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Live From...
High Anxiety; Hezbollah Threat; Saudi Arabia Declares State of Alert Over King's Illness
Aired May 27, 2005 - 14:00 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: He's been 350 feet high for nearly 48 hours. What will the murder suspect on this crane do next? We're live on the story.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Securing space. The Pentagon would like to put offensive weapons in orbit. Will it really help secure America?
PHILLIPS: A word of warning for men taking Viagra. The drug may have caused some users to go blind.
O'BRIEN: And dumb drivers, why do they always pick the lane in front of me? It makes me want to strangle them. A national test reveals where they are and what you can do about it. Not much.
From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Miles O'Brien
PHILLIPS: But scream. And I'm Kyra Phillips. This hour of CNN's LIVE FROM starts right now.
Forty-six hours, 350 feet, zero food or bathroom breaks. However, you figure it out. Well, Carl Edward Roland is headed not for a place in the record books. He's nowhere near the nearest applicable Guinness record, but a jail cell, if he's lucky, a gruesome death if he's not.
Almost two full days after the murder suspect scaled a construction crane here in Atlanta, Georgia -- live pictures right now -- police and bystanders and irate motorists wonder how much longer this guy can last.
CNN's Sara Dorsey is in for the long haul also. She brings us the latest.
Hi, Sara.
SARA DORSEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra.
I can tell you, most people out here never thought we'd still be standing here waiting to see what Carl Roland is going to do. And, of course, he is still 350 feet high up in the air, perched on a crane above Atlanta, and he doesn't seem to be moving.
What he does seem to be doing is getting a little agitated by what the negotiators are trying to do. Every time he lays down or goes to sleep, or just when they feel like it, they're blaring a horn and making noise on that crane.
Earlier, they had a horn in a bucket, and that bucket was hooked to a conveyer system on the crane. And Roland went ahead and dismantled that. He as sick of hearing that siren, and he just went ahead and got rid of it. So now we're seeing other tactics.
The negotiators brought in a helicopter a little earlier and flew that very close to him, we're guessing to try to make noise to keep him awake. Of course he does have the opportunity to fall off this crane if he sleeps very much. So they're trying to, you know, keep him awake and conscious of what's happening.
I can tell you, everyone in Atlanta that drives on Peachtree Road is very conscious of what's going on, because that road is shut down. And it's a main thoroughfare through this city. It's affecting a lot of traffic in this area.
People are being rerouted. Not to mention, there's a lot of people making their way to this area just to get a glimpse of this and take a look up.
Where I'm standing, many of the restaurants behind me are actually closed. But the restaurants off-camera are actually open, and they are very full as people sit on the balconies looking up, everyone's eye to the sky at this point to see what Mr. Roland is going to do.
I can tell you, to some people this is becoming a little bit of a joke. We're hearing people saying things as they walk by, as they're looking up. But this is not a joke to Mr. Roland's family.
Two of his siblings were speaking out today, you know, saying the negotiators obviously aren't making any headway. He hasn't come down yet. They think that they should be able to at least talk to him by cell phone and possibly get him down.
The police, however, do not agree and say they're not going there right now. Possibly in the future. But as of now, the negotiators are still working on him, and he has not been allowed to talk to his family members -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right. Sara Dorsey, we're following it. Thank you so much
O'BRIEN: News "Across America" now.
Remember what grandmother used to say? Well, there may be some truth to it. The FDA investigating reports Viagra may cause blindness in some people. Pfizer, the drug's manufacturer, says the occurrences are extremely rare, but it is discussing updating its label.
Is there money in rare coins? It sounds like a trick question.
Evidently not in Ohio. A state official is resigning after investigating -- investing in a rare coin fund. It turns out $10 million of the state's $55 million investment is missing. The state is planning on suing a coin dealer for the missing money.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE, "LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT": Maybe we should put out an APB for somebody in a Tom DeLay T-shirt.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: It seems like a little comment on a TV show, "Law & Order." It has some big numbers, of course.
The House majority leader, Tom DeLay, a little hot under the collar over that one. DeLay calls it a manipulation of his name and a slur. The show's producer says DeLay is trying to change the spotlight from his own problems to an episode of a TV show.
PHILLIPS: Anguish and outrage in Pakistan today after a deadly bombing at a Muslim shrine. A bomb blew up inside a shrine in Islamabad on the last day of a five-day festival. Several hundred worshippers were inside. At least 17 people were killed, dozens of others were wounded. It's still unclear whether the bomb was planted or was detonated by a suicide bomber.
The U.S. military is investigating the downing of a helicopter in Iraq. Two American soldiers were killed when their chopper went down last night near Baquba. The wreckage was loaded onto these trucks and transported from the scene. A second helicopter attacked and damaged during the incident managed to safely return to the base.
CNN has confirmed that Saudi Arabia's King Fahd has been hospitalized. A Saudi official tells CNN that the 82-year-old king has been admitted to a hospital in Riyadh for some tests. We're going to bring you more information as soon as it becomes available.
O'BRIEN: In the Middle East as well, new threats against Israel from Hezbollah. The U.S. government considers the group a terrorist organization, as you know. And Israel says Hezbollah is increasingly active in trying to derail efforts to bring peace to the region.
Here's John Vause.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was an extraordinary claim, part of a fiery speech to mark the fifth anniversary of Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon. The leader of Hezbollah publicly boasting that the militant group has thousands of rockets all pointed at Israel.
SHEIKH HASSAN NASRALLAH, HEZBOLLAH LEADER: More than 12,000 rockets capable of hitting Northern Israel.
VAUSE: Senior Israeli intelligence officers say the Lebanese- based militant group backed by Iran and Syria, is actively recruiting Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, financing and planning attacks on Israel. Those same Israeli intelligent officers point to this training video. It show a suicide bomber where to stand on a bus. It's just one of hundreds of tapes the Israelis say they've intercepted over last few years sent from Hezbollah to Palestinian militants.
The video is slickly produced, showing the explosion from five different camera angles. The metal sheets around the mannequin represent seats and passengers.
"You will see the seats here," the voice-over explains. "The shrapnel penetrated them and was very effective." Two seats, though, were not hit, the ones on either side of the suicide bomber. But the blast, according to the voice-over, would be fatal to the passengers.
With guidance of experts, CNN has taken care to leave out critical portions of the video from this report. But the tape does show how to make explosives from chemicals which are easily available in pharmacies, hardware stores or farms all set to inspirational music.
Once the explosives are ready, there are detailed instructions on how to make a suicide belt.
"This is here for the explosive material," the tape explains. "This is for the shrapnel."
Israeli intelligence believes in last few years, Hezbollah has become increasingly active not only planning, but coordinating and financing attacks like this one, a double suicide bombing in Tel Aviv two years ago which left 23 dead, more than 100 wounded. And says last year, almost 100 Israelis died as a result of attacks ordered from Lebanon by Hezbollah.
Why is Hezbollah so active now? Since the death of Yasser Arafat, his replacement, Palestinian authority president Mahmoud Abbas, has made renewed efforts to find a way to make peace with Israel, a goal Hezbollah opposes.
DAVID HAHAM, ISRAELI MINISTRY OF DEFENSE: They would like to prevent the Palestinians from renewing the peaceful talks, the peaceful dialogue with the state of Israel.
VAUSE: Palestinians, too, acknowledge Hezbollah is actively recruiting. The police chief in Tokaram (ph) recently told CNN, it's one of his biggest concerns.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): It is likely you may have individuals or again very small groups which may be sympathetic to Hezbollah or even linked to Hezbollah.
VAUSE (on camera): But Israel says, it's much bigger than that. Israeli intelligence says it knows of 50 cells operating in the West Bank and Gaza all made up of disaffected Palestinian militants and believes last year at least $9 million were sent by courier, money exchanges and wire transfers from Hezbollah in Lebanon to finance those cells. (voice-over): Israeli security and intelligence officials say Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah can stop the attacks with one word. But so far, they say, there's every indication he wants to be the spoiler, determined to wreck whatever fragile chance of peace now exists.
John Vause, CNN, the West Bank.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: We're getting word now out of Saudi Arabia that 82- year-old King Fahd has been taken to the Riyadh hospital for some tests. As you know, the king had suffered a stroke back in 1995. His half brother, Crown Prince Abdullah, has been the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia since then. And now we're getting word that the king has been sent to the hospital.
CNN's Caroline Faraj live -- or on the phone, rather, with us from Dubai.
I understand that Saudi has declared a state of alert. Caroline, what can you tell us about that, what that means exactly, and possibly any more details about the king's condition?
CAROLINE FARAJ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, Kyra, we just confirmed from our sources that the Saudis declared a state of alert and cancelled all leave of its security forces today, on Friday, after the king was taken to the hospital. The officials also told us that some of the security forces who are supposedly the entourage of the king and the royal palace and members of the royal family were also asked to prepare that official uniform, which basically they only wear it in any official events, which it might be also the event if it was announced any minute that the situation -- or the health situation of the king deteriorated.
This is so far also the media -- the official media in Saudi Arabia, they announced the official statement that was issued an hour ago, issued by the -- by the royal palace. They read it in full, and they also ended it by saying -- calling on the people and also calling on god, basically, to protect the king and to bring him safe and sound.
Of course, so far we haven't heard any more details about the condition of the king. However, the whole -- the whole source, everybody that we talked to, they're all confirming that his health is not really in good shape. And this is not new, as you know, Kyra.
He's been sick for several years. And he's been sent to the hospital several times, especially the last six months -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: So, Caroline -- and some reports are saying, some officials are coming out and saying they believe he may have pneumonia, that his condition is believed to be very serious. If indeed that's true, considering his ailments since he had his stroke in 1995, what does this mean for Saudi Arabia? What is the next step? And does this mean that Abdullah could possibly move into a bigger role here if something indeed turns fatal?
FARAJ: Well, so far, Kyra, according to the constitution, and also according to the announcement that they've got in Saudi Arabia, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Prince Abdullah, supposedly is the person who's going to inherit the throne. So this is so far.
However, it is within the family, the royal family, they should decide who is going to become the crown prince after Abdullah. So this is something that they have to decide, and they have to come up with information and the final decision regarding this immediately after they announce any -- any news about the death or basically the health of the king, the current king.
So this is something that is very critical, and this is -- a lot of authority and power is playing a major role in the final decision. Whether it is going to become to change the crown prince or to announce another crown prince, this is a big question that nobody so far can tell in Saudi Arabia.
However -- however, as I said, Kyra, if things went smoothly and they just followed what was already announced, it should be Prince Abdullah to become king and to appoint another crown prince, supposedly one of the members of the royal family -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: And to put in a bit of context with regard to the United States, Caroline, we know, we're familiar with the relationship between the president and Crown Prince Abdullah. But when talking about the king and his legacy and his relationship with the United States, would you describe it to have been a strong one?
FARAJ: I believe from what we've witnessed, especially the last few years and especially after September 11, the relation is known as strong, especially the royal family and especially the king and the crown prince. They're known as very, very much pro the U.S. and very much pro democracy. But they wanted to do something.
However, there are some also powers playing a major role in the society and also on the -- on the political arena in Saudi Arabia. So they are not really the only decision-makers. However, so far, they play a role and they have their own supporters within the society and within also the royal family.
So I can answer your question by saying, yes, Kyra, their relation is knowns avery supportive to the U.S. And I think that Crown Prince Abdullah, if he became a king, he would just follow the steps of his -- of the current king, which is King Fahd -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: CNN's Caroline Faraj reporting for us there from Dubai. Thank you so much.
Once again, we'll continue to follow the condition of the king, King Fahd there in Saudi Arabia, as it remains in a state of alert. And he is now in the hospital. We confirmed that with tests, possibly pneumonia -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: Before we show you this next tape, we want to let everyone know that everyone involved is OK. Wow.
A major stumble at a fashion show in Peru. We have details on how it happened a little later on LIVE FROM. That poor horse.
And is the Senate stumbling on the president's controversial ambassador nominee to the United Nations? Details on the Bolton battle straight ahead. Don't you be boltin'.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Hours of heated debate and then another delay. No end in sight yet to the controversy over the John Bolton nomination. Senate Republicans failed to cut off the debate yesterday, blaming it on what they termed "obstructionist Democrats."
Joining me now with their respective takes on the issue, former GOP House member, Bob Barr, and former Democratic congressman, Tom Andrews.
Great to have you both.
OK, Tom, you know I have to ask you, do you consider yourself an obstructionist?
TOM ANDREWS, FMR. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE: You know, I don't, Kyra. As a matter of fact, the issue here is whether or not the White House is going to release documents that get to a very crucial issue. And that is the issue of the distortion and deception of the administration to the Congress and the people of the United States on issues of weapons of mass destruction.
What they're asking is, what's the relationship between the intelligence that was known at the time and the testimony that John Bolton provided to the United States Senate on weapons of mass destruction in Syria? This is critically important not only with respect to John Bolton, but the issue of manipulation of intelligence data that gets us into messes like the mess we're in, in Iraq. And I think it's great that the Senate is standing up and insisting that the administration turn over these documents, stop stonewalling and give the Senate and the American people the truth.
PHILLIPS: You bring up -- and we're actually getting Bob hooked up on an IFB right now.
Is it in there OK, Bob?
BOB BARR, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Yes, ma'am
PHILLIPS: All right. I'll just recap a little for you.
ANDREWS: I'll cover for you.
PHILLIPS: Oh, I'm sure you will, Tom.
He says he'll cover for you. He was talking about basically the manipulation of intelligence when talking about John Bolton, you know, a man known for politicizing intelligence about rogue states now being pushed by the White House.
Tom, I hope I'm getting my -- the paraphrase right here.
And, you know, if he is manipulating analysts who create intel for his purpose, is this the man that should be leading the U.N. or reforming the U.N.?
BARR: Well, if all of that were true, this man should be prosecuted. But the fact of the matter is that there's been no evidence other than people alleging this and saying this. The folks on the Intelligence Committee, for example, who have been involved in closed-door, classified briefings on this, have indicated there is not one shred of evidence that there was any such manipulation taking place.
PHILLIPS: Well, Democrats have come forward and say, well, let's look at Cuba, let's look at Syria. These are two examples where he sort of worked the intelligence to fit in with how he believed foreign policy should go forward.
BARR: Well, first of all, as a practical matter, if they believe that, then vote against him. I mean, that's -- they clearly have a remedy. But to hold up a vote on him makes no sense at all. And it's the same sort of obstructionism that we've seen practiced time after time after time by the Democrats.
They don't like a nominee, they're trying to get back at the president, and they simply vote against bringing a nominee to the floor as opposed to doing the honest, straightforward thing, which would be, hey, we think this guy is manipulative or whatever, and we don't like him, and we're going to vote against him. They don't have the courage to do that, so they simply delay and delay and delay so they can keep air time and their faces before the media. So they vote against even bringing it up for a vote
PHILLIPS: Well...
ANDREWS: Kyra, here's the problem. Here's the problem.
PHILLIPS: Go ahead, Tom.
ANDREWS: The fact of the matter is, there is evidence of distortion and manipulation of intelligence. The problem is, is that information, that data, the evidence will not be released by the White House. And what the Senate Democrats are saying is, that before we vote on this nomination, we want to know if we have been deceived and manipulated by John Bolton. And we want to know if critical decisions being made by the Congress and the president of the United States whether to send us into war or not are being based upon a manipulation of intelligence.
And there's no reason in the world why this administration should be stonewalling and preventing the Senate from getting this information. When they get that information, when that evidence is before them, the Democrats are willing to move forward with the vote. But it's very reasonable. In fact, they're doing their basic constitutional responsibility in insisting upon that evidence.
PHILLIPS: Bob, it's interesting that intelligence seems to be the hot-button issue here. I mean, just looking at the time period that we're in, and the issue of intelligence, no weapons of mass destruction, the war in Iraq, the CIA getting frustrated, changes going on there, John Negroponte, a new director of national intelligence, I mean, intelligence is a crucial subject matter when especially...
BARR: It certainly is. And that's one of the reasons why we failed to stop the terrorists on 9/11.
I mean, I'm certainly not a person who has been shy about calling for reform in our intelligence business and getting rid of people that in fact have done what my good friend and former colleague is alleging here. But in this particular case, I have to say that, looking at all of the evidence that's come out, simply saying, well, gee, John Bolton is a nasty guy and he'd browbeat those under him, subordinates, into changing the intelligence, therefore, we need to see all of this documentation, really doesn't make a lot of sense, because there's been no hard evidence at all. And if there was, you know, I'd be the first one out there saying, hey, this is a legitimate point.
But I think...
ANDREWS: But Bob...
BARR: Really, I think it's just politics here.
PHILLIPS: And Tom, considering -- considering the oil-for-food scandal and everything coming out of what's happening at the U.N. right now, doesn't the U.N. need someone that's going to get in there and really shake things up?
BARR: There you go.
ANDREWS: You know, 59 diplomats that worked under both Democrat and Republican administrations wrote to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and said putting this guy in that position would be a disaster, including...
BARR: It may be a disaster for them.
ANDREWS: ... including the task of reforming the United Nations. And this is the -- this is the important thing. You know, you've got to have credibility.
The United States went before the United Nations and made a case for weapons of mass destruction that turned out to not -- not to be true. Now, it wasn't just a matter of bad intelligence. It was a matter of the manipulation of that intelligence by this government. And it's critically important for this administration to come forward with the truth and say whether or not there was that manipulation.
And the information that these Senate Democrats are looking for are exactly related to that point. And there's no reason in the world, unless they have something to hide in the White House, that they shouldn't be bringing this information forward. It will help the credibility of the United States and will certainly clear up this major question about -- about John Bolton.
PHILLIPS: Let me get -- go ahead
BARR: You know, they want to fight the battle over and over and over again in the wrong forum.
ANDREWS: No, we want the facts, Bob.
BARR: There really is a proper forum for this, but it's not John Bolton.
PHILLIPS: Well, let's say we push this battle, the controversy aside. I mean, fixing the U.N., is that beyond Bolton's power?
BARR: It's -- it is beyond any human being's power to reform that bloated bureaucracy up there. And what we need in the United States -- now, the bureaucrats at the U.N. may not like John Bolton, but I say that's probably a good reason to confirm him.
What we need in the United States of America is somebody, Kyra, that will do precisely what you're intimating here, and that is to stand up to the United Nations, to do their level best to try and reform it. And somebody who just wants to go up there and go to cocktail parties and play nicy face with these folks up there is not going to get that job done.
PHILLIPS: Tom, final thought?
ANDREWS: Well, there's quite a difference between nicy-faced and being this arrogant unilateralist that has completely alienated the rest of the world from the United States. If you want to make progress, if you want to share the burden of international challenges with our allies and friends around the world, then you have to have someone who has earned their respect based upon credibility.
John Bolton does not have that respect. He doesn't have credibility. And as the Republican senator, Voinovich, has said, he is a poster child of everything we don't want in a diplomat representing the United States in the United Nations.
PHILLIPS: Tom Andrews and Bob Barr, no period of obstruction between you two. That's for sure
BARR: Always a pleasure.
PHILLIPS: Thanks, gentlemen.
ANDREWS: Hey, have a good weekend.
PHILLIPS: All right. Likewise. Happy holiday.
Thanks, Bob.
O'BRIEN: Cries of outrage in a courtroom.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You're a liar!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How dare you!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: An Australian woman and her family say she's innocent. An Indonesian court says she's going to prison for 20 long years. We'll have details in this story ahead.
And will the Pentagon defend America in space? A military push to get offensive weapons into orbit.
KATHLEEN HAYS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Kathleen Hays at the New York Stock Exchange. Memorial Day Weekend is upon us, and that could mean some big bucks for gas stations. But Americans now have a new tool to find the best prices. That's next on LIVE FROM, so stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Aired May 27, 2005 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: He's been 350 feet high for nearly 48 hours. What will the murder suspect on this crane do next? We're live on the story.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Securing space. The Pentagon would like to put offensive weapons in orbit. Will it really help secure America?
PHILLIPS: A word of warning for men taking Viagra. The drug may have caused some users to go blind.
O'BRIEN: And dumb drivers, why do they always pick the lane in front of me? It makes me want to strangle them. A national test reveals where they are and what you can do about it. Not much.
From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Miles O'Brien
PHILLIPS: But scream. And I'm Kyra Phillips. This hour of CNN's LIVE FROM starts right now.
Forty-six hours, 350 feet, zero food or bathroom breaks. However, you figure it out. Well, Carl Edward Roland is headed not for a place in the record books. He's nowhere near the nearest applicable Guinness record, but a jail cell, if he's lucky, a gruesome death if he's not.
Almost two full days after the murder suspect scaled a construction crane here in Atlanta, Georgia -- live pictures right now -- police and bystanders and irate motorists wonder how much longer this guy can last.
CNN's Sara Dorsey is in for the long haul also. She brings us the latest.
Hi, Sara.
SARA DORSEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra.
I can tell you, most people out here never thought we'd still be standing here waiting to see what Carl Roland is going to do. And, of course, he is still 350 feet high up in the air, perched on a crane above Atlanta, and he doesn't seem to be moving.
What he does seem to be doing is getting a little agitated by what the negotiators are trying to do. Every time he lays down or goes to sleep, or just when they feel like it, they're blaring a horn and making noise on that crane.
Earlier, they had a horn in a bucket, and that bucket was hooked to a conveyer system on the crane. And Roland went ahead and dismantled that. He as sick of hearing that siren, and he just went ahead and got rid of it. So now we're seeing other tactics.
The negotiators brought in a helicopter a little earlier and flew that very close to him, we're guessing to try to make noise to keep him awake. Of course he does have the opportunity to fall off this crane if he sleeps very much. So they're trying to, you know, keep him awake and conscious of what's happening.
I can tell you, everyone in Atlanta that drives on Peachtree Road is very conscious of what's going on, because that road is shut down. And it's a main thoroughfare through this city. It's affecting a lot of traffic in this area.
People are being rerouted. Not to mention, there's a lot of people making their way to this area just to get a glimpse of this and take a look up.
Where I'm standing, many of the restaurants behind me are actually closed. But the restaurants off-camera are actually open, and they are very full as people sit on the balconies looking up, everyone's eye to the sky at this point to see what Mr. Roland is going to do.
I can tell you, to some people this is becoming a little bit of a joke. We're hearing people saying things as they walk by, as they're looking up. But this is not a joke to Mr. Roland's family.
Two of his siblings were speaking out today, you know, saying the negotiators obviously aren't making any headway. He hasn't come down yet. They think that they should be able to at least talk to him by cell phone and possibly get him down.
The police, however, do not agree and say they're not going there right now. Possibly in the future. But as of now, the negotiators are still working on him, and he has not been allowed to talk to his family members -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right. Sara Dorsey, we're following it. Thank you so much
O'BRIEN: News "Across America" now.
Remember what grandmother used to say? Well, there may be some truth to it. The FDA investigating reports Viagra may cause blindness in some people. Pfizer, the drug's manufacturer, says the occurrences are extremely rare, but it is discussing updating its label.
Is there money in rare coins? It sounds like a trick question.
Evidently not in Ohio. A state official is resigning after investigating -- investing in a rare coin fund. It turns out $10 million of the state's $55 million investment is missing. The state is planning on suing a coin dealer for the missing money.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE, "LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT": Maybe we should put out an APB for somebody in a Tom DeLay T-shirt.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: It seems like a little comment on a TV show, "Law & Order." It has some big numbers, of course.
The House majority leader, Tom DeLay, a little hot under the collar over that one. DeLay calls it a manipulation of his name and a slur. The show's producer says DeLay is trying to change the spotlight from his own problems to an episode of a TV show.
PHILLIPS: Anguish and outrage in Pakistan today after a deadly bombing at a Muslim shrine. A bomb blew up inside a shrine in Islamabad on the last day of a five-day festival. Several hundred worshippers were inside. At least 17 people were killed, dozens of others were wounded. It's still unclear whether the bomb was planted or was detonated by a suicide bomber.
The U.S. military is investigating the downing of a helicopter in Iraq. Two American soldiers were killed when their chopper went down last night near Baquba. The wreckage was loaded onto these trucks and transported from the scene. A second helicopter attacked and damaged during the incident managed to safely return to the base.
CNN has confirmed that Saudi Arabia's King Fahd has been hospitalized. A Saudi official tells CNN that the 82-year-old king has been admitted to a hospital in Riyadh for some tests. We're going to bring you more information as soon as it becomes available.
O'BRIEN: In the Middle East as well, new threats against Israel from Hezbollah. The U.S. government considers the group a terrorist organization, as you know. And Israel says Hezbollah is increasingly active in trying to derail efforts to bring peace to the region.
Here's John Vause.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was an extraordinary claim, part of a fiery speech to mark the fifth anniversary of Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon. The leader of Hezbollah publicly boasting that the militant group has thousands of rockets all pointed at Israel.
SHEIKH HASSAN NASRALLAH, HEZBOLLAH LEADER: More than 12,000 rockets capable of hitting Northern Israel.
VAUSE: Senior Israeli intelligence officers say the Lebanese- based militant group backed by Iran and Syria, is actively recruiting Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, financing and planning attacks on Israel. Those same Israeli intelligent officers point to this training video. It show a suicide bomber where to stand on a bus. It's just one of hundreds of tapes the Israelis say they've intercepted over last few years sent from Hezbollah to Palestinian militants.
The video is slickly produced, showing the explosion from five different camera angles. The metal sheets around the mannequin represent seats and passengers.
"You will see the seats here," the voice-over explains. "The shrapnel penetrated them and was very effective." Two seats, though, were not hit, the ones on either side of the suicide bomber. But the blast, according to the voice-over, would be fatal to the passengers.
With guidance of experts, CNN has taken care to leave out critical portions of the video from this report. But the tape does show how to make explosives from chemicals which are easily available in pharmacies, hardware stores or farms all set to inspirational music.
Once the explosives are ready, there are detailed instructions on how to make a suicide belt.
"This is here for the explosive material," the tape explains. "This is for the shrapnel."
Israeli intelligence believes in last few years, Hezbollah has become increasingly active not only planning, but coordinating and financing attacks like this one, a double suicide bombing in Tel Aviv two years ago which left 23 dead, more than 100 wounded. And says last year, almost 100 Israelis died as a result of attacks ordered from Lebanon by Hezbollah.
Why is Hezbollah so active now? Since the death of Yasser Arafat, his replacement, Palestinian authority president Mahmoud Abbas, has made renewed efforts to find a way to make peace with Israel, a goal Hezbollah opposes.
DAVID HAHAM, ISRAELI MINISTRY OF DEFENSE: They would like to prevent the Palestinians from renewing the peaceful talks, the peaceful dialogue with the state of Israel.
VAUSE: Palestinians, too, acknowledge Hezbollah is actively recruiting. The police chief in Tokaram (ph) recently told CNN, it's one of his biggest concerns.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): It is likely you may have individuals or again very small groups which may be sympathetic to Hezbollah or even linked to Hezbollah.
VAUSE (on camera): But Israel says, it's much bigger than that. Israeli intelligence says it knows of 50 cells operating in the West Bank and Gaza all made up of disaffected Palestinian militants and believes last year at least $9 million were sent by courier, money exchanges and wire transfers from Hezbollah in Lebanon to finance those cells. (voice-over): Israeli security and intelligence officials say Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah can stop the attacks with one word. But so far, they say, there's every indication he wants to be the spoiler, determined to wreck whatever fragile chance of peace now exists.
John Vause, CNN, the West Bank.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: We're getting word now out of Saudi Arabia that 82- year-old King Fahd has been taken to the Riyadh hospital for some tests. As you know, the king had suffered a stroke back in 1995. His half brother, Crown Prince Abdullah, has been the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia since then. And now we're getting word that the king has been sent to the hospital.
CNN's Caroline Faraj live -- or on the phone, rather, with us from Dubai.
I understand that Saudi has declared a state of alert. Caroline, what can you tell us about that, what that means exactly, and possibly any more details about the king's condition?
CAROLINE FARAJ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, Kyra, we just confirmed from our sources that the Saudis declared a state of alert and cancelled all leave of its security forces today, on Friday, after the king was taken to the hospital. The officials also told us that some of the security forces who are supposedly the entourage of the king and the royal palace and members of the royal family were also asked to prepare that official uniform, which basically they only wear it in any official events, which it might be also the event if it was announced any minute that the situation -- or the health situation of the king deteriorated.
This is so far also the media -- the official media in Saudi Arabia, they announced the official statement that was issued an hour ago, issued by the -- by the royal palace. They read it in full, and they also ended it by saying -- calling on the people and also calling on god, basically, to protect the king and to bring him safe and sound.
Of course, so far we haven't heard any more details about the condition of the king. However, the whole -- the whole source, everybody that we talked to, they're all confirming that his health is not really in good shape. And this is not new, as you know, Kyra.
He's been sick for several years. And he's been sent to the hospital several times, especially the last six months -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: So, Caroline -- and some reports are saying, some officials are coming out and saying they believe he may have pneumonia, that his condition is believed to be very serious. If indeed that's true, considering his ailments since he had his stroke in 1995, what does this mean for Saudi Arabia? What is the next step? And does this mean that Abdullah could possibly move into a bigger role here if something indeed turns fatal?
FARAJ: Well, so far, Kyra, according to the constitution, and also according to the announcement that they've got in Saudi Arabia, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Prince Abdullah, supposedly is the person who's going to inherit the throne. So this is so far.
However, it is within the family, the royal family, they should decide who is going to become the crown prince after Abdullah. So this is something that they have to decide, and they have to come up with information and the final decision regarding this immediately after they announce any -- any news about the death or basically the health of the king, the current king.
So this is something that is very critical, and this is -- a lot of authority and power is playing a major role in the final decision. Whether it is going to become to change the crown prince or to announce another crown prince, this is a big question that nobody so far can tell in Saudi Arabia.
However -- however, as I said, Kyra, if things went smoothly and they just followed what was already announced, it should be Prince Abdullah to become king and to appoint another crown prince, supposedly one of the members of the royal family -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: And to put in a bit of context with regard to the United States, Caroline, we know, we're familiar with the relationship between the president and Crown Prince Abdullah. But when talking about the king and his legacy and his relationship with the United States, would you describe it to have been a strong one?
FARAJ: I believe from what we've witnessed, especially the last few years and especially after September 11, the relation is known as strong, especially the royal family and especially the king and the crown prince. They're known as very, very much pro the U.S. and very much pro democracy. But they wanted to do something.
However, there are some also powers playing a major role in the society and also on the -- on the political arena in Saudi Arabia. So they are not really the only decision-makers. However, so far, they play a role and they have their own supporters within the society and within also the royal family.
So I can answer your question by saying, yes, Kyra, their relation is knowns avery supportive to the U.S. And I think that Crown Prince Abdullah, if he became a king, he would just follow the steps of his -- of the current king, which is King Fahd -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: CNN's Caroline Faraj reporting for us there from Dubai. Thank you so much.
Once again, we'll continue to follow the condition of the king, King Fahd there in Saudi Arabia, as it remains in a state of alert. And he is now in the hospital. We confirmed that with tests, possibly pneumonia -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: Before we show you this next tape, we want to let everyone know that everyone involved is OK. Wow.
A major stumble at a fashion show in Peru. We have details on how it happened a little later on LIVE FROM. That poor horse.
And is the Senate stumbling on the president's controversial ambassador nominee to the United Nations? Details on the Bolton battle straight ahead. Don't you be boltin'.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Hours of heated debate and then another delay. No end in sight yet to the controversy over the John Bolton nomination. Senate Republicans failed to cut off the debate yesterday, blaming it on what they termed "obstructionist Democrats."
Joining me now with their respective takes on the issue, former GOP House member, Bob Barr, and former Democratic congressman, Tom Andrews.
Great to have you both.
OK, Tom, you know I have to ask you, do you consider yourself an obstructionist?
TOM ANDREWS, FMR. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE: You know, I don't, Kyra. As a matter of fact, the issue here is whether or not the White House is going to release documents that get to a very crucial issue. And that is the issue of the distortion and deception of the administration to the Congress and the people of the United States on issues of weapons of mass destruction.
What they're asking is, what's the relationship between the intelligence that was known at the time and the testimony that John Bolton provided to the United States Senate on weapons of mass destruction in Syria? This is critically important not only with respect to John Bolton, but the issue of manipulation of intelligence data that gets us into messes like the mess we're in, in Iraq. And I think it's great that the Senate is standing up and insisting that the administration turn over these documents, stop stonewalling and give the Senate and the American people the truth.
PHILLIPS: You bring up -- and we're actually getting Bob hooked up on an IFB right now.
Is it in there OK, Bob?
BOB BARR, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Yes, ma'am
PHILLIPS: All right. I'll just recap a little for you.
ANDREWS: I'll cover for you.
PHILLIPS: Oh, I'm sure you will, Tom.
He says he'll cover for you. He was talking about basically the manipulation of intelligence when talking about John Bolton, you know, a man known for politicizing intelligence about rogue states now being pushed by the White House.
Tom, I hope I'm getting my -- the paraphrase right here.
And, you know, if he is manipulating analysts who create intel for his purpose, is this the man that should be leading the U.N. or reforming the U.N.?
BARR: Well, if all of that were true, this man should be prosecuted. But the fact of the matter is that there's been no evidence other than people alleging this and saying this. The folks on the Intelligence Committee, for example, who have been involved in closed-door, classified briefings on this, have indicated there is not one shred of evidence that there was any such manipulation taking place.
PHILLIPS: Well, Democrats have come forward and say, well, let's look at Cuba, let's look at Syria. These are two examples where he sort of worked the intelligence to fit in with how he believed foreign policy should go forward.
BARR: Well, first of all, as a practical matter, if they believe that, then vote against him. I mean, that's -- they clearly have a remedy. But to hold up a vote on him makes no sense at all. And it's the same sort of obstructionism that we've seen practiced time after time after time by the Democrats.
They don't like a nominee, they're trying to get back at the president, and they simply vote against bringing a nominee to the floor as opposed to doing the honest, straightforward thing, which would be, hey, we think this guy is manipulative or whatever, and we don't like him, and we're going to vote against him. They don't have the courage to do that, so they simply delay and delay and delay so they can keep air time and their faces before the media. So they vote against even bringing it up for a vote
PHILLIPS: Well...
ANDREWS: Kyra, here's the problem. Here's the problem.
PHILLIPS: Go ahead, Tom.
ANDREWS: The fact of the matter is, there is evidence of distortion and manipulation of intelligence. The problem is, is that information, that data, the evidence will not be released by the White House. And what the Senate Democrats are saying is, that before we vote on this nomination, we want to know if we have been deceived and manipulated by John Bolton. And we want to know if critical decisions being made by the Congress and the president of the United States whether to send us into war or not are being based upon a manipulation of intelligence.
And there's no reason in the world why this administration should be stonewalling and preventing the Senate from getting this information. When they get that information, when that evidence is before them, the Democrats are willing to move forward with the vote. But it's very reasonable. In fact, they're doing their basic constitutional responsibility in insisting upon that evidence.
PHILLIPS: Bob, it's interesting that intelligence seems to be the hot-button issue here. I mean, just looking at the time period that we're in, and the issue of intelligence, no weapons of mass destruction, the war in Iraq, the CIA getting frustrated, changes going on there, John Negroponte, a new director of national intelligence, I mean, intelligence is a crucial subject matter when especially...
BARR: It certainly is. And that's one of the reasons why we failed to stop the terrorists on 9/11.
I mean, I'm certainly not a person who has been shy about calling for reform in our intelligence business and getting rid of people that in fact have done what my good friend and former colleague is alleging here. But in this particular case, I have to say that, looking at all of the evidence that's come out, simply saying, well, gee, John Bolton is a nasty guy and he'd browbeat those under him, subordinates, into changing the intelligence, therefore, we need to see all of this documentation, really doesn't make a lot of sense, because there's been no hard evidence at all. And if there was, you know, I'd be the first one out there saying, hey, this is a legitimate point.
But I think...
ANDREWS: But Bob...
BARR: Really, I think it's just politics here.
PHILLIPS: And Tom, considering -- considering the oil-for-food scandal and everything coming out of what's happening at the U.N. right now, doesn't the U.N. need someone that's going to get in there and really shake things up?
BARR: There you go.
ANDREWS: You know, 59 diplomats that worked under both Democrat and Republican administrations wrote to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and said putting this guy in that position would be a disaster, including...
BARR: It may be a disaster for them.
ANDREWS: ... including the task of reforming the United Nations. And this is the -- this is the important thing. You know, you've got to have credibility.
The United States went before the United Nations and made a case for weapons of mass destruction that turned out to not -- not to be true. Now, it wasn't just a matter of bad intelligence. It was a matter of the manipulation of that intelligence by this government. And it's critically important for this administration to come forward with the truth and say whether or not there was that manipulation.
And the information that these Senate Democrats are looking for are exactly related to that point. And there's no reason in the world, unless they have something to hide in the White House, that they shouldn't be bringing this information forward. It will help the credibility of the United States and will certainly clear up this major question about -- about John Bolton.
PHILLIPS: Let me get -- go ahead
BARR: You know, they want to fight the battle over and over and over again in the wrong forum.
ANDREWS: No, we want the facts, Bob.
BARR: There really is a proper forum for this, but it's not John Bolton.
PHILLIPS: Well, let's say we push this battle, the controversy aside. I mean, fixing the U.N., is that beyond Bolton's power?
BARR: It's -- it is beyond any human being's power to reform that bloated bureaucracy up there. And what we need in the United States -- now, the bureaucrats at the U.N. may not like John Bolton, but I say that's probably a good reason to confirm him.
What we need in the United States of America is somebody, Kyra, that will do precisely what you're intimating here, and that is to stand up to the United Nations, to do their level best to try and reform it. And somebody who just wants to go up there and go to cocktail parties and play nicy face with these folks up there is not going to get that job done.
PHILLIPS: Tom, final thought?
ANDREWS: Well, there's quite a difference between nicy-faced and being this arrogant unilateralist that has completely alienated the rest of the world from the United States. If you want to make progress, if you want to share the burden of international challenges with our allies and friends around the world, then you have to have someone who has earned their respect based upon credibility.
John Bolton does not have that respect. He doesn't have credibility. And as the Republican senator, Voinovich, has said, he is a poster child of everything we don't want in a diplomat representing the United States in the United Nations.
PHILLIPS: Tom Andrews and Bob Barr, no period of obstruction between you two. That's for sure
BARR: Always a pleasure.
PHILLIPS: Thanks, gentlemen.
ANDREWS: Hey, have a good weekend.
PHILLIPS: All right. Likewise. Happy holiday.
Thanks, Bob.
O'BRIEN: Cries of outrage in a courtroom.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You're a liar!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How dare you!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: An Australian woman and her family say she's innocent. An Indonesian court says she's going to prison for 20 long years. We'll have details in this story ahead.
And will the Pentagon defend America in space? A military push to get offensive weapons into orbit.
KATHLEEN HAYS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Kathleen Hays at the New York Stock Exchange. Memorial Day Weekend is upon us, and that could mean some big bucks for gas stations. But Americans now have a new tool to find the best prices. That's next on LIVE FROM, so stay with us.
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