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Explosion at Unison Industries in Jacksonville, Florida; New Al Qaeda Video
Aired January 30, 2006 - 13:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Following a developing story out of Jacksonville, Florida. We have learned that a building has exploded there. Let's go now live on the scene to Melissa Ross. She's with First Coast News in Jacksonville.
How did this happen, Melissa.
MELISSA ROSS, FIRST COAST NEWS: We are still getting details on that, Betty. But what we are told is that at about 11:00 this morning, a release of some sort of radioactive material caused an explosion at this company right over my shoulder. It's Unison Industries. It's a gated complex, quite a large one, and they make parts for airplanes. They're an airplane manufacturing firm. We are told at least one person is injured by the release of this radioactive material, and 40 people have undergone decontamination. Now 80 percent of that is what the hazmat crews call dry decontamination, in effect, they just take their clothes off. If there's still some sort of process that's needed, then they undergo further decontamination, what they call a wet decontamination. We don't know how many people have been subjected to that.
The American Red Cross is also here on the scene, providing meals and counseling to those that might need it, because this entire complex has been evacuated. At least 14 ambulances are on standby, and as you can see, quite a few trucks from Jacksonville Fire and Rescue. It's a large-scale hazmat situation.
However, we're in a part of Jacksonville that is very business- dense. Lots of office parks, lots of industrial parks all around here. None of those have been evacuated, although plenty of folks who work in this area are a bit concerned because they heard the loud explosion and blast, and came running out of their offices to see what might be the matter. None of those people have been evacuated, so at this point, it appears that whatever leaked in there has been contained to this gated complex.
We're awaiting further information from JFRD, Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department. But again, to recap, at least one person injured and dozens treated for decontamination as they try to ascertain exactly what this material is that leaked at Unison Industries on the south side of Jacksonville.
Reporting live from Jacksonville, I'm Melissa Ross. Back to you, Betty.
NGUYEN: Yes, Melissa, we understand there are some 500 employees at that company where the explosion occurred.
I think we lost Melissa there. We'll be staying on top of this story nonetheless, though, and we'll bring you the latest as it becomes available to us.
Again, an explosion at a building there in Jacksonville, where some decontamination has been going on because of some radioactive material, unknown type of radioactive material that was leaked in that explosion.
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TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And we are continuing to take a look at this tape, this new tape that's being aired on Al-Jazeera Television now from al Qaeda's number-two, Ayman al-Zawahiri, in which he starts out talking about the airstrike in Pakistan launched in an attempt to kill him. We've been able to translate some of this. He also talks about the truce being offered to the United States by Osama bin Laden. A little further here in the translation, he offers a message to mothers in America, saying, "To the American mother, I say, if the defense ministry called you to tell you your son is coming back in a coffin, remember U.S. President George Bush," more rhetoric like that.
And then something directly to the president, "My first message is to the butcher of Washington, Bush, you are not just defeated and lying about it, but you are with God's help a loser, and you are bad luck to your people," on and on and on. The words of Ayman al- Zawahiri on the new tape that is being broadcast on Al-Jazeera now. A sense of a time stamp at least -- it was recorded in the last 11 days, maybe the last two weeks or so. We will continue to translate this tape and bring you more of what he has to say. Betty?
NGUYEN: Speaking of President Bush, he is prepping up the White House. For the staff, last-minute rewrites. For President Bush, reading and reworking the biggest speech he'll give all year. Earlier today he sat down with his cabinet to coordinate his message to the nation, his fifth State of the Union set for tomorrow night. Our White House Correspondent Suzanne Malveaux has the scoop on what he's going say. What are the main points, Suzanne?
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: We have an idea of what he will say, at least in broad themes here. We've been told he is actually working on his 23rd draft at this point and it times about 36 minutes without applause. The president sitting down with his speech writers this afternoon.
He is going practicing on the teleprompter. Here are some of the broad themes that he is going to address. On the domestic side he is going to talk about ways to make health care better affordable. He's going to talk about ways to improve different sources of energy. He will also talk about developing new technology.
On the international front, of course, it's not surprising. He will talk about the global war on terror. He is going to defend the war on terror as well as his domestic spy program. Two focus points, of course, it is going to be Iraq and the state of the economy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We talked about how to make sure this economy of ours stays the strongest economy in the world. We recognize can't just sit back and hope for the best. We have to lead and so we had a good discussions about matters such as health care and energy and education, all of which I will address tomorrow night.
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MALVEAUX: That was President Bush from earlier today meeting with his cabinet to coordinate that message for tomorrow at the State of the Union address. I should let you know, of course, the president goes into this address considerably weaker than last year, according to the latest polls. "Time" magazine showing his job approval rating at about 41 percent or so. That is 12 points lower this time around last year. Betty?
NGUYEN: So that being the case. How is the president, once he lays out all of this, how he going to sell it to the nation?
MALVEUAX: He's going to just hit the road. Basically he is going to travel and we expect that his first stop is going to be Nashville, Tennessee. He is going to move to Albuquerque, New Mexico, Maplewood, Minnesota, on to Dallas, Texas, and then he'll be at his Crawford ranch over the weekend. All of this to push forward his initiatives.
And we are told about once a week or so he is going to push forward his domestic agenda, a different topic for each week and he's still going to be promoting the war on terror. All of this, Betty, aimed directly at the American people and it's also the political back story here is trying to set the agenda, frame the agenda, for the Congressional mid-term elections.
NGUYEN: CNN's Suzanne Malveaux live in Washington with some sirens going in the background. We'll talk to you soon.
CNN plans extensive coverage of the State of Union address beginning with a special edition of THE SITUATION ROOM, that's at 7:00 p.m. eastern. We will air the speech live at 9:00.
Anderson Cooper will have reaction followed by a special edition of "LARRY KING LIVE."
HARRIS: The charges are despicable, the suspect in custody, the interview, exclusive. Jack Wiley answers charges of child sex abuse in Alabama when LIVE FROM... continues.
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HARRIS: Harrowing developments in a case of suspected child abuse in Alabama. Last week Jack Wiley and his companion Glena Marshall were arrested after a Georgia woman saw Wiley with a little girl and sensed something wrong and called police. Wiley now is charged with sexually abusing the girl and a teenaged boy. He talked exclusively to CNN in a jail yard interview obtained by our David Mattingly.
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DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Separated from other inmates for his own protection, the man calling himself Jack Wiley visits the yard of the Conecuh County Jail under constant guard. He is charged with two counts of rape and one count of sodomy, involving a three-year-old child he has at times called his daughter or granddaughter, as well as a 17-year-old boy he's described as his son.
When approached by CNN producer Mike Phelan (ph) for comment, an emotional Wiley denied wrongdoing.
JACK WILEY, SUSPECT: I'm worse than Charles Manson right now, as far as the country is concerned, but if I could get two doctors that would -- and a good attorney, not some backwoods high school drop-out public defender, I believe I can win with my story. Now, if they want to send me to prison for, you know, killing the president or something, I don't care, but they are not going to do it this way.
MATTINGLY: Wiley is being held along with his female companion Glenna Faye Marshall, who is charged with child abuse. She previously told others that she was Wiley's daughter, leading to confusion in a case where authorities in Alabama aren't sure anyone is who they claim to be.
SHERIFF TRACY HAWSEY, CONECUH COUNTY, ALABAMA: He's held by his alias that he has used in the past, and he's used at least up to eight, that we know of now, in changing Social Security numbers up.
MATTINGLY: Investigators are more certain of where the couple has been. They were driving a beat-up old Chevy Suburban with a Washington State tag, recently registered to a man in Olympia. According to the Sheriff Tracy Hawsey, Marshall admitted the couple once had sexual contact with a 12-year-old in Kentucky.
SHERIFF TRACY HAWSEY: There was a 12-year-old boy, who they had sexual contact with.
MATTINGLY (on camera): Both the man and the woman?
HAWSEY: That's correct. That's by her admission. Now, the city or the county that this took place, she cannot remember or that's what she tells us.
MATTINGLY: These photographs, taken into evidence also, place Wiley and Marshall along the Gulf Coast, apparently after Hurricane Katrina. Conecuh County resident Bill Fryant gave the couple and the two children a place to live, when they twice claimed to be homeless and almost penniless after major hurricanes.
BILL FRYANT, CONECUH COUNTY RESIDENT: They were gone for a year, and then they came back. I never thought I'd see them after they left the first time, and then they came back, well, we need a place to stay for a little while. Do you mind if we stay here? And I said, I guess so. I just didn't want to -- I mean, I was just too nice to say no.
MATTINGLY: At the time of their arrest, Fryant says they were on the verge of leaving for an annual tour of the NASCAR circuit where authorities say the couple made and sold these beaded key chains as they traveled from race to race. Investigators hope these photos will produce new leads. Dozens of pictures showing Wiley smiling next to the girl he's accused of harming. Apparently at several different racetracks.
Wiley, however, says those pictures showed times of happiness and a child who would still want to be with him.
WILEY: If you look at all my NASCAR pictures, been to 58 races, all you see is us together, and if she was here right you know, she would dive into my arms.
MATTINGLY: Wiley claims medical evidence that authorities say indicate rape is actually the result of spider bites and boils the children have recently had. Both the three-year-old girl and the 17- year-old boy are in state custody. DNA testing is under way to determine their true relationship to Wiley and Marshall.
(on camera): And the Conecuh County sheriff says they believe the couple has been together for 17 years and in that time, they have no doubts that they are very well traveled, with evidence they have been in states from Florida all the way to Alaska.
David Mattingly, CNN, Evergreen, Alabama.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: A not guilty plea and a psych exam. So concludes a hearing in Arkansas for a woman charged with smothering her three young children. Paula Mendez was arrested at her home on Saturday after her estranged husband called police from New York. Inside, police found the couple's 8-year-old son and 6-year-old twins dead on a bed. Authorities say Mendez swallowed poison after allegedly killing the children.
Well, a Wednesday funeral is planned for a mother and baby daughter as police on two continents searched for who killed them and why. Here's a picture. It's been more than a week since 27-year-old Rachel Entwistle and her nine-month-old daughter Lillian were found shot to death in their home in Hopkinton, Massachusetts. They had moved in a mere ten days earlier, along with Neil Entwhistle, Rachel's husband and Lillian's father. Massachusetts police say Entwhistle, a British citizen, left for England within 48 hours of the killings. He's being called a person of interest and has gone to the U.S. embassy in London for questioning.
Now, investigators are also sifting through eBay records indicating Entwhistle didn't deliver on a number of items he sold. They say there is also evidence he may have been running a pyramid scheme linked to Internet pornography. Those who knew and loved Rachel and Lillian, well, no doubt, they are stunned and saddened.
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JOE FLAHERTY, ENTWHISTLE FAMILY SPOKESMAN: Rachel was a wonderful wife, daughter, granddaughter, sister and mother. She was always first to share her beliefs, her love and her support to others. She made her close friends a part of her family and she always kept her family at the center of her life.
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NGUYEN: We'll have more on this story in our next hour.
In the meantime, the news keeps coming, we'll keep bringing it to you. More LIVE FROM after this.
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HARRIS: For 58 hours in 1987, she was America's baby. Can you guess who that is? Bet you can't. Now Baby Jessica is married. "People" magazine says Jessica McClure, now 19, wed Daniel Morales at a church near Midland, Texas, on Saturday. Morales' sister worked with McClure at a daycare center. Cameras were barred from the ceremony. Not so during McClure's ordeal when she fell down a well at the age of 18 months. Look at these pictures. The world watched as rescuers got her out by digging a parallel shaft and breaking through the wall of the well.
NGUYEN: I remember those days. I remember watching that and hoping that she'd come out safely. And she did, and now she's a married woman. All right, Tony.
Well, the Al-Jazeera television channel broadcast a new videotape. We've been talking about this, of an al Qaeda deputy leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri. Analysis from our senior international correspondent Nic Robertson. That is straight ahead. You'll want to stay tuned for that. LIVE FROM has the news that you need all afternoon long, so stay with us.
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