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CNN Sunday Morning
London Police Admit to Gunning Down an Innocent Man; Two Groups Claim Responsibility for Sharm el-Sheik Bombings
Aired July 24, 2005 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: To say sorry is just not enough. When nothing can bring back a life ended by terror. That's what a relative of an innocent man gunned down by police says. We'll have more on that, but we do want to welcome you on this Sunday morning.
Joining us in the CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta, I'm Betty Nguyen.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Tony Harris. 7:00 a.m. here in the East. Noon in London. We'll take you there live in a minute.
First, let's check the headlines.
NGUYEN: Two groups are claiming responsibility for yesterday's simultaneous explosions in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm El-Sheik. Meanwhile, police have detained about 20 people. The attacks happened at the height of tourism season, killing 84 people. It left more than 200 injured.
We'll have a live report from the scene momentarily.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is returning to the U.S. this hour, saying much work remains on Israel's upcoming handover of the Gaza Strip. She says there has been some progress, but no new promises. Rice also committed Palestinian leadership for reigning and militant violence that would delay a Palestinian state.
And people living off the Eastern coast of Mexico are waking up to a new tropical storm warning. Just what they need, right?
HARRIS: Yes.
NGUYEN: Tropical storm Gert is the seventh named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season. It could dump several inches of rain on areas hit earlier this week by hurricane Emily.
HARRIS: Answers and indignation in the wake of the latest terror bombings in London. British police now say the man gunned down aboard a crowded subway train Friday was not, was not connected to the failed attacks there on Thursday. And the death of a 27-year old Brazilian has stirred outrage and concern.
CNN's Max Foster is in London with the latest. Max, good morning. MAX FOSTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Tony, a great deal of regret being expressed by the metropolitan police here today. Jean Charles Menezes was an electrician. He was Brazilian. He was working in London for four years, but his families say he had no links whatsoever to terrorism. And yet, the British police suspected him of some connection with the attacks that struck London last week.
They gunned him down in a tube station. And now the Brazilian government is expressing its shock. The foreign minister is here in London for scheduled meetings. He's demanded meetings with British ministers to explain exactly what happened.
And also, De Menezes' family expressing their anger that something like this could happen in London to someone that had no links with terrorism. How could someone just be shot to death on purely a suspicion?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALEX ALIVES PEREIRA, VICTIM'S COUSIN: They don't say anything because when you do something wrong, you can't have much to say. You have to say -- sorry's not enough.
If they killed my cousin, who doesn't look like a Muslim, police can kill anyone.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOSTER: Now there is a shoot to kill policy in the metropolitan police here in London. It was brought in two years ago to deal with particular types of attack, suicide bombings, for example.
That coming under severe question today, particularly by Muslim leaders. Even though this Brazilian man wasn't a Muslim, as far as we know, Muslim leaders say you can't possibly just go out and shoot people because you suspect them of something, suspect them of terrorism.
But both the current head of the metropolitan police defending that policy today. Also, the man that brought it in, his predecessor to John Stevens, saying this policy is important. It's more important now than ever before because of the current type of threats we're facing here in London and around the world.
HARRIS: OK, Max, give us an update, if you could, on the investigation into last Thursday's attempted bombings?
FOSTER: Well, Tony, two people have been arrested. They're being held in a secure prison, secure police station here in central London. At the moment, no details about that interviewing taking -- at the moment.
But we also know that a package was discovered in West London yesterday. They say that's forensically important to this investigation. Also, police suggesting through sources not officially, but through many sources, speaking to journalists, that there could possibly a link between the attacks on Thursday and the attacks on July the 7th. And they're saying there may be common link in a drafting center in North Wales. People linked with both bombings, both sets of bombings can be connected to this drafting center in North Wales in trips they may have taken there.
Also, today, the police briefing families of people who were killed on the July the 7th bombings are meeting today. The police are briefing family members on what happened. Its their first direct link with the families. And the families will be invited to the scenes of the explosions. And they can ask whatever questions they like of the investigating officers -- Tony?
HARRIS: Max Foster in London. Max, thank you.
NGUYEN: Now to Egypt, the site of the world's latest high profile terror attack. Investigators are searching for bodies and clues in the rubble of the three blasts. The casualty toll in the Red Sea resort city of Sharm El-Sheik is now approaching 300.
CNN's John Vause is in Sharm El-Sheik with a manhunt for those responsible. How close are investigators getting to finding those who are indeed responsible?
JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Betty. Right now, we understand that a group of security forces have spanned out across the Sinai Peninsula. And right now, reportedly at least 20 people have been detained as material witnesses, not suspects.
Here in Sharm El-Sheik at the local hospitals, as many as 59 people are still being treated. 49 of them, the hospital tells us, are in fact Egyptian. Six people are listed in a critical condition.
The Egyptian interior ministry now says 84 people have died as a result of this string of suicide bombings and other explosions here at Sharm El-Sheik.
Now among the foreign tourists who were killed, we understand one was an Italian man on his honeymoon. Another was a Czech tourist. Also, at least two British tourists reportedly were killed in this blast.
Now the people responsible for this, there have been two claims of responsibility. One from a previously unheard of group called the Holy Warriors of Egypt. Another group, the Azzam Abdullah Brigades of Egypt and Sinai, the same group which claimed responsibility for a similar attack in Taba on the Israeli-Egyptian border in October last year. That attack led to 34 people dead.
Now here at Sharm El-Sheik, many tourists have decided to pack up and leave. Overnight, the airport was busy and the roads out of Sharm El-Sheik have been heavy with traffic. And many of the people who work here, the locals who earn their living, who survive off this tourism industry as well as the Egyptian government now have a great deal of concern what the long term impact of these attacks will be on Egypt's tourism industry -- Betty?
NGUYEN: John, you mentioned tourism. Give our viewers an indication of how big the tourism industry is there in Sharm El-Sheik?
VAUSE: Well, over the last few years, Sharm El-Sheik has been seen as the jewel in the tourism industry to Egypt. They brought billions and billions of dollars into this region. And it seemed really as a very secure location. There's only one road in, one road out. There's a lot of overt security here, a lot of police on the roads. But also, a lot of undercover intelligence officials here, security. And the hotels take their own precautions as well, because the tourism industry is so popular. It's worth $6.6 billion a year. It's a bedrock, in many ways, of the economy.
So obviously, this kind of attack, as opposed to the one in Taba in October last year, which was mostly seen as an attack on Israelis, who were holidaying in the Taba area. Here, there were tourists from all around the world, from Britain, from France, from Italy as well, but also from Arab states. And that will be the concern for the Egyptian government, Betty.
NGUYEN: A lot to be looked into. John Vause in Sharm El-Sheik for us. Thank you for that update -- Tony?
HARRIS: And here at home, at first, the focus was on Karl Rove, but now another major White House player has gotten caught up in the CIA leak controversy. What does the White House have to say about all of this?
CNN's Brian Todd reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Contacted by CNN, officials in Vice President Cheney's office would not respond to charges that Cheney's top aid, Lewis Scooter Libby, was involved in leaking the name of CIA operative Valerie Plame to reporters.
But the name Scooter Libby keeps coming up in the press room.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So back in October 2003, you did assure us that you'd spoken with Scooter Libby, Karl Rove, and Elliott Abrams. And they'd all assured you that they weren't involved in any of this. So with regard to Libby and Abrams, do you still stand by that?
SCOTT MCCLELLAN, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECY: Last week, I think I assured you that I want to do everything I can to help the investigators get to the bottom of this.
I will be glad to talk about it, once the investigation is complete.
TODD: How involved Dick Cheney or his closest confidant were to the CIA leaks probably won't become clear until the special prosecutor, Patrick Fitzgerald, concludes his investigation. But to get a picture of how Cheney's staff works, we spoke to a former White House official from President Bush's first term and a former Pentagon official who interacted with then Defense Secretary Cheney during the first Gulf War.
At that time, Scooter Libby was one of Cheney's top Pentagon aides. They say Cheney and Libby run a very tight ship, that either they or their aides attend virtually every important White House meeting.
At those meetings, they say, Cheney, Libby and their aides are very discreet and seldom speak. If Cheney and Libby aren't at a meeting, their aides report directly to them on what was said and almost never speak to anyone else.
Cheney and Libby, the sources say, don't give their opinions unless they're in meetings with small circles of the president's closest advisers.
They say Dick Cheney and Scooter Libby think very much alike, with the same world view, favoring a tough minded, assertive foreign policy aimed at preempting threats to U.S. national security, beliefs that mesh well with their personal styles, asking tough questions, demanding straightforward, well informed answers rarely giving an inch.
(on camera): Those same observers are conflicted on whether Dick Cheney's office could have been involved in the CIA leaks. One says with their emphasis on security and discretion, it's unlikely that anyone in Cheney's inner circle would divulge that kind of information to reporters.
But another observer said if they perceive someone to be attacking them, "these fellows are extremely rough."
Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: So we want to know what you think about the CIA leak controversy. Are you getting the answers you want? Are you getting the answers?
NGUYEN: What answers are being provided?
HARRIS: The questions are certainly out there.
NGUYEN: Right.
HARRIS: Or are you frustrated that many of the major players are staying silent? It's our e-mail question of the day. The CIA leak, what do you think? Should the White House address the allegations? Let us know what you think -- weekends@cnn.com.
NGUYEN: All right, some other news across America today. Nevada officials have issued an Amber Alert for an eight-year old girl. Police believe Lydia Bethany Rose Rupp was snatched from her home near Reno Friday night by a convicted sex offender.
The suspect is said to be Fernando Aguerro. But police say he also uses the last name Gonzalez. He is described as a 48-year old slim Hispanic male just over 6' tall.
In Florida, children in daycare allegedly being sexually assaulted and forced to eat worms? Those are among the claims lobbied against two daycare centers associated with a church called Faith Ministries. The state suspended both centers' licenses. One daycare worker is accused of molesting 10 children during games of truth or dare, while another worker is accused of exposing herself to children.
And in Texas, a family of five is save this morning, after a U.S. Coast Guard crew rescued them on Friday. We have this video. The family was on a 22 foot pleasure boat that ran aground about 100 miles from Corpus Christi. Crews lifted the family out of the water. The mother, father, and their three children are said to be in good health.
HARRIS: Well, this Texas hiker is also safe this morning, after spending nearly a week in rough terrain. We'll tell you why his trip to paradise was almost a disaster.
NGUYEN: Yes, some paradise.
And the finish line is near. You know who we're talking about. So is Lance Armstrong ready for the record books and retirement? We'll go live to France at the half hour CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
Good morning, Rob.
(WEATHER REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: And in case you're just waking up with us this morning, let's get you up to speed on our top stories.
London police say they regret the fatal shooting of a Brazilian national. Officers gunned down the man in a subway station on Friday, a day after the failed bombing attempts on the city's transit system. Police now say he was not connected to the attacks.
Meantime, Brazil's government is demanding an explanation for the shooting. Brazil's foreign minister is asking to meet with British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw. The Brazilian community in London is planning protests later today.
And NASA has officially started the countdown and is hoping to launch space shuttle Discovery on Tuesday morning. The date was set even though officials still haven't gotten to the bottom of a fuel gauge problem that scrubbed an earlier launch.
Another countdown is on right now in France. Will Lance pull off a number seven?
NGUYEN: Yes.
HARRIS: That's...
NGUYEN: Well, we know the answer to that.
HARRIS: We'll take you live to the Tour de France later this hour on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
NGUYEN: But first, you want to talk about a walk on the wild side in Hawaii. It brings a man to terms with the possibility of his own death. Here's Gina Mangieri of CNN affiliate KHON.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GINA MANGIERI, KHON NEWS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When most people think of spending six days on the Big Island, they don't mean in the middle of an unforgiving lava field. But that's what happened to Dewey Gaedcke, lost for six days and five nights. He'd ventured out to get a night time glimpse of the lava flow.
GILBERT DEWEY GAEDCKE, BIG ISLAND SURVIVOR: These rocks that are like -- they're like four foot glass rocks that are hollow in the middle. And they break when you step on them and you fall through. And it's just the most vicious terrain I've ever seen in my life.
MANGIERI: Gaedcke rested at the Waimea home of a family friend before heading back to Houston. It's a trip he'd lost hope of making, at least a few times during his ordeal.
GAEDCKE: There was two points at which I really came to terms with my own death.
MANGIERI: Forty-five county personnel and 15 national parks service workers conducted a four day search. It was called off Friday afternoon. But only 15 minutes later, a teenager on a blue Hawaiian helicopter tour noticed something shiny. It was the camera lens Gaedcke had broken off to use as a reflector.
As many as 10 tour helicopters passed above him each day before, but getting rescued wasn't so simple.
GAEDCKE: I had to write off the hope of being rescued because it was killing my survival.
MANGIERI: That's because it was too difficult to walk or even crawl on the glass like lava to position himself in sight of a helicopter. Instead, he focused on finding one thing, water, wringing it out of spongy green moss. Food was even more sparse.
GAEDCKE: I found some berries. A worm nearly escaped me.
MANGIERI: He's an adventurer at heart. And snowboarding, rock climbing (INAUDIBLE) boarding. In time, he says this too may seem an adventure. And he says he'll return to Hawaii. Right now, though, he can't wait to see his two daughters, ages 5 and 7.
GAEDCKE: Fatal mistake on my part had cost them their father so early in their lives. And that was hard.
MANGIERI: And soon, a family that just days ago thought it lost so much, a son, a brother, a father, all in one will be reunited.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: And that was Gina Mangieri of CNN affiliate KHON. Some vacation, huh?
HARRIS: Yes, he's been through some things. And folks, try to deal with this heat.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HARRIS: Well, nobody does it better than Carly Simon. The multiple Grammy winner reunites with the man who produced some of her biggest hits. She talks about that and what she does or doesn't have in common with Watergate.
NGUYEN: That interview later this hour on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Gunfire, explosions and danger around every corner. In our hero story this morning, a U.S. Marine takes us into the gritty world of urban warfare, something he experienced first hand in Iraq.
CNN's Casey Wian has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Training exercises have a whole new meaning when you've been to war.
LANCE CORPORAL RANDY LAKE, U.S. MARINE CORPS: You are constantly looking for cover in case you start -- you get shot at or something.
WIAN: The hollow buildings and phony ruins at Camp Pendleton, California remind Lance Corporal Randy Lake of Falluja and the battle last November that changed his life.
LAKE: I still look back on that night, and I just wonder how I never got touched by anything.
WIAN: His platoon approached a house on foot, to make sure no insurgents were inside.
LAKE: We made entry into a room like this, and we came down, and me and my other team member, Corporal Vajda (ph), made entry into this room right here.
WIAN: Shots rang out. Lake's best friend was hit and fell in a doorway. With grenades going off all around him, Lake saw a bomb attached to a nearby door. He tried to warn his platoon of the danger and pull out his wounded friend, but it was too late.
LAKE: And I came back around to go grab him, and they blew the house.
WIAN: Lake was blown out of the house by the explosion, but amazingly, was not injured.
LAKE: I was a little groggy and I kind of lost hearing, but, like, the training just kicked in, and I was going around helping people, like just making sure everybody was OK, see who was all, like, still there. Just made sure my squad was there. A lot of my squad was taken out.
WIAN: The brush with death and the loss of his friend changed Lance Corporal Lake.
LAKE: I don't take a lot of things for granted anymore, like with friends and family. Because you just -- you don't know what could happen the next day.
WIAN: Lake says he was surprised to be awarded a Bronze Star with a combat distinguishing device.
LAKE: In my mind, I mean, I did what anybody would have done for their best friend. They would have went in there no matter what to get him.
WIAN: Casey Wian, CNN, reporting.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: And we bring you hero stories every week on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
HARRIS: For the recent terror in London, one Muslim cleric says the British government. That's coming up in our I-unit spotlight later this hour.
And why you should rate this wine on a scale of 1 to 10. Anand Naidoo will tell us what that's all about. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: It's a race like no other and we'll find out how it ends today, like we don't already know.
NGUYEN: Yeah, it's a foregone conclusion.
HARRIS: Will Lance Armstrong claim his seventh title? Welcome back everyone to CNN SUNDAY MORNING. I'm Tony Harris.
NGUYEN: That's an easy answer. And I'm Betty Nguyen. We are going to go live to Paris in just a minute. First let's check out what's in the news this morning.
Any minute now, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is due to arrive back in Washington. After meeting with Palestinian leaders in the west bank, she praised Palestinians for their efforts to clamp down on militants ahead of Israel's withdrawal from Gaza next month, but she did express concern that areas vacated by Israel this summer could be used once again for terror bases.
London's Brazilian community plans to protest today following the death of a 27-year-old Brazilian national. Jean Charles de Menezes was shot and killed by London police Friday at the Stockwell subway station. London police later confirmed that he was not connected with the attempted bombings on Thursday as they had originally suspected.
Well, NASA has begun the countdown to Tuesday's shuttle "Discovery" launch, even though shuttle managers are not completely sure they fixed a glitch in a fuel tank's sensor. The faulty fuel gauge forced the mission to be scrubbed July 13th just two hours before liftoff. "Discovery's" launch window ends July 31st, which could force the mission to be postponed until September. Tony.
HARRIS: In Paris, American bicyclist Lance Armstrong is apparently just a few hours away from history. Barring disaster, Armstrong will ride his five-minute lead into Paris for a record seventh consecutive victory of the Tour de France. CNN's Jim Bittermann is in Paris which more. Jim, good morning.
JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Tony. Yes, in fact, it certainly looks like Lance Armstrong is headed this way to victory because there's almost no way that any other rider in this very short stage today can pick up the time. He's actually 4:40 minutes ahead of his closest competitor Ivan Basso of Italy. And there's just no way that he could do that today. They're starting out -- they're actually have started already. They're starting riding. I'm watching them on a monitor here.
They're about 50 miles south of Paris at a town called (INAUDIBLE). They'll be riding for about two hours before they hit Paris and once they get here, right behind me here you'll see this is the Champs Elysees. This is the perpendicular avenue, runs between Place de la Concorde and the Arc de Triomphe here. Thousands of people are lined up here. Once they hit here, they'll go up and down this avenue eight times in just a dead heat race. Of course, there's going to be people challenging Armstrong, but at the moment from what we're seeing, basically the other riders are standing by, letting Armstrong take the lead at the beginning as he has throughout this race.
I asked a long-time race follower Sam Apt from the "International Herald Tribune" exactly how Lance Armstrong is regarded by the other riders who have lost to him so often now over the last seven years.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SAM APT, INTL HERALD TRIBUNE: Like him, I'm not sure that many of them know him well enough to like him. No, jealousy, I don't think so. I've never heard anybody particularly -- no, that isn't true. I've heard a couple guys somewhat jealous, but in general no. When somebody is this good in this one specific event, how can you be jealous of him? This is just what he does and he does it better than anybody else.
(END VIDEO CLIP) BITTERMANN: So, Tony, barring any major disaster -- I should say that the weather is not cooperating today. There are very slick streets out there because it's been raining off and on all day long. This is not the kind of thing that cyclists like. But in any case, barring any disaster, just about 3 1/2, 4 hours from now Lance Armstrong should win this race for the seventh time. Tony.
HARRIS: All right Jim. How can you be that good at that one event? OK. Jim Bittermann in Paris for us. And this reminder we'll have the view from within team Armstrong this morning. Coach Chris Carmichael will join us here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING. That's in the 8:00 hour Eastern. That's 5:00 Pacific.
NGUYEN: Well, just as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said some progress was made during her mid east trip, there is more violence in Gaza ahead of next month's Israeli pull out. Plus, North and South Korea hold new talks on northern ambitions for nuclear weapons.
HARRIS: And for the details on those stories and some of the other big international stories we're watching this morning, let's hand it over now to Anand Naidoo at CNN's international desk. Anand, good morning.
ANAND NAIDOO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thanks and good morning from the international desk. Here is what we're following this morning. North and South Korea hold another round of talks in Beijing on the nuclear issue. It's a prelude to six party negotiations involving the United States and that's scheduled for early next week. The discussions are aimed at ending North Korea's quest for nuclear weapons. Both the north and south are hoping for what they term substantial progress at that meeting which starts on Tuesday. The six-party talks by the way collapsed about 13 months ago.
Now to the Middle East. More violence in Gaza only hours after U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice held talks with Palestinian leaders. Militants there killed an Israeli couple in an ambush at the Gaza border. The gunmen were then shot and killed by Israeli troops. Three separate militant groups claimed responsibility for that incident. Betty.
NGUYEN: Anand, we are familiar with Italian wine, well, some more so than others. But what is this about Chinese wine?
NAIDOO: Actually, Betty, it's a bit more than wine. You've heard of folks drinking like fish. In China you can drink the fish. People in northern China have come up with, wait for it, fish wine. Here's the process in a nutshell. The fish is boiled and cooked with rice and then allowed to ferment for a month. I'll spare you the rest of the details seeing that it is breakfast time at least here on the east coast. But that brew by the way is on its way to the United States, $6 a bottle at any fine wine store.
NGUYEN: That doesn't even sound good. Can you imagine a little fish wine and cheese? No. I don't think so.
HARRIS: Supposed to be a healthy choice.
NGUYEN: I'm sure it is.
NAIDOO: It will taste fishy. Although I am told that the bouquet is not fishy. Hint of the sea, not fishy.
NGUYEN: Why don't you test it out and let us know.
NAIDOO: Will do.
HARRIS: Anand, thank you.
NGUYEN: Time now to take a look at some of other stories that will be in the news this week. On Monday, more than 40,000 Boy Scouts and scout leaders will descend on Caroline County, Virginia for the 2005 national scout jamboree. Most people go camping to get away from it all, but not here. The jamboree will host some 17,000 tents and 3500 portable kitchens. That's camping.
NASA is going to try this one once again. Tuesday it will attempt another launch of space shuttle "Discovery." The space agency is trying to send the shuttle to the international space station before the end of the month. "Discovery" will be NASA's first launch since the "Columbia" disaster in 2003.
And sessions out on Friday. Members of Congress will pack their bags and leave Washington for a little R&R. Lawmakers are taking the month off and will reconvene after Labor Day.
A radical cleric in London is blaming the British government for the recent subway terror attacks, that while collecting his government unemployment benefits. CNN investigates next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: This just in to CNN. We are learning that a suicide car bomb has exploded near a police station in southeastern Baghdad today and according to that initial report, at least 22 people were wounded, but we, of course, are looking into this to determine if there are any other casualties. This happened about 6:50 a.m. Eastern time today. Again, a suicide car bomb exploded near a police station in southeastern Baghdad. We will keep on top of this and bring you the latest.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Well, it is no secret the recent terrorist attacks in London have left a rift in the Muslim world. Most followers of Islam do not believe in violence, yet the radicals keep everyone on alert. In this morning's investigative report, CNN's senior international correspondent Nic Robertson tells us how the British government has put one Muslim cleric on notice.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You've had to apologize what you said regarding the British people yesterday.
SHEIKH OMAR BAKRI MOHAMMAD: I don't speak with porn graphic newspaper.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: He is the man the British love to hate right now. Newspaper headlines demand he be thrown out of the country. Muslim cleric Sheikh Omar Bakri Mohammad who last year predicted al Qaeda would attack London now says the British government is to blame for the attacks.
MOHAMMAD: I believe the British government to be blamed, the public to be blamed and the moderate (INAUDIBLE) Muslim to be blamed.
ROBERTSON: An internal government report listed his group, al Majaroon (ph), which he says is now disbanded, as extremists, its followers vulnerable to becoming killers. A young man who attended one of his meetings went on to become Britain's first suicide bomber in 2003, attacking a nightclub in Israel.
MOHAMMAD: Many people attend my meetings. Now they attend somebody else's meetings. Myself I never ever recruit people to go out, nor to fight nor I believe it is allowed.
ROBERTSON: Proposed new legislation to stop radical clerics inciting hatred could lead to Bakri's deportation. He's lived here for more than 20 years, doesn't consider himself British, but does take government unemployment benefits.
MOHAMMAD: I'm living here and I'm entitled for whatever anybody is entitled. If you say I'm not entitled, don't give me.
ROBERTSON: He proudly proclaims himself an extremist, but says he is part of the solution to stopping terror attacks, not part of the problem, that it is moderate Muslims in the government who are out of touch with the Muslim youth.
MOHAMMAD: The real issue is not the problem not from the extremists or radicals. I believe they are part of the solution. I believe so. We are part of the solution. We was able to hold the youth. We can hold them again by the (INAUDIBLE) world of wisdom which is based on the (INAUDIBLE).
ROBERTSON: He claims he had no part in the London bombings, did not know the four men involved. Indeed, condemns the attack.
MOHAMMAD: I condemn any form of bombing here or abroad, killing any innocent people.
ROBERTSON: The British government is holding summit meetings enlisting moderate Muslims to marginalize clerics like Bakri. He remains unabashedly unashamed of his views.
MOHAMMAD: My support of Osama bin Laden I share with him the same belief and I pray to God you see that he himself will be guided and will be protected. ROBERTSON: Bakri may well have had no involvement in the London bombings, but when asked if he thought there would be another attack, he said, God forbid, but if there is, it's their fault for not listening. Nic Robertson, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: And we'll have another investigative unit spotlight for you next Sunday morning.
NGUYEN: Want to check the top stories for you right now.
We have a new development in that bombing in Iraq. A suicide bomb -- car bomb exploded near a police station this morning in southeastern Baghdad. We have learned now that it has killed 13 people and 25 are injured. This blast took place around 6:50 this morning Eastern time. Again a suicide car bomb exploded near a police station killing 13, wounding 25.
Also in the news today, London police say they regret the death, the shooting death of a Brazilian man who they now say was not connected with last week's attempted bombings. Brazil's government is demanding an explanation for that shooting.
And Lance Armstrong only has to breeze through Paris, Paris, as they say to clench a record-setting seventh win in the Tour de France. He's all but guaranteed the victory after winning Saturday's time trial.
Talk about Carly Simon. Only has eyes for you and you. She's also got you under her skin. We'll tell you what else is new with the venerable crooner just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Nobody does it better than singer Carly Simon when it comes to heartfelt love songs. AJ Hammer with Headline prime's SHOWBIZ TONIGHT sat down with Simon to talk about her latest album and to look back at some of her biggest hits.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
AJ HAMMER, CNN ANCHOR, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT: Now she's back with a brand new CD. It's called "Moonlight Serenade." This is her fourth album of standards. Carly Simon joins us here in New York City. It's terrific to meet you.
CARLY SIMON, ENTERTAINER: It's so nice to meet you too.
HAMMER: And you were hanging out on stage in New York City, a rare appearance at a little club downtown, your son Ben Taylor, your son with James Taylor, was out performing and I understand he did a smashing rendition for the first time ever in public of your first hit ever.
SIMON: Yes. He sang "That's the Way I've Always Heard It Should Be" and it was heart stopping. I was so beautiful. I was very, very moved. I was moved to tears. He was choked up. The whole audience was, you know it may have been one of the defining moments in life.
HAMMER: He did you proud, made mamma proud.
SIMON: Yes, he did. And then we all got up on stage, Sally, Ben and I all got on stage and sang "You Can Close Your Eyes" which is a song that I learned before either Sally or Ben were born, and, you know, used to sing with James.
HAMMER: So Carly, I got to ask you, because, of course, a couple of months ago, one of the best held secret identities was finally revealed when everybody found out who Deep Throat was and then everybody started talking about the other well held secret over the years, the identity of the person you're singing about in "You're So Vain." Can you believe first of all that some 30 years later, people are still talking about this. Does it make you crazy or is it just funny to you?
SIMON: Why do you think people are still talking about it? I can't figure it out. But why do you think that it's of interest?
HAMMER: The same way with Deep Throat. This is a song that has been a part --
SIMON: Well, Deep Throat was a huge political and, you know, -- I mean it mattered. This does not matter.
HAMMER: "Moonlight Serenade," your fourth album of standards. The standout song on it for you, because it's been getting great reviews. What's your favorite tune on the album?
SIMON: You mean what's my favorite song? I guess I like "Alone Together" the best. It's got a lot of personal meaning for me. It was written by a great friend of my parents, Arthur Schwartz, and I like the bossa nova style. I loved working with Richard Perry again.
HAMMER: The guy that you worked with back in the '70s and did "You're So Vain" with.
SIMON: That's right and nobody does it better. And a lot of "Mocking Bird" and "Haven't Got Time for the Pain." We picked the songs together and we picked the ones that were closest to my heart and that were in the best key in my voice and we picked 11 great ones I think.
HAMMER: And it worked out well for you and it's always great hearing your voice on those old songs.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: And she's still not going to tell us "Who's So Vain." I wonder when we're ever going to find out if we will. Simon's "Moonlight Serenade" is her fourth album of World War II era standards. HARRIS: And don't forget our e-mail question this morning, should the White House address the allegations in the CIA leak investigation? We are at weekends@cnn.com. Reading your replies next.
NGUYEN: But first, a CNN extra for you today. Extreme heat has already caused several dozen deaths in the U.S. this year alone. Heat is especially hard on the elderly and the very young. Here are a few tips to stay cool. You want to drink extra water, juice or electrolyte balanced drinks but steer clear of caffeine and alcohol. Avoid being outdoors if you can and use air conditioners or fans. If you stop sweating, this is very important, it is a critical sign. Call 911.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Florida can't catch a break. The state has already been battered by a hurricane this year and now Floridians are watching for sandstorms. Is that true? Sandstorm? A dust cloud as nearly big as the United States is headed for Florida. The sandstorm is made of dust blowing in from the Sahara desert. It arrives sometime between Monday and Wednesday. It's expected to cause hazy sign skies and colorful sun rises and sun sets. The dust cloud won't be seen north of Florida or south Texas.
NGUYEN: I wonder what's sparking that. Hey, you know who has the answer?
HARRIS: No who?
NGUYEN: Rob Marciano.
HARRIS: Thought I'd play along.
NGUYEN: He's chomping at the bit, ready to go.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Here's the answer. Ready? There's sand in the Sahara.
NGUYEN: Rob.
MARCIANO: Seriously, actually, this is the time of year where the easterly trade winds and the steering currents in the upper atmosphere which steer hurricanes our way from Africa, I suppose they're taking this glob of sand our way as well.
NGUYEN: OK, told you, told you.
HARRIS: I'm taking notes. I'm learning every morning.
NGUYEN: Going to be tested on this.
MARCIANO: All right guys. Here's a look at the satellite imagery from outer space looking at the Atlantic Ocean. This is infrared. So maybe later today we can get a high resolution visible satellite that may show that cloud, but this isn't going to show it. There's just a couple of areas of disturbed weather. This is tropical storm Franklin and we have another tropical storm that formed last night in the bay of Campeche, southern Gulf of Mexico and this is heading toward Tampico, Mexico just south of where our last hurricane made landfall just a couple days ago. So they don't need the rain thee.
Where you can use some cooling showers, these spots yesterday, record high temperatures, Alliance, Nebraska, 107, Omaha 105, Pueblo, Colorado, 105 as well and Denver 102. LA getting into the act, typically this is hot this time of year, 86 degrees there yesterday. Today's high temperature expected to get to 81 degrees, maybe a little bit more than that in Los Angeles.
The heat and humidity certainly going to be the call across much of the south and the heat indices later today in places like St. Louis and Kansas are just going to be unbearable, excessive heat warnings out there. Chicago will be included in that area. Quincy, Missouri, yesterday, had a heat index of 121. That's what it felt like, a dew point of 83 degrees. That's just absolutely disgusting. I don't know any other way to describe a dew point of 83 degrees. That's how much moisture is in the air.
There are a few cooling showers mostly across the upper Midwest and through the great lakes, kind of working around that area of hot weather and maybe Detroit getting some cooling rain showers today. But Chicago won't see that. St. Louis won't see that. They're going to get up to 100 or better today in Chi town. We can only hot for even a hot wind. Look at the haze there as we look across Chi town. It's going to be a good day to hang inside and maybe catch some AC.
NGUYEN: With all that heat and humidity, when you step outside it feels like you already need a shower before you've gone anywhere.
MARCIANO: This time of year I don't even bother taking showers.
HARRIS: Nice to know. Thanks for sharing. Rob wants a high resolution thing a majiggy camera radar system here.
MARCIANO: I want to be able to see that cloud. Don't you want to see the dust cloud on the satellite?
NGUYEN: We'll get on the horn to management and see if we can hook you up Rob. We have lots of pull as you can tell.
MARCIANO: I can see, while we're here.
NGUYEN: Thanks Rob.
HARRIS: To our e-mail question this morning, should the White House address the allegations in the CIA leak investigation? Dee writes, this subject has stunk from the beginning of partisan politics. Democrats refuse to acknowledge the truth. Republicans can't give it to them any more ways. Why aren't Democrats more concerned with the war? Because their staffs aren't geared to solve world affairs. They're trained at domestic issues. Thank you D.
NGUYEN: Leola from Maine says yes, the White House should respond and CNN should stay focused on the story until all the questions are answered credibly.
And K. Buhr puts it very simply, absolutely..
HARRIS: Absolutely.
NGUYEN: And we appreciate all of your responses. Send more of them in, would you. Here's the question. Should the White House address the allegations. E-mail us, weekends@cnn.com.
HARRIS: And the next hour of CNN SUNDAY MORNING begins right now.
A case of mistaken identity threatens to become an international incident this morning. Why the London subway shooting death has protesters ready to march. From the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta, I'm Tony Harris.
NGUYEN: And I'm Betty Nguyen on this 24th day of July. We want to thank you for being with us.
The latest on the shooting investigation in just a moment, but here is what's Now In the News.
A massive sweep is underway in Egypt in the wake of yesterday's bombings that killed 84 people. Security forces are rounding up people in the Sinai Peninsula as part of that investigation. Two Islamic militant groups have claimed responsibility. One of them is linked to al Qaida. We'll have more details straight ahead.
We're also following a new development out of London this morning. Police have detonated a suspicious package found in northwestern London. Now police say an early examination shows the package may be linked to the devices used in Thursday's failed bombing attempts. Authorities will continue to investigate and we will go live to London for an update in just a moment.
Also authorities have issued an Amber alert for a missing Nevada girl. A convicted sex offender is suspected of taking eight year old Lydia Rupp from her home near Reno.
Authorities say the girl's mother met the suspect at a church function and he later moved into her home.
HARRIS: And still to come this hour on CNN SUNDAY MORNING religion and the robe. How much is a factor is faith for President Bush's Supreme Court pick? We'll look for answers in our Faces of Faith.
Also Lance Armstrong is pedaling toward the record books yet again. We'll talk to the man who puts him through his paces.
And Gert's on a roll and heading for land. We'll track the newest tropical storm from the CNN weather center.
NGUYEN: Police in Britain have been on the move this weekend. Here's the latest on the London terror investigation. Police arrest a man in south London on Saturday, as they were carrying out an armed raid. The man had approached a police barrier. No work on whether he was -- has any link to the probe.
Now on Friday police arrested two men in south London for questioning. They haven't been identified.
And just this morning Pope Benedict XVI is condemning the way the terrorist violence in Britain, Egypt, Iraq and elsewhere.
Also this morning London police have detonated a suspicious package and they are responding to criticism following Friday's fatal shooting. Police say they regret the fatal shooting of a Brazilian national, but that regret is being met with outrage.
CNN's Max Foster is at Scotland Yard and he joins us now for an update on all of this.
Good morning, Max.
FOSTER: Hi there, Betty.
The British police here in London are really focusing very much today on the shooting on Friday. They have a shoot to kill policy here. They suspected this man of being linked to terrorism. They suspected him of actually being a threat either to them or to the public. As a result, they shot him in the Tube station.
They immediately said that they did think he had links with Thursday's bombings and now they are accepting that he didn't have any link and the head of the metropolitan police here in London has been in the media today apologizing, expressing his regret, but not apologizing for the shoot to kill policy. That will remain in place.
He was Brazilian, De Menezes, and the Brazilian government has expressed shock at the shooting on Friday. And his family has also expressed their anger for the fact that he could have just been shot. And they say he has never had any link to terrorism whatsoever and they're deeply suspicious of what the police say about what happened in the immediate aftermath of that shooting and today, as I say, they're expressing their anger.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALEX ALVES PEREIRA, VICTIM'S COUSIN: They don't say anything because when you do something wrong you can't have much to say. And to say sorry is not enough. If they kill my cousin who doesn't look like a Muslim perhaps they can kill anyone.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOSTER: The Muslim community saying there should be a full public inquiry into this now. They say no one should be shot because simply the police suspect that they may have something to do with terrorism.
As far as we know, this Brazilian had nothing to do with Muslim or Islam, the Muslim community at all. But the Muslim community is saying that it could affect relations with the community here and the secret services and the police are very keen to keep those relationships strong because they need them in this war against terror, so they're calling for a full public inquiry.
Meanwhile the police are defending their shoot to kill policy and saying at the moment they're not changing that policy.
Betty.
NGUYEN: Max, what about the families of those killed and injured in the July 7th bombing? Are they speaking with investigators today?
FOSTER: They are. They're having a meeting with officers in the building behind me, the metropolitan police. They have expressed some concern that they haven't been kept up to date with the investigation. Today they will be kept up to date. They will be invited to go tot he scene of the bombings as well on July 7th, so they can ask any questions of the investigators that they wish.
Meanwhile, the police have arrested two people. They are questioning them. Little detail coming out, but they are being held in a secure police station here in London. Also, they are investigating various packages that are being found around London and sorting through the forensic evidence. And the investigation continues a pace, and police officers in the building working very hard behind me and there's real sense of regret about what happened on Friday with the shooting.
NGUYEN: A lot of developments in the London investigation. We want to thank you, Max.
Tony.
HARRIS: In Egypt security forces have begun rounding up possible suspects in their investigation of yesterday's terror bombings in Sharm El-Sheikh. The three simultaneous explosions killed 84 people and wounded more than 200 others. Crews are now searching the rubble for more bodies and possible leads.
Two groups have made separate claims of responsibility. One, the Abdullah Azzam Brigades, is linked to al Qaida and also claimed responsibility for last October's attack that killed 34 people.
The Bush administrations says international unity will be essential in defeating terrorism. CNN's Elaine Quijano is at the White House for us this morning and she joins us there with more information.
Elaine, good morning.
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Tony. That's right. President Bush spoke with Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak yesterday and offered his personal condolences as well as the support of the American people. Now President Bush is spending the weekend at Camp David. He is due to arrive back at the White House here later today. But in a White House statement, a statement strongly condemned the attack at Sharm El-Sheikh as barbaric. Also offering prayers for the victims and their families.
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice while in Jerusalem echoed those sentiments.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CONDOLEEZZA RICE, SECRETARY OF STATE: To the people of Egypt our deepest condolences to those who have lost their lives, our deepest sympathies and hopes for the recovery of those who were injured and our support and solidarity to the Egyptian people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUIJANO: Now it was just a couple of days ago, of course, that President Bush offered assistance to the British government in the after math of those attacks in London. The president once again striking a defiant tone reiterating his position and his belief that ultimately the U.S. and its allies will prevail over the terrorists.
The president though also saying that he believes the way to defeat what he calls the terrorists ideology of hate is to spread freedom and democracy.
Tony.
HARRIS: CNN's Elaine Quijano at the White House.
Elaine, Thank you.
NGUYEN: Democrats have stepped up their attack on President Bush and his response to a top aides possible role in the outing of a CIA operative. This weekend Democrats turned over their weekly radio address to a Republic. Former CIA agent, Larry Johnson, says Mr. Bush is jeopardizing national security by not honoring a pledge to fire any White House staffer implicated in the scandal. A reporter has named top presidential adviser Karl Rove as a source.
Investigation into the leak is underway.
And we want to know from you this morning, what do you think about the CIA leak controversy? Are you getting the answers you want or are you frustrated that many of the major players are staying silent. It's our e-mail question today, the CIA leak. Should the White House address the allegations. Let us know what you think, weekends@cnn.com.
HARRIS: You see the great athletes like Michael Jordan, Venus Williams, Serena Williams, Lance Armstrong, but what about the coaches who push them to greatness. We'll find out in just minutes when we take you live to Paris and talk to the personal coach of Tour de France reigning champion, Lance Armstrong. And good morning, Rob.
MARCIANO: Tony, we're looking at heat across the mid section. Kansas City one of the places suffering. Kids trying to grab some shade at the zoo, maybe a little misting machine to help the cause. It's not going to be any cooler today I can guarantee you that.
In Chicago we'll see temperatures today a good 12 to 14 degrees above yesterday, so try to stay cool. We'll talk about the forecast. Is there any relief in sight? CNN SUNDAY MORNING will be right back.
(WEATHER REPORT)
NGUYEN: Pedaling hard for a place in history. A prince of cycling nears a growing achievement -- a crowning achievement as well in Paris. Call it the Tour de France. Lance Armstrong is just hours away from a seventh consecutive victory in that race. He began the day with an almost five minute lead and barring any major disaster, he is projected to win.
Now if he wins, one person Armstrong will surely thank is his long time coach and nutritionist, Chris Carmichael. Besides being a trainer Carmichael is also the author of the book "Chris Carmichael's Fitness Cookbook."
In Paris right now with Armstrong, Chris Carmichael is taking a moment to talk with us and we appreciate that. Well, you know, Armstrong is so expected to win this but are you just simply amazed? This is not the first time. This is not the second. It is the seventh time. Does this man continue to amaze you?
CHRIS CARMICHAEL, LANCE ARMSTRONG COACH: You know, it is an amazing feat. I mean Lance winning his first one was so special after battling cancer. But to think now that we're going to be seventh is just, you know, it's just -- I'm speech to say how to kind of sum it all up.
NGUYEN: Is it kind of bitter sweet though for you knowing that this his last run at it, that he's going into retirement?
CARMICHAEL: Well, you know, I have all the memories to think about of all the training and all the preparation and all the years Lance has spent here getting ready for the Tour de France every year. Everybody has to retire and I think lance did it right. He want to leave the tour on the top of his game knowing he can look back and only remember winning the tour and not finishing second or third or potentially worse. And so, he's leaving on the top and a lot of athletes only leave once they get beaten. So I think Lance is doing it right.
NGUYEN: Yes, that's the way to go out. He's only what, 33 years old. I don't see him becoming a couch potato. What exactly is he going to do in retirement?
CARMICHAEL: Yes, that's a good question. I'm really not sure what he's going to do. I think he's going to -- you know what? He doesn't know what he's going to do right now. He knows a few things. He's going to spend time with his kids, time with Cheryl and focus on the Lance Armstrong Foundation. And I think you're going to see him still stay involved in cycling, help identify young athletes and maybe another American Tour de France winner some day.
NGUYEN: Now after all this training with Lance do you have any dibs on maybe training his kids for a Tour de France in the future?
CARMICHAEL: That's a good idea actually. Luke likes riding his bike and if that's what he wants to do and I'm still on the top of my game then that will be fun.
NGUYEN: I imagine it will. You've got a lot on your hands too. You've got this new book, "Chris Carmichael's Fitness Cook Book" out. A lot of things that you have your hands in but boy, what a way to go out on top with Lance Armstrong and you were so instrumental in that. We thank you for your time and congratulations. I'll go ahead and say it. Congratulations.
CARMICHAEL: Thank you. We're having fun.
NGUYEN: I'll bet you are.
Tony.
HARRIS: And checking your top stories now. One man is in custody after British police carried out an armed raid yesterday in south London. It's the latest in a series of sweeps across the city in connection with Thursday's failed bombing attempts. In all, at least three men have been arrested over the last two days in connection with the bombing probe.
Meantime London police say they regret the shooting death of a Brazilian man, who they now say was not connected with this week's attempted bombings. Brazil's government is demanding an explanation for the shooting.
And the countdown is back on for the space shuttle Discovery. NASA engineers say they are optimistic they fixed a fuel gauge problem that stopped the last launch attempt. They're aiming for a Tuesday morning lift off. It would be the first shuttle launch since Columbia's break up in 2003.
Wet or dry across much of the country, it is just plain hot. In Phoenix, Arizona for the last two weeks it's at 110 almost every day. The days of oppressive heat has lead to the deaths of at least 21 people. But storms yesterday helped cool things down a bit in central Arizona.
At the zoo in Kansas City, Missouri everyone got bottled water and frozen treats to help beat the heat. The elephants could help themselves keep temperatures down, but the seals got some help with some to cool their pool.
And some major storms in the D.C. metro area left thousands of people without power today. Electricity isn't expected back on for many until tomorrow morning.
NGUYEN: Now let me get it straight. We have a heat wave.
HARRIS: Yes.
NGUYEN: This is high hurricane season. We've got...
HARRIS: We've got Gert.,,
NGUYEN: ...another tropical storm, Rob?
(WEATHER FORECAST)
NGUYEN: Police are conducting armed raids in London, as the terror probe continues to unfold. Soledad O'Brien is on the scene live tomorrow on "AMERICAN MORNING." We'll have live reports beginning at 7 a.m. eastern Monday morning.
HARRIS: Last week President Bush announced his choice to fill the upcoming vacancy on the Supreme Court. His pick Judge John Roberts. Republicans are thrilled, Democrats are cautious. Roberts is a Roman Catholic and a political conservative. This week in our Faces of Faith segment we're going to examine how his faith might influence his profession.
Marci Hamilton is the author of "God versus the Gavel." Religion and the Rule of Law. She joins us now from New Orleans.
Marcy, good morning.
MARCI HAMILTON, AUTHOR, "GOD VERSUS THE GAVEL:" Good morning.
HARRIS: Well, I want to at least set the table here by giving folks a bit of how you view the world on these two subjects of God versus the gavel. Is it true, in kind of a summation of your opinion here, that you would like to see a more expansive regulation of conduct associated with religious belief?
HAMILTON: Well, I'd like to see a lot more debate about it. So much lobbying for exemption goes on behind the scenes and our elected representatives don't ask the hard questions. When religious groups ask for special treatment what I'd like to see is a public debate instead of laws that get passed and then we only find out about it after the harm is done.
HARRIS: OK. How about this, a diminished scope of judicially established constitutional protection? Make that case.
HAMILTON: Well, the argument is actually not diminished scope of liberty but actually it ought to go through the legislature because sometimes conduct hurts other people and it's only the legislature that can figure out the extent of the harm and the real harm. The courts just aren't in that position. And so I believe in religious liberty but not to the extent that it's a liberty to hurt other people. HARRIS: And your critics would say that you would essentially erect a fortress between church and state. How do you respond to that?
HAMILTON: Well, I wouldn't call it a fortress, but actually call it Republican democracy. We are in a system where we've all agreed that we believe in liberty, but ordered liberty not licentiousness. And that's exactly where the framers started. I think we go away from it in the 1960s. The Supreme Court got back to it on the right track in 1990 and this is really the first book that's defending the Supreme Court's approach actually.
HARRIS: Marci we have no idea do we really of what kind of a judge, if confirmed, John Roberts would be. You can extrapolate from maybe some opinions based on work he's done for clients, but on the issues of say prayer in school and some other issues, maybe Roe, we don't know what kind of a judge he will be.
HAMILTON: Well, he has been very adroit of keeping his personal views completely to himself. You have to admire him for the consistency on that. What we know is that he was a political appointee in the Reagan administration at a time when they took very strong opinions against the separation of church and state. We know that he's a Roman Catholic. The first -- the political appointment tells us more, I think than anything. Being a Roman Catholic in the United States means you can have a wide range of views, so we certainly can't tell anything from his religious beliefs.
HARRIS: And one other question. This idea of being a strict constructionist first of all what is it for folks, break that down, and then does the label apply to Roberts?
HAMILTON: Well, strict constructionist tends to mean that the Constitution is interpreted narrowly. Sometimes it means it's interpreted according to what the framers though, but that's a bit of a difficult argument given that we had the Civil War and the 14 Amendment in-between. So you can't go all the way back to the framers on everything.
He looked as though he probably is a strict constructionist at least in terms of his leanings. But he's only been on the federal bench two years. And let me add, he's been on the federal appellate bench that gets very little constitutional law. They do largely administrative law. So to be able to determine how he will rule in particular cases it's truly a black box.
HARRIS: OK. The book is "God Versus the Gavel." Here it is, Religion and the Rule of Law. Marci Hamilton is the author. Marci, thanks for taking the time this morning.
HAMILTON: Thank you.
NGUYEN: We're going to move into our e-mail question today. Here it is on the screen, CIA leaks. Should the White House address the allegations? This is dealing with the outing of a CIA operative. And our first response right now from Tom in West Virginia. He says, "Not at all. This is just an attempt by a few to attack Karl Rove and President Bush. I think the cover up was to try to cover the fact that Joe Wilson was working only to discredit the president and the White House and advance his agenda and that of his undercover wife."
HARRIS: And then there's this from Gary. "Of course the White House needs to answer these questions. The early naming of a Supreme Court nominee was nothing more than a deflection from a tight spot. Future historians will view this administration as nothing but a power grab using smoke and mirrors."
Thank you all for your e-mails. We'll get to more of those in the next hour, 9 a.m. eastern on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
NGUYEN: But right now the video is just remarkable. Iraqi insurgents videotaping an attack on an American soldier, and he lived to talk about it. His remarkable story next hour in a Soldier's Story.
HARRIS: And next, you too could look as health as a movie star without that hefty price. Fitness on a budget with Dr. Sanjay Gupta on "HOUSE CALL."
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