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CNN Saturday Morning News
Hamas Militants Fired Rockets Overnight From Gaza Into Israel; Video Of Zarqawi's Safe House; White House E-mail About Hurricane Response Could Embarrass President Bush; Gardasil Is Controversial; Identity Theft Big Business For Criminals
Aired June 10, 2006 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Now in the news, Hamas militants say rockets were fired overnight from Gaza into Israel. One went astray, injuring four Palestinians in a Gaza refugee camp. No damages were reported in Israel.
This does come after yesterday's Israeli military strike in Gaza. One artillery shell hit a group of Palestinian picnickers on a Gaza beach. Seven people died in that incident.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: In Afghanistan, the coalition command in Kabul reports more than 40 Taliban fighters killed in recent days. Officials say international forces confronted and killed the militants in a series of skirmishes in two provinces. No coalition casualties were reported.
NGUYEN: CNN is following reports out of Pakistan that Pakistani forces today attacked a remote terror training camp in a northern tribal region. Now, wire services report 15 to 20 militants were killed.
CNN is working to confirm those reports.
HARRIS: Authorities in Georgia are the on the alert for a 60- year-old who may have fled with his two small children. The children are ages five and three. Police say Baker Clark was involved in a shooting incident earlier with the children's mother and her boyfriend. Clark is believed to be driving a green SUV with Georgia tags AQE4116.
NGUYEN: Well, a 16-year-old Michigan girl is back home today after secretly jetting off to the Middle East on Monday without her family's knowledge. Katherine Lester apparently was on her way to meet a man in Tel Aviv whom she had communicated with on MySpace.com. U.S. officials intercepted her in Jordan and persuaded her to return home.
HARRIS: And in the World Cup, host country Germany trounced Costa Rica 4-2 yesterday.
NGUYEN: Oh! Is that what they say?
HARRIS: Imagine that. Yes, that's -- that 4-2, man!
NGUYEN: Yes. HARRIS: That's a rout, isn't it? That's a baseball score -- in the opening match of the international competition that took place in Munich, in Frankfurt. British soccer fans are in high spirits as their team goes toe-to-toe...
NGUYEN: And shirtless.
HARRIS: ... against Paraguay.
NGUYEN: If only we could all just be excited on a daily basis like those World Cup fans.
HARRIS: About World Cup?
NGUYEN: Just about life.
HARRIS: Oh, just in general?
NGUYEN: Yes, I mean...
HARRIS: Yes, that would be nice.
NGUYEN: ... can you imagine?
HARRIS: That would be nice.
NGUYEN: We all would be a lot happier.
From the CNN Center, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
It's 7:00 a.m. here in Atlanta, 2:00 p.m. in Gaza, where Hamas has ended its truce with Israel. We'll tell you more about that.
Good morning, everybody.
I'm Betty Nguyen.
HARRIS: And I'm Tony Harris.
Thank you for being with us.
We begin with new developments in the killing of Abu Musab al- Zarqawi.
DNA samples from al-Zarqawi are now in Virginia. Test results are expected by Monday. Intelligence gathered immediately after the air strike on al-Zarqawi has spawned dozens of raids across Iraq. Numerous suspected insurgents have been taken into custody or killed.
As for the void left by the death of Iraq's al Qaeda leader, Ubayda al Masri, an Egyptian with ties to Osama bin Laden's number two, has been mentioned as a possible successor to al-Zarqawi.
Al-Zarqawi's safe house was located about 43 miles north of Baghdad, near Baquba. It was in a rural area tucked in groves of trees. CNN's John Vause visited the site and filed this report, new this morning on CNN.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is all that's left of Zarqawi's safe house, a house made of concrete and steel. All of this destruction caused by two 500-pound bombs.
The impact from the blast was so powerful, we're told by the U.S. military, that initially this hole in the ground, about 35, maybe 40 feet deep.
Now, the day after the air strike, the rubble around the area was mostly cleared and bulldozed into that crater. It's still more than 10 feet deep, as well.
It was an incredibly powerful blast. Rubble is strewn around this area, 600 feet, maybe even 1,000 feet away.
And signs of the people who once lived in this house. Over here is a towel left behind, thrown clear as part of the debris. Just over here, as well, we can see a pillow and just next to it a blanket, as well.
They say this was a safe house in an isolated area and, indeed, it was very isolated. Take a look at the trees, the palm trees and the date trees which surround this area.
At the time of the air strike, a top level al Qaeda meeting was underway. Zarqawi and five others, including his spiritual adviser, the man who was traced to this house and ultimately led to Zarqawi's downfall. And after this powerful blast, we are told somehow Zarqawi managed to survive, if only for a few moments.
John Vause, CNN, near the City of Baquba.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: And be sure to tune in to CNN tonight at 7:00 Eastern, as Wolf Blitzer hosts "IRAQ: A WEEK AT WAR."
CNN's team of correspondents around the world will bring you an in depth look at the major events in the war on terror, including the strike on al-Zarqawi and the new al-Zawahiri tape, and the foiled terror plot in Canada.
Again, that's tonight, 7:00 p.m. Eastern, right here on CNN.
NGUYEN: Well, a fragile calm just explodes in Israel and the West Bank. The military wing of Hamas says it fired rockets at Israel after calling off a year long cease-fire. Now, this in response to an Israel artillery attack that killed seven civilians on a Gaza beach.
Now the fate of a referendum on establishing a Palestinian state? Well, that is unclear. CNN's Fionnuala Sweeney joins us from our Jerusalem bureau to tackle all of these.
Let's start with the attacks -- Fionnuala.
FIONNUALA SWEENEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, indeed, Gaza and the West Bank, Betty, today, Saturday, in three days of mourning declared by the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, following what had to have been one of the bloodiest 24-hour period seen in Gaza.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SWEENEY (voice-over): Uncontrollable grief on a Gaza beach. This young girl had been picnicking with family when artillery shells hit the sand. Her father among seven people killed. The dead included three children.
The Israeli military has been pounding the border areas between northern Gaza and southern Israel for weeks in a bid to stop Qassam rockets being fired by Palestinian militants.
Friday's shelling came only hours after thousands flooded the streets of Gaza for the funeral of Jamal Abu Samhadana, slated to be the security chief in the Hamas-led government, blamed by Israel for the ongoing rocket attacks and a series of deadly suicide bombings. He was one of seven militants killed by an Israeli air strike on Thursday.
Israel immediately announced a suspension of a attacks on Gaza and began an investigation following the beach incident.
Hamas called off its unofficial truce with Israel.
SAMI ABU ZUHRI, HAMAS SPOKESMAN (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): Amid these terrifying pictures of the kids and women and the girl who was screaming for help, we cannot remain silent amid these images. And these demonstrations emphasize the necessity of the renewal of the struggle.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SWEENEY: And, indeed, overnight, Hamas firing several rockets toward Israel. The Israeli military say 11 rockets were fired. None landed within Israel. All the damage seemed to have been done on the Palestinian side.
However, it is an ominous indication, Betty, that the situation here in the region is not getting any better.
As you mentioned, the Palestinian Authority president, Mahmoud Abbas, had been scheduled about an hour ago in Ramallah in the West Bank, to authorize a date for a referendum on a document for Palestinian statehood. He and Hamas have been having an ongoing row over the last few months. He's trying to have crippling economic sanctions lifted. They were imposed on Hamas after their election victory because of their refusal to recognize Israel. Eighteen Palestinians dead in Gaza in the last 24 hours. It's not likely that they will be tempted to recognize Israel any time soon -- Betty.
NGUYEN: Fionnuala Sweeney, thank you for that report.
HARRIS: Well, it has been nine months -- more than nine months since Hurricane Katrina drowned New Orleans. And new accusations are coming to light. This time, it's about an alleged White House e-mail that could prove embarrassing to the president.
CNN's Brian Todd first reported this story on "THE SITUATION ROOM WITH WOLF BLITZER," only on CNN.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Wednesday, August 31, 2005 -- New Orleans has been submerged for two days.
In an interview with Larry King, FEMA Director Michael Brown is on the defensive about government failure after Hurricane Katrina.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "LARRY KING LIVE")
LARRY KING, HOST : Where's the help?
MICHAEL BROWN, FEMA DIRECTOR: Larry, the help is right there and it's going to be moving in very, very rapidly. I'm going to ask the country to be patient.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TODD: The next day, the city still is overwhelmed by chaos and official paralysis. Brown is besieged with criticism. In another CNN interview, he admits he's just finding out about one of the most horrific human catastrophes.
BROWN: The federal government did not even know about the convention center people until today.
TODD: The following day, the president declares the federal response is "not acceptable," but voices public support for Brown.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Again, I want to thank you all for -- and Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job. The FEMA director is working 24...
TODD: Two days later, Brown's immediate boss, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, is asked by Wolf Blitzer if he still has confidence in his FEMA director.
MICHAEL CHERTOFF, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: Look, I think Michael Brown has had a lot of experience. I think he's done a tremendous job under pressure.
TODD: But CNN has obtained an e-mail from three days after that, September 7, 2005, indicating the Bush administration may have been happy that Brown was taking the heat.
A high level White House official close to the president writes to Brown, "I did hear of one reference to you at the cabinet meeting yesterday. I wasn't there, but I heard someone commented that the press was sure beating up on Mike Brown, to which the president replied, 'I'd rather they beat up on him than me or Chertoff.' Congratulations on doing a great job of diverting hostile fire away from the leader."
Michael Brown, through his attorney, provided this e-mail to CNN on the condition that we redact the name, not revealing the identity of its author. CNN cannot independently verify the authenticity of the e-mail, but it does have the White House eop.gov designation at the end, signifying executive office of the President.
Brown explained why he released the e-mail to Wolf Blitzer in "THE SITUATION ROOM."
BROWN: Well, it could embarrass the president. But, frankly, as long as we're going to continue to play this game of every time the administration talks about what worked or didn't work, I'm not going to sit back and continue to take those stabs. I was doing everything I could down there.
TODD: September 9, 2005 -- just two days after that e-mail is sent to Brown, Secretary Chertoff changes his tune.
CHERTOFF: I have directed Mike Brown to return to administering FEMA nationally. And I've appointed Vice Admiral Thad Allen of the Coast Guard as the principal federal official overseeing the Hurricane Katrina response.
TODD: Three days later, Monday, September 12th, Michael Brown resigns as FEMA director. The next day President Bush says this...
BUSH: To the extent that the federal government didn't fully do its job right, I take responsibility.
TODD: Historian Douglas Brinkley, whose recent book chronicles the infighting of state and federal officials after Katrina, says the e-mail is consistent with information he received.
DOUGLAS BRINKLEY, HISTORIAN, AUTHOR, "THE GREAT DELUGE": The e- mail clearly shows that the Bush White House and the president himself was trying to scapegoat Michael Brown, who became the human pinata of the entire Katrina debacle.
TODD: But another analyst says traditionally, it's the job of people like Michael Brown to absorb criticism for the president.
PROF. STEPHEN J. WAYNE, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY: That's what happens. We have an old saying in Washington -- all good news comes from the White House and all bad news come from the departments and agencies.
TODD (on camera): We contacted a White House spokeswoman for reaction to our story. She replied in an e-mail quote, "This is an old rumor that surfaced months ago and we're not commenting on it. This story has already been reported and I have heard nothing at all that would substantiate it."
Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: And Brian Todd is part of the team covering the world for "THE SITUATION ROOM."
Join Wolf Blitzer weekdays, 4:00 Eastern, and again in prime time at 7:00 p.m. Eastern.
Still ahead, you vaccinate your child against measles and mumps...
NGUYEN: Right.
HARRIS: ... but should girls as young as nine get a shot to prevent a sexually transmitted disease?
Ahead, the controversy surrounding a new cancer vaccine.
NGUYEN: Plus, it is one of the fastest growing crimes in the U.S. and we are talking about identity theft. The thieves are getting smarter. So we're going to show you how to beat them at their own game. That's in 30 minutes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: All right, now to a breakthrough in cancer treatment.
The FDA has approved a vaccine to block the sexually transmitted virus that causes most cervical cancer. It could be on the market soon. But Gardasil is controversial.
Here's medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Jana (ph) is 10. She likes Disney characters and swing sets. Her mom is only just starting to talk to her about puberty and boys.
MELISSA: Are there any boys you're interested in?
JANA: No. Not really.
MELISSA: Not really?
JANA: I'm not -- I'm not really boy crazy right now.
MELISSA: No?
COHEN (voice-over): But she could soon receive a vaccination to help prevent a sexually transmitted disease. When girls grow up and become sexually active, odds are high they'll be exposed to humanpapilloma virus, or HPV. Ninety percent of those exposed to HPV never get sick. But it's a nightmare for other 10 percent, who develop abnormal cells in their cervixes -- cells which can become cancerous. This virus causes virtually all cases of cervical cancers.
DR. JOSEPH HAGAN, AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS: You're talking about a shot that kids are going to get.
COHEN: Right now, experts are discussing giving this vaccine to girls Jana's age, to make sure they get the shot before they start having sex.
HAGAN: I trust that the vast majority of my patients are some day, somehow, going to become sexually active. Now is the time to give the vaccine.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM MERCK COMMERCIAL)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Tell someone that cervical cancer is caused by certain types of HPV ...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COHEN: Merck, the maker of the vaccine, has launched an aggressive ad campaign. The trials shows the vaccine could lower cervical cancer rates by 70 percent.
But conservative groups worry it sends young people a message that it's OK to have sex before marriage.
PETER SPRIGG, FAMILY RESEARCH COUNCIL: This can reduce your risk for HPV. It will not eliminate that risk. It does not eliminate -- it does not reduce your risk for HIV or any of a number of other sexually transmitted diseases. Abstinence until marriage and fidelity within marriage is the best formula for sexual health.
COHEN: Dr. Maurie Markman, who treats women with cervical cancer, says this vaccine is about preventing cancer.
DR. MAURIE MARKMAN, M.D. ANDERSON CANCER CENTER: You wouldn't have known when an individual was going to be exposed to measles or hepatitis, but you know that there's a risk during their life and you simply do it at the earliest point. And that is the way to look at the vaccine.
COHEN: Cost is another concern -- about $500 for the necessary shots. It's not clear right now if insurance will cover it.
MELISSA: And, you know, it's important to take really good care of your body so that you can have healthy babies.
COHEN: For now, Jana's mom Melissa is taking baby steps with her daughter as they begin to discuss sexual responsibility. Given the option to give Jana a vaccine that could save her life when she's older, Melissa says she'll take it. Elizabeth Cohen, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: All right, so this leads us to our e-mail question.
What are your thoughts on giving the cervical cancer vaccine to young girls?
They're saying give it to girls as young as nine years old.
Is that too early? what do you think about that?
E-mail us, weekends@CNN.com.
We're going to read those responses throughout the morning.
And coming up at 10:00 Eastern, we will speak with the doctor who worked on the HPV vaccine for the past decade. And if you have questions for him, please send them in to the same address, weekends@CNN.com.
Dr. Kevin Ault joins us live at 10:15 Eastern to answer those questions -- Tony.
HARRIS: Ahead on the half hour, Iraq without al-Zarqawi.
We go beyond the headlines and get real insight from CNN's former Baghdad bureau chief, Jane Arraf. What she thinks about al-Zarqawi's death and it's impact on the war in Iraq.
Plus...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: this is the maxilla or top of the jaw and this is the mandible, the bottom of the jaw. And this is his tongue right here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: That tongue, that jaw -- they belong to an alligator. Yes. But not just any alligator. Why this unusual patient was rushed to a Florida hospital, of all places. That story in three minutes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Other Stories Across America this morning.
A court appearance for two Detroit 911 operators. They were accused of neglecting a call from a boy trying to save his dying mother. A judge entered not guilty pleas during the arraignment.
On February 20th, the 5-year-old tried telling operators his mother had collapsed. They apparently thought it was a prank. When police arrived three hours later -- three hours later -- the boy's mother was dead.
A New York bar linked to a high profile murder investigation shut down. The Falls bar is where graduate student Imette St. Guillen was last seen before her body was found. The club's bouncer is charged with her murder. Police say they closed the bar because of complaints about noise and illegally activity, as well as state liquor law violations.
Not your typical patient for a CAT scan. A Florida hospital conducts the test on an albino alligator. The animal wasn't sick. Scans...
NGUYEN: What? It wasn't even sick?
HARRIS: No, no, no. Not sick at all.
Here's the deal. Scans from the procedure are part of an upcoming documentary for PBS and "National Geographic." The work entitled "Super Sized Crocs."
NGUYEN: Well, I hope that crocodile had some medical insurance, because you know that scan is not cheap.
HARRIS: No, that's a good point.
That's a good point.
NGUYEN: Yes, someone has got to be paying for it. Hopefully we won't be paying when it comes to this little tropical problem.
HARRIS: What are they calling it?
NGUYEN: I don't even know what to...
HARRIS: Is it a storm band?
NGUYEN: ... it's not a disturbance...
(WEATHER REPORT)
HARRIS: Still ahead, will the death of terrorist leader al- Zarqawi make any difference at all in Iraq?
Coming up, we'll hear from someone who was on the front lines of the war.
NGUYEN: And buyers better beware -- even the most careful consumer is at risk for identity theft. Thieves have even found a new way to steal your money.
We're going to show you how to protect yourself.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: And this just in. We want to show you these pictures just in from Germany. This is in the City of Gelsenkirchen. I believe that's the way you pronounce that. And this is a rally by the extreme right organization known as the NDP. Betty, this is the National Democratic Party hosting a World Cup rally there.
And apparently the rally turned violent. You don't see it from these pictures here. Maybe you will in just a second.
About 200 people involved in this rally. Security obviously very tight, and yet our understanding is that this rally turned violent.
We are continuing to check on this story.
A lot of neo-Nazi taunts going on.
NGUYEN: I mean, because it dealt with the, as you mentioned, the NDP, the National Democratic Party. But then there is also an anti- ...
HARRIS: Here we go.
NGUYEN: ... racism rally that was scheduled. And it appears that there were some clashes, which is what you're seeing right here.
We're just going to pause for a moment and just take a look at this new video that is just coming in to CNN.
Let's just take a look and a listen.
(LIVE FOOTAGE OF CLASHES IN GERMANY)
HARRIS: OK, it's making a little more sense now.
So, what we have is this group, the extreme right organization, the NPD, National Democratic Party, which seems to be a neo-Nazi group.
NGUYEN: Right. It says an extreme right group, yes.
HARRIS: Yes, yes, which seems to be a neo-Nazi group. And then what we have are the folks behind the barricades, who are protesting against them...
NGUYEN: Part of an anti-racism rally.
HARRIS: Exactly.
NGUYEN: So the two clashed and...
HARRIS: And there you go.
NGUYEN: ... that's what you got.
HARRIS: And you got rocks and everything else.
NGUYEN: Of course, we're going to continue to follow this.
We don't know how many people were injured, if there were any major injuries in that. So we have our folks working on it.
We'll bring you an update just as soon as we get it.
HARRIS: And other stories now in the news.
They've matched his face, his fingerprints and his scars. Now FBI agents work around the clock on DNA analysis of terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Results are expected no later than Monday.
Earlier, I spoke with former CNN Baghdad bureau chief, Jane Arraf, about al-Zarqawi.
Jane is now a fellow at the Council On Foreign Relations.
I asked her whether the death of one man would make a difference in Iraq.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JANA ARRAF, COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS: Here they have decapitated the most visible element of the deadliest organization in Iraq. This was a man who had some control of -- of attacks so horrific that they really have contributed, to a large part, to destabilizing the country.
The problem is, it is, obviously, just one man. And the insurgency, for want of a better word, is so multi-layered now, so sectarian, so Iraqi at the core, that his death is not really going to keep things from proceeding.
HARRIS: Yes.
So, Jane, is it kind of a misnomer to call it an insurgency?
I mean should we call it what it is, according to a lot of people, a civil war?
ARRAF: Well, that's a great question.
Well, we've never had -- you know, we've always had a problem with the words.
HARRIS: Yes.
ARRAF: The U.S. military refused to call this an insurgency until long after it was considered an insurgency.
Is it a civil war? I think it's almost indisputable. And I had not wanted to believe this and say it for the longest time. But this is a low grade civil war.
It could be so much worse, though. And I think what's happened in the past couple of days, the formation of the government, the appointment of an interior and defense minister and the killing of Zarqawi, maybe gives people a little bit of pause, a little bit of hope that it can be stopped.
HARRIS: Well...
ARRAF: If not stopped, eased.
HARRIS: Yes.
Why the hesitation in calling it what many feel it is, a civil war? Is that because to call it a civil war is kind on the worst case scenario for Iraq?
ARRAF: You know, I think here the problem is -- and I've been going around the country talking to a lot of people about this, talking to officials, military people -- the word civil war just sounds like failure. We went in there to liberate the country. We went in there to stabilize the region and now there is a civil war.
I think that's a large part of the reason that people avoid that word.
But if you look at the facts on the ground, in places that are the center of gravity of Iraq, that seems to be exactly what's happening.
HARRIS: The drawing down of American troops, is that even -- through your lens -- foreseeable in the near future?
ARRAF: I really can't see how it would be militarily foreseeable. And, again, a lot of the military people that I speak with are quite candid about the fact that they are deeply worried that if they draw down the troops to any significant extent, things may very well spiral out of control. And if we think it's bad now, it could get so much worse.
On the other hand, when you go through these towns in America and you talk to military families and you talk to ordinary Americans who don't really understand why the troops are there -- the military families do. A lot of ordinary Americans don't. Then there is a real popular and political push to get those troops out. And those two things are colliding.
HARRIS: OK, you were on the ground there, what, '97 until 2000, and then again from 2000-2004.
Are you optimistic, pessimistic about Iraq's future?
ARRAF: Yes, I just left last year in September. And I hope to go back.
I retain a little bit of optimism because, you know, when you're there, it's -- you really get a sense that things aren't quite as hopeless as they seem when you're over here. Because when you're there, you go out in the streets and the way I'm dressed right now in this picture is not the way I normally dress in Iraq. But when you're there and you're out in the streets, you see life going on.
It's absolutely incredible. I used to make a point of trying to go back to the car bombings, the suicide bombings. And even hours later, people would be sweeping up that glass, opening up the shutters, taking their kids to school again. There is an incredible resilience there that gives me a tiny bit of hope that maybe, maybe, maybe this could be pulled back from the brink.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: So that's Jane Arraf's perspective.
But will the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi make a difference in the war on terror?
Our Veronica de la Cruz joins us now with what we're finding out online -- people really are weighing in.
VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, they are. And like you were just saying, that's just one of several questions that people are asking. Others might include what made al-Zarqawi the most wanted man in Iraq, how exactly did those air strikes that killed him go down?
Well, some of those answers are just a click away. You can find them at CNN.com.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DE LA CRUZ (voice-over): The painstaking operation took weeks, but acting on a range of security tips, U.S. forces dropped two 500- pound bombs on a safe house near Baquba, where al-Zarqawi's body was found.
You can view this night video clip from the air strike on the safe house and click through this gallery to see aftermath pictures from the bombing site.
This time line highlights many of the events that made al-Zarqawi the most wanted man in Iraq -- from the bombing of the United Nations in Baghdad to the many kidnappings and beheadings.
And we would like to hear from you. Do you think al-Zarqawi's death matters?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DE LA CRUZ: You can weigh in by pointing your browsers to CNN.com/Iraq.
And coming up later in the show, Betty, we're going to be reading some of those e-mails and we're going to give everybody out there a shot at winning a year long subscription to CNN Pipeline.
NGUYEN: Oh, OK.
Hey, that's priceless, right?
DE LA CRUZ: Absolutely. And I know that...
NGUYEN: But you can get it...
(CROSSTALK)
NGUYEN: ... for free today. All you have to do is mail in your thoughts.
DE LA CRUZ: And you're going to have to listen closely. So listen closely all morning long.
NGUYEN: Oh.
DE LA CRUZ: Yes.
NGUYEN: I like it.
DE LA CRUZ: Because the answer is somewhere...
NGUYEN: It sounds good.
We'll be talking with you soon.
(CROSSTALK)
HARRIS: What are we, a game show?
NGUYEN: All right.
DE LA CRUZ: Sweepstakes. Sweepstakes.
HARRIS: Sweepstakes?
NGUYEN: Well, we are -- we're rewarding our viewers.
HARRIS: Is that what we're doing?
NGUYEN: That's what we're calling it. At least that's what I'm calling it.
HARRIS: OK.
NGUYEN: Thank you, Veronica.
DE LA CRUZ: All right.
NGUYEN: Well, we do want to give you a programming note right now.
Tonight, CNN's Wolf Blitzer hosts "IRAQ: A WEEK AT WAR."
CNN's team of correspondents bring you the only in depth look at major events in the war on terror, the strike on al-Zarqawi in Iraq, the new tape from al-Zawahiri and a heinous terror plot foiled in Canada.
"IRAQ: A WEEK AT WAR" -- that's tonight, 7:00 p.m. Eastern, only on CNN.
HARRIS: I know you're -- you're good about this -- shredding your documents.
NGUYEN: Oh, OK.
HARRIS: To safeguard your Social Security number...
NGUYEN: That's the only thing I ...
(CROSSTALK)
HARRIS: Do you take all kinds -- yes, that's true.
You take all kinds of steps to protect your information...
NGUYEN: You have to.
HARRIS: ... and you still get hit.
NGUYEN: True.
So here's the question -- is anybody safe?
Well, those thieves, they are finding ways to outwit even the smartest consumers.
So here's what we're going to do. We have ways to keep you ahead of these identity theft thieves.
Stay with us for that.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: It's a big business for criminals -- stealing your identity. While debit and credit cards can make shopping a dream, they can also turn your life into a real nightmare.
Just this past week, news that the credit card numbers of more than 240,000 customers of hotels.com being stolen.
And then the search is on for a stolen laptop computer in Maryland. On it, personal information linked to millions registered with the U.S. military.
So what can even the most careful consumer do?
Well, joining us now from Phoenix, Arizona is Todd Davis, CEO of Lifelock.
Thanks for being with us this morning.
TODD DAVIS, IDENTITY THEFT SPECIALIST & CEO, LIFELOCK: Thanks, Betty.
NGUYEN: Well, you know, it seems like eventually everyone is going to fall victim, to some extent, of identity theft.
So what can we do, truly, to -- no gimmicks. Just get down to it. What can we do to make sure that we're protected?
DAVIS: The best advice I can give everyone is every consumer has the right to place what's called a fraud alert with the three major credit bureaus, Equifax...
NGUYEN: Now, do you place that if you haven't had your identity stolen?
DAVIS: You bet.
NGUYEN: OK.
DAVIS: The way the law reads, if you have a good faith belief that you've been or could be a victim of identity theft, you can place this fraud alert. And, as you mentioned, we just had almost 27 million people in the last 30 days who certainly have that food faith belief.
NGUYEN: All right, some of the other things, remove yourself from pre-approved offers.
DAVIS: You bet. You make yourself vulnerable if you have -- keep getting those pre-approved credit card offers. So you can opt out of those. You'll still get them from the banks you do business with, but all those others that send you the checks and the pre- approved cards, we stop those so that the thieves don't break into your mailboxes, take those, accept the offer, but change the mailing address and run-up the credit limit.
NGUYEN: I see what you're saying.
OK, now you talked about these fraud alerts and then you've also got the credit alerts. But here's the problem with that. They only last for about 90 days.
DAVIS: They do only last for 90 days. So remember, the credit bureaus, they don't want you to place those, because they sell your data. They want to be able to do that fast, without any impediment. But those fraud alerts are the best front line of defense because then, when anyone is going to pull your credit report or your credit score, they actually have to call you on the phone and get verbal authorization that it's you making that request. So...
NGUYEN: Yes, I've actually done that, and they've called me. And it really works well.
And something else that has worked well for me -- knock on wood -- and I think for others, is that we shop online, we bank online.
DAVIS: You bet. NGUYEN: We pay our bills online.
Is that safer than putting it in the mail, putting a check in the mail, say?
DAVIS: You know what? It actually is. Only about 16 percent of identity theft occurs because of some Internet transaction. So as long as you're looking for the secure sites -- and that means you're looking for it to say https at the top or that little lock in the bottom right hand corner of your computer screen.
Any time you're giving credit card information or making payment information, make sure those are there. And it's going to be a valid site. You're as safe doing that as you certainly are handing your credit card to your waiter or waitress and they walk away and leave with it for a while.
NGUYEN: Well, but people are still getting that information. Say I go to a restaurant and I use my credit card or I go to a grocery store and use my debit card, punch in that PIN number.
Are people really trying to stop using their credit cards or debit cards because they're afraid of people getting that information and using it fraudulently?
DAVIS: They can get the information. And we've seen instances of where they do it at the ATM or get the magnetic swipers. But we still tell people don't let the thieves get ahead, don't let them win this war. You can still feel safe doing the transactions. Your limits -- there are limits to what your exposure can be when you use your credit card.
A debit card is a little more of a challenge, but there are limits. Keep using those. Just go out and make this information useless to the criminal by setting these fraud alerts or subscribing to a surface like a Lifelock that will back it up with that million dollar guarantee.
NGUYEN: And that's really the best way to do it, right? That's really the only way to take preventive measures?
DAVIS: Absolutely. If you go do that and stay proactive on these fraud alerts, then they can't -- even if they get the information, they can't turn it into money. They're going to move onto someone else.
NGUYEN: Because you're going to see something fishy going on with those alerts, right? You're going to see it before it gets to the point where you can't stop it?
DAVIS: Before it impacts your credit, they're going to have to call u. You're going to be able to stop it. And that's why we can back up the service with this million dollar guarantee.
NGUYEN: OK. But, but, with that in mind, for example, our executive producer, she had her credit card information stolen, unbeknownst to her.
DAVIS: You bet.
NGUYEN: So what she got was a new card in the mail. She thought hmmm, this is weird that I'm getting a new card. Most people would say you know what? This is just a replacement. Let me go ahead and activate it.
DAVIS: You bet.
NGUYEN: But she called instead. And when she called, she found out that someone had gotten her PIN number and her information. But she wasn't told that immediately. She actually had to ask for it.
So, are these companies basically turning you into an investigator to find out what happened to your card and your information?
DAVIS: I'm afraid so. They don't take the responsibility to resolve the issue for you. Their job is to do transactions. So they just want those moving out. They have set aside a pre-approved amount of money that they just pay off those expenses.
So that's why the Federal Trade Commission warns you, when you become a victim of identity theft, it's going to take you, the consumer, an average of 177 hours...
NGUYEN: Really?
DAVIS: ... over a two year period to clean up your credit, if you can do it at all.
NGUYEN: Well, the thing is you've got to stay on top of it, put those fraud alerts into effect and just watch it and monitor it, ask questions.
DAVIS: And I really want to make sure those veterans, especially...
NGUYEN: Yes.
DAVIS: ... that have been victimized, they can go find out. We'll cover them for free. Go to lifelock.com. We'll cover you and your spouses. You protected and served our country. There is no way we're going to let you become a victim again of identity theft.
Go to lifelock.com. We'll protect you for the next 90 days for free and give you a discount for life just to make sure you're not out a dollar.
NGUYEN: Good deal, yes. Because millions of veterans were affected when that computer was stolen from the Veterans Administration.
DAVIS: That's right.
NGUYEN: thank you for your time this morning.
DAVIS: Thanks, Betty.
NGUYEN: Really good information.
DAVIS: Appreciate it.
NGUYEN: Sure.
Well, the wallacaru -- easy for me to say, right?
"Water Cooler"?
HARRIS: At 7:48 in the morning.
NGUYEN: That is next. And you don't want to miss it.
HARRIS: We'll explain what this young woman is doing in this restaurant window and why folks...
NGUYEN: What is she doing?
HARRIS: Yes, what is she doing?
Why folks have been watching her on the Internet for the past week.
NGUYEN: She looks like she's sleeping.
Huh.
It's not a sleeper story, though, folks. You want to see this. It's next on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: You just love that open, don't you, Tony?
HARRIS: Well, where are the coffee cups? Where are the empty coffee cups?
NGUYEN: There's nothing in them, anyways, so what does it matter?
HARRIS: Prop room.
NGUYEN: OK, so in addition to all of the day's other news, here are some unusual stories from "The Water Cooler" you just won't soon forget.
HARRIS: Yes.
NGUYEN: Take a look at these two TV towers. We're going to put them up for you. Yes, right there. In southern Georgia...
HARRIS: Whoa! NGUYEN: I can't -- can you see the top?
HARRIS: Yes, yes, yes, yes.
NGUYEN: OK, I see one of them right there.
HARRIS: There it is.
NGUYEN: All right, now, a demolition crew was hired to bring down one tower, which is what you see right there.
HARRIS: Right.
NGUYEN: But watch. Just as it's almost down...
HARRIS: It stops.
NGUYEN: ... some wires snag in the other tower and pull it down, too.
HARRIS: Wow!
NGUYEN: Can you say oops? My bad. Here it goes. Here. We want to show that again, one more time.
HARRIS: So the second one wasn't supposed to come down?
NGUYEN: No.
HARRIS: Oh, oh, oh, oh.
NGUYEN: Just one of them. And -- what are those things that just popped up?
OK, so one going down, going down, going down. It looks like, you know, all is well.
HARRIS: This looks like those creatures from "War of the Worlds."
NGUYEN: Yes.
HARRIS: The Tom Cruise movie?
NGUYEN: And then there's...
HARRIS: Oh.
NGUYEN: ... a snag.
HARRIS: So that wasn't supposed to happen?
NGUYEN: Ooh, big mistake.
HARRIS: It wasn't.
NGUYEN: Yes, someone is going to be paying for that.
HARRIS: OK.
Moving on.
Do you recognize these guys? Sure you do. Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons -- well, maybe...
NGUYEN: Oh, yes, yes. OK.
HARRIS: They're not in the make up, but you recognize them.
NGUYEN: Yes, I don't recognize them without the suits and the makeup.
There.
I've got you.
HARRIS: Yes, of course, from the group Kiss.
Now they want you to wrap your lips around...
NGUYEN: What?
HARRIS: ... around -- oh, I lost my place.
NGUYEN: A nice, hot cup of cappuccino?
HARRIS: Cappuccino.
NGUYEN: What?
HARRIS: Later this month, Kiss will open what they say will be the world's most outrageous coffee and dessert shop. It will be in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The grand opening is June 27th.
NGUYEN: Yes, outrageous is right.
On the Internet, the phenomenon of the past week was this guy, Adam Scott of Canada. He spent the past seven days on a strict diet. Gosh, this don't even...
HARRIS: No.
NGUYEN: I don't even want to say it -- of dried monkey chow. I don't know what's in monkey chow, but OK. And documenting the unpleasant ordeal on the Web. His pain is your mirth. And you can check out the hilarious experiment at www.angryman.com.
HARRIS: Yes, I was just going to say, monkey chow? What's this?
NGUYEN: What is monkey chow?
HARRIS: You don't want to know. No, you really don't want to know. Also hot on the Web this week, aspiring actress Lauren Argo. Her latest performance is as the daily special at an upscale restaurant in downtown Louisville. She's been living in the front window all week with a Web came trained on her 24-7. Her one woman show ends later this morning, but before it closes, she joins us. In our 10:00 a.m. Eastern hour, Betty is going to talk to her...
NGUYEN: Yes.
HARRIS: ... about her life inside this kind of fish bowl.
NGUYEN: But I'm going to have to ask her, if this is her best performance so far, girl sleeping. I could pretty -- we could do that, Tony.
HARRIS: Well, you've got to sleep. You've got to eat, you've got to sleep. Right?
NGUYEN: I know. I know. But, let me tell you, Oscar winning performance right there...
HARRIS: There you go.
NGUYEN: ... sleeping. No one does it better than Lauren.
And we're talking about that.
HARRIS: And there you have it, items from "The Water Cooler."
Upstairs now to Reynolds Wolf for a check of the nation's weather...
(WEATHER REPORT)
NGUYEN: The next hour of CNN SATURDAY MORNING begins in just a moment.
But first, Gerri Willis has your "Tip of the Day."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GERRI WILLIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Here's how to avoid a foreclosure notice from the bank.
First, don't over extend yourself. Spend no more than 28 percent of your gross income on housing. Second, live on a budget. Eliminating small day to day items could add up to big savings. Third, build a safety net. Financial planners generally recommend a six month savings cushion. That way, if you run-into problems, you'll be able to meet your financial obligations.
Make sure you take the first step before the late notices start piling up. Foreclosures are a mess for everyone involved. So there is a good chance they'll help you work something out.
I'm Gerri Willis and that's your Tip of the Day. For more, watch OPEN HOUSE, today at 9:30 Eastern, right here on CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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