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Indianapolis Slayings; Wartime Ethics; Congolese President Disturbed By Systematic Rape And Mutilation By Military

Aired June 02, 2006 - 13:31   ET

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

CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Indianapolis in a state of shock today after the worst mass killing in the city in decades. Standing by live with the awful details is our Jonathan Freed.
Jonathan, do they know any more about what happened to this family?

JONATHAN FREED, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I can tell you that this happened at 10:00 last night, around 10:15, when police were called here to this neighborhood because of reports of shots being fired. And seven family members from an extended family are confirmed to have been killed here last night. We're talking about four adults and three children. Their ages are five years old, 11 years old and the third child is either eight or nine years old. Police couldn't confirm that yet. Now the children were found together in a bed. It was not clear why they were all in it in the same bed, but that is how they were found and the adults were discovered throughout the house.

Now police are looking for two suspects. They've named one of them. One of them is a man name Desmond Turner. He's 28 years old. They say that he has a history with police, a history of arrests. He's described as dangerous, and they say he's about 5'9," 150 pounds and he has a mustache and a beard. I can also tell you police are saying this was a robbery, at least involved a robbery. I said a robbery that went bad. They said at this point that is the direction that the investigation is going. They say that an assault rifle was used. And let's listen to the police chief talking about this case a little bit earlier now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHIEF MICHAEL SPEARS, INDIANAPOLIS POLICE DEPT.: This incident has shocked our police department and shocked our city. This outrageous and inexplicable act of violence is not the norm in our city. We do not have these kinds of crimes, and as such, we as a police department have taken very aggressive and very substantive measures to make certain that we have pursued this case as aggressively as possible and do everything within our power to bring the person responsible for this to justice.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FREED: Now, let me walk you through the geometry of who was in the house here. It is not as easy to follow, but it does speak to the magnitude of the crime that's happened here. Emma Valdez and Alberto Covarrubias (ph). They were married. It was their home. She was 46. He was 56. Her daughter, Flora Albarran (ph), who's 22, and her brother, Magno Albarran (ph), who is 29. Now the children involved are Luis Albarran (ph), who was described as Flora's son. He's the 5- year-old. You have an Alberto Covarrubias, who was 11, and a David, his brother, who was either eight or nine years old.

And the way this unfolded last night, it was really quite -- it was just a shock the people who were here on the street. Flora was in the process of moving her home, and she was out dealing with that yesterday with a friend. and she came back here just after 10:00 last night to pick up her son, Luis, who she had left with her parents, and that is when she went inside, the lights came on, and all of this description is coming from the friend. The light came in, and then the friend heard Flora screaming, "Don't do that, my child." And shots were happening. Shots were ringing out while all of this was going on. And then Flora shouted to her friend to not come into the house. At one point. Flora says a man holding a long gun came out on the porch, looking around as to if to see who Flora might have been yelling to, and then went back inside. And then a number of people were seen running away from the home, one of whom was identified as Desmond Turner, and that is why police is named him as a witness and they're looking for him right now.

LIN: So, Jonathan, it sounds like she surprised him. I mean, something was going on and she surprised him, and perhaps would that have triggered the shooting?

FREED: We've been asking all those kind of questions. At one point, they were simply saying, look, we don't know what was going on. We don't want to get into a motive. I was able to confirm just a short while ago before coming to air that robbery was involved in one way or another. I can also say that they confirmed with police. We've been talking to neighbors here. We were told that Desmond Turner, the named suspect in this case, actually grew up in this neighborhood and spent time living a few doors down this street. He had been gone, but he had been seen back in the neighborhood within last few days, and that had been confirmed to us by Indianapolis police.

LIN: Jonathan, so sad. Thank you, Jonathan Freed.

Internationally here, Iran will not be deprived. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is defiantly vowing that his country will not bow to pressure to Western pressure to give up his nuclear programs. Ahmadinejad did not directly mention the package of incentives agreed to on Thursday by members of the U.N. Security Council. Now Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was at that meeting in Vienna. The agreement urged Iran to suspend enriching uranium and return to the negotiating table on the issue of nuclear technology.

Well, today, Ahmadinejad said, quote, "The reason of their opposition is not their claim of concerns over nuclear weapons, but Iran's access to the technology that means opening of the way for all independent countries, especially Islamic countries, to the advanced technology."

Now, CNN is working this developing story and we'll bring you any response from the United Nations or the White House as soon as we have it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD RUMSFELD, DEFENSE SECRETARY: We know that 99.9 percent of our forces conduct themselves in an exemplary manner. And we also know that in conflicts, things that shouldn't happen, do happen. In this instance there's an investigation with respect to what took place, and we'll soon know the answers. There's an investigation with respect to what took place thereafter. And we'll soon know the answers. And my impression is that the Marine Corps is handling it well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on the alleged unlawful killings in the Iraqi town of Haditha last November. Witnesses and survivors say 24 unarmed civilians were gunned down by rampaging Marines upset that a fellow Marine had been killed in a bombing. The official military report of the incident paints a different picture. The Pentagon promises a full public report after its investigation is complete.

Now the Haditha incident isn't the only allegation of troop misconduct under investigation. Another occurred in Ishaqi, Iraq. Several civilians died there in a U.S. raid in march. Now Iraqi police report that 11 people died. The U.S. military reports only four, including a suspected al Qaeda operative. Many other key details are differing as well.

Now another incident happened in Hamandiyah, west of Baghdad. An Iraqi was shot dead by U.S. Marines who could be charged with murder. Investigators are checking reports they also planted a weapon to make it seem like the man was armed.

The rules of war, battlefield ethics, the fundamentals. All coalition troops in Iraq, American and otherwise, are getting training on what's being called core warrior values, and the timing of this new training is no coincidence.

CNN's Kathleen Koch reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It happens in every branch of the military, instructions in the rules of war, at basic training after recruits enlist, in officer school. In the Army, there's a refresher course every year.

BRIGADIER GENERAL MIKE MILANO, U.S. ARMY: Rule number one is, soldiers will engage only enemy combatants. Rule number seven is, we will treat civilians humanely. And on the other side, Army values.

KOCH: The rules are on cards and dangle on dog tags.

(on camera): There's really no excuse to forget...

MILANO: That's right.

KOCH: ... what the rules are?

MILANO: That's right.

UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTERS: No more USA!

UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTERS: No more USA!

UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTERS: No more USA!

KOCH (voice-over): And it's not just theory. In training, service members confront real-life scenarios to test whether they can apply the rules and make the correct split-second life-and-death decisions.

MILANO: So, we devise all kinds of scenarios that put soldiers and leaders on the horns of a dilemma: Geez, what should I do in this situation? Somebody just shot at me and then ran into that crowd. Can I call artillery fire in? Should I shoot back?

KOCH: So, the new corps warrior values training announced for all coalition forces will be a refresher course in what they have already learned.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Our troops have been trained on core values throughout their training, but, obviously, there was an incident that took place in Iraq that's now being investigated. And this is just a reminder for troops either in Iraq or throughout our military that there are high standards expected of them and that there are strong rules of engagement.

KOCH: Generals in Baghdad say, when it comes to avoiding civilian casualties, the rules are clear.

MAJOR GENERAL WILLIAM CALDWELL, U.S. MILITARY SPOKESMAN: The young man or woman is not going to engage somebody unless it is a hostile force. And a hostile force means you feel that your life is personally threatened.

KOCH (on camera): Pentagon officials say, ordering the core values training does not mean current training falls short. But they insist that, if the Haditha investigation reveals a flaw in how troops are instructed in the rules of war, the military will correct it.

Kathleen Koch, CNN, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Soldiers using rape as a weapon of war. A CNN correspondent puts Congo's president on the spot. Will criminal prosecution follow? You're watching CNN, the most trust name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Rape as a weapon of war. CNN brought you the exclusive report from Congo. Women, girls, and at least one boy systematically raped and maimed by soldiers. Now, those accounts deeply disturbed the Congolese president.

Our Africa correspondent Jeff Koinange joins me live from Johannesburg, South Africa. Jeff, how did you get the president of Congo to watch your piece?

JEFF KOINANGE, CNN AFRICA CORRESPONDENT: It was a tough get, Carol, because Kabila doesn't like giving interviews. He shies away from the press. He's only been in power about five years, catapulted or thrust into power, if you will, when his father was assassinated in a coup attempt, so he shies away from the press. But I have known him for many years, and I think he -- there's an element of trust here.

The one thing you have got to remember is I didn't tell his handlers that we were going to show him this package. We just wanted an interview and finally when he granted it, we went in with our laptop, we -- towards the end the interview I told him, Mr. President, I have something to show you, and he looked at it and put on the headphones, watched it.

Once in awhile he would wince or shift around in his chair. His fingers were playing around on the keyboard. Watched to the end of the piece, which is about five-and-a-half minutes, and went back to the beginning, watched it again. And his reaction was just like anyone else around the world. He was deeply and truly shocked.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRES. JOSEPH KABILA, CONGO: It's the shock -- the shock that you received yourself, the shock that anybody, any human being, would definitely feel if -- and when they see such images, my reaction is one of shock, of course.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOINANGE: And, Carol, the fact that he's a former soldier -- he was actually army chief of staff when he assumed the presidency. So he had been in the military for most of his 34 -- well, 29 years then. He's 34 now. And he really -- he ran a disciplined army in his time. The fact that now the soldiers that he once commanded are doing these kinds of things, it was very disturbing to him.

LIN: So, Jeff, what did he say that he could do about it? I mean, doesn't have the president have any control over his own military?

KOINANGE: Well, you have got to remember now, Congo is going through its first Democratic elections in more than 40 years. Right now, this country's literally on tenterhooks. Everyone's tiptoeing around issues. Nobody wants to go into specifics right now, and at the same time, nobody wants to upset the apple cart because the country has been in so much turmoil the last few decades.

Once the election is over and done with, and that's hopefully around the 30th of July, then -- and analysts say Kabila stands the best chance of winning. If he does win, he does promise to make public safety his priority, and he will do that. He seems very committed.

He's a young man. He's educated. He's smart. He has a 6-year- old daughter, he has a twin sister, he has a mother, so he's very, very committed and concerned. It seems like he may be one person who will be able to do something about it, Carol.

LIN: All right, because as our audience is watching these exclusive pictures that you brought to our audience, you see a village of women dancing but they're not dancing for joy. They are trying to keep each other alive after three generations of women who are systematically raped.

KOINANGE: Systematically raped and mutilated. And the doctors at this one hospital that we visited say these rapists, if you will, they insert all kind of objects into these women after they rape them. And the intention, according to experts here on the ground, is to destroy the childbearing capabilities of these women.

In other words, they don't want any warriors, any male sons to be born and this is their way of destroying it. And the U.N. calls it ethnic cleansing and that's what it is, and it's so disturbing because these women in the prime of their lives, this is what have been resorted to.

But the most important thing, at least there's a hospital to take care of them, despite the fact that a dozen victims arrive every single day with fresh wounds, Carol.

LIN: That's horrible.

KOINANGE: It's disturbing stuff.

LIN: Horrible, and I wish that the president could do more and that politics didn't play a part in his delay or his decision.

Jeff, thank you so much for revealing this problem and holding that government accountable. Appreciate it. You can watch Jeff's exclusive report in its entirety tonight on CNN's "ANDERSON COOPER 360." That's at 10:00 Eastern, 7:00 Pacific.

The online updates continue, but the family posting the information has changed. Ahead on LIVE FROM, the latest on the survivor in that tragic case of mistaken identity.

You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Straight to Fredricka Whitfield with the story in Washington. Fred?

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Alright, well Carol, you know it's a White House tradition, for the White House to congratulate some of America's best teams. Well, this time it's the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers' turn. And the entire team is there, after winning their fifth Super Bowl Championship. They're getting congratulations from the president of the United States. And of course how do you top it off? With the honor of the fifth Super Bowl Championship? Well of course you get a great picture opportunity with the president. And of course you come bearing gifts by representing him with a jersey there of the Pittsburgh Steelers. So congratulations there to the Steelers.

LIN: It looks like he's going to get a ball, too.

WHITFIELD: Yes, a little bit everything there from the Wide Receiver Hines Ward.

LIN: There you go, something for the gift closet. Is he going to throw it?

WHITFIELD: I don't know. Oh yeah. It looks like going out for a pass. Very nice.

LIN: There you go. Seven yard pass, not even.

WHITFIELD: That's right.

LIN: All right, thanks Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, Carol.

LIN: Well, out of the batcave, and now out of the closet.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED CORRESPONDENT: This is the new gay Batwoman.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Okay.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh heaven.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The new gay Batwoman. That's nice. I guess they have to have a Batwoman, too.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She looks hot. Good luck to her.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: That's right, we're talking about Batwoman. Details on LIVE FROM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: The family of Whitney Cerak is starting an online journal to provide updates on Whitney's health. It's the same online blog started by a different family, the VanRyns. Now for weeks, the VanRyns were told that they believed the injured young woman was Cerak's college classmate Laura VanRyn. Well, the two women were in a vehicle accident and Laura was killed, but Whitney was pronounced dead after she was mistaken for VanRyn at the crash scene. The mistake wasn't discovered until this week when Cerak came out of a coma. Here's an excerpt from the latest blog posting, as read by a CNN staffer. It describes the Cerak family's first visit with Whitney.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CNN STAFFER: We were told that Whitney was asking for us and when we saw her, she was coherent enough to cry. She immediately began to say, "let's go home." We spent the day crying and praising God for the resurrection of Whitney. She began listing people she wanted to see, starting with our dad. She blew us away with her detailed memory and ability to speak. Towards the end of the night, she spoke clear sentences. When our dad arrived, she grabbed his hand, my mom's hand and looked at Sandra and I, and sighed like everything was finally right.

Whitney woke up to someone bringing in flowers to her. This triggered something, and she wanted to know who they were from. And then she wanted to have all of her family in the room. She began to cry and said, "you think I'm dead." We spent a good part of the afternoon comforting her, as she began to realize that she was in an accident and we weren't with her for a while. Her tears are a mixture of joy and the fear of not knowing what has been going on. She took a break from crying when her therapist brought her actual food. Today she ate her first meal. She had grilled cheese, applesauce and a milk shake.

Within the next week, she should be done with her tube and just eating food. After she ate, she showed off her basketball skills and made three baskets in a row during physical therapy. She quickly slowed down and wanted to sleep again. Not only is it still unbelievable that she is alive but she has amazed us with her progress. Earlier today, my dad said, "every time I look at Whitney, I think of the VanRyns." We are so blessed and overjoyed about Whitney, but our hearts and prayers are heavily on the VanRyns. Posted by Carly Cerak.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: Now, according to the blog, a memorial service for Laura VanRyn is scheduled for this Sunday in Grand Rapids, Michigan. And our hearts go out to both families.

The second hour of LIVE FROM straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: We're following developing news out of Iran, where president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is vowing that his country will not abandon its nuclear ambitions, despite pressure from the United Nations Security Council.

CNN's Suzanne Malveaux is at the White House with reaction, as Ahmadinejad reiterates Iran's position. SUZANNE MALVEAUX, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, the White House is making it very clear that it's in Iran's hands now, whether or not it abandons its nuclear ambitions or whether or not it faces sanctions from the U.N. Security Council. Quite a bit of confidence from Bush administration officials, who feel that they have gotten assurances from Russia and China, those members who were reluctant to sanction Iran, that if Iran does not comply, that they are now on board, that they will go ahead and do so.

They're also making it very clear, as well, that what is not negotiable here is that Iran has to suspend its activities that the United States believes is associated with developing a nuclear weapon, before the U.S. is going to sit down with talks with Iran. That is something that Tony Snow, White House Press Secretary, emphasized. And also, he emphasized as well, downplaying what we are hearing from Iranian officials, including the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad outright rejecting these conditions.

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