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CNN Live Saturday

2,000 New Marines Head To Afghanistan; Wildfires Rage In Colorado; Traveling Exhibit Features Iraqi Children's Drawings

Aired April 03, 2004 - 14:00   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.


FREDERICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: It is 2:00 p.m. in Washington, D.C., 11:00 a.m. out west. Good afternoon, I'm Fredericka Whitfield at CNN's global headquarters in Atlanta. Ahead this hour, a nation on alert. Following international terror threats on the transit lines, the Homeland Security Department takes action.
Dark images of war as seen through the eyes of the smallest victims. Their story straight ahead.

And move over, Tiger and LeBron, there's a new phenom getting ready to make his professional debut. We will tell you about the buzz following Freddy Adu.

Those stories in a moment, but first, the headlines.

There's no letup in the violence in the Middle East. Israeli troops shot and killed a Palestinian man today. The victim was suspected of killing an Israeli man at a Jewish settlement in the West Bank.

In Sri Lanka, the country's president and alliance hold a strong lead in the parliamentary elections, but it's unlikely they will capture a majority. The make-up of the new government could tilt the direction of peace talks with rebel forces. The president is a bitter foe of the talks.

A police search is on in the Kansas City area. Officers are looking for a suspect in the shooting deaths of two medical workers overnight. The victims were killed while they sat at the Edwardsville Kansas Fire Station.

Spain's high speed trains are back on track. They are running again a day after explosives were found on the rail. Spanish officials say the explosives are the same type used in Madrid's commuter train bombings last month. In the wake of the attack, the U.S. is warning of a possible terror threat to its commercial transportation system. CNN's Elaine Quijano is live from Washington with more on that.

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well hello to you, Fredericka. Well, first of all, we should note that federal officials say the situation in Spain and this new information they have, they have nothing to indicate those situations are directly connected. At the same time, they say this new information that they have gleaned has not been corroborated. Meaning that it comes from a single source, and has not been matched by the intelligence community. Nevertheless, these officials, these sources are saying there is some level of concern. That is why the FBI and Department of Homeland Security sent a message to police agencies nationwide warning them about a possible plot to take place this summer perhaps against rail lines and buses.

Now specifically, the details of the message, this possible plan calls for the use of improvised explosive devices, perhaps made of ammonium nitrate and diesel fuel. Also, according to this information, the explosive may be concealed in luggage and carry-on bags, those might include duffle bags or backpacks.

Now this information is very general. That an attack could happen, sometime this summer perhaps in a major American city. But this message was not meant as a public warning.

Federal officials, however, did include some suggestions on beefing up security on public transportation systems, basically enhancing measures already put into place after September 11 and also after those train bombings in Madrid. Things like increasing patrols, things like using bomb-sniffing dogs, removing garbage cans from transit subway stations.

Now here in Washington, for example, Metro subway officials recently implemented a campaign called Hey, is that your bag, where passengers are asked to be proactive if they see a suspicious or unattended bag.

Also in Massachusetts, the governor there asked state officials to work with transit systems to develop, what he called, more robust plans to improve safety on public transportation.

Now nationwidem there's a mixed reaction from passengers. Some saying they won't change their plans, because of a possible threat. Others are more cautious, and at some point in the future, perhaps, might decide not to take a train because of safety concerns. But again, Fredericka, very important to note what federal law enforcement sources are emphasizing that this information coming from a single source has not been corroborated -- Fredericka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Elaine Quijano, thanks very much from Washington.

Well out west, some homeowners in northern Colorado could lose everything to a growing wildfire. The blaze has already consumed 8,700 acres west of Fort Collins. It is threatening dozens of homes and it has prompted the evacuations of 140 homes.

At last check the fire was 30 percent contained. For an update, Craig Kern with the Laramer County Sheriff's Office joins us now by phone. Glad you are able to join us, sheriff.

Is that right? About 30 percent contained so far?

That's what the current situation is.

WHITFIELD: And how are you going about battling this blaze? What are you using?

CRAIG KERN, LARAMER COUNTY SHERIFF: There's about 400 fire fighters out there trying to put out the fire. We've cool temperatures and a bit of humidity, but we are not getting the rain and/or snow we are hoping for. At lot of the fire is in the timber area now, most of the grass areas are -- seemed to have been burned out. It's moving slowly if at all to the north, northwest. And the bulk of the homes that were in danger earlier are secured for the time being. Although we are maintaining our evacuations until we get better security status.

WHITFIELD: So many of those homes that were evacuateed, a lot of those homeowners can feel like when they return their homes will be standing?

KERN: We still feel there's only one structure and one garage that has been lost, most everything else is pretty much secured from the fire.

WHITFIELD: Now what about assistance from neighboring fire jurisdictions? Perhaps even from out of state.

KERN: We have people -- several crews from Oklahoma that are up here. We got -- I saw a couple guys from Colorado Springs which is south of Denver came in. We have older firefighters, a lot of the area volunteers, I believe one of the tankers is out of Arkansas, one from Wyoming.

WHITFIELD: So you are getting a lot of help. Now what about the forecast? You mentioned the weather is cool, but humidity is high. What is the immediate forecast for your area?

KERN: Last I heard this is supposed to hold on until tomorrow and then it might clear up. We were hoping for some more rain between now and then, but right now we have to make haste while the sunshine is here.

WHITFIELD: All right. Laramer County, Deputy Sheriff Craig Kern, thanks for joining us on the phone and best of luck to you in your continued efforts out there with these wildfires.

Well, rains are helping to douse wildfires in Arizona. Two wildfires are now contained near the communities of Pine and Gila Bend. The precipitation helped fire fighters contain a 4,300 acre blaze near the rural community of Pine. That fire threatened a Boy Scout camp. And a 5,700 acre citrus fire was also contained yesterday near the Gila River.

Meanwhile, forecasters say Arizona is expected to have another active fire season due to record heat.

Police in the Seattle area are trying to sort out details of a bold kidnapping this week. 32-year-old Christopher Larson faces arraignment in Seattle this afternoon. Investigators say he abducted a 9-year-old girl Thursday after she stepped off her school bus and demanded ransom. Police were waiting when he went to pick up the cash. A high-speed chase followed. Gary Chittim from CNN Seattle affiliate KING reports now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GARY CHITTIM, KING CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Christopher Larson, a loner whose last known address is in Guam, but does have a history here in Western Washington will be in downtown Seattle facing a judge this morning. He is accused of snatching a child off the street and demanding money from her father for his return.

(voice-over): We saw him allegedly lead police on a high speed chase through western Washington. We saw him arrested on the hood of a police car. Today we will see this man, 32 year-old Christopher Larsen in a seattle courtroom.

His alleged victim, a 9-year-old Mercer Island girl, is home safely with her family this morning.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Quite frankly, it does not turn out this positive that often.

CHITTIM: It didn't look good at first. Police knew who the suspect was. They watched him pick up a ransom bag at a Bellview Mall, but never during their high speed pursuit of the suspect at speeds of over 100 miles per hour, did they know the girl was in the back of the suspect vehicle.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The vehicle did have tinted windows on the rear passenger doors and further back. At no time were we able to view into the deep interior of the vehicle.

CHITTIM (on camera): A nightmare for the parents, turned into a very, very happy moment and a lot of relief. And it turns out that this 9-year-old girl may not have been Larson's only victim. Police say during questioning Larson gave them information to the attempted abduction of after 63-year-old woman also in the Seattle suburb of Mercer Island.

Today, he will be arraigned for both incidents, kidnapping and attempted kidnapping. In Seattle for CNN, I'm Gary Chittim.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: In Afghanistan now, the U.S. military is gearing up for a spring offensive against hold outs from the Taliban and al Qaeda. The first wave of 2,000 Marines arived in Afghanistan this week. Full deployment will happen, though, throughout the month of April.

Once in place, the new troops will bring the U.S.-led force in Afghanistan to 15,000, its largest size so far. David Isby is a defensive analyst in Washington and he joins us to talk more about the new military push in Afghanistan. Good to see you, David.

DAVID ISBY, MILITARY ANALYST: Good afternoon.

WHITFIELD: Well, is this an indication that the U.S. military is trying now to more streamline the mission in Afghanistan?

ISBY: Well, certainly there needs to be -- take the offensive in light of the political changes in Afghanistan, the election being postponed from june to September. But these troops, the Marines, they are there for specific operations, they are not a long-term commitment. For that you need something like an expansion of the European-led ISAF, which is now limited to Kabul.

But the Europeans are having a great deal of trouble even funding their current limited commitment.

WHITFIELD: Well, let's zero in on their capabilities. We are talking about Marines who are coming from the 22nd Marine Expeditiary Unit and they're...

ISBY: What they call a Meu.

WHITFIELD: Yes, the Meu. Apparently, they are focusing on intelligence. This war, clearly, cannot be fought without strong intelligence, at least that is what the coalition forces, U.S. forces have been able to find so far.

ISBY: Absolutely. What you need is quick reaction. As you saw with the capture of Saddam Hussein. Intelligence on the ground, being able to work with both the Afghans who may hear things, who may know things, on one hand, and on the other hand with airplanes, UAV, unmanned air vehicles, which can send information, not simply to a distant headquarters, but to the Marines or soldiers on the ground so they can react quickly.

It's where we don't need multiple intersecting levels at headquarters to delay these reaction to intelligence, which has happened in the past.

WHITFIELD: Well, you have a few things going on here. You have the conventional battle. You have a search for intelligence. And now, you also got reconstruction. So, how might these Marines help supplement all these efforts going on, at the same time not be able to divert away from the missions of the other troops there on the ground?

ISBY: Certainly what links them all together is the Afghan dimension. If the war is going to be won it's going to be the Afghans that have to win it and it's the American military and the European military there to make it possible for the Afghans to win.

And to do that they are going to have to make life better. So by defeating al-Qaeda and Taliban terrorists, they are still operating with support people inside Pakistan, they can help do this.

WHITFIELD: Just this past week, Secretary Powell said that warlords and criminal elements threaten to undermine the fresh reconstruction efforts. That is still very much a concern. At the same time, another cash crop of drugs hashish as well as poppy is growing there, offering another problem. Why is it so important for the forces to get to the bottom of trying to root out the drug problem? Is it that the warlords are galvanized from it? ISBY: Something that the -- the Afghan economy needs to be recreated. There is really no other way in much of Afghanistan to earn money except by growing opium poppies. So, crop substitution programs, reconstruction programs, rebuilding roads, drilling wells, if these things are all put in place, that's going to undercut the opium economy. And this needs security, because in much of southern Afghanistan, the nongovernmental organizations, NGOs, the United Nations are being reluctant to help development work, because of the fear from Taliban and al-Qaeda guerrillas.

WHITFIELD: David Isby, thanks very much for joining us.

ISBY: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: Spotting trouble in the beauty chair. No, it's not a lesson on split ends, but a remarkable effort to combat domestic violence. We have this incredible story coming up.

Also, their pictures are worth a thousand words drawn from the smallest victims from the war in Iraq.

And trouble for the Osbourne family, this time it's Kelly making the headlines. Details when we come right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: A check of news across America now. Closing arguments are underway in the case of a Texas woman who said god ordered her to kill her children. Diana Laney is accused of using rocks to kill her 2 sons and severly injuring a 3rd. She's pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

Fire fighters in Miami are working to contain a fire. The blaze charred nearly 2,700 acres on the edge of the everglades. There is no threat to the homes or buildings there.

Kelly Osbourne, daughter to rocker Ozzy Osbourne, is in a California drug rehab clinic. Osbourne and his wife Sharon spoke exclusively to CNN's Larry King. The couple says their daughter was admitted to a clinic last night.

Well, you know that cosmotologists are schooled in hair, nails and make-up, but a unique program teaches some Florida beauty technicians to look beyond split ends and cuticle problems, they ask them to look for signs of domestic violence. CNN's John Zarrella reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Their eyes could not hide the pain, the women gathered at Jazz Hair Salon had been watching a film about domestic violence.

ANNOUNCER: You are not willing to get treatment?

ZARRELLA: The film is part of a two-hour training session for a new program in Florida designed to identify and hopefully save victims of domestic violence. The students may surprise you.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You keep sugar coating it, this person will never feel like they have to do something about their situation.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How important it is.

ZARRELLA: They are hairstylists, cosmotologists and nail technicians whose jobs include a great deal of listening and observing.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You may see tenderness in the scalp. There are some physical things that you might see that others may not.

ZARRELLA: Sheryl Schwab is director of training for the organization Women in Distress. Schwab says the beauty professional may be the only person a victim confides in.

SHERYL SCHWAB, TRAINER: After I started thinking about it, and, you know, talking to others about it and realizing the relationship I have had with a hairdresser for a long time, it was like the perfect fit. It made perfect sense.

ZARRELLA: During training, students are instructed to say things that will encourage a victim to seek help and they are taught what to look for: bruising on the neck and arms, reluctance to change style or color without partner's permission, signs that hair has been pulled or torn.

Stylists AnnMarie Barthelmay says she has heard stories of abuse and she herself has lived it.

ANNEMARIE BARTHELMAY, STYLIST: It's hard to explain people why you stick around. I stuck in it for 5 years.

ZARRELLA: She believes this program will save lives.

SCHWAB: With this, we are in a position because we have -- I don't want to call it ammunition but, it is ammunition, to give the people to help themselves. Before we clam up ourselves and not say anything.

ZARRELLA: The professionals are told not to counsel or try to rescue victims, their role is to listen and point the victim in the direction of help. John Zarrella, CNN, Hollywood, Florida.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Stories of war: illustrations influenced by innocent lives. Straight ahead we'll go behind some stark images, these right here, drawn through the eyes of Iraqi children.

And front and center, we have the story of a group of women paying close attention to the hearings surrounding the 9/11 commission.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) WHITFIELD: Iraqi insurgents target police officials in the latest string of attacks. Iraq police sources tell CNN, a gunman in an Iraqi police uniform opened fire on a police chief in a town south of Baghdad. The official and his driver were killed. A police chief and his deputy were gunned down yesterday in Najaf.

Thousands of Shia militia members put on a show of support for an outspoken cleric in Baghdad. Shiite leader Mutada al Sadr says he supports Hamas and Hezbollah and condemns the U.S. The march comes hours after a coalition forces detained the clerics deputy in Najaf. Earlier this week, the groups newspaper was ordered closed temporarily for inciting violence against coalition troops.

Some unique pictures are telling a different side to the story of war in Iraq. They were created by children who witnessed the fighting firsthand. A traveling exhibition offers a sampling.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIIFED MALE: I titled the show "Shocked and Awed" after the initial bombing campaign of Baghdad. We were hoping to give people an opportunity to understand the impact of war on children, the impact of massive bombings on their city, and the drawings directly communicate this experience with the emotion that comes through: the despair as well as hope.

(voice-over): The drawings were done by children in the Asail (ph) Primary School in Baghdad, just weeks after the bombing. The school was looted. When we arrived, it was wrecked. The teachers were petrified of doing anything political, but they agreed to let us come in there with my camera.

I brought the art supplies into the classroom, the teacher explained what did you see during the last two or three weeks? Out your window, what happened to your family? What happened to you? I saw energy that exploded inside this classroom. The first time that I saw these drawings it was overwhelming. Very, very powerful, moving experience.

It was war at its most raw, through very apolitical innocent lives what they saw what horrific and what they drew was horrific.

The boys are fascinated with armorment and they draw battle scenes which kind of is universal. The girls show more images of families and caring for wounded. There is an image of a crying girl which is recurrent.

(on camera): This is a typical boy's image, but with fantastic detail of the fighting. You see American paratroopers, helicopters, tanks. It's a drawing you will see boys do anywhere, but this was the real thing. Boy is aged 11.

(voice-over): Here is a sympathetic image showing American soldiers distributing Red Cross aide to Baghdad civilians. Here's an image of rebuilding.

Here's an image of hope by a 10-year-old.

This is an image of houses being bombed. It's perhaps the most familiar images of missiles striking houses. A house is a house anywhere. Children draw, and they have the same gabled roof and the flowers in front. Very sad. It's done by a Evian Abdu (ph) who's in the fourth grader.

Artistically, this is one of the most powerful images in the show. It takes a moment to understand what you are looking at. This red ribbon is the Tigris running red with blood. It was drawn by Hamad Samir (ph) who is 14.

Here is a beautiful image of hope, and it says "I'm Juwan Salim Yunis. I'm from Iraq. I'm 10 years old. With one hand we build Iraq."

Art can sensitize people as well as break down barriers and fears. People know so little about other cultures that it's easy for them to believe that people are not like us.

This image is one of the saddest in the show. It shows a girl just devastated and crying, and in Arabic it translates "to where is my dad?"

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (on camera): You try to imagine what the whole last year has been like for the Iraqis and for kids in Baghdad. Children are the most sensitive and vulnerable creations we have.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All children are just that, they are children and it will take a long time for these terrible scars to heal.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Well it's a multimillion dollar spending spree with the elections still seven months away. Straight ahead, we'll examine the spending frenzy on the political ads in the race for the White House.

And, seeking that one shining moment at the Alamo. We will preview the finale of the men's college basketball season.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired April 3, 2004 - 14:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDERICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: It is 2:00 p.m. in Washington, D.C., 11:00 a.m. out west. Good afternoon, I'm Fredericka Whitfield at CNN's global headquarters in Atlanta. Ahead this hour, a nation on alert. Following international terror threats on the transit lines, the Homeland Security Department takes action.
Dark images of war as seen through the eyes of the smallest victims. Their story straight ahead.

And move over, Tiger and LeBron, there's a new phenom getting ready to make his professional debut. We will tell you about the buzz following Freddy Adu.

Those stories in a moment, but first, the headlines.

There's no letup in the violence in the Middle East. Israeli troops shot and killed a Palestinian man today. The victim was suspected of killing an Israeli man at a Jewish settlement in the West Bank.

In Sri Lanka, the country's president and alliance hold a strong lead in the parliamentary elections, but it's unlikely they will capture a majority. The make-up of the new government could tilt the direction of peace talks with rebel forces. The president is a bitter foe of the talks.

A police search is on in the Kansas City area. Officers are looking for a suspect in the shooting deaths of two medical workers overnight. The victims were killed while they sat at the Edwardsville Kansas Fire Station.

Spain's high speed trains are back on track. They are running again a day after explosives were found on the rail. Spanish officials say the explosives are the same type used in Madrid's commuter train bombings last month. In the wake of the attack, the U.S. is warning of a possible terror threat to its commercial transportation system. CNN's Elaine Quijano is live from Washington with more on that.

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well hello to you, Fredericka. Well, first of all, we should note that federal officials say the situation in Spain and this new information they have, they have nothing to indicate those situations are directly connected. At the same time, they say this new information that they have gleaned has not been corroborated. Meaning that it comes from a single source, and has not been matched by the intelligence community. Nevertheless, these officials, these sources are saying there is some level of concern. That is why the FBI and Department of Homeland Security sent a message to police agencies nationwide warning them about a possible plot to take place this summer perhaps against rail lines and buses.

Now specifically, the details of the message, this possible plan calls for the use of improvised explosive devices, perhaps made of ammonium nitrate and diesel fuel. Also, according to this information, the explosive may be concealed in luggage and carry-on bags, those might include duffle bags or backpacks.

Now this information is very general. That an attack could happen, sometime this summer perhaps in a major American city. But this message was not meant as a public warning.

Federal officials, however, did include some suggestions on beefing up security on public transportation systems, basically enhancing measures already put into place after September 11 and also after those train bombings in Madrid. Things like increasing patrols, things like using bomb-sniffing dogs, removing garbage cans from transit subway stations.

Now here in Washington, for example, Metro subway officials recently implemented a campaign called Hey, is that your bag, where passengers are asked to be proactive if they see a suspicious or unattended bag.

Also in Massachusetts, the governor there asked state officials to work with transit systems to develop, what he called, more robust plans to improve safety on public transportation.

Now nationwidem there's a mixed reaction from passengers. Some saying they won't change their plans, because of a possible threat. Others are more cautious, and at some point in the future, perhaps, might decide not to take a train because of safety concerns. But again, Fredericka, very important to note what federal law enforcement sources are emphasizing that this information coming from a single source has not been corroborated -- Fredericka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Elaine Quijano, thanks very much from Washington.

Well out west, some homeowners in northern Colorado could lose everything to a growing wildfire. The blaze has already consumed 8,700 acres west of Fort Collins. It is threatening dozens of homes and it has prompted the evacuations of 140 homes.

At last check the fire was 30 percent contained. For an update, Craig Kern with the Laramer County Sheriff's Office joins us now by phone. Glad you are able to join us, sheriff.

Is that right? About 30 percent contained so far?

That's what the current situation is.

WHITFIELD: And how are you going about battling this blaze? What are you using?

CRAIG KERN, LARAMER COUNTY SHERIFF: There's about 400 fire fighters out there trying to put out the fire. We've cool temperatures and a bit of humidity, but we are not getting the rain and/or snow we are hoping for. At lot of the fire is in the timber area now, most of the grass areas are -- seemed to have been burned out. It's moving slowly if at all to the north, northwest. And the bulk of the homes that were in danger earlier are secured for the time being. Although we are maintaining our evacuations until we get better security status.

WHITFIELD: So many of those homes that were evacuateed, a lot of those homeowners can feel like when they return their homes will be standing?

KERN: We still feel there's only one structure and one garage that has been lost, most everything else is pretty much secured from the fire.

WHITFIELD: Now what about assistance from neighboring fire jurisdictions? Perhaps even from out of state.

KERN: We have people -- several crews from Oklahoma that are up here. We got -- I saw a couple guys from Colorado Springs which is south of Denver came in. We have older firefighters, a lot of the area volunteers, I believe one of the tankers is out of Arkansas, one from Wyoming.

WHITFIELD: So you are getting a lot of help. Now what about the forecast? You mentioned the weather is cool, but humidity is high. What is the immediate forecast for your area?

KERN: Last I heard this is supposed to hold on until tomorrow and then it might clear up. We were hoping for some more rain between now and then, but right now we have to make haste while the sunshine is here.

WHITFIELD: All right. Laramer County, Deputy Sheriff Craig Kern, thanks for joining us on the phone and best of luck to you in your continued efforts out there with these wildfires.

Well, rains are helping to douse wildfires in Arizona. Two wildfires are now contained near the communities of Pine and Gila Bend. The precipitation helped fire fighters contain a 4,300 acre blaze near the rural community of Pine. That fire threatened a Boy Scout camp. And a 5,700 acre citrus fire was also contained yesterday near the Gila River.

Meanwhile, forecasters say Arizona is expected to have another active fire season due to record heat.

Police in the Seattle area are trying to sort out details of a bold kidnapping this week. 32-year-old Christopher Larson faces arraignment in Seattle this afternoon. Investigators say he abducted a 9-year-old girl Thursday after she stepped off her school bus and demanded ransom. Police were waiting when he went to pick up the cash. A high-speed chase followed. Gary Chittim from CNN Seattle affiliate KING reports now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GARY CHITTIM, KING CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Christopher Larson, a loner whose last known address is in Guam, but does have a history here in Western Washington will be in downtown Seattle facing a judge this morning. He is accused of snatching a child off the street and demanding money from her father for his return.

(voice-over): We saw him allegedly lead police on a high speed chase through western Washington. We saw him arrested on the hood of a police car. Today we will see this man, 32 year-old Christopher Larsen in a seattle courtroom.

His alleged victim, a 9-year-old Mercer Island girl, is home safely with her family this morning.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Quite frankly, it does not turn out this positive that often.

CHITTIM: It didn't look good at first. Police knew who the suspect was. They watched him pick up a ransom bag at a Bellview Mall, but never during their high speed pursuit of the suspect at speeds of over 100 miles per hour, did they know the girl was in the back of the suspect vehicle.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The vehicle did have tinted windows on the rear passenger doors and further back. At no time were we able to view into the deep interior of the vehicle.

CHITTIM (on camera): A nightmare for the parents, turned into a very, very happy moment and a lot of relief. And it turns out that this 9-year-old girl may not have been Larson's only victim. Police say during questioning Larson gave them information to the attempted abduction of after 63-year-old woman also in the Seattle suburb of Mercer Island.

Today, he will be arraigned for both incidents, kidnapping and attempted kidnapping. In Seattle for CNN, I'm Gary Chittim.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: In Afghanistan now, the U.S. military is gearing up for a spring offensive against hold outs from the Taliban and al Qaeda. The first wave of 2,000 Marines arived in Afghanistan this week. Full deployment will happen, though, throughout the month of April.

Once in place, the new troops will bring the U.S.-led force in Afghanistan to 15,000, its largest size so far. David Isby is a defensive analyst in Washington and he joins us to talk more about the new military push in Afghanistan. Good to see you, David.

DAVID ISBY, MILITARY ANALYST: Good afternoon.

WHITFIELD: Well, is this an indication that the U.S. military is trying now to more streamline the mission in Afghanistan?

ISBY: Well, certainly there needs to be -- take the offensive in light of the political changes in Afghanistan, the election being postponed from june to September. But these troops, the Marines, they are there for specific operations, they are not a long-term commitment. For that you need something like an expansion of the European-led ISAF, which is now limited to Kabul.

But the Europeans are having a great deal of trouble even funding their current limited commitment.

WHITFIELD: Well, let's zero in on their capabilities. We are talking about Marines who are coming from the 22nd Marine Expeditiary Unit and they're...

ISBY: What they call a Meu.

WHITFIELD: Yes, the Meu. Apparently, they are focusing on intelligence. This war, clearly, cannot be fought without strong intelligence, at least that is what the coalition forces, U.S. forces have been able to find so far.

ISBY: Absolutely. What you need is quick reaction. As you saw with the capture of Saddam Hussein. Intelligence on the ground, being able to work with both the Afghans who may hear things, who may know things, on one hand, and on the other hand with airplanes, UAV, unmanned air vehicles, which can send information, not simply to a distant headquarters, but to the Marines or soldiers on the ground so they can react quickly.

It's where we don't need multiple intersecting levels at headquarters to delay these reaction to intelligence, which has happened in the past.

WHITFIELD: Well, you have a few things going on here. You have the conventional battle. You have a search for intelligence. And now, you also got reconstruction. So, how might these Marines help supplement all these efforts going on, at the same time not be able to divert away from the missions of the other troops there on the ground?

ISBY: Certainly what links them all together is the Afghan dimension. If the war is going to be won it's going to be the Afghans that have to win it and it's the American military and the European military there to make it possible for the Afghans to win.

And to do that they are going to have to make life better. So by defeating al-Qaeda and Taliban terrorists, they are still operating with support people inside Pakistan, they can help do this.

WHITFIELD: Just this past week, Secretary Powell said that warlords and criminal elements threaten to undermine the fresh reconstruction efforts. That is still very much a concern. At the same time, another cash crop of drugs hashish as well as poppy is growing there, offering another problem. Why is it so important for the forces to get to the bottom of trying to root out the drug problem? Is it that the warlords are galvanized from it? ISBY: Something that the -- the Afghan economy needs to be recreated. There is really no other way in much of Afghanistan to earn money except by growing opium poppies. So, crop substitution programs, reconstruction programs, rebuilding roads, drilling wells, if these things are all put in place, that's going to undercut the opium economy. And this needs security, because in much of southern Afghanistan, the nongovernmental organizations, NGOs, the United Nations are being reluctant to help development work, because of the fear from Taliban and al-Qaeda guerrillas.

WHITFIELD: David Isby, thanks very much for joining us.

ISBY: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: Spotting trouble in the beauty chair. No, it's not a lesson on split ends, but a remarkable effort to combat domestic violence. We have this incredible story coming up.

Also, their pictures are worth a thousand words drawn from the smallest victims from the war in Iraq.

And trouble for the Osbourne family, this time it's Kelly making the headlines. Details when we come right back.

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WHITFIELD: A check of news across America now. Closing arguments are underway in the case of a Texas woman who said god ordered her to kill her children. Diana Laney is accused of using rocks to kill her 2 sons and severly injuring a 3rd. She's pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

Fire fighters in Miami are working to contain a fire. The blaze charred nearly 2,700 acres on the edge of the everglades. There is no threat to the homes or buildings there.

Kelly Osbourne, daughter to rocker Ozzy Osbourne, is in a California drug rehab clinic. Osbourne and his wife Sharon spoke exclusively to CNN's Larry King. The couple says their daughter was admitted to a clinic last night.

Well, you know that cosmotologists are schooled in hair, nails and make-up, but a unique program teaches some Florida beauty technicians to look beyond split ends and cuticle problems, they ask them to look for signs of domestic violence. CNN's John Zarrella reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Their eyes could not hide the pain, the women gathered at Jazz Hair Salon had been watching a film about domestic violence.

ANNOUNCER: You are not willing to get treatment?

ZARRELLA: The film is part of a two-hour training session for a new program in Florida designed to identify and hopefully save victims of domestic violence. The students may surprise you.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You keep sugar coating it, this person will never feel like they have to do something about their situation.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How important it is.

ZARRELLA: They are hairstylists, cosmotologists and nail technicians whose jobs include a great deal of listening and observing.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You may see tenderness in the scalp. There are some physical things that you might see that others may not.

ZARRELLA: Sheryl Schwab is director of training for the organization Women in Distress. Schwab says the beauty professional may be the only person a victim confides in.

SHERYL SCHWAB, TRAINER: After I started thinking about it, and, you know, talking to others about it and realizing the relationship I have had with a hairdresser for a long time, it was like the perfect fit. It made perfect sense.

ZARRELLA: During training, students are instructed to say things that will encourage a victim to seek help and they are taught what to look for: bruising on the neck and arms, reluctance to change style or color without partner's permission, signs that hair has been pulled or torn.

Stylists AnnMarie Barthelmay says she has heard stories of abuse and she herself has lived it.

ANNEMARIE BARTHELMAY, STYLIST: It's hard to explain people why you stick around. I stuck in it for 5 years.

ZARRELLA: She believes this program will save lives.

SCHWAB: With this, we are in a position because we have -- I don't want to call it ammunition but, it is ammunition, to give the people to help themselves. Before we clam up ourselves and not say anything.

ZARRELLA: The professionals are told not to counsel or try to rescue victims, their role is to listen and point the victim in the direction of help. John Zarrella, CNN, Hollywood, Florida.

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WHITFIELD: Stories of war: illustrations influenced by innocent lives. Straight ahead we'll go behind some stark images, these right here, drawn through the eyes of Iraqi children.

And front and center, we have the story of a group of women paying close attention to the hearings surrounding the 9/11 commission.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) WHITFIELD: Iraqi insurgents target police officials in the latest string of attacks. Iraq police sources tell CNN, a gunman in an Iraqi police uniform opened fire on a police chief in a town south of Baghdad. The official and his driver were killed. A police chief and his deputy were gunned down yesterday in Najaf.

Thousands of Shia militia members put on a show of support for an outspoken cleric in Baghdad. Shiite leader Mutada al Sadr says he supports Hamas and Hezbollah and condemns the U.S. The march comes hours after a coalition forces detained the clerics deputy in Najaf. Earlier this week, the groups newspaper was ordered closed temporarily for inciting violence against coalition troops.

Some unique pictures are telling a different side to the story of war in Iraq. They were created by children who witnessed the fighting firsthand. A traveling exhibition offers a sampling.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIIFED MALE: I titled the show "Shocked and Awed" after the initial bombing campaign of Baghdad. We were hoping to give people an opportunity to understand the impact of war on children, the impact of massive bombings on their city, and the drawings directly communicate this experience with the emotion that comes through: the despair as well as hope.

(voice-over): The drawings were done by children in the Asail (ph) Primary School in Baghdad, just weeks after the bombing. The school was looted. When we arrived, it was wrecked. The teachers were petrified of doing anything political, but they agreed to let us come in there with my camera.

I brought the art supplies into the classroom, the teacher explained what did you see during the last two or three weeks? Out your window, what happened to your family? What happened to you? I saw energy that exploded inside this classroom. The first time that I saw these drawings it was overwhelming. Very, very powerful, moving experience.

It was war at its most raw, through very apolitical innocent lives what they saw what horrific and what they drew was horrific.

The boys are fascinated with armorment and they draw battle scenes which kind of is universal. The girls show more images of families and caring for wounded. There is an image of a crying girl which is recurrent.

(on camera): This is a typical boy's image, but with fantastic detail of the fighting. You see American paratroopers, helicopters, tanks. It's a drawing you will see boys do anywhere, but this was the real thing. Boy is aged 11.

(voice-over): Here is a sympathetic image showing American soldiers distributing Red Cross aide to Baghdad civilians. Here's an image of rebuilding.

Here's an image of hope by a 10-year-old.

This is an image of houses being bombed. It's perhaps the most familiar images of missiles striking houses. A house is a house anywhere. Children draw, and they have the same gabled roof and the flowers in front. Very sad. It's done by a Evian Abdu (ph) who's in the fourth grader.

Artistically, this is one of the most powerful images in the show. It takes a moment to understand what you are looking at. This red ribbon is the Tigris running red with blood. It was drawn by Hamad Samir (ph) who is 14.

Here is a beautiful image of hope, and it says "I'm Juwan Salim Yunis. I'm from Iraq. I'm 10 years old. With one hand we build Iraq."

Art can sensitize people as well as break down barriers and fears. People know so little about other cultures that it's easy for them to believe that people are not like us.

This image is one of the saddest in the show. It shows a girl just devastated and crying, and in Arabic it translates "to where is my dad?"

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (on camera): You try to imagine what the whole last year has been like for the Iraqis and for kids in Baghdad. Children are the most sensitive and vulnerable creations we have.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All children are just that, they are children and it will take a long time for these terrible scars to heal.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Well it's a multimillion dollar spending spree with the elections still seven months away. Straight ahead, we'll examine the spending frenzy on the political ads in the race for the White House.

And, seeking that one shining moment at the Alamo. We will preview the finale of the men's college basketball season.

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