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Near Town of Najaf, U.S. Troops Fight Overnight Gun Battle with Insurgents; Jordan Says It Could Have Been One of Deadliest Terror Attacks Ever

Aired April 27, 2004 - 09:31   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.


SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back, everybody. It is just about half past the hour on this AMERICAN MORNING. In just a few minutes, we're going to get to a report on this terrorist attack averted in Jordan. If authorities are right, it could have been catastrophic. We'll take a look into the investigation and the video of a daring raid that's coming up in just a moments.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Also, a tense situation continues that way in Fallujah. Marines are waiting to see if insurgents will come out of hiding and surrender their heavy arms after a battle again yesterday. "The L.A. Times" reporter Tony Perry, really our eyes and ears through much of this siege, is back with us today. We'll talk with him in a few moments from his position, somewhere in Fallujah.

In the meantime, though, top stories here at the half hour. A search is under way for an Army helicopter and its three crew members in South Carolina. Authorities say a U8-60 Black Hawk went missing during a routine training flight after taking off from Ft. Bragg, in North Carolina last night. It's last known position, 20 miles northeast of Florence, South Carolina. More details as we get them this morning here.

Military sources in Iraq says U.S. troops have killed dozens so far, dozens of insurgents near Najaf. The overnight battles, said to be some of the heaviest fighting there yet. Meanwhile, the wanted Muslim cleric Muqtada Al-Sadr said to be holed up inside the center of that city. U.S. forces have been positioned outside that town for sometime.

A quick approval expected for the man nominated to be America's new ambassador in Iraq. President Bush tapped John Negroponte, now the U.S. ambassador the U.N., about a week ago. The Senate foreign Relations Committee meeting today to talk about that very nomination.

Campaign 2004, President Bush and Democratic hopeful John Kerry campaigning today. The president expected to visit a Baltimore hospital later to promote new high-tech policies in health care. John Kerry continues his jobs first bus tour. He's in Ohio today. Senator Kerry pushing for new job programs, while criticizing tax cuts for the wealthy.

Also from California, lawmakers introducing legislation that would ban indoor tanning for minors. The law would prohibit people under the age of 18 from using ultraviolet tanning machines except under doctors orders. The reaction from an estimated $2 billion-a- year tanning industry a bit mixed. Nearly 7,500 people die from melanoma and skin-related cancers, they say, every year.

You're up to date now at 9:33.

O'BRIEN: And in fact, The fake tan you get out of the little jar, that's so much better, better for you, and you have more control over the color you get. That's kind of nice, in case you're wondering.

I'm actually glad that you can't weigh in on that. That would concern me.

HEMMER: Still white.

(WEATHER REPORT)

In Iraq, near the town of Najaf, U.S. troops fought an overnight gun battle there with insurgents. American officials say at least 43 Iraqis are dead as a result. AC-130 gunships in the skies overhead. An anti-aircraft system belonging to the insurgents also destroyed in that battle.

In Fallujah, meanwhile, a tense situation continues involving U.S. Marines and Shiite insurgents there continuing.

Earlier, I talked with Tony Perry of the "L.A. Times." He is embedded with the 1st Marine Division. I asked him to describe the situation that is ongoing there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TONY PERRY, "L.A. TIMES": Well, in Fallujah, it has been relatively quiet after a very violent day yesterday, in which the Marines fought a fierce firefight, urban firefight with insurgents for several hours. Today, so far, nightfall is yet to approach, we have not had a repeat of that.

HEMMER: Tony, are the marines aware about the extension of the deadline yet again, trying to find a political solution there in Fallujah?

PERRY: Well, for the Marines, I'm afraid, and certainly for the rank and file, the whole idea of deadlines and turning weapons in has become kind of a joke. The whole cease fire to the Marines on the line, it has become a joke. They have taken fire nearly everyday, maybe even every hour, from the insurgents while this alleged truce has been going on.

As I say, there was a fierce firefight for two hours last night in which Marines were fighting insurgents. One Marine died, eight wounded, three severely. Those Marines certainly didn't see a truce at all. The sort of dark humor is that the insurgents are turning in their mortars one shell at a time by shelling Americans positions.

So the idea of an extension to something that doesn't have much reality to the Marines on the frontline I think probably doesn't make much of an impact on them.

HEMMER: Do they believe this delay is helping the enemy?

PERRY: Well, I don't see how it can help them enormously. They're cut off. They're smuggling some arms presumably in, some reinforcements, but they're probably losing more people in the skirmishes. Their ammunition is being completed. They're cut off, they're surrounded. I don't see how it's going to help them enormously.

HEMMER: It's my understanding there are about 7,000 Marines who could take part in the assault on Fallujah, if that happens at some point. Is there any question in the Marines' minds how difficult this battle might be?

PERRY: This would be exceedingly tough, and they know that. This is urban fighting, street-to-street, house-to-house, rooftop-to- rooftop, and particularly if there are civilians caught up in the middle, and this enemy prefers to fight among women and children.

The Marines have trained for this. They've trained assiduously for this. They haven't done this, however, in 30 years, not since the great battle of Way City in South Vietnam, one of the bloodiest battles of that long war.

Urban warfare is bloody. We had two-hour fight yesterday which was really a preview of what we could see. People shooting at each other from 30 feet away. Extreme violence and extreme use of ammunition. We saw a preview yesterday that we're going to see magnified on a much, much larger scale if it goes to that.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HEMMER: Again, Tony Perry of "The L.A. Times" embedded with the 1st Marine Division in Fallujah, fighting the Sunni insurgents inside that town -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: The government of Jordan says it could have been one of the deadliest terror attacks ever. In a series of raids, security forces say broke up the al Qaeda plot, killing three suspects, and arresting several more.

John Vause is Amman, Jordan with more this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Jordanian special forces raiding an apartment house in Amman in the hunt for an al Qaeda cell. Some of the suspects are killed, others arrested, ending what Jordanian intelligence says was a bold plan to use chemical weapons and truck bombs in their capital. Targets including Jordanian intelligence headquarters, the prime minister's office and the U.S. embassy. The Jordanian government fears the death toll could have run into the thousands, more deadly even than 9/11.

For the first time, the alleged plotters were interviewed on videotape, aired on Jordanian TV. CNN obtained copies of the tapes from the Jordanians. This man revealing his orders came from a man named Azmi Jayoussi, the cell's alleged ringleader.

HUSSEIN SHARIF, ACCUSED PLOTTER (through translator): The aim of this operation was to strike Jordan and the Hashamite (ph) royal family, a war against the crusaders and infidels. Azmi told me this would be the first chemical suicide attack that al Qaeda would execute.

VAUSE: Also appearing on the tape, Azmi Jayoussi, who says his orders came from this man, Abu Masab al Zarqawi (ph), the same man the U.S. says is behind many of the violent attacks in Iraq.

AZMI JAYOUSSI, ACCUSED PLOTTER (through translator): I took advanced explosives courses, poisons, high level. Then I pledged allegiance to Abu Masab al Zarqawi (ph) to obey him without any questioning and to be on his side. After this, Afghanistan fell. I met Abu Masab al Zarqawi (ph) in Iraq.

VAUSE: Al Jayoussi was only shown in profile. He had marks on his hand, neck and face. The Jordanians who taped the confessions say the suspect suffered the injuries during the arrest. CNN was not allowed access to any of those arrested.

The Jordanian government says this plot is only the latest attempt by al Qaeda to destabilize this country.

ASMA KHADER, JORDANIAN MINISTER OF STATE: Jordan was fighting these types of plans years now, and the security forces were able to confront them.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: Jordanian officials say the plot was in just days of being carried out when it was broken up.

HEMMER: Election talk now. The issue of Senator John Kerry's war record, again, getting a lot of attention on the campaign trail. Earlier today here on AMERICAN MORNING, in fact, last hour, we were joined by Terry McAuliffe, head of the DNC, and Ed Gillespie, the chairman of the RNC, asking both of them about the senator's war medals and whether or not he gave the whole story of throwing them away in protest back in the early 1970s.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TERRY MCAULIFFE, DNC CHAIRMAN: What waste of time. He earned five medals, three Purple Hearts, a Silver Star, a Bronze Star. Just talk to the veterans organizations who were behind John Kerry and talk about his courageous leadership. Dick Cheney, George Bush, you know, they didn't have any medals to throw anywhere, because they didn't earn any models. John Kerry did it. He proved what a leader he is for this country.

And right, I think if you want to go to the judgment, we got the president of the United States, George Bush, who rushed us to war, would not build an international coalition. We went over there with no plans for what to do with our troops after major combat operations were over.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ED GILLESPIE, RNC CHAIRMAN: What happened was less than five days ago, the senator said I never implied that I threw away my own medals, and in fact, it turned out he did just that and he said just that, and this is part of the pattern you see with John Kerry. He says one thing, does another, constant reversal and shifting of positions. That's not the kind of steady leadership we need in these challenging times. Look, if you don't like John Kerry's position on an issue, just go to his next event; it will probably change.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HEMMER: Ed Gillespie and Terry McAuliffe earlier today.

Meanwhile, the Bush campaign unveiling 10 new ads yesterday, part of a $10 million targeting blitz against Senator Kerry's votes on national security issues -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Still to come this morning, a very new important warning on secondhand smoke. Dr. Sanjay Gupta's going to joins us with details on that. Stay with us. You're watching AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: New warnings from the CDC suggesting that secondhand smoke even is more dangerous than previously thought. Health officials now advising anyone at risk of heart disease avoid all areas that allow indoor smoking.

And Dr. Sanjay Gupta is looking into it here in New York to talk more about it.

Good morning to you. Unprecedented, is it?

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Unprecedented. Very strong warning, one of the first of its kind really by the Centers for Disease Control, regarding secondhand smoke. No surprise that secondhand smoke is bad for you. We've been hearing that for years. But this is a very specific recommendation regarding patients with heart disease and their exposure to secondhand smoke. Could it cause a heart attack? That was the question posed to the CDC. Their answer, yes. Thus causing these new regulations.

Let's break it down a little bit for you here. What the CDC is specifically saying is that in only 30 minutes of secondhand smoke exposure, you can get a substantial biological change in the blood vessels, less than four hours of exposure. And, look, you're effect on the arteries is going to be similar to that as if you were a smoker. Long-term exposure to secondhand smoke. That is, if you live with it, if you work with it. That's going to give you a 30 percent increased risk of heart disease.

Bottom line is this, exposure to secondhand smoke works quick, and it doesn't take very much to cause the effects. That's why these new warnings in place. Just 30 minutes in a place of work, and a restaurant, someplace like that; if you have heart disease; could be a significant problem.

HEMMER: Do we know the connection as to why smoke has such a grave effect on heart patients? What is the cause and effect there?

GUPTA: Right, and this has been studied a lot. You talk about smoke and smokers, but you also talk about secondhand smoke as well. What is happening to the body when you're expose to do that? One of the things they're saying is that your actually blood becomes more likely to clot. Call it thicker, if you will. If it's thicker, it's less likely to flow as well, and that can make you a setup for heart attack. Also, it also causes general inflammation in the body, most specifically concerning in the blood vessels. Again, if the blood vessels get inflamed, again, they're most likely to cause blockages.

HEMMER: One of the big stories in this country. Dublin, Ireland did, in fact, not too long ago. L.A. San Francisco, New York City, stopping all indoor smoking in bars and restaurants. Is it too soon to say whether or not this ban is actually helping the health of people and individuals?

GUPTA: This is really interesting, Bill. And Delaware as well. And also Helena, Montana. A lot of people don't know about this, a smaller city, but interesting city, because a lot of health officials citing Helena, Montana as an example. Here's what happened, they actually banned smoking in all public buildings for about six months. During that six-month period, what they saw was a 40 percent decrease in heart attacks and heart disease deaths, 40 percent decrease during those six months.

Here's the thing. Subsequently, the ban was overturned, people were allowed to smoke again -- the rate of heart attacks went right back up again.

So you're seeing it was a small number of cases across the board. Certainly Helena not a big city overall, but that was some of the most striking evidence in terms of banning smoking.

HEMMER: In a word, do you think that's going to sweep the country?

GUPTA: Well, I mean, I think that people who have heart disease should be very concerned about exposing themselves to secondhand smoke. I think it's a fair and important warning.

HEMMER: Thank you, Sanjay.

GUPTA: Thank you.

HEMMER: Good to see you in New York.

Here's Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Still to come this morning, the price of being part of the "Friends" finale. It is a record-setter, and Andy's got the details, coming up. That's ahead as AMERICAN MORNING continues. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: Saying goodbye to "Friends" won't be easy for some, and for advertisers, it sure won't be cheap either. With that, and a look at the markets, Andy Serwer "Minding Your Business" this morning.

Let's start with the markets. Good morning.

ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Let's do that, and then we're going to talk about the end of must-see TV as we know it, right?

O'BRIEN: Yes, absolutely.

SERWER: Yes. All right, let's check out the big board here. Stocks trading up this morning early on. The Dow as moving up about 30 points and we're going to see where it is -- I think we're going to see. Well, maybe not.

All right, Lockheed Martin -- we don't have that shot right now. Lockheed Martin reporting strong earnings, same with Du Pont. Not so with USAir -- 177 million dollar quarterly loss. It's hard to imagine what's going on. That airline has been in tough times, seeing tough times for years and years and years.

Let's go to "Friends," shall we, Soledad?

O'BRIEN: We shall.

SERWER: Let's talk about that.

O'BRIEN: Are you going to watch it, the finale?

SERWER: You know what, I don't think so. I just -- I just...

O'BRIEN: You're not a fan?

SERWER: No, I don't do to much appointment TV watching. I turn on CNN on at night, or sports. Yes, an advertisement here.

OK, anyway, a week from Thursday is the last episode of "Friends." That will be May 6th. And advertisers are going to be shelling out a record $2 million for 30 seconds, Ross and Rachel, etc. -- Ross and Rachel, there they are. That's as high as it gets, except for the Super Bowl, which is $2.3 million for 30 seconds. But when you talk about sitcoms and regular TV shows, it is a record.

Now let's look at the finales of some of the biggest sitcoms throughout the years, and you can see here how much it's cost -- there's inflation there -- to get those commercials and how it's gone up. What's interesting though, Soledad, is that the viewership has gone down. "MASH" had 105 million people watching that episode, that last episode, and it's estimated only about 50 million tops will watch the last episode of "Friends." So not getting as much bang for their buck.

O'BRIEN: Yes, No question about that. All right, that's interesting. Thanks, Andy.

HEMMER: Not quite as many viewers who tune in to see the Question of the Day.

JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Many more channels, though, now than there was back...

O'BRIEN: More competition.

CAFFERTY: A lot more people in the country. So the performance "MASH" turned in really is...

O'BRIEN: It really matters.

SERWER: That's huge. That'll probably never be surpassed.

HEMMER: 105 million people.

SERWER: Right now, right here, you're one of 106 million watching this.

CAFFERTY: The question is as follows, should the Supreme Court force Vice President Cheney to release information about those energy meetings that he had with folks back there a couple of years ago. The court is going to take a look at that case.

Richard in San Antonio says, "No. If the vice president or any other top government official is to get candid information and recommendations, it must be done with the knowledge that you're comments will not be spread over the front pages of every rag magazine and news network."

He puts us together.

SERWER: We resemble that remark, don't we?

CAFFERTY: "What the vice president does with this information gathered then becomes public record. Just as newspapers must protect their sources, the vice president should have the same opportunity."

Jud in St. Louis, writes, "Of course, when someone tries so hard to hide something, it undoubtedly is because there's something they wan to hide. Otherwise it just isn't worth the effort."

And on the topic of Big Bird doing the commencement address there at Villanova, was it Villanova?

SERWER: Yes, I think it was Villanova, wasn't it? CAFFERTY: Yes. Villanova.

SERWER: Villanova.

CAFFERTY: They're having Big Bird as the commencement speaker at Villanova.

O'BRIEN: There is a guy who does Big Bird, and he wrote a book.

CAFFERTY: John Stoors (ph) in Connecticut writes, I understand choosing the actor who plays Big Bird may not seem the best choice for a speaker." That would be at Villanova. "However, when one compares him to the thousands of politicians giving stump speeches, who will speak before graduates like myself, Big Bird is a nice relief.

SERWER: That guy is from UConn. You see that, he's writing from Stoors, Connecticut. So it's a basketball thing.

CAFFERTY: Big Bird couldn't go to UConn, because he's already booked.

SERWER: Right, this guy's a little jealous up there at UConn.

O'BRIEN: Maybe next year.

SERWER: Or Elmo this year.

HEMMER: Listen, I hate to break this up, did you say Villanova?

CAFFERTY: Villanova. They go together like this, Big Bird, Villanova.

HEMMER: All right, coming up next hour here, dozens of witnesses, months of testimony, leading to today. Jury deliberations in the Jayson Williams trial expected to begin. Daryn Kagan has all the details next here, Jack, on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired April 27, 2004 - 09:31   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back, everybody. It is just about half past the hour on this AMERICAN MORNING. In just a few minutes, we're going to get to a report on this terrorist attack averted in Jordan. If authorities are right, it could have been catastrophic. We'll take a look into the investigation and the video of a daring raid that's coming up in just a moments.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Also, a tense situation continues that way in Fallujah. Marines are waiting to see if insurgents will come out of hiding and surrender their heavy arms after a battle again yesterday. "The L.A. Times" reporter Tony Perry, really our eyes and ears through much of this siege, is back with us today. We'll talk with him in a few moments from his position, somewhere in Fallujah.

In the meantime, though, top stories here at the half hour. A search is under way for an Army helicopter and its three crew members in South Carolina. Authorities say a U8-60 Black Hawk went missing during a routine training flight after taking off from Ft. Bragg, in North Carolina last night. It's last known position, 20 miles northeast of Florence, South Carolina. More details as we get them this morning here.

Military sources in Iraq says U.S. troops have killed dozens so far, dozens of insurgents near Najaf. The overnight battles, said to be some of the heaviest fighting there yet. Meanwhile, the wanted Muslim cleric Muqtada Al-Sadr said to be holed up inside the center of that city. U.S. forces have been positioned outside that town for sometime.

A quick approval expected for the man nominated to be America's new ambassador in Iraq. President Bush tapped John Negroponte, now the U.S. ambassador the U.N., about a week ago. The Senate foreign Relations Committee meeting today to talk about that very nomination.

Campaign 2004, President Bush and Democratic hopeful John Kerry campaigning today. The president expected to visit a Baltimore hospital later to promote new high-tech policies in health care. John Kerry continues his jobs first bus tour. He's in Ohio today. Senator Kerry pushing for new job programs, while criticizing tax cuts for the wealthy.

Also from California, lawmakers introducing legislation that would ban indoor tanning for minors. The law would prohibit people under the age of 18 from using ultraviolet tanning machines except under doctors orders. The reaction from an estimated $2 billion-a- year tanning industry a bit mixed. Nearly 7,500 people die from melanoma and skin-related cancers, they say, every year.

You're up to date now at 9:33.

O'BRIEN: And in fact, The fake tan you get out of the little jar, that's so much better, better for you, and you have more control over the color you get. That's kind of nice, in case you're wondering.

I'm actually glad that you can't weigh in on that. That would concern me.

HEMMER: Still white.

(WEATHER REPORT)

In Iraq, near the town of Najaf, U.S. troops fought an overnight gun battle there with insurgents. American officials say at least 43 Iraqis are dead as a result. AC-130 gunships in the skies overhead. An anti-aircraft system belonging to the insurgents also destroyed in that battle.

In Fallujah, meanwhile, a tense situation continues involving U.S. Marines and Shiite insurgents there continuing.

Earlier, I talked with Tony Perry of the "L.A. Times." He is embedded with the 1st Marine Division. I asked him to describe the situation that is ongoing there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TONY PERRY, "L.A. TIMES": Well, in Fallujah, it has been relatively quiet after a very violent day yesterday, in which the Marines fought a fierce firefight, urban firefight with insurgents for several hours. Today, so far, nightfall is yet to approach, we have not had a repeat of that.

HEMMER: Tony, are the marines aware about the extension of the deadline yet again, trying to find a political solution there in Fallujah?

PERRY: Well, for the Marines, I'm afraid, and certainly for the rank and file, the whole idea of deadlines and turning weapons in has become kind of a joke. The whole cease fire to the Marines on the line, it has become a joke. They have taken fire nearly everyday, maybe even every hour, from the insurgents while this alleged truce has been going on.

As I say, there was a fierce firefight for two hours last night in which Marines were fighting insurgents. One Marine died, eight wounded, three severely. Those Marines certainly didn't see a truce at all. The sort of dark humor is that the insurgents are turning in their mortars one shell at a time by shelling Americans positions.

So the idea of an extension to something that doesn't have much reality to the Marines on the frontline I think probably doesn't make much of an impact on them.

HEMMER: Do they believe this delay is helping the enemy?

PERRY: Well, I don't see how it can help them enormously. They're cut off. They're smuggling some arms presumably in, some reinforcements, but they're probably losing more people in the skirmishes. Their ammunition is being completed. They're cut off, they're surrounded. I don't see how it's going to help them enormously.

HEMMER: It's my understanding there are about 7,000 Marines who could take part in the assault on Fallujah, if that happens at some point. Is there any question in the Marines' minds how difficult this battle might be?

PERRY: This would be exceedingly tough, and they know that. This is urban fighting, street-to-street, house-to-house, rooftop-to- rooftop, and particularly if there are civilians caught up in the middle, and this enemy prefers to fight among women and children.

The Marines have trained for this. They've trained assiduously for this. They haven't done this, however, in 30 years, not since the great battle of Way City in South Vietnam, one of the bloodiest battles of that long war.

Urban warfare is bloody. We had two-hour fight yesterday which was really a preview of what we could see. People shooting at each other from 30 feet away. Extreme violence and extreme use of ammunition. We saw a preview yesterday that we're going to see magnified on a much, much larger scale if it goes to that.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HEMMER: Again, Tony Perry of "The L.A. Times" embedded with the 1st Marine Division in Fallujah, fighting the Sunni insurgents inside that town -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: The government of Jordan says it could have been one of the deadliest terror attacks ever. In a series of raids, security forces say broke up the al Qaeda plot, killing three suspects, and arresting several more.

John Vause is Amman, Jordan with more this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Jordanian special forces raiding an apartment house in Amman in the hunt for an al Qaeda cell. Some of the suspects are killed, others arrested, ending what Jordanian intelligence says was a bold plan to use chemical weapons and truck bombs in their capital. Targets including Jordanian intelligence headquarters, the prime minister's office and the U.S. embassy. The Jordanian government fears the death toll could have run into the thousands, more deadly even than 9/11.

For the first time, the alleged plotters were interviewed on videotape, aired on Jordanian TV. CNN obtained copies of the tapes from the Jordanians. This man revealing his orders came from a man named Azmi Jayoussi, the cell's alleged ringleader.

HUSSEIN SHARIF, ACCUSED PLOTTER (through translator): The aim of this operation was to strike Jordan and the Hashamite (ph) royal family, a war against the crusaders and infidels. Azmi told me this would be the first chemical suicide attack that al Qaeda would execute.

VAUSE: Also appearing on the tape, Azmi Jayoussi, who says his orders came from this man, Abu Masab al Zarqawi (ph), the same man the U.S. says is behind many of the violent attacks in Iraq.

AZMI JAYOUSSI, ACCUSED PLOTTER (through translator): I took advanced explosives courses, poisons, high level. Then I pledged allegiance to Abu Masab al Zarqawi (ph) to obey him without any questioning and to be on his side. After this, Afghanistan fell. I met Abu Masab al Zarqawi (ph) in Iraq.

VAUSE: Al Jayoussi was only shown in profile. He had marks on his hand, neck and face. The Jordanians who taped the confessions say the suspect suffered the injuries during the arrest. CNN was not allowed access to any of those arrested.

The Jordanian government says this plot is only the latest attempt by al Qaeda to destabilize this country.

ASMA KHADER, JORDANIAN MINISTER OF STATE: Jordan was fighting these types of plans years now, and the security forces were able to confront them.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: Jordanian officials say the plot was in just days of being carried out when it was broken up.

HEMMER: Election talk now. The issue of Senator John Kerry's war record, again, getting a lot of attention on the campaign trail. Earlier today here on AMERICAN MORNING, in fact, last hour, we were joined by Terry McAuliffe, head of the DNC, and Ed Gillespie, the chairman of the RNC, asking both of them about the senator's war medals and whether or not he gave the whole story of throwing them away in protest back in the early 1970s.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TERRY MCAULIFFE, DNC CHAIRMAN: What waste of time. He earned five medals, three Purple Hearts, a Silver Star, a Bronze Star. Just talk to the veterans organizations who were behind John Kerry and talk about his courageous leadership. Dick Cheney, George Bush, you know, they didn't have any medals to throw anywhere, because they didn't earn any models. John Kerry did it. He proved what a leader he is for this country.

And right, I think if you want to go to the judgment, we got the president of the United States, George Bush, who rushed us to war, would not build an international coalition. We went over there with no plans for what to do with our troops after major combat operations were over.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ED GILLESPIE, RNC CHAIRMAN: What happened was less than five days ago, the senator said I never implied that I threw away my own medals, and in fact, it turned out he did just that and he said just that, and this is part of the pattern you see with John Kerry. He says one thing, does another, constant reversal and shifting of positions. That's not the kind of steady leadership we need in these challenging times. Look, if you don't like John Kerry's position on an issue, just go to his next event; it will probably change.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HEMMER: Ed Gillespie and Terry McAuliffe earlier today.

Meanwhile, the Bush campaign unveiling 10 new ads yesterday, part of a $10 million targeting blitz against Senator Kerry's votes on national security issues -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Still to come this morning, a very new important warning on secondhand smoke. Dr. Sanjay Gupta's going to joins us with details on that. Stay with us. You're watching AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: New warnings from the CDC suggesting that secondhand smoke even is more dangerous than previously thought. Health officials now advising anyone at risk of heart disease avoid all areas that allow indoor smoking.

And Dr. Sanjay Gupta is looking into it here in New York to talk more about it.

Good morning to you. Unprecedented, is it?

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Unprecedented. Very strong warning, one of the first of its kind really by the Centers for Disease Control, regarding secondhand smoke. No surprise that secondhand smoke is bad for you. We've been hearing that for years. But this is a very specific recommendation regarding patients with heart disease and their exposure to secondhand smoke. Could it cause a heart attack? That was the question posed to the CDC. Their answer, yes. Thus causing these new regulations.

Let's break it down a little bit for you here. What the CDC is specifically saying is that in only 30 minutes of secondhand smoke exposure, you can get a substantial biological change in the blood vessels, less than four hours of exposure. And, look, you're effect on the arteries is going to be similar to that as if you were a smoker. Long-term exposure to secondhand smoke. That is, if you live with it, if you work with it. That's going to give you a 30 percent increased risk of heart disease.

Bottom line is this, exposure to secondhand smoke works quick, and it doesn't take very much to cause the effects. That's why these new warnings in place. Just 30 minutes in a place of work, and a restaurant, someplace like that; if you have heart disease; could be a significant problem.

HEMMER: Do we know the connection as to why smoke has such a grave effect on heart patients? What is the cause and effect there?

GUPTA: Right, and this has been studied a lot. You talk about smoke and smokers, but you also talk about secondhand smoke as well. What is happening to the body when you're expose to do that? One of the things they're saying is that your actually blood becomes more likely to clot. Call it thicker, if you will. If it's thicker, it's less likely to flow as well, and that can make you a setup for heart attack. Also, it also causes general inflammation in the body, most specifically concerning in the blood vessels. Again, if the blood vessels get inflamed, again, they're most likely to cause blockages.

HEMMER: One of the big stories in this country. Dublin, Ireland did, in fact, not too long ago. L.A. San Francisco, New York City, stopping all indoor smoking in bars and restaurants. Is it too soon to say whether or not this ban is actually helping the health of people and individuals?

GUPTA: This is really interesting, Bill. And Delaware as well. And also Helena, Montana. A lot of people don't know about this, a smaller city, but interesting city, because a lot of health officials citing Helena, Montana as an example. Here's what happened, they actually banned smoking in all public buildings for about six months. During that six-month period, what they saw was a 40 percent decrease in heart attacks and heart disease deaths, 40 percent decrease during those six months.

Here's the thing. Subsequently, the ban was overturned, people were allowed to smoke again -- the rate of heart attacks went right back up again.

So you're seeing it was a small number of cases across the board. Certainly Helena not a big city overall, but that was some of the most striking evidence in terms of banning smoking.

HEMMER: In a word, do you think that's going to sweep the country?

GUPTA: Well, I mean, I think that people who have heart disease should be very concerned about exposing themselves to secondhand smoke. I think it's a fair and important warning.

HEMMER: Thank you, Sanjay.

GUPTA: Thank you.

HEMMER: Good to see you in New York.

Here's Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Still to come this morning, the price of being part of the "Friends" finale. It is a record-setter, and Andy's got the details, coming up. That's ahead as AMERICAN MORNING continues. Stay with us.

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O'BRIEN: Saying goodbye to "Friends" won't be easy for some, and for advertisers, it sure won't be cheap either. With that, and a look at the markets, Andy Serwer "Minding Your Business" this morning.

Let's start with the markets. Good morning.

ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Let's do that, and then we're going to talk about the end of must-see TV as we know it, right?

O'BRIEN: Yes, absolutely.

SERWER: Yes. All right, let's check out the big board here. Stocks trading up this morning early on. The Dow as moving up about 30 points and we're going to see where it is -- I think we're going to see. Well, maybe not.

All right, Lockheed Martin -- we don't have that shot right now. Lockheed Martin reporting strong earnings, same with Du Pont. Not so with USAir -- 177 million dollar quarterly loss. It's hard to imagine what's going on. That airline has been in tough times, seeing tough times for years and years and years.

Let's go to "Friends," shall we, Soledad?

O'BRIEN: We shall.

SERWER: Let's talk about that.

O'BRIEN: Are you going to watch it, the finale?

SERWER: You know what, I don't think so. I just -- I just...

O'BRIEN: You're not a fan?

SERWER: No, I don't do to much appointment TV watching. I turn on CNN on at night, or sports. Yes, an advertisement here.

OK, anyway, a week from Thursday is the last episode of "Friends." That will be May 6th. And advertisers are going to be shelling out a record $2 million for 30 seconds, Ross and Rachel, etc. -- Ross and Rachel, there they are. That's as high as it gets, except for the Super Bowl, which is $2.3 million for 30 seconds. But when you talk about sitcoms and regular TV shows, it is a record.

Now let's look at the finales of some of the biggest sitcoms throughout the years, and you can see here how much it's cost -- there's inflation there -- to get those commercials and how it's gone up. What's interesting though, Soledad, is that the viewership has gone down. "MASH" had 105 million people watching that episode, that last episode, and it's estimated only about 50 million tops will watch the last episode of "Friends." So not getting as much bang for their buck.

O'BRIEN: Yes, No question about that. All right, that's interesting. Thanks, Andy.

HEMMER: Not quite as many viewers who tune in to see the Question of the Day.

JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Many more channels, though, now than there was back...

O'BRIEN: More competition.

CAFFERTY: A lot more people in the country. So the performance "MASH" turned in really is...

O'BRIEN: It really matters.

SERWER: That's huge. That'll probably never be surpassed.

HEMMER: 105 million people.

SERWER: Right now, right here, you're one of 106 million watching this.

CAFFERTY: The question is as follows, should the Supreme Court force Vice President Cheney to release information about those energy meetings that he had with folks back there a couple of years ago. The court is going to take a look at that case.

Richard in San Antonio says, "No. If the vice president or any other top government official is to get candid information and recommendations, it must be done with the knowledge that you're comments will not be spread over the front pages of every rag magazine and news network."

He puts us together.

SERWER: We resemble that remark, don't we?

CAFFERTY: "What the vice president does with this information gathered then becomes public record. Just as newspapers must protect their sources, the vice president should have the same opportunity."

Jud in St. Louis, writes, "Of course, when someone tries so hard to hide something, it undoubtedly is because there's something they wan to hide. Otherwise it just isn't worth the effort."

And on the topic of Big Bird doing the commencement address there at Villanova, was it Villanova?

SERWER: Yes, I think it was Villanova, wasn't it? CAFFERTY: Yes. Villanova.

SERWER: Villanova.

CAFFERTY: They're having Big Bird as the commencement speaker at Villanova.

O'BRIEN: There is a guy who does Big Bird, and he wrote a book.

CAFFERTY: John Stoors (ph) in Connecticut writes, I understand choosing the actor who plays Big Bird may not seem the best choice for a speaker." That would be at Villanova. "However, when one compares him to the thousands of politicians giving stump speeches, who will speak before graduates like myself, Big Bird is a nice relief.

SERWER: That guy is from UConn. You see that, he's writing from Stoors, Connecticut. So it's a basketball thing.

CAFFERTY: Big Bird couldn't go to UConn, because he's already booked.

SERWER: Right, this guy's a little jealous up there at UConn.

O'BRIEN: Maybe next year.

SERWER: Or Elmo this year.

HEMMER: Listen, I hate to break this up, did you say Villanova?

CAFFERTY: Villanova. They go together like this, Big Bird, Villanova.

HEMMER: All right, coming up next hour here, dozens of witnesses, months of testimony, leading to today. Jury deliberations in the Jayson Williams trial expected to begin. Daryn Kagan has all the details next here, Jack, on AMERICAN MORNING.

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