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CNN Live Saturday

Details on Airline Terror Plot; Coping With New Security Rules at Airports; Israeli Troops Pushing Deeper Into Southern Lebanon

Aired August 12, 2006 - 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: Here's what's happening "Now in the News."
An attorney for two of the suspects arrested in an alleged airline terror plot is complaining of her client's treatment in jail. British authorities say they are unaware of any complaints.

Live coverage with the latest developments straight ahead.

From the Middle East, two big developments today. Israeli radio says Israeli troops have reached the Litani River in southern Lebanon. That's the line of demarcation between Lebanon and Hezbollah territory. The Israelis are trying to secure more territory before a possible U.N. cease-fire.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah, said his militiamen will agree to the proposed cease-fire as long as what he calls the Israeli aggression stops.

We'll talk to top spokesmen from Lebanon and Israel live in 25 minutes.

Earlier, President Bush said he welcomes the prospects of a lasting peace plan for the Middle East, referring to the U.N. resolution. Mr. Bush is urging the international community to "turn words into action."

Cuban president Fidel Castro turns 80 tomorrow. A Cuban newspaper says he is recovering from his recent surgery. It says he is walking and even resuming some of his official duties. And Reuters is now reporting Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez said he would visit the ailing Cuban leader, Fidel Castro, in Havana on Saturday night for Castro's 80th birthday.

And welcome to CNN LIVE SATURDAY.

I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

Ahead this hour, we're following two major stories, the unfolding war on terror, an exclusive -- we'll hear from an attorney for two of those arrested in that foiled airline plot. And we're also following efforts to bring the war in the Middle East to a halt. And we're getting closer, are we, to a cease-fire?

First, new developments in the London terror investigation. British police raided a series of Internet cafes today as they continued their probe into the alleged plot to bomb transatlantic airliners. Twenty-three suspects remain in custody in Britain. Other suspects are under arrest in Pakistan.

About one-third of all flights from London's Heathrow Airport were canceled today because of problems growing out of the stepped-up security measures.

And in his weekly radio address today, President Bush declared that the latest terrorist scare is a stark reminder that terrorists are still plotting attacks against the American people.

CNN reporters hard at work this afternoon on both sides of the Atlantic. We'll be checking in with all of them about the investigation, the arrests, and new travel restrictions.

While 23 people remain in custody, no charges have been filed. One of the attorneys representing two of the suspects says her clients are not being treated properly.

Earlier today, CNN's Dan Rivers got an exclusive interview with the lawyer. He joins us now live from London.

And what is at the basis of these complaints, Dan?

DAN RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, Mudassar Arani, who is a veteran, really, of dealing with terrorist suspects, has made a number of complaints to us. She says she's made informal complaints to the police about these matters.

They range from her access to the men she's representing, saying she hasn't been given enough time to talk to them properly about what's -- what's happening to them, the legal process that's going on, they haven't had free access to food and water, they haven't had enough blankets to keep them warm, they've been cold, they haven't been able to make a phone call even to their parents to even say what's happened to them, to tell them that they're OK. And she's really been very critical of just the whole way the police have been dealing with these men and dealing with the lawyers representing those men.

Today I asked her also a little bit about the client she's representing, saying, "What sort of people are they?"

This is what she had to say...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MUDASSAR ARANI, LAWYER FOR TWO SUSPECTS: Well, they seem just ordinary people who were very shocked at what was happening to them. They're extremely concerned about their families. Some obviously, as a result of the raids taking place, the family members have been moved out of their homes in order for the places to be searched.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RIVERS: Well, the police are continuing to search those houses that the families have been moved out of. An intense forensic investigation examination of those houses looking for clues, trying to build the case to enable the police, if they think there is evidence, to charge these men.

The police, for their part, say at the moment they have received no formal complaints about the way the men are being treated. And they are awaiting any such complaints from the solicitors.

Ms. Arani herself says that she will take advice from her clients as to whether to make a formal complaint about the way they are being treated -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: And meantime -- meantime, then, Dan, how were you able to get the interview with the attorney? Why is she being so limited in who she talks to?

RIVERS: I think she's just exasperated by the way the police are dealing with her. I mean, as I said, she is a veteran of these things. She has dealt with numerous high-profile terrorist trials in this country. And I think, you know, she is used to how the system works here.

And she thinks the police basically aren't playing by the rules at the moment. That they are not giving her free access to her clients. She hasn't been able to talk to her clients before they even appeared by video link to a courthouse, wasn't able to tell them what was happening, what was going on, what was going to happen to them, that they haven't been able to contact their families. And I think she just wanted to air some of her frustration. And we'll have to see if she takes this up with the police and makes a formal complaint.

WHITFIELD: All right. Dan Rivers, thanks so much for that update.

Meantime, in London, authorities said they couldn't wait any longer before making the arrests. They say the airline terror plan was quite advanced.

Our CNN's Deborah Feyerick brings us up to date on the investigation.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was a short yet frightening intercept. One that mobilized British agents to move in on the alleged plotters.

"Do your attacks now," it said. And according to an unclassified memo from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the message was intercepted and decoded earlier this week. Other troubling signs, according to the memo, a jump in Internet chatter, a telephone call referencing the alleged plot, and two men under surveillance dropped out of sight.

British investigators have been poring over bank accounts trying to find the money trail. The security memo says a large wire transfer from Pakistan was sent to the suspected ringleaders so they could buy airline tickets.

JOHN REID, BRITISH HOME SECRETARY: We will continue to maintain our vigilance at the highest level.

FEYERICK: The Bank of England froze financial assets of 19 of those arrests, releasing their names, as required by law. Suspects are between 17 and 35 years old. Many of them British, of Pakistani descent.

U.S. officials tell CNN at least one of the suspects recently placed two phone calls to the United States. The calls were investigated, but at this time, no American-based co-conspirators have been uncovered.

Meantime, in London and its outskirts, authorities continued searching homes, seizing key items like computers and laptops. A U.S. official tells CNN an analysis of hard drives that reveals virtually every aspect of suspect's lives, including Web sites visited, items downloaded, and people contacted. Authorities are seeking out friends, acquaintances, and anyone else who came in contact with the alleged terrorists.

Crime and justice minister John Reid oversees this investigation.

REID: We will go where any further evidence takes us. We will take whatever further action is necessary. We will apprehend anyone else who appears to be linked or connected to this.

FEYERICK: The suspects are accused of plotting to blow up 10 jetliners in a coordinated, almost simultaneous, attack. Glenmore Trenear-Harvey spent nearly 40 years in British security. Had the planes exploded over the water, he says, it's likely all evidence would have been wiped out and lost to investigators.

GLENMORE TRENEAR-HARVEY, INTELLIGENCE ANALYST: When they pick up the pieces, there will be no indication of what caused the explosion. That would have enabled them to repeat this operation time and time again.

FEYERICK: Trenear-Harvey says, with U.S. and British policies so closely aligned in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Lebanon, the accused terrorists may have been trying to strike both countries in one blow.

TRENEAR-HARVEY: Because the United States is the leader in the global war on terrorism, it also becomes the prime target.

FEYERICK (on camera): So it really does send the message that these two countries are in it together and they will be attacked as one?

TRENEAR-HARVEY: Oh, very much so.

FEYERICK: British authorities released one of the suspects late Friday. They would not say who or why, only that it's not unusual. As for the other 23, they are still being held for questions pending possible charges. Deborah Feyerick, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: U.S. Homeland Security officials are keeping the security alert at red, or severe, for flights from the U.S. to Britain. The alert level is orange, or high, if you plan to fly inside the United States. Britain is keeping its terror alert at its highest level for the third straight day.

As you might expect, the new security rules are making it more time-consuming to get through security at the nation's airports. But it appears that many passengers are adjusting.

We're going to check in now at two of the biggest airports.

Peter Viles is in Los Angeles and Gary Nurenberg is at Dulles Washington -- Dulles airport, just outside Washington.

Gary, let's begin with you.

Are most folks taking it all in stride?

GARY NURENBERG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It seems to be after three and a half days now of heavy coverage of these new restrictions on -- on gels and liquids, rather, most passengers are arriving at Dulles, aware of the restrictions, and having those gels and liquids packed in -- packed in checked luggage, I beg your pardon.

However, we talked to one gate attendant who surprisingly said, despite all this coverage, many people are unaware of the ban. And as we walk through the gates and the hallways of Dulles airport today, we can find people re-packing their bags. One woman taking all of her shoes out of her checked luggage and putting it into a carry-on, taking all of her mouthwash and liquids out of carry-on and putting it in checked luggage.

We got an example of what it was like from a woman who came here from South Africa, Mallory Abbot.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MALLORY ABBOT, AIRLINE PASSENGER: Oh, we had to re-pack deodorant, which sucks, because it's an 18-hour flight. So, like, you really want to be able to have deodorant. Hand sanitizer, contact solution, any kind of makeup, sunscreen, face wash, toothpaste, any kind of liquid medicine, I think that was it. I came prepared to taste my contact solution if they needed me to do that, but I didn't.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NURENBERG: Other passengers were clearly aware of the restrictions. You could see them drinking their final cups of coffee and water before they hit the gates, aware that that -- those items, rather, would be confiscated once they got to the security point. Things here seem to be going relatively smoothly. Those who work here at Dulles say this is a relatively normal Saturday. Actually, a little bit not quite as busy, rather, as a normal Saturday, perhaps because of some canceled flights from abroad.

Relatively normal day here at Dulles. Don't know what's happening at LAX, but Peter Viles does.

Peter, what's happening there?

PETER VILES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Gary, the watchwords here from airport officials, as well, "normal and smooth." That is, things happening as they would on a normal Saturday.

The level of flight arrivals and delays pretty much all on time. Up and down the board, everything's on time, except for flights coming in from London, which are about four hours late.

The lines to check in luggage, the lines to check through security moving just about as quickly as they would any other time. So, in that sense, things are normal here. But there are two things that are very different that are worth mentioning.

First, an elevated level of security here, and it's very visible to all the passengers. You have National Guardsmen, 200 California National Guardsmen inside this airport.

They are not armed. They are not carrying rifles. They are helping the TSA check luggage that has already gone through security, check it one more time before it goes on the airplane.

Out here at security there's more TSA on staff. They have canceled days off and extended the shifts for the TSA. And the airport police here in Los Angeles very visible.

I've seen the bomb squad drive by. Nothing wrong at the airport, but I have seen the bomb squad here. And I've seen a lot more airport police than you'd normally see on a trip to the airport.

Now, there's one more thing that's worth mentioning that is very different. Airport officials tell us that rather than bringing on the check -- the check-on -- or the carry-on luggage, rather, without the water and without the shaving kit and without the makeup, people are choosing to check much more luggage.

Thirty to 50 percent more luggage is being checked in advance. So that means these lines with the carry-ons, people are not carrying on as much luggage.

They know all about these restrictions, and in many cases have chosen just not to carry things on. That means these lines are moving much more quickly. But there is a much heavier load of checked luggage, and that is something to watch in the weeks ahead. Can the airlines deal with that heavier load -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Yes. And you also wonder, for a lot of those travelers, does that mean that checking more luggage mean increasing your chances of lost luggage? Which is why a lot of people choose to carry on these days.

VILES: Yes, it does increase it. And lost luggage is a problem prior to this. But I was down at baggage claim a minute ago, functioning very smoothly down there so far. But again, something to watch in the weeks ahead, can the airlines and the airports deal with more checked luggage -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Peter Viles, thanks so much, from LAX.

And Gary Nurenberg at Washington Dulles.

But, of course, we know that overall people are being relatively cooperative about it all because it is about security, after all.

Well, Jacqui Jeras is in the weather center.

Usually we talk about some of the weather delays, you know, for air travelers. But we are looking at other elements as well.

Meantime, what is the weather picture?

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, overall, most of our travel concerns, flight delays related to weather across parts of the South at this hour, Fredricka.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WHITFIELD: Thanks so much, Jacqui.

Well, coming up at the half-hour, President Bush speaks out about the alleged airline terror plot. We'll have a live report from Crawford, Texas.

And all day Monday, CNN will show you where America is most vulnerable to terrorist attacks. No matter what time you tune in, you'll get specific and essential insight on where the threats are, what you can do to stay safe, and what the government is doing.

"Target: USA," all day Monday, only on CNN.

And this breaking news just into CNN. The Venezuelan leader will visit Castro in Cuba. Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez is to fly to Cuba to visit the Cuban president, Fidel Castro, Saturday night.

Castro turns 80 tomorrow. A Cuban newspaper says he is recovering from his recent surgery. It says that he is walking and even resuming some of his official duties, and that now includes birthday celebration for tomorrow. Turning 80, with a visit from the Venezuelan president, Hugo Chavez.

Well, is the Middle East moving any closer to a cease-fire? Find out what representatives of Lebanon, Hezbollah and Israel are saying today about the U.N. resolution passed last night.

And later, the Coast Guard has been busy along the Gulf Coast again. We'll show you exactly what happened here.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: New developments in the crisis in the Middle East. Here's what we know right now.

Fierce fighting across southern Lebanon as Israel carries out a massive expansion into the area. Radio reports say Israeli troops have reached the Litani River in southern Lebanon. That river, a line which beyond Hezbollah is to retreat once U.N. and Lebanese forces take over that area.

Later today, Lebanon's cabinet is expected to take up the U.N. resolution aimed at ending hostilities in the Middle East. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah calls the resolution unfair but says his group's representatives will go along with it.

Well, despite talk of ending the fighting, Israeli troops are pushing deeper into southern Lebanon. The military says some Israeli forces have reached the Litani River, as I mentioned, in southern Lebanon.

CNN's Matthew Chance joins us live from northern Israel with details.

And so, why, Matthew, the continued push?

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's a good question, Fredricka, because as this diplomatic process at the United Nations comes to a head -- and, actually, the resolution has been adopted -- you'd think that perhaps the Israeli would have held back on pushing forward with their military activities. But in fact what we've seen is the complete opposite. We have seen Israel expand its military operations in southern Lebanon to try and seize as much territory as the diplomatic clock ticks before the cease-fire is imposed by the international community.

Now, the latest we have from the Israeli officials and from the Israeli media is that after the Israeli cabinet meeting on Sunday, which is tomorrow local time, we are expecting to see on Monday morning, the following day, the cease-fire to be put in place by the Israelis. But up until that point we have seen this major expansion of Israeli military operations inside southern Lebanon.

They seem to be grabbing as much territory as they can, trying to deprive Hezbollah of as many areas as they can to launch those rockets into Israel so that they can keep hold of that territory until such time as another strong, robust force like the one proposed by the resolution, the multinational force backing the Lebanese army, can be deployed to take over the sort of policing duties from the Israelis. Until then, Israel has made it quite clear that it will be the armed force on the ground in southern Lebanon, making sure that as much as is possible, Hezbollah are not using those areas to launch their rockets into Israel.

Over the course of the day, there seems to have been some success from the Israelis, because there have been just 60 Katyusha rockets launched from south Lebanon into northern Israel over the course of this day, which is significant less, a significant number fewer than the amount we've been used to seeing over the past several weeks, which is closer to 200 a day. So perhaps the Israelis are making some progress in that one regard -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Matthew Chance, thank you so much, on the Israeli-Lebanese border.

From Beirut now, our Brent Sadler is there.

And Brent, apparently the cabinet, the Lebanese cabinet was to vote today on whether to embrace this U.N. resolution that was voted upon last night. You also have a reaction from a representative with the Lebanese government.

Bring us up to date.

BRENT SADLER, CNN BEIRUT BUREAU CHIEF: That's right, Fredricka. The cabinet is still meeting in session. There are two Hezbollah members of that cabinet.

We heard earlier today from Hezbollah's chief, Hassan Nasrallah, that the Hezbollah group would accept the cessation of hostilities but would still fight what it was described as Israeli aggression in the war zone. And we have confirmation a short time ago from U.N. officials here whose peacekeepers are observing the military movements of Israel in the south, and they are confirming extensive military movements.

IDF forces pushing north, ever closer to the Litani River, which means, in effect, they are going to be sitting on more land by the time a cessation of hostilities comes into place. According to my sources in New York, political sources, that will be local time 7:00 a.m., on Monday.

Now, I'm joined by the senior advise to Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, Mohamad Chatah.

Mr. Chatah, can you tell me the expectations after this cabinet meeting and what you have to say about the continued Israeli military push into south Lebanon?

AMB. MOHAMAD CHATAH, FMR. LEBANESE AMB. TO U.S.: Well, as you know, the cabinet has been in session now for a few hours, and we expect it to be a long meeting because there are important issues that are discussed. As you know, different political groups have different views on certain aspects of the resolution.

Some people feel strongly that the -- the cease-fire is not a complete cease-fire, it leaves Israel with the possibility of engaging in certain operations, "defensive operations," which many people fear will cause a protracted conflict, protracted assault. And, you know, the kind of war that Lebanon is subjected to now, it's a war basically against civilians. So our expectations after this long debate is that, yes, Lebanon will accept the international law which any Security Council resolution represents. And we want to move on to putting a cease-fire in place.

There is a resolution now, but there's no cease-fire. There's a resolution and people continue to die. And no matter what happens on the ground, Israel is moving on the ground. It doesn't mean that this will solve the problem on the ground.

SADLER: What sort of battlefield is there going to be after 7:00 a.m. local time on Monday? The forces are all going to be mixed. It's going to be very dangerous, isn't it?

CHATAH: It is dangerous. It's a very precarious situation. That's why we're saying we need to move quickly to separate, to have international forces come as quickly as possible, early contingents joining the Lebanese army, moving in, Israel withdrawing to the border.

This is a very dangerous situation. Dangerous for civilians. And as you said, on the ground we have Israeli movement. But that does not mean end to the conflict.

We've seen it over the last four weeks. Israel moves in, and what happens? The battles continue, even in the villages that Israel goes through.

SADLER: So how do you insert international troops under those very unstable conditions?

CHATAH: You start with a serious cease-fire. And then you have the Lebanese army step in as the basic pillar of security in the south.

SADLER: So you don't think this two-phased solution is going to work? A truce and then a more solid arrangement later on?

CHATAH: No. The way we look at it is the following: we are going to have a cease-fire, and after the cease-fire, very quickly the Lebanese forces, the Lebanese armed forces joined with the existing U.N. forces on the ground, beefed up in days, with additional forces from a number of countries who are willing to do that, going into the south at the same time as Israeli forces withdrawing to the border. So this can happen quickly.

We are not going to wait for weeks and weeks and weeks for the full contingent of the U.N. force to be in place. We cannot afford to wait this long.

SADLER: All right, Mohamad Chatah. Tanks very much, indeed, for those insights.

Just to add to that, in terms of a quick reaction, a deployment of troops, Fredricka, there's talk of possibly 2,000 peacekeepers being inserted into the area within a matter of days. But you've heard there from Mohamad Chatah this is going to be an extraordinarily complex and potentially dangerous move as international forces under the U.N. umbrella start moving into south Lebanon -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Brent Sadler, in Beirut, thanks so much.

Much more on the U.N. move to end the fighting in Lebanon is coming up.

Later, we'll get the Israeli perspective. I'm talking with Dore Gold, the former Israeli ambassador to the United Nations.

And later, a report from Crawford, Texas, on what President Bush is saying about the latest developments in the war on terror.

And fire on the water. Was these U.S. Coast Guard able to save those aboard this burning boat?

Details coming up later on CNN LIVE SATURDAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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