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CNN Live Saturday
Senior Al Qaeda Commander Killed; U.S. Involved in Propaganda War in Iraq; New Intelligence Chief Under Fire; A Quaker Mission With a Purpose; New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin Fields Questions for Evacuees
Aired December 03, 2005 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Happening right now, on the hot seat well across state lines, New Orleans mayor, Ray Nagin, reaching out to evacuees now living in Georgia. We'll take you there.
Also this hour, how have intelligence efforts changed now that John Negroponte is director of national intelligence? You'll hear in a CNN exclusive.
And he's spoken to many about "the purpose driven life." Now, Rick Warren on a new mission, helping to solve the AIDS crisis in Africa. We'll speak with him and his wife.
Welcome to CNN LIVE SATURDAY. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Those stories in a moment. But first, other headlines "Now in the News."
The first published picture of the woman who received a partial face transplant earlier this week in France. We'll show you more later when Dr. Sanjay Gupta examines the ethics debate surrounding this ground-breaking operation.
Pope Benedict XVI met today with Palestinian Leader Mahmoud Abbas. The two spent about 20 minutes discussing the Middle East and problems facing Christians in Palestinian territories. Abbas asked the Pope's support for the Palestinian people and invited the pontiff to visit the holy land.
President Bush is pressing Congress to pass his immigration reform plan. In his weekly radio address, Mr. Bush said illegal immigration strains American schools, hospitals and law enforcement. His plan calls for a guest worker program and for tighter border security.
New developments this hour in the death of a senior al Qaeda commander in Pakistan. Pakistani officials say Abu Hamza Rabia was one of five people who died earlier this week at a house in the tribal area near the border with Afghanistan. CNN National Security Correspondent David Ensor joins us now on the phone.
And, David, was this the result of a targeted attack or an explosion of some sort?
DAVID ENSOR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, the Pakistani officials have said it was an explosion. Serving U.S. officials aren't commenting. There are reports that it was the result of a CIA run, unmanned predator drone firing a hellfire missile into the building and knowledgeable officials, former officials that I'm speaking to and other knowledgeable sources, say that has a ring of truth to them. They think that is probably what happened, the use of one of these drones that the U.S. has used effectively against a number of al Qaeda leaders in the past. They can fire missiles with tremendous accuracy. And that may well be what happened here. But, as I say, serving U.S. officials are not talking.
WHITFIELD: And then, David, we're receiving some new images of the debris, according to Pakistani officials, from what took place. Why is it that the Pakistani officials are redisent (ph) to even reveal how this explosion or attack, whichever it may be, took place?
ENSOR: You know, the close relationship between Pakistan and the United States is not popular with quite a lot of people in Pakistan. It could create political problems for President Musharraf to say publicly that he's allowing the CIA to fly a pilotless aircraft over his air space. So that is probably the reason. But that's assuming that this is true, that the CIA was in charge of this hit.
WHITFIELD: And now Pakistan has tried to convey that it is very aggressive, President Musharraf particularly, that country is very aggressive in this fight against terrorism. Might this bode in their favor if Pakistan gave consent for the U.S. to use a drone or anything else to weed out this -- what the government is calling a big fish?
ENSOR: Well, obviously, it will be very, very good for Pakistan in terms of how President Bush and the Bush administration feel about how Pakistan is helping in the war on terrorism. And this is an individual who is believed to have been involved in the planning of the failed attempts to kill President Musharraf. So clearly he's considered a terrorist by any measure in Pakistan, as well as in the United States. And he was, according to U.S. officials, number three in al Qaeda. The operations chief. The man who would have planned any kind of terrorist attacks against the United States or been in charge of those who did. So U.S. officials are celebrating today, Fredricka. They're calling this a significant blow against al Qaeda.
WHITFIELD: All right, David Ensor, thanks so much for joining us, from Washington.
Well, less than two weeks before parliamentary elections, more casualties in the fight for Iraq. This time, 11 Iraqi soldiers are dead following an insurgent ambush north of Baghdad. The attackers used roadside bombs and small arms fire. Ten of the Iraqi soldiers died in the initial attack. The body of the 11th, who was kidnaped, was found later.
And this is videotape of four western hostages in Iraq. The pictures were first broadcast by the arabic language television channel al- Jazeera. A group called Swords of Justice Brigade says it's holding the four men, an American, a Britain and two Canadians. The group is threatening to kill them unless the Iraqi government releases all prisoners in its jails. The daily bloodshed and carnage in Iraq is matched by an equally ferocious war of words and images. And both coalition forces and insurgents are involved in that fight. CNN's Nic Robertson reports now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): This is video that has the U.S. military fighting mad. It supposedly shows insurgents roaming freely on Thursday in the city of Ramadi in western Iraq. It could be propaganda and that's what angers coalition commanders. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, they say, is an expert propagandists.
MAJ. GEN. RICK LYNCH, COALITION SPOKESMAN: Conducting these kidnapings, these beheadings, these explosions so that he gets international coverage to look like he has more capability than he truly has. He is lying to the Iraq people.
ROBERTSON: And that's the point with the videotape from Ramadi. Is it real or staged? It certainly is designed to show that the insurgents can move about at will in the town. But the coalition says that's not the reality.
LYNCH: Over the course of the day we've had one attack. It was an RPG attack and it was ineffective. That shows you disparity between the perception of security in Ramadi and what is happening on the ground.
ROBERTSON: On the streets of Ramadi where CNN is not safely able to go alone, a man identified as an insurgent claims to control the streets and vows to crack down on U.S. troops. Leaflets distributed by the gunmen claim Zarqawi, the head of al Qaeda in Iraq, is taking over Ramadi. That he may be close to the city is not disputed by U.S. officers. But they claim he's on the run.
LYNCH: No doubt that Zarqawi tried to gravitate him and his forces toward Ramadi. I know it to be true. Our operations are focused on taking him out in Ramadi.
ROBERTSON: Propaganda is becoming crucial on this battle for both sides. General Lynch says, "we empower our commanders with the ability to inform the Iraqi public." But he insists, "everything we say is based on fact." Much to his annoyance, the insurgents, too, appear to have an effective PR machine.
Nic Robertson, CNN, Baghdad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: And be sure to stay with CNN at the top of the hour for an inside look into the world of terrorism. CNN National Security Correspondent David Ensor talks to those who have been on the front lines of the war years before 9/11. CNN presents "Winning The War On Terror" at 3:00 pm Eastern right here on CNN.
And now to a story taking place right here in Atlanta where New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin is meeting with displaced Hurricane Katrina survivors and he's urging them to return home. Nagin has been reminding the storm victims of the city they left behind in a series of town hall meetings across the south.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYOR RAY NAGIN, NEW ORLEANS: The big easy is not very easy right now. So come back fully understanding and expecting to have some challenges. It's not going to be easy. In my estimation, I think we've got a six-month window where we're going to really work hard to get out of where we are. But after that time, there's going to be an incredible boom in the city of New Orleans and in our area. And we're estimating that this boom will last for five to 10 years.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: And right now we want to take you there live where questions are being asked not just to Mayor Ray Nagin, but representatives of FEMA. So let's listen in.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Who graduated from this school. I'm already displaced. You're not going to displace (INAUDIBLE). (INAUDIBLE). I paid my tax there. Why do you want to displace me out of New Orleans and Shreveport somewhere?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ma'am, all I can tell you is we're trying to give you something that's close to your area.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sir, you're not giving me nothing in New Orleans. You're not giving me nothing.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sir, if you could have one of the FEMA reps meet her in the lobby so (INAUDIBLE) question.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Wait a minute. I have a suggestion for you. I have property 6403 (ph) Franklin (ph) Avenue. I'll sell (ph) them the house. Go tear that down, you can put five trailers there for (INAUDIBLE). Now you can do something (INAUDIBLE).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ma'am, we have a FEMA representative coming toward you now that will speak with you.
Mayor. Excuse me, mayor. And please, as a reminder to my -- as a reminder to my FEMA representative, please give your name and your title when you come to the mike. Several people are wanting to know that.
MAYOR RAY NAGIN, NEW ORLEANS: All right.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mayor, to the right, please, what's your question?
NAGIN: Yes, ma'am.
IVORY HAMILTON (ph): OK.
NAGIN: Yes, ma'am.
HAMILTON: Good afternoon.
NAGIN: (INAUDIBLE), we've got a lot of people to get to. They're going to get tired in the back, but let's go.
HAMILTON: Good afternoon, Mayor Nagin.
NAGIN: Yes, sir. Yes, ma'am.
HAMILTON: We appreciate you coming. My name is Ivory Hamilton. I have a home in New Orleans East. A fairly new home. Only six years old. So I'm very, very concerned about that. I have one question for FEMA and then the rest for you. My only question for FEMA is, we have these maps and I don't understand the codes on them. I would like an explanation of the codes so I can know exactly where my house stands according to this map.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's a city flood zone map.
HAMILTON: OK.
NAGIN: She -- I mean they're basically saying that's not their map.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Zip codes from the city.
NAGIN: Where did you get that one from?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's just (INAUDIBLE).
HAMILTON: These were issued in the corridor out front.
NAGIN: In the corridor?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, it's from our safety and permits office.
NAGIN: All right. What I would recommend you do, ma'am, is to go online. Do you have Internet access?
HAMILTON: Yes, I do.
NAGIN: All right. Go online. Go to our website. Punch in your address. And then there's going to be a link that says where am I to the flood plain and it will pull up and tell you exactly where you are and what you need to do. All right.
HAMILTON: OK. Thank you for that.
WHITFIELD: In many cases, this is the first time many of the 12,000 evacuees out of the New Orleans area who have now made temporary home in Georgia have an opportunity to talk one on one with New Orleans' Mayor Ray Nagin, as well as you saw earlier some FEMA officials. And this is the first time they're getting a chance to ask questions about their properties that they've left behind, about their temporary housing, how long will it will carry on. The first woman you heard from earlier, who was obviously very upset with the mayor, was conveying the fact that she had not heard from FEMA for these nearly three months now until recently, hearing from FEMA and being told that they had a trailer for her in Shreveport after making her journey from New Orleans in a rather securitous (ph) way, and then finally making it to the Georgia area and now being asked and told, if she wants some kind of temporary housing in a trailer, it would mean to move back to Louisiana but in Shreveport. Not very happy about that. You saw that from that woman. However, the mayor was trying to offer some comfort to her and FEMA officials, that they would take her name and number and perhaps address some of her concerns.
So we're going to continue to monitor this town hall meeting taking place in Atlanta, Georgia, at Morehouse College. And when we get more information or we're able to jump into it, we'll be bringing that to you live as it happens.
Meantime, with so many New Orleans' voters living out of the state, Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco has postponed the February 4th scheduled city elections. New elections could be held as late as September now. New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin has not announced whether he will run for a second term.
Meanwhile, a FEMA spokesperson tells "The Washington Post," threats of violence have forced the agency to pull workers out of the city's lower ninth ward. A city spokesperson says police have not had any complaints. Meantime, federal agents reportedly have arrested at least six people in recent weeks for threatening FEMA workers, they say.
Well, it's been nearly a year since the U.S. recognized the way it collects intelligence around the world. Have things improved? Find out what the man in charge of the new system has to say.
And how can you help battle the AIDS crisis in Africa? One well-known religious author has some answers and some suggestions for all of us later on CNN LIVE SATURDAY.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: The new director of national intelligence has been on the job just eight months now, but already John Negroponte is facing criticism that he's moving too slowly. National Security Correspondent David Ensor has a story you'll only see on CNN.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVID ENSOR, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): The post 9/11 U.S. intelligence community includes a state of the art national counter terrorism center and a new director of national intelligence. The cabinet-level job created almost a year ago and filled with Ambassador John Negroponte. But some critics charge the director has yet to fully exert his authority and is off to a slow start.
NEWT GINGRICH, FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER: There are four words missing, I think, from the way I sense the systems currently operating with the new director of national intelligence. Those are speed, intensity, urgency and accountability.
JOHN NEGROPONTE, DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE: Well, I think the story is quite the contrary.
ENSOR: For the first time since he became the president's top intelligence advisor, Negroponte agreed to a broadcast interview. He says major changes are well underway.
NEGROPONTE: We've created in the collection area a national clandestine service. We've created an open source center. We've created a national security branch in the FBI.
ENSOR: Critics argue Negroponte has not been forceful enough. Some even say legal changes may be need today give him more power.
JOHN BRENNAN, FORMER ACTING DIRECTOR, NCTC: It's up to Master (ph) Negroponte to really push the limits of his authority. He needs to exert it.
ENSOR: The intelligence director hints he has exerted more power than the public may know.
NEGROPONTE: I'm not at liberty to go into all the details, but we've taken some tough decisions that have implications for substantial amounts of money and resources.
ENSOR: At a White House meeting Negroponte attended this week, though, sources say the issue was the CIA secret prison story. What should Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice tell angry European governments next week about whether al Qaeda prisoners, Colag Shak Mahamed (ph) and the like, may be on European soil under harsh CIA interrogation?
NEGROPONTE: Would say that this is a collective effort that involves the intelligence community and the State Department and other interested agencies. But I suggest that it might be best to just stay tuned for Miss Rice's trip.
ENSOR: Negroponte is in the hot seat, dealing with critics, controversies and a battle with terrorists that shows no sign of easing up.
David Ensor, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: And what can America's Christian community do to help AIDS victims in Africa? Next, I'll speak with the Reverend Rick Warren, and his wife, about what they are doing to try to make a difference.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Nations around the globe marked World AIDS Day this week. The U.N. estimates that more than 40 million people are infected with HIV. The pandemic is particularly acute in Subsaharan (ph) Africa. The region accounts for more than two-thirds of all AIDS cases. And images like these is what prompted our guests to go to Africa and get involved in the crisis, abroad and here at home. The Reverend Rick Warren is the author of the best selling book "The Purpose-Driven Life." He and his wife, Kay, join me today from Irvine, California.
Good to see both of you.
KAY WARREN, SADDLEBACK CHURCH: Thanks.
REV. RICK WARREN, "THE PURPOSE-DRIVEN LIFE": Hi, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right. So we know at least these images and the knowledge of what's taking place in Subsaharan Africa and other parts of Africa is what prompted you to get involved. But what is it about your program that you created that you feel is different than all of the other talks of programs and assistance going into Africa?
RICK WARREN: Well, Fredricka, the church has a role, business has a role and government has a role. And up to this point, the church has not been carrying its part of the bargain. Government has permission giving abilities and agenda setting abilities. The business community has capital and expertise. But the church has two things that neither government nor business has, which is we have universal distribution -- there's a church in every village around the world -- and we have the greatest pool of volunteers. And our goal is to mobilize those volunteers to fight this greatest health crisis in the history of mankind.
WHITFIELD: And, Kay, this was, in part, your idea, wasn't it? I mean, didn't you help prompt this whole effort? And, in doing so, it seems that a lot of criticism has been of a lot of groups saying they want to help Subsaharan Africa or other parts of Africa but they haven't been able to actually get medicine in or the amount of condoms necessary to help in fighting the spread of HIV. So is this something that you feel your efforts will open doors to? Are you able to make that promise of getting more medicine and supplies and education in?
KAY WARREN: Well, we're starting with the things that every church can do, to get medication in a church, to be able to distribute it. That's a little tricky. It's our goal and it's our dream and we think it's reachable, but we want to start with the things that every church can do. Every church can care and comfort. It doesn't take any special training to be able to care for people who are HIV positive. It doesn't really take any training to reduce the stigma. When the church says you're OK, you're OK. So we're going to go with the things that are the most simple, the most reproduceable, the most sustainable and then gradually help people build capacity so that they can be testing centers themselves, so that they can help with the distribution of medication.
WHITFIELD: So you're . . .
RICK WARREN: If every church . . .
WHITFIELD: So you're trying to encourage church members or people to volunteer to go to some of these countries and try to offer some sort of verbal support or, you know, offering a hug, if it comes to that. But that might be the extent of the kind of support that you're able to provide?
RICK WARREN: No. Actually, we want them to do six different things. We use a little crostic (ph) called C.H.U.R.C.H., which stands for Care and comfort, Handle testing and counseling, Unleash a volunteer workforce of compassion, Reduce the stigma, Champion healthy habits and behavior and Handle medications and nutrition. Nutrition is just as important as medication for those living with HIV/AIDS because of all the other attacking viruses that when your body immune system is weakened.
WHITFIELD: So what do you say to critics, not necessarily of your program, but critics of other programs, educational type campaign programs, who say these people don't need just talk. They've heard a lot of talk. What they need is some real action and that's what is lacking.
KAY WARREN: Well, I think that in America, the evangelical church has just been absent from the debate completely. And so the focus of our conference this past week was to send those pastors home, both with a commitment in their own hearts to care for people with HIV the way that God does and to go back to their own church equipped with some educational models, some tools, some things that they can actually use to start caring, and then we are eager to partner with churches around the world, linking church to church. That's what's different about the peace plan and our efforts. It's not a centralized approach. It's one church connecting with another church and building relationships.
WHITFIELD: And you feel like your program is going to help save lives?
KAY WARREN: Oh, absolutely.
RICK WARREN: Oh, without a doubt. It already is. Over the last two years, we've had about 4,500 of our own church members doing the peace plan in 63 different countries. So there's no doubt that it's already saving lives.
KAY WARREN: Well, and the church is everywhere around the world. And, as Rick said, it has this incredible distribution network. So when you go around the world, the church is already there. We just need to mobilize them to be able to do what they need to do in their own communities.
WHITFIELD: OK.
RICK WARREN: In our network alone, we have trained about 400,000 pastors in 162 countries. And we've been testing this prototype of what we call the peace plan, which involves the AIDS initiative, for two years. And now in 2006, we're going to be releasing it to these other churches. And you're going to see a lot of exciting things happening, not just in Africa, but also all around the world and even in our local neighborhood. WHITFIELD: And if folks want to hear more about your mission, it's saddlebackfamily.com, is that right?
RICK WARREN: Uh-huh. Under the mission section, they can find out all about how their church can get involved in starting an HIV/AIDS ministry both locally and overseas.
WHITFIELD: All right. Rick and Kay Warren, thank you so much for taking the time out this Saturday.
KAY WARREN: Thanks.
RICK WARREN: Thank you.
WHITFIELD: Was it necessary and dangerous surgery for a scientific breakthrough? A French woman gets a partial face transplant. Coming up, CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta looks at the ethics debate surrounding this operation.
And should the founder of the infamous crips be saved from the death penalty? We'll debate that with our legal roundtable straight ahead on CNN LIVE SATURDAY.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN NEWS ANCHOR: Unfolding this hour, a developing story from Pakistan. A so-called big fish in the Al Qaeda network is dead. We'll tell you what it means to the terrorist organization as a whole. Also this hour, a town meeting for New Orleans. Hurricane victims getting underway right here in Atlanta. We'll listen in to what Katrina survivors have to say to New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin.
And a prescription for outrage: We'll tell you about a California doctor still practicing medicine despite past suspensions for molesting his patients, allegedly.
Welcome to CNN LIVE SATURDAY, I'm Fredericka Whitfield. A busy hour straight ahead, but first a check of other headlines right now in the news. An Arab TV network airs a threat against four Western hostages being held in Iraq. Two Canadian, an American, and a Brittaner seen on the tape. The report says the kidnappers threaten to kill the hostages unless the Iraqi government frees all prisoners by Thursday.
In China rescuers are rescuing to reach 42 workers trapped in a flooded coal mine. China's state-run news agency says a total of 48 miners were working underground when the mine flooded yesterday, six miners escaped.
Pope Benedict XVI met today with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas. The two spent 20 minutes discussing the Middle East and the problems facing Christians in Palestinian territories. Abbas asked the pope's support for the Palestinian people and invited the pontiff to visit the holy land.
We begin this hour, right here in Atlanta, where right now New Orleans' Mayor Ray Nagin is in this city about to urge displaced Hurricane Katrina victims to come home. CNN's Renay San Miguel is on the campus of Morehouse College where today's town hall meeting is just now about to get underway -- Renay.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Frederick a we're about -- I'd say, about 15 minute away from the opening statement from Mayor Ray Nagin. There -- it's estimated there are about 40 to 50,000 displaced New Orleans residents living in the Atlanta area. So think of it as kind of a city within the city. Folks who have been -- who were chased out of their homes before Labor Day and here it is Christmas time and they're -- still have a lot of questions about when they're going to be able to go back home and if they actually want to go back home, considering some of the security and environmental and levee issues that still plague the city of New Orleans.
I want to talk with one of those displaced New Orleans residents be Alicia Woods.
Alicia, what part of city of New Orleans were you living in when Katrina hit?
ALICIA WOODS, NEW ORLEANS EVACUEE: Uptown -- uptown area.
SAN MIGUEL: Have you had a chance to go back to assess the damage?
WOODS: Yes. And it's horrible. It's horrible.
SAN MIGUEL: How badly were things hit at your home?
WOODS: Well in my area it's not as bad as in others, but I'd say, it was out in the east and the east is like totally gone -- totally gone.
SAN MIGUEL: So tell me what questions you have for Mayor Ray Nagin. He's making these town hall meetings, he wants to hear from folks like you. What questions do you have for him?
WOODS: Well, I'd like ton about the citizens who have jobs there and their jobs are pressuring them to come back, but there's no place to stay and they're offering trailers, but if you're not a homeowner you don't have the property to put it on. So, you know, it's like you can't go back to your job because you don't have a place to stay and the living conditions are just horrible.
SAN MIGUEL: What -- I mean, depending on what you hear today is it going to make any impact on a decision whether or not you're going go back permanently to New Orleans?
WOODS: Well, I have small kids and right now they can't accommodate their needs. So I'm trying to make home here, but still in a hotel, and they haven't called me about housing or anything.
SAN MIGUEL: I was just going ask about the resources that you've had available to you here in Atlanta, here in Georgia, if you've been able to at least get on your feet here, but you're having trouble with that? WOODS: No, if you're an average Joe, you weren't on Section 8, public housing, you worked and you paid your rent they are not giving you any assistance. They are assisting those people who were already having assistance with the government.
SAN MIGUEL: OK, well we hope to get your questions answered and we wish you good luck. Thanks for talking with us.
WOODS: Thank you.
SAN MIGUEL: Fredricka, the capacity here at the International Martin Luther King Chapel at Morehouse College is 2,500. Folks are still coming in right now. I'd say it's about three-quarters full, so in about 15 minutes we should be hearing from Mayor Ray Nagin, He will have some opening statements and they're going to -- they have two microphones set up here to hear from questions like Alicia's and from a lot of other folks who are wondering about their futures back in New Orleans. Back to you.
WHITFIELD: And Renay, it's important to note there are something like 12,000 evacuees from the New Orleans area alone that are in Georgia staying in some sort of temporary housing. You mentioned the microphones being set up, but are many of these people getting time limits in which to ask their questions or give comments to the mayor because it is a packed house and we know that these town hall meetings, whether they've been in New Orleans or other places, have become rather heated.
SAN MIGUEL: They have. There's been a lot of frustration and in some cases anger being vented in places like Memphis and Houston which also have a large populations (SIC) of displaced New Orleans residents. The timeframe is 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time. They have allotted two hours for this and most of it is going to be in the form of questions, but they do want folks to be able to keep their questions concise. I did talk to a woman with the mayor's office who had said they were prepared to go maybe two and a half hours, no more than three because of other commitments that the mayor has who has other meetings with some other city -- with government officials to try to get help for his city, but they want to give everybody a chance here to talk and maybe try to get some answers to those questions, maybe some solutions that maybe the city can use as it attempts to get answers for itself regarding cooperation with FEMA and that kind of -- and those kinds of issues. So, everybody here looking for questions -- looking for answers to all of the questions regarding the post- Katrina New Orleans. Back to you.
WHITFIELD: All right, Renay San Miguel, thanks so much for Morehouse here in Atlanta. Of course we'll be checking in to the town meeting from time to time to listen in on what's being said.
In other New Orleans-related news. With so many city voters living out of state, Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco has postponed the February 4 city elections. Mayor Ray Nagin has not announced whether he'll run for reelection. His current term could be extent eight months to no later than September 30. The Governor Blanco also sent 100,000 Katrina-related documents to Congress. Committees are investigating government failures following the storm. The documents include notes from the governors' office and police logs associated with rescue operations and looting.
And a controversial Christmas display is being returned to a mall in suburban New Orleans after all. The miniature town depicts the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina with tiny blue-tarped roofs and stranded people. The outcry over its removal was apparently louder than the critics who said the display was in bad taste. So it now stays.
Just after residences of New Orleans, troubled 9th ward were allowed back, FEMA reportedly has pulled its workers out of that New Orleans neighborhood because of violent threats. The "Washington Post" also reports that FEMA wants additional police or National Guard support. The post further cites a city spokeswoman as saying police knew of no incidents or complaints of threats, but federal agents have arrested at least six people in recent weeks for threatening FEMA workers.
And later this hour we'll talk more about what's happening in the lower 9th ward with Gwen Filosa of the "Times-Picayune" newspaper there in New Orleans. She'll be talking to us about what residents there are facing.
And turning now to the war on terror. There's word from Pakistan that an explosion has killed a senior Al Qaeda commander. Pakistani officials say Abu Hamza Rabia was one of five people who died in the blast Wednesday in a house in a tribal area near the boarder with Afghanistan. Pakistan's information minister calls Rabia a big fish who was in charge of international operations with Al Qaeda. However neither the United States nor Pakistan has confirmed reports that Rabia may have been killed by a missile attack launched by a predator drone.
For more on the story we turn now to CNN's national security correspondent David Ensor. And David why would aren't the Pakistan government or the U.S., for that matter, want to publicly confirm this or otherwise? What exactly is at stake?
DAVID ENSOR, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's very high stakes for President Musharraf of Pakistan because his close alliance with the war on terror with the United States is not popular with too many Pakistanis. There's probably a majority in the country who are not happy about it. So for him to publicly confirm that the CIA is able to fly unmanned drones over Pakistan and fire hellfire missiles into a building there with this man apparently was, to confirm that would create huge political problems. That said, I've been talking to former senior officials that follow this kind of thing closely. While they can't confirm that it's true. They say it has a ring of truth to them. They believe that most likely that is what happened. U.S. officials -- serving officials are saying nothing.
WHITFIELD: But David, the U.S. isn't necessarily necessary denying that drones are being used in this overall war against terrorism because wasn't there the use of a drone in an Afghanistan attack not long ago? ENSOR: That's right and there's a fairly famous case where a senior -- one of Osama bin Laden's bodyguards was killed in Yemen using one of these unmanned missiles. So, yes, they are one of the tools in the war on terrorism. The CIA believes in them for certain kinds of cases. You can be sure that if that's what happened in this case that had presidential approval, that strike, because that's -- there are a lot of politics involved. They would want to check out collateral damage, would any innocents die in the attack and so on. It's a very serious decision to make. But the officials I'm talking to are saying this is No. 3 in Al Qaeda (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and they are confirming his death is a very big deal in the view of American officials.
WHITFIELD: And what are American officials saying it means to the overall structure of Al Qaeda with him dead.
ENSOR: Well, you see, under Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri there's always been operation's chief who's No. 3. It was Khalid Shaikh Mohammed at the time of the 9/11 attacks. They finally caught him. He's now a prisoner of the CIA. Then they caught his successor Faraj al Liby and it was this man, Abu Hamza Rabia, who apparently took over as operations chief, so he was the guy in charge of organization terrorism around the world including the United States. So he was really, in some ways, the most important target for U.S. intelligence.
WHITFIELD: All right, David Ensor thanks so much for that report out of Washington.
And now to Iraq. Less than two weeks before parliamentary elections and another major strike today by insurgents. They ambushed Iraqi troops in the Diyala Province, north of Baghdad, killing 11 soldiers. The attackers used roadside bombs and small arms. Ten Iraqi soldiers died initially in the fighting. Troops later found the body of a kidnapped 11th soldier.
Meanwhile, there's tighter security in Fallujah where a roadside bomb killed 10 U.S. Marines Thursday night, 11 other Marines suffered wounds. And the Arabic language television network Al Jazeera has aired video of four peace activists kidnapped in Iraq. A statement read on the network said an organization called "Swords of Justice" is holding an American, two Canadians, and a Brit. The kidnappers are reporting that the Iraqi government free all prisoners from its jails.
The family and friends of the four Christian peace activists kidnapped in Iraq are praying for their release. The American being held has the solid backing of his colleagues back home in Virginia. They're working around the clock to win his release. Here's CNN's Brian Todd.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): According to his colleagues, Tom Fox and his fellow hostages had no illusions about safety in Iraq.
VIRGINIA COLIN, FOX'S COLLEAGUE: They can be kidnapped. They can be tortured. They can be killed. They know that. TODD: Virginia Collins has known Fox for more than 15 years. They're both members of the Religious Society of Friends or Quakers and both go to this meeting center in MacLean, Virginia. Colin and a member of the humanitarian group to which Fox belongs, the Christian Peacemaker Teams confirm to CNN that Fox sent a correspondence to colleagues last year telling them if he was taken hostage they shouldn't pay ransom for his return, should reject the use of valance to win his freedom, should not vilify his captors, and instead should try to understand the motives of their actions.
(on camera): Why in the world would he believe that -- why would you believe that if you're dealing with people who would No. 1, kidnap him in the first place and No. 2, potentially be very violent?
COLIN: That's a -- its core principle for most Quakers. There's something of god in everyone.
TODD (voice-over): An official with the Christian Peacemaker Teams tell us CNN that group is pursuing all diplomatic and nonviolent channels to win fox's release. The CPT official would not say if the group is working in any way with the U.S. government. CPT and the Quaker group partially financed Tom Fox's trip to Iraq and Colin says she still holds his same beliefs about nonviolence and understanding his captors, but if he's harmed.
(on camera): Will you forgive those people?
COLIN: It would be hard. God, that's weird. I don't even feel any malice towards them right now.
TODD: Virginia Colin says several members of the Quaker group here in MacLean, Virginia, are concerned that Tom Fox's captors might misunderstand the reasons why he's in Iraq. They say he never went there to convert anyone to Christianity and say he was there only for humanitarian reasons.
Brian Todd, CNN, in MacLean, Virginia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: In central Florida, a big problem for the Salvation Army. Someone is robbing their volunteers. We'll tell you what's being done to protect them now.
Also we'll be talking about convicted murder "Tookie" Williams and the life or death sentence decisions facing Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
And later, a doctor accused of molesting patients and he's still practicing medicine. The victims and the prosecutors are outraged.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Here in Atlanta and on center stage and in perpetual hot seat the man second from the right, laughing right now, but maybe not later during a town hall meeting. New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin about to lead this town hall meeting for the some 12,000 New Orleans evacuees who are now in Georgia, all turning out to voice their concerns and perhaps pose a few questions to the mayor of their city. And of course, when he takes the podium we'll be taking that live for you here on CNN.
Time for storing making news across America this weekend. Ohio authorities will use dental records and DNA tests to identify a pair of bodies. The remains were found in a shallow grave off Interstate 80. Police believe the victims are two New Hampshire children. Their father admitted he killed and you are beed them in Ohio. He hanged himself before trial.
The man who whacked skater Nancy Kerrigan gone on the knee wants his record cleared, but a judge refuses to expunge the conviction. Shane Stant wants to become a Navy Seal, but the unit won't take anyone with a felony on his record. Stant served 14 months, his co-conspirator, skater Tania Harding, got probation.
And in Florida, Carly Marr White had been ringing his Salvation Army bell for eight very long hours so he wasn't about to let the thief make off with his red kettle. The 69-year-old bell ringer, chased the robber to his car and got $200 back. This was the fourth Salvation Army thief to strike bell ringers in the St. Petersburg area this week. The Salvation Army is new securing kettles with chains and locks. Steve Dick is the Salvation Army representative who is now joining outside phone out of Tampa and, Steve, given the fact that this seems to be the trend this holiday season, what are you doing overall to help secure your kettles besides the chains and your volunteers?
STEVE DICK, SALVATION ARMY SPOKESMAN: Well, hopefully it's not a trend. We hope this...
WHITFIELD: Well, you've four incidents so far.
DICK: Well, the authorities believe it's the same individual and it just happens to be in the same location. So, hopefully the thief will be caught and we won't have to deal with that issue, but it's an unfortunate occurrence and something that happens from time to time, but it's not something that is normal and we've taken some precautions and encouraged our Salvation Army unit across the state to try to secure the kettles a little bit more securely using locks or perhaps locks or other devices that are available at hardwear stores that (UNINTELLIGIBLE) chained to make it more difficult for someone just to grab the kettle and run.
WHITFIELD: And I'm sure you as an organization are thinking how much more rock bottom can you get? You know, you're talking about an organization that helps people in great need and now you've got someone who is robbing your volunteers and taking of the generosity of people who are willing to give this holiday season. Does this in any way kind of change your campaign this holiday or even change the locations in which you are trying to get donations from people?
DICK: Well, I think, obviously, it is unfortunate and you know, if this person is desperate and needs help they can always come to the Salvation Army for help and we'd be more than willing to assist them with whatever needs they might have. But we've alerted our bell ringers to just be a little bit more observant. There's no question based on talking to the authorities that the individual who attempted these steps -- thefts basically were staking out the locations and struck at times when he knew he could probably get off with the kettle. So we've alerted our workers to be more aware of their surroundings, look for people who perhaps would be hanging around.
But it is unfortunate that people would take advantage of this opportunity and, you know, the Salvation Army kettle has been around for over 400 years and is a symbol of the Christmas season ask it's an opportunity for people to give and know that they're giving to help the less fortunate and this is money that's that unfortunately will not get to those who need it the most.
WHITFIELD: All right. Well, Steve Dick thanks so much for the Salvation Army for joining us and hopefully this does not dampened the season of giving in your efforts there in central Florida. Thanks so much.
DICK: Well, thank you.
WHITFIELD: Coming up, timing (SIC) is running out for former gang leader and convicted killer "Tookie" Williams. As California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger considers his clemency petition, we'll take a look at the political stakes in this life or death debate.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Death penalty opponent it is plan a rally in Los Angeles today for death row inmate Stanley "Tookie" Williams. The Crips gang founder faces execution by lethal injection 10 days from now unless Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger grants him clemency. Williams says he should get a reprieve because of his anti-gang work while in prison.
New Orleans opened the lower 9th ward to residents this week, but three months after the storm, survivors can only stay in the area during daylight hours. The reality, about all residents are able to do is scour the muck for sentimental treasures. Gwen Filosa is a reporter for a New Orleans "Times-Picayune" newspaper. She has covered the city for five years now, since Katrina she's focused primarily on the lower 9th ward.
Good to see you.
GWEN FILOSA, NEW ORLEANS TIMES-PICAYUNE": Hello.
WHITFIELD: All right, well this week a lot of residents got a chance to move back if they wanted to or at least come back instead of just on a board and looking at the remnants of their community. It's understandable why so many are so angry, so sad, because in your article many are expressing not one thing has been done and it almost seems as though it is frozen in time. What's been your observation?
FILOSA: It's correct. In a word that area looks like a catastrophe. It's -- everything is gone and there's no plan of how, when, people can come back. Everything is going to depend on Congress when it comes to rebuilding New Orleans. Particularly lower 9th ward.
WHITFIELD: So why is it, in your view, after all this time, power lines have not been removed, debris, no one has touched it. What's happening? What's the psychology of what the residents feel the reasoning is as to why lower 9th ward is not being addressed?
FILOSA: People I've talked to -- residents are beginning to get frustrated. They feel like they've been forgotten. The city officials, though, say it's just such a mess. It's such a wreck that they only opened it Thursday after three months after the storms saying it was so dangerous and it is quite dangerous to walk around there. It's right where the levee broke.
WHITFIELD: And you're talking about dangerous because of the debris? And twisted metal and wood and all that? That kind of danger you're talking about?
FILOSA: Oh yeah. It does -- one resident told me he felt like he was in a war zone and it's awful. Driving around is very precarious. I mean, you have to be careful.
WHITFIELD: So when we hear reportedly through the "Washington Post" that FEMA workers have been pulled out of the lower 9th ward because they speak of the dangers being violent threats coming from the residents there, does that seem inconceivable to you?
FILOSA: I heard a report yesterday about that. I don't know how much to make of it. I haven't -- I don't know what evidence that there's violence. I mean it's seems a little...
WHITFIELD: You haven't heard any residents talk about feeling angry to threaten FEMA workers?
FILOSA: I haven't -- not firsthand and I think that's -- I mean, people are frustrated and angry, but people are also levelheaded. They're not -- people have been living in New Orleans for a long time. They're used to not having their needs met by government. So, I don't know, I'd have to se more evidence to believe the threat of gun violence on a FEMA worker, but...
WHITFIELD: So, has it been your observation there that some neighborhoods are moving along a bit quicker than others, that other neighborhoods that were damaged perhaps not to the extent of the lower 9th ward are at least getting something sort of attention at the lower 9th ward is not?
FILOSA: You can't really compare it because the lower 9th ward, this part by the canal where the levees broke, the breach. It's just so terrible. It's hard to compare. I mean, right where we are right now we're close to uptown New Orleans where everything's, you know, insanely normal compared to the fallout zone of the lower 9th ward, but the damage is so extent, it's just a catastrophe that it's not hard to understand why nothing's been done, but...
WHITFIELD: And then all of that being compounded by the fact that so many people there did not have insurance? You write about a man by the name of Willmet Washington and he thought for a moment he was covered and he thought he made the payments to get flood insurance, home insurance, fire all of that and then come to find out nothing. His story is repeated many times over. So what is he and other residents in the same situation to do?
FILOSA: Sure, I think was actually Nathan Washington, his brother, but you're correct.
WHITFIELD: OK.
FILOSA: I mean, most of the red dents in the lower 9th ward didn't have flood insurance, they weren't legally required to. But a lot of people own those homes outright and they don't have insurance and the damage is beyond FEMA, again everything depends on Congress. The area flooded because the levees broke, the flood wall broke, they were suppose to hold, so people are really going to have to see what Congress is
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