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Times Square Car Bomb Suspect in Custody; Tennessee Flooding Catastrophe

Aired May 04, 2010 - 12:00   ET

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

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Hello again, everyone. I'm Tony Harris, live from Studio 7 at CNN world headquarters.

The people behind today's biggest stories in the CNN NEWSROOM --

Faisal Shahzad, suspect in the New York car bomb case. The Pakistani-American man is due in federal court this afternoon.

Also this --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The word that you may not be able to come back because of this?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Yes, I am pretty worried about it. It's my whole livelihood.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Nashville's historic flood could trickle down to your wallet. Big rigs sit in water with tons of consumer goods in ruin.

Let's do this -- let's get started.

The man accused of trying to detonate a car bomb in New York's Times Square is set to appear in court this afternoon. Faisal Shahzad is a naturalized U.S. citizen born in Pakistan. He passed all the criminal and national security background checks required for citizenship a year ago.

Our Jason Carroll is outside the federal courthouse in Manhattan.

And Jason, let's get people caught up on the latest information in the investigation.

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Tony, the latest information is coming to us from a federal law enforcement source. They are now focusing part of their investigation on the vehicle they believe that Shahzad took to the airport, a white Isuzu Trooper.

Inside that vehicle, Tony, they found a .9 millimeter weapon. They also found additional clips and more ammo inside that car at JFK.

Also, the investigation is being focused on his home out there in Shelton, Connecticut. We are being told investigators have already recovered some 15 bags of standard green fertilizer. In addition to that, they also found some flash powder there. Flash powder is a substance that's commonly used to make items such as firecrackers.

Also being told at this point, Tony, that his roommates are being interviewed. That is standard procedure when something like this happens.

All of this happening as we now wait for Shahzad's initial court appearance. That is expected to take place around 2:00 -- Tony.

HARRIS: And Jason, what was the critical piece of information here that led authorities to this suspect?

CARROLL: Well, I think there are some people who would say that most definitely, we're talking so much about vehicles, but it's the other vehicle involved in this case, that Nissan Pathfinder found in Times Square. Investigators say and have linked Shahzad to that Nissan Pathfinder. And by being able to do that, they were able to backtrack, find the original seller. The original seller was able to tell investigators who she sold this car to, so that key piece of evidence helped them put some pieces of this puzzle together -- Tony.

HARRIS: OK.

CNN's Jason Carroll for us.

Jason, appreciate it. Thank you.

Got to tell you, police are also combing a house in a working class neighborhood in Bridgeport, Connecticut, in their investigation into Shahzad.

Our Mary Snow has been covering this angle of the story all morning from Bridgeport.

And Mary, what's the latest that you're learning from your location?

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Tony, it appears that investigators are wrapping up here at this Bridgeport location. A number of vehicles left just a few minutes ago. And this is the last known address for Faisal Shahzad.

Now, Jason just mentioned potential roommates. The closest we were able to get to that home, we talked to neighbors directly behind it. And not only do they not know about any roommates, they didn't even know that anyone lived there. They had assumed that the home was vacant.

Anyone in this neighborhood we've been able to speak to who recognized his picture said they really didn't know him very well, that they had just seen him walking around the neighborhood, mostly keeping to himself. But not far from here, in Shelton, Connecticut, we're getting a better picture of who Faisal Shahzad was. And we know that he bought a home there with his wife in 2004, and there were foreclosure proceedings that began on that home in December of 2009.

A neighbor tells us the couple had two small children. She said the last time she saw anyone living in that house was back in July, and it is unclear where the wife and two children went at that time -- Tony.

HARRIS: OK.

CNN's Mary Snow for us in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

Mary, keep us posted on any developments from your location.

Got to tell you, next hour we will hear from New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder about the rest in the Times Square bombing attempt. They are scheduled to speak at 1:00 p.m. Eastern. That's 10:00 a.m. Pacific, live, right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

President Obama says the attempted bombing in Times Square is a sobering reminder that America remains a target of terrorists, but he says cooperation between law enforcement and quick action by ordinary citizens led to a break in the case.

Here's part of the president's comments on the case just last hour.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I want to give the American people a brief update on the investigation into the attempted terrorist attack in Times Square.

A suspect is now in custody and is being questioned. The American people can be assured that the FBI and their partners in this process have all the tools and experience they need to learn everything we can. That includes what, if any, connection this individual has to terrorist groups, and it includes collecting critical intelligence as we work to disrupt any future attacks.

Justice will be done. And we will continue to do everything in our power to protect the American people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: The reality here is that the attempted bombing targeted the heart of New York's entertainment and tourism district. An arrest in the case is certain to bring a sense of relief to New Yorkers and tourists alike, but some of those we spoke with say they won't let the threat of terrorism change their way of life.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it's a concern, but I've lived here for 20 years. And I was here through 9/11. And I feel like I think the NYPD rocks. And I think New Yorkers have their eyes open, and if they see something, they're going to say something. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: New Yorkers seem to have, you know, the guts just to do -- to go on with their lives. If something happens, we'll react to it and then we just let it go from there.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: As a visitor to New York, are you worried about the terrorism threat?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: OK. So the river is going down. Will prices be going up? Tennessee's big flood could cost you at the store even if you live thousands of miles away.

And that crude slime spreading at sea could also ooze into your wallet.

First, though, our "Random Moment" in 90 seconds.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Two deer out for beer? That part of the story is unclear. But there is no doubt it is today's "Random Moment."

These party crashers broke down the door. Ouch. A surveillance camera caught the deer busting into a sports bar and grille in Wisconsin.

Guess what was on television? You'll never guess. Yes, the Milwaukee Bucks playoff game.

Yes, somebody wrestled one of the deer right here to the floor. Eventually, both were led out of a door and scampered across a golf course. The deer were spotted earlier staking out Big Macs at McDonald's.

True story, and a "Random Moment of the Day."

But wait, there is more -- a "Random Moment" bonus. Gregory Nicholas Kaufman (ph) joined our CNN NEWSROOM family last night, 7 pounds, 10 ounces, and 20 inches.

Congratulations to CNN NEWSROOM writer Alisha Kaufman (ph), otherwise known as Mom.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: And I've got to tell you, it could be days before record floodwaters recede in parts of the Southeast. And in Nashville, it could take a lot longer than that before many of the music city's famed tourist attractions are back up and running. The surge even sweeping in to Tennessee's -- well, the Titans state, as you see behind me there.

Check out the water there on the field. The weekend storms and flooding killed at least 27 people in three states, 18 of those deaths in Tennessee. The floodwaters swept into downtown Nashville, submerging parts of the historic district. The Grand Ole Opry House and Country Music Hall of Fame damaged.

And today, a new problem. A lot of downtown businesses don't have power after the flooding knocked out a main circuit.

And to show you just how dangerous it is to even get around in parts of Nashville, check out this iReport sent in by Kris Caldwell, who lives in Nashville. The road looks like a real waterfall, as you can see for yourself.

The flooding in and around Nashville actually has an impact much broader than Tennessee. You could feel the damage in your pocketbook.

The floodwaters have ruined a lot of those 18-wheelers you see on the highway. A lot of them filled with products headed to your hometown. And truck drivers are worried about their jobs.

Here's what some of them are saying.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're telling me your truck is out there?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. My work truck, yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can you point it out to me?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I would, but it's of the other side of the building.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Have you seen it? It's under water, right?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, it's under water.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My forklift is on the dock though.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is it under water?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Guaranteed. That's the door you get in.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is Nestor (ph) Street out here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Somewhere out in the water is Nestor (ph) Street.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where the water is probably nine foot up. So it's probably eight, nine foot deep right there on them trailers.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When did you guys see this? Did it start yesterday?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I saw it on the news yesterday afternoon. They were panning down through here. Metro Transit Authority has their bus depot across the street. So they're under water, too.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're where from here?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That brown building over there in the distance, that's the Metro Transit Authority. The Cumberland River is just on the other side of all them trailers that are tossed around. That's where the Cumberland normally is.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Have your bosses given you any indication how much is lost here?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No. I haven't talked to the boss. I talked to the guy who runs the dock in the morning time, and he said that it's probably a total loss.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How many trucks?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think we've got 30 trucks, 31 trucks, and probably 100 trailers that are all full of freight.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Gone?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Total loss, yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean, you can't -- can you -- when you have water -- when you have vehicles like this, trucks like this, under water, can they be salvaged at all?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No. The second you start up a truck like this, it sucks it right into the engine and ruins it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you worried you may not be able to come back because of this?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I am pretty worried about it. This is my whole livelihood.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Have you guys had word about what to do with your work?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I haven't even been called. Haven't even been contacted. We just decided to come check it out and see how much was damaged.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean, you realize you might be out of a job?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, yes. They could very well shut this terminal down.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You were saying what, how much is gone here?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hundreds of millions of dollars in product and trucks. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hundreds of millions of dollars could be gone --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- because of all this damage?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Every truck is worth $50,000, give or take. What's the freight worth? What's the trailer worth? I mean, there's hundreds and hundreds of trailers gone. Warehouses are gone.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: And there you go. Tennessee, an important cog in the nation's transportation and industrial network.

If you do a lot of driving, chances are you've been through Nashville. Three major interstates converge in the city -- I-24, I-30 and I-65 -- and there is a lot of commerce traveling on those roads.

The Tennessee capital is home to 140 freight carriers and 150 truck terminals. It is also a major rail center. It's a CSX hub with connections to 20 states.

Some dramatic life-saving efforts during the massive flooding in Tennessee. The president of Tennessee State University -- his name is Melvin Johnson -- is being hailed as a hero. He helped rescue a faculty member and he spoke with me last hour.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MELVIN JOHNSON, PRESIDENT, TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY: Conditions, as you could well imagine, are pretty soggy at this point. The farm area where the faculty member was stranded is still flooded.

The campus is right at the -- on the shores of the Cumberland River. And, of course, when it rose to its crest, we got so much water, that it just came in so quickly. And that's what happened.

HARRIS: Yes. Talk to us about the rescue you were involved in. You actually helped to save a faculty member?

JOHNSON: Right, but I don't want to suggest that this rescue was done by one person. It was our emergency response plan coming together that notified us of this incident.

And I can't tell you enough how proud I am of our graduate student, Quentin Puckett (ph), who actually went out on the boat with me and were able to bring this faculty member, Dr. Richard Browning, back to shore and get him stabilized. He was suffering from hypothermia, as was the report from the hospital.

HARRIS: Wow.

JOHNSON: And so we got him to the hospital, and they were able to prevent shock. And that was the greatest threat.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Man.

Still to come, higher prices for bananas and coffee and tires. The Gulf oil spill's wide-reaching impact on your wallet in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: OK. Let's do this -- let's get you caught up on top stories right now.

A law enforcement source says a gun and some ammunition were found inside a car at JFK Airport, believed to have been driven there by New York car bomb suspect Faisal Shahzad. He is due in federal court this afternoon. They say they also found 15 bags of fertilizer in the trash outside his home in Connecticut.

Favorable winds holding the Gulf of Mexico oil slick offshore today. A long-term path of the oil spill is uncertain at this time, but good weather is actually giving crews time to lay booms and take other preventative steps.

And the tap water in Boston said to be safe to drink again. A boil water order for two million people was lifted this morning. There were concerns a busted water main would pollute the water.

(WEATHER REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: The suspect arrested in the attempted bombing in Times Square is due in court this afternoon. We expect to learn more about the specific charges against him.

Here's what we do know about how the arrest unfolded. Thirty- year-old Faisal Shahzad was taken into custody at 11:45 last night at New York's JFK Airport. He was on board a flight bound for Dubai.

Shahzad is a naturalized U.S. citizen from Pakistan. He just became an American citizen in April of 2009. Because of that, authorities had a recent picture of him which helped in the investigation.

Authorities tracked him down through the sale of the SUV used in the bomb attempt. They found the previous owner who sold the Pathfinder to Shahzad, and they say the car sale was the linchpin of the case. One federal law enforcement official says he doesn't believe the suspect in the bomb attempt was working alone.

So let's get some more insight into the arrest of Faisal Shahzad.

Sajjan Gohel is a terrorism expert and director of international security for the Asia-Pacific Foundation. He is on the phone with us from London.

And thank you for your time. I wish we had you in front of a camera, but we will take you on the phone.

Got to ask you, first of all, we're talking here about the third plot against the United States in, it seems to me, four months. What about this trend is worrying to you? .

SAJJAN GOHEL, TERRORISM EXPERT: What concerns me the most, Tony, is that the U.S. seems to be drawing parallels in terms of the problem of terrorism to that of the U.K., where individuals won't necessarily be imported into the country to carry out terrorism, but they will be recruited from within. They will be given the tools, the skills, the ideological guidance to be able to plot and plan a mass casualty attack.

And certainly what they're seeing now is that U.S. citizens, those that have either lived in the country or have taken up citizenship, are now becoming prime targets for recruitment, because they don't fit the pattern that we've seen in the past. They are individuals that can blend into the civilian fabric of society.

They cannot necessarily be identified so easily, and unlikely to appear on any watch list or terrorism list. And that concerns me the most, because these are types of plots that are small scale that, don't necessarily lead to electronic chatter and leaking of information, and it makes the job for law enforcement all that much harder.

HARRIS: Yes. And Sajjan, to that point, talk about the role technology is playing in recruiting, particularly the outreach to people living in the United States. I mean, look, can it make it more difficult, harder to detect, or because we're talking about technology, is it potentially easier to catch some of these folks who are being targeted?

GOHEL: What has always disturbed me is that the terrorists have learned to use technology, especially you, media, to assist them for terrorist-related purposes in order to primarily inflict medieval brutality while using modern communication. And what you're seeing more frequently is the purpose of strategic communication for terrorists to communicate with each other via the Internet, using encrypted software, also understanding how the authorities themselves may be monitoring certain Web sites and forums using hidden messages, and also to arrange travel.

There have been a number of cases that have actually illustrated individuals from around the world ended up cooperating, sharing information, and even meeting physically after having met online. And increasingly, we will see that the Internet is perhaps the immediate outlet for that communication. But it also means that for the authorities, they're going to have to be more careful, more cautious as to how the Internet is being used, and increase their resources to be able to ascertain just how sophisticated terrorist groups have become in using modern communication.

HARRIS: Terrific information.

Sajjan Gohel with us. He is a terrorism expert.

Appreciate your time. Thank you.

A programming note here. Next hour, we will hear from New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder about the arrest in the Times Square bombing attempt. They are scheduled to speak at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time, 10:00 a.m. Pacific.

Live coverage for you, right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: So, we are learning more about Faisal Shahzad, the suspect who has been arrested in connection with the Times Square bombing attempt.

CNN's Tom Foreman has a timeline.

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Tony, we've been talking a look at this whole situation, and it really is fascinating to watch how this all unraveled.

Let's start at 6:28 in the evening Saturday, when a Nissan Pathfinder crossed an intersection on 45th Street in New York City. Moments later, down near Times Square, it is left just off of 7th Avenue.

Now, alerted by street vendors, a police officer smells burning. The area is quickly blocked off. Various people say they saw smoke in the vehicle, that sort of thing. And people are cleared out from that whole area to see what's going on there. Nobody really knows for sure at that point.

3:00 a.m. Sunday, a remote control device punches a hole through the rear window of that vehicle and retrieves a metal box. A robot goes in and does this work, basically. And again, at this point we're still wondering what this is. By 6:00 a.m. Sunday, the vehicle can finally be safely towed away to a bomb disposal facility in the Bronx.

And several hours later, around 10:00 a.m., we get word that a New York Police officer has managed to climb under that car and find the VIN, the vehicle identification number. This is the number that's stamped on various parts of a car. It really is the thing that identifies a car. And even when cars are stolen, it's often hard to get rid of it because of the place where it's hidden. He found it underneath the engine block.

Now that told investigators really which car this was and they started tracing the registered owners of it. And they found that it had been sold three weeks earlier for cash at a mall in Bridgeport, Connecticut. If you're familiar with New York, that's not a terribly far distance away. This is a crucial breakthrough because sources say there they got cell phone information about the buyer, the person who bought this with cash, from the daughter of the person who owned the Nissan Pathfinder before.

Now, at the same time they're investigating other leads, including the posting of a video on YouTube which claimed responsibility for this attack. Monday the pace of this whole thing, Tony, really steps up. The president received briefings, six of them, from his counter terrorism advisor, John Brennan, during the course of the day. And by 10:00 p.m.

Monday, investigators tell CNN that a Pakistani American is a potential suspect of the case. Boy, this is an interesting coincidence at that time. Imagine, we're being told that at 10:00 p.m. last night. And right around that time, Faisal Shahzad is arriving at JFK Airport outside of New York in a white Isuzu Trooper.

Federal sources say ammunition and a gun were later found in his vehicle and he was planning to fly to Islamabad, which is in Pakistan, of course, the capital, via Dubai. And he has a seat on an Emirates flight. He actually boards the plane at JFK, which leaves the gate at around 11:30 p.m. So we're talking about, you know, 13 hours ago.

He's actually pulling away from the gate. You've got to know that he's thinking, I'm out of here. This suspect, this person they're being questioned. And, none the less, they stop the plane before it takes off and at11:45 Faisal Shahzad is arrested.

Soon after, detectives move in and they start searching his home in Bridgeport, Connecticut. They find all sorts of things there. In addition to, by the way, the gun we mentioned and they ammunition that they found in the vehicle out at JFK, they said that they found 15 bags of standard green fertilizer in the trash outside of some apartments in Connecticut and flash powder also found in the trash. I believe what they're talking about here is just gunpowder, which is normally referred to sometimes as flash powder. But none the less, the question would be, was - you know, the obvious thought is was the flash powder to ignite fertilizer, which as we know from Oklahoma City, can be hugely explosive if you have the right kind.

But those are some of the things they found. They're also talking to roommates of his to see what they might know about this whole thing. We're not sure where those interviews are taking place.

But all of this goes on. And then just around midnight last night, John Brennan, the man we mentioned earlier, informs the president that Shahzad has been arrested. Tony, I'm telling you, it's been, even in the news business, this is an extraordinary series of events stacking up almost like a novel there that led up to this moment. This guy is just literally minutes away from taking off and they arrest him.

HARRIS: I was thinking that very thing, Tom. Yes, talk about the anatomy of an investigation and how -

FOREMAN: It's unbelievable.

HARRIS: Yes.

FOREMAN: And I think we're going to learn a lot more, too.

HARRIS: Yes. All right, Tom Foreman for us. Good stuff, Tom. Thank you.

FOREMAN: All right, Tony.

HARRIS: We are hearing from you on Faisal Shahzad, the man arrested in connection with the failed car bombing in Times Square. Josh Levs has been track that part of story for us. And, Josh, what do you hear?

JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Tony, it's interesting to be coming out of Tom right there because we've all been seeing this incredible sequence of steps in such a short time. Over the last, basically, what is it, 48 hours.

HARRIS: Yes.

LEVS: Ever since this happened. And what a lot of people are doing is raising a lot of questions. Certainly there's been a lot of investigation, there has been a lot of police work so far. But as I take a look at what our viewers are saying to us, I'd like to look at what's really representative.

Let's go to this. I want to go to the website for a second because I want everyone to see some of the basics that we have that are helping cover this. I always like everyone who weighs in to obviously have the facts when you're doing it. You can learn all about the suspect right now and what happened to him. It's our main story at cnn.com.

And one of the things that we do there, is we have this interactive that talks you through step by step what happened, beginning with this location right in the middle of Times Square, 45th and Broadway right there. You know this location. You've probably been there if you've ever been to New York.

We talk you through the evacuation. We talk you through the SUV. And we lead you through the investigation all the way up to the arrest that Tom was just talking about on the aircraft today.

Now, let's go over to the blog quotes because, like I said, we tried to pick some that are really going to represent pretty well what people are saying to us, what they're thinking, what they're feeling. And these are some of what we've been getting today. I'm going to start with some of the questions some people are raising, who have serious questions or problems with what they're hearing so far.

One of them, Michael, "if you don't profile after this, then God help you."

I'm showing that one because we've gotten dozens and dozens of responses today from people who are saying, you know what, look, just look where this man was headed. They are thinking maybe there should be some more profiling. Look at this one. This is from Charles, questions the use of taxpayer money. "New York City is spending our hard earned U.S. dollars on security. How did this guy put a car bomb in the middle of Times Square?"

But I want to show you the opposite side now, because we are getting so many people who are praising the police for their quick response and what they did in New York.

"Hoorah for the heroes."

These are all from my Facebook page, JoshLevsCNN.

"NYPD, you're the best."

Here's another one. "Great job NYC vendors, police!" Because as we know, it was originally a vendor and some other people right nearby who spotted what was going on and they got the authorities involved.

And I'm going to say this again and I've been saying this ever since early Sunday when we were getting this information, all the reports, Tony, that we have from that position say that -- when people were evacuated, it was orderly, it was calm.

HARRIS: Oh, yes. Yes.

LEVS: No huge crime broke out. No major problems broke out. That everyone in general did exactly what you would want them to do as visitors, as people from New York, and also the authorities as well. So in that sense we're hearing about a lot of order.

That said, the questions that are going up now about racial profiling in America are only going to continue, and the question about whether there's more that authorities could do, partly with the taxpayer money, but just in general, is there more that authorities can do to try to prevent one person out there from pulling something like this. All critical questions as we move past this phase of original investigation in to how do we protect our country, Tony?

HARRIS: Well, and let's be sure to do our part. What's the slogan, if you see it, say it? Is that the New York slogan? I think that's it. Some version of that.

LEVS: I think that's what (INAUDIBLE).

HARRIS: But let's be sure -

LEVS: Say something. What is it?

HARRIS: Say something.

LEVS: If you see something, say something, all right.

HARRIS: If you say -

LEVS: If you see something, say something. HARRIS: If you see something, say something.

LEVS: Yes.

HARRIS: Let's just do our part.

LEVS: And that's what happened. That is what happened here.

HARRIS: Yes. All right, Josh, thank you, sir.

LEVS: Thanks, Tony.

HARRIS: You know, it's not just the seafood you enjoy that could be affected by the Gulf Coast oil spill. Christine Romans will tell you how it could affect your morning cup of coffee. We're back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: And, of course, CNN is your source for money news. Got to get you to cnnmoney.com. The big story there today is one we've been tracking for you in the CNN NEWSROOM throughout the day. Look at this. The "Dow down 200 points on Greek fears." What's happening with the debt? Is the government in Greece going to do what is necessary with a new austerity program to clean up its house and will everyone in the EU who has promised to pony up money actually do it?

I got to tell you that the fears are really driving the markets down. To the New York Stock Exchange now. About, what, better than three hour or just about three hours into the trading day. Look at this, better than 200 points. What a sell-off we've got going right now. The Dow down 238 points. Anyone with a figure on the Nasdaq? All right, we will continue to follow that number for you as well.

We have heard a lot about the potential impact of the Gulf Coast oil spill on the seafood that you eat, but a lot of other products that you use could be effected as well. Christine Romans of our Money team joins us now from New York with details.

And, Christine, I'm going to try to work the touch screen here.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Sure.

HARRIS: Bear with me here.

ROMANS: Oh, I can't wait.

HARRIS: But what kind of products are we talking about here?

ROMANS: Well, let's start. I'm calling it the logistics tango.

HARRIS: OK.

ROMANS: Because all these big companies - coffee. Let's start with coffee.

HARRIS: Coffee. All right.

ROMANS: This is -- Folgers has a huge manufacturing facility there at the Port of New Orleans. They tell me that they have several weeks of green coffee beans on hand in case there are some sorts of shut-downs and they can't get shipfulls of new stuff in there. They're going to be OK. If there is some kind of a glitch, they're going to bring - they're going to bring their coffee in from other ports and then ship it by rail to the Port of New Orleans where they can manufacture it.

HARRIS: I see.

ROMANS: So the best part of waking up, they say, is still going to be in your cup.

HARRIS: Yes.

ROMANS: And after Hurricane Katrina, they said they learned a lot of lessons about logistics, Tony. They're going to make sure that doesn't happen again.

HARRIS: OK.

ROMANS: Bananas.

HARRIS: Bananas.

ROMANS: Bananas. Yes, let's talk about bananas and let's talk about other produce that comes in. This is a huge shipping lane through here. A lot of stuff that's coming in fresh for you is coming in through there. The issue here is it's coming in on these big ships, right? And if these ships are covered with oil, they can't just be pulled right into the Mississippi River Basin.

HARRIS: Right.

ROMANS: So all of these things could be slowed down a little bit. Again, the companies are saying that they learned a lot after Hurricane Katrina and they're figuring out how to get around it. The logistics tango.

Shrimp.

HARRIS: Shrimp, OK.

ROMANS: Already we're seeing shrimp prices going up. Shrimp prices going up. And that's because of the 10 day fishing moratorium now. All the way out even in Idaho, you've got on the menus, they're starting to raise shrimp prices.

HARRIS: OK.

ROMANS: So we'll, you know, we'll closely watch that in the fishing. And sport fishing, I should point out, this is a great time of the year to be doing some sport fishing. A lot of these sport fishermen are sitting idle. So there's a tourism impact on that all together.

And tires.

HARRIS: Tires, OK.

ROMANS: Where the rubber meets the mighty Missipp, I guess.

HARRIS: Right. There you go.

ROMANS: The tire situation. Two hundred and 60,000 tons of rubber comes in through this port, right through these shipping lanes where this oil slick the size now, I guess, of Delaware is drifting around. All of those ships carrying rubber. Again, will have to be hosed down if they have to come in contact with this oil before they can be brought in and off-loaded. So tires of the tire industry closely watching their supplies as well, 360,000 (ph) tons last year brought through there.

HARRIS: Now we've got a big - yes. And, Christine, the last image here that we have up is of one of these big vessels here. One of these big ships.

ROMANS: Yes.

HARRIS: And we're just sort of curious right now as to where a lot of these vessels are right now. Are they ahead of the spill?

ROMANS: They're ahead of the spill and they're around the spill. And what you're hearing from river boat captains is that the southwest pass, which is where you come into this big Port of New Orleans, that they think that there's oil 20 miles out from there.

HARRIS: I see.

ROMANS: So these river boat captains are saying that there are about -- a lot of these ships are about 20 miles out ahead. And what - and Folgers also told me, look, if these ships come through and they come through this oil, they don't know how deep it is. You know, you can think maybe there's not a slick there but then underneath there's oil. You can't just pull this oily ship into the port.

HARRIS: Right.

ROMANS: It's got to be -- it's got to be -- it's got to be sprayed down and power washed and that takes time.

HARRIS: Yes.

ROMANS: And, remember, as everything backs up, then you've got barges full of grain coming down and chicken coming down, big ports through there. All of it -- all of it becomes a logistical, you know, logistical tangle.

That being said, everyone is telling us, the Coast Guard, the International Trade Administration, everyone is telling us things are open. I mean the shipping lanes are open right now. But what we've got is you've got everyone looking back to Hurricane Katrina, when things were shut down, and figuring out what they're going to do under all scenario to make sure that they can still make money and get those products on your table.

HARRIS: OK. So we still have a significant oil spill that we're dealing with here. Any idea as to whether or not this oil spill in the Gulf will impact gas prices at home?

ROMANS: Well, gas prices are going up. It's more likely because we're heading toward Memorial Day. And also as Tom Flogal (ph), one analyst said, he's like, it's the maddening crowd. The speculators they pull onto something like this and they try to say, oh, oil prices are going to go up, gasoline prices are going to go up. He points out, realistically, we're talking about a thimble full of oil in a sea of market-ready supplies. So keep that in perspective. This is a personal and an ecological tragedy, he said. But in terms of how much oil is coming off the market, it's minuscule.

HARRIS: All right. Terrific stuff. I think I passed the test with the touch screen.

ROMANS: I think you did great.

HARRIS: Yeah. Thank God you had the information to take care of.

All right, Christine, appreciate it. Couldn't do both. Thank you. Appreciate it. Thank you, Christine.

You've got money questions and we've got answers when we check in with the CNN financial "Help Desk." That's coming up in just a couple of minutes. Where you going, camera? Where you going? You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Graduating with a bunch of student loans or desperately trying to rebuild your credit? You've got questions about your cash. Our CNN Money team is hooking you up with all the right answers. Here is Stephanie Elam at "The Help Desk."

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Time now for "The Help Desk," where we get you answers to all of your financial question. Joining me this hour, Greg McBride is a senior financial analyst for bankrate.com, and Jack Otter is executive editor of moneywatch.com.

All right, gentlemen, thanks for being here.

Our first question comes from Jean. And they write in, "a friend's daughter got a loan from Sally Mae to attend college, but hasn't been able to pay it off. The interest has compounded to the point that it has become impossible to clear the debt with the low- paying job she has. She needs to earn a credential to achieve a higher income that will give her the ability to start paying down the debt and interest, but she's unable to matriculate at any school because of the debt. She's in a terrible catch-22 situation. Is there anything she can do?" -- Greg.

GREG MCBRIDE, SENIOR FINANCIAL ANALYST, BANKRATE.COM: This is an all too common problem. Graduating into the recession, you have a high debt, low-paying job and it's tough to keep up. One important but often overlooked benefit of federal student loans is forbearance. And what forbearance lets you do is essentially put those payments on hold if you're having a period of financial difficulty. That's something to look into. However, it is only for federal student loans, not private loans that carry that forbearance option.

ELAM: All right. So that situation there. Our next question comes in and it's -- the person has written here, "I am looking to build my credit. I receive offers for credit cards in the mail every week. What's a good APR? Is there anything else to look for?" -- Jack.

JACK OTTER, EXECUTIVE EDITOR, MONEYWATCH.COM: Well, for the very best APR, you're looking around 6 percent. I'd go to bankrate.com to check on that sort of thing. Anything under 10 percent is great. But I would say to this guy, if you have to figure out why and how you use a credit card before worrying about what the most important thing is. If he pays off his balance every month in full, which he should, of course, then the APR is less important than having no annual fee, because that eats away at your savings, and also, what are you getting in return? Airline miles? Cash rewards? Figure out what the best deal is for you. At moneywatch.com we've reviewed some of those and recommend the best card in each category.

ELAM: That's some good advice there. Greg and Jack, thanks so much.

All right, "The Help Desk" is all about getting you answers. So send us an e-mail to cnnhelpdesk@cnn.com. Or you can log on to cnn.com/helpdesk to see more of our financial solutions. You can also pick up the latest issue of "Money" magazine. It's on newsstands now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: We have breaking news out of Pakistan now. CNN confirms one man arrested in Pakistan in connection with the New York City attempted car bombing. Our Reza Sayah joining us now from Islamabad.

And, Reza, what more can you add to the story?

REZA SAYAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Tony, actually we've confirmed two arrests. These are the first arrests in Pakistan in connection with the investigation into the failed bombing in Times Square, New York. An intelligence source telling CNN that two individuals have been arrested in the Nazim Abad (ph) district of Karachi. The arrest taking place during a raid of a house, that according to intelligence agents, Faisal Shahzad used during his last stay in Pakistan.

Details are sketchy right now. We don't have the identification of these individuals. But, once again, we've confirmed, according to an intelligence source, two arrests. The first arrests in Pakistan in connection with the failed bombing in Times Square, New York, Tony. HARRIS: OK, CNN's Reza Sayah for us in Islamabad.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, mopping up all that crude in the Gulf. There are high-tech ways, of course. Then there's a hair brain plan, like the one we're going to tell you about.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: And new information on the investigation coming out of Bridgeport, Connecticut. Let's quickly get you to Tom Foreman in Washington.

And, Tom, what are you learning?

FOREMAN: Hey, Tony, the Associated Press is reporting that federal investigators at the home of this fellow, out in Bridgeport, Connecticut, have found some of these fireworks, called Silver Salutes, which are very similar to the things they found inside the vehicle. You may remember that witness, that eyewitness talking about flashes from inside the vehicle.

HARRIS: Yes. Yes.

FOREMAN: That's precisely what Silver Salutes do. They have a flash powder in them. I've had experienced with these when I was - in my younger years. They flash very, very brightly. They're not so much for purposes of a big display, though. They're mainly for a big, loud pop and a fast explosion.

Earlier on, Tony, I think I was mistaken. I said we talked about flash powder. And I said that maybe they were talking about gunpowder, but that's not right because gunpowder burns more slowly, even though it's fast. Flash powder really goes fast. They apparently found a box of these, according to the AP. It was found among containers of gasoline and other material in the SUV as well.

So the latest that we know right now is that they're still at his house, still looking at things. And one of the things they say they found were these Silver Salutes, these fireworks similar to what they found inside the vehicle -- Tony.

HARRIS: And it looks at this point, Tom, just thinking back for a moment on how you've been pulling the strands of the investigation together, that slowly but surely a lot of information is coming together against this suspect. At this point, still a suspect.

FOREMAN: Well, sure, it does. I mean a terrific, terrific reporting here by Jeanne Meserve, who've been working around the clock. Drew Griffin, one of our CNN people, who are doing an excellent job of investigating this. And, yes, they are finding more and more strands about what this guy's history may have been, how it all may have led up to this moment. It's all still just information at this point. This man hasn't been, you know, convicted of anything at all. But nonetheless, you're right, Tony, this information is coming together I think literally by the hour, maybe even by the quarter hour now. And we're learning a whole lot more. I'm sure by the end of today, we'll have an awful lot of information we don't even have now. -- Tony.

HARRIS: I think you're right. All right, Tom Foreman in Washington for us. Appreciate it, Tom.

CNN NEWSROOM continues right now with T.J. Holmes, in for Ali Velshi.