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CNN Live Today
Two 9/11 Commission Members On Capitol Hill; Three Americans Charged With Running An Afghani Vigilante Operation; Comedians Tour With Troops
Aired July 21, 2004 - 10:58 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.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Here's a look at what's happening now in the news.
Saudi authorities find the head of a murdered American contractor during raids against suspected militants. The Saudi Interior Ministry confirmed the discovery within the past few hours. Paul Johnson was a contractor for Lockheed Martin who was kidnapped and beheaded in Saudi Arabia last month.
The Palestinian Parliament is calling on Yasser Arafat to accept his prime minister's resignation. The legislature passed a resolution today during a week of turmoil in Gaza. Lawmakers are pressuring Arafat to relinquish some of his power and form a new cabinet better equipped to handle the internal strife.
Just over an hour ago, President Bush signed a bill designed to defend against bioweapons attacks. The new law sets up a $5.5 billion program known as Project Bioshield. The goal is to develop and stockpile vaccines and antidotes to biological and chemical weapons attacks.
Iraqi officials say two people were killed and four others were wounded today when a hospital was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade. The RPG struck the seventh floor of the Medical City Hospital in Baghdad.
Keeping you informed, this is CNN, the most trusted name in news.
It's 11 a.m. on the east coast, 8 a.m. out west. From the CNN center in Atlanta, I'm Fredricka Whitfield, in today for Daryn Kagan.
Up first on CNN, bracing for the release of the 9/11 report. It comes out tomorrow, but the Bush administration gets briefed on it later today. And findings of the 9/11 Commission are already generating discussion on Capitol Hill, and that's where we find CNN Congressional correspondent Joe Johns at this hour.
Hello to you, Joe.
JOE JOHNS, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Fredricka.
The two top members of the 9/11 Commission back on Capitol Hill today, more briefings in advance of the release of their report, speaking this morning with the top Democrats in the House of Representatives, also expected to meet with a bipartisan group of United States Senators.
That report, of course, expected to detail the numerous missed opportunities that the United States had before 9/11, opportunities to try to ferret out the men who were planning this operation. It's also expected to call for an overhaul of U.S. intelligence and suggest a cabinet-level intelligence chief, and it is expected to prompt a lobbying campaign of sorts by members of the 9/11 Commission to institute certain reforms.
But the main thing this morning, at least, the issue of missed opportunities. Republicans met with the top members of the commission last night. They talked to reporters after that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. DENNIS HASTERT (R-IL), HOUSE SPEAKER: I think the interesting thing in our discussion is that, yes, we knew that there were Khobar Towers, and we knew that there was a World Trade tower, and we knew about Osama bin Laden, and we knew about all of these happenings around the world.
I guess it really comes down to nobody thought that anybody would be as seditious as those people who bombed this -- who used our airplanes as weapons.
REP. TOM DELAY (R-TX), MAJORITY LEADER: They stressed that the report is not a blame game, that there was failures on all fronts, and -- but what I heard was what most of us already knew.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JOHNS: Now, the talk about reforms has already gotten underway here on Capitol Hill. Leading the way, the issue of national director of intelligence. Senator Dianne Feinstein of California has proposed legislation to create such a position. She talked about that yesterday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. DIANNE FEINSTEIN (D), CALIFORNIA: The DNI would determine, manage, and carry out the scope of a mission throughout the entire intelligence community, break down the stovepipes, set a structure and methodology for communication across the chain of command, and be responsible to see that collection and analysis of dots leads to the most accurate product possible.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JOHNS: Now, Democrats are expected out of that meeting with the top members of the 9/11 Commission in just a little while, and we will get back to you on what they're saying about that briefing. Fredricka?
WHITFIELD: All right. Joe Johns, on Capitol Hill, thanks very much. And this just in, being reported now from the Associated Press, that a militant group in Iraq says that it has taken two Kenyans, three Indians, and an Egyptian hostage and would behead them if those countries don't withdraw troops from Iraq.
However, sources are telling CNN that none of those countries -- Kenya, India, or Egypt -- have troops in Iraq. We're still working on this story, but this now coming out from the Associated Press on the abduction of these individuals -- six individuals. And we'll have more on that as we get it.
A former national security advisor under federal investigation says he was trying to help, not hinder, the 9/11 Commission. Samuel Berger says he made an honest mistake when he removed top secret documents from the National Archives last year. Berger was reviewing the documents for the 9/11 panel. His attorney says Berger has cooperated in the search for the missing material.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LANNY BREUER, SAMUEL BERGER'S ATTORNEY: From the very beginning, since October, when the Archives notified us that a couple of the documents were missing, Sandy Berger looked for those documents.
We found a couple of copies. We don't know if there were other copies, how many there were, and we know that they must have been accidentally discarded.
Sandy Berger immediately searched for them. We immediately searched for them. Months later, the government decided to search for them, as well. And it's clear that when Sandy Berger inadvertently took the memorandum with him -- the copies of the memorandum with him that a couple of copies were in his office. We found those. Those were immediately returned, and the others must have been accidentally thrown away.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Now Berger stepped down from his role as an advisor to John Kerry's presidential campaign.
Kerry issued a statement saying, "Sandy Berger is my friend, and he has tirelessly served this nation with honor and distinction. I respect his decision to step aside as an advisor to the campaign until this matter is resolved objectively and fairly" -- those words from John Kerry.
Republicans were quick to pounce on news of the Berger investigation. Some are raising questions about whether Berger provided classified information to the Kerry campaign. And House Speaker Dennis Hastert suggests that Berger may have tried to conceal damaging information from the 9/11 panel.
He says, "Did these documents detail simple negligence or did they contain something more sinister? Was this a bungled attempt to rewrite history and keep critical information from the 9/11 commission," those words from Dennis Hastert.
A raid targeting suspected militants in Saudi Arabia leads to a gruesome discovery. Saudi authorities say they have found the head of murdered American contractor Paul Johnson in a freezer during a raid on a villa. Johnson was working for Lockheed Martin when he was kidnapped by militants last month and beheaded.
As for the raid, Saudi officials say two suspected militants were killed and the wife of the fifth most wanted terrorist in the kingdom was arrested. But the interior ministry would not confirm whether Saleh al-Oufi, who is the fifth most wanted man, might be among those killed or wounded.
The latest news from Iraq now is that Angelo de la Cruz is no longer there. The former hostage left Iraq today and was taken to the United Arab Emirates to be reunited with his wife and brother. Eventually, they will return to their native Philippines.
U.S. Marine Corporal Wassef Ali Hassoun is back at his home base at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Hassoun had been at the Marine base in Quantico, Virginia, since returning to the U.S. from Lebanon. He says he was abducted from his post near Fallujah in June and held captive for nearly three weeks. The military is still investigating.
Nine hundred three U.S. troops have now died in Iraq. The latest was a soldier killed today near Baghdad by a roadside bomb. Six soldiers were wounded.
In Afghanistan now, a trial began today for three Americans accused of running an illegal jail in Kabul. The U.S. has disavowed any connection with the men, but the alleged ringleader tells a much different story claiming high-level contacts at the Pentagon.
CNN's Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr joins us from the Pentagon with the latest -- Barbara?
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, hello to you, Fredricka.
Yes, another mysterious story in the war on terrorism -- three Americans inside a courtroom in Afghanistan today. The U.S. -- the Afghans say they were running a vigilante operation, their own jail, taking Afghans in to custody.
They are charged with torture and other offenses. But the Americans say no, they say that they were working with the knowledge of the U.S. government.
One of the men, Jonathan Keith Idema, a former member of Army Special Forces, continues to claim that he was working this situation with the knowledge of the U.S. Military.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Who were you working for, then? JONATHAN IDEMA, DEFENDANT: We were working for the U.S. counter terrorist group and working with the Pentagon and some other federal agencies.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So you were working -- you were working with U.S. knowledge, with U.S. government knowledge?
IDEMA: We were in touch with the Pentagon, sometimes five times a day at the highest level, every day.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: But of course, the Pentagon and the United States military say that is not the case. This man charged with hostage taking and torture in Afghanistan.
Officials say he had no current relationship to the United States military. In fact, several days ago in Afghanistan, the U.S. Military issued a statement about this man saying, "U.S. citizen Jonathan K. Idema has allegedly represented himself as an American government and/or military official. The public should be aware that Idema does not represent the American government, and we do not employ him."
In fact, Army Special Forces say he has not been with the U.S. Army in over 20 years. And they insist whatever he was doing in Afghanistan was not sanctioned by the Pentagon or the U.S. Military -- Fred?
WHITFIELD: So Barbara, if none were employed by the U.S. Military or the U.S. government, have there been answers as to who has financed these individuals actually being in Afghanistan?
STARR: Who is actually financing them, who is behind all of it if anybody but the three of them is not really known at this time. The U.S. government officials are very adamant that is their strong belief they were essentially running a rogue, vigilante operation in Kabul, Afghanistan.
Basically a prison in a house where they went and took Afghan people off the street, held them there, questioned them and that it had no -- no relation to official U.S. government or Afghan business -- Fredricka?
WHITFIELD: Quite remarkable. Barbara Starr from the Pentagon, thanks very much.
And this programming note: U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has scheduled a news conference for about two hours from now. We'll carry it live from the Pentagon when it gets under way. And that's scheduled for 1:25 Eastern time, 10:25 Pacific.
In the Middle East now, Israel continues construction today on a barrier along the West Bank in defiance of a non-binding U.N. resolution calling for the barrier to be dismantled.
Passage of the Palestinian-backed measure follows a non-binding opinion by the World Court that the barrier is illegal. Palestinian officials praised the U.N. action as historic, but Israeli officials dismissed it as unrealistic.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DORE GOLD, SHARON ADVISOR: We have to understand the effect of this resolution. What it essentially does is it removes the defensive shield of Israel to protect its citizens, while doing nothing tangible to stop the sort of terrorism that's been drawn against us. And that can only destabilize the situation here in the Middle East if that defensive shield is removed.
SAEB ERAKAT, CHIEF PALESTINIAN NEGOTIATOR: This is a message from the international community to all Palestinians. You are not alone. They're dealing with them in the resolution. Don't use violence. Abandon the ways of violence.
We're with you in your struggle to achieve your independence through peaceful means, through a negotiated settlement. And this is why I believe this is an historic resolution and one of the most important resolutions of the General Assembly maybe since 1947.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Well so far, about 100 miles of the barrier have been built, which is roughly one-quarter of the plan total. Neither the opinion from the International Court of Justice nor yesterday's U.N. resolution is binding, meaning they cannot force Israel to halt construction or take the barrier down.
A pregnant woman disappears and the search begins; this time, it's happening in Utah. The latest on the search for a jogger who disappeared next.
Also: Parts of Los Angeles County continue to burn. We'll have the latest pictures and information from the fire lines there.
And later: What happens when two regular guys take on to two presidential candidates? If you haven't seen the answer on the Internet yet, you will. Meet one of the bizarre minds behind this when CNN LIVE TODAY returns.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(STOCK MARKET UPDATE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Police and volunteers are expanding the search for a missing Utah woman. Twenty-seven year-old Lori Kay Hacking, who is pregnant, was last seen Monday when she left home to go jogging.
Yesterday searchers scoured a park in Canyon area in Salt Lake City but found no signs of Hacking. This morning police say they're widening the search to other areas. Scott Peterson's infidelity becomes the focus once again in his murder trial. Prosecutors are trying to portray Peterson as a philanderer who didn't act like a grieving husband. Testimony is set to resume next hour.
CNN's Ted Rowlands is covering the trial in Redwood City, California -- Ted?
TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, when court resumes in about 45 minutes, we're expecting more police testimony.
Yesterday, both sides seemed to score points with jurors using police testimony. First off, Mark Geragos, Peterson's defense attorney, used a detective Ray Coyle to talk about the 200 plus sex offenders living within one mile of Laci and Scott Peterson's Modesto home.
Geragos implied that police investigating this case brushed over these potential suspects and didn't do a thorough job looking into each one of their stories or at least the ones that had some suspicion around them.
Next up was another police detective, Darren Ruskamp, and prosecutors were able to establish that the home of Scott and Laci Peterson changed in between two search warrants served at the house, the first one in late December of 2002, the next one in February 18th.
And specifically, they were concerned about the nursery. They say that Peterson used the nursery to store furniture and other items when they went back in February.
Peterson had said publicly that he couldn't go in the nursery because of the emotion surrounding his missing unborn child. They used that testimony to refute Peterson's claims that he was just too emotional to go into that room.
Then finally yesterday, detective Richard House took the stand. He established that Scott Peterson had taken out a mailbox -- rented a mailbox on December 23rd, the day before his wife was reported missing.
They say the only mail he received was a letter from Amber Frey. That letter came in early January. Detective House is expected to be back on the stand when court resumes here at 9:00 Pacific time -- Fredricka?
WHITFIELD: And Ted, speaking of Amber Frey, when is she expected to testify?
ROWLANDS: Well, it is now expected that she will not be here at least this week, most likely not next week either. It depends on which way the prosecution goes. There are a lot of facets in their case that have left to be brought out to the jury.
Amber Frey, of course the one big one that many people think they will finish with. If that's the case, she may not take the stand for weeks, but who knows? It's very tough to predict.
WHITFIELD: Ted Rowlands in Redwood City, California, thanks very much.
The battle still rages to contain raging wildfires. Up next, the latest pictures from the front line. Plus, a look at the weather that may or may not help in that fight.
And in a war zone, bombing on stage is the least of your worries. Just ask the guys who signed up to bring a little laughter to U.S. troops in Iraq.
We're coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: In Southern California, a big new wildfire has erupted in northern L.A. County. Hundreds of residents fled as winds pushed this latest fire across 5,000 acres of parched desert shrub.
Elsewhere, crews report 17,000 acre Lake Hughes fire is now about 95 percent contained. And a 6,000-acre blaze near Santa Clarita is about 80 percent contained.
It seems like no breakout there, out West for our friends there. Orelon Sidney, hopefully you have a positive forecast for them?
ORELON SIDNEY, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, I've got some good news and some not quite as good news -- really no bad news. The winds are really the main factor a lot of times this time of year when you're forecasting for fires, and when you get above 15 miles an hour, that's when it's kind of a critical point for firefighting.
(WEATHER BREAK)
SIDNEY: Fredricka?
WHITFIELD: All right. We'll look for that interesting tidbit. Thanks a lot, Orelon.
SIDNEY: You're welcome.
WHITFIELD: Well, war is not usually a laughing matter, but 12 comedians found plenty to chuckle about on a recent tour. And they also discovered that when it comes to entertaining the troops, comedy is serious business.
CNN's Frank Buckley reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
P.J. WALSH, COMIC: Well, I'll tell you this -- not everybody should be defending our country.
FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Military material part of the act of P.J. Walsh, the headliner at comedy night at a small club in Corona, California.
WALSH: Just join the Navy!
BUCKLEY: A recent gig far from here, providing plenty of new material.
Iraq was hilarious, at least for a few minutes. Every time war- weary soldiers got to see these guys on stage.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everybody having a good time? Good God, I got a cold.
BUCKLEY: They were part of a touring group of stand-ups called Comics on Duty. Forget Bob Hope -- these guys aren't stars. They're the comedic equivalent of grunts, who traveled like the troops, across Iraq and the Middle East doing 33 shows. At times, they brought new meaning to the term "bombing" on stage.
STEVE MAZAN, COMIC: So, you hear like (bugle impression) they're playing Dixie music and then boom, a big explosion. Boom -- another big explosion. Five seconds later (bugle impression). They just go right back into the music.
BUCKLEY: They played big groups and small, 12 people in 120- degree heat, their smallest gig; their difficult mission -- to make warriors laugh.
WALSH: Your heart just goes out for them. That's why you're going to give everything that you can...
BOB PERKELL, COMIC: Spills.
WALSH: ... everything that you can no matter how hot it is, no matter, you know, if there's two people there, we're there to get you away for a minute, and we're going to do it.
BUCKLEY: After each show they talked to the soldiers about home.
PERKELL: A guy actually had come up to us. He had tears in his eyes and he said, Thank you guys so much for what you do.
You know, he said, you're saving lives out here by keeping us out of our head for a couple of hours.
And I mean, there's no better feeling.
BUCKLEY: And Jeffrey Steele says all of them came back with more than new material.
JEFFREY STEELE, COMIC: It's been nothing short of a life changing experience for me.
BUCKLEY: As it was for thousands of soldiers, even if it was just for a few minutes of laughs.
Frank Buckley, CNN, Los Angeles. (END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: In this election year, two guys are giving our presidential candidates the respect they think they deserve.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOICE IMPRESSION OF PRES. GEORGE W. BUSH: Got that Botox.
VOICE IMPRESSION OF SEN. JOHN KERRY: But I still won three Purple Hearts.
VOICE IMPRESSION OF GEORGE W. BUSH AND JOHN KERRY (singing): This land will surely vote for me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Ouch.
It's the hit of the Internet, however, and you're going to meet one of the twisted minds behind this. That's coming up.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOICE IMPRESSION OF SEN. JOHN KERRY (singing): From the liberal wieners.
VOICE IMPRESSION OF PRES. GEORGE W. BUSH (singing): To the right- wing nut jobs.
VOICE IMPRESSION OF SEN. JOHN KERRY (singing): This land belongs...
VOICE IMPRESSION OF PRES. GEORGE W. BUSH (singing): This land belongs...
VOICE IMPRESSION OF GEORGE W. BUSH AND JOHN KERRY (singing): This land belongs to you and me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Aired July 21, 2004 - 10:58 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Here's a look at what's happening now in the news.
Saudi authorities find the head of a murdered American contractor during raids against suspected militants. The Saudi Interior Ministry confirmed the discovery within the past few hours. Paul Johnson was a contractor for Lockheed Martin who was kidnapped and beheaded in Saudi Arabia last month.
The Palestinian Parliament is calling on Yasser Arafat to accept his prime minister's resignation. The legislature passed a resolution today during a week of turmoil in Gaza. Lawmakers are pressuring Arafat to relinquish some of his power and form a new cabinet better equipped to handle the internal strife.
Just over an hour ago, President Bush signed a bill designed to defend against bioweapons attacks. The new law sets up a $5.5 billion program known as Project Bioshield. The goal is to develop and stockpile vaccines and antidotes to biological and chemical weapons attacks.
Iraqi officials say two people were killed and four others were wounded today when a hospital was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade. The RPG struck the seventh floor of the Medical City Hospital in Baghdad.
Keeping you informed, this is CNN, the most trusted name in news.
It's 11 a.m. on the east coast, 8 a.m. out west. From the CNN center in Atlanta, I'm Fredricka Whitfield, in today for Daryn Kagan.
Up first on CNN, bracing for the release of the 9/11 report. It comes out tomorrow, but the Bush administration gets briefed on it later today. And findings of the 9/11 Commission are already generating discussion on Capitol Hill, and that's where we find CNN Congressional correspondent Joe Johns at this hour.
Hello to you, Joe.
JOE JOHNS, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Fredricka.
The two top members of the 9/11 Commission back on Capitol Hill today, more briefings in advance of the release of their report, speaking this morning with the top Democrats in the House of Representatives, also expected to meet with a bipartisan group of United States Senators.
That report, of course, expected to detail the numerous missed opportunities that the United States had before 9/11, opportunities to try to ferret out the men who were planning this operation. It's also expected to call for an overhaul of U.S. intelligence and suggest a cabinet-level intelligence chief, and it is expected to prompt a lobbying campaign of sorts by members of the 9/11 Commission to institute certain reforms.
But the main thing this morning, at least, the issue of missed opportunities. Republicans met with the top members of the commission last night. They talked to reporters after that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. DENNIS HASTERT (R-IL), HOUSE SPEAKER: I think the interesting thing in our discussion is that, yes, we knew that there were Khobar Towers, and we knew that there was a World Trade tower, and we knew about Osama bin Laden, and we knew about all of these happenings around the world.
I guess it really comes down to nobody thought that anybody would be as seditious as those people who bombed this -- who used our airplanes as weapons.
REP. TOM DELAY (R-TX), MAJORITY LEADER: They stressed that the report is not a blame game, that there was failures on all fronts, and -- but what I heard was what most of us already knew.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JOHNS: Now, the talk about reforms has already gotten underway here on Capitol Hill. Leading the way, the issue of national director of intelligence. Senator Dianne Feinstein of California has proposed legislation to create such a position. She talked about that yesterday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. DIANNE FEINSTEIN (D), CALIFORNIA: The DNI would determine, manage, and carry out the scope of a mission throughout the entire intelligence community, break down the stovepipes, set a structure and methodology for communication across the chain of command, and be responsible to see that collection and analysis of dots leads to the most accurate product possible.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JOHNS: Now, Democrats are expected out of that meeting with the top members of the 9/11 Commission in just a little while, and we will get back to you on what they're saying about that briefing. Fredricka?
WHITFIELD: All right. Joe Johns, on Capitol Hill, thanks very much. And this just in, being reported now from the Associated Press, that a militant group in Iraq says that it has taken two Kenyans, three Indians, and an Egyptian hostage and would behead them if those countries don't withdraw troops from Iraq.
However, sources are telling CNN that none of those countries -- Kenya, India, or Egypt -- have troops in Iraq. We're still working on this story, but this now coming out from the Associated Press on the abduction of these individuals -- six individuals. And we'll have more on that as we get it.
A former national security advisor under federal investigation says he was trying to help, not hinder, the 9/11 Commission. Samuel Berger says he made an honest mistake when he removed top secret documents from the National Archives last year. Berger was reviewing the documents for the 9/11 panel. His attorney says Berger has cooperated in the search for the missing material.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LANNY BREUER, SAMUEL BERGER'S ATTORNEY: From the very beginning, since October, when the Archives notified us that a couple of the documents were missing, Sandy Berger looked for those documents.
We found a couple of copies. We don't know if there were other copies, how many there were, and we know that they must have been accidentally discarded.
Sandy Berger immediately searched for them. We immediately searched for them. Months later, the government decided to search for them, as well. And it's clear that when Sandy Berger inadvertently took the memorandum with him -- the copies of the memorandum with him that a couple of copies were in his office. We found those. Those were immediately returned, and the others must have been accidentally thrown away.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Now Berger stepped down from his role as an advisor to John Kerry's presidential campaign.
Kerry issued a statement saying, "Sandy Berger is my friend, and he has tirelessly served this nation with honor and distinction. I respect his decision to step aside as an advisor to the campaign until this matter is resolved objectively and fairly" -- those words from John Kerry.
Republicans were quick to pounce on news of the Berger investigation. Some are raising questions about whether Berger provided classified information to the Kerry campaign. And House Speaker Dennis Hastert suggests that Berger may have tried to conceal damaging information from the 9/11 panel.
He says, "Did these documents detail simple negligence or did they contain something more sinister? Was this a bungled attempt to rewrite history and keep critical information from the 9/11 commission," those words from Dennis Hastert.
A raid targeting suspected militants in Saudi Arabia leads to a gruesome discovery. Saudi authorities say they have found the head of murdered American contractor Paul Johnson in a freezer during a raid on a villa. Johnson was working for Lockheed Martin when he was kidnapped by militants last month and beheaded.
As for the raid, Saudi officials say two suspected militants were killed and the wife of the fifth most wanted terrorist in the kingdom was arrested. But the interior ministry would not confirm whether Saleh al-Oufi, who is the fifth most wanted man, might be among those killed or wounded.
The latest news from Iraq now is that Angelo de la Cruz is no longer there. The former hostage left Iraq today and was taken to the United Arab Emirates to be reunited with his wife and brother. Eventually, they will return to their native Philippines.
U.S. Marine Corporal Wassef Ali Hassoun is back at his home base at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Hassoun had been at the Marine base in Quantico, Virginia, since returning to the U.S. from Lebanon. He says he was abducted from his post near Fallujah in June and held captive for nearly three weeks. The military is still investigating.
Nine hundred three U.S. troops have now died in Iraq. The latest was a soldier killed today near Baghdad by a roadside bomb. Six soldiers were wounded.
In Afghanistan now, a trial began today for three Americans accused of running an illegal jail in Kabul. The U.S. has disavowed any connection with the men, but the alleged ringleader tells a much different story claiming high-level contacts at the Pentagon.
CNN's Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr joins us from the Pentagon with the latest -- Barbara?
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, hello to you, Fredricka.
Yes, another mysterious story in the war on terrorism -- three Americans inside a courtroom in Afghanistan today. The U.S. -- the Afghans say they were running a vigilante operation, their own jail, taking Afghans in to custody.
They are charged with torture and other offenses. But the Americans say no, they say that they were working with the knowledge of the U.S. government.
One of the men, Jonathan Keith Idema, a former member of Army Special Forces, continues to claim that he was working this situation with the knowledge of the U.S. Military.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Who were you working for, then? JONATHAN IDEMA, DEFENDANT: We were working for the U.S. counter terrorist group and working with the Pentagon and some other federal agencies.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So you were working -- you were working with U.S. knowledge, with U.S. government knowledge?
IDEMA: We were in touch with the Pentagon, sometimes five times a day at the highest level, every day.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: But of course, the Pentagon and the United States military say that is not the case. This man charged with hostage taking and torture in Afghanistan.
Officials say he had no current relationship to the United States military. In fact, several days ago in Afghanistan, the U.S. Military issued a statement about this man saying, "U.S. citizen Jonathan K. Idema has allegedly represented himself as an American government and/or military official. The public should be aware that Idema does not represent the American government, and we do not employ him."
In fact, Army Special Forces say he has not been with the U.S. Army in over 20 years. And they insist whatever he was doing in Afghanistan was not sanctioned by the Pentagon or the U.S. Military -- Fred?
WHITFIELD: So Barbara, if none were employed by the U.S. Military or the U.S. government, have there been answers as to who has financed these individuals actually being in Afghanistan?
STARR: Who is actually financing them, who is behind all of it if anybody but the three of them is not really known at this time. The U.S. government officials are very adamant that is their strong belief they were essentially running a rogue, vigilante operation in Kabul, Afghanistan.
Basically a prison in a house where they went and took Afghan people off the street, held them there, questioned them and that it had no -- no relation to official U.S. government or Afghan business -- Fredricka?
WHITFIELD: Quite remarkable. Barbara Starr from the Pentagon, thanks very much.
And this programming note: U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has scheduled a news conference for about two hours from now. We'll carry it live from the Pentagon when it gets under way. And that's scheduled for 1:25 Eastern time, 10:25 Pacific.
In the Middle East now, Israel continues construction today on a barrier along the West Bank in defiance of a non-binding U.N. resolution calling for the barrier to be dismantled.
Passage of the Palestinian-backed measure follows a non-binding opinion by the World Court that the barrier is illegal. Palestinian officials praised the U.N. action as historic, but Israeli officials dismissed it as unrealistic.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DORE GOLD, SHARON ADVISOR: We have to understand the effect of this resolution. What it essentially does is it removes the defensive shield of Israel to protect its citizens, while doing nothing tangible to stop the sort of terrorism that's been drawn against us. And that can only destabilize the situation here in the Middle East if that defensive shield is removed.
SAEB ERAKAT, CHIEF PALESTINIAN NEGOTIATOR: This is a message from the international community to all Palestinians. You are not alone. They're dealing with them in the resolution. Don't use violence. Abandon the ways of violence.
We're with you in your struggle to achieve your independence through peaceful means, through a negotiated settlement. And this is why I believe this is an historic resolution and one of the most important resolutions of the General Assembly maybe since 1947.
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WHITFIELD: Well so far, about 100 miles of the barrier have been built, which is roughly one-quarter of the plan total. Neither the opinion from the International Court of Justice nor yesterday's U.N. resolution is binding, meaning they cannot force Israel to halt construction or take the barrier down.
A pregnant woman disappears and the search begins; this time, it's happening in Utah. The latest on the search for a jogger who disappeared next.
Also: Parts of Los Angeles County continue to burn. We'll have the latest pictures and information from the fire lines there.
And later: What happens when two regular guys take on to two presidential candidates? If you haven't seen the answer on the Internet yet, you will. Meet one of the bizarre minds behind this when CNN LIVE TODAY returns.
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(STOCK MARKET UPDATE)
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WHITFIELD: Police and volunteers are expanding the search for a missing Utah woman. Twenty-seven year-old Lori Kay Hacking, who is pregnant, was last seen Monday when she left home to go jogging.
Yesterday searchers scoured a park in Canyon area in Salt Lake City but found no signs of Hacking. This morning police say they're widening the search to other areas. Scott Peterson's infidelity becomes the focus once again in his murder trial. Prosecutors are trying to portray Peterson as a philanderer who didn't act like a grieving husband. Testimony is set to resume next hour.
CNN's Ted Rowlands is covering the trial in Redwood City, California -- Ted?
TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, when court resumes in about 45 minutes, we're expecting more police testimony.
Yesterday, both sides seemed to score points with jurors using police testimony. First off, Mark Geragos, Peterson's defense attorney, used a detective Ray Coyle to talk about the 200 plus sex offenders living within one mile of Laci and Scott Peterson's Modesto home.
Geragos implied that police investigating this case brushed over these potential suspects and didn't do a thorough job looking into each one of their stories or at least the ones that had some suspicion around them.
Next up was another police detective, Darren Ruskamp, and prosecutors were able to establish that the home of Scott and Laci Peterson changed in between two search warrants served at the house, the first one in late December of 2002, the next one in February 18th.
And specifically, they were concerned about the nursery. They say that Peterson used the nursery to store furniture and other items when they went back in February.
Peterson had said publicly that he couldn't go in the nursery because of the emotion surrounding his missing unborn child. They used that testimony to refute Peterson's claims that he was just too emotional to go into that room.
Then finally yesterday, detective Richard House took the stand. He established that Scott Peterson had taken out a mailbox -- rented a mailbox on December 23rd, the day before his wife was reported missing.
They say the only mail he received was a letter from Amber Frey. That letter came in early January. Detective House is expected to be back on the stand when court resumes here at 9:00 Pacific time -- Fredricka?
WHITFIELD: And Ted, speaking of Amber Frey, when is she expected to testify?
ROWLANDS: Well, it is now expected that she will not be here at least this week, most likely not next week either. It depends on which way the prosecution goes. There are a lot of facets in their case that have left to be brought out to the jury.
Amber Frey, of course the one big one that many people think they will finish with. If that's the case, she may not take the stand for weeks, but who knows? It's very tough to predict.
WHITFIELD: Ted Rowlands in Redwood City, California, thanks very much.
The battle still rages to contain raging wildfires. Up next, the latest pictures from the front line. Plus, a look at the weather that may or may not help in that fight.
And in a war zone, bombing on stage is the least of your worries. Just ask the guys who signed up to bring a little laughter to U.S. troops in Iraq.
We're coming right back.
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WHITFIELD: In Southern California, a big new wildfire has erupted in northern L.A. County. Hundreds of residents fled as winds pushed this latest fire across 5,000 acres of parched desert shrub.
Elsewhere, crews report 17,000 acre Lake Hughes fire is now about 95 percent contained. And a 6,000-acre blaze near Santa Clarita is about 80 percent contained.
It seems like no breakout there, out West for our friends there. Orelon Sidney, hopefully you have a positive forecast for them?
ORELON SIDNEY, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, I've got some good news and some not quite as good news -- really no bad news. The winds are really the main factor a lot of times this time of year when you're forecasting for fires, and when you get above 15 miles an hour, that's when it's kind of a critical point for firefighting.
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SIDNEY: Fredricka?
WHITFIELD: All right. We'll look for that interesting tidbit. Thanks a lot, Orelon.
SIDNEY: You're welcome.
WHITFIELD: Well, war is not usually a laughing matter, but 12 comedians found plenty to chuckle about on a recent tour. And they also discovered that when it comes to entertaining the troops, comedy is serious business.
CNN's Frank Buckley reports.
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P.J. WALSH, COMIC: Well, I'll tell you this -- not everybody should be defending our country.
FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Military material part of the act of P.J. Walsh, the headliner at comedy night at a small club in Corona, California.
WALSH: Just join the Navy!
BUCKLEY: A recent gig far from here, providing plenty of new material.
Iraq was hilarious, at least for a few minutes. Every time war- weary soldiers got to see these guys on stage.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everybody having a good time? Good God, I got a cold.
BUCKLEY: They were part of a touring group of stand-ups called Comics on Duty. Forget Bob Hope -- these guys aren't stars. They're the comedic equivalent of grunts, who traveled like the troops, across Iraq and the Middle East doing 33 shows. At times, they brought new meaning to the term "bombing" on stage.
STEVE MAZAN, COMIC: So, you hear like (bugle impression) they're playing Dixie music and then boom, a big explosion. Boom -- another big explosion. Five seconds later (bugle impression). They just go right back into the music.
BUCKLEY: They played big groups and small, 12 people in 120- degree heat, their smallest gig; their difficult mission -- to make warriors laugh.
WALSH: Your heart just goes out for them. That's why you're going to give everything that you can...
BOB PERKELL, COMIC: Spills.
WALSH: ... everything that you can no matter how hot it is, no matter, you know, if there's two people there, we're there to get you away for a minute, and we're going to do it.
BUCKLEY: After each show they talked to the soldiers about home.
PERKELL: A guy actually had come up to us. He had tears in his eyes and he said, Thank you guys so much for what you do.
You know, he said, you're saving lives out here by keeping us out of our head for a couple of hours.
And I mean, there's no better feeling.
BUCKLEY: And Jeffrey Steele says all of them came back with more than new material.
JEFFREY STEELE, COMIC: It's been nothing short of a life changing experience for me.
BUCKLEY: As it was for thousands of soldiers, even if it was just for a few minutes of laughs.
Frank Buckley, CNN, Los Angeles. (END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: In this election year, two guys are giving our presidential candidates the respect they think they deserve.
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VOICE IMPRESSION OF PRES. GEORGE W. BUSH: Got that Botox.
VOICE IMPRESSION OF SEN. JOHN KERRY: But I still won three Purple Hearts.
VOICE IMPRESSION OF GEORGE W. BUSH AND JOHN KERRY (singing): This land will surely vote for me.
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WHITFIELD: Ouch.
It's the hit of the Internet, however, and you're going to meet one of the twisted minds behind this. That's coming up.
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VOICE IMPRESSION OF SEN. JOHN KERRY (singing): From the liberal wieners.
VOICE IMPRESSION OF PRES. GEORGE W. BUSH (singing): To the right- wing nut jobs.
VOICE IMPRESSION OF SEN. JOHN KERRY (singing): This land belongs...
VOICE IMPRESSION OF PRES. GEORGE W. BUSH (singing): This land belongs...
VOICE IMPRESSION OF GEORGE W. BUSH AND JOHN KERRY (singing): This land belongs to you and me.
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