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American Morning

Winter Weather Hits East Coast; Attack at Baghdad Police Academy

Aired December 06, 2005 - 08:00   ET

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

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning.
I'm Soledad O'Brien.

A developing story out of Iraq this morning.

A pair of women in suicide vests blow themselves up at a police academy.

We're also following the trial of Saddam Hussein. An update on both of those stories this morning.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And I'm Miles O'Brien.

New developments in the Saddam Hussein trial. A secret witness tells a horrifying story of torture and abuse. We'll have details ahead.

S. O'BRIEN: Plus, the weather. Snow is covering parts of the East Coast. Weather news and much more as you make your commute this morning on this AMERICAN MORNING.

M. O'BRIEN: I think we got the music medley for AMERICAN MORNING there in the midst of all that.

Lots of news going on this morning. Let's get right to it.

S. O'BRIEN: Yes, we were telling you earlier this morning about a major military plane crash happening in Tehran, Iran. A military C- 130 plane carrying, apparently, 80 passengers, 10 crew members, crashed into a residential area in southern Tehran. Apparently no word yet on the casualties, although there are estimates that those casualties will, indeed, be high.

There are differing reports at this time. Of course, you're looking at some new video just in to CNN. There are some reports that bodies have been recovered and apparently intense fire as that plane crashed into a building, a 10-story building in this residential area, apparently trying to make its way back to an emergency landing at Mehrabad International Airport, instead hitting an apartment block in a nearby neighborhood.

There are witnesses who have been talking to the various wire services that are reporting this morning, some of them saying that it is just burning so hot, the fire, that they are practically suffocating, is the quote from one witness who works for the Red Crescent. That was a report coming to us from Reuters.

It is a massive disaster for Iran's military.

we're going to update you on the latest numbers and also, of course, the cause of this plane crash. Eighty people, they are on board and 10 crew on board, as well.

M. O'BRIEN: Apparently the plane had declared an emergency and was trying to make its way back to the main airport there, Mehrabad Airport, International Airport, and crashed as it was trying to make its way back to the airport.

We'll keep you posted on that story as it unfolds.

Expect a few travel delays if you're on the East Coast this morning. A fairly big snowstorm in the East, although not as big as advertised, perhaps. Cities and towns on the coast got the worst of it.

Rob Marciano now in Atlantic City -- and I assume the gambling has not missed a beat there, Rob, as the snow came down.

ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: No, they gamble inside for a reason, Miles. They didn't miss much of a beat, although this time of year not exactly the height of the season and you can see why.

We're, you know, the boardwalk famous here, one of the first boardwalks ever built in America, so kind of a summertime thing. They still get the plows out, though, here to clear the boardwalk from the snow.

How much snow did they get? Three, four, in some spots in Jersey about five inches. Take a look at some of the snow. Last night, it was different from last night. Now it's fluffy. You can't really make a snowball out of this stuff. So that tells me that it's getting a lot colder now. And that's going to be the ongoing theme, is colder air coming into the Northeast, anywhere from 10 to 30 degrees colder than average over the next couple of days.

How about the roadways? Were they prepared? You bet they were prepared; probably over prepared, which isn't so much a bad thing. The DOT said they had 600 plows ready to go with this system, 150 tons of salt, a half million gallons of calcium liquid.

Also, they had a new brine solution, a salt and a water solution that they were looking to test out. Apparently things have gone OK with that.

I-95 is fine. Secondary roadways a little bit slick. Amtrak OK. They heated up the switches so those didn't freeze up and most Amtrak trains are equipped with the little plows to get things out of the way there, so no issues there.

And like I said, the casinos say ah, it's not that busy of a time anyways, so they didn't miss much of a beat. If anything, people didn't wander out of the casinos to go get dinner or other things around Atlantic City. So if anything, they gambled a little bit more, hopefully to get some money for some Christmas spending.

The sun now coming up, though, over the Eastern horizon. We're obviously near the Atlantic Ocean, so turning out to be a cold but very pretty day.

This boardwalk, at one time, was seven miles long at its height. But back in 1944, a hurricane, oddly enough, came by and wiped out a good chunk of it. Now it's only four miles. But as you would imagine, Miles, pretty quite today -- back to you.

M. O'BRIEN: Four miles is still a lot to shovel. I guess the casinos probably pray for snow, given what you just said. And I wonder if people think that's a sound strategy, to go to Atlantic City to try and get the money to buy holiday gifts.

MARCIANO: It's probably not the smartest thing to do, but you can be sure there are a handful of folks here trying to do just that.

M. O'BRIEN: All right, those casinos were built on a backs of losers like me, Rob. You should all remember that.

More on the -- let's get more on the wintry -- winter outlook, the wintry winter outlook -- with Jacqui Jeras -- hello, Jacqui.

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hey, Miles.

(WEATHER REPORT)

S. O'BRIEN: Let's get right to Iraq.

We've got several developing stories to tell you about.

First, Al Jazeera Television showing videotape of what is claimed to be an American hostage. Also this morning, we were telling you about these 36 police officers and cadets killed by female suicide bombers.

Correspondent Aneesh Raman live for us in Baghdad.

Let's first talk about this videotape being shown on Al Jazeera , if we can -- Aneesh.

What do we know about this hostage?

ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Soledad, good morning.

The videotape aired on Al Jazeera in just the past hour. The network says it is from a known insurgent group in Iraq called the Islamic Army In Iraq. The group says the video shows an American hostage in the video. A man is seen seated on a plastic chair, his hands apparently bound behind his back. Also, the front of a U.S. passport is shown.

The group has said, according to Al Jazeera, that they give the U.S. 48 hours to release all prisoners that are from this group, the Islamic Army In Iraq. Otherwise, they will kill this hostage. We don't know more than that. The U.S. Embassy -- we contacted them here in Baghdad. They are unaware. They're learning of these reports as we are, as well. They have no confirmation either way.

This is a group, though, as I said, known for attacks in Iraq, known for beheadings, as well. It is unlike the group that says it has those four Western aid workers, Swords of Justice, that was previously unknown -- Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: And now let's get an update on the suicide bombers killing dozens of people, police officers at the police academy.

What details do we have about this story, also just coming to us?

RAMAN: Yes, a horrific attack. It happened around 12:45 p.m. local time after two female suicide bombers detonated inside a police academy in the eastern part of the capital. The death toll rising in the past hour to now 36 people confirmed dead, 72 others wounded.

Initially, the U.S. military had said these two female suicide bombers detonated inside a classroom. They now say in terms of the sequence of events, they believe one detonated outside of a classroom. Those inside then rushed to a bunker to avoid other fire. They thought it was indirect fire coming into the compound. That is where the second bomber detonated.

Now, the sequence of events aside, this incident raises huge security questions. This is a police academy attached to the Ministry of Interior in the capital, extensive outer perimeter security. So how these two females were able to get through that initial security with these explosive vests is the big question we're waiting for answers on -- Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: Yes, huge questions. And, of course, when you consider their strategy, if it is, indeed, how you've laid it out, of one person detonating outside, forcing all the people to run in fear in one direction, right into the path of the second suicide bomber, that's a real indication of pretty good planning on the part of the insurgents.

Aneesh Raman is going to update on this story throughout the morning.

Thanks, Aneesh.

Let's stay in Baghdad now and get right to this riveting testimony in the trial of Saddam Hussein. A woman -- her identity is concealed by this curtain right here -- described how she was, at 16, stripped, then beaten by Saddam Hussein's intelligence agents.

We didn't see any repeat of the outburst that interrupted the proceedings on Monday. And, in fact, Saddam Hussein remained pretty quiet throughout her testimony. It wasn't the case with the first witness.

The court went into closed session after a second witness took the stand. We're going to update you on this trial throughout our program this morning.

M. O'BRIEN: And let's check some other headlines.

Carol Costello -- good morning, Carol.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, Miles.

Good morning to all of you.

Israel clamping down on security after the first suicide bombing inside its borders since October. The explosion at a crowded mall killed five people and wounded 35 others. Israeli troops have arrested the father and brothers of the suspected suicide bomber. Extra police are patrolling the West Bank and Gaza borders. No one is allowed to pass without proper identification.

Republicans would say Howard Dean is at it again, this time for something he said on the radio. The Democratic Party chief says the idea the U.S. can win the war in Iraq is "just plain wrong." Dean also said he wished President Bush paid more attention to history.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP, COURTESY NEWS RADIO 1200, WOAI, SAN ANTONIO)

HOWARD DEAN, CHAIRMAN, DEMOCRATIC PARTY: This is ultimately what America had to do in Vietnam. Ultimately they said we're either going to turn this over to the Vietnamese -- and, of course, the South Vietnamese couldn't manage to take care of their own country. And I, you know, as I said, I supported President Bush, the first President Bush's war in Iraq. I supported this president's war in Afghanistan. But I do not believe in making the same mistake twice.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

COSTELLO: The Republican Party chief accused Dean of embracing retreat and defeat. He says it sends the wrong message to the troops.

New documents reveal that FEMA officials in Mississippi were bracing for riots in the days after hurricane Katrina. E-mails from the chief on the ground show his frustration with major shortages of food, water and ice. Later e-mails said: "System appears broken." A FEMA spokeswoman says the agency is undergoing an internal review to help bring its logistical resources up to task.

And the NFL hoping the New Orleans Saints can play at least some of the next season at the Louisiana Superdome. The Dome has been largely cleaned up since it was used as an evacuation center, but it still needs a lot of work, about $2 million worth. A final decision could be made in a couple of weeks. Until then, the team will split its season between San Antonio, Texas and Baton Rouge. And, of course, there's still talk about the Saints moving out of New Orleans altogether.

S. O'BRIEN: Yes, but it sounds like they're singing at least a little bit of a different tune. Remember for a while...

COSTELLO: A little bit, but only for the -- for next season. S. O'BRIEN: Right.

COSTELLO: After that, it's anybody's guess.

S. O'BRIEN: It's up in the air.

COSTELLO: Yes.

S. O'BRIEN: Well, it will be interesting to see what happens.

Carol, thank you very much.

COSTELLO: Sure.

S. O'BRIEN: Still ahead this morning, the very latest on 18- year-old Lionel Tate. Remember, this happened while we were on the air yesterday? It -- he was having a hearing and suddenly that hearing was put on hold when he wrote a letter to the judge saying that he wanted to get a competency hearing.

Is it a ploy, though, to stay out of prison? We're going to talk with Judge Glenda Hatchett in just a moment.

M. O'BRIEN: And later, what drove a woman's search for the bodies of two missing children that she never even knew? She'll share her story with us, ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

S. O'BRIEN: Lionel Tate says he hears voices and wants to kill himself. A Florida judge has decided now that Tate should have a competency hearing. It's the very same issue, you will recall, that got him out of prison before. Tate was the youngest person in America ever given a life sentence for murder, the murder of a playmate just six years old.

Well, since going free, Tate has been arrested twice. Now he's up on assault and robbery charges.

Former Judge Glenda Hatchett in Atlanta this morning to talk more about this case.

I know you're not involved in the case.

Good morning.

Nice to see you, Judge.

GLENDA HATCHETT, FORMER GEORGIA JUVENILE JUDGE: Good morning, Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: When you saw that the hearing, which everybody thought was going to take a little while...

HATCHETT: Exactly.

S. O'BRIEN: ... went very quickly and really was over in about 10 minutes...

HATCHETT: Right.

S. O'BRIEN: ... what did you think?

HATCHETT: Well, I thought it was a good move for the judge to come down on the side of precaution here and to order a competency hearing, particularly when he says that he's hearing voices and he has thoughts of suicide. I think that's exactly what the judge had to do yesterday.

So I was not surprised by that decision.

S. O'BRIEN: He handed a letter to the judge, and here's part of what the letter had to say.

HATCHETT: Right.

S. O'BRIEN: "I have asked my attorney to file a motion for psychiatric evaluation. I stated to him before that I was hearing voices and that I wanted to kill myself."

HATCHETT: Right.

S. O'BRIEN: What do you make of this letter? What strikes you about it?

HATCHETT: Well, it strikes me that probably he did not write this on his own. It suggests to me that probably he had talked to his lawyer about it and his lawyer probably advised him to write this letter.

But very straightforward. I'm hearing voices. I'm thinking about kill myself. The judge didn't have any other choice but to order this competency hearing.

S. O'BRIEN: There are some people who would say, you know, it sounds calculated.

Let's listen a little bit further down in the letter. He says: "Florida Statute 916.301 states that I am entitled to a psychological evaluation upon request."

There are people, I'm sure, who do not believe that he is -- that he requires a psychiatric evaluation, that he's crazy in any way, shape or form.

Do you think that that part of it, that citing a statute from an 18-year-old kid...

HATCHETT: He didn't know the statute. Clearly, he was advised to write this letter. Not to say that he's not hearing voices. Maybe he does have thoughts of suicide. But clearly that letter, he did not write this letter himself. That was generated with some help, probably from his lawyer.

S. O'BRIEN: What happens next? What will the evaluation entail?

HATCHETT: The evaluation will mean that he will have a psychiatric evaluation. The judge will be advised of that. He'll get a detailed written report. And then they'll have a hearing so that each side, both the defense and the prosecutor, will have an opportunity to review and to ask questions of whoever performed the evaluation. So it'll be a fairly detailed and complicated situation.

Ultimately, though, Soledad, the question is whether he will be involved in going back to jail for life, and I don't think that's the case. I read the court of appeals decision last night, read the sentencing case, and actually he was only sentenced to three years, which he's already served, a year of house arrest and then two years of probation. So...

S. O'BRIEN: So regardless of how the competency hearing turns out -- because in the letter he goes on to say my attorney is advising me to go to prison for life and take the 30 years. I mean he sort of goes on and on about that.

HATCHETT: Well...

S. O'BRIEN: So, really, there's only three years on the table for him?

HATCHETT: Well, it was three years which he had already served under the sentence that he was under now. I doubt that he will be facing life in prison without parole, which was the original sentence, which was reversed by the court of appeals in December of 2003. And then he was sentenced in January.

So I would argue that he's not looking at life without parole.

S. O'BRIEN: So the...

HATCHETT: But armed robbery is serious.

S. O'BRIEN: Let me clarify something, because the parole violation is really this -- the whole incident with this pizza delivery man...

HATCHETT: Right. Exactly.

S. O'BRIEN: ... who said there was a gun pointed to his face.

HATCHETT: Exactly.

S. O'BRIEN: So parole violation wouldn't give him -- is not the same, obviously, as armed robbery.

Isn't he still up on these armed robbery charges?

HATCHETT: Now, that's what I was going to say. I would think the more challenging charge right now is armed robbery. If, in fact, he had a gun, and if, in fact, he is convicted of armed robbery, then he's talking about a very serious charge that could put him back in jail for a long time.

S. O'BRIEN: What would you do with him?

HATCHETT: Well, I think it's going to depend a lot, Soledad, on what happens with this competency hearing, whether he is competent to stand trial, whether he really is suffering from some deep psychological/psychiatric problems. And then if he is responsible for this crime, if, in fact, he is convicted, then he should serve time.

S. O'BRIEN: Judge Glenda Hatchett, TV's Judge Hatchett.

Nice to see you, as always.

HATCHETT: Thank you.

S. O'BRIEN: Thanks.

HATCHETT: Always good to be with you.

S. O'BRIEN: Thank you.

HATCHETT: Thank you, Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: Still to come on the program, behind this curtain, a secret witness in the Saddam Hussein trial. We have details on the amazing story that she told ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

M. O'BRIEN: Well, it's that time of day again. This is becoming a regular thing here, as we do our Daily Candy, now, what, 19 shopping days left until Christmas, I believe, or something like that? I don't know. I don't keep track of that stuff.

DANNIELLE ROMANO, DAILYCANDY.COM: Miles...

M. O'BRIEN: Yes, no, no, don't do it.

ROMANO: ... 19, yes.

M. O'BRIEN: Don't do it.

Dannielle Romano...

ROMANO: It's only going to make people nervous.

M. O'BRIEN: ... editor-at-large at Dailycandy.com, joining us with, once again, a tour of some scintillating, excellent, wonderful Web sites for your shopping pleasure.

ROMANO: I like it. Scintillating. And that's totally applicable today because we all have some nomads on our list...

M. O'BRIEN: We do? ROMANO: ... the people who save all their money and can't wait to get to India or take a trip. But plane tickets and luxury accommodations make sort of an expensive gift, right?

M. O'BRIEN: So just do it all online.

ROMANO: The next best thing...

M. O'BRIEN: Virtual travel.

ROMANO: ... find them some exotic gifts that take them away, transport them without leaving.

So, first off, India. Shopindomix.com is for...

M. O'BRIEN: Indomix?

ROMANO: ... that lady who dreams of being a Bollywood starlet.

M. O'BRIEN: Ah-ha!

ROMANO: Indomix is a shop, actually, here in New York City, but their online site is just as good as being at their little Nolita store.

They have collected some of the best South Asian designers. So we have these beautiful wraps and tunics, gorgeously embroidered with threads and, you know, beads and sequins. So I think...

M. O'BRIEN: Is this kind of an in look and is that, is that somewhat, yes...

ROMANO: This one is actually from Afghanistan.

M. O'BRIEN: It is?

ROMANO: Remember I told you about that site.

M. O'BRIEN: Yes.

ROMANO: So I wanted to transport us, you know, to...

M. O'BRIEN: So it's...

ROMANO: ... to another land. So I think this is a good one. She will feel like she's visiting the Taj Mahal from her, you know, from under the Christmas tree.

M. O'BRIEN: We just kind of had a United Nations moment, you know? Afghanistan, India, right there.

ROMANO: We're bringing the people together.

M. O'BRIEN: We are the world. Bring them together with the world.

ROMANO: We are the world.

M. O'BRIEN: All right, a little closer to home, at least in the United States here, Appellationnyc...

ROMANO: ... NYC.

M. O'BRIEN: What's that all about?

ROMANO: Well, speaking of bringing people together, what does that better than wine? Appellationnyc is a great wine store with a very global focus. You can shop by country so you can look and say hmmm, I hear that the Tokaji, the sweet white wine in Hungary, is really delicious, get them a bottle of that.

M. O'BRIEN: Wow!

ROMANO: Perfect stocking stuffer, perfect Hanukah gift. A bottle of wine from somewhere cool. Argentina. They even have rum from Trinidad and exotic tequila from Mexico. So...

M. O'BRIEN: Can you ship wines now? They tried to change -- they changed...

ROMANO: It depends on your state.

M. O'BRIEN: Yes.

ROMANO: And I am no lawyer, but you -- they have it all figured out. These people have it posted. They know whether they can or can't or...

M. O'BRIEN: They would know.

ROMANO: ... you know, what kind of legal loopholes -- you'll have to set up a P.O. box. Just kidding!

M. O'BRIEN: A blind P.O. box somewhere.

ROMANO: Just kidding!

M. O'BRIEN: All right. Yes.

And, yes, check your I.D. when you get it.

ROMANO: Exactly.

M. O'BRIEN: All right, now, what's this? This is -- I can't read any of this. I have to get my sun...

ROMANO: Ajiichiban.

M. O'BRIEN: Oh, here we go. Specials. I can read that.

ROMANO: Specials? Hello!

M. O'BRIEN: Ajiichiban, OK. ROMANO: This is for maybe the teen boy in your life who dreams of going to Tokyo or who is obsessed with Asian pop culture.

M. O'BRIEN: Yes?

ROMANO: This is actually a Chinese company, but they have this Japanese aesthetics. So Ajiichiban means like little tastes or something. They have those cool gummy candies.

M. O'BRIEN: Oh, yes.

ROMANO: They have some more exotic things, like dried fish and preserved fruit. But really, really of the moment Asian things in really cool wrappers. It's as if, you know, you're spending some time in Tokyo without -- that's one of the most expensive cities in the world. So, you know, a couple bites will do you.

M. O'BRIEN: Oh, wow!

ROMANO: What are you finding here?

M. O'BRIEN: It looks like some tasty morsels.

ROMANO: Preserved ginger.

M. O'BRIEN: Lemon juice, ginger, preserved ginger, chili, olives, pineapple chunks, supreme hawthorn yogurt.

ROMANO: I told you it was going to get exotic.

M. O'BRIEN: Good stuff.

ROMANO: They have some...

M. O'BRIEN: It makes me hungry, though.

ROMANO: ... more sweet candies, too.

M. O'BRIEN: All right, now, soap. This is a gift I never give people. So...

ROMANO: That's kind of like...

M. O'BRIEN: This is not a guy thing, soap.

ROMANO: ... here is your soap.

M. O'BRIEN: Yes. And it's beeswax. Oh, it smells so good, right?

ROMANO: Excuse me.

And guys are like hmmm, are you trying to tell me something?

M. O'BRIEN: Yes, right. You mean you couldn't get me a candle?

ROMANO: This is Kauaisoap. So the island of Kauai in Hawaii is...

M. O'BRIEN: Are they big on soaps there?

ROMANO: Well, who isn't big on soaps? That's what I'm trying to tell you. I just think these are made from all natural ingredients.

M. O'BRIEN: Give me a little Ivory.

ROMANO: It's 99.44.

M. O'BRIEN: Right.

ROMANO: This is a very transporting Hawaiian gift. So they will not be offended by the gift of soap. They use, you know, volcanic pumice for treats and different fragrances. So it's very tropical -- coconut, you know, pineapple.

Aren't you feeling like we're on the islands?

M. O'BRIEN: And I'll have you note here...

ROMANO: Yes?

M. O'BRIEN: ... cool lip balm.

ROMANO: Cool lip balm!

M. O'BRIEN: Dannielle...

ROMANO: Number two!

M. O'BRIEN: Dannielle Romano...

ROMANO: It's our quest.

M. O'BRIEN: ... who loves cool lip balm, wherever she can find it on the Web.

ROMANO: More on that.

M. O'BRIEN: No wonder.

We'll see you tomorrow, I guess.

ROMANO: It sounds good.

M. O'BRIEN: Dannielle Romano, Dailycandy.com.

And Soledad is now a customer of...

S. O'BRIEN: I am. Yesterday. I crossed my husband off the list.

M. O'BRIEN: ... Golftrack.

S. O'BRIEN: Hi, thanks for, you know... M. O'BRIEN: Well...

S. O'BRIEN: That was a cough. He was like -- OK. (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

ROMANO: We're changing lives with these gift ideas.

M. O'BRIEN: He's not watching.

S. O'BRIEN: Thank you so much, Miles, for outing my gift to my husband for Christmas, with just 19 shopping days to go.

ROMANO: He didn't say that.

S. O'BRIEN: So I'm not going to tell you...

M. O'BRIEN: There's always cool lip balm.

S. O'BRIEN: Uh-huh.

ROMANO: Distract them with the cool lip balm.

M. O'BRIEN: Soap.

S. O'BRIEN: Thank you so much.

That was great.

Ahead this morning, Blackberries changed the way we communicate. Now a shut down is possible. That left our Jeff Greenfield to ask have we gone too far? A Raspberry for Blackberries, ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

M. O'BRIEN: I really think I got it confused. It wasn't a golf trip, it was lip balm.

S. O'BRIEN: Let's move on, shall we?

M. O'BRIEN: Yes.

S. O'BRIEN: As you just outed my Christmas present to my husband on air.

COSTELLO: Get out.

S. O'BRIEN: Thank you.

And he just let me know that he's watching.

So thanks, Miles, appreciate that.

Moving on, though, did you see that shot of New York City?

M. O'BRIEN: Bad. It was bad. S. O'BRIEN: Cold. Cold, cold, cold.

COSTELLO: It looked like the Arctic Circle.

S. O'BRIEN: It did a little bit, but in a beautiful way. And it's going to be cold because it's the start of the cold season.

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