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Flames, Smoke at Gate Assignment Tower at Miami International Airport; News Conference Will be Held on "Collar Bomb" Robbery; Coalition Forces Launch Huge Operation Against al Qaeda Militants
Aired July 11, 2007 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: The fire appeared to be contained to the tower's roof area, but it wasn't immediately clear what has caused it. No injuries were immediately reported in this blaze. And it doesn't appear -- we do not have control of this.
We're going to talk to the airport spokesman in just a moment, get him on the line. But as you can -- as we look at these pictures, you can see firefighters there working this on the roof of this tower.
And just moments ago, Fredricka, we saw flames pouring out of this building. It appears they have gotten it somewhat under control, because we see them on top of this -- on top of this tower.
Let's go now to CNN's Rob Marciano.
Rob, if you can check -- I don't know if you're checking flights or what have you to see if this is causing any type of air traffic delays because of this.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, we have access to a couple things here in the CNN weather center. We can check on broad delays and delayed programs that are in effect for all the major airports, and now actually the regional airports as well. And Miami right now not reporting any widespread delays or delay programs or ground stops or anything like that at the moment. I mean, that may be under way.
I can also show you Flight Explorer, which we filtered this. This is the Miami International Airport right in through here, and we filtered this so that for the most part it's planes going in and out of Miami airport.
Here is one highlighted, an American Airlines flight. It's descending, it came out of Houston, and scheduled to arrive in Miami in -- well, in just a few moments. So that one is making an approach.
A couple of other flights that are coming in -- American Airlines obviously a big hub down there. This one is also descending, probably making an approach.
And here is SGB. Not familiar with that airline.
But anyway, Flight Explorer showing that traffic seems to be going in -- or heading to and away from in a normal fashion. Whether or not the landings and takeoffs and taxiing is being interrupted, I assume we're investigating that at the moment -- Don.
LEMON: Yes, we are. We are investigating that, and just getting some information on this, Rob.
We've been talking about exactly the importance of this airport. And as Fredricka mentioned, one of the busiest in the country. First in international freight, third in international passengers. So a huge hub here, one of the busiest airports in the nation.
A fire there. And you can see all the apparatus on the ground there. Firefighters working this.
We're going to continue following this developing story right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: The other big story we're following for you out of Pennsylvania. This is a case that surrounds a pizza deliveryman who had a collar bomb around his neck. It was detonated. He died. And still trying to get to the bottom of that, federal law enforcement authorities are.
Allan Chernoff is in Erie, Pennsylvania, where the press conference is scheduled to take place any moment now.
Allan, what's happening?
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN SR. CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, right, we've been waiting for that press conference to begin for about a half hour now. It is delayed, and hopefully will begin within a few minutes.
But what we are expecting to hear is that authorities, after a four-year investigation, have concluded that, indeed, Brian Wells, that 46-year-old pizza deliveryman who robbed a bank, was involved in the plot to actually rob a bank. It had been believed that he had been forced into it. Indeed, that is what he told the police as he sat on the ground in custody right after robbing the bank when he had that bomb locked around his neck.
An incredibly bizarre case. And it's been a mystery, really, for the past four years. So we're hoping that mystery will finally be unlocked here today.
Also, we are expecting the authorities to announce charges against two individuals in the bank robbery. Those people being Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong and Kenneth Barnes, both of whom are in prison right now on entirely separate charges.
WHITFIELD Now, Allan, was the conventional wisdom that Wells was not involved in the planning?
CHERNOFF: Precisely. Indeed.
When he robbed that PNC bank, he actually handed the teller two notes. One of the notes was a list of instructions to Mr. Wells, telling him what to do right after he robbed the bank.
He was a 46-year-old pizza deliveryman, a man who had been doing this for years. By all accounts, he was not mercenary in the least. He was frankly, we understand, content with living on a very low income and not materialistic at all.
So, it seems bizarre to now hear that, indeed, he may have, in fact, been involved in planning that robbery.
WHITFIELD: Bizarre at the very least.
Allan Chernoff, thanks so much. We'll come back to that location there in Erie, Pennsylvania, when the press conference begins.
Thanks so much.
LEMON: Meantime, we want to update you on another big story we're following here, a developing story happening at the Miami International Airport. Let's get you some pictures now, live pictures happening.
This is a tower at the airport. We have just learned from Miami- Dade Fire Department, a spokesperson there, that they have a unit of course stationed in the area, and these are propane tanks. There are propane tanks on the top of this tower.
Not exactly sure from them if that's what's on fire there, but there are propane tanks on the top of the tower. It was unoccupied.
There are no evacuations ordered at this time. But it would be interesting to see if this is affecting air travel at all. Of course, any time you have to get equipment like that, that much equipment out on an airfield, it tends to cause some delays. But again, you're looking at live pictures happening from the Miami International Airport courtesy of our affiliate WSBN in Miami.
Just moments ago, this fire was going pretty well here. You could see flames shooting out of that building. And it appears, as this camera pans back and forth, it appears that they have gotten this under control, at least for the moment.
This is tape from earlier, and you can see all the equipment on the airfield, as I said, there on the tarmac, and those are the flames that were shooting out of this no more than 15 minutes ago. Some concern there because there are propane containers on top of this tower.
We're also being told again this is a new gate assignment tower at the airport, it is not an air traffic control tower. And it's part of the airport that was under construction as part of the north expansion of this airport.
So we'll continue to follow this developing story happening at the Miami International Airport, give you breaking details on that coming up in the CNN NEWSROOM. WHITFIELD: Well, law enforcement analyst Mike Brooks is here to talk mostly about the other big story we're following out of Erie, Pennsylvania.
But just as we're talking about this Miami incident, you may have called it, in that because this is a location that's under construction...
MIKE BROOKS, LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Right.
WHITFIELD: ... there may have been some roof work you said, and this propane tank maybe coincides with that?
BROOKS: And also, you know, I used to be an assistant fire chief, volunteer fire chief in Fairfax, Virginia, and I can tell you, from looking like this -- looking at fires like this, sometimes you roll up on the scene and it almost looks like tar pots that were on fire there just because of the thick black smoke. And a lot of times you get roofers working up there, they get overheated, and...
WHITFIELD: And it's hot down there.
BROOKS: And it's very hot down there. And, you know, now and then you have -- there's a roofing area there, if you will. But it looks like the firefighters got a good knock on it and got the fire knocked down without too much extension to the structure itself.
WHITFIELD: All right.
Meantime, let's talk about the case in Erie, Pennsylvania, which is why you invited you here...
BROOKS: Right.
WHITFIELD: ... to talk a little bit more about what federal authorities just might reveal. That now we're hearing from Allan's report they do believe that this man, Mr. Wells, was an active participant in the planning...
BROOKS: Right, exactly.
WHITFIELD: ... but still unclear whether he knew this bomb around his neck was active, was real, would bring about such a result.
BROOKS: Well, I just got off the phone with another federal law enforcement source. I spoke with one earlier today. And they seemed to think also that, yes, he was in on the plot, but he might have thought that the device around his neck, the pipe bomb, was actually a hoax device and was just going to be used to carry out their plan, if you will.
WHITFIELD: To be convincing.
BROOKS: Right. And it looks like that they -- that these two people, Kenneth Barnes, 53 years old, and Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, 58, who are both in custody right now -- and on Tuesday they were held on a federal detainer (ph). It looks like that they are going to be charged with the bank robbery, with conspiracy to commit bank robbery. Also, federal firearms violations because of the gun, the fabricated cane gun that was used.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
BROOKS: And it looks -- and it appears as if ultimately they may also be charged with the death of Brian Wells, the death by an explosive device.
So, we'll wait to see, but that's what it looks like ultimately is going to happen here. And they were both in jail on unrelated charges.
Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong was in jail for the death of her boyfriend, who was found in a freezer in a home not too far from the TV tower where this whole thing, this whole hoax, if you will, took place, where Brian Wells was supposed to deliver two pizzas to. And as he said, three armed men snatched him, put the collar around him, gave him these instructions to go carry it out.
Well, when I was investigating this for CNN, two driveways down is actually the home of this woman, so it was very, very close to where the tower was. Very, very strange.
WHITFIELD: Wow. I mean, this is like something crafted out of Hollywood.
BROOKS: It really is. And apparently the other man, Kenneth Barnes, who is in jail on other charges, he's 53 years old, and apparently was a fishing buddy of Brian Wells. And apparently the two had been together. Witnesses had them together the night before this, apparently some drugs involved.
(CROSSTALK)
WHITFIELD: How much money was at stake here? What kind of money was involved in the whole bank robbery?
BROOKS: Not that much. You know, a couple, $3,000 at max.
WHITFIELD: Wow.
BROOKS: Yes. It wasn't that much.
WHITFIELD: All right.
BROOKS: And, you know, the whole thing was, Fredricka, he stood in line with all the other customers with this T-shirt, with writing on the T-shirt, with cane gun...
WHITFIELD: As if he were a customer.
BROOKS: ... as if he were a customer and just walked right up. So...
WHITFIELD: All right. Mike brooks, thanks so much.
BROOKS: Sure.
WHITFIELD: We're going to continue to monitor the situation out of Erie, Pennsylvania, any moment now.
That press conference will take place. We'll take you to it live.
And we'll still have you here, too, Mike. Thanks so much.
BROOKS: Great. Sure. Any time.
LEMON: Let's turn now to the war in Iraq. Al Qaeda militants hiding out in a small town north of Baghdad, coalition forces found them and launched a huge operation to capture, kill or otherwise put them out of business.
Details now from Pentagon Correspondent Barbara Starr -- Barbara.
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Don, as this security crackdown goes on in Baghdad, commanders are talking about some of the results they're now getting.
Earlier today at a press briefing in Iraq, the top U.S. spokesman, Brigadier General Kevin Bergner, said so far in May and June they've captured or killed some 26 top al Qaeda operatives, but he said there's a lot of concern as the weeks go on here that al Qaeda is planning, in his words, to stage spectacular attacks to try and regain its momentum.
General Bergner went on to talk about the number of foreign figures still after all this time that they are seeing in Iraq carry out some of these very violent attacks. He gave a few statistics that were pretty interesting.
Listen to this.
He said each month some 60 to 80 foreigners cross into Iraq, come in to work for al Qaeda, and stage attacks. Seventy percent of them come in through Syria. And 80 to 90 percent of these suicide attacks, especially car bomb attacks that we're seeing, are being carried out by those foreign fighters.
It's a problem, Don, that we've heard about for years now, but there doesn't seem to be a ready solution. Listen to a little bit of what General Bergner had to say.
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BRIG. GEN. KEVIN BERGNER, MULTINATIONAL FORCE, IRAQ: I believe the government of Iraq has engaged the government of Syria in asking them to do more, to work with them and control the borders. And the facts that I provided for you today are simply the facts. Those are the numbers of foreign fighters and their role in suicide attacks that we are seeing flowing into Iraq. And we would very much like to see those numbers reduced.
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STARR: You know, we're just now about a day away from what we expect to be the administration's interim report on the so-called benchmarks for success in Iraq. That's expected to be unveiled tomorrow.
General Bergner this morning, however, discussed just how dug in al Qaeda in Iraq may really be. Here's just one indicator. Troops doing some operations in the city of Samarra recently uncovered an al Qaeda media center.
They went into a very nondescript building. He said they found cameras, they video machines, they found complete facilities for producing DVDs, videos, pamphlets, brochures, all of it. Very sophisticated operations now under way by al Qaeda in Iraq. Growing, continuing concern about what to do about it -- Don.
LEMON: And any legitimacy to this thing we're hearing about a huge amount of explosives being seized?
STARR: You know, there is now -- the military is, in fact, saying that in another operation they found some 12 tons of what's essentially homemade explosives, things like nitric acid, other -- chlorine, other things that are basically, if you will, homemade-style chemicals. Put together, they can be very deadly. They make large explosive devices.
And it's a trend that has commanders concerned. They're finding more and more of these stashes of chemicals that are being turned into homemade explosive devices.
They're beginning to wonder if some of the stockpiles of those manufactured weapons, things like artillery shells and mortars, is that stuff running out and are the insurgents now turning to more and more to these homemade devices? It's something they're watching closely -- Don.
LEMON: CNN's Barbara Starr.
Thanks as usual, Barbara.
STARR: Sure.
WHITFIELD: Meantime, Don, a couple other things we continue to follow, breaking stories, one out of Miami.
You're looking at efforts to put out a fire at what appears to be some sort of unoccupied, still under construction gate tower. Our sources are telling us that possibly propane tanks were at the center of that fire.
Meantime, up in Erie, Pennsylvania, we're still awaiting a press conference involving federal authorities to reveal more details about a pizza delivery bomb bank robbery case that dates back four years ago. Well, new developments now.
We'll have all that for you live when we come back right back in the NEWSROOM.
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Live pictures now, Miami International Airport. You can see -- see all that black soot on the side of that building? That was caused by a fire that happened moments ago here at the Miami International Airport. We're told it was possibly caused by propane tanks on the roof.
Just got a spokesperson on the phone, CNN did, and he tells us that it did not cause any problems with air traffic. It was a bit smoky, but air traffic seems to be moving there, was not delayed because of this. But again, just moments ago, flames were shooting out of this tower, some sort of gate control tower, a gate assignment tower at the Miami International Airport.
As soon as we get more details on this, we'll bring it to you. But we want to tell you it was unoccupied, and at this point we don't have any reports of injuries.
Details to come.
WHITFIELD: And happening right now out of Erie, Pennsylvania, let's give you a live shot right now of the press conference that we've been waiting for and everyone else has been, too, surrounding the delivery -- pizza delivery bomb bank robbery case four years ago there out of Erie, Pennsylvania, when at the center of it all a man by the name of Brian Wells walked into a bank, casually appearing like a customer, was part of this bank heist.
And then you're looking at pictures from 2004, when he was sitting in front of the vehicle there with what turned out to be a bomb around his neck. We expect to hear from federal authorities during this Erie, Pennsylvania, press conference as to whether he was a willing participant of the plot to rob the bank.
It happened in 2003. I stand corrected. Not 2004.
As this press conference takes place, we'll be able to bring that to you live as it happens.
LEMON: Let's go back to Miami. A different story now.
A hearing is under way in Miami that could give the Goldman family ownership of O.J. Simpson's unpublished book, "If I Did It".
Fred Goldman believes Simpson did do it, murdered his son Ron, along with Simpson's ex-wife, Nicole. He wants to publish the book under the title "Confessions of a Double Murderer," and that's drawing fire from Nicole Simpson's sister, Denise Brown, who doesn't want the book published at all.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DENISE BROWN, NICOLE BROWN'S SISTER: Now, Fred, do what's morally right. Don't publish the book. And if you do publish the book, OK, if you do publish the book, take Nicole's name out of it, because there are her kids that -- that are walking, talking, breathing, that are old enough to -- you know, to hear all the stuff that goes on behind it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Denise Brown was speaking with CNN's Anderson Cooper. And you can see that interview tonight on "ANDERSON COOPER 360," starting at 10:00 p.m. Eastern.
And stay with us here in the CNN NEWSROOM. We'll have a live interview with Fred Goldman at about 3:30 p.m. Eastern.
WHITFIELD: All right. Let's take you back to Erie, Pennsylvania, where they are in position now in this press conference involving the pizza delivery bomb bank robbery case of 2003.
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MARY BETH BUCHANAN, U.S. ATTORNEY: ... and we attempted to answer some of their questions. And again, I apologize for the delay.
With me today are Ray Morrow (ph), the special agent in charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigations Pittsburgh Division; Mark Potter (ph), the special agent in charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Philadelphia Division; and Captain Kevin Dugan (ph) of the Pennsylvania State Police.
I would like to recognize Assistant United States Attorney Marshall Pitchiny (ph), who will be prosecuting this case.
In addition, joining us today are Lieutenant Todd Johnson (ph) of the Pennsylvania State Police; Erie County District Attorney Brad Folk; Colonel Lyle Cook (ph) of the city of Erie; and Chief Steve Franklin (ph).
On Monday, a federal grand jury sitting here in Erie, Pennsylvania, returned a three-count indictment charging two Pennsylvania residents in connection with the August 28, 2003, robbery of the PNC Bank on Peach Street in Erie, Pennsylvania. Marjorie Diehl and Kenneth Barnes have been charged with conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery -- armed bank robbery, and using and carrying a destructive device in furtherance of a crime of violence.
I know that everyone here and many far beyond are familiar with this bank robbery and with the subsequent death of an Erie pizza deliveryman.
Brian Wells died shortly after robbing the PNC Bank when a destructive device fastened to his neck was detonated as he sat on the pavement near the Eyeglass World. This has been an extremely challenging and complex and lengthy investigation which has involved tremendous patience by the law enforcement agents involved in this investigation.
Every day for the past three years and 10 months law enforcement has been working to solve this case. We have conducted more than 1,000 interviews and pursued nearly as many leads. We have worked nonstop to develop the evidence to identify the participants and their roles in this extremely bizarre crime. This diligence has led to a three-count indictment which I will summarize for you now.
According to the indictment, beginning in February of 2003, Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, Kenneth Barnes and others, unindicted co- conspirators, planned to use a destructive device attached to the neck and torso of one of the co-conspirators as a means to rob the PNC Bank at 7200 Peach Street in Erie, Pennsylvania. As part of the conspiracy, three individuals contrived a series of notes in the bank robbery. First, as apparent instructions for the robber who entered a bank, and second, as instructions to the bank employees to follow in handing over the money, and also to be used as a ruse for law enforcement.
It was the participants' intention to have it seem as though the person wearing the explosive device was a hostage. This was done by making it appear that he had to follow a series of instructions in order to successfully rob the bank, deliver the money to the co- conspirators, and deactivate the collar bomb.
Part of the conspiracy was that the collar bomb was a functional destructive device capable of causing grave risk, grave risk of death to all who were in the vicinity. If the wearer of this collar bomb did not turn over the bank proceeds to the other co-conspirators and complete the series of instructions, the bomb would detonate.
It was part of the plan also that if the robber died, he could not be a witness against the other co-conspirators. It was further part of the conspiracy that the individuals involved -- who planned to obtain these proceeds before the robber could be apprehended. This was done so that if he was caught, he would no longer have the money and he could claim that he was a hostage and an unwilling participant in the robbery.
As the indictment alleges, Marjorie Diehl and Kenneth Barnes and other unindicted co-conspirators choreographed every aspect of this bank robbery. Each had a role to play, whether it was actively participating in the robbery, acting as lookout, or destroying physical evidence linking them to this crime.
Some of the acts that the indictment alleges were committed in furtherance of this conspiracy are as follows: In July 2003, Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong solicited Kenneth Barnes to commit bank robbery. That same month, she also solicited him to kill her own father. She intended to use the proceeds of the bank robber -- the bank robbery to pay her father's would-be killer.
She also requested Barnes to instruct her on how to manufacture a pipe bomb and asked him about the use of timers. She also supplied to one of the co-conspirators two egg timers which were used in the construction of the collar bomb. In August of 2003, she killed her then live-in boyfriend to keep him from disclosing that the bank robbery plan was being formulated. Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong is currently serving a seven-to-20-year sentence for the shooting death of James Roden.
On August 27, 2003, the day before the robbery, Diehl-Armstrong, Barnes and others met at a house owned by one of the co-conspirators. This location was near the tower site, and the intention was to discuss the bank robbery.
On August 28, 2003, the day of the robbery, Diehl-Armstrong and Barnes were present at the Shell gas station when one of the co- conspirators placed a telephone call to the Mama Mia's Pizzeria. Another of the co-conspirators was also working that day as a deliveryman.
The co-conspirators assembled near the tower site and the collar bomb was affixed to the neck and torso of the bank robber. Diehl- Armstrong and Barnes watched. They watched the bank robbery occur from across the street, and they drove away from the bank as soon as the robber was stopped by the Pennsylvania State Police. The indictment further alleges that on the afternoon of the robbery, Diehl-Armstrong was twice observed in the vicinity along the route listed in the instructions for the robber.
On September 14, 2003, one of the co-conspirators allegedly discarded approximately 1,040 pounds of refuse in an Erie landfill in order to hide the physical evidence that would link the other co- conspirators and their roles in this offense.
On the charges of conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery -- armed bank robbery and using a destructive device in the commission of a crime of violence, the law provides for a maximum total sentence of life in prison.
Kenneth Barnes is currently incarcerated at the Erie County Prison, where he is serving 11 to 23 months on a sentence for drug charges. His initial appearance in this case is scheduled for Thursday, July 12th, at 2:00 p.m.
Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong is incarcerated at the state correctional institute in Muncy, Pennsylvania, and will make her initial appearance on July 13th at 3:00 p.m. here in federal court in Erie.
Earlier today, we met personally with the family of Brian Wells. As prosecutors and investigators, we have not been able to discuss with them the details of this investigation.
For some time, they have wanted us to publicly disclose the role of their family member. We can only make decisions in a case based upon what the facts actually are, not what we want them to be.
Unfortunately, our investigation has led to the belief that Brian became involved in a limited role with a group of individuals who planned to rob the PNC Bank. We do not know the extent to which the others planned on him dying that day, but we do know, unfortunately, that Brian participated in a limited role in the planning and then in the carrying out of this robbery.
Sadly, the plan of these other individuals were much more sinister with Brian's, much more sinister, and he died as a result. It may be that his role transitioned from that of the planning stages to being an unwilling participant in the scheme.
At this time, Special Agent in charge Ray Morrow would like to make brief comments, and then we will also hear comments from Mark Potter (ph) and also from Captain Dugan (ph). And then we'll be happy to take your questions.
RAY MORROW, FBI: Thank you, Mary Beth. Thank you all for being here.
Here today to acknowledge the outstanding joint investigation that was conducted by the Pennsylvania State Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the FBI. This was, as stated earlier, a very lengthy and complex investigation.
What I witnessed on a daily basis from these investigators was passion and perseverance. They were passionate about bringing this case to its conclusion. And they persevered through a lengthy, complex investigation that a lot of times brought them to phases of the investigation where they thought they had covered everything, and then they would go back and review the thousands of interviews and the evidence that was there and come back with additional leads.
And I just wanted to applaud them for their investigative efforts. It was an outstanding, old-fashioned, good investigation. And I wanted to acknowledge that. Thank you.
MARK POTTER, ATF: To briefly summarize this investigation, this investigation is about greed that created fear and resulted in death. Since August 2003, speculation about who participated and at what level garnered much local interest as well as national attention. The brutality and utter lack of respect for life displayed by the indicted is rarely seen outside of movie screens.
The parties listed in the indictment sought for an illegal payday. Nothing was off the table in attempting to reach their goal, not violence, deception, or spread of fear. Greed was their inspiration. Death was just another byproduct of an evil scheme. Many people were placed in harm's way by this reckless group. The explosive device was placed around Brian Wells' neck, brought into a crowded bank, then to a McDonald's parking lot. Then, endangered the Pennsylvania state police trooper who responded and made this car stop. The only concern that day was for the illegal financial gain at the expense of anyone who got in their way.
This tragic incident has many victims both living and dead. Our thoughts and prayers are still with those who grieve the loss of a family member because of this twisted plot. The investigators kept the victims on their minds during the entire investigation. Comfort has been difficult while dealing with this investigation, but we now move towards the judicial process. And the end of the uncertainty is near.
Like Ray, I, too, want to thank the investigative team from ATF, FBI, the state police, and the U.S. attorney's office for their professionalism, dedication, cooperation in this difficult and long- standing investigation.
Clever Hollywood-style plots don't work well when real investigators are on the case. The dedicated teams from FBI, state police, and the U.S. attorney's office and ATF brought this case home and we're prepared to take it to trial.
Thank you.
CAPTAIN DUGAN: From the state police perspective, what began as a response to a bank alarm call, which is not all that unusual in our line of work, quickly took on an unusual aspect when we were faced with the bomb around this individual's neck.
Soon, it transitioned into a federal investigation, and even though we weren't in charge of it anymore, our support towards the federal investigators was instantaneous and rather large. Within a short period of time, our aviation division was involved in flying evidence down to Quantico. Jim Brown, the trooper that was initially assigned, full-timed this investigation until early of 2005, worked very well with the federal partners, then became -- transitioned to Corporal David Gluth (ph), who also did an outstanding job working with our federal partners.
And while these investigators were involved with this case, they still were handling other things that were assigned to them, and although they were pulled away from their units, which have a limited amount of manpower, those individuals had to pick up slack for them as well. And on behalf of the department, I want to thank those investigators, the people that worked in the crime labs sometimes under constraints and deadlines that were unrealistic to get evidence processed, and our thanks go out also to the federal prosecutor and federal authorities for working so closely with us to bring us to this point today.
Thank you.
QUESTION: Very good. How or why did the bomb go off?
BUCHANAN: The bomb was detonated by a timing device, and it was a predetermined, pre-set time in which the bomb would be detonated.
QUESTION: So, Brian Wells knew, when he was saying to the officers and media who were there, I don't have much time, he was very aware, according to the investigation, exactly how much time was left?
BUCHANAN: No, I didn't say that. We're not sure exactly how much the robber knew. We know that he was involved in a limited extent with the planning of this. We don't know what he knew about the construction or how this bomb would be activated or when it would be activated. In fact, we're not even sure that he was absolutely positive that this bomb was going to detonate. So, we don't know what he knew.
QUESTION: Why did he get involved? What was his motive for being involved in that limited (ph) role?
BUCHANAN: Wait ...
QUESTION: Did he (ph) think that his role seemed to change (INAUDIBLE)? It sounded like, I think, he may have wanted to get out of this.
BUCHANAN: But we can't talk about why he became involved. We can't comment on what his motive may have been. We know from the information that we have collected that he was involved in the planning stages. But, we have reason to believe that certainly at the point when this bomb was strapped to his neck, that he had expressed a strong desire to terminate.
However, for whatever reason, unfortunately, he did go forward and commit the bank robbery.
(CROSSTALK)
QUESTION: ...was involved, can you please share some of that evidence that Wells was that involved?
BUCHANAN: Let me start with the woman in the first row and then we'll go to the second row and then the third.
QUESTION: Thank you. That was -- when do you believe that Brian Wells became involved with this?
BUCHANAN: The indictment alleges that Brian Wells was involved in the planning process of the robbery. The indictment also alleges that he met with the other co-conspirators on August the 27th of 2003. I can't talk in great detail about the evidence. This case is pending trial, and the evidence will be presented at the trial in the case against the two defendants.
QUESTION: Has (INAUDIBLE) been granted immunity?
BUCHANAN: I can't comment on any individuals who are not listed in this indictment.
QUESTION: Why not name the co-conspirators?
BUCHANAN: Under federal law, individuals who are unindicted co- conspirators are not named in an indictment as we have not done so in this case. Many of the individuals, or rather all the individuals who have been listed as co-conspirators are no longer living, and so these individuals will not be charged for this offense.
QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE) that were indicted (INAUDIBLE), do you believe being indicted somewhere else?
BUCHANAN: The two individuals who have been indicted, who are the subject of this three-count indictment are Marjorie Diehl- Armstrong and Kenneth Barnes. These two defendants are Pennsylvania residents and I can't comment on any other individuals other than those who were named in the indictment.
QUESTION: Can we say, just to be clear, that ...
BUCHANAN: Now wait a second. I said I'd take the man in the third row, and then I'll come back to you.
QUESTION: Thank you. So, can you share with us some of ...
WHITFIELD: All right, underscoring right there. This is an extremely bizarre crime as was described at the beginning of this press conference involving Brian Wells, who died after having -- there's Brian Wells right there, pictures of him while he was conducting this bank robbery and then later on with a collar around his neck. It was detonated. It was, indeed, a bomb. And so now, charges are being handed down against two co-conspirators, Marjorie Diehl and Kenneth Barnes.
Law enforcement analyst here at CNN, Mike Brooks has been listening along with us here to this press conference.
And you called it from the very beginning, that while Mr. Wells may have been involved in the planning of this bank robbery, perhaps he didn't know, didn't realize that this bomb was the real deal, that maybe it was just a hoax to make it seem all real but come to find out it was just deadly real.
BROOKS: That's exactly right. And apparently, Wells played a very limited role in this. Yes, he did have knowledge. He met on August 27th, the day before this happened, with Barnes, with Diehl- Armstrong and other co-conspirators. One of those was someone who came up in the investigation, she said one who was deceased, a man who died of cancer. Won't give his name since he is deceased.
But, early on in the beginning when I was up there investigating this for CNN and covering this, all these different little pieces started falling together. And, you know, there was just all these gaps. There were over 1,000 leads, 1,000 witnesses that they talked to for this. And it was interesting to hear that as they were going along the route that they had written out, this elaborate plan, that Diehl-Armstrong and Barnes had concocted, that they saw them along the way and that they actually stood across the street and watched as this all went down, during the bank robbery and even afterwards. And, just very, very bizarre.
WHITFIELD: Well, this is amazing investigatory work because you're talking about Mr. Wells, who's deceased, as you mentioned, a couple of the other witnesses, at least one ...
BROOKS: Right.
WHITFIELD: ...who are deceased, and somehow they were led to or at least clues were led to at least these two people.
BROOKS: It's very bizarre, and it just goes to show you, Fredricka, you never have a cold case. You know, they talk about a cold case. As -- in this particular case, law enforcement I would talk to along the way over the years, they'd say well, we're kind of at a dead end. When you come to that dead end, and then all it takes is go back over and take a look at the leads. And then, from that, in one witness, you can go OK, well let's take it -- let's take a turn here.
WHITFIELD: And this is four years ago.
BROOKS: Four years, August 28th, 2003, is when this happened. And, you know, I credit the FBI, the Pennsylvania State Police and the ATF for their diligent work and great investigative work in this because I was talking to my law enforcement sources who were close to the investigation along the way who were actually there at the scene and early on, they had search warrants that were unrelated to these people. But it was just very, very bizarre because they'd study (ph), they'd have a dead end, and then they do another interview, and that would take the case in a different direction.
And now, we've got Diehl-Armstrong and Barnes who are in jail on unrelated cases. They're going to have their initial appearance this week. And -- looks like that they're not -- they'll probably never see the light of day again.
WHITFIELD: Yes. And now charged with conspiring to commit bank robbery and then armed bank robbery ...
BROOKS: Armed bank robbery ...
WHITFIELD: ...among the charges.
BROOKS: Right, and the federal firearms violation for that ...
WHITFIELD: Right.
BROOKS: ...cane gun that he had when he walked into the bank.
WHITFIELD: Bizarre stuff.
BROOKS: Very bizarre.
WHITFIELD: Thanks so much, Mike Brooks.
BROOKS: Thank you, Fredricka.
LEMON: A GOP frontrunner stumbles over a couple of pretty big potholes, and another campaign's implosion may turn out to be good news for Fred Thompson.
Our very own Candy Crowley up next with the Republican presidential roundup.
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LEMON: Time now for America Votes 2008. Let's get more now on the race for the White House. Among the Republican hopefuls, Rudy Giuliani is doing well at this stage of the game, but lately, he's had to answer for some of the people surrounding him.
And our Senior Political Correspondent Candy Crowley is standing by for us in Washington.
A little bit of a tumultuous time for Rudy Giuliani, Candy.
CANDY CROWLEY, SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: It is, the latest being Senator Vitter, who is a supporter of Rudy Giuliani's, who obviously is involved in this alleged ring of prostitution, having availed himself of their services, he admits it, says that he sinned. This was a couple of years ago.
So, you know, the problem with these sorts of things is that they take the conversation to someplace you don't want to go. When you're on the campaign trail, you want to talk about your issues. You don't want to talk about these sort of extraneous things. And so, in so far as it takes you off your course, it's not good.
There also comes into play the question of judgment. Now Giuliani has said, listen, over the course of my public career, I have probably appointed over a thousand people, and the majority of them turned out to be good. Nonetheless, this is a distraction on the campaign trail.
LEMON: Yes, and you know, it seems to be a big distraction because we not only have Vitter, we've got Thomas Rabinow (ph), remember the cocaine thing, and he's also part of the Giuliani (INAUDIBLE) campaign, or Giuliani's circle. And then we have the Bernard Kerik investigation that's happening in New York, all of this very recently for Rudy Giuliani.
Will this all matter, do you think, by the time people go to the polls or as it gets closer to people going to the polls to vote, Candy?
CROWLEY: Maybe not in the specifics of it, that is, that people remember, oh, yes, you know, he appointed Bernard Kerik, oh, yes, he had that southern chairman who was indicted on cocaine charges. I don't think the specifics of it. But if it feeds into a question of judgment, then it could hurt.
I'm not sure that these three things will add up solely to, OK, he has bad judgment. But if other things come along down the way, then it could be a problem.
LEMON: Even the Fireman's Union, though, coming out today with an ad campaign against Giuliani.
CROWLEY: Yes, bad week here.
LEMON: Bad week, bad week.
CROWLEY: Yes, absolutely.
LEMON: Let's move on now -- let's move on and talk about not such a great week, as well, for John McCain. Because you know his -- some say his campaign seems to be unraveling with two of his higher- ups in his campaign stepping down.
CROWLEY: It's very rough going right now for Senator McCain. Now, look, he says, you know, I'm convinced that this campaign will move forward, that I'll do very well. This was something that you could almost see coming. The big shocker here was when his senior political adviser left, simply because this is a man who's been very close to John McCain. I don't think anybody could have predicted that.
But listen, it is the last thing that has happened, not the first thing that has happened on the McCain campaign. He has had trouble almost from the git-go this -- from the first of this year. He was the presumed frontrunner, the polls began to fall, his fund-raising wasn't as good as they thought it would be. They were overspending. There were a lot of things that led up to this point that are still there, by the way.
LEMON: Yes.
CROWLEY: So, you know, it needs to be corrected.
LEMON: Yes, and he says you know, and we're going to bounce back, we're just sort of reshuffling, re-tooling so that we can come back strong. But after people sort of smell, I don't know, defeat or loss, how -- it's kind of tough to get it back -- to get momentum upon the positive side.
CROWLEY: It's very tough, it's very tough. First of all, it's not just voters or people who might come to see you when you hold a town hall meeting. The -- the probably important part here is that McCain has to do better in fund-raising. And donors don't like to give $2,300 to something that they might consider or that looks like a lost cause.
LEMON: OK, Candy ...
CROWLEY: So, it's a huge selling job.
LEMON: Candy, I'm sorry. We're going to have to interrupt, we have some breaking news.
CROWLEY: Sure.
LEMON: Thank you for joining us.
CROWLEY: Absolutely.
LEMON: Fredricka, take it away.
WHITFIELD: All right, thanks so much.
Right now, you're listening to John Wells, he is the brother of Bruce Wells who was at the center of that -- Brian Wells, rather, who was at the center of that bomber bank robbery case. Let's listen in.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS) JOHN WELLS, BRIAN WELLS' BROTHER: ...a murderer. That doesn't make him a co-conspirator.
QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE) what about all the time he met with them the day before?
WELLS: They can't prove that. Have you seen evidence? I have not seen any evidence to suggest he knew these people in any way other than he might have delivered them a pizza the day before.
QUESTION: What did they say to you when you went back there, right before the press conference tonight?
WELLS: Oh, they want us to act nice.
QUESTION: That wasn't (INAUDIBLE) ...
WELLS: Well, it wasn't -- that wasn't -- it was kind of, you know, try to get through it. Well, we stayed silent for four years, and now we have prosecutors trying to implicate the murder victim to make their case easier for them to prosecute Marjorie Diehl and Ken Barnes. If they're involved, I want them prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, but I don't want my brother being used -- being used to prosecute them. I want everybody involved.
And I don't believe Ken Barnes and Marjorie Diehl concocted this whole plan on their own without any help from anybody else.
QUESTION: You think he was an innocent bystander?
WELLS: Exactly. When you have a bomb locked to your neck and federal authorities chop your head off to get the bomb off, there was no way Brian put that on himself. Nineteen hours after the bomb had gone off, the federal authorities chopped his head off to get that collar off. Brian did not put that collar on himself. I'm sorry.
QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE)
WELLS: I know. No, there is. No. My brother was not involved before. He wasn't involved in the bank robbery. He wasn't involved in the planning of the bank robbery.
QUESTION: What evidence do you have that he wasn't involved in the planning?
WELLS: Because Brian could have walked in that same PNC bank and walked out with $35,000 cash. And he wouldn't have had to do anything -- he wouldn't have had to rob the bank to get that money.
QUESTION: So he didn't know Armstrong before the event?
WELLS: No, he did not.
QUESTION: Did you think he just went to deliver ...
WELLS: I don't think he knew -- he did not know any of these people. That's why they had to lure him to the tower to plant the bomb on him.
QUESTION: Do you think he just went there and they lured him to ...
WELLS: They grabbed him -- as she said, they grabbed him at gun point. If you're a co-conspirator, you don't shoot at your co- conspirators. And if you're a co-conspirator, you don't put a bomb on yourself, after you just got shot at, and then don't tell the police, who for 46 minutes were talking to him before the bomb went off. And it was over 34 minutes before a bomb squad was called.
I'd like everyone to call their Congressmen and say we've got to get this changed, because we're living in a world of terrorism and somebody calls in a bomb call and the police are there for 34 minutes before the bomb squad is called and it's not even the state police that called. It's the FBI agent who have to drive up from Pittsburgh to ask, has the bomb squad been called? I think when somebody calls 911 and says bomb, who is ever capable of handling bombs should be the one sent out along with the police.
[INAUDIBLE QUESTION]
WELLS: I can't imagine that they're trying to get the public to believe this.
QUESTION: Is there is any satisfaction at all knowing that there are two people indicted ...
WELLS: There is no satisfaction in this because those two people are not the only two people involved.
QUESTION: What's the feeling that there is no murder charges?
WELLS: It's like everything else, this whole case has been unbelievable from the beginning. And now she says they haven't been telling us anything. Where's the evidence? There is no evidence. You cannot link a man when there is no evidence.
QUESTION: You said he could have walked in and gotten $35,000 out of the bank. Did he have that much in the bank?
WELLS: I did.
QUESTION: And he could have gotten it from you?
WELLS: Yes. He could have walked in, cashed a check and walked out of the bank.
QUESTION: John, who are your other relatives that are here? Can you introduce them, if you don't mind?
WELLS: We've got -- my mother's here, he's got three brothers, and three sisters, and his mother is still alive and they're all here. And they are all just as angry as I am. It's kind of hard to talk about your mother -- your brother who's been brutally murdered after somebody is trying to convince you that he was in on it. QUESTION: Why do you believe they want to make you a part ...
WELLS: It's easier for them because they didn't do their job.
QUESTION: What did the police say to you this morning in your meeting?
WELLS: All they said was, what you read on ABC, we are going to say that we think your brother was involved in the bank plan. Basically what they've said here. Nothing.
QUESTION: Did you know they were going to say that before you came here today?
WELLS: When I read the ABC news article today, but that's how we've been getting all our information, from the media.
QUESTION: Are you going to take any further steps to clear your brother's name?
WELLS: The truth will come out. And it's sad that these people just came on here on national TV and they're going to be made to look stupid.
QUESTION: What are your plans, though?
WELLS: They won't. They won't tell us the time because there could be an alibi and there could be video of him somewhere else but they won't say. Because if he's delivering them a pizza at 12:00 in the afternoon, that's his job. When he was accosted at gun point, taken from his job, that's not a co-conspirator.
QUESTION: Do you think your brother's name will ever be cleared after today?
WELLS: I don't know.
QUESTION: How do you ...
WELLS: It's -- life goes on no matter ...
QUESTION: It's already bad enough that you have lost him to this horrific death and now you are going to move forward with a nightmare.
WELLS: Well, I think it's going to be a nightmare for the prosecutors if they try to proceed down these -- this avenue.
QUESTION: Are you saying you won't cooperate with federal investigators?
WELLS: They haven't cooperated with us.
QUESTION: Is there really anything you can do?
QUESTION: I'd like to see their evidence. I would like you guys to demand to see their evidence. I would like you guys to demand, you know, that people in positions of power do their jobs. Those four officers that day, in my opinion, they're all cowards and should be fired. But the Pennsylvania police department gave them honors for their outstanding bravery for that day and not one of them had the intelligence to call the bomb squad. It's kind of hard to talk like this, and I know I'm getting upset.
QUESTION: John, is your sister upset? Is she up to talking and answering questions?
WELLS: I don't think -- it's bad enough just having one.
QUESTION: Will you guys be in court?
WELLS: For this, no.
QUESTION: John, thank you very much.
QUESTION: Thanks.
QUESTION: Thanks.
QUESTION: Appreciate it.
WHITFIELD: All right. You are listening to a very emotional, enraged, and upset John Wells. He is the brother of Brian Wells, who was the man who carried out that bank robbery and then had the bomb around his neck when it was detonated. You saw the press conference taking place just within the last hour with police saying that they are filing charges against the co-conspirators of this bank robbery that went wrong.
They were saying that this man, Brian Wells, while he was part of the planning of the bank robbery, that he didn't know perhaps that this bomb was the real thing. Well, John Wells, the brother, you heard him just a moment ago. Says he can't imagine that these federal, as well as local authorities, are trying to sell this scheme to the public. He says that this man, a pizza delivery, couldn't of in any way have been a part in the planning of this bank robbery.
We will have more news, coming up in the NEWSROOM, after this.
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