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CNN Saturday Morning News

Battling Fires on Both Coasts; U.S. Military Looking for Three Missing Soldiers in Iraq;

Aired May 12, 2007 - 09:00   ET

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

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN CO-ANCHOR, CNN SATURDAY MORNING: Hello, everybody. From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Betty Nguyen.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR, CNN SATURDAY MORNING: I'm T.J. Holmes. So glad you could all be here with us this morning. We have a lot to talk about, including a big breaking story.

But also this big story happening here in the U.S, battling the flames on both coasts. Hundreds of firefighters on the front lines in Florida and California, now in Minnesota, as well. We'll get to that shortly.

NGUYEN: But first, we have some breaking news out of Iraq. The U.S. military confirms to CNN that it is searching for three soldiers. Now, they have been missing since a deadly attack, which happened southwest of Baghdad. We want to get the latest now from CNN's Hugh Riminton who joins us now in Baghdad. I understand five coalition soldiers were killed in this attack. Bring us up to speed, Hugh.

HUGH RIMINTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Indeed. There were eight people in two vehicles traveling just to the southwest of Baghdad. Around about dawn, just before dawn, about quarter to 5:00 a.m. local time, just over 12 hours ago now, they came under attack. A nearby unit heard explosions, trying to reach them by radio, got no response. Within 15 minutes, an unmanned air vehicle, a drone, if you like, was put up and saw the two U.S. military vehicles on fire.

A quick reaction force was dispatched. It took one hour, effectively, from the initial attack on these two vehicles to get that quick reaction force in there. They found five soldiers dead, three missing. And the huge search is now under way for those three missing soldiers. Now, this team of eight people included seven U.S. soldiers, plus one Iraqi army interpreter. Some confusion as to the personnel and the identification of the personnel killed. We know that five have been killed. It was initially suggested the interpreter was one of those five. The military saying now they simply do not know. What we do know is of the three who are unaccounted for, at least two are U.S. soldiers, possibly all three of them.

Now, they are up now in the skies above this area just to the west of the town of Mahmudiyah, aerial surveillance in the form of helicopters, more drones, fixed-wing aircraft an enormous search. Checkpoints down on the ground try to stop the further movement of these three missing service personnel. Also, local tribal leaders are being called in to see what use they can be to the search in terms of using their eyes and ears on the ground to get such information as they can.

It should be noted that there is, of course, a readiness already in place for any prisoners of war, any kidnappings, any potential hostage-taking. The U.S. embassy here is the only embassy in the world with a permanent office of hostage action, and they will be right now doing what they can to advise as this search takes place. As we say, three people missing, at least two of them U.S. soldiers, one possibly an Iraqi interpreter, after an attack, an ambush, apparently, on two U.S. vehicles left five dead, Betty.

NGUYEN: All right. CNN's Hugh Riminton. Of course, we'll get more information on this story and continue to follow it. Thank you, Hugh.

T.J.

HOLMES: Betty, certainly not the first time here that U.S. troops have vanished after a battle. Joining us by phone now is CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr with us this morning. And Barbara, remind us, these stories are big when we see them about missing soldiers, but just how often have we see these in the past?

VOICE OF BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, T.J., as this particular event unfolds, of course, very early hours, and we know so little about what's really going on at this point. But what we can tell people is nothing is more urgent for the U.S. military than when they search for their missing that they believe may or could be in enemy hands. There are at least two cases in recent months where the military has been down this road before, and they have been very, very tough cases.

You'll recall, in January of this year there was an attack on a compound in Karbala. Several U.S. personnel, military personnel were killed in that attack. But in fact, four troops, four U.S. troops were captured by insurgents, by enemy forces, taken away and then tragically later found executed. That was in January of this year. Back in June of last year, another incident. There were two young enlisted soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division manning the checkpoint in the town of Yusufiyah. They came under attack, and they then were, again, tragically found later to have been mutilated, tortured, and killed.

In these cases and it may well be that is what the military will rapidly look into here, how these things happen, how small groups of soldiers may be left without the complete means to defend themselves against attack is always a matter of great concern for the military. They will be looking at this case, investigating this time what happened, what the threat was, how these troops came under attack, whether they had enough fire power on hand to defend themselves against their attackers.

But again, just unfolding now, we know so little about this. But what we can say, of course, really, as my colleague Hugh Riminton has just said, massive, urgent search under way. All stops being pulled out. T.J. HOLMES: Our Barbara Starr for us this morning. Certainly hope to get you back and tap into expertise and certainly the reporting you do around the Pentagon about just what happens after some of these attacks and revisiting procedures. So hope to talk to you again, Barbara. Barbara Starr for us this morning by phone. Thank you so much.

NGUYEN: We want to take you now to those wildfires here in the U.S. Get a look at this map, on either coast and up to the northern border there are dangerous fires. In the southeast flames tearing through communities, and they are tearing through them fast. Nearly 180,000 acres have burned in Georgia and Florida. Hundreds of homes evacuated in both states. Evacuation orders also in effect in northern Minnesota. A wildfire there feeding off dry conditions and shifting winds, more than 60 homes and cabins destroyed right along the border with Canada.

And off the California coast firefighters are getting the upper hand on a fire burning on Catalina Island. Look at this video about 4,000 residents now being allowed to return home. Well, CNN's John Zarrella is live in Lake City, Florida, this morning. John, we can see the haze all around you. Talk to us about the fires that just continue to burn so much of the land there.

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Betty, we can actually see, it's really starting to settle in again today here in Lake City, and we're just to the south of I-10. You absolutely can't see Interstate 10 right up in front of us. And we're not that many miles from the Georgia border where we are. I suppose some good news, though, to report this morning is that because the humidity is up and the wind has died down, that's why all this is settling on us, but that's good news. It's given the firefighters an opportunity to get an upper hand in this blaze. And what you can see behind me, of course, are all of the fire trucks. A lot of them are lost in that smoke that's up ahead of us. But there must be 50, 75 fire trucks here.

And we had an opportunity, we were chatting just a few minutes ago with some of the firefighters from Marion County that is down in the Ocala area, who were here and said they hadn't seen any flames in the two days they had been here, that their responsibility had been to go out and set up perimeter in front of and around some of the houses that are out there that are isolated out in the woods out there. And a lot of this fire is contained, a major forest area out there, literally pine tree farms that we were able to go through yesterday.

And in fact, we were out with the U.S. Forestry Service yesterday and got a look at the only, the only damage that this fire has done. This is a hunt camp, and forestry officials tell us it is the only structure that they have lost to the fire, but you can see the intensity at which the fire moved through here. Look at the tires on this, what's left of this tractor. Completely burned off right down to just ash here. Now, all around us, you can see how the fire raced through these pine trees. And this is literally a pine forest, a farm, a tree farm here, and the pine trees are all planted in neat rows, except for this clearing area, which is where this hunt camp used to be and has now burned out. Take a look over here. There is a little 4 by 4, four-wheeler down here. Look at the tires, burnt right down to what's left. Barely anything left. Look at this. It's just basically ash and cinder, that's, like charcoal. That's all that's left here. Everything here in this camp, in this hunt camp completely destroyed as the fire raced through here. And as we drove in here, you can see that all the trees here have been completely burned through, burned out. probably not good for much of anything else.

Now, they say that the fire is about 10 percent contained, only about 10 percent contained. We're hoping for an update in just about an hour, a press news conference going to be held here, get an update on how things are. But again, all of a sudden, it just has descended upon us, all of the smoke and haze, so thick that you can barely see those firefighters back there who we were talking to just a little while ago.

Betty.

NGUYEN: We know there have been evacuations, but how about you? Are you supposed to be breathing all that?

ZARRELLA: Probably not a good idea for any length of time. But remember, just now is when it's gotten very bad. We've been very lucky even yesterday out in it. It wasn't terrible out there yesterday. The wind had picked up a little bit and had blown it through, but it really has just socked us in right now. And it smells.

NGUYEN: All right. Well get indoors, will you John? We'll be watching. Thank you.

HOLMES: Meanwhile, on the other end of the country, crews trying to get control of the Catalina Island fire. It's now about 35 percent contained. Thousands of residents are returning home. We get more now from Jamie Chambers of affiliate KTLA.

JAMIE CHAMBERS, KTLA: Almost before the alarms went off, the plumes of smoke on Catalina could be seen from the mainland, signaling fire teams from Los Angeles to get ready to fight for the island paradise of Avalon. Hundreds of firefighters coming by hovercraft joined local volunteer firefighters and residents and made a stand at the edge of town. Helicopters doused the blaze from the air while air tankers laid down fire retardant. In the end, Avalon was saved. But one man did lose his house.

BRAD WILSON, LOST HOME IN FIRE: Walked up to the bottom of the road here and saw that it was fully engulfed in flames. And you know, I called my wife and said, "it's gone" and you know it's tough. You know, it's tough losing, you know, virtually all of your belongings.

CHAMBERS: Wilson says he spent two years decorating the 1930 ocean view cottage with his wife.

WILSON: It was a really cool, old beach bungalow, very nicely appointed. We had just dialed in with all new furniture, Pottery Barn loves us. Of course, they'll love us again. CHAMBERS: Six industrial buildings were also destroyed, but business owners say they will rebuild. Firefighters say the blaze started when a worker from the mainland was fixing some radio equipment. Islanders say the man was using a blowtorch, fire investigators declined to comment. Locals say they just can't wait to have things get back to normal.

MARY STEIN, AVALON RESIDENT: Oh, I'm feeling very grateful that the town is here, my gosh. I mean, we've eluded the worst of it, and hopefully how they'll get the rest of it out.

RANDY BRADDOCK, AVALON RESIDENT: Got little sleep. We spent the night on the roof with the water hose, trying to be prepared if it happened.

CHAMBERS: The fire hasn't been completely contained, but with the winds down, things are looking up.

CHIEF TOM KIESEWETTER, LONG BEACH FIRE DEPARTMENT: We're feeling much better. It's calmed down quite a bit. The winds are cooperating. The marine influence is cooperating and things seem to be falling into place.

HOLMES: And that report from Jamie Chambers of our affiliate KTLA. As we said, residents are being allowed back onto the island, but visitors right now still being told to stay away.

NGUYEN: We are still monitoring that breaking news, word that U.S. troops have been killed, others missing right now in Iraq. We'll get you the latest on that.

HOLMES: That's coming up right after the break. Keep it right here on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: We want to continue to update you on our breaking story out of Iraq, where eight U.S. led military personnel came under attack, five of them were killed, and three now are missing. Among this group of eight were seven U.S. soldiers and one Iraqi interpreter. We do not know the breakdown for certain, still kind of unclear right now whether or not the interpreter is among the missing or among the dead.

But again, we do know that this group of eight military personnel, U.S. led military personnel were on patrol south of Baghdad when they came under insurgent attack. Five of them were killed; another three are right now missing. Their duty status right now officially unknown, but right now a search under way by the U.S. military trying to find out the whereabouts of these three missing military, U.S. led personnel.

Again, our breaking story today. We're keeping an eye on this. Stay with us here at CNN for the very latest. We will continue to update that story all morning. NGUYEN: Actually, we're getting more information on this now because CNN's Veronica De La Cruz of our .com desk is tracking this story on line and joins us with what she has found? What have you found Veronica?

VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, .COM DESK: Betty, as you know, like T.J. was just mentioning the details in this case slowly emerging. We're learning that four U.S. soldiers and possibly one Iraqi army interpreter have been killed in this attack and now the search, as T.J. said, is still on for three other U.S. soldiers whose duty status and whereabouts are unknown.

Now, I've been scouring the Web, keeping an eye on what's happening there. Let's check in now on the Department of Defense Web site, the Pentagon Web site, which has not been updated with any of this information. Also scouring all the news agencies. This is Reuters, and this is the top story there. Reuters is reporting that a team of seven U.S. soldiers and an Iraqi army interpreter were attacked south of Baghdad. So they are saying that yes in fact it was the Iraqi interpreter attacked and killed. That is Reuter's news agency.

BBC is not showing anything as of right now, and neither is al Jazeera.com. Now, that is what is happening on the Web, I also want to go back to that map quickly and show you where all of this is taking place. This is a map of Iraq and the attack happened 12 miles west of the town of Mahmudiyah, Mahmudiyah is part of that province that we know as the Triangle of Death. Now, the five deaths bring the number of U.S. troops killed in Iraq this month alone to 39. The number of U.S. military personnel killed in the war totals 3,390.

Betty and T.J., I'll continue to track what's happening on the Web and check back with you as soon as we find something else.

NGUYEN: Let us know what you find. Thank you, Veronica.

HOLMES: Also in the Middle East, Vice President Dick Cheney on the road and on a mission. Today's stop on his Middle Eastern tour, Saudi Arabia. The goal to mend fences and bolster regional support of Iraq's fledgling government. Yesterday aboard an aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf, Cheney issued a warning to Iran. He said the U.S. and its allies will not allow Tehran to develop nuclear weapons.

NGUYEN: Fires, flooding, you can't stop Mother Nature, but there is something that you can do to protect your property before it's damaged. Personal finance editor Gerri Willis has news that you can use. It's next on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Well, we do want to update you on the information that we have, is that three soldiers are missing in Iraq. They came under attack earlier. That same attack killed five coalition soldiers. What is unknown right now, there were seven U.S. soldiers involved, one Iraqi interpreter. It's not known if the interpreter was among those killed or those who are missing at this hour. But a total of eight coalition force members are involved in this attack, and we want to get some more information on that by phone with Brig. General David Grange who joins us. The information is coming in, I think the thing that I'm questioning right now is once it was understood that this attack occurred, it took about an hour for coalition forces to get to the attack site. Can you explain, walk us through what was happening?

BRIG. GEN. DAVID GRANGE, CNN MILITARY ANALYST (via telephone): Well, there is no radio contact. In other words, let's say there was an ambush and there was a fight, and for some reason, they couldn't make radio contact that they were in contact. Then the coalition force may not have gotten the information right away. So the reaction of the rest of the coalition depended on what they do about, it and it could have been a half hour or whatever may have gone by before that happened.

NGUYEN: I am reading a statement from Major General William Caldwell, which says, "At the time of the attack, a nearby unit actually heard the explosion and attempted to establish communications without success." Talk about this area in which they were attacked. It was about, what, 12 miles west of Mahmudiyah. Is this a particularly volatile region?

GRANGE: A tough area, and I think there was an eight-man patrol with two vehicles, seems like a small patrol. I don't know if that would be a splinter patrol off of a larger element doing an operation or they were not really going on patrol, but going on some kind of a coordination operation, who knows. I'm not sure of the type of unit yet. But a two-vehicle force would have some type of backup plan before they went out. So that's a little surprising.

NGUYEN: And when we're talking about eight people, we're looking at two vehicles holding those eight there, or one vehicle with the eight and another with another set of people?

GRANGE: Well, no. It looks like two vehicles, four men each. Which it sounds like a Humvee, but I'm not sure it was a Humvee vehicle. Other vehicles hold four people as well, like Bradley's, Bradley fighting vehicles and an example of some others. It's hard to tell right now. I don't know what type of vehicles, but we're going to assume Humvees.

NGUYEN: OK. And as the search goes on, you have been through unfortunately a situation in Kosovo where you had three soldiers missing. Walk us through what is happening right now. I understand checkpoints are being set up. Drones are being put in the air to scour the area.

GRANGE: What will happen is, and unfortunately, I had three taken prisoner in Macedonia, two in Vietnam, one we think killed, but later one was captured, didn't know at the time. A lot of confusion in combat, a lot of fog of war. And you know, the best plan in the world, once the first bullet is shot, things really go to heck in a hand basket. So it's hard to tell. But what will happen is this will be the priority, the absolute priority of the coalition forces to try to find these soldiers. And what's key is the first 12 hours or so, that's the most important part of the combat search and rescue operations. So they will mobilize thousands of soldiers to try to find these soldiers.

NGUYEN: And at this point, of course, we're just learning this, but we understood that at 4:44 in the morning Iraqi time this is when this attack occurred. And we're talking about the sense of that first 12 hours is so crucial. At this point, though, it could be the case that these soldiers, we were talking to Barbara Starr earlier and we were talking to some others, who were saying that they could still be searching, these soldiers, for the people who attacked them. It's not necessarily, I guess, fact that they indeed have been captured or are missing in that type of way.

GRANGE: That's exactly true. I mean, they may have been able to invade, contact on their own somewhere. They could be captured. They could have been killed and the bodies taken somewhere else. We don't know. But right now we have to assume that they're alive and waiting for their brothers in arms to come get them.

NGUYEN: And that search is under way right now. Brigadier General David Grange, I appreciate your time. Obviously, you spent a lot of time in war zones and know, unfortunately, what it's like to deal with situations like this. And the search is on right now for three missing coalition force members.

And as soon as get more information on that, we will bring it straight to you. Stay tuned. There is much more coming right after this break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Well, we have wildfires, some areas dealing with flooding. Bonnie Schneider, what's in your bag today?

BONNIE SCHNEIDER, CNN METEOROLOGIST: We've got it all, you're right, Betty. We even have the remnants of what was a subtropical system. You can see that the moisture's still flowing from Andrea is offshore. We could use it onshore, but unfortunately, we're not seeing that. A dense smoke advisory that continues until about 10:00 a.m. for today. So it's just about over in about 30 minutes. It doesn't really matter, though, in terms of the air quality. It will be poor throughout the day today, anywhere from South Georgia to north Florida. We're talking about visibility that's less than 1/4 of a mile.

You saw John Zarrella's reports out there into Florida. This is not going to improve throughout much of the day today. We do run the risk of an isolated shower or thunderstorm, that would be good because that would get the wind going just enough maybe to clear things out, get some rain in there, but temperatures are going to be very hot. Winds will be out of the northeast at 5 to 10 with could see gusts higher than that. The winds right now are calm, and that is allowing all that the smoke and soot to settle in the air and that's why we have the bad air quality.

High of 88 in Waycross, Georgia and a high of 90 in northern Florida, so very, very hot and dry conditions definitely remain across this region. Now want to take you on a Google Earth tour across the country to California, and show you from Los Angeles, 22 miles out in the Pacific is Catalina Island where another major wildfire is burning at this time. The wind direction has been key to help the firefighters fight the fire. We saw the winds coming in out of the west and northwest yesterday. The same wind direction will hold true for today.

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