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CNN Live Sunday
Thousands Protest Newspaper Closure in Iraq; Terror Raid in Spain Ends With Powerful Explosion
Aired April 04, 2004 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone. I'm Catherine Callaway at the CNN center here in Atlanta, and welcome to CNN LIVE SUNDAY.
Coming up this hour, a new day of violence in Iraq, and thousands protest a newspaper closure. We'll have a live report. Also, a terror raid in Spain ends with a powerful explosion. The latest on the investigation into what happened there.
And later...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: They pulled a shrapnel out of my knee and also had a remove a piece of my quad.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CALLAWAY: A soldier's struggle to walk again after suffering serious injuries in Iraq.
But first, we have the top stories for you this morning.
Spanish police find a possible car bomb in a Madrid suburb only hours after four March 11 suspects are killed there. Spain's interior minister says the suspected ringleader of the Madrid train attacks and three other suspects were killed yesterday and a policeman died as well. The suspects set off an explosion as police were pursuing them. We'll have a live report in just a moment.
And in northern Iraq, a car bomb detonates in Kirkuk wounding at least five Iraqis. Police say one of the injured is a child. Two others are seriously injured. Authorities say Iraqi police and American forces have been investigating reports of an unexploded car bomb in that area.
Also in Iraq, two Marines are killed in separate incidents in the Al An-Abar (ph) province. One Marine died today of wounds he received in action yesterday. The other died in action Saturday. Both were members of the 1st Marine division. With their deaths, 605 U.S. forces have been killed in Iraq.
This Palm Sunday brings violence to Iraq. Shiite demonstrators turned deadly there. Marchers in Baghdad and Najaf are protesting the coalition's treatment of a prominent cleric. The protests got out of hand in Najaf, demonstrators clashing with Spanish forces, and at least 19 people are dead. We'll get the latest now from Jim Clancy. Jim?
JIM CLANCY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Catherine, for months, the U.S. and its coalition allies have been dueling, if you will, at a distance with Muqtada Sadr. He is a Shia Muslim cleric. He is the heir apparent of his father's legacy. His father was a major figure in religious circles here in Iraq among Shia Muslims. Now his son has returned. He's 30 years of age. He has been strongly anti-U.S., anti-occupation. He has maintained a militia. The U.S. banned it. Now some of those militia forces apparently opened fire today in the words of the -- or in the explanation of the coalition in Najaf, they were trying to get into the Spanish garrison, in the process, four Salvadoran soldiers were killed, nine others wounded. But at least 14 of the demonstrators, the supporters of Muqtada Sadr, were killed. Some reports say as many as 20. Doctors at hospitals are being quoted by the news agencies on those numbers, as well as the wounded, 130. Very serious clashes that were criticized by Paul Bremer, the civilian administrator.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAUL BREMER, U.S. CIVILIAN ADMINISTRATOR IN IRAQ: This morning, a group of people in Najaf have crossed the line and they have moved to violence. This will not be tolerated. This will not be tolerated by the coalition, this will not be tolerated by the Iraqi people, and this will not be tolerated by the Iraqi security forces.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CLANCY: Bremer, just one week ago today, shut the newspaper al- Hawza, the newspaper of Muqtada Sadr. His demonstrators, his supporters have been out on the streets ever since for three consecutive days. They have put pressure on the U.S. Administration here in Baghdad and elsewhere. Today in Najaf, something went terribly wrong. As we said, shots fired. Now the reports are at least 14 Iraqis are dead, Supporters of Muqtada Sadr, 130 others wounded. Salvadoran troops taking four dead and nine wounded as casualties on their side as well. A lot of details still need to be worked out.
Back to you, Catherine.
CALLAWAY: Jim, as we just heard, this was the last thing they wanted to happen for these protests to turn violent. What now? What are the streets looking like now?
CLANCY: Well, the streets in Baghdad have calmed. But it must be said that here, while we heard some shots fired, they were apparently fired in the air. We don't know by whom. But the protests here have been largely peaceful. That hasn't been a problem. And it was under the watchful eyes, perhaps, of the U.S. military. But at the same time, there appear to be no problems here in Baghdad.
The situation in Najaf just somehow spun out of control. The demonstrators say they were throwing rocks at a convoy that was trying to enter the Spanish garrison. Not so, says the Spanish garrison. They say shots were fired at their soldiers. They returned fire. Videotape clearly shows that some in the crowd, supporters of Muqtada Sadr, were indeed firing assault rifles at the Spanish garrison.
CALLAWAY: Any word from Bremer, if this paper would be reopened?
CLANCY: Well, he has closed it for 60 days. I think he's going to stand by that. They accuse that newspaper, al-Hawza, the school, of printing articles that were inflammatory, that were inciting attacks on coalition forces. They probably gave them some warnings first. Now they've shut it down.
Now the bigger issue is how do you diffuse this crisis. Muqtada Sadr does have a following; he can bring tens of thousands of people to the streets. But he's not nearly as powerful as someone like the Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the leading Shia cleric in this country. But he is, of course, interested in widening his reach, his appeal to Iraqis. The way he is doing that is by criticizing the occupation, calling the Americans infidels and saying he wants them out of Iraq. There was a lot of friction before. Now both sides have to figure out a way to cool things down.
CALLAWAY: All right, Jim. Thank you very much. Jim Clancy with the latest on the situation there.
Now we're moving on to the four suspects sought in the March 11 train attacks in Spain. Well, they are among five people now that were killed yesterday. It happened after an explosion in a Madrid suburb. As Spanish police officer was also killed in that explosion.
Let's go now to Al Goodman. He's joining us from Madrid with the very latest on that investigation. What can you tell us, Al?
AL GOODMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Catherine, I'm in the southern Madrid suburb of Leganes, where the explosion happened behind me. Let me step out of the way so that you can take a look at the damage. You can see right through that apartment building, there was home video taken last night, Saturday. Let's take a look and see the extent of how that explosion happened. Let's take a look.
Now among the four people who were killed, among the four terror suspects, there was a Tunisian man, Serhane ben Abdelmajid Farkhet, who was considered by authorities to be the suspected coordinator of those deadly Madrid train bombings three weeks ago, Catherine. There was also this Moroccan man, Abdennabi Kounjaa, who also died. Both of them wanted on international arrest warrants. The day after, here in this working class neighborhood in Leganes, very much a sense of shock. People telling us they just can't believe that terror suspects of this caliber lived right in the neighborhood. Also, on the eastern side of Madrid, the top political leadership turning out for the funeral of the slain police officer.
The explosion happened as elite police officers moved in, closed in, having surrounded this building. They closed in trying to apprehend these terror suspects who then decided to choose death rather than surrender. They blew themselves up. Catherine? CALLAWAY: Quickly, Al, tell us about this car they've now found that they believe may also be laden with explosives.
GOODMAN: OK. Well, last night they found a lot of incriminating evidence in the way of explosives and detonators that links these suspects to the Madrid train bombings three weeks ago and also to a bomb placed on the bullet train track on Friday. Now, this day, Sunday, they've found yet more explosives inside a car in an underground garage behind this building. They now apparently have diffused that bomb and they're analyzing that to see where it fits into this puzzle. And a manhunt for other suspects at large continues. Catherine?
CALLAWAY: All right, Al, thank you very much. Al Goodman with the latest on that investigation in Madrid.
White House National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice will testify before the 9/11 commission this Thursday. Her testimony in public and under oath represents a reversal of strategy for the Bush administration. Let's go right to Suzanne Malveaux who's at the White House this morning, where we've been hearing spin from both sides on testimony that hasn't even occurred yet.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: The spin has been going on for weeks now. National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, we're told, is preparing her testimony to go before the September 11 commission. We are a told that she is going to make the case the Bush administration, that the president, did heed those warnings, those threats, from Al Qaeda prior to September 11, that he took them seriously, that the foreign policy directive of this administration was to eliminate that terrorist organization, and that she will also make the case that the White House, this president, was not blinded by a desire to go after Iraq or Saddam Hussein.
Now, the White House, as you know, has been under tremendous pressure to put her out in the public. It reversed itself this week. The hope, Bush aides say, is that she will discredit the testimony of Richard Clarke, who made the allegation that the Bush administration, and Dr. Rice in particular, could have done more, and if they had done more, perhaps they would have been able to prevent the September 11 attacks. Long-time political adviser Karen Hughes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAREN HUGHES, BUSH POLITICAL ADVISER: I don't think we could have envisioned it and done anything to prevent it. If we could have in either administration, either in the eight years of the Clinton administration or the 7 1/2 months of the Bush administration, I'm convinced we would have done so. And I think that the problem with what Mr. Clarke did is it created a sense of misplaced responsibility.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: And while Bush aides say of course it's important, Dr. Rice's testimony, what they want is the American people to pay attention in particular to what the president did after the September 11 attacks, how he conducted himself then, the war on terror, the war with Iraq. But as you know, what complicates those things is the situation on the ground in Iraq. Those attacks in Najaf, as well as Fallujah. Catherine?
CALLAWAY: All right, Suzanne. Busy week for you ahead. Thank you very much.
Join CNN for full coverage of Rice's testimony before the 9/11 commission. That's this Thursday, April 8, 9:00 a.m. Eastern time.
Well, the gas price spike, no end in sight. Which companies and consumers are being hit the hardest? We'll have a live report after the break.
Also, fighting fire in Florida. Take a look at this. The effort to stop the blaze that has charred thousands of acres near Miami.
And then later on, one soldier's battle to walk again after suffering some serious wounds in Iraq. You are watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CALLAWAY: Sticker shock at pump. Gas prices are topping $2 a gallon in many cities. California has some of the most expensive gas costs. About 20 cents a gallon over the national average because of the cost of formulating the final product there. Now prices this year in the golden state are up almost 30 percent. Wow.
These are not good times to own a gas-guzzling SUV or drive a big rig. Kathleen Koch is on gas watch in the windy city. It is very windy there this morning. Kathleen, how are you?
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We are here in Washington, D.C., which is indeed a windy city here today. Though kind of moderate when it comes to gas prices around the country, not as high as the highest state of California, not as low as the cheapest state, South Carolina where gas is averaging about $1.62 a gallon. Here at this station in downtown Washington, D.C., it's $1.89 a gallon.
While people are feeling that pinch in their pocketbooks, the concern is that it could seen begin rippling through the economy as costs of many goods and services begin to go up. Take, for instance, trucking companies. They move, the large ones, some 69 percent of the goods in this country. And large trucking companies have already begun adding on surcharges. The smaller trucking companies, the independent-owned and operated types of organizations, they have seen their costs, fuel costs for this year, they're estimating they'll go up $4,000 a year. Now for a trucker that makes $35,000 that can be quite painful.
When it comes, though, to the individuals, even though drivers aren't happy about these prices, few people are doing anything differently. The sales of those gas guzzling SUVs are still higher, they're up 14 percent over what they were a year ago, while sales of smaller, more moderate sized car is are dropping. Economists tell us that you would actually have to have a 30 percent increase in fuel costs for an extended period of time before people would make the decision to downsize their vehicles.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAUL TAYLOR, ECONOMIST: We've had an increase of something like that this time. If consumers come to think that it's going to be permanent, they'll start to make these subtle adjustments. But consumers buy the car that meets their needs, and try and find some economy in the operation of that car as well. They look at the entire package of the price of the car, financing costs, and gasoline prices.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOCH: The situation, though, in some states has gotten so bad, at least two of them, New York and California, have asked the Bush administration for relaxation of environmental rules that require those two states to use a complex blend of gasoline. Now, those blends are cleaner burning and more fuel-efficient. But these states say refineries could produce more gas and produce it more cheaply if they didn't have to meet those requirements. Catherine, apparently the Bush administration says it is seriously considering those requests. Back to you.
CALLAWAY: Those people will be very happy about that. Thank you, Kathleen.
We have some more news items from across America this morning. In Tyler, Texas, the jury said she was not guilty of murder in the deaths of two of her sons. A third child was injured in that. She was found to be insane at the time of the attacks. Laney will be committed to a maximum-security state psychiatric hospital.
And in Kansas, the domestic dispute leads to the deaths of two paramedics and the suicide of the man who shot them. Police say that Matthew Vass (ph) killed himself Saturday after police had issued a warrant for his arrest for the deaths of his ex-wife and her boyfriend. They were shot to death while on duty at a local fire station.
In Miami, a 16-year-old girl is in critical condition after an equipment failure on a ride at a county fair. Six others were injured when a boat failed, a panel fell off and passengers were ejected from that ride. It had passed inspection by the state before the fair opened just last month.
In the Florida Everglades, hundreds of acres have burned in an area northwest of Miami. More than 150 people have been evacuated there. A change in the wind direction Saturday afternoon caused the fire to pick up and send smoke and ash near the city of Miami. Spring is the traditional wildfire season for much of Florida.
Well, the game show "Jeopardy" has revived an old favorite, the "power players" edition. And among the luminaries appearing on that show, Anderson Cooper, Aaron Brown, and Tucker Carlson, of course, all of CNN. They're battling for $50,000, which will go to charity. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: I'm hoping for like obscure pop culture references from the 1980s. I know it's kind of a specific category, but it's when I went to high school and when I paid most attention to obscure, ridiculous pop culture stuff. If there's like a whole category on Flock of Seagulls, I'm going to ace it. I'm going to do really well. Anything on world events I think I'll do pretty well on. Geography. Southeast Asia, Africa, parts of the world I've spent a lot of time in.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CALLAWAY: The week of power players will begin May 10. Check your local listings.
And stay with CNN for "RELIABLE SOURCES." And here's Howard Kurtz with a preview.
HOWARD KURTZ, HOST, "RELIABLE SOURCES": Coming up, those gruesome images from Iraq. Should the media show the awful pictures, or hold them back?
Condoleezza Rice and the 9/11 commission. Has the press turned on the national security adviser?
Plus, Janet Jackson's TV blitz. That and more ahead on "RELIABLE SOURCES."
CALLAWAY: One soldier's courageous battle to walk again on his own. Just ahead, how he is fighting to regain the use of his shattered leg after a serious injury in Iraq. We'll have his story next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CALLAWAY: It's time now to meet another American hero from the war in Iraq. Second Lieutenant Stephen Rice went to Baghdad to train Iraq police. But that decision may have cost him his own future in law enforcement. Here's Casey Wian with the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
STEPHEN RICE, SECOND LT., ILLINOIS NATIONAL GUARD: I've always been an active person. The prospect of not walking again or being able to run again it's rough. Definitely rough. I'm spent.
CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Military policeman Stephen Rice is struggling to stay in shape. Six months ago he was in Baghdad leading a platoon of 33 soldiers teaching Iraqis how to be cops. Three months ago, a roadside bomb shattered everything.
RICE: We were going on shift about 7:00 in the morning. I received a call on the radio saying that a soldier was injured in a roadside bombing and they needed help securing the scene. I was running to that soldier's location and a secondary device detonated on my left side.
WIAN: the blast knocked rice to the ground.
RICE: I knew there was quite a bit of damage there.
WIAN: Since then, he's had numerous surgeries.
RICE: They pulled shrapnel out of my knee and had to remove a piece of my quad. There's also a scar right here from an operation they did. There is an entry wound here on the left side of my ankle, and an exit wound right here, and also my big toe is missing a middle bone.
WIAN: Rice will be back in surgery again in a couple of weeks. But he's confident he'll not only walk again, but run and be able to do the martial arts he loves.
RICE: I'm still the same person and there is just one more thing to overcome. Life is full of little obstacles. We just have to get by all that.
WIAN: The bomb may have shredded Rice's leg, but not his mind or determination to stay in the National Guard and become a cop.
Casey Wian, CNN, reporting.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CALLAWAY: There is much more ahead. The beauty of Washington's cherry blossoms. Coming up, meet one of the people responsible for keeping the cherry trees healthy and bursting with color every spring.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CALLAWAY: In Washington, nature is putting on its annual show that dazzles visitors from around the world. The capitol city's cherry blossom festival is in full bloom. Among the highlights, a big parade that rolled through town yesterday. Putting on the festival, though, involves a lot more work than meets the eye. Here's how it happens.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: On real cold days, you stand out here and you just don't move fast enough to warm up. Usually when we start on cherry trees, in January, we work continuously right until they bloom. They usually come out in the first week in April. Unless we really get some warm weather.
After about two months of this, start feeling it in your shoulders and neck, because you're looking up all the time. Can't imagine doing anything else. I'll probably do it until I'm too old to do it.
It's going great. I think they're going to be beautiful. Still basic pruning. We'll be pruning until they bloom. Makes a nice clean, sharp cut. When the little pink flower starts showing, it's like 14 to 21 days or something before they start coming out really good. Hopefully when they bloom, we'll have a couple good weeks of weather.
They're about seven days away from peak bloom. Some of these little twigs are really too small to get with the pole pruner. I've been working with cherry trees for ten years. Never stops. It's amazing how much time that goes into these trees. This time of year, it's like, you're really tired looking at cherry trees. But it's worth it when they pop. That's the greatest reward of the cherry trees, because everyone is saying how beautiful they are. It makes working all winter long worthwhile.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CALLAWAY: There is much more ahead on CNN Sunday. "RELIABLE SOURCES" is coming your way next. Today, on the attack in Fallujah and why some media outlets chose to use some graphic video on abuse of the Americans who died there.
Then coming up, "LATE EDITION WITH WOLF BLITZER." Among the guests, Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Pat Roberts from Kansas to discuss the 9/11 commission hearings.
Coming up at 2:00 eastern time, "PEOPLE IN THE NEWS." Today, Donald Trump riding the crest of popularity with "The Apprentice."
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Aired April 4, 2004 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone. I'm Catherine Callaway at the CNN center here in Atlanta, and welcome to CNN LIVE SUNDAY.
Coming up this hour, a new day of violence in Iraq, and thousands protest a newspaper closure. We'll have a live report. Also, a terror raid in Spain ends with a powerful explosion. The latest on the investigation into what happened there.
And later...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: They pulled a shrapnel out of my knee and also had a remove a piece of my quad.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CALLAWAY: A soldier's struggle to walk again after suffering serious injuries in Iraq.
But first, we have the top stories for you this morning.
Spanish police find a possible car bomb in a Madrid suburb only hours after four March 11 suspects are killed there. Spain's interior minister says the suspected ringleader of the Madrid train attacks and three other suspects were killed yesterday and a policeman died as well. The suspects set off an explosion as police were pursuing them. We'll have a live report in just a moment.
And in northern Iraq, a car bomb detonates in Kirkuk wounding at least five Iraqis. Police say one of the injured is a child. Two others are seriously injured. Authorities say Iraqi police and American forces have been investigating reports of an unexploded car bomb in that area.
Also in Iraq, two Marines are killed in separate incidents in the Al An-Abar (ph) province. One Marine died today of wounds he received in action yesterday. The other died in action Saturday. Both were members of the 1st Marine division. With their deaths, 605 U.S. forces have been killed in Iraq.
This Palm Sunday brings violence to Iraq. Shiite demonstrators turned deadly there. Marchers in Baghdad and Najaf are protesting the coalition's treatment of a prominent cleric. The protests got out of hand in Najaf, demonstrators clashing with Spanish forces, and at least 19 people are dead. We'll get the latest now from Jim Clancy. Jim?
JIM CLANCY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Catherine, for months, the U.S. and its coalition allies have been dueling, if you will, at a distance with Muqtada Sadr. He is a Shia Muslim cleric. He is the heir apparent of his father's legacy. His father was a major figure in religious circles here in Iraq among Shia Muslims. Now his son has returned. He's 30 years of age. He has been strongly anti-U.S., anti-occupation. He has maintained a militia. The U.S. banned it. Now some of those militia forces apparently opened fire today in the words of the -- or in the explanation of the coalition in Najaf, they were trying to get into the Spanish garrison, in the process, four Salvadoran soldiers were killed, nine others wounded. But at least 14 of the demonstrators, the supporters of Muqtada Sadr, were killed. Some reports say as many as 20. Doctors at hospitals are being quoted by the news agencies on those numbers, as well as the wounded, 130. Very serious clashes that were criticized by Paul Bremer, the civilian administrator.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAUL BREMER, U.S. CIVILIAN ADMINISTRATOR IN IRAQ: This morning, a group of people in Najaf have crossed the line and they have moved to violence. This will not be tolerated. This will not be tolerated by the coalition, this will not be tolerated by the Iraqi people, and this will not be tolerated by the Iraqi security forces.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CLANCY: Bremer, just one week ago today, shut the newspaper al- Hawza, the newspaper of Muqtada Sadr. His demonstrators, his supporters have been out on the streets ever since for three consecutive days. They have put pressure on the U.S. Administration here in Baghdad and elsewhere. Today in Najaf, something went terribly wrong. As we said, shots fired. Now the reports are at least 14 Iraqis are dead, Supporters of Muqtada Sadr, 130 others wounded. Salvadoran troops taking four dead and nine wounded as casualties on their side as well. A lot of details still need to be worked out.
Back to you, Catherine.
CALLAWAY: Jim, as we just heard, this was the last thing they wanted to happen for these protests to turn violent. What now? What are the streets looking like now?
CLANCY: Well, the streets in Baghdad have calmed. But it must be said that here, while we heard some shots fired, they were apparently fired in the air. We don't know by whom. But the protests here have been largely peaceful. That hasn't been a problem. And it was under the watchful eyes, perhaps, of the U.S. military. But at the same time, there appear to be no problems here in Baghdad.
The situation in Najaf just somehow spun out of control. The demonstrators say they were throwing rocks at a convoy that was trying to enter the Spanish garrison. Not so, says the Spanish garrison. They say shots were fired at their soldiers. They returned fire. Videotape clearly shows that some in the crowd, supporters of Muqtada Sadr, were indeed firing assault rifles at the Spanish garrison.
CALLAWAY: Any word from Bremer, if this paper would be reopened?
CLANCY: Well, he has closed it for 60 days. I think he's going to stand by that. They accuse that newspaper, al-Hawza, the school, of printing articles that were inflammatory, that were inciting attacks on coalition forces. They probably gave them some warnings first. Now they've shut it down.
Now the bigger issue is how do you diffuse this crisis. Muqtada Sadr does have a following; he can bring tens of thousands of people to the streets. But he's not nearly as powerful as someone like the Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the leading Shia cleric in this country. But he is, of course, interested in widening his reach, his appeal to Iraqis. The way he is doing that is by criticizing the occupation, calling the Americans infidels and saying he wants them out of Iraq. There was a lot of friction before. Now both sides have to figure out a way to cool things down.
CALLAWAY: All right, Jim. Thank you very much. Jim Clancy with the latest on the situation there.
Now we're moving on to the four suspects sought in the March 11 train attacks in Spain. Well, they are among five people now that were killed yesterday. It happened after an explosion in a Madrid suburb. As Spanish police officer was also killed in that explosion.
Let's go now to Al Goodman. He's joining us from Madrid with the very latest on that investigation. What can you tell us, Al?
AL GOODMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Catherine, I'm in the southern Madrid suburb of Leganes, where the explosion happened behind me. Let me step out of the way so that you can take a look at the damage. You can see right through that apartment building, there was home video taken last night, Saturday. Let's take a look and see the extent of how that explosion happened. Let's take a look.
Now among the four people who were killed, among the four terror suspects, there was a Tunisian man, Serhane ben Abdelmajid Farkhet, who was considered by authorities to be the suspected coordinator of those deadly Madrid train bombings three weeks ago, Catherine. There was also this Moroccan man, Abdennabi Kounjaa, who also died. Both of them wanted on international arrest warrants. The day after, here in this working class neighborhood in Leganes, very much a sense of shock. People telling us they just can't believe that terror suspects of this caliber lived right in the neighborhood. Also, on the eastern side of Madrid, the top political leadership turning out for the funeral of the slain police officer.
The explosion happened as elite police officers moved in, closed in, having surrounded this building. They closed in trying to apprehend these terror suspects who then decided to choose death rather than surrender. They blew themselves up. Catherine? CALLAWAY: Quickly, Al, tell us about this car they've now found that they believe may also be laden with explosives.
GOODMAN: OK. Well, last night they found a lot of incriminating evidence in the way of explosives and detonators that links these suspects to the Madrid train bombings three weeks ago and also to a bomb placed on the bullet train track on Friday. Now, this day, Sunday, they've found yet more explosives inside a car in an underground garage behind this building. They now apparently have diffused that bomb and they're analyzing that to see where it fits into this puzzle. And a manhunt for other suspects at large continues. Catherine?
CALLAWAY: All right, Al, thank you very much. Al Goodman with the latest on that investigation in Madrid.
White House National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice will testify before the 9/11 commission this Thursday. Her testimony in public and under oath represents a reversal of strategy for the Bush administration. Let's go right to Suzanne Malveaux who's at the White House this morning, where we've been hearing spin from both sides on testimony that hasn't even occurred yet.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: The spin has been going on for weeks now. National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, we're told, is preparing her testimony to go before the September 11 commission. We are a told that she is going to make the case the Bush administration, that the president, did heed those warnings, those threats, from Al Qaeda prior to September 11, that he took them seriously, that the foreign policy directive of this administration was to eliminate that terrorist organization, and that she will also make the case that the White House, this president, was not blinded by a desire to go after Iraq or Saddam Hussein.
Now, the White House, as you know, has been under tremendous pressure to put her out in the public. It reversed itself this week. The hope, Bush aides say, is that she will discredit the testimony of Richard Clarke, who made the allegation that the Bush administration, and Dr. Rice in particular, could have done more, and if they had done more, perhaps they would have been able to prevent the September 11 attacks. Long-time political adviser Karen Hughes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAREN HUGHES, BUSH POLITICAL ADVISER: I don't think we could have envisioned it and done anything to prevent it. If we could have in either administration, either in the eight years of the Clinton administration or the 7 1/2 months of the Bush administration, I'm convinced we would have done so. And I think that the problem with what Mr. Clarke did is it created a sense of misplaced responsibility.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: And while Bush aides say of course it's important, Dr. Rice's testimony, what they want is the American people to pay attention in particular to what the president did after the September 11 attacks, how he conducted himself then, the war on terror, the war with Iraq. But as you know, what complicates those things is the situation on the ground in Iraq. Those attacks in Najaf, as well as Fallujah. Catherine?
CALLAWAY: All right, Suzanne. Busy week for you ahead. Thank you very much.
Join CNN for full coverage of Rice's testimony before the 9/11 commission. That's this Thursday, April 8, 9:00 a.m. Eastern time.
Well, the gas price spike, no end in sight. Which companies and consumers are being hit the hardest? We'll have a live report after the break.
Also, fighting fire in Florida. Take a look at this. The effort to stop the blaze that has charred thousands of acres near Miami.
And then later on, one soldier's battle to walk again after suffering some serious wounds in Iraq. You are watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CALLAWAY: Sticker shock at pump. Gas prices are topping $2 a gallon in many cities. California has some of the most expensive gas costs. About 20 cents a gallon over the national average because of the cost of formulating the final product there. Now prices this year in the golden state are up almost 30 percent. Wow.
These are not good times to own a gas-guzzling SUV or drive a big rig. Kathleen Koch is on gas watch in the windy city. It is very windy there this morning. Kathleen, how are you?
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We are here in Washington, D.C., which is indeed a windy city here today. Though kind of moderate when it comes to gas prices around the country, not as high as the highest state of California, not as low as the cheapest state, South Carolina where gas is averaging about $1.62 a gallon. Here at this station in downtown Washington, D.C., it's $1.89 a gallon.
While people are feeling that pinch in their pocketbooks, the concern is that it could seen begin rippling through the economy as costs of many goods and services begin to go up. Take, for instance, trucking companies. They move, the large ones, some 69 percent of the goods in this country. And large trucking companies have already begun adding on surcharges. The smaller trucking companies, the independent-owned and operated types of organizations, they have seen their costs, fuel costs for this year, they're estimating they'll go up $4,000 a year. Now for a trucker that makes $35,000 that can be quite painful.
When it comes, though, to the individuals, even though drivers aren't happy about these prices, few people are doing anything differently. The sales of those gas guzzling SUVs are still higher, they're up 14 percent over what they were a year ago, while sales of smaller, more moderate sized car is are dropping. Economists tell us that you would actually have to have a 30 percent increase in fuel costs for an extended period of time before people would make the decision to downsize their vehicles.
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PAUL TAYLOR, ECONOMIST: We've had an increase of something like that this time. If consumers come to think that it's going to be permanent, they'll start to make these subtle adjustments. But consumers buy the car that meets their needs, and try and find some economy in the operation of that car as well. They look at the entire package of the price of the car, financing costs, and gasoline prices.
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KOCH: The situation, though, in some states has gotten so bad, at least two of them, New York and California, have asked the Bush administration for relaxation of environmental rules that require those two states to use a complex blend of gasoline. Now, those blends are cleaner burning and more fuel-efficient. But these states say refineries could produce more gas and produce it more cheaply if they didn't have to meet those requirements. Catherine, apparently the Bush administration says it is seriously considering those requests. Back to you.
CALLAWAY: Those people will be very happy about that. Thank you, Kathleen.
We have some more news items from across America this morning. In Tyler, Texas, the jury said she was not guilty of murder in the deaths of two of her sons. A third child was injured in that. She was found to be insane at the time of the attacks. Laney will be committed to a maximum-security state psychiatric hospital.
And in Kansas, the domestic dispute leads to the deaths of two paramedics and the suicide of the man who shot them. Police say that Matthew Vass (ph) killed himself Saturday after police had issued a warrant for his arrest for the deaths of his ex-wife and her boyfriend. They were shot to death while on duty at a local fire station.
In Miami, a 16-year-old girl is in critical condition after an equipment failure on a ride at a county fair. Six others were injured when a boat failed, a panel fell off and passengers were ejected from that ride. It had passed inspection by the state before the fair opened just last month.
In the Florida Everglades, hundreds of acres have burned in an area northwest of Miami. More than 150 people have been evacuated there. A change in the wind direction Saturday afternoon caused the fire to pick up and send smoke and ash near the city of Miami. Spring is the traditional wildfire season for much of Florida.
Well, the game show "Jeopardy" has revived an old favorite, the "power players" edition. And among the luminaries appearing on that show, Anderson Cooper, Aaron Brown, and Tucker Carlson, of course, all of CNN. They're battling for $50,000, which will go to charity. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: I'm hoping for like obscure pop culture references from the 1980s. I know it's kind of a specific category, but it's when I went to high school and when I paid most attention to obscure, ridiculous pop culture stuff. If there's like a whole category on Flock of Seagulls, I'm going to ace it. I'm going to do really well. Anything on world events I think I'll do pretty well on. Geography. Southeast Asia, Africa, parts of the world I've spent a lot of time in.
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CALLAWAY: The week of power players will begin May 10. Check your local listings.
And stay with CNN for "RELIABLE SOURCES." And here's Howard Kurtz with a preview.
HOWARD KURTZ, HOST, "RELIABLE SOURCES": Coming up, those gruesome images from Iraq. Should the media show the awful pictures, or hold them back?
Condoleezza Rice and the 9/11 commission. Has the press turned on the national security adviser?
Plus, Janet Jackson's TV blitz. That and more ahead on "RELIABLE SOURCES."
CALLAWAY: One soldier's courageous battle to walk again on his own. Just ahead, how he is fighting to regain the use of his shattered leg after a serious injury in Iraq. We'll have his story next.
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CALLAWAY: It's time now to meet another American hero from the war in Iraq. Second Lieutenant Stephen Rice went to Baghdad to train Iraq police. But that decision may have cost him his own future in law enforcement. Here's Casey Wian with the story.
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STEPHEN RICE, SECOND LT., ILLINOIS NATIONAL GUARD: I've always been an active person. The prospect of not walking again or being able to run again it's rough. Definitely rough. I'm spent.
CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Military policeman Stephen Rice is struggling to stay in shape. Six months ago he was in Baghdad leading a platoon of 33 soldiers teaching Iraqis how to be cops. Three months ago, a roadside bomb shattered everything.
RICE: We were going on shift about 7:00 in the morning. I received a call on the radio saying that a soldier was injured in a roadside bombing and they needed help securing the scene. I was running to that soldier's location and a secondary device detonated on my left side.
WIAN: the blast knocked rice to the ground.
RICE: I knew there was quite a bit of damage there.
WIAN: Since then, he's had numerous surgeries.
RICE: They pulled shrapnel out of my knee and had to remove a piece of my quad. There's also a scar right here from an operation they did. There is an entry wound here on the left side of my ankle, and an exit wound right here, and also my big toe is missing a middle bone.
WIAN: Rice will be back in surgery again in a couple of weeks. But he's confident he'll not only walk again, but run and be able to do the martial arts he loves.
RICE: I'm still the same person and there is just one more thing to overcome. Life is full of little obstacles. We just have to get by all that.
WIAN: The bomb may have shredded Rice's leg, but not his mind or determination to stay in the National Guard and become a cop.
Casey Wian, CNN, reporting.
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CALLAWAY: There is much more ahead. The beauty of Washington's cherry blossoms. Coming up, meet one of the people responsible for keeping the cherry trees healthy and bursting with color every spring.
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CALLAWAY: In Washington, nature is putting on its annual show that dazzles visitors from around the world. The capitol city's cherry blossom festival is in full bloom. Among the highlights, a big parade that rolled through town yesterday. Putting on the festival, though, involves a lot more work than meets the eye. Here's how it happens.
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UNIDENTIFIED MAN: On real cold days, you stand out here and you just don't move fast enough to warm up. Usually when we start on cherry trees, in January, we work continuously right until they bloom. They usually come out in the first week in April. Unless we really get some warm weather.
After about two months of this, start feeling it in your shoulders and neck, because you're looking up all the time. Can't imagine doing anything else. I'll probably do it until I'm too old to do it.
It's going great. I think they're going to be beautiful. Still basic pruning. We'll be pruning until they bloom. Makes a nice clean, sharp cut. When the little pink flower starts showing, it's like 14 to 21 days or something before they start coming out really good. Hopefully when they bloom, we'll have a couple good weeks of weather.
They're about seven days away from peak bloom. Some of these little twigs are really too small to get with the pole pruner. I've been working with cherry trees for ten years. Never stops. It's amazing how much time that goes into these trees. This time of year, it's like, you're really tired looking at cherry trees. But it's worth it when they pop. That's the greatest reward of the cherry trees, because everyone is saying how beautiful they are. It makes working all winter long worthwhile.
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CALLAWAY: There is much more ahead on CNN Sunday. "RELIABLE SOURCES" is coming your way next. Today, on the attack in Fallujah and why some media outlets chose to use some graphic video on abuse of the Americans who died there.
Then coming up, "LATE EDITION WITH WOLF BLITZER." Among the guests, Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Pat Roberts from Kansas to discuss the 9/11 commission hearings.
Coming up at 2:00 eastern time, "PEOPLE IN THE NEWS." Today, Donald Trump riding the crest of popularity with "The Apprentice."
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