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American Morning

Croc Hunter Killed; Terror Leader Caught; Shot Trooper Dies; Labor Day Politics; A Tearful Goodbye; Jordan Shooting

Aired September 04, 2006 - 06:00   ET

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

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to you, happy Labor Day, Monday, September 4. I'm Miles O'Brien.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Soledad O'Brien.

Here's a look at what's happening this morning.

Steve Irwin, the host of the series "The Crocodile Hunter," is dead. The 44-year-old Irwin was apparently stabbed in the chest by a stingray while he was diving off the coast of Australia on a film shoot.

M. O'BRIEN: In Afghanistan, a car bomber takes aim at a NATO military convoy in Kabul. At least four civilians killed in a morning bombing there, eight others injured, including four NATO troops.

To the south, Kandahar Province, a NATO offensive aimed at the Taliban leads to a so-called friendly-fire death. A NATO warplane on a strafing run killed one NATO soldier, wounded several others. An investigation under way.

The first Arab country is committing troops to the U.N. force that is keeping the peace between Hezbollah and Israel. Qatar, in the Gulf, says it will send up to 3,000 troops to Lebanon. No word yet on when they will arrive.

S. O'BRIEN: Parts of eastern North Carolina are finally drying up from Ernesto. The northeast Cape Fear River rose more than five feet above flood stage this weekend. More than 100 people were evacuated.

And it appears that the next tropical depression is on the map.

Severe weather expert Chad Myers is at the CNN Center. He's got the forecast for us.

Good morning.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Soledad.

Yes, on the map, not strengthening, still a tropical depression. This storm is not going to be very impressive for a while, but it is way out there in the Atlantic, and it's going to move into some warmer water later on this week.

(WEATHER REPORT) Back to you guys.

M. O'BRIEN: All right, thank you very much, -- Chad.

MYERS: Sure.

M. O'BRIEN: "The Crocodile Hunter," Steve Irwin, will be remembered as a conservationist who refused to enjoy nature from afar. Over the years, he tangled with all kinds of animals that would send the rest of us scurrying in the other direction. The result was compelling, engaging and often nerve-racking. Irwin was shooting a television show off the coast of northeast Australia when he was stabbed apparently by a stingray. His crew called for help, but he was pronounced dead on the scene.

We get more on his career from Alex Smith of Australia's Channel Nine.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALEX SMITH, AUSTRALIA CHANNEL NINE-TV REPORTER (voice-over): Steve Irwin was called an extraordinary. He was an international phenomenon.

STEVE IRWIN, "THE CROCODILE HUNTER": I can't stop, mate. I'm on fire. I wake up in the morning and I'm on fire. I just can't do enough.

A. SMITH: And the world couldn't get enough. Long before he was a household name at home, he was star of the week on U.S. television.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Irwins are the real "Crocodile Dundees" of Queensland in Australia.

A. SMITH: It all started at his parent's Australian Zoo on the Sunshine Coast. That grounding and his boots-and-all approach...

IRWIN: Pull boys. Pull boys. Go, go, go.

A. SMITH: ... and that trademark style...

IRWIN: Crikey, that's the biggest crocodile upheaval in Australian Zoo's history.

A. SMITH: ... made Steve Irwin one of Australia's most successful exports.

IRWIN: I want you in there with me, Charlie (ph) mate. All right, you're coming in with me.

A. SMITH: Even Hollywood beckoned.

IRWIN: Are you going, mate?

A. SMITH: But along with wife, Terri, and their two children, Steve's heart was never far from the Aussie bush and his beloved Australian Zoo.

There were controversies along the way.

IRWIN: Watch his eye. Watch his feet, Bob (ph). Watch him. Watch him.

A. SMITH: But no controversy could shake his self-belief.

IRWIN: And life is all about be at peace and trust and try and keep a nice, level, happy playing field and surround yourself with your family.

A. SMITH: He leaves behind a massive nature conservation project funded by his multimillion-dollar empire. But perhaps his greatest legacy will be to encourage others to follow their dreams.

IRWIN: I am the proudest Australian bloke on the face of the Earth.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

M. O'BRIEN: That report came from Alex Smith from Australia's Channel Nine.

Steve Irwin was diving around the Great Barrier Reef for his latest project, the show called "Ocean's Deadliest" -- Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: That's such a sad story, isn't it?

Turning to Iraq now, a strike against the terrorist network, al Qaeda's suspected number two man in the troubled country is in custody this morning. Hamed Jumaa Al Saeedi goes by various names, including Abu Rana and Abu Humam.

Michael Holmes joins us from Baghdad this morning.

Hey, Michael, good morning.

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Soledad.

Yes, a significant, if you listen to the Iraqi government and U.S. officials, a significant arrest indeed. This man was apparently deputy to Abu Ayyub al-Masri, who himself took over leadership of al Qaeda in Iraq after U.S. troops, you'll remember, killed Abu Musab al- Zarqawi back in June.

Now this arrest was announced by the National Security Advisor Mowaffak al-Rubaie yesterday. Said the arrest had happened a couple of days ago in a house full of civilians. Here is part of what he said during that news conference.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MOWAFFAK AL-RUBAIE, IRAQI NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER (through translator): He is the one who is directly responsible for the crime at Haitham al-Badri, the mastermind and the bomber of the Samarra Shrine. He has implemented the policy of al Qaeda in Iraq and the orders of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in triggering sectarian sedition and violence in Iraq between Sunnis and Shiites.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Now it's difficult to underestimate, Soledad, the importance, the significance of that bombing at the Samarra Shrine. This was a holy place for Shias. The act itself is what really sparked much of the major sectarian violence that we have seen around Iraq, especially in Baghdad, since that bombing in February -- Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: So then how big of a blow is this to al Qaeda in Iraq?

HOLMES: Yes, that's a good question and it's worth keeping things in perspective here. He was known by al Qaeda as the Prince or Amire (ph) of Salah ad Din Province. He moved in there after the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

Now what we do know about him, which is really interesting, is as recently as July his name was not on Iraq's most wanted 41 people, a list that's put out by the Iraqi ministries.

Now, in context, al Qaeda, we must remember, while it is active and is responsible for a lot of the spectacular attacks that we see, especially suicide bombings, it's a very small part of the overall insurgency, most of which is locally grown and run by people around Iraq who are from Iraq -- Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: Michael Holmes for us this morning.

Michael, thanks for the update.

And maybe you have seen the latest al Qaeda videotape that invites Americans to convert to the Islamic faith. Most of the video shows Adam Gadahn. He's a 28-year-old Californian. He's wanted by the FBI in connection with possible terrorist threats against the U.S. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ADAM YEHIYE GADAHN, CALIFORNIAN: And the leaders of the West also find it convenient to point the finger of accusation at the other because it helps them to avoid having to face difficult questions about the West's dark and bloody past and equally dark and bloody present.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

S. O'BRIEN: At least one counterterrorism expert tells CNN that the American's comments may be a warning of an imminent attack. Still other experts in the region say it could be a bid to soften the group's image -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: One of the largest manhunts in New York State history continues this morning, authorities looking for the man who is suspected of fatally shooting a state trooper now. Thirty-two-year- old Joseph Longobardo died of his wounds yesterday after being unconscious for three days.

Reporter Casey Bortnick of Rochester's R-News has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CASEY BORTNICK, R-NEWS-TV REPORTER (on camera): Sad news from western New York as New York State Police announce they have lost one of their own. Police Superintendent Wayne Bennett confirms trooper Joseph Longobardo has passed away from his injuries just days after police believe he was ambushed by fugitive Ralph "Bucky" Phillips.

At 3:35 Sunday afternoon, 32-year-old Joseph Longobardo passed away at a Buffalo area hospital. Longobardo underwent a leg amputation Saturday night in an attempt to save his life, an attempt that ultimately failed.

Longobardo and his partner, Donald Baker, were conducting surveillance behind the house of the allusive fugitive's former girlfriend in the town of Stockton in Chautauqua County. Both troopers were fired at several times near a wooded area. Longobardo was hit in the leg by a bullet that pierced his artery. Police believe the shooter was indeed Ralph "Bucky" Phillips who escaped from prison on April 2.

Longobardo is survived by his 13-month-old son, Lewis (ph), and his wife, Teri (ph). The couple were supposed to celebrate their wedding anniversary on September 7.

Now as for Donald Baker, the other trooper shot Thursday night, he has been upgraded to serious condition after a third surgery at a Pennsylvania hospital.

In fact, the search for Ralph "Bucky" Phillips continues. Police believe he is still in Chautauqua County. There were several sightings of him Sunday. None of them were confirmed.

Reporting from Fredonia, New York, Casey Bortnick, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

M. O'BRIEN: It's Labor Day, and if you're like most Americans, that means no labor for you. But if you are in politics, this is the beginning of the busy season. And this will be a busy season to remember.

AMERICAN MORNING's Bob Franken joining us with a preview.

Good morning, -- Bob.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Otherwise known as the silly season, -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: That too. FRANKEN: Yes.

The campaign is getting under way. This is a very high-stakes campaign for control of Congress with many experts now saying at least the House of Representatives is in play that there's the possibility that the Democrats could take over.

The Republicans have a very obvious strategy, one they're making no bones about, they're going to spend all of their time talking about national security, trying to make the point that the Republicans are better equipped to deal with the war on terror than the Democrats. Democrats say they welcome that fight.

And if you notice what people are saying on both sides, you see that they're not so much debating as talking past each other.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R), KENTUCKY: Well I think it is important to remind the American people that if the Dean Democrats were in charge, Saddam would still be in power, murdering his own people, like he used to. It would be more difficult to engage in terrorist surveillance. And the prisoners down at Guantanamo would be treated better than American soldiers in the court system.

This election, Russ, is going to be a choice, not a referendum.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HOWARD DEAN, DNC CHAIRMAN: And I think the American people realize that Iraq was a war of choice and that the real war is the war on terror. And the Democrats want a new direction in our defense policy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRANKEN: The Republicans say that if the Democrats take over one or both Houses of Congress they are going to disrupt government, bring it to a halt. The Democrats say if they do that, they're going to bring to a halt Bush administration policies. They're actually running as much against President Bush as they are individual congressional races -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: And I guess the question is, if they brought government to a halt, would we notice?

FRANKEN: Would we notice or would some people believe that it was time to celebrate?

M. O'BRIEN: Maybe so.

Bob Franken in Washington, thank you -- Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: Some breaking news to get to for you this morning. Excuse me. We're getting word, and it is confirmed by a CNN freelancer on the scene, that two gunmen have opened fire on a group of tourists in Amman, Jordan, apparently near the Roman amphitheater area of the downtown part of the capital.

There are reports that five people have been wounded. We're assuming foreign tourists. Apparently they were the target of the gunfire. There are reports that five people wounded. Details, though, at this hour are sketchy.

Again, the incident taking place near the Roman amphitheater in the downtown part of the capital. We're going to update you on this story as soon as we get more information coming to us from our folks on the scene there.

In other news and happening in America today, "The Chicago Tribune" is reporting this morning that there were no smoke detectors in that apartment fire that left six Chicago children dead on Sunday. A candle appears to have triggered the fire. Chicago's fire commissioner says the city has had 29 fire fatalities this year and every time there have been no smoke detectors.

Overnight, Montana wildfires continue to threaten homes and property around Big Timber after winds picked up. The blaze in south central Montana has already consumed more than 180,000 acres and burned more than two dozen homes, too.

The San Diego Chargers' Steve Foley shot by an off-duty police officer on Sunday early in the morning. His wounds are not considered to be life threatening. The officer told investigators that Foley was weaving in lanes, going somewhere between 30 and 90 miles an hour. San Diego's sheriff's department says they have filed no charges as of yet.

Detroit's striking public schoolteachers are being told to report to work on Tuesday when students will have a half-day of classes. A judge has ordered around-the-clock talks to try and end the week-old walkout. The judge wants both sides back in court Tuesday morning if a deal is not reached.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday in Austin, Texas for Nellie Connally. The widow of the late Governor John Connally was seated right in front of Jacqueline Kennedy when President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas in November of 1963. Eight-seven years old. She was the last survivor of that fatal ride.

North of Reno, Nevada, not the most common sight, a plane being lifted from a home. Two men were flying to the Burning Man Festival in the Black Rock Desert, missed the Spanish Springs Public Airport, landed in a home. Luckily for them they both escaped injury. The good news there.

Quick thinking NASA managers have salvaged a Wednesday launch date for the space shuttle Atlantis. When Ernesto threatened last week, Atlantis was heading back to the hangar. Just before it got there, though, Ernesto weakened. NASA ordered an unprecedented U- turn. You remember that Miles was telling us about that. Now Atlantis' crew is going to resume construction on the International Space Station.

M. O'BRIEN: Coming up on the program, while most people picnic today, political hopefuls will be pressing the flesh, hoping to stay employed or maybe get a better job.

S. O'BRIEN: And record heat, a lack of rain leading to very desperate times in China. Crops are dying quickly. Now millions of people are having to survive without any drinking water.

And the end of an era, tennis great Andre Agassi bows out, but great, after a record 21 years of U.S. Open triumphs. We'll update you on that as well. That's ahead. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

S. O'BRIEN: Happening this morning, Steve Irwin, also known as "The Crocodile Hunter," is dead. He was 44 years old. He was killed by a stingray off the coast of Australia. Irwin's producer says "The Crocodile Hunter" died doing what he loved best.

In the U.S., nearly 100,000 residents along the East Coast spent at least part of this holiday weekend without power because of Ernesto. Thousands of people are still waking up without electricity this morning.

And meanwhile, a new storm is taking shape in the Atlantic. It is a tropical depression. If it becomes a tropical storm, it will be named Florence.

Severe weather expert Chad Myers is at the CNN Center.

Good morning to you. Are we far off from seeing Florence, -- Chad.

MYERS: Looks like about three days, I think, before it actually generates enough power. But how can a hurricane named Flo be any problem? I mean, come on. Here it is. This is what Florence looks like right now or what Tropical Depression 6 looks like right now.

Now if you're one of those people that gets your blood pressure up when you hear tropical system, I mean this thing is not even going to be here until like Saturday. So, yes, just take a while. It's going to be a long time. This thing could fizzle out, it could turn left, it could turn right.

It is forecast, though, as you see, by Friday morning, late Thursday night, Friday morning just after midnight, to be a Category 1 hurricane. So clearly going to get the name if it continues to develop like it is now this morning and that would be Florence.

(WEATHER REPORT)

Back to you guys.

M. O'BRIEN: All right, thank you very much, Chad. Cheers and tears for Andre Agassi at the U.S. Open in New York yesterday. Not a dry eye in the house as the tennis hall of famer called it quits after more than two decades of great tennis.

CNN's Larry Smith with more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LARRY SMITH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A gimpy Andre Agassi tearfully succumbed to Father Time on Sunday losing his third round match at the U.S. Open to a 25-year-old opponent who idolized him as a child and then joined the legion of Agassi fans to say goodbye.

ANDRE AGASSI, RETIRED FROM TENNIS: It was overwhelming how they embraced me at the end and you know they saw me through my career and they've seen me through this as well.

L. SMITH: Agassi walks away a legend, not just an eight-time major winner and one of only five men to complete the career Grand Slam, but someone who morphed into a sports icon along the way. He was once a precocious phenom who blazed a trail through the game to the tune of image is everything.

ANDY RODDICK, U.S. TENNIS PLAYER: But I think what makes him so different is just his crossover appeal. He was able to take tennis to a totally different demographic, create interest in tennis at all times.

JAMES BLAKE, U.S. TENNIS PLAYER: We all owe a little debt of gratitude for what he's done for the sport because he's transcended the sport to become an international superstar more so than any other tennis player of the last 20 years probably.

L. SMITH: Later, Agassi discovered that substance is better. He rebounded from dropping out of the top 100 and from his divorce from his first wife, actress Brooke Shields, to reclaim the number one ranking in 1999, later becoming the only man to hold the top ranking in three different decades.

Off the court, the eighth grade dropout received his high school diploma through correspondence courses. His foundation has started a charter school in his hometown of Las Vegas.

CHRIS EVERT, FORMER TENNIS GREAT: He got older and he started using his head out there on the tennis court and started really training harder, married Steffi Graf. You know he has two kids now and he has a great foundation. He really gives back a lot to society.

RODDICK: I don't think we've seen his greatest accomplishment yet and that's a big statement considering what he has accomplished already.

L. SMITH: And that may have little to do with tennis. A goodbye to his playing days, Agassi says hello to tomorrow and whatever lies ahead. AGASSI: I'm going to wake up tomorrow and start with not caring how I feel. That's going to feel great. And then I'm imaging for a long time any time somebody asks me to do something, I'm going to go, sure, why not.

L. SMITH: Larry Smith, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

M. O'BRIEN: Aside from winning all four major championships, Agassi retires with 60 titles and more than $30 million in career earnings.

S. O'BRIEN: That was so nice to see. I mean he's so emotional.

M. O'BRIEN: He's a class act.

S. O'BRIEN: Always, really.

M. O'BRIEN: Just great with the kisses and the bows. You've got to love all that stuff. It was good.

S. O'BRIEN: It was great. It was really nice.

Still to come on this Labor Day, such a lovely thing to see as well was the gas prices dropping in my neighborhood, $2.85, which is good for where we live.

M. O'BRIEN: Fill up that Yukon right now.

S. O'BRIEN: We're going to see what could trigger a rise in prices, though. There's some bad news on the horizon. We'll take a look at that ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

M. O'BRIEN: Breaking news we're following, Amman, Jordan the dateline. There are reports of a shooting at a Roman amphitheater at the center of Amman. Some foreign tourists targeted. At least four tourists injured, one police officer as well.

Joining us on the line right now is journalist Luna Madi with more, -- Luna.

LUNA MADI, JOURNALIST: Yes.

M. O'BRIEN: Tell us what you know.

MADI: OK. Basically what happened, it was just a while ago, in less than a half an hour, five tourists, including possibly a policeman, but that has not been confirmed, but from the spokesperson of the Jordanian government, Nasser Judeh, stated five tourists were attacked by one gunman.

Some sources say it could be an Iraqi, but that is definitely not confirmed. And with regards, basically the nationalities are still not confirmed either, but the government spokesperson says it could be two different nationalities and they're trying to ascertain from where.

The casualties, they've been sent to the nearest hospital, and at least one is reportedly in critical condition.

M. O'BRIEN: And do you know the nationality of the tourists?

MADI: Not yet. They're trying to ascertain that. But from what we got from the government spokesperson, Mr. Nasser Judeh, they're from two different countries, but they're still trying to ascertain which ones.

M. O'BRIEN: All right. And there's one gunman in custody. Do they have any reason to believe there may be any other suspects?

MADI: Not confirmed, but there may be other suspects. But they are looking into this. And it's still early to find -- get more information. And we should be getting more information during the day.

M. O'BRIEN: Tell us a little bit more about the amphitheater and what a -- how crowded a tourist destination it would be.

MADI: Well the amphitheater is one of the main attractions of this city. It's the old downtown of Amman. Tourists definitely go there about two -- I mean from a thousand a day regular, daily basis, a regular (ph) trip. Definitely it's one of the main destinations to go there.

At the time when this occurred, it is definitely a very busy time downtown from shops, merchants, tourism and walker-bys over there. So it was very crowded at this time.

M. O'BRIEN: And do we know how serious these injuries are?

MADI: Not yet. What we're -- reportedly one may be -- at least one is in critical condition; but still, we don't have any details as of yet.

M. O'BRIEN: All right, Luna Madi on the line with us from Amman, Jordan, where we have word of a shooting, four tourists, perhaps one police officer, injured, perhaps one critically. One gunman is in custody right now, as Luna Madi just said, possibly an Iraqi, but they're checking on that right now. We'll keep you updated. As more details come in, we'll bring them to you. Back with more in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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