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The Situation Room
Senate Russell Office Building Evacuated After Alarm; Muslim Fury; U.S. News Media Struggle with Cartoon
Aired February 08, 2006 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks very much, Lou.
And to our viewers, you're now in THE SITUATION ROOM, where new pictures and information are arriving all the time. Standing by, CNN reporters across the United States and around the world to bring you today's top stories.
Happening now, it's 1:00 a.m. Thursday in Denmark, where one Muslim cleric is accused by some of fanning the flames of fury over the cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed. Tonight, I'll ask him about those accusations.
It's 4:00 p.m. in the San Francisco Bay area. Talk radio there and across the United States buzzing over the cartoon controversy. We'll listen into the heated conversations.
And it's 7:00 p.m. here in the nation's capital, where an image of the Muslim Prophet can be found on the United States Supreme Court. Why hasn't it and similar images sparked rioting? We're going to hear from the experts.
I'm Wolf Blitzer, and you're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
New violence and new deaths from the furious demonstrations around the world protesting caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed. Governments in many Islamic countries are struggling to try to control the violence while western leaders try to balance sensitivity with free speech rights.
We have comprehensive coverage for you tonight here in THE SITUATION ROOM, starting with our senior international correspondent, Brent Sadler. He's in the Lebanese capital -- Brent.
BRENT SADLER, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Thanks, Wolf. Protests in the Muslim world show no sign of dying down, despite worldwide appeals for calm. As international efforts intensify to repair the damage, Denmark's prime minister tells CNN he's shocked at the events, explaining their days of witnessing the protests with disbelief and sorrow.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SADLER (voice-over): New violence and more deaths, this time in the southern Afghan city of Kalat. Muslims outraged by the cartoon depictions of the Prophet Mohammed set fires and tried to storm a police station, as well as a U.S. military base. At least five people were killed, although it's not clear by who.
COL. JAMES YONTS, U.S. ARMY: At this time, I'm not able to say whether or not the U.S. forces fired the shots.
SADLER: There were more demonstrations in the Afghan capital as well, despite pleas from a top Muslim organization there for an end to the rioting.
And in neighboring Pakistan, a sign of how broad the Muslim rage is, the Danish flag burned side by side with the U.S. and Israeli flags. Protests are spanning the globe from Asia to Africa. Some Muslim leaders concede radical jihadists are fanning the flames of hatred.
KMELEDDIN IHSANOGLU, ORG. OF THE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE: I think extremism breeds extremism, fanaticism breeds fanaticism. And this is the radical answer to a radical provocation. And, unfortunately, certain elements are making use of this.
SADLER: In Iraq, hundreds of followers of the radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr marched through Baquba. This protest, largely peaceful. The country's most revered Shia cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, has condemned the cartoons, but also the violent reaction.
Still, some 500 Danish troops stationed near the southern city of Basra remain on alert. They've had stones thrown at hem, but so far nothing more.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SADLER: Shia Muslims in Lebanon, as elsewhere in the Middle East, commemorate one of the most important dates in the Islamic calendar Thursday, Ashura, when it's hoped Muslim leaders will urge calm -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Brent Sadler reporting for us in Beirut. Thank you very much.
President Bush is reacting on the violence, calling on governments around the world to help put an end to it. Our White House correspondent, Suzanne Malveaux, has more on the president's reaction -- Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: The back story here, Wolf, is that according to White House and State Department officials I spoke with, they were not happy with the initial reports about this story coming up late last week.
They felt that the administration officials' messages were being misconstrued, that somehow the U.S. was blaming Denmark for this controversy. Today, the White House wanted to make it absolutely clear that that's not the case.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I call upon the governments around the world to stop the violence.
MALVEAUX (voice-over): Backing him, the president's powerful Middle Eastern ally, Jordan's King Abdullah.
KING ABDULLAH II, JORDAN: Anything that vilifies the Prophet Mohammed -- peace be upon him -- or attacks Muslim sensibilities, I believe needs to be condemned. But at the same time, those that want to protest should do it thoughtfully, articulately.
MALVEAUX: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice accused America's foes of deliberately stoking the controversy.
CONDOLEEZZA RICE, SECRETARY OF STATE: Iran and Syria have gone out of their way to inflame sentiments and to use this to their own purposes. And the world ought to call them on it.
MALVEAUX: The outrage over the Mohammed cartoon, first published in the Danish media, is admittedly a sensitive issue, Mr. Bush said.
BUSH: We believe in a free press. We also recognize that with freedom comes responsibilities.
MALVEAUX: Saturday when Muslim protesters set the Danish and Norwegian embassies on fire in Syria, the White House issued a carefully crafted statement expressing "solidarity with Denmark and our European allies in opposition to the outrageous acts."
But Monday, the president's spokesman made a point to recognize the protesters' concerns.
SCOTT MCCLELLAN, WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN: We understand fully why Muslims find the cartoons offensive.
MALVEAUX: In the same statement, the administration also condemns offensive Arab media.
MCCLELLAN: Cartoons and articles that frequently have appeared in the Arab world espousing anti-Semitic and anti-Christian views.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: And, Wolf, yesterday President Bush called Denmark's Prime Minister Rasmussen to offer his support. White House officials say they're also very pleased with the statements they've gotten today from some of the Middle Eastern allies, including those form Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Suzanne Malveaux reporting from the White House. Thank you very much.
While the cartoons are sparking violent protests throughout the Muslim world, in this country, there's outrage over the outrage. It's certainly a hot topic on talk radio and elsewhere. CNN's Chris Lawrence is joining us now from San Francisco with more on this -- Chris. CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, we listened to hours of talk radio and found that a lot of Americans are very upset about the violence that these cartoons have created. But some of them are just as frustrated with what they see as the reaction to the reaction.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LAWRENCE (voice-over): The outrage across the Middle East has spawned another kind of outcry in America.
JEFF KATZ, KNEW 910 AM: I hear some leaders of the world falling all over themselves to apologize. Oh, my goodness, we didn't mean to insult you. What have we done now?
LAWRENCE: Conservative talk radio host Jeff Katz and his callers criticized those who make excuses for the violent protests.
CALLER: I keep looking for some sign of this religion of peace and these so-called moderate Muslims that don't act this way, and I haven't heard that.
KATZ: We'll go to more of your calls and ...
LAWRENCE: But a guest on San Francisco's NPR station says prominent Muslims have condemned the outburst, and are reacting with restraint.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The vast majority are not out there on the streets demonstrating or calling for violence.
LAWRENCE: Another caller called the protesters hypocrites, saying Muslin countries publish anti-Semitic cartoons that defame Jewish leaders.
CALLER: If you have a cartoon of Sharon eating a baby, is that permissible just because there's a political figure in there?
LAWRENCE: It's against Islamic teachings to depict the Prophet Mohammed at all, much less with a bomb on his head, as the cartoons are drawn.
KATZ: We're not seeing these cartoon images on our news outlets.
LAWRENCE: Some American media are showing the cartoons. Most are not. But in an age when the Internet instantly spreads content all over the world, some question how artists can be culturally sensitive to every community where material can appear.
KATZ: Westerners will either retain their civilization, including the right to insult or blaspheme, or they will not.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LAWRENCE: Now, for its part, CNN managers decided not to show the negative caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed. The network believes its role is to cover the events surrounding the publication of these cartoons, while not necessarily adding more fuel to the controversy itself -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Chris Lawrence reporting for us. Thank you very much.
Let's check in with Jack Cafferty in New York. He's got "The Cafferty File" -- Jack.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Muslim extremism has been on display around the world for almost a week now, and it isn't pretty. People killed and wounded, property destroyed, all over a cartoon.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice accused the governments of Iran and Syria of inflaming the situation, and she has a point. You don't get near a foreign embassy in Syria unless somebody in charge allows you to. The silence from the governments of the Islamic countries is deafening. A few moderate Muslim clerics, as well as King Abdullah of Jordan, have called for peaceful protests.
But where's the outrage from the Muslim community as a whole? Sort of reminds you of 9/11, doesn't it? There were actually celebrations in Muslim countries over the murder of almost 3,000 innocent people in the United States. To me, the message seems pretty clear.
The question is this -- what do you want to hear from Muslim leaders in reaction to the cartoon controversy? E-mail your thoughts at caffertyfile@CNN.com or you can go to CNN.com/CaffertyFile.
BLITZER: Jack, thank you very much.
And coming up here in THE SITUATION ROOM my interview with the Muslim cleric, who some say fanned the flames of hatred. We are going to show you his role in the cartoon controversy.
Also, the U.S. media grappling with whether or not to show the cartoon to their viewers, their readers. Details of who is, who isn't and why.
Plus, editorial cartoonists are all over the story. We will look at their work and how they are handling this very delicate story.
You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Cartoon outrage. Are depictions of the prophet Mohammed blasphemist? We are taking a closer look at Muslim law. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: More now on the controversy over those cartoons of the prophet Mohammed. Deadly violence intensifying around the world. And news media organization here in the United States, around the world as well, grappling with whether they should show the caricatures to viewers and readers or not.
CNN's Mary Snow is in New York. And she has been watching this part of the story--Mary.
MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, most news organizations here in the U.S. are not showing the images of the prophet Mohammed. And it has led to a debate over the line between freedom of the press and religious sensitivity.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SNOW (voice over): At the Associated Press headquarters editors have grappled with the question being debated in news rooms across the country. In reporting on the growing anger over the publication of the prophet Mohammed cartoons, should news organizations show the actual cartoons sparking the controversy?
At the A.P. executive editor Kathleen Carroll was among the editors, who decided not to show them.
KATHLEEN CARROLL, ASSOCIATED PRESS: They were provocative and deliberately offensive to millions of people. And we felt we could tell the story just fine by describing them without showing them.
SNOW: However, the cult has showed the controversy is so intense at the small "New York Press," staff of six, that four staff members resigned from the paper to protest the decision not to show the cartoons.
TIM MARCHMAN, NEW YORK PRESS: It would have made a mockery of what we were trying to do. And also because we felt every outlet in the country should be running these so that there are no writers who go over the American press.
SNOW: "The Philadelphia Inquirer" said journalistic values are at the heart of the debate. Its editors explained the decision to print one of the illustrations saying the paper did so to, quote, "lay out all sides of the issues for a well informed public to debate and discuss."
Major newspapers have not printed the drawings. Media observers say besides not wanting to offend Muslims there are other pressures on news executives.
HOWARD KURTZ, WASHINGTON POST MEDIA CRITIC: But you have to know there are walking on egg shells because of the violent reaction in many countries around the world.
SNOW: Of the television networks CNN, NBC and CBS have not aired the controversial caricatures of Mohammed. At Fox, anchor Chris Wallace showed them on his Sunday program, he says, to show people what the controversy is about.
ABC showed them once, it says, to put the story in context. But is no longer doing so.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SNOW: And in explaining its position, CNN says it is not showing the negative caricatures of the likeness of the prophet Mohammed because the network believes its role is to cover the events surrounding the publication of the cartoons while not unnecessarily adding fuel to the controversy itself--Wolf.
BLITZER: All right, Mary. Thank you very much.
Islam frowns at any images of the prophet Mohammed, but there are some to be found around the world.
CNN's Brian Todd has been speaking with experts about the depictions of the prophet and why they are so controversial--Brian.
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, Islamic scholars say what is going on now after the publication of these cartoons needs to be put in context. A critical part of that, they say, is understanding how Muslims feel about images of virtually any spiritual leader.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TODD (voice over): For many Muslims the outrage goes beyond the derogatory depiction of their prophet. Experts says the Koran does not specifically ban images of the prophet Mohammed, but you likely will not find a painting of Mohammed in any mosque as opposed to churches where likenesses of Jesus Christ abound.
Islamic scholars we spoke to say its their teachings that have traditionally frowned upon these images and not just those of Muslim spiritual leaders.
IMAM YAHYA HENDI, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY: Muslims believe that those prophets and messengers have to be honored, have to be respected, must not be insulted whether they are Mohammed or Moses or David or Jesus Christ.
TODD: But images of Mohammed are found in art museums in New York and Washington even at the Supreme Court where the prophet is carved in stone sculpture right above the justice's bench. The court's web site calls this well intentioned and says it bears no resemblance to Mohammed.
Still, this sculpture has drawn protest. One scholar says the general view is these symbols can become a distraction.
KARIM ABDUL BANGURA, PROF., AMERICAN UNIVERSITY: The teaching says that when you start associating a picture of such symbols that people will start either worshipping those symbols or selling those symbols for profit. And then your attention becomes diverted from the only supreme beings as opposed to worshipping just God.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TODD: Two Muslim scholars sought to put the current protest into perspective saying when the recent movies, "The Passion of the Christ" and "The Last Temptation of Christ," came out they were banned in several Muslim countries. In part, they say, because it was believed those films insulted Jesus--Wolf.
BLITZER: Brian Todd reporting for us. Thanks for that explanation.
Still to come here in THE SITUATION ROOM, the Danish prime minister talks to CNN about the cartoon controversy. Why he says his government has nothing to apologize for.
Plus, a string of fires at predominately black churches. Now, officials offer some new theories on who might be behind them.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Welcome back. The controversy and the violence are especially shocking to Denmark, which historically has had good relations with the Muslim world. CNN's senior international correspondent Matthew Chance is in Copenhagen where he spoke about the controversy with the Danish prime minister. Matthew asked him if he was surprised by the reaction around the world.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERS FOGH RASMUSSEN, DANISH PRIME MINISTER: Actually, it is a bit shocking. We're witnessing the events unfolding with disbelief and sadness. We're not used to it. And I think it's a false picture of Denmark.
We are portrayed as a society which is intolerant and an enemy of Islam, and it's a false picture. On the contrary, I consider Denmark one of the most tolerant and open societies. You might call it a liberal society, in the world. We're used to having friendly relations with all countries in the world. So for us, it's a very unusual and shocking situation.
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Denmark has a small contingent of troops in Iraq. It's been a big supporter of the U.S.-led war on terrorism. Do you think this latest controversy over the cartoons could potentially increase the risk of the people of Denmark being targeted by terrorist groups?
RASMUSSEN: All over the world, there is a risk, including in Denmark. So obviously, we're very much aware of that. But I don't think this specific case will increase the risk, specifically, for Denmark. But we should be aware of the fact that globally there is an increased risk.
CHANCE: Given the outrage, given the violence that we've all witnessed overseas as a result of these cartoons, do you still stand by the right of Danish newspapers to publish images like this?
RASMUSSEN: As you know, freedom of expression and freedom of press are cornerstones in the Danish democracy. But from the very outset, I have emphasized that freedom of expression must always be exercised in such a way that we respect all faiths and respect religious beliefs.
We have freedom of expression, but also, freedom of religion. So, of course, it is a balance. But I think that everybody should realize that neither the Danish government nor the Danish people can be held responsible for what is published in a free and independent newspaper.
As far as Syria and Iran are concerned, we hold the government responsible for what has happened, and we have condemned the attacks. We have protested. And I think the international community should study carefully what has really happened. Because it is up to the host countries to protect diplomatic missions. That's one of the cornerstones in the international community.
CHANCE: One of the features of this controversy, perhaps, has been the amount of misinformation put out there that has kind of fanned the flames of anger amongst many of those crowds we saw across the Middle East, across the Islamic world. Pictures, for instance, depicting the Prophet Muhammad as a pig which never appeared in Danish newspapers.
Do you think your diplomats, do you think your government was quick enough to recognize that or was it too slow in countering those false allegations?
RASMUSSEN: You're quite right that we have been a victim of wide-spread misinformation. False pictures have been distributed. Rumors of burning of the Koran in Denmark have been distributed. Everything is false.
It's very, very difficult to counter all of these false pictures and rumors fast enough. Of course, they're spread as messages, web logs, mobile phones, and it's extremely difficult for our diplomats to counter it fast enough. So obviously, we have to speed up our efforts to counter all of these -- all this misinformation. But I think we couldn't foresee this new way of attacking a whole nation, I would say.
It's really -- it's really, I would put it this way, it's really a war taking place in cyberspace.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: The Danish prime minister speaking with our Matthew Chance earlier today in Copenhagen.
Just ahead, the man accused of sparking the riots in the Middle East. I'll ask him why he exported anger, in effect, from Denmark.
Plus, political fear, cartoonists in this country now walking the fine line as they try to get their jobs done. Our Jeanne Moos has the story. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: You're back in THE SITUATION ROOM. Welcome back. I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington. Did a Muslim cleric from Copenhagen spark the worldwide riots over cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed. The leader of a Mosque in the Danish capital first organized a letter- writing campaign after the cartoons appeared in a newspaper there last September. When that got nowhere he showed the cartoons to Muslims in the Middle East and then the issue caught fire. Just a short while ago, Imam Ahmad Abu Laban spoke with me from Copenhagen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Imam thank you very much for joining us.
These 12 cartoons were originally published in Denmark at the end of September. There really wasn't much reaction outside of Denmark. You then went in November with your delegation to the Middle East. What was the purpose of that? Why did you want to do that because the crisis really started to develop after that trip?
IMAM AHMAD ABU LABAN, ISLAMIC BELIEF SOCIETY: When the issue came to the status of the prophet Mohammed in these cartoons we tried to alarm the situation to reach the newspaper and to tell them about the consequences. We did not receive a response to that.
BLITZER: Imam, the editor of this Danish newspaper, Flemming Rose, who says that when you went on that trip to the Middle East in November you took drawings that weren't even published in his newspapers.
He says, "The imams manipulated Arab opinion by misinforming them and showing them drawings that never even appeared in our newspaper, making them believe that we are continuing to publish the caricatures."
Is he right?
LABAN: No, I don't think so. It was written in some correspondence to different sides in Denmark that our main concern is to reach the director. We have no capacity to reach Egyptian masses or to talk to the common street people.
Our target is the head of the Sunni-Muslims in Cairo. We give him a professional documentary. The delegation had put it very clear about having been published by the conservative newspaper. Everybody knows that it is only a dozen of the cartoons not less, not more.
But to make the case clear we made a second section with another weekly newspapers called "Vicken a Vicen" (ph) had published other cartoons. And if that section--when some imams in Denmark had received intimidation letters as usual when we have these cartoons which Mr. Rose is speaking about.
And when you ask me why we included the third one because we honest enough, accurate enough to tell the people about the mood of atheism. And we are in a desperate of their help not by putting political pressure but to come as academics and theologians and to be an equal counter parties to the people in Denmark. And we would have a better chance for communication.
BLITZER: Was it your intention, Imam, to incite this angry reaction against Denmark?
LABAN: No. The issue started from Denmark. It will come back to Denmark. Mr. Rose can tell you that we tried to list in his paper. We sent a letter to the minister of culture. All our concern is to make it in Denmark. To publicize the issue was never of our interest.
BLITZER: As you know though, there has been a huge angry reaction. Do you support the violence, the anger that has been displayed in so much of the Muslim world right now?
LABAN: We denounce and we reject and we refuse any act of violence. From religious judgment it is a sin to resort to violence and nobody is allowed to go to embassies and to stone them.
BLITZER: The co-founder of Hamas, the Palestinian organization, Mahmoud al-Zahar, is quoted by the Associated Press as saying, "We should have killed all those who offend the Prophet." Clearly, an extreme statement.
Do you understand why there is this strong attitude among some in the Muslim world that those responsible for these caricatures should be killed?
LABAN: Number one, we disagree with any fatwa coming from abroad. We are living in Europe and we think we are competent enough to produce the necessary fatwa. We have enjoyed the atmosphere of democracy.
The prime minister in Denmark had repeated so many times that the situation in Denmark is to respect people of any faith and to deal with them in a decent and fair way.
BLITZER: Here in the United States there are many who are very angry over what they see as a double standard in the Muslim world. Deep anger, even fury and violence resulting from these pictures of the prophet Mohammed.
Yet, no similar outrage when we saw pictures of kidnapped American journalists or the beheading of some who have been kidnapped by Muslims in various parts of the Middle East. Do you understand why there is this accusation of a double standard? Why is there no outrage, similar outrage, over these other evil pictures that we have seen?
LABAN: It's the contrary. Me, as a good listener to CNN, I have seen so many of your Muslim guests and Arab guests are speaking the contrary. They are accusing the west of double standard.
Most of the tragedies are taking place in the Muslim land. The devastation is available in the Muslim land. The raping of wealth is taking place in the Muslim land. Atrocities and massacres and civil wars are available in the Muslim lands. They suffer.
BLITZER: You condemn the beheading of these Americans, the taking of hostages like Jill Carroll?
LABAN: Yes, we condemn the--in the first place, the American decision to invade Iraq and so many critics have come. We have seen it all together on CNN that democracy can never be developed or served by tanks, et cetera, et cetera.
While I think the Palestinian democracy so far is functioning in a better way than what we see in Iraq under the acclimation of the-- what do you call it?--allied forces. Let's hope that democratization will spread day to day.
BLITZER: Imam thank you very much for joining us.
LABAN: My pleasure. Thank you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: And yesterday we spoke with the editor of that Danish newspaper that first authorized the publication of those cartoons, Flemming Rose. More on this story coming up this hour.
But let's check in with CNN's Carol Lin. She is joining us from the CNN Center in Atlanta with a closer look at some other stories making news right now.
Hi Carol.
CAROL LIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there Wolf.
Alabama Governor Bob Reilly says he thinks the string of church fires in his state is the work of a few locals and not a conspiracy against religion. Federal and state investigators are trying to determine if fires at four Baptist churches in western Alabama yesterday are linked to last week's church fires near Birmingham.
Now officials say last week's fires were arson, and they say it's possible yesterday's church burnings are copycat crimes.
Well, right now sheriff's officials are trying to calm another inmate disturbance at a county jail in Castaic, California. Authorities say it is the same detention center where racially charged riots left one inmate dead and more than 100 others injured on Saturday.
Now, fighting broke out over the weekend. And on Monday between Latino and African-American prisoners. At least inmate is said to be hospitalized in today's disturbance.
Well, the new House majority leader's landlord is a lobbyist. "The Washington Post" reports Congressman John Boehner rents a basement apartment in D.C. from a lobbyist whose clients had an interest in legislation Boehner had overseen. A spokesman for the Ohio Republican says he is not aware of any specific efforts by the lobbyist to try to influence his tenant. Boehner is currently involved in GOP efforts to reform lobbying rules in Congress.
Well, ABC's anchor Bob Woodruff remains under sedation at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. He suffered serious head injuries in a roadside bombing in Iraq 10 days ago.
Now, ABC says he is making progress. And his cameraman Doug Vogt, who was also injured has been moved to an outpatient facility. And, Wolf, that is very good news indeed. It sounds like they are improving, both of them..
BLITZER:: We wish them both only the best, a speedy recovery.
Carol, thank you very much.
Let's check in with Anderson Cooper now for a quick preview of what is coming up on his program later night--Anderson.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, hey, Wolf.
Tonight at 10:00 on "360" the latest on the Entwistle's murders. A mother and her baby shot execution style in their Massachusetts's home. Tonight, a timeline of events, what police are facing in their investigation and we will talk over the legal issues with CNN's Jeffrey Toobin.
Plus, we'll continue our look at medical mysteries. Imagine having the hiccups not just for a few minutes but for years almost half a decade. One man shares his misery and what he is trying to do to stop them.
Also, a lot more ahead on medical mysteries. That's "360" at 10:00--Wolf.
BLITZER: We'll be watching Anderson. Thanks very much.
Up next here in THE SITUATION ROOM more on those controversial cartoons. You've heard from the president, from European leaders and others, but what do you want to hear from Muslim leaders?
Jack Cafferty has been going through your e-mail.
And what is your home worth? For that matter, what is your neighbor's home worth? Ever wonder? Now you can find out. Stay with us we are going to tell you what to do.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: There's a real mysterious story developing up on Capitol Hill. CNN's Ed Henry, our Congressional correspondent, is standing by. What are you picking up, Ed?
ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, from two Senate sources we're being told that police officials on Capitol Hill believe that there was a nerve agent found in the Russell Senate Office Building. That's one of three office buildings on the Senate side of the Capitol.
We're told a short time ago an alarm sounded, an alarm that staffers in that building had never heard before, urging all police personnel to leave the building immediately, all staffers and the Senate are -- I'm told there are over 200 staffers still in the building -- were then told to go to a safe area. It's a parking garage, connected to the Russell Building.
They're being held there as we speak. They're being told, again, according to two sources telling CNN, they're being told by police officials there have been two positive hits for a nerve agent found in the Russell Building, some sort of biological agent. They're waiting on a third test that's supposed to be coming in any minute, Wolf.
BLITZER: So basically what you're hearing, are staffers actually fleeing the building or are they just being concentrated in this parking lot area?
HENRY: They're being concentrated in the parking lot. They could not leave the building. I'm told staffers who were trying to leave could not leave. There's a concern among the police.
We don't know whether this is going to be borne out or not, but there's a concern from the police that these staffers -- and I can tell you, some senators may have been exposed to a biological agent. I'm told by these two sources there are over 200 Senate staffers and about eight U.S. senators in this parking garage right now, Wolf.
BLITZER: And we're standing by, you say, for a news conference, is that right?
HENRY: Well, we're expecting one at some point. We don't have any details on that. On my way over to the bureau here, I was passed by several fire engines that were literally rushing to the scene trying to aid the U.S. Capitol police in dealing with this situation.
Again, about eight U.S. senators, we're told over 200 Senate staffers still in this parking garage. We don't know where it's headed. But they are being told that there were two positive hits for a nerve agent of some kind. They have not gotten any more details, but I'm getting some phone calls from people in the parking garage who are quite obviously concerned, Wolf.
BLITZER: All right, Ed. We're going to stay on top of this story. I know you were heading to a black tie dinner here in Washington. You're obviously not going to be heading to that dinner until we get this matter clarified. Ed Henry is our Congressional correspondent.
And we'll get the latest for you on this story as soon as we learn. And if that news conference happens, we're going to bring it to you live. Hopefully, it's a false alarm, but let's wait and see. Let's return now to our top story, worldwide protests over those cartoons published in a Danish newspaper. First, there were the cartoons perhaps drawn to evoke some humor. But as you've seen from the chaos, many Muslims are not amused at all. Now, some are making fun of the unfunny reaction. CNN's Jeanne Moos explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): These are not the offending cartoons, these cartoons about the offending cartoons. Take the one about a cartoonist who gets a message. "We resent your inaccurate depiction of Mohammed as a murdering terrorist. So we're sending over some terrorists to murder you."
Even when the late night comedians make jokes about this subject, one thing they joke about is no joke.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I chose not to show the offending cartoons out of an ethical concern that I would be killed.
DAVID LETTERMAN, "LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN": I have decided to stop drawing Muslim cartoons. It's just not fun anymore.
MOOS: But cartoonists haven't stopped drawing. Mike Luckovich showed east and west arguing, "sword mightier" -- "pen is."
MIKE LUCKOVICH, "ATLANTA JOURNAL CONSTITUTION": You have in the back of your mind, well, geez, you know, what if people object to this cartoon and they're carrying sabers?
MOOS: This cartoonist loses his head while protesting, "yes, but it's Muhammad Ali."
(on camera): Since CNN and many others aren't showing cartoons that depict the Mohammed, we won't show you all of the cartoons drawn by Daryl Cagle.
DARYL CAGLE, CAGLE CARTOONS: I drew a figure of a kid who drew a stick figure and he wrote the word Mohammed with an arrow pointing at it, and a guy who would seem to be a Muslim says, "thank you for the drawing, Billy, but now I have to kill you."
MOOS (voice-over): Cagle, who's collected cartoons into books and runs a syndicate of cartoonists, says even cartoons about the offending cartoons have provoked reaction.
CAGLE: Some of our cartoonists are getting phone calls and e- mail threats.
MOOS: Exactly the theme "The Daily Show" picked up on.
JON STEWART, "THE DAILY SHOW": What are your thoughts on the violence, Ed?
ED HELMS: None, no thoughts, only profound respect for a great religion. STEWART: Where are you, Ed?
MOOS: Right before our eyes, cartoonist Mike Luckovich whipped up this cartoon.
LUCKOVICH: OK, this is the cartoonist's nightmare.
MOOS: It shows a cartoonist being introduced to a Muslim. "Meet your new editor." But we wouldn't blame a cartoonist for not wanting to touch this subject with a 10-foot pencil.
Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: And when we come back, we're going to update you on what's happening on Capitol Hill right now. There's been an alarm for some evidence, perhaps, of a nerve agent. It may be a false alarm. But we're going to go back to Capitol Hill, show you what's happening in the Russell Senate Office Building where people have been evacuated. We'll tell you what's going on in this story right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: We're watching breaks news on Capitol Hill. Here in Washington, I'm Wolf Blitzer in THE SITUATION ROOM. We want to welcome our international viewers as well. Let's get the latest on an alarm that's been sounded up on Capitol Hill. Our congressional correspondent Ed Henry is standing by. What are we learning, update our viewers, Ed.
HENRY: Just got new information from at least one person who is being held in a quarantine situation, basically, along with over 200 other people in a Senate parking garage.
This is being confirmed with other sources as well. The first hit, the first test was positive for a biological nerve agent being found in the Russell Building. The confusion that's going on now is a second test came in and that was negative.
So they're now conducting a third test to try to come to some sort of conclusion about whether or not in fact this biological nerve agent is present in The Russell Senate Office Building which as you know is right next to the Capitol dome there. It's the oldest office building on the Senate side. A lot of prominent people, John Kerry, Ted Kennedy, Hillary Clinton have their offices there.
I'm told that among the Senators who are being quarantined right now because of a fear that they could have been exposed to this nerve agent, Republican Gordon Smith, Republican John Thune, Republican Chuck Hagel, among others. And again over 200 staffers as well.
They're being held in the parking garage adjacent to the Senate Russell Building. It goes underground, of course. To be clear, the first hit was positive for a biological nerve agent. Now being told by multiple sources some inside the quarantine and others outside, that the second test was negative. That's why they're conducting a third test.
I'm finally being told that test expected to come in within 30 to 45 minutes, Wolf.
BLITZER: Ed, stand by our justice correspondent Kelli Arena is also watching the story. What are you picking up?
KELLI ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well, law enforcement officials are stressing at this point that nothing is confirmed. U.S. Capitol police are in the lead. The hazardous materials team is there. The Washington field office of the FBI has been advised. It's also sending a team over to assess the situation.
But they said the testing, as Ed said, is inclusive at this point, Wolf. You know, many times we have a lot of those white powder incidents where is tests first are positive, and then they come back negative. So law enforcement officials caution that right now it's inconclusive.
They say, yes, there was one test that did come back positive for a possible nerve agent. They did not identify what nerve agent they were talking about. But said that they have to wait until further testing is done. Everything they say is being done, obviously, to take every precaution necessary. But they stress that they're not reacting because of what they know. They're reacting more on what they don't know at this point, Wolf.
BLITZER: All right, stand by for a moment as well, together, with Ed. I want to go to The Russell Senate Office Building. The garage there now.
Eileen McMenamin is on the phone. She's the communications director for John McCain, Republican of Arizona. Set the scene for us. What are you hearing there, what are you seeing?
EILEEN MCMENAMIN, MCCAIN COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: We were all at work and an alarm went off. And there was an alarm to immediately leave the building. Everyone grabbed their bags. Didn't even log off their computers. Ran down the hall. They wouldn't let anybody go outside, the Capitol Police that is, and told us to go into the west garage which has apparently been described to us as a safe zone.
There are guys down here testing the air. They assure it's a safe place to be. There are a bunch of people here including senators. Senator Hagel is right here in front of me. Senator John Thune, Senator Burr and we're all just sort waiting to be told to do next.
The Capitol Police have been briefing us. We've gotten two briefings so far. Reporting much the same as you guys are reporting. But we will know more about test results in 30 to 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, they said they don't want any of to us leave the garage, I guess the fear is if any of us are contaminated we would go out into the wider world and spread whatever it is we may be contaminated with.
BLITZER: What are the Capitol Hill police saying to you, Eileen? What specific information are they giving you?
MCMENAMIN: They said there was a hit for a chemical agent by one of the monitors, I guess they have been in place since after 9/11. And there was a hit in the attic of The Russell Senate Office Building which is where is where I work. And they did another quick test to see if there was any positive result, and they said there was.
They said this is precautionary because it could be fertilizer or anything else. And I think they're giving these bigger tests and sending individuals down to trailers that they said they'll be able to get more and probably more accurate information to us. But that we should wait another 30 to 40 minutes before we know anything for sure.
In the meantime, they set up a place to be a little treatment facility. They've got a little sort of tent-like thing here in the garage where I presume if any of us need any sort of treatments, they would whisk us over there and administer any treatments that may be.
BLITZER: They're saying this is a biological nerve agent. Of course, it's going to remind a lot of the viewers after 9/11 of the anthrax letters that arrived on Capitol Hill. Are they giving you any more specifics on the nature of perhaps what this biological nerve agent may have been if in fact it turns out to be an actual threat?
MCMENAMIN: Not at all. They just used the words nerve agent. They weren't any more specific than that. Like I said, they did do one test that was negative. They're testing that again. The mood down here seems to be pretty jovial for people stuck in a garage. It's surprising the number of people that are down here. I guess that just goes to show how hard everyone works on Capitol Hill. Because there's quite a few people still at the office at this time.
BLITZER: What time exactly did that alarm go off? Have you ever heard that specific alarm going off in the building?
MCMENAMIN: Yes, if they ever have any sort of suspicious package or anything like that. The alarm will go off. It's weird that they actually have had us evacuate the building. It's happened once or twice, and I know that CNN has covered that, but always, thankfully, false alarms. Tonight the alarm went off, it was around 7:00, maybe five after 7:00, and it seemed much more urgent, they said everyone needs to leave, including senators and staff and Capitol police.
BLITZER: Eileen, I'm going to show the viewers a picture of the Russell Senate Office Building. Here it is from the outside. We see lights inside. This is one of the Senate office buildings not directly on the U.S. Capitol, it's to the side of the U.S. Capitol. But this is where all the senators have their office and in these three Senate office buildings and they have these underground subways that bring them back and forth to the Capitol. You say Senator Hagel, among others are right there. What do they say?
MCMENAMIN: Well, you know, I think we were all watching when the senators were first brought down here to the garage. They were sort of, you know, antsy to get home, as we all are. We were watching to see what would happen whether they would be released out of this garage. When they weren't, we all sort of took that as a bad sign that maybe something more is going on here and they didn't want to let anyone leave, no matter if you are a staffer or a senator.
BLITZER: And perhaps through an abundance of caution, that's why they have concentrated everyone, the senators and the staffers and others in the Russell Senate Office Building in this parking garage. Eileen, I'm going to have you stand by, if you don't mind.
Pat D'Amuro is a CNN security analyst, former deputy director of the FBI. Pat, when you hear about this alarm going off, positive test, one positive test, then a negative test for a biological nerve agent, undefined at this point, what goes through your mind?
PAT D'AMURO, CNN SECURITY ANALYST: Well, Wolf, I think it's important to note when you're talking about testing of biological agents, a lot of times you'll get a false positive reading on biological agents. There is really no adequate field test to determine biological agents.
(INAUDIBLE)... is much more accurate in determining that there might be a possible nerve agent there. What they're in the process of doing, I'm sure, is securing the building, locking down the building, making sure that any inhabitants there are going to be tested to see if there's a contaminant on some of the clothing of if they're in any way affected by this item that they found.
BLITZER: In the field are there usually good lab equipment that they can do a precise test like this.
D'AMURO: Well, technology is getting better every day, but unfortunately for biological agents the technology is not quite there to do an accurate field testing. Many times you will get a false positive on a biological device and you really need to send those items to the lab to determine what, in fact, you have, if anything.
BLITZER: Pat D'Amuro is our CNN security analyst. Pat, thanks very much. We're going to stay on top of this story, a security scare on. Capitol Hill. Paula Zahn is going to take over our coverage right now. She's standing by in New York. Paula.
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