Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

American Hostage Ray Hallums Freed in Iraq; Toxic Floodwater in New Orleans Raises Health Concerns

Aired September 07, 2005 - 11:00   ET

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

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: It looks like it is everywhere. It is simply a foul brew. We're going to focus this hour on the water situation in New Orleans. As you look in that water, you see gas, chemicals and human waste. Authorities are worried the rank water could trigger a second catastrophe from Katrina, an outbreak of disease.
I'm Daryn Kagan at CNN headquarters in Atlanta. First up this hour, "Mission Critical." An update on the urgent issues in the Hurricane Katrina disaster zone. New Orleans police officials say the city is now finally locked down. But as floodwaters slowly pull back and make homes more accessible, there's been another spike in looting. And police say they've arrested a person suspected of shooting at a rescue helicopter.

An official in the mayor's office tells CNN the floodwaters that swamp New Orleans are infected with E. Coli. The bacteria causes severe stomach distress. Complications from E. Coli can be fatal in extreme cases.

The mayor is ordering officer to forcibly remove holdouts, primarily due to the threat of disease. The military says it won't be involved with forced evacuations. The New Orleans mayor says many of the latest evacuees are delicious from severe dehydration.

The government is sprucing up several closed military bases to house evacuees. The latest is Alabama's Fort McClellan, which will accommodate about 1,000 people who have been displaced by Katrina.

And with the water pouring out of New Orleans back into lake Pontchartrain, officials say about two-thirds of the city is flooded, down from 80 percent. They predict it will take anywhere from 24 to 80 days to drain the saucer-shaped city.

We are standing by, expecting an updated briefing from FEMA, and that's going to be coming from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. When that happens, we'll go back there live, as soon as it's available.

Right now, there is another type of briefing. This one at the Pentagon. Let's listen in to that

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... relatively short, as he is a busy man. So General, let me turn it over to you.

LT. GEN. JOSEPH INGE, DEPUTY COMMANDER, U.S. NORTHERN COMMAND: Thanks, Brian. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. It's my pleasure to update you on the Department of Defense's effort in the support of hurricane recovery. As we speak, there are some 18,000 active military duty forces, alongside 45,000 National Guardsmen, making a difference by saving lives and relieving suffering along the catastrophic Gulf Coast and New Orleans.

These forces continue to work in partnership with FEMA and other federal agencies, as we stabilize the situation. At the same time, I'd like to point out that Northern Command continues to focus on our mission of homeland defense and assuring our ability to support our potential national needs.

Actions in the last 24 hours. 3rd Brigade of the 82nd Airbone division will close into arrow (ph) today. Currently, they have approximately 1,900 people on the ground of a 2,500 man commitment. 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division has 1,850 people on the ground. They are closed, will link up with the 82nd and work under their control.

Search and rescue continues in Louisiana and Mississippi. A special-purpose marine force, the 11th MEU and 24th MEU have completed deployment and the are engaged in operations as we speak. The Iwo Jima is peer side, it has become the headquarters for Lieutenant General Honore. The Tortuga is also peer side in New Orleans, assisting in the housing of workers for the city, pole and such.

Harbor salvage continues by the Navy, and survey of offshore critical oil storage and facilities is in progress. I'd also like to mention the work of our Coast Guard partner. They have been doing tremendous work, working around the clock to rescue people, save lives. In the last 24 hours, we have delivered 7 million liters of water, 5 million pounds of ice, and 2 million meals ready to eat.

Today's efforts. We will fly 71 hours of reconnaissance, surveiling from the air the damage to get an attempt to determine what the priority for mitigation will be. We will continue to search and rescue. We will support the evacuation of survivors. We will transport and distribute relief supplies, ice, food, water, and of course medical supplies.

We are supporting firefighting efforts and have moved some capability into the AOR. You saw it yesterday, on TV, I'm sure. We will continue to work food control and the sourcing of food supplies. And we're working to make sure proper mortuary affairs support is in place.

There's repositioning of troop to make sure we have the people in the right place to get into the watered areas and do a ground house- by-house search to see if there are any other people who need to be rescued. I would add that our allies begin to arrive. The Canadians have divers in the water, off Pascagoula, Mississippi, helping with harbor reconstruction. Mexico will have a vessel arrive today that will join the Baton in the Gulf and begin search and rescue. It's a vessel that has helicopter platforms that can assist in the recovery.

In the coming 24 to 72 hours, we will continue to explore isolated areas and conduct rescue. We will provide for immediate needs of residents awaiting evacuation. We will expand the house-to- house searches. We will expand medical facilities as needed for sick and injured. And we will deploy additional ships and aviation assets should they be needed.

The Comfort will arrive within the next 72-hour period and we will continue to respond to FEMA requests for assistance. In summary, we continue to save lives and reduce human suffering. We're fighting fires, restoring levees, recovering, establishing communications, and transporting vital supplies. You will continue to see progress. And let me close by saying, we are prepared to respond to any threat to our homeland. That's what I have for you now. I'd stand by for your questions.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Charlie, let's go ahead and get started.

QUESTION: General, Charlie Erwin (ph) with Rueters. You say that all will continue to support the evacuation in New Orleans. How about forced evacuations, people who are taken from their homes against their will as ordered by the mayor of New Orleans? Will the National Guard or regular troops take part in forcing these people to do, I guess what, going to law enforcement area?

INGE: I've been watching the news this morning and I understand that this is an issue. The situation, as I know it now, is that civil authorities in Louisiana and New Orleans are discussing this issue. It's not clear to us what the exact state of the mission is.

We would believe -- we are told there's some 900 policemen in New Orleans. We would certainly foresee forcing evacuation is a first priority for them to work. If the authorities in the state of Louisiana chose to use their National Guards in a state status, that would certainly be permissible and their call.

When this turns into a law enforcement issue, which we perceive forced evacuation is, regular troops will not be used. Does that answer your question?

QUESTION: Yes, just one other thing. Perhaps you could make this clear. The troops -- the National Guard troops from other states sent to New Orleans, are they under orders from the Louisiana governor or do they remain -- in other words, could they be used for police duty?

INGE: I would refer that question to General Blum and to Louisiana, but as I understand, under the guard's emergency support program, they're under the authority of the attorney general of the state of Louisiana.

QUESTION: Thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's go over here to Jamie.

QUESTION: Jamie McIntyre from CNN. General, I want to ask you about a story that's in "The New York Times" today about a couple of Navy pilots who apparently were dressed down by their commander for -- they were supposed to be delivering supplies and they decided to go rescue some people in the early stages of this operation.

Now, I understand -- you might not have any knowledge of this specific incident, but I want to ask you about it because it underscores a more general criticism of the initial military response. And that is, that it was too much by the book, too much waiting for orders, and not enough initiative, improvisation, adaptation to the reality of what was on the scene.

And that's why this story has gained some resonance. Can you respond to the idea that the mission was not sufficiently adaptive, there wasn't enough creativity employed, and enough judgment by people, right at the front lines, deferring to their judgment, in order to get aid to people faster?

INGE: Well, Jamie, first of all, I'd not heard of this issue. But I would not agree with the line of reasoning that's put forward. Our priorities were save lives, sustain lives, and then recover and reconstitute. By, I guess, last Wednesday afternoon, there were some 100, 150 helicopters in the air. They were delivering food, the were doing search and rescue. We in the military, I hope, understand our responsibility to save lives if, in fact, that position is presented to us.

And I know this is quite an issue. On Sunday the 28th, we deployed defense coordinating officers into Mississippi and Louisiana. On Monday the 29th, at first light, the hurricane hit. On Tuesday morning, when everybody woke up in Louisiana, the sun was shining and we were all talking about what a good day it was and how we passed the hazard.

Tuesday afternoon, or sometime during the day Tuesday, General Honore and his task force arrived at Camp Shelby, Mississippi, to support the relief effort. We think -- and we know we were leaning forward. We know that we moved vessels, we moved the Baton up behind the storm. And very quickly, helicopters were in the air over the disaster area.

QUESTION: Just to follow up, General, do you believe that the initial response was sufficiently adaptive to the reality on the ground? Were you able to, in a reasonable amount of time, figure out what was really going on and change the plan to accommodate what the reality was on the ground?

INGE: I think it was pretty adaptive, Jamie, but I won't go further than that because there will be great reliving of this incident, months ahead, and time will tell. I think, for the moment, we need to focus hard on getting the job done and relieving the suffering of the people of Louisiana and Mississippi.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's go over here to Bob.

QUESTION: General, this is Bob Burns from A.P. In your opening remarks, you mentioned the mortuary affairs part of the operation. Could you explain exactly the extent to which the military's involved in that and who in the military and where they're doing that work? INGE: There are no mortuary affairs teams from the military. They're all civilian-sourced at this time. We know how many are there. And we believe, for the moment, it's adequate. We have a mortuary affairs company at Fort Peter -- at Fort Lee, Virginia, in Petersburg, that's on 12-hour alert to respond to the area should the need arise.

QUESTION: General, Jim Miklaszewski with NBC. You said a moment ago that on Tuesday morning, you awoke to sunshine, everybody thought that the worst was over. And, indeed, apparently there were some headlines in the area that said we dodged a bullet.

But the evidence indicates that the three levee breaks in New Orleans had already taken place. How is it that so many people could have missed the significance of those levee breaks and the potential disaster that those breaks represented?

INGE: Jim, I really can't speak to that because none of our forces were in New Orleans that day. I think you would have to refer that to the people who maintain those levees.

QUESTION: Let me ask you, did anybody in the local or state government confer or discuss the levee breaks and the potential threat that those breaks posed with the National Guard or anybody at Northcom prior to that Tuesday?

INGE: I'm not aware of any discussion with Northern Command. I can't speak to who else they might have spoken to. I have no further information than that. I'm aware of a discussion between Northern Command...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, let's go over here.

QUESTION: General, Brett Baier with FOX News channel. Right now, you have about 60,000 troops on the ground. Yesterday, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld said there may be a point at which there may be too many forces on the ground. Are you approaching that point? And is there analysis of maybe over-flooding the area with forces?

INGE: I don't think we're over-flooded at this point, but as in any operation, there will come a time when we'll have to transition and begin to move forces out. And maybe, an intermediate time, where we will bring in different unique forces and take some of the ones that are there out. But certainly, it's appropriate to start considering what's your transition plan and at what point you reach that. We're not far enough along at this point to talk about that.

QUESTION: What unique forces? You mentioned unique forces.

INGE: There may become a time when the appropriate forces on the ground are only logistics. Or the appropriate forces on the ground are only ones needing to assist in installing housing. You just never know until the situation develops. Every day, we review what the need, is what the requirement on the ground is, what's the requirement for the next 72 hours so that we can be prepared to respond on time, on target. KAGAN: We've been listening in to a Pentagon briefing. Lieutenant General Joseph Inge giving us an update on that, about the supplies, the troops. They're going into the Gulf Coast. Also saying help has been coming in from Canada and Mexico.

In term of those forced evacuations that the mayor of New Orleans is calling for, the lieutenant general is saying that that is going to be the first priority of the police department, leave it to them first, until the National Guard gets involved in that.

Let's go to New Orleans. We have on the phone with us right now Dan Lothian. He is on the I-10 bridge just as it goes into the waterway where we've been seeing all those pictures of where it was broken by the Superdome. He is with the Coast Guard and we're getting reports of a number shots being fired in the area. Dan joins us on the phone now -- Dan?

DAN LOTHIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Daryn, there's a situation obviously, still fluid. We're trying to get specific details as to whether or not shots were fired directly at law enforcement, at the Coast Guard, or just simply fired. That is unclear at this point.

What we do know, though, they are confirming that shots were fired in this particular area. It's on this, the I-10 that's been shut down. Not where the bridge has actually broken apart, but where it's just been flooded out as you're entering into the city. And that's where they have mobilized.

There are armed Coast Guard units here. Also, local law enforcement officials with their guns, scoping out the area. They haven't seen anything or haven't heard anything. We arrived on the scene shortly after the reports of shots being fired and have not heard any additional shots. They haven't seen anything, but they do believe the shots were fired right here in this area.

It just goes to illustrate that the security situation is still, while much more stable than it has been over the past week, certainly still a little bit unstable. Law enforcement still on edge as these shots being fired, or reports of shots being fired in the area.

KAGAN: And Dan, before we let you go, what are you doing there with the Coast Guard? Are you following them and what their efforts are today?

LOTHIAN: Well, we have come to this area to hook up with the Coast Guard as part of their efforts in continuing to go out and rescue folks, or do any type of surveying to where bodies might be. That's the reason we came to this area. And of course, at least in this particular area where we are at now, has been halted as they try to figure out this whole situation with the shots being fired. I'm sure that will begin and continue after they clear the area. But for right now, that's been halted.

KAGAN: All right, our Dan Lothian, on the phone from New Orleans. Thank you for that. We're going to a break. In the midst of all this, we're getting news of an American hostage in Iraq who has been freed. We'll have the latest on that as we return.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: And, this news just in to CNN, incredible news concerning a now-former hostage in Iraq. A former American hostage, Roy Hallums, 57 years old, he's been held hostage in Iraq since November 1st. His family now saying on a web site that he has been free. You can see it there, the joy in their web site.

They -- apparently Roy Hallums called from Iraq, talked to his daughter, talked to his ex-wife, telling his ex-wife Susan Hallums that he was tied and bound outside Fallujah in a farmhouse, and that right now he can't walk well, but that he's thrilled to be rescued and that he is on his way back to the United States.

To refresh your memory, Hallums and five others were taken hostage in an armed attack in Baghdad back on November 1st. He has shown up in a video that was released of him, saying that he was working with American forces and he was arrested by a resistance group in Iraq.

But once again, Roy Hallums, held hostage in Iraq since November 1st, calling his family back here in the State, saying he has been rescued, he is free, and he's looking forward to getting back home. More on that as we're able to contact family members just ahead.

Right now, a look at what's happening now in the news. The funeral for Chief Justice William Rehnquist is scheduled for this afternoon at St. Matthew's Cathedral in Washington. Right now, a live picture from the Supreme Court where his body remains on public view until noon eastern. It will then be transferred to the cathedral for services. President Bush and Justice Sandra Day O'Connor will be among the speakers at the funeral.

In Iraq, four private American security personnel were killed today in southern Iraqi city of Basra. A western official in Baghdad tells CNN that their vehicle hit a roadside bomb. They had been protecting a U.S. diplomatic convoy.

A damning report on the United Nations. The independent probe in the oil-for-food program finds the world body needs an urgent makeover. It slammed Secretary General Kofi Annan for management shortcomings, but it notes he didn't personally engage in unethical behavior. Annan told the Security Council today he accepts responsibility for the management failures.

And Egyptians are going to the polls in the country's first contested presidential elections. President Hosni Mubarak is expected to win a fifth six-year term. He faces nine other candidates. Most of them are not well known. Egypt says the decision to allow other candidates to run against Mr. Mubarak signals a move towards democratic reforms. Critics, though, say the claims of reform are a sham. We head back to New Orleans now, where the toxic floodwaters are slowly receding there but there's a deepening concern about the health dangers that may linger for some time to come. For more than a week, the city has been awash in a filthy sea contaminated with chemicals and human waste. Our medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen has the latest on the warnings about the water and the possible health consequences.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This water is so filthy that the Center for Disease Control is telling people who've been in it to get vaccinated against hepatitis A. And the New Orleans police force, including the Chief Eddie Compass, are getting vaccinated against hepatitis A and hepatitis B and tetanus.

Of course, you don't really need a test to tell you this water is contaminated. But we had one done, just to figure out how contaminated it is. The analysis of this New Orleans water shows it's full of bacteria from animal and human feces. Full, meaning this test by Louisiana State University shows it has more than 20,000 colonies of fecal coliform per 100 milliliters. Water runoff into rivers is normally supposed to be no more than 200. That's why Mayor Ray Nagin gave this warning Tuesday.

MAYOR RAY NAGIN, MAYOR OF NEW ORLEANS: I would like for everybody to get out because it's a health risk. There are toxins in the water.

COHEN: So what does this mean for the people of New Orleans who were in this water day after day? A week later, the water still smells. It's full of trash and debris. But, of course, what's really dangerous is what you can't see, viruses and bacteria. Dr. William Schaffner, who serves on an advisory committee to the Centers for Disease Control, says the signs of hepatitis A won't show up for about a month.

He said the vaccine can still work, even if it's been given after someone's been exposed to the virus. A more immediate concern, some people could become severely ill if they swallowed the bacteria and viruses in the water.

DR. WILLIAM SCHAFFNER, ADVISORY COUNCIL, CDC: Older people, people who are frail, immuno-compromised, and of course the tiny infants, they don't have the margin of safety, right? So any kind of illness can be really serious and potentially deadly with them.

COHEN: For everyone else, being in this water can mean acute diarrhea.

SCHAFFNER: We're hearing about small outbreaks of gastroenteritis, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

COHEN: Bacteria and viruses aren't the only concern. Johnyup Kim is an environmental engineering PhD student at LSU. At our request, he's also testing the water for various chemicals. Results should be back within the next few days. The government says they're working on it.

JOHNYUP KIM, PHD STUDENT, LSU: I can clearly see the interface between the water and the oil, indicating a lot of -- some volatile chemical has leaked through this area. It could be fuel, or it could be any other kind of chemical.

COHEN: And all the people who spent days in the water are waiting to find out what it could mean for their health now and later.

Elizabeth Cohen, CNN, New Orleans.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: Once again, want to get to our encouraging news out of Iraq. American hostage Roy Hallums has been freed. He has contacted his family here in the state, saying that he is alive. He is heading home. Let's go live to Baghdad now and Jennifer Eccleston with more on the story.

Jennifer, hello.

JENNIFER ECCLESTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Daryn. Well, that's right. A senior western official here confirms that Roy Hallums, an American contractor, as you may recall was kidnapped in 2004, is today a free man. This is also according to his web site and his ex-wife who spoke to him today, and also talked to CNN.

Now, the circumstances surrounding his release is unclear at this time. And we are waiting further confirmation. But what we do know is that he was kidnapped during an assault on his compound in the Monsour District here in Baghdad. And according to his ex-wife, as I mentioned, who just to him spoke just several hours ago, he said he was held at a farm in Fallujah.

And during his confinement he had his legs and his arms tied, and also that he was rescued by U.S. military. But again, we are waiting for further confirmation on that aspect of this story. Now, you also may recall last February, Roy Hallums appeared in an insurgent video where he said he was arrested by a resistance group because he worked with American forces. In that tape, Hallums appealed to Arab leaders, including Moammar Qaddafi of Libya, to help save him.

That tape was the first tape to have surfaced of Hallums since he and his five colleagues, who worked for a Saudi Arabian food contractor, were taken from their compound on November 1st, pardon me. Five of his colleagues have been freed, including Robert Torengoy (ph) of the Philippines. He was freed last June. But again, the word out of Baghdad today, Roy Hallums, the American contractor kidnapped in November 2004, is today free -- Daryn?

KAGAN: Encouraging news for his family back home, who I know he looks forward to reuniting with. Jennifer Eccleston, live in Baghdad, thank you for that.

Roy Hallums not the only one looking forward to reuniting with family members. So are thousands of evacuees from Hurricane Katrina. We're going to talk with one of them, still looking for family members from Houston, Texas. We're back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com