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American Morning

London Terror Anniversary; New York Tunnel Bomb Plot; U.S. Stand On North Korea; Victim Of Hate?

Aired July 07, 2006 - 07:00   ET

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

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: But we have heard just a few moments ago from our own Kelli Arena that the plot might have been wider than that. That it did no specifically mention the Holland Tunnel but was targeting New York City tunnels in general. CNN does now confirm that one man has been arrested in Beirut and counterterrorism forces are hunting for suspects around the world.
Now these plotters, according to "The Daily News" report, were promised aid by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the al Qaeda in Iraq terrorists killed by U.S. forces last month. And sources say the terrorists planned to hit other tunnels and subways as well. This story is developing.

Carol.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, hopefully Kelli Arena will get us more information soon.

Two minutes of silence right now all across England this morning. People remembering the 52 killed in a series of terror bombings one year ago today. Chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour live at the King's Cross underground station in London this morning.

Actually, we're going to go to Christiane in a minute. Let's listen to this moment of silence first.

And you can see much of London observing this moment of silence. Let's check in with the chief international correspondent for CNN, Christiane Amanpour.

Christiane.

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, it is a two- minute moment of silence here. Behind me, at King's Cross Station, there are people who have come out and who are just now standing still, quietly remembering what happened this time a year ago. Here King's Cross saw the bulk of the casualties. Fifty-two people were killed, more than 700 people were wounded.

From top to bottom of this country, people are observing right now. In Edinburgh, Scotland, the queen and the royal family, here at all the subway stations, the three that were bombed. Also at the Tavistock Square where the bus was ripped apart, there are people observing this silence. All the while sirens, ambulances, police and cars still going about the business that they have to do. The prime minister, Tony Blair, standing with the London fire brigade. We saw the police and the inspectors who were on the terror investigation in the hunt standing outside Scotland Yard. At Regents Park, not far from me, there is a big floral tribute.

And later this afternoon, perhaps in a couple of hours, they will have family members there. And many people in the public who want to come and remember what happened will lay flowers and the names of each one of the 52 victims will be read out. And perhaps also there will be some of those who survived.

We did talk to a survivor today who told us that this time last year she had climbed out of the ripped car of the underground station and the train that she was on. She had climbed over the casualties to get out. But today, a year later, she says she has still been traveling on the undergrounds because not only is it a practical necessity, she must get to work, but also, she says, she cannot allow these people to win.

And that is really a great sense of the spirit of resilience of the people of England, the people of London. At no point has there been mass panic or mass fear, just a relentless decision to move forward, to cope and to carry on, despite the fact that one year ago today was such a watershed event for this country.

COSTELLO: Christiane Amanpour reporting live from London this morning. Thanks.

We have a little more now on word of another plot targeting commuters, this time in New York City. For more on this story, let's turn to Ken Rosato of affiliate WABC in New York.

What do you know, Ken.

KEN ROSATO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, at this point we know exactly what "The New York Daily News" has published. And that is that this was an alleged plot here that our authorities around the world have been able to uncover. That one arrest has been made and that another arrest is eminent at this point.

From what we understand, that the FBI tells us they've uncovered this alleged plot by jihadists that would have resulted in the bombing of the Holland Tunnel with the intention of flooding lower Manhattan ala Hurricane Katrina. Authorities in Beirut, Lebanon, arresting one alleged suspect in recent months. They say they know who a second suspect is but they are still looking for him.

Now it's thought the plot would have included using a vehicle packed with explosives to blow a hole in the Holland Tunnel. That's the tunnel that allows for car traffic between lower Manhattan and New Jersey across the Hudson River. And some 34 million vehicles take that every single year. The assumption was that water would then come gushing into lower Manhattan, flooding the financial district, bringing New York City literally to a grinding halt.

Now the NYPD apparently was aware of this. The good news is that this alleged plot was thwarted. It is, of course, scary to think about, but authorities assure people in New York City that the city was never in any eminent danger and that's why they have authorities working around the world to gather intelligence.

Again, an alleged terror plot thwarted by our intelligence sources around the world. That's it from here. We're live in Tribeca, lower Manhattan. Ken Rosato for CNN.

Back to you, Carol.

COSTELLO: Before you go, Ken, how are the tunnels protected in New York City?

ROSATO: Say it again, please.

COSTELLO: How are the tunnels protected in New York City?

ROSATO: Well, the tunnels are constructed with steel and concrete. They are made to take impact of vehicles into the walls. And according to authorities here, that because of the water level of the Hudson River, that if there were an explosion of the middle of the Holland Tunnel, that it would not cause water to gush into lower Manhattan as these individuals thought might be the case.

But, again, they also, by the way, pump air through the tunnel to prevent anything like that from happening. So, again, the authorities say that this likely would have only caused literally a divot in the walls of the tunnel but they're glad, nonetheless, that no one tried this.

COSTELLO: Yes, we believe it was still in the talking stages. Our own Kelli Arena is also investigating this story. Ken Rosato from WABC reporting live for us this morning.

Stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.

M. O'BRIEN: America's pointman on North Korea in the midst of some high stakes shuttle diplomacy now. Heading from China to South Korea as we speak. The U.S. pressing for sanctions to stop the North Korean saber rattling. The crisis should be at the top of the agenda as President Bush holds a news conference in Chicago a little later this morning. At the White House we find Suzanne Malveaux. Actually, not at the White House. She's left. She's in Chicago. Hard to keep up with her.

Hello, Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, hello, Miles. As a matter of fact, President Bush is really mixing it up here in Chicago. It was last night he had a birthday bash with Mayor Richard Daley and, of course, a Republican fund-raiser for the gubernatorial candidate.

But today he is actually kicking off this renewed campaign to take his agenda directly to the American people outside of Washington, holding a rare news conference where he, of course, is not only going to get questions from us, but other local reporters. Atop of the agenda, as you can imagine, is going to be North Korea.

President Bush has been very much involved in high stakes diplomacy, reaching out to the world leaders involved in the six-party talks, Russia, China, Japan, South Korea. As you know, some on board with sanctions, get tough economic sanctions. Others, Russia and China, are not. But President Bush, in his exclusive interview with Larry King just yesterday saying the U.S. strategy is to try to get all of the players involved speaking with one voice to convince North Korea to come back, negotiate, come back to those six-party talks.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LARRY KING, CNN ANCHOR: Since it's always better, one would think, to talk to somebody, would you meet with Kim Jong?

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Oh, I think that's -- I think he'd love to have the United States sit down at the table alone with Kim Jong-il. The problem is, we tried that and it didn't work.

I think the best way to solve this problem diplomatically is for there to be other nations around the table with us so that when he looks out, when he looks at the table or he looks at the world he hears China and the United States and speaking in one voice, or China, the United States, Russia, Japan, and South Korea speaking with one voice.

I am into solving problems and I'm convinced the strategy we've got is the best way to solve this problem.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: And, Miles, you'll be hearing the same message but perhaps delivered in a little bit of a different way. This setting outside of Washington really meant to put President Bush in a setting that he's comfortable with to convey confidence in his agenda, both his domestic and foreign agenda. That happening just hours away.

Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: Suzanne Malveaux in Chicago, thank you very much.

President Bush to hold that news conference a little later. CNN will bring it to you live. We're told it will begin at 10:50 Eastern. That's a ten minute shift from what we told you earlier. Just keep it on CNN, you won't miss it.

Carol.

COSTELLO: Maybe he knows something about the weather. It will be nicer weather 10 minutes before 11:00.

M. O'BRIEN: He's very prompt. We know that . It will be 10:50.

COSTELLO: It certainly will.

So, Chad, will it be a beautiful day for the president in Chicago?

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Absolutely. Really a nice weekend for all of the east.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: It has been a year since the London transit bombings. But has the United States done enough to make America's subways more secure? A CNN security watch is just ahead.

M. O'BRIEN: Also, Soledad with an exclusive interview with the parents of a Texas teen brutally beaten. They believe it was a hate crime and they'll talk about their son's condition and his ordeal.

COSTELLO: And Atlantic City casinos empty now because of a government shutdown. But that may not be the case much longer. We will explain just ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Happening this morning.

The Israeli military is moving farther into Gaza. Troops trying to stop Palestinian militants from firing rockets into Gaza. They're also fanning out to find a kidnapped Israeli soldier missing for nearly two weeks now.

Iraqi and U.S. forces clashing with gunmen in Baghdad's Sadr City. Iraqi police say at least seven people were killed, dozens more wounded. Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr controls that area.

Congress is calling on ordinary citizens to come forward today and voice their concerns about illegal immigration. It's part of a House hearing on border security and international terrorism.

Atlantic City should be back in business later today. New Jersey lawmakers finally agreed on a budget late last night. The budget stalemate forced a week-long government shutdown.

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell released from a hospital in Aspen, Colorado. The 69-year-old Powell was admitted early this morning for observation possibly after suffering from food poisoning.

And an American man is among several people hurt in Spain's running of the bulls. Thousands of people are packing Pamplona's cobblestone streets. Some have a lot of courage and some a have had a little too much to drink.

And it's a work day for the crew of Discovery. They'll use robot arms to lift some 5,000 pounds of supplies from the shuttle into the Space Station. CNN has an in-flight interview with the station crew. And you can watch it live in "The Situation Room" at 4:42 Eastern.

M. O'BRIEN: Now to Texas and a crime that shocked us all. A Hispanic teenager practically beaten to death. Two white teens, known to their neighbors for their racist views, are being charged with the beating. Many people in that area are convinced it is a hate crime and they wonder why it is happening in their town of Spring, Texas. Soledad talked exclusively with the victim's parents.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Does he have any idea what happened to him?

MRS. GALVAN, VICTIM'S MOTHER: None.

S. O'BRIEN: And when you walked in to see what you saw . . .

MR. GALVAN, VICTIM'S FATHER: It was a shock. Can't believe somebody can do somebody like that.

MRS. GALVAN: Because he was so big and swollen. I mean it was -- he was like four times his size. It was like, you know, what -- how do you beat someone like this, you know?

MR. GALVAN: Yes. Unbelievable. You wouldn't -- it was just unbelievable.

MRS. GALVAN: Right.

S. O'BRIEN: Did you think when you saw him, as bad as he was, that he might not survive this?

MR. GALVAN: Well they told us that, you know, he was in bad shape. That they didn't think that, you know, that he was going to make it the first three days.

S. O'BRIEN: They didn't think he'd survive?

MR. GALVAN: No.

MRS. GALVAN: No. From what we understood, he didn't. They had to revive him the first night.

MR. GALVAN: Yes.

S. O'BRIEN: Tell me -- walk me through a little bit. I know -- I'll tell you what I read. I read that he was burned with cigarettes.

MR. GALVAN: Cigarettes. He had cigarette burns on his arms, his legs. They tried to carve that swastika sign on his chest.

S. O'BRIEN: A swastika?

MR. GALVAN: Yeah. He has a big old slice there.

MRS. GALVAN: He was kicked with, we believe . . .

MR. GALVAN: Steel towed boots.

S. O'BRIEN: And they took a pipe or a -- I guess an umbrella stand. MR. GALVAN: It was an umbrella that . . .

S. O'BRIEN: From like a table.

MR. GALVAN: Right.

S. O'BRIEN: And he was sodomized so badly that it damaged his internal organs.

MR. GALVAN: Yeah. Yeah, you could say that.

S. O'BRIEN: He's 17 years old, played football, popular kid from the kids that we talked to.

MRS. GALVAN: Very popular.

MR. GALVAN: He was very popular.

S. O'BRIEN: Everybody liked him. Got along with everybody.

MR. GALVAN: Yes.

S. O'BRIEN: What's his personality like now?

MR. GALVAN: Well, it's hard to say at this point because he's not able to speak. He's not able to do very much.

S. O'BRIEN: What was it like the first day he regained consciousness and the first time he looked at you and said, you know, he recognized you as mom and dad?

MR. GALVAN: Well it felt good. Felt real good.

S. O'BRIEN: What did he do?

MR. GALVAN: Well, wasn't much he could do, I mean, because he was all -- had tubes all . . .

MRS. GALVAN: He winked his eye. And I said, do you remember us? Do you know who I am? And he's just kind of like, yeah, I know you, you know, and he -- oh, and, yes, he blew a kiss. I remember that. Yes, he just puckered up his lips and I said, yes, he's all right. He's going to be OK.

S. O'BRIEN: What a relief.

MRS. GALVAN: Uh-huh.

S. O'BRIEN: Was that a turning point for you? I mean did you feel like, oh, my gosh.

MRS. GALVAN: Yes, I ended up walking out because I was crying so hard. I didn't want to scare him.

S. O'BRIEN: At some point you're going to have to tell him what happened. MRS. GALVAN: Right.

S. O'BRIEN: Have you thought about how you're going to do that or is it too early?

MR. GALVAN: Well, we're going to tell him or we're going to wait until he's able to speak, if possible. If we can wait that long, you know.

S. O'BRIEN: Why?

MR. GALVAN: Well, so that way he'll have -- I'm sure he's going to have a lot of questions to ask.

S. O'BRIEN: Do you worry about your son's future?

MR. GALVAN: Sure.

MRS. GALVAN: Oh, yeah.

MR. GALVAN: Yes, because he's not going to be able to do what he wanted to do. He's told me he wanted to drive to his first day of school this year, his senior year, which is coming up.

MRS. GALVAN: Um-hum.

MR. GALVAN: He's not going to be able to do that.

S. O'BRIEN: He'll still be in the hospital, I bet.

MRS. GALVAN: Right.

MR. GALVAN: Yes, he'll still be in the hospital.

MRS. GALVAN: Yes, he'll still be in the hospital.

MR. GALVAN: He wanted to finish out his senior year playing football. He's not going to be able to do that.

S. O'BRIEN: It's amazing he survived.

MRS. GALVAN: Yes, it is. He's a fighter, though. He's always been like that.

MR. GALVAN: Called the miracle kid.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

M. O'BRIEN: The family has set up a trust fund to help offset the costs of their son's recovery. To contribute, visit any Bank of America and ask about the Galvan Family Trust.

Carol.

COSTELLO: Coming up, reports of an alleged plot to bomb New York's Holland Tunnel. We're going to talk to a former assistant director of the FBI to see how serious he thinks this threat is.

And a major U.S. automaker apparently ready to flight an alliance with foreign competition. Andy is "Minding Your Business" next on this AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: The head of General Motors fighting back. Fighting that proposed alliance. Andy is "Minding Your Business" this morning.

ANDY SERWER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

GM's CEO, Rick Wagoner, is said to be pushing back against this alliance that is being proposed with Renault, the French automaker, and Nissan, the Japanese automaker. And why not? After all, Wagoner's job is at stake.

There's a board meeting today at GM where they will discuss this proposed three-way alliance. The alliance is being put forth by GM investor Kirk Kerkorian and his company Tracinda. He, apparently, is unhappy with the pace of change at GM.

And, you know, you can go both ways on that. I mean, obviously, the company has a long way to go, but, of course, they just did that big buyout program and that seemed to make a lot of headway in terms of reducing head count at the company.

What's attractive about Renault and Nissan from a standpoint for GM shareholders and Kirk Kerkorian is the gentleman who heads both Nissan and Renault -- His name is Carlos Ghosn -- and he orchestrated a very, very significant turnaround at Nissan and at Renault, though both automakers have stumbled recently. It's unlikely that GM's board would act today to say, for instance, oust Mr. Wagoner. Critics are also upset that Wagoner, they say, and other GM executives are influencing GM's board because, of course, the board is supposed to be independent of the chief executives. They're supposed to make up their own mind about these kinds of things. But we know that that's not always the case. So big stuff happening at GM.

M. O'BRIEN: And Wagoner just got a vote of confidence from that same board, right?

SERWER: Yes, that's right, back in April he did. So it would be unlikely, I think, again, that they would do anything this fast.

COSTELLO: But the fact that Kirk Kerkorian is pushing so hard, something's bound to happen. Something is going to change.

SERWER: I think that's right. And, I mean, the real interesting thing is, would they bring in Carlos Ghosn to run this company and can you really run three automakers at the same time? I think that would be close to impossible.

M. O'BRIEN: Yes, that's big. Real big. And is it always better? We don't know.

SERWER: We don't know.

M. O'BRIEN: What's next?

SERWER: We're going to be talking about payroll service company ADP being tricked by some identity thieves. Interesting stuff there.

M. O'BRIEN: All right. Thank you, Andy Serwer.

Coming up, developing story out of New York City this morning. An apparent plot to blow up tunnels around Manhattan. We have a live report for you.

And one year after the subway bombings in London, are American subways any safer from terrorists? We'll get into that as well. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

M. O'BRIEN: Good morning to you. I'm Miles O'Brien.

COSTELLO: And I'm Carol Costello, in for Soledad.

M. O'BRIEN: CNN security watch at the top of the news this morning. On the one-year anniversary of the London terror bombings, learning of a new terror plan to attack New York's tunnels. One man under arrest in Beirut now and "The New York Daily News" reporting plotters were promised help from al Qaeda to blow up the Holland Tunnel in an attempt to flood lower Manhattan. CNN's Kelli Arena has been working with her sources diligently this morning.

Kelli, what else can you tell us?

KELLI ARENA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Miles, what I can tell you is this. Is that our sources are saying that, yes, they did uncover a plot several months ago to attack tunnels in the New York City area. I am told by sources that no explosives or materials were ever bought by this group to do that. I'm not clear on whether any money exchanged hands or whether or not that pledge did indeed come from Zarqawi. We're still working on that angle of the story.

Yes, there is a man, Amir al-Andalousi, in custody in Beirut. I am told that the FBI is also looking for some other people who were allegedly were part of this plot. FBI headquarters is not commenting on any of the details of the plot, but they did just put out a statement saying that, "at this time, we have no indication of any eminent threat to the New York transportation system or anywhere else in the United States."

Sources have also told us that the individuals that they are allegedly looking for are not believed to be in the United States, Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: All right, Kelli Arena, we'll let you get back to the phones. This story, obviously, developing. We're watching it for you. We don't know how far along it was, but clearly something to this story.

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