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Parents of Rescued Scout Share Stories; Natalee Holloway's Mother Gets Involved in Search; Marines Fight to Disrupt, Control Insurgents

Aired June 22, 2005 - 13:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JODY HAWKINS, MOTHER OF BRENNAN HAWKINS: His biggest fear, he told me, that someone would steal him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, HOST: A little boy's fears while being lost in the wilderness. The parents of Brennan Hawkins share what their son and they went through. We're live from their Utah home.

Hitting a moving target. CNN takes you inside efforts by U.S. troops to keep Iraqi insurgents from digging in.

Should witnesses be able to swear on the Quran instead of the Bible? A push for a new choice in North Carolina courtrooms.

And dirty details about what could be chilling in the ice machine and make you sick.

From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Fredricka Whitfield, in for Kyra Phillips. CNN's LIVE FROM begins right now.

Life is beautiful in Bountiful today. Utah, that is, where a Cub Scout who spent four days lost in the mountains east of Salt Lake City is found safe and sound. And CNN's Rusty Dornin has his very happy return home -- Rusty.

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, you can see the Hawkins home is a blaze of yellow ribbons, which is was while Brennan was missing. While a lot of people have already made up posters throughout the town, of course, especially in the front yard here, welcoming the youngster back home, even driving into the town. There were "welcome home" signs everywhere, very professionally done. People really went out to the graphics stores and ordered their posters early.

Meantime, his parents, Toby and Jody, did give a press conference just a short time ago, talking about what they went through while he was missing and also some of the things they have been able to glean from the youngster.

By the way, Brennan is sound asleep right now. His mother said he wanted to go back in, so she could be there when he woke up sometime, of course, this afternoon. But apparently, they say, they gave him very strict instructions, to stay on the trail and don't talk to strangers. They did say that the 11-year-old is a little bit immature, that he has trouble expressing himself and communicating, which may be one of the reasons why he stuck to that mantra, stay on the trail and don't talk to strangers. Apparently, when some horsemen went by, some searchers, he did not call out to them, but, rather, hid in the bushes.

His mother talked about the fact that they were starting to lose hope after four days. They were beginning to accept the possibility that he had died in the wilderness. And then they got the call.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HAWKINS: I was down in the camp, surrounded by a lot of volunteers. And it came over my radio. It said, "Jody, get away from the crowd." And I didn't know what that meant.

I said, "What do you mean get away from the crowd?"

He aid, "Go by yourself and get in the road and get away from the crowd."

And I said, "Family, too?" And they said yes.

And so I -- you've been to the site. You can't get away from a crowd. And so I went over, and they said, "We're sending a sheriff down for you." Oh, wow. It seemed like a really long time before the sheriff got there. And I was -- I was trying to get up to where they were. And I didn't know anything -- I'm sorry.

I, at that point, didn't think Brennan was still with us. I never -- I never felt that he was abducted, that he was in harm's way. I felt peace with the situation. But at that point, I really didn't think he could have survived that long in the wilderness.

And so when I got into the -- when I was going to get into the sheriff's car, I knew they were going to tell me that Brennan was no longer with me. And I collapsed before I could get into the truck. And they put me into the truck. And then they told me that Brennan was still alive and that he was in good shape.

My brain still cannot comprehend that. And it's just been -- you know, we talk about it. Up there wasn't real. This isn't real. And it is going to take some time to process this event in our heads.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DORNIN: Well, the youngster apparently only thought he was gone a couple of nights. His father tried to ask him, coax it out of him what do you really remember? He said, "Dad, I do remember that I said a prayer" at some time during the time that he was missing.

The family also took a lot of time to thank the Bardsley family. Garrett Bardsley was a little boy, scout, who disappeared last summer, and they never found him. The family really jumped in, called a lot of volunteers in. And now the Hawkins family is saying, look, we hope the professional searchers realize, by calling in all these volunteer searchers -- they had some 3,000 here in the search for Brennan -- that it does work, that it can help, because it was a volunteer in this situation that did find the young boy.

They've gone back inside now. But they said they're going to bring out the -- his -- Brennan's brothers and sisters a little later on this afternoon and talk a little bit more about what they went through -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Rusty Dornin, thanks so much.

Well, it's another day of unanswered questions for a missing teenager in Aruba. Chief among them, where's Natalee Holloway? Is she dead or alive, a crime victim, accident victim or runaway?

Twenty-three days after the 18-year-old college-bound honor student of Mountain Brook, Alabama, left an island bar and vanished, she remains a missing person.

This, as an investigation of which the teen's family is now an official party, intensifies. Holloway's mother tells CNN that with four suspects behind bars, she thinks police are on the right track.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BETH HOLLOWAY TWITTY, NATALEE'S MOTHER: The only thing -- I think there are some other individuals, though, that you know, need to be pursued. And I know the local authorities are doing that and will be doing that. From my point of view, as Natalee's mother, and my intuition all along, I definitely feel there are some more individuals involved.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: CNN's Chris Lawrence joins me now with the latest developments. And Chris, let's first talk about how involved Holloway's mother, Beth Twitty, has been, from talking to investigators, to one of the suspect's fathers. What's going on?

CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's right. She also believes that there is a lot more to know from the four people already in custody. And yesterday, she was out passing out some prayer flyers, ran into the wife of Paul Van Der Sloot, and was actually invited into their home and spoke with him for about 90 minutes, spoke with the man and his wife for about 90 minutes.

She will not say specifically what they talked about. But remember, he is the judge who has been questioned twice by police. He's also the father of the teenager who walked out of that bar with her, with Natalee, on the night she disappeared.

WHITFIELD: And Chris, outside help is now on the way, right? Why? LAWRENCE: That's right. Here -- here in Aruba, they don't have lie detector tests. So the local law enforcement authorities have brought in these people who are experts at reading body language and demeanor, and they are participating in most of the interrogations.

You've also got this private search team from Texas. They've been delayed because of some issues with getting a charter flight and getting clearance to bring in their search dogs, but they are expected to be here on Friday, a team of about 17 people, some master divers. They've got sonar equipment. And bringing those search dogs in to help.

WHITFIELD: All right, well, this has been a very complicated case from the beginning, and complicated still because things are so different, crime scenes are handled so differently in Aruba than what we are accustomed to here, which in part explains why Beth Twitty is so involved.

So let's kind of go through some of the differences. For one, apparently the victims or victims' families need to be involved with the prosecutor's case in order to try and get some information or some answers.

LAWRENCE: Right. Victims here don't automatically have any special rights. So what the family did is they hired a local attorney. And that attorney sent a letter to the prosecutor, basically asking to officially join in to the prosecution's case.

What that does, it's a fairly common procedure under Dutch law. And that allows them to have access to more information on how the investigation is progressing.

WHITFIELD: And in terms of the suspects, they can be held for quite a period of time, can't they, even without charges?

LAWRENCE: Right. They can be held for well over 100 days without filing formal charges. And we just spoke with the prosecutor. She said because of some special circumstances with this case, these suspects can be held up to four, five months without filing charges.

However, once they do file those charges, they can't change them. So often, prosecutors will file a lot of charges right off the bat. And, Fredricka, one of the most obvious examples, I guess I should say, of the differences here, there are no jury trials. So if this case ever goes to court it will be a judge that will hear it.

WHITFIELD: All right, Chris. Chris Lawrence, thanks very much, for that very comprehensive update.

An Air Force pilot is dead today after a U2 crash in the United Arab Emirates. It happened last night, officials say, after a mission over Afghanistan by the high flying work horse of the U.S. surveillance fleet. Officials say they believe the crash was accidental.

Iraq in 2005, still a battle ground, at least in spots. But the CIA fears it's also become a training ground for terrorists. U.S. officials tell CNN a new and classified report paints an ominous picture of Islamic extremists flocking to Iraq from other countries, picking up skills they can take back home.

U.S. forces have tried hard in recent week to cut off the influx from Syria. But as CNN's Jane Arraf learned firsthand, those operations are limited, risky, and temporary.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JANE ARRAF, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Hundreds of miles from Baghdad, there's a battle being fought on Iraq's frontier for the survival of the country.

Limited numbers of American forces move through towns and cities to keep insurgents and foreign fighter from digging in. There aren't enough American troops to eliminate the violence and stop all the foreign fighters still coming across from Syria. And, commanders say, it's unlikely there ever will be.

COL. STEPHEN DAVIS, U.S. MARINE CORPS: My mission out here is to make sure the insurgents don't get any more of a firm foothold than what they may have. We seek to interdict and disrupt them wherever they appear. So the forces I have are what I have.

ARRAF: The insurgency is a moving target. As the Marines destroy their safe haven, some of the insurgents and foreign fighters invariably slip away and reappear in other places.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We take it in chunks, you know. We had the Operation Matador, and we cleared an area north of the Euphrates River a couple of weeks ago. It's just with the forces we have on hand. We concentrate on areas where we think they are -- they are concentrated.

ARRAF: The latest operation was in the city of Karabila, five miles from the Syrian border, where foreign fighters are launching attacks on other parts of Iraq. Here, Marines moved in with tanks, air strikes, missiles, destroying safe houses and car bomb factories.

It's a very basic fight. Trying to capture insurgents is a luxury the Marines don't believe they can afford. They were here to kill them.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm out.

ARRAF (on camera): This is the kind of fight U.S. forces are facing here. In this house, they found a sniper rifle with armor- piercing bullets. Just outside, they detonated a car bomb.

The Marines have killed and captured foreign fighters and insurgents here. But soon, they'll pull out, and no one's sure what will happen when they do.

(voice-over) It's a reoccurring pattern. Last year, Marine units here in western Al Anbar were pulled out to fight in Fallujah. In the security vacuum that was left, Iraq police forces, just getting on their feet, disintegrated. Insurgents re-took control of some of the cities.

In northwestern Iraq, stretched U.S. forces all but pulled out last year, leaving only 400 troops in this vast territory stretching to the Syrian border. Now the U.S. Army has poured in 4,000 soldiers. This month, they launched a major operation to uproot insurgents controlling parts of the city of Tal Afar. There are no illusions it's a lasting solution.

LT. COL. CHRIS HICKEY, U.S. ARMY: So far, we believe it's disrupted the terrorists. The question is for how long.

ARRAF: There are also no illusions that U.S. military force will defeat this insurgency. An Iraqi government, and Iraqi troops, will have to do that. U.S. troops, though, are still training Iraqis, like these soldiers brought in from other parts of the country, who are part of the fight in Karabila.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's not your fault. Let's try to fix it. This way they don't get mowed down.

ARRAF: A self-sufficient Iraqi army is still a long way off. In the meantime, U.S. forces in this huge territory will keep moving, trying to keep the insurgents off balance until Iraqi forces are ready to step in.

Jane Arraf, CNN, Karabila, Iraq.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD (voice-over): Later on LIVE FROM...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Fecal matter in ice is a serious problem.

WHITFIELD: You can drink the water, just don't add ice. The cold facts about what could be lurking in your next cold drink.

Also on LIVE FROM...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Rocket-propelled grenades, bazookas, automatic weapons and gunfire, right in the middle of broad daylight.

WHITFIELD: Violence on America's border and concerns that it will cross the weather dividing the U.S. and Mexico.

But next on LIVE FROM, evangelist Billy Graham preparing for his last American crusade. We trace how a North Carolina farm boy became one of the world's most prominent pastors.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: News across America now: penalty phase. The jurors who found Marcus Wesson guilty of murdering nine of children begin deliberating his fate today. Their only choice is life in prison or death.

Two California men held without bail in Lodi, California, have pleaded not guilty to charges they lied to federal terror investigations. The FBI believes Hamid Hayat and his father, Umer, have knowledge about terrorist training camps in Pakistan. Their case now heads to trial.

And Senate Democrat Ted Kennedy is leading a charge against big companies -- referring to Wal-Mart by name -- for allegedly shifting health care costs to the American taxpayer. According to Kennedy's office, Wal-Mart doesn't provide medical coverage to more than half a million workers. Democratic lawmakers call it corporate greed.

Billy Graham is, without a doubt, the world's most widely known Christian evangelist. Now at 86, he says his work on earth is nearing an end. His is a fascinating life story that begins, like many American dynasties, humbly.

He is CNN's "PEOPLE IN THE NEWS" focus this week. Here's Kyra Phillips with Billy Graham's meteoric rise to celebrity.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BILLY GRAHAM, EVANGELIST: Forever, my Lord, thy way be settled in heaven.

Lord, have mercy upon me, a sinner.

KYRA PHILLIPS, HOST, LIVE FROM (voice-over): Look up "evangelist" in the dictionary and you'll find the word comes from a Greek phrase, meaning "messenger of good news."

GRAHAM: God loves you. He receives you. He will put your name in the book of life.

PHILLIPS: For nearly seven decades, Billy Graham has traveled the world, spreading the good word to the masses.

GRAHAM: This crowd has been brought together, I believe, by the spirit of God, using all of us working together.

PHILLIPS: He's written 25 books, counseled world leaders and spread his passion in person to more than 200 million people. Even at age 86, Billy Graham continues to pack stadiums, with a loyal and growing flock.

Long before he became a spiritual beacon, little Billy Frank Graham was -- well, spirited.

WILLIAM MARTIN, BIOGRAPHER: I'm sure that if he had been brought up today, he'd have been diagnosed as hyperactive. They said he was always just running and zooming.

PHILLIPS: The future evangelist grew up on his parents' dairy farm in North Carolina. With three younger siblings and plenty of chores, Billy was a busy teenager. It was one of his father's dairy workers who convinced the 16-year-old to go to a revival put on by Mordecai Ham (ph), an old-school fire and brimstone evangelist.

CLIFF BARROWS, CRUSADE PROGRAM DIRECTOR: He got tired of Mordecai Ham (ph) pointing his finger. He thought he was pointing at him all the time. So he joined the choir to get away from him.

But one night, when he gave the invitation, Billy went forward and publicly made his commitment to Jesus Christ.

PHILLIPS: At 18, Billy put aside his dreams of becoming a baseball player and headed off to Bob Jones College, a fundamentalist school, then located in Cleveland, Tennessee. But with the college's rigid rules, including no dating, Billy lasted barely a semester. He transferred to the Florida Bible Institute.

GRAHAM: One night, in the full moon, in the palm trees around where our school was, I knelt down there alone and I said, "Lord, I'll do what I want you to do and go where you want me to go."

PHILLIPS: After graduating in 1940, he was ordained a Baptist minister. His next move, Wheaton College, just outside of Chicago, to pursue a bachelor's degree.

GEORGE BEVERLY SHEA, CRUSADE SOLOIST: While he was a student at Wheaton, he spoke at various churches. And it was quite evident that he was going to be quite a preacher.

PHILLIPS: In 1943, Billy took a job as a pastor at the Western Springs Baptist Church near Chicago. He also became part of a Christian radio show called "Songs in the Night."

SHEA: It was 10:15 to 11 Sunday nights, and I did several solos. And he spoke so wonderfully.

GRAHAM: I don't care who you are. Your intellect alone will never get you into heaven.

PHILLIPS: Billy was an evangelist at heart. He yearned to travel, to spread the gospel to large crowds. After a year and a half with the church, Billy moved on to a new job with Youth for Christ.

MARTIN: The great advantage that he got from Youth for Christ was it introduced him to church leaders all over America.

GRAHAM: We find that people are more concerned with things, than they are with the things of God.

PHILLIPS: By 1948, Graham stepped down as head of Youth for Christ. Billy had a calling and a growing following. There was no room for compromise.

GRAHAM: They're more concerned with pleasure, more concerned with money, more concerned with the things of life, than they are the things of Almighty God.

PHILLIPS: Billy's message was simple and conservative.

GRAHAM: I believe that faith in God is a tremendous thing.

PHILLIPS: He preached temperance. He railed against excess, materialism and communism. In the dark early days of the Cold War, he spoke of salvation.

WILLIAM MARTIN, AUTHOR, "A PROPHET WITH HONOR": He had a way, I think, of telling people the bad news, but giving people good news that trumped the bad news.

PHILLIPS: In 1949, a group of Los Angeles Christians invited the fiery preacher to hold a revival in a giant tent.

TIM MORGAN, DEPUTY EDITOR, "CHRISTIANITY TODAY": Canvas Cathedral. And we called it that. It was a tent erected at Washington and Hill, a tent that seated about 6,000, 7,000, I believe.

PHILLIPS: For two solid months, worshipers lined up to hear the sermons and songs.

CHARLES COLSON, EVANGELIST: It was a phenomenon fueled by his preaching, fueled by the Holy Spirit, fueled by the need of the moment.

PHILLIPS: there was also another reason for the strong turnout, courtesy of newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hurst.

MARTIN: One Saturday evening, he came and the tent was just crawling with reporters and photographers. And Billy didn't know what was going on. And a reporter -- he said, "What's happening here?"

And the reporter showed him a piece of paper, like something had been torn off of a teletype machine of something, and it just had two words: "puff Graham."

PHILLIPS: With the phrase "puff Graham," Huff instructed his reporters to sing Graham's praises. The resulting media coverage thrust the evangelist into a whole different orbit.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And that was Kyra Phillips reporting. We hope you'll tune in to our entire program dedicated to the life and remarkable career of Billy Graham. It's "PEOPLE IN THE NEWS" on Saturday at 7 p.m. Eastern.

Should Islamic witnesses be able to swear on the Quran instead of the Bible in American courtrooms? A North Carolina judge says no. But an Islamic group is pushing for that option. We'll go in depth, ahead on LIVE FROM.

And germs on ice. Our CNN investigation of health hazards in restaurant ice machines. ANNOUNCER: You're watching LIVE FROM on CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: More bad news from the U.S. auto industry. Kathleen Hays joins us live from the New York Stock Exchange with more on that.

Hi, Kathleen.

(STOCK REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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