Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Saturday Morning News
London Increases Security in Wake of Car Bombs
Aired June 30, 2007 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
TJ HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR, SATURDAY MORNING: Good morning and (INAUDIBLE) from the CNN center in Atlanta, Georgia. It is Saturday, June 30th and I'm TJ Holmes.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR, SATURDAY MORNING: The end of June already, can you believe it? This year has flown by. Good morning everybody. We appreciate you joining us today. I'm Betty Nguyen. We got a lot to tell you about so let's get straight to it.
Dealing with those terror threats in London, what did al Qaeda or homegrown terrorists and what are homeland security officials in this country saying?
HOLMES: Also this morning, an ominous forecast for parts of the U.S., treacherous flood zones could get worse today. We'll show you who could be under water.
NGUYEN: Plus, China retaliates against recalls in contaminated products. Now it is banning some U.S. goods.
HOLMES: And are you waking up with an iPhone? If so, congratulations and watch your back. And do those things live up to all the hype? We want to hear from you on this CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
NGUYEN: We want to hear from you because none of us has one of those iPhones. All right, well, we do want to start this morning in London with that alert that is taking place there.
HOLMES: Increased security on the streets there, trying to reassure the public in the wake of yesterday's discovery of two massive car bombs. This is new video we're just getting in here that shows the extra police presence. Investigators checking the two cars for clues now. They're also checking security cameras in the area where the calls (sic) were found. We do want to check in now with CNN's Paula Newton live this morning at Scotland Yard. Good morning to you Paula.
PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning TJ. As you were referring, high alert again overnight. Police are taking this very seriously in terms of trying to involve the public and let them know look, it's up to you to really call in anything suspicious that you do see. Not any new developments overnight, but you can bet that one of the largest manhunts ever mounted here is under way. The police say they may have something to say at a briefing later today.
In the meantime, the government Cobra committee and that is the emergency services committee is meeting right again at this hour. That is headed by the new health secretary Jacqui Smith. It's been quite a baptism by fire for her, in the job three days and already having to deal with this. They are expected to get the latest briefing from police. In the meantime, not really any more clues. You can bet that the (INAUDIBLE) of inquiries still remains whether or not al Qaeda had anything to do with this and also, whether or not this was linked to any other plot.
What Londoners woke up to this morning was the specter of a whole terror threat and that's on top of a lot of the threats that they already feel in the air, on the ground and underground.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON (voice-over): With this light green Mercedes, Britain turned a corner, the new risk dead ahead chillingly uttered in two words, car bomb.
PETER CLARKE, COUNTER-TERROR CHIEF: There's no intelligence whatsoever that we were going to be attacked in this way.
NEWTON: As crude as it was, security sources closest to the investigation said the bomb would have worked. Gallons of gasoline packed in the front and back, gas canisters, the kind used for barbecues stuffed inside, the whole thing laced with nails. CNN has learned tethered to a mobile phone.
MICHAEL CLARKE, TERRORISM EXPERT: This was a bit different. This actually looks like the sort of bombs that we've had in Iraq and Afghanistan. This was an IED, an improvised explosive device which was good enough to kill quite a lot of people.
NEWTON: Investigators will now take this car away to continue to sweep it for any kind of forensic evidence that would give them more clues into this alleged plot. That evidence will enhance hours of CCTV footage. There was no hiding from cameras on this piece of London real estate.
Still, Britain is now facing credible threats in the air, on the ground and of course underground, all of it borrowing from previous plots. The gas limos (ph) project masterminded by Darren Verot (ph). He is serving a life sentence, his plans though worryingly similar. In 2004, he was busted for intending to blow up limousines in Britain and the United States.
Then there was the fertilizer bomb plot, also foiled by police in 2004. One of the targets, a nightclub, evidence showing the bombers thought it was a legitimate target. Police say they are considering any and all links to other plots.
P. CLARKE: We're keeping an entirely open mind about that. I have of course referred to some facets, some features of what's happened which resonate with previous plots and I wouldn't at this stage plan to speculate. I think that would probably be unhelpful. I want to investigate. NEWTON: With security alerts now cropping up in other locations and police now confirming the second car bomb near Park Lane, investigators are trying to rule out their worst fear, that there will yet be more.
SANDRA BELL, EXPLOSIVES EXPERT: There is a huge community that we know is (INAUDIBLE) will advise on how best to blow up a car. And so therefore, it's not surprising that you see similarities in various ways.
NEWTON: As the new investigation into two car bombs continues, this could all be now a new sinister spin on the threat here on the ones that will be very difficult to prevent.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: And people are very relieved in the city right now that overnight there weren't any more alerts about any suspicious cars. People are taking that as a sign of optimism right now. TJ.
HOLMES: And Paula, you mentioned some sign of relief that there weren't any more warnings, but how are folks there taking it? Are they taking it in stride, if someone got used to living under the threat of terror.
NEWTON: I have to say, the resilience of people in Britain is absolutely incredible. I can tell you I've spent a lot of hours on these streets in the last 48 hours and they're incredibly resilient. Everyone is speaking about the range to be honest and not this kind of foiled plot. Again, people are vigilant. They know to look out for what they have to look out for, whether it's suspicious vehicle or suspicious people. But it doesn't really stop them from doing what they have to do. I think people here at Scotland Yard express their gratitude that the city does just kind of get on with it. TJ.
HOLMES: That's something else. They certainly got used to it and tell me more about the rain. You've been back and forth with that umbrella, Paula Newton, thank you so much for the report.
NGUYEN: Well, security and law enforcement agencies in the U.S. are closely following developments in the London bomb plot. Officials, they say there is no imminent threat, but how concerned should Americans be about the potential for car bombs right here in the U.S.? Homeland security correspondent Jeanne Meserve joins us now live from Washington. Jeanne, I got to ask you, are there any precautions being put in place?
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A few modest ones, but going back to your main point here, U.S. officials are emphasizing again this morning that they know of no credible or specific threat against the United States at this time. But the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security have issued a bulletin to law enforcement, advising state and local authorities on how to recognize and deter an attack with a car or a truck.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) MESERVE (voice-over): U.S. law enforcement has been training for what is seen as inevitable, the use of vehicle bombs in the United States.
KEVIN MILES, FBI BOMB TECHNICIAN: It's just a matter of time before we start having these incidents in our nation.
MESERVE: Vehicle bomb tactics and technology are being upgraded almost daily in Iraq with lethal effect. U.S. officials have been particularly concerned with a recent innovation, their combination with deadly chlorine gas. With enemies of the United States honing their skills in Iraq and sharing them over the Internet, experts expected vehicle bombs here long before that.
THOMAS SANDERSON, TERRORISM EXPERT: I am completely surprised that we have not seen this in the U.S.
MESERVE: This FBI course teaches law enforcement how to extract forensic clues from the scene of a vehicle bomb. But preventing such explosions may be impossible. In response to the London bombs, New York City has taken some additional precautions.
RAY KELLY, NEW YORK POLICE COMMISSIONER: We have checkpoints that we have instituted, vehicle checkpoints on bridges and some located in Manhattan. We are checking parking garages as to the owners (ph) and we're doing it ourselves to look for suspicious vehicles.
MESERVE: There are some technologies that can scan vehicles, but they are expensive and not likely deployed. And although some efforts are being made to keep vehicles away from key buildings and large crowds, the simple fact is, trucks and cars are almost everywhere and inspecting them all is impossible. The most effective defense experts say is low tech old fashioned observation.
SANDERSON: What you have to rely on is the vigilance of the population, the good work on the police and intelligence to prevent this from happening.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MESERVE: But intelligence is imperfect and London is the perfect illustration of that. Authorities didn't have an inkling of this latest car bomb threat. Betty.
NGUYEN: That's right, vigilance is so important. Jeanne Meserve, we thank you. And CNN is committed to providing the most reliable coverage of news that affects your security so you want to stay tuned to CNN for the latest news both day and night.
Also want to tell you about this, the British security is keeping a close eye on royal family this week, especially on Princes William and Harry.
HOLMES: Those two are touring London's Wimbley (ph) stadium this morning. They're looking over the preparations for tomorrow night's tribute concert for their mother Princess Diana. Sunday would have been her 46th birthday. Of course the big crowd and many VIPs expected increased security had already been ordered for the events. Meanwhile, July 7th marks the second anniversary of the London transport bombings. In that series of attacks, four suicide bombers killed 52 bus and subway passengers. All four bombers were British and Muslim.
You can learn more about Britain's radical Muslims this weekend from CNN special investigations unit, the war within here tonight and tomorrow night at 8:00 Eastern.
The Afghan government and U.S.-led coalition military officials are investigating reports that up to 130 people were killed in a coalition attack in southern Afghanistan. The attack is reported to have happened in Helman (ph) province. Afghan officials said Afghan women and children were among those killed. A U.S. military spokesman assigned to NATO says a large number of insurgents were killed. He adds the military is investigating.
NGUYEN: Several developments out of Iraq to tell you about this morning. First, charges of premeditated murder brought against two U.S. soldiers. Those killings allegedly happened in three separate incidents, since April in Iskandariyah (ph) and involved a possible cover up. The military statement released this morning says the allegations were reported by other soldiers and an update this morning concerning the status of two U.S. soldiers missing since May 12th, an attack at that time. The Pentagon is changing the official status of Byron Fouty (ph) and Alex Jiminez from whereabouts unknown to missing/captured.
There are new pictures showing the aftermath of early morning raids in Baghdad's Sadr City. Take a look. The U.S. military says soldiers killed 26 secret cell terrorists. They captured another 17. The military says the raids targeted terrorists tied to Iranian terror networks. But local officials claim only seven people were killed and they were all civilians. The military says there were no coalition casualties during that raid. The U.S. military also announced a senior al Qaeda leader was killed in fighting near Fallujah on Friday.
HOLMES: Back here in the U.S. now, flooding in Oklahoma and Texas has been a big deal and Reynolds Wolf has been watching all of that for us. Good morning sir.
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning to you, TJ, you're right. We've got flood watches and warnings that are in effect for much of the central and southern plains and take a look at this video. Here is the reason why, because all of that rain, many places over a foot of water has risen and we're going to be seeing a little bit of a break today in some place and worse conditions in others. I'll tell you who's going to get what, coming up.
NGUYEN: It may be the craziest thing you will see this week. Take a good look, because this animal actually looks like two. No, it's not your eyes and it's not the screen. It's reality. We'll tell you about it.
HOLMES: Also we're going to have more on the London bomb scares throughout this hour. We're going to be talking to Clark Kent Ervin, former inspector general of homeland security. What will the U.S. learn from all this?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: The rain has tapered off a bit in Texas and Oklahoma, but there's still a dangerous flood situation going on there. Flood warnings in effect this morning for more than 20 counties in Oklahoma and a state of emergency is in place for all of the states after two weeks of rains and rivers and lakes over the limits. Texas bore the brunt of the flooding but some of the state's rivers are returning to normal levels and more people who fled high waters this week could be returning to their home today. Good news for them. The search conditions though for two missing men whose Jeep was found submerged in a creek. Storms are blamed for at least 11 deaths in Texas last week. Meanwhile, the governor there, Rick Perry has declared 37 counties disaster areas.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. RICK PERRY, TEXAS: For just purposes of clarification, so you know what type of area we're talking about, that's an area bigger than Oklahoma. So this is a very large area of Texas that's impacted by these floods, and as far south as Webb County on the Mexican border and as far north as the Oklahoma border.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: And President Bush also declared Texas a major disaster area. The video that you just saw that came from Marble Falls, that's a stop. You were just there, our Reynolds Wolf amazing and to hear him say that, that he's talking about an area the size of Oklahoma. Are you kidding me?
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It's mind-boggling. We're talking about a tremendous area. The problem was TJ we had all of the components coming together. We had a big stationary front, which stationary by definition means it's not going to move. So a lot of the rain kept forming over the same area again and again. The ground can only absorb so much and then we get the additional rainfall. That's when you have the flooding. We could see more of that today. In fact, take a look at the central and southern plains. These are the areas we have all the watches and warnings stretching not just from Texas, but into Oklahoma, Kansas and even into Missouri.
Let's go where the rain is heaviest at this time and that would be back in the show-me state of Missouri. In fact from St. Louis, kind of dry, but we're going to get to the half way point of the state back over toward Springfield and even into Kansas City the rain begins to picks up. We had a little bit farther to the south, Oklahoma City into the Red River valley, heavy rain expected for places like say Dallas, back over to Bridgeport. We had plenty of flooding in Dallas. They don't need any rain as well, but they could see where another two, maybe even as much as five inches of rainfall.
Meanwhile, southward we go into Austin and the flash flood watch will remain in effect through the afternoon. Things have actually improved greatly through much of the Texas hill country and Austin. One of the reasons why is because the lower Colorado River Authority, the group that actually controls the hydroelectric dams on the Colorado River had many of the floodgates opened in places like Mansfield dam and that actually helped lower the water levels in the Colorado River. So if they were to get heavy rainfall today, that would make things a little easier. (INAUDIBLE) still could cause some flash flooding but again they're staying on top of it which is great news for them. That's what we're going to be dealing with, again that possibility of rainfall in this part of the world, central and southern plains not just for today but for tomorrow as well. Let's send it back to you at the news desk.
NGUYEN: All right, Reynolds, we appreciate it.
WOLF: Any time.
NGUYEN: An illegal camp fire is now being blamed for starting that devastating wildfire near Lake Tahoe in California. More than 250 homes and structures have been destroyed in the blaze, which is now about 80 percent contained. Some evacuated residents have been allowed to return. A camp fire ban had been in effect because of the dry conditions in that area, but investigators don't think that fire was deliberately set.
And we have warning for seafood lovers out there. If you're eating fish, shrimp or other seafood imported from China, it may be contaminated. We have details on the U.S. crackdown still ahead.
One day after a car bomb attack is foiled in London, what are papers in the UK saying about it this morning? We're going to take a look next from the dot com desk.
And what are authorities telling the British to do while they investigate the bomb scares? We have the answer just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Stepped up police patrols across London this morning after the discovery of two car bombs in that city. British authorities say a massive counterterrorism investigation is now under way. Two cars were packed with gasoline and nails. Several high profile events are scheduled in London this weekend. Scotland Yard wants Londoners to go on with their activities but remain vigilant.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TARIQ GHAFFUR, ASST. POLICE COMMISSIONER: What I want to do is to reassure Londoners that we're doing everything possible to actually make them safe. We put huge amounts of reassurance patrols on our borders. There are a significant number of events that are taking place over the weekend in London. We are reviewing the plans for those events to make sure the safety and security is number one priority in relation to that.
(END VIDEO CLIP) HOLMES: Detectives are checking closed circuit television footage from the area where the cars were found. Police say no doubt the cars were linked.
NGUYEN: The bomb scare dominates the news in Great Britain this morning and obviously we are following it very closely as well. Folks on the Internet watching in their own way. Veronica de la Cruz joins with now us with a look at that.
VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Lots of interesting details being reported this morning, but we do have to stress that CNN has not verified any of this information. We just want to let you know what's out there, what's being reported on the web. We're going to start with this one. It's the lead story in "The Times." It's a recent government warning this type of bomb attack against nightclubs. "The Times" has posted that warning on its website. You can read the entire warning itself. Now according to "The Times," the nightclub Tiger Tiger received a copy of the 54-page warning document just days before this incident. "The Times" also reports that police have quote crystal clear closed circuit TV images of the driver who left the Mercedes outside the nightclub. So that's "The Times" in the UK.
Taking a look at the front page of "The Sun," the headline reads "Basra comes to London town." The article goes on to dissect the car bomb itself saying quote, this is straight from the Iraqi insurgents handbook. It was not the most complicated device but it does represent a new and very frightening development. "The Times" also has an article detailing how police will track the car's movements prior to its arrival at the night club.
There's also a message board I wanted to talk to you about, where people can post their thoughts. One of those thoughts reading "how do we know it's a Muslim? Why jump to conclusions?" On the flipside of things this is the front page of "The Telegraph" the headline there reading "al Qaeda hunt after two London bombs found." The next paragraph reading a huge manhunt underway for a group of suspected al Qaeda terrorists after two car bombs are planted in the west end of London.
Also, all three papers are reporting that the planned attack was posted beforehand on an Islamic website and CNN has been looking into this. So far we haven't found anything to back up this claim. Now we want to know your thoughts. Tell us what you think about the London bomb scare. Does it make you feel less secure? Are you worried that something like this will happen here in the United States? You can always send your comments to us at weekends@cnn.com. And I just thought it was really interesting to see just how the papers were covering everything, how one paper was quick to say this is al Qaeda, other papers were saying we don't know at this time and again here is a document, it is all available on the web, the "Telegraph" and of course "The Times" and of course our editors are looking through all of that so I'll let you know if we uncover anything else in our report.
NGUYEN: All right, very good, Veronica, thank you. DE LA CRUZ: Don't forget to weigh in with your thoughts. Tell us what you think about all of this, weekends@cnn.com is the place. Tell us your thoughts on the London bomb scare.
NGUYEN: Reading those out loud a little bit later this morning, thank you, Veronica.
HOLMES: Of course usually a trip to Iraq by a high profile official, they usually have to keep that under wraps for security reasons.
NGUYEN: But Senator John McCain says no way. He is letting it be known, he wouldn't be anywhere else on the fourth of July.
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And as authorities look into the cars in London, we're looking into procedures Britain uses to block terrorist attacks, including things we don't do here in the U.S. I'm Josh Levs. That'scome up in the "CNN reality check." TJ.
HOLMES: All right, thank you Josh. We'll see you shortly, also the war on terror, anticipating the next attack. Can it be done? Our security analyst weighs in.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Good morning, everybody. Welcome back to CNN SATURDAY MORNING. I'm Betty Nguyen.
HOLMES: And I'm TJ Holmes. Hope you had a good morning so far. Thank you for being here with us. Of course here, we're keeping an eye on that terror alert in London this morning. Right now there's an increased police presence on the streets, visible signs of safety and security as investigators search for clues in the bomb attempts. Two unexploded car bombs were found in crowded parts of the city, one near Piccadilly Circus, the other towed away from near Trafalgar Square. The potential loss of life could have been in the hundreds.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PETER CLARKE, COUNTERTERROR CHIEF: The vehicle was found to contain very similar materials to those that have been found in the first car in Haymarket earlier today. There was a considerable amount of fuel and gas canisters. As in the first vehicle, there was also a substantial quantity of nails. This, like the first device, was potentially viable, and was made safe by the explosives officers. These vehicles are clearly linked.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: So with the government saying that the two car bombs are linked, investigators are now trying to figure another link, and that is to the possible suspects. For more now we turn to CNN security analyst Clark Kent Ervin, he joins us live from Washington.
Good morning to you, Clark.
CLARK KENT ERVIN, CNN SECURITY ANALYST: Good morning, Betty.
NGUYEN: All right. Well, let's look at these two vehicles. Two Mercedes, neither of the items in them detonated, so what does that say about the clues to the suspects here and what does it say about how sophisticated this person or persons may be?
ERVIN: Well, it doesn't appear that these devices were all that sophisticated, very easy to make, easily obtainable materials. It also -- the fact that the bombs did not go off also suggests that these were amateurs perhaps and not real professionals. Al Qaeda tends to succeed when they put their mind to it. So of course we have to let the investigation proceed, but my bet is that these were probably al Qaeda wannabes, people who were inspired by al Qaeda as opposed to directed by al Qaeda.
NGUYEN: Talking about home-grown terrorists then?
ERVIN: Well, that's right. And of course we've seen many instances of home-grown terrorists in Great Britain and of course we have seen a few instances as recently as six or seven weeks ago here in the United States of home-grown terrorists, the Fort Dix plot.
So you know, it's marginally harder now to get into the United States, to get into Britain, other countries, than it was before 9/11. And as a result I think a premium is being placed on terrorists who are already resident in the United States and other Western countries.
NGUYEN: It seems like investigators have a gold mine on their hands, not only do they have both vehicles still intact, but there is also the security cameras. Do you think this investigation is going to go very fast?
ERVIN: I think it is going to go very fast indeed, Betty. And these surveillance cameras, the utility of them cannot be overstated. You know, London is the most heavily blanketed city in the world.
There are some 400,000, one for every 15 people in that city. The average person apparently is photographed some 300 hundred times over the course of every single day, whereas in New York City, the city that's most heavily blanketed here, has I think somewhere like only 400 or so.
There's considerable opposition from civil libertarians to the use of cameras here in the United States. But I hope that this plot will cause them to rethink that. There needs to be a balance between security and liberty. These cameras are invaluable in the aiding counterterrorism investigations and also serving as a deterrent to terrorism, it seems to me.
NGUYEN: Yes they are. But you know what, even with those cameras, what is so frightening is how close these car bombs came to those soft targets. What does that say about the terrorist's ability to adapt and really blend in?
ERVIN: Well, think it's a very good point, Betty. You know, there is -- to be fair to the authorities, there's really very little that can be done to protect against car bombs, particularly against soft targets like night clubs, shopping malls, et cetera. Really the only thing that can be done is to have the public be vigilant.
That's why the British authorities have stressed that, our own American authorities have stressed that. This plot was foiled because -- the first one, because of an alert ambulance driver noticing something strange. And then secondly, the second bomb because police ticketed a car and then subsequently throughout the day noticed something strange about it.
And so we need the average person to be vigilant. We need our local police authorities, they really are the first responders as opposed to federal law enforcement officials and intelligence officials. They can't be everywhere. They can't know everything.
NGUYEN: This is true. But on the same hand, though, let me ask you this very quickly. Are you fearful that we're going to see other copycat cases not only across the pond but right here in the U.S.?
ERVIN: I am, Betty. You know, of course, thankfully we have gone more than -- almost six years without a terror attack in the United States. I think we're overdue for one. And frankly the 800- pound gorilla in the room is Iraq. I think that has only served to further radicalize terrorists and has heightened the threat to Great Britain, our greatest ally, and to us, ourselves.
NGUYEN: Clark Kent Ervin, former inspector general with the Department of Homeland Security, we appreciate your insight, as always. Thank you.
Thank you, Betty.
HOLMES: Well, those bombs -- diffused bombs just the latest in a long history of terror threats in London. Really, they have been dealing with this stuff for a while. Josh Levs joins us here with the "Reality Check" on what life is like I guess dealing with terror there in London.
JOSHUA LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Right, because you know, just like the United States, a lot of people in Britain are concerned about terrorism in general. But Britain comes at this from a very different place because of decades with the Irish Republican Army, the IRA.
Now I'm going to tell at the top, British officials say today's terrorism is very different from what has been there in the past. But because of the past experience, there are many procedures in place that is helping Britain defend itself.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LEVS (voice-over): This was London's Canary Wharf in 1996, target of what's believed to be the last major bombing attack by the Irish Republican Army. The Council on Foreign Relations says IRA attacks dating back to the 1960s killed a total of about 1,800 people, including 650 civilians. This former IRA terrorist who later became informant says Britain learned police tactics that work, like using northern Irish police who knew the community.
SEAN O'CALLAGHAN, FORMER IRA OPERATIVE: They knew the kind of people they were dealing with. They knew the history.
LEVS: Britain redesigned areas of London to limit the number of streets leading to certain high-target areas and installed closed circuit TV cameras, more intrusion for more protection. The steps have been credited with helping block attacks. But Britain's history with the IRA cuts both ways.
Osama bin Laden has pointed to it as a sign terrorists can gain power. In 1997 he told CNN: "They received the highest top official of the Irish Republican Army at the White House as a political leader, while woe, all woe is the Muslims if they cry out for their rights."
With IRA terrorism now believed to be a thing of the past due to a peace agreement, this new terrorism is very different as Islamists regularly use suicide tactics and seek mass casualties.
TONY BLAIR, FMR. BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: The combination of modern technology and a willingness to kill without limit makes this an appreciably different threat.
LEVS: But London's track record at blocking attacks, whether suicide or remote detonation, means a successful attempt can make a big statement.
ANTHONY MCROY, ISLAMIC STUDIES EXPERT: We've had so much experience with terrorism, fighting the IRA over 30 years, that we -- this would be the place. If you could get through here, you can get through anywhere.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEVS: Now we don't know who was behind this latest incident in London or really what the intention was. But authorities have said that what they've implemented along the way has been put into place right now. And also the procedures that they put into place in July a couple of years ago after the terrorist attacks that took place there.
HOLMES: We were talking a short time ago about citizens becoming more vigilant. And that's going to be the first line of defense or maybe the best line of defense even. Is this just they're naturally becoming more vigilant?
LEVS: Exactly. And look what happened here. I mean, what happened in London right now is that individual citizens really were vigilant. They kept an eye on what was happening. It's not just the government. You are right. And this is another key part of the experience of decades of IRA terrorism.
British people are already vigilant and they've grown up vigilant. People who are in their 30s, 40s and 50s grew up vigilant about terrorism. It's a very different way of looking really at the world and certainly looking around them. In the United States, authorities encourage us to be vigilant all the time. In Britain, a lot of people already are, because they've been seeing terrorist attacks since the 1960s.
So yes, you're on to something right there. That is often what happens -- what helps Britain avoid these attacks.
HOLMES: All right. Josh Levs with a "Reality Check" for us. Thank you, as always.
LEVS: You got it, thanks.
HOLMES: Meanwhile, this weekend on "CNN SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT," on the heels of that potential terror in the heart of London, CNN's Christiane Amanpour uncovers terror's surprising new breeding ground where young British Muslims are being transformed to extremism. "The War Within," 8:00 Eastern tonight and tomorrow night.
NGUYEN: Spending a holiday in Iraq, not many people would want to do that, but Republican presidential candidate John McCain says he'll be spending the Fourth of July in Iraq, quite unusual for public figures to announce it in advance, but polls show most Americans want to end U.S. military involvement in Iraq. But McCain insists the consequences of failure could be catastrophic.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R-AZ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I understand the sorrow of the American people. I visit the wounded quite often at Walter Reed and Bethesda. I'm going to Iraq on Monday, and I'm going to be proud. I would rather spend Fourth of July with the men and women who are serving in Iraq than anyplace else in the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: This trip will mark McCain's sixth visit to Iraq. The senator says he will attend a ceremony for U.S. troops who have decided to re-enlist because they believe in their mission.
And we do want to give you this program note, CNN correspondents discuss plans to ready Iraqi troops and the latest on the London terror alert. You will want to join CNN's Tom Foreman, he is hosting "THIS WEEK AT WAR" That is tonight at 7:00 Eastern.
HOLMES: A New York man faces reckless endangerment charges after police allegedly found a huge stash of chemicals. He has pleased not guilty. His attorney calls the charges ridiculous. Authorities say they found more than a ton of potassium nitrate at Miguel Serrano's home and a nearby storage facility. Police suspect Serrano was planning to sell the chemicals in smaller quantities on the Internet. They say there is no evidence he was making bombs.
Well, China now protesting the U.S. government's decision to ban some Chinese seafood. The FDA says it ordered the ban after several farm-raised species tested positive for drugs and unsafe food additives. Here now, need to show you the latest list: catfish, shrimp, eel, all a part of it. The FDA says eating them does not pose an immediate health risk but there could be serious health problems over a long period of time.
NGUYEN: Plenty of water in the rivers of Texas this weekend because of all that rain. We're going to check out a rescue there in a swollen creek, look at that. Reynolds is up next with a look at who can expect more rain this weekend.
And from rain to drought.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE HORNE, S. FLA. WATER MGMT. DISTRICT: There's no way you're going to get enough rain to bring Lake Okeechobee up to where we ultimately will not be in a drought next year.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: South Florida is in a pretty bad drought right now. But things actually could get worse. What will it take to prevent things from drying up?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: On alert in London. Take a look at these pictures. Many different sites as that investigation still takes place. At the upper right-hand corner is trafficland.com. And that's where folks can pretty much click on any link and see what is going on at a particular location throughout London.
Again, we want to talk about that investigation because folks are still looking for clues and suspects in the attempted car bombings there, keeping an eye on the investigation and the increased security, so you want to be sure to stay with CNN for the latest on this developing story throughout the day.
(WEATHER REPORT)
NGUYEN: All right. We want to you imagine this. The drought has gotten so bad in parts of Florida that some people are actually hoping the state gets hit with a couple of tropical storms this is year, can you believe it?
Well, CNN's John Zarrella has much more on this.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For more than a month, the rain has been coming down over South Florida. In some spots, eight to 10 inches have fallen, quenching parched lawns. You would think nature finally turning on the spigot would do the trick, bringing an end to a year-long drought, but you'd be wrong.
(on camera): So have you ever seen a drought this bad?
HORNE: I think this is the worst one we've ever seen, but potentially we could have a worse drought next year.
ZARRELLA (voice-over): Worse, says George Horne with the South Florida Water Management District, because the rain is falling in all the wrong places.
HORNE: We may be faced with the most difficult situations we've ever had.
ZARRELLA: One hundred miles north of Miami, the Kissimmee River winds its way south, eventually dumping into Lake Okeechobee, one of the primary sources of water for at least 5 million people. But for 234 days, barely a drop of water has flown from the river into the lake. Clouds tease the dry land but the rain never falls. Only the center of the river is navigable. In normal times the water would be two, three feet higher.
(on camera): The flood plain would be all the way back at the stands of trees on either side. So a mile to three miles?
BILL GRAF, S. FLA. WATER MGMT. DISTRICT: A mile to three miles. You wouldn't expect to see this much bank. You would expect the river to be right up at the edges and then flowing out onto the flow tunnels.
ZARRELLA (voice-over): But this year, there is no sheet of water to replenish Lake Okeechobee. Spots along the river are so dry, islands have cropped up.
GRAF: I wish you were walking in water right now. And normally you would be.
ZARRELLA: Without water from the river, Lake Okeechobee has been starving, hovering near or at its all-time record low, less than nine feet deep.
HORNE: There's no way you're going to get enough rain to bring Lake Okeechobee up to to where we ultimately will not be in a drought next year.
ZARRELLA: Only a series of tropical storms this summer might do the trick. But those can be a blessing and a curse.
John Zarrella, CNN, on the Kissimmee River.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Well, it has so far been a trying summer for amusement parks. How a woman was killed on one ride and how it's deja vu for that park.
NGUYEN: Also, an unsettling story that gets stranger. Hours before investigators found the bodies of Chris Benoit and his family, the wrestler's write-up on Wikipedia mentioned the death of his wife. OK. So who posted it? And how did they know?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) HOLMES: Noted movie critic Joel Siegel has died. Siegel had been battling colon cancer. For the past 26 years he was the first and last word on movies for ABC's "Good Morning America." Siegel was equally well-known for his biting reviews as he was for his trademark bushy mustache. Joel Siegel was 63 years old.
Well, for the second time in three years, someone is killed on the same ride at the historic Playland amusement park in Upstate New York. A woman in her 20's died when the park's Mind Scrambler ride. That ride and the area around it have been closed down for now. Investigators have not released details of this accident. A 7-year- old died on the same ride in 2004. There have also been four deaths now at the park in all in the past four years.
Well, the World Wide Web tangled up in the apparent double murder-suicide case of pro wrestler Chris Benoit. Authorities believe Benoit killed his wife and son at their Georgia home before hanging himself. But it was posted on the online encyclopedia Web site Wikipedia 14 hours earlier. Now yesterday, an anonymous Web user admitted to getting onto Benoit's Wikipedia page and writing about his wife's death. The user posted an apology on the site, calling it a terrible coincidence.
And yesterday for the second time authorities searched the office of a doctor who prescribed testosterone to Benoit. They did not say what they were looking for or what they found.
NGUYEN: Well, a controversial teen sex case is headed for the Georgia Supreme Court. The court will decide whether Genarlow Wilson gets a bond hearing. Wilson is serving 10 years for consensual sex, an act with a 15-year-old girl that he was dating when he was 17. Now earlier this month, a judge reduced Wilson's sentence to one year. But the state attorney general is appealing. Wilson's attorney wants him released on bond.
And congressional Democrats move closer to a legal showdown with the White House. Democrats subpoenaed documents related to the U.S. attorney firings, but the Bush administration has refused to comply, asserting executive privilege. Democrats had given the White House 10 days to explain that claim.
Desperately seeking an iPhone? Well, for those who camped out for days waiting to get their hands on a new phone, all that wait is over.
And you have got to see this, a horse is a horse, of course, well, except when it has stripes, kind of, sort of. We'll explain.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: All right. You have got to check this out. Part zebra, part horse. What would you call that, T.J.?
HOLMES: A zehorse, a zorse? A hebra? Whatever you want to call this...
NGUYEN: A hebra.
HOLMES: I like hebra.
NGUYEN: I like hebra too.
HOLMES: It's getting a lot of attention at a wild animal park in Germany. It seems the animal's mom spent some time at a ranch in Italy where this handsome zebra made a move apparently, and the move worked because the female zorse was the result 11 months later. Now the park is looking -- is it 11 months for...
NGUYEN: Apparently for them, I guess. But you see what happens in 11 months, maybe it should have been nine.
HOLMES: They are this he looking for a boyfriend now for the -- at the corral for this thing.
NGUYEN: Good luck finding a mate.
OK. Talk about going gaga over a gadget. I just don't understand the craze. Maybe it's because I'm too cheap to put $600 on the line for an iPhone, but the first customers to get their hands on the new Apple iPhones were positively jubilant.
HOLMES: Now they need to go figure out how to work the thing. And they need to find out if it lives up to all the hype. By the way, Betty, my birthday is coming up soon.
NGUYEN: Oh, so is mine.
HOLMES: Oh, is it?
NGUYEN: I'll guess we'll be buying our own iPhones.
HOLMES: OK. That doesn't help at all. Apple says it's the most user-friendly smart phone ever -- whatever. The phone sells for up to $600. So get your hands on one if you can.
NGUYEN: Yes. Try buying one at eBay, it will probably go for, what, $10,000. Hey, if you're thinking about that beauty of technology that we're looking at, we're going to talk with one of the tech experts putting the new iPhone to the test. You don't want to miss it.
HOLMES: See, he's demonstrating they're having problems himself. Yes. The editor-in-chief of wirelessinfo.com, he's going to join us in the next hour. That's coming up in the 10:00 Eastern hour.
VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, I have got a great way coming up to save you $600. I'm going to show you how you can program your own phone. Save yourself the $600, forget the iPhone. Even though everybody...
NGUYEN: Can I watch movies and everything?
DE LA CRUZ: We're going to get to that. NGUYEN: All right.
DE LA CRUZ: You're going to have to stay, soon. But in the meantime, we do have a request for all of you out there, just in case you got one last night, we'd love to hear from you. Tell us what you think of it. Also if you stood in line for hours upon hours, maybe you took pictures, maybe you took some video, send it all our way, even better, use your new iPhone to send us an I-Report. We are curious to know if it lives up to all the hype.
I'm going to be back with that in the next hour. And like I just said, I'm going to show you a way that you can get your own cell phone to act like an iPhone, just in case you weren't lucky enough to snap one up last night. Just in case you don't want to spend the $600.
CNN SATURDAY MORNING continues right now.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR, SATURDAY MORNING: British police smash an attempt to explode car bombs in London, bombs that could have killed hundreds of people. An intense investigation going on right now. It is our top story this morning.
TJ HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR, SATURDAY MORNING: Also, here in the U.S., heavy rains and new flood warnings. Mandatory evacuations ordered in some parts. We'll show you who's waking up under water.
From the CNN center here in Atlanta, Georgia, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING. I'm TJ Holmes.
NGUYEN: It's all dry here right now that is and I'm Betty Nguyen. We want to thank you for starting your day with us.
And let's begin in London. A high level security meeting is under way this morning. Government officials are discussing the terror threat there after the discovery of two potential car bombs in normally crowded parts of the city. There is also a very visible police presence around London right now and they are also asking the public to help them, to back them up. CNN's Alphonso van Marsh is live at Scotland Yard. We want to ask you, Alfonso, how worried are authorities about more car bombs?
ALPHONSO VAN MARSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we know that authorities are worried enough to ask the public for their help in being vigilant. They want them to keep their eye out for anything that may look suspicious. As you mentioned, this coming less than a day that it became known that those two Mercedes Benz laden with fuel, gas cylinders and nails that had police officials saying that, had those car bombs gone off, it could have caused a significant loss of life. How are people reacting to that the day after, as it were? All you need to do is take a look at the day's papers. You have "The Sun" here saying it's saved, the two bombs foiled in the west end. Of course that's the location where those two car bombs were found.
And then at the other extreme, the "Daily Mail" is asking the next pertinent question on a lot of people's minds, "where's the next bomb?" Now of course we don't have any reason to believe that there may or may not be other bombs out there, but certainly the public being aware this weekend that they need to keep their eyes open and police officers are asking for their help in finding out who may be responsible. Betty?
NGUYEN: Let me ask you. What can be done to eliminate this threat? It seems like vigilance can be one of the main things that people can use to make sure that they are safe on the streets.
VAN MARSH: Well, we need to remember that that's, in essence, what caused police to be able to locate these suspected car bombs and defuse them. It was an ambulance crew that actually saw what they thought was smoke coming out of one of the Mercedes at hackney, and that caused the police to come on down and give it a closer look. And, of course, they realized that indeed there were about 20 gallons or more of fuel as well as nails and gas canisters in that. Once that information came out, those that had towed the second Mercedes became suspicious, also smelling gas, let the authorities know. And of course, as we know, police later confirmed that that too was a car bomb. Betty?
NGUYEN: All right, CNN's Alphonso van Marsh joining us live from Scotland Yard. Thank you for that. I want to let you know that we are monitoring pictures off trafficland.com. Here's a look at that web site. Essentially what you can do is you can go here and see any street that you would like throughout the London area. This is where the closed circuit televisions. You can see a live picture of where they're focused and determine if that's an area where you want to go to. Is there congestion or is there something more like an active investigation? Hopefully not, but a lot is going on especially in these two investigations and we're staying on top of that.
HOLMES: And the London terror plot raises concerns about the potential for car bombs here in the U.S. But for now, officials say there's no evidence pointing to any imminent threat. Homeland security correspondent Jeanne Meserve joins us now live to do a story from Washington. Good morning to you Jeanne.
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning TJ. U.S. officials reiterating this morning what they said yesterday. The investigation of the British car bombs does not appear to have a U.S. link. There appears to be no specific credible threat here. However, Fourth of July celebrations are upon us, celebrations that are always a security concern. And yesterday two bulletins were sent out to state and local law enforcement by the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security. The first urged vigilance around special events sites. The second outlined the threat from car and truck bombs, giving law enforcement pointers on how to detect them and how to deter them. New York City is one of the few municipalities talking publicly about the increases in security. Mayor Michael Bloomberg says police are ramping up not out of panic, but as a precaution. And police Commissioner Ray Kelly outlined some of the specifics.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RAY KELLY, NEW YORK POLICE COMMISSIONER: We have checkpoints that we've instituted, vehicle checkpoints on bridges and some located in Manhattan. We're checking parking garages as to the owners and we're doing it ourselves to look for suspicious vehicles.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MESERVE: The administration's top security officials met last evening to discuss the situation. The U.S., of course, monitoring the investigation and offering the British any assistance they might need. But the advice to the public for now is simply keep your eyes open for anything unusual and enjoy the holiday. Do not change your plans. Back to you, TJ.
HOLMES: Don't change your plans. All right. Jeanne Meserve with us from Washington. Jeanne, thank you so much.
NGUYEN: So will the terror scare in London have an impact on the presidential campaigns right here in America? In a CNN Opinion Research Corporation poll conducted last week, 20 percent of Republicans told us terrorism is the most important issue when they vote for president. Only 5 percent of Democrats feel the same way.
HOLMES: The challenge of both parties is to convince Americans they can keep them safe from terrorism. Analysts say Republicans have an advantage over Democrats in this area. CNN's Brian Todd takes a closer look at terror and politics.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Half a world away from London's cordoned streets, the Republican presidential frontrunner plays the terrorism card.
RUDY GIULIANI (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: When I hear about a thing like this in London today, it brings me back to many, many incidents in New York, of how to react to it, how to deal with it, how to prepare for it.
TODD: What many believe is a proven track record on terror has catapulted Rudy Giuliani and he often brandishes that on the campaign trail intending to draw sharp distinctions between himself and the Democrats.
GIULIANI: I think they're in denial. I think they can't face this threat.
TODD: Analysts say with Iraq their albatross and a fresh defeat on immigration reform, terrorism is one of the few issues where Republicans play from a position of strength.
AB STODDARD, "THE HILL": They have governed us in the time of terror. Democrats have not governed since September 11th and not yet proven that they are the party that can keep us safe.
TODD: That often leaves Democrats playing from the sidelines, trying to win credibility on terror by finding any Republican weakness, real or perceived.
JOHN EDWARDS (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: What this global war on terror bumper sticker, political slogan. That's all it is. That's all it's ever been, was intended to do was for George Bush to use it to justify everything he does.
TODD: That got John Edwards skewered by Republicans. Even Hillary Clinton said she disagreed with Edwards, said she's seen firsthand what a small band of terrorists can do. On the current threat in the U.S...
HILLARY CLINTON (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I believe we are safer than we were. We are not yet safe enough.
TODD: But is that the right message to make voters believe they'll be safer under Democratic leadership?
MIKE ALLEN, POLITICO.COM: This is very tough terrain for Democrats because they have not yet convinced people, as far down in the cellar as Republicans are, that Democrats are not just the anti- war party.
TODD (on-camera): How do Democrats turn that around? One analyst says they'll have to do a careful balancing act, hit home that they'll be tough on terrorism while not getting embroiled in controversies like torture and wiretapping that have hounded the Republicans. Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: This weekend on CNN, special investigations unit, on the heels of a potential terror attack in the heart of London. CNN's Christiane Amanpour uncovers terrorists surprising new breeding ground where young British Muslims are being transformed into extremism. That's Saturday and Sunday night at 8:00 Eastern. We'll get a preview of Christiane's special ahead.
NGUYEN: Afghan and U.S. military officials are investigating reports that up to 130 people were killed in a U.S.-led attack in southern Afghanistan. It is reported to have happened in the Helmand (ph) province. An Afghan government official says women and children were among those killed. Now, a U.S. military spokesman assigned to NATO says a large number of insurgents were killed, and he adds that the military is investigating.
U.S. military officials say more than two dozen so-called secret cell terrorists were killed in raids in Baghdad's Sadr City this morning. Officials say those raids targeted Iranian terror networks and were carried out in the pre-dawn hours in the Shiite strong hold in Baghdad. Seventeen people were also captured during the raids. In a separate incident, military officials say they've positively identified one high level al Qaeda leader killed Friday in fighting near Fallujah.
HOLMES: An update this morning concerning the status of two U.S. soldiers missing since a May 12th attack. The Pentagon changing the official status of Byron Fouty and Alex Jimenez from whereabouts unknown to missing/captured. The change does not mean the military has any new information about the soldiers' whereabouts. Jimenez and Fouty were snatched in a raid near Yusifiya (ph).
Also out of Iraq this morning, charges of premeditated murder brought against two U.S. soldiers. The charges stem from three separate killings in a town south of Baghdad. The killings happened between April and June of this year and involved a possible cover-up. A military statement released a few hours ago says the allegations were reported by other soldiers.
NGUYEN: For now, rain has tapered off in Texas and Oklahoma, but there is still danger of flooding. Warnings are in effect for more than 20 counties in Oklahoma. Texas was hard hit by flooding earlier this week. Take a look. More people who fled from the raging waters of the Brazos River should be returning to their homes today. That's the good news. But storms are blamed in at least 11 deaths in Texas since last week. Governor Rick Perry has declared 37 counties disaster areas.
HOLMES: We return to our Reynolds Wolf. And Reynolds, we know you keep an eye on those computers and those maps and everything you got over there. That's not all you do. You were out there this week and saw some of that really devastation and just amazing, water all over the place.
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Absolutely. We were pretty much in Marble Falls through Austin, even went as far south as San Antonio. Right along the Colorado River, about every 10 years or so, they do have a flood event. Now, along that river, they have many hydroelectric dams which are managed by the lower Colorado River authority and got to give them credit. They did a really good job. The flooding could have been far lot worse. We're not out of the woods yet, but they've really been managing the water levels on the river very well by keeping the flood gates open on some of the dams, like Mansfield dam, that's in Austin and keeping them closed in other spots.
As it stands, take a look at this map. We got greens and a lot of light and dark greens. That indicates flash flood watches and warnings that are in effect this morning, not only for parts of Texas and Oklahoma, but also into Missouri and in Kansas as well. Heavy scattered showers and storms as we speak just to the west of Dallas. We've got some torrential rain that's falling from Ardmore south into Sherman in the Red River. But in Austin this time, we are getting a break. Later this afternoon, we may see more storms occur.
The question is why is all this happening? The reason is pretty simple. We have a stationary front. By definition, a stationary front is a boundary that doesn't move all that much. We've got plenty of moisture that's coming in from the Gulf of Mexico, and it's going to be that combination, that boundary, that area of low pressure, some day time heating and that moisture that will give us anywhere from two to three to maybe even as high as five inches of rainfall through parts of the central and southern plains. Not exactly where it's needed, but that is what we may be looking at. That's the latest on your forecast. Back to you at the news desk.
NGUYEN: All right, the stationary front? Reynolds, it has been raining in Texas for weeks upon weeks now.
WOLF: It really has. We need some kind of a break in the atmosphere. We have high pressure that's sitting over parts of the southeast. That's been keeping the rain pretty much steady in that part of the world.
NGUYEN: Goodness. Thank you, Reynolds.
WOLF: Any time.
HOLMES: Kodak is downsizing at their headquarters in Rochester, New York, this morning. Let's take a look at how they're doing it. We just got this, if you have not been tuning in to us on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
NGUYEN: We love implosions.
HOLMES: We love implosions.
NGUYEN: They're good TV.
HOLMES: And we have another installment for you. We've got a few booms, those booms I'm waiting on them currently. There it is. We love our implosions.
NGUYEN: We love them because no one's going to get hurt, and, boy, is it a sight to be seen. Listen to that guy. Can we run that again? Can we rewind?
HOLMES: Let's listen to him this time.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Boo-yah!
HOLMES: Normally, that's what we do here on the set as well, but he provided those sound effects. Again, this is at Kodak Park in Rochester, New York. They're getting rid of some buildings there. This was one of them. And they're actually, Betty, doing another one tomorrow.
NGUYEN: Boo-yah.
HOLMES: Where will we be?
NGUYEN: I can't wait. Right here. And you know what, we're going to show it right to you, and you'll be just as excited, I'm sure.
HOLMES: All right, we do need to turn to a story, like we said earlier, it's been the tough kind of summer so far for amusement parks and another tragedy to tell you about at one in New York. A woman dies on a ride called the mind scrambler. We'll have the latest coming up.
NGUYEN: And after standing in lines for the latest high tech toy, the wait is over for the popular Apple iPhone. We've got the word from the web on customer satisfaction. HOLMES: Also, we've got this to show you here. You figure out what it is.
NGUYEN: What is that?
HOLMES: We're not quite clear. We'll take a closer look on this CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: A controversial teen sex case is headed for the Georgia supreme court. The court will decide whether Genardo Wilson gets a bond hearing. Wilson is serving 10 years for a consensual sex act with a 15-year-old girl when he was 17. Earlier this month, the judge reduced Wilson's sentence to one year, but the state attorney general is appealing that. Wilson's attorney wants him released on bond.
NGUYEN: Noted movie critic Joel Siegel has died. Siegel has been battling colon cancer for the past 26 years. He was the first and last word on movies for ABC's "Good Morning America." Siegel was equally well known for his biting reviews as he was for his trademark bushy mustache. Joel Siegel was just 63 years old.
HOLMES: For the second time in three years, someone is killed on the same ride at the historic Playland amusement park in upstate New York. A woman in her 20s died on the park's mind scrambler ride. That ride and the area around it have been closed down now. Investigators haven't released details of the accident just yet. A seven-year-old girl died on that same ride back in 2004.
In Florida, a 13-year-old girl is in intensive care this morning after a mishap on an amusement park ride. It happened on a harmless looking tea cup ride at a park near Miami. Witnesses say the girl leaned her head back while the cups were spinning, and hit her head, but investigators still don't know what she hit her head on. The ride is closed for now.
HOLMES: OK, we have some problems.
NGUYEN: We knew it was coming, right?
HOLMES: The iPhone is out, of course, and we've got some issues. Some activation issues, apparently. We asked all the new iPhone owners to send us their reviews this morning. You've got to hear what some folks are saying. Stay here for that.
NGUYEN: Also, don't blink your eyes because you're seeing correctly here. No tricks, no funny camera moves. That is part zebra and part horse.
HOLMES: They painted that.
NGUYEN: How in the world did this happen? I think you know, but we're going to give you some more info on that.
Plus a little bit later on "House Call." DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: TJ thanks. We got a great show this morning. Dr. Deepak Chopra is here in the studio taking viewer questions on the mind-body connection. I asked him, can your mind really heal you? You'll want to hear his answer.
Plus pregnant and depressed, should expectant mothers continue to take antidepressants? We've got details on an important new study.
And we bring you to a town where everyone went on a diet. We'll tell you why and how it worked out. All that's coming up on "House Call" at 8:30.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: All right, so it seems like everyone's been talking about the new iPhone and all I want is to get my hands on one, apparently we don't...
VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You really don't. If you heard the news, if you heard what's going on this morning, apparently a lot of people are having issues, activation issues, a lot of people. We're getting tons of e-mail
NGUYEN: It's just activation. It's not the technology itself. It's not the voice quality or sound quality.
DE LA CRUZ: Or so we know so far because how would anybody know at this point? They can't activate their phone. It's not working. I'm telling you out there, if you bought one and you're having these activation issues, you are definitely not alone. First, I want to show you all the hype. The long lines of folks camped outside the Apple store for the privilege of dropping $600 on this hot new gadget. We're receiving tons of i-Reports from many of you showing us what you went through to get your hands on this thing. This was the scene outside the Apple store yesterday in Cincinnati. This i-Report is from David Boyer in Rochester, yesterday. Doesn't he look like a proud papa with his new iPhone.
NGUYEN: Who takes a picture with an iPhone behind you?
DE LA CRUZ: If you couldn't or wouldn't submit to waiting in those long lines, maybe you didn't have enough i-Cash for that iPhone, check this out, head to techcrunch.com. They have the do it yourself iPhone. The article details the various ways to get your cell phone to act like an iPhone. First of all, you have to have Internet capability on your cell phone. Then you can add some of the cool features like visual voicemail. Techcrunch lists a few web sites that provide the same service, namely gotvoice.com which will provide voice to text or voice to e-mail right to your cell phone. And if you want to surf the web using the zoom and scan interface you can download (INAUDIBLE) has the same zoom navigation feature that you find on the iPhone. That list goes on and on and on, all the different programs that will help your cell phone act more like an iPhone.
Of course, if you're willing to spend a couple days installing all the software, then you might as well wait in that long line, right? We've been asking you in the meantime to send us your thoughts on this new iPhone just in case you purchased one yesterday. It seems, like I was saying before, there are a lot of activation issues. Stephen Campbell sent us an e-mail this morning saying, "AT&T should have told the world that they couldn't handle a lot of people switching over. There should never have been a 6:00 launch on a Friday night when no one would be around to help. This should go in the history books as one of the worst ideas ever." Stephen is not alone. We've gotten a lot of e-mails like this. J. David Williams in New York City saying "AT&T totally overwhelmed." He's been waiting nine hours to activate his phone. He's been getting the error message flashing.
NGUYEN: I don't think they'll be putting their iPhones on eBay just yet because of the activation issue. They're going to hold on to that. All in due time, my friends. Thank you.
HOLMES: Veronica, thank you. Well, we're taking a walk on the wild side. This is what you get when a horse --
NGUYEN: That's one bad night out, isn't it?
HOLMES: I don't know.
NGUYEN: What happened here?
HOLMES: A horse and a zebra had a pretty good night apparently. We're going to (INAUDIBLE)
NGUYEN: And our top story this morning, a very serious one, a terror alert in London. Police link two cars found loaded with explosives. Now the search is on to find out who is responsible. Our coverage continues at 9:00 with live team reports.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Word just coming in to CNN from wire reports that a small bomb has exploded at Spain's Ibiza airport this morning. It happened after that airport was evacuated. Here's what we know so far. According to wire reports and newspaper el Paez (ph) is reporting this as well, that the airport was cleared after a telephone threat of a bomb warning came in in the name of the Basque separatist movement Etta. Also we are told that -- this is an area, the Ibiza airport is an island off the coast of Spain there. A lot of tourists frequent that area. A small bomb has exploded at that airport.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.voxant.com
