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CNN Live Today
Second Car Bombing Hits Iraq Within 24 Hours
Aired June 14, 2004 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Good Morning. Let's get started here at CNN headquarters in Atlanta. I'm Daryn Kagan.
Senior military officials in Iraq say that Western contractors were apparently the targets of a massive car bomb in central Baghdad. At least 13 people were killed, and 60 others wounded in the rush hour attack. Five foreign nationals were killed. Reportedly including two British citizens and one French national and an American. General Electric says that three employees of a subsidiary company and two security contractors are among the dead.
Newly revealed military documents suggest that concerns over Iraqi prisoner abuse actually surfaced two months earlier than the Pentagon claims. That's according to "The New York Times," which cites interviews with military personnel, who worked at the Abu Ghraib prison. Several unidentified military intelligence soldiers alleged that at least 20 accounts of mistreatment, including the beatings of five blinded -- blindfolded Iraqi generals.
The U.S. military has freed another 650 prisoners from Abu Ghraib. It is the fifth major release since the scandal erupted. The U.S. military says it will release or transfer as many as 1,400 detainees before the scheduled handover of power on June 30.
Here in the U.S., a court hearing is set to get under way in Alabama for accused serial bomber Eric Rudolph. His defense attorneys are seeking a change of venue, saying media coverage will make it impossible to seat an impartial jury. Rudolph could face the death penalty, if he's convicted of the 1998 abortion clinic bombing in Birmingham.
Live this hour, history to be unveiled at the White House. At the bottom of the hour, the nation will see the work of the first African-American painter to be commissioned for a presidential portrait. It will be of Bill Clinton. His successor President Bush will take part in that ceremony.
It is another day and another deadly car bombing in Iraq, common perhaps, but no less horrifying. And still a great concern with the handover to an interim Iraqi government now just over two weeks away.
Live now to Guy Raz, who's in Baghdad with details on today's attack -- Guy.
GUY RAZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, good morning. And for the second time in 24 hours, another devastating car bombing in Baghdad. This time, right in the heart of the commercial district, about a half-mile from where we're located. Now, according to General Electric, three of those killed in today's attacks were employees of the company. Two others were security guards working with the GE employees. Now, 13 people in total, at least 13 people, were killed in that bombing.
And we understand that a three-vehicle convoy carrying electrical workers, contractors here working on the electrical sector in Iraq, were targeted by that bomb. Now, many, many other Iraqis, about 50 people in total, were wounded as well in that devastating blast that ripped apart shop fronts and buildings on Liberation Square in the center of Baghdad, leaving many Iraqis buried under rubble and debris.
Now, U.S. forces had arrived on the scene to begin evacuating the wounded and the dead. But an angry mob of Iraqis converged on the scene, began to denounce the American soldiers there, chanting anti- American slogans as well. And the U.S. forces evacuated in order to not exacerbate an already tense situation. Now, we understand that some of those who had converged on the scene, some of those angry Iraqis also took part in looting, and other attacks. At least one car was set alight.
Now, Daryn, this really is a part of a wave of attacks, assassination attempts and bombings that have swept over, not only the capital here, but across the country just weeks before interim power is handed over to an Iraqi government -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Guy, if you could explain a little bit more, something that I think is difficult for Americans to understand this, the anti- American sentiment. Clearly, it was not an American who was the suicide bomber. And yet an attack like this happens and it brings up anti-American protests.
RAZ: Daryn, it's a very good question. And a very difficult one to answer. Because in some ways, Iraqis are informed by -- by and large at times, by these kinds of conspiracy theories. Very often American reporters, western reporters, western soldiers, coalition forces turn up at the scene and find that they are the target of the anger, and the outrage by those gathered around these bombing sites. Many people believe that foreign agents are responsible for these attacks, whether they are western agents or other Arabs from the region.
But Iraqis by and large, do not believe that other Iraqis are responsible for these attacks. And it's a very complex kind of idea. But it's really the reality on the ground here -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Guy Raz in Baghdad. Guy, thank you.
We move on now to another Middle Eastern country that is turning out to be dangerous for Americans, Saudi Arabia. The search is on there for a Lockheed Martin employee, apparently kidnapped by a group that also claims it has killed another American.
Sean Callebs has the latest on that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A stoic expression, the kind that could be attached to anyone's driver's license. This is how the world is getting to know 49-year-old, Lockheed Martin employee Paul Johnson, after suspected terrorists placed the information on the web. For 10 years, according to his family, Johnson worked in Saudi Arabia, until his apparent kidnapping.
A group calling itself al Fallujah Squadron said Johnson was targeted because he worked for a U.S. defense contractor. More anti- American violence this week. Two other U.S. citizens killed who also worked in the defense industry, including 63-year-old Robert Jacobs. Terrorists posted a videotape on a militant Islamic Web site of what they claim is Jacobs being shot in the back multiple times, followed by what appeared to be sawing motions at the victim's neck.
COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: It's a troubling time in Saudi Arabia. And I know that the Saudis are doing everything they can to deal with this terrorist threat.
CALLEBS: Saudi Arabia and the U.S. are working together to resolve the kidnapping, halt the recent spate of violence in the kingdom, and do what they can to make sure Saudi Arabia's vast oil supplies are not interrupted. In recent weeks, al Qaeda has made it clear it was targeting the oil sector. U.S. officials are now concerned this might represent a shift to attacking private citizens in other industries. Saudi ambassador to the United States, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, calls the attacks against U.S. citizens "craven acts of evil, designed to frighten away our friends and allies." Administration officials agree.
CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: It is like many places in the world right now, a place in which terrorists are trying to make their mark. We are doing everything that we can with the Saudis to try and protect those who are there.
SEN. PAT ROBERTS (R-KS), INTELLIGENCE CHAIRMAN: I think the terrorists understand that if they attack the oil infrastructure that really presents a problem for the United States. And they are kidnapping or killing Americans that they can.
CALLEBS (on camera): The U.S. Embassy says it believes the recent attacks against U.S. citizens involved extensive planning, including surveillance of the victims. This is leading the embassy to warn U.S. citizens still in the area to lie low, and always be aware of their surroundings in these dangerous times.
Sean Callebs, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: Members of Paul Johnson's family are waiting for word on his fate.
Our Gary Tuchman has been talking with one of Johnson's children. Gary joins us from Brevard County, Florida. Gary, good morning.
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, good morning to you. The yellow ribbons are still here but Paul Johnson's son, who lives in this house, is no longer here for the time being. He left about an hour and a half ago to fly to New Jersey to be with other family members. And he says he will stay there until there's a resolution to this sad case.
His father, Paul Johnson, Jr., kidnapped on Saturday. He's been in Saudi Arabia for much of the last 10 years working for the contractor Lockheed Martin. Came in the same week that two Americans were murdered in the desert kingdom. About 90 minutes ago, the son came out here and spoke to us, and he fought back tears while he was talking.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAUL JOHNSON III, SON OF KIDNAPPING VICTIM: It's very hard for us to cope with something like this. I've never been through nothing like this in my whole life. And I don't know nobody that has, you know? And so it's very hard. And like I said, you know, I really appreciate you guys keeping my father's name fresh with everybody. I think that's very important, that nobody forgets about it, you know. And we just all got to pray.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TUCHMAN: The younger Paul Johnson is going up to the Jersey shore with his sister to visit his father's father, and his father's brother. And they will all stay together to offer each other comfort. He does tell us that he's been getting regular contact from Lockheed Martin and from the U.S. State Department. But they have absolutely no information about the status of his father -- Daryn.
KAGAN: And so Gary, you mentioned that Paul Johnson, Jr., has spent about 10 years working in Saudi Arabia. There had been warnings for American citizens to get out of there. Did his son talk about whether his father had considered that?
TUCHMAN: Well, his son did talk to us a little bit about what his father might have been going through. But he can only make suppositions. He said to us that he thinks his father perhaps let his guard down a little bit. And then referring to other civilians, or in countries like Saudi Arabia and Iraq, the son, the younger Paul Johnson, told us he doesn't think any civilians, any American civilians should still be there.
KAGAN: Gary Tuchman in Brevard County in Florida, thank you for that.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai visits the U.S. So how well is the mission in Afghanistan going? We'll have a live report from the Pentagon.
Plus, history unveiled amid very interesting company. President Clinton on an official portrait. We're going to take you there live. President Bush will be there as well.
And this...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Behind us the moon pauses over the vast egg- like dome of the mall. See us loosening our ties among you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: And this, a clerk's tale, a dream come true. I'll talk with the salesman whose poetic outlook on his day job is bringing him fame and success. Twenty-three years this dream in the making.
It's all ahead when CNN LIVE TODAY continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: We turn now to the war on terror. Authorities in Pakistan have arrested nine people, all believed linked to al Qaeda. And all accused of recent deadly attacks, including bombings over the past few weeks. One suspect is said to be a nephew of Khalid Sheikh Muhammad, the alleged mastermind of the September 11 attacks. The raid also netted weapons and explosives.
The Pentagon today rolls out the red carpet for Afghanistan's president. But Hamid Karzai's focus on this American visit is not just military might, also developments in democracy.
Our Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr joins us now with more.
Barbara, good morning.
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Daryn. Well, Hamid Karzai comes to the Pentagon later today. But part of the focus, as you say, will be rebuilding part -- will be the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan. For the last several weeks now, the fighting has been heating up.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STARR (voice-over): The number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan has doubled to nearly 20,000 in recent weeks. The long awaited spring offensive now under way in June, a senior Pentagon official tells CNN. Some question the timing. Is this the last push to find Osama bin Laden before the November? Did the White House put Afghanistan on the back burner because of the Iraq insurgency?
PETER MANIKAS, NAT'L. DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTE: It really fell off the radar screen, didn't it? That's very unfortunate, I think.
STARR: Now plenty of action. In the last three weeks, U.S. warplanes have dropped more than 20 tons of bombs, and fired more than 7,000 airborne cannon rounds at targets near Kandahar, near Shkin, along the Pakistan border and near Tarin Kowt. A U.S. military official says insurgents are fighting in unexpected ways. Recently Marines encountered more than 100 anti- coalition forces northeast of Kandahar, one of the largest groupings of enemy forces in months. And new attacks on civilians in areas that were thought to be safe. Five aid workers with the group, Doctors Without Borders, killed in northwest Afghanistan. Eleven Chinese road workers killed in northern Afghanistan when gunmen stormed their camp.
U.S. intelligence officials say remnants of the Taliban and al Qaeda continue trying to disrupt September elections.
HAMID KARZAI, PRESIDENT, AFGHANISTAN: We need more security assistance forces for our bases in Afghanistan. We hope that the NATO deployment, which is being considered, will take place before elections.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: So what about Osama bin Laden? Well, trying to find him does remain a military priority. Now, there was a thought earlier this past winter, that they had some leads on where he might be hiding. But by all accounts, that al Qaeda mastermind has once again slipped into the mist -- Daryn.
KAGAN: And that story will continue. Barbara Starr at the Pentagon.
Is your nest filling back up? Gerri Willis is here for a look at that.
GERRI WILLIS, CNNFN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: That's right, Daryn. If your kids coming home for the summer and they plan on living with you, we'll tell you how to manage that boomerang kid when we return.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: All right. Parents, they're calling them boomerang kids. Just when mom and dad are feeling the freedom, the adult kids come knocking on the door, sheepskins in hand, looking for room, board and lots of support.
CNNFN personal finance editor Gerri Willis joins us with the "Top Five Tips" parents, for dealing with that overcrowded nest.
And Gerri, as we get started, I guess we should talk about just how long do these boomerang kids plan to move back in with mom and dad.
WILLIS: Well, you know, that's a great question. Check this out. You're seeing that kids plan to spend a lot of time, more than a year, 22 percent. Can you imagine that? It's insane. So, I know parents out there are saying, what can I do? Understand, No. 1, we are in the age of boomerang kids. That's right. According to a new survey, some 40 percent of kids expect to come home, live with mom and dad. And the main reason, of course, is economic. Only 10 percent of this year's graduating classes actually getting jobs. So these kids feel like they've got to come home -- Daryn.
KAGAN: All right. I can't point fingers on this one, because I'm one of the kids who did move back home after graduation. And we did actually do your No. 2 tip here. And that is setting ground rules. We made a contract about what each one of us expected.
WILLIS: That's right. You know, you've got to set ground rules with these kids, because you want to make sure that they understand that they have responsibilities when they move back in with you. You can even charge them rent, and believe it or not. It's actually a good idea; even if it's just a minimal amount of money, say 10 bucks or something like that. And then when they get ready to leave, you can give that money back. And they can use it to start their new home.
You want to make sure you set some ground rules so they know that they have responsibilities above and beyond when they used to live with you when they were younger.
KAGAN: Very good. We're going to get to tip No. 3 in just a second. But first of all, we do want our viewers to know we're following breaking news out of the Supreme Court. And that is the Supreme Court has dismissed the Pledge of Allegiance case. And apparently, it has done it on a technicality, without deciding the key issue, whether or not it was involving religion in government, to have grade school children in Sacramento recite the Pledge with the two word's "under God." So we're going to get much more from Supreme Court in a moment.
But because we multi-task here at CNN, let's get to No. 3. For the parents, and say, you know, don't sacrifice your own future.
WILLIS: That's right. I think it's easy, Daryn, for parents to think, well you know, I'll pay off their credit card bill. Or I'll let them live here for free. But at the end of the day, you may be only a few years from retirement, while these kids have years and years to plan for their financial future. So make sure that they participate paying their way as they go.
And you might even want to think about some financial counseling for these kids. If may be an assistance if part of the reason they're back is that they just had big financial problems.
KAGAN: Well, and they might need some mental health counseling when they find out, they get this, your parents are people, too.
(LAUGHTER)
WILLIS: You bet, Daryn.
KAGAN: Oh, no, don't say it.
WILLIS: Well you know, we heard a lot of stories when we were reporting this about kids who come home, they don't think about parking, you know, parking right where their parents park. Taking advantage, really, of their parents, you know, help and good wishes. So make sure you think about your parents as well when you come home.
And one thing that you can do to prove that you're actually thinking ahead is to think about insurance. A lot of kids out there, they stay on their parents' health insurance, auto insurance. You want to make sure that you're paying your way there as well. And you'll have to, for example, if your car's in your own name, you can't get the free ride from mom and dad. You'll have to pay for your own insurance. KAGAN: And just really quickly to wrap up, Ger, I'm just going to do it for you. Make the best of it if the kids are moving back home, go ahead and enjoy.
We're going to cut it short ...
WILLIS: OK.
KAGAN: ... because we have breaking news out of the Supreme Court. Jacqui Jeras -- Jacqui Jeras is here. Sorry, Gerri Willis, thank you for that.
Now, we go to the Supreme Court and let's bring in our Bob Franken on this decision by the Supreme Court.
Bob, they avoided the big issue with the Pledge of Allegiance case.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: They avoided the big issue. But they made a ruling that has large consequence, which is that people of the United States, children in school may continue to be required to say the Pledge of Allegiance, and insert the words "under God. But the challenge, which came from Michael Newdow, had raised the First Amendment issues. Instead, the Supreme Court in effect punted. That's not a legal term.
But what they decided is that "as a divorced parent," quoting now from Justice John Paul Stevens, "he lacks prudential stallenge -- prudential standing to challenge the school district's policy in federal court." Because California courts have ruled that he was not the custodial parent. He did not have the standing, that is a legal term, to make this ruling. Several justices filed concurring opinions.
They dealt more thoroughly with the question about the Pledge Of Allegiance. Of course, the issue -- the issue that everybody paid attention to was the ruling that it was an unlawful, unconstitutional insertion of religion by the government into public discourse. As you pointed out, the Court decided that it would take the very narrow ruling. But the effect is the same. The Ninth Circuit, the California appellate court has overturned the appeals court that is based on the West Coast. The Pledge of Allegiance will still be allowed to be recited in the classroom -- Daryn.
KAGAN: And twice before the Supreme Court has decided that the Pledge of Allegiance is constitutional. So that will be the law of the land, it appears. FRANKEN: So far, at least at this particular point. There has been an argument that has gone back quite a while that there are certain uses of the word "God," that amounts to a "ceremonial deity," to quote a justice from times past. That is to say that they are now advocacies of religion -- they're not advocacies of religion. What they really are, are just ceremonial, that they do not necessarily be used to be persuasive in any way. "Under God," has always been defended on that ground. But in this particular case, the ruling was strictly a family court ruling.
KAGAN: There you go. Bob Franken at the Supreme Court, thank you for that.
We have our legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin with us on the phone, watching the story unfold as it does.
Jeff, good morning.
JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: Hi, Daryn.
KAGAN: Of course, we're looking at this to see the issues of free speech. The issue of government and religion. But I think another interesting one is coming out. And that is, as the Supreme Court tosses this out, saying this parent does not have standing to sue on behalf of his child, because the parents were never married. It's a custodial issue. Is this going to have an impact for the millions of families that are not formed under what would be considered traditional roles?
TOOBIN: I would be surprised if it did. I think this is basically a -- this ticket for this bus only decision. That it probably will not have long-lasting impact on family law. I think the real issue here is the Court wanted to get this issue behind it. The Pledge of Allegiance stands. Kids can recite it in California and every other state. And I think that's what the Court wanted to do. So they found a real narrow technicality on which to rule.
But I think I haven't read the full opinion yet. It's been only a few minutes since it's been out. But my guess is, it's very closely tied to the facts of this case, and not a broad application.
KAGAN: Other interesting thing about this case, the man who brought it, Newdow. He argued himself before the Supreme Court. Unusual move, and perhaps not a good one?
TOOBIN: Very unusual move. Well, he got a very unexpected success in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals arguing himself. So, it's no surprise that he wanted to try to duplicate that magic in front of the nine justices. And he actually did somewhat credibly in front of the justices. But I think, given the overwhelming reaction to the Ninth Circuit's decision striking down the use of the words "under God," a decision that really crossed all political boundaries and even constitutional scholars on all sides, really rejected that decision. I think any -- even the best lawyer in the world would have had a tough time with this case. He was destined to lose. This case goes out kind of with a whimper rather than a bang, because it's a procedural ruling. But the point is, the Pledge of Allegiance stands, he lost his case, and the status quo is returned.
KAGAN: Jeffrey Toobin joining us by phone from New York. Jeffrey, thank you for that.
An unveiling, President Clinton's portrait goes on display. We'll go live to the White House next. Wait until you see all who's there.
CNN LIVE TODAY is back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Aired June 14, 2004 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Good Morning. Let's get started here at CNN headquarters in Atlanta. I'm Daryn Kagan.
Senior military officials in Iraq say that Western contractors were apparently the targets of a massive car bomb in central Baghdad. At least 13 people were killed, and 60 others wounded in the rush hour attack. Five foreign nationals were killed. Reportedly including two British citizens and one French national and an American. General Electric says that three employees of a subsidiary company and two security contractors are among the dead.
Newly revealed military documents suggest that concerns over Iraqi prisoner abuse actually surfaced two months earlier than the Pentagon claims. That's according to "The New York Times," which cites interviews with military personnel, who worked at the Abu Ghraib prison. Several unidentified military intelligence soldiers alleged that at least 20 accounts of mistreatment, including the beatings of five blinded -- blindfolded Iraqi generals.
The U.S. military has freed another 650 prisoners from Abu Ghraib. It is the fifth major release since the scandal erupted. The U.S. military says it will release or transfer as many as 1,400 detainees before the scheduled handover of power on June 30.
Here in the U.S., a court hearing is set to get under way in Alabama for accused serial bomber Eric Rudolph. His defense attorneys are seeking a change of venue, saying media coverage will make it impossible to seat an impartial jury. Rudolph could face the death penalty, if he's convicted of the 1998 abortion clinic bombing in Birmingham.
Live this hour, history to be unveiled at the White House. At the bottom of the hour, the nation will see the work of the first African-American painter to be commissioned for a presidential portrait. It will be of Bill Clinton. His successor President Bush will take part in that ceremony.
It is another day and another deadly car bombing in Iraq, common perhaps, but no less horrifying. And still a great concern with the handover to an interim Iraqi government now just over two weeks away.
Live now to Guy Raz, who's in Baghdad with details on today's attack -- Guy.
GUY RAZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, good morning. And for the second time in 24 hours, another devastating car bombing in Baghdad. This time, right in the heart of the commercial district, about a half-mile from where we're located. Now, according to General Electric, three of those killed in today's attacks were employees of the company. Two others were security guards working with the GE employees. Now, 13 people in total, at least 13 people, were killed in that bombing.
And we understand that a three-vehicle convoy carrying electrical workers, contractors here working on the electrical sector in Iraq, were targeted by that bomb. Now, many, many other Iraqis, about 50 people in total, were wounded as well in that devastating blast that ripped apart shop fronts and buildings on Liberation Square in the center of Baghdad, leaving many Iraqis buried under rubble and debris.
Now, U.S. forces had arrived on the scene to begin evacuating the wounded and the dead. But an angry mob of Iraqis converged on the scene, began to denounce the American soldiers there, chanting anti- American slogans as well. And the U.S. forces evacuated in order to not exacerbate an already tense situation. Now, we understand that some of those who had converged on the scene, some of those angry Iraqis also took part in looting, and other attacks. At least one car was set alight.
Now, Daryn, this really is a part of a wave of attacks, assassination attempts and bombings that have swept over, not only the capital here, but across the country just weeks before interim power is handed over to an Iraqi government -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Guy, if you could explain a little bit more, something that I think is difficult for Americans to understand this, the anti- American sentiment. Clearly, it was not an American who was the suicide bomber. And yet an attack like this happens and it brings up anti-American protests.
RAZ: Daryn, it's a very good question. And a very difficult one to answer. Because in some ways, Iraqis are informed by -- by and large at times, by these kinds of conspiracy theories. Very often American reporters, western reporters, western soldiers, coalition forces turn up at the scene and find that they are the target of the anger, and the outrage by those gathered around these bombing sites. Many people believe that foreign agents are responsible for these attacks, whether they are western agents or other Arabs from the region.
But Iraqis by and large, do not believe that other Iraqis are responsible for these attacks. And it's a very complex kind of idea. But it's really the reality on the ground here -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Guy Raz in Baghdad. Guy, thank you.
We move on now to another Middle Eastern country that is turning out to be dangerous for Americans, Saudi Arabia. The search is on there for a Lockheed Martin employee, apparently kidnapped by a group that also claims it has killed another American.
Sean Callebs has the latest on that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A stoic expression, the kind that could be attached to anyone's driver's license. This is how the world is getting to know 49-year-old, Lockheed Martin employee Paul Johnson, after suspected terrorists placed the information on the web. For 10 years, according to his family, Johnson worked in Saudi Arabia, until his apparent kidnapping.
A group calling itself al Fallujah Squadron said Johnson was targeted because he worked for a U.S. defense contractor. More anti- American violence this week. Two other U.S. citizens killed who also worked in the defense industry, including 63-year-old Robert Jacobs. Terrorists posted a videotape on a militant Islamic Web site of what they claim is Jacobs being shot in the back multiple times, followed by what appeared to be sawing motions at the victim's neck.
COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: It's a troubling time in Saudi Arabia. And I know that the Saudis are doing everything they can to deal with this terrorist threat.
CALLEBS: Saudi Arabia and the U.S. are working together to resolve the kidnapping, halt the recent spate of violence in the kingdom, and do what they can to make sure Saudi Arabia's vast oil supplies are not interrupted. In recent weeks, al Qaeda has made it clear it was targeting the oil sector. U.S. officials are now concerned this might represent a shift to attacking private citizens in other industries. Saudi ambassador to the United States, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, calls the attacks against U.S. citizens "craven acts of evil, designed to frighten away our friends and allies." Administration officials agree.
CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: It is like many places in the world right now, a place in which terrorists are trying to make their mark. We are doing everything that we can with the Saudis to try and protect those who are there.
SEN. PAT ROBERTS (R-KS), INTELLIGENCE CHAIRMAN: I think the terrorists understand that if they attack the oil infrastructure that really presents a problem for the United States. And they are kidnapping or killing Americans that they can.
CALLEBS (on camera): The U.S. Embassy says it believes the recent attacks against U.S. citizens involved extensive planning, including surveillance of the victims. This is leading the embassy to warn U.S. citizens still in the area to lie low, and always be aware of their surroundings in these dangerous times.
Sean Callebs, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: Members of Paul Johnson's family are waiting for word on his fate.
Our Gary Tuchman has been talking with one of Johnson's children. Gary joins us from Brevard County, Florida. Gary, good morning.
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, good morning to you. The yellow ribbons are still here but Paul Johnson's son, who lives in this house, is no longer here for the time being. He left about an hour and a half ago to fly to New Jersey to be with other family members. And he says he will stay there until there's a resolution to this sad case.
His father, Paul Johnson, Jr., kidnapped on Saturday. He's been in Saudi Arabia for much of the last 10 years working for the contractor Lockheed Martin. Came in the same week that two Americans were murdered in the desert kingdom. About 90 minutes ago, the son came out here and spoke to us, and he fought back tears while he was talking.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAUL JOHNSON III, SON OF KIDNAPPING VICTIM: It's very hard for us to cope with something like this. I've never been through nothing like this in my whole life. And I don't know nobody that has, you know? And so it's very hard. And like I said, you know, I really appreciate you guys keeping my father's name fresh with everybody. I think that's very important, that nobody forgets about it, you know. And we just all got to pray.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TUCHMAN: The younger Paul Johnson is going up to the Jersey shore with his sister to visit his father's father, and his father's brother. And they will all stay together to offer each other comfort. He does tell us that he's been getting regular contact from Lockheed Martin and from the U.S. State Department. But they have absolutely no information about the status of his father -- Daryn.
KAGAN: And so Gary, you mentioned that Paul Johnson, Jr., has spent about 10 years working in Saudi Arabia. There had been warnings for American citizens to get out of there. Did his son talk about whether his father had considered that?
TUCHMAN: Well, his son did talk to us a little bit about what his father might have been going through. But he can only make suppositions. He said to us that he thinks his father perhaps let his guard down a little bit. And then referring to other civilians, or in countries like Saudi Arabia and Iraq, the son, the younger Paul Johnson, told us he doesn't think any civilians, any American civilians should still be there.
KAGAN: Gary Tuchman in Brevard County in Florida, thank you for that.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai visits the U.S. So how well is the mission in Afghanistan going? We'll have a live report from the Pentagon.
Plus, history unveiled amid very interesting company. President Clinton on an official portrait. We're going to take you there live. President Bush will be there as well.
And this...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Behind us the moon pauses over the vast egg- like dome of the mall. See us loosening our ties among you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: And this, a clerk's tale, a dream come true. I'll talk with the salesman whose poetic outlook on his day job is bringing him fame and success. Twenty-three years this dream in the making.
It's all ahead when CNN LIVE TODAY continues.
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KAGAN: We turn now to the war on terror. Authorities in Pakistan have arrested nine people, all believed linked to al Qaeda. And all accused of recent deadly attacks, including bombings over the past few weeks. One suspect is said to be a nephew of Khalid Sheikh Muhammad, the alleged mastermind of the September 11 attacks. The raid also netted weapons and explosives.
The Pentagon today rolls out the red carpet for Afghanistan's president. But Hamid Karzai's focus on this American visit is not just military might, also developments in democracy.
Our Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr joins us now with more.
Barbara, good morning.
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Daryn. Well, Hamid Karzai comes to the Pentagon later today. But part of the focus, as you say, will be rebuilding part -- will be the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan. For the last several weeks now, the fighting has been heating up.
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STARR (voice-over): The number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan has doubled to nearly 20,000 in recent weeks. The long awaited spring offensive now under way in June, a senior Pentagon official tells CNN. Some question the timing. Is this the last push to find Osama bin Laden before the November? Did the White House put Afghanistan on the back burner because of the Iraq insurgency?
PETER MANIKAS, NAT'L. DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTE: It really fell off the radar screen, didn't it? That's very unfortunate, I think.
STARR: Now plenty of action. In the last three weeks, U.S. warplanes have dropped more than 20 tons of bombs, and fired more than 7,000 airborne cannon rounds at targets near Kandahar, near Shkin, along the Pakistan border and near Tarin Kowt. A U.S. military official says insurgents are fighting in unexpected ways. Recently Marines encountered more than 100 anti- coalition forces northeast of Kandahar, one of the largest groupings of enemy forces in months. And new attacks on civilians in areas that were thought to be safe. Five aid workers with the group, Doctors Without Borders, killed in northwest Afghanistan. Eleven Chinese road workers killed in northern Afghanistan when gunmen stormed their camp.
U.S. intelligence officials say remnants of the Taliban and al Qaeda continue trying to disrupt September elections.
HAMID KARZAI, PRESIDENT, AFGHANISTAN: We need more security assistance forces for our bases in Afghanistan. We hope that the NATO deployment, which is being considered, will take place before elections.
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STARR: So what about Osama bin Laden? Well, trying to find him does remain a military priority. Now, there was a thought earlier this past winter, that they had some leads on where he might be hiding. But by all accounts, that al Qaeda mastermind has once again slipped into the mist -- Daryn.
KAGAN: And that story will continue. Barbara Starr at the Pentagon.
Is your nest filling back up? Gerri Willis is here for a look at that.
GERRI WILLIS, CNNFN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: That's right, Daryn. If your kids coming home for the summer and they plan on living with you, we'll tell you how to manage that boomerang kid when we return.
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KAGAN: All right. Parents, they're calling them boomerang kids. Just when mom and dad are feeling the freedom, the adult kids come knocking on the door, sheepskins in hand, looking for room, board and lots of support.
CNNFN personal finance editor Gerri Willis joins us with the "Top Five Tips" parents, for dealing with that overcrowded nest.
And Gerri, as we get started, I guess we should talk about just how long do these boomerang kids plan to move back in with mom and dad.
WILLIS: Well, you know, that's a great question. Check this out. You're seeing that kids plan to spend a lot of time, more than a year, 22 percent. Can you imagine that? It's insane. So, I know parents out there are saying, what can I do? Understand, No. 1, we are in the age of boomerang kids. That's right. According to a new survey, some 40 percent of kids expect to come home, live with mom and dad. And the main reason, of course, is economic. Only 10 percent of this year's graduating classes actually getting jobs. So these kids feel like they've got to come home -- Daryn.
KAGAN: All right. I can't point fingers on this one, because I'm one of the kids who did move back home after graduation. And we did actually do your No. 2 tip here. And that is setting ground rules. We made a contract about what each one of us expected.
WILLIS: That's right. You know, you've got to set ground rules with these kids, because you want to make sure that they understand that they have responsibilities when they move back in with you. You can even charge them rent, and believe it or not. It's actually a good idea; even if it's just a minimal amount of money, say 10 bucks or something like that. And then when they get ready to leave, you can give that money back. And they can use it to start their new home.
You want to make sure you set some ground rules so they know that they have responsibilities above and beyond when they used to live with you when they were younger.
KAGAN: Very good. We're going to get to tip No. 3 in just a second. But first of all, we do want our viewers to know we're following breaking news out of the Supreme Court. And that is the Supreme Court has dismissed the Pledge of Allegiance case. And apparently, it has done it on a technicality, without deciding the key issue, whether or not it was involving religion in government, to have grade school children in Sacramento recite the Pledge with the two word's "under God." So we're going to get much more from Supreme Court in a moment.
But because we multi-task here at CNN, let's get to No. 3. For the parents, and say, you know, don't sacrifice your own future.
WILLIS: That's right. I think it's easy, Daryn, for parents to think, well you know, I'll pay off their credit card bill. Or I'll let them live here for free. But at the end of the day, you may be only a few years from retirement, while these kids have years and years to plan for their financial future. So make sure that they participate paying their way as they go.
And you might even want to think about some financial counseling for these kids. If may be an assistance if part of the reason they're back is that they just had big financial problems.
KAGAN: Well, and they might need some mental health counseling when they find out, they get this, your parents are people, too.
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WILLIS: You bet, Daryn.
KAGAN: Oh, no, don't say it.
WILLIS: Well you know, we heard a lot of stories when we were reporting this about kids who come home, they don't think about parking, you know, parking right where their parents park. Taking advantage, really, of their parents, you know, help and good wishes. So make sure you think about your parents as well when you come home.
And one thing that you can do to prove that you're actually thinking ahead is to think about insurance. A lot of kids out there, they stay on their parents' health insurance, auto insurance. You want to make sure that you're paying your way there as well. And you'll have to, for example, if your car's in your own name, you can't get the free ride from mom and dad. You'll have to pay for your own insurance. KAGAN: And just really quickly to wrap up, Ger, I'm just going to do it for you. Make the best of it if the kids are moving back home, go ahead and enjoy.
We're going to cut it short ...
WILLIS: OK.
KAGAN: ... because we have breaking news out of the Supreme Court. Jacqui Jeras -- Jacqui Jeras is here. Sorry, Gerri Willis, thank you for that.
Now, we go to the Supreme Court and let's bring in our Bob Franken on this decision by the Supreme Court.
Bob, they avoided the big issue with the Pledge of Allegiance case.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: They avoided the big issue. But they made a ruling that has large consequence, which is that people of the United States, children in school may continue to be required to say the Pledge of Allegiance, and insert the words "under God. But the challenge, which came from Michael Newdow, had raised the First Amendment issues. Instead, the Supreme Court in effect punted. That's not a legal term.
But what they decided is that "as a divorced parent," quoting now from Justice John Paul Stevens, "he lacks prudential stallenge -- prudential standing to challenge the school district's policy in federal court." Because California courts have ruled that he was not the custodial parent. He did not have the standing, that is a legal term, to make this ruling. Several justices filed concurring opinions.
They dealt more thoroughly with the question about the Pledge Of Allegiance. Of course, the issue -- the issue that everybody paid attention to was the ruling that it was an unlawful, unconstitutional insertion of religion by the government into public discourse. As you pointed out, the Court decided that it would take the very narrow ruling. But the effect is the same. The Ninth Circuit, the California appellate court has overturned the appeals court that is based on the West Coast. The Pledge of Allegiance will still be allowed to be recited in the classroom -- Daryn.
KAGAN: And twice before the Supreme Court has decided that the Pledge of Allegiance is constitutional. So that will be the law of the land, it appears. FRANKEN: So far, at least at this particular point. There has been an argument that has gone back quite a while that there are certain uses of the word "God," that amounts to a "ceremonial deity," to quote a justice from times past. That is to say that they are now advocacies of religion -- they're not advocacies of religion. What they really are, are just ceremonial, that they do not necessarily be used to be persuasive in any way. "Under God," has always been defended on that ground. But in this particular case, the ruling was strictly a family court ruling.
KAGAN: There you go. Bob Franken at the Supreme Court, thank you for that.
We have our legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin with us on the phone, watching the story unfold as it does.
Jeff, good morning.
JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: Hi, Daryn.
KAGAN: Of course, we're looking at this to see the issues of free speech. The issue of government and religion. But I think another interesting one is coming out. And that is, as the Supreme Court tosses this out, saying this parent does not have standing to sue on behalf of his child, because the parents were never married. It's a custodial issue. Is this going to have an impact for the millions of families that are not formed under what would be considered traditional roles?
TOOBIN: I would be surprised if it did. I think this is basically a -- this ticket for this bus only decision. That it probably will not have long-lasting impact on family law. I think the real issue here is the Court wanted to get this issue behind it. The Pledge of Allegiance stands. Kids can recite it in California and every other state. And I think that's what the Court wanted to do. So they found a real narrow technicality on which to rule.
But I think I haven't read the full opinion yet. It's been only a few minutes since it's been out. But my guess is, it's very closely tied to the facts of this case, and not a broad application.
KAGAN: Other interesting thing about this case, the man who brought it, Newdow. He argued himself before the Supreme Court. Unusual move, and perhaps not a good one?
TOOBIN: Very unusual move. Well, he got a very unexpected success in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals arguing himself. So, it's no surprise that he wanted to try to duplicate that magic in front of the nine justices. And he actually did somewhat credibly in front of the justices. But I think, given the overwhelming reaction to the Ninth Circuit's decision striking down the use of the words "under God," a decision that really crossed all political boundaries and even constitutional scholars on all sides, really rejected that decision. I think any -- even the best lawyer in the world would have had a tough time with this case. He was destined to lose. This case goes out kind of with a whimper rather than a bang, because it's a procedural ruling. But the point is, the Pledge of Allegiance stands, he lost his case, and the status quo is returned.
KAGAN: Jeffrey Toobin joining us by phone from New York. Jeffrey, thank you for that.
An unveiling, President Clinton's portrait goes on display. We'll go live to the White House next. Wait until you see all who's there.
CNN LIVE TODAY is back after this.
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