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CNN Saturday Morning News

Search For Texas Death Row Inmate Continues; Operation Steel Curtain Launched In Iraq; Paris Riots Spread; Summit Of The Americas Winds Down; Cruise Line Off Somalia Attacked By Pirates

Aired November 05, 2005 - 09:00   ET

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

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: U.S. and Iraqi forces launch Operation Steel Curtain, targeting insurgents in western Iraq.
From the CNN Center in Atlanta, good morning, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen.

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Tony Harris.

We'll have a live report from the front lines in a moment. But first a check of other headlines now in the news.

NGUYEN: The search continues for a Texas death row inmate who walked away from a Houston area jail. Texas authorities say human error made it possible for convicted killer Charles Victor Thomas get street clothes, a fake I.D. and simply walk away. U.S. Marshals are posting a $10,000 reward for his recapture.

Within the hour, the Summit of the Americas will end, but that is not stopping protestors. Demonstrators don't like President Bush's free trade plan. We'll take you there in just a few minutes for a live report.

And CNN sources tell us an al Qaeda member with a $5 million reward on his head has been captured in Pakistan. U.S. counter terrorism officials claim Syrian-born Mustapha Nassar trained terrorist in poisons and chemicals at two Afghan camps.

Now to the bird flu. More cases in Indonesia are being reported today and with that the Associated Press reports Hawaiian officials plan to protect the Honolulu International Airport. Passengers and visitors may voluntarily be tested for the deadly virus.

HARRIS: It's a major new offensive launched in the fight in Iraq. U.S. and Iraqi forces are converging on the city of Husayba on the Syrian border. It's considered a nerve center for insurgents in foreign fighters and there have already been firefights since this morning's launch. CNN producer Dale Alford is embedded with U.S. Marines in Operation Steel Curtain and joins us on the phone. Dale what can you tell us?

LT. COL. DALE ALFORD, 3RD BATTALION, 6TH MARINES (via telephone): They put me on the phone.

HARRIS: I apologize for that mix-up. First of all, thank you for joining us and if you would, what can you tell us about this new operation in Husayba?

ALFORD: Well, we launched this morning in order to liberate the town of Husayba and we've moved along with our plans. We are steadily cleaning the city out. We've run into pockets of resistance throughout the day. We've had a few displaced personnel that we've taken care of. We moved it from a safe place that we cleared and brought in blankets and food and heaters for them for the night and we'll continue to push and liberate this city.

HARRIS: And Colonel, it seems like every other week or so we're hearing about another operation in this area alone, the Syrian border. What continues to be the problem? Are you seeing foreign fighters or are these homegrown fighters?

ALFORD: I think we're seeing a little of both. We have foreign fighters and we have a few that are supporting the foreign fighters, but for the most part once we move through these towns that we've done over the last month, people seem to be happy that we're here. We have the Iraqi army that is with us, is leading the way. We do -- and, like I said, all of the people seem to be pleased after we come through and that we're staying and cleaning up the cities.

HARRIS: And Colonel, the fire they hear in the background, that is fire from your troops, correct?

ALFORD: Yes. That was a tank round.

HARRIS: That was a tank round? Can you describe what level of resistance you're receiving?

ALFORD: We've had pockets of resistance all day. It seems that when we do come up with -- I'd say, eight to ten size elements and I would say they're dying in place. They're not continuing and we have to clean them out in order to continue to move forward.

HARRIS: Can you without too much detail, but can you describe the kind of intelligence that led to this operation? Is this intelligence that came from the people of the city?

ALFORD: Yes, both. We've been the last six weeks going through a couple of different villages, moving to this -- which is the largest town here in the Syrian border in Husayba which is where we are now. The people were telling us who the bad guys are and we also have forces that have been all around the city over the last month gathering intelligence also.

HARRIS: And Colonel describes your levels of troop strength. How many boots on the ground for you and how many Iraqi forces are on the ground with you fighting?

ALFORD: We have a -- with me, with just my battalion with the marines and the battalion of Iraqi soldiers.

HARRIS: OK. Colonel, we appreciate your time and do you have any idea how long -- I guess you really don't at this point. Do you have any idea how long this mission might continue? ALFORD: It will continue until we liberate this town. No time limit. I'm making sure that -- we'll take the time that we need to do in order to free up this city.

HARRIS: Make sense. Lieutenant Colonel Dale Alford with us. Colonel thank you and be safe.

NGUYEN: Americans in Paris are being urged to stay out of the suburbs. For the ninth straight night, riots erupted all around the city of life, fires raged and violence spread and there have now been 20 communities engulfed by the racially fueled riots. They were triggered by the deaths of two teens who were running from police. CNN's Chris Burns joins us by phone with the latest including a warning issue this morning for U.S. Travelers. Tell us about that warning, Chris.

CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Betty, the Americans are being advised by the State Department to avoid these areas where the riots are going on. They're in the suburbs northeast of Paris, which is actually where I'm walking right now. We've been seeing some of the burned out cars and some of the burned out shops.

It's scattered around and this is something that's been going for nine nights now. Last night was in some ways the most violent because the police say across France; some 900 cars were torched, about 250 people detained. A lot of these are hit and run attacks. It is very difficult for the police to control. They're trying to work with community leaders. There are more meetings today.

We're actually walking with some of these young mediators who walk the streets and also from immigrant families, North African and African that are trying to talk some sense into some of these kids who are continuing these riots.

Of course, it was touched off by something, by the death of two youths of North African and African origin who were trying to flee or hide from police and electrocuted themselves in an electrical switching station, which are just a few blocks from where I'm walking. It is rather tense here and people do hope that with some community counseling and with police presence they can calm things down.

NGUYEN: I hope that happens. Chris Burns thanks for the update. We'll be checking in with you.

HARRIS: Within the hour President Bush and the leaders of more than 30 other countries will end the Summit of the Americas. They hope protestors do so quietly. Yesterday anti-U.S. protestors clashed with police and a rampage that led to dozens of arrests. CNN's Elaine Quijano is traveling with the president and joins us from Mar del Plata, Argentina. Elaine good morning.

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Tony, so far no reports similar to what we heard yesterday of violence in the streets here in Mar Del Plata. The second day and final day of the Summit of the Americas now underway. President Bush is sitting down with the leaders of 33 other countries to talk about the official focus of the summit creating jobs and strengthening Democratic governance, but this morning I want to tell you about an interesting moment that happened as President Bush was walking in.

He actually passed within a few feet of the Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. Chavez of course calls President Bush Mr. Danger. So all eyes have been focused on what might transpire between these two leaders if they did cross paths. It did not appear that they made eye contact at least not in that instant, but they certainly are in the same room.

A quiet day so far a mentioned as I mentioned in contrast to yesterday here in Mar Del Plata when bands of protestors took to the streets. They did not make it past the security cordon that was set up near the hotel where the summit events were taking place, but they did set some fires.

They smashed storefronts. There have been reports that dozens of people were arrested in the wake of these violent demonstrations. And Argentine police used tear gas at one point to quell the crowds and the president was briefed on the situation yesterday but the violence actually happened after for the most part, a peaceful day of demonstrations here in Mar Del Plata yesterday.

A rally where thousands of people poured into a sports stadium here and listened to Hugo Chavez in fact, rail against the United States. Chavez calls the United States imperialistic and he vehemently opposes the United States' push for a free trade hemisphere. That's a proposal that even President Bush has acknowledged has stalled. Nevertheless, U.S. officials are emphasizing the positive.

They say that they have made progress in reaching out to individual countries on the issue of free trade. As for what is ahead, in a few hours the closing ceremony of the Summit of the Americas takes place President Bush taking part of course, in a couple of other events before leaving here. He will move on to Brazil and then Panama before returning to the United States on Monday night. Tony.

HARRIS: Boy, you're going to be busy.

CNN's Elaine Quijano traveling with the president in Argentina. Elaine thank you.

NGUYEN: And we do want to update one of our top stories. A modern-day pirate attack on a luxury cruise ship. It happened this morning off the coast of Somalia when pirates in two small boats attacked Seabourn Cruise Lines Spirit with machine guns and rocket propelled grenades. Now no one was injured and the pirates were not able to board, but Deborah Natansohn is the president of Seabourn Cruise Lines. CNN spoke to her just a short time ago about the incident.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DEBORAH NATANSOHN, PRES. SEABOURN CRUISE LINES: I was calling everyone, there's an emergency announced in all the speakers because he was scared people would run out to the deck and he didn't want the people on the deck because they would have been shot.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: We do invite you to stay with CNN throughout the day as we do gather more information on this story.

Well, from Supreme Court nomination to a closed-door session on Iraq, it has been a busy week for the Senate. Coming up next, we will check those big stories and see how they could play out.

HARRIS: And in the next hour, the Las Vegas mayor, Mayor Goodman has a shocking suggestion about how to handle graffiti artists. It's not a pretty picture.

NGUYEN: Look at this. A little foggy for Chicago this morning. Chi-town, but we'll see how the weather is going to play out. We understand there may be some snow headed your way, Chicago. We'll check in with Brad Huffines with a look at the forecast. That's coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Political infighting got ugly in Washington this week, but at least no blows were struck, none that we know of, anyway. The indictment of Lewis Scooter Libby and the CIA leak case has set off a firestorm from who is responsible at the White House to calls for resignations to the dramatic, but brief shutdown of the Senate by the Democrats, not to mention the question surrounding Judge Samuel Alito. Things are anything but boring in the Senate right now. National public radio congressional correspondent Andrea Seabrook is here to break down the week in the Senate for us. And Andrea good to see you as always.

ANDREA SEABROOK, CNN NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO: Good morning, Tony.

HARRIS: Why don't we start with Judge Alito, President Bush's Supreme Court nominee. With this nomination, with this choice is the president basically saying I can't make any inroads here in attempts to broaden the party. Let me galvanize my base with this pick.

SEABROOK: You know that's certainly what a lot of people think he was doing. After the Miers nomination that just tanked there the last -- in the end and after conservatives were openly and still are in some ways openly rebelling against a lot of the decisions we made in the house and Senate right now and the president's poll numbers are just plummeting. They continue to plummet 37, 38. You know, it looks like the Alito nomination might have brought his base together and at least he's got that support around that.

HARRIS: And let me ask you this question. Is the concern among liberals that this choice, that Alito on the court along with John Roberts would not take on a direct challenge and not move directly to overturn Roe, but the court would uphold more state restrictions sort of limiting access to abortions? SEABROOK: That's the thought on everyone's minds. This is the kind of thing that will play out in the nomination hearings that will come up in January and February. I mean he definitely will take the court to the right. He's replacing a swing vote on the court with a reliably conservative vote. This is what the conservatives want and it's what the Democrats were afraid of and the question is how is that fillabusterable.

HARRIS: Nice work. Nice work.

SEABROOK: Thank you.

HARRIS: I have to ask you is the concern here -- no. The bottom line is if moderate Republicans in the so-called gang of 14 don't start to voice real opposition to this nomination this is a slam-dunk. This is a done deal.

SEABROOK: You know, what I'm hearing on the hill is that most people think it's not going to be a filibuster. That it's not worth it to filibuster somebody who is just conservative, who is a reasonable guy, but conservative and that's not an outstanding circumstance that the gang of 14 set up.

Also the Democrats, I think know that if they were to filibuster this, they'd go a long way into helping the Bush administration right now gather its base. Fire up its people and forget about a lot of the bad, you know stuff coming out about this war and about the poll numbers and so on.

HARRIS: Which is probably explains why we saw what we saw happen in the Senate. The invoking of rule 21, the sort of shutdown. Explain us to what all of that was about.

SEABROOK: That was -- it depends on which point of view you take it from, of course.

From one side you can say it's about getting the public back, looking at what's actually happened here about what the intelligence was, running up to the board, keeping people's focus that. From the other side it just looked like a stunt. The question really is did Senator Harry Reed, the Democratic leader come out and manage to shift people's attention back on things that the Bush administration doesn't want their attention on right now.

HARRIS: But the bottom line is the Republicans are now moving ahead when it looks like phase two of the investigation of prewar intelligence and what the administration did with it.

SEABROOK: Exactly, stunt or no stunt it worked. They got the Republicans to agree to go back and look at that information to decide whether or not the Bush administration was manipulating intelligence. This is an investigation that's going to take many months, it looks like at this point, but it could come to some interesting decisions right smack in the middle of a reelection campaign for all of the house and a third of the Senate. HARRIS: When does this begin to make sense for folks? But when does this start to really penetrate the psyches of folks outside of the Washington beltway?

SEABROOK: You know that is the big question and when these guys start going home for Thanksgiving, for Christmas, if they start to hear things like I hate this war. I don't know why we're there anymore. If they start to hear stuff like that, plus why did we get into it in the first place. If they start to hear these sorts of things from the constituents back at home, that's when the whole landscape of the house and Senate really change.

HARRIS: And to stay with the theme of when it really starts to penetrate beyond the beltway. The Scooter Libby case, in court Scooter Libby walking into court this week, what a sight that was. There are illusions that this might lead to something against the vice president. Is that a point at which, for a lot of folks, he's a pretty anonymous figure, is that the point at which this really resonates with the public beyond the beltway, if the story leads directly to the vice president.

SEABROOK: I think that would be very damaging for this administration. I think this story has already been very damaging. We don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves. But the truth is Republicans in Congress and the Republicans in the White House now have a series, almost a trend of indictments against them. You have Tom Delay in the house and you have an investigation on Senator Frist in the Senate. You have the White House and Peter Sagabaen. I mean its just sort of these links are going and on into important Republican power centers.

HARRIS: Andrea Seabrook, Congressional correspondent for national public radio. Good to see you, Andrea.

SEABROOK: Good to see you, too.

HARRIS: Thanks.

NGUYEN: And when we come back we'll have an update on recoveries from hurricanes Katrina and Rita. A price tag is in for Louisiana and what lessons can be learned. That's in our "CNN.com" segment.

HARRIS: And coming up in the next hour we'll check in with a high school senior whose town was devastated by Katrina. Her video diary shows how her community has responded. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: All right. Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco was expecting a bill following two hurricanes, we get, that but not this big of a bill. Louisiana's share of hurricane recovery costs is estimated at more than, listen to this, $3.5 billion. That's just Louisiana's share.

The tab for the recovery work is on top of dramatic jumps in unemployment, business shutdowns and a state budget deficit of more than $1 billion in tax revenue. So if you could play a hand in the hurricane rebuilding efforts, what would you do? Veronica De La Cruz of CNN.com joins us now with a look at some of those answers. I imagine there is quite a range.

VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Quite a range. As you can imagine. You know some very emotional and some that we can't really print or say.

NGUYEN: Oh, wow! OK.

DE LA CRUZ: We've been asking a different question each week and this week we asked what lesson should other hurricane-prone areas take from Katrina and Rita. Here are a few of those responses.

Jacob in Baton Rouge stresses civil duty. "It starts before the storm. Get prepared, get protected, get out."

Robert in New York says, "It's the importance of voting and more to the point voting for people who understand government and its duties."

However, Cindy of Nashville thinks that, "It is not up to others to hold our hand and do what is simple common sense. It is also not the government's responsibility to rush in and rescue us afterward."

Next, we'd like to know how can New Orleans take advantage of reconstruction efforts to resolve some of the problems the city had before Katrina.

All right. Once again, how can the city take advantage of reconstruction efforts to resolve some of the problems that they had before the hurricanes and, of course, you can send us an e-mail by logging on to CNN.com/katrina and we will stay on top of the story and continue to ask these questions every week, Betty.

NGUYEN: Good questions that need to be asked and the answers may help.

HARRIS: Let's hope.

DE LA CRUZ: Everybody gets a voice. So, you know, speak up and send us an e-mail.

NGUYEN: With a bill like that, you know Louisiana is listening.

Thank you.

HARRIS: Lets get another check of weather. Brad Huffines in the CNN Weather Center. Morning Brad.

(WEATHER REPORT)

NGUYEN: Not too much rain, though. Thank you, Brad. "OPEN HOUSE" is straight ahead.

HARRIS: And in the next hour, they're back on the streets of Hollywood.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good for me?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Free at last! Free at last! Elmo and his cohorts are once again available after their brush with the law.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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