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Heathrow Passengers in Long, Slow Lines for 2nd Day; United Kingdom Under 'Critical' Terror Alert; U.S., France & Britain Agree on Text of Draft U.N. Mideast Resolution

Aired August 11, 2006 - 14:00   ET

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

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: U.K. terror alert still critical. Transatlantic flights, the logjam is clearing. And what about that al Qaeda connection?
Well, here's what we know right now.

Security at British airports tight and tighter. The highest stage of official terror alert remains in place. The U.K.'s home secretary calls it a precautionary measure for the sake of public safety.

It's affecting operations at all international airports that serve Britain. Heathrow still hectic, but easing up in passenger backlog and passenger frustration.

The investigation into the foiled plot to bring down planes over the Atlantic is wide, reaching Pakistan and a possible al Qaeda involvement. British officials are working a lead that two of those 24 suspects in custody may have a contact inside Osama bin Laden's terror group.

And we're just getting word now out of Rome, according to The Associated Press, that the Italian police have arrested 40 people in security operations after this British aircraft terror plot was thwarted. Once again, coming out of Rome, through the AP, Italian police arresting 40 people in a security operation after this British aircraft terror plot had been thwarted.

We're working our sources on that and trying to get more information about those arrests.

Meanwhile, Europe's busiest airport is a lot busier today than yesterday, but still not back to normal.

CNN's Becky Anderson is watching the comings and goings at London Heathrow -- Becky.

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. There are some 200,000 people who come through this airport every day, Heathrow, one of, if not the busiest, of the international airports in the world.

It is getting back to some sort of normality at this point, but the CEO of the actual airport here run by BAA, British Airports Authority, says that things are still extremely difficult and extremely chaotic. And coming into the weekend, he says, things are going to be very, very difficult, indeed.

He says to those who are traveling, he has two pieces of advice, particularly for those who may be traveling from the U.K. to the U.S. and coming from the U.S. in. Remember, no carry-on baggage. Everything you take on must be in plastic bags. And do be prepared to get to the airport extremely early.

The planes are taking off, as you can see behind me, as he says. They're trying to get back things on schedule, but those schedules have been amended. And they do ask for people to be calm at these airports, as well.

Let's just bring you up to date on what we know about the investigation now.

Nineteen of those 24 who have been arrested have been named. The reason for that is that the Bank of England were asked to freeze their assets and actually publish their names on a Web site. So, those names are now out.

It seems that most British Muslims, homegrown terrorists, if you want, between the ages of about 17 and 35. Some reports coming in now, as well, Kyra, that many of those actually belong to the same society of one of the London universities, an Islamic society.

That's what we know today here. As I say, chaotic still at the airport, but things are beginning to get back to normal.

Back to you.

PHILLIPS: All right, Becky. Thanks.

Well, the United Kingdom, for the second straight day, is under what they call the critical level of terror alert.

CNN's Deborah Feyerick is in London with more on the investigation.

Deborah, what have you been able to dig up?

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, the interesting thing about information here in the U.K. is there's not a lot of it, simply because they keep a very strong hold on all of the details of this investigation. But what we can tell you is that government officials do tell CNN that suspects recently placed two phone calls to people in the United States, the calls were investigated. At this time, there's no evidence that anyone in the U.S. was involved in this particular plot, but, again, officials are careful to warn that this is really the first stage of the investigation.

Now, meantime, investigators here have been pouring over bank accounts, trying to find the money trail. The Bank of England froze the financial assets of 19 of the 24 suspects in custody, releasing their names, as is required by law. And the suspects are between the ages of 17 and 35, many of them British-Pakistani decent. Now, authorities did raid many of the homes, and among the key items that were seized, computers, as well as laptops. A U.S. official telling CNN that an analysis of hard drives reveals virtually "every aspect" on some of the suspects' lives.

Now, authorities are particular particularly interested in friends and acquaintances, anybody who the suspects may have been in touch with. One intelligence analyst says investigators are likely doing a forensic analysis of all the different Web sites that these people visited and all the information that they downloaded, specifically as it relates to how they planned to build this bomb.

Now, the crime and justice minister, John Reid, is the one who is overseeing this investigation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN REID, BRITISH HOME MINISTER: This is an ongoing operation. We are not in the least bit complacent. We will go where any further evidence takes us. We will take whatever further action is necessary.

We will apprehend anyone else who appears to be linked or connected to this. We will maintain the highest state of vigilance at our airports. And we will continue with this operation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FEYERICK: Now, other items taken from some of the homes include DVDs, as well as videotapes and a vacuum, the contents of which, one intelligence analyst tells us, will likely be analyzed specifically to see whether there are any sort of traces of bomb components, wiring, things like that. There is a report in the British media today that, in fact, two airline tickets were found in the home of one of the suspects, and the date on one of those tickets was today -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Thank you.

Well, there's growing optimism at the United Nations about the prospects for a Mideast peace resolution vote later today. After a week of discussion, things appear to be moving pretty quickly.

CNN Senior U.N. Correspondent Richard Roth has the latest for us again.

Hey, Richard.

RICHARD ROTH, CNN SR. U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Kyra.

The United States, France and Britain appear confident enough they have agreement on a text of a resolution. Revisions have been made, and now they're ready to go to the full Security Council to present it for a potential vote within a matter of hours. The British foreign secretary saying she thinks it's ready for a vote. U.S. officials are saying -- and Condoleezza Rice was here meeting Kofi Annan, the U.N. secretary-general -- U.S. officials are saying that this resolution will give a very robust mandate to U.N. peacekeepers who are already there in southern Lebanon, but which have a real toothless operation.

Here's British Foreign Secretary Beckett also arriving. Her French counterpart is expected to fly in. And they won't have the vote without him.

So, some of the tricky parts of this resolution regarding the level of force and who's going to be able to use the force, seem to have been worked out. And we'll see if Lebanon and Israel -- they appear to be ready to sign on, but we've heard that before. A lot of twists and turns, but it appears there's a vote that may occur in the Security Council chamber later today -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, Richard. Thank you.

Well, it's official FAA acronym LAX, but it absolutely does not apply to security standards today at one of the nation's busiest airports, Los Angeles International.

Our Kareen Wynter is there -- Kareen.

KAREEN WYNTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, good afternoon to you.

What a difference a day, even a couple hours makes here at Los Angeles International Airport. I can tell you, just within the last several hours, morning rush hour looked nothing like this.

Curbside check-in completely clear here. People are getting through with no problems. And we want to take you inside here, where people are also getting their bags screened.

The lines this morning, incredibly long. Things are moving very knick quickly here. It seems as if things are really getting back to normal. And we did hear that from airport officials here, saying that passengers -- you know, they got the word out in terms of what items are now banned, and people are really adhering to that, coming early, arriving here on time.

And speaking of that, I want to bring in a couple passengers who we were able to snag, here to chit chat with us for a few seconds.

Tim and Wendy Governor, you're on your way to Aruba. Got here early. A couple hours to spare, Tim.

TIM GOVERNOR, AIRLINE PASSENGER: Yes. We -- it's been remarkably quick. We got here about three hours early, is what was recommended to us, and, you know, it took us about 30 minutes to get here and it literally took us about 15 minutes to get through security. So, it's been great.

WYNTER: And I'm sure you've seen the extra manpower around from Los Angeles police. The California National Guard is also here assisting.

Does that make you feel any safer at all?

GOVERNOR: It does. I mean, we've seen quite a few police. I haven't really noticed the National Guard, to be honest with you. But quite a few police cars, and, you know, the police dogs around.

So it -- I feel very safe. I mean, as a matter of fact, we were talking about it. You know, to me, this is probably the safest day of the year that we're going to travel. So, you know, we feel a little more comfortable.

WYNTER: Well, Tim, we know you have to go through other layers of security. You're not through yet. So good luck to you and your wife in your travels.

Thank you so much for talking to us.

I also wanted to bring in a couple more points, Kyra, on what is going on all around me today. Sure, things may seem calm behind me, but there are also a lot of passengers -- and we saw this yesterday, people pulling out their suitcases, unpacking those items, those new items that are now banned from going through security checkpoints on your carry-on, liquid items, any items that contain gel.

So we still are bumping in those passengers -- into those passengers who are very frustrated on that end, saying, "Wow, I should have known this. I would have left it at home."

We also saw, Kyra, earlier today people sneaking in those items in their pockets, maybe a little bit of a reminder, maybe thinking that they wouldn't get caught. We'll have to see. I can tell you also that in a short time from now we will be getting an update just on a situation here from airport officials, any new details that they can offer, but the big point I think to stress this hour, I think, is getting back to normal here at Los Angeles International -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right. Good news. Thanks, Kareen.

Well, coming up next hour on LIVE FROM, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff going to hold a news conference in the 3:00 p.m. Eastern hour, Reagan National Airport in Washington. We're going to bring that even to you live when it happens.

And how are travelers coping with all the changes? Let's bring in reporter Regina Waldroup with CNN affiliate CLTV, at Chicago's O'Hare International, one of the world's busiest airports.

Well, what do you think?

REGINA WALDROUP, REPORTER, CLTV: Well, you know what? What a difference a day makes.

I was hear I was here yesterday from 9:30 on, and I can tell you the lines were endless and the garbage cans were brimming with all kind of stuff. You know, all the new restrictions that were put in place. But today, less chaos, less confusion, more conformity among passengers.

A lot of them said, "Hey, you know what? I had time to read the newspaper, listen to radio, listen to TV. I understand what's going on. I understand the new restrictions regarding liquid items." And they came prepared today.

And it was really longer lines, still, but people were really prepared and they knew what was in store. And they checked a lot of those items into their baggage and they knew not to bring it on to the plane.

Also, something interesting that happened yesterday, you know, when the height of all these restrictions were going into place, a 21- year-old, one of the Egyptian students, he was trying to get on a plane, trying to book a flight at 7:30 on a Delta flight. He was talking to the ticket agent and became a little agitated. And he had a wrong ticket.

His ticket was actually to New York, not from Chicago. He told the young lady, "Please, call the school I go to. Call Montana State University." She did that. They told her to immediately contact authorities. She contacted a police officer who was near her and then he -- the young man was arrested.

So, interesting things happening at one of the nation's busiest airport. And again, yesterday, Thursdays are typically a heavy traffic day here at O'Hare.

PHILLIPS: Regina Waldroup, thanks so much.

Well, when we're covering breaking news, you are the eyes and ears of CNN, as well. If you capture a great picture or video on your camera or cell phone, send it to us. Log on to CNN.com or punch IReport@CNN.com, right there on your cell phone. We'll air it.

Straight ahead, common ingredients, deadly results. More about the plot to slip through security with the makings of liquid bombs.

LIVE FROM has more on why the TSA is making new rules.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Remember when a bomb was a few sticks of dynamite wired to a timer or plunger? Well, those were the old days. Nowadays, as the world was reminded yesterday, bombs can look like shampoo, or sunscreen, even sports drinks. And security screeners have to look at everything and everyone with suspicion.

CNN's Drew Griffin looks at the terrifying concept of bombs and bottles.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It is the simplicity of the plot that is so scary. Separate passengers, each carrying one piece of a bomb. The ingredients on their own, not enough to raise suspicion, and according to the former head of security at Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport, current screening technology would most likely have missed it.

RAFI RON, FMR. SECURITY DIR., TEL AVIV AIRPORT: We can certainly assume that this was one of the reasons that the terrorists have chosen to focus on this type of explosive material form because they believe that it will be more difficult for us to detect.

GRIFFIN: Here is one way. The plotters, perhaps as many as four, board a plane and take seats throughout the cabin. At a predetermined moment the leader leaves his seat carrying a small carry on bag. He collects an ingredient along the way.

Other participants get the signal to meet at a wash room. They provide the final pieces. Inside the bathroom the leader begins mixing the chemicals. Then he attached an electronic trigger until now disguised as a cell phone. Once the bomb is complete the leader returns to his seat or wherever he deems to be the most effective spot and triggers it, killing himself and destroying the plane.

(on camera): And experts tell us that it wouldn't take much. Liquids that could easily fit into containers of household items, things people normally take on planes, then mixed together on board. In this case something as small as a sports drink and maybe some hair gel.

DENISE NORMAN, GEORGIA BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION: It could take as little as a water bottle to cause enough damage to an aircraft.

GRIFFIN (voice-over): British intelligence officials report the planned explosive mixture was to be peroxide based and involve liquid and paste-like ingredients, according to official U.S. sources.

Previous CNN investigations in Afghanistan have uncovered al Qaeda training videos and documents giving step by step instructions in using similar household and industrial chemicals to create bombs. Individually components that in small amounts would be hard to detect, which is why airport security expert Rafi Ron says it would be much more effective to search for suspicious people instead of suspicious liquids.

RON: It's extremely difficult for people to disguise the fact that they're under tremendous amount of stress, that they're going to kill themselves and many other people around them, in a short period of time, and all the other factors that affect their behavior.

GRIFFIN: Drew Griffin, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: You can catch more of Drew Griffin's investigative reports on "PAULA ZAHN NOW" weeknights at 8:00 Eastern, 5:00 Pacific.

Well, first nails files, now ChapStick? Well, as terrorists change their methods, new no-noes for carry-on bags.

Security expert Mike Brooks joins me now with more on the bomb- making techniques and why the stuff we use every day is also a high- altitude hazard.

Now, of course, we don't want to give any wannabe terrorists any ideas here...

MIKE BROOKS, FMR. D.C. DETECTIVE: No.

PHILLIPS: ... on how to concoct a bomb.

BROOKS: We're not -- this isn't Bomb Making 101.

PHILLIPS: But this is what has come out about what these guys were possibly doing, a sports drink, a disposable camera to set off the liquids. I mean, tell us what they were thinking

BROOKS: Sport -- a portable camera, an iPod, anything that has a power source. But, Kyra, I'm hearing from my sources they were looking at a number of different things. But one of the things they were looking at was basically creating a binary explosive of their own.

You can get a binary explosive that comes in two separate -- you mix them up, and then you can put a blasting cap. It's used for commercial purposes. But what they were thinking about doing is using a food dye -- as we saw in Drew Griffin's piece, a food dye, and also some -- something in another jar, and then getting on the plane and then mixing it together.

Or, you can put it all in one. You can make a little separate cut-through here, and just compartmentalize this bottle. And then you have a little camera, pop it open, and you've got just a regular AA battery, and there's your power source.

And depending on exactly what kind of explosives, we were -- they were looking at a peroxide-based explosive, like a triacetone triperoxide, TATP, which is very susceptible to heat, shock and friction. Would it -- with the right kind of power source would it be able to kick that off? Most likely it would.

PHILLIPS: But what do you mean with the power source?

BROOKS: Well, you usually need a power source, an initiator, and an explosive. OK? Or a detonator.

PHILLIPS: OK. Like, what would the power source be?

BROOKS: The power source would be the battery.

PHILLIPS: OK.

BROOKS: And the TATP, a peroxide-based explosive, is so volatile enough and susceptible to heat, shock and friction, all you might need is basically a spark from maybe a light bulb filament and one of these to set it off.

PHILLIPS: That's what I was wondering, is how do you -- it's a spark.

BROOKS: Right.

PHILLIPS: So -- so what they were saying, from the flash of this camera?

BROOKS: That's a possibility, too, because you have a bulb inside here with a small filament.

PHILLIPS: OK.

BROOKS: And it does -- it's a very, very intense heat. We saw -- remember Richard Reid, the shoe bomber?

PHILLIPS: Right.

BROOKS: Remember his shoe?

PHILLIPS: And we talked about it with former investigators, how people laughed at him, but he was actually on to something. If he would have pulled off what he wanted to do, it would have been huge.

BROOKS: Absolutely. And what he was going to do -- because the soles of his shoe, he had it unstitched, he had TATP put in the sole of his shoe, had it restitched, and then he had the fuse.

And he had a little problem lighting the fuse, but what he was going to do was try to light this fuse, put his feet up against the side of the plane, and blow a hole inside the plane. And that's all it would have taken.

PHILLIPS: All right. So you could actually do that with a flight. I mean, do we know if they even practiced this to see if it worked?

BROOKS: They were still experimenting with different mixes of different chemicals.

PHILLIPS: So it's possible they could have got on -- all of them could have gone on these planes with this concoction and it would have never worked.

BROOKS: But knowing a group like this, and from what my sources are telling me...

PHILLIPS: Something would have worked.

BROOKS: ... it was -- the sophistication, not only from what they were making, but from the planning stages to the operational stages, they're calling it extremely sophisticated.

PHILLIPS: All right.

When you were working with an airline in charge of security, you're still, to this day, concerned about gaps in cargo and also employees that don't go through security.

BROOKS: Those are extreme vulnerabilities to me. When you look at cargo security, what goes into the belly of the plane really scares me. They have done better since 9/11, but there's still a lot of gaps and a lot of loopholes. One of the things, Kyra, is they ship bodies. What better way to get something on board than the body of...

PHILLIPS: In a casket.

BROOKS: Absolutely. And unfortunately, some airlines lose bodies. And they had one particular airline, they put somebody in charge of that because they had been losing so many bodies, shipping them from point A to point B, coming through Atlanta.

And to me, that was amazing. But they actually did that in their cargo section.

And the other vulnerability are employees. I can go right now to Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, and if you're an employee, you can go out to a remote parking lot, get on a bus, swipe your little badge, get on the bus, and that bus will drive you right to the concourse without going through any security.

And flight attendants and pilots, they also can go through at the airport, not only Hartsfield, but other airports around the country, swipe their badge, go through a little turnstile -- a little cheese grater turnstile and go right out to the gate without going through any security.

My opinion, I think everybody that enters that airport needs to go through security. Now, they tried that for a short amount of time, and it was bogging down the system because so many people would have to go through there.

Now, they do do checks. Everyone is fingerprinted since 9/11. There was a new badge system put in place, a new fingerprint system put in place, along with 10-year background checks.

There are certain felonies and series misdemeanors that disqualify for you from working for the airline if you have one of these checks and also have the admission to the secure area. They call all access.

But there are some that, you know, you go through, but if you come from another country and you keep your nose clean for a number of years, you come here to the United States legally, and you apply for a job working with a company that has contracted to clean the airplanes, working for a catering company, working for the airlines, you keep your nose clean, you have no background, what are they going to find on your record? Absolutely nothing.

PHILLIPS: It's got a lot of gaps.

BROOKS: That's scares -- that scares the hell out of me.

PHILLIPS: Mike Brooks, thanks for the insight.

BROOKS: OK, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Well, if you're flying today, you still need to know this. Here's the bottom line on the new rules for carry-ons.

No liquids or gels. That includes beverages, lotions, creams, toothpaste and hair gels. Those need to be in checked luggage.

And if you're traveling within the U.S., you can carry laptops, cell phones and other electronic devices, including iPods. You can take baby formula, breast milk, or juice, if you have a child traveling with you, prescription medication, as long as the name on the bottle matches the name on the ticket. Also, insulin or any essential non-prescription medication.

Well, coming up next hour of LIVE FROM, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff going to hold a news conference in the 3:00 p.m. Eastern hour at Reagan National Airport in Washington. We're going to bring that event to you live as soon as it happens.

And if you ever said, I want to report for CNN, here's your chance. CNN is launching I-Report. You, the viewer, are the eyes and ears on the ground, and if you capture a great picture or a video on your camera or cell phone, send it to us.

Log on to CNN.com or punch IReport@CNN.com on your cell phone. Your I-Report is your chance to share what you have witnessed with us.

Helping those most affected by the Middle East conflict, the challenges and the success stories. I'll talk with Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of Catholic Relief Services straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: All the hallmarks, but where's the proof that al Qaeda was behind the alleged plot to bring down transatlantic jets with liquid bombs?

Here's what we know so far.

U.S. and British investigators tell us two of the now jailed suspects had contact with the Pakistani suspected of being an al Qaeda operative. That man, called an explosives expert, is still at large.

Pakistan is getting high marks for helping thwart the plot. Arrest made last week in Lahore and Karachi reportedly help British investigators lower the net just in time.

In the meantime, Americans are being urged to stay away from Pakistan and India, if possible, in light of potential attacks on American interests.

And we'll hear from Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff at the top of the hour. That event live from Reagan National Airport right here on CNN.

Now, yesterday, stocks shrugged off the alleged terror plot, but it's a different story today.

Susan Lisovicz live from the New York Stock Exchange to tell us what's behind that sell-off.

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

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