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CNN Live Today

Terror In Jordan; President Bush Visits Asia; Amber Alert in Pennsylvania; Medicare Drug Plan Tips

Aired November 14, 2005 - 10:00   ET

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

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: And the shocking confession of a would-be suicide bomber. An Iraqi woman appears on Jordanian television to tell how she tried to help blow up a hotel. Terrorism, new threats around the globe and new security measures starting today in a major U.S. city. All of that is ahead right here on CNN LIVE TODAY.
But first, a check on other stories happening right "Now in the News."

This morning in Tennessee, students returned to Campbell County Comprehensive High School, the scene of last Tuesday's deadly shooting spree. A 15-year-old student is charged in the killing of a school administrator. Now the principal and assistant principal were also shot and remain hospitalized.

France's government is asking its parliament to extend emergency powers another three months in the hoping of curbing 18 nights of rioting. The emergency declaration allows regions to impose curfews and conduct searches of homes. Since the outbreak of rioting, some 8,700 cars have been burned and nearly 2,800 people have been detained.

In Kabul, Afghanistan, an apparent suicide bomber has killed a NATO peacekeeper and wounded two other. The explosion apparently targeted their vehicle. Two police officers were among the wounded, as were some civilians. The nationalists of the peacekeepers have not been released as of yet.

And a Baghdad bombing killed two western contractors and seriously wounded two others today. A fifth contractor, an American, suffered slight injuries. That roadside bomb targeted the contractor's convoy near the capital's green zone.

Well good morning, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen at the CNN Center in Atlanta, sitting in for Daryn Kagan today.

Investigators in Jordan say they hope to learn more about al Qaeda after the capture of a would-be suicide bomber in last week's terror attacks. The Iraqi woman was arrested yesterday and confessed on Jordanian television. She says she accompanied her husband in the Radisson Hotel attack but her bomb never exploded. CNN's Brent Sadler picks up the story in Amman where the woman's confession was aired on Jordanian television.

Brent, what was learned through that confession? BRENT SADLER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, very important things were learned, Betty, from that TV confession.

First of all, we know the woman's name is Sajedah Mubarak Atrous. We know she's 35 years old and she's being catapulted as a result of that chilling television appearance from relative rural obscurity in Ramadi in Iraq to international notoriety as a result of what she revealed in front of the camera. She was seen parading the explosives that she says she failed to detonate in the Radisson Hotel at a wedding party that was in full swing. Part of those explosives included hundreds of steel ball bearings intended to cause maximum death and injuries among the hotel wedding party guests. This is part of what she had to say to the interrogators here in Jordan.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SAJEDAH MUBARAK ATROUS, CONFESSED BOMBER, (through translator): My name is Sajedah Mubarak Atrous, born the '70s Iraqi national and I reside in Ramadi. On November 5th, I accompanied my husband to Jordan carrying a fake Iraqi passport. When he was Ali Sanali (ph) and mine was Sajedah Dekata Latef (ph). We waited and a white car picked us up. There was a driver and another man and we entered Jordan together.

My husband is the one who organized everything. I don't know anything else. My husband wore an explosive belt and he put one on me and he taught me how to use it. The targets were hotels in Jordan.

Went to a car and we went to November 9 to a hotel. We went into the hotel. My husband took a corner and I took another one. There was a wedding in the hotel. There were women and children. My husband executed and detonated his belt. I tried to detonate mine, but I failed. People fled running and I left running with them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SADLER: Jordanians who saw that on television told CNN that they felt outrage at the way she delivered that confession, in a very, very downhearted way. That she was cold and callous in delivery of that confession. But at the same time, many Jordanians also expressing satisfaction that they have at least seen one of the bombers who inflicted that heavy loss of life.

Now in the next couple of hours or so, we're expecting an appearance at the Radisson Hotel here of U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who's still, we understand, in Jerusalem meeting with a top Palestinian and Israeli leaders. She is diverting on her Middle East tour to come to the kingdom of Jordan, to meet the king, as well as other top Jordanian officials, to reinforce the close ties that Washington has with this desert kingdom in the war on terror.

Betty.

NGUYEN: Brent, back to the suicide bombings, because this is just so very interesting. Of course, you know, if she would have stayed there, it would have been a case of her husband's belt would have blown up and hers would have blown up. But she left. And I guess that leads to the bigger question of, since this is the first husband and wife team, why would he want his wife to come along? Did she answer that in any way?

SADLER: No, she hasn't. Obviously, she's got a lot more to say about how she got into Jordan with the other three bombers. Two males in their early 20s, plus her husband, who was the same age as her, 35. We do know, she says, she took one side of the wedding banquet hall, her husband the other. And you can clearly see, because I've been inside where the blast took place and you can see, he went off in one corner and she was on the other side. So quite clearly there was an attempt to maximize, if you'd like, to catch all the guests between two near simultaneous blasts. So a really horrendous story, Betty.

NGUYEN: Just so tragic.

All right, Brent Sadler in Amman, Jordan.

Thank you, Brent.

Well, as mentioned, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was scheduled to arrive in Jordan this hour to express sympathy for those killed in the bombings. But her trip has been delayed as she tries to help broker a Gaza border deal. Earlier today, Rice met with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and she also held talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Rice said the Palestinians must do more to control militant and terrorist groups.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, SECRETARY OF STATE: Talked about the need to support the democratic process here in the Palestinian territories and also the need to condemn and fight terror. It is a road map obligation of the Palestinian Authority to fight terror and to dismantle the infrastructure of terror.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: Rice also announced an agreement is in sight between Israel and the Palestinians. Now that agreement deals with easing travel restrictions for Palestinians in and out of Gaza.

Well, next hour, President Bush embarks on an eight-day tour of Asia. The cornerstone of his four-nation trip is the annual Asia- Pacific Summit where terror and bird flu are expected to be among the main topics. CNN's State Department Correspondent Andrea Koppel is at the White House with a preview.

This is a pretty big trip. Tell us where -- he doesn't stop off in Asia just yet. He goes on Alaska first, doesn't he?

ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Betty, that's a refueling stop at Elmendorf Air Base where the president is going to give a speech on terror and then meet with some of the family members of fallen soldiers who served in Iraq. Now the president actually starts -- his first stop in Asia is in Kyoto, Japan. His last stop is in Ulan Bator in Mongolia. In between, he's going to be in South Korea and China. National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley left no doubt when he was briefing reporters last week that the overriding theme of this trip is that, in his word, the president is traveling to Asia to advance the interests of American workers, business and entrepreneurs.

Now how are they going do that? The short answer is, expanding trade and economic opportunity. Some of the issues that are going to feature prominently during Mr. Bush's stop in Beijing is this enormous trade deficit between the two countries, which is going to reach $200 billion this year. Also going to be focusing on how to open China's market to more American businesses. Something that American companies are eager to do. And also to cut down on copyright infringement.

Now when he is in Seoul, South Korea, he's going to be focusing, as you just eluded to, among other issue, the Asian pandemic. The possibility for an Asian bird flu pandemic. And one of the things that they're going to be discussion, some of the 21 nations represented there, is basically how to come up with an initiative to respond to this threat.

There have been over 60 deaths, human deaths, due to the bird flu pandemic, bird flu hitting Asian nations since it first came back, re- emerged in 2003. And so President Bush is really going to try to get some sort of an agreement among these country that if there is any sign of bird flu breaking out -- for instance today in China they have a case, they believe, of a human case of influenza, that they will notify the World Health Organization so that they can rapidly respond and contain this before it spreads elsewhere.

Betty.

NGUYEN: Bird flu, trade, terror all important topics.

Andrea Koppel at the White House.

Thank you, Andrea.

An al Qaeda threat against Britain's Queen Elizabeth reportedly led to unprecedented security at a service honoring war veterans on Sunday. "The Times of London" says the al Qaeda video called the Queen one of the severest enemies of Islam. The video was released after the London suicide bombing back in July but the reference to the Queen wasn't reveal at that time.

In Australia now, new developments following last week's terror sweep, raising concerns Australia's only nuclear reactor may have been a terror target. Court documents revealed that Australian police had earlier questioned three of the 18 terror suspects now under arrest. Police say the three were stopped last December near the reactor in Sydney and that a lock had been cut on one of the reactors' gates. Police also say the suspects had either acquired or tried to acquire bomb building materials. Well, Americans traveling in China are being warned again that they could be the targets of terrorists. The U.S. embassy in Beijing says it has credible information that terrorists could strike U.S. facilities and other American connected targets in the southern city of Jongjo (ph). Now last week the embassy issued an advisory telling Americans to be wary of possible terror threat involve hotels in China, but that warning was withdrawn after China cast doubt on it.

Guarding against terror in the U.S. A new security measure in place this morning for New York subway riders.

Plus, look at that. It was only a drill, but it sure looked like the real deal. What first responders hope to learn from this mock terrorist attack.

Also, a teenage girl, her parents found dead and she is missing. The manhunt underway for her alleged abductor. We have that latest information just ahead.

Plus.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, my God! (INAUDIBLE). Get over there!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: Get out of the way. Ever wonder what it's like to be in a tornado? This amateur video will give you a great idea. It's coming up, right after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Well, the National Weather Service says nearly 10 Iowa towns were damaged by Saturday's tornadoes that had winds up to 150 miles an hour. Look at the video here. The twister's furry killed one woman, splintered dozens of homes, tore down trees, damaged power lines and created gas leaks. Dazed victims are still trying to salvage what's left of their belongings and many were caught unaware Saturday as they witnessed -- look at this -- the oz-like nightmare. Photographer Jeremiah Nance (ph) captured some incredible and terrifying sights and sounds of a twister roaring through the town of Woodward. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Oh, my God! (INAUDIBLE) Oh, my God! (INAUDIBLE). Get over here! Grab that dog. Grab that -- yes, yes, yes. Is there anybody else in there with you?

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: No.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you need help?

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: I don't think so. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is there anybody else down here? Is everyone accounted for? Oh, my -- natural gas! Oh, my Jesus Lord! Oh, Jesus.

Are you all right? Are you all right.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm OK.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) get a pair of pants or sweet pants so I can (INAUDIBLE).

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, my Lord.

All right. Hey, Doug (ph). Come on. Let's just go.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: Listen to how strong those winds are even after the tornado went through the area.

OK, we're going to hear more from the photographer, Jeremiah Nance, and the woman that he rescued in the next hour of CNN LIVE TODAY. So you'll want to stick around for that.

Let's talk about these tornadoes. Chad Myers, it's the second in two weekends in a row.

(WEATHER REPORT)

NGUYEN: Well, a manhunt is underway for a Pennsylvania teenager accused of killing his girlfriend's parents, then fleeing with her. State police have issued an Amber Alert. Take a look now. Fourteen- year-old Kara Beth Borden. She is missing. Investigators believe she may have been taken against her will. Kara's parents, they were found shot dead inside their home. Lititz, Pennsylvania, is in the state's Amish country, which is about 60 miles from Philadelphia. Want to get the latest now from CNN affiliate WPVI and reporter Amy Buckman.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

AMY BUCKMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Police here in Warwick (ph) Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, are looking for leads following the issuance of an Amber Alert yesterday morning. Police are looking for a 14-year-old girl named Kara Beth Borden. She is believed to be with an 18-year-old who may be her boyfriend. His name is David Ludwig. Police believe that Ludwig shot Kara Beth's parents after a confrontation over the relationship between the 18-year-old and the 14-year-old early Sunday morning.

Kara is described as a 5'1" tall brunette who has blond highlights in her hair. She weighs about 100 pound. She was last seen wearing a black sweatshirt with the word killer on the front, along with blue jeans and black sneakers. They are believed to be traveling in David Ludwig's parents' car. That's a red Volkswagen Jetta with the Pennsylvania license plate EHH-0994. Police really don't know where this pair may have gone. They say they could be anywhere in the state of Pennsylvania or, in fact, anywhere up and down the eastern seaboard. David Ludwig should be considered armed and dangerous and anyone who spots them or their car is asked to call their local police.

Reporting from Warwick Township, Pennsylvania. I'm Amy Buckman for CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: All right, want to put the pictures up once again for you so you can take a look. These are the two that police are searching for. Kara Beth Borden is 14 years old. She is missing. Her believed abductor, the accused abductor, David Ludwig, right there, 18 years old. Police are on the lookout for them. And if you know their whereabouts, here's a number that we want to put up for you. You can call the Warwick Township Police Department at 717-626- 3162. One more time, 717-626-3162 if you have any information on the whereabouts of these two.

Well, a big change on the horizon when it comes to prescription drug care for seniors. Gerri Willis breaks it all down in today's "Top Five Tips."

Hi, Gerri.

GERRI WILLIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Betty. Good to see you.

Whether you're eligible for the new Medicare drug benefit plan or mom and dad are, we've got tips on how to pick the best one. "Five Tips" is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Want to take a look at the big boards today. The Dow, right now, looking like it's in positive territory at 1,433. And the Nasdaq also doing some positive numbers today. It's up $3 today.

All right. Beginning tomorrow, older Americans can enroll in a new prescription drug benefit offered through Medicare. President Bush has called it the greatest offering since Medicare's birth some 40 years ago. But its complexity has left millions of others just simply bewildered. So here to walk us through it all is CNN Personal Finance Editor Gerri Willis with her "Top Five Tips."

Good morning, Gerri.

WILLIS: Hey, Betty, good to see you.

NGUYEN: Good to see you.

WILLIS: Tip number one here, it is complicated. In fact, in a lot of states, you're going to have up to 20 plans to choose from. That's a whole lot. My suggestion, don't worry about tomorrow's deadline. You actually have until May of next year to chose the plan you want. Don't rush and, Betty, you know, they just put out this medicare.gov Web site where you can go and see what the plans are in your state. Guess what?

NGUYEN: What?

WILLIS: There were a bunch of changes to them as companies started seeing what rivals were putting into their plans. So you're really best off waiting at least until say January, February, until all these changes sort themselves out.

NGUYEN: Yes, because by the time you pick one, there could be another change to it and no one wants that.

All right. That's one plan. What about alternatives? Should seniors look to some of the alternatives out there?

WILLIS: Well, this plan isn't for everybody, that's for sure. If you have corporate coverage, you're retired, maybe your company still provides you with drug benefit. That may be better and, in fact, your company is going to be sending you a letter to tell you the differences. So hang on to that.

Or, if you're a veteran and you have coverage through the Veteran's Administration, that will probably also be better. So people in those two categories, veterans or families of veterans and people who have corporate coverage already, should probably think seriously before signing up for this new Medicare benefit.

NGUYEN: All right. But then your next tip, tip number three says, get ready to sign. Talk to us about that.

WILLIS: Well, this program is really geared to people who don't have a lot of income. Seniors earning $19,000 or less. This plan is really for you. You're going to want to research it, find out what's available in your area because it's really targeted at people just like you. If you have a Medigap (ph) policy, you'll also want to look at this program because you could benefit.

NGUYEN: You know, it's just almost like information overload.

WILLIS: It is.

NGUYEN: There are so many options. It's got to be confusing.

WILLIS: That's right. You know, you want to go online. Particularly if you're helping mom and dad, there's a lot of great information online to get. We've got a list of them for you here. But my two favorites, AARP has a booklet online that you can download at aarp.org. It's in a Q&A format. It's really easy to understand. And if you're one of those seniors who likes the web and likes to look online, go to golmedicare.org. Now this Web site has oversized type and it takes you right to the medicare.gov Web site, the page where they talk about the plans for each and every state. It's a real short cut out there if you're surfing the web.

NGUYEN: Gerri, I've got to tell you, though, some seniors really don't want to mess with going online. They want it the old-fashioned way. They want to talk to someone about it. Is there one-on-one help?

WILLIS: Right. Exactly. There certainly is. You can hook up with your state health insurance assistance program. Now these folks are going to give you some advice by telephone, which is what a lot of people want. You can find your state program by dialing 1-800-677- 1116. If you don't want to go on the web, picking up the phone's a good alternative.

Betty.

NGUYEN: That number's at the bottom of the screen, 1-800-677- 1116.

Gerri Willis, as always, good information. Thank you.

WILLIS: Thank you.

NGUYEN: The 9/11 Commission issued a long list of recommendations to help keep Americans safer following the terrorist attacks of four years ago. Well, the two men who headed that group are speaking right now in Washington about those recommendation. Here's a live look. They're also talking about whether they're being followed. We're going to take a close look at what's being said. That's just ahead.

And look at this. A frightening sight in Atlanta. A city bus fire bomb. But, thankfully, it was only make believe. Just a test. How this fiery scene proved to be a valuable lesson when CNN LIVE TODAY returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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