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CNN Live Today
Fifteen Kidnapped Iraqis Found Alive; Iran Looks Over Incentive Package Offered by West
Aired June 07, 2006 - 10:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Snatched off the street, dumped back into freedom. Iraqi authorities say they have found 15 people who had been kidnapped just two days ago. They were found alive, and police say bearing the scars of torture.
CNN's John Vause is in Baghdad with the very latest. And John, what do we know about these 15 people now alive?
JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredricka.
Well, they found these 15 hostages in the middle of the night in east Baghdad. They say they'd been blindfolded, beaten and tortured. Now, these hostages also, according to Iraqi police, three of them had bullet wounds, gunshot wounds to their foot. There's still no word, though, on at least 35 others who were taken with them from downtown Baghdad on Monday by gunmen dressed as Iraqi commandos. Sunni groups have accused the Iraqi police of actually being involved in this mass kidnapping. The interior ministry here in Baghdad says it's investigating -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And, meantime, in a another strange story taking place there in Iraq, prisoners have been released. What are the circumstances as to why prisoners were released from jail?
VAUSE: Well, to try and heal, move towards healing, the differences between the Shiites and the Sunnis -- the prime minister has ordered the release of 2,500 prisoners from detention centers, U.S. and Iraqi detention centers. Six hundred were set free today, mostly those who had no evidence against them or may have been jailed by mistake.
This is one of the largest release of prisoners since the U.S.- led occupation began in 2003. About 25,000 inmates are currently being held. Most of them are Sunni. The prime minister, though, says anyone linked to the old Saddam regime, or loyalists of Saddam Hussein, rather, and anyone who is considered a terrorist will not be released -- Fred.
WHITFIELD: And do people there believe that it's realistic to think that this release might help bridge any gap between Sunnis and Shias?
VAUSE: Well, it's a start in many ways. You know, some Sunni groups are demanding that all the prisoners be released. That isn't going to happen. But it's a start towards healing some of the differences. The Sunnis have long complained that they've been the victims of the new Iraqi government, the new Iraqi forces. They were the minority which made up the backbone of Saddam Hussein's regimes. So this, in many ways, is an incense to try and appease them, especially the Sunni groups in this National Unity Government, by releasing the prisoners. It's an attempt to try and keep them in that National Unity Government -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, John Vause, thanks so much from Baghdad.
Carrot or stick? The West hopes its offer is one Iran can't refuse. Top Iranian officials are now looking over a package of incentives, all theirs if they just give up uranium enrichment.
CNN's Robin Oakley breaks down the deal.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROBIN OAKLEY, CNN EUROPEAN POLITICAL EDITOR (voice-over): Iran's leaders have been given details of the incentives the world's biggest powers have prepared to offer if it will agree to suspend its uranium enrichment program, a program which Iran insists is for peaceful energy purposes and which others fear could be hiding a nuclear weapons ambition.
The plans, together with an indication of the penalties that might follow Iran's refusal to cooperate, were delivered Tuesday by the European Union's international policy chief, Javier Solana, on behalf of the U.S., France, Britain, Germany, China and Russia. Mr. Solana said Iran now had the chance of restarting negotiations.
JAVIER SOLANA, EU FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF: It's important that we (INAUDIBLE). We think there will be proposals that will allow us to get engaged in that negotiation, as I said, based on trust, respect and confidence.
OAKLEY: After they met for two hours, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator said he hoped for more talks once some ambiguities had been cleared up.
ALI LARIJANI, CHIEF IRANIAN NUCLEAR NEGOTIATOR (through translator): We recognize Europe's proposal for solving Iran's nuclear issue through negotiations as a positive step. We welcome this move.
OAKLEY: But Iran last week said it wouldn't drop its nuclear enrichment program as a condition for the Europeans and America restarting talks. And there was no hint of a change of heart on that.
(on camera): European sources have indicated that in return for suspending its uranium enrichment program, Iran would be offered light-water nuclear reactors and assured nuclear fuel supply. According to a "New York Times" report, Iran would also be allowed to buy spare parts from its aging airliners from the U.S. manufacturer Boeing, sanctions on the supply of agricultural technology would be ended, and the U.S. and Europe would push for Iran's membership of the World Trade Organization.
It's less clear what China and Russia would agree to as the penalties if Iran doesn't cooperate. But they're expected to include visa restrictions on Iranian officials, a freeze on assets held overseas, and an arms sales ban.
(voice-over): So how long will Iran be given to make up its mind? The U.S. doesn't want Iran to be allowed to spin things out.
CONDOLEEZZA RICE, SECRETARY OF STATE: This can't be endless. The Iranian program is progressing. And the international community needs to know if there is a negotiating option that really has life in it.
OAKLEY: That, she's made plain, means weeks, not months.
And this question, too, from whom should the outside world take Iran's term? From Mr. Larijani or from the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who this week suggested that if the U.S. made a wrong move on negotiations, then Iran would be prepared to disrupt the shipment of oil from the Gulf.
Robin Oakley, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Just in out of Capitol Hill. They talked about it. They debated. They voted, the full Senate did, on the constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage. The proposal has been defeated, as many people expected. The Senate voting 49-48. A no-go for that amendment.
Soaring gas prices eating away at profits. Truck drivers are paying the price in the heartland. One man's struggle to stay in business, straight ahead on LIVE TODAY.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Rappers love him, and so do athletes, and apparently so do car thieves. For the fourth year in a row, the Cadillac Escalade tops the list of the most stolen vehicles. That's according to the insurance industry. Pimped-up features like chrome wheels and leather seats may add to the Escalade's popularity. Other hot wheels among car thieves: the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution sedan, and two pickup trucks, the Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab and the Ford F-250 and 350 models.
(BUSINESS HEADLINES)
WHITFIELD: People want to know about money. They also want to know about a pregnant elephant's very difficult labor.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Elephants are very funny. They become very, not just needy, but they look for support. (END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Straight ahead, how experts are trying to save the elephant, and its calf. You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: In Buffalo, it's bird versus baseball. And the ball -- ouch! -- won. Bad timing for this seagull at a minor league game between the Bisons and the Durham Bulls. It flew between the pitcher's mound and home plate just as a the ball was thrown off. Poor bird. The bird got clipped on the wing and then fell to the ground. A Buffalo player scooped up the stunned animal, as you can see right there, carrying it off to safety. The bird shook it off and later flew away, just like that ball.
Well, Phoenix in a cloud of dust. Take a look at this bird's-eye view. A huge dust storm rolled through the city late yesterday. The wall of dust was believed to be 3,000 feet tall. Check out the ground shots of this storm. It blocked out the sun for quite a while. Motorists and pedestrians were blown around by 50 mile-an-hour wind gusts.
(WEATHER REPORT)
WHITFIELD: Later on here on CNN LIVE TODAY, we're going to be talking to people about why so many people are so fascinated by this whole little baby thing over Brangelina. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Stay tuned. You want to hear what's going on in Namibia, as well as why so many people are so enthralled by the whole thing.
MARCIANO: I'll be here, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Rob, all right.
Well, CNN's Lou Dobbs, feeling the love from superstar Cher and "The Daily Show"'s Jon Stewart. Check out this clip from last night's "Daily Show."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The so-called Christian Republicans have sent the men and women and our armed forces into battle without the proper helmets. They don't even have the teflar (ph) insert.
STEWART: That voice -- wait, that voice sounds very familiar to me. Is it -- is that...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is this Cher?
CHER: Yes.
STEWART: Apparently Cher called C-Span at 4:30 in the morning Los Angeles time. And that wasn't the most surprising thing about the phone call! UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you for calling in again. This is the second or third time you've phoned in.
STEWART: Guess what. That still wasn't the most surprising thing about the phone call.
CHER: One of my best friends is Lou Dobbs.
STEWART: What? Now, that is the most surprising thing about the call. Although I have to say, I was a big fan of their variety show. I still remember -- I still remember one of their big hits.
CHER (singing): I got you to talk with me.
STEWART (singing): We got to do something about outsourcing to India!
CHER (singing): I got you for all the time.
STEWART (singing): The Mexican flag has no place in a parade on American soil!
Good times.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: OK. Maybe not the variety show, but, of course, you can watch Cher's good friend Lou Dobbs every weekday, only on CNN. Tune in for that at 6:00 p.m. Eastern, sans the Cher.
The road to recovery. The journey home. A wounded journalist is returning to the United States for medical care. We'll have a the latest on Kimberly Dozier, straight ahead.
And at the top of the hour, the so-called bikini strangler is behind bars. He went right where authorities were waiting.
"We were surprised, because we thought maybe he would flee if he saw the mass media coverage that he was getting."
Ahead, where the manhunt ended. You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Guarding the border after sneaking over it. A national guardsman has a unique outlook on illegal immigration.
CNN's Jonathan Freed talked to him for "ANDERSON COOPER 360."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILMER VALLADERES, UTAH NATIONAL GUARD: It's very hot. We have to be drinking a lot of water.
JONATHAN FREED, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Specialist Wilmer Valladeres is one of 55 members of the Utah National Guard deployed along the Arizona border with Mexico building a fence to keep out illegals. The thing is, Valladeres came to this country illegally himself, and just realized he made his treacherous trip across the desert exactly 10 years ago today.
FREED (on camera): June 6, 1996?
VALLADERES: Yes.
FREED: Ten years ago?
VALLADERES: Yes.
FREED: Today? This is the 10-year anniversary?
VALLADERES: Today.
(LAUGHTER)
VALLADERES: I can't believe that.
FREED (voice-over): Starting this month, 6,000 National Guard troops will be deploying to the southern border states, building fences like this one and improving things like the roads that run along them, all in an effort to free up Border Patrol officers, so they can focus on enforcement.
Specialist Valladeres, originally from Honduras, crossed the border in Texas, married an American, and then became a U.S. citizen. Now he finds himself helping to carry out President Bush's plan to secure the border.
(on camera): You crossed into this country illegally.
VALLADERES: I did.
FREED: And now you're helping to build that fence.
VALLADERES: I can't believe that.
(LAUGHTER)
VALLADERES: I can't believe that I'm doing this, you know? Now I'm putting a fence where I -- I just crossed.
(LAUGHTER)
VALLADERES: It's crazy, but I love this country.
FREED: Some people might be watching at home and saying, but he came here illegally.
VALLADERES: It's true.
FREED: And now he's saying that he doesn't mind putting up a fence. VALLADERES: Well...
FREED: They might not believe it.
VALLADERES: Let me tell you something. You know, I came illegal. That is true, you know? I know, a lot of my people, they want to come here, and they want to do, you know, a better -- a better life. I know that. For that people, I feel sad.
FREED (voice-over): But not sad for criminals. He says he's building the fence to protect his children from drugs.
(on camera): When you look at this fence and everything that you're doing here, do you think that it is going to have the impact that it's supposed to have, or do you think it's more about politics?
VALLADERES: Well, so far, I see it have an impact already. We haven't finished it yet, and it has an impact already.
FREED (voice-over): That's according to the Border Patrol, which says even a partially finished fence disrupts the illegal flow. Arizona's governor agrees, and stopped by today, shaking Valladeres' hand, thanking the Utah troops, and looking forward to even more National Guard coming from all over the U.S.
GOV. JANET NAPOLITANO (D), ARIZONA: I got a state where, last year, there were over 500,000 illegal immigrant apprehensions. We need to secure the border between the ports.
FREED: Valladeres believes the effort will work, to a point.
VALLADERES: I know it's going to be hard for my people to cross. I know they will find a way to cross anyway. I know they will.
FREED: He says he knows what it takes to survive the desert heat, with only the promise of a new life to keep you moving forward.
(on camera): Valladeres says he spent the better part of three days in the desert before he finally touched American soil. And he says he wants to make sure that his children appreciate what it took for them to be born in this country.
Jonathan Freed, CNN, San Luis, Arizona.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Anderson Cooper brings you stories from the border. Watch "A.C. 360" weeknights at 10:00 Eastern, 7:00 Pacific.
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