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American Morning

Break in Phoenix Serial Shooter Investigation; New Series of Attacks Against Lebanon's Infrastructure; Target: Rumsfeld

Aired August 04, 2006 - 08:59   ET

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

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Police in Phoenix, Arizona, think they've gotten their big break. Two people are in custody right now in the city's serial shooter investigation.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: A big break in the heat from Detroit through Toronto, but very hot from Norfolk right on down to D.C. this afternoon.

BRENT SADLER, CNN BEIRUT BUREAU CHIEF: I'm Brent Sadler. I'll be reporting on a devastating new series of air attacks against Lebanon's infrastructure coming up next.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: I'm Barbara Starr at the Pentagon. Sparks flying on Capitol Hill.

We'll tell you more about it on this AMERICAN MORNING.

O'BRIEN: Welcome back, everybody. It is Friday, August 4th.

I'm Soledad O'Brien.

RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Rick Sanchez, sitting in for Miles O'Brien.

Developing news out of Phoenix this morning. Police there are saying they've gotten a big break in a major ongoing investigation -- one of two, actually, serial killers that have been plaguing the city.

We get more on the crisis and the new sign of hope for the people there from our affiliate KNXV.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS SIGN, REPORTER, KNXV: They're talking about this serial shooter. That's what he's been dubbed here in Phoenix.

The serial shooter could actually be two people. Phoenix police have been saying that all along, it could be one or more people using different cars, firing from a car.

Now, that serial shooter is tied to 36 different shootings, including six murders dating back to August of last year. Then, let me go ahead and put this on the clipboard for you.

This is the man they are calling the "Baseline Rapist." This is a sketch Phoenix police have been putting out since May of last year. Now, this person is tied to 23 vicious crimes, including eight murders. This is the person that has not been captured. This person is still on the loose.

Now, as for the serial shooter that we're discussing this morning, there could be a significant break in the case, Rick. Because this morning, around midnight Phoenix time, Phoenix and Mesa S.W.A.T. teams surrounded a Mesa apartment complex and then took two men into custody for questioning.

At this point, or what my sources are telling, me go those two men are behind me in Phoenix police headquarters being questioned by detectives at this point. Police aren't calling them "suspects." My sources are telling me at this point that they have not been arrested and that they are not suspects, but they are confirming that they are wanted for questioning involving the serial shooter cases -- Rick.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: So that's how it stands right now.

We thank you so much, Chris Sign, of Phoenix affiliate KNXV.

And police are expected to reveal more details about the arrest. That's scheduled to happen sometime later today. We'll certainly be following the story for you and keep you posted -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Now to the Middle East. Battles are raging all across southern Lebanon today. Some of the worst damage is being seen in Beirut, where Israeli warplanes are pounding the country's infrastructure again.

We've got coverage from both sides of the border. Paula Hancocks in Haifa, in Israel. Brent Sadler is in Beirut.

Let's start with Brent.

Good morning, Brent.

SADLER: Good morning, Soledad.

Israel unleashed another punishing series of airstrikes against several targets north of Beirut, specifically the main highway, coastal highway connecting Beirut to the Lebanese northern end of the country, the border with Syria. Now, this is a high-speed link under normal terms, a multi-length highway quick to get out of the country and quick to get into the country.

That has now been cut as a result of the complete collapse of one of the main spans across a wide gully. Three other bridges along the coastal highway were hit. You can still move north and south and vice versa, Soledad, but only through a slow-moving series of byways and detours.

What does this mean? It means it's much harder to move in and out of this country now, and much harder for humanitarian supplies to get in. Why did Israel target those bridges and those roads? Because, Israel would argue, that that was an objective to stop, slow down Hezbollah taking re-supplies from Syria as this war drags on -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Brent Sadler for us this morning.

Thanks, Brent.

As many as 40 Katyusha rockets have rained down on northern Israel this morning. At least one person was killed in those latest Hezbollah attacks.

Let's get right to CNN's Paula Hancocks in Haifa.

Hey, Paula. Good morning.

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Soledad.

Well, the fierce fight is continuing in southern Lebanon, and that is causing further Israeli casualties. And the same in northern Israel itself. As you say, more than 40 rockets, as far as we understand, have been landing across the day in different areas of northern Israel.

Now, in the northern Galilee, in a small town there, one person was killed. We also know that people have been injured in Kiryat Shmona. Now, this is an area that is very close to the border and has been pounded by Hezbollah rockets over the past three weeks.

One person was seriously injured there. And we hear from the police that they are under no illusion as to who exactly supplied that particular rocket.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICKY ROSENFELD, ISRAELI POLICE SPOKESMAN: The latest rocket which landed, a rocket which we were not familiar with today -- it's in fact a Syrian rocket, the 302 rocket is the exact number of it. And the rocket itself had approximately 100 kilos of a warhead.

Seven of those rockets have landed inside Israel, I'm told, today. And obviously, as we know, the amount of damage and destruction that this type of rocket can cause if it lands inside a city, the destruction and devastation and the number of people that would be killed would be huge.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANCOCKS: And also, we know that two more Israeli soldiers have been killed and one officer seriously injured in southern Lebanon, a village called Makabi (ph). Now, the Israeli military say this is where the force was operating at this point when Hezbollah fighters fired an anti-tank missile at the group.

So, the figures are rising on this side of the border. Still a tenth of what we're seeing in Lebanon, but we understand that 71 Israelis have been killed so far and 28 civilians, 43 soldiers -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Paula Hancocks for us this morning.

Paula, thanks.

In Baghdad's Shiite-dominated Sadr City, a huge rally today for Hezbollah. Tens of thousands of people marched to show their support. Some people estimated as many as 250,000 people attended. That number couldn't be confirmed.

And you can see there some are carrying the yellow flag of Hezbollah. Also, portraits of Hassan Nasrallah, the head of Hezbollah.

The demonstration also marked by anti-American and anti-Israel sentiments. The protest was organized by radical cleric Muqtada al- Sadr.

In northern Iraq, at least 18 people were killed, including 10 by a suicide car bomber. It happened outside of Mosul. The bomber drove his car into a group that was watching a soccer game. That was between police teams.

And in Mosul, a senior police officer and two of his guards were killed by a car bomb -- Rick.

SANCHEZ: All of this violence is once again bringing criticism of the administration's handling of Iraq. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld on Capitol Hill Thursday to answer some tough questions. Two top Pentagon commanders say that Iraq could be on the brink of civil war.

Live now to CNN Pentagon Correspondent Barbara Starr, who has been following this, as well.

Good morning, Barbara.

Is this one of the most, I guess, dire assessments that you have heard coming from them?

STARR: Well, it certainly was, Rick, a very somber assessment by the top brass before the Senate Armed Services Committee yesterday.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STARR (voice over): A day after agreeing to testify in public, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld took heat from his Senate critics but gave it right back.

SEN. HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON (D), NEW YORK: We hear a lot of happy talk and rosy scenarios, but because of the administration's strategic blunders and, frankly, the record of incompetence in executing, you are presiding over a failed policy.

Given your track record, Secretary Rumsfeld, why should we believe your assurances now? DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: My goodness.

I have never painted a rosy picture. I have been very measured in my words. And you'd have a dickens of a time trying to find instances where I've been -- been excessively optimistic.

STARR: Rumsfeld's generals used the opportunity to sound a warning about the rising violence.

GEN. JOHN ABIZAID, COMMANDER, CENTRAL COMMAND: I believe that the sectarian violence is probably as bad as I have seen it in Baghdad in particular, and that if not stopped, it is possible that Iraq could -- could move towards civil war.

GEN. PETER PACE, CHAIRMAN, JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF: Sir, I believe that we do have the possibility of that devolving to a civil war, but that does not have to be a fact.

STARR: Some committee members still pressing on the overall strategy and whether there are enough troops.

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: Is the situation under control in Ramadi?

ABIZAID: I think the situation in Ramadi is workable.

MCCAIN: And the troops from Ramadi came from Falluja, isn't that correct?

ABIZAID: I can't say, Senator. I know...

MCCAIN: Well, that's my information. What I worry about is we're playing a game of Whack A Mole here. We move troops, flares up. We move troops there. We all know that Falluja was allowed...

(END VIDEOTAPE)

STARR: You know, Rick, it was just about this time that the top brass hoped to be telling Congress about their plans to bring some of the troops home. At least two brigades to be brought back home. That's what was in the works, but clearly now that is not going to happen. And instead, as we know, of course, more troops are headed towards Baghdad to try and help the Iraqis get a handle on the security situation there -- Rick.

SANCHEZ: Barbara Starr at the Pentagon.

Thanks so much.

At long last, some relief, relief from the heat wave that's made most of this week unbearable for so many people, especially on the eastern part of the country. First it was the middle, then the east.

Where now, Chad Myers? And I suppose I should ask, what now?

MYERS: Yes, what now? (WEATHER REPORT)

SANCHEZ: All right. Thanks so much, Chad.

MYERS: Yes.

O'BRIEN: As we've been reporting all morning, there are more Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon to talk about. Some now are accusing Israel of going too far.

We're going to talk to the Israeli ambassador to the U.N. just ahead.

SANCHEZ: Then our special series, "Inside Autism." Today, a success story. One boy's fight to break out of his autistic world.

O'BRIEN: Then later this morning, the writer, director screenwriter Nora Ephron has done it all. She's going to join us this morning in the studio. She is talking about her new book. It is funny. It's about women of a certain age that's called, "I Feel Bad About My Neck."

A candid look at growing older, that's ahead.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: ... a significant presence. Many of its fighters are in the Bekaa Valley. But we've -- and as far as this particular incident goes, we don't know why the Israeli air force would strike that area. We have yet to hear, Soledad, from Israeli officials about this incident.

O'BRIEN: Ben Wedeman with an update for us.

Ben, thanks.

And despite the U.N. efforts to stop the fighting, Mideast diplomacy is taking a back seat to those Israeli airstrikes and Hezbollah rocket fire.

Dan Gillerman is the Israeli ambassador to the U.N., and he's with us this morning.

It's nice to see you, sir. Thanks for talking with us.

DAN GILLERMAN, ISRAELI AMB. TO U.N.: Good to see you. Thank you.

O'BRIEN: First, can you comment at all? We just had Ben updating us on the -- the latest incident happening, Israeli aircraft apparently firing and, from what we can tell, killing maybe 25 people in southern Lebanon. Any update that you've gotten on this?

GILLERMAN: Well, you know, sometimes -- actually it very often happens -- we get our news from CNN. So I'm not quite sure what happened there. We're still waiting for the findings. We will obviously look into it very carefully.

But what I have to make very, very clear is we never, ever target civilians. We are actually very cautious and very careful about not hurting any civilians. We'll have to look and see what happened to make sure that this information is right.

O'BRIEN: OK. Great. I appreciate that.

Let's take a little bit about the offensive which we're being told may be expanded 20 miles into Lebanon. Is that the plan right now?

GILLERMAN: I cannot give you any miles. I don't think it would be right to actually outline exactly the scope of the offensive. But we will do whatever it takes and however long it takes in order to make sure that the capability of the Hezbollah is degraded significantly, because, as you know, there's a lot of talk about a diplomatic solution and a political solution. But this one would only be able to take place once the Hezbollah is made incapable of further terrorizing both Lebanon and Israel.

O'BRIEN: So there would be no agreement from your part on a cease-fire if you felt that Hezbollah still had some legs?

GILLERMAN: No, we would not agree to a cease-fire which would be just a lull, which would be a patchwork thing and which could erupt any moment. We have to make sure that Hezbollah is indeed totally incapable, that there is an international -- robust, professional international force in place to make sure also that the Hezbollah is not armed again or rearmed again, and that the Hezbollah, in fact, can no longer terrorize either our women and children, or hold Lebanese women and children as human shields, as he (sic) does so often.

O'BRIEN: Condoleezza Rice was talking to Larry King on CNN yesterday, and she talked about phases. She talked -- it seems that a plan may be using that small U.N. force that's already in Lebanon, at first, first phase, and then later on bringing in a larger force to -- peacekeeping force to police things.

Would that be acceptable to you? Or would that go against what you've just described?

GILLERMAN: Well, first of all, we trust Secretary Rice implicitly, both her professionalism and her diplomatic skills, and her integrity. So we're following very carefully and very involved in the negotiations.

I met yesterday both with the American ambassador to the U.N. and the French ambassador, who are very, very intimately involved in these negotiations. And there are indeed different ideas. One idea which I believe nobody would endorse is having the existing U.N. force there doing anything, because that force, which is called UNIFIL, which stands for United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon...

O'BRIEN: Although, they've been there...

GILLERMAN: ... has been there for 28 years.

O'BRIEN: Right, exactly.

GILLERMAN: And have been totally incompetent, practically impotent in preventing attacks and doing anything. So they definitely could not be the answer even for one day. There would have to be a far more professional, a far more robust, a far more serious force in there to make sure that this kind of thing does not continue.

O'BRIEN: But if the U.N. comes up with a resolution that calls for an immediate cease-fire, and some other things that you may be agreeable to, the release of soldiers, et cetera, et cetera...

GILLERMAN: Right.

O'BRIEN: ... and you don't feel that Hezbollah has been sufficiently taken out, hammered -- and they are shooting hundreds of missiles into Israel every day, so some would argue that they are not in a position where they are being taken out -- would you turn down what the U.N. is putting on the table?

GILLERMAN: We would accept a solution which would be comprehensive, which would really take care of all the elements. And these go far beyond just a cease-fire, because a cease-fire by definition has a kind of temporary effect to it.

We need something permanent. We need something real. So we would not be acceptable to anything which does not guarantee a permanent cease-fire, which means that someone, whatever form it takes, some force, would have to come in and make sure that that happens. Until that happens, we will be there to make sure that Hezbollah is indeed being degraded and weakened to a point where it can no longer terrorize us.

O'BRIEN: I want to ask you one quick final question. We had a guy on yesterday from UNICEF...

GILLERMAN: Right.

O'BRIEN: ... and he said what Israel desperately needs for the people who are not Hezbollah, but who are citizens and civilians, who are desperate -- and he described utterly deplorable conditions. I'm sure you've heard them. He says, "We need a window to get our supplies in, to get medicine in, to get gasoline in so those people can get out, they can be saved, or they are going to die." And he is predicting a huge, big, big crisis among the civilian population, not Hezbollah.

GILLERMAN: Right.

O'BRIEN: Why not agree to a window like that?

GILLERMAN: We have agreed, actually. We've had a 48-hour cease- fire which was specifically meant to be a humanitarian cease-fire during which medical equipment and help and food could be brought in.

O'BRIEN: He says more -- he says they need now 72 hours.

GILLERMAN: Well, we've also -- Israel is very, very concerned about civilian casualties and about the damage that has been caused. We grieve for every Lebanese child and we're very, very concerned about the problems which they have.

We have established two corridors, one by sea and one by land, which -- through which the United Nations and other agencies can actually provide all the aid they want. So that is in place.

We're working very closely with the United Nations organizations to make sure that it reaches the people. But everybody understand this is a war zone. This is not easy. And any cease-fire at the moment will serve only one purpose, and that is allowing Hezbollah to regroup, to rearm, and to be able to continue the horrendous campaign of terror which they have been inflicting both on us and on the people of Lebanon.

So the next time the fire ceases will be after the fire has actually been extinguished.

O'BRIEN: Dan Gillerman is the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations.

Nice to see you, sir. Thanks for coming in to talk to us.

GILLERMAN: Very nice to see you. Thank you very much.

O'BRIEN: We appreciate it.

GILLERMAN: Thank you.

O'BRIEN: We've got to take a short break.

We're back in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: Welcome back.

All this week, Dr. Sanjay Gupta is taking us inside the mysterious world of autism.

This morning, in the final part of his special series, small steps toward success.

Sanjay joins us now from the CNN Center in Atlanta with more on what has been a -- really a spectacular week of reports that probably have made a lot of people think about this -- Sanjay.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SR. MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Thank you, Rick.

And I think it has made a lot of people think about this. Some good news I'm going to share with you in a moment.

But when you talk about autism, one thing we've learned is that there are all sorts of different forms of autism. As a result, each child has a different set of challenges. It's hard to categorize them all into one category. And they have different parameters of success.

I want to introduce you to one child who is fighting hard to break outside his world inside autism.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GUPTA (voice over): There are many faces of autism. For each of these children, there's a family that hopes somehow, some way, their child will succeed in breaking the bonds so they can function in everyday life.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You've got the whole swing set going.

GUPTA: The Pike family is one of them. Their son Andrew was diagnosed when he was a toddler.

CINDY PIKE, ANDREW'S MOTHER: Andrew's initial diagnosis was severe. He had no language, no social skills.

GUPTA: Andrew's parents took him to Emory University for one of the best-known autism therapies called Applied Behavioral Analysis, or ABA, which uses rewards for language and social interactions as simple as smiling or making eye contact.

His parents had their own rewards.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But I was putting him in his car seat, and just told him how much I loved him, and just in a whisper I heard the first time, "I love you."

GUPTA: He was four and a half at the time. Andrew's progress continues with the help of a lot of people, including his speech therapist...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What can we do with a cookie? We...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We eat the cookie.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's right. We eat the cookie.

GUPTA: ... a physical therapist to improve his muscle tone.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ready? One more. One more. Whoa!

GUPTA: ... and his ABA therapist. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A, B, C, D...

PIKE: It's not the story of this is a recovered child. Andrew is a story of a kid that's worked hard. Really hard.

GUPTA: Autism researchers like Yale University's Dr. Fred Volkmar say the key to success is early and proper intervention.

DR. FRED VOLKMAR, YALE CHILD STUDY CENTER: We are changing the prognosis of autism. With earlier intervention and with more effective treatments, kids are learning better and better. And they are doing better and better. So the outcome is improving over time.

GUPTA: Of course, levels of improvement vary. Andrew's very fortunate to have a good support team. He's able to go to school with typical kids and play with his friends from the neighborhood.

His mom knows he's far from cured. But she is happy he's come a long way.

PIKE: Andrew still needs constant supervision. Andrew still needs extreme support. But to go from the level that he was to the happy interactive kid that you have seen today is a success story.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GUPTA: And obviously, Andrew is just one child's story there. But it really makes a difference, as we learned all week, about early intervention and about access to some of these therapies that could make a big difference down the line -- Rick.

SANCHEZ: Here's what I think people would want to know. I know it's a funny word when you use the word "cure," because people think of a magic pill or something, but is there any kind of cure on the horizon at this point? What are we seeing?

GUPTA: Well, it's a good question, it's a fair question. I don't know if "cure" is a word that we're using in relationship to autism yet. Still focusing on diagnosis and intervention. But I will say this... you know, there are therapies and interventions that are capable of getting children to the point where they can communicate, interact, where they no longer meet the criteria for autism.

They can go to college, they can carry on their lives much in the way that anybody else would. So, in that sense, perhaps there is a cure. But let me say this as well, Rick. Some good news out there.

We've been talking about the Combat Autism Act all week long. And just late last night, the Senate actually passed that. So good news. It's going to go to the House.

If it gets passed and signed into law, that will shore up about $900 million for autism research, as well as grants for the states to help offset some of the costs for taking care of children with autism.

SANCHEZ: That's great. Dr. Sanjay Gupta, a good week's worth of reports.

GUPTA: Thank you.

SANCHEZ: Really appreciate it.

GUPTA: Sure. Thank you.

SANCHEZ: All right -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Still to come this morning, writer, director, screenwriter Nora Ephron joins us in the studio. She's talking about her new book. It's called "I Feel Bad About My Neck."

You can't even see her neck right there. It looks like a good neck.

We'll talk about that, the candid look at growing older, just ahead.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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