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Riders Trapped Aboard Amtrak Train in Georgia; Justice Department Launches Investigation Into NSA Domestic Spying Leak

Aired December 30, 2005 - 17:00   ET

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

ALI VELSHI, CNN ANCHOR: It's 5:00 p.m. in Washington and you are in THE SITUATION ROOM where news and information from around the world arrive at one place at the same time. Happening now: It's 5:00 p.m. in Georgia, but for riders trapped on some Amtrak trains it seems like an eternity. They've been stuck for over a day in the middle of nowhere. They're running out of money, medicine, toilet paper, and patience.
It's 5:00 p.m. here in Washington where there's also little patience for those who exposed the National Security Agency's top secret domestic spying program that was approved by President Bush. The Justice Department is has launched an investigation to find out who is behind that leak.

And a well-to-do Iraqi-American teenager sneaks off to see the war from the front lines. Farris Hassan is on his way back from Iraq after arriving there unannounced, unaccompanied, and under threat of serious danger. I'm Ali Velshi, you're in THE SITUATION ROOM.

Well, we begin in Georgia where a few fast-moving Amtrak trains are more like trains to nowhere. Right now at least two trains are delayed near Savannah. They're on their way north from Miami. Among the riled up riders, scared and cranky children, elderly people wondering how long their much-needed medication will last, another Amtrak train is near Savannah, Georgia. It all started after a CSX freight train derailed in Savannah yesterday. Now, that train must be removed before the passenger trains can move because they share a track. Joining me on the phone is Eleanor Myer, one of the stranded passengers.

Eleanor, we checked in with you earlier. What's developed? Are you moving or are you still stuck?

ELEANOR MYER, PASSENGER ON AMTRAK: We're still standing at the same place as where we have been since about 2:15 this afternoon. Actually, we are stuck now for 20 -- this is our 28th hour on this train, and we have been traveling from Orlando to Savannah which would normally take about two hours. We moved a little bit between 12:40 this afternoon and 2:15. But that -- we only moved maybe a mile at the most. We're still at the Savannah -- in the proximity of the Savannah train station, but we're not going anywhere because they're changing shifts. We are now north of the derailment. The derailment is not holding us up.

VELSHI: So what's holding you up? MYER: What is holding us up now is the fact that they are changing shifts and we were told that we have to wait two hours for them to get here.

VELSHI: What's the condition like on the train right now? Tell me what people are doing? What's going on?

MYER: People are emotionally and physically exhausted. They're hungry, they're tired. They're laughing, they're crying and they're just very confused and very tired of this. We're not getting any answers. We don't have any ETA of when we will arrive at our destination and everything is like, "oh, at least two hours, at least two hours." This has been going on for 14 hours, they're telling us at least two hours and we are automatically doubling the time in our heads because that's what happened.

VELSHI: Now, why do you need to still be on that train?

(CROSSTALK)

VELSHI: Are they not -- is has anybody maybe plan to get you off that train? I understand you guys got off somewhere for a few minutes.

MYER: We were allowed to get off for five minutes, but the only thing you could do was stretch your legs and smoke. There was no restaurants, was there no snacks. There was nothing. Some people have left with their baggage, but they must be making their own arrangements. I am not in the position to get off this train with four children and seven bags and just headed to no-man's-land here. We have not been offered any alternative. We have not been offered anything like a drink of water.

VELSHI: Yeah.

MYER: We were told that if we ran out of money we could chart things using our train stub.

VELSHI: Yeah.

MYER: As identification to get the food.

VELSHI: All right, Eleanor, hang on one second because I've got Cliff Black, a spokesman for Amtrak joining me now, he's at Union Station right here in Washington.

Cliff, what's going on here? This is by all accounts a mess.

CLIFF BLACK, AMTRAK SPOKESMAN: Ali, first of all let me say that Amtrak deeply regrets the tremendous inconvenience that this freight train derailment in Savannah has caused to so many hundreds of our passengers. In fact, all told about 2,000 Amtrak passengers have one way or another been delayed or inconvenienced by this freight train derailment in Savannah. Unfortunately, it occurred a location that is in the main corridor between the northeast and the southeast. It's the only mainline railroad and it happened at a choke point where there's no alternate route around it. As for the concerns of our passengers, vis-a-vis, food, water and what have you, we do have adequate food and water on the trains. We do anticipate providing to those passengers complimentary box lunches as soon as those trains get to Florence, South Carolina. Now, unfortunately...

VELSHI: How far do you think that is? Because at this point passengers are having to pay for things, passengers who in many cases would have been home already.

BLACK: We understand that they, so far, still have to pay for things, but that as the passenger that you just spoke to mentioned that if their money is short or that they don't have money they can use their ticket stubs or credit card, we'll continue to provide food in that fashion, but we are putting on box lunches. It's about two hours up the railroad. So we are anticipating that we'll be able to feed our passengers in a complimentary meal as soon as possible. We're doing everything we can to get these people to their destinations and we, once again, deeply regret this tremendous inconvenience to our passengers.

VELSHI: Cliff, hang on a second, Eleanor, I -- one thing I think is fair -- you don't -- you're not blaming Amtrak for, obviously, the derailment. You understand that's not their fault. But, you're not -- one of the -- you were complaining you're not getting enough information. You're not -- have you heard everything Cliff has said.

MYER: I have heard everything that Cliff has said and I'm very grateful for his apology. It is long overdue, however I do not understand why we sat in a Jacksonville train station from 4:30 yesterday afternoon until 4:15 this morning when we could have been put up in hotels. We could have been put into buses, we could have been gotten off this train at that time. Instead of being housed in this train from 4:30 yesterday afternoon until 4:15 in the morning and then moved to another location where we could not get off this train. And let me clarify something. Let me clarify that the train stub is not a charge card. The train stub is in addition to using our MasterCard, Visa or American express, which I choose not to do at this time.

VELSHI: Right. It's a -- What are you doing about this Cliff. I understand what's happening, but this...

BLACK: I can address her concerns about the -- about stopping and remaining in that one location for a period of time. Initially CSX transportation, the owner of the railroad anticipated that we would be able to get track back in service by midnight. That time slipped until 2:00 a.m., then until 5:00 a.m., then until 7:30 a.m. So early on, the decision was made to hold the trains in anticipation of getting track back in service at a reasonable hour so that we wouldn't have to disrupt our passengers, take them off the train with all their luggage, put them on buses and make them proceed north that way.

Also, by the way, we did attempt to get buses later on in the evening and perhaps because of the holiday weekend we simply were unable to get sufficient buses to handle the really -- it works out to about 800 passengers for both southbound and northbound passengers. Passenger trains...

VELSHI: So, when are these guys going get home? The track -- train 92 and train 98 what's happening -- what can Eleanor now look to honestly happening in the next little while.

BLACK: If she's on train 98 in Savannah, which I believe she is, her train should be pulling out of Savannah at about 7:00 p.m. Eastern time and proceeding on its way. When it gets to Florence, all passengers will be provided complimentary meals, but it's going to be about 24 hours late into New York City, which is its northern terminal.

VELSHI: Eleanor.

MYER: Yeah, so I just got another two hours added on to the previous two hours so doubling it is still the situation here. We were just told two hours ago that we were leaving at 5:00. Now he just said we're leaving at 7:00, so why don't you call us back at 7:00 and see if we're still here. This is a disgrace.

VELSHI: Well, I'll tell you what, Eleanor, we will be here in THE SITUATION ROOM and Cliff, we'd like you as well to be able to join us and make sure that this train is on its way in two hours and that people know what's going on. These people have to get off this train.

MYER: And may I also add that by the time we get to Florence, lunchtime will be over and we are all due a big dinner.

VELSHI: Eleanor, we'll check in with you. You'll continue to be in touch with us. Cliff, we appreciate you coming on and giving the information that these passengers need. I'm sure Eleanor will be passing that on and I understand this is a tough situation for everybody involved, Cliff to come on here, you've got some angry people to deal with. So, thank you for doing that.

BLACK: You're welcome, Ali.

VELSHI: Cliff Black is the spokesman with Amtrak joining us from Union Station. Eleanor Meyer is one of those passengers stranded on those Amtrak trains that haven't been moving yet.

Turning now another tale of Washington who done it involving government secrets now in the open and a leaker that's largely out of sight. Right now the Justice Department wants to know who exposed President Bush's secret domestic spying program to the news media. CNN has learned that an investigation is underway. We've got two reports, CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux. We'll have reaction from the White House, but we begin with CNN National Security correspondent David Ensor for more on the actual investigation -- David.

DAVID ENSOR, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Ali, that's right. Officials are keeping pretty mum about the details of that probe concerning who may have been responsible for divulging to reporters details of the classified surveillance program.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ENSOR (voice-over): The investigation by FBI agents and Justice Department officials will focus on the relatively small number of U.S. officials who knew that President Bush had ordered the National Security Agency to eavesdrop on some in the U.S. looking for evidence of terrorist activity and to do so without a court warrant.

The "New York Times" revelation December 16 ignited a firestorm with critics charging that the president had exceeded his authority and broken the law. President Bush and his aides have strongly defended the top-secret wiretapping program saying it is a legitimate tactic in the war on terror.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: My personal opinion is it was a shameful act for someone to disclose this very important program in the time of war.

ENSOR: The leak investigation may also involve tracking the contacts of James Risen, the New York Times" reporter who co-authored this story and who has a book coming out soon. Leak investigations are usually unsuccessful, but Patrick Fitzgerald, special prosecutor appointed to find out who leaked the name of Valerie Plame Wilson, a former CIA officer, pioneered a new tactic, going after journalists, jailing one, Judy Miller of the "New York Times" when she at first refused to reveal her sources. Former prosecutor Dick Sauber represents another journalist in that case.

DICK SAUBER, MATTHEW COOPER'S ATTORNEY: Now we have what I think is going to be a titanic clash this year between the government's right to keep classified information secret and the public's right to know and caught in the middle are going to be a fairly significant number of journalists who are going to face a very challenging year.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ENSOR: In a statement, the American Civil Liberties Union condemned the leak probe and called on the attorney general instead to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate whether President Bush violated the law by ordering the NSA to go after domestic targets without court warrants -- Ali.

VELSHI: David, thanks so much. Our National Security correspondent, David Ensor. Now, President Bush has strongly denounced the leak of the classified information calling it a "shameful act." Let's get more on the White House reaction to this new investigation. Suzanne Malveaux is in Crawford, Texas -- Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well Ali, White House spokesman, Trent Duffy says that the White House did not exert pressure on attorney general Alberto Gonzales of the Justice Department to move forward that they were informed, the administration and the president informed of the Justice Department's decision earlier today. President Bush between a bike ride and clearing some brush on this matter, but of course, as David Ensor pointed out, the president has made hear view very clear on this in the past that he believes it's shameful and, of course, the discussion of this only really just fuels fire in support for the enemy here. Trent Duffy going on to say that "The leaking of classified information is a serious issue, the fact that Al Qaeda's playbook is not printed on page one and when America's is, it has serious ramifications. You don't need to be Sun Tzu to understand that." Of course, didn't realize the briefings were so esoteric, of course, Duffy referring to the Chinese scholar and warrior from 500 b.c., "The Art of War," the author there, of course. But the White House making it very clear that they're serious about this matter and of course, they want to focus attention on who the CIA -- not the CIA leak, but rather the leak of the NSA program in the coming year as opposed to those congressional hearings -- Ali.

VELSHI: Suzanne, thanks so much. Suzanne Malveaux in Crawford, Texas with the president.

Well, coming up, we'll explore whether the person who did leaked the secret spying program did the right thing or not. My guests have very different answers. We'll talk to the former White House counsel and the editor of the conservative periodical, "Human Events." You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VELSHI: Well, the situation is a little better today in Oklahoma where wild grass fires have scorched 30,000 acres this week. Officials say about 80 homes and businesses were destroyed, one person was killed and there's hardly been any rain at all in the state in the last two months. High winds combined with low humidity have created the perfect conditions for wildfires. Well, it's quite the opposite problem in northern California where another storm in a seemingly endless series is bringing wind and rain. CNN's Jen Rodgers is live for us in Napa where the river is rising.

Jen, what's going on there?

JEN RODGERS, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Well Ali, the latest is that we are having our first break in more than seven hours of rain. While we were getting this break in the rain we are also seeing the river go out just a little bit -- receded, as the tide is moving out, but of course, it is not al good news because the winds are certainly picking up.

Let's take a look real quick at the Napa River, right now. We can show you that just since we've been here earlier this morning. You can see the sprout coming off a fallen tree, there. This morning we could see the tree trunk and more of its body, now you're just seeing that little green pop up. So, you can see that the river has come up, but again, we are quite far away from flood stage right now. We do have a flood warning on this river further upriver in St. Alena, that could be extended down here and then this area could be threatened later in the weekend. Right now though, the National Weather Service has just issued a urban and small stream flood warning for Napa, Marin, and Sonoma Counties. So, just one more thing to keep an eye on -- Ali.

VELSHI: Quite remarkable, the amount of rain you're getting up there, Jen, compared to the amount rain that they haven't seen in Oklahoma. Let's go to our severe weather expert Chad Myers, meteorologist Chad Myers at the CNN Weather Center. Quite a story, Chad.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It really is, Ali. I mean, and look at the size of the storm now that's coming onshore in the West. Here's the one that went through Oklahoma with the wind storm yesterday, only 20 miles-per-hour. The one that went through Oklahoma and Texas with the windstorm on Tuesday, 40 miles-per-hour has now really exited the East Coast. We're going have another wind event, as we call it, for Oklahoma and Texas on Sunday.

(WEATHER REPORT)

VELSHI: Chad, we'll check in with you later, thank you. Chad Myers our severe weather expert in Atlanta.

Ahead, a Florida teenager ditches school and hits the road for Baghdad. We'll have details of his amazing and dangerous odyssey. We'll also talk with his mother who had no idea where her son had gone at first. The full story of Farris Hassan's day off.

Plus, cars that are literally waiting to be stolen. It's called baked car. We'll tell you where you can see the hidden camera video on the web.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VELSHI: Kimberly Osias joins us now with a closer look at some other stories making news -- Kimberly.

KIMBERLY OSIAS, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Thanks, Ali. Well, the Federal Aviation Administration has grounded all seaplanes similar to the one that crashed this month off Miami Beach, Florida. There are about 25 of them and they won't be allowed back in the air until they're inspected. The G-73 Turbine Mallard plunged into the ocean 11 days ago killing all 20 onboard. The plane's right wing separated from its fuselage, a preliminary investigation found fatigue cracks along the wing.

A U.S. soldier convicted of abusing prisoners in Iraq has been injured in prison. Lynndie England suffered burns when she reach toward a pan in the kitchen and spilled grease on her neck and chest. England's father is complaining about her medical care, but the Navy says she got appropriate treatment for what it called a minor superficial burn.

And the saints are marching back to New Orleans, that is. The owner of the NFL's New Orleans Saints says the team will play, in his words, as many games as possible, in the Superdome next year. The Saints also will move their training camp from San Antonio back to the New Orleans suburbs, but the long-term future of the team remains a bit up in the air.

And the University of Michigan has decided that things don't all go better with Coke. The university will join several other colleges in refusing to sell Coca-Cola products on campus. Student groups say that in India coke has sold products containing pesticides and they say that in Colombia Coke has helped paramilitary groups harass union members. Coca-Cola denies all of that -- Ali.

VELSHI: Thanks Kimberly, we'll check in with you again. Kimberly Osias. Coming up, one set of facts, many different interpretations on the leak of the government's secret spying program. Did the person who exposed it do the right thing? Two experts will debate that.

And the amazing tale of an American teenager who skipped school and heads off to Baghdad on his own. We'll talk to his mom ahead in THE SITUATION ROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VELSHI: All right. We want to return to the Justice Department's investigation of who exposed President Bush's secret domestic spying program to the news media. Those with knowledge of the program likely have access to classified information. Let's turn to our Brian Todd now, for more on this -- Brian.

BRIAN TODD, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Ali, we asked two former federal prosecutors and a former top U.S. intelligence official not who the likely source of the leak was, we're too early for that right now, but where investigators might look first. They all pointed out the number of people who knew about the program and the information gained from it was likely very small and within that group and even smaller number knew about the source of the information and the methods used to obtain it. Our experts say when you get down to those people your potential sources of the leak will be very limited, but they all gave us a clear starting point for investigators.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LARRY BARSELO, FMR. FEDERAL PROSECUTOR: The first thing you would do is you would go to the NSA, you would say, all right, explain to us exactly how the program worked. Give us a list of all of the people who were read into the program, all of the people who had access to the information, and that would be basically the jumping off point.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TODD: That's Larry Barselo, a former federal prosecutor who has investigated leak cases. Now, after the NSA, according to Barselo and our other experts, investigators will likely focus these agencies as potential sources of the leak, the FBI and the CIA with a focus their agents within the joint counterterrorism center; a small inner circle at the White House with access to the president's daily national security briefing; a handful at the Justice Department who might be privy to the information and have concerns about its legality; and select members of Congress including top leadership and the four heads of the Senate and House intelligence committees who were thoroughly briefed on the wiretapping program -- Ali. VELSHI: All right. So, we will continue to follow this and find out who that person was. One -- one assumes we will learn that through the course of this investigation.

TODD: Right.

VELSHI: Brian, thank you.

The -- the issue remains, was the leaking of that secret program in the nation's interests, or does it put the country in peril?

And here to debate that are Terry Jeffrey, the editor of the conservative periodical "Human Events," and Lanny Davis, former White House counsel.

Gentlemen, thank you for joining us.

Lanny, let's just start with you.

One of the questions that sort of kept coming up today in discussion is, if -- is this person a whistle-blower, who said, it's more important to protect our Constitution, or are they a criminal, who said -- who says it's more important to protect our safety, even if it -- it violates the Constitution?

LANNY DAVIS, FORMER WHITE HOUSE COUNSEL: Well, I would say this person no different than the gentleman from the tobacco companies that found documents that showed that the tobacco companies has covered up the danger of cancer from cigarettes and disclosed documents, probably illegally, was acting in his own perception of what the public interest was, and, therefore, a great tradition of whistle-blowers that take the risk of possibly a -- a violation.

I think the leaking of classified information, there aren't enough jails in the country, that every administration, including this White House, has leaked classified information, including the intelligence on weapons of mass destruction, when they were trying to show there were some. There were leaks of that intelligence, and I never heard anybody calling for an investigation of those leakers.

I think, in this case, the same issue of leaking classified information should not lead to an investigation or to, certainly, a prosecution.

VELSHI: Terry?

TERRY JEFFREY, EDITOR, "HUMAN EVENTS": Well, let's put this in context.

We're in the midst of a congressionally authorized war against al Qaeda. This program was specifically targeted at international conversations in which at least one party was linked to al Qaeda. The president of the United States had his vice president brief leading members of Congress, as you report noted, about this program. There's a very limited number of people who, presumably, had the highest level of classified -- of security clearance our country gives. And, during this war, targeting al Qaeda, this special program, which, according to General Hayden who was responsible for this program, the national security information, we got information that we could not have gotten any other way. In the context of that, one of these people with this privileged information leaked it to the press.

I don't see how the Justice Department could fail to investigate this. And if they didn't investigate this, then what possible secret could we keep during time of war?

VELSHI: Let's -- I'm -- I'm going ask you, Lanny, what -- what -- let's say that's fair, that they have -- there's some leak. And a lawyer would say, or the Justice Department would say, it -- it needs to be investigated. The issue, then, becomes, what happens next? Where does this go?

Does this become one of those special prosecutions? Do we talk about this a year from now? These things are -- are big. And -- and no one knows where they go. They can get unwieldy.

DAVIS: Well, look, to my good friend Terry, there is certainly a legitimate concern about the leak of classified information -- as long as we agree to disagree of the double standard.

When there were leaks about weapons of mass destruction intelligence reports that went to Judy Miller of "The New York Times" directly out of the Pentagon and directly out of the White House, which we now know were the sources for classified information getting into "The New York Times" to establish a case of weapons of mass destruction that led to the Iraq war, which turned out to be wrong, Jeff -- Mr. Jeffrey and everybody else now calling for investigations of leaks did not call for investigation of leaks.

The reason now that they're calling for investigation of leaks is, they don't like the fact that the NSA's surveillance program that President Bush authorized is being questioned for its constitutionality. But, having said that, I do not agree. And I think it was shameful that the ACLU published a full-page ad comparing to George Bush to Richard Nixon.

I think it's fair to question President Bush's judgment, but it's not fair to question that he did anything criminal or anything that suggests a comparison to the criminal acts of Richard Nixon.

VELSHI: Hey, Terry, you know, Lanny just talked about the ACLU, the American Civil Liberties Union. And I just want to note something that they have said about this, in criticizing the attorney general, saying Attorney General Gonzales is cracking down on critics of his friends and boss. Our nation is strengthened, not weakened, by those whistle-blowers who are courageous enough to speak out on violations of the law.

Just to that point, Terry, where -- where do you -- where do you stand on that?

JEFFREY: I don't think this person is a whistle-blower who leaked this story. I think this is a person who leaked a vital national security secret in time of an authorized war that Congress had approved.

And I will tell you, Chairman Hoekstra of the House Intelligence Committee made an excellent point last week that I don't think is getting enough attention. And I think an adversarial press ought to now go after Senator Rockefeller and Jane Harman, the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, on this score.

Chairman Hoekstra said that those members of Congress who were briefed, including the leading members of the Intelligence Committee, could have done something about this if they really felt that strongly about it.

For example, they could have put language into the intelligence authorization, which is a classified bill, to affirmatively stop this program. But we have no indication -- and Chairman Hoekstra didn't say he had any indication -- that any of these members of Congress who were briefed on this attempted to do that and stop that.

So, if they are going to come out now and say that they opposed it, what they have to answer is, why didn't they do something within their legitimate congressional authority to stop it when they had the opportunity to do so...

VELSHI: Terry, we will...

JEFFREY: ... before this story was leaked?

VELSHI: We will -- we will leave it there. We have got a lot of this to discuss.

So, thank you both for being with us.

JEFFREY: Thank you, Ali.

VELSHI: Terry Jeffrey, editor of "Human Events," and -- and, Lanny Davis, former White House counsel.

You both have brought a very thoughtful contribution to this discussion, which is going to be with us for a very long time.

Happy new year to both of you.

JEFFREY: Happy new year.

DAVIS: Thanks.

Happy new year to you.

VELSHI: Coming up, Farris' day off -- not the one you used to. We will tell you about the Iraqi-American teenager who sneaked off to Iraq, without telling his parents and without any protection.

And, in our 7:00 p.m. hour, one on one with John Kerry, Wolf's interview with the senator from Massachusetts. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VELSHI: OK.

Computer users, pay attention to this. There is a new, very dangerous computer threat that could affect you if you are running Microsoft Windows.

Now, unlike viruses that require you to click on an e-mail attachment to get infected, this new security threat can hit you simply by visiting an infected Web site.

Our Internet reporter, Jacki Schechner, has more on this -- Jacki.

JACKI SCHECHNER, CNN INTERNET REPORTER: Ali, let me tell you how this works. This is very, very simple.

There's a certain type of file that Microsoft created that can be manipulated. And then it's an image that's embedded on a Web site. The minute you go to that Web site, they can put all sorts of nasty stuff on your computer. You don't have to actively do anything, but visit the Web site.

Let me show you. It's something like this. It could be any image on a site like this.

So, what do you do? Well, it will show up stuff like this on your computer, spyware. You need to buy something. You're inclined to do it, because you want to protect yourself. It will show something like this. It will ask for all sorts of personal information.

At that point, they have got you. Well, there's no actual security patch or fix for this right now. We spoke to Microsoft today and a couple of Internet security experts. They told me that you really need to be an active user, be aware. What you do is, don't go to Web sites that you don't really know that well. If somebody sends you an e-mail that says, click here, don't do it -- Ali.

VELSHI: Microsoft fixing this any time soon?

SCHECHNER: Are -- are they personally? They're working on it, actively working on it. They're very concerned. And they're actively trying to find the answers.

VELSHI: OK. Thanks, Jacki.

Kimberly Osias joins us now with a closer look at some other stories making news around the world -- Kimberly.

KIMBERLY OSIAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello again, Ali.

At least 10 Sudanese refugees are dead after soldiers and police in Egypt stormed a protest camp. Scores of police and others were injured. The Sudanese set up the camp in an affluent Cairo neighborhood, after the U.N. stopped hearing their requests for refugee status. They also were protesting living conditions in Egypt. The U.N. acted in the wake of a peace deal ending Sudan's 21-year civil war.

In Iraq, there's fallout from the shutdown of the nation's largest oil refinery. As word spreads about the shutdown, lines are growing at gas stations, as Iraqis worry about running out. Their refinery shut down last week, after truck drivers were threatened.

The refinery shutdown also has led to a government shakeup. Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Chalabi has taken direct control of the Iraqi Oil Ministry. Chalabi is the one-time Iraqi exile leader who campaigned to get the U.S. to invade Iraq. Then, he fell out with the administration -- Ali.

VELSHI: Thank you, Kimberly -- Kimberly Osias.

Coming up next, an unscheduled field trip, of sorts, the odyssey of a Florida teen who snuck off to Baghdad on his own. It's an amazing story. We are going to speak to his family coming up next.

Plus, Wolf's candid interview with former presidential candidate John Kerry, that's coming up in our 7:00 p.m. Eastern hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VELSHI: All right, a 16-year-old Florida boy is heading home from an adventure that took him from his private prep school to one of the world's most dangerous war zones, all of this without his parents' permission.

CNN's Jennifer Eccleston is in Baghdad live.

And we are going to go first, though, to our Southeast Bureau reporter Christopher King at CNN Center to fill us in on the story that -- that would be funny, except that it was dangerous and -- and not funny -- Christopher.

CHRISTOPHER KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Ali, that's right.

Lots of people are comparing the saga of Farris Hassan to the movie "Ferris Bueller's Day Off. But while that character skipped out just one day of school to bum around Chicago, Farris Hassan went all the way to Baghdad.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A 16-year-old American high school student who doesn't speak any Arabic, it's unbelievable that he is still -- that nothing happened to him.

KING (voice-over): Farris Hassan's odyssey begins December 11, when, unbeknownst to anyone but two friends, he flies from Miami to Amsterdam, then to Kuwait -- his goal, Baghdad. The prep school junior has been fascinated by the war and deeply sympathetic with the suffering of the Iraqi people. Studding journalism in school, he decided he must see the situation for himself. From Kuwait City, Hassan takes a taxi to the Iraqi border on December 13, but it's closed, ahead of elections. So, he goes back to Kuwait City, where he finally tells his parents of his plan.

DR. REDHA HASSAN, FATHER OF FARRIS HASSAN: Well, he sent me an e-mail saying: I am on my way to Baghdad. Don't be worried that -- don't be worried.

KING: His father encourages his son to fly to Beirut instead, where the boy stays more than a week with family friends. They help arrange for Hassan to achieve his goal.

And, on Christmas Day, he flies to Baghdad. The friends in Beirut have arranged for a driver to pick him up. And, together, they safely navigate the notoriously dangerous highway from the airport into town. Hassan checks into the Palestine Hotel, largely populated by Westerners.

Hassan's parents were born in Iraq, but left for the U.S. decades ago. He looks like he could blend in, but the teen doesn't speak Arabic. And, with his sneakers and jeans, he's more suited for the mall than the war-ravaged streets of the Iraqi capital.

On his second day there, Hassan presents himself at the offices of the Associated Press, stunning journalists who work there.

PATRICK QUINN, ASSOCIATED PRESS: I recall telling Jason here that it was -- I would have been less surprised if little green men had walked into the office. And he actually announced to us that he wanted to join us and become a journalist.

JASON STRAZIUSO, ASSOCIATED PRESS: He's curious and he's courageous. Now, if he could just wait a couple more years...

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KING: Hassan is on his way back to Florida right now. The AP journalists called the U.S. Embassy, which made arrangements to get the boy out of Baghdad. He could be back in Fort Lauderdale tonight -- Ali.

VELSHI: Could have a job offer pretty soon, for -- for his intrepid ways.

Christopher King, thanks so much for joining us.

One of the reasons why this isn't as -- as funny as it could seem is -- that -- because Baghdad is no particular place for a 16-year-old American, without some good planning.

CNN's Jennifer Eccleston is live for us in the Iraqi capital, and manages to find her way around the place effectively, because there is some planning involved. It -- it looks easy, Jennifer, to those of us who have nothing to do with it, but we know that you don't move around Baghdad entirely freely, the way someone might be used to doing in the United States.

JENNIFER ECCLESTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, presumably, no.

I mean, when we first heard this story this morning, there was this sense of shock and disbelief and almost, as you mentioned, a bit of humor, in how -- how could it be possible?

And -- because, as you mentioned, so much planning goes into every movement that Westerners do in this city, with private security, with routes mapped out. It -- it is just simply impossible these days for anybody with any sense to actually want to go out there on their own, but, of course, we're talking about a 16-year-old boy, who had no idea about the realities on the ground here, and, again, incredible just drive to actually get here, and let alone, you know, the security issues, Ali, but actually getting a visa, successfully getting a visa to get into this country, when it takes us days.

It's -- it's not an easy process. And how he managed to do that, you know, he -- he did have Iraqi ancestry, which is one of the reasons, but that -- that's a feat unto itself -- so, again, an amazing story.

And, thankfully, you know, given the number of kidnappings we have here and -- and very unhappy endings, it -- it is quite astonishing that -- and -- and quite thankful that he's -- he's actually safe and on his way back home.

VELSHI: Jennifer, you have spent a lot of time there. So, I don't if -- whose perspective is more accurate, because you probably feel safer in a place that many of us just wouldn't feel safe at all. What kind of danger getting from -- we -- Christopher talked about just getting from the airport to -- to -- to town. What -- what's the danger? What is it exactly, that you get kidnapped, that you get shot at? What happens?

ECCLESTON: It's all of the above, really.

It's -- it's random violence. It's targeted violence. I mean, we -- we have certain patterns here. And the bad guys know that. And they know that there are a certain number of us out here, those who cover the news, those who are actually involved in this story, be it aid workers or contractors or though -- those somehow assigned to the military.

It's a constant effort to keep aware, to keep your wits about you. And -- and also to -- for those out here who are -- who are designed to keep us safe, to make sure that happens, it's tremendous challenge for -- for everybody that has to do a job here in Iraq.

(CROSSTALK)

ECCLESTON: Let alone a 16-year-old.

VELSHI: Yes.

Well, Jennifer, it's good that you point that out to us. We forget, when you guy do your jobs, that there is a risk to it. So, stay safe while you're there -- Jennifer Eccleston in Baghdad.

Now, Farris' odyssey has been an angst-ridden ordeal for his family.

His brother Hayder Hassan joins us now on the phone from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Hayder, are you with us?

HAYDER HASSAN, BROTHER OF FARRIS HASSAN: Yes. I here.

VELSHI: All right.

I -- I -- I have sort of read and heard some comments that you have made. Your little brother, hopefully, hasn't read them, because I think he might be worried that you're going give him a smack before you give him a hug when you see him.

Tell me -- tell me what's going on, what's through your head right now.

H. HASSAN: I'm just anxious to see him.

It's -- it's been a roller coaster of emotions back and forth, you know, from being -- being scared, to being worried, with -- with, you know, where -- where is he? Where is he -- is he sleeping? You know, is he eating anything? It's just -- it's just -- it's just been a roller coaster of emotions. I'm just really anxious to see him.

(CROSSTALK)

VELSHI: He's your younger brother. You're -- you're a few years older than him?

H. HASSAN: Yes. I'm -- I'm -- I'm the oldest. I'm 23. He just turned 16.

(CROSSTALK)

VELSHI: Where did he get this spirit from? Where did he get this -- this idea to do this? As much as he is going to get a bit of a talking-to, I imagine, when he gets back, there must be a little part of you that says, this guy is kind of brave.

H. HASSAN: Oh, yes.

I mean, he -- he had -- he had just such a desire to go. He -- he told us in Thanksgiving break that he wanted to go. But we were just, like, you know, all right, you know, we will go, you know, when the time's right, when, you know, the country and the war zone, and everything is rebuilt.

But, then, and that was kind of -- that was the end of it. But I think, from that point on is when he started doing his research and finding out, you know, how to get there. And -- but, like, it -- he just had an (INAUDIBLE) He -- he wanted to go. He wanted the experience. He wanted to see how -- you know, how the people -- how the people live, if -- if what he sees on TV is actually true.

VELSHI: What -- what was driving him? He -- he felt -- I mean, he's written a lot about this. He -- he's very interesting in writing and -- and in journalism.

But he felt that he's living a life of privilege and -- and -- and he wanted to feel how these people lived, to be able to understand the story? What -- what -- what drove him to do this?

H. HASSAN: Yes, basically that.

I mean, he -- I mean, he's -- he's an individual -- he's -- he's not a person who does, like, sporadic things. So, basically, he's the type of kid that, like, when he makes his mind, he wants it -- he wants to do it. And he made his mind, because we have been trying for three weeks to try and get him home, and trying in every single way to get him home.

But he just got -- he wanted -- he wanted to go there. He wanted to go and write a paper for school. That -- that was his first -- first reasons to go, because he wanted to write a paper.

(CROSSTALK)

VELSHI: I hope he gets an A on that paper.

What are you going to say when you see him? What's -- what's the first thing you are going to say to him?

H. HASSAN: First thing, I'm glad you're home in one piece, give him a hug, call him crazy, you know?

VELSHI: You should be seeing him pretty soon, I understand.

H. HASSAN: Yes. Well, we -- we just got -- we just got news that he is -- that he is being debriefed by the Kuwait government. So...

VELSHI: Hayder, we look forward to hearing about your reunion with him. Thanks for joining us.

H. HASSAN: Thank you so much.

VELSHI: Hayder Hassan joining us. This is Farris Hassan's older brother, joining us from Fort Lauderdale.

Before our Jack Cafferty went on vacation, he left us a special end-of-the-year edition of "The Cafferty Files." His question, it just might stump you.

And, in our 7:00 p.m. Eastern hour of THE SITUATION ROOM, John Kerry vs. George W. Bush again. The former Democratic presidential candidate is as tough as ever about the administration's handling of post-war Iraq. But Wolf Blitzer has tough questions for Kerry in their one-on-one interview, right here in THE SITUATION ROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VELSHI: This just in from CNN.

Dial it back to 1981, the attempted assassination of then President Ronald Reagan, the assailant, John Hinckley Jr. A federal judge has just loosened restrictions on John Hinckley Jr., something his family had been asking for, for some time. He's incarcerated in Washington. They are going to -- this judge is going to allow him seven overnight visits with his family in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Well, now back to our story, a year-end edition of "The Cafferty Files." Before he went on vacation, Jack posed one of his most compelling questions of 2005.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: A year ago or so on "AMERICAN MORNING," I put together a little video quiz. The rules are real simple. I want you to watch the following and see if you can tell who are the Democrats and who are Republicans, who are evangelicals and who are Catholics, who are pro-choice, who are pro-life, who are gay, who are straight, who are liberal, and who are conservative.

(RAY CHARLES SINGS "AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL")

CAFFERTY: The music, of course, was that of the great Ray Charles.

To the men and women of the United States military, thank you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VELSHI: Christine Romans sitting in for "LOU DOBBS TONIGHT" -- starts right now.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, GUEST HOST, "LOU DOBBS TONIGHT": Thanks, Ali.

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