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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports
What Charges Will John Walker Face?; How Are Detainees in Cuba Being Handled?
Aired January 15, 2002 - 17:00 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.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Now on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS, John Walker's legal fate. Custody of the Taliban American changes hands. What will he be charged with?
U.S. Marines uncover hidden stockpiles of weapons in their own backyard.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're making some progress against al Qaeda. We're hunting them down one man at a time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: But what of those already in custody? How are they being handled? And is there a longer-term plan? I'll ask a former commander of the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.
Has an American citizen been kidnapped in Afghanistan? What was he doing there? U.S. officials scramble to find out.
Hello, I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington. He's 20 years old. He was captured by U.S. military forces in Afghanistan in November. Today, the attorney general, John Ashcroft, charged Taliban American John Walker with conspiracy to kill Americans and providing support to terrorist organizations.
Ashcroft says those and other charges could land Walker in prison for life. Walker has confessed to fighting with the Taliban in Afghanistan. We'll have much more on this story in just a moment.
But first, a quick check of this hour's other late developments. U.S. Marines in Afghanistan discovered weapons very near the Kandahar Airport. They were found in caves near the spot where snipers opened fire, about the time the detainees' plane took off for Cuba last week. The weapons were destroyed.
Violence in the West Bank kills an Israeli-American man and an Israeli woman. Gunmen ambushed the 72-year-old man as he was driving in the Palestinian town of Beit Jalla. A few hours later, gunmen fired on an Israeli car, carrying a woman and her niece. One of the women was killed. Two New York students are in the hospital after being shot at Martin Luther King, Jr. High School. A suspect is in custody. Both victims are boys. Both are listed in serious condition. Officials say the shooting may have been gang related.
The New York Stock Exchange has suspended trading of Enron stock. The exchange said it was taking the action because of Enron's bankruptcy, its uncertain future, and the steep decline in the value of its stock. Enron collapsed last month and now is the target of several Federal and Congressional investigations.
More now on our top story, the incredible story of John Walker, the American who was baptized Roman Catholic, converted to Islam at age 16, and later ended up in Afghanistan, trained with al Qaeda, and fought with the Taliban. Walker has been in the hands of the U.S. military since his capture in November. Now he's being turned over to the U.S. Justice Department. Our Senior White House Correspondent John King has been covering this story all afternoon. He joins us now live with more -- John.
JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, senior administration officials telling us John Walker still aboard a U.S. naval vessel. The Departments of Defense and Justice will now make the arrangements to transfer him back to the United States.
No details yet on when that will take place, but when John Walker arrives back in northern Virginia, he will be brought to, and arraigned on the charges outlined in this criminal complaint released today by the Justice Department, after deliberations for weeks now within the highest levels of the Bush Administration.
The charges against John Walker, four counts, including charges that he provided material support or resources to terrorists. That would carry 15 years in prison or a life sentence if death resulted from the act, the United States saying death did result. They want John Walker to serve the rest of his life in Federal prison.
Another charge against him, Conspiracy to Kill U.S. Nationals Abroad; again, that charge carries with it a penalty of life in prison. The charges released today and outlined by the Attorney General John Ashcroft, who used quite tough words. He says as the United States cracks down on terrorism around the world, urges other governments to round up al Qaeda and other terrorist cells in their country, it had no choice but to take tough action against an American that the Attorney General says betrayed his country.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN ASHCROFT, ATTORNEY GENERAL: The complaint alleges Walker knowingly and purposely allied himself with certain terrorist organizations with terror, that he chose to embrace fanatics, and his allegiance to those fanatics and terrorists never faltered, not even with the knowledge that they had murdered thousands of his countrymen.
(END VIDEO CLIP) KING: Now, Wolf, President Bush signed off on this approach ten days ago. The recommendation from Attorney John Ashcroft and the Defense Secretary Don Rumsfeld was to have the Defense Department turn Walker over to the criminal justice system here in the United States. The President gave the OK 10 days ago.
The charges were prepared in the meantime, and John Ashcroft, the Attorney General, called Air Force One as the President made his way back to Washington today from New Orleans, told the White House Chief of Staff, Andy Card, he was ready to proceed, and the President gave the final go ahead -- Wolf.
BLITZER: And there's been a statement released by the White House, John?
KING: Yes, the White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer says the President is proud of the process, pleased with the process put in place to handle all this. "Justice will be done." The quote from the White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer says the President has been, of course, closely involved in all these deliberations, and that the President is quite pleased with the outcome.
BLITZER: Explain also, John, why they didn't seek the death penalty charges? For example, Treason, that could have justified if convicted the death penalty?
KING: The Attorney General has not ruled out additional charges, but we are told and the Attorney General discussed some of this in public today, that they believe the evidentiary bar for proving Treason is quite high, and they decided to go ahead with a case that they believe can be proven beyond any reasonable doubt.
So they went with these charges, which carry life in prison, and they say John Walker himself confessed to all these offenses in an interview with the FBI done in early December, after he waived and signed a waiver to his so-called Miranda rights.
But again, the Attorney General not ruling out additional charges down the road, but senior officials tell us they believe it is most unlikely that John Walker would be charged with Treason. But they do say the charges outlined in this complaint today are quite tough, and again, could land John Walker in prison for the rest of his life.
BLITZER: OK, John King at the White House, thank you very much. And joining us now for further discussion on this case, the legal aspects of the Walker case, the former Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Baer. Mr. Baer thanks for joining us.
TOM BAER, FORMER ASSISTANT U.S. ATTORNEY: Thanks, Wolf.
BLITZER: So how difficult of a case does the U.S. Government have in proving the charges that were filed today?
BAER: Well legally, I think you'd have to say that it's not terribly difficult, but practically I think it may be somewhat difficult. These charges arise out of terrorism legislation that came up in the '90s, and they're really designed for banks and financial institutions. As you can see, they relate to material support and prohibited transactions and things that don't seriously apply to this individual's behavior as a fighter.
I think they're very serious. I think they brought this in northern Virginia and I think that the likelihood of success has to be counted as very high at this point.
BLITZER: As you know, there's going to be another very high profile trial that's going to be going on in northern Virginia, in the same district, the Zacarias Moussaoui trial at the same location.
Is that a problem? Is there potential for some sort of spectacle going on? Two such very, very high profile cases?
BAER: Well, I think the courts know how to protect against these types of spectacular cases. If they didn't have rules to cover them, then if you really committed a tough crime, you'd never be tried because it was too spectacular to get a fair jury.
No, I think the judges will be able to handle that very well. I think the most interesting thing about this case is the fact that the defendant has essentially confessed. According to the Attorney General, there was a Miranda warning and this individual essentially read into the record all of the acts which he's being charged with. That's going to be attacked, of course, by defense counsel.
BLITZER: Well, their argument presumably will be he was brainwashed. He didn't know what he was doing. He was young. He was naive, and he got himself into a situation which he deeply regrets right now. Presumably that could be a defense, right?
BAER: Yes. I think the entire issue in this case is the state of mind of John Walker. What was his ability to understand? What did he know? What did he do? And I think frankly, in view of the record that the Attorney General read to us today of all these decisions he made to join one organization, then go to another organization, then to decline to go to Kashmir, but to go to Afghanistan. It's all completely consistent with full knowledge and understanding of what he was doing, and so I think that defense is not going to work.
On the other hand, there is a presumption of innocence, and here's this individual who is charged with heinous acts against the United States, fostering terrorism and going to work for bin Laden. And yet, he is going to enjoy the full and very substantial protection of the Constitution of the United States, a nation which according to the Attorney General, he sought to destroy.
BLITZER: How difficult would it have been for the government to prove a case strong enough to justify the death penalty, specifically treason?
BAER: Well that's an open question. There's going to be a Grand Jury investigation here, and there's a continuing investigation in Guantanamo, and the attorney general can elect to bring treason charges. The proof that would be required would be two witnesses to the overt acts of Treason, and if there are two such witnesses down in Guantanamo who can be turned, the Attorney General has left open the possibility of his being charged with Treason. And, in fact, Treason is described in the Constitution as opposed to material support for terrorism, which appears to be a bank-like transaction, is probably the closest thing to the facts in this case.
And so, the government will be working very hard to try to find two witnesses to overt acts of Treason, and the possibility of ultimately charging him with that, which is a death penalty case.
BLITZER: And as John King our White House Correspondent pointed out, the government is leaving open the opportunity, the possibility of adding additional charges.
BAER: Right.
BLITZER: As you, yourself pointed out as well.
BAER: Right.
BLITZER: Tom Baer, I want to thank you very much for joining us.
BAER: Thank you very much, Wolf.
BLITZER: Thank you. In Afghanistan, U.S. Marines are at a high state of alert at the Kandahar Airport, after foiling a possible plot to attack the base there that's become the center of the U.S. military operations in Afghanistan. More on that now, and the military mission, from our Bill Hemmer. He's in Kandahar.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BILL HEMMER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: After eight days of intense bombing in eastern Afghanistan, the U.S. says it has now flattened a large terrorist training camp. The Pentagon indicating that 60 structures had been flattened above ground, and 50 tunnels had been closed and more possibly on the way in that same region.
A report says a dozen, possibly more just like it may still exist and they may be the next target. No reports though of bombing in the past 24 hours, and as always, the U.S. says it goes into looking for these caves and tunnels for more intelligence on the al Qaeda network here in Afghanistan, and simply around the world for that matter as well.
Back in Kandahar, another reminder today of how dangerous this country can be. The marines say they picked up the identification of seven people lurking on the perimeter here. They went in to check it out and what they found was a weapons cache located in an abandoned building.
In addition, they found mortar fuses and rocket-propelled grenades under crawlspaces inside of these abandoned buildings. They were blown up, flattened as well. In addition, they say, several cave openings were also located. Those have been imploded and closed as well.
By the way, this was the same area where the marines believe that sniper fire, machine gun fire originated back on Thursday night, when the first shipment of detainees were sent out to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
On the detainee front, 19 more came in last night, the total on deck now 380. We anticipate all 380 to eventually make their way to Guantanamo Bay.
Bill Hemmer, CNN, Kandahar, Afghanistan.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: And there are 50 detainees now at Guantanamo Bay, at the U.S. naval base there. They're considered some of the more dangerous of all the Taliban and al Qaeda fighters. Today, one underwent surgery for a month-old gunshot wound. Three others are said to be British citizens. Today, members of the British Parliament joined human rights groups in urging the United States to classify the detainees as "prisoners of war."
Yesterday on this program, we heard why from the human rights group, Human Rights Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KENNETH ROTH, HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH: The Geneva Conventions say very explicitly that prisoners of war, if they're to be detained, have to be detained in the same conditions as an American would be detained if facing comparable criminal charges. That clearly isn't the case.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Joining me now from Raleigh, North Carolina someone who knows Guantanamo Bay quite well, the retired Brigadier General George Walls. He's a former commander at Guantanamo Bay.
General Walls, thanks for joining us, and what do you say to those who say that these detainees at Guantanamo Bay are not being treated according to the Geneva Conventions, the human rights expectations of course that the whole world has come to expect?
BRIG. GEN. GEORGE WALLS, FORMER COMMANDER, GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA: Well, Wolf, first of all it's good to be back with you again after a long time away. But, I think that the thing that people need to keep in mind is that if they are all not already on the ground at Guantanamo, the American Red Cross and the International Red Cross will soon be there working with the folks that are running those camps to make sure that the detainees are treated according to the standards that we expect, both by the Red Cross and by the Geneva Convention.
BLITZER: You were the commander at Guantanamo Bay. I got to know you down there. There were earlier crises, the Haitian refugees who were brought there. Give our viewers a sense of the capability of that naval facility. WALLS: Wolf, the facility is set up to be a training base for the Navy and Coast Guard and other forces that operate down in that area. It's a very arid, southwest desert sort of an environment. This time of the year, the weather is hot and dry, not an awful lot of chance of rain, and we're out of the hurricane season. So those aren't real big considerations for the commanders down there.
I believe that the area that they've got Camp X-ray set up in is a pretty desolate area, and probably well suited for what we built that camp for.
BLITZER: Ken Roth of Human Rights Watch, on this program yesterday, said that there's some concern that it gets cold at night and these detainees are going to be kept out in the open with the little tin roof over their cages. How concerned should human rights organization be about that?
WALLS: Well, I think cold is a relative term down there, Wolf. This time of the year, it's very hot during the day and it doesn't cool down that much at night. So the concerns that they have, I believe, are concerns that may have some legitimacy but the technical aspect of continuing to refer to these folks as detainees is one that, as you know, has some very important legal and technical ramifications.
BLITZER: The government of Fidel Castro, as you well know from your own experience commanding Guantanamo Bay, is always angry, not only about what's going on there but the very presence, U.S. military presence there. How serious of a problem will this be, the angry Cuban government reaction to what's already a situation that's developed over these many decades?
WALLS: Well you're quite correct. I think that the Cubans are not very happy about the U.S. having the base there at Guantanamo. From my experience, they did voice some concerns when we had the Haitians there, and then when we had the combination of Haitians and Cubans there.
But again, we are in a lease for that base, and I think that we will probably continue to use it as we pretty much see fit.
BLITZER: Is it possible in your experience for these prisoners to escape, either by land into Cuba or by sea into the Atlantic Ocean?
WALLS: I think the chances of that are very remote. I'd say slim to none, Wolf. There is not much room to move around on that base without being observed. These folks are halfway around the world from an environment that they know, and again they're going to be very closely watched, and I don't think that that's going to be very easy for them to do.
BLITZER: Even if there are 1,000 or 2,000 detainees eventually placed in those cages on the base?
WALLS: Still I don't, Wolf. Again they're in a very controlled environment. During my time there, we had 12,500 Haitians scattered pretty well around the base itself, and that was not a concern. Plus, there really isn't any place for them to go.
BLITZER: General Walls, always good to speak with you. Thank you very much for joining us.
WALLS: Thank you, Wolf.
BLITZER: And later tonight, here in the CNN War Room, I'll have an exclusive interview with the Vice Chairman of the U.S. Military, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Peter Pace. We'll also talk about terrorism with the expert, Brian Jenkins. That's at 7:00 p.m. Eastern, 4:00 Pacific. Join me then.
You can participate, by the way. Simply go to my web page, cnn.com/wolf. Click on send questions. I'll try to get as many of those questions answered by our guests as possible. That's also, of course, where you can read my daily online column.
More questions and answers about an American civilian who may, may be a hostage somewhere in Afghanistan. State Department officials say they're trying to find out precisely what happened. He's been identified as Clark Russell Bowers of Harvest, Alabama.
His wife keeping vigil at their home says it was her husband's second trip to Afghanistan, delivering medical and other humanitarian supplies.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AMANDA BOWERS, WIFE OF CLARK BOWERS: Good afternoon. My name is Amanda Bowers. As you have all heard by now, my husband Clark Bowers was on a humanitarian mission to Afghanistan when he was abducted last week. I don't know many of the details of his trip, but I will tell you what I know.
This was Clark's second trip to Afghanistan. Both were private, humanitarian missions to take in medical and other supplies to the Afghan people. Clark called me via satellite phone on Wednesday, after taking a chartered plane from Istanbul to Kabul.
During that brief conversation, he told me that he had landed safely in Afghanistan, that he and his Afghan interpreter had been abducted by someone who Clark said was a tribal warlord. Clark reported he had been driven blindfolded around for several hours, and that he was being treated fairly well, although the interpreter that was with him had been roughed up.
He then gave me instructions on getting money together to send to his abductors. Clark also said that he would call me back on Saturday to tell me where to send the money.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Amanda Bowers said her husband did not call Saturday, but he did phone yesterday with instructions. She couldn't tell us what they were or how much money is involved. The ceremony was brief, but the honor will last for a lifetime. Thirteen soldiers, two airmen, were awarded the Purple Heart today for wounds they suffered in Afghanistan. Some also received Medals of Valor for courage under fire. Here's more on that ceremony at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAJOR GENERAL GEOFFREY LAMBERT, U.S. ARMY: These Green Berets to my left here were all wounded in that fight, and today we honor them with medals for valor and Purple Hearts for their wounds. The men raised their hands and they went in.
They had to conquer the differences in language and culture and religion, and they had to conquer the centuries of difference in the tactics, weaponry and communications that their Afghani warriors had practiced throughout the 23 years in this war. And finally, they had to conquer one last thing, and that was the Taliban and they've done it.
The Purple Heart is awarded to Captain Jason Amerine, ODA 574, 3rd Batallion, 5th Special Forces Group, Airborne, for wounds received in action on 5 December 2001 at Kandahar, Afghanistan.
CAPTAIN JAMES AMERINE, U.S. SPECIAL FORCES: We all needed to work very closely with each other in some very ugly, dangerous places, and that's where you become very, very close. So, in the aftermath of this, we lost family, you know, two people that were closer than family were dead, and I mean immediately our worry was keeping the wounded alive. But once the wounded were stabilized and there wasn't anything else to do, then I took a moment to go off and I had a good long cry.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: And on the 73rd anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birth, a shooting in a school bearing his name. It happened just a few hours ago on New York City's upper west side. Two students were wounded. A suspect is now in custody. For more, let's go to CNN's Jason Carroll. He's outside the school -- Jason.
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, there's been a recent development with the shooting that I want to tell you about. Just about an hour ago, the New York City Police Department came out and announced that they did, in fact, have a suspect in custody.
And then just about 20 minutes ago, they called the various news organizations across New York City and said that the person that they had in custody was no longer a suspect. So we still have a suspect that is still at large at this point.
So let me just recap and tell you what happened here. At the high school that you see there behind me, it was just about 2:00 this afternoon. It was around 7th period, one of the last periods of the day that scheduled, two students were shot here at the school, apparently by another student. The victims, one a 17-year-old, who was shot in the lower back; the second, an 18-year-old who was shot in the shoulder. Both are in serious condition, although we're told the injuries are not life threatening. The shooting happened on the fourth floor of the school. The gun, a semi-automatic handgun though, was found up on the fifth floor of the school.
We had an opportunity to speak with several students who were out here from the school. They told us what happened shortly after the shots rang out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: While we were in 8th period, they came on the loud speaker and made an announcement saying to lock all your doors, because the incident happened, and nobody knew what the incident was. I didn't even know what it was. So we had to sit there and they held all the bells, and then they evacuated us in a single file out, and police in each staircase.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CARROLL: Police right now are in the process of notifying all the parents from the school, telling them what happened here. Guidance counselors will be provided tomorrow, as well as additional security. Once again though, we want to point out at this point, the person that is responsible for the shooting at the school is still at large -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Jason Carroll in New York, thank you very much for that report. And prosecutors are asking for a coroner's inquest into the death of one of the victims of the Columbine High School massacre.
The boy's parents say their son was accidentally killed by a police officer during the 1999 massacre, and they say they want to find out the truth. The sheriff's report says the boy was killed by one of the gunmen, Dillon Klebold.
Not that you'd probably want to, but good luck trying to buy any Enron stock. The latest on the company's fall when we come back, and its impact on Houston, the city Enron calls home. That's coming up next.
Also, making drugs cheaper to buy. Pfizer's new deal for Medicare recipients. And what's behind President Bush's bruise? We'll examine his medical vital signs later this hour. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Secretary of State Colin Powell is now on his way to South Asia for crucial talks set in Afghanistan, India and Pakistan. A major focus of the trip, to urge both India and Pakistan to diffuse their latest crisis over the disputed territory of Kashmir.
The nuclear-armed neighbors have fought two wars over the region. Secretary Powell says the United States will not take on the role of mediator unless asked to do so by both sides.
For several weeks now, Indian and Pakistani troops have been massed along their border. There's been a lot of talk of another war breaking out over India's charges that Pakistan supports Islamic militants operating in Kashmir, a charge Pakistan denies.
Yesterday on this program, we spoke with Maleeha Lodhi, the Pakistani Ambassador to the United States. Here's part of what she had to say about the crisis.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MALEEHA LODHI, PAKISTANI AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED STATES: Pakistan will not lower its military guard until the country that initiated the military buildup, which is India, begins to stand down its troops. We've seen a most unprecedented mobilization on our borders, and we hope that India will see that this is not a responsible act by a nuclear power against another nuclear power, and that it would step back from the brink and come back to the part of dialog.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: And joining us now with his government's response, India's Ambassador to the United States, Lalit Mansingh. Mr. Ambassador, thank you so much for joining us. You heard Ambassador Lodhi say they would like the Indian Government to step down, cool tensions, and resume a dialog with Pakistan.
LALIT MANSINGH, INDIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED STATES: Well, the answer to that is that we haven't raised the tensions. All we have done is we put our forces on alert after 13th of December, just as the United States did after the 11th of September. And we are going to remain in a state of alert until we are satisfied that cross- border terrorism from Pakistan is going to stop.
BLITZER: But you heard the speech that President Musharraf of Pakistan gave over the weekend, a speech widely praised by U.S. officials, others around the world as suggesting that Pakistan is taking the steps that India and so many other countries would like to curb terrorist influence, Islamic militants in Pakistan. Isn't that enough?
MANSINGH: Right, we have heard the speech and we have also commented favorably on the speech, on certain aspects of the speech which concern us. But the point is, it's not a question of making a statement. We have to see that that policy is being carried out, and we will be satisfied only when we see the results on the ground.
If there is no entry infiltration from across the border, if they (UNINTELLIGIBLE) terrorist killings inside our territory, then we'll know that Pakistan is not carrying out what it has promised to fulfill.
BLITZER: What about all the arrests, hundreds if not thousands of Islamic militants in Pakistan, arrested by President Musharraf's government?
MANSINGH: Yes, we'll have to see what kind of arrests, how long are they going to be kept in jail. Because as far as we know, they have not been arrested on the charges of terrorism, and we have given Pakistan a list of the 20 top terrorists and criminals who have been taking refuge in Pakistan. We expect Pakistan to hand them over to us.
BLITZER: The New York Times in an editorial, which you probably read today --
MANSINGH: Right.
BLITZER: -- writes this, among other things. It says, "In the long run, if Pakistan truly ends its overt support for the armed insurgency of Kashmir, it will be up to India to begin engaging in serious discussions about the state's political future. A resolution of the basic issues at stake in Kashmir is the only sure way to stabilize the region."
Secretary Powell says he's ready to participate. The U.S. is ready to participate if both sides want the United States to mediate. Pakistan would welcome U.S. mediation. India?
MANSINGH: We don't need mediation. We are two countries. We speak the same language. We are prepared to sit down together, as we have done many times in the past. All we are saying is, we are ready to talk, but first end cross-border terrorism and we are willing to talk.
BLITZER: But sometimes it takes an outside mediator to help two adversaries get together and begin a dialog.
MANSINGH: Well, the United States is doing a lot. In fact, it was because of the United States that Pakistan has declared two of these organizations as terrorist organizations. And I think President Bush has given a very forthright message to Pakistan to stop exporting terrorism to India.
BLITZER: And just to nail down this one point, your military today is at the same high level of alert as it was two weeks ago, a month ago, since the terrorist incident at the Indian Parliament?
MANSINGH: Yes, it is in a high state of alert.
BLITZER: Ambassador Mansingh, thanks so much for joining us.
MANSINGH: Thank you, Wolf.
BLITZER: Thank you.
And let's check some other stories on today's "Newswire." A last-minute deal keeps the peace process in Colombia moving forward, but a new deadline is looming. The government of the South American nation is pressing rebels to come up with a timetable for a cease-fire by Sunday or face attack. Last night, at the very last minute, the government and rebel leaders agreed to restart peace talks.
In the Middle East, Israelis and Palestinians are mourning their dead as the violence goes on. An Israeli soldier gunned down in a drive-by shooting was buried today. Funeral services also were held for the leader of a Palestinian group, Fatah. He died yesterday in an explosion outside a cemetery. Palestinians say he was assassinated by Israel. As the funeral was taking place, two Israelis were shot and killed in separate incidents in the West Bank.
Even when workers sign away their right to sue their employers, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission can sue on their behalf -- that ruling today from a divided United States Supreme Court. It stems from the case of a cook at a waffle house in South Carolina who was fired after having a seizure at work. The man had agreed when he was hired that on-the-job disputes would be settled by arbitration.
Up next, we'll bring you today's latest developments. Plus, how will the city of Houston handle Enron's collapse? The surprising impact when we return. Also ahead, we get new word on President Bush's vital statistics. Could they have caused his now famous fainting spell?
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Coming up, we will speak to Dr. Sanjay Gupta, the latest developments as far as President Bush's fainting spell earlier this week.
But first, let's get a quick check of this hour's developments. New York authorities say a school shooting in Manhattan today may have been gang-related. Two students were wounded in the incident at Martin Luther King Jr. High School.
The Justice Department is taking custody of the Taliban American, John Walker. And he will be charged in federal court with at least four counts -- among them providing support to terrorists. None of the charges carries the death penalty. Walker has been in custody of the U.S. military since his capture late last year.
Reward money in the national anthrax investigation is going up. The FBI and Postal Service are expected to double the reward to $2.5 million possibly as early as tomorrow. It's a bid to generate new leads in the case that involves anthrax-tainted letters. Five deaths are linked to those letters.
The New York Stock Exchange today suspended trading of Enron stock, citing the company's bankruptcy, uncertain future and the steep drop in the value of its stock. The exchange also indicated it will move to delist Enron stock. Also today, accounting firm Arthur Andersen fired the lead auditor of Enron and is putting three other auditors on leave. It's all part of the firm's inquiry into the destruction of Enron-related documents.
Enron's troubles are a big blow to the company's hometown of Houston, Texas. The energy giant has been a major contributor to civic and social projects throughout the Houston area. With Enron's wallet now closed, many of those projects could go unfunded. And already area businesses are feeling the pinch.
We get more now on the story from CNN's Ed Lavandera.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): John Ho struck gold two years ago when he opened Booray's (ph) burrito restaurant in the shadows of Enron's headquarters. But the lunch rush only trickles in these days.
(on camera): You can tell by the number of cups you have left how much your business has been affected?
JOHN HO, RESTAURANT OWNER: Every day we are finished, finished.
LAVANDERA (voice-over): Since Enron cratered, John Ho has lost 50 percent of his business. Customers have disappeared.
(on camera): So all these tables should be filled.
HO: Full, and got people in the line.
LAVANDERA: And there should be a line out the door?
HO: Yes, every day.
LAVANDERA: And, instead, you have got a lot of empty tables.
HO: Empty table and no people in the line.
LAVANDERA (voice-over): It's same throughout the neighborhood, but nearby businesses aren't the only ones feeling the pinch. Charities throughout Houston are looking to fill the void left by the millions of dollars Enron donates. The company gave $1.4 million to the fine arts museum, more than $5 million to United Way and $5.6 million to a cancer research center.
But most people now talk about Enron in the past tense.
PATRICK MULVEY, AMERICAN CANCER CENTER: Enron raised the bar when it came to philanthropy in the community as well as volunteerism. That was a corporation that people looked at and said: That's really what a corporate citizen should do.
PETER MARZIO, HOUSTON FINE ARTS MUSEUM: Enron's real role in the city was not the amount of money. It was the leadership and the attitude that went with it.
LAVANDERA (on camera): Enron's collapse has affected Houston life in many ways. One small anecdote illustrates that point. Now that 4,000 people are no longer working in downtown Houston, some say traffic is flowing smoother than ever. (voice-over): Enron's signature is stamped on Houston's baseball stadium. The company agreed to a naming-rights deal worth $100 million. Officials say Enron is up on it payments, but if it doesn't keep paying, the stadium could be looking for a new sponsor.
John Ho's only mission is to save the family restaurant. He hopes the smile on his face will help him sell more burritos.
Ed Lavandera, CNN, Houston.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: And what should you do if you own Enron stock? You can find out at the top of the hour on "LOU DOBBS MONEYLINE." That's at 6:00 Eastern, 3:00 Pacific.
President Bush says he feels fine two days after a brief fainting spell. But doctors say he will be monitored for a few more days nonetheless. As you have no doubt noticed, the president has a bit of a bruise near his left eye. The White House physician says Mr. Bush must have hit a table when slumped forward, attributed the fainting spell to a nervous system reaction to choking.
Our own expert, our medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, joins us now live.
Sanjay, you read the interview that White Houses physician Dr. Richard Tubb gave Dr. Lawrence Altman, the medical correspondent for "The New York Times," with a lot of specific details on the president's health. What is your bottom line having read all those details?
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the bottom line, Wolf, in that, certainly in these sorts of situations, vasovagal syncope, which is a word that a lot of people are becoming familiar with now, is usually a diagnosis of exclusion. And that means that, in the president's case especially, it certainly ruled out any other sort of cause of fainting, such as heart arrhythmia, such as a seizure.
These sorts of things were ruled out by Dr. Tubb, the doctor who cares for the president. An EKG was performed. A neurological exam was performed. The blood work was performed to try and make sure there wasn't underlying blood abnormalities such as in the case of both his father and his father, Graves disease. They have that. That may have led to Bush Sr.'s passing-out episodes in the past.
It looks like Bush Jr. does not -- President Bush has none of those sort of things. And vasovagal fainting, which, again, as you pointed out, Wolf, is basically a reflex, a protective reflex. When blood pressure and heart rate get too fast or too high, it basically slows things down. And someone like the president, who apparently is in pretty good health and already has a low heart rate, that slowing down may have been enough to cause him to faint. So it does seem to sort of fit together based on what the doctors are telling us. BLITZER: Sanjay, some of the statistics that were released in the article in "The New York Times" by Dr. Tubb, I want to put them on our screen right now. This was the president's vital signs. His blood pressure was 111 over 70. His pulse was 51 right after the fainting incident. And later Sunday night, they did a second round of tests that showed that his blood pressure had gone to 116 over 69, very similar. And his pulse went down to 49 from 51.
What do these numbers actually mean to you?
GUPTA: Well, it's a little bit difficult to say, Wolf. Certainly, even the first set of numbers was performed after he already sort of awoke from his episode of loss of consciousness.
I would imagine that, at some the point in there, both his heart rate and his blood pressure both went up and then came back down as the vasovagal reflex came into play. What I sort of find a little bit interesting, Wolf, as well is that there was a little confusion as to whether he actually choked on this pretzel or was coughing because of this pretzel. But if he in fact had choked, it may have been the fall forward itself that may have actually dislodged that pretzel.
As you know, he was alone at the time. So he may have had a little bit of trouble obviously getting that pretzel down and the fall may have actually helped him in that case.
BLITZER: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, our medical correspondent, and himself a neurosurgeon -- knows a lot about this stuff -- thanks very much for joining us.
GUPTA: Thank you, Wolf.
BLITZER: And in other medical news: A new plan by Pfizer is designed to help some Americans save lots of money on something they need every day, namely prescription drugs. But not necessarily everyone qualifies.
Our other medical correspondent, Rea Blakey, she is here to fill us in on all of these late developments -- Rea.
REA BLAKEY, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Wolf.
There are a number of people who will qualify, but a very specific group. Some of the nation's neediest Americans will soon be able to get a month's supply of certain prescription drugs for as little as $15 -- no enrollment fee. They must, however, be Medicare recipients with no drug insurance coverage, with annual earnings below the poverty line.
Now, why is Pfizer willing to offer a limited cost-cut on its prescription drugs, when prices for so many drugs are steadily increasing?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HANK MCKINNELL, CHAIRMAN & CEO, PFIZER: September 11 changed lots of things. It changed our national priorities. The federal government is, quite appropriately, focused on the war on terrorism, on homeland defense and our economic security.
Let me tell you what is important, though: seven million Americans who can't afford access to necessary modern medicine. That costs all of us money. So, I don't doubt this program in the short term is going to cost us something. But, quite frankly, it's the right thing to do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLAKEY: Now, the new drug card program by Pfizer is designed to cut drug costs to Medicare recipients who have an annual income of under $18,000, under $24,000 for couples; 80 different Pfizer drugs are available at this reduced cost, including Lipitor to treat high cholesterol, a high blood pressure drug, an angina drug called Norvasc, and Zoloft for depression -- very high-profile drugs.
The company says, without the new program, the average retail price for some of its medications can cost patients $70 a month for a prescription. Still, according to Families USA, a consumer advocacy organization, drug company discount cards don't really address the true issues.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RON POLLACK, FAMILIES USA: What would really be meaningful is, first, if we got a prescription drug benefit in the Medicare program; secondly, if we were able to curtail these enormous price increases; and, thirdly, if we made generic drugs more available for people so they would be in competition with brand-name drugs. Once that competition occurs, the prices of these drugs come down very radically.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLAKEY: Now, a recent government study found savings from drug company prescription card programs are in fact minimal. Many don't include the most popular name-brand drugs. But under the program that Pfizer is proposing, it says it will make name-brand medications available, potentially boosting brand loyalty, Wolf, at the same time.
BLITZER: And how do people go about actually going to get this card, which obviously could be very valuable to a lot of these Medicare recipients?
BLAKEY: For seven million people, it could be like gold in their pocket. They simply need to apply to Pfizer. The program begins March 1. Also, CVS drug stores and Wal-Mart stores will be advocating this particular program. They will accept those cards. And they will encourage their customers to get involved as well.
BLITZER: In the end, will the cost come from Pfizer or will you and I and a lot of other people be sharing some of that burden?
BLAKEY: That's an interesting question. It remains to be seen. At this point, Pfizer isn't saying exactly how much money it is going to cost them. But they say it's in the millions. They indicate that they in fact will absorb that cost.
BLITZER: OK, good for Pfizer. Thanks very much, Rea Blakey.
And up next: Nervous Somalis worry if they are the next target in the U.S. war on terrorism. And we will have a report from our Christiane Amanpour.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Welcome back.
With al Qaeda defeated and on the run in Afghanistan, what will be the next target in America's war on terrorism? U.S. officials have said Somalia is one of the several possibilities out there. Any decision will no doubt take into account the failed U.S. military mission in Somalia in the early 1990s, one that ended in the deaths of American soldiers.
Our Christiane Amanpour traveled to the civil-war ravaged country, sounding out Somalis on terrorism and the United States.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Mogadishu knows a thing or two about being bombed by the United States. In 1993, the ill-fated hunt for warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid destroyed buildings, killed hundreds of Somalis and about 20 U.S. soldiers, but never snared Aidid.
Today, people read newspapers and listen to a swirl of rumors and threats with a sense of panic.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm not only me, all the people is afraid.
AMANPOUR: They are afraid Somalia will be next on the U.S. bombing list.
This man says, "The Americans can come here to check for Al Qaeda or other terrorists. But if they find nothing, they must stay to help."
Although the U.S. says Osama bin Laden sent fighters to attack American soldiers during Operation Restore Hope, Somalis insists they have long gone, and bin Laden could never find safe haven here.
"I'm a hundred percent I against the attacks in New York," says this man, "because those people did nothing wrong."
Incredibly, he and his friends were reading English-language newspapers dated September 12, filled with images of the attacks on the World Trade Center. They say they're just trying to improve their language skills. But one man in the crowd tells us, Somalia should join the war on terror.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is the time to join in the international community of war.
AMANPOUR (on camera): Some cynics and columnist have suggested that Somalia might welcome some well-targeted U.S. bombing as a way out of its current predicament. And surprisingly, despite all of the bad blood that is thrown between these two countries, and many people we spoke to here say they would welcome American troops back again.
(voice-over): They don't want the bombing, but they do want help. A way out of endless war and warlord-ism.
"We have been killing each other for 11 years and we've been terrorizing each other," says this man. "I am requesting America not to bomb us, but to come and help us."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I warmly welcoming the Americans and the Western to come in Somalia and to intervene.
AMANPOUR: Not everyone is happy to see Westerners on their streets. But the hostility is quickly contained, and the crowds are mostly good natured. Civil war has raged here since 1991, the country is divided into fiefdoms by weapon-wielding plans. Insecurity, joblessness, and poverty reign. Today, people tell us they see what the U.S. is doing in Afghanistan, and they want the same: a broad- based government, warlords disarmed and weapons taken off their streets.
Christiane Amanpour, CNN, Mogadishu.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: And for more coverage of Somalia, be sure to tune in tomorrow for "LIVE FROM SOMALIA" with our own Christiane Amanpour. That begins at 8:00 p.m. Eastern, 5:00 Pacific. That is tomorrow night.
And a new high for women in the U.S. Congress: Which congresswoman today becomes a leader on Capitol Hill?
And how low can it go? The lowest point on Earth is sinking. We will bring you the highs and lows when we come back.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Now checking these stories on today's "Newswire": The State of New Jersey finally has a full-time governor. James McGreevey has taken the oath of office. He's the first Democrat to hold the top job in eight years. Today's inauguration caps a week in which several acting governors served out Christie Todd Whitman's second term. Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi of California is now the highest- ranking woman ever to serve in the United States Congress. Pelosi today started her term as the minority whip in the House of Representatives. She won the position in a special election last October of her fellow House Democrats.
The lowest point on Earth is getting lower. Experts say the Dead Sea is sinking. Areas along the shoreline fell by as much as 2.5 inches a year over the last decade. A drop in the water table tied to agriculture and other purposes is getting the blame.
And let's go to New York now and get a preview of "LOU DOBBS MONEYLINE." He is standing by, of course, as he does every day. It begins at the top of the hour -- Lou.
LOU DOBBS, "LOU DOBBS MONEYLINE": It's parts of the job, Wolf. Thank you.
Complete coverage of the Enron collapse tonight - I will be joined by Senator Carl Levin. We will be talking about Andersen's role in the Enron collapse. And we'll have the latest developments for you in the war against terrorism. I will be talking with Afghanistan's finance minister. We will have a report on what it will cost to rebuild that country. And one of few survivors of the Internet era -- I will be talking with the CEO of eBay, Meg Whitman. We'll talking about her firm's success, about a lone survival -- all of that and more at the top of the hour.
Please join us -- now back to Wolf in Washington.
BLITZER: Thank you very much, Lou. I will be looking forward to it.
And up next, a record-setting divorce demand: How much money do you need each month to live? We will bring you details on a billionaire's divorce. It's not cheap.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Welcome back; $320,000 a month -- that's what the former wife of Kirk Kerkorian is asking for in child support for the couple's 3-year-old daughter. The 84-year-old Kerkorian is a billionaire who made his fortune in the casino industry. His 36-year- old former wife, Lisa, says their daughter has certain needs that need to be met to maintain her station in life.
Here is what she is asking for each month: $144,000 for travel; $14,000 for parties and play dates; $2,500 for movies and outings; and more than $400 for care of a bet bunny rabbit. Kerkorian's attorney calls the list fiction.
And our last word today is on the president's recent problem with a pretzel. Comedian Robin Williams had a few things to say about it when we caught up with him at the Sundance Film Festival.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ROBIN WILLIAMS, ACTOR: As a family, we have had problems over the years. This time, it was a pretzel, last time fish. Remember, the dogs are going -- he woke up saying, "The dogs were looking at me puzzled," like, "The president is down. Spot, go get someone." "What is wrong, Lassie?"
"Help Gilligan!"
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Robin Williams, he's a comedian.
I will be back in one hour here in the CNN "War Room." Among my guests: the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Peter Pace, and terrorism analyst Brian Jenkins. That's at 7:00 Eastern, 4:00 p.m. on the West Coast.
Until then, thanks very much for watching. I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington. CNN's coverage of America's new war continues with "LOU DOBBS MONEYLINE." That, of course, begins right now.
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