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Bin Laden Associate Surrenders to Saudis
Aired July 13, 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: A big development in the war on terror - word that a close associate of Osama bin Laden turns himself in. We're live on this developing story.
Flooded out. Homes underwater, rooftop rescues and a state of emergency.
Winning ways. Democrats reveal who you'll see at the Kerry convention. And a Bush blitz. The president pursues Midwestern voters.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And when we first pulled in, the first thing we saw was the car bombing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Vacation destination, Baghdad? One family's wild summer getaway.
From the CNN Center in Atlanta, hello, everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips. Miles is off today. CNN's LIVE FROM starts right now.
Up first this hour, a substantial surrender in the war on terror. Khaled al-Harbi, whose ties to Osama bin Laden go all the way back to the Soviet area of Afghanistan gave himself up to the Saudi embassy in Tehran.
CNN's Nic Robertson joins us now live from London with the details. Tell us about this man, Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, according to a source close to Saudi intelligence, Khaled al- Harbi is a sick man, frail, unable to walk. We are told that he turned himself in at the Iranian border, was then transported to the Saudi embassy in Tehran. From there, he was taken on a private jet to Saudi Arabia.
We are told that when he landed, he was too sick to walk, that he needs urgent medical treatment and that he is being taken away for that treatment at this time. Now, according to this source close to Saudi intelligence, this is a significant blow, he says, for al Qaeda. The reason for this is that because Khaled al-Harbi was close to Osama bin Laden, it would have been expected within al Qaeda circles that he would have been taken care of, rather that he has now had to turn himself into the Saudi authorities because he is, in their words, too sick and frail to continue.
So they see this as an indication that al Qaeda is in disarray. They say they see this as an indication of their successful policy of granting amnesty for members of al Qaeda, although they say they were absolutely not expecting somebody of his stature to turn themselves in. Rather, they'd been expecting low-level recruits.
So, from a Saudi perspective at this time, they see this as being a major step forward, this being Khaled al-Harbi, being somebody who was very close to Osama bin Laden, so close, in fact, that he appeared videotape with Osama bin Laden in December, 2001, when Osama bin Laden was talking about the September 11 attacks.
So, from a Saudi perspective, this is a very significant gain for them at this time, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Nic, as you talk to your sources and this story develops, why now? Why do you think he's turning himself in? Do you think it is the amnesty issue, or has it come to a point where maybe she's so frail this is the only option that he has? What's the word with regard to why he's doing it now?
OK, we lost our feed (ph) there with Nic. Apologize for that. We'll try and get that fixed.
But let's turn now to Octavia Nasr and talk about is this surrender proof that the Saudi offer for amnesty is working. Let me address that question to you, since Nic and I are having problems hearing each other. Why do you think he's coming forward now? Is it the amnesty? Is it that it's working, or could it be other factors?
OCTAVIA NASR, CNN SR. EDITOR FOR ARAB AFFAIRS: The Saudis are saying it is the amnesty, and of course it works to their advantage to say that it is the amnesty. Remember, not long ago, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia went on television speaking on behalf of the King, King Fahd, of Saudi Arabia, and saying that the kingdom is going to give amnesty. Well, they didn't call it amnesty - they said sort of pardon for any terrorist that will surrender to authorities.
But remember, back then they said it's every terrorist or potential terrorist with no blood on their hands. So I'm not too sure this guy fits in that description. I guess very important right now to wait and hear from the Saudi authorities themselves on the record, telling the world if this guy belongs to that amnesty group or not.
But, definitely, a very interesting development. And it's very important to point out that the video we're showing is not new. And, of course, a lot of Americans might remember that video that was released by the U.S. administration. It was a conversation, a very happy conversation, bin Laden and this guy, here, along with another al Qaeda member, all sitting down and cheering and celebrating the events of 9/11. So this is going to have a lot of emotional value, the capture of this man.
Now, as you mentioned earlier, he is disabled. He ...
PHILLIPS: Do we know why he's disabled?
NASR: Yes. Sources tell us that he was shot in the back, either in Bosnia or Afghanistan. This is someone who fought alongside Osama bin Laden and was injured in the fighting. And a lot of people say that in that video, you see bin Laden really going out of his way to entertain this guy, to be nice to him, tell him tales and so forth, which is not like bin Laden, a lot of those close to him will tell you. But they say he's that nice to him because he owes him, that he appreciates the fact that he sacrificed. That's of course in their words. That he fought alongside al Qaeda and he was shot in the back, which crippled him, obviously.
But, again, not really sure - sources are not sure if he was shot in the back in Bosnia or in Afghanistan, but certainly as he was fighting alongside al Qaeda.
PHILLIPS: All right, we have connection, Octavia, with Nic Robertson again, out of London.
Nic, let me ask you, is there a belief now that by Khaled al- Harbi turning himself in, that this could lead to Osama bin Laden, or possibly crucial information to his whereabouts?
ROBERTSON: Potentially, that would be the hope within the intelligence circles, both in Saudi Arabia, in the United States and in Great Britain as well, that perhaps Khaled al-Harbi turning himself in could lead to that sort of information. It's not clear - one of the things that isn't really clear is what has he been doing for the last two or three years, since he appeared in that videotape in December, 2001.
Has he been close to Osama bin Laden? Does he know where Osama bin Laden is? Does he have time sensitive information, because of course that is critical for the United States at this time, as they try to pinpoint where Osama bin Laden is.
It's very interesting, the timing that he should turn himself in now, right when Saudi Arabia has offered an amnesty to members of al Qaeda. It appeared, though, when they made this offer of amnesty that it was not to appeal to members of al Qaeda in Afghanistan or other parts of the world, but specifically to deal with their problems in Saudi Arabia.
So, this has come quite unexpectedly, it appears at this stage, at least, for the Saudi authorities. Certainly, the source we've talked to close to Saudi intelligence believes that this is a bonus for them, and certainly we know that when Saudi officials have captured members of al Qaeda in the past, they have tried to get every single piece of information out of them.
But we are told right now, Khaled al-Harbi is a sick man, he's a frail man, and he's gone to a hospital. That's his first port of call, we're told.
Kyra?
PHILLIPS: Nic Robertson, live out of London. Also, Octavia Nasr here, in charge of our Arab affairs.
Thank you so much.
We'll continue to follow this substantial surrender in the war on terror.
In other news, all for one in the Philippines? Officials in Manila are deliberately vague over whether or not the 51 Filipino soldiers now on peacekeeping detail in Iraq will come home early, as demanded by the capturers of a Filipino truck driver and father of eight, Angelo de la Cruz.
But diplomatic sources in Baghdad tell CNN there is an agreement, and de la Cruz will go free, perhaps as soon as today.
We get the latest now from CNN's Maria Ressa. She joins us live via videophone from Manila.
Maria?
MARIA RESSA, CNN JAKARTA BUREAU CHIEF: Well, Kyra, it's been a roller coaster few days. The demand from the kidnappers first came on Thursday. They wanted the Philippines to pull out its troops, a small group of about 50 soldiers and police, from Iraq in exchange for the life of 46-year-old Angelo de la Cruz.
The government then said that it would pull out its troops as scheduled on August 20, emphasizing it would not give into the kidnappers' demand. The kidnappers kicked back in with a counter demand, asking that the Philippines pull out its troops one month earlier. Soon after that, the Philippines rejected that demand.
Early Tuesday morning, the kidnappers on al Jazeera said they had brought the hostage to the place where he would be executed. Soon after that, a Philippine official went on al Jazeera air to plead for the life of Angelo de la Cruz, and he said that the Philippines would pull out its troops, quote, "as soon as possible." And that is the statement that is causing all the confusion. It's 1:00 in the morning here, a little after 1:00 in the morning here in Manila.
All day, there have been crisis meetings, but no real explanation, only one statement made by the secretary of foreign affairs, basically upholding the ambiguity of the original statement. What seems clear here is that the Philippine government does not want to comment on this issue, nor to clarify its real intent after this crisis is involved.
Kyra?
PHILLIPS: Maria Ressa, live from Manila.
Elsewhere, in Iraq, assassins strike the new regime. Sabir Karim (ph) of the Ministry of Industry and Minerals was gunned today outside his home in Baghdad. Police say the killer used a pistol equipped with a silencer. Iraq's new foreign minister is asking NATO to make good on its pledge to train Iraqi security forces, and do it fast. Hoshiyar Zebari tells the North Atlantic alliance, we're in a race against time.
And Iraqi police are said to be holding a large number of crime suspects, by one count, more than 500, after raids in a Baghdad neighborhood. Those suspects are wanted for theft, robbery, kidnapping, drug dealing and weapons trading. Saddam Hussein emptied Iraqi jails of so-called common criminals, as you may remember, in late 2002.
A man who spoke for the U.S.-led coalition during much of the occupation is back in Washington. Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt sat down with CNN's Barbara Starr for a chat about the high points and low points of his high-profile, high-pressure mission.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRIG. GEN. MARK KIMMITT, COALITION SPOKESMAN: Clearly, Abu Ghraib was the biggest challenge, because the actions of the few were so non-reflective of what the 135,000 American soldiers on the ground were doing. But those pictures spread throughout the country and formed an impression in the minds of the Iraqis that were reflected in the questions asked by the reporters. And the hardest part was to try to explain to them, rationally, unemotionally, that what we saw in those photos was absolutely wrong, that conduct we saw in those photos was absolutely wrong, but it was not reflective of the honorable service performed by 135,000 soldiers over there every day.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: You can see Barbara Starr's entire with General Kimmitt on "NEWSNIGHT WITH AARON BROWN." That's tonight at 10:00 Eastern, right here on CNN.
The Senate is nearing a vote on a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. Congressional Correspondent Ed Henry is covering that debate on Capitol Hill.
Ed?
ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Kyra.
Republicans had high hopes of scoring a lot of political points here, putting Democrats on the defensive on the eve of their national political convention in Boston. But today, the development is that a real division, a real rift, has developed on the Republican side about the precise language of the constitutional amendment. It's very clear that the Republicans will not reach the 67 votes they need in the Senate in order to pass this constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. It's also clear they are probably not going to get 60 votes to break a filibuster.
So the Republicans responded, basically, by trying to bring up two different versions of the amendment. Democrats are balking at that. And so what we're probably left with is just a procedural vote, not an actual vote on one of these amendments - a procedural vote that will be very confusing, will not be focused on the actual gay marriage issue itself
But what Republican senators like Jim Talent are saying is that a lot is on the line here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JIM TALENT (R), MISSOURI: The people are entitled to see who in this body is for protecting traditional marriage and who isn't, because nothing less than that is at stake. Mr. President, members of the Senate should not be mistaken or deceived by discussions of other issues or attempts to restate what this amendment is about, or assurances that we don't really need to do anything, and everything will be OK.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: Democrats say that, in fact, marriage, traditional marriage, is not under assault here, it's really the Constitution that's being attacked by the Republican majority. Democrats insist that the federal government should not be involved in deciding this issue, that instead it should be left to the states.
Here's what Senator Barbara Boxer had to say a little while ago on the Senate floor.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BARBARA BOXER (D), CALIFORNIA: Not one married couple has ever come up to me and said that their marriage is under assault because two people of the same gender, living down the street, care about each other. And if your marriage is under assault because of that, you've got other issues, my friends, that you should deal with.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: Now, as this debate heats up, Senator John Edwards, the Democratic vice presidential candidate, is here. He's not talking about gay marriage. Instead, he's huddling behind closed doors with Senate Democrats, talking a little bit about the campaign, his vision moving forward through the convention and onward.
We were expecting Senator Edwards to come back tomorrow, along with Senator Kerry, to vote on gay marriage, on this constitutional amendment. But what we're hearing now is that since it's been clouded, since now it's just going to be a procedural vote, not a vote directly on gay marriage, on the constitutional amendment itself, Kerry and Edwards will not be here tomorrow. And instead, you're going to see a lot of charges and counter-charges about whether or not they are ducking the issue.
Kyra?
PHILLIPS: Ed Henry, live from the Hill. Thank you. Well, duty calls. New marching orders for America's citizen soldiers, putting a strain on lives on the home front. We'll talk about that straight ahead.
And soaking up the sun, in Baghdad? One family's summer vacation in a war zone.
Rolling hay, an Olympic event you probably won't see in Athens, but you'll see it right here on LIVE FROM. Exclusive, rolling on, right after a break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: With active duty soldiers pushed to the limit in Iraq, citizen soldiers are taking on a bigger role. More Army National Guard brigades will soon be on duty there, but are they prepared for such rigorous duty. That's a question for our military expert, retired Major General Don Shepperd. He's in Tucson, Arizona.
Great to see you, General.
MAJ. GEN. DON SHEPPERD, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Hello, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Should we lay out the difference between the Guard and the reserves first, and then sort of get into the issue?
SHEPPERD: Yes, you bet. The Guard and reserve are indeed different. They're both very good, and looking at them, you can't tell a difference. And most interestingly, you can't tell the difference now, this day, between the Guard and reserve and the active duty. But the Guard is different from the reserve. The Guard is both a state and a federal force. The Guard came first in history. It's the old militia, the community militia. Now it can be called up by both the governor and the federal government in times of state emergency in the case of the governor, the federal government in national emergencies. The reserve can only be used for federal purposes, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, well, let's talk about then the Guard effort, this new Guard effort, and also the reserves, that keep going back and forth to Iraq. Is this system going to work in the long run?
SHEPPERD: Well, Kyra, that's a big question. We are in new and uncharged territory. The Guard and reserves system was meant to be used for national emergencies when you went to war, and then came home when the war is over. That's exactly what they're being used for now, but we're being told this is a war that's going to last many decades, and may not have an end with a victory, so that's different than before.
We're in uncharted water, because these people are being called up repeatedly, the same people, and then sent back over again under presidential selected reserve call-up, where the president can call up 200,000 people for up to two years.
Now, this is a different - we don't know how long this war is going to last, and so it's different from anything we've seen, and we're in new and uncharted territory that we're feeling our way through.
PHILLIPS: Well, is it true that the Guard and reserve system is having trouble recruiting? And, if so, of course how is that going to affect combat readiness?
SHEPPERD: Yes, Kyra, they are having trouble, but that's only part of the picture. The reason they are having trouble recruiting, or at least one of the main reasons is, most of their recruits come off active duty. Well, people can't get off active duty now because there's a war going on, and stop-loss is in effect.
Sixty to 80 percent of the Guard and reserve come right off active duty. Recruiting is slightly down, I think, for obvious reasons. People are reluctant to go in in the middle of a war. But what you have to watch is not only recruiting, but retention, and a call (ph) on also end strength and budget. You have to match all of those things up to make the system work. Right now, retention is up, particularly in the Guard units in those places where they had unit call-ups. The retention is very good, even though recruiting is off. So they may be able to make end strength.
PHILLIPS: Now, what about families and employers, with these extended rotations? I mean, I know a lot of guys that have actually had to quit their job because the employers just can't let them go that long.
SHEPPERD: The system is really being stressed, and, obviously, if you're a small business owner and a couple of your people are called up for the Guard or reserve duty, this is a big deal to you.
What's missing in this entire picture is if Americans felt they were under attack, clearly they would support this war effort and we would do whatever it took for however long it took. America does not feel like it's under attack. Nine-eleven was a long time ago, and unless there are more attacks on America, which I fear may come, you may see the support of the American public gradually drain away, and that'll make the Guard and reserve business even more difficult, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Well, we'll continue to follow the system as they call up more men and women.
Thanks, General.
SHEPPERD: You bet.
PHILLIPS: Well, if you're thinking of the perfect getaway this summer, Baghdad probably wouldn't be your first choice. But one family felt otherwise.
A North Carolina man, who's from Iraq, thought it would be a great idea for his children to meet their relatives and see part of history. So they shared their experience with Katina Rankin (ph) from CNN affiliate WTVB (ph).
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AHMAD AL SAMAREE (ph), VACATIONED IN BAGHDAD: What did you do this summer?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Went to Iraq.
KATINA RANKIN (ph), WTVB (ph) (voice-over): That's exactly what this Knightdale man, Ahmad al Samari (ph) and his entire family did for their summer vacation. They went to Baghdad.
AL SAMAREE (ph): Well, when we first pulled in, the first thing we saw was a car bombing. So, it's like, OK, not a surprise. We've heard a lot about that stuff.
RANKIN (ph): Ahmad (ph) lived in Baghdad for 19 years. He thought it would be a great idea for his children to see his family in that country, and to see history in the making. For his wife Susan, she wanted to see our troops.
SUSAN AL SAMAREE (ph), VACATIONED IN BAGHDAD: I tried to speak with as many as I could. They were very important to me when we went over there. I like to know their background and who'd they leave behind, because they're doing such a great thing for our country and for Iraq.
RANKIN (ph): For their children, they remembered the sound of bombs going off, but they do have other memories of the war-torn country.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I liked sleeping during the day. What I wouldn't like is the bathrooms.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everybody there had chickens in the backyard that you could, like, chase around and stuff.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Very hot, that's how I remember (ph) it. It wasn't really humid.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Well, Ahmad (ph) says that his family is very happy that Saddam Hussein is no longer in power.
So, did you know that the Olympics are already underway in Germany?
Yes, these German farmers hold their own Olympic games every year. This is serious stuff now, but the games are a bit different, as you can tell. You won't be seeing athletes pushing bales of hay or sawing logs in Athens.
So, is every vote going to count, not in the election, but in television ratings? New meters to measure what viewers watch prompts some protests.
And what you'll be watching at the Democratic Convention. The Kerry campaign unveils its prime-time lineup.
And need a vacation? If you've procrastinated planning, it may be prime time to get some airfare bargains. That's coming in for a landing, just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Flooding in New Jersey forced hundreds of residents to flee their homes last night. Complicating matters, at least five small dams broke. The governor plans to declare a state of emergency.
Tabulating the costs, assessment crews in Maryland are checking the flood damage there. Up to eight inches of rain fell across the northeastern part of that state, making roadways hazardous and flooding homes. Dozens of people had to be rescued, but no serious injuries were reported.
(WEATHER REPORT)
PHILLIPS: All right, not so good weather there, but the summer is just heating up, and we're talking about business and airlines already looking ahead to the fall, offering some very enticing deals.
(MARKET UPDATE)
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Aired July 13, 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: A big development in the war on terror - word that a close associate of Osama bin Laden turns himself in. We're live on this developing story.
Flooded out. Homes underwater, rooftop rescues and a state of emergency.
Winning ways. Democrats reveal who you'll see at the Kerry convention. And a Bush blitz. The president pursues Midwestern voters.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And when we first pulled in, the first thing we saw was the car bombing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Vacation destination, Baghdad? One family's wild summer getaway.
From the CNN Center in Atlanta, hello, everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips. Miles is off today. CNN's LIVE FROM starts right now.
Up first this hour, a substantial surrender in the war on terror. Khaled al-Harbi, whose ties to Osama bin Laden go all the way back to the Soviet area of Afghanistan gave himself up to the Saudi embassy in Tehran.
CNN's Nic Robertson joins us now live from London with the details. Tell us about this man, Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, according to a source close to Saudi intelligence, Khaled al- Harbi is a sick man, frail, unable to walk. We are told that he turned himself in at the Iranian border, was then transported to the Saudi embassy in Tehran. From there, he was taken on a private jet to Saudi Arabia.
We are told that when he landed, he was too sick to walk, that he needs urgent medical treatment and that he is being taken away for that treatment at this time. Now, according to this source close to Saudi intelligence, this is a significant blow, he says, for al Qaeda. The reason for this is that because Khaled al-Harbi was close to Osama bin Laden, it would have been expected within al Qaeda circles that he would have been taken care of, rather that he has now had to turn himself into the Saudi authorities because he is, in their words, too sick and frail to continue.
So they see this as an indication that al Qaeda is in disarray. They say they see this as an indication of their successful policy of granting amnesty for members of al Qaeda, although they say they were absolutely not expecting somebody of his stature to turn themselves in. Rather, they'd been expecting low-level recruits.
So, from a Saudi perspective at this time, they see this as being a major step forward, this being Khaled al-Harbi, being somebody who was very close to Osama bin Laden, so close, in fact, that he appeared videotape with Osama bin Laden in December, 2001, when Osama bin Laden was talking about the September 11 attacks.
So, from a Saudi perspective, this is a very significant gain for them at this time, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Nic, as you talk to your sources and this story develops, why now? Why do you think he's turning himself in? Do you think it is the amnesty issue, or has it come to a point where maybe she's so frail this is the only option that he has? What's the word with regard to why he's doing it now?
OK, we lost our feed (ph) there with Nic. Apologize for that. We'll try and get that fixed.
But let's turn now to Octavia Nasr and talk about is this surrender proof that the Saudi offer for amnesty is working. Let me address that question to you, since Nic and I are having problems hearing each other. Why do you think he's coming forward now? Is it the amnesty? Is it that it's working, or could it be other factors?
OCTAVIA NASR, CNN SR. EDITOR FOR ARAB AFFAIRS: The Saudis are saying it is the amnesty, and of course it works to their advantage to say that it is the amnesty. Remember, not long ago, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia went on television speaking on behalf of the King, King Fahd, of Saudi Arabia, and saying that the kingdom is going to give amnesty. Well, they didn't call it amnesty - they said sort of pardon for any terrorist that will surrender to authorities.
But remember, back then they said it's every terrorist or potential terrorist with no blood on their hands. So I'm not too sure this guy fits in that description. I guess very important right now to wait and hear from the Saudi authorities themselves on the record, telling the world if this guy belongs to that amnesty group or not.
But, definitely, a very interesting development. And it's very important to point out that the video we're showing is not new. And, of course, a lot of Americans might remember that video that was released by the U.S. administration. It was a conversation, a very happy conversation, bin Laden and this guy, here, along with another al Qaeda member, all sitting down and cheering and celebrating the events of 9/11. So this is going to have a lot of emotional value, the capture of this man.
Now, as you mentioned earlier, he is disabled. He ...
PHILLIPS: Do we know why he's disabled?
NASR: Yes. Sources tell us that he was shot in the back, either in Bosnia or Afghanistan. This is someone who fought alongside Osama bin Laden and was injured in the fighting. And a lot of people say that in that video, you see bin Laden really going out of his way to entertain this guy, to be nice to him, tell him tales and so forth, which is not like bin Laden, a lot of those close to him will tell you. But they say he's that nice to him because he owes him, that he appreciates the fact that he sacrificed. That's of course in their words. That he fought alongside al Qaeda and he was shot in the back, which crippled him, obviously.
But, again, not really sure - sources are not sure if he was shot in the back in Bosnia or in Afghanistan, but certainly as he was fighting alongside al Qaeda.
PHILLIPS: All right, we have connection, Octavia, with Nic Robertson again, out of London.
Nic, let me ask you, is there a belief now that by Khaled al- Harbi turning himself in, that this could lead to Osama bin Laden, or possibly crucial information to his whereabouts?
ROBERTSON: Potentially, that would be the hope within the intelligence circles, both in Saudi Arabia, in the United States and in Great Britain as well, that perhaps Khaled al-Harbi turning himself in could lead to that sort of information. It's not clear - one of the things that isn't really clear is what has he been doing for the last two or three years, since he appeared in that videotape in December, 2001.
Has he been close to Osama bin Laden? Does he know where Osama bin Laden is? Does he have time sensitive information, because of course that is critical for the United States at this time, as they try to pinpoint where Osama bin Laden is.
It's very interesting, the timing that he should turn himself in now, right when Saudi Arabia has offered an amnesty to members of al Qaeda. It appeared, though, when they made this offer of amnesty that it was not to appeal to members of al Qaeda in Afghanistan or other parts of the world, but specifically to deal with their problems in Saudi Arabia.
So, this has come quite unexpectedly, it appears at this stage, at least, for the Saudi authorities. Certainly, the source we've talked to close to Saudi intelligence believes that this is a bonus for them, and certainly we know that when Saudi officials have captured members of al Qaeda in the past, they have tried to get every single piece of information out of them.
But we are told right now, Khaled al-Harbi is a sick man, he's a frail man, and he's gone to a hospital. That's his first port of call, we're told.
Kyra?
PHILLIPS: Nic Robertson, live out of London. Also, Octavia Nasr here, in charge of our Arab affairs.
Thank you so much.
We'll continue to follow this substantial surrender in the war on terror.
In other news, all for one in the Philippines? Officials in Manila are deliberately vague over whether or not the 51 Filipino soldiers now on peacekeeping detail in Iraq will come home early, as demanded by the capturers of a Filipino truck driver and father of eight, Angelo de la Cruz.
But diplomatic sources in Baghdad tell CNN there is an agreement, and de la Cruz will go free, perhaps as soon as today.
We get the latest now from CNN's Maria Ressa. She joins us live via videophone from Manila.
Maria?
MARIA RESSA, CNN JAKARTA BUREAU CHIEF: Well, Kyra, it's been a roller coaster few days. The demand from the kidnappers first came on Thursday. They wanted the Philippines to pull out its troops, a small group of about 50 soldiers and police, from Iraq in exchange for the life of 46-year-old Angelo de la Cruz.
The government then said that it would pull out its troops as scheduled on August 20, emphasizing it would not give into the kidnappers' demand. The kidnappers kicked back in with a counter demand, asking that the Philippines pull out its troops one month earlier. Soon after that, the Philippines rejected that demand.
Early Tuesday morning, the kidnappers on al Jazeera said they had brought the hostage to the place where he would be executed. Soon after that, a Philippine official went on al Jazeera air to plead for the life of Angelo de la Cruz, and he said that the Philippines would pull out its troops, quote, "as soon as possible." And that is the statement that is causing all the confusion. It's 1:00 in the morning here, a little after 1:00 in the morning here in Manila.
All day, there have been crisis meetings, but no real explanation, only one statement made by the secretary of foreign affairs, basically upholding the ambiguity of the original statement. What seems clear here is that the Philippine government does not want to comment on this issue, nor to clarify its real intent after this crisis is involved.
Kyra?
PHILLIPS: Maria Ressa, live from Manila.
Elsewhere, in Iraq, assassins strike the new regime. Sabir Karim (ph) of the Ministry of Industry and Minerals was gunned today outside his home in Baghdad. Police say the killer used a pistol equipped with a silencer. Iraq's new foreign minister is asking NATO to make good on its pledge to train Iraqi security forces, and do it fast. Hoshiyar Zebari tells the North Atlantic alliance, we're in a race against time.
And Iraqi police are said to be holding a large number of crime suspects, by one count, more than 500, after raids in a Baghdad neighborhood. Those suspects are wanted for theft, robbery, kidnapping, drug dealing and weapons trading. Saddam Hussein emptied Iraqi jails of so-called common criminals, as you may remember, in late 2002.
A man who spoke for the U.S.-led coalition during much of the occupation is back in Washington. Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt sat down with CNN's Barbara Starr for a chat about the high points and low points of his high-profile, high-pressure mission.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRIG. GEN. MARK KIMMITT, COALITION SPOKESMAN: Clearly, Abu Ghraib was the biggest challenge, because the actions of the few were so non-reflective of what the 135,000 American soldiers on the ground were doing. But those pictures spread throughout the country and formed an impression in the minds of the Iraqis that were reflected in the questions asked by the reporters. And the hardest part was to try to explain to them, rationally, unemotionally, that what we saw in those photos was absolutely wrong, that conduct we saw in those photos was absolutely wrong, but it was not reflective of the honorable service performed by 135,000 soldiers over there every day.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: You can see Barbara Starr's entire with General Kimmitt on "NEWSNIGHT WITH AARON BROWN." That's tonight at 10:00 Eastern, right here on CNN.
The Senate is nearing a vote on a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. Congressional Correspondent Ed Henry is covering that debate on Capitol Hill.
Ed?
ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Kyra.
Republicans had high hopes of scoring a lot of political points here, putting Democrats on the defensive on the eve of their national political convention in Boston. But today, the development is that a real division, a real rift, has developed on the Republican side about the precise language of the constitutional amendment. It's very clear that the Republicans will not reach the 67 votes they need in the Senate in order to pass this constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. It's also clear they are probably not going to get 60 votes to break a filibuster.
So the Republicans responded, basically, by trying to bring up two different versions of the amendment. Democrats are balking at that. And so what we're probably left with is just a procedural vote, not an actual vote on one of these amendments - a procedural vote that will be very confusing, will not be focused on the actual gay marriage issue itself
But what Republican senators like Jim Talent are saying is that a lot is on the line here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JIM TALENT (R), MISSOURI: The people are entitled to see who in this body is for protecting traditional marriage and who isn't, because nothing less than that is at stake. Mr. President, members of the Senate should not be mistaken or deceived by discussions of other issues or attempts to restate what this amendment is about, or assurances that we don't really need to do anything, and everything will be OK.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: Democrats say that, in fact, marriage, traditional marriage, is not under assault here, it's really the Constitution that's being attacked by the Republican majority. Democrats insist that the federal government should not be involved in deciding this issue, that instead it should be left to the states.
Here's what Senator Barbara Boxer had to say a little while ago on the Senate floor.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BARBARA BOXER (D), CALIFORNIA: Not one married couple has ever come up to me and said that their marriage is under assault because two people of the same gender, living down the street, care about each other. And if your marriage is under assault because of that, you've got other issues, my friends, that you should deal with.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: Now, as this debate heats up, Senator John Edwards, the Democratic vice presidential candidate, is here. He's not talking about gay marriage. Instead, he's huddling behind closed doors with Senate Democrats, talking a little bit about the campaign, his vision moving forward through the convention and onward.
We were expecting Senator Edwards to come back tomorrow, along with Senator Kerry, to vote on gay marriage, on this constitutional amendment. But what we're hearing now is that since it's been clouded, since now it's just going to be a procedural vote, not a vote directly on gay marriage, on the constitutional amendment itself, Kerry and Edwards will not be here tomorrow. And instead, you're going to see a lot of charges and counter-charges about whether or not they are ducking the issue.
Kyra?
PHILLIPS: Ed Henry, live from the Hill. Thank you. Well, duty calls. New marching orders for America's citizen soldiers, putting a strain on lives on the home front. We'll talk about that straight ahead.
And soaking up the sun, in Baghdad? One family's summer vacation in a war zone.
Rolling hay, an Olympic event you probably won't see in Athens, but you'll see it right here on LIVE FROM. Exclusive, rolling on, right after a break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: With active duty soldiers pushed to the limit in Iraq, citizen soldiers are taking on a bigger role. More Army National Guard brigades will soon be on duty there, but are they prepared for such rigorous duty. That's a question for our military expert, retired Major General Don Shepperd. He's in Tucson, Arizona.
Great to see you, General.
MAJ. GEN. DON SHEPPERD, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Hello, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Should we lay out the difference between the Guard and the reserves first, and then sort of get into the issue?
SHEPPERD: Yes, you bet. The Guard and reserve are indeed different. They're both very good, and looking at them, you can't tell a difference. And most interestingly, you can't tell the difference now, this day, between the Guard and reserve and the active duty. But the Guard is different from the reserve. The Guard is both a state and a federal force. The Guard came first in history. It's the old militia, the community militia. Now it can be called up by both the governor and the federal government in times of state emergency in the case of the governor, the federal government in national emergencies. The reserve can only be used for federal purposes, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, well, let's talk about then the Guard effort, this new Guard effort, and also the reserves, that keep going back and forth to Iraq. Is this system going to work in the long run?
SHEPPERD: Well, Kyra, that's a big question. We are in new and uncharged territory. The Guard and reserves system was meant to be used for national emergencies when you went to war, and then came home when the war is over. That's exactly what they're being used for now, but we're being told this is a war that's going to last many decades, and may not have an end with a victory, so that's different than before.
We're in uncharted water, because these people are being called up repeatedly, the same people, and then sent back over again under presidential selected reserve call-up, where the president can call up 200,000 people for up to two years.
Now, this is a different - we don't know how long this war is going to last, and so it's different from anything we've seen, and we're in new and uncharted territory that we're feeling our way through.
PHILLIPS: Well, is it true that the Guard and reserve system is having trouble recruiting? And, if so, of course how is that going to affect combat readiness?
SHEPPERD: Yes, Kyra, they are having trouble, but that's only part of the picture. The reason they are having trouble recruiting, or at least one of the main reasons is, most of their recruits come off active duty. Well, people can't get off active duty now because there's a war going on, and stop-loss is in effect.
Sixty to 80 percent of the Guard and reserve come right off active duty. Recruiting is slightly down, I think, for obvious reasons. People are reluctant to go in in the middle of a war. But what you have to watch is not only recruiting, but retention, and a call (ph) on also end strength and budget. You have to match all of those things up to make the system work. Right now, retention is up, particularly in the Guard units in those places where they had unit call-ups. The retention is very good, even though recruiting is off. So they may be able to make end strength.
PHILLIPS: Now, what about families and employers, with these extended rotations? I mean, I know a lot of guys that have actually had to quit their job because the employers just can't let them go that long.
SHEPPERD: The system is really being stressed, and, obviously, if you're a small business owner and a couple of your people are called up for the Guard or reserve duty, this is a big deal to you.
What's missing in this entire picture is if Americans felt they were under attack, clearly they would support this war effort and we would do whatever it took for however long it took. America does not feel like it's under attack. Nine-eleven was a long time ago, and unless there are more attacks on America, which I fear may come, you may see the support of the American public gradually drain away, and that'll make the Guard and reserve business even more difficult, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Well, we'll continue to follow the system as they call up more men and women.
Thanks, General.
SHEPPERD: You bet.
PHILLIPS: Well, if you're thinking of the perfect getaway this summer, Baghdad probably wouldn't be your first choice. But one family felt otherwise.
A North Carolina man, who's from Iraq, thought it would be a great idea for his children to meet their relatives and see part of history. So they shared their experience with Katina Rankin (ph) from CNN affiliate WTVB (ph).
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AHMAD AL SAMAREE (ph), VACATIONED IN BAGHDAD: What did you do this summer?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Went to Iraq.
KATINA RANKIN (ph), WTVB (ph) (voice-over): That's exactly what this Knightdale man, Ahmad al Samari (ph) and his entire family did for their summer vacation. They went to Baghdad.
AL SAMAREE (ph): Well, when we first pulled in, the first thing we saw was a car bombing. So, it's like, OK, not a surprise. We've heard a lot about that stuff.
RANKIN (ph): Ahmad (ph) lived in Baghdad for 19 years. He thought it would be a great idea for his children to see his family in that country, and to see history in the making. For his wife Susan, she wanted to see our troops.
SUSAN AL SAMAREE (ph), VACATIONED IN BAGHDAD: I tried to speak with as many as I could. They were very important to me when we went over there. I like to know their background and who'd they leave behind, because they're doing such a great thing for our country and for Iraq.
RANKIN (ph): For their children, they remembered the sound of bombs going off, but they do have other memories of the war-torn country.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I liked sleeping during the day. What I wouldn't like is the bathrooms.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everybody there had chickens in the backyard that you could, like, chase around and stuff.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Very hot, that's how I remember (ph) it. It wasn't really humid.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Well, Ahmad (ph) says that his family is very happy that Saddam Hussein is no longer in power.
So, did you know that the Olympics are already underway in Germany?
Yes, these German farmers hold their own Olympic games every year. This is serious stuff now, but the games are a bit different, as you can tell. You won't be seeing athletes pushing bales of hay or sawing logs in Athens.
So, is every vote going to count, not in the election, but in television ratings? New meters to measure what viewers watch prompts some protests.
And what you'll be watching at the Democratic Convention. The Kerry campaign unveils its prime-time lineup.
And need a vacation? If you've procrastinated planning, it may be prime time to get some airfare bargains. That's coming in for a landing, just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Flooding in New Jersey forced hundreds of residents to flee their homes last night. Complicating matters, at least five small dams broke. The governor plans to declare a state of emergency.
Tabulating the costs, assessment crews in Maryland are checking the flood damage there. Up to eight inches of rain fell across the northeastern part of that state, making roadways hazardous and flooding homes. Dozens of people had to be rescued, but no serious injuries were reported.
(WEATHER REPORT)
PHILLIPS: All right, not so good weather there, but the summer is just heating up, and we're talking about business and airlines already looking ahead to the fall, offering some very enticing deals.
(MARKET UPDATE)
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