Return to Transcripts main page
American Morning
Construction Crew Discovers New Mass Grave Near Karbala; Alleged Rapist Captured in Miami; Post-Christmas Retail Prospects Strong
Aired December 27, 2005 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR, AMERICAN MORNING: Good morning to you. I'm Miles O'Brien.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR, AMERICAN MORNING: And I'm Carol Costello in for Soledad this morning.
O'BRIEN: A new wave of violence across Iraq. Insurgents killing two dozen people in the last day. While in Baghdad a massive demonstration in support of a new unity government. We're live in Iraq with more on all of this.
Police in Miami get their man. Suspected serial rapist Raynaldo Rapalo chased down and captured. Details straight ahead.
COSTELLO: A deadly confrontation in New Orleans. Police shoot a man waving a knife. The first time deadly force has been used since Katrina.
And a serious message of crime prevention for people lost in the world of their iPods. Why music can become a criminal's best accomplice.
O'BRIEN: We begin in Iraq. Several developing stories there to tell you about. Including word a mass grave has been found near Karbala, with up to 20 bodies in it. It is believed they were killed by Saddam Hussein's security forces during an uprising in 1991. CNN Producer Arwa Damon is in Baghdad following all of this and more.
Arwa, what are we learning?
ARWA DAMON, CNN PRODUCER, BAGHDAD: Well good morning, Miles.
In fact, these construction workers in the city of Karbula, as you mentioned, were laying a water pipeline when they dug up what is another unpleasant reminder of Saddam Hussein's regime, of Iraq past.
Now, they found the skulls and bodies of what they initially believe to be some 20 individuals. And officials down there are telling CNN that they believe these were Shias who were killed in the 1991 uprising. Now, this uprising is believed to have killed at least 30,000 Shias throughout the country. And since the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime, Iraqi officials tell us that they have uncovered some 300 mass graves.
Now, of course, this all comes as we are awaiting for the Saddam trial to resume. The trail, of course, is trying Saddam Hussein and seven of his associates for crimes that were committed in Dujail, where 148 citizens of Dujail were killed after a failed assassination attempt against Saddam Hussein in 1982 -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: Tell us about this news about a couple of American chopper pilots killed.
DAMON: Yes, that's right. The U.S. military issued a statement saying that overnight, last night, an Apache helicopter crashed, killing both pilots that were inside. Now the statement said that this was a non-hostile incident. That it did not involve enemy fire, but then again, that is also a reminder and a clear indication of how dangerous it is just to operate here in Iraq, even though there is no enemy fire involved.
These soldiers and the Marines and all of the U.S. military forces that are out there still do have a very dangerous job even running daily operations, Miles.
O'BRIEN: Arwa Damon, our producer in Baghdad. Thank you very much.
Carol?
COSTELLO: We are learning more now about President Bush's OK for warrant less wiretaps inside the United States. And just how expensive the eavesdropping program has been. White House Correspondent Dana Bash is in Crawford, Texas where the president is on holiday.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice over): President Bush arrived in Texas for a quiet end to a tumultuous year. But hopes for a 2006 political rebound are already in peril with new revelations that his secret post-9/11 directive was broader in scope than he acknowledged.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I authorized the interception of international communications, of people with known links to Al Qaeda and related terrorist organizations.
BASH: In admitting the highly classified program exists, the president did not let on that the National Security Agency is not just eavesdropping on conversations. It is getting help from U.S. telephone and Internet companies to collect and analyze a large amount of information, a source familiar with the program confirms to CNN.
"The New York Times", which first reported the story, says U.S. telecommunications companies granted the NSA access to monitor e-mail and phone traffic in and out of the United States without a warrant. It is what intelligence and law enforcement experts data mining, described to CNN by former officials familiar with the program, as trying to uncover terror plots by watching who talked to whom, when, and from where. GEORGE BAURIES, FORMER FBI AGENT: It's not infringing or looking at individual words of a conversation, or listening to any one individual, but the pattern of information flow, which is key to determining an ongoing threat.
CNN was unable to confirm with any telecommunications companies whether they're cooperating with the government. And the White House refuses to confirm "The New York Times" report.
Former Secretary of State Colin Powell, who did not know about the classified surveillance program while in the Bush Cabinet, says it is justified and should continue. However, he said controversy could have been avoided had the president gone through the courts.
COLIN POWELL, FMR. SECRETARY OF STATE: My own judgment is that, it didn't seem to me anyway, that it would have been that hard to go get the warrants.
BASH: Civil liberties advocates call the program a major violation of privacy and the law.
LISA GRAVES, ACLU: Nothing the Congress has passed since September 11 has authorized this president to engage in this type of surveillance of the American people -- people on this soil -- for any reason.
BASH (on camera): The White House insists anything the president approved was carefully reviewed and was within the bounds of his authority. But Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy tells CNN he can't find anyone who thinks the so-called data mining aspect of the secret surveillance program is legal. And he promises to aggressively ask the White House about it during bi-partisan hearings early next year.
Dana Bash, CNN, Crawford, Texas.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle have called for investigations into the so-called warrant less wiretap programs.
O'BRIEN: Well, did you join the post-Christmas holiday rush? Did you go shopping as promised?
COSTELLO: I did.
O'BRIEN: Did you get good stuff?
COSTELLO: Yeah.
O'BRIEN: Well, you're going to have to show it later -- to us.
In the meantime, some initial reports that you were not alone, not even close. Was it a zoo?
COSTELLO: It was a zoo? But it was a fun zoo. O'BRIEN: Oh, come on, fun zoo -- there's no such thing.
Anyway, holiday shopping is up more than 8 percent from Black Friday. This is the post-holiday. So you were in a busier time than the Friday after Thanksgiving. Shopper Trap Corporation -- whatever that is -- says the week after Christmas accounted for 10 percent of holiday sales last year. But this year, because of those gift cards -- did you give gift cards?
COSTELLO: I did and I used them.
O'BRIEN: And I bet you bought things for more than the amount of the gift card, right? Because you don't want to leave anything on the gift card, right.
COSTELLO: I'm broke now. I'm broke for 2006.
O'BRIEN: This is why you get gifts, you end up broke. The after Christmas sales could account for as much as 14 percent this year.
Now, new after-Christmas tradition. You've heard of re-gifting, what about e-gifting.
COSTELLO: This is just awful.
O'BRIEN: You don't like what you got, you put it on eBay. The auction site said it is bracing for a bump in business from people getting rid of their presents and then purchasing, of course, what they want on the popular auction site.
COSTELLO: Do you know how heartbreaking it would be if I went on eBay and saw my gift that I gave to someone, that I took so much time to pick out. And there it is on eBay for less than what I paid for it.
O'BRIEN: I think John Zarrella's godfather belt buckle, from yesterday? It's there. It's there this morning. Undoubtedly.
(LAUGHTER)
COSTELLO: That is so wrong.
O'BRIEN: I'm going to bid on it during the commercial.
COSTELLO: Jacqui did you see that awful belt that John Zarrella got from his son?
JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I missed that one, fortunately.
COSTELLO: You're lucky.
JERAS: Anyway, I saw some very creative advertising, by the way. You guys mentioned eBay. Yesterday I was out shopping myself, which by the way, was enjoyable Carol.
COSTELLO: Yes. JERAS: It was enjoyable. It was crazy but enjoyable.
Somebody was driving around with their car that said, Xbox for sale, with the price on it and everything.
(LAUGHTER)
JERAS: Huge sign that covered their entire car door.
COSTELLO: Miles is looking for one.
O'BRIEN: You know where I got mine? eBay, so --
JERAS: Did you get yours?
O'BRIEN: I paid a premium, you might say.
JERAS: All right. At least you got it.
O'BRIEN: It arrived. That's all I can tell you.
JERAS: I can check with the driver of the car and see if I can get you a better deal.
O'BRIEN: No, no. I'm done with that one.
JERAS: All right.
(WEATHER FORECAST)
O'BRIEN: In New Orleans an investigation underway this morning into a deadly police shooting. A video taken moments before the police opened fire -- seen here -- killing this man, ultimately. His face is blurred there and he's waving his arms. You can see upwards of dozen police officers approaching him, guns drawn.
A department spokesman says officers fired when the man made a move toward one of them with a knife. That is not depicted here in the video here, that we have. It is first use of deadly force since Hurricane Katrina.
According to witnesses, more than half a dozen shots were fired. The victim was known in the area and had a history of bizarre behavior. Police investigators now looking into whether that use of deadly force was justified.
COSTELLO: Also, some late-night developments from Florida to tell you about. That suspected serial rapists, armed and dangerous, he's back in custody. Raynaldo Rapalo broke out of jail last Tuesday. He climbed down a rope made of bed sheets, six stories to the ground.
Rapalo is accused of attacking seven women and girls in Miami. They range in age from 11 to 77. It is the end of tense week in Miami, though. WSOR's Brian Andrews is at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Headquarters.
Tell us how it went down?
BRIAN ANDREWS, REPORTER, WSOR TV: Well, apparently, this guy had been living on the lam for six days. Right now he's inside the FDLA Headquarters behind me, where he's talking with detectives from Miami- Dade Police, giving them details as to how he was able to allude everybody after he broke out of the Turner Gilford Knight (ph) jail in West Miami-Dade, over near Miami's airport.
Apparently, he may have had some help. And right now we're told detectives are following up leads there. They are possibly going to be making arrests later today of people who were assisting this guy along the way.
They know that when he broke out of the jail he was in his jail uniform and when they picked him up late last night he was wearing a dark sweater and some sort pink frilly undershirt. They're not sure if somebody gave it to him or, if he stole it from somewhere, but they're looking into that.
When the arrested him, we're told that he actually had on him, one of these blades that he used to cut through the ceiling of the jail and then make his way up to the roof to go down the bed linens. So, he was armed, but he wasn't threatening to officers. And he's been talking to them since midnight.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DIR. ROBERT PARKER, MIAMI-DADE POLICE: We were able to apprehend him as a result of a tip that was called in my a citizen. As he was approached by law enforcement, took off on foot, as a result of that Miami-Dade police departments tactical narcotics team, which had a couple of teams out there, roughly 15 personnel and a K-9 team, was able to chase the individual down and place him into custody.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDREWS: Now, wait 'til you hear this. The person who called in that anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers? Well, they're going to be cutting them a big fat check. Miami's Most Wanted is worth 36,000. That's the story from Miami this morning. We'll send it back to you.
COSTELLO: Fascinating. Brian Andrews many thanks to you.
We're going to talk to the officers who ran down Raynaldo Rapalo. They'll be with us in the next hour of AMERICAN MORNING.
O'BRIEN: Coming up in the program, give money to the Red Cross after Katrina. There is a new case of fraud that might get your blood boiling.
COSTELLO: Oh, I'm sure it will.
And later, don't let your favorite new toy make you a target for thieves. We'll tell you what one city is doing to keep iPod users tuned into safety.
First though, a holiday message from our troops overseas.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LT. JACQUE FONTENOT, U.S. ARMY: Hi, I'm Lt. Jacque Fontenot, FOB Spiker (ph). I'd like to say Happy Holidays to my father and my brothers in Baytown Texas.
SGT. 1st CLASS DENNIS GIBSON, U.S. ARMY: Hi, I'm Sgt. 1st Class Dennis Gibson from Camp Taji, Iraq. I just want to say Happy Holidays to my family in Waco and the Fort Hood area. I love ya!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: It is (UNINTELLIGIBLE). But it's early, Miles.
O'BRIEN: Yes.
COSTELLO: It's early. And good morning to you. It is 6:14 Eastern.
In headlines this morning a south Florida bus driver is behind bars after a allegedly threatening to blow up a bus. Authorities say they found an improvised bomb and two hollowed out grenades in the man's apartment. The materials were taken away safely.
He's been charged with making a bomb threat and possession of a destructive device. Federal charges may come.
Virginia police still looking for a motive behind Christmas Day killings outside of Washington. Five people were shot to death in two affluent neighborhoods. Police believe it was a murder suicide.
They say 27-year-old Nathan Cheatham shot and killed his mother outside of her home and then he drove to another home where he killed three more people and then shot himself. Police say Cheatham had a history of mental problems.
Israeli war planes are targeting suspected insurgent cites in Gaza. Forces launched air strikes earlier today. The missiles left deep craters in parts of the city. Israeli troops say the assault was aimed at the Palestinian militant group, Al Aqsa Martyr's Brigade. No word on any injuries.
Nearly 50 people are accused of defrauding a Red Cross program for Katrina victims. According to "The Washington Post", they allegedly swindled $100,000s of dollars. Authorities say 17 of them actually worked at the claims center.
The Red Cross caught wind of it when officials noticed a suspiciously high number of claims while few evacuees lived in the area.
And the party is over for ABC's "Monday Night Football". After 36 seasons the Monday night phenomenon finished with the New England Patriots beating the New York Jets, 31 to 21.
And get this: That is the very same score, as the very first Monday night game back in 1970. Sorry, Jets fans, the Jets lost that game as well. Actually, they lost to the Cleveland Browns.
O'BRIEN: Same score?
COSTELLO: Same exact score, as the first game, 31 to 21. Monday night NFL games move to ESPN next year.
So never fear, Jacqui, Monday night football lives on.
(WEATHER FORECAST)
O'BRIEN: When it comes to holiday shopping retailers say procrastinators made the difference this year.
Carrie Lee, what's that all about?
CARRIE LEE, CNN FINANCIAL CORRESPONDENT: Good numbers so far, Miles and Carol.
Holiday sales up 8.7 percent over last year. That's more than the National Retail Federation had been predicting. They were estimating about a 6 percent increase. Although that number is not as comprehensive.
Electronics sales did very well. Things like flat panel television screens, Mp3 players. One exception, though, the Xbox 360, we were talking about this last week. People had a hard time getting their hands on those devices.
O'BRIEN: Tell me about it.
LEE: And so game sales slackened off a little bit, as well. But Amazon, says it sales were up a whopping 24 percent on iPod sales and games sales.
One exception, jewelry sales. Down a little bit over last year. So maybe everyone is all blinged out. I don't know.
(LAUGHTER)
(CROSS TALK)
O'BRIEN: Blinged out?
COSTELLO: You can't be blinged out!
LEE: Never have enough. Never have enough. But so far the numbers are good. And of course, this is a good sales week, as well, for retailers. Industry analysts say clothing could do very well this week.
O'BRIEN: I think I need a little more bling. What do you think? You know? LEE: I agree with Carol. You can never have enough.
COSTELLO: I'll talk to Sandy for you.
O'BRIEN: What do you think about an earring for me?
COSTELLO: That would be cool.
LEE: I think you should stick with the Xbox 360.
(LAUGHTER)
(CROSS TALK)
LEE: Were you able to -- did you have luck with that, or no?
O'BRIEN: eBay.
LEE: OK.
O'BRIEN: Ouch.
LEE: Good.
O'BRIEN: That's all I can say is one word -- ouch.
LEE: OK.
(LAUGHTER)
COSTELLO: "Morning Coffee" is straight ahead. Coming up, America's new low-tech weapon in the war on terror; that would be wasps. You know, those little buzzing things? We'll explain how they train them, next on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(PROMO INFORMATION)
COSTELLO: Time for some "Morning Coffee".
O'BRIEN: Whatcha got? "Morning Coffee".
COSTELLO: This is a sad story. One of baseball's greatest relief pitchers could use a save right now. Jeff Reardon, remember him?
O'BRIEN: Of course.
COSTELLO: You remember Jeff Reardon? Absolutely wonderful.
O'BRIEN: Early '90s, Red Sox.
COSTELLO: Look at him now.
O'BRIEN: Oh, ouch! COSTELLO: He was arrested on Monday, charged with trying to rob a jewelry store. Police in Palm Beach Gardens Florida say Reardon walked into the store, handed over a note saying he had a gun. And then he ran out with a bunch of cash.
Jeff Reardon likely earned $11 in his 16-year career. He played for 17; fifth among the all-time saves leaders, with 367.
Police captured him quietly. He's charged with armed robbery. And that's just sad.
O'BRIEN: I just -- I hope it's a misunderstanding.
COSTELLO: I don't think so. He's got troubles, though, obviously.
O'BRIEN: I should say.
COSTELLO: So, we'll keep you posted on that.
If you park in Flushing, Queens, make sure you lock your car doors, like with a big chain and maybe some padlocks. Police are reportedly after a gang of car thieves who steal just the car doors. They steal a whole car door. I'm not kidding. You come back to your car.
O'BRIEN: Just the door?
COSTELLO: Just the door. You come back to your car, there is a big hole where your door used to be. It seems to be mostly Toyotas that are getting their doors ripped off, which can get pretty expensive.
Try 5,000 bucks for a brand new car door. The thieves sell the doors to chop shops or to crooked repair shops. So you can see why they're stealing them.
O'BRIEN: So, hub caps aren't good enough anymore? You have to go for the door?
COSTELLO: Steal the door.
O'BRIEN: All right.
COSTELLO: That's crazy?
O'BRIEN: Yeah.
COSTELLO: I mean, see this guy carrying a door down the street?
O'BRIEN: Well, that would be slightly suspicious. If I saw somebody carrying a door down the street. I might want to call the authorities. But it's Queens. Maybe that's a normal thing?
COSTELLO: Well, no they probably do it in the dark of night. You wake up, you go out to your car, your doors are gone. O'BRIEN: No door.
COSTELLO: We talked about this story before -- wasps, could be fighting the war on terror very soon. They can be trained to sniff out bombs. This is a picture of a little wasp.
Never mind the machines that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Even bomb sniffing dogs cost thousands of dollars and take months to train. Wasps learn the trade in minutes. And for 100 bucks a super sensitive bomb detector can be made.
O'BRIEN: That's a $100 wasp? That's an expensive wasp.
COSTELLO: Well, it takes a 100 bucks to train a swarm of wasps.
O'BRIEN: Oh, OK.
COSTELLO: And you may be wondering how they learn. Well, scientists use sugar water to condition the wasps, sort of the same way Pavlov trained his dogs.
O'BRIEN: So, as long as the bomb is sweet smelling, they're in good shape, is that it?
COSTELLO: No, no, no, no. When the wasps sniff out the bomb, they're treated to sugar water, which they love.
O'BRIEN: And now they're working on teaching them to disarm the bombs with their little tentacles, there.
COSTELLO: Those wasps are smart, Miles.
O'BRIEN: They're very smart wasps. All right. Thank you, Carol.
Coming up, will your favorite Christmas gift turn you into a target for thieves. There is one city out there that is trying to keep iPod users eyes and ears peeled for trouble. You know, people put those things on, they zone out, Carol. They walk right into you. It's amazing.
COSTELLO: They do. Right.
O'BRIEN: That's ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Get the latest news every morning in your e-mail. Sign up for AMERICAN MORNING Quick News, at CNN.com/am.
Still to come in the program, we're going to check in with Becky Diamond. She is embedded with U.S. troops in Afghanistan. You know, yesterday we spoke with her. She was outside of Kabul.
And there is a real moral problem there for the troops, because -- among other things -- we're talking about the holidays. But many of them perceive this to be the forgotten war, in Afghanistan, with all of our focus on Iraq. They continue to fight a good fight against the Taliban.
She has exclusive access, embedded with U.S. troops as they continue their training there, under tough circumstances. We'll bring that to you in just a bit. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: One of Miami's most wanted back in custody. Suspected rapist Raynaldo Rapalo captured after spending a week on the run.
Thousands of Iraqis pour into the streets demonstrating in favor of the unity government. And U.S. troops training Afghan forces with deadly precision. Coming up a rare view inside their mission. You'll see it only, here on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANNOUNCER: You're watching AMERICAN MORNING with Soledad O'Brien and Miles O'Brien.
O'BRIEN: Good morning, welcome back. We're glad you're with us here on AMERICAN MORNING on a Tuesday. Tuesday after Christmas.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
