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CNN Live Saturday
Both Israel And Lebanon Expected to Sign on to The U.N. Peace Resolution; Pakistan Looking For Militant Linked to Al Qaeda in U.K. Terror Plot; Interview With Israeli Ambassador Dan Gillerman
Aired August 12, 2006 - 17:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Chance for peace in Middle East. That is out top story today. I'm Carol Lin. In the last few hours, the Lebanese cabinet met, approving a U.N. resolution on a cease-fire, and Israel's cabinet is going to meet tomorrow. We have all the details straight ahead. Also, do your attacks now. An intercepted message suggests terrorists may have been close to blowing up American-bound planes.
And the threes Ls, liquids, lotions and lipsticks. If you plan to fly anytime soon, show up empty handed.
But first, we want to bring you up to speed on what's happening right now. Lebanon signs onto a U.N. agreement to halt the Israel/Hezbollah fighting. Israel says it's going to stop the offensive operations on Monday. The Middle East story, much more complicated than just that. But it's straight ahead.
And the airline terror probe widens. Officials in Britain and Pakistan are holding 40 suspects. Germany now is investigating possible links. Still no sign of terrorist involvement on this side of the Atlantic.
And terrorism charges in Michigan for a group of three men who raised the alarm by purchasing dozens of prepaid cell phones. The men all were questioned by the FBI, they're all being held in a county jail. All three men are of Middle Eastern descent.
And Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez flies to Cuba tonight for Cuban leader Fidel Castro's 80th birthday tomorrow. Castro's aides say he is up, walking and talking about a week after intestinal surgery. Now, the U.S. is not a fan of either man, accusing Chavez of being an authoritarian and a friend of Castro.
Senator Joe Lieberman is refusing to quit his run for re-election despite losing the democratic primary to Ned Lamont. Some of the biggest names of the Democratic Party have told him to give it up, but he says no. He's going to start a new ad campaign for the fall elections.
There have been deafening sounds in the Middle East conflict. They could be silenced in a matter of days, if a U.N. peace plan is carried out. Israel is expected to approve that draft resolution tomorrow. And a senior Israeli official tells -- says that Israel will wrap up its operations in the next two days. Hezbollah has also signed onto the deal, although its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, says part of it is unfair. He says Israel should be condemned for carrying out -- and I'm quoting here, "War crimes and massacres."
Now here's what the peace resolution would do if implemented. The number of U.N. troops would be boosted from 2,000 to 15,000. 15,000 Lebanese troops will also be deployed at the border. And the resolution calls for the unconditional release of two Israeli soldiers kidnapped by Hezbollah militants. And it calls for a full cessation of hostilities.
Now just about two hours ago Lebanon's government announced it wholeheartedly supports the U.N. resolution, but all this talk of peace is not evident on the front lines of this conflict. So let's go live to the Lebanon capital, Beirut Bureau Chief Brent Sadler standing by there. Brent, has there been any change on the ground in terms of tactics because of this word of a peace resolution potentially?
BRENT SADLER, CNN BEIRUT BUREAU CHIEF: No, the green light that's been given by the Lebanese cabinet came as there was reports of intense fighting in the south, casualties on both sides. Israel reporting 100 soldiers wounded. Also Hezbollah not confirmed claiming to have shot down a helicopter. There has been, Carol, in the last 24 hours, a real upsurge in the efforts of the Israeli military to push deeper into Lebanon to go to the Litani River. They've gotten pretty close to the Litani River at one end of the sector. There seems to be an attempt before a cessation of hostilities is expected to come into place to take more territory under their control as it were. Now, let's look at the cabinet decision. It was unanimous. But behind closed doors, two members, Hezbollah members, of that Lebanese cabinet, I understand, from a senior cabinet minister here in Lebanon, told the cabinet that Hezbollah would not disarm south of that crucial line known as the Litani River. Now when Fouad Siniora, the Lebanese prime minister came out of that meeting, he was absolutely specific when asked about Hezbollah's arms south of the Litani. This is what Siniora said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FOUAD SINIORA, LEBANESE PRIME MINISTER: There won't be any weapons in the country starting from the area which is the zone that will be south of the Litani. There won't be any weapons other than the weapons of the central government.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
SADLER: Now, since that statement's come out, my sources within the government, a senior cabinet minister confirming it also, that Hezbollah's two MPs told officially inside the cabinet, behind those closed doors, that Hezbollah was not prepared to disarm no matter what, south of the Litani River, throwing into confusion the whole aspect of Lebanon's support of the Security Council resolution. We do know that the cabinet will meet again in 24 hours to discuss implementation of that Security Council resolution. But at the same time, it's understood from my sources here, Carol, that this is to give Hezbollah more time to reconsider its position. Carol?
LIN: Brent, not a done deal yet. We'll find out what happens. In the meantime, we want to bring people up to speed on the latest offenses on the ground. Israel Defense Forces do confirm that Hezbollah militants shot down an Israeli helicopter in south Lebanon. And also today, Israel carried out numerous air strikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. Now, later this hour, I'm going to speak with Israel's U.N. ambassador, Dan Gillerman. He's going to give us his take on the new peace resolution. I'm going to ask him some tough questions about how it's going to be implemented, whether they are going to, in fact, get those Israeli -- kidnapped Israeli soldiers back and what indeed about this plan will truly stop the fighting. That interview coming up in about 30 minutes.
Four chilling words, do your attacks now. I'm talking about the terror plot emanating out of Great Britain. It could have been the trigger for transatlantic terror. But instead, the message intercepted in Pakistan sparked 24 arrests in Britain, and the smashing of terror cells suspected of plotting mass mayhem. In Pakistan today, authorities are hunting this man. He is a possible link between the suspected plotters and Osama bin Laden's Al Qaeda. As CNN's Deborah Feyerick reports, the global terror probe is expanding.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As investigators worked to unravel the terror plot, police raided several Internet cafes in and around London. One of them is near Heathrow Airport where authorities say some of the suspected suicide bombers planned to begin their deadly journeys. Police are still questioning 23 suspects, most seemingly educated from middle-class families. Security experts say the kind of men terrorists might try to recruit.
SAJJAN GOHEL, ASIA-PACIFIC FOUNDATION: Some of them have studied at university. They have the western social skills, good jobs. They're basically able to blend into the fabric of society and reappear at time of their choosing.
FEYERICK: Sajjan Gohel is a security expert specializing in Pakistan, a country friendly to the U.S. and Britain, but where militant Islamic groups also exist, some of them with links to Al Qaeda. Earlier this week, seven men were arrested in Pakistan in connection with the alleged jet liner plot. Pakistani authorities say one of them, British citizen Rashid Rauf, appeared in court Saturday. Investigators believe he was key to the operation. A Pakistani intelligence source tells CNN Rashid Rauf is related to one of those arrested in England. And while authorities believe that two of the British suspects met with an Al Qaeda explosives expert in Pakistan, what they don't know is whether Osama bin Laden was aware of or played any part in the plot. Experts say it hardly matters.
GOHEL: And bin Laden's propaganda machine has been very potent in encouraging and inspiring groups to reenact Al Qaeda-type attacks. So Al Qaeda central may not be behind a certain terrorist attack that takes place, but what it does, it encourages people to take up arms against their own society to kill and be killed. FEYERICK (on camera): Investigators in at least three countries, Pakistan, Britain and the United States are now running down leads. Experts say this plot can't be looked at in isolation. But in the context of plots that came before, and those that may come after. Deborah Feyerick, CNN, London.
(END OF VIDEOTAPE)
LIN: Also today in London, a lawyer for two of the terror plot suspects says her clients are being mistreated. She spoke with CNN's Dan Rivers and he joins us now live. Dan, what is she saying about this?
DAN RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I spoke to Mudassar Arani, who's representing two of the men who have been detained over this alleged terrorist conspiracy. She had pretty widespread criticism of the police, saying that she had had not enough access to her clients. She hadn't been able to get in there and explain to them what was happening to them legally. She went in there and found that they were cold. They hadn't been given blankets to sleep with overnight. They hadn't been given food and water recently. One man had been fasting for a while for religious reasons. And when he decided he wanted to break his fast, he had to wait several more hours before he was even given anything to eat or any water. So she had a number of criticisms of the way the men have been treated. Specifically as well, she was really concerned about the fact that she hadn't been able to brief the men before they appeared in court. That court appearance to extend their detention. I asked her about how much contact the men had had with their families. And this is what she said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RIVERS: In terms of their access to contact with their family, how much contact have they been given?
MUDASSAR ARANI, LAWYER FOR TERROR SUSPECTS: They're extremely concerned about their families. They have not had any form of contact with members of their families. And that is obviously causing a lot of stress and anxiety to them.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
RIVERS: I asked her what sort of people these men were. She described them as ordinary. She described how, when she went in to see them, they were -- one of them was crying profusely, obviously both of them very worried, very distraught and painted a pretty bleak picture of their condition in jail here.
LIN: All right, Dan Rivers, thank you very much.
ANNOUNCER: Coming up, a chance for peace on hold. Politicians ponder as the fighting flares.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I certainly hope that these are the last throes.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: Hezbollah's leader says we stop when Israel stops.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's so important that we use this as a reminder that we're at war.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: The GOP turns up the rhetoric on terror.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: White flag in (inaudible) means a white flag on the war on terror.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: As November nears, so do the politics of fear.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just feel like I have a tree that pees.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: If it gushes like a geyser, sprays like a spring, it must be a tree?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There's no rational explanation that I could see and nobody's come up with anything good.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: Why this tree's got folks stumped.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LIN: We've got more of the fallout now from the airline terror plot. In this country, air travel just keeps getting more restrictive. First it was lighters, and now three more "l's," liquids, lipsticks and lotions, all banned now. CNN's Gary Nuremberg standing by live with the latest from Washington Dulles Airport. Gary, yesterday we were seeing delays up to four hours because of the additional searches. How's it going today?
GARY NURENBERG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: People know that, they're getting here early. Security lines have grown in recent hours, moving with apparent smoothness, if not apparent speed. Travelers aware of the new restrictions on liquids and gels for carry-on luggage are arriving at the airport with more checked luggage than we've seen before the new restrictions were imposed. Some caught unaware are frantically repacking their carry-on bags, moving those liquids and gels to checked luggage, so that will not be confiscated, sometimes doing it on the floor of the airport itself. One lady we saw took all of her shoes out of checked luggage, moved them to her carry-ons, so that the checked luggage would have room for perfume and shampoo. She's now about to board a plane with a carry-on filled with footwear. Here is what a woman named Abbot did when she left South Africa.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MALLORY ABBOT, AIRLINE PASSENGER: Oh, we had to repack, deodorant which sucked, because it was an 18-hour flight, so like you really wanted to be able to have deodorant. Hand sanitizer, contact solution any kind of makeup. What else? 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 OF VIDEO CLIP)
NURENBERG: She actually said that was an offer that she repeated several times. Some passengers gulped liquids as they approached the security checkpoint, knowing that they would be confiscated if they didn't finish them by the time they got there. As we said, the lines are long. It is taking more time than it did before the restrictions were imposed. But word appears to have gotten out and travelers are today finally arriving prepared.
LIN: So Gary, can you imagine being that poor guy who was stocking up his shop at the airport, you know, with snacks and sodas? What's his business going to be like?
NURENBERG: At 6:00 tonight on the news, we talked to a representative of some of the agencies that sell things here. She said it depends on where you are. If you're prior to the security checkpoint, it's likely that you're going to sell less of some things. If you're on the other side, it's likely you're going to sell more to incoming passengers. Also, she said, because people are arriving at the airport so much ahead of their flight, because of the line, they're spending longer periods of time here. That means that they are spending more money. This guy is going out to get more checked baggage, first empty cart we've seen in at least 12 seconds.
LIN: Sounds like his drum set was going with him, Gary. Thank you very much. All right, we'll see you at 6:00 for that report.
Now here's your chance to report for CNN. How has the terror plot news affected you? Send, share and see your stories on CNN.com. All you have to do is logon and click on I-Report. It's our way of better connecting to you.
Now, all day Monday, CNN shows you where America is most vulnerable to terrorist attacks. No matter what time you tune in, you're going to get essential insight on the threats and what you can do to stay safe and whether the government's got a clue. "Target: USA," all day Monday, right here only on CNN.
Now, coming up, ramping up the rhetoric. Are republicans using terror as a political weapon? That's next.
And here's something you don't see very often, a boat on fire in the middle of the ocean. Wait till you see the rescue.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LIN: Checking the most popular stories on CNN.com. Is it a miracle spring? Check this out. A Texas woman wants to know why water is flowing from a tree in her backyard. It's been pouring out of the tree trunk for the past three months. A full report in 30 minutes. And peace activist Cindy Sheehan is expected to be released from a Texas hospital today. She was admitted overnight suffering from exhaustion and dehydration. Sheehan's soldier son was killed in Iraq and she's been a constant fixture outside President Bush's Texas ranch protesting that war.
British police are tracking down more leads in that alleged terror plot to blow up transatlantic airplanes. They're on the e-mail trail, raiding Internet cafes for more leads. You can read more about it at CNN.com. All you have to do is click "most popular."
Time now to check out what's buzzing in the blogosphere. As you probably guessed, most of it is over the new airline restrictions. Dee on the blog on democracy frontline.org writes, "Chalk up another great victory for the terrorists. More freedoms have vanished, probably forever." And another blogger named Defekto questions being unable to take toothpaste on flights. He says, "I can't get through most workdays without wanting to brush my teeth, let alone the duration of a Trans-Continental flight, in which time your personal hygiene becomes the business of the people sitting next to you."
All right, news also of the foiled terror plot was just one of two big stories making news this week. The other came out of Connecticut, where challenger Ned Lamont defeated democratic Senator Joe Lieberman in that state's primary. CNN's Bill Schneider has more on that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BILL SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST (voice-over): When Ned Lamont beat Joe Lieberman in Connecticut's democratic primary on Tuesday, it sent a powerful message about the war in Iraq.
NED LAMONT, (D) CONNECTICUT SENATE CANDIDATE: We have 132,000 of our bravest troops stuck in the middle of a bloody civil war in Iraq, and I'd say it's high time we bring them home to the heroes welcome!
CROWD SHOUTING: Bring them home! Bring them home! Bring them home!
SCHNEIDER: When the terror plot and subsequent arrests were revealed in London on Thursday, it sent a powerful message about the war on terrorism.
RUDY GIULIANI, FORMER NEW YORK MAYOR: It's so important that we use this as a reminder that we're at war. This is not a law enforcement activity. This isn't -- we're at war.
SCHNEIDER: The democrats' argument, "The Iraq war has diverted our focus and more than $300 billion in resources from the war on terrorism and created a rallying cry for international terrorists." Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid said. The republicans?
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM, (R) SOUTH CAROLINA: If we leave Iraq and the terrorists believe they drove us out and people in the Mideast come to the conclusion America can't stomach this fight, if that's what happens in Iraq, we have really empowered the terrorists.
SCHNEIDER: Lieberman, who is now running as an independent, was also eager to link the news from London to Iraq.
SEN. JOE LIEBERMAN, (D) CONNECTICUT: If we just pick up, as Ned Lamont wants us to do and get out by a date certain, it will be taken as a tremendous victory by the same people who wanted to blow up these planes in this plot hatched in England.
SCHNEIDER: Lamont was dismissive, telling "The New York Times" that Lieberman and the White House, quote, "Believe our invasion of Iraq has a lot to do with 9/11. That's a false premise."
(on camera): The news from London intensifies the debate over Iraq. For democrats, the news from London highlights the costs of staying in Iraq. For republicans, the news from London highlights the costs of leaving Iraq. Bill Schneider, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END OF VIDEOTAPE)
LIN: Well, some political analysts believe the foiled terror plot will give the GOP a big boost, political currency in terror. So joining me now is John Mercurio, he is senior editor of the "Hotline," the National Journal's daily briefing on politics. Good to see you John. You also did a terrific job for us when you worked here at CNN. So let me throw this out to you, the senate race in Connecticut became political fodder even to the point where the White House spokesman, the man who speaks for the president, had this to say about that race.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TONY SNOW, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Now, when the United States walked away, in the opinion of Osama bin Laden in 1991, Bin Laden drew from that the conclusion that Americans were weak and wouldn't stay the course, and that led to September 11th.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
LIN: All right, him talking about Lieberman's support of the war, Ned Lamont's opposition to the war, which many believe is one of the positions that helped him win in this primary race. But what does that say to you when the White House spokesman is talking in the politics of the war on terror? What does that say about what the GOP is hoping for this fall?
JOHN MERCURIO, SR. EDITOR, NATIONAL JOURNAL'S "THE HOTLINE": It tells you that the GOP is hoping for the exact same thing that they hoped for in 2002 and 2004. Ever since 9/11, the politics -- the issue of national security and terrorism has been the most reliable issue for republicans going into difficult election years. In 2002 it helped them take back the Senate, in 2004 it helped President Bush win back a - win a very, very tough re-election campaign. Now Karl Rove said very recently that national security -- and this was before the London plot was hatched -- that national security would be the issue that republicans -- that would win on again, in 2006. Now, democrats have been -- they were fooled in 2002. They were fooled in 2004. John Kerry lost despite a very aggressive effort and I think democrats at this point want to make -- or are trying to make a better effort at separating the issue of the war in Iraq and national security, which they don't believe are directly related, the war on terror.
LIN: Well, look at these arrests that went down in London. I mean, this London terror plot. How is that going to translate in the GOP elections come this November? Because it's another got 'em story, right? We got 'em, we're keeping you safe, you know we're staying strong on terror.
MERCURIO: Right, and that's what republicans are saying. They're saying look, there remains significant credible threats out there against the United States, and that's why we have a domestic wiretapping program, and that's why the president has initiated other sort of controversial programs that he believes keeps America safe. Now, democrats want to try to sort of refocus the issue onto Iraq, sort of focus everybody's -- the voters' attention on whether or not we're progressing in Iraq and whether or not the nation's resources are being drained and re-distracted because of the war.
LIN: So does this make more of a case for wiretapping average citizens, listening in on conversations, monitoring e-mails of the average citizen?
MERCURIO: Well, I think that's a very interesting question and I think a lot of democrats are going to have to answer that exact question, whether or not the issue of wiretapping, whether or not sort of a lot of administrations, other controversial programs are worth fighting in a campaign year when voters at this point are going to be so focused on national security and terror.
LIN: So how the democrats do it? How do the democrats look like yes, they care whether a terrorist strikes in your town, and at the same time, preserving civil liberties?
MERCURIO: Well I think they need to -- as I said, they need to focus on the issue of Iraq, they need to focus on the issue of whether this war is worth fighting or whether it's draining the resources that the country needs in order to be focusing more on the broader war on terror, Hezbollah and Al Qaeda. I think they need, as I said over the past 48 to 72 hours, they want the administration to adhere to some of the 9/11 -- the bipartisan 9/11 commission's recommendations which so far the White House has failed to do. But it's a very, very tricky road, I think, for a lot of democrats. The Democratic Party still dating back to Vietnam is viewed as -- at least a faction of it is viewed as very, very antiwar. LIN: Well John, three more months till the election. We'll see what happens. John Mercurio, great to see you.
MERCURIO: Great to see you, too.
LIN: Want to bring some live pictures to our audience right now out of San Francisco. You're looking at these aerials in the fifth and market area of San Francisco. This is an anti-Israel demonstration, very pro-Lebanese. These are being organized in a variety of cities across the country. The Jewish community has come out -- the Jewish Community Council actually sent out a DVD entitled "Hate on the Streets of San Francisco", to counter these demonstrations. So these demonstrations already drawing fire as members of the Jewish community say that these organizers are supporting war and tolerating hate. Controversy right there.
In the meantime, if you're planning to fly soon, prepare yourself. Long lines are going to wait for you. Up next, we check in at LAX to see if it is as bad as we all think.
And a simple technology with a disastrous impact, the science behind liquid explosives. So stay with us on that.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LIN: A quick check of the headlines. British police raid Internet cafes in their search for evidence in the alleged airline terror plot. They're also investigating possible links to a terror operative in Pakistan.
And the Lebanese Cabinet has unanimously approved a UN Security Council resolution designed to end the fighting in the Middle East. The Israeli Cabinet is expected to consider the resolution tomorrow.
And the oil company, BP, will keep operating some of its pipelines while it replaces others and cleans up a recent spill in Alaska. BP found leaks and corrosion inside a stretch of the busy Trans-Alaskan pipeline.
And the P.C. reaches a milestone. IBM launched the first personal computer back on this date in 1981. It had a 64k memory and cost more than $4,000. Keeping you informed. CNN, the most trusted name in news.
More on the terror plot and the reaction. U.S. officials reacted quickly to the alleged London terror plot. Governors, for example, in Massachusetts and California deployed the National Guard to their major airports. And the troops are being used to help with security. Our Peter Viles in Los Angeles with a look at how security is working at LAX. Can you see it at work, Peter? Is it pretty obvious?
PETER VILES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you can't see the guard from where I am, Carol, they're inside security and they're at the gates helping check luggage that has already been checked once to make sure that nobody's trying to sneak a cup of coffee or a bottle of water on a plane. But things here running smoothly and very normally. There is extra TSA staff, police and the National Guard.
And traffic is normal. So the result is waits are actually a little shorter than they would be. We wanted to speak to a traveler in line. There is no line. We did find a woman that would wait to speak to us. Janis Curry traveling home to Dallas after a week vacationing in Los Angeles. What's your sense of how it's working here at the airport?
JANIS CURRY, TRAVELER: It's been great. We walked right up to the check counter, the ticket counter, checked our baggage. We did have to bring it over here to have it inspected, but there were about two people in front of us. So it's been wonderful.
VILES: And when you packed to go home to Texas, did you pack differently? I know you're traveling with your teenage daughter. There is a certain amount of cosmetics involved with that. How did you pack differently?
CURRY: Well, coming here, we carried all of our toiletry items on. So of course we had to repack and check all of those.
VILES: So you checked them.
CURRY: We did check them, but that's no problem at all.
VILES: And in general, did the idea there had been this terror threat, did it change your approach to flying at all, or did you say, we're going home?
CURRY: No, not really. The only thing I was concerned with was the lines, getting here early. And we did get here about two hours early. Like I said, we were here in plenty of time.
VILES: Got plenty of time for lunch here in Los Angeles.
CURRY: Exactly. I hope so.
VILES: Well, thank you for speaking with us.
That is Janis Curry going home to Dallas after a week out here and didn't have to wait in line at all, Carol. The only thing she had to wait for, she had to wait 10 minutes to speak with us on CNN. Very normal here, very smooth here. There is extra security. And that may be helping. The traffic is normal. None of the flights are delayed except for flights arriving from London. When we got here, they were four hours late, now they are only two and a half hours late. So even that situation appears to be improving somewhat.
Carol?
LIN: I hear some of that security behind you, Peter, the dogs at work. Thanks very much, Peter Viles reporting at LAX.
All right. Well, let's see if there are other delays, weather, terrorists or otherwise around the country. CNN's Jacqui Jeras working at the CNN weather center. Jacqui? JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hey, Carol. So far, so good. We've had some delays throughout the afternoon, but at this hour, we're being looking free. Showers and thunderstorms have been spotted across the Southeast, but now they're predominantly in southern parts of Georgia here, and they've also started to make their way off the coast. That's all some good news. But we do have some cloudy conditions and thunderstorms elsewhere across the country that could cause some delays later on.
We head west along I-10, we've got some spotty showers moving in across New Orleans. That will be an area to watch as we head throughout the rest of the afternoon and evening. Dallas-Ft. Worth, you're doing OK right, but you can see just off to the west, there are showers and thunderstorms that are going to be heading your way. So a few hours from now, you may have trouble. Reported from the FAA, doing okay in Denver, but you see we've got overcast conditions and thunderstorms, strong especially from the east. If you're coming in from the east into the Denver area, you may be a little late rerouting around some of those thunderstorms.
And we have severe weather across parts of the Upper Midwest at this hour. Minneapolis, it's fine now, but this severe weather is headed to your neighborhood later on tonight and into tomorrow. So we're expecting delays on your Sunday because of weather from Minneapolis down towards Sioux Falls, possibly into Albuquerque into Dallas, Little Rock, extending into Atlanta again and the Carolinas. But looking good at some of the busier areas like L.A. and into the Northeast. Carol?
LIN: All right. Good news. Thanks, Jacqui.
JERAS: Mm-hmm.
LIN: All right. This week's alleged terror plot was the first time most people had ever heard of liquid explosives. But liquid explosives have been around for a while. And they are surprisingly simple to create. CNN's Seth Doane reports from London.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SETH DOANE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It doesn't take much to make a powerful blast. Dr. Sidney Alford, an explosives expert, shows what's left from a bomb made of liquid components.
SIDNEY ALFORD, ALFORD TECHNOLOGIES: It was a very violent explosion. It's an explosion characteristic of what is called a high or a detonating explosive.
DOANE: But you didn't use much liquid. It wasn't big.
ALFORD: I used about 20 grams.
DOANE: At a testing range, he demonstrates the power and relative simplicity behind making a bomb from liquids that on their own are pretty harmless.
ALFORD: I've now converted a pretty innocuous, albeit inflammable liquid into a quite easily initiated high explosive.
DOANE: Setting up to detonate remotely, he says ignition can come from a simple charge, a key fob or camera battery.
(on camera): How does having a suicide bomber change the equation when it comes to detonating a bomb?
ALFORD: It makes it much easier to set the bomb off. He doesn't depend upon a timer. He doesn't depend upon an altimeter. He doesn't depend upon transmission from the ground or via satellite. He could take a match and light a fuse.
DOANE (voice-over): Measuring liquids back at his laboratory, Dr. Alford is careful not to give us the exact ingredients required to make a bomb. He says simply that they're easy to obtain, and the results can be deadly.
(on camera): Is this something I could walk into a store and buy what would be needed to make a liquid explosive?
ALFORD: You might have to go to a rather specialized store for some of the components. But the simple answer is yes.
DOANE: This isn't new technology. In 1995, authorities uncovered a plot by Ramzi Yousef to use liquid explosives to blow up U.S. airliners over the Pacific Ocean. While checked baggage is screened extensively for the markers of solid explosives, liquid in hand carry luggage is much more difficult to detect.
ALFORD: There aren't many chunks of solid material likely to occur in passengers' luggage which have a good reason to be there. One could think of bars and soap and so on, but not very many. But there's such a variety of liquids which most people are closely associated with.
DOANE: So airports in Europe and North America are cracking down on all liquids that could be carried on board, masking something dangerous. Liquids that are odorless and colorless and that might be combined and cause a potentially catastrophic explosion. Seth Doane, CNN, London.
LIN: Want to get back to our other top story. Thirty-two days of fighting in the Middle East, and it could all be over in a matter of days if a UN peace plan is carried out. The Lebanese government just hours ago and Hezbollah approve the draft resolution today. Israel is expected to pass it tomorrow. A senior Israeli official tells CNN Israel will wrap up its operations sometime in the next two days.
Now, here's what the peace resolution will do if implemented. The number of UN troops will be boosted from 2,000 to 15,000. And 15,000 Lebanese troops will also be deployed at the border. The resolution calls for the unconditional release of two Israeli soldiers kidnapped by Hezbollah militants. And it calls for a full cessation of hostility. Joining us now from New York, Dan Gillerman, he is Israel's ambassador to the United Nations. Mr. Ambassador, a short time ago a senior Lebanese minister told us that two Hezbollah ministers in the cabinet announced during that meeting that the militant group refuses to disarm south of the Litani River. If so, how will Israel respond?
DAN GILLERMAN, ISRAELI AMBASSADOR TO THE UN: Well, I think if that happens it will be a tragedy for Lebanon. Lebanon has an opportunity, maybe its last opportunity, to rid itself of this monster that has strangled it for years and of the terror that this has done.
LIN: But if that happens, in effect, how will the Israeli cabinet respond to this tomorrow, taking up this resolution? Will it pass the resolution?
GILLERMAN: Well, the Israeli Cabinet, I expect, will pass the resolution and abide by the will of the Security Council.
LIN: But it sounds like it would be a dead deal if Hezbollah does not surrender south of the Litani River.
GILLERMAN: Well, you know, at the end of the day, the resolution is really just a piece of paper. The real test of the resolution is its implementation. We had an excellent resolution two years ago in 1559 which demanded exactly the same, that Hezbollah be disarmed and the Lebanese forces are deployed in southern Lebanon. That did not happen, which is exactly why we find ourselves in this very dire situation.
This resolution gives Lebanon another opportunity. And as I said, this may very well be the last opportunity. So if Lebanon takes it, I believe that the resolution could be implemented, and we could find ourselves in a new reality. If it doesn't, we will have to finish the job and make sure that this terror organization, which has taken Lebanon hostage and is threatening in Israel, is actually removed from our midst.
LIN: Well, Mr. Ambassador, how do you expect to get the return of the Israeli soldiers?
GILLERMAN: Well, the resolution also specifically says that the two Israeli soldiers, Udi Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, have to be released immediately and unconditionally. And I expect the international community to see to it that this is done as part of the political settlement and the implementation of resolution 1701, which was taken yesterday unanimously. I hope to have our boys back home very soon and very quickly because they are actually what triggered this whole thing. And their safe return may bring it to an end.
LIN: Mr. Ambassador, during this interview, another word came in that yet another Israeli soldier has been killed. Around 100 Israeli soldiers have died in the fighting in the last 32 days. Would you say that this war has been worth it?
GILLERMAN: Well, nothing is worth the life of even one Israeli or one person. Certainly not 100. But at the same time, a democratic state has to defend itself against terror, a horrible, global terror which is threatening the whole world. The plot you are talking about now which was mercifully averted by the mercy of God and the alertness of the British security services would have kill thousands of people.
These people, the ones who perpetrated that plot, are the same people we're fighting. So the price is horrendous for Israel. The price is very, very painful. But we must do it. We must do it because we must make Israel safe, and we must make the world safe. And the war we are fighting is not just for our sake but for the sake of the whole free world. And what we saw over the last few days, this horrible, horrible plot is just another manifestation of the kind of danger and the kind of people we're actually fighting.
LIN: Ambassador Gillerman, we are going to have to leave it there. But thank you very much for your time. We'll see what the Israeli cabinet does tomorrow.
GILLERMAN: Thank you very much.
LIN: Appreciate it.
Coming up, nothing is quite as dangerous as a fire at sea, but take a look at these pictures. The dramatic rescue attempt straight ahead.
And it's not quite a fire extinguisher, but this tree does its share of spraying water. Yep, a tree that sprays water. The tree stumper that's got neighbors scratching their heads coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LIN: Take a look at this. A fire at sea off the coast of Louisiana. Crews are on board the research vessel had to abandon that ship. Coast Guard crews came by to rescue by boat and by air. And one pilot tells our Sean Callebs how the rescue unfolded.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Rescue helicopter pilots saw the smoke from 15 miles away. And on a calm afternoon in the gulf say the Odyssey Voyager, a 175-foot research ship, stuck out like a sore thumb.
LT. COMMANDER OLAV SABOE, U.S. COAST GUARD: Just seeing the billowing smoke coming out and even some flames coming out of a hatch, we knew it was a pretty dire situation.
CALLEBS: Lieutenant Commander Olav Saboe had been on a routine training flight when he got the emergency distress call. Sketchy information that a ship was on fire and the fate of the 40 people on board was unknown. Luckily, he says, the Coast Guard cutter the Pelican was only a half mile away from the Odyssey Voyager.
SABOE: By the time we arrived on scene, the captain of the research vessel had given the abandon ship order. So all of his personnel, all 40 people, were in rafts, floating around the burning vessel.
CALLEBS: So teams fought the fire while plucking crew members and scientists from the life rafts.
(on camera): Two people were injured in the fire. They suffered severe smoke inhalation and one suffered cuts to the arm fighting his way to the front of the ship trying to put out the fire.
The way they were rescued, this basket in the back of the helicopter was lowered down onto the deck of a ship. The injured were brought up, then flown back here to this air station, then rushed by ambulance to a local hospital.
(voice-over): This is the station that flew countless missions in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Lieutenant Commander Saboe himself rescued 143 people in the days after the levees broke. Each year this Coast Guard division flies about 330 rescue missions, and that experience paid off here.
SABOE: Anytime you have a fire on a vessel, you never know quite what is -- you know, what's burning, what kind of chemicals they've got on board.
CALLEBS: The ship continued to burn for hours. And even with 25,000 gallons of diesel fuel aboard, and the many oxygen tanks for research divers the fire was eventually controlled. Sean Callebs, CNN, New Orleans.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LIN: Want to show you some other stories across America right now. Firefighters in Nevada are battling a nasty blaze in the Sierra foothills. Flames came within 100 feet of a subdivision near Reno Friday. Now, if the winds pick up again, 50 homes could be at risk. The fire started yesterday and has burned more than nine square miles.
And it has Texas residents stumped. A red oak tree is watering itself. For months water has been pouring from the tree's trunk. And even experts are baffled. Adam Kruger with affiliate KABB has that story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LLOYD POPE, TREE OWNER: I don't know what it is. I really don't.
ADAM KRUGER, KABB-TV CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Lloyd Pope is not alone in being puzzled about a tree in his backyard that looks like, well, he puts it best.
LLOYD: I'd be saying I have a tree that pees, you know.
KRUGER: Water has been shooting out of the side of the tree nonstop for several months. Word has spread of the mysterious watering tree, and now random people are dropping by for a look and a taste. POPE: Yeah, all of a sudden ...
KRUGER: What do you plan on doing about that?
POPE: I'm going to start charging. That's what I'm going to do.
KRUGER: OK, so it's just water coming out of a tree. You'd think there would be an explanation by now, but so far officials are stumped.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There's no rational explanation that I can see. Nobody's come up with anything good.
KRUGER: Residents are weighing in with their opinions, but they're left scratching their heads as well.
POPE: You will see evidence of water around here if you had underground water. I mean if there were a pipe ...
KRUGER: So where is the water coming from and why is it spitting out of this tree? The mystery remains unsolved. Perhaps the answer comes from a higher power.
POPE: Anything can happen through the power of God. Anything happens from God.
KRUGER: Adam Kruger, fox news at 9:00.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You'd like to think that somebody knows what they're doing and this must be necessary. But I don't think you can blow up a plane with blush.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LIN: All right. The frustrations. The restrictions and the long lines. Leave it to CNN's Jeanne Moos to find a little humor in all of it. You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LIN: Well, the new no liquids rule has created a new headache for air travelers. Lip gloss, perfume, high end toiletries worth a small fortune are ending up in the trash. And mounds and mounds are piling up at airports nationwide. Some passengers are miffed, and some are just taking it in stride. But all are handing over the items. Here's CNN's Jeanne Moos on our liquid-free skies.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Remember when you first had to surrender scissors? Then you had to take off your shoes. And now ... UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Lotions, mouthwash
MIDLAND: The scope has widened.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hair gels, cologne, perfumes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Soda pop. Are not allowed.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No liquid items are allowed on the plane today.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Put it in your checked bag. Otherwise it will be confiscated and you've been warned.
MOOS: At times it was like putting items from your medicine cabinet on display.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hairspray they took from me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When you're bald and you don't need a whole lot of soap, it doesn't matter.
MOOS: Some items left passengers puzzled.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Deodorant? I don't know. It's kind of a half liquid, half solid.
MOOS: This lady at Newark Airport figures she dumped $50 worth of stuff.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I feel terrible. But it's for my safety.
MOOS: While at Phoenix ...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Eighty bucks worth of makeup. That hurt.
MOOS: There's nothing liquid about foot powder.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think that's OK.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a spray.
MOOS: Passengers giveth ...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have expensive cologne.
MOOS: Airport security taketh away.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The thing I've gotten is some olive oil.
MOOS: The emblematic items, the new nail clipper, if you will.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Lip gloss has to go.
MOOS: That's right, liquid lip gloss from Atlanta to Newark, women surrendered their lip gloss, but not before applying a new coat and offering some to security. Some dumping toiletries and makeup. Couldn't make up their minds about whether it was really necessary.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You know, you'd like to think that somebody knows what they're doing and that this must be necessary. But I don't think you can blow up a plane with blush.
MOOS: Still, we heard very few really angry complaints.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everybody is complying with everything. Especially liquids.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Who wants to die?
MOOS: When you put it like that, it's easy to kiss your lip gloss good-bye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Bye.
MOOS: Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LIN: More on the investigation into the alleged terror plot straight ahead.
Plus, how the threat could affect airport vendors' bottom lines.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LIN: This is CNN LIVE SATURDAY. Your link to the world, the Web and what's happening right now. I'm Carol Lin. Straight ahead in this hour, Lebanon agrees to a UN resolution but with a few reservations. Is there an end in sight to the Middle East crisis?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Will Hezbollah eventually disarm?
FOUAD SINIORA, LEBANESE PRIME MINISTER: I mean, actually, what you are interested -- you're interested in the final results, isn't it? The final result is that they want to be ...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LIN: The Lebanese prime minister there. While Lebanon discusses disarmament, Hezbollah takes down an Israeli helicopter. After weeks of fighting, can both sides really maintain a long-lasting cease-fire? My guest is going to answer that question.
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