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Police Search Jackson Ranch; Opposition Scores Victory in Ukraine
Aired December 03, 2004 - 15:00 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.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Santa Barbara County sheriffs investigators are searching Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch again. Jackson is awaiting trial on child molestation charges next month. His southern California ranch has already been searched once in connection with this case. No word yet on what prompted today's search.
Terror in Madrid. Police are blaming the Basque separatist group ETA (ph). Five explosions went off at gas stations across the city today. Police described them as low potency bombs. Six people suffered minor injuries. And blasts came about one hour after a warning from Eta.
President Bush has picked a former New York City police commissioner to head the department of homeland security. If confirmed by the Senate, Bernard Kerik would replace outgoing secretary Tom Ridge. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle praise Kerik and predict quick and easy confirmation.
Never say never again. Sheriff's deputies are once again combing Michael Jackson's fantasy ranch for items known only to them and to the judge who signed off on the warrant. Here now with the latest twist presumably tied to Jackson's child molestation investigation is CNN's Miguel Marquez in L.A. -- Miguel.
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We cannot even begin to think that there might be yet another investigation going into -- regarding Mr. Jackson. We believe that this has to do with Mr. Jackson's current case, the child molestation case against him, the Santa Barbara County sheriff's office, Chris Pappas, the public information officer was able to confirm to CNN that a search of Neverland Ranch is indeed ongoing.
It started this morning at 9:00 a.m. Pacific time and it is expected to last much of the day. What it is they are looking for is not entirely clear. There have been other searches of Neverland Ranch in the last year, two others about one year ago, that started all this off was the arcade building in Mr. Jackson's Neverland Ranch and also the security office and investigators then went into Mr. Jackson's personal office, a video library and also a small apartment that is all housed within the security office building.
Lawyers, Mr. Jackson's lawyers, along the way complained and argued in court that the scope of the warrant did not allow for the search of those other areas of the security building, and they lost in a hearing to Judge Melville, the judge overseeing this case. And the judge allowed some of that evidence to go forward. But much of it he said it wasn't really relevant to the case and tossed out, saying that it's not going to make a difference to the case in any event. What it is they are looking for in this case, it is not entirely clear.
They have taken many computers, many hard drives, lots and lots of video, DVD and CDs from Neverland Ranch in other searches. And they've taken a lot of physical evidence from Neverland Ranch as well. But what piece of evidence they may be looking to tie everything together or if it is something new, a new investigative lead they have, it's not entirely clear -- Tony.
HARRIS: Miguel Marquez following the latest investigations in the Michael Jackson investigation in Los Angeles -- Miguel, thank you.
MARQUEZ: Sure.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Out of the Bush administration 15 appointed Cabinet position, eight members have now resigned since President Bush was reelected and that includes a resignation announced just a short while ago from Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOMMY THOMPSON, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SECRETARY: I do not tender my resignation easily. While these years have been challenging, they have also been greatly rewarding. It has really been my honor to serve President Bush as a member of his Cabinet. I thank him for the opportunity. And it's been a privilege to serve the American people as secretary of this wonderful department.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Today, the president announced his choice to fill another Cabinet post recently vacated. Former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik has been tapped to take over the Department of Homeland Security from outgoing head Tom Ridge. Kerik was appointed as New York City's top cop by then Mayor Rudy Giuliani in 2000.
On 9/11, he was just a block away from ground zero. Since departing that job, he has worked for Giuliani's private security firm, also went to Iraq at the request of Mr. Bush to help train the Iraqi police force. Much more on Kerik's nomination and how he plays with both the Senate Democrats and Republicans who must vote to confirm him. That's coming up at 3:30 with our Judy Woodruff on "INSIDE POLITICS."
HARRIS: A big story brewing in Ukraine today. The tens of thousands of demonstrators who took to the streets and stayed there have won a major victory. The country's highest court has voided the country's run-off election amid charges it was fixed for the candidate backed by Moscow.
Jill Dougherty is live in Ukraine -- Jill.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN MOSCOW BUREAU CHIEF: The real party will come tomorrow, but the celebration has already begun.
The man of the hour, Viktor Yushchenko, opposition candidate, back down on Independence Square, where he has been for 12 days, along with the people stood there in the snow and cold, and telling them that they had done it. They had brought about the victory. He also had words for the Supreme Court that made this important decision today.
VIKTOR YUSHCHENKO, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (through translator): I wanted to ask you to greet with applause the Supreme Court judges. They are real heroes today. Well done.
DOUGHERTY: The court agreed with the opposition that there were and systematic violations in that election, the run-off that took place November 21. The court decided to annul and call for a new vote.
Mr. Yushchenko that now things must move quickly, must move forward. He wants the president, Leonid Kuchma, to fire the prime minister, the man who ostensibly had been named the winner of this election, and he wants a new central election commission as soon as possible.
So now they go moving on to the vote. It will take place December 26. And the people who ran the first time, the position candidate, Mr. Yushchenko, and the government candidate, Mr. Yanukovych, are expected to be up against each other, but there is very little doubt who will win this time, and that is Viktor Yushchenko.
Jill Dougherty, CNN, Kiev, Ukraine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: In Iraq today, a deadly indication that insurgent organizations with differing agendas may be joining forces for a fight in Baghdad.
CNN's Karl Penhaul is in the Iraqi capital, where several attacks killed 29 people today.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was just after dawn, the first prayers of the day at the Shiite mosque in north Baghdad. Police say four suicide bombers rammed a minibus laden with explosives into the building.
Prayer goers blood in a pool on the street, charred remains of the bomb and its target.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): The car bomb exploded at 6:00 or 5:45 a.m., burning this car and the house. When the people gathered to put out the fire, the car exploded again, and the bodies of the victims covered the street.
PENHAUL: The bombers and at least 14 worshipers died, some 20 others wounded. A district police chief accused Sunni insurgents of trying to stoke sectarian strife.
A few hundred yards away, gunmen unleashed a volley of rockets at a police station. No casualties were reported.
At almost exactly the same time, insurgents traveling in 11 cars overran another police station in southwest Baghdad alongside the strategic airport road. Police chiefs say the insurgents killed at least 11 police and wounded others. Twenty prisoners were freed from police cells and are now on the run.
MAHMOUD SHAKIR, EYEWITNESS (through translator): At 6:00 a.m., the police station was attacked. I couldn't see what happened due to the chaos and turmoil.
PENHAUL: On an Islamic web site, affiliates of the Al Qaeda- linked Abu Musab Al Zarqawi network claimed responsibility for the strikes. There was no independent confirmation.
(on camera): Interior ministry officials say they believe that growing numbers of insurgents from different factions are filtering into Baghdad from outlying areas to fight a joint campaign.
SABAH KADHIM, IRAQI INTERIOR MINISTER: It is the people who feel like part of the Saddam groups, the criminal elements, together with the Islamic desperadoes, who want chaos. And therefore, I think this unholy alliance is coordinating its activities.
PENHAUL (voice-over): Coming a day after a mortar attack in the heart of Baghdad, authorities believe the rebels have a single aim.
KADHIM: They want this government to fail and to elect -- this election not to take place.
PENHAUL: There's still almost two months to go before the elects. It seems clear there's still plenty of fighting to be done if the ballot is to be held in peace.
Karl Penhaul, CNN, Baghdad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: German authorities have arrested three Iraqis during the current visit to Berlin by interim Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi. Officials say that the Iraqis had been under surveillance and their behavior raised suspicions that they may have been planning an attack. The Germans say the men belonged to Ansar al-Islam, a terrorist group linked to al Qaeda.
HARRIS: Ahead on LIVE FROM:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAY PATEL, FOUNDER, ABIKA.COM: Why do we need privacy? That's the question. Like, why do people need privacy?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Should your personal information be part of the public record. We wrap up a fascinating series of reports, "Safeguarding Your Secrets."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: We wanted to show you these pictures just in to CNN from our CNN affiliate KCAL in Los Angeles. These are pictures of Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch. We see a car there, presumably from one of the authorities searching the ranch, although we don't know that for sure.
We can tell you that, starting about 9:00 Los Angeles time, West Coast time, sheriff's investigators began another search of Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch acting on a warrant from the judge in the case. As you know, Michael Jackson is facing several child molestation charges. And we don't know what the investigators are looking for precisely. Once again, these are pictures just into CNN of Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch, where either right now or certainly earlier today a search of that ranch took place.
We'll continue to follow the developments in this story and bring you the latest information -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: On to another story now. Some call it an invasion of privacy. Others see it as a legitimate service. Whatever the case, Internet background searches have become big business. For a fee, you can find out almost anything about anybody, friend or foe.
CNN's Daniel Sieberg checks out one of the companies that conducts Internet background searches.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DANIEL SIEBERG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): You might think of Wyoming as the perfect place in which to get lost. It's the tenth largest state in the union, yet it's dead last in population, a haven for many. However, the Cowboy State is where a lot of people are found, specifically, the basement of this house on the outskirts of Cheyenne.
This is the home of Jay Patel, founder of an Internet background search service called Abika.
PATEL: I don't even believe in privacy too much. But first, like most people, when they discuss privacy, why do we need privacy? That's the question. Like why do people need privacy?
SIEBERG: He says most people agree, privacy isn't important. In fact, he says the world would be a better place if everyone knew everything about each other. PATEL: Do you know what the root cause of hatred or intolerance is? It's because people don't know about other people.
SIEBERG: And Jay Patel says he's here to help. His company can track down a name from an e-mail address or instant message screen name, find an unlisted or blocked phone number, verify a person's salary. In fact, Abika has more than 300 ways for you to snoop on others and more than 300 ways for them to snoop on you.
(on camera): Do you ever worry that this information could fall into the wrong hands? People these days talk about terrorism or criminal activity? Is it -- do you worry about that.
PATEL: See, but for us it's not something we can even can not find it by going directly to the source. So it's not something which is like exclusive to us. It's right there. So we are only searching it. We don't create this information and we don't access anything which is restricted. We are just a small company in the basement here.
SIEBERG (voice-over): When Jay and his staff receive a request for information, they often get nothing more than a name and last known address. They send that information to private investigators, court researchers and keepers of various databases. Abika will even create a psychological profile of a person, all this usually without the subject knowing he or she is being investigated.
So, I decided to request a search on myself. At least I'd know about it.
(on camera): So, I mean you have my Social Security number. Is there the possibility that someone could steal my identity because this information is so easy to get?
PATEL: If you'll see, we don't release the Social Security number. The last four digits are Xed out. So in your whole profile?
SIEBERG: Right?
PATEL: You'll see that it's not released to anyone, the Social Security number.
SIEBERG: But could someone else find that as easily as you did?
PATEL: Social Security numbers are the easiest thing to find, as such.
SIEBERG (voice-over): A scary thought. But Jay says Abika releases Social Security numbers only to qualified customers. However, we also ordered a general background search on another person and did get his Social Security number because it was the same as his driver's license number. And that's just one of the things that has privacy advocates concerned about services like Abika.
MARC ROTENBERG, ELECTRONIC PRIVACY INFORMATION CENTER: These new information brokers that have sprouted up on the Internet are really operating in the wild, wild West. There is no regulation or control. The information that these companies provide becomes the basis for decisions about whether you get a job, about whether you clear a background check, about whether you're able to lease an apartment, maybe even whether you get a home loan.
So the risk is very tangible that a mistake will be made, that you'll be turned down for an opportunity that you really are entitled to.
SIEBERG: Still, these data brokers have a lot of fans. Software executive Steve Kirsch uses Abika and other services to sue the senders of junk faxes.
STEVE KIRSCH, PROPEL SOFTWARE: Propel will get lots of unsolicited faxes and the only identification -- they'll be no identification of the company on the faxes. And so the only thing we'll have is an 800 number that we should dial. So we've used Abika to look up who owns the 800 number, because when we call the 800 number, of course, they just give us a phony company name and a phony location.
SIEBERG (on camera): As proof that Jay's approach to privacy can work for some people, Jay actually points to his own situation. Before moving here to Wyoming, he lived in South Dakota. One day he was at a store there and he saw a girl and read her name tag, then went home and did a background search on her. And when he returned to the store, he told her some things about her that he had found. Now, surprisingly, she didn't slap him. Instead, three weeks later, they were married.
(voice-over): But not all background checks have a happy ending. In 1999 in New Hampshire, Liam Youens used another Internet data broker called Docusearch to find out where a former high school classmate worked. He then shot and killed the woman, 20-year-old Amy Boyer, as she left work. He also killed himself. Boyer's family sued Docusearch, saying it should have told the woman she was being investigated.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She went to work not knowing that her personal private information was given by Docusearch, the defendants, to someone who had no legal right to have it.
SIEBERG: But Docusearch argued it has no duty to check a customer's background.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He premeditated his crime and he killed her. Telling him where she worked didn't foreseeably increase the risk of anything. It didn't proximately cause anything. It had nothing to do with Amy Boyer's death.
SIEBERG: The suit was settled out of court this year, with the Boyer family getting $85,000. But the background search industry is still going strong. As Youens wrote on his personal Web site, It's actually obscene what you can find out about a person on the Internet.
Comments like that have many people searching for the balance between openness and the obscene.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SIEBERG: Incidentally, private companies, if we could call them that, aren't the only data miners.
In a General Accounting Office report released earlier this year, dozens of government agencies were found to be sifting through massive amounts of data, some of it personal in nature. Now, most of the cases were related to counterterrorism measures or preventing fraud or criminal activity, but some were designed to checked on the behavior of certain personnel.
As we pointed out, privacy watchdogs say the practice can be useful with the proper safeguards in place, as with everything.
PHILLIPS: All right, real quickly, just going back about 10 years, when I was working on an investigation about these companies that buy and sell your personal information for mass marketing.
(CROSSTALK)
SIEBERG: Right. Right. Information brokers.
PHILLIPS: Exactly, same type of thing.
Now, people don't understand that when they fill a survey out, say, they're at a company -- you know, just a franchise and filling out a birthday card, that information is bought and sold.
SIEBERG: Right.
It's bought and sold. It's stored and it can be shared, and same thing happens when you're online. If you're filling out a form or giving your personal information, if you're not reading the fine print of where this information could be used, then you're basically handing it over to somebody. And you really have to be vigilant and careful with all of that, not just online, but offline, as you're saying.
PHILLIPS: Yes.
SIEBERG: It is all complied. It is a commodity for these companies.
PHILLIPS: Thank you very much, Daniel Sieberg.
SIEBERG: All right. Thanks.
PHILLIPS: Well, 'tis the season to be signing -- or at least so says Sibila Vargas -- or singing. Oh.
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: Oh, of course, singing, it always involves you. Go ahead.
SIBILA VARGAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Of course. That's my beat.
PHILLIPS: Yes, it is.
VARGAS: Well, Kyra, just about everyone has a favorite holiday jingle, but find out if your tune made the top 25 holiday song list this year. I'll have the details when LIVE FROM continues. ` (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Rwanda comes to Hollywood and 'tis the season for listening to Christmas classics. So what are the most performed holiday songs?
CNN entertainment correspondent Sibila Vargas has a list and she's checking it twice.
VARGAS: Hey.
HARRIS: She joins us live from Los Angeles with her grab bag of holiday goodies -- Sibila.
VARGAS: I do. I do, Tony.
I know you're just itching to find out if your favorite holiday song made it to the top five. But, first, I've got to tell you about some celebrity sightings. It was star gridlock in Beverly Hills for the premier of "Hotel Rwanda." Hollywood's A-list celebrities turned out to show their support for the independent film about real-life hero Paul Rusesabagina during the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
The film, starring Don Cheadle, is already getting lots of award buzz. It opens in theaters Wednesday, December 22.
Now, looking for that perfect gift for the person who has just about everything? Well, how about a luxury Hummer autographed by the Terminator himself? California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is just one of the celebrities teaming up with eBay for the Internet site's holiday charity auction. From now until December 22, lucky e-bidders will have the opportunity to bid on some fun celebrity items, including a Hummer H2 autographed by Arnold and specially personalized with the buyer's name. That's kind of cool.
Other items up for sale, lunch with Star Jones and a meet-and- greet with Cher. Proceeds will benefit Arnold Schwarzenegger's After- School All-Stars and other various charities.
Good cause, Tony.
HARRIS: OK, Sibila, you have kept us waiting long enough. What about those favorite holiday songs?
VARGAS: All right, here it is.
According to ASCAP, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, here is the top five from the list of the most performed holiday songs. ("CHESTNUTS ROASTING ON AN OPEN FIRE")
VARGAS: Don't you just love it. If you guessed the Christmas song from Mel Torme, you were right. It was No. 1, followed by my personal favorite, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," sung by Judy Garland in 1944's "Meet Me in Saint Louis."
("HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS")
VARGAS: Third on the list was "Winter Wonderland." Next is "Santa Claus is Coming to Town." No. 5 is "White Christmas," sung by Bing Crosby in 1942's classic "Holiday Inn."
Tony, did yours make it on the list?
HARRIS: No, not a single one, not a single one.
PHILLIPS: Really? What one is yours?
HARRIS: "O Holy Night."
VARGAS: What is yours?
HARRIS: "O Holy Night," my favorite. It's my flat-out favorite Christmas song.
PHILLIPS: She's looking it up. She's looking it up.
VARGAS: No.
HARRIS: Is it on the list?
VARGAS: No. No, it's not.
HARRIS: Not at all?
VARGAS: It's not at the top 25, no. "O Holy Night" wasn't.
HARRIS: Well, you know, every day...
VARGAS: But it's a great one. It's still a great one.
HARRIS: Yes, thank you. Live with those little micro-insults every day.
Sibila, thank you.
VARGAS: Thank you.
PHILLIPS: All right, that wraps it up for us today on LIVE FROM. We hope you have a great weekend.
HARRIS: Have a great weekend.
PHILLIPS: Have a great weekend.
HARRIS: Yes, you, too.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired December 3, 2004 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Santa Barbara County sheriffs investigators are searching Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch again. Jackson is awaiting trial on child molestation charges next month. His southern California ranch has already been searched once in connection with this case. No word yet on what prompted today's search.
Terror in Madrid. Police are blaming the Basque separatist group ETA (ph). Five explosions went off at gas stations across the city today. Police described them as low potency bombs. Six people suffered minor injuries. And blasts came about one hour after a warning from Eta.
President Bush has picked a former New York City police commissioner to head the department of homeland security. If confirmed by the Senate, Bernard Kerik would replace outgoing secretary Tom Ridge. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle praise Kerik and predict quick and easy confirmation.
Never say never again. Sheriff's deputies are once again combing Michael Jackson's fantasy ranch for items known only to them and to the judge who signed off on the warrant. Here now with the latest twist presumably tied to Jackson's child molestation investigation is CNN's Miguel Marquez in L.A. -- Miguel.
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We cannot even begin to think that there might be yet another investigation going into -- regarding Mr. Jackson. We believe that this has to do with Mr. Jackson's current case, the child molestation case against him, the Santa Barbara County sheriff's office, Chris Pappas, the public information officer was able to confirm to CNN that a search of Neverland Ranch is indeed ongoing.
It started this morning at 9:00 a.m. Pacific time and it is expected to last much of the day. What it is they are looking for is not entirely clear. There have been other searches of Neverland Ranch in the last year, two others about one year ago, that started all this off was the arcade building in Mr. Jackson's Neverland Ranch and also the security office and investigators then went into Mr. Jackson's personal office, a video library and also a small apartment that is all housed within the security office building.
Lawyers, Mr. Jackson's lawyers, along the way complained and argued in court that the scope of the warrant did not allow for the search of those other areas of the security building, and they lost in a hearing to Judge Melville, the judge overseeing this case. And the judge allowed some of that evidence to go forward. But much of it he said it wasn't really relevant to the case and tossed out, saying that it's not going to make a difference to the case in any event. What it is they are looking for in this case, it is not entirely clear.
They have taken many computers, many hard drives, lots and lots of video, DVD and CDs from Neverland Ranch in other searches. And they've taken a lot of physical evidence from Neverland Ranch as well. But what piece of evidence they may be looking to tie everything together or if it is something new, a new investigative lead they have, it's not entirely clear -- Tony.
HARRIS: Miguel Marquez following the latest investigations in the Michael Jackson investigation in Los Angeles -- Miguel, thank you.
MARQUEZ: Sure.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Out of the Bush administration 15 appointed Cabinet position, eight members have now resigned since President Bush was reelected and that includes a resignation announced just a short while ago from Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOMMY THOMPSON, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SECRETARY: I do not tender my resignation easily. While these years have been challenging, they have also been greatly rewarding. It has really been my honor to serve President Bush as a member of his Cabinet. I thank him for the opportunity. And it's been a privilege to serve the American people as secretary of this wonderful department.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Today, the president announced his choice to fill another Cabinet post recently vacated. Former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik has been tapped to take over the Department of Homeland Security from outgoing head Tom Ridge. Kerik was appointed as New York City's top cop by then Mayor Rudy Giuliani in 2000.
On 9/11, he was just a block away from ground zero. Since departing that job, he has worked for Giuliani's private security firm, also went to Iraq at the request of Mr. Bush to help train the Iraqi police force. Much more on Kerik's nomination and how he plays with both the Senate Democrats and Republicans who must vote to confirm him. That's coming up at 3:30 with our Judy Woodruff on "INSIDE POLITICS."
HARRIS: A big story brewing in Ukraine today. The tens of thousands of demonstrators who took to the streets and stayed there have won a major victory. The country's highest court has voided the country's run-off election amid charges it was fixed for the candidate backed by Moscow.
Jill Dougherty is live in Ukraine -- Jill.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN MOSCOW BUREAU CHIEF: The real party will come tomorrow, but the celebration has already begun.
The man of the hour, Viktor Yushchenko, opposition candidate, back down on Independence Square, where he has been for 12 days, along with the people stood there in the snow and cold, and telling them that they had done it. They had brought about the victory. He also had words for the Supreme Court that made this important decision today.
VIKTOR YUSHCHENKO, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (through translator): I wanted to ask you to greet with applause the Supreme Court judges. They are real heroes today. Well done.
DOUGHERTY: The court agreed with the opposition that there were and systematic violations in that election, the run-off that took place November 21. The court decided to annul and call for a new vote.
Mr. Yushchenko that now things must move quickly, must move forward. He wants the president, Leonid Kuchma, to fire the prime minister, the man who ostensibly had been named the winner of this election, and he wants a new central election commission as soon as possible.
So now they go moving on to the vote. It will take place December 26. And the people who ran the first time, the position candidate, Mr. Yushchenko, and the government candidate, Mr. Yanukovych, are expected to be up against each other, but there is very little doubt who will win this time, and that is Viktor Yushchenko.
Jill Dougherty, CNN, Kiev, Ukraine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: In Iraq today, a deadly indication that insurgent organizations with differing agendas may be joining forces for a fight in Baghdad.
CNN's Karl Penhaul is in the Iraqi capital, where several attacks killed 29 people today.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was just after dawn, the first prayers of the day at the Shiite mosque in north Baghdad. Police say four suicide bombers rammed a minibus laden with explosives into the building.
Prayer goers blood in a pool on the street, charred remains of the bomb and its target.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): The car bomb exploded at 6:00 or 5:45 a.m., burning this car and the house. When the people gathered to put out the fire, the car exploded again, and the bodies of the victims covered the street.
PENHAUL: The bombers and at least 14 worshipers died, some 20 others wounded. A district police chief accused Sunni insurgents of trying to stoke sectarian strife.
A few hundred yards away, gunmen unleashed a volley of rockets at a police station. No casualties were reported.
At almost exactly the same time, insurgents traveling in 11 cars overran another police station in southwest Baghdad alongside the strategic airport road. Police chiefs say the insurgents killed at least 11 police and wounded others. Twenty prisoners were freed from police cells and are now on the run.
MAHMOUD SHAKIR, EYEWITNESS (through translator): At 6:00 a.m., the police station was attacked. I couldn't see what happened due to the chaos and turmoil.
PENHAUL: On an Islamic web site, affiliates of the Al Qaeda- linked Abu Musab Al Zarqawi network claimed responsibility for the strikes. There was no independent confirmation.
(on camera): Interior ministry officials say they believe that growing numbers of insurgents from different factions are filtering into Baghdad from outlying areas to fight a joint campaign.
SABAH KADHIM, IRAQI INTERIOR MINISTER: It is the people who feel like part of the Saddam groups, the criminal elements, together with the Islamic desperadoes, who want chaos. And therefore, I think this unholy alliance is coordinating its activities.
PENHAUL (voice-over): Coming a day after a mortar attack in the heart of Baghdad, authorities believe the rebels have a single aim.
KADHIM: They want this government to fail and to elect -- this election not to take place.
PENHAUL: There's still almost two months to go before the elects. It seems clear there's still plenty of fighting to be done if the ballot is to be held in peace.
Karl Penhaul, CNN, Baghdad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: German authorities have arrested three Iraqis during the current visit to Berlin by interim Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi. Officials say that the Iraqis had been under surveillance and their behavior raised suspicions that they may have been planning an attack. The Germans say the men belonged to Ansar al-Islam, a terrorist group linked to al Qaeda.
HARRIS: Ahead on LIVE FROM:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAY PATEL, FOUNDER, ABIKA.COM: Why do we need privacy? That's the question. Like, why do people need privacy?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Should your personal information be part of the public record. We wrap up a fascinating series of reports, "Safeguarding Your Secrets."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: We wanted to show you these pictures just in to CNN from our CNN affiliate KCAL in Los Angeles. These are pictures of Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch. We see a car there, presumably from one of the authorities searching the ranch, although we don't know that for sure.
We can tell you that, starting about 9:00 Los Angeles time, West Coast time, sheriff's investigators began another search of Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch acting on a warrant from the judge in the case. As you know, Michael Jackson is facing several child molestation charges. And we don't know what the investigators are looking for precisely. Once again, these are pictures just into CNN of Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch, where either right now or certainly earlier today a search of that ranch took place.
We'll continue to follow the developments in this story and bring you the latest information -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: On to another story now. Some call it an invasion of privacy. Others see it as a legitimate service. Whatever the case, Internet background searches have become big business. For a fee, you can find out almost anything about anybody, friend or foe.
CNN's Daniel Sieberg checks out one of the companies that conducts Internet background searches.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DANIEL SIEBERG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): You might think of Wyoming as the perfect place in which to get lost. It's the tenth largest state in the union, yet it's dead last in population, a haven for many. However, the Cowboy State is where a lot of people are found, specifically, the basement of this house on the outskirts of Cheyenne.
This is the home of Jay Patel, founder of an Internet background search service called Abika.
PATEL: I don't even believe in privacy too much. But first, like most people, when they discuss privacy, why do we need privacy? That's the question. Like why do people need privacy?
SIEBERG: He says most people agree, privacy isn't important. In fact, he says the world would be a better place if everyone knew everything about each other. PATEL: Do you know what the root cause of hatred or intolerance is? It's because people don't know about other people.
SIEBERG: And Jay Patel says he's here to help. His company can track down a name from an e-mail address or instant message screen name, find an unlisted or blocked phone number, verify a person's salary. In fact, Abika has more than 300 ways for you to snoop on others and more than 300 ways for them to snoop on you.
(on camera): Do you ever worry that this information could fall into the wrong hands? People these days talk about terrorism or criminal activity? Is it -- do you worry about that.
PATEL: See, but for us it's not something we can even can not find it by going directly to the source. So it's not something which is like exclusive to us. It's right there. So we are only searching it. We don't create this information and we don't access anything which is restricted. We are just a small company in the basement here.
SIEBERG (voice-over): When Jay and his staff receive a request for information, they often get nothing more than a name and last known address. They send that information to private investigators, court researchers and keepers of various databases. Abika will even create a psychological profile of a person, all this usually without the subject knowing he or she is being investigated.
So, I decided to request a search on myself. At least I'd know about it.
(on camera): So, I mean you have my Social Security number. Is there the possibility that someone could steal my identity because this information is so easy to get?
PATEL: If you'll see, we don't release the Social Security number. The last four digits are Xed out. So in your whole profile?
SIEBERG: Right?
PATEL: You'll see that it's not released to anyone, the Social Security number.
SIEBERG: But could someone else find that as easily as you did?
PATEL: Social Security numbers are the easiest thing to find, as such.
SIEBERG (voice-over): A scary thought. But Jay says Abika releases Social Security numbers only to qualified customers. However, we also ordered a general background search on another person and did get his Social Security number because it was the same as his driver's license number. And that's just one of the things that has privacy advocates concerned about services like Abika.
MARC ROTENBERG, ELECTRONIC PRIVACY INFORMATION CENTER: These new information brokers that have sprouted up on the Internet are really operating in the wild, wild West. There is no regulation or control. The information that these companies provide becomes the basis for decisions about whether you get a job, about whether you clear a background check, about whether you're able to lease an apartment, maybe even whether you get a home loan.
So the risk is very tangible that a mistake will be made, that you'll be turned down for an opportunity that you really are entitled to.
SIEBERG: Still, these data brokers have a lot of fans. Software executive Steve Kirsch uses Abika and other services to sue the senders of junk faxes.
STEVE KIRSCH, PROPEL SOFTWARE: Propel will get lots of unsolicited faxes and the only identification -- they'll be no identification of the company on the faxes. And so the only thing we'll have is an 800 number that we should dial. So we've used Abika to look up who owns the 800 number, because when we call the 800 number, of course, they just give us a phony company name and a phony location.
SIEBERG (on camera): As proof that Jay's approach to privacy can work for some people, Jay actually points to his own situation. Before moving here to Wyoming, he lived in South Dakota. One day he was at a store there and he saw a girl and read her name tag, then went home and did a background search on her. And when he returned to the store, he told her some things about her that he had found. Now, surprisingly, she didn't slap him. Instead, three weeks later, they were married.
(voice-over): But not all background checks have a happy ending. In 1999 in New Hampshire, Liam Youens used another Internet data broker called Docusearch to find out where a former high school classmate worked. He then shot and killed the woman, 20-year-old Amy Boyer, as she left work. He also killed himself. Boyer's family sued Docusearch, saying it should have told the woman she was being investigated.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She went to work not knowing that her personal private information was given by Docusearch, the defendants, to someone who had no legal right to have it.
SIEBERG: But Docusearch argued it has no duty to check a customer's background.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He premeditated his crime and he killed her. Telling him where she worked didn't foreseeably increase the risk of anything. It didn't proximately cause anything. It had nothing to do with Amy Boyer's death.
SIEBERG: The suit was settled out of court this year, with the Boyer family getting $85,000. But the background search industry is still going strong. As Youens wrote on his personal Web site, It's actually obscene what you can find out about a person on the Internet.
Comments like that have many people searching for the balance between openness and the obscene.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SIEBERG: Incidentally, private companies, if we could call them that, aren't the only data miners.
In a General Accounting Office report released earlier this year, dozens of government agencies were found to be sifting through massive amounts of data, some of it personal in nature. Now, most of the cases were related to counterterrorism measures or preventing fraud or criminal activity, but some were designed to checked on the behavior of certain personnel.
As we pointed out, privacy watchdogs say the practice can be useful with the proper safeguards in place, as with everything.
PHILLIPS: All right, real quickly, just going back about 10 years, when I was working on an investigation about these companies that buy and sell your personal information for mass marketing.
(CROSSTALK)
SIEBERG: Right. Right. Information brokers.
PHILLIPS: Exactly, same type of thing.
Now, people don't understand that when they fill a survey out, say, they're at a company -- you know, just a franchise and filling out a birthday card, that information is bought and sold.
SIEBERG: Right.
It's bought and sold. It's stored and it can be shared, and same thing happens when you're online. If you're filling out a form or giving your personal information, if you're not reading the fine print of where this information could be used, then you're basically handing it over to somebody. And you really have to be vigilant and careful with all of that, not just online, but offline, as you're saying.
PHILLIPS: Yes.
SIEBERG: It is all complied. It is a commodity for these companies.
PHILLIPS: Thank you very much, Daniel Sieberg.
SIEBERG: All right. Thanks.
PHILLIPS: Well, 'tis the season to be signing -- or at least so says Sibila Vargas -- or singing. Oh.
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: Oh, of course, singing, it always involves you. Go ahead.
SIBILA VARGAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Of course. That's my beat.
PHILLIPS: Yes, it is.
VARGAS: Well, Kyra, just about everyone has a favorite holiday jingle, but find out if your tune made the top 25 holiday song list this year. I'll have the details when LIVE FROM continues. ` (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Rwanda comes to Hollywood and 'tis the season for listening to Christmas classics. So what are the most performed holiday songs?
CNN entertainment correspondent Sibila Vargas has a list and she's checking it twice.
VARGAS: Hey.
HARRIS: She joins us live from Los Angeles with her grab bag of holiday goodies -- Sibila.
VARGAS: I do. I do, Tony.
I know you're just itching to find out if your favorite holiday song made it to the top five. But, first, I've got to tell you about some celebrity sightings. It was star gridlock in Beverly Hills for the premier of "Hotel Rwanda." Hollywood's A-list celebrities turned out to show their support for the independent film about real-life hero Paul Rusesabagina during the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
The film, starring Don Cheadle, is already getting lots of award buzz. It opens in theaters Wednesday, December 22.
Now, looking for that perfect gift for the person who has just about everything? Well, how about a luxury Hummer autographed by the Terminator himself? California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is just one of the celebrities teaming up with eBay for the Internet site's holiday charity auction. From now until December 22, lucky e-bidders will have the opportunity to bid on some fun celebrity items, including a Hummer H2 autographed by Arnold and specially personalized with the buyer's name. That's kind of cool.
Other items up for sale, lunch with Star Jones and a meet-and- greet with Cher. Proceeds will benefit Arnold Schwarzenegger's After- School All-Stars and other various charities.
Good cause, Tony.
HARRIS: OK, Sibila, you have kept us waiting long enough. What about those favorite holiday songs?
VARGAS: All right, here it is.
According to ASCAP, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, here is the top five from the list of the most performed holiday songs. ("CHESTNUTS ROASTING ON AN OPEN FIRE")
VARGAS: Don't you just love it. If you guessed the Christmas song from Mel Torme, you were right. It was No. 1, followed by my personal favorite, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," sung by Judy Garland in 1944's "Meet Me in Saint Louis."
("HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS")
VARGAS: Third on the list was "Winter Wonderland." Next is "Santa Claus is Coming to Town." No. 5 is "White Christmas," sung by Bing Crosby in 1942's classic "Holiday Inn."
Tony, did yours make it on the list?
HARRIS: No, not a single one, not a single one.
PHILLIPS: Really? What one is yours?
HARRIS: "O Holy Night."
VARGAS: What is yours?
HARRIS: "O Holy Night," my favorite. It's my flat-out favorite Christmas song.
PHILLIPS: She's looking it up. She's looking it up.
VARGAS: No.
HARRIS: Is it on the list?
VARGAS: No. No, it's not.
HARRIS: Not at all?
VARGAS: It's not at the top 25, no. "O Holy Night" wasn't.
HARRIS: Well, you know, every day...
VARGAS: But it's a great one. It's still a great one.
HARRIS: Yes, thank you. Live with those little micro-insults every day.
Sibila, thank you.
VARGAS: Thank you.
PHILLIPS: All right, that wraps it up for us today on LIVE FROM. We hope you have a great weekend.
HARRIS: Have a great weekend.
PHILLIPS: Have a great weekend.
HARRIS: Yes, you, too.
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