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American Morning

High-Ranking Official at Department of Homeland Security in Jail; Victim of Internet Predators Tells Story on Capitol Hill

Aired April 05, 2006 - 07:00   ET

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

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: A high ranking o9fficial at the Department of Homeland Security now in jail, confessing to propositioning a minor online. We'll have more on this story ahead.
Also this:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is not the story of a few bad kids whose parents paid no attention. There are hundreds of kids in the United States alone who are right now wrapped up in this horror.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: A victim of Internet predators tells his story on Capitol Hill, and fears that pedophiles are getting a free pass.

M. O'BRIEN: The Red River still rising. Those floodwaters could be around for a very long time. We're live with the latest on that.

S. O'BRIEN: And possible charges still pending in the confrontation between Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney is a Capitol Hill police officer. We're going to talk with the congresswoman and the captain of the Capitol Hill Police, ahead on this AMERICAN MORNING.

Welcome back, everybody.

Extradition could come today for a high-ranking official at the Department of Homeland Security. Brian Doyle was arrested late last night of a sexually explicit Internet relationship with a 14-year-old girl, who turned out to be an undercover police officer.

Homeland security correspondent Jeanne Meserve live for us in Washington.

Hey, Jeanne, good morning.

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.

Brian Doyle, deputy press secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, was arrested at his Maryland home last night and charged with seven counts of use of a computer to seduce a child, and 16 counts of transmission of material harmful to a minor. The Polk County Florida sheriff says that the investigation began when Doyle allegedly initiated an online conversation with an undercover detective who had an online posting as a 14-year-old girl. He was on the computer with her when law enforcement showed up at his door last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHERIFF GRADY JUDD, POLK COUNTY, FLORIDA: During subsequent interviews, he confessed. He admitted that liked young girls, and he had done the things that we alleged in the indictments.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MESERVE: It is alleged that Doyle sent the person he thought was a 14-year-old pornographic digital movies, and discussed sexual acts with her in graphic detail, and encouraged her to get a Web cam so he could view pictures of her in the nude. She sheriff says it doesn't come any more hardcore than this.

He also says Doyle communicated with the so-called girl from home, on his government issued cell phone and on his computer in the Department of Homeland Security, which, by the way, does investigations of Internet child pornography.

S. O'BRIEN: Wow.

I mean, so what's the reaction with those who work with Doyle at the DHS?

MESERVE: Well, I've known Brian for a couple of years myself. I would have told you last night he was a nice guy and a consummate professional. I've talked to a number of other people in the press and in the department who know him. Everybody absolutely is stunned by these revelations. And Russ Nocke, the spokesman for the department, issued this brief statement saying, "We take these allegations very seriously and we will cooperate fully with the ongoing investigation."

Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: Jeanne Meserve for us this morning. Jeanne, thanks.

A little later in this hour, we're going to have an interview with the Polk County Florida sheriff who's department lead the investigation into these charges and allegations.

On the same day the short broke, there was a young victim of child pornographers who was testifying on Capitol Hill. His name was Justin Berry, and he told House members that he was drawn into assorted pornographic business on the Web, and he complained that not enough is being done to stop the people who lured him in.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JUSTIN BERRY, CHILD PORNOGRAPHY VICTIM: In late, I (INAUDIBLE) for five years, beginning when I was 13 years old. I operated a pornographic Web site, featuring images of myself, loaded on to the Internet by Web cams. I was paid by more than a thousand men to strip naked, masturbate and even have sex with female prostitutes while on camera. I was an honor student and I was class president. My mom had used all the latest child-protective software. She checked what was happening in my room. She occasionally took away my computer keyboard, but she was no match for the child predators. Efforts to prosecute these people are riddled with mistakes and bureaucracy.

Unless something changes, hundreds, or even thousands of children, will be lost forever.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

S. O'BRIEN: Last year, Berry provided names, credit card numbers and other details on 1,500 potential pedophiles. So far, only one person has been arrested. We're going to hear more of Justin's shocking story, and also take a look at how widespread the problem is a little bit later on AMERICAN MORNING -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: After six months on trial, today is the first day Saddam Hussein is being cross examined in Baghdad. Standing alone in the courtroom without his codefendants Saddam Hussein has been, as he has been all throughout, defiant, challenging the judge, making accusations about the government.

Aneesh Raman on the phone know. He's at the courthouse in Baghdad.

Aneesh, what's going on right now?

ANEESH RAMAN, CNN INTL. CORRESPONDENT: Miles, court just reconvened after a lunch recess. A somber mood in the courtroom, a somber Saddam Hussein. The prosecution is showing the photo I.D.s of a number of teenagers, some as young as 12, that they say were executed among the 140 individuals killed after the failed assassination attempt on Saddam Hussein in July 1982.

Now just before the lunch break, Saddam was asked by the prosecution, do you condone the execution of children? Saddam said he would never have allowed an Iraqi child to have been killed by the state. He was asked, though, then if he had condoned it in this case. He denied. He said that these I.D. cards were hostile propaganda. But as court has just reconvened, the prosecution reading every name of the victims under the age of 18 that were executed after that failed assassination attempt -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: Aneesh, in typical fashion, Saddam every time he has an opportunity tries to turn this into a political statement, tries to talk about the American occupation of Iraq, makes reference to the interior ministry, referring to the Shiite-led government there. Has the judge been able to reign him in as he tries to do all these things?

RAMAN: Well, he's tried. Twice today, Saddam's mic has been cut. This is the second day of testimony, first of cross examination. But the last day of testimony his mic was cut at least nine times. Saddam repeatedly said political statements. The court judge said this is a criminal court, we are not interested in politics. Saddam said if it wasn't for politics, neither you nor I would be here today. Well, today, again, Saddam alleged the ministry of the interior has killed thousands of Iraqis. He said that agents essentially of the Shia government are operating within the courtroom and that they are the ones that are providing this evidence that the prosecutes are putting forward -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: All right, it's been a long trial, began last fall. This is the last day we'll see testimony on this. Meanwhile, more charges lie ahead for Saddam Hussein. Walk us through what's next for Saddam Hussein.

RAMAN: Yes, well, in this first trial, we expect the court to essentially adjourn either today or tomorrow to draft what's called a formal charging document. It sums up all the evidence we've seen to date. Then we'll hear from the defense team calling their witnesses, and the defendants will have a couple of days to testify. And then we'll have the sentencing. As you mentioned, just yesterday, new charges were brought against Saddam Hussein, including among them the crime of genocide for the Anfal campaign for the late 1980s. It is still unclear -- I've spoken court officials within this courthouse, as to when that trial will commence, whether, in fact, it can take place at the same time that this trial is going forward. Some human rights groups have said that isn't fair to Saddam Hussein's defense team, which will essentially be doing two trials at once. While for the court's part, there are different judges and we expect different prosecutors for that second trial -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: Aneesh Raman, watching things for us in Baghdad. Keep us posted. Thank you -- Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: Senate Democrats are pushing to vote on a controversial immigration bill. It includes a guest worker program and a legalization process for illegal immigrants. Meanwhile, Republicans are scrambling to find an alternative proposal.

Let's get right to congressional correspondent Andrea Koppel. She's live for us on Capitol Hill this morning.

Andrea, good morning.

ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.

Well, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist is set to meet with some key Republicans behind closed doors later this morning in yet another attempt to try to narrow differences over that immigration reform bill, differences that had split the Republican Party. The key differences continue to be, and the sticking points continue to be what to do with the 11 to 12 million illegal immigrants who are currently living in this country, and what to do about future immigrants who want to come here, whether or not to offer them what's known as the so-called guest worker program.

Now, as of late yesterday, Senate Democrats were refusing to allow Republicans to either debate or even to introduce possible amendments to a bipartisan bill that made its way out of the Senate Judiciary Committee last week.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. HARRY REID (D), MINORITY LEADER: We do not need a compromise. It's in our bill. We have a bill that's bipartisan, came out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on a bipartisan basis. It covers strong, secure borders, a gust worker program and a path to legalization for the people about whom you just spoke. We don't need a compromise. It's here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOPPEL: Now Minority Leader Harry Reid in a surprise move yesterday introduced, basically called for a vote to take place on that Judiciary Committee bill possibly on Thursday. He's trying to force the Republicans' hand.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BILL FRIST (R), MAJORITY LEADER: I think that we need to get serious about it. It needs to be a dignified debate, a civil debate. But right now, we're not going to finish a bill. It's, in effect, being blocked by the other side because we're not allowed to get amendments so that at some point this bill could reach a threshold of 60 votes. So I'm very frustrated now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOPPEL: Now, that vote that is supposed to happen on Thursday, this parliamentary move to try to cut off debate, is going to need 60 votes and it is going to be a close one, Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: Andrea Koppel on Capitol Hill for us this morning. Andrea, thank you -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: Some tornado victims in Tennessee may have ignored warning sirens. Emergency officials say that's likely because the sirens go off so often, especially this time of year. Twenty-four people died in northwestern Tennessee. This is the view from the Tennessee governor's helicopter as he toured the devastated area yesterday. Governor Phil Bredesen is asking for federal disaster aid. That's the request.

In Arkansas, as well, touring damage there, the Arkansas governor, Mike Huckabee, said it was much worse than he had thought in advance.

Dozens of Californians, meanwhile, in Red Cross shelters this morning after a levee breach near Sacramento. The flooding caused the evacuation of three nearby mobile home parks. Persistent rains in northern California have flooded rivers and led to fierce of massive mudslides. Massive flooding also a concern in the central U.S., where the Red River is now 19 field above flood stage. The water could be around for quite some time.

Tom Halden of our affiliate KMSP out of the Twin Cities live now from Fargo, North Dakota with more -- Tom.

TOM HALDEN, KMSP REPORTER: Yes, Miles, I asked the Army Corps of Engineers if this is the crest. It's sitting right around 37.1 feet. It's expected to go up to about 37 1/2 sometime on the overnight into this morning. They said they can't call it the crest yet, but it has not gone up -- that's great news -- since 7:00 last night, it's been holding steady. And that's great news for everybody. People just watching and waiting, and some people shoveling out their yards. The man who lived in this house just a few minutes was outside with a big scoop shovel, kind of taking out some of the seepage.

It seems to be at this point that the sandbags are holding steady, hundreds of thousands of them in this region. People are out checking on their own levees, checking on their neighbors, seeing if they're basements are taking on any water. There's a school right here. Their floodwall that was built in '97, after the huge flood that devastated this area, seems to be holding steady. People here are doing rounds around the clock, 24 hours a day, every half hour making sure that it's not leaking. There's also an earthen dike here to keep the extra water up that is flowing up this street, Miles. So people are very quietly optimistic at this point that the worst of it is over. They're hoping that they don't get any rain, though.

M. O'BRIEN: Tom, you referred to that floodwall, which was built after the '97 floods, bad floods. Were there a lot of measures taken along those lines that have made it a little bit better this time?

HALDEN: Yes, Miles. They've worked with all levels of government at this point over those nine years to put up those permanent walls like that, all the way up the river valley, up into Grand Forks and East Grand Forks. They've been doing all those, they call them, flood mitigation efforts. Those efforts have been ongoing. And of course now they're talking about what they can do for that next step.

As far as keeping the people safe from the extra waters, where the walls aren't holding back, the Minnesota National Guard has been out working, emergency managers from all the over the region are here just in case they need to do some rescues. And as of this point, we haven't heard of any emergencies like those.

S. O'BRIEN: Good to hear that. Tom Halden with our affiliate KMSP out of the Twin Cities. Thanks very much.

(WEATHER REPORT)

S. O'BRIEN: Ahead this morning, Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, she's been in the news a lot lately.

M. O'BRIEN: She has, yes.

S. O'BRIEN: We're going to talk to her live in just a few moments. She says that her run-in with the Capitol Hill police was the result of racial profiling. We'll talk about that, also get the other side of the story from the chief of the Capitol Hill Police. M. O'BRIEN: Also, we'll have more on that story about that home Homeland Security official in the press secretary's office who is nabbed in an Internet sex sting, making a proposition to what he thought was a 14-year-old girl. We just talked to the sheriff. We're going to hear from him in just a little bit. He says that he confessed.

S. O'BRIEN: Also this morning, more troubles ahead for Delta Airlines. We'll tell you what it means for passengers, just ahead on this AMERICAN MORNING.

We're back in a moment.

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S. O'BRIEN: Ahead this morning in our 8:00 a.m. hour we're going to kick off AMERICAN MORNING's tax guide series. We're going to talk to an expert from "Money" magazine about how you can file online, find out if it's really right for your, and if it really speeds up your refund, too. That's coming up in our 8:00 hour on AMERICAN MORNING -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: Coming up on the program, more reasons not to super size. The numbers are in and we are fatter, although one group of Americans is doing a little better. We'll tell you who.

Plus, a high ranking homeland security official propositioning young women on the web, or so it is alleged. Police say the suspect has confessed. We'll check in with the sheriff on the case ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

M. O'BRIEN: The recently freed U.S. journalist Jill Carroll is enjoying her freedom, savoring time with her family, but for someone who she was inseparable with in Baghdad, her translator, Allen Enwiya, it is a different story. He was killed in the midst of that hostage taking. and for all this time, all this nearly three months now, his family has wondered what happened in those terrible moments when they were captured. Well, Jill Carroll has shed light on that, and has offered some solace to a family in grief. .

Here's CNN Nic Robertson.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In Amman, Jordan, an emotional reunion by phone.

FAYROUZ ENWIYA, TRANSLATOR'S WIFE: I can't! I can't!

ROBERTSON: For the first time since her relief, Jill Carroll calls the wife of her translator. He was shot dead when Carroll was kidnapped. F. ENWIYA: What did he say? what did he say?

ROBERTSON: Desperate for any detail of how her husband, Allen Enwiya, died, she asked again in Arabic, what did he say? What were his last words?

And through the tears, the words Jill Carroll must have been dying to hear.

F. ENWIYA: I'm so happy for you, Jill.

ROBERTSON: From Allen Enwiya's father, too, forgiveness.

RAYMOND ENWIYA, TRANSLATOR'S FATHER: She said I'm sorry, I was the cause. I said, no, it's not your fault.

ROBERTSON: Jill Carroll and Allen Emwiya had become an inseparable double act, teaming up translator and reporter almost three years ago, when thugs forced Enwiya to close his music store.

Together, ducking the dangers of Baghdad, doing journalism under the radar, with no real security, relying on their wits. Carroll had become a regular visitor at the Enwiya home. She was the reporter with whom he chose to work.

R. ENWIYA: Jill wouldn't go with anybody but Allen.

ROBERTSON (on camera): She liked him a lot?

R. ENWIYA: She loved him, not like.

ROBERTSON: Really? Why was that?

R. ENWIYA: They were just like brother and sister.

ROBERTSON: She was important to her husband.

F. ENWIYA (through translator): She used to tell his friends, the day that anything happened to Jill, like what happened to her, naturally he would never allow himself to leave her.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): On the morning he was murdered, Enwiya helped get his 5-year-old daughter, Maryanne (ph), ready for school, said goodbye to his wife, a 1-year-old son, Martin, before meeting Jill.

Two hours later, his wife learned of his death on Al-Jazeera.

F. ENWIYA (through translator): So I went to the neighbor, and they took me to the Al Hariya (ph) police station. And from afar, a found a pickup with Allan sprawled in the pickup. So I ran to it. I realized that he was -- I need to see him off. I kissed him around the eye, and told him, bye-bye, Allan.

ROBERTSON: She learned nothing more until Jill Carroll filled in the gaps. R. ENWIYA: When they stopped the car Allan and the driver opened the door. After that she heard two shots behind her. And she knew after that Allan was shot.

ROBERTSON: And Allan could have run away, but he didn't?

R. ENWIYA: He didn't leave her. He stayed with her. That's what caused his death.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): For Allen Enwiya's family, the details from Jill Carroll confirmed what in their hearts what they already knew. The son, husband and father died a hero.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Amman, Jordan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

M. O'BRIEN: Nic's report first aired on ANDERSON COOPER 360. You can catch it weeknights at 10:00 Eastern.

S. O'BRIEN: Brutal story.

Ahead this morning, was Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney really the victim of racial profiling? The congressman joins us live, and we'll have an exclusive interview with the chief of the Capitol Hill Police. That's just ahead.

Stay with us.

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