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CNN Saturday Morning News

Coalition Troops Halt Offensive in Iraq

Aired April 10, 2004 - 07:00   ET

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

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


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: From the CNN Center in Atlanta, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
It's April 10.

Good morning, everyone.

I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

Right now coalition troops are working to regain control of key cities in Iraq. Let's update you now on the latest developments. A new dimension to the war in Iraq. Two U.S. soldiers and an unknown number of civilian contractors, some of them Americans, are missing after their fuel convoy was attacked near the Baghdad airport. The soldiers and civilians are officially classified as unaccounted for, meaning U.S. troops are looking but cannot find them.

In the volatile city of Falluja, west of Baghdad, a new attempt this morning to silence all the guns. Earlier this morning, before most of America was awake, U.S. Army Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt talked about the move to get insurgents to agree to a cease-fire.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRIG. GEN. MARK KIMMITT, U.S. ARMY: We're hoping to use the venue of this press conference and follow on discussions with some of the Arabic press to get that message to the enemy, so they can join in the cease-fire.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: This effort comes one day after U.S. Marines in Falluja halted their offensive to allow the Iraqis to bring in supplies and bury their dead.

Coalition troops from Italy got a surprise visit today in the Iraqi city of Nasiriyah. Italy's prime minister, Silvio Berlesconi, flew there from Rome this morning to meet with the troops. Berlesconi is expected to return home this evening.

CNN correspondent Jim Clancy is in Baghdad. Bureau chief Jane Arraf is in the embattled southern city of Kut. And a CNN crew is in Falluja. We'll have reports on the fight in Iraq throughout the morning, as new developments come in to CNN.

More now on Iraq in a moment.

But first this hour, the scrutiny of what the U.S. knew before 9/11, specifically, the briefing that President Bush got a month before the suicide hijackings. That document is still officially classified, but CNN has learned new information now.

CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux is in Crawford and joins us live -- good morning, Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Fred.

Well, CNN has confirmed the highlights of that top secret document, the presidential daily briefing, that was handed to the president one month before the September 11 attacks. Inside that document, various scenarios of al Qaeda's intentions to strike inside of the United States.

That document, called "Bin Laden Determined To Attack Inside the U.S.," includes, first, an intelligence report received May 2001 indicating al Qaeda was attempting to send operatives to the U.S. through Canada to carry out an attack using explosives. That information was passed on to law enforcement and intelligence agencies. Second, that al Qaeda had been considering ways to hijack American planes to win release of operatives, released in 1998 and 1999. Third, Osama bin Laden was set to strike the U.S. as early as 1997 through early 2001. Fourth, there was some intelligence that had suggested that al Qaeda operatives were traveling to and from the United States, some U.S. civilians and perhaps a support network inside of the United States. And, finally, at least seven FBI investigations looking into the possibility of al Qaeda cells inside of the United States.

Fred, all of this information taken together here, it is up for interpretation how you see this. But the White House contends, says this is a historical summary of al Qaeda's intentions, that it does not include details about how, when, why or what type of attack was imminent. There are also sources that say none of this information goes to the September 11 plot -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: Suzanne Malveaux from Crawford, Texas, thanks very much.

Well, meanwhile, Al Gore is the latest witness to testify before the 9/11 Commission. The former vice president met with commissioners behind closed doors for three hours yesterday. The Commission called Gore's testimony "candid and forthcoming" and thanked him for his continued cooperation.

Now in depth in Iraq, U.S. troops and American civilian contractors are still unaccounted for after their convoy was attacked near Baghdad's airport and the coalition is making a new bid for a cease-fire in Falluja.

The latest on these and other developments from CNN correspondent Jim Clancy, who joins us live from Baghdad -- Jim. JIM CLANCY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, the question is will there be a cease-fire that holds in Falluja and what will it mean on the political front? The U.S.-led coalition couldn't have been clearer when they laid it on the table.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP

KIMMITT: Thus the venue of this press conference and follow on discussions with some of the Arabic press, to get that message to the enemy so they can join in the cease-fire.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CLANCY: Hoping that they will join in the cease-fire is really a mixed message. Yes, it is an offer to the insurgents. But more importantly, perhaps, the coalition laying it out on the line in public, telling the Iraqis, as well, that it is in the insurgents' court, the ball is in their court. They have to decide whether they, too, would lay down their arms.

The U.S. complained that some of the fighters in Falluja continued attacking U.S. Marines and other targets in the general area despite the unilateral cessation of an offensive on Friday. It remains to be seen what the response would be here, but it is clearly perceived by the U.S.-led coalition as driving a wedge between the coalition and the Iraqi people who support it because of the casualties that are being suffered in Falluja.

Meantime, in Baghdad itself this day, there were some reports of fighting. But there were also a lot of signs that a call for a three day strike being heeding. Many shops in Baghdad, if not most, are shut down. Of course, there's a religious holiday, a national holiday that has been declared for Saturday and it is expected that all shops would be closed then, anyway. This three day strike call came from Sunni Muslim leaders.

Across the south, perhaps the biggest story there, Silvio Berlesconi, Italy's prime minister, making a surprise visit to his troops and representatives in Nasiriyah in southern Iraq. That's where earlier they fought against elements of the Al-Mahdi Army. Those forces alleged with Muqtada al-Sadr are involved all across the south. But Berlusconi's high level appearance here in the midst of what many view as a crisis both in the Sunni Triangle and in the predominantly Shia south, is a very important step, a very important show of support for the coalition.

Meantime, another strategy continuing to unfold regarding Muqtada al-Sadr. In Ba'qubah overnight, the U.S. military went into another al-Sadr office and destroyed that, hoping to remove some of his base of support around the country. They've made similar moves in Sadr City, Kut and elsewhere. This not likely to have a large impact on -- in terms of the strategy that's there, but it does have that symbolic effect of removing his offices and perhaps showing that the coalition remains in charge -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, Jim Clancy in Baghdad, thanks very much for that update.

Well, U.S. troops are working to shore up their control of Kut, the Iraqi city they seized this week from a hostile militia, as Jim was explaining.

CNN's Jane Arraf has more now from Kut.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JANE ARRAF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The U.S. Army says it's still fighting to regain complete control of the city of Kut. They say they've taken back 60 to 70 percent of this city of 300,000 people on the banks of the Tigris. And in fighting that lasted until the early morning, they say they've retaken the TV and radio stations, as well as a key bridge that now provides them all access routes to the city.

But they will continue to fight, they say, until the militia loyal to Muqtada al-Sadr and his followers are eradicated from here.

So far, they've killed 17 of the fighters, they say, and captured 55 of them.

Now, the units that are fighting here have come from Baghdad, many of them. Some have come from Kuwait, where they had already been transferred out. This is the 1st Armored Division, which has been here for more than a year in Baghdad and had been due to go home. Instead, they're here in this camp that had been the home of Ukrainian soldiers who pulled back from the camp after the city was overrun by the militia.

The 1st Armored Division has had to bring some of its assets back, including, according to a general from the division, helicopters that had been shrink wrapped at the port. They had been put back into action, as have all these soldiers who will not be going home any time soon.

Jane Arraf, CNN, reporting from Kut, from south-central Iraq.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: More now on this week's fighting and the current situation in Iraq.

Joining us now, our military analyst, Retired Brigadier General David Grange of the U.S. Army.

He's in Galena, Illinois.

Good to see you this early morning.

BRIG. GEN. DAVID GRANGE, U.S. ARMY (RET.): Good morning.

WHITFIELD: Let's talk first about the hostage taking of the three Japanese. Japan has said at this point that it's not bending to the plea of the hostages -- of the hostage takers.

What does this say now about the change in the tactic from the insurgents?

GRANGE: Well, you know, taking hostages, especially from coalition members, is a strategy to break up the alliance of any kind of a coalition you're fighting. So if you're on the insurgent side, you always attack an enemy's alliances. And, of course, Japan is aligned for this effort. And so it's a soft target. It's easy to get to. It has a lot of international impact and emotional effect on the country of Japan itself.

WHITFIELD: How prepared do you believe the coalition forces are for what now appears to be a change in strategy from those insurgents?

GRANGE: Well, this is to be expected that there will be hostage taking. There will be an increase in hitting soft targets -- convoys, civilian workers, even correspondents from different nations that are participating with the media on this effort in Iraq.

And so that's be -- they're doing that because it's easy to get to it. It's not as hard as taking on a robust U.S. or other coalition military unit. And so you're going to see an increase, I believe, in hitting soft targets by the insurgents.

WHITFIELD: Let's talk now, in Falluja, a cease-fire being urged by coalition forces. In addition to a cease-fire, an initiation of trying to get talks going.

Talks with whom and why is that the best approach to take in what is now a very volatile city?

GRANGE: Well, I believe it's the appropriate approach for a while. In other words, I don't think that the insurgents should get too much time on a cease-fire or any kind of negotiation. The coalition is doing that for several reasons. One, humanitarian, to get needed supplies in to the local population. The other is to try to end hostilities in a peaceful manner. It's much better to solve a conflict through peaceful ways, obviously, than combat. But, if they don't cooperate and these are the leaders of -- known leaders that are behind the insurgency, or local Iraqi leaders -- they may not be, they're not insurgents, but local leaders -- to try to convince the insurgents to knock it off, to stop this -- one thing that's very interesting, I have yet to see an Iraqi leader on television talking any kind of peaceful resolution of this conflict.

WHITFIELD: All right, General Grange, thanks very much.

We'll be visiting with you again shortly.

In response to the escalating violence in Iraq, several anti-war protests are in motion for this Easter weekend. A group called the A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition is planning a march through Washington this afternoon. It wants U.S. troops to leave Iraq.

In Japan, for a second day, people take to the streets of Tokyo, calling on the government to pull its troops out of Iraq. The demonstrations are in response to the kidnapping of three Japanese civilians in Iraq. The insurgents are demanding that Japan pull out its troops by tomorrow or the hostages will be burned alive. Japan says it has no plans to leave Iraq.

Vice President Dick Cheney has just arrived in Tokyo for talks with Japanese officials.

Thailand's prime minister says he may call for the immediate withdrawal of Thai troops if the violence in Iraq continues. Thailand has 433 non-combat soldiers stationed near Karbala. The medical personnel and engineers are scheduled to stay in Iraq until September.

And at a rally in Gaza, thousands of Islamic Jihad supporters burned effigies of President Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. The crowd was protesting the U.S. occupation of Iraq and the separation barrier Israel is building in the West Bank. An Islamic Jihad leader at the rally Friday said the protest was a way to express support for the Iraqi insurgents.

And we want to know what you think of the conflict in Iraq.

E-mail us your comments at wam@cnn.com and we'll read some of them later on this morning.

An eventful week in politics. Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry rolls out his economic plan, but his timing could not have been worse. Find out why.

Condoleezza Rice's testimony gets some harsh treatment from editorial cartoonists. And what's ahead for the 9/11 Commission? Find out whose turn it is to take the hot seat coming up next week.

But first, one of our Pictures of the Week. U.S. Marines pray over a fallen comrade who died Thursday from wounds suffered during fighting in Falluja. As we reported, hundreds of U.S. forces fought an intense battle in the western Iraqi city, trying to regain control of it from insurgents.

COMMERCIAL

WHITFIELD: A quick summary of the latest news we're following from Iraq. In Falluja, the coalition calls for a cease-fire in the embattled city, hoping to establish a dialogue with insurgents. U.S. commanders want to hold talks regarding the reestablishment of legitimate authority over the city.

Japan's government says it won't negotiate with the people who have taken three Japanese citizens hostage in Iraq. The kidnappers are demanding the withdrawal of Japanese troops by tomorrow.

Around five million Shiites are expected to descend on Karbala for a festival marking one of their holiest days. Celebrations are also planned for Najaf.

Now for more, we rejoin General David Grange for more on all of these developments.

Let's talk about this holy day and that millions will be descending on Najaf and other cities. How much of a difficult task is this going to be for the coalition forces now trying to hold down the fort, so to speak, in some of the troubled cities?

GRANGE: Well, it's very difficult and I don't think you'll see offensive operations in any of these large gatherings of pilgrims in the religious areas, the meeting places, at this time. It would be -- it wouldn't be wise to attack anybody. If there's a select target, for instance, to go in after hostages, a surgical target, you may see that. But I don't think you're going to see offensive operations.

So with the cease-fire right now, it's probably a very good time to do that, to try to negotiate some type of conditions to bring peace.

WHITFIELD: All right, General Grange, we'll see you again in about 15 minutes.

Thanks very much for that latest update.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WHITFIELD: Well, who knew 40 years ago that images of the group from Liverpool would become a part of music history forever?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW")

ED SULLIVAN: Ladies and gentlemen, The Beatles!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: The man behind the lens of some of the most famous pictures of one of the most popular groups of all times joins us live next on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, COURTESY SOFA ENTERTAINMENT)

THE BEATLES: Remember I'll always be true. And then while...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COMMERCIAL

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, COURTESY SOFA ENTERTAINMENT)

THE BEATLES: And you've got that something, I think you'll understand...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Forty years ago this week, this song, "I Want To Hold Your Hand," was one of five -- count them -- five Beatles tunes at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 charts of the singles. Number one, "Can't Buy Me Love;" number two, "Twist and Shout;" "She Loves You;," that came in number three; "I Want To Hold Your Hand," number four; and "Please, Please Me" rounded out the top five. Well, a couple months earlier, in February 7, 1964, The Beatles land in New York, their first trip to America. Thousands of fans screaming, TV cameramen and photographers vying for that perfect shot.

Among them was Robert Freeman and you're looking at one of the images he placed in a pictorial history called "The Fab Four."

And the famed photographer joins us this morning here in our studios.

We're going to talk a little bit more about these incredible images you were able to capture -- very personal images, weren't they?

ROBERT FREEMAN, PHOTOGRAPHER: Well, I was able to work close to The Beatles because they -- I mean I first met them in August '63 and immediately we reestablished a good relationship, you know? Because I work quiet. I work fast. And I'm not trouble having me around.

But even that plane shot you showed of them arriving in America, in order to get it, I had to get off the plane pushing past everyone, down the steps, behind the reporters with a long telephoto and got the shot. The photography in the background, the famous Harry Benson...

WHITFIELD: Wow!

FREEMAN: ... he's not getting. He's getting a great shot of the back of their heads. But I got the shot of their faces reacting to the incredible amount of fans on the roof so early in the morning.

WHITFIELD: And how incredible to forge this kind of relationship with the Fab Four, given you had a history of documenting all these incredible jazz artists and somehow you made the transition to, you know, pictorially document them.

FREEMAN: Well, I -- yes. I was at the early stage of my photography career. But I really liked music and in a way John Coltrane, who's quite a hero amongst musicians, I photographed him in 1961 and it was those photographs, grainy black and white, that I sent to The Beatles in early summer '63. So they said let's meet in a couple of weeks time.

WHITFIELD: Wow!

Well, let's talk specifically about some of these pictures you were able to capture that everyone can see in your book.

A very young Paul McCartney with the microphone there and a guitar.

What was that moment all about?

FREEMAN: That was when they were recording "Meet The Beatles." And a lot of -- this is from a chapter in the book called "Waiting For Playback," because a lot of music recording is about waiting for playback, either to check the voice-over, to check the guitar riff or to check the harmonies. There's a lot of waiting. So it's not all fun, you know what I mean? It's hard work.

WHITFIELD: And then John Lennon. Let's look at this shot.

FREEMAN: Yes, that was the same time, wearing his Buddy Holly glasses, which he then changed his image a bit and by the late 60's he's wearing little round hippie glasses. Pretty simple. I knew John was living upstairs from me at the time. He had an apartment just above me. So I designed his two books for him. So we worked -- I worked more closely with John than any of the other Beatles.

WHITFIELD: Now, what about George Harrison?

FREEMAN: George was...

WHITFIELD: How difficult was he to capture?

FREEMAN: Oh, he wasn't difficult. George was very relaxed. He had a lot of style. He had good cars, good girlfriends and generally was a stylish guy, very easy to photograph. But Ringo was the most handsome of them.

WHITFIELD: And one that all the girls would always go crazy over, as well.

FREEMAN: Well, he was lucky, you know?

WHITFIELD: Well, it must have been fun to kind of be that fly on the wall with them.

FREEMAN: That's it.

WHITFIELD: At the same time, you know, kind of forge a wonderful, trusting relationship that you had to have in order for them to allow you into their world like this.

FREEMAN: Yes. Yes, because the photographs are a result, especially the group shots, of mutual respect, because it's very -- it's a very disciplining thing to do a shot of four people standing.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

FREEMAN: You know, like Ringo move to the left. No, chin up a bit. Back a bit, Ringo. George, press against Paul behind.

WHITFIELD: And they had a great sense of humor, those Beatles.

FREEMAN: Yes, yes, yes. Look, I mean they're the best photographs.

WHITFIELD: How fun.

FREEMAN: That I did, those I did in one afternoon for the title sequence of "A Hard Day's Night," which I used at the end.

WHITFIELD: Wow!

FREEMAN: I use these photographs animated at the end to the music.

WHITFIELD: Oh, wow!

Robert Freeman.

The book is "The Beatles: A Private View." And you've got two, right? A $60 version and a collector's edition, $300.

FREEMAN: Well, I don't -- I don't have a copy yet, but the publishers do.

WHITFIELD: And then soon we'll all be able to have a copy of it, as soon as it hits the bookstores.

FREEMAN: Great. Enjoy it.

WHITFIELD: All right.

FREEMAN: Please enjoy it.

WHITFIELD: Mr. Freeman, good to see you.

Thanks very much.

FREEMAN: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: Well, you can get that pictorial history online. The book comes in two editions, as I just mentioned, one for $60, the other the collector's edition, costing $300. Both are available at www.beatlesprivateview.com. So there you go, a perfect coffee table book. At least that.

All right, thanks a lot, Robert.

FREEMAN: A good ending.

Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right.

Well, time for some headlines.

From Iraq now, U.S. troops are searching for two American soldiers and several civilian contractors. They are unaccounted for after their fuel convoy came under attack near the Baghdad airport. One U.S. soldier was killed in the attack.

President Bush says his decision to go to Iraq was part of the war on terror and a result of the 9/11 attacks. A source tells CNN that a classified presidential briefing a month before 9/11 included information that al Qaeda was considering attacks inside the U.S. That's the memo mentioned during Condoleezza Rice's testimony to the 9/11 Commission.

The 9/11 Commission resumes its hearings on Monday. So what should we expect? (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

There will be some new revelations. There will be some new twists and turns.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Find out whose turn it is to be in the hot seat next week. We'll have a preview next on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.

And, will there be a cease-fire in Falluja? Our continued coverage of Iraq when we come right back.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TORI ATALI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): We love our coffee. But did you know along with that caffeine jolt, we're also significantly lowering our risk of Type 2 Diabetes? A long-term study by the National Public Health Institute in Finland, the country that drinks the most java per capita, there is a definite correlation between drinking coffee and the way the body handles glucose. Adult onset or Type 2 Diabetes, is a glucose intolerant disease that is linked to diet and obesity. It usually affects people over 40.

The researchers found women who drink three to four cups of coffee a day reduce their risk of this common form of diabetes by 29 percent. For hard core coffee fans, drinking more than 10 cups a day, the number goes up to 79 percent. Studies show coffee reduces the risk in men, too, but not as much as it does in women.

Tori Atali, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COMMERCIAL

WHITFIELD: Coalition troops are searching for two American soldiers and an unknown number of civilian contractors who are considered unaccounted for following an attack on a fuel convoy near the Baghdad airport. One U.S. soldier was killed in the attack. The coalition has called for a cease-fire in Falluja in order to open discussions on the future of the city. The Marines halted their offensive Friday. U.S. General Mark Kimmitt says if the fighting stops, talks can begin on reestablishing legitimate authority in Falluja.

The coalition says it hopes to have the city of Kut under complete U.S. control soon. Around 1,000 U.S. troops swept into the city Wednesday to combat al-Sadr militiamen. The U.S. has control of radio and television stations, as well as a key bridge leading into the city.

And be sure to stay right here for the latest on Iraq. We're monitoring the situation with Jim Clancy in Baghdad and Jane Arraf near Kut. We'll also update the latest news every 15 minutes throughout the morning.

And we want to know what you think of the conflict in Iraq.

E-mail us your comments at wam@cnn.com and we'll read some of them later on this morning.

There's so much going on in Iraq and on things on the ground are changing so fast there. But we've got it covered for you with updates throughout the hour.

Let's check in again with our military analyst, Brigadier General David Grange, for the very latest.

All right, good to see you again, General.

On the hostage situation, the three Japanese being held, Japan says it will not budge. It has no plans of pulling out its troops. However now, we're hearing from one of its Asian neighbors, Thailand -- it has 433 non-combat troops there -- Thailand is considering pulling out its troops just in case things get hairy.

How harmful is this for the coalition as a whole?

GRANGE: Yes, well, first of all, good for Japan for holding out because you can't negotiate with terrorists. And so once you do it one time, it's going to happen to you again. So bravo for Japan.

In reference on troops from countries like Thailand and others, that only wanted to commit -- you just lost them -- only wanted to commit, let's say, combat support, service support troops, they have very little security. And so what happens is other coalition forces have to pick up that role in order to help them out. And they will. Other coalition forces will help each other out in a situation like this.

WHITFIELD: All right, General Grange, thanks very much.

We'll check back with you again in a moment.

Well, sources tell CNN a daily briefing memo given to the president one month before the September 11th attacks warned of al Qaeda's intentions to strike inside the U.S. This is the daily briefing memo discussed by Condoleezza Rice during her testimony to the 9/11 Commission. The memo referred to a report May of 2001, indicating al Qaeda operatives were attempting to enter the country through Canada. The document is expected to be declassified and released in the next several days.

The 9/11 Commission continues its work next week with a look at the intelligence agencies and law enforcement. Among those scheduled to traffic are past and present attorneys general and CIA Director George Tenet.

CNN's Bob Franken has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The matters addressed in this next set of hearings are among the most fundamental for this Commission -- how did the law enforcement and intelligence agencies there to protect the United States fail to protect the United States on September 11?

There will be some new revelations. There will be some new twists and turns.

FRANKEN: The testimony will come from those at the heart of the war on terrorism -- attorneys general present and prior; FBI directors current and past; and the CIA director, the same one for this administration and the previous one.

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: If anything might have helped stop 9/11, it would have been better information about threats inside the United States, something made very difficult by structural and legal impediments that prevented the collection and sharing of information by our law enforcement and intelligence agencies.

FRANKEN: Translation -- the agencies were too tangled in bureaucracy and regulation to share information, essential information, such as a memo from an FBI agent in Arizona warning of the possibility of a large group of Osama bin Laden followers taking flight lessons in the United States. It was sent two months before the attacks and ignored.

And, information about people suspected of being terrorists evading detection in the U.S.

SEN. BOB GRAHAM (D-FL), INTELLIGENCE CHAIRMAN: All of those organizations, the Department of Justice, the FBI, the CIA have a share of the responsibility and at one point or the other in this process could have interdicted the plot.

FRANKEN (on camera): That is still being debated. But the leaders of those agencies will be given the chance to explain. There will be tough questions with no easy answers.

Bob Franken, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: A CNN/"Time" poll taken after Rice's testimony to the Commission shows 48 percent of Americans believe the president did all he could before the attacks. That's compared to just 42 percent right after Richard Clarke's testimony.

On to the president's handling of Iraq. In the face of renewed violence, more than 50 percent of respondents say they disapprove of President Bush's Iraq policies. Just two weeks ago, those numbers were pretty much reversed. As for the president's overall approval, a small majority gives him the thumbs up. Forty-nine percent approve of the job being done while 47 percent disapprove.

Time now for a look at other stories in our terror watch.

In England, police say they've foiled a plot that could have poisoned thousands on the subway. Police in Italy and Spain are on the alert this Easter weekend. In Italy, security has been beefed up ahead of the pope's Easter Mass at St. Peter's Square. And in Germany, the only man convicted in the 9/11 attacks has been released from prison while awaiting a trial.

And here in the U.S., the Department of Homeland Security announced a new round of mock terror exercises. They'll take place next April in Connecticut and New Jersey.

John Kerry makes a big speech on the economy, but the focus has been on Condoleezza Rice this week. Your morning dose of politics is next on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.

COMMERCIAL

WHITFIELD: This just in. Some explosions being heard in Baghdad. We'll have the latest on the developments there and check in with our reporters throughout Iraq, especially Jim Clancy in Baghdad. Apparently these explosions are being heard close to the coalition headquarters in the green zone. More on this when we come right back.

COMMERCIAL

WHITFIELD: The situation in Iraq dominated the headlines this week, along with Condoleezza Rice's appearance before the 9/11 Commission. With everybody's attention so focused on those stories, how did that affect developments on the presidential campaign trail?

For that, we're joined by Andrea Seabrook.

She's a congressional reporter for National Public Radio and joins us.

Good morning to you.

ANDREA SEABROOK, NPR CONGRESSIONAL REPORTER: Good morning, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Well, the Bush-Cheney campaign has made a point that they wanted to focus on 9/11 and the war on terror as the brunt of their reelection campaign.

Is that the focus that the American public wants to hear?

SEABROOK: Yes, it is. In fact, everywhere John Kerry went this week -- Cincinnati, Milwaukee, Chicago, Washington -- he tried to talk about the economy and jobs. This was supposed to be his big week for laying out his economic plans in detail, for really daring the Bush administration to do the same for the future.

But everywhere he went, the journalists -- myself included -- kind of dogged him about Iraq and about 9/11, because we wanted reaction from the actual events going on in the world.

WHITFIELD: And he was upstaged by Condoleezza Rice's testimony this week before the 9/11 Commission.

So what has been his comment? He has been fairly tight-lipped about her specifically, but very vocal about other things as it relates to Iraq and the war.

SEABROOK: Exactly. His responses to Rice's testimony this week was that he didn't want to respond until the Commission actually gave a report. He said the same thing after the Clarke testimony a couple of weeks ago.

He did say, though, that he hopes that the Rice testimony will aid the Commission members in determining exactly what the failures were before September 11 and making the nation safer.

Now, Iraq, though, he did manage to, by the end of the week, really pull together some serious criticism of the Bush administration and its policy in Iraq and start giving that in his regular stump speeches. He would sort of say OK, I'm here to talk about the economy, but I've got to start with Iraq.

And what he said was that the Bush administration has three options -- or the nation has three options when it comes to Iraq.

One, stay with the same policies that the Bush administration has advanced now. That, he says, would call -- would win, eventually. We would win, but it would cost a lot more in human lives and money.

The second option that Kerry laid out was to pull out now. He said that would be a bad option, as well, because it would leave behind a breeding ground for terrorists.

And so the third option, he said, was for the United States to go straight to the United Nations and ask for help. And that, he says, is what he would do if he were elected.

WHITFIELD: All right, Andrea Seabrook of NPR, thanks very much.

SEABROOK: My pleasure.

WHITFIELD: All right, have a good morning.

All right, back now to a breaking story we're following out of Baghdad.

Explosions being heard.

Our Jim Clancy is on the telephone with us with the latest -- Jim. CLANCY: Fredricka, the sound of both the outgoing and the impact of some kind of an explosive hit in the area of the green zone, although the Coalition Authority here in Baghdad says they are not aware of -- they heard the explosion, but they do not believe that it hit the green zone itself. A lot of times there have been incidents where an explosive fired, a missile or a mortar fired at the green zone has overshot its mark and landed somewhere outside it.

The risk, of course, is that if it hit in a civilian area, that it could have caused civilian casualties. But I think you're looking at the live picture over there on one side of the screen...

WHITFIELD: Yes, on one side of the screen we're seeing a small poof of smoke of some sort.

CLANCY: Right. We are seeing that now. We're also being told -- we're in contact with the coalition -- that this was a controlled explosion or there was a controlled explosion around here at some time. So we're going to try to confirm that and get back to you.

WHITFIELD: Well, how often does a controlled explosion take place in that vicinity of the coalition headquarters?

CLANCY: Well, hard to tell from the angle that we're looking at right here about the vicinity. But I can tell you that there are regular explosions of captured arms and explosives where they will put them down in a safe area, attach explosives to it and then detonate it. Now, these are usually done on the half hour or the hour, but it can vary. And so that's what we're checking on right now.

The coalition, though, says they're not aware of anything. There were no sirens going off in the green zone. So it looks to me at this point in time that it could be just a false alarm.

This isn't uncommon, Fredricka, because people don't know exactly what it was and it's very easy with the way things echo along the Tigris River for the sounds to be deceptive. And that's what it appears it is this time.

WHITFIELD: OK, Jim Clancy, thanks very much for that update from Baghdad about these reported explosions near the coalition headquarters.

And in a moment, we're going to give you a complete wrap-up of the events taking place throughout Iraq, including the status of the Japanese hostages, as well as the search or the status of those who are unaccounted for right now.

We'll be right back.

COMMERCIAL

WHITFIELD: Continuing our look at Iraq, we know that two U.S. military personnel and several contractors are believed to be unaccounted for. At least that's the classification they're getting right now. Well, now the German foreign ministry is confirming that two of its security people assigned to the German embassy in Baghdad are reported missing. This story just coming in. They were part of a convoy driving from Amman, Jordan to Baghdad. Apparently they were going to be relieving other forces at the German embassy in Baghdad. And all the details that are coming out now from the German media are indicating that these two members are members of the elite special forces, GSG9. And one of the men is believed to be 38 years old and the other is 25. And they were apparently going to be returning to normal rotation duty.

So that now in from the German foreign ministry confirming that two of its security personnel are believed missing.

Now, we are hearing reports of blasts in Baghdad with smoke being seen rising near the coalition headquarters. We have -- we will have details on that shortly.

And in Falluja, the coalition calls for a cease-fire in the embattled city, hoping to establish a dialogue with insurgents. U.S. commanders want to hold talks regarding the reestablishment of legitimate authority over the city.

Coalition troops have been carrying out offensives in Karbala, south of Baghdad. Around five million Shiites are expected to descend on the city for a festival marking one of their holiest days.

Meanwhile, coalition troops from Italy got a surprise visit today in the Iraqi city of Nasiriyah. Italy's prime minister, Silvio Berlesconi, flew there from Rome this morning to meet with the troops.

Now let's check in again with our Iraq expert.

Our military analyst, Brigadier General David Grange joins us with more details on what's going on.

So this breaking story coming in about explosions being heard near coalition headquarters, we heard from our Jim Clancy a moment ago, General, that there's a possibility it could be a controlled explosion. And my question was the proximity of the controlled explosion to the headquarters.

How unusual would that be if that were, indeed, the case?

GRANGE: Well, there's locations designated all through Iraq to include in Baghdad, to include near any headquarters. And if they have found an improvised explosive device or they have captured weapons, any massive numbers, I think they would take outside of the city. But if it's a device that they're concerned about moving it, then they would detonate it in a controlled area in proximity of the headquarters. That would not be unusual.

WHITFIELD: And now this other breaking story we're getting in from the German foreign ministry that two of its security personnel are missing. They're using the word missing even though coalition forces have talked about members who are unaccounted for. We don't know if there's any real connection here to the two.

But you were talking earlier about a new tactic that we were seeing in the insurgents and armed forces were likely expecting the issue of hostage taking.

GRANGE: Yes. Two points here I'd like to make, if I may. One is that accountability is probably the most difficult aspect of any organization, especially in a combat area. Look at the coalition troops, 130 something thousand. How do you know where every person is every minute of the day? And there's procedures in place and there's requirements from every level of command to track and keep accountability of your people. It's probably the most difficult task there is.

And so there's a time line and when someone is not -- hasn't reported in or they are presumed missing for a certain period of time, the flag goes up, because you don't want to lose anybody.

In reference to terrorists taking hostages, again, break the alliance, try to isolate the United States of America, try to get other countries to lose resolve to continue the fight and it's a softer target to go after those that are not in a heavy armed force.

WHITFIELD: All right, Brigadier General David Grange, thanks very much.

We'll be checking back with you in about 15 minutes or so.

Well, we asked you this morning what you think about the conflict in Iraq and we'll read some of your replies when CNN SATURDAY MORNING continues.

The address is wam@cnn.com.

COMMERCIAL

WHITFIELD: Our e-mail question this morning, "What are your thoughts on the war in Iraq?" And already we've received quite a number of replies.

This from Al in Weirton, West Virginia: "Maybe we should not have gone into Iraq. We cannot back out now. Let freedom ring!"

And Anthony in Qatar responds this way: "Iraq needs some tough love to help put it in the right path to a promising future. No one loves Iraq more than the U.S. Army and we're ready to show it."

Thanks so much for your e-mails.

We're taking in more. Send them to wam@cnn.com and we'll read your e-mails on the air.

The next hour of CNN SATURDAY MORNING begins right now.

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


Aired April 10, 2004 - 07:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: From the CNN Center in Atlanta, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
It's April 10.

Good morning, everyone.

I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

Right now coalition troops are working to regain control of key cities in Iraq. Let's update you now on the latest developments. A new dimension to the war in Iraq. Two U.S. soldiers and an unknown number of civilian contractors, some of them Americans, are missing after their fuel convoy was attacked near the Baghdad airport. The soldiers and civilians are officially classified as unaccounted for, meaning U.S. troops are looking but cannot find them.

In the volatile city of Falluja, west of Baghdad, a new attempt this morning to silence all the guns. Earlier this morning, before most of America was awake, U.S. Army Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt talked about the move to get insurgents to agree to a cease-fire.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRIG. GEN. MARK KIMMITT, U.S. ARMY: We're hoping to use the venue of this press conference and follow on discussions with some of the Arabic press to get that message to the enemy, so they can join in the cease-fire.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: This effort comes one day after U.S. Marines in Falluja halted their offensive to allow the Iraqis to bring in supplies and bury their dead.

Coalition troops from Italy got a surprise visit today in the Iraqi city of Nasiriyah. Italy's prime minister, Silvio Berlesconi, flew there from Rome this morning to meet with the troops. Berlesconi is expected to return home this evening.

CNN correspondent Jim Clancy is in Baghdad. Bureau chief Jane Arraf is in the embattled southern city of Kut. And a CNN crew is in Falluja. We'll have reports on the fight in Iraq throughout the morning, as new developments come in to CNN.

More now on Iraq in a moment.

But first this hour, the scrutiny of what the U.S. knew before 9/11, specifically, the briefing that President Bush got a month before the suicide hijackings. That document is still officially classified, but CNN has learned new information now.

CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux is in Crawford and joins us live -- good morning, Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Fred.

Well, CNN has confirmed the highlights of that top secret document, the presidential daily briefing, that was handed to the president one month before the September 11 attacks. Inside that document, various scenarios of al Qaeda's intentions to strike inside of the United States.

That document, called "Bin Laden Determined To Attack Inside the U.S.," includes, first, an intelligence report received May 2001 indicating al Qaeda was attempting to send operatives to the U.S. through Canada to carry out an attack using explosives. That information was passed on to law enforcement and intelligence agencies. Second, that al Qaeda had been considering ways to hijack American planes to win release of operatives, released in 1998 and 1999. Third, Osama bin Laden was set to strike the U.S. as early as 1997 through early 2001. Fourth, there was some intelligence that had suggested that al Qaeda operatives were traveling to and from the United States, some U.S. civilians and perhaps a support network inside of the United States. And, finally, at least seven FBI investigations looking into the possibility of al Qaeda cells inside of the United States.

Fred, all of this information taken together here, it is up for interpretation how you see this. But the White House contends, says this is a historical summary of al Qaeda's intentions, that it does not include details about how, when, why or what type of attack was imminent. There are also sources that say none of this information goes to the September 11 plot -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: Suzanne Malveaux from Crawford, Texas, thanks very much.

Well, meanwhile, Al Gore is the latest witness to testify before the 9/11 Commission. The former vice president met with commissioners behind closed doors for three hours yesterday. The Commission called Gore's testimony "candid and forthcoming" and thanked him for his continued cooperation.

Now in depth in Iraq, U.S. troops and American civilian contractors are still unaccounted for after their convoy was attacked near Baghdad's airport and the coalition is making a new bid for a cease-fire in Falluja.

The latest on these and other developments from CNN correspondent Jim Clancy, who joins us live from Baghdad -- Jim. JIM CLANCY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, the question is will there be a cease-fire that holds in Falluja and what will it mean on the political front? The U.S.-led coalition couldn't have been clearer when they laid it on the table.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP

KIMMITT: Thus the venue of this press conference and follow on discussions with some of the Arabic press, to get that message to the enemy so they can join in the cease-fire.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CLANCY: Hoping that they will join in the cease-fire is really a mixed message. Yes, it is an offer to the insurgents. But more importantly, perhaps, the coalition laying it out on the line in public, telling the Iraqis, as well, that it is in the insurgents' court, the ball is in their court. They have to decide whether they, too, would lay down their arms.

The U.S. complained that some of the fighters in Falluja continued attacking U.S. Marines and other targets in the general area despite the unilateral cessation of an offensive on Friday. It remains to be seen what the response would be here, but it is clearly perceived by the U.S.-led coalition as driving a wedge between the coalition and the Iraqi people who support it because of the casualties that are being suffered in Falluja.

Meantime, in Baghdad itself this day, there were some reports of fighting. But there were also a lot of signs that a call for a three day strike being heeding. Many shops in Baghdad, if not most, are shut down. Of course, there's a religious holiday, a national holiday that has been declared for Saturday and it is expected that all shops would be closed then, anyway. This three day strike call came from Sunni Muslim leaders.

Across the south, perhaps the biggest story there, Silvio Berlesconi, Italy's prime minister, making a surprise visit to his troops and representatives in Nasiriyah in southern Iraq. That's where earlier they fought against elements of the Al-Mahdi Army. Those forces alleged with Muqtada al-Sadr are involved all across the south. But Berlusconi's high level appearance here in the midst of what many view as a crisis both in the Sunni Triangle and in the predominantly Shia south, is a very important step, a very important show of support for the coalition.

Meantime, another strategy continuing to unfold regarding Muqtada al-Sadr. In Ba'qubah overnight, the U.S. military went into another al-Sadr office and destroyed that, hoping to remove some of his base of support around the country. They've made similar moves in Sadr City, Kut and elsewhere. This not likely to have a large impact on -- in terms of the strategy that's there, but it does have that symbolic effect of removing his offices and perhaps showing that the coalition remains in charge -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, Jim Clancy in Baghdad, thanks very much for that update.

Well, U.S. troops are working to shore up their control of Kut, the Iraqi city they seized this week from a hostile militia, as Jim was explaining.

CNN's Jane Arraf has more now from Kut.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JANE ARRAF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The U.S. Army says it's still fighting to regain complete control of the city of Kut. They say they've taken back 60 to 70 percent of this city of 300,000 people on the banks of the Tigris. And in fighting that lasted until the early morning, they say they've retaken the TV and radio stations, as well as a key bridge that now provides them all access routes to the city.

But they will continue to fight, they say, until the militia loyal to Muqtada al-Sadr and his followers are eradicated from here.

So far, they've killed 17 of the fighters, they say, and captured 55 of them.

Now, the units that are fighting here have come from Baghdad, many of them. Some have come from Kuwait, where they had already been transferred out. This is the 1st Armored Division, which has been here for more than a year in Baghdad and had been due to go home. Instead, they're here in this camp that had been the home of Ukrainian soldiers who pulled back from the camp after the city was overrun by the militia.

The 1st Armored Division has had to bring some of its assets back, including, according to a general from the division, helicopters that had been shrink wrapped at the port. They had been put back into action, as have all these soldiers who will not be going home any time soon.

Jane Arraf, CNN, reporting from Kut, from south-central Iraq.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: More now on this week's fighting and the current situation in Iraq.

Joining us now, our military analyst, Retired Brigadier General David Grange of the U.S. Army.

He's in Galena, Illinois.

Good to see you this early morning.

BRIG. GEN. DAVID GRANGE, U.S. ARMY (RET.): Good morning.

WHITFIELD: Let's talk first about the hostage taking of the three Japanese. Japan has said at this point that it's not bending to the plea of the hostages -- of the hostage takers.

What does this say now about the change in the tactic from the insurgents?

GRANGE: Well, you know, taking hostages, especially from coalition members, is a strategy to break up the alliance of any kind of a coalition you're fighting. So if you're on the insurgent side, you always attack an enemy's alliances. And, of course, Japan is aligned for this effort. And so it's a soft target. It's easy to get to. It has a lot of international impact and emotional effect on the country of Japan itself.

WHITFIELD: How prepared do you believe the coalition forces are for what now appears to be a change in strategy from those insurgents?

GRANGE: Well, this is to be expected that there will be hostage taking. There will be an increase in hitting soft targets -- convoys, civilian workers, even correspondents from different nations that are participating with the media on this effort in Iraq.

And so that's be -- they're doing that because it's easy to get to it. It's not as hard as taking on a robust U.S. or other coalition military unit. And so you're going to see an increase, I believe, in hitting soft targets by the insurgents.

WHITFIELD: Let's talk now, in Falluja, a cease-fire being urged by coalition forces. In addition to a cease-fire, an initiation of trying to get talks going.

Talks with whom and why is that the best approach to take in what is now a very volatile city?

GRANGE: Well, I believe it's the appropriate approach for a while. In other words, I don't think that the insurgents should get too much time on a cease-fire or any kind of negotiation. The coalition is doing that for several reasons. One, humanitarian, to get needed supplies in to the local population. The other is to try to end hostilities in a peaceful manner. It's much better to solve a conflict through peaceful ways, obviously, than combat. But, if they don't cooperate and these are the leaders of -- known leaders that are behind the insurgency, or local Iraqi leaders -- they may not be, they're not insurgents, but local leaders -- to try to convince the insurgents to knock it off, to stop this -- one thing that's very interesting, I have yet to see an Iraqi leader on television talking any kind of peaceful resolution of this conflict.

WHITFIELD: All right, General Grange, thanks very much.

We'll be visiting with you again shortly.

In response to the escalating violence in Iraq, several anti-war protests are in motion for this Easter weekend. A group called the A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition is planning a march through Washington this afternoon. It wants U.S. troops to leave Iraq.

In Japan, for a second day, people take to the streets of Tokyo, calling on the government to pull its troops out of Iraq. The demonstrations are in response to the kidnapping of three Japanese civilians in Iraq. The insurgents are demanding that Japan pull out its troops by tomorrow or the hostages will be burned alive. Japan says it has no plans to leave Iraq.

Vice President Dick Cheney has just arrived in Tokyo for talks with Japanese officials.

Thailand's prime minister says he may call for the immediate withdrawal of Thai troops if the violence in Iraq continues. Thailand has 433 non-combat soldiers stationed near Karbala. The medical personnel and engineers are scheduled to stay in Iraq until September.

And at a rally in Gaza, thousands of Islamic Jihad supporters burned effigies of President Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. The crowd was protesting the U.S. occupation of Iraq and the separation barrier Israel is building in the West Bank. An Islamic Jihad leader at the rally Friday said the protest was a way to express support for the Iraqi insurgents.

And we want to know what you think of the conflict in Iraq.

E-mail us your comments at wam@cnn.com and we'll read some of them later on this morning.

An eventful week in politics. Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry rolls out his economic plan, but his timing could not have been worse. Find out why.

Condoleezza Rice's testimony gets some harsh treatment from editorial cartoonists. And what's ahead for the 9/11 Commission? Find out whose turn it is to take the hot seat coming up next week.

But first, one of our Pictures of the Week. U.S. Marines pray over a fallen comrade who died Thursday from wounds suffered during fighting in Falluja. As we reported, hundreds of U.S. forces fought an intense battle in the western Iraqi city, trying to regain control of it from insurgents.

COMMERCIAL

WHITFIELD: A quick summary of the latest news we're following from Iraq. In Falluja, the coalition calls for a cease-fire in the embattled city, hoping to establish a dialogue with insurgents. U.S. commanders want to hold talks regarding the reestablishment of legitimate authority over the city.

Japan's government says it won't negotiate with the people who have taken three Japanese citizens hostage in Iraq. The kidnappers are demanding the withdrawal of Japanese troops by tomorrow.

Around five million Shiites are expected to descend on Karbala for a festival marking one of their holiest days. Celebrations are also planned for Najaf.

Now for more, we rejoin General David Grange for more on all of these developments.

Let's talk about this holy day and that millions will be descending on Najaf and other cities. How much of a difficult task is this going to be for the coalition forces now trying to hold down the fort, so to speak, in some of the troubled cities?

GRANGE: Well, it's very difficult and I don't think you'll see offensive operations in any of these large gatherings of pilgrims in the religious areas, the meeting places, at this time. It would be -- it wouldn't be wise to attack anybody. If there's a select target, for instance, to go in after hostages, a surgical target, you may see that. But I don't think you're going to see offensive operations.

So with the cease-fire right now, it's probably a very good time to do that, to try to negotiate some type of conditions to bring peace.

WHITFIELD: All right, General Grange, we'll see you again in about 15 minutes.

Thanks very much for that latest update.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WHITFIELD: Well, who knew 40 years ago that images of the group from Liverpool would become a part of music history forever?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW")

ED SULLIVAN: Ladies and gentlemen, The Beatles!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: The man behind the lens of some of the most famous pictures of one of the most popular groups of all times joins us live next on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, COURTESY SOFA ENTERTAINMENT)

THE BEATLES: Remember I'll always be true. And then while...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COMMERCIAL

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, COURTESY SOFA ENTERTAINMENT)

THE BEATLES: And you've got that something, I think you'll understand...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Forty years ago this week, this song, "I Want To Hold Your Hand," was one of five -- count them -- five Beatles tunes at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 charts of the singles. Number one, "Can't Buy Me Love;" number two, "Twist and Shout;" "She Loves You;," that came in number three; "I Want To Hold Your Hand," number four; and "Please, Please Me" rounded out the top five. Well, a couple months earlier, in February 7, 1964, The Beatles land in New York, their first trip to America. Thousands of fans screaming, TV cameramen and photographers vying for that perfect shot.

Among them was Robert Freeman and you're looking at one of the images he placed in a pictorial history called "The Fab Four."

And the famed photographer joins us this morning here in our studios.

We're going to talk a little bit more about these incredible images you were able to capture -- very personal images, weren't they?

ROBERT FREEMAN, PHOTOGRAPHER: Well, I was able to work close to The Beatles because they -- I mean I first met them in August '63 and immediately we reestablished a good relationship, you know? Because I work quiet. I work fast. And I'm not trouble having me around.

But even that plane shot you showed of them arriving in America, in order to get it, I had to get off the plane pushing past everyone, down the steps, behind the reporters with a long telephoto and got the shot. The photography in the background, the famous Harry Benson...

WHITFIELD: Wow!

FREEMAN: ... he's not getting. He's getting a great shot of the back of their heads. But I got the shot of their faces reacting to the incredible amount of fans on the roof so early in the morning.

WHITFIELD: And how incredible to forge this kind of relationship with the Fab Four, given you had a history of documenting all these incredible jazz artists and somehow you made the transition to, you know, pictorially document them.

FREEMAN: Well, I -- yes. I was at the early stage of my photography career. But I really liked music and in a way John Coltrane, who's quite a hero amongst musicians, I photographed him in 1961 and it was those photographs, grainy black and white, that I sent to The Beatles in early summer '63. So they said let's meet in a couple of weeks time.

WHITFIELD: Wow!

Well, let's talk specifically about some of these pictures you were able to capture that everyone can see in your book.

A very young Paul McCartney with the microphone there and a guitar.

What was that moment all about?

FREEMAN: That was when they were recording "Meet The Beatles." And a lot of -- this is from a chapter in the book called "Waiting For Playback," because a lot of music recording is about waiting for playback, either to check the voice-over, to check the guitar riff or to check the harmonies. There's a lot of waiting. So it's not all fun, you know what I mean? It's hard work.

WHITFIELD: And then John Lennon. Let's look at this shot.

FREEMAN: Yes, that was the same time, wearing his Buddy Holly glasses, which he then changed his image a bit and by the late 60's he's wearing little round hippie glasses. Pretty simple. I knew John was living upstairs from me at the time. He had an apartment just above me. So I designed his two books for him. So we worked -- I worked more closely with John than any of the other Beatles.

WHITFIELD: Now, what about George Harrison?

FREEMAN: George was...

WHITFIELD: How difficult was he to capture?

FREEMAN: Oh, he wasn't difficult. George was very relaxed. He had a lot of style. He had good cars, good girlfriends and generally was a stylish guy, very easy to photograph. But Ringo was the most handsome of them.

WHITFIELD: And one that all the girls would always go crazy over, as well.

FREEMAN: Well, he was lucky, you know?

WHITFIELD: Well, it must have been fun to kind of be that fly on the wall with them.

FREEMAN: That's it.

WHITFIELD: At the same time, you know, kind of forge a wonderful, trusting relationship that you had to have in order for them to allow you into their world like this.

FREEMAN: Yes. Yes, because the photographs are a result, especially the group shots, of mutual respect, because it's very -- it's a very disciplining thing to do a shot of four people standing.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

FREEMAN: You know, like Ringo move to the left. No, chin up a bit. Back a bit, Ringo. George, press against Paul behind.

WHITFIELD: And they had a great sense of humor, those Beatles.

FREEMAN: Yes, yes, yes. Look, I mean they're the best photographs.

WHITFIELD: How fun.

FREEMAN: That I did, those I did in one afternoon for the title sequence of "A Hard Day's Night," which I used at the end.

WHITFIELD: Wow!

FREEMAN: I use these photographs animated at the end to the music.

WHITFIELD: Oh, wow!

Robert Freeman.

The book is "The Beatles: A Private View." And you've got two, right? A $60 version and a collector's edition, $300.

FREEMAN: Well, I don't -- I don't have a copy yet, but the publishers do.

WHITFIELD: And then soon we'll all be able to have a copy of it, as soon as it hits the bookstores.

FREEMAN: Great. Enjoy it.

WHITFIELD: All right.

FREEMAN: Please enjoy it.

WHITFIELD: Mr. Freeman, good to see you.

Thanks very much.

FREEMAN: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: Well, you can get that pictorial history online. The book comes in two editions, as I just mentioned, one for $60, the other the collector's edition, costing $300. Both are available at www.beatlesprivateview.com. So there you go, a perfect coffee table book. At least that.

All right, thanks a lot, Robert.

FREEMAN: A good ending.

Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right.

Well, time for some headlines.

From Iraq now, U.S. troops are searching for two American soldiers and several civilian contractors. They are unaccounted for after their fuel convoy came under attack near the Baghdad airport. One U.S. soldier was killed in the attack.

President Bush says his decision to go to Iraq was part of the war on terror and a result of the 9/11 attacks. A source tells CNN that a classified presidential briefing a month before 9/11 included information that al Qaeda was considering attacks inside the U.S. That's the memo mentioned during Condoleezza Rice's testimony to the 9/11 Commission.

The 9/11 Commission resumes its hearings on Monday. So what should we expect? (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

There will be some new revelations. There will be some new twists and turns.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Find out whose turn it is to be in the hot seat next week. We'll have a preview next on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.

And, will there be a cease-fire in Falluja? Our continued coverage of Iraq when we come right back.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TORI ATALI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): We love our coffee. But did you know along with that caffeine jolt, we're also significantly lowering our risk of Type 2 Diabetes? A long-term study by the National Public Health Institute in Finland, the country that drinks the most java per capita, there is a definite correlation between drinking coffee and the way the body handles glucose. Adult onset or Type 2 Diabetes, is a glucose intolerant disease that is linked to diet and obesity. It usually affects people over 40.

The researchers found women who drink three to four cups of coffee a day reduce their risk of this common form of diabetes by 29 percent. For hard core coffee fans, drinking more than 10 cups a day, the number goes up to 79 percent. Studies show coffee reduces the risk in men, too, but not as much as it does in women.

Tori Atali, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COMMERCIAL

WHITFIELD: Coalition troops are searching for two American soldiers and an unknown number of civilian contractors who are considered unaccounted for following an attack on a fuel convoy near the Baghdad airport. One U.S. soldier was killed in the attack. The coalition has called for a cease-fire in Falluja in order to open discussions on the future of the city. The Marines halted their offensive Friday. U.S. General Mark Kimmitt says if the fighting stops, talks can begin on reestablishing legitimate authority in Falluja.

The coalition says it hopes to have the city of Kut under complete U.S. control soon. Around 1,000 U.S. troops swept into the city Wednesday to combat al-Sadr militiamen. The U.S. has control of radio and television stations, as well as a key bridge leading into the city.

And be sure to stay right here for the latest on Iraq. We're monitoring the situation with Jim Clancy in Baghdad and Jane Arraf near Kut. We'll also update the latest news every 15 minutes throughout the morning.

And we want to know what you think of the conflict in Iraq.

E-mail us your comments at wam@cnn.com and we'll read some of them later on this morning.

There's so much going on in Iraq and on things on the ground are changing so fast there. But we've got it covered for you with updates throughout the hour.

Let's check in again with our military analyst, Brigadier General David Grange, for the very latest.

All right, good to see you again, General.

On the hostage situation, the three Japanese being held, Japan says it will not budge. It has no plans of pulling out its troops. However now, we're hearing from one of its Asian neighbors, Thailand -- it has 433 non-combat troops there -- Thailand is considering pulling out its troops just in case things get hairy.

How harmful is this for the coalition as a whole?

GRANGE: Yes, well, first of all, good for Japan for holding out because you can't negotiate with terrorists. And so once you do it one time, it's going to happen to you again. So bravo for Japan.

In reference on troops from countries like Thailand and others, that only wanted to commit -- you just lost them -- only wanted to commit, let's say, combat support, service support troops, they have very little security. And so what happens is other coalition forces have to pick up that role in order to help them out. And they will. Other coalition forces will help each other out in a situation like this.

WHITFIELD: All right, General Grange, thanks very much.

We'll check back with you again in a moment.

Well, sources tell CNN a daily briefing memo given to the president one month before the September 11th attacks warned of al Qaeda's intentions to strike inside the U.S. This is the daily briefing memo discussed by Condoleezza Rice during her testimony to the 9/11 Commission. The memo referred to a report May of 2001, indicating al Qaeda operatives were attempting to enter the country through Canada. The document is expected to be declassified and released in the next several days.

The 9/11 Commission continues its work next week with a look at the intelligence agencies and law enforcement. Among those scheduled to traffic are past and present attorneys general and CIA Director George Tenet.

CNN's Bob Franken has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The matters addressed in this next set of hearings are among the most fundamental for this Commission -- how did the law enforcement and intelligence agencies there to protect the United States fail to protect the United States on September 11?

There will be some new revelations. There will be some new twists and turns.

FRANKEN: The testimony will come from those at the heart of the war on terrorism -- attorneys general present and prior; FBI directors current and past; and the CIA director, the same one for this administration and the previous one.

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: If anything might have helped stop 9/11, it would have been better information about threats inside the United States, something made very difficult by structural and legal impediments that prevented the collection and sharing of information by our law enforcement and intelligence agencies.

FRANKEN: Translation -- the agencies were too tangled in bureaucracy and regulation to share information, essential information, such as a memo from an FBI agent in Arizona warning of the possibility of a large group of Osama bin Laden followers taking flight lessons in the United States. It was sent two months before the attacks and ignored.

And, information about people suspected of being terrorists evading detection in the U.S.

SEN. BOB GRAHAM (D-FL), INTELLIGENCE CHAIRMAN: All of those organizations, the Department of Justice, the FBI, the CIA have a share of the responsibility and at one point or the other in this process could have interdicted the plot.

FRANKEN (on camera): That is still being debated. But the leaders of those agencies will be given the chance to explain. There will be tough questions with no easy answers.

Bob Franken, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: A CNN/"Time" poll taken after Rice's testimony to the Commission shows 48 percent of Americans believe the president did all he could before the attacks. That's compared to just 42 percent right after Richard Clarke's testimony.

On to the president's handling of Iraq. In the face of renewed violence, more than 50 percent of respondents say they disapprove of President Bush's Iraq policies. Just two weeks ago, those numbers were pretty much reversed. As for the president's overall approval, a small majority gives him the thumbs up. Forty-nine percent approve of the job being done while 47 percent disapprove.

Time now for a look at other stories in our terror watch.

In England, police say they've foiled a plot that could have poisoned thousands on the subway. Police in Italy and Spain are on the alert this Easter weekend. In Italy, security has been beefed up ahead of the pope's Easter Mass at St. Peter's Square. And in Germany, the only man convicted in the 9/11 attacks has been released from prison while awaiting a trial.

And here in the U.S., the Department of Homeland Security announced a new round of mock terror exercises. They'll take place next April in Connecticut and New Jersey.

John Kerry makes a big speech on the economy, but the focus has been on Condoleezza Rice this week. Your morning dose of politics is next on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.

COMMERCIAL

WHITFIELD: This just in. Some explosions being heard in Baghdad. We'll have the latest on the developments there and check in with our reporters throughout Iraq, especially Jim Clancy in Baghdad. Apparently these explosions are being heard close to the coalition headquarters in the green zone. More on this when we come right back.

COMMERCIAL

WHITFIELD: The situation in Iraq dominated the headlines this week, along with Condoleezza Rice's appearance before the 9/11 Commission. With everybody's attention so focused on those stories, how did that affect developments on the presidential campaign trail?

For that, we're joined by Andrea Seabrook.

She's a congressional reporter for National Public Radio and joins us.

Good morning to you.

ANDREA SEABROOK, NPR CONGRESSIONAL REPORTER: Good morning, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Well, the Bush-Cheney campaign has made a point that they wanted to focus on 9/11 and the war on terror as the brunt of their reelection campaign.

Is that the focus that the American public wants to hear?

SEABROOK: Yes, it is. In fact, everywhere John Kerry went this week -- Cincinnati, Milwaukee, Chicago, Washington -- he tried to talk about the economy and jobs. This was supposed to be his big week for laying out his economic plans in detail, for really daring the Bush administration to do the same for the future.

But everywhere he went, the journalists -- myself included -- kind of dogged him about Iraq and about 9/11, because we wanted reaction from the actual events going on in the world.

WHITFIELD: And he was upstaged by Condoleezza Rice's testimony this week before the 9/11 Commission.

So what has been his comment? He has been fairly tight-lipped about her specifically, but very vocal about other things as it relates to Iraq and the war.

SEABROOK: Exactly. His responses to Rice's testimony this week was that he didn't want to respond until the Commission actually gave a report. He said the same thing after the Clarke testimony a couple of weeks ago.

He did say, though, that he hopes that the Rice testimony will aid the Commission members in determining exactly what the failures were before September 11 and making the nation safer.

Now, Iraq, though, he did manage to, by the end of the week, really pull together some serious criticism of the Bush administration and its policy in Iraq and start giving that in his regular stump speeches. He would sort of say OK, I'm here to talk about the economy, but I've got to start with Iraq.

And what he said was that the Bush administration has three options -- or the nation has three options when it comes to Iraq.

One, stay with the same policies that the Bush administration has advanced now. That, he says, would call -- would win, eventually. We would win, but it would cost a lot more in human lives and money.

The second option that Kerry laid out was to pull out now. He said that would be a bad option, as well, because it would leave behind a breeding ground for terrorists.

And so the third option, he said, was for the United States to go straight to the United Nations and ask for help. And that, he says, is what he would do if he were elected.

WHITFIELD: All right, Andrea Seabrook of NPR, thanks very much.

SEABROOK: My pleasure.

WHITFIELD: All right, have a good morning.

All right, back now to a breaking story we're following out of Baghdad.

Explosions being heard.

Our Jim Clancy is on the telephone with us with the latest -- Jim. CLANCY: Fredricka, the sound of both the outgoing and the impact of some kind of an explosive hit in the area of the green zone, although the Coalition Authority here in Baghdad says they are not aware of -- they heard the explosion, but they do not believe that it hit the green zone itself. A lot of times there have been incidents where an explosive fired, a missile or a mortar fired at the green zone has overshot its mark and landed somewhere outside it.

The risk, of course, is that if it hit in a civilian area, that it could have caused civilian casualties. But I think you're looking at the live picture over there on one side of the screen...

WHITFIELD: Yes, on one side of the screen we're seeing a small poof of smoke of some sort.

CLANCY: Right. We are seeing that now. We're also being told -- we're in contact with the coalition -- that this was a controlled explosion or there was a controlled explosion around here at some time. So we're going to try to confirm that and get back to you.

WHITFIELD: Well, how often does a controlled explosion take place in that vicinity of the coalition headquarters?

CLANCY: Well, hard to tell from the angle that we're looking at right here about the vicinity. But I can tell you that there are regular explosions of captured arms and explosives where they will put them down in a safe area, attach explosives to it and then detonate it. Now, these are usually done on the half hour or the hour, but it can vary. And so that's what we're checking on right now.

The coalition, though, says they're not aware of anything. There were no sirens going off in the green zone. So it looks to me at this point in time that it could be just a false alarm.

This isn't uncommon, Fredricka, because people don't know exactly what it was and it's very easy with the way things echo along the Tigris River for the sounds to be deceptive. And that's what it appears it is this time.

WHITFIELD: OK, Jim Clancy, thanks very much for that update from Baghdad about these reported explosions near the coalition headquarters.

And in a moment, we're going to give you a complete wrap-up of the events taking place throughout Iraq, including the status of the Japanese hostages, as well as the search or the status of those who are unaccounted for right now.

We'll be right back.

COMMERCIAL

WHITFIELD: Continuing our look at Iraq, we know that two U.S. military personnel and several contractors are believed to be unaccounted for. At least that's the classification they're getting right now. Well, now the German foreign ministry is confirming that two of its security people assigned to the German embassy in Baghdad are reported missing. This story just coming in. They were part of a convoy driving from Amman, Jordan to Baghdad. Apparently they were going to be relieving other forces at the German embassy in Baghdad. And all the details that are coming out now from the German media are indicating that these two members are members of the elite special forces, GSG9. And one of the men is believed to be 38 years old and the other is 25. And they were apparently going to be returning to normal rotation duty.

So that now in from the German foreign ministry confirming that two of its security personnel are believed missing.

Now, we are hearing reports of blasts in Baghdad with smoke being seen rising near the coalition headquarters. We have -- we will have details on that shortly.

And in Falluja, the coalition calls for a cease-fire in the embattled city, hoping to establish a dialogue with insurgents. U.S. commanders want to hold talks regarding the reestablishment of legitimate authority over the city.

Coalition troops have been carrying out offensives in Karbala, south of Baghdad. Around five million Shiites are expected to descend on the city for a festival marking one of their holiest days.

Meanwhile, coalition troops from Italy got a surprise visit today in the Iraqi city of Nasiriyah. Italy's prime minister, Silvio Berlesconi, flew there from Rome this morning to meet with the troops.

Now let's check in again with our Iraq expert.

Our military analyst, Brigadier General David Grange joins us with more details on what's going on.

So this breaking story coming in about explosions being heard near coalition headquarters, we heard from our Jim Clancy a moment ago, General, that there's a possibility it could be a controlled explosion. And my question was the proximity of the controlled explosion to the headquarters.

How unusual would that be if that were, indeed, the case?

GRANGE: Well, there's locations designated all through Iraq to include in Baghdad, to include near any headquarters. And if they have found an improvised explosive device or they have captured weapons, any massive numbers, I think they would take outside of the city. But if it's a device that they're concerned about moving it, then they would detonate it in a controlled area in proximity of the headquarters. That would not be unusual.

WHITFIELD: And now this other breaking story we're getting in from the German foreign ministry that two of its security personnel are missing. They're using the word missing even though coalition forces have talked about members who are unaccounted for. We don't know if there's any real connection here to the two.

But you were talking earlier about a new tactic that we were seeing in the insurgents and armed forces were likely expecting the issue of hostage taking.

GRANGE: Yes. Two points here I'd like to make, if I may. One is that accountability is probably the most difficult aspect of any organization, especially in a combat area. Look at the coalition troops, 130 something thousand. How do you know where every person is every minute of the day? And there's procedures in place and there's requirements from every level of command to track and keep accountability of your people. It's probably the most difficult task there is.

And so there's a time line and when someone is not -- hasn't reported in or they are presumed missing for a certain period of time, the flag goes up, because you don't want to lose anybody.

In reference to terrorists taking hostages, again, break the alliance, try to isolate the United States of America, try to get other countries to lose resolve to continue the fight and it's a softer target to go after those that are not in a heavy armed force.

WHITFIELD: All right, Brigadier General David Grange, thanks very much.

We'll be checking back with you in about 15 minutes or so.

Well, we asked you this morning what you think about the conflict in Iraq and we'll read some of your replies when CNN SATURDAY MORNING continues.

The address is wam@cnn.com.

COMMERCIAL

WHITFIELD: Our e-mail question this morning, "What are your thoughts on the war in Iraq?" And already we've received quite a number of replies.

This from Al in Weirton, West Virginia: "Maybe we should not have gone into Iraq. We cannot back out now. Let freedom ring!"

And Anthony in Qatar responds this way: "Iraq needs some tough love to help put it in the right path to a promising future. No one loves Iraq more than the U.S. Army and we're ready to show it."

Thanks so much for your e-mails.

We're taking in more. Send them to wam@cnn.com and we'll read your e-mails on the air.

The next hour of CNN SATURDAY MORNING begins right now.

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