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CNN Live At Daybreak

America's New War: Hazardous Material Threat

Aired September 27, 2001 - 07:16   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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Back here in the States just days after Attorney General John Ashcroft warned that terrorists might launch an attack using trucks loaded with hazardous materials, several people have been charged with fraudulently trying to get licenses to haul dangerous loads.

CNN's Susan Candiotti has the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The alleged plot to sell commercial hazardous material licenses was hatched in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania two years ago. Ten people, of 20 charged, now under arrest in Michigan, Washington state and Kansas.

(on camera): According to the criminal complaint, a Pittsburgh driver's license examiner was selling permits under the table for as little as 50 or $100. The alleged buyers revealed so far have Arabic- sounding names. None so far is linked to the terrorist attacks.

(voice-over): The middleman in the deal is identified as Abdul Mohamman, known as Ben, who helped the suspects buy haz-mat licenses. The arrests come as the FBI begins reviewing records of anyone who handles or transports hazardous materials, making sure terrorists may not be trying to infiltrate a legitimate company to get their hands on a potential weapon.

In Queens, stepped-up cargo inspections going in and out of New York City, backing up traffic, in some cases, for hours. The FBI is taking new steps after last week's arrests of Nabil Almarabh. Sources say he has possible ties to Osama bin Laden. Agents search his Michigan apartment. Almarabh has a legally-obtained license to haul hazardous materials, issued September 11th, 2000, one year to the day before the terrorist attacks.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you would, go ahead and open the back up. Let's check your security of your load.

CANDIOTTI: In Texas, routine searches of truckers at highway weigh stations take on added significance.

SGT. MICHAEL BISHOP, TEXAS DEP'T OF PUBLIC SAFETY: We look at their log books, we look at their paperwork. We also look at the driver through the inspection process, you know. If we see something that is out of the ordinary, then the troops delve into it a little deeper.

CANDIOTTI: In Florida, the owner of a school that trains commercial drivers admits he'll be looking at applicants more closely following the attacks. Earning a hazardous materials license can cost as little as $800 for an experienced driver to about 5,000 for a rookie. Drivers first must first pass a 160-hour course. That includes learning the ins and outs of driving a big rig potentially loaded with lethal chemicals, then passing a multiple-choice written test. All you need to qualify for the course: a valid driver's license.

ALBERT HANLEY, CDL SCHOOL: That's your benchmark -- and to be 18 years of age.

CANDIOTTI (on camera): You need not be a U.S. citizen?

HANLEY: Correct, but you do have to be a resident alien or have a valid social security number.

CANDIOTTI (voice-over): The problem, of course, is catching fraudulent I.D.s, a problem already plaguing the FBI in its attempt to nail down the real identity of the suspected hijackers.

Susan Candiotti, CNN, Miami.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ZAHN: So what should you do if you come into contact with dangerous chemicals?

Our own Donna Kelley is standing by in Atlanta with that answer -- good morning, Donna.

DONNA KELLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula. Thanks very much.

As you mentioned, these arrests do come as the FBI has warned that terrorists may try to strike next using chemical or biological weapons. So what's the difference?

Our Dr. Sanjay Gupta joining us this morning and we've got a couple of points to talk over with him -- hi, Sanjay.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi. Good morning.

KELLEY: What is the difference?

GUPTA: Well, it's an important distinction. Biological hazards, people think of anthrax, smallpox, things like that, are typically live organisms. They're living infectious organisms or the toxins of their organisms, such as botulin toxin. Really quickly, chemical substances usually are poisonous substances, chemicals or a combination of chemicals that can be transported around this country every day in trucks, on trains.

We remember in Baltimore earlier this year there was a train accident in July that actually spilled lots of chemicals all around the place, chemicals such as chlorine, hydrochloric acid. Fires raged for a long time, certainly causing all sorts of problems. No one was injured in that case, but it certainly raised the awareness that there are all sorts of chemicals being transported every day.

KELLEY: And so how does it affect you? How do you know and what do you do then?

GUPTA: Right. There's three ways that it can primarily affect you, Donna. It affects your nervous system, specifically actually seizes your nervous system, sort of changes things that makes your muscles contract and not be able to relax. That ultimately may affect your ability to breathe on your own. It can affect your lungs, causing your lungs to actually fill with fluid. A lot of chemicals will do this and that also will prevent you from actually being able to take breaths. And finally, actually with your blood itself, reducing the amount of oxygen in your blood. Things like cyanide might do that.

So those are the three major ways that these chemicals, if you come into significant contact with them, might affect you.

KELLEY: So then what would you do unless it knocks you unconscious right off the bat?

GUPTA: Well, I talked to a lot of experts about this and they say that the real key, and this may sound a little trivial, but is to just run. Don't investigate, try and run upwind as much as you can. A lot of these liquids will vaporize, turn into gases and start to blow around. So if you're upwind, you certainly reduce your exposure by a great deal.

Get yourself to a hospital if you think that you've been exposed. They'll do all sorts of things there. They may actually secure your airway in case you are having trouble breathing, and there are good medications for things like chemical problems such as atropine (ph), which may actually reduce the effects of some of the chemical exposure. So there are some good ideas.

KELLEY: Some reports saying that people are out there buying gas masks and trying to do things so they can get ready for it. That a good idea? Or maybe have some antibiotics on hand?

GUPTA: Right, and the masks, I've heard sort of mixed reviews on that. People say don't fumble with the mask. If you think you're going to be exposed, run upwind as fast as you can. Antibiotics, again, there is an antibiotic called siprofloxin (ph) which has been a pretty good effect against anthrax if you take it right after. But, you know, again, a doctor prescription only for that and you should certainly check with your doctor before trying that.

KELLEY: OK, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, thanks as always.

GUPTA: Thank you.

KELLEY: Back to you, Paula, in New York. ZAHN: Thanks so much, Donna.

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