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Police Seek Help in Locating Four Bombing Suspects; Pentagon Analyzes Info on Bombings; Security Increased on D.C. Metro

Aired July 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)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Anyone who has information about where these men currently are, you should immediately call 999 and ask for urgent police response.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Caught on tape, investigators release pictures of the men suspected of trying to bomb London's subway.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KYRA PHILLIPS, HOST: Random searches in response to Britain's terror, what other security measures will major American cities put in place?

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The air is even hot when the wind blows. That -- you feel like you're cooking.

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PHILLIPS: The heat is on. Dangerously high temperatures sizzling the U.S. from Chicago to Phoenix.

From Washington, D.C., I'm Kyra Phillips. CNN's LIVE FROM starts right now.

It was already a jittery morning for London's commuters the day after a second wave of attacks. Many wearily return to the city's subway stations and bus stops, but some did so only to witness another unthinkable scene, the shooting and killing of a man police say was directly linked to the terror probe.

Meanwhile, Londoners are getting a glimpse of the four men sought in yesterday's attempted bombings.

CNN chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour keeping track of all the developments in London -- Christiane.

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, here we are at the Stockwell Tube Station, which is cordoned off behind me. And the question everybody wanted to have answered today was who was the man that police shot dead this morning at about 10 a.m.?

The police commission, Sir Ian Blair, did not say that he was actually linked to the bombings of yesterday. What he did say was that he was linked to the ongoing investigation. He said the person who was shot was challenged by police, had refused to obey, and then was shot and was pronounced dead at the scene by ambulance who came to the scene. Again, he did not say that he was linked to the bombers of yesterday.

But the police, his deputy did release CCTV footage, and remarkably quickly, within some 24 hours of yesterday's attempted bombings on three tube stations and one bus. They released the images of four suspects. They were telling us afterwards location by location of who they had and what they had captured on those images.

First, at the Oval Station, they showed an image they said that showed a device that was left in a carriage and a man running away from that station at about 12:34 p.m. yesterday. They said that he had a T-shirt which the police said had "New York" on the front, although, we haven't actually seen specifically that full word.

At the bus station, they show a device left at the rear of the top deck, and the image shows a man at the rear of the top deck. And they say he got off that bus at about six minutes past 1. He was wearing a gray T-shirt with a palm tree design and a white baseball cap.

At Warren Street tube station, they say their image shows a man leaving at about 12:39, and he was in dark clothes.

And then at the Shepherd's Bush station, they say a man had traveled on that Hammersmith and Central Line and had been shown on the CCTV running off the station at Shepherd's Bush, again wearing dark clothing.

So they're appealing to the community all over London, because there is a massive manhunt, as you can imagine, underway now. They've been going house to house. They've been interviewing eyewitnesses. And they're appealing for the community to come forward if they recognize any of these people shown in these images. They're saying, of course, do not approach them yourself but call the emergency services immediately -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Christiane Amanpour, thank you. Live from London.

President Bush says that he's sure Britons won't be intimidated by thugs and assassins. He's in Atlanta today to tout his Social Security plan. But Mr. Bush broke away from the program for just a moment to U.S. express support for Londoners and received a standing ovation.

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GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: People of Great Britain must understand how strongly America stands with them during these trying times, that -- like the citizens...

(END VIDEO CLIP) PHILLIPS: Authorities at the Pentagon are watching the developments in London. Barbara Starr is live at her post with more on the investigation --Barbara.

BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, law enforcement, military and intelligence officials, of course, across Washington are keeping a very close eye on all of this. There is coordination with Scotland Yard.

But they are also watching the public statements very carefully, seeing if there are any clues in what authorities in Britain are saying.

Now, earlier today, of course, Scotland Yard having -- the metropolitan police having that press conference. And they talked a little bit about the fact that four bombs partially detonated yesterday in these incidents.

Let's listen to what the metropolitan police had to say.

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ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER ANDY HAYMAN, LONDON METROPOLITAN POLICE: At this stage it is believed that the devices consisted of homemade explosives from a contained dark colored bags or rucksacks. At this stage it's too early to tell how these were detonated.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: Now, that one phrase that the British authorities are using, homemade devices, very interesting to U.S. officials. That means these were not stolen commercial or military explosives. These were basically, if you will, cooked up by the attackers.

There are two kinds of homemade explosives, of course. Low grade explosives. They don't cause a lot of damage, so it's hard to see why the attackers would use those and risk being caught for something that wouldn't cause so much damage.

High grade explosives. That's the type of thing British authorities say they believe was used two weeks ago in the first round of attacks. High grade explosives caused a good deal of damage. We did see that in the first attacks. We did not see that yesterday.

And there are possibly some reasons. When British authorities say the bombs partially detonated, that may be an indicator, we are told, that only the detonator, if you will, went off, not the full explosive device. That would have left some of the explosives behind, would give the British forensic experts a good deal of material to work with, that is left behind, help them understand what kind of material and how the bombs were made.

Detonators are pretty tough to make. They could have been inserted incorrectly. They could have been assembled wrong. That might have been one ever the reasons, officials tell us, that these bombs only partially detonated. Of course, no one knows here for sure. Everyone is listening to what the metropolitan police have to say.

But one of the key questions, if this explosive material is the same that was used two weeks ago, when was it all cooked up, how long has it been sitting around, and is there any more explosive material that might be in the hand of additional attackers -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Barbara Starr live from the Pentagon. Thank you.

Ready to go home: the two American sisters wounded in the first London attacks are going back to their native Tennessee today. Katie and Emily Benton spoke to reporters this morning from Duke University Hospital in North Carolina, where they've been recuperating. Both were sightseeing in London when they got on a train targeted by one of the bombers.

The sisters suffered injuries, including broken bones and shrapnel wounds. Emily Benton recalled the aftermath of the explosion.

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EMILY BENTON, LONDON BOMBING SURVIVOR: We got on the train and we were on the subway for about -- it wasn't even a full minute. We just had time to sit down and the train just took off, and the explosion happened. So -- and to try to describe it is very -- it's very strange. Nobody can really understand what we went through. It was just you were sitting there and then the next second, just everything was black. I felt like I was being electrocuted, and I felt like I was on fire. And I could feel, like, my skin peeling off of my body.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, the events in London have prompted New York police to do what they've been considering for three years now, search the bags of people riding on the city's subways, busses and ferries.

The random checks began on a small scale about 24 hours ago. Police expanded them during today' rush hour, stopping about every fifth person with a bag. Refuse to have your bag searched and you don't ride.

Former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani says most Big Apple residents understand the need for this new policy. He appeared earlier today on CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING."

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RUDOLPH GIULIANI, FORMER NYC MAYOR: I think people on the subways here in New York are much more willing to accept the possibility of somebody searching them, looking at them, doing things today than they would have been a week, or let's say, three weeks ago. And also, the reality is they're going to put up with an inconvenience. And then the question is, when you do that, do you cause fear or do you cause more confidence? And I think this morning, you cause more confidence because it's on people's minds. (END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, security is also tighter in Washington's subway system but unlike New York, transit police in the nation's capital here are not yet ready to start searching passengers' bags.

CNN's Kimberly Osias is not far from us. She's at Union Station.

Hi, Kimberly.

KIMBERLY OSIAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, there, Kyra.

Well, they're not doing the random searching of bags, as you mentioned, but they are certainly -- officials are keeping an eye towards New York. They may implement something like that here at a later juncture.

Right now we are standing outside Union Station. Very, very busy area, right in the center of D.C. Now, we're outside because we can't actually take our cameras inside quite yet. We can't take our cameras in because of security reasons.

Now what Metro Transit Authority officials did yesterday was ratchet things up. They actually took an unusual step, one they haven't done in quite some time, shutting down the system for maintenance and having bomb sniffing dogs in there and police in there, as well.

Of course, today seeing individuals, police officers with machine guns, a bit disconcerting.

And Kyra, I know you are in D.C. Glad to have you. We also have some other folks here visiting from the heartland, visiting from Kansas. Actually Ray Willen is a Boy Scout leader.

You have some 35 young men in your care from 12 to 17. What has it been like for you to come into all this?

RAY WILLEN, BOY SCOUT LEADER: We preplanned telling them that there was going to be increased security, not to be concerned. It was there for their protection. That you know, actually, they were going to be safer for the security than they would be otherwise. I think parents were more concerned than the boys.

OSIAS: How did you, Mr. Willen, walk sort of that tight rope of not getting these young men to panic but being alerted to their surroundings?

WILLEN: We just told them we were going to have to increase the numbers that went in groups, that we would have to check in at multiple times so we knew where everybody was at all the time. And just basically just be careful and pay attention.

OSIAS: Well, that's -- you definitely are always paying attention, always alert and vigil.

And Matt Jarvoe, you -- this is your first time into the nation's capital.

MATT JARVOE, BOY SCOUT: Yes.

OSIAS: What was it like to go on the metro today for the first time?

JARVOE: Seeing people with guns, that just made me in a way feel more safe.

OSIAS: It did? It made you feel more safe?

JARVOE: Yes. Knowing there was actually people there watching, around.

OSIAS: Now, how about random searches. How do you feel about, if you had your backpack randomly searched, Mr. Willen, how would you feel?

WILLEN: No problem. They can check it. It's mostly just gear we need to have.

JARVOE: Same thing. Nothing really important.

WILLEN: I know you both are headed to the National Jamboree in Virginia. We wish you all a very, very good trip. Thanks so much for joining us.

And Kyra, back to you and welcome to Washington.

PHILLIPS: Thanks for the welcome, Kimberly. It's great to be here. Thanks for that report.

And of course, CNN is committed to providing the most reliable coverage of news that affects your security. Stay tuned to CNN for the latest information day and night.

Well, straight ahead the London bombings, the Seattle mosque and an Oregon ranch, investigating the U.S. connections to the British terror attacks. That's ahead.

But next, Supreme Court nominee John Roberts. What does his family's life reveal about him? We're going to introduce you to the fascinating woman behind the man.

Back, live in Washington, as LIVE FROM continues.

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PHILLIPS: And a developing story that we're following for you right now out of Arizona. A wildfire that has charred, we are told now, 38,000 acres in central Arizona. The wildfire is actually jumping the highway.

It's really hard to see because it's so smoky and the flames are causing a lot of blurred -- there we go. There we go. We've got a live picture now. You can see rescue crews, fire trucks trying to make their way up that hill there. Not sure if there's anybody within that area that needs to be evacuated.

According -- according, rather, to authorities there in Punkin Center, Arizona, that the community of Sunflower, a very rural community where we're seeing these pictures via of our affiliate KPIX there out of Phoenix, evacuations have taken place. About 15 homes, I'm told, were being evacuated.

No structures have been lost at this point, but fire crews definitely have their hands full, we are told. Crews, engines, continuing to work their way up the rural area here. Really small road, up where you can see these flames. About 45 miles or so northeast of Phoenix.

We're following this wildfire in Arizona. We're going to take a quick break. More LIVE FROM right after this.

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PHILLIPS: And they're back. The crew of the Shuttle Discovery once again returns to the Kennedy Space Center with dreams of a liftoff. Discovery is set to launch around 10:30 Eastern Tuesday morning. We're going to begin our coverage at 10 a.m. Eastern with a special edition of "AMERICAN MORNING."

Well, Washington's current favorite case of whodunit is getting a lot of action as a federal grand jury investigates whether a crime was committed when CIA operative Valerie Plame was outed to journalists.

Sources say that a classified State Department memo from June 2003 mentions Plame in a paragraph marked "S" for secret. Some top Bush administration officials, including adviser Karl Rove have been questioned in that probe.

Meanwhile, a joint House and Senate committee met with former CIA analysts in a hearing to weigh the national security implications of exposing the identity of a covert intelligence officer.

D.C.'s other hot topic right now is the nomination of John Roberts to replace Judge Sandra Day O'Connor on the Supreme Court. While Roberts awaits Senate hearings on his potential move, CNN's Heidi Collins takes a look at a fellow lawyer who also happens to be his wife.

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HEIDI COLLINS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Jane and John Roberts met on a blind date a decade ago and soon married. They both were lawyers, practicing Catholics and in their early 40s. But a change in priorities hit a bump.

SHANNEN COFFIN, ROBERTS FAMILY FRIEND: It's what they really wanted, was to start a family right away. And they tried and they tried and they tried. And nature didn't cooperate with them.

COLLINS: But the couple eventually adopted two children, Josephine, Josie, age 5, and Jack, every bit the fidgety 4-year-old. While his dad was introduced to the nation on Tuesday, young Jack's attentions lay elsewhere. Even though it looked like Mom wasn't happy, the kids are the focus of John and Jane's life.

CHRISTINE KEARNS, FRIEND OF JANE ROBERTS: When I see her with those beautiful children, she manages to have complete attention on them but be relaxed at the same time.

COLLINS: They're both 50 years old now. Jane loves to cook. John mows his own lawn and was spotted taking the kids to day camp in the minivan before heading to Washington to talk to senators who will decide his fate. A good luck kiss from his wife seals the all- American picture.

KEARNS: John is a very affable, warm man. Jane lights up the room. Jane is the bright light in that relationship.

COLLINS: Jane Sullivan was raised in suburban New York where the family was active in their local Catholic church. She attended Holy Cross College and later law school in Washington, where she then entered corporate law specializing in technology regulations.

Jane Roberts is a devout Catholic. She does pro bono legal work for Feminists for Life, a mother's advocacy group that promotes alternatives to abortion and has filed legal briefs with the Supreme Court challenging the right to an abortion.

"Everybody Loves Raymond" actress Patricia Heaton is the honorary chairwoman.

One of the cases Jane Roberts argued for the group, winning an appeal on behalf of two 17-year-old Kentucky mothers denied entry in 1999 to a high school honor society.

COFFIN: Practicing Catholics don't like to talk about their faith. They don't wear it on their sleeves. They live it. And John and Jane live their faith.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: And this just in to CNN. We are getting word now that Scotland Yard has announced an arrest has been made. We are told that one man has been arrested in association with yesterday's attempted bombing.

We can tell you he was arrested at the Stockwell Station area. You'll remember this morning, earlier this morning our breaking news coverage about the shooting and the killing of a man that police say was directly linked to the terror probe. Well, at that same area, we are now getting word from police that one man has been arrested, a man they believe is linked to the attempted bombing yesterday.

We're continuing, of course, to follow all information out of London. Any kind of link to those attacks, any other arrests, you'll see it right here on CNN, and you'll see it first. Now, an update on the heartrending story of Susan Torres. The 26-year-old pregnant woman left comatose when undiagnosed melanoma spread to her brain. Doctors now say there's hope for the daughter that she's carrying, though.

And CNN's Elizabeth Cohen brings us that story.

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ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Susan and Jason weren't too worried but in May, when she was three months pregnant with their second child, she had started getting headaches.

JASON TORRES, HUSBAND OF SUSAN TORRES: We had gone around and gone to a couple doctors and tried to figure stuff out. She was dehydrated and things like that. And so they said, you know, go home, feed her, drink juice.

COHEN: So Jason took care of his wife, told her to lay down and rest. When he brought her something to eat...

JASON TORRES: She was laying in bed and I was talking to her, trying to get her to eat some more. And then just all of a sudden she just stopped.

COHEN: On May 7, Susan had a massive stroke. The stroke and the headaches were caused by cancer which had attacked her brain. The stroke left her brain dead with no chance of survival. But doctors could try to keep her body functioning on a ventilator to let her baby develop. The risk: the melanoma that attacked her brain could attack her baby.

DR. DAVID LAWSON, ONCOLOGIST: Once it's in the bloodstream, it can go almost anywhere, melanoma.

COHEN: Doctors have told Jason and his family about the risks facing his unborn child.

JUSTIN TORRES, JASON'S BROTHER: They were pretty frank, you know, that this is a very aggressive cancer and that there are some outcomes here that are pretty bad.

COHEN: But he's willing to take those risks.

JASON TORRES: If you have a chance to save your child's life, you're going to do it. And I know for a fact that Susan would do whatever she needed to do just to give her child the chance.

COHEN: Doctors say making it this far is a crucial milestone, just past the 24th week, the earliest point that doctors think the baby could survive outside the womb. But they're hoping that if they can keep Susan pregnant until she's reached her seventh month, which would be early September, the baby will have a much better chance of survival.

JASON TORRES: It sounds kind of hackneyed, but one day at a time.

COHEN: Elizabeth Cohen, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: And you can watch CNN Saturday and Sunday mornings at 8:30 Eastern for all the latest medical news on "HOUSE CALL WITH DR. SANJAY GUPTA."

It's summer, supposed to be this hot, but not this hot. Deadly high temperatures cooking much of the U.S. How some people are coping, straight ahead on LIVE FROM.

And next, an illegal border crossing. It was built to smuggle drugs. But what else could have gotten through this tunnel? We'll tell you.

ANNOUNCER: You're watching LIVE FROM on CNN, the most trusted name in news.

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PHILLIPS: Now in the news, an arrest in London. Scotland Yard officials say they've picked up one man in connection with yesterday's attempted bombings. Just hours ago they released photos of four men that they're seeking. The images come from each of the four locations involved.

And police say the shooting of a man today at another subway station is directly linked to the terror investigation. Witnesses saw plains clothes police chasing that man after he jumped the turnstile and refused to stop.

Sentenced to die. That's the fate for Alejandro Avila. He was convicted in May of kidnapping, raping and killing Samantha Runnion, a 5-year-old girl. Snatched her from her yard three years ago.

And a legal victory for movie director Roman Polanski. He sued "Vanity Fair" magazine over an article that said he tried to seduce a women -- a woman, rather, on the way to the funeral of his murdered wife, actress Sharon Tate. Well, a jury in London awarded Polanski $87,000.

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