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CNN Sunday Morning

Violence Spreads Across France

Aired November 06, 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: Violence spreads across France. Police report more than 2,000 vehicles torched, along with schools and businesses in the arson rampage. Rioting in the suburbs of Paris moved into the capital itself, and to Normandy and across France's Mediterranean resorts. We'll have a live report from Paris in just a minute.
Also, exclusive CNN video of a day long firefight in Iraq. Look at this. The U.S. military's Operation Steel Curtain moves into its second day in the Iraq city of Yuseba (ph) on the Syrian border. The military claims dozens of insurgents killed and -- were killed. And about 50 suspects have been detained so far.

A luxury cruise ship attacked by pirates on the east coast of Africa docks later today in the Seychelles. Gunmen in speed boats fired machine guns and grenade launchers, but no one was reported hurt.

Seabourn Cruise Lines says it will reevaluate whether to offer future cruises in that region.

And one of the most popular stories on CNN.com right now, Arizona prison officials are investigating the apparent homicide of a Jewish Defense League activist. Earl Krugel was serving 20 years for his role in a plot to bomb a California mosque and the office of an Arab- American congressman.

From the CNN Center in Atlanta, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING. Good morning, everybody. It's November 6th. I'm Betty Nguyen. Thanks for being with us.

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Smiling through pain, allergies.

NGUYEN: Oh, my goodness.

HARRIS: (INAUDIBLE), no?

NGUYEN: They are killing me.

HARRIS: Oh, man. Good morning, I'm Tony Harris. 7:00 a.m. here in the East, 1:00 p.m. in the suburbs of Paris, where there is no end in sight to the riots. There is much more ahead for you this hour.

Coming up, a baffling e-mail trail left by former FEMA director Michael Brown at the height of Hurricane Katrina. Brown defenders say the e-mails are an unfair distortion of his actions during the crisis, as CNN investigates.

Also ahead, a rare American honor granted to an Iraqi war hero has created an unexpected hardship for his widow. We'll bring you that story in a live report from Baghdad.

And later, students at the Yale Music School score a huge tuition windfall. So why is there discord from other parts of the campus? CNN's J.J. Ramberg has the story later this hour.

But first, the violence that gripped France during the past 10 days has reached a new level of intensity. It has now moved from impoverished suburbs of Paris into the capitol and beyond. The young people rampaging across the country staging attacks are French born children of African and Arab immigrants considered by many to be France's most neglected citizens.

More now from CNN's Chris Burns, who joins us from the phone from Paris. And Chris, first of all, give us the view of the night that was?

CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Tony, it was the most tiring night in terms of numbers of vehicles burned. Some 1300 across the country. That is a record in these 10 days of violence.

And some of those vehicles are actually burned toward central Paris. Four in Place de la Republique, a half dozen in the northwest sort of more bourgeois area of the 17th District, which is not very far from the Arc de Triomphe. So it is getting closer.

And this is what is obviously going to cause concern among authorities how can they keep this under control even though they deployed some 2300 extra police in the Paris area alone, put helicopters, police helicopters in the air, arrested hundreds more people.

It's still not stopping it. It has gone to other cities like in the north, south, east and west, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Nord (ph), Lyon, Melouse (ph), Lilles, all -- many, many places where there are disaffected neighborhoods with mainly immigrant families and very high unemployment.

This -- and there's a frustration among many people in these areas that we've been talking to that the government's been cracking down on crime, but not really offering a way out in terms of employment, Tony.

HARRIS: Chris, have to ask you, you know, we're talking about 10 days now. And you sort of trace some of the roots of all of this. But after 10 days of this kind of violence, I have to ask you it's beginning to feel as though it's organized, it's coordinated. Is that thought being passed around among the officials there?

BURNS: Well, Tony, some officials are talking about that, suggesting that when the -- the people we do talk around so far say it's really just spontaneous. It's a lot of kids that are seeing what's going on in these other towns. And there's a fair amount of copycat going on.

Also, just an expression of rage, and solidarity as well as the word that I've been hearing. So it doesn't seem to be an orchestrated kind of thing, but it's just a thing that has flown beyond the control of a lot of community leaders.

The government's been trying that the last couple of days, meeting with community leaders, saying we will come ahead with an urban renewal program by the end of the month. Please talk to your youth. We have been talking to mediators on the ground. They are having some effect, but there are a lot of kids that are simply beyond their control.

HARRIS: And Chris, is there a sense that the media is in any way fueling this, the pictures? I would imagine in France, there's a pretty steady drumbeat of this?

BURNS: Well, Tony, this is something that has happened in previous years. Right around New Year's Eve, this happened in a number of towns and had happened in previous years where the youths were burning cars. And there seem to be a bit of competition. And they would be burning them when they saw the TV cameras arriving.

HARRIS: Right.

BURNS: So this is something that -- to keep in mind as far as that goes, yes.

HARRIS: OK. Chris Burns for us in Paris. Chris, we appreciate it. Thank you.

NGUYEN: Speaking of violence, the protests follow President Bush as he makes his second stop on a three nation Latin American visit. Traveling with Mr. Bush is our own Elaine Quijano, who joins us now live from Brazil this morning.

What's the latest on the violence there, Elaine?

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Betty. I have to tell you, we don't really have much information on that. I can tell you we got in last night. Haven't really seen anything out on the streets, but certainly there has been some strong anti-U.S. sentiment as we have seen.

At his last stop in Argentina, of course, U.S. officials hoping not to have a repeat of some of the violence that was carried out by some small groups of protesters in Argentina.

Now the president was there attending the fourth annual Summit of the Americas. Wrapped up last night or yesterday. And while the official focus was on creating jobs, the United States was hoping that the 33 other nations attending that summit would endorse President Bush's plan for a free trade hemisphere. They didn't.

Several large countries, including Argentina and the nation hosting him today, Brazil, are against the U.S.' proposal, but not necessarily the idea of free trade.

Now that wasn't a surprise, yet the U.S. was hoping to at least get a date to restart talks on the issue. And officials didn't get that either.

So today, as President Bush is here in Brazil, he'll meet with the president of Brazil. Likely to be on the agenda, free trade.

Now first though, President Bush is already on the move this morning. He has a very brief visit here in the capitol city of Brasilia. The president this morning will be meeting with Brazilian and Brazilian business and other leaders. He'll then meet with the president, President Lula da Silva. They'll have joint statements.

President Bush will then make remarks on democracy before heading off to his third stop, Panama. Betty?

NGUYEN: Busy trip. Thanks for keeping us posted. Of course, we'll be checking in with you, Elaine Quijano in Brazil. Tony?

HARRIS: Now Betty, new evidence has reportedly surfaced that suggest the Bush administration may have misused intelligence to justify going to war in Iraq. In 2002, President Bush and others in his cabinet claimed Iraq was training al Qaeda members in the use of explosives and illicit weapons.

According to "The New York Times", a top member of al Qaeda, who supplied the information, was identified as a likely fabricator. And that happened months before the Bush team began using his statements. "The Times" quotes portions of a newly declassified document provided by Democratic Senator Carl Levin.

NGUYEN: And speaking of documents and what to do with them, a new White House memo spells out how the president's executive staff is to handle classified materials, as well as upcoming refresher classes on ethical conduct.

Mandatory sessions begin this week for staff with security clearances. Now those without clearances must attend the following week.

The required ethics courses come on the heels of a CIA leak investigation and Scooter Libby's indictment in connection with that case.

And all of this leads us to our e-mail question this morning. Here it is on the screen for you. Do you want to hear from President Bush regarding the CIA leak investigation? Do you want to hear his thoughts on it.

HARRIS: OK.

NGUYEN: A little bit more than the investigation that's underway? And we're going to not say too much about it until we get more.

HARRIS: Yes.

NGUYEN: So let us know what you think about it. We're at weekends@cnn.com. And we'll be reading those replies throughout the program.

HARRIS: An escaped Texas death row inmate is now a federal fugitive. Convicted killer Charles Victor Thompson walked out of a Houston jail Thursday. Authorities say the escape is 100 percent human error.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LT. JOHN MARTIN, HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPT.: We do know that he was able to get out of handcuffs. We found the handcuffs with is jump suit in the attorney booth.

But again, we don't know if he had a key or if he defeated the locking mechanism by some other means.

We know that he made contact with a deputy on the second floor at the floor control center. We know that he made contact with a deputy on the first floor at the floor control center and had a deputy escort him through that checkpoint from the secure area of the facility to the public area of the facility, and then was taken to the lobby, where he spoke with deputies in the visitor control center, before walking out the front of the jail.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Mistakes at all levels. Wow, the U.S. marshal service is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to Thompson's capture.

NGUYEN: In other stories across America this morning, the FAA is investigating the fatal crash of a private jet in Houston, Texas. The twin engine plane nosedived into the runway just after take-off, killing two people on board. The plane's take-off was rushed to get out of the way of an incoming jetliner reporting a problem.

Now to Tampa, Florida. A desperate rescue after an SUV flips over the side of a bridge. The vehicle with four people inside fell 15 feet into the river below. The fishermen there rescued three passengers who got to the surface. Then the witness on the bridge jumped into the water and freed a young child from the vehicle. Boy, they have some stories to tell.

HARRIS: Yes.

NGUYEN: And actor Warren Beatty and his wife Annette Bening were turned away, yes turned away, from a campaign appearance by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Long time Democratic activists, Beatty and Bening, along with members of teacher and firefighter unions have been shadowing the governor's appearances.

HARRIS: In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, flooding for fashion. In the midst of Katrina, Michael Brown gave more dialogue about which shirt to wear instead of the broken levees. Stay with us for some shocking e-mail exchanges between the former head of FEMA and another FEMA staff member.

NGUYEN: That's really interesting. And a new problem for New Orleans residents. OK, they're still evacuated, right? We know this, but landlords are slapping them with eviction notices. Wait until you hear that story.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: And if you're just tuning in this morning, here are the top stories this hour. A tenth consecutive night of rioting in France expands in both Paris and other cities. Rioters are mostly immigrant young people who feel alienated in French society.

The manhunt continues for an escaped double murderer who literally walked out of a Texas County jail Thursday. A $10,000 reward is offered for information that leads to the capture of 35-year old Charles Victor Thompson.

And the cruise ship that survived an attack by marauding pirates is set to dock later today. The luxury liner Spirit outran two boats of rocket armed pirates off the Somalian coast on Saturday.

And our e-mail question this morning, do you want to hear more than what you heard from President Bush regarding the CIA leak investigation here at weekends@cnn.com? We'll be reading your replies throughout the program.

NGUYEN: This morning, Louisiana lawmakers begin a special session to tackle Hurricane Katrina's cause, this while a House panel is investigating FEMA's slow response to New Orleans.

Now a Louisiana congressman has posted on his Web site former FEMA Director Michael Brown's e-mails to staffers as the hurricane raged. Homeland Security correspondent Jeanne Meserve was on the ground in New Orleans when the FEMA Director was not and has this investigative report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Monday, August 29th, Hurricane Katrina has just ravaged New Orleans. Beginning at 9:36 in the morning, FEMA Director Michael Brown receives a series of e-mails reporting levee failures. One FEMA staffer is hearing of severe flooding. Police "report water level up to second floor of two story houses. People are trapped in attics."

Michael Brown's one line response to all of this, "I'm being told here water over not a breach."

Democratic Congressman Charlie Melancon from Louisiana, who released the e-mails, says Brown's response shows he didn't grasp the dire situation.

REP. CHARLIE MELANCON (D), LOUISIANA: Topped or breached, it doesn't matter. Water's going over the top. There's another circumstance that needs to be addressed. And he should be asking for more information.

MESERVE: Brown receives a flurry of e-mails about shortages of water and ice, but there is no response in the e-mails that have so far been released.

And when Marty Bahamonde, the only FEMA representative in New Orleans, tells Brown, "The situation is past critical...thousands are gathering in the street with no food and water..." and many medical patients "will die within hours."

Brown answers, "Thanks for the update. Anything specific I need to do or tweak?"

Brown does, however, answer e-mails about his appearance on television. When a staffer tells him, "You look fabulous," Brown responds, "I got it at Nordstroms...Are you proud of me? Can I quit now? Can I go home?" And later calls himself a "fashion god."

Brown's lawyer says his client was doing his job and that there were phone calls and face to face meetings and many more e-mails.

ANDREW LESTER, ATTORNEY FOR MICHAEL BROWN: We're looking at one tiny, tiny, tiny sliver of the information. To release that tiny sliver, that selective sliver, that clearly was released...it strikes me...designed to embarrass."

(on camera): The House Committee investigating Katrina would like to see more of that record, but says the administration has been slow to turn over all of the other e-mails it has requested. The administration says it's working on it.

Jeanne Meserve, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: And you can read the FEMA e-mails that have been released. All you have to do is go to cnn.com/politics. Tony?

HARRIS: OK, imagine this, Betty. You're told to evacuate your city for months because of a devastating hurricane. Then you get a letter evicting you from your apartment.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was outraged. I thought they were way out of line.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: And unthinkable dilemma for the residents of New Orleans. The story, next. Plus, a grim trip back to Pakistan one month after tens of thousands are left homeless by a powerful earthquake. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Hurricane Katrina blew a billion dollar hole in Louisiana's state budget. And that has state officials trying to figure out how to pay for everything that needs to be fixed. Governor Blanco, seen here in video from late September, today convenes a special legislative session to tackle that and dozens of other critical issues facing the state.

Among them are revised building codes and tax changes. Lawmakers will have to work fast. The session is set to end November 22nd.

So while state and federal officials try to figure out how to pay for a multitude of hurricane woes, a new battle is forming between landlords and absentee tenants.

CNN's Dan Simon is in New Orleans, where a new dilemma offers no easy solutions.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): An army of movers show up at this apartment complex in the Algiers neighborhood of New Orleans ready to carry out a series of evictions, the first of thousands expected in the city.

A sad display as people's belongings are dumped on the sidewalk. Furniture, electronics, bicycles, you name it. The consequence of not paying rent.

MARY KAY NORMAN, JUDGE, SECOND CITY COURT: That's the law. And I'm just here to enforce it.

SIMON: Judge Mary Kay Norman gave the green light on Thursday for the evictions.

NORMAN: Someone has been away from the city for two months and has never even found the time to call the landlord and say, "Hey, I left some valuable property. Then they haven't done that in two months. I don't think they're very interested in that property. And we need to allow the landlord to evict those tenants because we've got hundreds and hundreds of people that need housing.

SIMON: Property managers like Bonnie Morel make no apologies for tossing out tenants. We found her at the courthouse, eviction notice in hand for a woman she says has made no effort to get in touch with her, much less pay the rent for her apartment.

BONNIE MOREL, PROPERTY MANAGER: I've contacted all the personal references on her applications. I've been to the condo numerous times. I've left notes. And I just -- I can't find her. And no one's returning my call to see if they've heard from her.

SIMON: But it's not always that clear cut.

When you ripped open the envelope, and you started reading that note, what did you think? LAURA MILLER, TENANT: I was outraged. I thought they were way out of line.

SIMON: Laura Miller received a letter stating she'd be evicted from her apartment in the Garden District if she didn't pay $430 rent for the month of September when the city was under a mandatory evacuation order.

So Miller wasn't even there.

MILLER: We did not have electricity. The water was not drinkable until October 14th. So in my opinion, we should not be required to pay rent until the middle of October at the very earliest.

SIMON: Miller's landlord later claimed it was all "a misunderstanding," agreeing that his tenants were in fact not liable for September.

Back at this apartment complex, there were no clashes because none of the evicted tenants were around.

So what happens to all this stuff now? Well, because it's on public property, it's all up for grabs. Anybody who comes by is welcome to take what they want. And many here have already staked their claim.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That bike and then I saw this TV over there.

SIMON: You saw a TV?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

SIMON: Some had shopping carts ready to pounce on the pile. However, most were reluctant to be seen on camera profiting from someone else's misery. It's a scene likely to be repeated over and over again in the coming weeks.

Dan Simon, CNN, New Orleans.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: What a wild weather year.

NGUYEN: Yes, I was just reading it.

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