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CNN Newsnight Aaron Brown

Deadly Terrorist Attack Near Tel Aviv Kills 15; Sharon Returns to Israel After Meeting With Bush

Aired May 07, 2002 - 22:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

ARIEL SHARON, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: Those who call for millions of martyrs are guilty. Those who constantly incite are guilty. Those who fund terrorism are guilty. Those who launch terrorism are guilty. Guilty. To anyone who tries to blackmail Israel into making concessions, either big or small through the weapon of terror and fear or tries the blackmail the state of Israel through sowing fear, I say today, Israel will not surrender to blackmail. Israel will not surrender to blackmail. He who lines up to kill us, we will preempt it and kill him first.

As we have proven, there is no, and there never will be any shelter for terrorists, their abettors, or dispatchers, and all those who are engaged in terrorism. There is no and there never will be any shelter for evil.

Israel will act the same as any democracy to protect itself. Israel will act like any other democracy, which fights the process of darkness. Israel will continue to uproot the terror infrastructure.

Operation Defense Shield was vital and important in the dismantling of the terror infrastructure. The operation has yielded tremendous achievements but our work is not done. The battle continues and will continue until all those who believe that they can make gains through the use of terror will cease to exist, will cease to exist.

Israel will act strongly. I depart now to Israel with a heart and with grief and heavy with rage, the rage of every man and woman in Israel, the rage of each and every Jew in the world, the rage of all those who share our values, freedom, liberty and democracy.

Israel will fight for these values. Israel will fight anyone who tries to threaten these values. Israel will fight anyone who tries through suicide terrorism to sow fear. Israel will fight. Israel will triumph, and when victory prevails, Israel will make peace. Thank you.

AARON BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon at the Madison Hotel in Washington, an angry speech. We're just waiting to see if he's going to take questions now before he heads back to Jerusalem, having cut his trip short after the suicide attack outside Tel Aviv late today.

OK, Jerrold Kessel is with us. He is outside Tel Aviv and he can help with the translation. Jerrold, go ahead if you can hear us.

JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thanks, Aaron.

BROWN: Stay with us.

KESSEL (translating for Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon): We can not continue to see what we have seen now happening. We will not be able to continue with such a thing.

BROWN: The questions are coming from Israeli reporters and by and large they will ask their questions in Hebrew. If you just joined us, the Prime Minister gave a short but very angry, animated speech. He's about to answer here. Jerrold Kessel will help us with the translation as we go. We seem to be having a bit of a problem with a microphone.

KESSEL (translating for Sharon): We have seen no sign of change whatsoever in the actions of the Chairman of the Palestinian Authority towards terror. The fact that no order given, no instruction given, no order given to act against him. Therefore, despite all the attempts that we have made and my personal wish to wish as fast as possible to reach peace, it is clear to us that he stands at the head of terror, who has established a coalition of terror, who has chosen a strategy of terror and to establish nothing, not a single step to try to prevent terror. We hold him responsible even if it was carried out by this organization or that organization.

BROWN: The "him" in that is a reference to Yasser Arafat. The responsibility for the attack is being claimed by Hamas. The prime minister saying in effect, it doesn't matter who claims responsibility, Arafat ultimately is responsible.

Again, this is going on at the Madison Hotel in Washington. Prime Minister Sharon expected to board a plane shortly and head back home to Israel, after this terrible attack late this afternoon East Coast time, late into the night in Tel Aviv.

KESSEL (translating for Sharon): What I have to say, I will say at the convening of the cabinet ministers tomorrow morning and there things will be said and their decisions will be taken. It's only natural that I should not detail here what will be my proposal, and I'm not clear yet what will be the decision.

I would say that being top people in the different part of the coalition will meet and make their decision, and so therefore I will not answer with respect to that question. There is no room for further elaboration of what I've had to say.

I must say that President Bush was shocked when the news came. He was shocked, and I must say that he expressed his deep sorrow and regarded this as the most serious development, especially in light of the attempts that Israel is making in an attempt to reach some kind of settlement. Of course, I never discussed with the President or with the Vice President what Israel would do, but I did say to the Vice President that this is not the kind of actions that Israel could not respond to in the most serious way.

With regard to the question, the subject of the creation of a Palestinian State, this subject did not come up in our conversation and I was asked to send a question in the press conference afterwards, and I responded by saying that the time is not yet, the time has not yet come, the time has not yet arrived to deal with this subject.

I explained the steps which we would take in the direction of the need for reforms in the Palestinian Authority, which is perfectly acceptable to the United States, and I spoke to the President about the regional conference and this conference is also, the idea of this conference also acceptable to the United States.

Victory in my mind will be when there is quiet. To reach peace, and we want to reach peace, now my efforts are directed to bring two things, security and peace, but it's clear to me and I make this absolutely clear that in my opinion there's no way that we can progress towards peace so long as there is no quiet, and so long as there's no real reform in the Palestinian Authority.

And, this requires an enormous effort and this requires the kind of activities that will prepare the way for a peace process, which I regard very important (inaudible).

UNIDENTIFIED CORRESPONDENT: Prime Minister, when you say you're going to resume going after the terror infrastructure, does that mean you're going to resume the offensive that you thought was fairly successful? I know you said you didn't tell Bush or Cheney what you're going to do, but do you think you will have the understanding of the President should you go, I want to say in reverse, go back in with force? With reference to the peace conference, do you think that it's not such a hot idea anymore, and are you willing to permit Palestinians to come back and forth? Isn't that a risk? Is that a risk you're still willing to take after what happened tonight?

SHARON: OK, first of all I'd like to make it very clear, I did not tell the President and I did not tell the Vice President what we are going to do and of course, therefore I think that what you have said, saying that I got their approval, I have not got any approval whatsoever. We have - sorry if you didn't say that (inaudible).

UNIDENTIFIED CORRESPONDENT: You said you didn't tell them what you're going to do.

SHARON: I told them I'm going to fight. I said one thing.

UNIDENTIFIED CORRESPONDENT: I'm asking if they would understand what you do? Will they understand what you're doing?

SHARON: Look, I'll tell you, I would like to tell you one thing. Israel is an independent country and we must exercise our rights of self defense and we are doing exactly what any other country in the world, any other democracy would have done, and of course we'll have to take the necessary steps in order to exercise our rights and that's what we are going to do.

UNIDENTIFIED CORRESPONDENT: Is the peace conference on as far as you're concerned, and are you still willing to risk ending the closure?

SHARON: Look, I said that the original conference is a very important thing. I think that should create the needed atmosphere to continue talks. But of course, it's very hard to expect that if terror will continue, that will be, I would say a fruitful act, so while I may support it, and I would like that that will happen, but it is a moment now, I think, we will have to take some steps in order to make an effort to stop this terror.

UNIDENTIFIED CORRESPONDENT: Mr. Prime Minister, did the administration, without getting into detail of what your plans are, did the President or the Vice President urge you to act with restraint?

SHARON: No. this question was not raised and nobody said that. I'm sure, of course, that the President and the Vice President are very much interested to move forward in the process, the political process, but I think that it's very clear that in order really to move forward with the process, first of all, it should be a cessation of the terror, the hostilities and incitement. And second, there must be real reforms in the Palestinian Authority.

See everyone agreed, being here, everyone agreed that there is an urgent need to reach those reforms or to implement those reforms in the Palestinian Authority.

TERRY SCHULTZ, FOX NEWS: Prime Minister, Terry Schultz with Fox News. Were you disappointed at all in the administration's response to the documents that you brought with you?

We asked Secretary Powell twice. He said he hadn't seen the documents, and they continued to make positive statements about the Saudi contribution to the peace process as well. Are you disappointed that there wasn't a more positive reaction or more recognition that they had read your documents and paid attention to your evidence?

SHARON: Look, as about the documents, first as you know, there are hundreds of pages of documents and these documents that we brought are only about five percent of the documents that we found there.

So no doubt it will take time until they will be able to read all this material. I think it was very, very important that we provided that material to show the involvement of the Palestinian Authority in terror, because that's very clear there.

And as about the Saudis, I would say first of all, I'm glad to see that an Arab leader can promote his vision, a vision of peace between Israel and the Arab world. As about the vision, I think it's important and I would like you to know that Israel has been talking and offering this vision for the last 54 years since we declared our independence, but as a matter of fact we tried much earlier and we trying, I would say, to talk and to advocate a peace settlement between Israel and the Arab world.

There is one thing, of course, that worries us. These are the documents that show the support that Saudi Arabia has given to the Hamas terrorist organization, and the support that has been given to the families of terrorist or the suicide bombers or suicide shooters.

At the beginning when I heard about that, I expected that we will find that after the 11th of September last year, they stopped it, but I was very much surprised to find that they continued the support to the families of the suicide bombers or shooters until the last days.

And that, of course, as I said I think that Saudi Arabia, or expressing his vision, his courage, it's very important they will participate in the effort to reach peace in the Middle East. But I think they must stop immediately their support to the terrorist organizations and to the families of the suicide bombers, and that of course is our demand.

UNIDENTIFIED CORRESPONDENT: I was wondering what the terrorist attack shows coming just a matter of days after Chairman Arafat was given mobility and freedom again to move around, does he really have to go and stop these suicide bombers and terrorists that want to continue doing this?

SHARON: I would say first, I believe that he got the power to do that and in one place at least, in Gaza, where all his forces were left intact and terror is going on there, I will say daily, going on. Just two days ago we managed to stop two groups of terrorists that went across the fences and there were suiciders, and another group that, I mean two here were killed in the first occasion.

The second one when a group of three that tried to cross the fences and at least one of them was wearing an explosive belt, and they went to Israel beside that mortar and all that continues there. The Palestinians are having all their forces there and they were intact.

Of course, let's say we'll speak now about (inaudible), as you call it the West Bank. We don't see yet any instruction that has been given. One can say that maybe there it's harder, but at least an instruction; an order had not been given. So that shows, of course, that we don't see any change whatsoever in the Palestinian Authority any demand that let's say decided or chosen strategy of terror from coalition of terror and have been unable to stop it.

UNIDENTIFIED CORRESPONDENT: (Question in Hebrew)

BROWN: Prime Minister Sharon at the Madison Hotel. The question came in Hebrew and he'll respond in Hebrew. Jerrold Kessel will help us with the translation.

KESSEL (translating for Sharon): This is a question (inaudible) to the Likud Party conference Sunday. I invite you to come there on Sunday evening. I'd like to invite you to come there to see there. Not every day you have the opportunity to come and see what my colleagues and I do. You will be able to meet with us there.

I do not intend to delay, to postpone that conference. I don't want to prevent any proposal there at the conference. With all due respect to the importance of political parties and I was one who initiated the formation of the Likud Party when you were still too young to deal with such matters, with all the importance of such political matters, I want to say the national issues are way beyond important, beyond some of the political issues.

And with all due respect to my colleagues within the party, in my view it is the national issues which are the issues to. We'll meet at the central committee meeting and I believe that in order to bring security and peace to Israel, it's necessary for this or that step to be taken, I will bring that position there. I have never been afraid of doing that at any political meeting, but at the moment, I believe the conditions are not yet right for such a move.

This is not an issue that's on the agenda (inaudible) a question of a Palestinian state and the Likud approving or not approving that idea. I have a fear if I put my view forward now, you won't show up and I don't want you not to be there on Sunday evening.

UNIDENTIFIED CORRESPONDENT: (Question in Hebrew)

KESSEL (translating for Sharon): You asked a number of questions. I'll try to answer them. I've proposed a regional conference and I've proposed in addition to that that the European Union and Russia would participate in this regional conference.

As far back as when I was in Turkey, in Turkey, I proposed to the Prime Minister of Turkey, Mr. Ecevit, one day when things are right, I proposed then I would be happy if this kind of convention, this meeting would be in Turkey.

There was a time back before 1967; I was able to go back and forth to Turkey. That was a different time and then I was an officer and I was being interviewed. I think that was back in 1962, I traversed Turkey length-wards and breadth-wards. I've had dozens of conversations with Prime Minister Ecevit, and I've told him I would be happy if such a convention would be held in Turkey and the (inaudible) replied and thought it would be a good idea, that this would be a good idea for such a meeting to be held there.

It hasn't been finalized that it would be there, but it certainly is a good idea. I say this with reservation because it hasn't yet been concluded, but I say that certainly is a possibility.

What would this conference deal with? The main reason for this conference, I try to be accurate on such matters; I presume there will be not only conference, but certain kinds of committees within the conference. There will be a committee which will relate to the question of whether the reform in the Palestinian Authority will be in effect be affected.

And I suspect the European, which is one of the biggest contributors, will be able to exercise pressure on the Palestinian Authority. And put the condition that any further financial contributions will be dependent on reforms really being carried out.

And the most important thing would be to the creation of atmosphere that would calm things down. And I believe in the need to talk. And so I think this matter is important. But I made clear that negotiation, for instance, between Israel and the Palestinians, I make there will be such negotiation, could be between us and the Palestinians, of course with deep involvement of the United States.

Because, but the real negotiations must be between the parties. And also with respect to the atmosphere, that we should try to bring down the tension.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: We're having a bit of an audio problem. Again, this is the Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon speaking in Madison Hotel in Washington.

The prime minister has been speaking now for about half an hour. He began a very angry, very powerful statement. He said at one point, anyone who comes to kill Israelis will be preempted. We will kill them first. All of this in reaction to a suicide bombing today outside of Tel Aviv. It killed more than a dozen people. It has thrown this brief period of modest optimism back into the darkness of the last 19 months.

It is not clear what the Israeli government will do next, but the prime minister made it very clear it will do something. He said this is not something Israel cannot respond to.

We'll have more on the events in Israel. Today, the attack and the reaction, more on the prime minister's talk tonight after this short break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROWN: Well, good evening again. I'm Aaron Brown. Obviously an unusual beginning to the program tonight, because of the press conference in the statement by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

Most of our time together will be spent on the events both in Washington, where the prime minister met with President Bush today, and in Tel Aviv or outside Tel Aviv, where this horrible, this dreadful attack on mostly young people at a billiard hall outside of Tel Aviv took place.

We begin quickly here, a kind of abbreviated whip, just to get some headlines if we can.

Wolf Blitzer is in Jerusalem.

Wolf, it is just coming on daylight there. Give me the state of play?

WOLF BLITZER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Aaron, people here are already bracing for what's widely expected, a major Israeli military response. The prime minister only a few minutes ago, as heard and seen live here on CNN, said he will convene a meeting of his top cabinet ministers upon his return to Israel. Few have little doubt what is expected next -- Aaron.

BROWN: All right. And we'll talk more about that in just a moment. Over at the White House, our senior White House correspondent John King.

John, a headline, which I guess you're having to rewrite by the moment over there?

JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Aaron, the president began this day hoping to convince the prime minister to take a few steps, at least, toward a peace process to tone down the rhetoric when it comes to Yasser Arafat. The day, of course, ends on a very different note. A great sense of frustration here. And as Wolf just noted by this time tomorrow night, everyone who works in this White House thinks we will be talking about an Israeli military response, not about a peace process.

BROWN: And the White House, John, learning as all presidents eventually learn, they can only control so much in the Middle East.

Jerrold Kessel is outside Tel Aviv, where this awful attack took place.

Jerrold, give us the basics of what happened there late tonight, your time?

KESSEL: Aaron, it's really a question of death, destruction, devastation, and not a little bit of despair, as Israelis begin to contemplate the grisley scene here in this billiard hall, come cafeteria, which was the scene of the suicide bombing at 11:00 p.m. last night, and that left 15 Israelis killed by that suicide bomber. More than 60 wounded.

And the -- as the casualties have been taken away, the cleanup has gone on as much as it could. Now comes the political assessment, and perhaps the political reassessment, the start of which we heard from Prime Minister Sharon there in his news conference.

BROWN: Jerrold, thank you. You stand by. We'll be back right back to you. And Wolf and John in a moment to deal more in the Middle East.

There is one other major story we need to deal with tonight. Kelli Arena, who covers the Justice Department for us is with us. A break, an arrest in the pipe bombing case.

Kelli, give me the headlines from you?

KELLI ARENA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Aaron, the 21-year-old, Luke Helder, a junior in college, was picked up just a couple of hours ago in Nevada. He is in federal custody and faces a variety of charges.

BROWN: Kelli, thank you very much. Obviously, this is one of those nights. We'll just kind of play it by ear as we go here. There's an awful lot to take care of. We'll try to do if in some sort of logical order.

The day was moving along as expected. The prime minister of Israel was meeting with the president of the United States. There was some hope that a peace process, we use lower case letters there, would start to unfold over the course of this week. And then, late this afternoon, East coast time, 4:00, the word started to spread that there had been another attack in Israel, another suicide attack there.

So that's where we'll begin.

Jerrold Kessel, why don't you pick up the story as it unfolded?

KESSEL: Aaron, it was just before 11:00, local time, when the bomber struck. And here we are on the third floor, third story of this industrial building really, which had turned into some kind of gaming parlor with the billiard tables, as you can see.

And it was just about in this area over here, pan across here, that we're told by the police and the rescue services that the bomber blew himself up. And there's a lot of a big blood stain on the ceiling of this third story premises, where -- just where the bomber blew himself up. Then we understand there were 15 others, who were killed by him and more than 60 wounded.

Now if you just look down here, you'll see some of the devastation, as the ceiling came down on top of this giant, of course, full size billiard table and completely collapsing under the weight of the ceiling. The lights above it, and than all the debris left behind. You see some of the surgical gloves of the rescue workers. And then the forensic experts, as they came in here.

When we caught up here and were allowed up here, it's now just about dawn time, there were the last of the forensic men were going away with a pile of goods to examine further. And then leaving behind here, that you see all the personal effects that come down, which is the whole debris in this big hall, sandwiches uneaten. The billiard balls on the table themselves, a shoe, a pocket canister containing personal effects, another shoe. Here's a pair of sunglasses, one of the frames blasted out. There's an unopened pack of cigarettes.

There's also an interesting item here, which we watched as the forensic experts were picking them up. There were many, many nails and screws, just like this one here, where the -- evidently has been the want of suicide bombers, they pack, in addition to the explosives, all kinds of nails and screws to add to the effect of the bombing. And then if even looking down on the ground, you'll see some papers of personal effects of accounts and things that were perhaps in people's pockets as other personal effects.

And of course, there's blood. Bloodstains all over the carpet that has been left behind. The ceiling virtually collapsed. And behind, as you can probably see as the dawn begins to filter in, that the walls of the side, all around this story were completely blown out.

And just across the road, there is a gas station. And the gas station attendant was telling me that he heard that blast. That it was such a devastating blast he said. And he suddenly turned around. And something was right -- landed right next to him. It was a full blown refrigerator, which had been blasted out of this -- out of the premises here, right across the road, about 50 yards across the road. A devastating blast.

And now as I say, the rescue work is over. The assessment of the devastation is taking place. And now comes the political assessment and that political reassessment perhaps. Aaron?

BROWN: Before we get to that, tell me what you can about the people who patronized this club or gaming hall? Whatever we're going to call it. Is there young people mostly?

KESSEL: Difficult to say. I'm not really familiar.

BROWN: OK.

KESSEL: But I daresay is that they were a lot of young people. There were women. We do know that because some of the casualties, some of the fatalities were also women. And it was late at night. I daresay there mainly older people, but it was certainly very, very crowded.

It's not all that big a hall. It's probably, I would guess about 30 yards across by 45. But it was very packed, because as you see, the number of the casualties is absolutely devastating. And the bomber knew exactly what he was doing quite clearly.

One other thing, it's interesting, that he climbed up the stairs. It is on the third floor. And when you go down now, there are all bloodstains going down the stairs. But he climbed up and apparently there was no security on the gate -- now on the door. And that's something unusual in Israel these days, given the effect of the whole slew of suicide bombings, which of course have proceeded that major Israeli military offensive in the West Bank.

And since then, many Israeli cafeterias and public premises have a guard on, whether funded by the state, by the country, or by the proprietors of those premises. This place did not have such a guard.

BROWN: Jerrold, thank you very much. Difficult work tonight. Thank you. Jerrold Kessel outside Tel Aviv at the site of this attack.

As we panned across, you see some of the more mundane things of life, a pack of cigarettes, a wallet, this and that, taking on a totally different look in the aftermath of an attack that left at least 15 people dead and many dozens injured.

This is sure to have enormous political ramifications, both in Israel and to the entire peace process. That is perhaps what the bombers intended in the first place.

Back to Wolf Blitzer in Jerusalem.

It seemed to me that while the president -- rather the prime minister was not willing to tip his hand, he made it clear Israel will respond. Israel had not gone into Gaza. Is Gaza a possibility?

BLITZER: Gaza is certainly a possibility, Aaron. If you take a look at a map and you look at Rishon Letzion, that town of about 100,000 people just south of Tel Aviv, not very far from Gaza. Unclear if the suicide bomber did come from Gaza. Most officials here certainly are not ruling out that possibility. They're trying to gather as much information as they can in this investigation.

Certainly the Israeli prime minister left no doubt that Israel will respond. And just to give it some context, remember, at the end of March when that suicide bomber hit that hotel in the Netanya, just as Israelis were celebrating the Passover Seder. Some 29 Israelis killed. That resulted in the largest Israeli military operation in two decades, Operation Defensive Shield, which was just about over with today, with the exception of siege around the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.

And that appeared to be coming to an end. But right now, Israelis are preparing for perhaps another round of military activity. And the Israeli prime minister was, excuse me, was very blunt in issuing that threat. I must say that the Hamas Palestinian organization, the militant group, mostly in Gaza, there is a report that Hamas is claiming responsibility for this.

The Palestinian Authority of Yasser Arafat is condemning this suicide attack in Rishon Letzion. A statement issued by Saeb Erakat on behalf of Yasser Arafat did say this. "The Palestinian leadership declares once again it's rejection and condemnation of such terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians, which gives Sharon the pretext to continue his aggression against Palestinian towns, villages, and refugee camps."

Now having said that, the Israeli prime minister and other Israeli officials are holding the Palestinian Authority directly responsible for this attack, saying they should have been able to control it, even if it was coming from Hamas.

So Aaron, the bottom line is the stage is clearly set for another massive Israeli military response. We probably won't have to wait for very long once the prime minister gets back to Jerusalem. He's already declared he will convene the top leaders of his cabinet for an emergency meeting, at which point they will authorize what to do next -- Aaron.

BROWN: Wolf, why don't you stand by here. I want to bring John King into this over at the White House.

John, I'm reminded of something that the King of Jordan said to us last night, which was there are always extremists in the Middle East. There are always people who can, at moment's notice, in a split second, derail any effort towards peace. If in fact Hamas is responsible for this, that is a good example of that. Will the White House see, do you believe, any nuance there? Or will the White House as Prime Minister Sharon has done, blame Yasser Arafat and the Palestinian Authority generally?

KING: Well, the White House certainly says Mr. Arafat must prove that he's trying. If he's not directly responsible for this or any previous attack, that the one way to distance himself from being blamed, as the prime minister blamed him tonight, is to show more effort that he is trying. So that is one distinction this White House will make.

And remember the President's first formulation. Months ago, when he was being criticized for not being more involved, he said he needed to see proof from the parties that they were ready to get make peace. He hoped to get some of that proof from the prime minister tonight. Then word of this bombing during the meeting.

He will meet with King Abdullah tomorrow. And you spoke to the king. And he's very clear. He says Arafat must be a central figure. Israel must be convinced to get the comprehensive peace talks as soon as possible. Mr. Sharon left Washington tonight. He's about to leave, saying he will not talk to Arafat. He's not ready to peace talks. The president has a very difficult challenge trying to figure out where to go from here.

BROWN: John, thank you.

We're also joined tonight by Janine Zacharia, who is the Washington bureau chief of "The Jerusalem Post", and Hisham Melhem, the Washington bureau chief of the Lebanese newspaper "As-Safir".

Janine, let me start with you. What do you think is next?

JANINE ZACHARIA, WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF, "THE JERUSALEM POST": Well, I think exactly what the prime minister said. He's hinting very heavily that there's going to be some sort of a military operation. I think it very much depends on where the suicide bomber came from. If he came from Gaza, he's most likely going to strike Gaza, which he hasn't struck yet. Somewhere else in the West Bank, and he could expand the military offensive here.

I think what it shows though, the vulnerability of administration's efforts to terror attacks like this. If this morning, the prime minister and the president were just debating whether to negotiate with Arafat, what kind of summit to have, what kind of negotiations? Right now, that's already passe.

BROWN: Well then, that's the problem. And we said this earlier, that every American president learns eventually, you only have so much control over events in the Middle East. That in a heartbeat, someone can do something. And it changes the equation significantly.

ZACHARIA: Right. That's absolutely correct. And it's going to be a real challenge now for the Bush administration to figure out what to do. If today, the headline earlier was whether or not they were going to send, they said they were going to send CIA Director George Tenet to rebuild, reconstruct the PA.

Now they're going to have to worry about probably reigning in Ariel Sharon, something they can't do after 16 people are blown up. So it's going to be quite challenging for them.

BROWN: Hisham, just give me your take on what happened today, and how you think this is going to play in both in Lebanon and across the Arab World?

HISHAM MELHEM, WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF, "AS-SAFIR": Well, those who are behind this heinous attack, obviously, intended to send a number of different messages to different parties. In one sense, they are telling Ariel Sharon not even a major invasion could stop us. They are also sending a message to the Secretary of State Colin Powell, to the Europeans, to the U.N., to the quartet, to the Arab states, to Crown Prince Abdullah, and others who are interested in reviving the peace talks, that they are going to undermine them.

And I think, this may sound strange, but I think there is also a message probably to Arafat. Especially those who are behind the attack were from Hamas or the Islamist groups. Again, they're trying to undermine Arafat and make him look helpless and complicit in this thing. I mean, there is no way Arafat could benefit from such an attack at this stage, especially now that this event is going to overshadow any peace efforts on the part of the international community.

But look, as awful as this attack was, it's not going to change the basic equation here or the fundamental position of the parties, or should lessen the need for serious American engagement in the peace process.

What is the alternative, if you're not going to revive the peace efforts? After all, we're dealing with the political -- a huge political problem that has definitely serious security implications for both Israelis and Palestinians. And the administration can not walk away from peace efforts.

They will have to continue -- they will have to engage and double their efforts with the Arabs, with the Europeans, with the U.N., and with the Israelis to revive the political process. There is no other option.

BROWN: That may very well be so. Thanks to both of you. You've been very patient waiting around through the program tonight, as we worked through the prime minister's speech.

We have one more piece of business we want to take care of tonight. We have to take a break first. This is NEWSNIGHT. And we'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROWN: Perhaps on any other day, this story would have led the program. Just hours after being identified as a suspect in the pipe bomber case, the FBI and Nevada police announced they had arrested 21- year-old Luke Helder, that they had taken him into custody in Reno, Nevada.

For more on that, here's CNN's Kelli Arena.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ARENA: The 21-year-old college student, who prompted a nationwide manhunt, was apprehended in northern Nevada after his car was stopped by the State Highway Patrol. Luke Helder did not readily surrender, according to officials. And negotiators had to do some convincing. He was arrested after the FBI publicly asked him to come forward and his father issued this appeal.

CAMERON HELDER, FATHER: Please don't hurt anyone else. It's time to talk. You have the attention you wanted. Luke, we love you very much. We want you home safe. Please call.

ARENA: Sources say investigators started looking for Helder after someone tipped them off. Officials went public with his name after another pipe bomb was found in Amarillo, Texas.

JAMES BOGNER, FBI: The investigation continues. And at this stage, we need to talk to Luke Helder. And we need to try to resolve this aspect of this investigation.

ARENA: All told, six people were injured, after bombs were left in mailboxes in five states. All of the bombs were found with anti- government letters. As for Helder, he attends the University of Wisconsin-Stout. He's an art student with a concentration in industrial design. He's also a member of a grunge band called "Apathy", which heralds the rock group "Nirvana" as its inspiration.

On the band's web site, Helder has posted a biography. In it, he wrote "the top things I care about are my girlfriend and my music... I party, play guitar, and talk online to everyone. That's my life."

C. HELDER: I really want you to know that Luke is not a dangerous person. I think he is just trying to make a statement about the way our government is run.

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ARENA: Aaron, this story is quickly changing. And just moments ago we had a press conference in Omaha. And here is what the FBI had to say.

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BOGNER: The complaint alleges that Helder was responsible for injuries suffered by a rural Tipton, Iowa woman after a pipe bomb in her mailbox exploded on May 3, 2002. This was an incident of national concern which received a national response.

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ARENA: Helder was taken to jail in Reno. He faces two charges, so far. One being, using a destructive device to commit a crime of violence. Now that carries a life sentence if he is convicted. And he could face more charges in other states -- Aaron.

BROWN: Kelli, in 20 seconds or less, do we have any more of a clue as to how the FBI got wind of him than just they got a tip?

ARENA: Not at this point. I'm sorry.

BROWN: So am I. Thank you. That's the story. That's a story for another day. Thank you very much.

The program perhaps is not artful tonight, but it was full, given the events that unfolded in the Middle East and late this afternoon. Tomorrow, the president will still meet as far, as we know, certain this will happen with Jordan King Abdullah.

How the map of the Middle East has been changed by the events that took place today is a little less clear. The Israelis have to respond. That won't happen until Prime Minister Sharon gets back to Israel. He'll fly back tonight from Washington. He's canceled the part of his trip that was to meet with congressional leaders. He was to come to New York, perhaps, to meet with Jewish groups here. That's now over.

He's going back home. He'll convene a cabinet meeting. And a response of some sort will be fashioned. And then we'll see where we are. All of this after yet another suicide attack in Israel outside of Tel Aviv today.

It is notable the attack took place today with Mr. Sharon in the United States and with Jordan's King in the United States. You might recall the last time there was a suicide attack, it was on a Friday. And it was on the day before Secretary of State Powell was to meet with Yasser Arafat. These things are not coincidental. There is a message that's being sent here. And the message is extreme groups can derail even a minimal peace process.

We'll see what tomorrow brings. That's our report here tonight. We'll see you tomorrow at 10:00. Good night for all of us.

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