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Condoleezza Rice to Testify; Gas Prices Become Election Issue; Bomb Making Materials Seized, Eight Arrested in U.K.; Statue of Liberty to Reopen in July; Garbage Men Rescue Drowning Woman

Aired March 30, 2004 - 13:00   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.


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Condoleeza Rice will go public. The White House gives the green light. She can testify about 9/11.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Kelly Wallace in New York. Call it the politics of the pump. The escalating cost of gasoline taking center stage in the presidential campaign. A live report coming up.

PHILLIPS: The war on terror, an alleged attack plot uncovered in London. Is al Qaeda planning more attacks line the ones in Madrid?

Twist and shout. We're chasing the wind on the trail of the super twister.

From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Kyra Phillips. Miles is off today. CNN's LIVE FROM starts right now.

An about-face by the White House. It now says National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice will testify publicly about the events leading up to 9/11.

CNN's Suzanne Malveaux is traveling with the president in Appleton, Wisconsin -- Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, right now, President Bush is speaking live in Appleton, Wisconsin, about the economic policy. But you know what is overshadowing this, of course, is the extraordinary move of the White House to reverse its position to allow Dr. Condi Rice to testify before the 9/11 commission publicly.

President Bush is going to talk about that when he goes back to the White House this afternoon. We expect, perhaps, around 4:30-ish is when he's going to address this.

What White House aides have been telling us is that the president first started thinking about this weekend at his Crawford ranch, met with advisers, instructed his counsel to go ahead and try to negotiate.

The whole idea here is to allow her to testify, but at the same time, not allow it to be a precedent. That is the condition here.

In the letter from White House counsel Alberto Gonzales to the commission chair and vice chair, he says, "The president recognizes the truly unique and extraordinary circumstances underlying the commission's responsibility to prepare a detailed report on the facts."

And then he goes on to say, "The commission must agree in writing that it will not request additional public testimony from any White House official, including Dr. Rice."

The 9/11 commission has responded. They have said that they agree to the terms. They commend the president's decision. They have also agreed that it would not be viewed as a precedent.

Now, I have to say that White House aides say that the president was getting quite frustrated because the focus was more on the process and not the substance of the work of the 9/11 commission.

Behind the scenes, White House sources I spoke with say that it was just looking bad, that they were losing this, they were getting beaten up by the media. Several of them saying that they felt that this was only growing, that the story was not going away.

And the political calculus here, and in part, it was political, is that it would be less costly to allow Dr. Rice to go forward and testify than not -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right. Suzanne Malveaux. And we're expecting live coverage of the events leading to the 9/11 commission in the 3 p.m. hour.

Pump politics. George Bush and John Kerry trying to get mileage out of rising gas prices, a subject near and dear to America's hearts. For more on what the candidates are saying, let's go to CNN's Kelly Wallace. She's live in New York.

Hi, Kelly.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra.

Well, with the average price of gasoline reaching a record high over the past few weeks to -- get this -- $1.77 a gallon, both President Bush and Senator John Kerry are feuding over who can be trusted to do something about a problem that could be one of the biggest pocketbook issues of the presidential campaign.

You can say the Bush/Cheney re-election team is firing the opening salvo, releasing an ad that will start running around the country tomorrow, painting John Kerry as someone who is in favor of raising taxes on gasoline.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm George W. Bush, and I approve this message.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Some people have wacky ideas, like taxing gasoline more so people drive less. That's John Kerry. He supported the 50-cent a gallon gas tax. If Kerry's gas tax increase were law, the average family would pay $657 more a year. Raising taxes is a habit of Kerry's. He supported higher gasoline taxes 11 times.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALLACE: And this is just the latest ad by the Bush/Cheney team, accusing John Kerry of wanting to raise taxes. And there are signs these ads are having somewhat of an impact.

Take a look at yesterday's CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll. When people were asked, would you taxes go up if Kerry is elected president, 58 percent said yes.

Well, what John Kerry hopes to do right now is put pressure on the Bush administration. He will be holding an event in San Diego, just moments from now, where he says he will outline his strategy to try and bring gas prices down.

He will accuse the Bush team of not doing enough, of not putting enough pressure on the organization of petroleum export exporting countries to increase production.

And he's likely to do today what he did last night, place the blame squarely on the sitting occupants of the White House.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I notice that gas is now close to $3 a gallon here in California. If it keeps going up like that folks, Dick Cheney and President Bush are going to have to carpool to work together.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALLACE: And Kerry is making this an issue, hoping what has happened in the past will happen this time around, Kyra. Traditionally, when gas prices are very high, Americans tend to blame the people in the White House, not necessarily the challenger -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Kelly Wallace, thank you.

And we are waiting to hear from John Kerry, as Kelly just said, in just a few moments on his plan to control gas prices. We'll bring it to you live as soon as it begins.

And while we wait for Senator Kerry, let's turn our attention overseas, where possible terror attacks may have been prevented.

CNN's Jim Boulden is live in London, where sweeping raids have turns up suspects and potential bomb making materials -- Jim.

JIM BOULDEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, hi, Kyra.

This morning about 6 a.m. London time, some 700 law enforcement officers swooped throughout London and the southeast of England and arrested eight men, the men believed to be the ages between 17 and 32. They're British born, of Pakistan origin.

The police say that they found in this area here, this rental agency behind me, in one of the areas, they found a half ton of ammonium nitrate fertilizer.

That concerns people very much, because ammonium nitrate fertilizer can be used to make a truck bomb.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BOULDEN (voice-over): It was in this self-storage center in west London where police say they found the potential bomb making material: ammonium nitrate fertilizer. More than a half a ton was recovered here during dawn raids across London and the southeast of England.

Eight men, all British, were arrested, and 24 locations are being searched.

British police took the extremely unusual step of making a public statement about the arrests and the ammonium nitrate while investigations were still underway.

PETER CLARKE, BRITISH INTERNATIONAL TERROR POLICE: Part of the investigation will focus on the purchase, storage, and intended use of that material. I would like to stress that there is no danger to the public in the area.

Today's operation, which involved some 700 officers in total, is part of continuing and extensive inquiries by police and the security service into alleged international terrorist activity.

And I must stress that the threat from terrorism remains very real.

BOULDER: British police also showed a six-foot by two-foot bag, similar to the one police say was holding the fertilizer. Mixed with fuel, ammonium nitrate bombs have been used many times by various terrorists groups: in Oklahoma City in 1995, in the London Docklands by the IRA in 1996, in Bali in October of 2002.

The police did not give more information on the background of the men arrested, but did say they were talking with Muslim community leaders this morning. The men can be held for up to 14 days without charge under Britain's updated terrorism laws.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BOULDEN: Now, Kyra, we're standing just a few miles away from Heathrow airport. Some of the other arrests and raids happened near Luton Airport, north of London, and near Gatwick Airport, south of London.

The police are not telling us if that has any connection of whether the alleged bomb might have had anything to do with the airports. These men are being held and can be held for up to 14 days. We should hear some more information if in fact, they are charged, and brought before a district judge -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Jim Boulden, live from London. Thank you.

A plan to bomb trains and shopping malls has been foiled. According to the authorities in the Philippines, Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo arrested -- or says that police arrested four Islamic militants and seized 80 pounds of TNT.

She says that terrorists were planning attacks in Manila on the scale of the commuter train bombings in Madrid. The suspects allegedly belong to Abu Sayyaf, an Islamic militant groups said to have links to al Qaeda.

President Arroyo says that all four men have been connected to kidnappings or bombings.

A typical day on the job takes an incredible twist...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We heard somebody yelling for help: "I'm drowning."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: We're not talking trash when we say these garbage men went beyond the call of duty.

And I bet you'll drink to this, booze benefits. Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains just how many drinks you should have for your health.

MARIA HINOJOSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Maria Hinojosa on Ellis Island in New York. Coming up, I'll have the story of Lady Liberty and how the next time you visit, you'll be able to get just a bit more closer.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: The Statue of Liberty is far more than a tourist attraction. It's a symbol of the country itself. Lady Liberty will soon be open to the public again.

CNN's Maria Hinojosa has the latest now from New York.

Hi, Maria.

HINOJOSA: Hi, Kyra.

Well, you know here in these parts they like to call her simply the Lady. And the Lady is going to become just a little bit more accessible starting in July of this year.

We don't have an exact date. But as of July of this year, you will be able to get much closer.

Just so that people get a sense, Kyra, people think that right now when you come to visit Lady Liberty, you can actually get inside the statue. You cannot do that. That has not happened since December 20, 2001, which is when Lady Liberty was reopened after September 11.

All you can do right now is take the ferry and basically walk around Lady Liberty. In July, they're going to open up the base, the pedestal. And there's an observation deck that just below where the green part of the statue begins. That's what's going to be open, and there will be a glass floor so that people can actually look up inside Lady Liberty.

PHILLIPS: Wow. Let's talk about the donations. Who helped out with this project? And I understand the mayor gave quite a bit of money also.

HINOJOSA: Major corporations, American Express, Folgers among them. We just heard that Wal-Mart is going to be contributing. But Mayor Bloomberg, without telling anyone, some time in the fall, donated $100,000 of his own money to this fund. It's going to be about $7 million that they're going to need.

And here's what happened, Kyra. They had begun refurbishing the statue even before September 11. Once September 11 happened, they just said, "You know what? We have to rethink how we refurnish. We really have to look at these what-ifs that we hadn't had to consider."

And one last point that's interesting, Kyra. A lot of people think that when you get to Lady Liberty, you're going to be able to go up to the torch. That hasn't happened since 1916. The closest that people have gotten is up to the crown.

And we don't have a date yet. And they're saying that some time perhaps in the future, maybe one or two years away, people might be able to get up to the crown. But right now, as good as it's going to get, is looking up into the glass ceiling so you can see the insides of the statue.

PHILLIPS: All right. I want to know who got up there in 1916. Do I test your history that far?

HINOJOSA: Well, it wasn't me or you, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: That is true.

HINOJOSA: How's that?

PHILLIPS: That's a good answer. What about security, Maria?

HINOJOSA: A lot of security. Right now, when people come to take the ferry, they've got to go through security. Everything is checked. They go through the metal detectors. There's quite a bit of security on Lady Liberty Island, as well. There are dogs. There's quite a presence that you feel.

But that -- those are the issues that they had to think about when they decided to refurbish. Suddenly, these issues of security became so much more prominent.

You know, it is a fort. There's actually a fort that is the base of the Statue of Liberty. So that means that there's one way in and one way out, and that's it. That's a major part of the things that they have to look at.

And evacuation plans. Fire accessibility. All those things were really looked at much more carefully after September 11, which has meant a lot of delay to get it open, but July of this year.

PHILLIPS: Our lady, Maria Hinojosa, thank you.

Badly injured hockey player Steve Moore won a standing ovation from fans in Los Angeles last night. It was his first public appearance since he was sucker punched during a game by Vancouver's Todd Bertuzzi. That cowardly punch broke Moore's neck.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEVE MOORE, COLORADO AVALANCHE PLAYER: I'm in an optimistic stage. I've come a long way. And hopefully, one day I'll be able to play again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, Moore's appearance was made sweeter by the fact that his Colorado team beat the Los Angeles Kings 2-1.

Organizers say Michael Jackson's appearance on Capitol Hill has been delayed until tomorrow. He's expected to meet a few Democrats to promote fighting AIDS in Africa.

Earlier, the Congressional Black Caucus turned down Jackson's request for a meeting. Aides say many caucus members don't want their picture taken with the embattled star.

Jackson's legal troubles continue in California. Word that his accuser may appear today in secret before a grand jury in Santa Barbara County. He's charged with molesting a 12-year-old boy. Prosecutors are now seeking a grand jury indictment.

In search of the super twister. Just ahead, we'll talk with a tornado chaser about what drives him to live on the edge of danger.

And later, catching up with one company's attempt to distance itself from candidate John Kerry. Here's a hint: you want fries with that?

And of course, we are waiting to hear from John Kerry in San Diego, California. We'll bring this to you live from the campus of UCSC.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Imagine being paralyzed in a car crash and then left for dead on the side of the road.

A Texas man survived 36 hours on a Houston freeway, unable to move or summon help after he was rear-ended last week. As his family conducted an all-out search, a person in a passing car saw him lying behind a barricade.

The man underwent surgery. His prognosis is uncertain.

Talk about being in the right place at the right time. Two garbage men were busy at work when they heard a cry for help and became instant heroes.

Sheri Hensley from News 12 New Jersey has that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SHERI HENSLEY, NEWS 12 CORRESPONDENT: It began like any other day for sanitation workers Joe Rearn and Rich Peterson. But around 8 a.m., their normal routine was disrupted.

RICH PETERSON, SANITATION WORKER: We heard somebody yelling for help: "I'm drowning."

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Rich and Joe looked toward Upper Greenwood Lake, where they saw a woman struggling in the water between Carter Island and the mainland.

Rich radioed the dispatcher at their company, Waste Management, who called 911. While Rich helped the police find the location, Joe took action on his end.

(on camera) Joe knew he didn't have much time. He ran over to the first boat he saw, which was this one. He turned it over, but discovered there were no oars. So he began looking around the property, and he came across these two pieces of wood, which he decided to use as oars.

(voice-over) Neighbors like Jessica Santiago anxiously watched.

JESSICA SANTIAGO, WITNESS: He rowed so fast. I couldn't believe how fast he got to her. He's a local hero.

HENSLEY: Joe reached Martina O'Donahue (ph), who was becoming more and more exhausted while trying to stay afloat in the frigid water.

JOE REARN, SANITATION WORKER: She was so cold she couldn't move her legs. I tried getting her onto my boat and it started flipping over. So I jumped onto her boat, because she had a big pontoon boat, and I pulled her in onto that. HENSLEY: Police say Martina O'Donahue's (ph) foot had became entangled in a rope which caused her to fall overboard. The woman refused medical treatment, and her husband took her home.

Joe and Rich then hopped back on their truck and continued on their route.

REARN: Everything came together. Just another day, you know? Yes, no big deal. I mean, I was happy to help her out, you know?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(STOCK REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Checking headlines at the half hour.

The White House, bowing to intense pressure, says it will allow National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice to publicly testify before the 9/11 commission. The White House reversed its decision today.

The 9/11 commission is planning to comment on that development. We plan to carry those comments live, 3 p.m. Eastern.

A Supreme Court decision broadens the government's right to conduct drug searches. The court unanimously ruled today agents can search and even remove a car's gas tank while searching for drugs at border crossings. The justices say the people crossing the border have less expectation of privacy.

More controversy over the brain damaged Florida woman at the center of the right to die legal fight. Terri Schiavo was hospitalized overnight after her husband claimed he found needle punctures on her after a visit by her parents. His lawyer says no unauthorized drugs were found in Schiavo's system. Police are investigating.

Overseas, Pakistani's prominence in the war on terror was underscored recently when the country went after purported al Qaeda fighters.

CNN's Barbara Starr looks at the complex role of the Pakistani army.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Pakistan's army is wrapping up its bloody offensive in the trial areas, the most politically sensitive military operation ever ordered by President Pervez Musharraf.

The army vowing to keep the pressure on Islamic extremists.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The picture is complete, and when we go to nab them, they're on the run. STARR: the Pakistani army, perhaps now Washington's most vital ally in the war on terrorism. The CIA web site spells it out: in Pakistan, the military remains the most important political force.

STEVE COLE, "WASHINGTON POST": The Pakistanis are on new political ground in this operation. They are attempting to use the army to establish political control in a part of Pakistani territory where they've never tried this before.

STARR: Pentagon officials, watching all of this closely, after an audiotape from Ayman al-Zawahiri tells the troops to revolt.

He says...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I address the Pakistani army and tell them: Musharraf has put you in a very terrible situation.

STARR: The cost is mounting for the army. Forty-six troops killed, and local tribesmen demanding compensation for damaged property.

But the Bush administration says no chance of the type of coup that Musharraf himself launched in 1999.

The loyalty of Pakistan's 10,000 intelligence agents more in question. They were longtime supporters of Taliban and the al Qaeda.

MICHAEL O'HANLON, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION: You do have a schism, however, with the forces which have been very pro-Taliban in Afghanistan and which do have a number of fundamentalists.

STARR (on camera): The Bush administration has now designated Pakistan as a major ally, paving the way for Islamabad to buy more U.S. weapons, but also ensuring the loyalty of the Pakistani army in the war on terror.

Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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Aired March 30, 2004 - 13:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Condoleeza Rice will go public. The White House gives the green light. She can testify about 9/11.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Kelly Wallace in New York. Call it the politics of the pump. The escalating cost of gasoline taking center stage in the presidential campaign. A live report coming up.

PHILLIPS: The war on terror, an alleged attack plot uncovered in London. Is al Qaeda planning more attacks line the ones in Madrid?

Twist and shout. We're chasing the wind on the trail of the super twister.

From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Kyra Phillips. Miles is off today. CNN's LIVE FROM starts right now.

An about-face by the White House. It now says National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice will testify publicly about the events leading up to 9/11.

CNN's Suzanne Malveaux is traveling with the president in Appleton, Wisconsin -- Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, right now, President Bush is speaking live in Appleton, Wisconsin, about the economic policy. But you know what is overshadowing this, of course, is the extraordinary move of the White House to reverse its position to allow Dr. Condi Rice to testify before the 9/11 commission publicly.

President Bush is going to talk about that when he goes back to the White House this afternoon. We expect, perhaps, around 4:30-ish is when he's going to address this.

What White House aides have been telling us is that the president first started thinking about this weekend at his Crawford ranch, met with advisers, instructed his counsel to go ahead and try to negotiate.

The whole idea here is to allow her to testify, but at the same time, not allow it to be a precedent. That is the condition here.

In the letter from White House counsel Alberto Gonzales to the commission chair and vice chair, he says, "The president recognizes the truly unique and extraordinary circumstances underlying the commission's responsibility to prepare a detailed report on the facts."

And then he goes on to say, "The commission must agree in writing that it will not request additional public testimony from any White House official, including Dr. Rice."

The 9/11 commission has responded. They have said that they agree to the terms. They commend the president's decision. They have also agreed that it would not be viewed as a precedent.

Now, I have to say that White House aides say that the president was getting quite frustrated because the focus was more on the process and not the substance of the work of the 9/11 commission.

Behind the scenes, White House sources I spoke with say that it was just looking bad, that they were losing this, they were getting beaten up by the media. Several of them saying that they felt that this was only growing, that the story was not going away.

And the political calculus here, and in part, it was political, is that it would be less costly to allow Dr. Rice to go forward and testify than not -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right. Suzanne Malveaux. And we're expecting live coverage of the events leading to the 9/11 commission in the 3 p.m. hour.

Pump politics. George Bush and John Kerry trying to get mileage out of rising gas prices, a subject near and dear to America's hearts. For more on what the candidates are saying, let's go to CNN's Kelly Wallace. She's live in New York.

Hi, Kelly.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra.

Well, with the average price of gasoline reaching a record high over the past few weeks to -- get this -- $1.77 a gallon, both President Bush and Senator John Kerry are feuding over who can be trusted to do something about a problem that could be one of the biggest pocketbook issues of the presidential campaign.

You can say the Bush/Cheney re-election team is firing the opening salvo, releasing an ad that will start running around the country tomorrow, painting John Kerry as someone who is in favor of raising taxes on gasoline.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm George W. Bush, and I approve this message.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Some people have wacky ideas, like taxing gasoline more so people drive less. That's John Kerry. He supported the 50-cent a gallon gas tax. If Kerry's gas tax increase were law, the average family would pay $657 more a year. Raising taxes is a habit of Kerry's. He supported higher gasoline taxes 11 times.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALLACE: And this is just the latest ad by the Bush/Cheney team, accusing John Kerry of wanting to raise taxes. And there are signs these ads are having somewhat of an impact.

Take a look at yesterday's CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll. When people were asked, would you taxes go up if Kerry is elected president, 58 percent said yes.

Well, what John Kerry hopes to do right now is put pressure on the Bush administration. He will be holding an event in San Diego, just moments from now, where he says he will outline his strategy to try and bring gas prices down.

He will accuse the Bush team of not doing enough, of not putting enough pressure on the organization of petroleum export exporting countries to increase production.

And he's likely to do today what he did last night, place the blame squarely on the sitting occupants of the White House.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I notice that gas is now close to $3 a gallon here in California. If it keeps going up like that folks, Dick Cheney and President Bush are going to have to carpool to work together.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALLACE: And Kerry is making this an issue, hoping what has happened in the past will happen this time around, Kyra. Traditionally, when gas prices are very high, Americans tend to blame the people in the White House, not necessarily the challenger -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Kelly Wallace, thank you.

And we are waiting to hear from John Kerry, as Kelly just said, in just a few moments on his plan to control gas prices. We'll bring it to you live as soon as it begins.

And while we wait for Senator Kerry, let's turn our attention overseas, where possible terror attacks may have been prevented.

CNN's Jim Boulden is live in London, where sweeping raids have turns up suspects and potential bomb making materials -- Jim.

JIM BOULDEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, hi, Kyra.

This morning about 6 a.m. London time, some 700 law enforcement officers swooped throughout London and the southeast of England and arrested eight men, the men believed to be the ages between 17 and 32. They're British born, of Pakistan origin.

The police say that they found in this area here, this rental agency behind me, in one of the areas, they found a half ton of ammonium nitrate fertilizer.

That concerns people very much, because ammonium nitrate fertilizer can be used to make a truck bomb.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BOULDEN (voice-over): It was in this self-storage center in west London where police say they found the potential bomb making material: ammonium nitrate fertilizer. More than a half a ton was recovered here during dawn raids across London and the southeast of England.

Eight men, all British, were arrested, and 24 locations are being searched.

British police took the extremely unusual step of making a public statement about the arrests and the ammonium nitrate while investigations were still underway.

PETER CLARKE, BRITISH INTERNATIONAL TERROR POLICE: Part of the investigation will focus on the purchase, storage, and intended use of that material. I would like to stress that there is no danger to the public in the area.

Today's operation, which involved some 700 officers in total, is part of continuing and extensive inquiries by police and the security service into alleged international terrorist activity.

And I must stress that the threat from terrorism remains very real.

BOULDER: British police also showed a six-foot by two-foot bag, similar to the one police say was holding the fertilizer. Mixed with fuel, ammonium nitrate bombs have been used many times by various terrorists groups: in Oklahoma City in 1995, in the London Docklands by the IRA in 1996, in Bali in October of 2002.

The police did not give more information on the background of the men arrested, but did say they were talking with Muslim community leaders this morning. The men can be held for up to 14 days without charge under Britain's updated terrorism laws.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BOULDEN: Now, Kyra, we're standing just a few miles away from Heathrow airport. Some of the other arrests and raids happened near Luton Airport, north of London, and near Gatwick Airport, south of London.

The police are not telling us if that has any connection of whether the alleged bomb might have had anything to do with the airports. These men are being held and can be held for up to 14 days. We should hear some more information if in fact, they are charged, and brought before a district judge -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Jim Boulden, live from London. Thank you.

A plan to bomb trains and shopping malls has been foiled. According to the authorities in the Philippines, Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo arrested -- or says that police arrested four Islamic militants and seized 80 pounds of TNT.

She says that terrorists were planning attacks in Manila on the scale of the commuter train bombings in Madrid. The suspects allegedly belong to Abu Sayyaf, an Islamic militant groups said to have links to al Qaeda.

President Arroyo says that all four men have been connected to kidnappings or bombings.

A typical day on the job takes an incredible twist...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We heard somebody yelling for help: "I'm drowning."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: We're not talking trash when we say these garbage men went beyond the call of duty.

And I bet you'll drink to this, booze benefits. Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains just how many drinks you should have for your health.

MARIA HINOJOSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Maria Hinojosa on Ellis Island in New York. Coming up, I'll have the story of Lady Liberty and how the next time you visit, you'll be able to get just a bit more closer.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: The Statue of Liberty is far more than a tourist attraction. It's a symbol of the country itself. Lady Liberty will soon be open to the public again.

CNN's Maria Hinojosa has the latest now from New York.

Hi, Maria.

HINOJOSA: Hi, Kyra.

Well, you know here in these parts they like to call her simply the Lady. And the Lady is going to become just a little bit more accessible starting in July of this year.

We don't have an exact date. But as of July of this year, you will be able to get much closer.

Just so that people get a sense, Kyra, people think that right now when you come to visit Lady Liberty, you can actually get inside the statue. You cannot do that. That has not happened since December 20, 2001, which is when Lady Liberty was reopened after September 11.

All you can do right now is take the ferry and basically walk around Lady Liberty. In July, they're going to open up the base, the pedestal. And there's an observation deck that just below where the green part of the statue begins. That's what's going to be open, and there will be a glass floor so that people can actually look up inside Lady Liberty.

PHILLIPS: Wow. Let's talk about the donations. Who helped out with this project? And I understand the mayor gave quite a bit of money also.

HINOJOSA: Major corporations, American Express, Folgers among them. We just heard that Wal-Mart is going to be contributing. But Mayor Bloomberg, without telling anyone, some time in the fall, donated $100,000 of his own money to this fund. It's going to be about $7 million that they're going to need.

And here's what happened, Kyra. They had begun refurbishing the statue even before September 11. Once September 11 happened, they just said, "You know what? We have to rethink how we refurnish. We really have to look at these what-ifs that we hadn't had to consider."

And one last point that's interesting, Kyra. A lot of people think that when you get to Lady Liberty, you're going to be able to go up to the torch. That hasn't happened since 1916. The closest that people have gotten is up to the crown.

And we don't have a date yet. And they're saying that some time perhaps in the future, maybe one or two years away, people might be able to get up to the crown. But right now, as good as it's going to get, is looking up into the glass ceiling so you can see the insides of the statue.

PHILLIPS: All right. I want to know who got up there in 1916. Do I test your history that far?

HINOJOSA: Well, it wasn't me or you, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: That is true.

HINOJOSA: How's that?

PHILLIPS: That's a good answer. What about security, Maria?

HINOJOSA: A lot of security. Right now, when people come to take the ferry, they've got to go through security. Everything is checked. They go through the metal detectors. There's quite a bit of security on Lady Liberty Island, as well. There are dogs. There's quite a presence that you feel.

But that -- those are the issues that they had to think about when they decided to refurbish. Suddenly, these issues of security became so much more prominent.

You know, it is a fort. There's actually a fort that is the base of the Statue of Liberty. So that means that there's one way in and one way out, and that's it. That's a major part of the things that they have to look at.

And evacuation plans. Fire accessibility. All those things were really looked at much more carefully after September 11, which has meant a lot of delay to get it open, but July of this year.

PHILLIPS: Our lady, Maria Hinojosa, thank you.

Badly injured hockey player Steve Moore won a standing ovation from fans in Los Angeles last night. It was his first public appearance since he was sucker punched during a game by Vancouver's Todd Bertuzzi. That cowardly punch broke Moore's neck.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEVE MOORE, COLORADO AVALANCHE PLAYER: I'm in an optimistic stage. I've come a long way. And hopefully, one day I'll be able to play again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, Moore's appearance was made sweeter by the fact that his Colorado team beat the Los Angeles Kings 2-1.

Organizers say Michael Jackson's appearance on Capitol Hill has been delayed until tomorrow. He's expected to meet a few Democrats to promote fighting AIDS in Africa.

Earlier, the Congressional Black Caucus turned down Jackson's request for a meeting. Aides say many caucus members don't want their picture taken with the embattled star.

Jackson's legal troubles continue in California. Word that his accuser may appear today in secret before a grand jury in Santa Barbara County. He's charged with molesting a 12-year-old boy. Prosecutors are now seeking a grand jury indictment.

In search of the super twister. Just ahead, we'll talk with a tornado chaser about what drives him to live on the edge of danger.

And later, catching up with one company's attempt to distance itself from candidate John Kerry. Here's a hint: you want fries with that?

And of course, we are waiting to hear from John Kerry in San Diego, California. We'll bring this to you live from the campus of UCSC.

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PHILLIPS: Imagine being paralyzed in a car crash and then left for dead on the side of the road.

A Texas man survived 36 hours on a Houston freeway, unable to move or summon help after he was rear-ended last week. As his family conducted an all-out search, a person in a passing car saw him lying behind a barricade.

The man underwent surgery. His prognosis is uncertain.

Talk about being in the right place at the right time. Two garbage men were busy at work when they heard a cry for help and became instant heroes.

Sheri Hensley from News 12 New Jersey has that story.

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SHERI HENSLEY, NEWS 12 CORRESPONDENT: It began like any other day for sanitation workers Joe Rearn and Rich Peterson. But around 8 a.m., their normal routine was disrupted.

RICH PETERSON, SANITATION WORKER: We heard somebody yelling for help: "I'm drowning."

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Rich and Joe looked toward Upper Greenwood Lake, where they saw a woman struggling in the water between Carter Island and the mainland.

Rich radioed the dispatcher at their company, Waste Management, who called 911. While Rich helped the police find the location, Joe took action on his end.

(on camera) Joe knew he didn't have much time. He ran over to the first boat he saw, which was this one. He turned it over, but discovered there were no oars. So he began looking around the property, and he came across these two pieces of wood, which he decided to use as oars.

(voice-over) Neighbors like Jessica Santiago anxiously watched.

JESSICA SANTIAGO, WITNESS: He rowed so fast. I couldn't believe how fast he got to her. He's a local hero.

HENSLEY: Joe reached Martina O'Donahue (ph), who was becoming more and more exhausted while trying to stay afloat in the frigid water.

JOE REARN, SANITATION WORKER: She was so cold she couldn't move her legs. I tried getting her onto my boat and it started flipping over. So I jumped onto her boat, because she had a big pontoon boat, and I pulled her in onto that. HENSLEY: Police say Martina O'Donahue's (ph) foot had became entangled in a rope which caused her to fall overboard. The woman refused medical treatment, and her husband took her home.

Joe and Rich then hopped back on their truck and continued on their route.

REARN: Everything came together. Just another day, you know? Yes, no big deal. I mean, I was happy to help her out, you know?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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PHILLIPS: Checking headlines at the half hour.

The White House, bowing to intense pressure, says it will allow National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice to publicly testify before the 9/11 commission. The White House reversed its decision today.

The 9/11 commission is planning to comment on that development. We plan to carry those comments live, 3 p.m. Eastern.

A Supreme Court decision broadens the government's right to conduct drug searches. The court unanimously ruled today agents can search and even remove a car's gas tank while searching for drugs at border crossings. The justices say the people crossing the border have less expectation of privacy.

More controversy over the brain damaged Florida woman at the center of the right to die legal fight. Terri Schiavo was hospitalized overnight after her husband claimed he found needle punctures on her after a visit by her parents. His lawyer says no unauthorized drugs were found in Schiavo's system. Police are investigating.

Overseas, Pakistani's prominence in the war on terror was underscored recently when the country went after purported al Qaeda fighters.

CNN's Barbara Starr looks at the complex role of the Pakistani army.

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BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Pakistan's army is wrapping up its bloody offensive in the trial areas, the most politically sensitive military operation ever ordered by President Pervez Musharraf.

The army vowing to keep the pressure on Islamic extremists.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The picture is complete, and when we go to nab them, they're on the run. STARR: the Pakistani army, perhaps now Washington's most vital ally in the war on terrorism. The CIA web site spells it out: in Pakistan, the military remains the most important political force.

STEVE COLE, "WASHINGTON POST": The Pakistanis are on new political ground in this operation. They are attempting to use the army to establish political control in a part of Pakistani territory where they've never tried this before.

STARR: Pentagon officials, watching all of this closely, after an audiotape from Ayman al-Zawahiri tells the troops to revolt.

He says...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I address the Pakistani army and tell them: Musharraf has put you in a very terrible situation.

STARR: The cost is mounting for the army. Forty-six troops killed, and local tribesmen demanding compensation for damaged property.

But the Bush administration says no chance of the type of coup that Musharraf himself launched in 1999.

The loyalty of Pakistan's 10,000 intelligence agents more in question. They were longtime supporters of Taliban and the al Qaeda.

MICHAEL O'HANLON, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION: You do have a schism, however, with the forces which have been very pro-Taliban in Afghanistan and which do have a number of fundamentalists.

STARR (on camera): The Bush administration has now designated Pakistan as a major ally, paving the way for Islamabad to buy more U.S. weapons, but also ensuring the loyalty of the Pakistani army in the war on terror.

Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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