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CNN Live Sunday

U.S., Saudi Under Scrutiny For Possible Prisoner Swap; TSA Rolls Out Registered Traveler Plan Next Week

Aired July 04, 2004 - 18:00   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.


CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, I'm Carol Lin. CNN LIVE SUNDAY is next, but first a quick wrap of the headlines. The Iraqi interim prime minister's office announces the new government will give partial amnesty to insurgents tomorrow. Accused murderers and other suspected Hardcore criminals will not be eligible. Only rebels, quote, "misled by their leaders" will qualify.
And on the holiday campaign trail, John Kerry is stumping in eastern Iowa with governor Tom Vilsack who may be in the running for vice president.

And Vice President Dick Cheney tells Republicans in Pittsburgh the party will work harder this year to win Pennsylvania's 21 electoral votes.

Top seeded Swiss star Roger Federer has won his second straight Wimbledon title. He beat Andy Roddick today securing his status as tennis's No. 1 player. Three championship matches make Federer a grandslam final master. He'll try to may 4-0 next month at the U.S. Open.

And good evening. I'm Carol Lin. Welcome to CNN LIVE SUNDAY. We have some new developments to show you and some special holiday coverage. In the next hour, imagine coming to America with no money, no grasp of the culture and few precious possessions. I recently met a group of African refugees whose perseverance is truly inspiring. It is our Independence Day story you will not want to miss.

And take a look at this: Babies, toddlers, learning what to do if they fall into the water. We're going to visit an innovative program that is saving lives.

Right now we begin with 3 countries under scrutiny for an alleged quid pro quo. At the center of the controversy, the release of 5 terror suspects from Guantanamo Bay. Was it part of a secret deal? CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voic-over): Les Walker was held in Saudi Arabia, for allegedly carrying out terrorist attacks there, but now he's a free man. The British citizen says he, along with six other western prisoners, had been tortured by Saudi security officials into confessing crimes they did not commit.

LES WALKER, FORMER PRISONER: We pleaded innocent until they tortured us -- or myself, they tortured me to confess to bombings.

MALVEAUX: Walker and the others were freed nearly a year ago, but the circumstances surrounding their release are raising questions, now about a possible secret international prison swap.

According to senior American and British officials cited in the New York Times, the U.S., Britain and Saudi Arabia were involved in months of intense negotiations, beginning in July of 2002, to win the detainees' release.

The deal was, last May the U.S. freed five Saudi detainees in U.S. custody at Guantanamo Bay, returning them to the Saudi government. Three months later, Saudi Arabia released the western detainees. Was it quid pro quo?

British embassy spokesman Steve Atkins said, "we were extremely releaved to win their release and get them out of Saudi Arabia. We worked ceaselessly for their return." But also said, "I am not able to comment further on any diplomatic discussions."

U.S. National Security Council Spokesman Shawn McCormick denied any claim, saying, "there is no recollection here of any linkage between these two actions. The Saudi's release was part of the normal policy of transferring detainees from Guantanomo for prosecution or continued detention."

And while officials do not dispute the timeline of the detainees' release, some political analysts see the timing around the Iraq war as more than coincidence.

CHARLES KUPCHAN, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY: I thinked Bush administration was hard-pressed to put the coalition together and to keep it together once the war was over. And the one thing they could do to provide political payback was to facilitate a deal on these detainees, and Bush appears to have exercised that option.

MALVEAUX: Walker says he was never told of the circumstances of his release, but he had his suspicions.

WALKER: We were pawns in a big game, that was our feeling once we were in prison. And it's a thought that I've held since I came out.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: Now, a senior Saudi official says that this notion of prisoner trade is pure fantasy. He goes on to say, it is a case of connecting the dots that don't -- Carol.

LIN: Suzanne, is there likely to be any kind of investigation?

MALVEAUX: Well, at this point it doesn't really seem like anyone is calling for an investigation. There is a lot of speculation about this. There is also a lot of discussion that this is all a part of negotiations, diplomatic discussions, that are ongoing. But it is interesting to note that U.S., British, as well as saudi officials all say this is not a part of a quid pro quo, trading one set of detainees for another, but that there certainly are discussions, negotiations that continue to try to get the detainees that are held at Guantanomo Bay back to their host countries, that that is a normal process.

LIN: Thank you very much. Suzanne Malveaux, live at the White House.

It's an agonizing wait for the family of a U.S. marine captured in Iraq. A day after claims that Corporal Wassef Hassoun was beheaded, there is news he might be alive. Hassoun's family is in seclusion in Utah. CNN's Rusty Dornin reports from there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Shadows, cast by old glory at Corporal Wassef Ali Hassoun's home in West Jordan, Utah, a reminder that while it may be the holidays celebrating independence, there is little freedom from fear for this family right now.

Conflicting records of Hassoun's fate brought neighbors and friends to their home this weekend. Kathleen Samuel doesn't know the family, but brought her own message of support.

KATHLEEN SAMUEL: Agony, anguish, sadness, a deep loss.

DORNIN: The headlines here describe not only the emotions of a family that remains in seclusion, but of the community as well. The Imam at the Hassoun family mosque visits the family daily.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At the moment, we're just, as you would say, keeping our fingers crossed and hoping for the best.

DORNIN: Claims Saturday on two different Web sites that Hassoun was beheaded are being denied by the group claiming to hold him. No one here seems to know what to believe. The conflicting and unconfirmed reports only heighten the anxiety for some, like neighbor, Melisssa Funk (ph).

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: People are actually realizing you know, how sad it is, you know? It's not -- it's your neighbor.

DORNIN (on camera): There are people of different faiths here in Salt Lake City. Many stress, when it comes to the fate of this young man, they are united with one prayer in mind: bring Corporal Wassef Ali Hassoun back safely. Rusty Dornin, CNN, Salt Lake City.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: And when it comes to the war in Iraq, there's still a lot of news. One of the Saddam Hussein's lawyers says he can't get a fair trial, because the country's courts and laws are illegitimate. On CNN's "LATE EDITION" today, the attorney also complained he hasn't had sufficient access to his client.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ZIAD AL KHASSAWNEH, ATTORNEY FOR SADDAM HUSSEIN (throught translator): We were not allowed to meet with president Saddam Hussein in spite of all the many requests sent to President Bush and Colin Powell, and the Ashcroft and to the five permanent members of the U.N., and to the government of Switzerland, because they are the custodians of the Geneva Convention, and all the free people of the world, but the American administration has stood against us meeting our client.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: Now, in just a few hours, Iraq's interim government is planning to offer amnesty to Iraqis who resisted the U.S.-led occupation out of a sense of desperation. Those described as hard- core criminals would not be eligible.

And Iraqi troops foiled an attempted car bombing today in Baqubah. They killed the attacker at a checkpoint near their regional headquarters. The bombs in the car exploded anyway when the guards opened fire. Two bystanders were killed.

The daily attacks can wither the most patriotic soul, and it is especially sweet that the 1st Armored Division is going home after the longest tour of any combat unit. Members are finally going home after the longest tour there, and CNN Baghdad Bureau Chief Jane Arraf reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): This is the last time these flags will fly in this battle. These soldiers have seen war to relative peace to war again. After 15 months, the longest deployment in this conflict, and two Fourth of July celebrations, they're going home. The U.S. Army's 1st Armored Division is going back to Germany, the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment to Louisiana.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Three months ago, the same group of soldiers was asked to remain in Iraq to defeat a militia uprising and preserve the path to Iraqi sovereignty. They did that, too.

ARRAF: Some of these soldiers have spent more time in Iraq than anywhere else in their careers.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now we kind of look at it as Iraq will be part of us for a very long time, kind of like a home to us.

ARRAF: Most of them say, unlike the headlines, they have seen positive changes while they're here.

(on camera): It's not where they want to be on july 4th, but for battle weary soldiers or new ones, this American Independence Day in a newly independent Iraq has a special meaning.

(voice-over): This Fourth of July, far from home, there were volley ball games, picture taking. At camp victory, near the Baghdad Airport, home of the 1st Cavalry Division, a barbecue without the beer.

Where soldiers after the war slept in abandoned buildings and ate packaged rations, the newer arrivals have air conditioning and dining halls.

No fireworks here, but the Fourth of July at camp victory was a day of tradition and ceremony. America on Iraqi soil. Jane Arraf, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Here at home, sudden storms poured down on the crowds that navigated through major security for a concert on the National Mall. Sean Callebs is in Washington with a live report from there. Sean, it looks like all the security preparations were for nothing.

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Notice I'm inside. Heavy security taking a backseat to heavy thunderstorms in the nation's capital. It wasn't the color yellow that denotes the security threat level that got people's attention, but rather gray, as in dark clouds that brought intense summer showers.

There's a hint of good news for legions of people flocking to the National Mall. The July 4th concert with Clay Aiken, Amy Grant, Vinec Gill (ph) and others is still on, so far. And authorities will wait until 9:00 p.m. Eastern time before deciding the fate of the fireworks display.

So how bad was the weather? Take a look.

Organizers tried to get the Independence Day Parade off the ground, but pretty soon it became apparent that harsh weather literally rained on their parade. A handfull of bands started making their way through the streets before the parade was cancelled.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We saw a few of them come through earlier, so we saw something. It's disappointing, but that's the way it goes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm just a little disappointed that it's delayed. I mean we can sit out here in the rain, it seems like they could come through in the rain.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CALLEBS: In the spirit of retro, as in 1776, the weather was okay earlier in the day when a group gathered for the annual reading of the Declaration of Independence.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to...

(END VIDEO CLIP) CALLEBS: There was a dress rehearsal as well last night for the Fourth of July concert that is scheduled to take place at the base of the Capitol. The backdrop, as you may expect, heavy security.

Government officials have warned for weeks, that although there's no specific threat, al Qaeda and other groups could use a symbolic day, such as July 4th to launch some kind of attack to generate mass casualties.

Tens of thousands of people are expected to gather on the National Mall for this evening's entertainment. The ground may be soupy, but people will be looking to the skies for the scheduled fireworks.

Well trust me, she's saying she's looking forward to the fireworks. Sit tight for another couple hours and we should know if everything will go off as planned. Carol, back to you.

LIN: All right. Gives new meaning to the show must go on. Thanks, John.

It is an emotional day of remembering the past while Looking forward to the future. Still to come, the marking of a new beginning where the World Trade Center once stood. Daniel Libeskind, the man behind the master design, is my guest.

Looking for special treatment at the airport? There is one way you can avoid the hassle, but will it step on your rights?

And later, it is amazing, back stroke, butterfly, babies: Look at how these youngsters are learning to swim. Swimming survival 101.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: It was a moving ceremony today at ground zero. It was a symbolic start to the rebuilding on the World Trade Center site. A 20-ton slab of granite was laid as the cornerstone for what's expected to be the world's tallest building. Here's our Alina Cho.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(SINGING)

ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): What the curtain revealed was breathtaking, a 20 ton piece of New York granite, now the cornerstone of the Freedom Tower, the first and tallest building to be built at ground zero.

MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, MAYOR OF NEW YORK: Today, as we lay this cornerstone, we remember the liberties that are the bedrock of our nation, the foundation that can never be shaken by violence or hate.

CHO: Along with the music, there was symbolism this Fourth of July, the son of a port authority police officer who died on 9/11 read the Declaration of Independence.

JULIAN DAVIS, SON OF 9/11 VICTIM: We hold these truthing to be self-evident.

CHO: The height of the tower is symbolic, 1776 feet, to mark the year that America declared its independence. A spire that echoes the profile of the statue of liberty, all the vision of master planner Daniel Libeskind.

DANIEL LIBESKIND, ARCHITECT: One thinks of how incredible to resurrect and rebuild New York in a way that is inspiring, that is meaningful and that is not just founded on height, but on the liberties and freedoms that this country was founded on.

CHO: Families members who lost loved ones on 9/11 were on hand. John Foy lost his mother-in-law.

JOHN FOY, 9/11 FAMILY MEMBER: It feels good. This is like a closure and it's a new beginning.

CHO: Some touched the inscription, others want construction to wait for a memorial to be built first at what they regard as sacred ground.

WILLIAM HEALY, 9/11 FAMILY MEMBER: This is a gravesite. Today would have been much more appropriate had it been the cornerstone for the memorial.

CHO: A memorial is set to open around the same time as the tower.

GOV. GEORGE PATAKI, NEW YORK: What our enemies sought to destroy, or democracy, our freedom, our way of life, stands taller than ever before.

CHO (on camera): What is clear about the ceremony is that it marks the first step in rebuilding at ground zero. What the final landscape will look like, or when that will happen is still an open question. Alina Cho, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Architect Daniel Liebeskind, the master planner of the new Freedom Tower was at the groundbreaking today. He's with me now from New York.

Daniel, how long has it been since you actually first put pen to paper to come up with a design for this project?

LIBESKIND: It's a very short time. It's only a little bit longer than one year since the competition was actually judged. So, we are very much on track and in a very intense process really rebuilding ground zero.

LIN: That's amazing. What was it like, then, for you to stand there and actually touch that stone and be there with the families?

LIBESKIND: It was the most moving and touching and inspiring thing in the world, because out of the bedrock, out of the ashes of that horrible event of 9/11, is rising a tower that represents all the values that we hold dear to us, and cherish: freedom, democracy, all that we believe in in the world.

LIN: Great principles. Let's talk about some of the pragmatic issues, though, at hand. The World Trade Center leaseholder of that property has only collected, or will only be able to collect about half the amount of insurance that he expected to. He cannot afford to build -- or rebuild 10 million square feet of office space. So, how will this project be paid for?

LIBESKIND: Well, it is important to, first of all, bring the critical part of the project first, which is the memorial, the Freedom Tower, new streets, the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) plaza, the transportation back, the cultural buildings. For that, there will be money.

Of course, it will take more time to build all the other sky scrapers, in order to fulfill all the (UNINTELLIGIBLE). But I think in my plan it is very important that this site be delivered as quickly as possible to the citizens of New York, of America, so that it becomes accessible and meaningful once again.

LIN: Because you know Daniel, you as the architect, your heart and soul is in this design. Is it possible if there isn't enough money to build that building, there are going to have to be compromises on the design?

LIBESKIND: No, I think a design always evolves, a design has to be open to change, and that is a living evolutionary process. Of course, a master plan sets the stage, does not finish the performance.

But what I think is resilient and robust about this design is it brings together all the important issues, which is really the sadness and civic importance of remembering of the heroes of 9/11. And at the same time to reassert back again the optimism of New York, the optimism of America, and the greatness of democracy.

LIN: So, you're optimistic you won't have to change your design at all, from paper to the reality five years from now, it is going to be your building, with the spire and all the (UNINTELLIGIBLE)?

LIBESKIND: Absolutely. I think the meaning of this tower is not that it's just the highest tower. It's 1776 feet high, because that matters to us. Independence, freedom, democracy, liberties, that is the foundation of New York. And, of course, that is also the Statue of Liberty. The profile of the tower is not just any skyscraper, but something so meaningful to every free person in the world.

LIN: Are you ever concerned, as really the artistic and moral force behind this, are you ever concerned with the name of the Freedom Tower and the Freedom Center Museum, even the height of the tower 1776. That in an election year, that this site could get politicized?

LIBESKIND: No, I think this does not belong to Democrats or Republicans, it belongs to all Americans. It belongs to everyone who cherishes the ideals that we all love: freedom and liberty. This is not something ideological. And I think in that sense, it is also a beacon to the world, as the Declaration of Independence so well puts it, all men are created equal.

LIN: How long do you think it will take?

LIBESKIND: I think four years. By four years, we will have all the important pieces, the Freedom Tower, Greenwich Street, Fulton Street, the water (ph) of light, the memorial, the cultural buildings. I think the cricial pieces will be there for the public's enjoyment.

LIN: You know, I think it's going to be a fast four years. And I'm looking forward to it. Thanks, Daniel.

LIBESKIND: Thank you so much.

LIN: Since 9/11, airport security has been extra tight and it can take more than an hour to get through security, so should people who fly the most and pay the most get special treatment?

First, it was hanging, and dimpled chads, now Florida has another election debacle. Why thousands in the Sunshine State may not be able to cast their ballot this November.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: I've got that story on preferential treatment for frequent fliers, but here's a quick look at what's happening across America.

Afghan president Hamid Karzai won this year's Philadelphia Liberty Medal. He accepted the honor today at Independence Hall. President Karzai says the $100,000 prize will go to support Afghan orphans.

A wildfire in Arizona is threatening some of the world's most powerful telescopes. The fire is about a mile from the Mt. Graham International Observatory. The facility is worth more than $200 million.

Authorities in Florida are trying to determine why a Michigan man drove his SUV into a crowded terminal building at Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport today. The sheriff's office says deputies and a federal air marshal tackled the driver as he tried to escape. He suffered minor injuries. No one else was hurt

Since 9/11, it can take hours to get through airport security. Now the federal government believes it has a better idea. Chris Lawrence has the story of an airport pilot program about to take off in twin cities.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Between the hand checks and bag searches, frequent fliers never know how long they'll wait at security lines.

CHARLIE ZELLE, FREQUENCE FLIER: Tuesday it took five minutes. And Wednesday it took 90 minutes. LAWRENCE: That could be the reason hundreds accepted an invitation to apply for the new registered traveler program now being tested by the TSA.

UNINDENTIFIED FEMALE: What it's going to do, it's going to take three scans of each index finger.

LAWRENCE: Like Lori Stopperan, they fly about once a week. And don't mind giving fingerprints and optical scans to avoid tighter screening.

They'll still have to pass through met at detectors, but in a special lane at one of the checkpoints.

GARY FISHMAN, NORTHWEST AIRLINES: Why do you have to put them through the same level of scrutiny as someone you know nothing about.

LAWRENCE: They won't be pulled out of the land for flying one way, or random screening, and that's just the beginning.

JIM WELLNA, TSA DEPUTY DIRECTOR: Eventually we hope to be able to add things like not, perhaps, having to take your laptop out of your bag, not having to take your shoes off, having to take your overcoat off. We're going to build and learn.

LAWRENCE: If it works, the program could go national, but its potential is the problem for some privacy advocates.

JAY STANLEY, ACLU: Whenever you put the government into the role of judging American citizens and judgments about who's trusted and who's not, that raises serious questions, because that's really an unprecedented thing for the government to do.

LAWRENCE: But one that some frequent fliers are comfortable with.

LORI STOPPERAN, FREQUENT FLIER: Especially on heavy travel day like the weekends, it would be way worth it.

LAWRENCE: The TSA's trusted travelers begin flying next week in Minnesota, and over the next few weeks, Boston, Houston, Washington and LA. Chris Lawrence, CNN, Bloomington, Minnesota.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Well, the lesson that could save thousands of children.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A minute or two later, I hear them screaming. Luckily, he learned the skills here, and when I found him, he was at the pool's edge already.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: Wow, still to come, what some parents are doing to make sure their babies don't drown.

Plus, it remains a mystery, but time is ticking. Who will John Kerry pick for his No. 2? Our Bill Schneider joins us live for this weeks veepstakes breakdown.

And, will thousands of Florida residence be denied their right to vote in this year's election?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired July 4, 2004 - 18:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, I'm Carol Lin. CNN LIVE SUNDAY is next, but first a quick wrap of the headlines. The Iraqi interim prime minister's office announces the new government will give partial amnesty to insurgents tomorrow. Accused murderers and other suspected Hardcore criminals will not be eligible. Only rebels, quote, "misled by their leaders" will qualify.
And on the holiday campaign trail, John Kerry is stumping in eastern Iowa with governor Tom Vilsack who may be in the running for vice president.

And Vice President Dick Cheney tells Republicans in Pittsburgh the party will work harder this year to win Pennsylvania's 21 electoral votes.

Top seeded Swiss star Roger Federer has won his second straight Wimbledon title. He beat Andy Roddick today securing his status as tennis's No. 1 player. Three championship matches make Federer a grandslam final master. He'll try to may 4-0 next month at the U.S. Open.

And good evening. I'm Carol Lin. Welcome to CNN LIVE SUNDAY. We have some new developments to show you and some special holiday coverage. In the next hour, imagine coming to America with no money, no grasp of the culture and few precious possessions. I recently met a group of African refugees whose perseverance is truly inspiring. It is our Independence Day story you will not want to miss.

And take a look at this: Babies, toddlers, learning what to do if they fall into the water. We're going to visit an innovative program that is saving lives.

Right now we begin with 3 countries under scrutiny for an alleged quid pro quo. At the center of the controversy, the release of 5 terror suspects from Guantanamo Bay. Was it part of a secret deal? CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voic-over): Les Walker was held in Saudi Arabia, for allegedly carrying out terrorist attacks there, but now he's a free man. The British citizen says he, along with six other western prisoners, had been tortured by Saudi security officials into confessing crimes they did not commit.

LES WALKER, FORMER PRISONER: We pleaded innocent until they tortured us -- or myself, they tortured me to confess to bombings.

MALVEAUX: Walker and the others were freed nearly a year ago, but the circumstances surrounding their release are raising questions, now about a possible secret international prison swap.

According to senior American and British officials cited in the New York Times, the U.S., Britain and Saudi Arabia were involved in months of intense negotiations, beginning in July of 2002, to win the detainees' release.

The deal was, last May the U.S. freed five Saudi detainees in U.S. custody at Guantanamo Bay, returning them to the Saudi government. Three months later, Saudi Arabia released the western detainees. Was it quid pro quo?

British embassy spokesman Steve Atkins said, "we were extremely releaved to win their release and get them out of Saudi Arabia. We worked ceaselessly for their return." But also said, "I am not able to comment further on any diplomatic discussions."

U.S. National Security Council Spokesman Shawn McCormick denied any claim, saying, "there is no recollection here of any linkage between these two actions. The Saudi's release was part of the normal policy of transferring detainees from Guantanomo for prosecution or continued detention."

And while officials do not dispute the timeline of the detainees' release, some political analysts see the timing around the Iraq war as more than coincidence.

CHARLES KUPCHAN, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY: I thinked Bush administration was hard-pressed to put the coalition together and to keep it together once the war was over. And the one thing they could do to provide political payback was to facilitate a deal on these detainees, and Bush appears to have exercised that option.

MALVEAUX: Walker says he was never told of the circumstances of his release, but he had his suspicions.

WALKER: We were pawns in a big game, that was our feeling once we were in prison. And it's a thought that I've held since I came out.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: Now, a senior Saudi official says that this notion of prisoner trade is pure fantasy. He goes on to say, it is a case of connecting the dots that don't -- Carol.

LIN: Suzanne, is there likely to be any kind of investigation?

MALVEAUX: Well, at this point it doesn't really seem like anyone is calling for an investigation. There is a lot of speculation about this. There is also a lot of discussion that this is all a part of negotiations, diplomatic discussions, that are ongoing. But it is interesting to note that U.S., British, as well as saudi officials all say this is not a part of a quid pro quo, trading one set of detainees for another, but that there certainly are discussions, negotiations that continue to try to get the detainees that are held at Guantanomo Bay back to their host countries, that that is a normal process.

LIN: Thank you very much. Suzanne Malveaux, live at the White House.

It's an agonizing wait for the family of a U.S. marine captured in Iraq. A day after claims that Corporal Wassef Hassoun was beheaded, there is news he might be alive. Hassoun's family is in seclusion in Utah. CNN's Rusty Dornin reports from there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Shadows, cast by old glory at Corporal Wassef Ali Hassoun's home in West Jordan, Utah, a reminder that while it may be the holidays celebrating independence, there is little freedom from fear for this family right now.

Conflicting records of Hassoun's fate brought neighbors and friends to their home this weekend. Kathleen Samuel doesn't know the family, but brought her own message of support.

KATHLEEN SAMUEL: Agony, anguish, sadness, a deep loss.

DORNIN: The headlines here describe not only the emotions of a family that remains in seclusion, but of the community as well. The Imam at the Hassoun family mosque visits the family daily.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At the moment, we're just, as you would say, keeping our fingers crossed and hoping for the best.

DORNIN: Claims Saturday on two different Web sites that Hassoun was beheaded are being denied by the group claiming to hold him. No one here seems to know what to believe. The conflicting and unconfirmed reports only heighten the anxiety for some, like neighbor, Melisssa Funk (ph).

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: People are actually realizing you know, how sad it is, you know? It's not -- it's your neighbor.

DORNIN (on camera): There are people of different faiths here in Salt Lake City. Many stress, when it comes to the fate of this young man, they are united with one prayer in mind: bring Corporal Wassef Ali Hassoun back safely. Rusty Dornin, CNN, Salt Lake City.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: And when it comes to the war in Iraq, there's still a lot of news. One of the Saddam Hussein's lawyers says he can't get a fair trial, because the country's courts and laws are illegitimate. On CNN's "LATE EDITION" today, the attorney also complained he hasn't had sufficient access to his client.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ZIAD AL KHASSAWNEH, ATTORNEY FOR SADDAM HUSSEIN (throught translator): We were not allowed to meet with president Saddam Hussein in spite of all the many requests sent to President Bush and Colin Powell, and the Ashcroft and to the five permanent members of the U.N., and to the government of Switzerland, because they are the custodians of the Geneva Convention, and all the free people of the world, but the American administration has stood against us meeting our client.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: Now, in just a few hours, Iraq's interim government is planning to offer amnesty to Iraqis who resisted the U.S.-led occupation out of a sense of desperation. Those described as hard- core criminals would not be eligible.

And Iraqi troops foiled an attempted car bombing today in Baqubah. They killed the attacker at a checkpoint near their regional headquarters. The bombs in the car exploded anyway when the guards opened fire. Two bystanders were killed.

The daily attacks can wither the most patriotic soul, and it is especially sweet that the 1st Armored Division is going home after the longest tour of any combat unit. Members are finally going home after the longest tour there, and CNN Baghdad Bureau Chief Jane Arraf reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): This is the last time these flags will fly in this battle. These soldiers have seen war to relative peace to war again. After 15 months, the longest deployment in this conflict, and two Fourth of July celebrations, they're going home. The U.S. Army's 1st Armored Division is going back to Germany, the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment to Louisiana.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Three months ago, the same group of soldiers was asked to remain in Iraq to defeat a militia uprising and preserve the path to Iraqi sovereignty. They did that, too.

ARRAF: Some of these soldiers have spent more time in Iraq than anywhere else in their careers.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now we kind of look at it as Iraq will be part of us for a very long time, kind of like a home to us.

ARRAF: Most of them say, unlike the headlines, they have seen positive changes while they're here.

(on camera): It's not where they want to be on july 4th, but for battle weary soldiers or new ones, this American Independence Day in a newly independent Iraq has a special meaning.

(voice-over): This Fourth of July, far from home, there were volley ball games, picture taking. At camp victory, near the Baghdad Airport, home of the 1st Cavalry Division, a barbecue without the beer.

Where soldiers after the war slept in abandoned buildings and ate packaged rations, the newer arrivals have air conditioning and dining halls.

No fireworks here, but the Fourth of July at camp victory was a day of tradition and ceremony. America on Iraqi soil. Jane Arraf, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Here at home, sudden storms poured down on the crowds that navigated through major security for a concert on the National Mall. Sean Callebs is in Washington with a live report from there. Sean, it looks like all the security preparations were for nothing.

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Notice I'm inside. Heavy security taking a backseat to heavy thunderstorms in the nation's capital. It wasn't the color yellow that denotes the security threat level that got people's attention, but rather gray, as in dark clouds that brought intense summer showers.

There's a hint of good news for legions of people flocking to the National Mall. The July 4th concert with Clay Aiken, Amy Grant, Vinec Gill (ph) and others is still on, so far. And authorities will wait until 9:00 p.m. Eastern time before deciding the fate of the fireworks display.

So how bad was the weather? Take a look.

Organizers tried to get the Independence Day Parade off the ground, but pretty soon it became apparent that harsh weather literally rained on their parade. A handfull of bands started making their way through the streets before the parade was cancelled.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We saw a few of them come through earlier, so we saw something. It's disappointing, but that's the way it goes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm just a little disappointed that it's delayed. I mean we can sit out here in the rain, it seems like they could come through in the rain.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CALLEBS: In the spirit of retro, as in 1776, the weather was okay earlier in the day when a group gathered for the annual reading of the Declaration of Independence.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to...

(END VIDEO CLIP) CALLEBS: There was a dress rehearsal as well last night for the Fourth of July concert that is scheduled to take place at the base of the Capitol. The backdrop, as you may expect, heavy security.

Government officials have warned for weeks, that although there's no specific threat, al Qaeda and other groups could use a symbolic day, such as July 4th to launch some kind of attack to generate mass casualties.

Tens of thousands of people are expected to gather on the National Mall for this evening's entertainment. The ground may be soupy, but people will be looking to the skies for the scheduled fireworks.

Well trust me, she's saying she's looking forward to the fireworks. Sit tight for another couple hours and we should know if everything will go off as planned. Carol, back to you.

LIN: All right. Gives new meaning to the show must go on. Thanks, John.

It is an emotional day of remembering the past while Looking forward to the future. Still to come, the marking of a new beginning where the World Trade Center once stood. Daniel Libeskind, the man behind the master design, is my guest.

Looking for special treatment at the airport? There is one way you can avoid the hassle, but will it step on your rights?

And later, it is amazing, back stroke, butterfly, babies: Look at how these youngsters are learning to swim. Swimming survival 101.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: It was a moving ceremony today at ground zero. It was a symbolic start to the rebuilding on the World Trade Center site. A 20-ton slab of granite was laid as the cornerstone for what's expected to be the world's tallest building. Here's our Alina Cho.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(SINGING)

ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): What the curtain revealed was breathtaking, a 20 ton piece of New York granite, now the cornerstone of the Freedom Tower, the first and tallest building to be built at ground zero.

MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, MAYOR OF NEW YORK: Today, as we lay this cornerstone, we remember the liberties that are the bedrock of our nation, the foundation that can never be shaken by violence or hate.

CHO: Along with the music, there was symbolism this Fourth of July, the son of a port authority police officer who died on 9/11 read the Declaration of Independence.

JULIAN DAVIS, SON OF 9/11 VICTIM: We hold these truthing to be self-evident.

CHO: The height of the tower is symbolic, 1776 feet, to mark the year that America declared its independence. A spire that echoes the profile of the statue of liberty, all the vision of master planner Daniel Libeskind.

DANIEL LIBESKIND, ARCHITECT: One thinks of how incredible to resurrect and rebuild New York in a way that is inspiring, that is meaningful and that is not just founded on height, but on the liberties and freedoms that this country was founded on.

CHO: Families members who lost loved ones on 9/11 were on hand. John Foy lost his mother-in-law.

JOHN FOY, 9/11 FAMILY MEMBER: It feels good. This is like a closure and it's a new beginning.

CHO: Some touched the inscription, others want construction to wait for a memorial to be built first at what they regard as sacred ground.

WILLIAM HEALY, 9/11 FAMILY MEMBER: This is a gravesite. Today would have been much more appropriate had it been the cornerstone for the memorial.

CHO: A memorial is set to open around the same time as the tower.

GOV. GEORGE PATAKI, NEW YORK: What our enemies sought to destroy, or democracy, our freedom, our way of life, stands taller than ever before.

CHO (on camera): What is clear about the ceremony is that it marks the first step in rebuilding at ground zero. What the final landscape will look like, or when that will happen is still an open question. Alina Cho, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Architect Daniel Liebeskind, the master planner of the new Freedom Tower was at the groundbreaking today. He's with me now from New York.

Daniel, how long has it been since you actually first put pen to paper to come up with a design for this project?

LIBESKIND: It's a very short time. It's only a little bit longer than one year since the competition was actually judged. So, we are very much on track and in a very intense process really rebuilding ground zero.

LIN: That's amazing. What was it like, then, for you to stand there and actually touch that stone and be there with the families?

LIBESKIND: It was the most moving and touching and inspiring thing in the world, because out of the bedrock, out of the ashes of that horrible event of 9/11, is rising a tower that represents all the values that we hold dear to us, and cherish: freedom, democracy, all that we believe in in the world.

LIN: Great principles. Let's talk about some of the pragmatic issues, though, at hand. The World Trade Center leaseholder of that property has only collected, or will only be able to collect about half the amount of insurance that he expected to. He cannot afford to build -- or rebuild 10 million square feet of office space. So, how will this project be paid for?

LIBESKIND: Well, it is important to, first of all, bring the critical part of the project first, which is the memorial, the Freedom Tower, new streets, the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) plaza, the transportation back, the cultural buildings. For that, there will be money.

Of course, it will take more time to build all the other sky scrapers, in order to fulfill all the (UNINTELLIGIBLE). But I think in my plan it is very important that this site be delivered as quickly as possible to the citizens of New York, of America, so that it becomes accessible and meaningful once again.

LIN: Because you know Daniel, you as the architect, your heart and soul is in this design. Is it possible if there isn't enough money to build that building, there are going to have to be compromises on the design?

LIBESKIND: No, I think a design always evolves, a design has to be open to change, and that is a living evolutionary process. Of course, a master plan sets the stage, does not finish the performance.

But what I think is resilient and robust about this design is it brings together all the important issues, which is really the sadness and civic importance of remembering of the heroes of 9/11. And at the same time to reassert back again the optimism of New York, the optimism of America, and the greatness of democracy.

LIN: So, you're optimistic you won't have to change your design at all, from paper to the reality five years from now, it is going to be your building, with the spire and all the (UNINTELLIGIBLE)?

LIBESKIND: Absolutely. I think the meaning of this tower is not that it's just the highest tower. It's 1776 feet high, because that matters to us. Independence, freedom, democracy, liberties, that is the foundation of New York. And, of course, that is also the Statue of Liberty. The profile of the tower is not just any skyscraper, but something so meaningful to every free person in the world.

LIN: Are you ever concerned, as really the artistic and moral force behind this, are you ever concerned with the name of the Freedom Tower and the Freedom Center Museum, even the height of the tower 1776. That in an election year, that this site could get politicized?

LIBESKIND: No, I think this does not belong to Democrats or Republicans, it belongs to all Americans. It belongs to everyone who cherishes the ideals that we all love: freedom and liberty. This is not something ideological. And I think in that sense, it is also a beacon to the world, as the Declaration of Independence so well puts it, all men are created equal.

LIN: How long do you think it will take?

LIBESKIND: I think four years. By four years, we will have all the important pieces, the Freedom Tower, Greenwich Street, Fulton Street, the water (ph) of light, the memorial, the cultural buildings. I think the cricial pieces will be there for the public's enjoyment.

LIN: You know, I think it's going to be a fast four years. And I'm looking forward to it. Thanks, Daniel.

LIBESKIND: Thank you so much.

LIN: Since 9/11, airport security has been extra tight and it can take more than an hour to get through security, so should people who fly the most and pay the most get special treatment?

First, it was hanging, and dimpled chads, now Florida has another election debacle. Why thousands in the Sunshine State may not be able to cast their ballot this November.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: I've got that story on preferential treatment for frequent fliers, but here's a quick look at what's happening across America.

Afghan president Hamid Karzai won this year's Philadelphia Liberty Medal. He accepted the honor today at Independence Hall. President Karzai says the $100,000 prize will go to support Afghan orphans.

A wildfire in Arizona is threatening some of the world's most powerful telescopes. The fire is about a mile from the Mt. Graham International Observatory. The facility is worth more than $200 million.

Authorities in Florida are trying to determine why a Michigan man drove his SUV into a crowded terminal building at Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport today. The sheriff's office says deputies and a federal air marshal tackled the driver as he tried to escape. He suffered minor injuries. No one else was hurt

Since 9/11, it can take hours to get through airport security. Now the federal government believes it has a better idea. Chris Lawrence has the story of an airport pilot program about to take off in twin cities.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Between the hand checks and bag searches, frequent fliers never know how long they'll wait at security lines.

CHARLIE ZELLE, FREQUENCE FLIER: Tuesday it took five minutes. And Wednesday it took 90 minutes. LAWRENCE: That could be the reason hundreds accepted an invitation to apply for the new registered traveler program now being tested by the TSA.

UNINDENTIFIED FEMALE: What it's going to do, it's going to take three scans of each index finger.

LAWRENCE: Like Lori Stopperan, they fly about once a week. And don't mind giving fingerprints and optical scans to avoid tighter screening.

They'll still have to pass through met at detectors, but in a special lane at one of the checkpoints.

GARY FISHMAN, NORTHWEST AIRLINES: Why do you have to put them through the same level of scrutiny as someone you know nothing about.

LAWRENCE: They won't be pulled out of the land for flying one way, or random screening, and that's just the beginning.

JIM WELLNA, TSA DEPUTY DIRECTOR: Eventually we hope to be able to add things like not, perhaps, having to take your laptop out of your bag, not having to take your shoes off, having to take your overcoat off. We're going to build and learn.

LAWRENCE: If it works, the program could go national, but its potential is the problem for some privacy advocates.

JAY STANLEY, ACLU: Whenever you put the government into the role of judging American citizens and judgments about who's trusted and who's not, that raises serious questions, because that's really an unprecedented thing for the government to do.

LAWRENCE: But one that some frequent fliers are comfortable with.

LORI STOPPERAN, FREQUENT FLIER: Especially on heavy travel day like the weekends, it would be way worth it.

LAWRENCE: The TSA's trusted travelers begin flying next week in Minnesota, and over the next few weeks, Boston, Houston, Washington and LA. Chris Lawrence, CNN, Bloomington, Minnesota.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Well, the lesson that could save thousands of children.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A minute or two later, I hear them screaming. Luckily, he learned the skills here, and when I found him, he was at the pool's edge already.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: Wow, still to come, what some parents are doing to make sure their babies don't drown.

Plus, it remains a mystery, but time is ticking. Who will John Kerry pick for his No. 2? Our Bill Schneider joins us live for this weeks veepstakes breakdown.

And, will thousands of Florida residence be denied their right to vote in this year's election?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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