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Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees
Planning 9/11; Al Qaeda's Message; Terror and Politics; Midterm Anxiety; Border Politics; Oil Spill Investigation; Massive Manhunt; Reporter Attacked
Aired September 07, 2006 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: ... offers a chilling view of evil in action. Al Jazeera says it shows Osama bin Laden and other al Qaeda terrorists planning the 9/11 terror attacks.
With the fifth anniversary of 9/11 just four days way now, it is safe to say the timing is not a coincidence. But what kind of message is al Qaeda trying to send?
CNN's Nic Robertson begins our coverage from Islamabad, Pakistan.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Osama bin Laden five years ago in a meeting planning the September 11th attacks according to Al Jazeera. Once again, al Qaeda's network of choice for what appears to be an anniversary video release.
For the first time we see bin Laden with 9/11 organizer and would be 20th hijacker Ramzi bin al-Shibh. Muhammad Atta, bin Laden's military chief is also present for the meeting in what looks like eastern Afghanistan.
Bin Laden asks for prayers for the men who will carry out the attack.
OSAMA BIN LADEN, (through translator): And I strongly advise you to increase your prayers for them and beseech Allah, the exalted, in your prayer to grant them success, make firm their foothold and strengthen their hearts.
ROBERTSON: Also messages recorded by two 9/11 hijackers. Wail Alsheri, who helped crash American Airlines Flight 11 into the north tower of the World Trade Center calls on Muslims to join al Qaeda's fight.
Hamza Alghamdi, one of the hijackers aboard United Airlines 175 that hit the south tower of the World Trade Center also appears.
Al Qaeda has already released two such messages from other 9/11 hijackers. They're believed to have even more hidden somewhere.
And it is their library of training material they seem to have plundered for the bulk of the rest of the release. Most of it new to air, but, again, the content old. Al Qaeda doing this type of training has been seen before.
The video also reveals the partial decimation of bin Laden's inner circle over the past five years. Of the handful of recognizable leaders, Ramzi bin al-Shibh was arrested in Karachi, Pakistan, a year after 9/11.
Indeed President Bush announced only Wednesday bin al-Shibh, along with 13 top al Qaeda members was transferred from secret CIA detention to U.S. military custody in Guantanamo Bay.
Mohamed Attaf, al Qaeda military chief, was killed in U.S. bombing in Afghanistan following the 9/11 attacks. The hijackers also obviously dead.
Putting out old material it seems, has its disadvantages, providing a yardstick of losses.
(On camera): The latest release suggests bin Laden wants to remind the world of his message and his danger. But it also raises serious questions about bin Laden. He hasn't been seen on camera in almost two years. His last video message was released in October 2004, just before the U.S. presidential elections. Since then, it has been audio releases only. If this anniversary is so important to him, why hasn't he appeared on camera?
Nic Robertson, CNN, Islamabad, Pakistan.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS: There are few people who know more about Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda than CNN Terrorism Analyst Peter Bergen. In 1997 he produced the first television interview with bin Laden. Peter joins us now from Kabul, Afghanistan, which long ago was a haven for al Qaeda and its training camps. And maybe again in the future if what we see is true with the resurgence of the Taliban.
First of all, Peter, on the al Qaeda tape, is this just more taunting or is there anything more significant about it?
PETER BERGEN, CNN TERRORISM ANALYST: Well, I think it is significant what we don't see. We don't see a contemporaneous statement by bin Laden on video or audio. We haven't got one from Ayman al-Zawahiri.
Clearly, they want to mark the anniversary of 9/11. Maybe these tapes are in the pipeline coming out to Al Jazeera, coming out to Jihadist Web sites in the next few days. If we don't get those tapes, I think it's a sign of perhaps some problem, their ability to communicate maybe is a problem or perhaps even their health. Although reports of bin Laden's health problems have been overblown. But nonetheless, it does beg the question, where are these guys with the current statement?
ROBERTS: Wouldn't it be more effective to see a videotape of Osama bin Laden now rather than just this old archival footage? BERGEN: No doubt, John. I mean, that would be a real psychological victory for al Qaeda. The last videotape came out five days before the U.S. presidential election. You may remember that that push put both the Bush campaign and the Kerry campaign into a bit of a tizzy because it sort of played badly for both camps in a sense. For the Bush camp, it reminded voters that bin Laden was out there. And the Kerry camp, Kerry himself has said that it played to Bush's strengths in the war on terrorism.
So, you know, a tape that came out now, I think, would have a very strong psychological impact. I don't think this historical footage has it. I mean, obviously it's getting a lot of coverage. But a real statement from bin Laden, even on audiotape, I think, would have a much greater impact.
ROBERTS: Why do you think we haven't seen any video of bin Laden for a couple of years?
BERGEN: Well, you know, there's any number of reasons. U.S. military sources suggest that bin Laden is in a very remote area on the northwest frontier province on the Pakistani side of the Afghan border. He may just not have access to cameras or camera men.
Ayman al-Zawahiri, by contrast is number two, has released a dozen videotapes just this year. So he's been rather prolific on the videotape front. His boss, bin Laden, has not.
So, it might be health problems. There, also, of course, every time you release a videotape, you give more clues about your location than an audiotape. Even simple things. Ayman Al-Zawahiri had a videotape recently where you could see curtains in the background. Well, their caves don't have curtains, so that kind of information is useful to people tracking these people.
ROBERTS: In terms of the Taliban's resurgence there in the southern end and eastern part of Afghanistan, what has allowed the Taliban to come back with a vengeance that it has?
BERGEN: Well, I think a number of people in the U.S. military would have a one word answer to that. At least off the record, which is Pakistan. The Taliban leadership has regrouped, rearmed, the Pakistani government has proven incapable or unwilling or both to go after the Taliban leadership.
One U.S. military official pointing out that not a single senior Taliban leader has been arrested in Pakistan since 2001, despite the fact that many Taliban leaders call Pakistan their home. And there are other reasons. The drug trade, a certain amount of dissatisfaction with the Karzai government, and the fact that, you know, after five years of occupation by the United States and also by its allies, a lot of Afghans feel that they haven't seen a lot of deliverables in terms of tangible reconstruction. All those things I think play into it.
ROBERTS: NATO commanders today said that the resistance that they were experiencing from the Taliban was quote, "unexpectedly fierce." They say that they need to bring in more troops. I think there's 19,000 now. They want to bring in at least another couple of thousand. Are NATO troops as capable of fighting the Taliban as U.S. troops were?
BERGEN: Well, that was a concern, some Afghans have that concern. I think that concern is overblown. NATO is somewhat hand strung by the fact that each country has its own, what's known as national caveats. That means some countries won't fly planes at night. These kinds of caveats -- the United States doesn't have any of those caveats. But NATO, don't forget -- the largest contributor to NATO is the United States. There are American troops in the south, supporting operations in the south. And I think that the handover is being pretty smooth.
The real question, I think, John, is if NATO members keep taking casualties, will the domestic, the political pressures be in places like Canada and Britain and Holland which have got troops in the south saying, wait a minute, we signed up for peacekeeping, but this is more like a real war. Our guys are getting killed. Let's pull out of this. And I think the more casualties, the more body bags that come back to Holland or Canada or Britain, you'll see some of those domestic political pressures coming forward -- John.
ROBERTS: Well, Peter, thanks for all that. And we'll certainly be talking to you a lot in the next few days as we head toward the fifth anniversary of 9/11.
Peter Bergen from Kabul for us today.
This Monday, to mark the fifth anniversary of 9/11, CNN Pipeline will air CNN's original coverage of the attacks uncut, unedited, just as it happened. It begins Monday morning at 8:30 Eastern and continues throughout the day. You can get to CNN Pipeline by logging on to CNN.com.
The new al Qaeda video surfaced as President Bush was giving his fourth speech in a series that's focused on the war on terror and Iraq.
Today in Atlanta, the president praised the Patriot Act and said that it's helped to break up terror cells in the United States.
Mr. Bush's poll numbers are falling, but even a weakened president has a lot of power to control the agenda.
But the question is, will all of this talk about terror really help the Republicans in November?
Here is CNN's Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BILL SCHNEIDER, CENN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST (voice-over): Labor Day, the midterm campaign opens and Democrats seem to be in the cat bird seat. On issue after issue, Democrats have the advantage. Which party do Americans think would do a better job on the minimum wage? Democrats by a whopping 33 points. Gas prices? Democrats. Health care? Democrats. Stem cell research? Democrats. Well, you get the picture. Even same sex marriage and immigration. Democrats.
Midterm elections are usually local races. But focus on national issues and Democrats win, especially the Iraq war, where public opposition has swelled.
This week Congressional Democrats made their move, promoting a vote of no confidence in Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.
Then President Bush stepped in with a move to make it a national election on his terms.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We can say that if America had these reforms in place in 2001, the terrorists would have found it harder to plan and finance their operations.
SCHNEIDER: By demanding that Congress give him the legal powers to try top al Qaeda detainees, the president instantly refocused the agenda on terrorism, the issue Republicans won on in 2002 and 2004.
President Bush's daring Democrats to oppose giving him the powers he's asking for. This time, however, Democrats refuse to go on the defensive.
NANCY PELOSI (D), HOUSE MINORITY LEADER: Not only will we not be swift voted on the issue of national security, we're going to take the fight to the Republicans. The war in Iraq has weakened our military. It has weakened our readiness.
SCHNEIDER: Nationalizing the election carries risks for Republicans. The party's advantage on terrorism is not as big as it used to be. And there are other issues on the nation's agenda. All of them Democratic issues.
Moreover, Congressional Republicans may split. Three influential Republican Senators, John Warner, John McCain, and Lindsey Graham have come up with an alternative proposal for military trial procedures to the one President Bush is making.
The security issue is clearly on Republicans' minds. Their top choice for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination is the man widely regarded as a hero of 9/11, New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Democrats' top choice for their nomination, Senator Hillary Clinton. An all New York race between Giuliani and Clinton? You can bet 9/11 and Homeland Security would once again take center stage.
Bill Schneider, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS: With just two months until the November elections, Republicans are in danger of losing control of the House, perhaps the Senate. But it's far from a done deal.
CNN's Candy Crowley and John King are part of the best political team on television here on CNN and they're following this closely. I talked with them earlier.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS: John King, President Bush has done a pretty good job of commanding the news cycle. Just about every day this week. But what does he need to do to parlay that into a boost for the party?
JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's interesting, John. I'm in a Republican district in southern Arizona where the incumbent has retired. One of the candidates here is running against the president on immigration. The other Republican candidate says that he's on the ballot, not President Bush.
The wars have been unpopular here. Moderate and swing voters critical in this district don't like the president right now. So, for the most part, Republican candidates here and across the country are saying forget about the president, I'm going to try to win this race on my own.
But the strategists will tell you if the president can get up around 40 percent and get over 40 percent, at least there is less damage. The less outrage, the less anger at the president, the better for Republican candidates. But they're not counting on any big rebound -- John.
ROBERTS: At least 41 percent in the latest CNN poll.
Candy Crowley, where are the Democrats right now? Sort of early to midsummer they were looking pretty good. Are they in as good shape as they were a few weeks ago?
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: They still are looking pretty good. Not only that, they're still feeling pretty good. I think it is interesting one of the things that is really getting them psyched up is they have started taking the president on in the war on terror.
You remember the race in 2004 with John Kerry. They always sort of skirted around this issue. And now every time the president goes out there, the Democrats step up and go, we've got a plan. You know, we can do better on security. And this is not something you have seen in the past elections.
ROBERTS: The Democrats are trying to nationalize the election, make it about the economy, make it about the Iraq war. President Bush, as well, trying to nationalize the election, make it about terror.
John King, where you are, is it all about local issues like immigration or do those national issues play into the election?
KING: Well, in this particular district, immigration is issue one, issue two and issue three. The Democratic candidates do want to talk about health care. They do want to talk more about the Iraq war.
The Republican candidates right now are running pretty aggressive on the immigration issue.
On the brink of terror issue, there's a debate among the Democrats about whether to play the whole hand, if you will. Criticize the president, not only on Iraq but say five years later, Osama bin Laden is still free. Five years later, it looks like the Taliban might be coming back in Afghanistan.
Some Democrats think that's a good approach, criticize the president as being incompetent across the board. Others say let's keep it on Iraq. We know that's a strong issue. When it comes to the war, when it comes to the commander in chief, criticize him on Iraq. Don't play to the other issues because that splits the electorate much more. Iraq's a solid issue for the Democrats. They're divided on whether they want to get into the other security issues.
ROBERTS: And Candy Crowley, if both sides, Republican and Democrat, do manage to put some national issues out there, how do they get those down to the local levels where people can fight them on an individual district basis?
CROWLEY: Well what you're going to see over the next couple of months now is Republicans beginning to pour money into TV ads saying here's what this guy would do and here's what I would do. It's the oldest trick in the book, and it is one that is very effective, and that is define your opponent.
So sometimes these are local issues. I mean, you know, in a lot of places the economy really is dominating. Iraq is an undertow in some places. It really pushes other issues. But the ones they are talking about are the economy. Where John is it is immigration. So in the next couple of months, what the Republicans' fondest hope is to make this a mano a mano. You know, it's me and this guy. Leave George Bush out of it.
ROBERTS: John King, this latest al Qaeda tape, in some ways does it play to George Bush more than it does to al Qaeda? I'm thinking that yesterday he said we got 14 bad guys, we put them in Guantanamo Bay and then a day later, there's one of the bad guys at Guantanamo Bay on a videotape embracing Osama bin Laden.
KING: This is one of those half empty, half full arguments about the politics of this debate. There is no question that the president is stronger on fighting terrorism than he is when it comes to how is he handling the Iraq war.
But, again, many Democrats would say why is Osama bin Laden still free? Why did we go to war in Iraq until we had captured Osama bin Laden or some would even say confront Iran. But the president, at least in this case, can be talking about doing something positive, moving and some at the White House and some at the Republican Party think as we get at least to the five year anniversary of 9/11, people will be reminded of the goodwill the president generated in the country, the overwhelming support he had for his leadership at that moment. The question is, as the country pauses to reflect on the five year anniversary of 9/11,is that forgotten in a week or does any sense of that goodwill carry over to November. ROBERTS: And Candy Crowley, real quick if you could, if President Bush can't move the numbers with the war on terror, does he have any other arrows left in his quiver?
CROWLEY: Boy, that's his ace card. But the Republican Party is very, very good at turnout. And that is getting their voters to the polls. Standing there at the polls, seeing who has voted and who hasn't and going and getting them. And as you know, that's the name of the game, getting your voters to the polls.
ROBERTS: Just two months left and still a long road ahead.
Candy Crowley, John King, thanks very much. Appreciate it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS: The war on terror and Homeland Security will no doubt be major issues in this fall's election. Those concerns are particularly high right now at the Mexican border where one Congressional election could shape the way the whole country debates illegal immigration. We'll take you there tonight.
Plus, meet the new guy on the FBI's most wanted fugitive's list. He replaced Warren Jeffs. What got him there? We'll tell you when 360 continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: Today out in the open, in our nation's capital, several thousand people gave voices to the 11 million who often have to hide in the shadows. Immigrants and their supporters rallied in front of the capital building in an effort to urge Congress to make citizenship possible for illegals. Turnout was smaller than expected, but organizers are hoping their voices will be heard at the polls.
No doubt illegal immigration will be a major issue in November's Congressional elections. Especially in states near the border.
CNN's Chief National Correspondent John King follows one particular race that could end up shaping the national debate.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KING (voice-over): The new frontier in American politics is marked by barbed wire and pointed rhetoric.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This here is national security.
KING: Conservative Randy Graf says seal the border, whatever it takes and make clear to the millions who have already crossed it illegally, they will not be allowed to work or collect government benefits.
RANDY GRAF (R), FORMER ARIZONA STATE HOUSE: But to suggest that we're going to grant amnesty and we're going to grant residency and give them status and then follow that up with citizenship just doesn't make any sense to me.
KING: Graf's views are labeled extreme by both Democratic and Republican rivals. Yet his law and order stance is defining the race here in Arizona's eighth Congressional district, where the results could have a big influence on the national immigration debate.
The district stretches from Tucson to the Mexican border. Its history as rugged as the terrain. This is where Geronimo made his last stand, home of the O.K. Corral. And where Sheriff Larry Dever says the failure of Congress to act on immigration this year makes him skeptical of all the national campaign focus on border security.
SHERIFF LARRY DEVER, COCHISE COUNTY, ARIZONA: Paralysis, you know, the Senate is opposed to the House, and the House to the Senate, and the president opposed to everything. And if the present portends or predicts the future, we're just listening to more talk.
KING: The budget strain of Dever's overcrowded jail is one reason the immigration debate is evolving.
STEVE HUFFMAN: Hey, Michelle, this is Steve Huffman.
KING: In most years Steve Huffman would have a lock on the Republican nomination. He has more money and is backed by the retiring incumbent and the national Republican establishment. But while he opposes citizenship for anyone who broke the law to enter the country, he supports a new guest worker program open to millions who came here illegally.
HUFFMAN: You're not going to get people to come out of the shadows unless we have some sort of legal status that's got to be available to them.
KING: To Randy Graf, Huffman's position equals amnesty and Huffman's script for calls to Republican voters reflects a campaign on the defensive.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He opposes amnesty for illegal immigrants and will lead the fight to secure our borders.
KING: This race is pivotal to Democratic hopes of capturing control of the House and Huffman warns his Republican rival can't detract the moderates and dependents critical come November.
HUFFMAN: I'm the one Republican that stands between the liberal Democrat agenda taking over leadership of the House of Representatives. He's got an extreme track record. I've got a track record of getting things done.
KING: But Graf says the Republican establishment and others who label his immigration view as extreme are on the wrong side of the border debate.
GRAF: This isn't a partisan issue, this is a national security issue. And the vast majority of the voters in this district, I believe, see it that way. KING: Here in a place where the border is part of everyday life, the Republican primary will send a national message about whether tougher talk has more political appeal this year.
John King, CNN, Douglas, Arizona.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS: And when you want tough talk, there is only one person to turn to. Earlier I discussed the illegal immigration battle and the problems that Congress is facing with CNN's Lou Dobbs.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS: Lou, House Republicans said late today that they're going to try to pass a couple of border security bills before the election, but not handle the broader case of immigration. Is that anything more in your mind than just political posturing since the Senate is not going to do anything this fall?
LOU DOBBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I think that it is actually the right answer. And a right answer arrived late. I've said for some time, John, that we cannot reform immigration law in this country unless we can reform our borders, and that is take control of them.
And the fact that at least the House of Representatives is responding to the will of the people is a positive sign. It is a lot better than passing an amnesty bill.
ROBERTS: President Bush said yesterday that the most important piece of business for Congress to get done this fall before the election is to set up his military commissions to try these detainees at Guantanamo. Do you really think that's the most important thing? Or should they be doing immigration? Should they get a border security bill out this year?
DOBBS: There absolutely should be a border security bill. It is absolutely irresponsible on the part of this administration, this Congress and this government to fail to secure our borders and our ports at a time when this president is on the campaign trail because that's what it is, with four speeches in the past two weeks, talking about the war on terror and not even secure the borders. Not to even secure our ports. It is absolutely, utterly mind boggling incompetent.
ROBERTS: So do you think, Lou, and are you worried that after the election, after the heat is off on immigration in terms of what it might mean for the midterms, that the House may seek to compromise with the Senate on broader immigration reform and particularly this idea of a guest worker program and what you call amnesty?
DOBBS: I think the American people are going to demonstrate come November in these upcoming elections that they've had a belly full of lying and cheating. And failure on the part of this administration, this Congress, to live up to their constitutional duties, that is to represent the people of the United States, U.S. citizens, if I may point out, and to absolutely secure these borders and to deal with something that became a code word, comprehensive immigration reform.
It became a code word for doing nothing about our borders, permitting wholesale illegal immigration into this country at the cost of the American taxpayer, our middle class, our working men and women in this country and their families are having to pay the bills at a time when they're under tremendous financial pressure on top of everything else. It is inexcusable public policy conduct.
ROBERTS: Lou, as we saw in John King's piece that ran just a couple of minutes ago, as far as Republican candidates go, running against the Senate bill may be a recipe to win the Republican primary. But is it a recipe for winning the general election in November?
DOBBS: I think that it is a recipe for absolute victory, if you want to know the truth, John. The idea that this president, a Republican, aligned himself with the Democrats in the Senate to push forward a comprehensive immigration reform, as they love to put it, is inexcusable politics. Because, first, he's violating the will of the people. He is not fulfilling his constitutional duties to secure the nation. And I think that anyone who wants to run on amnesty, good luck to them because I don't see any sign anywhere in any poll that anyone in this country is supportive of amnesty rather than border security.
ROBERTS: well, it would be an indication that in many districts that most Republicans will run with the president on the idea of terror. They'll be running against him on this idea of immigration.
Lou Dobbs, thanks very much. Appreciate it.
DOBBS: Good to be with you, John. Thank you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS: Always get tough talk from Lou.
Congress had some tough questions for the top brass at BP Oil today. Big oil has been raking in record profits. So why didn't BP spend more money to prevent a huge spill at the biggest oil field in North America?
And a huge manhunt is picking up steam for Ralph Buck Phillips. He's now on the FBI's "Ten Most Wanted" list. Find out why when 360 continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: Putting profits ahead of oil pipeline safety. That's what some members of Congress say Oil Giant BP did, leading to the biggest spill ever at the largest oil field in the United States. BP says it can get the field back to full production by the end of October. But lawmakers say that doesn't excuse BP's mistakes.
Keeping them honest tonight, CNN's Joe Johns.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) JOE JOHNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A massive environmental disaster on the tundra, the biggest oil spill in the history of Alaska's north slope. More than 200,000 gallons of crude leaking out of a corroded BP pipeline at Prudhoe Bay. And then BP partially shut down operations to fix the pipes.
But the BP lines in Alaska carry so much oil, 8 percent of the U.S. oil supply that it caused chaos in the markets, a spike in gas prices and finally, it cost you. And what's worse, it might have been prevented.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And if you would raise your right hand.
JOHNS: Congress wants to know how it all got so screwed up. The question to BP executives, with such huge profit and motorists suffering, couldn't you find the money somewhere to keep the pipeline in good shape?
REP. JAN SCHAKOWSKY (D), ILLINOIS: BP, a company that raked in over $7 billion in profits in the second quarter of this year alone, neglected to conduct even remotely adequate or responsible maintenance.
JOHNS: One man who may have had the answers, BP's former manager of Alaska Corrosion Inspection took the fifth.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I respectfully will not answer questions.
JOHNS: He was dismissed, leaving BP's top brass in the hot seat.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: BP America's recent operating failures are unacceptable.
JOHNS: More on that in a minute.
First let's look at how pipelines work and break. Take the Trans-Alaska Pipeline -- 800 miles long, straight across the state, built in the 1970s.
(On camera): This is an old pipeline now. Is it almost past its prime?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I don't think so. I think it is in very good shape.
JOHNS (voice-over): Unlike the BP pipeline, this one has been relatively safe. University of Alaska Geophysicist Vladimir Romanofsky explained how corrosion can lead to disaster.
PROFESSOR VLADIMIR ROMANOFSKY, UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA-FAIRBANKS: Eventually it can get actually a small hole and because it's a pretty high pressure, oil can escape. And that's the big problem.
JOHNS: To find problems in the line, they use a big metal boring machine called a pig that tunnels through pipelines to scrape crud out and identify corrosion before it causes a disaster. Trans-Alaska runs pigs through its lines all the time.
KEVIN HOSTLER, ALYESKA PIPELINE: We do that every 14 days just to keep the pipe in good, clean condition.
JOHNS: As for BP and how it maintained its pipelines on the north slope, until this year BP hadn't run pigs through since 1998.
REP. GREG WALDEN (R), OREGON: BP elected to wait until 2006, eight years, to conduct another pig run.
JOHNS: And BP says in its defense that it had been doing other forms of testing and didn't think there was any corrosion on these specific lines.
STEVE MARSHALL, BP EXPLORATION ALASKA: We have increased the corrosion (UNINTELLIGIBLE) 80 percent since I've been in Alaska. We spread that effort over the areas where we judge the corrosion risk-- likelihood of corrosion to be the highest. So we clearly in retrospect, this is something we missed.
JOHNS: But some in Congress are questioning whether it was really just an oversight, and wonder whether BP was trying to play beat the clock. Keep the old lines open long enough to drain all the oil from the field without spending more money to maintain the pipes. An assertion BP denies.
More investigations next week. We'll be watching and keeping them honest.
Joe Johns, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS: And there's a new name on the FBI's "Ten Most Wanted" fugitives list. It's Ralph Buck Phillips. So what did he do and why should you be on the lookout for him? We'll tell you just ahead.
And cupped, ow, ooh. A reporter gets a fist to the face and it's all caught on tape. Wait until you hear what ticked this guy off.
It's all coming up on 360.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: Tonight in New York, a massive manhunt is under way for a man so dangerous he just made the FBI's "Ten Most Wanted" fugitives list. Ralph Buck Phillips has been on the run since he broke out of prison five months ago. He stands accused of killing a state trooper and shooting two others.
Nearly 400 troopers are involved in the hunt for Phillips, scouring the rural country side of New York state. Phillips has been featured on the TV show "America's Most Wanted." And now the FBI is hoping to get more attention and eventually capture him by adding him to the top ten list.
CNN's Allan Chernoff has more on the elusive fugitive.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The subject of one of the biggest manhunts in New York history appeared to have been close to turning his life around after spending 13 years in prison for burglary and attempted drug sales.
Ralph Phillips was living in this Buffalo halfway house, holding a steady job as a machinery repairman and visiting Daughter Patrina and his grandchildren on weekends.
Dan Suitor, who didn't want his face on camera, says his old friend Buck was delighted with his new life.
VOICE OF DAN SUITOR, FRIEND: He was the happiest guy in the world with the fact that he was able to rekindle the relationship with his daughter.
CHERNOFF: The Division of Parole case summary said Phillips appeared to be doing well.
But when a counselor at the halfway house denied Phillips a weekend pass at the beginning of the year to visit his daughter because of her concern he might attack a family member, an argument ensued in which Phillips called the counselor a (EXPLICATIVE DELETED). Parole officers kicked Phillips out of the halfway house, forcing him back behind bars.
JOHN KEAVEY, RALPH "BUCK" PHILLIPS' ATTORNEY: His daughter and his grandchildren were basically what he lived for. All of a sudden he's back in jail being told you're here because you threatened to kill your family. And that just drove him crazy.
CHERNOFF: The director of the halfway house refused to talk about the incident.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have no comment.
CHERNOFF: The New York State Division of Parole told CNN Mr. Phillips violated the conditions of his parole.
In prison, Phillips was despondent, convinced, his attorney says, that he'd be forced to serve the maximum of his original sentence, all the way to 2012.
Phillips wrote to Keavey, "I hope you and your kids will always be able to share the things that which make your lives most happy. At least one of us has it." And then he drew a smiley face.
(On camera): A judge sentenced Phillips to five additional months in prison. Shortly after his parole hearing, Phillips broke out of the Erie County Correctional Facility, using a large can opener to cut a hole through the roof.
(Voice-over): He's been evading authorities ever since and is the prime suspect in the shooting of three police officers, one of whom died Sunday.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's just such an incredible amount of tragedy.
CHERNOFF: Suitor says he believes his friend did kill the officer and fears it could happen again. How long do you think he can last out there?
SUITOR: Forever.
CHERNOFF (on camera): forever?
SUITOR: Forever. He's just that determined.
CHERNOFF (voice-over): Allan Chernoff, CNN, Buffalo, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS: More now from Ralph Buck Phillips' Attorney John Keavey. I talked with him over the phone earlier.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS: Mr. Keavey, let me ask you first of all, what is your reaction to your client being added to the FBI's "Ten Most Wanted" list tonight?
KEAVEY: Well, I'm not too surprised. In fact, I was a little surprised that it hadn't happened earlier after the -- his alleged shooting of the first New York state trooper back in June because it was known that he was crossing state line lines. At least it was certainly suspected that he'd been crossing state lines. I think they found one of the automobiles in Toledo. So, the FBI could have stepped in, I think, at anytime after that. So it did not come as much as of a surprise to me.
ROBERTS: Right, does he strike you as one of the country's most wanted fugitives? Is he that type of man?
KEAVEY: Well, he certainly -- he wasn't that type of man back when I knew him at the correctional facility.
If he did the shooting last Thursday, then I guess the actions would speak for themselves. It's a matter of whether or not they have evidence that he did actually shoot and kill that one trooper and badly injure the other.
ROBERTS: Bucky Phillips seemed to be on the verge of turning his life around not too long ago. What happened?
KEAVEY: The charge for which he was violated was that he was dismissed from the halfway house program for making a threat to slay his family. Which is pretty ironic considering that now the state troopers feel that that family has been helping him to evade the law.
But the charge was pretty ridiculous on its face because really family was all he cared about at that point. And there were a number of things that had happened before he went into jail and he bore some grudges against one member of the family. And I think what he was relating to the halfway house counselor was that he had -- at one time thought of some vengeance against this person. And then he explained to her that everything had been fine. He had actually sat down to dinner with this person. And that, you know, they actually became friends again, bygones were bygones.
ROBERTS: Have you spoken to your client?
KEAVEY: Not in the last couple of months. Well, not in the last five months. I've not spoken to him since he escaped, no.
ROBERTS: If you could speak to him, what would you tell him?
KEAVEY: I would ask him to turn himself in. I would ask him to turn himself in right now and find out exactly what the evidence is against him and really stop the carnage that's been going on down there. And the terrible burden that his family has borne as a result of his being on the run.
ROBERTS: Well, John Keavey, the attorney for Bucky Phillips, thanks for being with us. Appreciate your time, sir.
KEAVEY: You're very welcome, John.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS: Buck Phillips, the latest edition to the FBI's most famous top ten list.
Another investigation, the assault of a television reporter caught on tape.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He literally just came flying straight at me and just, boom. I mean, didn't even stop. Didn't even slow down.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: Why the bloody attack happened. 360 next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: We have seen how television news cameras sometimes ambush their targets. Near San Diego a couple of days ago, the roles were reversed, and with a violent outcome. But was it totally unexpected? Judge for yourself.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Stop.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Call the police. ROBERTS (voice-over): This ugly, brutal and bloody attack, caught on tape, is only part of the picture and the history between the investigative TV reporter left with cracked ribs and bite marks...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Officer -- back up!
ROBERTS: ... and the businessman he repeatedly confronted as part of a news story.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Turn around! Turn around! Get on the ground! Get on the ground! Get on the ground!
ROBERTS: In the end, one man was led to jail. The other, taken to the hospital. They're not strangers to each other.
John Mattes of XETV-San Diego has been pursuing Assad "Sam" Suleiman for months, following accusations by people Mattes interviewed that Suleiman was stealing identities to buy real estate. No criminal charges have ever been filed.
Their exchanges were often nasty and usually shown on the daily newscasts.
MATTES: How many people have you threatened? How many people have you threatened in the last three months?
ASSAD "SAM" SULEIMAN, ACCUSED OF IDENTITY THEFT: I don't want -- for the camera, I don't give a rat's (UNINTELLIGIBLE) what these reports say. If there's anybody...
MATTES: OK. OK. So they're they liars? Are they liars?
SULEIMAN: Absolutely they are liars.
ROBERTS: The conversations also included voice messages believed to have been left by the reporter's target. In one recording the message says he's sorry for his behavior.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I did use the word "F" off, for that I apologize. I do have a bit of anger management...anger problem. And I, uh, signed up for class this week, so I am learning to control it.
ROBERTS: But he was far from apologetic in another voice mail.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I haven't forgotten about you. I think about you every (expletive deleted) day. I'm going to wash your career up when I get done with you. You parasite pest. Skinny little (expletive deleted).
ROBERTS: And then this week, while Mattes was interviewing an alleged victim of Suleiman, Suleiman's wife suddenly shows up.
ROSA AMELIA BARRAZA, WIFE OF SAM SULEIMAN: You didn't have enough with what you aired? Stop that (expletive deleted) camera right (expletive deleted) now. Oh, yes I will.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don't batter him.
BARRAZA: Why are you doing this? You didn't have enough with what you aired?
ROBERTS: The situation quickly escalates.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Have a nice day.
BARRAZA: (expletive deleted) you. Have a nice day my (expletive deleted).
ROBERTS: And that's when Suleiman appears.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Call the police.
ROBERTS: Suleiman and his wife were arrested. He was charged with felony assault. Both were released on bail. Repeated efforts by CNN to reach Suleiman or his attorney have been unsuccessful.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS (on camera): Well, you've seen what happened to John Mattes. Now you'll hear from him up close and personal. John Mattes speaks out about his ordeal, 360, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: There it is again. Just before the break, you saw how a television reporter was violently attacked on camera by a man he was investigating in an alleged real estate scam. The reporter's name is John Mattes and I spoke with him about an hour ago about the encounter. And what led up to it.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS: How did this whole thing unfold?
MATTES: Well, that day I had done a series of investigative stories on this gentleman and his wife, but that day I wasn't looking to interview him, to see him at all. I was interviewing victims who claimed that he had been terrorizing them, verbally, assaulting them. We were putting the microphones on the two people to interview, and then out of the blue his wife comes running up.
ROBERTS: She just shows up?
MATTES: Shows up. And we've been ambushed.
ROBERTS: And then the husband comes along.
MATTES: And then the husband comes running up without any -- no indication at all. Bam, he knocks me down.
ROBERTS: Did you expect that he was going to hit you?
MATTES: I had no clue. I had no perception or any premonition that that would happen.
And then we're on the ground, knowing that he had done this to other people. He's ripping my face, gouging my eyes, biting. And all I can think of, is I've got to get his hands off me as he's kicking me with his feet. And...
ROBERTS: He looked like a pretty strong fellow, because he had not only you trying to get him off of you, but also the fellow that you were interviewing.
MATTES: The fellow that we were interviewing, a victim of his who had had a restraining order against him, wonderfully, jumped into the fray to help subdue him, because otherwise I wouldn't be alive, because his wife ran off to get the gun.
ROBERTS: Right.
MATTES: They clearly had come to ambush us and shoot us.
ROBERTS: Right. So she went to get a gun, but obviously didn't find one.
MATTES: Couldn't find the gun, so came back with a huge paperweight to smash my skull, and that's when people restrained her and pulled her aside and pulled the -- pulled the weapon out of her hand.
ROBERTS: Right. How do you know she was going to get a gun? Did she articulate that?
MATTES: She screamed, "Honey, I'm going to get the gun." And went for the car.
ROBERTS: Ah, well, that would give you an indication.
Hey, listen, John, there's a little piece of the videotape I want to play here and then ask you a question about it. Let's take a quick look.
BARRAZA: Stop this. Stop this right now.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Have a nice day.
BARRAZA: (expletive deleted) you. Have a nice day my (expletive deleted).
MATTES: Thank you, bye-bye.
BARRAZA: Son of a (expletive deleted).
ROBERTS: OK. So the wife says repeatedly, stop this, stop this. Turn off the camera. Do you think if you had stopped taping, the altercation could have been prevented? Did you push her too far?
MATTES: We would have been dead. They came -- she came with a gun. They came to bushwhack us. We didn't intend to see them. We were on private property of another people who had been harassed by them, who had restraining orders against them.
She trespassed on private property to claim that we were interfering with her life. She invaded our personal space and then threatened us and then battered me bloody.
ROBERTS: So you figure if you didn't have the camera rolling that anything that transpired after that...
MATTES: It would have been...
ROBERTS: Yes.
MATTES: No one would be able to document what I've been attempting to document, which is how this man has treated the citizens of San Diego.
ROBERTS: All right, John Mattes, thanks very much. Hope you feel better.
MATTES: Thank you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS: Something you don't see every day.
Erica Hill, from "HEADLINE NEWS," joins us now with a "360 Business Bulletin." Hi Erica.
ERICA HILL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John, investors just couldn't shake off ongoing worries about inflation and the economic slowdown in the U.S., and that sent stocks lower on Wall Street for the second consecutive day. The Dow lost nearly 75 to close at 11,331. The NASDAQ lost 12. Fueling investor worries here, some warnings from several major home builders that the housing sector is facing a rocky patch. Also unnerving Wall Street, comments from San Francisco's fed chief about the uncertain outlook for inflation.
And more worrisome news about the U.S. housing market coming from the National Association of Realtors, which says home sales will be weaker this year than previously forecast. It also says home prices will likely fall below where they were a year ago. Now, that could, of course, be good news if you're looking to buy a home and you're willing to wait to get your prize.
Mortgage rates, though, are on the rise after six consecutive weeks of decline. Rates on 30-year mortgages edged up this week to 6.47 percent. That's up from 6.44 percent last week. Mortgage experts say the rates are up because homes are sitting on the market for longer periods of time. And that this is just one more example of how it is really a buyers market right now, John, not a sellers market.
ROBERTS: And, of course, the fed also indicating that there might be another rate hike in the offing, so that affecting the stock market and the housing market in the future.
HILL: Just to round it all out.
ROBERTS: Not very good news today, Erica.
HILL: No.
ROBERTS: But thanks, anyways.
HILL: Thanks, John.
ROBERTS: More of 360 in a moment. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: That's going to do it for 360 for this Thursday night. I'm John Roberts, in for Anderson Cooper. Thanks for watching. Stay tuned.
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