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Militants Take Hostages at Pakistani Military Base; Is Surveillance of Muslim Community Harassment?; Marines' Cancer Allegedly from Contaminated Drinking Water at Marine Base
Aired October 10, 2009 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Militants holding hostages and making new demands in Pakistan. Gunshots and chaos -- it's all happening in a standoff at a Pakistani army base.
And she starred as a scientist who studied mountain gorillas. Ever since then, actress Sigourney Weaver has been trying to protect them. We'll talk to her about that.
Plus, an underground world of desperation. People live right here, below the life of Las Vegas.
You are in the "CNN Newsroom" where the news unfolds live this Saturday, October 10. I'm Fredericka Whitfield.
Is there a teachable for law enforcement in the case of terror suspect Najibullah Zazi, and if so, what is it. CNN National Correspondent Susan Candiotti is live from New York with more on complaints being voiced by some in the Muslim community. Susan, what are they saying?
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Those complaints took center stage on a very, very busy sidewalk in the neighborhood of Flushing in Queens, New York when a number of community activists are trying to make the case the constant questioning happening in various neighborhoods here after the 9/11 terror investigation began several weeks ago and again last month, that part of this is amounting not only to harassment to many cases, but racial profiling.
And among the people that spoke here today is one man who remains under round the clock surveillance by the FBI and police. He name is Naiz Khan, and he is one of the people that they are following as he is believed to be an associate of a key terror suspect by the name of Najibullah Zazi.
Mr. Zazi is a teenage friend of the man who spoke here today. They go to the same mosque. And the night before he was arrested, the terror suspect, Mr. Zazi, stayed the night at Mr. Khan's apartment. And ever since that happened, again, the FBI has been watching Mr. Khan around the clock. He says it's turned his life upside down.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NAIZ KHAN, FRIEND OF ZAZI: My personal life has been so affected. And I couldn't go to Pakistan to meet my wife. I went to mosque with my roommates. I did not even congratulate them as to tell them that (inaudible) to all of you. And I was so scared and was so nervous. (END VIDEO CLIP)
CANDIOTTI: Mr. Khan denies he knows anything of any kind of terror plot. He's not been charged in this case, but authorities continue to watch him as they try to pin down who the associates are, they say, who traveled with Mr. Zazi to and from Pakistan. Mr. Zazi has admitted he attended an Al Qaeda training camp.
In the meantime, these community activists say it is not that they are not opposed to any investigations being conducted by the U.S. government, by prosecutors in this case or any case. They say the problem they have is when the questioning turns to racial profiling and harassment -- Fred?
WHITFIELD: Susan Candiotti, thanks so much from New York. Appreciate that.
Roadside bomb blasts kill three more service members in Afghanistan. Officials say an American was killed by an improvised explosive device in eastern agencies yesterday. Two other troops died in an IED attack in southern Afghanistan.
And on the issue of whether to send more U.S. troops to Afghanistan, the White House says it wants to figure out strategy, first, then, decide on the resources. Mr. Obama met with his advisors yesterday and plans a fourth meeting next week. One retired army general says the cautious approach is the way to go.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRIG. GEN. MARK KIMMITT, U.S. ARMY (RET.): It's important for thoughtful, serious analysis by a team of professional, security- informed policy specialists to give the best advice to the president. We don't want to rush to failure. America wants to do it right. I believe the administration wants to do this right. And that takes time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: The White House says the decision on troop levels will take another couple weeks.
A peace signing delayed in Switzerland. It involved Turkey and Armenia and nearly a century of acrimony. An agreement to restore diplomatic ties and open their border was supposed to be signed three hours ago. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton among the diplomats on hand.
But at the last minute, concerns were raised about what the foreign ministers of both countries were going to say after the signing. A State Department spokesman says the U.S. is trying to help in resolving the matter.
Updating a story we first told you about two weeks ago. It involved 20 marines and children of marines diagnosed with male breast cancer. They say they got the disease from drinking contaminated water at a Marine base.
Since our story aired, more men have come forward, and Capitol Hill is listening. Abbie Boudreau has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ABBIE BOUDREAU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: These are the faces of a rare disease -- male breast cancer. Marines or children of marines who believe their illnesses came from drinking and bathing in toxic camp water at Camp Lejeune decades ago.
Within two weeks after CNN's story first aired, the number of men coming forward with this disease nearly doubled. The total is now 40 men, all marines or their children.
MARK PARTAIN, SON OF MARINE: It's blown me away. I expected to find some, but to double our number with just one story, it begs to ask, how many people are out there with male breast cancer from Camp Lejeune?
BOUDREAU: Mike Partain was one of those we first interviewed. As a result of the story, he was asked to testify before the U.S. Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. Partain was born at Camp Lejeune 40 years ago.
PARTAIN: I was conceived and carried while my parents lived on the base. During the time of my mother's pregnancy, we were exposed to high levels of ethylene, benzene, and bino-chloride in the tap water provided to my family by the Marine Corps.
SEN. KAY HAGAN, (D) NORTH CAROLINA: Mr. Chairman, between 1957 and 1987, marines and their families drank at Camp Lajeune and bathed in water that was contaminated with toxins at concentrations up to 280 times what is currently considered safe by the environmental protection agency.
BOUDREAU: Senator Kay Hagen is from North Carolina where Camp Lejeune is located.
HAGAN: My heart goes out to the marines and their families exposed and infected. A CNN piece highlighted cases of former marines and their families diagnosed with male breast cancer. Today, there are over 40 individuals of those cases.
MAJ. GEN. EUGENE PAYNE JR., U.S. MARINE CORPS: The marine corps is deeply concerned with those experiencing or have experienced any health issues. We understand there are those who believe their health concerns may be a result of time spent at Camp Lejeune.
BOUDREAU: The marines point out, however, that several scientific studies have not found a link to the impacted water at Camp Lejeune and adverse health effects. With no proven link, many of those who are sick are denied V.A. benefits.
North Carolina Senators Hagan and Richard Burr say those who are ill deserve help. SEN. RICHARD BURR, (R) NORTH CAROLINA: If there were there, that is essential to the V.A.'s side to take care of them.
BOUDREAU: Partain told CNN that would be a start.
PARTAIN: It is up to the Senate and up to Congress to force the Marine Corps to answer these questions and hold their feet to the fire when they give them the answers and make them explain their answers. That's the only way we're going to get to the bottom of the truth of this.
BOUDREAU: Senators Hagen and Burr have just sponsored submitted a bill that would give V.A. benefit to marines and their families who may be exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: That was Abbie Boudreau.
Research shows the type of cancer we are talking about strikes fewer than 2,000 men a year compared with about 200,000 women.
Watch a tsunami as it does this. Take a look right here. The waves just wipe out a parking lot full of cars. This is a view you haven't seen before.
And desperate living underground. We'll take you on a tour below the Vegas strip.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: We're going to go straight to this breaking news out of Pakistan now. More gunshots are being fired in the Pakistani army installation there in Rawalpindi. There's also reports of a hostage standoff.
Our Reza Sayah is joining us by telephone from Islamabad. What more can you tell us, Reza?
REZA SAYAH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, when this is all said and done this is going to be remembered as the most audacious and brazen militant attack against Pakistan military forces, but it's still not over.
This is a tense standoff that's now extending into the 12th hour. We can tell you, according to military officials there are four or five armed militants who have penetrated the army headquarters in Rawalpindi just outside the federal capital of Islamabad.
This incident started 12 hours ago, around noon local time, when a minivan full of militants, all of them wearing camouflage uniforms, attacked the check post outside of the main gate of the army compound in Rawalpindi. There was an exchange of gunfire, several security guards were killed.
Initially, the Pakistani army said everything was under control. But time passed and the situation hadn't been resolved. And it was only a few hours ago when they acknowledged this is not over, that at least four or five gunmen penetrated the compound itself. Now, we have a hostage situation.
Fredericka, the last time we had a standoff between security forces and militants that was this long was November, 2008, the Mumbai attacks. We all know the aftermath of that.
SAYAH: Reza Sayah, thanks very much. We'll check back with you.
We're going to take a hard turn now from reality to now something reality-based and on your television set. The hope is the Sutton family is just like yours, a typical American family tackling issues from paying bills to coping with teenage daughters dating to crime threatening their community.
It is the premise of a television drama on the ABC Family Channel. I sat down with the ladies of the cast who hope viewers see beyond the color of their skin.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Lincoln Heights, one of the oldest neighborhoods in Los Angeles, now also the namesake of one of televisions newest dramas focusing on real family matters, from teenage dating to a heart- tugging kidnapping.
The women of the cast told me with each season more reasons in which everyone, regardless of race and gender can identify.
NICKI MICHEAUX, PLAYS JEN SUTTON: Oh, yes. It's just like anybody's family. The good parts, the bad parts, how we love each other and fight. I think you can see yourself in the show.
WHITFIELD: Nicki Micheaux is the matriarch of the family. Her daughter, Cassie in the throws of a romantic relationship, is played by Erica Hubbard.
ERICA HUBBARD, PLAYS CASSIE SUTTON: The one thing I enjoy about Cassie Sutton is she just wants to be loved and she wants to love. I think it's why a lot of people tune in, to see the love that Cassie and Charles have for each other.
WHITFIELD (on camera): It's an interracial relationship, and you are also using this as a tool to help teach a lesson, right?
HUBBARD: Yes. Yes. The interracial relationship and, you know what, it's interracial, but I think when the viewers tune in, they see the genuine love that they have for each other.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you kidding? Of course I will.
WHITFIELD: And youngest daughter, a freshman in high school, is something actress Ryhon Brown can relate to, although there are challenges. RHYON BROWN, PLAYS LIZZIE SUTTON: They have given me a variety of things on the show. I have gone through being kidnapped. So those are different emotions I have to display that I haven't gone through. That's a stretch in itself.
WHITFIELD: All of these actresses coming with a range of on stage, on camera, and production experiences. Yet Michelle admits, despite the success of "Lincoln Heights," there remains this.
WHITFIELD (on camera): How much do you feel it being a burden that, yes -- you know what I'm talking about? You know, already there are going to be expectations, right? People say, let's watch the black family as opposed to let's just watch a family on television.
MICHEAUX: I think sometimes as African-American artists, there becomes a weight put on to be a teaching model. Not that we don't have teaching moments, but primarily it's for you to feel the love of the family and enjoy it, and, if we could, get beyond color.
WHITFIELD: Similar to the universal success and appeal of "The Cosby Show" 25 years ago. As the cast of "Lincoln Heights" hopes for the news of the fifth season, they have their own ideas of what should happen next.
HUBBARD: They are taking their relationship to an intimate level, a more intimate level. They are going to college, so you know, topics and situations are deriving out of that.
MICHEAUX: Because as kids grow older, it's so complicated for parents, and they try to struggle with the issues.
WHITFIELD: Just like, they hope, real life off screen.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: I loved talking to the talented and beautiful ladies of "Lincoln Heights." You can catch it Monday night, 8:00 p.m. eastern time.
Now, you heard plenty about last week's deadly tsunami, right. Now you get to see it in full force. Look at this security camera video. It's from the FBI's second story office in American Samoa. No one was in the FBI office at the time, thankfully. The tsunami, however, did kill more than 180 people. It was triggered by an underwater earthquake.
(WEATHER BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Love is in the air and in your office, apparently. How often do co-workers actually hook up? We'll break down some of the numbers for you.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: A look at the top stories right now. Figure out strategy first then decide on the resources. The White House says that's how President Obama is approaching whether to send more troops to Afghanistan.
Mr. Obama met with advisors yesterday and plans a fourth meeting next week. A spokesman said the decision is going to take another couple weeks.
An armed militant making demands, holding hostages at a Pakistani army base. They want Taliban fighters to be released. As many as 15 are being held, including civilians. Six army guards and four gunman died in a firefight at the base earlier today.
And America's roads are getting safer, apparently. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Board, fatal accidents during the first half of this year dropped to a record low rate. Fewer drivers, more seatbelt use, and a crackdown on drunken-driving are credited.
More top stories in 20 minutes.
David Letterman's admission about his relationships about some women at work has got a lot of people talking about this whole idea in general. Is it OK to have a romance at work, and how often does it actually happen?
Our Josh Levs has some numbers for you. Surprise, surprise.
JOSH LEVS, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Some people are surprised by this. It's interesting.
I'll show you the stats. I want you all to see this. Career builder did a survey, 40 percent of people dated a co-worker, and 18 percent dated more than one co-worker.
Then they looked at how they met the people and how the spark was ignited -- 12 percent had it ignited when they met outside work, 11 percent were working late, and then another 10 percent were having lunch together, some interesting stats.
The last one is what I find most interesting given what people are talking about now -- when does it involve someone in a higher position? 34 percent, and 42 percent were those dated their own boss. It's striking.
WHITFIELD: Yes. And I guess I wonder if people feel more comfortable talking about it. People find it's more acceptable now than many moons ago. Maybe not that many moons ago it was taboo. If you were dating somebody in the workplace, you don't tell.
LEVS: A lot of people are saying that. Even in their own work lives maybe 20 years ago, they weren't saying anything. But I have stories I'll share later. People said when we came out about our relationship, all these other people did too, and we were so happy to have friends in that situation.
And this survey, 31 percent, same survey, 31 percent said they went on to marry the person they dated at work, really interesting stuff.
Send us your comments and questions. Our whole 4:00 hour is us getting answers to you. Facebook and twitter, Fred is up there, too. You'll find her on Facebook.
Let me tell you, Fred, we have a great line up of guests.
WHITFIELD: We do.
LEVS: I'll tell you who we have. Robin Bond, "Esquire" a legal expert on this, and the ethics guy.
WHITFIELD: Yes, he's going to weigh in. From the ethical substantiate point, from the legal standpoint.
You talk about the 31 percent of folks who engage in workplace romance who go on to marry. We are going to have a couple with us that met at Yahoo!. They are engaged and are going to talk about the dos and don'ts and how awkward or maybe not it was for them.
LEVS: It's going to be a good conversation. We also have two authors who are going to be with us for some expertise about this.
And if you want to send your questions with just your first name, we'll get them on for you.
WHITFIELD: Perfect. Love it. Thanks so much, Josh.
All right, high cholesterol, it's a major cause of heart disease for a lot of women. And doctors say even though women know their cholesterol numbers, they don't take it seriously. One who didn't got a nasty wake up call.
She spoke with our Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen for today's "Health for Her" segment.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DR. ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: When she was in her late 20s, Erin Peiffer was diagnosed with high cholesterol. It hit 300, which is extremely high. She took medication, but didn't follow up on whether it was working.
But, then, when she was 39 years old, Erin had to pay attention.
ERIN PEIFFER, HEART PATIENT: I was coughing up this pink frothy stuff.
COHEN: Erin was vomiting blood. When she was taken to the hospital, the doctor delivered the bad news.
PEIFFER: He said you have a 99 percent blockage in your left main.
COHEN: After open heart surgery her doctor put her on several cholesterol drugs. Millions of Americans are diagnosed with high cholesterol, but doctors say some aren't taking it ser seriously enough.
Dr. Elizabeth Nabel, director of the Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health, say many women have no idea what their numbers are, and that's not good.
DR. ELIZABETH NABEL, DIRECTOR, NHLBI: For middle-aged women 40 to 60, high cholesterol is the single most important risk factor for heart disease, heart attack, and heart failure.
COHEN: A simple blood test reveals your cholesterol number. Keep it under 200. If you have high risk factors, your doctor may want it lower.
A good HDL of 60 milligrams or greater is protective. LDL should be under 100 milligrams, under 70 for those at high risk of heart disease. But again, depending on your health history, your doctor may want different readings.
After her surgery, Erin had her family members cholesterol levels checked. She found two of her children had high numbers and they are on cholesterol medication.
Today Erin still takes cholesterol drugs, and to keep her heart healthy she eats right and exercises.
For "Health for Her," I'm Elizabeth Cohen.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Rescuing orphaned gorillas. Actress Sigourney Weaver will talk about a project that has caught her eye.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: This just in. After a century of bickering between -- and bitterness between Armenia and Turkey, they have actually signed an agreement to work together.
And U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was actually in Zurich to help smooth out a few wrinkles for that actual signing to take place and help give a green light for the two countries to now work together after many, many years of not being able to do so.
Also, something else we are watching coming out of Pakistan, a tense standoff there at a Pakistan army compound in Rawalpindi. Taliban militants are holding hostages. They slipped inside after a fierce gun battle at a military checkpoint that left ten people dead, including four gunmen.
Our Reza Sayah is on the phone with us with an update now from Islamabad -- Reza?
REZA SAYAH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): Fredricka, this is not over, yet, this standoff now nearing its 13th hour. Let's set the stage for you. Inside Pakistan's army headquarters in Rawalpindi, just outside of Islamabad, according to military officials, you have four or five armed militants hold up and holding up to 15 hostages, among them civilians and at least six military personnel.
Over the past few hours there's been an exchange of gunfire. It has been quiet over the past hour.
We have information from a military official that these militants inside have conveyed a set of demands. Among the demands is the release of their comrades, some militants who had been arrested over the past couple months.
According to this military official, the military rejected the demand. Their priority is to get the hostages out safely. So, at this point, the standoff continues.
Fredricka, this started back 12:00 noon local time when a group of militants, all of them armed, wearing camouflage tried to storm the army headquarters in Rawalpindi. There was an exchange of gunfire with a check post, several security guards killed.
Initially, the Pakistan military said things were under control. They said two militants were missing. But a lot of time passed without the situation being resolved. Late tonight, they acknowledged that this thing is not over.
Again, four or five armed militants inside army headquarters with up to 15 hostages -- Fredricka?
WHITFIELD: And so, Reza, so what is the Pakistani government saying about the inability of the army to actually protect itself?
SAYAH: Well, the Pakistani government, we've heard officials, they are in damage control mode right now, Fredericka. Obviously, this does not look good for a government that's under pressure to fight militancy.
A few minutes ago, we heard Pakistan's interior minister saying things were under control. Based on what we are hearing, things are not under control.
But this illustrates the challenges that the Pakistani government faces when fighting this militancy. When you have insurgents like this going on what is essentially a suicide mission, you had a number of them die, it's very difficult for security forces to stop them from inflicting damage.
But this was not just a suicide attack where you had an explosion and it was over. This was an instance where you had militants engage and take on security personnel in an extended standoff. The last time we had a standoff like this, you recall, November, 2008, the Mumbai attacks.
This is an indication these militants are more determined, more sophisticated, determined to deliver a message to the Pakistani government and its security forces.
WHITFIELD: Reza Sayah from Islamabad. Thanks so much for the update.
He talked the talk during the election, but is he walking the walk? A lot of people in the gay community say President Obama needs to follow through on campaign promises.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: A look now at the top stories, armed militants making demands right now while holding hostages at a Pakistan army base. They want Taliban fighters to be released, but a military source tells us that's not going to happen. As many as 15 people are being held hostage, including some civilians.
And six army guards and four gunmen died in a fire fight at the base earlier today.
President Barack Obama called health care reform a long, hard road, but he sees a consensus building. In his weekly radio and Internet address, he said doctors and nurses, drug manufacturers, even some Republicans are getting on board.
In response, Senate Republicans say there is no question the system needs to be fixed, but reform should not be rushed.
A recovery effort is underway on a remote mountain in Haiti after a plane carrying United Nations peace keepers crashed there yesterday. The U.N. says all 11 on board were killed and they don't know exactly what caused that crash.
The gay community has criticized President Obama for not following through on campaign promises. He gets to address that tonight when he speaks to the biggest gay rights group. Our senior White House correspondent Ed Henry goes behind the issues.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ED HENRY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: The wall in Steve Elmendorf's office is a reminder of how much influence he carries as one of Washington's Democratic power players. A lobbyist for clients like insurance giant, United Health, someone smack in the middle of negotiations over the president's health reform push.
STEVE ELMENDORF, DEMOCRATIC LOBBYIST: The big, important battle with a lot of people with equities in it. But I think Obama sent a very clear message and the Democratic Party sent a very clear message that we have to get this done.
HENRY: Elmendorf, who happens to be gay, could be describing the president's agenda on gay rights. Very little has gotten done so far despite high hopes after the inaugural.
ELMENDORF: I think there was a lot of excitement things were going to change. I think there's impatience that things haven't changed fast enough. He hasn't done all of it, but he's only been president for 10 months. And a lot of us hope he'll be president for eight months.
HENRY: The president just nominated an openly gay ambassador to New Zealand, and with his strong support, Congress is making progress on a hate crimes bill that would make attacks on the gay community a crime.
But the gay community expected much more radical change, especially Mr. Obama's campaign promise to push Congress to pass legislation repealing the Pentagon's don't ask, don't tell policy that bans homosexuals from serving openly in the military.
KEVIN NAFF, "WASHINGTON BLADE": We need him to put a timetable, to be aggressive and outspoken. This is where I'm disappointed. He's not taking a leadership role. He's not using the bully pulpit to push our issues the way he could.
HENRY: Kevin Naff of the "Washington Blade" notes that as a candidate Mr. Obama made other bold promises. While the president does not support same-sex marriage, he does want to repeal the defense of marriage act, which defines marriage as exclusively between a man and woman.
Steve Elmendorf reminds his friends in the community that they also have to hold Congressional Democrats feet to the fire.
ELMENDORF: He's president, not the dictator. And Congress is involved in all of this.
HENRY: Elmendorf says the worst thing the president can do right now is rush issues like don't ask, don't tell with first building consensus only to see the vote fail and momentum lost. But the legislative clock is ticking.
Ed Henry, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: And CNN plans to bring you the president's speech live this evening. It's expected to take place around 8:00 eastern time. We'll carry that live.
It's a side of Vegas that's rarely seen, that is, unless you are really down on your luck. We'll take you beneath the neon lights to show you what some people are actually calling home.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: So, the "Alien" film series may come to mind when you think of Sigourney Weaver. But the three-time academy award nominee also starred in 1988 biopic "Gorilla's in the Mist."
Since that film she's been actively involved in protecting the mountain gorillas. And now a new gorilla rehabilitation center is actually being opened in east Africa. And as the honorary chairwoman of the Diane Fossey Gorilla Fund International, she's here to talk about that and other interests near and dear to her heart.
Good to see you.
SIGOURNEY WEAVER, ACTRESS: Great to see you.
WHITFIELD: Little did you know, perhaps, that when you did the film in 1988 that you would be so intertwined in the preservation of mountain gorillas.
WEAVER: I'm not surprised in a way, because the gorillas themselves are such amazing animals, and I felt so blessed to have had that several months of pretty close contact with them, and I felt it was my, then, joy to sort of help Diane and her organization continue and really focus people's attention on it.
WHITFIELD: And so 20 years later, do you still feel that connection with these animals?
WEAVER: I certainly do, and I also feel it with the people of Rwanda and the people of Congo. And now our organization works a lot with local communities improving their health standards and sanitation, education.
And because we are all so intertwined, we share 98 percent of the same DNA, humans and gorillas, so by helping the human population stay healthy and self-sufficient, we also help the gorilla community.
WHITFIELD: These gorillas are still being hunted and poached, which means you have a lot of orphaned gorillas. And that's really what this center is all about. It's called the Gorilla Rehab and Educational Center in east Africa.
So it really means that they have to have a place in which to be raised and then eventually rereleased into the wild.
WEAVER: Yes, I think, unfortunately, there are enough of these little gorillas who have been kidnapped, forced international sale, probably -- we discovered one little gorilla stuffed in a suitcase and brought from Africa six hours. It's still alive and now is thriving.
But we needed a place where we could care for these gorillas until they are old enough to form their own group in the wild.
WHITFIELD: What's this relationship been like for you, the relationship you build with these animals?
WEAVER: When you meet a gorilla and gorilla family, they are so much like us that you -- it's very hard for me to remind myself they are the animal kingdom, you know, separate somewhat from us.
I felt like I was -- you know, that's when I wanted to be a mother, watching mother gorilla's take care of their babies. They are such good parents. And the babies jumping up and down on me and urinating on me and pulling my hair, I thought motherhood looks good.
(LAUGHTER)
WHITFIELD: And then on "Animal Planet," there will be a release. We're looking at some of the images from "Animal Planet" now. People can watch this. If not, go back and watch "Gorillas in the Mist," but there's another way to view the work you have been doing with these gorillas.
WEAVER: I got to go back and revisit the group I spent so much time with. And with all the efforts of Diane Fossey, Gorilla Fund International, the group I filmed with, group five is now a group of over 50. So, it's really, you know, some groups are thriving.
WHITFIELD: This is something, I imagine, a project that's gratifying. But at the same time, when they see you, they stop you, they think "Aliens." They think the whole series. Do you miss that part of your career?
WEAVER: I'm about to have "Avatar" come out, James Cameron's new movie come out, which is going to blow all the science fiction movies ever made out of the water. And that also has a big conservation message. And in fact it's very much about respect for species.
And so, I feel like I'm kind of all the ailments are coming together with "Avatar." It's nice to be back in science fiction, but I haven't missed it because I've had other things to do.
WHITFIELD: You have been very business. I even loved seeing you in "Baby Momma," which was too, too hilarious. You talk with the gorillas and relationships and mothering and it immediately took me to "Baby Momma." That had to be a lot of fun to do, too.
WEAVER: Yes. And Amy and Tina are so much fun.
And actually I have five movies coming out starting in December. And three of them are comedies.
WHITFIELD: You are so busy. Do you love it? Do you still love the industry?
WEAVER: I appreciate it even more now because there's so much work going on. And I love being part of that community.
WHITFIELD: Fantastic.
And we are so glad you are part of this project as well, keeping us educated on the survival of gorillas in Africa.
Thanks so much. Good to meet you too.
WEAVER: My pleasure.
WHITFIELD: We look forward to the other five projects.
WEAVER: OK.
WHITFIELD: Gosh, you're an underachiever.
(LAUGHTER)
Good to see you.
(WEATHER BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Most people think of Las Vegas as a city of bright lights and glamorous show girls, right? Under the glitzy casinos, there's a side of the strip few people see unless they are down on their luck.
Our Ted Rowlands takes us into the Las Vegas drainage tunnels, home of some of the cities down and out.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROWLANDS: There are things you don't know about Las Vegas. Past the lights, under the casinos, there's another world.
MATTHEW O'BRIEN, AUTHOR: I'm always a little on edge, deep in the tunnel.
ROWLANDS: Matthew O'Brien is our guide. He wrote the book, "Beneath the Neon: Life and Death in the Tunnels of Las Vegas" focusing on people who live underground, like 43 year old Steve Dommer. Some shelters, like Dommer's, are elaborate, and, like the city above, you have to see it to believe it.
STEVE DOMMER, LIVES IN LAS VEGAS TUNNEL: It's quite dark in these tunnels. Without the light, most people would be wandering into total darkness.
ROWLANDS: Our camera man turns the light on and off. It is pitch black down here.
DOMMER: When you have done it a few hundred times like I have, you can walk down here without any light at all. If you are claustrophobic, you don't want to be done here.
ROWLANDS: Dommer said unemployment, drug use, and run-ins with the law drove him down here.
After walking a half mile through the flood channel, we reached the spot Dommer's called home for the past two years. It's near a sealed grate with light from the Vegas strip above. Dommer shows us how he survives by adapting and innovating.
DOMMER: I fill this up with the water I get at the top. Turn it like this. I get under, and I take myself a shower.
ROWLANDS: This is his prized dumpster find.
DOMMER: Here is our wonderful comfy bed.
ROWLANDS: Aside from being underneath the Las Vegas strip, you could almost call it normal. That's what Dommer and his girlfriend Katherine, who moved in last year, say they strive for.
So why doesn't anyone try to clear them out?
DOMMER: I look at it as out of sight, out of mind.
ROWLANDS: O'Brien, our tour guide, said that's one of the reasons he wrote the book, to bring the situation to light.
O'BRIEN: The history of Vegas P.R. is to ignore the bad issues. I think that's still the instinct of the city and the county.
ROWLANDS: Six months ago, O'Brien started escorting social workers into the tunnels to assist the homeless living here. He says so far more than a dozen people found housing and escaped from the underground danger of disease, drugs, fires, and yes, floods. Remember, it is a storm drain.
DOMMER: If it rains for three solid days, that water is going to get up to here and there's nothing we can do except leave.
ROWLANDS: But Steve and Katherine say the odds of that happening don't keep them up at night. It's a gamble they made when they decided to call this place home.
Ted Rowlands, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Here's what's on the rundown for the next hour in the "CNN Newsroom."
Gay rights advocates plan to make their stand in a big way in Washington D.C. tomorrow. We will tell you what they are demanding from both President Obama and Congress. It's all ahead next hour.
