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German Protesters Clash With Police; Three Arrested In JFK Plot

Aired June 02, 2007 - 16:00   ET

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

TONY HARRIS, ANCHOR, CNN NEWSROOM: We are following several developing stories this hour.
In Germany, tens of thousands of protesters have a tough message for the leaders of the G8. Some take out their anger on police.

But we begin with an alleged terror plot in New York. The target - JFK Airport.

Hello, everyone. I'm Tony Harris. Fredricka Whitfield is on assignment. We will talk to her in moments.

You are in the CNN NEWSROOM.

New York City in the crosshairs once again. Federal authorities say they brought down a terror plot that reached from the U.S. to the Caribbean, with a former JFK Airport worker at its center.

The idea, the feds say, blow up the fuel pipelines that stretched from northern New Jersey through Staten Island to Queens and JFK. The goal - unthinkable destruction.

CNN's Jason Carroll has been following the story all day. Jason joins us live now from JFK with the very latest.

Jason, an amazing story to follow throughout the afternoon here in the NEWSROOM.

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT, JFK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, NEW YORK: A chilling story, as well, Tony.

This complaint alleges that this terrorist cell was a "determined group." The complaint goes on to say that the group had no al Qaeda connection, but that these suspects plotted to cause catastrophic damage at JFK Airport.

They released the four names of the suspects. The suspects are as follows.

Russell Defreitas - he is a U.S. citizen of - he lived in Guyana before that. He was arrested in Brooklyn yesterday.

We also have Abdul Kadir, a citizen of Guyana, who served actually as a member of the Guyanese parliament.

Then there's Kareem Ibrahim, a citizen of Trinidad. And then there's Abdel Nur. He's a citizen of Guyana.

Three of the men are in custody at this point. Abdel Nur is still at large at this point.

And a short while ago, federal and city officials had a press conference where they gave us many details about what was happening with this plot. I want you to listen in very briefly to some of what they had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK J. MERSHON, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR IN CHARGE OF NEW YORK FIELD OFFICE, FBI: This is a very determined group that engaged in precise and extensive surveillance - surveillance that included physical surveillance, photographic surveillance, video surveillance, even the use of the Internet to obtain satellite photographs of the JFK facility.

They engaged in extensive conversation and international travel, furthering and refining their conspiracy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARROLL: "Chilling" was one of the words used during the press conference, and there's a reason for that, because, as part of the investigation, federal investigators, as well as city officials, were able to get hold of taped, audio taped conversations of one of these suspects, Russell Defreitas.

I want you to just listen to what he had to say here. I've got a quote.

During this conversation he said, Tony, "Any time you hit Kennedy, it's the most hurtful thing you can do to the United States. To hit John F. Kennedy - wow. They love John F. Kennedy - like, he's the man. If you hit that, this whole country will be in mourning. It's like you can kill the man twice."

In another conversation he said, "Even the Twin Towers can't touch this. This can destroy the economy of America for some time."

Those were the chilling words that were said allegedly during this audio taped conversation.

And Tony, when asked during the question-and-answer period of the press conference, what was the motive, why did these men want to do this other than causing destruction, basically we were told it was because these men simply hated the United States, hated the West, and wanted to make a statement.

HARRIS: Jason, we may not know the answer to this, authorities may be playing their cards a little close to the vest on this question.

But do authorities believe they have all - or that they have identified all of the members of this cell, or are other suspects being sought?

CARROLL: As far as we can tell at this point, they believe that they have all of the men that they were looking for. They believe this was self-contained.

HARRIS: Gotcha.

CARROLL: So, at least at this point - but, you know, with these types of investigations, Tony, as you know, sometimes when you get more people in custody, you learn a little bit more about the case. So we can say, at this point, that's what they believe, but future, who knows?

HARRIS: Jason Carroll for us at JFK International Airport. Jason, thank you.

So, could this plot have worked?

CNN homeland security correspondent, Jeanne Meserve, joins us in about half an hour with that angle to this story.

Now, let's take you to Rostock, Germany, the site of a massive and violent protest against the upcoming Group of Eight summit.

The G8 meeting begins on Wednesday at a seaside resort nearby, but the protesters are already, as you can see, riled up. And today, some of them turned on police.

Authorities say nearly 150 officers were hurt, 25 of them severely, and more than a dozen protesters were hauled off to jail.

More now from Harry Smith with ITV News.

(BEGIN VIDEO)

HARRY SMITH, NEWS CORRESPONDENT, ITV NEWS (voice-over): It was a huge and, until this moment, a largely peaceful demonstration that suddenly erupted into violence.

Massed near the harbor area of this Baltic port, protesters rained down bottles and sticks on riot police. An overturned car became a makeshift barricade.

Police countercharged, arresting some of what they described as a hard core of 500 bent on confrontation.

Some demonstrators were seen ripping up cobblestones to use as ammunition. Many were injured. These are being treated by first aid teams formed by the march organizers.

Police said there were injuries, too, among the 13,000 officers who had been drafted in to deal with expected trouble.

The demonstration appeared to be a broad coalition of groups such as communists, anarchists, environmentalists and others demanding action on Third World poverty. There were protests today in all the G8 countries. In London, thousands lined the banks of the Thames near Parliament, to make themselves heard with three minutes of noise.

This was intended as a family day, a peaceful demonstration, and that's what it was. There was disappointment as news filtered through of the violence in Rostock.

But these two seasoned campaigners who plan to travel to the German city tomorrow say they won't be put off.

LIZ TAYLOR, ANTI-POVERTY CAMPAIGNER, LONDON: There's often been violence at the G8 gatherings, unfortunately, because it just then detracts from the main message. But I think the main message we have to get across is that we want more and better aid.

SMITH: G8 has become synonymous with violent protest. And with three days to go before this summit's opening session, today's clashes are an ominous sign.

Harry Smith, ITV News.

(END VIDEO)

HARRIS: When President Bush and other G8 leaders arrive in Germany for the summit next week, they will hold talks on trade and ways to fight climate change, poverty and AIDS in Africa.

Back at home, we're watching Tropical Depression Barry. There he is.

Reynolds Wolf in the weather center for us. Give us an update.

REYNOLDS WOLF, METEOROLOGIST, CNN WEATHER CENTER: Well, I'm here and Barry's right there behind me. And he's not doing much right now, but he is bringing some beneficial rainfall to parts of Florida, right along the I-75 corridor and the I-10 corridor.

For weeks we've been watching the fires in this part of the world. It's been dry also in parts of south Georgia. We need rain in both places, and by golly, we're getting it, quite a bit. And that rain should continue to fall into the early evening, and possibly through a good part of the weekend.

Let's show you how it stacks up right now in terms of rainfall totals. Melbourne looking pretty good, well over five inches of rainfall; Flagler Beach, five inches of rain; St. Petersburg, over three. The same story in West Palm Beach and Tampa, as well.

There may be a little bit of flash flooding in low-lying areas, so you want to be advised about that. And certainly, don't cross any roadways where you can't see the pavement. That's not a good thing to do.

The question is, where is this going to go? Well, the latest path we have from the National Hurricane Center shows the storm is expected to cross the peninsula. Again, a tropical depression, but gaining a bit of strength as it moves back out over the open water and then skims right along the coastline, then moving up off the mid- Atlantic states.

And by Monday, we're looking at this system being extra-tropical, but still with winds of 45 miles per hour, maximum sustained. It should be, again, a tropical storm.

So, we're going to watch it for you very carefully, but thankfully, we are getting that much-needed rainfall in parts of the Southeast.

Back to you.

HARRIS: All right, Reynolds, appreciate it. Thank you.

Now, the latest on the man at the heart of an international tuberculosis scare. Georgia native, Andrew Speaker, could stay at a Denver hospital for two months. Doctors are giving him antibiotics right now, but he might need surgery.

Speaker is in isolation with a dangerous, drug-resistant strain of TB. Compounding his troubles, Speaker is now defending the validity of his marriage.

His family offered CNN this picture as proof that he married his fiancee in Greece. But a local mayor says Speaker never arranged a civil ceremony, and the marriage isn't valid.

The Atlanta trial lawyer continues to defend his movements. He says no one told him before he left that he was contagious and a danger to fellow passengers.

Speaker has been apologizing for exposing dozens of people to his Transatlantic flights.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDREW SPEAKER, TUBERCULOSIS PATIENT: I don't expect those people to ever forgive me. I just hope they understand that I truly never meant to put them in harm - I never meant to hurt their families or them.

And I just hope they can find a way to forgive me for putting them in harm, because I didn't mean to.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Well, a number of passengers are anxiously awaiting results of their TB tests.

The number of tuberculosis cases in the U.S. is very small compared to the rest of the world. Tackling the disease is a priority for world health officials, and they're making progress.

But as our T.J. Holmes explains, several hotspots remain. (BEGIN VIDEO)

T.J. HOLMES, CNN NEWS ANCHOR, ATLANTA (voice-over): The world's hot zones for tuberculosis are easily seen. North America is almost untouched. The U.S. has 300 million residents, but, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 662 TB deaths in 2004.

As you move down the globe, the incidence starts rising. The World Health Organization says two years ago, 14,000 people in Brazil died from the disease.

Go across the ocean. WHO says that same year, nearly 30,000 TB deaths occurred in Russia. It is just one of many areas where drug- resistant strains of TB are showing up.

And that's true as you dip down into Asia, too, where TB overall is much worse. WHO's records show more than 200,000 people in China and more than 300,000 in India died in 2004.

These are the two most populous nations in the world, with plenty of poverty and limited health care among the poor. But they are, together, losing close to 1,500 people a day to TB. That's more than double the number the U.S. loses in a year.

And swinging over to Africa, the red here shows the countries that have the highest death rates on a per capita basis. And once again, it is not just TB alone. The combined problems are what makes it so terrible.

TB, along with malnutrition, poor health care, dirty water, AIDS and a host of other worries, all together working to help the disease grow in troubled areas - and sometimes, even grow stronger against the drugs we have to treat it.

T.J. Holmes, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEO)

HARRIS: And our Fredricka Whitfield is in one of those TB hot zones. She joins us from Johannesburg, South Africa. Fredricka, great to see you.

Let's see if we can quantify this issue of tuberculosis on that wonderful continent of Africa. How serious a problem is it?

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN NEWS ANCHOR, JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (via broadband): Well, it is so serious, particularly here in South Africa, Tony, that this highly drug-resistant strain of TB claims 30 new cases per month in this country alone.

In all, South Africa has 400 cases, at least, and it's believed, since 2005, 74 people have died from this XDR TB.

And already, we're hearing from the health ministry, there have been serious considerations about whether to seriously, forcibly, isolate many of those cases. But thus far, that hasn't happened.

But still, there are some precautions that many of the hospitals in this country have taken. Namely - let's show you some pictures of one of the hospitals in the eastern section, the northeastern section of this country.

It's the F.H. Odendaal South Hospital, north of Johannesburg, in the Limpopo Province. It has a special unit for these extreme TB cases.

Such is the case that any of these patients enrolled in this hospital, they are isolated in separate rooms. There is a special extraction fan in every room to suck out all of the germs. And the patients and even the doctors are wearing masks.

Dr. Norbert Ndjeka explained early this year why the problem is so serious.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. NORBERT NDJEKA, ODENDAAL SOUTH HOSPITAL: These are man-made conditions. The main reason why these conditions occur is inappropriate TB treatment, or maybe the patient, before it had previous TB treatment.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: So, these TB patients either don't properly take their medications, or they prematurely discontinue their meds, which only helps spread the infection even further. And then, these TB, or these extreme TB case patients then go back to their homes, carry on business as usual, go back to their communities, there about helping to spread this very viral strain of TB.

It's a challenge for South Africa and for the entire continent of Africa, because these countries are already inundated and overwhelmed with HIV/AIDS cases.

In South Africa alone, which leads the world in HIV/AIDS cases, we're talking about 5.5 million HIV/AIDS cases, of a population of 45 million. So, the expectation is, Tony, that the problem is only going to worsen with this XDR TB before it gets better.

HARRIS: Fredricka Whitfield for us from Johannesburg, South Africa. Fred, great to see you. Thank you.

Tuberculosis, or TB - it rarely made headlines in the United States until this week. The story of Andrew Speaker and his infection raises some serious questions.

What are the chances you could get TB? How is it transmitted? How do you prevent it?

Expert advice in about 30 minutes, here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Plus, just 24 hours away from the Democrats' debate in New Hampshire. The war in Iraq still the top issue.

Candy Crowley is in Manchester. Hi, Candy.

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT, MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE: Hi, Tony.

It is not the only issue, but certainly, the war in Iraq is the premier issue. And it's not just a topic of conversation. It's changing the face of politics in New Hampshire - Tony.

HARRIS: Thank you, Candy. See you in just a couple of moments.

Also in the NEWSROOM, virus on board. We will tell you why it was hardly a bon voyage for some cruise ship passengers. All the details in about 13 minutes.

You're in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: The race for the White House - it is about to get interesting. Tomorrow night, the Democrats debate right here on CNN. On Tuesday, it is the Republicans.

Those debates will come to you live from New Hampshire. The candidates have been spending a lot of time trying to carve some support out of the Granite States.

Democrats Bill Richardson and Chris Dodd campaigned this morning in New Hampshire. They'll join Hillary Clinton and John Edwards in Iowa later today.

Barack Obama is campaigning in the West. His wife, Michelle, is in New Hampshire.

On the Republican side, Mitt Romney in Tennessee, Fred Thompson in Virginia and Rudy Giuliani is campaigning in Broward County, Florida.

CNN's Candy Crowley is in New Hampshire. CNN's Dana Bash is in Iowa, and we will check in with her at the half-hour.

New Hampshire is a small state with a large number of Guard members in Iraq and Afghanistan. And the wars are casting a big shadow there.

Here's Candy Crowley.

(BEGIN VIDEO)

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT, MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE (voice-over): On the steps of her home in Exeter, New Hampshire, Natalie Healy says she never really thought about running for office. Then Dan was killed in Afghanistan.

NATALIE HEALY, REPUBLICAN ACTIVIST, EXETER, NEW HAMPSHIRE: I knew, from the minute I heard that news.

CROWLEY: Chinook helicopters were dispatched. But one crashed after being hit by what the military believes was a rocket-propelled grenade.

HEALY: It wasn't - you know, everybody says, well, it's a mother's intuition. I don't - I just - I don't know what it was. I just knew.

CROWLEY: She became a Gold Star Mother in an instant, a political activist over time. She decided to run for the New Hampshire state senate.

REP. PAUL HODES, D-NEW HAMPSHIRE: It is too infrequently that we take the time to acknowledge the bravest among us as individuals.

CROWLEY: At a Memorial Day service at the Cathedral of the Pines, Paul Hodes reads the names of New Hampshire's war dead in Iraq and Afghanistan.

HODES: Senior Chief Petty Officer Daniel R. Healy, Exeter, New Hampshire.

CROWLEY: The war pushed Hodes into running for U.S. Congress.

HODES: I was swept in on a wave of sentiment in the state that demanded a new course of - a new course for Iraq.

CROWLEY: Hodes and Healy, two players who tell the story of the changing face of New Hampshire politics - she, a Republican who ran for state senate, to support the troops and their mission.

HEALY: And don't you think our men would feel a whole lot better knowing that this country was really behind them?

CROWLEY: He, a Democrat, who ran for U.S. Congress to end the war.

HODES: I wasn't prepared to give this president, who has no credibility, but my constituents are with me, a blank check to keep on doing what he was doing.

CROWLEY: She lost her race in a tsunami style election, which put Democrats solidly in charge of the state house for the first time since the Civil War.

He won his race for the U.S. Congress, also making history.

KEVIN LANDRIGAN, "NASHUA TELEGRAPH": There's no question that the war and the unpopularity of it, I think helped power the sentiment to elect Democrats, and the first time we've had two Democrats elected to the Congress - our only two congressional seats - in more than 50 years.

CROWLEY: The wave of anti-war, pro-Democrat politics is so complete, the Granite State survey shows more than two-thirds of New Hampshire's powerful independent voters say they will vote in the Democratic primary.

U.S. Congressman Paul Hodes recently again voted no on war funding without timetables. Natalie Healy thinks it was a mistake.

The tide is with Hodes. Healy doesn't think she'll run for office again, but she's glad she did. She thinks she did right by Dan.

HEALY: He would be fine with that. I have no question whatsoever. He'd be loving it, actually, you know.

(END VIDEO)

CROWLEY (on camera): And while voters do bring up other subjects - education, health care and the like - it is clear when you talk to them, Tony, what they most - what weighs heavily on their minds is the war.

HARRIS: Boy, isn't that the truth. We hear it time and time again.

Our senior political correspondent, Candy Crowley for us. Candy, thank you.

And Sunday, join the best political team on television beginning at 5 p.m. Eastern for a pre-game lineup of the players, their weaknesses and who's expected to shine.

Then at 7 Eastern, Democratic candidates square off and for the first time take questions from the voters.

Then immediately following the debates, who scored, who stumbled. Join Larry King, Wolf Blitzer, Anderson Cooper, John Roberts and the Democratic candidates themselves - live for "Raw Politics," a post- debate breakdown.

It all starts right here Sunday night at 5 Eastern on CNN.

Well, check that tube of toothpaste before you brush. Certain brands in China might have something in them that you don't want to put in your mouth. The details straight ahead in the NEWSROOM.

And a terror plot snuffed out before it could mature into a terror attack. A big question now - what if?

What is a plot against the JFK Airport in New York had gone as planned? That in 10 minutes.

You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: News across America now.

A government warning for toothpaste made in China. The FDA says it may contain a dangerous chemical also found in antifreeze. But there are no reports so far of anyone being poisoned.

If you'd like more information on the FDA warning, just go to CNN.com's health section.

All ashore, but some not feeling as well as others. One hundred eighty-two people aboard this cruise ship are recovering from norovirus, a gastrointestinal illness. The ship just returning to the Port of Miami after a weeklong voyage through the Caribbean. Company officials say they believe a passenger may have brought the illness on board.

A dashboard video captures a near brush with death. A massive tree limb falls on a police officer and firefighter. Both were responding to a weather-related traffic accident in North Greenbush, New York. That on Thursday. Despite the gruesome sight, both men survived the scare and are recovering.

Once known as "Dr. Death," Dr. Jack Kevorkian says he won't help anyone else die. Now out of prison and on parole, Kevorkian served more than eight years for assisting in the death of a man suffering from ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease.

He has said he helped at least 130 people end their lives since the 1990s. But the former pathologist insists that's all in his past. Kevorkian says he will concentrate instead on legalizing assisted suicide.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE WALLACE, CBS NEWS' "60 MINUTES": What would you do if a desperate person comes to you, Jack Kevorkian, and says, "I need help?"

DR. JACK KEVORKIAN, ASSISTED SUICIDE ADVOCATE: It would be painful for me, but I'd have to refuse him, because I gave my word that I won't do it again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Kevorkian talks about his future plans on LARRY KING LIVE, Monday night, 9 Eastern, right here on CNN.

A day before the big debates, Democratic presidential hopefuls gather in Iowa. Our Dana Bash is on the trail.

Dana, good to see you.

DANA BASH, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good to see you. You're right. They will all be gathering tomorrow night at the CNN-sponsored debate in New Hampshire.

But before that, tonight, most of the Democratic candidates are going to appear on the same stage here in the first-in-the-nation caucus state.

More on that, Tony, coming up in just a few minutes. HARRIS: See you in just a couple of moments, Dana.

And TB in the news a lot lately. We will take a step back and look at the basics.

What is it? How is it transmitted? And how can you keep from getting it?

We will talk to an expert, straight ahead in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Well, you can bet today's terror arrests will be a big talking point in tomorrow's Democrat debate. Let's recap today's top story. Three men are in custody and a fourth is charged and being sought in an alleged conspiracy to sabotage the fuel lines at JFK Airport in New York. Authorities say the attack plan was still in the early stages. One of the suspects in custody is expected to go before a judge some time this afternoon. Our homeland security correspondent Jeanne Meserve is live with the latest developments. Jean, I guess the first question, if he idea if the plan could have worked?

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Tony, opinions are mixed on whether the alleged plotters' plans could have been executed. One counterterrorism official says the plotters didn't have the sophistication to blow up fuel tanks and pipelines, but if they did a government aviation official says the results could have been very serious.

JFK has an underground system of pipes that carries fuel right to the gates. And this official says that not all of those pipes are full of fuel at all times, but sometimes contain vapor. He says an explosion at a fuel tank could cause a chain reaction which could move through these pipes and potentially right up into planes, blowing them up.

But I will tell you, we spoke to some other experts, one of them very familiar with JFK. They say there would not be enough oxygen in the pipes for any explosion or fire to spread. These experts say that if a fuel tank was breached, there would be a fire, a heck of a fire, they say, but it would be a contained one.

It is interesting to note that in the criminal complaint, one of the alleged plotters who is described as an engineer had doubts himself as to whether they could carry out their plans. He said he believed that there were double tanks at JFK and that it would take multiple explosions to ignite the fuel.

One of the experts we spoke to who is very familiar with the tanks at JFK says most of them are not double, but they are made of steel, about an inch thick. And he says conventional dynamite probably could not have blown a hole in one, that it would take several pounds of plastic explosive and so of course these plotters would have to get hold of the explosives that they'd need and they would have to get through security. A point on that -- one person we spoke to today said the matter of security around the fuel farm at JFK has been something of ongoing concern. But one expert today described this as a mission impossible scenario, one government official says they just don't think it was technically feasible.

HARRIS: Very interesting follow-up on this story. Our homeland security correspondent, Jeanne Meserve. Jeanne, thank you.

MESERVE: You bet.

HARRIS: Dinner tonight, debate tomorrow. Some of the big Democratic presidential candidates have gathered for an event in Iowa a day before they gather in New Hampshire. For some Q&A. CNN's Dana Bash is on the road with them and joins us live from Cedar Rapids with more. Dana, you're at the hall of fame dinner. What's that all about?

DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Don't get excited, it is not baseball, Tony. It is actually politics. A different kind of sport. But it is essentially a fund-raiser for the Iowa Democratic Party in order to raise money to put on the first in the nation caucuses that will be in January. But it is also going to be the first time that many of the Democratic candidates appear on the same stage.

And their campaigns are really using it to rally the aides and volunteers who are working for them already in the state. Check out what's behind me. First of all, look over to that flatbed truck. That brought in a sign, "Hillary" as you can read. Right next to it, the Edwards campaign brought in a crane to put their sign up. Of course, and an old-fashioned bus by Senator Chris Dodd that actually literally bussed in some of the Chris Dodd volunteers.

That can be matched only by what we saw earlier today in the actual ballroom where this is going to take place, Tony. Check this out. There was actually what they call a sign war here in Iowa. It is tradition. And they open the doors at 10:00 a.m. sharp and allow all of the volunteers to come in and plaster the walls with as many signs as they possibly can. As I said, it is tradition, a way to sort of show their support, show their strength in the state.

Because in that particular ballroom that you see there tonight will be sitting about a thousand of perhaps the most influential and important activists in this state that all of these Democratic candidates are trying to court, Tony.

HARRIS: Dana, one leading candidate, I understand, is not there. Tell us about who that person is and perhaps even why.

BASH: That's Senator Barack Obama. You're right, he is going to be the one democratic candidate who was invited who is not showing up. His campaign says that he has a scheduling conflict. We know that he actually has four fund-raisers in Northern California today. That is why he's not coming.

Now I talked to some Democratic Party officials here, they say they are definitely disappointed because they consider this kind of a mandatory attendance sort of thing. Three of the other candidates, Bill Richardson, Chris Dodd, Joe Biden, they are leaving New Hampshire temporarily just to come to this and going back tomorrow night for the debate, Barack Obama is not going to be here.

Now their campaign says that he has been here nine times, he just this past week unveiled his health care plan here so they say he is committed to this state.

But I've talked to some people here. They'll remind you that in January they announced this state, that was two weeks before he even announced his candidacy for president.

HARRIS: It looks like the carnival has rolled into town behind you there, Dana.

BASH: It's only just begun.

HARRIS: It's only just begun. Dana Bash, for us. Dana, thank you.

Another reminder -- Sunday join the best political team on television beginning at 5:00 p.m. Eastern for a pre-game lineup of the players, their weaknesses, and who is expected to shine. Then at 7:00 Eastern, Democratic candidates square off and for the first time take questions from the voters.

Then immediately following the debate, who scored, who stumbled. Join Larry King, Wolf Blitzer, Anderson Cooper, John Roberts. And the Democratic candidates themselves live for some "Raw Politics," a post- debate breakdown, it all starts right here Sunday night at 5:00 Eastern.

As for the Republican presidential candidates, former senator and actor Fred Thompson is creating quite a lot of buzz over he'll enter the race for the White House. He is headlining a major fund-raiser for the Virginia Republican party tonight in Richmond. Thompson made his first formal move toward a possible run yesterday by filing paperwork to create a fund-raising committee.

And the Republican candidates tee it up on Tuesday night in Manchester, that debate also co-hosted by CNN with Wolf Blitzer moderating. The verbal hand-to-hand, the combat beginning at 7:00 p.m. Eastern with preview before and analysis right after here on CNN.

Artillery shells and machine gun fire erupts in Lebanon. Islamic extremists vow to fight the Lebanese Army until the bitter end. We're live from Lebanon in about 14 minutes.

Plus, TB. Two very scary letters these days. How is TB transmitted? Who's in danger and what are the risks for your travel abroad? Expert advice straight ahead. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tumors and other diseases can be difficult to detect, but this Professor Guillermo Tearney has invented an endoscope that takes 3-D images inside the body. GIULLERMO TEARNY, PATHOLOGY ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR: The high-def 3- D miniature endoscope is a device that allows you to visualize inside the body using a probe that's about the size of a human hair.

We think that it will replace many of the miniature endoscopes that are out there and allow physicians to imagine in areas of the body they could not reach before. For example, in the animal study we did we were able to image tumors that were embedded on the surface of the organs of the animals, inside the animal.

We were able to pick up smaller ones that were slightly elevated above the surface that would have been very difficult to pick up with a two-dimensional image.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Within a year, he and his team hope to utilize the endoscope in clinical trials on human patients.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: With tuberculosis grabbing global headlines lately in our "Living Well" segment today we wanted to get down to basics and answer some common questions about the disease. Pathologist and surgeon Dr. Bill Lloyd is with us from Sacramento, California. Dr. Lloyd, great to see you. Good to talk to you.

DR. BILL LLOYD, SURGEON: Good to talk to you, Tony. And yes, we're worried about TB, now a global health threat because of all the traveling that's going around.

HARRIS: Yes.

LLOYD: Every year 1.5 billion people get on an airplane. It is possible to take TB from one part of the world to another part of the world.

HARRIS: Let's start with something very basic. Will you describe for us, what is tuberculosis.

LLOYD: Right. Tuberculosis is a germ, a bacteria, a special family called the mycobacteria. Whenever they show pictures on the screen you see the little red squiggle with the yellow background. The red squiggle is the mycobacteria. That same family of germ also gives you leprosy but in this case we are talking about a respiratory infection most of the time, brought into the lungs and stays in the lungs so that when you cough, spit or spray on other people you can transfer that germ from human to human.

HARRIS: That's the way you transmit it. Correct?

LLOYD: From human to human and it usually in a droplet aerosolized way.

HARRIS: This is not about me shaking your hand and now I have got tuberculosis, is it? LLOYD: You've got to go out of your way to get tuberculosis. Simple contact won't do it. We aren't really sure if an airplane is a serious enough hazard. Yes, it is a closed container, and yes on an airplane air ventilation is only half as good as a routine office work space area.

But nonetheless you not only have to be in contact with that person who is breathing on you but you have to inhale a sufficient number of the organisms to actually contract the infection.

HARRIS: Yes. All right, talk to us about the different strains, forms, of tuberculosis. I've heard there are three.

LLOYD: There are three big categories. The same bug but they've got three different personalities. The most common kind that we see here in the United States is called drug susceptible. Very common antibiotics can kill the bug and the patient gets better.

Next up is multi-drug resistant. That takes a second tier, more advanced antibiotic but once again you identify these patients, you treat them, they get better. The trouble comes with XDR. It sounds like a fancy car model. XDR is the same germ, the same tuberculosis but it doesn't respond to the first or second tier antibiotics.

And unfortunately for people who are already sick, like people who are immuno-compromised, people with AIDS who contract XDR, it can be a fatal outcome in nearly 50 percent of those infected. So we need to identify people who have contracted XDR tuberculosis and get them the help they need.

HARRIS: At the moment that I have been diagnosed with tuberculosis, am I contagious?

LLOYD: No, the diagnosis may come from a simple skin test that simply says your immune system has been exposed to tuberculosis. You yourself may not be sick or contagious yet. This requires monitoring. So for all those people on the plane earlier this week they're going to be skin-tested now and months from now. They won't be started on antibiotics until they know for sure if these individuals have actually contracted the tuberculosis.

HARRIS: Outstanding. Dr. Lloyd, the 101s of tuberculosis for us. Great to see you. Thanks for your time.

LLOYD: We'll talk again soon.

HARRIS: Here we go. Rick Sanchez is here. How are you, doctor, good to see you.

RICK SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: Boy, you've put in some hours today, my friend.

HARRIS: It's what we do in the NEWSROOM, right.

SANCHEZ: It is an amazing story. I was watching while you were developing it. And I think one of the things we're going to try and get for you, the viewer is, well, they're saying these guys were planning to blow up, literally, parts of JFK.

Could they have done it from an operational standpoint and then you start to wonder, no matter where you live, Stapleton in Denver, Hartsfield, Atlanta, other airports around the country, is it possible something could take place at our airport as well? So we're going to try and dig down into these questions.

Because it is the outset of the investigation and you don't want to give away the invasion plan too early. We understand that. But at the same time it is our job as journalists to try and find out what could have affected the people and what could affect other people all over the world.

HARRIS: And I know you've got great guests and analysts and experts lined up. Can't wait for this.

SANCHEZ: You know what we're going to do at 10:00 as well, this is interesting because tomorrow we're going to do a special program tomorrow at 11:00.

We're going to get average people, like the folk who are our neighbors, put them in here and watch this debate with them which should be fun to get their reaction as it happens. But tonight just to set that up, what I'm planning to do is talk to someone who is really more of a social psychologist with an emphasis on politics to try and understand what the Democrats need to do to somehow take away that disconnect that they seem to have with many of the Democratic voters in our country.

And it's interesting, you know what he is going to talk a lot about are these think tanks that the Republicans have been so good at over the last 10 years. It really is getting the ideological spin for what's going on in our nation. He said the Democrats just aren't good at that and haven't been able to get that part down.

HARRIS: Can't wait to hear it. Can't wait to see you at 5:00.

SANCHEZ: Good stuff. Always good to see you, Tony.

HARRIS: Good to see you, Rick. See you at 5:00, man.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, explosions over Tripoli. Heavy shelling and machine gun fire in the northern Lebanese town. Is it a showdown with psalmists? Is that straight ahead? The story to come in THE NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: And that will get your attention, Lebanese artillery is pounding militant hideouts in a Palestinian refugee camp in northern Lebanon. But the suspected al Qaeda rebels are vowing to stay put. Four Lebanese soldiers were killed in today's intense fighting.

Staying with world news now, how worried should we be about China's burgeoning military machine? As the Chinese have become global economic and political players they've also become a military superpower and a newly released Pentagon report it suggests China's beefed-up military upset the balance in the Asian Pacific region and beyond. CNN's Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre reports from Singapore.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In response to U.S. questions about what's behind China's massive military buildup, a top Chinese officer insists the intent is purely defensive. Addressing a gathering of defense and security officials in Singapore, Lieutenant General Zhang Qinsheng said, "We adhere to self-defense and would win only by striking after the enemy is has. China shall never fire the first shot."

The U.S. is not so sure about that, noting that much of China's modernization appears designed to increased its capability to launch long-range surprise attacks. The Pentagon's 2007 report on China's growing military might notes, "The history of modern Chinese warfare is replete with cases in which China's leaders have claimed military preemption as a strategically defensive act."

China describes its military strategy in much different terms. Insisting it's based on principles of "mutual respect and benefit," and "seeks harmony with all countries."

General Zhang says he expects an agreement by fall that would install a hotline between Beijing and Washington to prevent misunderstandings. Defense Secretary Robert Hates told the Singapore conference the key is for the U.S. and China to keep talking.

ROBERT GATES, DEFENSE SECRETARY: There is a difference between capacity and intent. And I believe there is reason to be optimistic about the U.S./China relationship.

MCINTYRE: General Zhang also insisted China's published military budget of $45 billion is true and authentic and argued most of the 17 percent increase was going to pensions, uniforms and military schools. The U.S. thinks Beijing really spends two to three times that much on defense each year.

(on camera): The U.S. still thinks China has a long way to go before its public pronouncements can be taken at face value. But American officials were clearly encouraged that General Zhang showed up and was willing to engage. It's the first time China has sent such a high-level official to this informal event. Jamie McIntyre, CNN, Singapore.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: And still to come in the CNN NEWSROOM, a skydiver defying death. A fast bedtime story and major league tantrum. Oh, man! Your most popular videos on cnn.com straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) GERRI WILLIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In a little more than two years the Las Vegas monorail system has carried 20 million passengers. That's no small accomplishment. But the bigger feat -- doing it all green.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The system itself is eco-friendly, it's zero emissions, it's green technology. It is estimated every year that the system reduces the annual vehicle trips in Las Vegas by about 4.4 million vehicle trips. And eliminates about 135 tons of carbon monoxide emissions from being emitted into our air.

WILLIS: But the energy needs to come from somewhere. It takes 500,000 kilowatt hours per month to power the system. To put that into perspective, New York City's subway system uses 300 times that. What's next for the Las Vegas Strip Express? Well, for starters, plans to lengthen the line, doubling the track actually, adding a station at McCarran International Airport.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are also working with the Make-a-Wish foundation right now and we'll be theming the train during part of the month of June, during their Destination Joy campaign.

WILLIS: I'm Gerri Willis and that's this week's "Modern Living."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: And finally a quick look at the most popular videos on cnn.com at this hour. The sky doesn't fall after all. A skydiver who defied death has survived a near-fatal fall on a previous jump straps on a parachute and jumps again.

Major league tantrum. The minor league manager of the Mississippi braves throws one, oh boy, after an ump threw him out of the game.

A fast bedtime story. Fran Capo (ph) holds the record as the world's fastest-talking woman. She tells CNN about her talent quickly.

And finally stalking the loch ness monster. An amateur scientist catches what Nessie watchers say is among the finest footage ever taken of the legendary beast.

And there you have it. From CNN Center in atlanta, I'm Tony Harris. The next hour of NEWSROOM with Rick Sanchez starts right now.

SANCHEZ: This is crazy violence in the streets as a prelude to the G-8 summit in Germany. Is this type of welcome that world leaders can expect?

Also this ...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One flight a day from Atlanta to Paris. On May 12th, the passenger whose took the nearly nine-hour flight had no reason to think about the man in seat 30-H. No one had warned them about Andrew Speaker.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: We're going to take a closer look at this. This is kind of a he said/they said that's going on right now between Andrew Speaker and the CDC.

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