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Bomb Squad to Investigate Possible Suspicious Package at Cox Arena in San Diego; Operation Swarmer; War in Iraq Poll Numbers; Lawyer in Moussaoui Trial Responds to Accusations of Witness Tampering
Aired March 16, 2006 - 13:58 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Live pictures out of San Diego, California, right now. Evidently, a bomb scare at the Cox Arena, not far actually from where I grew up and where my parents are.
And Fred, my dad just called me saying they were headed over there and friends were trying to divert them because of what's taking place. But he's going to play reporter for us. And once he gets there he's going to call in.
But do you have any other information as you're working these live pictures and working the wires right now? Do we know what's going on?
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Well, we don't know except that a campus dog had picked up such sort of unusual scent and immediately they evacuated people. You mentioned your dad being among the ticket holders. Well, he's one of the lucky ones, because this 12,000-seat stadium, it's sold out for all the NCAA games that are scheduled for today, as well as Saturday.
Four games were to begin there today. And at least two games possibly on Saturday. And now we know that hundreds, if not thousands, of people who were inside getting ready for the start of the first game which was scheduled for Marquette and Alabama facing off, the number 7 and number 10 schools facing off. Now you see many of those people who are outside the stadium there on the campus of San Diego State University.
Last we checked, the bomb squad was on the way. We don't know as of yet whether they have arrived, but you can see from the aerial shots not just the number of presumed spectators who were inside. You saw in a couple of those shots a number of security personnel outside.
We don't know exactly what's taking place inside, however, just yet.
PHILLIPS: Well, you bring up a good point about basically the standing room only. I mea, this is a huge, huge thing for San Diego. San Diego State, the Aztecs, also in the big dance. They're supposed to face off against Indiana, Fred.
And so this has been a huge thing for the community and the students of SDSU. And I tell you right now, they're all going to hang out and they're going to wait until this is cleared because they're going to want that game to go on.
WHITFIELD: Oh, yes, they're going to wait, because not just Marquette and Alabama, but today, number two, UCLA, against number 15, Belmont; the Air Force versus Illinois; and Utah State versus Washington. All that to take place today, beginning in just a couple of hours is when the first tip-off was to begin. Obviously things will be delayed quite a bit.
But you know, this all comes just a few days after the FBI had warned that security was certainly a concern at NCAA games, all of them. The FBI had not said they had any specific threats, but they were concerned that these games were ripe as any potential target for any sort of terrorist threats or anything otherwise. But security was paramount.
And that this is now taking place, we don't really know the circumstances, just that a campus dog was able to pick up a scent of what they are calling now a suspicious package inside that Cox Arena.
PHILLIPS: All right. We'll keep on working the story.
Fredricka Whitfield, thanks so much.
We're also tuned into a major military operation going on right now in Iraq, the largest air assault since the war began. American and Iraqi troops, lots of them, bearing down on the heart of the insurgency.
Our Pentagon correspondent, Barbara Starr, joins me now with the latest on the operation -- Barbara.
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, of course it's dark now over in Iraq, so it's not clear how the mission, how the operation is unfolding at this hour. But it was just several hours ago that military officials began to offer the first details of Operation Swarmer.
About 1,500 troops, by all accounts, pretty much an even split between U.S. and Iraqi forces, in what the 101st Airborne Division of the U.S. Army says is the largest air assault operation since the invasion of Iraq three years ago. Those 1.500 troops moving in via about 50 helicopters, 200 vehicles into an area north of Baghdad, north of Samarra, actually, a broad swath of rural territory.
Samarra, of course, where several weeks ago now the Golden Dome Mosque, one of the holiest shrines for the Shia Iraqis, was blown up, setting off a round of sectarian violence. By all the accounts, the Iraqi security forces had some intelligence that this was an area they wanted to go into, they felt there was insurgent activity here and they weren't to get control of it. They felt it was a place where perhaps IEDs, as well as car bombs, those vehicle IEDs, were being made and shipped into Baghdad, where there has been a sharp upturn in violence over the last many days.
The initial results that we are hearing about this operation at the moment are fairly sketchy, but we are told, of the 1,500 troops, there has been no wounded so far, and that they have captured 41 detainees. They expect to stay in the area for some time.
We can expect that one of the things they will do is basically set up what you might think of as cordon and sweep operations, trying to get control of this broad swathe of territory by setting up a perimeter and controlling who moves in, who moves out as they go through and try and see what insurgent activity they can find.
Let's face it, Kyra, it caught everyone's attention quite sharply when the U.S. military announced that this was the largest air assault that had been conducted in Iraq since the war began. But to put it in, you know, complete perspective, there have been air assault helicopter missions over Iraq off and on over the last three years when they have come across areas that they think that's the quickest way to get into and use those helicopters to maintain their tactical surprise.
Whether this mission, whether this operation fundamentally changes the security situation on the ground in Iraq really remains to be seen. There is a sharp continuing uptick in sectarian violence in Baghdad, and there are many, many Iraqis that are continuing to suffer because of that -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Barbara Starr live from the Pentagon.
Thanks, Barbara.
Along with a new offensive, a new perspective from Americans as the war turns three years old.
Our senior political analyst, Bill Schneider, with us.
Bill, let's get right down to these new poll numbers. The first question, growing doubts on the cause of war. Do Americans think the situation in Iraq was worth going to war?
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST: Yes, three years after the beginning of that war, we're seeing a significant erosion of public support for the war.
Back in March 2003, when the war had just started, 68 percent of Americans -- you see that on the upper left -- said that the situation in Iraq was worth going to war over. Now it's three years later. That number has dropped to 37 percent. Sixty percent saying, no, it was not going to war in Iraq.
So, there are growing doubts about the cause.
PHILLIPS: All right. Growing doubts on the course of the war. Do Americans think that we'll win?
SCHNEIDER: That, too, you're seeing growing doubts.
Back when the war had just started, March 2003, 69 percent said that they were certain that the United States would win the war in Iraq. Our goal is victory, President Bush continues to say, but only 22 percent of Americans continue to be certain that the United States will win in Iraq.
I should point out that an additional 32 percent say it's likely the U.S. will win, but not certain.
PHILLIPS: Poll number three, Bill, growing pessimism about the outcome of the war. Do Americans think Iraqis will able to establish a stable government?
SCHNEIDER: The United States has always said that's our objective, but as you see here, a majority of Americans, 55 percent, believe that the outcome in Iraq will be chaos and civil war, that the Iraqi people will not be able to establish a stable government.
That's always been our goal. Forty -- only 40 percent of Americans believe stable government will be the outcome. And the view, the prevailing view is that civil war is the more likely outcome in Iraq.
PHILLIPS: All right. Bill Schneider, thanks so much.
SCHNEIDER: Sure.
PHILLIPS: As this -- we're learning more about this operation in Iraq, we're also learning more about these live pictures back here in the United States our of San Diego, California. Live pictures from San Diego's Cox Arena, evacuated because of a suspicious package.
This is what we're getting right now from the wires out of San Diego, that -- as you know, this arena is on the San Diego State University campus. It's been completely evacuated, and the reason why you're seeing so many people is the first NCAA basketball tournament game is supposed to happen today.
It's set to -- it's set for an 11:40 tip-off, which is, let's see, 11:00, 12:00, 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, which is supposed to be about 40 minutes from now. Is that right?
Yes. Or it was supposed to be within about 40 minutes from now. And we're being told that a police dog indicated a possible problem at a hotdog stand.
None of the teams arrived yet. But as you can see, all the fans -- I'm told about 12,000 fans were expected to show up here for this game. Two of those fans actually my parents. That's how we originally got this tip.
They're both professors there. And it's quite a big deal for the campus today as the game that's supposed to start -- there's about four games that are set to happen today. And Marquette and Alabama, that was supposed to be the first game.
But once again, we're finding out that no teams had arrived here. Just the fans. An then when this do, this bomb-sniffing dog got an unusual track on something, they evacuated the Cox Arena immediately there on the San Diego State University campus. That campus right off the 8 Freeway, actually not that far from the stadium where the Padres play and, of course, the Chargers play. But it's a big day for this university. A big day as the NCAA, the big dance kicks off here at this stadium.
We'll continue to follow any information that we get on the situation, whether this game will take place, any of the games will take place today, and if, indeed, these fans will be able to go back into the arena. But I'll tell you what, they're going to wait there until they get word, as long as it takes.
Well, much more on the developing stories ahead.
And more on the trial of Zacarias Moussaoui.
The news keeps coming. We're going to keep bringing it to you.
More LIVE FROM next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Live pictures out of San Diego, California. A suspicious package has been removed from the Cox Arena there on the San Diego State University campus.
Fredricka Whitfield following all the new developments for us.
What do we know, Fred?
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Well, we know that this took place just a couple of hours before the tip-off of the first scheduled game between Marquette and Alabama. And everyone was evacuated. Thousands of people who were ticket holders getting ready for that first game evacuated, and all standing outside waiting for that green light to go back in so that hopefully they can watch a little college ball.
Jan Caldwell is the special agent in charge with the San Diego FBI, and she's on the line with us now.
And Jan, we understand through our wire reports that the package, the suspicious package, has been removed from the building. What do you know about that?
JAN CALDWELL, FBI SPECIAL AGENT: Well, what I can tell you is that it was found about two hours ago, approximately, and we already had FBI agents on scene just as a matter of routine. And shortly after this device was found, after the dogs hit on it, the Metro Arson Strike Team responded, Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms. Of course the coordinating agency is the San Diego State University Police Department doing a very fine job.
And so far, the coordinated efforts to make sure people stay safe and to find out exactly what is in this package is going very well. I hope that in a few hours, after the robot has removed it and they have ascertained what's in here, I hope I can tell you that it was nothing at all.
WHITFIELD: And once the robot has fully removed this item, how long do you need to wait before you can even give the go-ahead for people to back in?
CALDWELL: It shouldn't take long. Obviously, there is a push to get back in there. This is a big-ticket item. But we want to make sure that we follow the due process, make sure that people stay safe, are safe, and that it's -- it's fine for them it go back in. I don't imagine it will take that long after the mass team finds out what's in that package.
WHITFIELD: So, Jan, you said that this a matter of routine, that the FBI was already present at this arena. However, this year it seems the FBI made a concerted effort to publicly make people aware that your personnel and others will be at the ready at these NCAA games more so this year than ever before.
What precipitated that?
CALDWELL: Well, that's not exactly true in that it's more publicized, if you will. We have always had agents on scene at these events. And we've always had a presence there to make sure that nothing untorrid happened.
Right now, I think it's more important that the public understand that the FBI is there, along with joint terrorism task force members, local, state, federal law enforcement, to make sure that the public is safe. It's important that they go to these events, they have a good time, and, in effect, pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. We're -- we're working very hard to make sure that everyone stays safe and has a good time at these events.
WHITFIELD: So obviously after something like this, whether it turns out to be a test positive or negative on whether it's any kind of untoward, you know, material, what kind of security will be put into place immediately to allow people back in?
CALDWELL: Well, that's something that the San Diego State University Police Department will coordinate. That would be a question that they could better answer. We will work with them, whatever we can do, of course, their law enforcement partners, to make that transition as easy and as painless as possible.
WHITFIELD: All right. Jan Caldwell, special agent in charge in the San Diego FBI, thanks so much for being on the phone with us there.
CALDWELL: My pleasure. Thank you.
WHITFIELD: So, Kyra, not just yet are people given the green light to go back into the arena, but we just heard from Ms. Caldwell and other wire information that they have retrieved this suspicious package, robotic apparatus has been used to help retrieve this device. And they'll know within the next couple of hours or so exactly what it is and what kind of potential dangers or not it may have posed -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, Fred. Thanks so much.
We're going to continue to follow these live pictures as we are watching San Diego's Cox Arena right now, evacuated there on the campus of San Diego State University.
It was the big day for San Diego and students there because the game was going to kick off the big dance, the NCAA, Alabama and Marquette.
Tyler Hendershot actually has a ticket to the game. He's there outside the arena.
Tyler, tell us when you got there and what happened, if you were inside and if you had to be evacuated.
TYLER HENDERSHOT, OUTSIDE COX ARENA: Yes, actually I was inside and we were evacuated because there was a threat to the building. It was a pretty prompt evacuation, everything seemed to be pretty smooth. I'm not sure when we're going to get the green light to go back in, but hopefully it's soon.
PHILLIPS: So did -- how -- how did it happen? Were there a lot of San Diego State University police officers that came in and did the evacuation? Do you know?
I mean, did it go calmly, smoothly? Was everybody sort of escorted out? Kind of tell me how it happened, Tyler.
HENDERSHOT: OK. Yes, actually, yes, the K-9 -- K-9 units are here. I'm not sure if that had anything to do with us. But we were evacuated to the parking lot. And then eventually we were evacuated further back to behind a larger parking structure that was a lot further away from the building.
PHILLIPS: And what did the members of the K-9 unit tell you? Did they say there was possibly a bomb in there, or did they just say we need you to get out -- out of the arena?
HENDERSHOT: They didn't really get into the specifics of it, but they just let us know that we were evacuating. So...
PHILLIPS: So where are you right now? We're looking at a live picture. It's -- I don't if you...
HENDERSHOT: I'm actually -- we're across the street and we're behind a park structure.
PHILLIPS: OK. So can you see the helos up in the air? Can you see the local affiliates with their choppers?
HENDERSHOT: Actually, not right now.
PHILLIPS: OK.
HENDERSHOT: I've been seeing them, they've been flying over.
PHILLIPS: Right. That's how we're getting our live pictures right now. So you're actually not on that grassy area that surrounds the arena. You're actually...
HENDERSHOT: Correct.
PHILLIPS: ... across the -- OK. Got you.
What street is that, that main street that we're looking at if you were facing the front of the arena?
HENDERSHOT: Let me check. Just a second.
PHILLIPS: Yes. Tell me where -- exactly where you are.
HENDERSHOT: All right.
PHILLIPS: We're talking with Tyler Hendershot. He actually has a tickets to the game here at the arena. He was inside the San Diego Cox Arena there on the SDSU campus when this bomb scare went down.
He's actually checking the location because what's interesting, you think about this arena -- I'll try to put it into perspective to where it is on...
HENDERSHOT: I think it's...
PHILLIPS: Yes? Go ahead, Tyler.
HENDERSHOT: ... 55th Street -- 55th Avenue?
PHILLIPS: OK. So it's on the outskirts -- I was trying to remember because the Cox Arena is pretty new since I lived there and grew up there, Tyler.
Where exactly -- it's on the -- kind of the outskirts of the main campus, right? If it's on 55th Street?
HENDERSHOT: Yes, a little bit. Yes.
PHILLIPS: It's not like it's right smack in the middle of -- of the campus.
HENDERSHOT: Right. It's a little off of it, but it's pretty close. It's...
PHILLIPS: Right there on the edge.
HENDERSHOT: Yes, right on the edge of it.
PHILLIPS: OK. So what do you think? Is everybody remaining pretty calm? Does it look like the situation -- I mean, are you getting word that more than likely everything is going to be OK and you're going to be able to get back inside and see the game? HENDERSHOT: Yes, I heard the game is just going to be postponed until 2:00. Everything should go pretty smooth. Nobody is really too excited about the delay. But hopefully everything goes well.
PHILLIPS: All right. Tyler Hendershot, appreciate it. I hope the game goes on. I know it's huge for the students there and for you, and even for that community of San Diego.
The big dance, SDSU is actually going to be playing against Indiana. But today, it's supposed to be Marquette and Alabama, also UCLA and Belmont.
We'll continue to follow those live pictures and let you know if indeed those tournaments will take off.
Meanwhile, I'm getting word now -- it's our other top story of the day, and that's Operation Swarmer that's been taking place in Samarra, Iraq. We're just getting these pictures in from the U.S. Defense Department.
You know, all morning, we were showing you training video of the area and of forces coming in. Now we are actually getting the first pictures of this massive air attack that took place in Iraq today.
The Defenses Department is providing this videotape for us. The military has a pretty -- pretty awesome capabilities when it comes to their photographers. And when they go on these missions they can bring us these inside pictures.
But you're seeing the helicopters as they are moving in to start and begin that air assault that took place on Samarra this morning, early this morning. And we're being told it could last a couple of days.
But there was a lot of concern about the insurgency in that area, and U.S. forces and Iraqi forces joined together in the largest air assault operation since the war began. We are told more than 1,500 Iraqi and coalition troops, more than 200 hundred tactical vehicles and more than 50 aircraft participated in this operation.
You're seeing members of the -- it looks like -- it looks like airborne -- yes, it looks like the 101st Airborne getting ready -- let's see -- let me see if I can -- this looks like the back of -- no, they are. It's combat forces coming down. I couldn't tell if they were airborne or on the ground.
But you saw there coming out the back of that helo combat forces joining with Air Force -- 101st Airborne. Also, various commando units, hunter units on this massive operation.
We'll continue to follow these new pictures, bring you more of this Operation Swarmer as it continues throughout the day.
More LIVE FROM after a quick break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) PHILLIPS: We've got a number of stories breaking today here in the United States and overseas.
Let's start here in San Diego, California. These pictures coming to us from our affiliate, KFNB. This is Cox Arena on the San Diego State University campus where the big NCAA game is supposed to kick off.
It was supposed to kick off in about 20 minutes from now -- or I should say tip off, rather. Sorry about that. We're talking basketball, Marquette and Alabama. But there was a bomb scare.
A suspicious package had been removed from the arena, the building there on the campus completely evacuated. The first NCAA basketball tournament game at this arena had been set for 11:40 West Coast time, 2:40 East Coast time, like I said, with Marquette and Alabama. Now we're being told that a police dog that was there on the scene detected a possible problem at a hotdog stand and that's when San Diego State Police and also San Diego Police converged on the scene, the K-9 units showed up, and they are dealing right now with a suspicious package that has been removed.
Not quite sure if the -- we're told that the bomb squad had responded, but we're not sure how far along the bomb squad has gotten with that suspicious package. But we'll continue to follow this, and hopefully those games will get under way and that package will turn out to be nothing.
Now, the new pictures that we just got overseas, this is our other big story of the day. We're talking about U.S. forces and Iraqi troops launching the largest air assault since the U.S.-led invasion began, targeting strongholds just north of the capital in an area called Samarra.
Operation Swarmer is what you're looking at right now. These pictures just coming in to us from the Defense Department.
Cameras on those helos as troops are getting ready to come in. A number of different assets, from airborne to combat, to infantry, hunters, commandos, a massive operation with Iraqi and U.S. forces.
This assault came, ironically, as Iraq's new parliament was sworn in today. Retired General David Grange was telling us, you know, the military likes to operate under -- of course take the insurgents by surprise. And this was interesting timing as we've been watching things unfold in Iraq.
It seems there have been a number of insurgent attacks that take place on the big political-type days. This time it was U.S. forces with Iraqi forces adding to the surprise on insurgents and carrying out this massive air attack.
General Don Shepperd, retired general, I should say, U.S. Air Force, on the phone with us now. This operation involving more than 1,500 troops. General, I'm just curious to see what you think about the timing here. Usually, any election that has been taking place, the insurgents get quite a thrill attacking that. Now it was just the opposite. As this parliament was sworn in today, it was U.S. and Iraqi troops kind of turning face on the insurgency.
All right. I'm being told now we don't have that phone interview with General Shepperd. We'll try and get that linked up.
But you're looking at video just coming in from the U.S. Defense Department on this air assault that took place earlier, today 60 miles north of Baghdad in an area known as Samarra. It was the site of, you may remember, a massive bombing against a Shiite shrine back in February. And that touched off a lot of sectarian bloodshed that killed more than 500 people to this day, injuring hundreds more. And we've been talking a lot about this sectarian violence and how it's increased and gotten more intense since that February attack on that shrine.
So today, U.S. forces, Iraqi forces joining together in the largest air assault since the U.S.-led invasion began.
We'll follow these new pictures and we'll bring you more information. We're told this operation could last a couple of days. So we'll bring you more information as we get it.
All right. Let's get back to the newsroom.
Fredricka Whitfield working that news -- or the other developing story, I guess, Fred, back here in the United States on the campus of San Diego State University.
WHITFIELD: Right. And we are -- we are hearing here at CNN that folks are being given an all clear, that those many thousands of folks who were anxiously awaiting for the games to begin there at the Cox Arena at the San Diego State University will soon be able to make their way back inside the arena and perhaps catch that first game of Marquette and Alabama.
On the line with us now is a representative with the San Diego State University.
Thanks so much for being with us. What are you under the impression is about to take place?
JACK BERESFORD, SAN DIEGO STATE UNIV. SPOKESMAN: Well, we just got the news that it's all clear from the San Diego Metro Arson Strike Team. They've -- they're investigating. They're going to continue their investigation and cordon off a certain area of the arena, however they believe it's safe for people to occupy the building now. And so they're in the process of -- they're going to be opening up the gates and letting roughly 12,000 fans into the arena for the first game, which is, again, Marquette University versus the University of Alabama.
WHITFIELD: Now, a whole lot of folks who are outside, how in the world are you going to be able to commandeer them all there and try to get folks back in as safely as possible, and at the same time kind of carry out the security checks you have been carrying out?
BERESFORD: Yes. Most of the folks have been kind of queuing up on the west side of the arena. The suspicious package was found on kind of the northeast corner.
(INSERT 1400)
... kind of waiting outside the gates. There's plenty of space for them. That's not really an issue. It's just a matter of --- obviously getting quite a few people through those gates in a short amount of time is probably going to be the only hold up at this point, and obviously, with security being at a high precaution, right now.
WHITFIELD; And obviously, tip-off was to take place 2:40 Eastern time, 11:40 your time. What's the expected tip-off time now for that first game?
BERESFORD: Yes, we're waiting for an announcement from the NCAA. And that looks pretty clear there's going to be a delay. How much of a delay is yet to be determined.
WHITFIELD: All right, Jack Beresford, thank you so much, with the San Diego State University. So there you go, Kyra. Folks will soon be able to go inside the Cox Arena there, after being given the all clear there. This suspicious package has been checked out, and authorities seem to feel it is safe enough to go on the and resume operations there with the NCAA game between Marquette and Alabama, soon to tip off momentarily, as soon as those thousands of folks make their way inside the arena.
PHILLIPS: Including my mom and dad. They're going to be thrilled, Fred. We're going to have to call them.
WHITFIELD: I'm sure they cannot wait to call you to let you know and give you the blow-by-blow.
PHILLIPS: You know they'll be calling the control room, saying hey, we're back in. I know, I'll have to say to them we already got the scoop. Fred's got it handled. Thanks, Fredericka.
WHITFIELD: All right, thanks.
PHILLIPS: Well, jury sits idle right now. Government lawyers are scrambling and a top priority terror case is right in the middle. We're waiting to find out whether a judge in Virginia will help prosecutors salvage their death penalty case against Zacarias Moussaoui, an admitted al Qaeda terrorist.
CNN's Kelli Arena is joining me now with the latest, including more on that lawyer Carla Martin, as well, who is off the case, right, after allegedly tainting the witnesses by e-mailing them all these court transcripts. KELLI ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Right. Well, she was never actually on the case, Kyra. She was serving as a liaison between the prosecution team and some of those witnesses. But she certainly has caused great turmoil in the Moussaoui trial. She has been suspended from her job. She is being paid, though, during this time.
No legal action has been taken against her, but that could come, Kyra. She could be charged with contempt of court, or worse, witness tampering. Now Martin is still not talking, nor is her lawyer. But her mother, CNN spoke to her and she says that Martin knows that her career may be down the tubes.
As you know, she attempted to coach aviation witnesses who were going to testify for the government. And she lied to the defense, saying that other FAA experts didn't want to talk to them. Yesterday, the prosecution team argued that it could present other witnesses, untainted by Martin. And they asked the judge to reconsider her decision to not allow any aviation testimony or evidence into the trial.
Now that was a very big part of the government's case. Prosecutors are trying to prove that the government would have taken defensive action if Moussaoui had admitted that he and other al Qaeda operatives were planning to hijack planes with small knives.
Now, Moussaoui's lawyers are at this point putting the finishing touches on their response. We do expect that to be filed today. No word yet on when the judge will rule on the government's quest. And witness testimony was supposed to resume on Monday when the trial left off last week, Kyra. So everything just in suspended animation right now.
PHILLIPS: All right. We'll keep checking in with you, Kelli Arena. Thanks so much.
ARENA: You're welcome.
PHILLIPS: I'm getting word now we do have retired General Don Shepperd on the phone with us right, as we want to just get some reaction. We've talked with -- we're talking to all our generals today.
General Shepperd, we talked to David Grange early on about this air assault over Samarra. U.S. forces joined by Iraqi troops in one of the largest air assaults since the U.S.-led invasion. We're actually looking at Defense Department video right now, as this air assault was en route, pushing towards Samarra.
What are your sources telling you? Does it look successful at this point? Do they feel that they've been able to get a hold on these insurgents?
MAJ. GEN. DON SHEPPERD (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Yes, too early to tell the success of the overall operation, Kyra, but the word coming out of the Pentagon is they've already captured weapons caches. Of course, what you would really like to get hold of the insurgents. Now, the bad thing about a helicopter assault is the insurgents can see you coming. The good news is, they don't know where you're going to land and they don't know what positions you're going to take up.
A couple of other really good things about this. One, it's not taking place in Falluja. Falluja is not pacified. At least the insurgents are no longer able to operate there. This is in Samarra, about 75 miles north/northwest of the capital of Baghdad, up toward Tikrit. And the other good news is the Iraqi security forces are taking part in this.
We don't know the breakdown in the 1,500 troops that are taken yet, but the fact that they are taking part gives visibility to the Iraqi security forces and confidence. And the other thing is that there a lot of people in Iraq sitting there with their finger in their ear, wondering which way the wind is going blow, whether the U.S. is going to cut and run, whether those security forces are going to be able to protect them. So this step in that direction.
PHILLIPS: All right, general, keep us updated. As you get more information and you talk with your sources, we want to keep moving this forward and find out as much as we can about this air assault. General, thank you so much.
Well, straight ahead, politicians, dictators, celebrities. They've all talked with Mike Wallace.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE WALLACE, "60 MINUTES": Well, there's a stereotype, of course. And you know there is.
JOHNNY CARSON, "TONIGHT SHOW": What is it?
WALLACE: It is ice water in his veins.
CARSON: I had that taken out years ago. I went to Demark and had that done. It's all over now.
WALLACE: Shy?
CARSON: That's true. I can remember when I was in high school -- if I pulled out my old high school annual book and read some of the things -- people might say, oh, he's conceited, he's aloof. Actually, that was more shy. See, when I'm in front an audience, it's a different thing. If I'm in front of an audience, I can feel comfortable.
WALLACE: Why?
CARSON: I'm in control.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: But I thought Mike Wallace was always in control. I'm going to ask him. We're going to find out. Straight ahead, he's joining us. A little later on LIVE FROM. Can't wait to talk to him. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Well, it's hard to believe that it's been a year since a chain of events wrote a tragic chapter in the history of Atlanta, Georgia. Twenty-six hours of terror. That began when a jail inmate stole a gun, went on a killing spree and then a desperate flight. We've heard Brian Nichols' story, we've heard Ashley Smith's story. But not until now, one year later, have we heard the story of Cynthia Hall.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS (voice-over): Brian Nichols' attack on Deputy Cynthia Hall left her brain damaged.
DEPUTY CYNTHIA HALL, ATTACKED BY NICHOLS: The last thing I remember was, like, going downstairs, picking up the prisoner, riding on the elevator, back upstairs.
PHILLIPS: Until now, Hall has not spoken publicly about what happened that day. This interview was videotaped by her attorney, and released in conjunction with a lawsuit she's filing against Fulton County.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you could say anything to your friends at the sheriff's department, what would you say to them?
HALL: Make sure you watch over one another while you working, I guess. Keep each other safe until you go home, please.
PHILLIPS: A single mother of two, Cynthia Hall still needs medical treatment. Unfortunately, she's lost her health insurance.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Well, as you can imagine, after our story aired, concerning Cynthia Hall losing her health benefits, we were flooded with phone calls. People were outraged. Cynthia's attorney Brandon Hornsby is with me today. Brandon, welcome.
BRANDON HORNSBY, CYNTHIA HALL'S ATTORNEY: Thank you.
PHILLIPS: And I want to make the point that we have been trying for days to get the sheriff to come on, someone from the benefits department, anyone from Fulton County that can respond to this.
Within the past 10 minutes, I've been getting a flurry of e-mails from Fulton County, so let me just tell you what I've received from them within the past 10 minutes, OK, and then we'll sort of unravel this case.
First of all, this statement came across saying, "Fulton County has not terminated Cynthia Hall's insurance coverage, nor will the county terminate any of her coverage. Ms. Hall has life, health, dental and vision insurance coverage. No claims for the aforementioned insurance coverage have been denied."
Also I think I just got another e-mail saying that she has received injury leave, she's received injury leave payments and $250,000 in compensation -- or in worker's comp benefits. This is just coming across the e-mail to me. So first of all, that is what they're saying. They're saying she's taken care of, she's covered, she's already received money. Is that true?
HORNSBY: Absolutely not. I mean, my client has been devastated by this and the truth of the matter is that my client for months has not had health insurance for her and her family.
What has been paid are medical payments for her injury at work, but what we're talking about is things -- if her children were to get the flu, if she was in a car accident, if her children were in the car accident. All of those benefits were taken away going all the way back to 2005.
PHILLIPS: OK. So let's unravel the documents that you've shown me. And that, first of all, is this termination letter that your client, Cynthia Hall, received. And it was actually a letter saying until you pay an amount of money, you're going to lose your benefits.
And it says, "A premium payment of $809.49 must be submitted to bring your payments up to a current status. Your payment is due in our office no later than Saturday, September 30, 2005, to avoid termination of your health coverage." And then it said "Payments that are not received by this date will results in the termination of your health insurance coverage."
So it looks like she got a letter s saying your benefits are going to be terminated unless you pay this amount of money.
HORNSBY: And that's what is so deplorable about Fulton County's statement today. In September of 2005, not only did Fulton County tell my client they were going to terminate her health benefits, they jacked them up three times what she was paying back when she was a regular employee back in March 11.
After that time, my client has repeatedly tried to get medication for her children that need medication and she has repeatedly been told she has no health insurance coverage for that medication.
PHILLIPS: Is she able to pay for her therapy right now? Is she able to pay for all the medication that she needs for her brain injury?
HORNSBY: Yes. Her brain injury is being taken care of. But what the problems are is her children need medication. They have specific medical conditions that they've been seeking for. If my client had health insurance, she wouldn't be begging the government for assistance for those health insurance benefits and being denied.
Fulton County is just wrong and it's consistent with the way they've been treating all the victims in this case. They turned their back on the victims and this is the kind of thing that needs to be stopped.
PHILLIPS: All right, so them let me ask you a question then about the paycheck stubs. OK, you've showed me a paycheck stub before the shooting. And on the paycheck stub you can see right here she's getting dental, she's getting health, she's getting life insurance, she's getting vision, she's getting all of that.
And then after the shooting -- this is about a month after the sheeting -- her paycheck, zero, zero, zero, zero, zero. She's not getting health, she's not getting dental, she's not getting vision. So I'm a little confused here.
Her paycheck stub is saying that her benefits are not being paid, yet Fulton County is saying but we're paying worker's comp, right? And that's different. Injury leave and injury payments and worker's comp, isn't that different from what you usually get taken out of your paycheck for your family?
HORNSBY: It's absolutely different. This is smoke and mirrors by the government. And you've got to remember, this Georgia's wealthiest government, and that's what is so sad about this. These are public servants that are putting their lives on the line every single day.
This is their hour of need and the government is turning on them. And that's what makes this so shocking. I mean, the records themselves, they don't lie. These are their known records that show that they have taken away the money that she was using to pay towards all these benefits.
And think about it this way. These government employees that get so little from the very beginning rely upon these benefits. They mean everything to them. And part of the lure of the government is to benefit for the family, for your children, the life insurance, and the life insurance for your children. My client now, has had -- for months hasn't had the ability to have access to those benefits.
Now Fulton County, maybe they changed something today because -- and they should be ashamed of themselves. Maybe that's what's happened but I will guarantee you that the records will show, and they do right now.
Why would they send a letter it my client telling her -- and you have to remember, in September of 2005, my client was learning to read and speak again and they sent this letter to her telling her that they were going to terminate her insurance, not only if she didn't pay three times her health benefit premium, but if she didn't pay $800 of arrears.
PHILLIPS: And that was for her family. We're talking about benefits for the family, but she is getting money for her injury. She's getting worker's comp and injury payments.
HORNSBY: She is getting the maximum the law will pay her for living expenses which is basically just putting her family above the poverty line and she is being paid for her brain injury right now. Not something she puts in her pockets but the minimum to go through her rehabilitation.
PHILLIPS: For the therapy. All right. You did a sit down interview with her. Of course, we've been trying -- we want to talk to her. We want her -- you know that.
HORNSBY: Sure.
PHILLIPS: We want to be able to interview her and I hope we get the chance to do that. But you did release an interview that you did with her. We've got a little bit of that now. You've released a little bit more, so I just want to play part of that interview, and then I have a question for you.
HORNSBY: Sure.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HORNSBY: How does that affect your children?
HALL: I don't have any health insurance.
HORNSBY: How do you feel about that?
HALL: Bad.
HORNSBY: Do you think that's wrong?
HALL: Yes.
HORNSBY: Did you ever think you would be without health insurance for your children?
HALL: No.
HORNSBY: How has your injury changed your life?
HALL: A whole lot. I mean, how do you say it? Motivation is gone, but I know I have to do something else. I want to be working. I like being hard at work.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Cynthia Hall, single mother of two, her kids are 12 and 14. Is she able to care for her kids right now?
HORNSBY: She's been devastated by this. It's hard enough being a single mother with two kids, it's quite another thing to be a brain- injured single mother with two kids. She needs full-time assistance and she is having tremendous difficulty with her children. There's no question about that.
PHILLIPS: Well, we're going to follow the lawsuit, of course, Brandon. We want to stay on top of that. And once again, I want to reiterate, Fulton County now coming forward since this segment refuting claims of termination of Cynthia Hall's insurance, Fulton County saying that it has not terminated her insurance coverage, nor will the county terminate any of her coverage. So we would like to see how this develops with your lawsuit. Would you keep us ...
(CROSSTALK)
HORNSBY: And hopefully they'll do the right thing today. This is just the beginning.
PHILLIPS: Brandon Hornsby, thank you so much.
HORNSBY: Thank you.
PHILLIPS: Well, for half a century, he's interviewed the movers and the shakers.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: March 4th of this year, your 50th wedding anniversary.
NANCY REAGAN, FORMER FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATE: I know.
WALLACE: What did you do on that day?
REAGAN: Nothing. And how I'd love to be able to talk to him about it.
WALLACE: Yes.
REAGAN: And there were times when I had to catch myself because I would reach out and start to say, honey, remember when ...
WALLACE: Yes. Do you think he knows you still?
REAGAN: I don't know.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: The emotional side to Mike Wallace and the hard- hitting side. Coming up, we're going to turn the tables. Stay tuned for a talk with Mike Wallace right here on LIVE FROM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Little boy lost in Hawaii, a couple about to marry swept away. They're among seven apparent victims of Tuesday's collapse of an old earthened dam on the island of Kauai after weeks of heavy rain. So far crews have recovered two bodies. Workers are pumping water out of several other reservoirs to lower the pressure on those dams while the rain keeps falling. For what's in store for those areas today, let's check in with CNN meteorologist Reynolds Wolf. Hey, Reynolds.
(WEATHER REPORT)
PHILLIPS: Reynolds Wolf, thanks so much. The news keeps coming, we're going to keep bringing it to you. That's right, all the weather and all the news, more LIVE FROM next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Let's get straight to justice correspondent Kelli Arena. She's been following of course the case of Zacarias Moussaoui. New information?
ARENA: We do, Kyra. Carla Martin, who is the lawyer who is accused of witness tampering in that case, we finally have a response from her lawyer.
Tuesday, Ms. Martin walked into that courtroom, she was read her Miranda rights and we haven't heard anything. But CNN got the first response from her lawyer, Roscoe Howard. And says that she did what every American is entitled to do. She was read her Miranda rights. She asked to see a lawyer. She was excused to find one. She said that she was shocked when she walked -- he says she was shocked into the courtroom, was not expecting that the scenario to play out as it did.
In the statement, it says that she's been viciously vilified by assertions from the prosecution and assorted media pundits. She has not yet been given an opportunity for cross-examination or the right to call witnesses for herself. Only her accuser's stories have been told and those stories have been accepted as the whole truth. They are not.
The statement, Kyra, doesn't explain what her motivation may have been exactly, what happened. All it says is that she's preparing a response. That's going to take some time and when her opportunity comes, she will present a fuller picture of what she intend intended and her dedication to a fair trial. So the first that we've heard from Carla Martin. As you know, Kyra, she's been called by prosecution as a miscreant in this case. She really throwing a real wrench into the works.
PHILLIPS: Kelli Arena, thanks so much. We'll stay on the story, let us know if you get anymore. Final hour of LIVE FROM starts right after a quick break.
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