends it to the Senate. How it could affect the price you pay at the pump. Our Joe Johns is live with an update.

Plus, it's a popular choice to battle "the bug," but is this herbal cold remedy the answer to your infections? We'll have an answer when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VERJEE: The House of Representatives today passed a huge energy bill. Supporters say it will reduce U.S. dependence on foreign sources of energy, but opponents call it a taxpayer gift to the oil and gas industry.

CNN congressional correspondents Joe Johns is standing by with more details -- Joe.

JOE JOHNS, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Zain, this has been years in the making. And if it does get through the Senate as expected, it will certainly be chalked up as a big win for the president.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHNS (voice-over): First, the bad news. Don't expect American motorists to see much relief from high prices at the gas pump any time soon if congress finally finishes up work on the energy bill this week.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think they need to put the gas prices down a little bit. I think it's -- it makes me mad, because it's expensive to get gas.

JOHNS: Opponents of the energy legislation are keying on consumer frustration and calling the bill, with its $14.5 billion in tax breaks and incentives, a gift to industry.

REP. EDWARD MARKEY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: Tax breaks for big oil and gas companies, loan guarantees for the wealthiest energy companies in America, even as they are reporting the largest quarterly profits of any corporations in the history of the United States.

JOHNS: But in the long term, the hope is the energy bill will have an impact on the national economy, by encouraging development of new energy ideas and increased uses of existing technologies.

REP. JOE BARTON (R-TX), ENERGY AND COMMERCE CHAIRMAN: There are provisions in this bill that says it's OK to use clean coal, it's OK to build a new nuclear power plant in this country if we do it the proper way with the proper permits and the proper inspections. JOHNS: The nuclear power industry is a big winner, getting new tax breaks and loan guarantees designed to rev up business.

Hybrid cars will get a boost, too. There's a tax credit for people who buy them. The bill also promises renewed efforts to boost the use of coal, and there are provisions to modernize the electricity grid to prevent future blackouts like the one that darkened the Northeast in 2003.

The bill also expands Daylight Saving Time for one month, which proponents claim will save 100,000 barrels of oil a day. And the bill authorizes $3.5 billion for hydrogen and fuel cell research.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JOHNS: This, of course, is the rush on Capitol Hill for members of Congress to get things done before they go home for the long August recess. There's certainly incentive here. Many members would very much like to be able to talk to their constituents about the things they've done for them -- Zain.

VERJEE: Joe, why is it taking so long to get this passed?

JOHNS: Well, of course, as I said at the top, it's been at least four years since the president first proposed this. The difficulty has been in the details. Very small details, in fact, and pieces of legislation or amendments that were very controversial now have simply been stripped out, taken away. They've tried to decide how to do those other things outside the bill, leaving what we have here to try to pass through the Congress.

VERJEE: Joe Johns, thanks.

Effective herb or hype? A new study questions the effects of a popular cold remedy. Our Mary Snow is next with that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: This week in history, a bomb disrupted the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, killing one person and injuring more than 100 others.

Three years later in the same city, on July 29, Mark Barton, a day trader who lost a lot of money, went on a shooting rampage in two office buildings. He killed nine before turning the gun on himself.

And on July 24, 1998, Russell E. Weston burst into the U.S. Capitol and opened fire, killing two police officers. It was later ruled he was incompetent to stand trial.

And that is this week in history.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) VERJEE: It's among the most popular cold treatments, with sales in the hundreds of millions of dollars each year. Now, there's new research on whether the herbal remedy Echinacea really works.

CNN's Mary Snow has the results, and she joins us now live from New York. Mary, does it work?

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Zain, doctors who did this latest study say they showed that Echinacea didn't provide any harm, but they say it didn't really provide any good when it came to fighting colds.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SNOW (voice-over): Millions of Americans use it, many swear by it to fight off colds. But a new study on Echinacea finds that the herbal supplement doesn't have healing power.

DR. RONALD TURNER, UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA: Our work, together with other work that's been done recently, suggests that the Echinacea really has no scientific benefit as far as common colds are concerned.

SNOW: Dr. Ronald Turner led a team at the University of Virginia who studied 437 healthy volunteers, and then infected them with the cold virus. Some were given placebos; others Echinacea. But researchers found the herbal supplement was ineffective in preventing and treating colds. Dr. Turner says he was surprised.

TURNER: I think our study was designed really to give every opportunity to the Echinacea, to show a benefit. And the fact that we didn't see anything I think is a little bit surprising.

SNOW: The findings were published in "The New England Journal of Medicine," but that doesn't convince Lisa Georgetti. She manages a natural herb store and says Echinacea is her best seller.

LISA GEORGETTI, INTEGRAL YOGA NATURAL APOTHECARY: Not once have I had somebody come back and go, that didn't work. I always have people coming back, going, oh, this was great; oh, I'm getting more for my cousin, I'm getting more for my mother. It's always -- I mean, that's when they come back and they always get more of it.

SNOW: Critics say that the study didn't use high enough dosages of Echinacea, which is made from purple cornflower. They say with proper dosages, the herbal supplement will help build the immune system to cut the severity of colds.

MARK BLUMENTHAL, AMERICAN BOTANICAL COUNCIL: Just because some scientists say based on some clinical trials that no effect was shown does not in any way denigrate or discount or nullify the entire body of scientific literature on Echinacea, or people's personal use.

SNOW: We don't know how much dosage might be enough, because the makers of herbal supplements are not required by law to prove their products work.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SNOW: Now, critics say more research needs to be done, but the doctors who conducted this study say that this research was the most comprehensive yet on this subject. And, Zain, just as a gauge of how popular Echinacea is, its estimated sales are around $300 million here in the U.S. -- Zain.

VERJEE: Wow. Well, then why do people think it helps prevent colds? I mean, people who like me who are constantly popping Echinacea?

SNOW: Right, and everybody always hears that they should take it, right? And the doctors who did this study say that's the exact question why they did the study. It's often been told that American Indians had been using Echinacea for hundreds of years, and that initially it was used for snake bites, but nobody really knew, according to the doctors we spoke with, what it was used for, and they set out to find out if it had these benefits.

VERJEE: All right. Mary Snow. Thanks.

Remember, you can always catch WOLF BLITZER REPORTS at this time, 5:00 p.m. Eastern. And don't forget, Wolf's new show, THE SITUATION ROOM, starts on August the 8th. It airs from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. Eastern.

Thanks so much for joining us. I'm Zain Verjee at the CNN Center in Atlanta. LOU DOBBS TONIGHT starts right now, and Lou's standing by.

END

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