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CNN Live Today

Three 9/11 Commission Hearings On Capitol Hill; Victims In Hurricane Charley's Aftermath; Peterson Jury To Hear More Phone Calls

Aired August 17, 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: We'll get started from CNN headquarters here in Atlanta. I'm Daryn Kagan. Let's take a look at the stories now in the news.
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is moments away from testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee. The subject: the 9/11 Commission's proposals to reorganization the intelligence community. In the past, Rumsfeld opposed the creation of a new intelligence director's post. But the president embraced the recommendation.

The 9/11 recommendations are also being discussed in the House today. Showing a live picture right now of the Homeland Security Committee, which is scheduled to hear from several intelligence officials, while members of the September 11 victims testify before the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee. Yes, that is three committees all at once.

Our Ed Henry is following all of them; he will be with us in just a couple of minutes.

New Jersey Governor James McGreevey's approval rating has actually gone up since announcing he had an affair with a man. It is now two points higher than it was two weeks ago. Republicans are pushing McGreevey to move up the date of his resignation. We will hear from the attorney of the man that McGreevey had an affair with later in the program.

Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge will get a firsthand look at the damage in Florida today. Ridge is flying in later this hour to survey the destruction left by Hurricane Charley. Our Jeanne Meserve is the only reporter traveling with Secretary Ridge. We'll have her exclusive reports throughout the day.

And let's get right to the hearings on the 9/11 Commission Report. In the House and the Senate today, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Barbara Starr is watching from the Pentagon. Ed Henry standing by on Capitol Hill. We have our A-team out and ready to go.

Ed, you go first.

ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn. That's right. You can feel the electricity in the air right now, as we wait for Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to show up, just steps from where I'm standing right now, to testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee about the 9/11 Commission's final report. I should point out, there are two other hearings going on right now.

As you know, there have been a slew of hearings throughout the month of August about the 9/11 Commission's 41 recommendations. First of all, there's a Senate hearing going on right now, where we're hearing testimony from 9/11 families about what they think about the reform effort.

There's also a House hearing, where there will be testimony from 9/11 Commission Co-Chairs Tom Kean and Lee Hamilton. But obviously, they have already testified several times. This is the first time that we're going to hear from Secretary Rumsfeld about what he believes -- what he thinks about this reform effort.

And I can tell you that, based on the sheer number of cameras that have been popping up behind me over the last couple of hours, this is where most of the attention is going to be. It will be on Secretary Rumsfeld.

Also, Joint Chiefs Chairman Richard Myers and acting CIA director McLaughlin, they will all be testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee. The attention will be here because of the sheer force of personality of Secretary Rumsfeld.

As you will remember, the last time he had such a high profile visit before the Armed Services Committee, it was at the beginning of May, when his job was essentially on the line over the prison abuse scandal.

Much different circumstances this morning. I can tell you that the bigger reason why the attention will be here is that there's a substantive point. Out of all 41 recommendations that the 9/11 Commission has put forth, this one recommendation about a National Intelligence Director, that has gotten most of the attention from the Congress -- most of the attention from the president.

And this battle over whether or not the National Intelligence Director will get full budget authority or whether that director will share budget authority with the defense secretary has become a key point of contention.

And the bottom line is that yesterday Democratic Senator Jay Rockefeller said that if Congress does not step on the Pentagon's toes here, this reform effort will be a failure -- Daryn.

KAGAN: All right. Ed, we're going to have much more with you in the next hour about why there needs to be still even more hearings, before frustrated Americans see something actually done on that report.

Right now, for more insight into Donald Rumsfeld's take on intelligence reform, let's bring in our Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr.

Barbara, good morning. What do we expect to hear from Secretary Rumsfeld? BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Daryn, everyone will be watching as Ed Henry says, because the Pentagon controls about 80-85 percent of the $40 billion intelligence budget. But don't expect Don Rumsfeld to let himself get pinned into a corner this morning.

He will say that he's, of course, supporting the National Intelligence Director as proposed by the president. But he is going to be very cautious. He's going to say no reorganization just for reorganization's sake. Don't move the boxes around on a piece of paper.

If there is going to be reorganization, he will emphasize that it must be to address a specific problem. Something that must be fixed, that will lead to better intelligence gathering, analysis and usage. He is going to be very specific on that point. The secretary is going to say that there must be improvements in indications and warnings of terrorist attacks; that the so-called stovepipes must be broken down, so intelligence is shared more broadly across the government.

But competitive analysis, he wants to see more people analyze various pieces of intelligence, put forth competing theories of what it all means. That, of course, perhaps didn't work as planned in the run-up to the war in Iraq.

But also quite importantly, the secretary will say there must be improvements in human intelligence. There must be spies and operatives who can penetrate organizations, like the Al Qaeda, get inside of them, get inside these organizations, and learn more about when terrorist attacks are being planned and carried out. That's the kind of intelligence improvements he will say that are not solved by paper reorganizations.

He will support what the president is doing, but he will say that he wants to see a lot more analysis about how these changes will lead to improvements, specific improvements in the U.S. intelligence organization -- Daryn.

KAGAN: So, Barbara, we expect most of the testimony today to be about intelligence, and that possible restructuring. And not about the big news of yesterday, and that's President Bush's announcement of redeploying and changing, shifting around where American troops serve all around the world?

STARR: Right, Daryn. Unless the senators on the Armed Services Committee feel there's some reason to talk about that, this is really their opportunity to publicly get Don Rumsfeld to go on the record about this intelligence reform. He will, of course, be accompanied by General Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, by John McLaughlin, the acting director of the CIA.

So, this is the opportunity, if you will, to get the big three who control the intelligence budget in this country, and get them to talk specifically about how they would reorganize things, which types of legislative proposals they will support. But we are told by Secretary Rumsfeld's most senior aides this morning, he is not going to get himself backed into a corner, no matter how hard the senators press him. He will set a framework of questions and theories, and how he thinks this must be resolved. The secretary now coming into the room, joining General Myers. The hearing expected to begin within the next 10 minutes or so -- Daryn.

KAGAN: All right. And as it goes on, we will dip in and out, and will check back with you, Barbara, for the significant statements, and the questions and answers that the secretary takes. Barbara Starr at the Pentagon, thank you.

Now, on to our situation report from Iraq. The Iraqi National Conference delegation has arrived in Najaf on a peace mission. The group plans to ask renegade cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and his followers to lay down their weapons and leave the Imam Ali Mosque. The delegation's departure from Baghdad was delayed for several hours due to security concerns.

The peace initiative comes amid more violence in Iraq. Seven people were killed and 47 others wounded, when a mortar exploded in central Baghdad. U.S. military officials believe the midday attack was aimed at a police station but it missed its target.

Let's go to the front lines now in Najaf for a look at what U.S. forces are facing there. Our Matthew Chance has that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The tombstones of the Valley of Peace; the ancient cemetery where U.S. troops have been fighting the Mehdi army in Najaf. This has been an eerie battle on sacred ground that few want.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Actually, sir, it's very scary at night, to tell you the truth. You don't know who the enemy is. You don't know who they are, the insurgents. And it's an old cemetery. So, kind of feel bad for the people in a certain way; it's their cemetery, their mosque right there.

CHANCE: And everyone is a suspect. Troops even open coffins yet to be buried in a grim search for weapons.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'd like to pray especially today for the repose of the soul for all the Marines that have died.

In times of war, the church has its own battles to fight. Soldiers and Marines attend this makeshift service to seek solace and advice. For some the burden of killing or witnessing it is heavy.

CAPT. PAUL SHAUGHNESSY, U.S. NAVY: Last Friday night during a mortar attack, there was a young corporal that was killed. It was about 50 feet from me. A lot of his friends were right there. We were trying to lift him out between two tombs so we could get him to the medical station. And his friends had to do that, and many of them, because the blood that was pretty profuse, really affected them; that somebody they had known that well and kind of was dying before them.

CHANCE: And the threat of attack is constant. Here a network of IEDs, or roadside bombs is uncovered, 43 in all designed to kill. They disarmed and destroyed this time, but soldiers are killed and injured in attacks like this almost every day here.

SPC. JAMES TALLANT, U.S. ARMY: Half the time you, you know, you wave to somebody and they give you a thumbs down, or whatever. You know, you're driving down the road and the IED goes off. Or something like that. It makes it like, why are we even here when most of the people don't -- it seems like most of the people don't even want us here.

CHANCE: After nearly 16 months of post-war Iraq, it's a question many now ask.

(on camera): Some of the troops here are uncomfortable about the idea of fighting in sacred places. Especially ones that are so politically sensitive. But there is a more general frustration too. For many it seems that the peaceful and stable Iraq, they thought they were fighting for is getting more distant.

Matthew Chance, CNN, Najaf.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: And it's a small thing that is oh so important: ice. Those hit hard by Charley struggle to keep their food and drinks from going bad in the middle of all the chaos.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SARAH BARDWELL, POLITICAL ACTIVIST: I think that the reason the FBI came to our house was to intimidate us out of using our First Amendment rights.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: The FBI goes door-to-door asking a lot of questions about political activists.

And later, tapes secretly recorded by Scott Peterson's ex-lover are played for the jury, and brings Scott's mother to tears. A live report from the courthouse is ahead.

This is CNN LIVE TODAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: We have breaking news coming to us from Britain, police there announcing that they have charged a number of men, eight men with conspiracy to murder and other terrorist offenses. This is in connection with a sweeping raid that took place a couple of weeks ago. A ninth man was charged with another charge of possession of a prohibited weapon.

Also swept up in this sweep, was a man who is known as Abu Eisa al-Hindi, who might have been connected to the threats that recently became public about financial institutions in New York and New Jersey. So, eight men charged with conspiracy to murder and other terrorist offenses in Britain.

Our Walter Rodgers is in London, and he's going to have much more on that story coming up for us in just a bit.

Meanwhile, at 15 minutes past the hour, let's check on Hurricane Charley here in the U.S. and the numbers in Florida. At least 19 deaths have been linked to the storm. The latest estimate of damages is that at least $11 billion.

And that number is expected to grow, as insurance adjusters continue their work. And around three-quarters of a million homes and businesses are without power. Power is expected to be back on for most of the areas by the end of the week. There is no telling how long it will take in the hardest hit communities.

The reality of that long recovery is sinking in for those people whose lives have been turned upside down literally by Charley.

Bob Franken is in Punta Gorda, Florida, with the latest.

Bob, good morning to you.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn. And it was just announced a very short time ago that the death toll, now directly attributed to the storm, has been brought up by one. It is now 20. And for those who are among the survivors, there are literally millions of individual battles.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FRANKEN (voice-over): The good life here has been replaced by a struggle; just get by.

VIVIAN TIMPCO (ph), HURRICANE VICTIM: There's three families right now.

FRANKEN: Homes are destroyed. Electric power gone and so many still standing. So, now, those like Vivian Timpco (ph), who had been independent, need help to get the basics: non-perishable food, water and ice.

(on camera): Over the centuries, humankind has developed ways to protect against nature. But every once in a while, nature faces us with a harsh reality that we can't take those conveniences for granted. That to survive, we have to go back in time. Which means Vivian Timpco made an ice run for her entire street.

TIMPCO: Can we put these in there?

FRANKEN (voice-over): This takes us back to the times before refrigerators. Ice was a necessary part of life. It is again.

TIMPCO: We have grandchildren that are here also. And you know, they need cold juice, milk, which, you know, they have to have. So, ice is very important. You know, it keeps things cold.

FRANKEN: It doesn't last long in the intense heat. So, Vivian Timpco will have to make another ice run very soon.

TIMPCO: I'm not much for camping. I'll tell you, this is as far as I want to go, as camping. Because to me, this is just like camping. Having to have to go get ice.

FRANKEN: Vivian Timpco and her neighbors, who had their easy living obliterated by this hurricane, can expect to be roughing it for a long time to come.

TIMPCO: It hasn't even hit us. You know, it's like OK; we're just doing what we need to do. But you know what? It hasn't really hit us.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FRANKEN (on camera): And complicating all this is the presence of the inevitable presence of the con artists. There are some charges of price gouging. As a matter of fact, the attorney general of the state, Charles Christ, has just told CNN that papers are about to be filed against two hotels, one in West Palm and one in Lakeland, Florida.

One a member of a major chain for what is described as "egregious price gouging." And Michael Brown, who is the Federal Emergency Management Agency director, told a news conference a short while ago, "If you scam, you go to jail." He said, "Leave these people alone" -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Bob Franken in Punta Gorda, thank you for that.

Our breaking news is out of Britain.

We want to get back to our breaking news. And that is out of Britain. Our Walter Rogers is standing by. Looks like may be we're taking a break first. OK, we'll take a break. We'll be back. Well, no! There's Walter. I'm sorry, a little confusion here. Let's go back to the breaking story we have about British officials filing charges in connection with the sweep -- Walter.

WALTER ROGERS, CNN SR. INT'L CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, what happened is the British police here in London were working under a deadline. The deadline was that under the British Terrorism Act of 2000, they could hold suspects without charging them for two weeks. Today was the deadline.

And the British police have now charged eight men, allegedly for conspiring to murder and conspiring to commit a public nuisance. That's legal shorthand for these men are thought to have been terrorists by the British government. As I say, they were arrested two weeks ago. They had to be released today. The British police now believe they have enough evidence to charge these men. They are all South Asian in their origin. We need to say that the most serious of the charges was conspiracy to murder. But the second charge, conspiracy to commit a public nuisance, is not nearly as frivolous as it sounds. Let me read it to you.

"It's alleged these men conspired together with other persons unknown, to commit a public nuisance by the use of radioactive materials, toxic gases, chemicals, and/or explosives to cause disruption, fear or injury."

Their targets, according to the charges brought out by the British government were not in the U.K., but rather the alleged targets were in the United States. The International Monetary Fund in Washington was said to be one of their targets, the New York Stock Exchange, also an alleged target, and the Citigroup in New York.

And when you start mixing these allegations of radioactive materials, poisonous materials and explosives, you can see what a cocktail of terror these men may indeed have been planning. There is -- they're scheduled to appear in court tomorrow to answer these charges tomorrow -- Daryn.

KAGAN: All right. We'll have more on that later in the day.

Walter Rodgers from London, thank you for more details on that story out of London.

We're going to fit in a break. We're back with much more after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

The jury in Scott Peterson's double murder trial will hear more recorded phone calls between Peterson and his former mistress today.

Our Rusty Dornin is covering the trial in Redwood City, California.

Rusty, good morning.

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Daryn, you have to wonder what the jury is thinking, after listening to hours of these phone calls. I did spot one juror yesterday afternoon during a call, where Scott Peterson is reading yet another poem to Amber Frey.

She was chuckling and shaking her head, kind of rolling her eyes. During many of these conversations, he's apologizing for lying to her and also for causing her so much pain.

He's also very evasive when she asks him questions. He did tell her that he was in love with his wife Laci, and claimed that he told Laci that he was having the affair with Amber Frey. And that his wife said that everything was just fine. He also told her that if she needed to go to police, that was just fine also. Many of the legal experts here surmising that he may have had an inkling that he was being taped. Because in so many of the conversations, he seems to be making a case for himself, repeating the alibi that he did tell police.

And three weeks after Laci Peterson disappears, Amber Frey asks Scott Peterson about her safety.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

AMBER FREY, PETERSON'S FMR. MISTRESS: And not have this fear inside my heart that you had something to do with this. And that you may have possibly and potentially have killed your wife.

SCOTT PETERSON, ON TRIAL FOR MURDER: No. You don't need to have that fear. You know me.

FREY: What was that?

PETERSON: I'm not an evil guy.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

DORNIN: He does tell her several times that he's not an evil person.

Jackie Peterson, Scott's mother, did break down in court when her son was telling Amber Frey that his mother had been hospitalized, because she was so stressed out during the search of Laci Peterson. Laci Peterson's mother and stepfather left the court before lunch, saying they just couldn't take and hear anymore of these taped conservations.

These tapes are likely to wrap up today, perhaps before court ends. Prosecutors may have a couple more questions. And then it will be defense attorney Mark Geragos' turn to question the prosecution's star witness -- Daryn.

KAGAN: And then that should be wrapping up the prosecution's case from there -- Rusty.

DORNIN: Well, they still have to go -- they're scheduled to go to the marina for sort of a field day. And also, we haven't even discovered the DNA -- discussed the DNA evidence.

KAGAN: So, still a lot more to go.

Rusty Dornin in Redwood City, thank you.

Well, if you've participated in a protest, the FBI may come knocking on your door. Political activists say that is intimidation.

And charter schools seem to hold bright prospects for the future generation. But what is really happening at those schools? We'll go inside the charter school system ahead. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired August 17, 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: We'll get started from CNN headquarters here in Atlanta. I'm Daryn Kagan. Let's take a look at the stories now in the news.
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is moments away from testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee. The subject: the 9/11 Commission's proposals to reorganization the intelligence community. In the past, Rumsfeld opposed the creation of a new intelligence director's post. But the president embraced the recommendation.

The 9/11 recommendations are also being discussed in the House today. Showing a live picture right now of the Homeland Security Committee, which is scheduled to hear from several intelligence officials, while members of the September 11 victims testify before the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee. Yes, that is three committees all at once.

Our Ed Henry is following all of them; he will be with us in just a couple of minutes.

New Jersey Governor James McGreevey's approval rating has actually gone up since announcing he had an affair with a man. It is now two points higher than it was two weeks ago. Republicans are pushing McGreevey to move up the date of his resignation. We will hear from the attorney of the man that McGreevey had an affair with later in the program.

Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge will get a firsthand look at the damage in Florida today. Ridge is flying in later this hour to survey the destruction left by Hurricane Charley. Our Jeanne Meserve is the only reporter traveling with Secretary Ridge. We'll have her exclusive reports throughout the day.

And let's get right to the hearings on the 9/11 Commission Report. In the House and the Senate today, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Barbara Starr is watching from the Pentagon. Ed Henry standing by on Capitol Hill. We have our A-team out and ready to go.

Ed, you go first.

ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn. That's right. You can feel the electricity in the air right now, as we wait for Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to show up, just steps from where I'm standing right now, to testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee about the 9/11 Commission's final report. I should point out, there are two other hearings going on right now.

As you know, there have been a slew of hearings throughout the month of August about the 9/11 Commission's 41 recommendations. First of all, there's a Senate hearing going on right now, where we're hearing testimony from 9/11 families about what they think about the reform effort.

There's also a House hearing, where there will be testimony from 9/11 Commission Co-Chairs Tom Kean and Lee Hamilton. But obviously, they have already testified several times. This is the first time that we're going to hear from Secretary Rumsfeld about what he believes -- what he thinks about this reform effort.

And I can tell you that, based on the sheer number of cameras that have been popping up behind me over the last couple of hours, this is where most of the attention is going to be. It will be on Secretary Rumsfeld.

Also, Joint Chiefs Chairman Richard Myers and acting CIA director McLaughlin, they will all be testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee. The attention will be here because of the sheer force of personality of Secretary Rumsfeld.

As you will remember, the last time he had such a high profile visit before the Armed Services Committee, it was at the beginning of May, when his job was essentially on the line over the prison abuse scandal.

Much different circumstances this morning. I can tell you that the bigger reason why the attention will be here is that there's a substantive point. Out of all 41 recommendations that the 9/11 Commission has put forth, this one recommendation about a National Intelligence Director, that has gotten most of the attention from the Congress -- most of the attention from the president.

And this battle over whether or not the National Intelligence Director will get full budget authority or whether that director will share budget authority with the defense secretary has become a key point of contention.

And the bottom line is that yesterday Democratic Senator Jay Rockefeller said that if Congress does not step on the Pentagon's toes here, this reform effort will be a failure -- Daryn.

KAGAN: All right. Ed, we're going to have much more with you in the next hour about why there needs to be still even more hearings, before frustrated Americans see something actually done on that report.

Right now, for more insight into Donald Rumsfeld's take on intelligence reform, let's bring in our Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr.

Barbara, good morning. What do we expect to hear from Secretary Rumsfeld? BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Daryn, everyone will be watching as Ed Henry says, because the Pentagon controls about 80-85 percent of the $40 billion intelligence budget. But don't expect Don Rumsfeld to let himself get pinned into a corner this morning.

He will say that he's, of course, supporting the National Intelligence Director as proposed by the president. But he is going to be very cautious. He's going to say no reorganization just for reorganization's sake. Don't move the boxes around on a piece of paper.

If there is going to be reorganization, he will emphasize that it must be to address a specific problem. Something that must be fixed, that will lead to better intelligence gathering, analysis and usage. He is going to be very specific on that point. The secretary is going to say that there must be improvements in indications and warnings of terrorist attacks; that the so-called stovepipes must be broken down, so intelligence is shared more broadly across the government.

But competitive analysis, he wants to see more people analyze various pieces of intelligence, put forth competing theories of what it all means. That, of course, perhaps didn't work as planned in the run-up to the war in Iraq.

But also quite importantly, the secretary will say there must be improvements in human intelligence. There must be spies and operatives who can penetrate organizations, like the Al Qaeda, get inside of them, get inside these organizations, and learn more about when terrorist attacks are being planned and carried out. That's the kind of intelligence improvements he will say that are not solved by paper reorganizations.

He will support what the president is doing, but he will say that he wants to see a lot more analysis about how these changes will lead to improvements, specific improvements in the U.S. intelligence organization -- Daryn.

KAGAN: So, Barbara, we expect most of the testimony today to be about intelligence, and that possible restructuring. And not about the big news of yesterday, and that's President Bush's announcement of redeploying and changing, shifting around where American troops serve all around the world?

STARR: Right, Daryn. Unless the senators on the Armed Services Committee feel there's some reason to talk about that, this is really their opportunity to publicly get Don Rumsfeld to go on the record about this intelligence reform. He will, of course, be accompanied by General Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, by John McLaughlin, the acting director of the CIA.

So, this is the opportunity, if you will, to get the big three who control the intelligence budget in this country, and get them to talk specifically about how they would reorganize things, which types of legislative proposals they will support. But we are told by Secretary Rumsfeld's most senior aides this morning, he is not going to get himself backed into a corner, no matter how hard the senators press him. He will set a framework of questions and theories, and how he thinks this must be resolved. The secretary now coming into the room, joining General Myers. The hearing expected to begin within the next 10 minutes or so -- Daryn.

KAGAN: All right. And as it goes on, we will dip in and out, and will check back with you, Barbara, for the significant statements, and the questions and answers that the secretary takes. Barbara Starr at the Pentagon, thank you.

Now, on to our situation report from Iraq. The Iraqi National Conference delegation has arrived in Najaf on a peace mission. The group plans to ask renegade cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and his followers to lay down their weapons and leave the Imam Ali Mosque. The delegation's departure from Baghdad was delayed for several hours due to security concerns.

The peace initiative comes amid more violence in Iraq. Seven people were killed and 47 others wounded, when a mortar exploded in central Baghdad. U.S. military officials believe the midday attack was aimed at a police station but it missed its target.

Let's go to the front lines now in Najaf for a look at what U.S. forces are facing there. Our Matthew Chance has that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The tombstones of the Valley of Peace; the ancient cemetery where U.S. troops have been fighting the Mehdi army in Najaf. This has been an eerie battle on sacred ground that few want.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Actually, sir, it's very scary at night, to tell you the truth. You don't know who the enemy is. You don't know who they are, the insurgents. And it's an old cemetery. So, kind of feel bad for the people in a certain way; it's their cemetery, their mosque right there.

CHANCE: And everyone is a suspect. Troops even open coffins yet to be buried in a grim search for weapons.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'd like to pray especially today for the repose of the soul for all the Marines that have died.

In times of war, the church has its own battles to fight. Soldiers and Marines attend this makeshift service to seek solace and advice. For some the burden of killing or witnessing it is heavy.

CAPT. PAUL SHAUGHNESSY, U.S. NAVY: Last Friday night during a mortar attack, there was a young corporal that was killed. It was about 50 feet from me. A lot of his friends were right there. We were trying to lift him out between two tombs so we could get him to the medical station. And his friends had to do that, and many of them, because the blood that was pretty profuse, really affected them; that somebody they had known that well and kind of was dying before them.

CHANCE: And the threat of attack is constant. Here a network of IEDs, or roadside bombs is uncovered, 43 in all designed to kill. They disarmed and destroyed this time, but soldiers are killed and injured in attacks like this almost every day here.

SPC. JAMES TALLANT, U.S. ARMY: Half the time you, you know, you wave to somebody and they give you a thumbs down, or whatever. You know, you're driving down the road and the IED goes off. Or something like that. It makes it like, why are we even here when most of the people don't -- it seems like most of the people don't even want us here.

CHANCE: After nearly 16 months of post-war Iraq, it's a question many now ask.

(on camera): Some of the troops here are uncomfortable about the idea of fighting in sacred places. Especially ones that are so politically sensitive. But there is a more general frustration too. For many it seems that the peaceful and stable Iraq, they thought they were fighting for is getting more distant.

Matthew Chance, CNN, Najaf.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: And it's a small thing that is oh so important: ice. Those hit hard by Charley struggle to keep their food and drinks from going bad in the middle of all the chaos.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SARAH BARDWELL, POLITICAL ACTIVIST: I think that the reason the FBI came to our house was to intimidate us out of using our First Amendment rights.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: The FBI goes door-to-door asking a lot of questions about political activists.

And later, tapes secretly recorded by Scott Peterson's ex-lover are played for the jury, and brings Scott's mother to tears. A live report from the courthouse is ahead.

This is CNN LIVE TODAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: We have breaking news coming to us from Britain, police there announcing that they have charged a number of men, eight men with conspiracy to murder and other terrorist offenses. This is in connection with a sweeping raid that took place a couple of weeks ago. A ninth man was charged with another charge of possession of a prohibited weapon.

Also swept up in this sweep, was a man who is known as Abu Eisa al-Hindi, who might have been connected to the threats that recently became public about financial institutions in New York and New Jersey. So, eight men charged with conspiracy to murder and other terrorist offenses in Britain.

Our Walter Rodgers is in London, and he's going to have much more on that story coming up for us in just a bit.

Meanwhile, at 15 minutes past the hour, let's check on Hurricane Charley here in the U.S. and the numbers in Florida. At least 19 deaths have been linked to the storm. The latest estimate of damages is that at least $11 billion.

And that number is expected to grow, as insurance adjusters continue their work. And around three-quarters of a million homes and businesses are without power. Power is expected to be back on for most of the areas by the end of the week. There is no telling how long it will take in the hardest hit communities.

The reality of that long recovery is sinking in for those people whose lives have been turned upside down literally by Charley.

Bob Franken is in Punta Gorda, Florida, with the latest.

Bob, good morning to you.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn. And it was just announced a very short time ago that the death toll, now directly attributed to the storm, has been brought up by one. It is now 20. And for those who are among the survivors, there are literally millions of individual battles.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FRANKEN (voice-over): The good life here has been replaced by a struggle; just get by.

VIVIAN TIMPCO (ph), HURRICANE VICTIM: There's three families right now.

FRANKEN: Homes are destroyed. Electric power gone and so many still standing. So, now, those like Vivian Timpco (ph), who had been independent, need help to get the basics: non-perishable food, water and ice.

(on camera): Over the centuries, humankind has developed ways to protect against nature. But every once in a while, nature faces us with a harsh reality that we can't take those conveniences for granted. That to survive, we have to go back in time. Which means Vivian Timpco made an ice run for her entire street.

TIMPCO: Can we put these in there?

FRANKEN (voice-over): This takes us back to the times before refrigerators. Ice was a necessary part of life. It is again.

TIMPCO: We have grandchildren that are here also. And you know, they need cold juice, milk, which, you know, they have to have. So, ice is very important. You know, it keeps things cold.

FRANKEN: It doesn't last long in the intense heat. So, Vivian Timpco will have to make another ice run very soon.

TIMPCO: I'm not much for camping. I'll tell you, this is as far as I want to go, as camping. Because to me, this is just like camping. Having to have to go get ice.

FRANKEN: Vivian Timpco and her neighbors, who had their easy living obliterated by this hurricane, can expect to be roughing it for a long time to come.

TIMPCO: It hasn't even hit us. You know, it's like OK; we're just doing what we need to do. But you know what? It hasn't really hit us.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FRANKEN (on camera): And complicating all this is the presence of the inevitable presence of the con artists. There are some charges of price gouging. As a matter of fact, the attorney general of the state, Charles Christ, has just told CNN that papers are about to be filed against two hotels, one in West Palm and one in Lakeland, Florida.

One a member of a major chain for what is described as "egregious price gouging." And Michael Brown, who is the Federal Emergency Management Agency director, told a news conference a short while ago, "If you scam, you go to jail." He said, "Leave these people alone" -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Bob Franken in Punta Gorda, thank you for that.

Our breaking news is out of Britain.

We want to get back to our breaking news. And that is out of Britain. Our Walter Rogers is standing by. Looks like may be we're taking a break first. OK, we'll take a break. We'll be back. Well, no! There's Walter. I'm sorry, a little confusion here. Let's go back to the breaking story we have about British officials filing charges in connection with the sweep -- Walter.

WALTER ROGERS, CNN SR. INT'L CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, what happened is the British police here in London were working under a deadline. The deadline was that under the British Terrorism Act of 2000, they could hold suspects without charging them for two weeks. Today was the deadline.

And the British police have now charged eight men, allegedly for conspiring to murder and conspiring to commit a public nuisance. That's legal shorthand for these men are thought to have been terrorists by the British government. As I say, they were arrested two weeks ago. They had to be released today. The British police now believe they have enough evidence to charge these men. They are all South Asian in their origin. We need to say that the most serious of the charges was conspiracy to murder. But the second charge, conspiracy to commit a public nuisance, is not nearly as frivolous as it sounds. Let me read it to you.

"It's alleged these men conspired together with other persons unknown, to commit a public nuisance by the use of radioactive materials, toxic gases, chemicals, and/or explosives to cause disruption, fear or injury."

Their targets, according to the charges brought out by the British government were not in the U.K., but rather the alleged targets were in the United States. The International Monetary Fund in Washington was said to be one of their targets, the New York Stock Exchange, also an alleged target, and the Citigroup in New York.

And when you start mixing these allegations of radioactive materials, poisonous materials and explosives, you can see what a cocktail of terror these men may indeed have been planning. There is -- they're scheduled to appear in court tomorrow to answer these charges tomorrow -- Daryn.

KAGAN: All right. We'll have more on that later in the day.

Walter Rodgers from London, thank you for more details on that story out of London.

We're going to fit in a break. We're back with much more after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

The jury in Scott Peterson's double murder trial will hear more recorded phone calls between Peterson and his former mistress today.

Our Rusty Dornin is covering the trial in Redwood City, California.

Rusty, good morning.

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Daryn, you have to wonder what the jury is thinking, after listening to hours of these phone calls. I did spot one juror yesterday afternoon during a call, where Scott Peterson is reading yet another poem to Amber Frey.

She was chuckling and shaking her head, kind of rolling her eyes. During many of these conversations, he's apologizing for lying to her and also for causing her so much pain.

He's also very evasive when she asks him questions. He did tell her that he was in love with his wife Laci, and claimed that he told Laci that he was having the affair with Amber Frey. And that his wife said that everything was just fine. He also told her that if she needed to go to police, that was just fine also. Many of the legal experts here surmising that he may have had an inkling that he was being taped. Because in so many of the conversations, he seems to be making a case for himself, repeating the alibi that he did tell police.

And three weeks after Laci Peterson disappears, Amber Frey asks Scott Peterson about her safety.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

AMBER FREY, PETERSON'S FMR. MISTRESS: And not have this fear inside my heart that you had something to do with this. And that you may have possibly and potentially have killed your wife.

SCOTT PETERSON, ON TRIAL FOR MURDER: No. You don't need to have that fear. You know me.

FREY: What was that?

PETERSON: I'm not an evil guy.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

DORNIN: He does tell her several times that he's not an evil person.

Jackie Peterson, Scott's mother, did break down in court when her son was telling Amber Frey that his mother had been hospitalized, because she was so stressed out during the search of Laci Peterson. Laci Peterson's mother and stepfather left the court before lunch, saying they just couldn't take and hear anymore of these taped conservations.

These tapes are likely to wrap up today, perhaps before court ends. Prosecutors may have a couple more questions. And then it will be defense attorney Mark Geragos' turn to question the prosecution's star witness -- Daryn.

KAGAN: And then that should be wrapping up the prosecution's case from there -- Rusty.

DORNIN: Well, they still have to go -- they're scheduled to go to the marina for sort of a field day. And also, we haven't even discovered the DNA -- discussed the DNA evidence.

KAGAN: So, still a lot more to go.

Rusty Dornin in Redwood City, thank you.

Well, if you've participated in a protest, the FBI may come knocking on your door. Political activists say that is intimidation.

And charter schools seem to hold bright prospects for the future generation. But what is really happening at those schools? We'll go inside the charter school system ahead. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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