Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live At Daybreak

Secret Prisons?; Held for Prayer; Transit Strike; Rosa Parks Funeral; Eminent Domain

Aired November 03, 2005 - 05:29   ET

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

KELLY WALLACE, CNN ANCHOR: Our top story this half-hour, is the CIA running secret prisons overseas? "The Washington Post" reports the prisons are a key element in the war on terror. But if they do exist, are they a violation of human rights?
CNN national security correspondent David Ensor takes a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID ENSOR, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Ramzi Binalshibh, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and other senior al Qaeda leaders are held by the CIA in undisclosed locations around the world. That much is well known. But "The Washington Post" reports some are held in a Soviet-era compound in a former East Bloc nation and in other new European democracies.

An official at Human Rights Watch said he is convinced some CIA prisoners are there, after tracking the movements of CIA aircraft in recent years.

TOM MALINOWSKI, HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH: We think we know that because we looked at the flight records of the CIA aircraft that we know are ferrying high-value detainees around the world from Afghanistan to these locations.

ENSOR: CNN has previously reported that Abu Zubaydah and other CIA prisoners were once held in Thailand. That facility has been closed.

CIA al Qaeda prisoners are also still held in Afghanistan, sources have said. And a few remain at the Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba. The CIA and Bush administration officials decline to talk about the prisoners.

ALBERTO GONZALES, ATTORNEY GENERAL: We have a very patient, diabolical enemy that is intent on harming Americans. And so we need to be doing everything we can do to protect America.

ENSOR: Though Human Rights Watch named former East Bloc countries where it says the CIA detainees are held, CNN and "The Washington Post" decided not to report the names of those countries, at the request of U.S. officials.

LEONARD DOWNIE, EXECUTIVE EDITOR, "THE WASHINGTON POST": In this case, we agreed to keep the names of those particular countries out, because we were told, and it seems reasonable to us, that there could be terrorist retaliation against those countries, or more importantly, disruption of other very important intelligence activities, antiterrorist activities.

ENSOR: But Human Rights Watch is even putting out aircraft tail numbers and names of towns in Europe. It is a tactic that angers many intelligence professionals.

MICHAEL SCHEUER, FORMER CIA OFFICER: It's sexy, it's splashy, but it's irrelevant. How else would you get someone from A to B unless you used an airplane? And the exposure of such, either firms or aircraft, just undoes years of cover building and makes America weaker.

MALINOWSKI: I can't believe that three years after their capture we're still getting enough useful, actionable intelligence out of these detainees to justify the enormous damage this kind of secret, incommunicado, illegal detention is doing to the United States around the world.

ENSOR (on camera): But U.S. intelligence officials insist these prisons still are producing intelligence that is useful in the war against terrorism. They don't want to give that up, even though human rights groups are pushing hard now to have these CIA prisoners moved out of secret places and put on some sort of trial.

David Ensor, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALLACE: Some U.S. airports are getting a sophisticated new radar system. The radar is intended to prevent airplanes from colliding on the ground. Fifteen airports will get the multimillion- dollar systems, including Dulles and Reagan National Airport just outside Washington, D.C. and all three major airports in the New York area.

News "Across America" this morning.

It seems three is not the charm for California's Orange Line busway. Three days after it started service across the San Fernando Valley, two of its buses were involved in separate accidents that left 15 people injured.

U.S. Border Patrol agents have uncovered a tunnel beneath the boundary fence separating Mexico and the United States. The opening looks just like a hole in the ground, but it connects to a much larger tunnel about six feet below the surface and it comes up about 60 feet into Arizona. Agents say a tunnel this small would likely be used for drug trafficking.

And just take a look at this dramatic rescue. Connecticut fire department crews saved a climber stranded on the side of East Rock in New Haven. She was stuck about 50 feet below the summit. Police say the woman called 911 from her cell phone, then clung to the rocks and brush for about an hour before rescuers were able to get a harness around her and pull her to safety. An amazing rescue there. Time now for our "CNN Security Watch."

Two Muslim men are speaking out about their detention at a football game in September. They say they were just praying, but the FBI says they were acting suspiciously.

CNN's Mary Snow fills in all the blanks.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Mostafa Kahlifa and Sami Shaban say they are walking a fine line between personal liberty and public security. Both men say they, and three friends, were profiled by authorities after praying at a football game at Giants Stadium September 19. The New Orleans Saints were playing the New York Giants for the first time since Hurricane Katrina and former President Bush was on hand. The men said they were detained by the FBI because they were seen praying.

MOSTAFA KAHLIFA, DETAINED AT GIANTS STADIUM: Let's be real here, if somebody with my description you know does anything, even scratches their ear, people get nervous, all right. You know, but what is that profile? That's the question.

SNOW: But the FBI says they weren't profiled. It says -- quote -- "It had nothing to do with who they were. It had everything to do with where they were."

And the owners of the stadium say someone reported suspicious behavior.

GEORGE ZOFFINGER, NEW JERSEY SPORTS AND EXPOSITION AUTHORITY: Our security personnel observed that they entered the area that is by the air duct. And they called it to the attention of the FBI, which is the proper procedure.

SAMI SHABAN, DETAINED AT GIANTS STADIUM: If we were near an air ventilation shaft, we had no idea of it.

SNOW: Shaban, who is a second-year law student, says, after the group finished praying, they went to their seats. Later on in the game, they say guards escorted them out and took them to a small room where they were questioned by FBI agents.

SHABAN: What mosque do you go to? They even asked one of us, do you know the blind sheik?

SNOW: That's a reference to Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman, who is in prison for the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and had followers in New Jersey.

So far, the men have not filed lawsuits. The head of a civil rights advocacy group for Muslims says he encouraged the men to speak out to raise awareness.

WISSAM NASR, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, COUNCIL ON AMERICAN-ISLAMIC RELATIONS-NEW YORK: We don't want to go to war with the Giants. We don't want to go to war with the FBI. You know we just want the American public to understand that Islam is a part of this country.

SNOW (on camera): The question is, why speak out now if this happened back in September? The Council on American-Islamic Relations says the news conference coincides with an Islamic holiday marking the end of Ramadan on Thursday. It says it's hoping that increased awareness of religious practices will find a positive solution.

Mary Snow, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALLACE: And of course stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.

Well still to come this Thursday on DAYBREAK, the nation has said goodbye to a pioneer of the Civil Rights Movement, a look at the tributes to the remarkable Rosa Parks.

But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Thursday morning, November 3.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALLACE: And a look at what is expected to be a beautiful day here in New York City.

Welcome back to DAYBREAK.

More verbal broadsides being leveled at former FEMA Director Mike Brown. Lawmakers investigating FEMA's slow response to the storm release 23 pages of internal e-mails. They are e-mails that Brown exchanged while Katrina raged. Investigators had to pry the e-mails out of Homeland Security.

Take a look at some of these messages. One message involved Brown's tie. He writes -- quote -- "I got it at Nordstrom's, are you proud of me?" And an hour later he says, "If you'll look at my lovely FEMA attire, you'll really vomit. I am a fashion god."

Brown resigned two weeks after Hurricane Katrina hit. He is still getting paid his $150,000 salary.

And "USA Today" reports FEMA credit cards got a heavy workout in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Among the many purchases in a $12 million shopping spree, government inspectors found $1.5 million for 50 heart defibrillators. The machines were distributed to shelters where hurricane victims were housed temporarily. A quarter of a million for veterinary supplies, $177,000 for 20 boats, trailers and related supplies for search and rescue work in New Orleans and $68,000 for boots. GAO inspectors are combing through government credit cards to make sure the government's money was properly spent.

Well commuters in Philadelphia are again finding alternate ways to work this morning. That's because an ongoing transit strike has left buses, trains and trolleys out of service. The major sticking point for workers is the cost of health care.

Amy Buckman of CNN affiliate WPVI joins us from Philadelphia at the Chestnut Hill West Station.

And, Amy, thanks for being here. Give us a sense of how commuters are coping with this strike.

AMY BUCKMAN, WPVI-TV REPORTER: Well, we're in day four of this strike, Kelly, and so people have started to come up with their alternate routes. We're at a train station. And the regional rail lines are still running. So that's one of the alternatives that commuters are taking here in Philadelphia. This particular station doesn't open up for about a half-hour.

But the problem is not too many people live in such close proximity to the train stations, and so they are walking or they are bicycling to get to the train stations and get into Center City to get to work.

The other problem is that many more people are driving their cars into and out of Center City, Philadelphia on a daily basis. And we have seen just incredible traffic jams in the morning and the afternoon rush hours here in the city for the past three days. And we expect that they will continue again today.

As you said, the main sticking point in this strike is who will pay for health care benefits. The transport workers union has maintained that they have made concessions over many, many years on the issue of wages so that they wouldn't have to pay health care premiums.

SEPTA, which is the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, says they can no longer afford to pay the entire cost of health care benefits for those workers. And they want the workers to chip in about 5 percent of the premium cost.

The two sides met for a little bit Tuesday night into early Wednesday morning. The talks broke off. There was no progress. And, at this point, it doesn't look as if the two sides will get back to the bargaining table anytime before this weekend. So commuters here in the city of Philadelphia making due for at least another couple of days.

Live here in the Chestnut Hill section of Philadelphia, I'm Amy Buckman.

Now back to you.

WALLACE: Amy, thanks so much for talking with us. We appreciate it.

Amy Buckman reporting from our CNN affiliate WPVI TV in Philadelphia.

Your news, money, weather and sports. It's about 42 minutes after the hour. And here is what is all new this morning. Lewis "Scooter" Libby will stand before a judge this morning to hear criminal charges that could eventually put him behind bars. Libby will be arraigned on five counts of lying and obstruction of justice in the CIA leak case. He is expected to plead not guilty.

Virgin Atlantic Airways has ordered a stockpile of the antiviral drug Tamiflu to prepare for a possible human outbreak of Bird Flu. Virgin Atlantic is closely monitoring the spread of the disease, and says it's just taking precautions as an air carrier.

In money, it was a multimillion-dollar stamp swamp when a California collector traded a block of four 1918 stamps for an equally rare 1868 one cent stamp. The trade valued at about $3 million.

In culture, director Oliver Stone has begun shooting one of the first Hollywood films about the September 11 attacks in New York City. Producers of the untitled film are treading carefully on the sensitive subject, which also stars actor Nicolas Cage.

To Jacqui Jeras.

No, first, to sports, excuse me. It was a win for Phil Jackson as he returns as Lakers head coach. Kobe Bryant hit the winning basket with six-tenths of a second left in overtime.

Jacqui, are you a big basketball fan?

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Not particularly.

WALLACE: Baseball.

JERAS: I know.

WALLACE: Football.

JERAS: But now it's basketball season.

WALLACE: Oh well.

JERAS: I know, what do you do? I still have a little football to watch though, too, this time of the year.

WALLACE: That's true.

JERAS: Hey, so excited about the weather forecast, huh, Kelly? She couldn't wait to get to it.

(WEATHER REPORT)

Kelly.

WALLACE: Too bad for our friends out west.

OK, Jacqui, we'll check in with you in a few minutes. Thanks so much. Coming up next here on DAYBREAK, eminent domain hits home in one New Jersey city neighborhood. A high school versus a bar owner, both want a prize piece of land, but only one will prevail. That story just ahead.

And remember our e-mail question, it's about those racy T-shirts being sold at Abercrombie & Fitch: principles versus profits? Let us know what you think about the T-shirt girlcott. Our e-mail address DAYBREAK@CNN.com.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALLACE: The nation has bid a final farewell to the woman who changed the course of racial history in this country, the mother of the Civil Rights Movement, Rosa Parks.

We take you back now for some of the highlights from her funeral yesterday.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(SINGING)

WILLIAM J. CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: But let's never forget that in that simple act and a lifetime of grace and dignity, she showed us every single day what it means to be free.

ARETHA FRANKLIN, SINGER: To dream the impossible dream.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When the history of this country is written, when a final accounting is done, it is this small, quiet woman whose name will be remembered long after the names of senators and presidents have been forgotten.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did you ever know that you're my hero?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If Rosa could be looking down from the balconies of glory this evening, she would be saying to us, don't stop now, keep going, because the work is still to be done.

(SINGING)

REV. JESSE JACKSON, RAINBOW PUSH COALITION: And we ought to express, in our own way, our love and appreciation for what Rosa Parks meant to us. And so on your feet and put your hands together and show your love for Sister Rosa Parks. Show your love. Show your love for our sitting in, from our standing up, for our courage, for our character, for representing us so well.

(APPLAUSE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Every time a child would come around she would have a big smile on her face happy to see them. Rosa Parks, being around her was like being around an angel, so sweet and so soft and so quiet. She had like a quiet strength. She was quiet but strong, a strong black woman. And I will miss her dearly.

(SINGING)

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALLACE: And welcome back to this Thursday edition of DAYBREAK.

Jersey City, New Jersey, to tell you about, because Jersey City wants to use its power of eminent domain to take a bar owner's property away and sell it to a private Catholic school. The school claims it needs more land to expand.

But as CNN's Bill Tucker explains, the city has to first prove the sale would benefit the entire community.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BILL TUCKER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Saint Peter's Prep, an all-boys Jesuit high school in Jersey City, New Jersey, plays sports on this field. Directly behind its field is this bar. The school wants to buy it. The owner doesn't want to sell. And the city has invoked eminent domain to force the owner to sell.

CHENG TAN, OWNER, GOLDEN CICADA: All you need to do is have the right connections in high -- and hired -- at a higher level and you can -- anything goes.

TUCKER: His frustration is understandable, for at face value this case seems to fail the traditional argument for invoking eminent domain.

STUART DEUTSCH, DEAN, RUTGERS LAW SCHOOL: Here, the justification can't really be economic development if it's being turned over to a not-for-profit religious high school.

TUCKER: That added dimension has attracted the New Jersey chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union.

EDWARD BAROCAS, ACLU: You can't use the power of the government simply to have the intent and effect of aiding a particular religious institution.

TUCKER: But school officials point out that it is not that simple, noting that before they acquired the original property, the area was little more than a junkyard.

TOM LEANE, SAINT PETER'S PREP: This is the only open space directly in the downtown area. And it's used by not only Saint Peter's, but it's used also by a number of community-based organizations.

TUCKER (on camera): School officials say they acted to buy the property only after they learned that the owner plans to develop a high rise on the site. All of this will come to a head on November 4 when Mr. Tan and the city go to court.

Bill Tucker, CNN, Jersey City, New Jersey.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALLACE: And no controversy about this next story, check out CNN chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour all glammed up. Not exactly the war zone attire you are used to seeing her wear. Christiane was presented the News Source Award at the 16th Annual "Glamour" magazine Women of the Year Awards ceremony.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Thank you. Thank you. This is a great honor.

I think CNN has a unique and singular role in the pantheon of news organizations, because we're called Cable News Network. And it's a great and necessary gift right now, I think, because people need more hard news, more serious news, certainly more international news, as the world gets more and more complicated, as America gets more and more complicated. And I have always believed that you can't have a great, powerful, fabulous democracy, like we have here in the United States, without great and committed you know journalism. And I'm glad to be part of that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALLACE: And we salute her for all her passion and all she has done. Christiane has received numerous awards for her compelling reports about wars, famines, disasters and terrorist attacks all around the world.

Well switching gears quite a bit, did Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, dazzle Washington? A behind-the-scenes look at last night's White House dinner ahead in the next hour of DAYBREAK. Stay tuned for that.

More of this hour of DAYBREAK, though, just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALLACE: Hard to believe, but the holidays are almost here. And if you are sending care packages to loved ones in the military or to family overseas, hurry up. The Postal Service says you've got until the 12th of this month if you want those boxes to arrive on time. For letters and first class mail, the deadline is December 5. So get those packages and letters out.

Time now for our DAYBREAK "Eye Opener."

Meet the new Lassie. Actually, her name is Honey. Honey, the hero. The little cocker spaniel ran to a neighbor's house for help when her owner backed his car down a 30-foot ravine. He's in critical condition this morning. But thanks to Honey, he is alive. Police turned into cowboys. Yes, that's right, after a cattle truck overturned in Whitewater Township, Ohio. Two area highways were shut down while they tried to wrangle the wayward cows. Several of the cows got away and ran off into the woods.

Jacqui, these are sometimes stories that you just couldn't make up.

JERAS: I know.

WALLACE: Pretty hilarious. I'm guessing those officers not too used to having cattle around, perhaps.

JERAS: That's right.

A lot of responses, Kelly, today.

WALLACE: I want to hear them.

JERAS: Yes, people have some pretty strong opinions about our "Question of the Day" about the T-shirt girlcott, principles versus profits: what do you think?

Well Andy Gibson (ph) from Oklahoma thinks that Abercrombie & Fitch T-shirts with provocative words on it are no more offensive to me than the teenage girl with the orange and blue hair who is protesting. Her look is offensive to me.

From Barren McKnight (ph) in North Carolina, I really don't see anything wrong with them. I wouldn't have small girls wear them. Also, they're not as bad as some of the T-shirts that I see people wearing to sporting games or to schools here in North Carolina.

I think that some of the T-shirts are funny, but some of them are degrading. I'm a teenage girl, and some of those T-shirts I would wear and some of them I wouldn't.

Go girlcott. Tell Abercrombie that they can stuff their disgustingly derogatory T-shirts. I can say that I'll never shop there again. And I'm so sorry that I spent thousands of dollars on my children's clothes when they were in high school and wanted Abercrombie clothing. What a waste! Rosana Scursy (ph).

WALLACE: Jacqui, mixed feelings,...

JERAS: Yes.

WALLACE: ... but a lot of passion that's for sure.

All right, Jacqui, we will talk to you in a few minutes.

The next hour of DAYBREAK begins in just one minute. Don't go away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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