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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports
Violence Continues in Middle East; Was American Taliban Tortured in Custody?
Aired April 01, 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.
ANDREA KOPPEL, GUEST HOST: A bomb goes off in Jerusalem, and more tanks and firepower unleashed in the West Bank. But President Bush isn't giving up.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We've got a plan that will lead to peace.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOPPEL: An elusive master of disguise. He may be the biggest catch yet in the war on terrorism.
Has a Taliban American been tortured in custody? The defense plays offense in the case of John Walker Lindh.
And as Britain mourns its Queen Mum, what does the future hold for the troubled royal family?
Hello, I'm Andrea Koppel, in for Wolf Blitzer, in Washington. We're following two major stories: what may be the biggest arrest yet in the war on terrorism and the Middle East crisis.
Make that six bombings in six days. The latest blast tops our news alert. It occurred several hours ago in Jerusalem, tearing apart a car at a security checkpoint. The attacker was killed and an Israeli policeman was badly wounded.
Israeli tanks have swept across the West Bank, stepping up what Prime Minister Ariel Sharon calls "a war against terror." Troops are searching door-to-door for Palestinian militants, in some cases running into stiff resistance.
Yasser Arafat remains trapped in his compound in the West Bank town of Ramallah. Aides report the Palestinian leader's morale is good but, they contend, Israel is trying to kill him.
The United States apparently has its hands on the most senior al Qaeda leader captured since the attacks of September 11th. A high- level U.S. official says that the suspect, turned over by Pakistan, is Abu Zubaydah, a shadowy figure believed to be al Qaeda's chief operations chief, and a top lieutenant to Osama bin Laden. It's being called Operation Protective Wall, aimed at providing security for Israel by uprooting terrorism. Israeli troops and tanks are moving on Palestinian towns throughout the West Bank. But even as that massive crackdown intensifies, Israel has been rocked by yet another suicide attack.
Let's begin with CNN's Christiane Amanpour, live in Jerusalem. Good evening, Christiane.
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good evening, Andrea. In fact, it was in Jerusalem a few hours ago that this latest explosion happened. It was downtown, it as early evening. What we've been told by Jerusalem police is that a car approached one of the many checkpoints in this city. And at that point, a policeman who thought it looked suspicious tried it stop and check it. Then the car detonated. It exploded.
The driver inside, or whoever was inside, was killed. The policeman was seriously injured. They are still trying to investigate to figure out exactly who or what it was. And we're not exactly sure who is claiming responsibility or not at this point.
As this is happening, the defense minister, Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, who I talked to just a few hours ago, admitted that this operation to root out terrorism may not work 100 percent, and may in fact cause more suicide bombings in Israel in the short term.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BINYAMIN BEN-ELIEZER, ISRAELI DEFENSE MINISTER: Right now, maybe, there is a chance. This is not going to solve the problem. No. But it might reduce -- I mean, by putting somehow by disconnecting Arafat from the other organizations, maybe there is a slight possibility that this situation will be reduced. As much as possible, at least we can work free in the ground. And try to do our job. And maybe this can help the situation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AMANPOUR: So you can see that's not exactly a ringing endorsement of this military operation, by the defense minister himself. And he admits that there are serious differences within the military establishment about how best to go about this operation.
Ben-Eliezer said that it would take a week, he would give it a week to judge whether this operation was a success. He also said -- and apparently it's happening right now -- that the tanks, the troops, the Israeli defense forces, will go anywhere they need to, he said, in any town, any city in the West Bank or perhaps even in Gaza.
And that is what certainly they have been doing today. They've moved on into Qalqilia and Tulkarem, two towns in the West Bank. And of course, in Ramallah, 700 people were detained today in the continuing offensive there.
We are also being told by Ben-Eliezer that they will not, he says they will not harm or kill Yasser Arafat, despite what the Palestinians believe. But he would not be drawn on whether they might finally take a decision to exile Arafat -- Andrea.
KOPPEL: Christiane Amanpour, reporting tonight from Jerusalem, thank you very much.
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat remains holed up in his Ramallah headquarters, the first target of the Israeli operation. CNN's Michael Holmes has been on the scene from the start, and brings us a dramatic story of the gun battles still raging in that West Bank town.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The day began with house-to-house searches in downtown Ramallah. At a city apartment block, men, some in police uniforms, ordered out, searched, blindfolded, handcuffed and led away.
Pro-Palestinian activists from two international groups are in Ramallah and elsewhere -- dozens of them, perhaps more. In this city, they're defying an Israeli-imposed curfew. Here, some trying unsuccessfully to intervene in the detentions. Israel says operations like this have netted several known terrorists.
But it's a wide net. Innocent men often swept up with suspect ones. Soldiers prevented us from getting any closer. Later those soldiers removed a number of weapons from the building and invited us to film them. "Take a picture," the soldier said.
Activists, saying the men were policemen, countered.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The police can have weapons.
HOLMES: Then, just 20 steps away, gunshots.
(GUNFIRE)
HOLMES: Israeli troops at first confused about where it was coming from. It appeared to be a gunfight in a nearby building, but which building?
(GUNFIRE)
HOLMES: Bullets flew towards the Israeli troops. Watch this soldier/ He appears to be hit in the hand. And armored vehicle moves in to protect him. Seconds later, Israeli soldiers ran out of the building. More shooting, then a vehicle-mounted anti-aircraft gun opens up on the building.
(GUNFIRE)
HOLMES: A wounded Palestinian man lays on the ground, calls for help, as the firefight intensifies. We notice Israeli troops using our armored car for cover. Tank rounds hit the building. When the shooting dies down, the injured Palestinian man became the subject of a tug-of-war. Those international activists appear, wanting to take him to the hospital. Israeli soldiers yelling they would get medical care, not wanting to lose custody of a suspect. The man taken was away on a makeshift stretcher by the Israeli soldiers.
(on camera): Here where we're based, a storekeeper agreed to come from his home tonight, open up his store and give us some food. But only if an armored car would come and pick him up. Such is life in Ramallah at the moment.
As he left, his parting words to us were, "If only all of this would end." Michael Holmes, CNN, Ramallah.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KOPPEL: One of the more dramatic story lines of the current Mideast conflict has been the isolation of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, pinned down in his Ramallah headquarters. One American was inside Arafat's compound during the Israeli assault on Friday.
Adam Shapiro is a member of the International Solidarity Movement, which opposes Israel's presence in the West Bank. In a CNN interview today, he described what it was like to be inside the compound.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ADAM SHAPIRO, INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT: We went to compound. We were shot at. Once I started speaking to the soldiers and negotiated with them, it took about 3 hours before we were allowed in, at which point we entered the compound.
Inside there was no electricity. The water tanks had been shut off and the water is running low. In fact, I know now that there is no water inside. The people inside were huddled on the floors, in the hallways, on stairwells. Just trying to endure. Ten to 12 people per room, and confined to two floors.
The entire time, the shelling, the heavy machine gun fire was rattling against walls. Windows were breaking. Every now and then there was a loud explosion nearby. The next morning, when we were organizing ourselves inside, we found out that there were Israeli troops on the ground trying to encircle the building. And everyone inside took up defensive positions. And we were really expecting a full-on assault at that point.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KOPPEL: Adam Shapiro spent about 24 hours at Arafat's compound in Ramallah.
What's good for the goose may not be good for the gander. While the Bush administration pursues an all-out war against terrorism, it's becoming increasingly uncomfortable with Israel's approach to the problem.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) (voice-over): Faced with the worst violence in 18 months of bloodshed, the Bush administration finds itself caught between a desire to achieve a cease-fire and its own policy of zero tolerance for terrorism. President Bush made clear, while he holds Yasser Arafat responsible for stopping Palestinian terrorism, the U.S. does not believe Arafat is himself a terrorist.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Chairman Arafat has agreed to a peace process. He's agreed to the Tenet plan. He's agreed to the Mitchell plan. He has negotiated with parties, as to how to achieve peace.
KOPPEL: Over the weekend, President Bush justified Israel's military actions as necessary for its homeland defense, and showed no sympathy for Palestinians trapped in Ramallah. But after angry demonstrations in the Arab world and angry phone calls from Arab leaders, the Bush administration clarified its message.
ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The situation in the Middle East is indeed different.
KOPPEL: That's a distinction U.S. officials draw between terrorism by Palestinian suicide attacks against Israelis and groups like al Qaeda. And administration officials tell CNN there are four guiding principles that represent the bottom line for the U.S. in the Middle East: Israel cannot remove Arafat from power. Israel must end military occupation of Ramallah. Arafat must be seen to take steps to end Palestinian incitement and violence. And special Middle East envoy General Anthony Zinni must remain in the region as a reminder of the need to reach a cease-fire.
But one former adviser to President Clinton warns the Bush team needs to rethink its strategy.
ROBERT MALLEY, INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP: The thought that we could now achieve a cease-fire, and that the security steps that have been asked from the Palestinians for several months are even remotely achievable under current conditions, is completely detached from reality.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KOPPEL: For now, though, the Bush administration is holding the line, insisting its policy is the right one for now.
Our Web question of the day: do you think Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat has the power to stop the suicide bombings? Vote at cnn.com/wolf. While you're there, let us know what you're thinking. There's a "click here" icon on the left side of Wolf's Web page. Send us your comments and we'll read some of them on the air each day. Also, read Wolf's daily on-line column at cnn.com/wolf.
Tonight on CNN at 8:00 p.m. Eastern, 5:00 Pacific, tune in for the latest on the Middle East on "LIVE FROM JERUSALEM" with Christiane Amanpour. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld refused to comment today, but a senior U.S. source says a man arrested in Pakistan last week is a key al Qaeda leader. The source identified the suspect, now in U.S. custody, as Abu Zubaydah, believed to be one of Osama bin Laden's top lieutenants. CNN national correspondent Mike Boettcher takes a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MIKE BOETTCHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Abu Zubaydah, a reputed master of evasion and disguise, would be the highest ranking al Qaeda leader in custody. And according to terrorism experts, knows more about the workings of Osama bin Laden's terror network than bin Laden himself.
That is because Zubaydah, whose real name is believed to be Zain al-Abidin Muhamada Husain, had been in charge of al Qaeda's recruitment efforts and terrorist training camps. Coalition intelligence agencies believe he knows the names and locations of al Qaeda operatives worldwide.
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was reluctant to speak about Zubaydah.
DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: I don't think there's any doubt that a man named Abu Zubaydah is a close associate of UBL's, and if not the No. 2, very close to the No. 2 person in the organization. I think that's well established. I have absolutely nothing to say about the subject, however.
BOETTCHER: Ahmed Ressam, the al Qaeda operative convicted last year of plotting to explode a bomb at Los Angeles International Airport during Millennium celebrations, testified that Abu Zubaydah admitted him to an Afghanistan training camp.
"He is the person in charge of the training camps," Ressam said. "He receives young men from all countries. He accepts you or rejects you and he takes care of the expenses of the camps."
During the U.S. offensive against the Taliban and al Qaeda, the 30-year-old Zubaydah, a Palestinian believed born in Saudi Arabia, took over operational control of al Qaeda cells. Coalition intelligence sources tell CNN he stepped into the role after this man, Mohammed Atef, who ran al Qaeda's terrorist operations, was killed in a U.S. airstrike.
(on camera): Zubaydah's arrest would be a serious blow to al Qaeda's efforts to reorganize. However, still at large are the two most wanted men, Osama bin Laden and his closest adviser, Ayman al- Zawahiri. Mike Boettcher, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KOPPEL: For more on Abu Zubaydah and the search for other al Qaeda leaders, we turn now to CNN terrorism analyst, Peter Bergen. Peter, can we assume that Zubaydah would know where bin Laden is? PETER BERGEN, TERRORISM ANALYST: I don't think we can't assume anything about what Zubaydah may or may not know, in terms of bin Laden's whereabouts. We don't even know if bin Laden is dead or alive. Zubaydah may not know himself.
KOPPEL: So, what about planned attacks? This is the guy who was sort of like the -- almost like the travel agent for al Qaeda.
BERGEN: Right. Obviously he knows a lot about the comings and goings of the al Qaeda members, what sort of training they got, where they went after their training. He would have a huge resource of information. The question is, is he going to say anything? And I think it's very unlikely that he will. Because in past when al Qaeda members have been interrogated, they have tended to keep quiet unless they're facing very long prison terms.
KOPPEL: So then, what is the value, aside from the fact you're getting him off the street, so to speak. What is the value of capturing someone of his stature?
BERGEN: Well, I think that sort of sends a signal to people that we're moving ahead with this effort to wrap up al Qaeda. But you know, he's just one individual. And the organization, President Bush said himself, that there are tens of thousands of people have cycled through these camps. Not all of them got terrorist training. But I mean, one individual's arrest won't be the end of this organization.
KOPPEL: We heard in Mike Boettcher's report there, that he is the second-highest ranking, we believe, al Qaeda official now. How far back does this set al Qaeda, to have lost -- and bin Laden, for that matter, to have lost him?
BERGEN: We've seen a lot of attempted attacks by al Qaeda, just in the last few weeks. Attempt to poison the water supply of the embassy in Rome. An attempt to blow up the U.S. embassy in Sarajevo. So you know, it's not like this organization stopped working because some of its members were either captured or killed or maybe dead. The organization is continuing.
The question is, they're not able, I think, to organize these very complex operations. The sort of operations that we've seen, relatively minor, compared to, let's say, the Trade Center attacks.
KOPPEL: And what would lead you to believe that they might get bigger and more complex?
BERGEN: I think that they're not going to get bigger and more complex. I think we're going to continue seeing these kind of attacks that we've seen, attempts to blow up embassies, these kinds of things. Or grenade attacks against churches in Pakistan, these kinds of things.
But I don't think that you're going to see these massive, very complex, multi-targeted operations, unless there was something in the pipeline before 9/11. Because one of the hallmarks of this organization, spending a lot of patience and time. It took them three years to plan the Trade Center attacks. It took them five years to plan the attacks against the U.S. embassies in Africa.
So there is the possibility that was something in the pipeline before 9/11, which may come to fruition a year from now. But I don't think they can plan new, very complex attacks.
KOPPEL: Zubaydah's arrest was sort of proof positive to many who had suspected that senior al Qaeda officials had fled from Afghanistan into Pakistan. What does it say, the fact that he was quite literally under our noses -- and I say "our," collectively, including Pakistan's President Musharraf?
BERGEN: Well, Pakistan is a country 140 million people. And it's a large place. So just as it's, you know, quite easy to evade -- the FBI often looks for people in the United States, they can't find them. So the fact that Zubaydah was found in Pakistan is not that surprising, I don't think.
KOPPEL: Peter Bergen, CNN's terrorism analyst and expert, I thank you so much for joining me.
BERGEN: Thank you.
KOPPEL: The conflict in the Middle East is always taking new recruits, but how would you feel if it were your son or daughter getting involved? We'll talk to parents from both sides.
Was John Walker Lindh tortured? The picture and the allegations.
A new study suggests snoring could be a sign of serious health problems in children. We'll examine the evidence.
And will you spend the summer sacrificing? How the drought could make life difficult.
First, today's news quiz. In which decade was the worst drought in U.S. history? Was it the 1880s, 1930s, 1950s or the 1980s? The answer, coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KOPPEL: We have a development now at the United Nations. And joining us live is senior United Nations correspondent, Richard Roth. Richard, what do you have?
RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Andrea, not satisfied with the early Saturday morning resolution, in which the Security Council calls on Israel to withdraw from Palestinian cities, the Palestinians have now pushed into the Security Council, along with Arab countries, a new resolution which -- quote -- "demands that Israel withdraw from these cities."
Earlier the Security Council, possibly in a preemptive action, issued a simple statement, saying the Council strongly demands that the parties adhere to prior Security Council resolutions. Secretary General Kofi Annan was in the Security Council earlier today. He says only an optimist could think that we've hit rock bottom. Annan hinted that perhaps some third party should get involved, since Israel and the Palestinians are incapable of settling this.
Right now the Security Council is back in closed consultations. It could be a long night of speeches -- Andrea.
KOPPEL: Richard Roth at the United Nations. Thanks so much.
With the troubles in the Middle East escalating, the region is certainly not the safest place to raise a family. Joining us to talk about that, Eran Lerman, an Israeli father. He joins us from Jerusalem. And Varsen Aghakebian, a Palestinian mother living in Ramallah in the West Bank. She joins us by telephone.
Ms. Aghakebian, I'd like to start with you first, and ask you how afraid you are for your children right now.
VARSEN AGHAKEBIAN, PALESTINIAN MOTHER: Well, to tell you the truth, we are extremely fearful and we are extremely worried. Most Palestinians of all ages are confined, or more appropriately, imprisoned in our homes. Many areas have no electricity, water or gasoline, with garbage piling up. Our hospitals are full of bodies of martyrs, with no way for a decent burial. And Israel is invading one Palestinian city after the other.
Of course, children -- our children are at most risk. They are sleepless. They are anxious, they are fearful. They are having nightmares, behavioral problems. They are subjected to shellings, and of course, utmost insecurity. Today hospitals were attacked, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) centers were bombed. And of course, all infrastructure destroyed.
So what kind of a message is this sending to our children?
KOPPEL: Well, I want to ask you what kind of message you are sharing with your children. You have several children, and you, obviously, are aware of the news reports, of Palestinian teenagers strapping bombs to their bodies and blowing themselves up to become martyrs. They're heralded within the Palestinian society. Would you be proud if one of your children were to become a suicide bomber?.
AGHAKEBIAN: I think this has to be put in the right context. We, as Palestinians, are peace lovers. We do not love death. But we have been cornered into a situation where children and the rest of the Palestinian society see that this life is meaningless.
Children, men, women -- all of them are questioning the kind of life we're living. We have been forced out of our land. We have been dispossessed. Millions are living in refugee camps inside and outside of Palestine. We have our houses demolished. We are humiliated at checkpoints. Our families are separated.
We wake up every morning to the sight of settlements over Palestinian land. Of course, distorting our serene landscape and reminding us all the time of the injustice inflicted upon us by occupation. We are witnessing the intensifying measures of oppression, the poor economic conditions, et cetera, et cetera. And that, we are seeing no light at end of that tunnel. All the children are talking about is the misery they are experiencing. And all the suffering has driven them to prefer death over living.
KOPPEL: Eran Lerman in Jerusalem. You told one of our producers earlier today that you took your children to the theater and you said that it was an act of courage. Do you mean literally, you're looking over your shoulder?
ERAN LERMAN, ISRAELI FATHER: Well, as you know, life in Israel in the last few weeks, in particular, definitely colored by the fact that suicide bombers are targeting, specifically, civilian gatherings -- coffee shops, shopping malls, theaters. It's a new, devastating kind of warfare. And of course, it does introduce an element of fear -- maybe not about our future. We are confident about our future. But about our daily life.
I have to reconsider sometimes whether I will gladly take my daughter to a shopping mall or my son to a film. Because there are people out there who would try to kill them, or kill us, if we do so. People died in Haifa with their families in an Arab-owned restaurant the other day, when they had just sat down for lunch.
Now, the last thing I want to do is sound as if I'm callous about the suffering of anyone in Ramallah or anywhere else in the Palestinian side. The whole problem is that this suffering is deliberately induced by a callous leadership. And by specific groups of terrorists, who are exploiting the situation.
KOPPEL: Mr. Lerman, your own son is 15 years old. He's near the age of joining the military. How concerned are you?
LERMAN: Look, I do hope -- actually, I do believe, that within the next few years, hopefully even less than that, what we've come to call the global war on terrorism -- and ours is a campaign in that war -- will have come to an end. And I believe that we do face a better future.
We've been through worse. We've been through World War II. We've been through the Cold War. We've been through the Gulf War. Every time we came out stronger, after a period of suffering. And so will be the case this time.
Hopefully, this will be also the case for the Palestinian people, whose future will be much brighter if they push aside the current temptation.
KOPPEL: Mr. Lerman, you refer to the future. In this current climate, would you and your wife ever consider having another child?
LERMAN: Well, definitely that's a personal question, of course. A lot of Israelis do make their choice every day. We are growing. People are coming here. We're here of our own choice and volition. We're not condemned to be here. We like to be here.
I think we've earned the right to be here, not just because of history and -- or our religion, but also because we've created a good life here. Not only for ourselves. Also for everyone among us, including more than a million Arab-Israeli citizens. And more than a million people who came here in the last 10 years. So I don't think that's a question at all.
KOPPEL: OK, I'm going to move back to Ramallah, and ask Mrs. Aghakebian the same question. Would you consider having another child, ma'am?
AGHAKEBIAN: I think yes, I would like to have another child. We value life. We like our children to live in peace. But when you have nothing to lose, you have no hope, you have injustice, you have intense attacks over your dignity and your being, then life is meaningless. And I think you direct all of your aggression against your oppressor.
Any life lost is a waste, whether it's Palestinian or Israeli. And our hearts bleed for the mothers and fathers who lose their loved ones. And I think the one to blame is the Israeli leadership, who have led their people to this vicious cycle, with its monumental implications.
I agree that Eran, by the suicide attacks, they are losing lives and they are suffering, but we as nation are subjected to those atrocities inflicted by Israel and its leadership.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOPPEL: Varsen Aghakebian in Ramallah, joining us by the telephone, thank you so much, and also Eran Lerman in Jerusalem. I thank you both.
The conflict in the Middle East is one of the topics in the "CROSSFIRE" tonight. The new hour-long show debuts tonight at 7:00 Eastern, 4:00 Pacific.
Defense attorneys are raising questions about the confession of John Walker Lindh. We will hear why they say he may have been tortured.
And dramatic video captured by a police camera. We'll show you how it ended, a little later.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KOPPEL: Government prosecutors clashed with defense lawyers today at a pre-trial hearing for Taliban American fighter John Walker Lindh. CNN justice correspondent Kelli Arena reports on what happened.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KELLI ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Defense attorneys for John Walker Lindh say the U.S. government has destroyed evidence that would show their client was tortured, including videotapes and pictures. But at least one government picture of Lindh, just filed in court papers, shows him naked, blindfolded and strapped to a stretcher. In a motion filed with the U.S. district court, the defense team asked for an order requiring the preservation of all evidence. Lindh's lawyers also argued for more access to information and witnesses, an effort that met with mixed results.
The judge ruled many of the defense requests for information were too broad. He ruled to preserve the anonymity of a confidential government source and denied a defense request for access to e-mails exchanged by justice officials.
KENDALL COFFEY, FORMER U.S. ATTORNEY: There are obviously very serious concerns about national security. And I think the government is within its rights to say that it is not going to hand over classified information. It is not going to hand over the identity of some of the informants without a compelling showing of need.
ARENA: But the judge did tell the prosecution to ask military officials, al Qaeda detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and others, whether they would be willing to sit for interviews by defense lawyers.
DICK SAUBER, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: I think there is an extra reason why the defense should at least be allowed some latitude to see what happened to him, who dealt with him, the conditions.
ARENA: Perhaps more than his rulings today, one comment in particular gave an insight into the judge's thinking. When denying the defense request for the names of victims Walker Lindh allegedly was targeting, the judge, his voice raised, shot back. Quote: "Do you think Mohamed Atta knew the names of the people in the World Trade Center? Do you think any terrorist cares who they kill?"
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(on camera): John Walker Lindh quietly watched the proceedings, a bit heavier, his hair a bit longer. He occasionally conferred with his lawyers. The 21-year-old former Californian faces life in prison if convicted -- Andrea.
KOPPEL: Kelli Arena, nice to have you back. Thanks so much.
ARENA: Thank you.
KOPPEL: Now checking other stories in today's "Justice File": U.S. officials at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba say two of the detainees there are being force-fed. Authorities say the two have refused to eat for 30 days. Military doctors inserted tubes to force what's described as a milkshake-like nutritional substance into their stomachs.
There was a close call over the weekend for a deputy sheriff in Sedgewick County, Kansas. As you can see in this tape from the deputy's patrol cruiser, he was making a traffic stop when the van he had pulled over was hit by a car. The deputy managed to jump out of the way and he arrested the driver of the car for drunken driving. It doesn't pay to ignore the snore. Coming up, a warning sign for parents with children who don't sleep quietly.
Later, why Queen Elizabeth's time on the throne is about to get tougher with the death of her mother.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KOPPEL: Does your child snore? If so, it could be symptomatic of a much larger problem. CNN medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen is following this story. Elizabeth, I got to tell you, my four-year- old nephew has this same problem. Why should parents be concerned?
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, they should be considered because usually snoring is not a big deal, Andrea. I mean, usually, it's because a child has a cold or some other problem and that that doesn't worry doctors.
However, sometimes snoring is a problem of a disease called obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. And that means that the child is not getting enough oxygen and they could later develop heart and lung problems.
KOPPEL: So, how can parents tell the difference, if this is something serious or not quite so serious?
COHEN: Exactly. Well, what they need to do is they need to listen and watch while their child snores and ask themselves a set of questions. The first question is, is the snoring happening every night? If so, could be a sign of a sleep apnea. Is it loud? The louder it is, the more likely that it's a problem. Is the child gasping for breath, not just snoring, but gasping for breath as they sleep? And are they particularly restless?
Now if the parent says, gee, I'm answering yes to a couple of these questions, what they need to do is take their child into their pediatrician. And the American Academy of Pediatrics announced today that pediatricians need to be screening kids for sleep apnea.
KOPPEL: And what are the solutions here? What are doctors recommending?
COHEN: Well, what doctors do is they'll do a sleep study. They'll attach the child to monitors if they think it is warranted and watch the child how she sleeps. And then, if necessary, what they can do is take out the adenoids and the tonsils because that is often the reason why a child is not getting enough oxygen, because they are too big and they're obstructing the flow.
KOPPEL: Another reason for ice cream.
COHEN: That's right.
KOPPEL: CNN's Elizabeth Cohen, thank you so much for joining us from Atlanta. You may not think about the drought, but you may need to soon. Coming up, the sacrifices you may have to make if the weather doesn't cooperate.
Later, Queen Elizabeth loses her mother and something more. Who will she turn to to help fill the void?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KOPPEL: Earlier we asked, in which decade was the worst drought in U.S. history? Was it the 1880's, 1930's, 1950's, or the 1980's? The answer is the 1930's. The drought, known as "The Dust Bowl", lasted almost the entire decade, at one point effecting as much as 75 percent of the country.
Much needed rain fell all along the Eastern seaboard this weekend, but federal authorities maintain that a third of the country is thirsty for rain. Checking the national map, the drought areas are in yellow. Look at the East Coast. Water emergency scattered from Maine to Florida.
Joining us by phone is Mark Svoboda, a climatologist with the National Drought and Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska. Mr. Svoboda, on a scale of one to 10, how bad is it?
MARK SVOBODA, NATIONAL DROUGHT MITIGATION CENTER: Well, if we look at the time of the year that this is occurring, it certainly could be worse if this was the middle of summer, for example. But I think right now, you could put it right in the seven or eight range. With summer right around the corner though, there is a lot of fear about the impacts really picking up now.
KOPPEL: All right. I want you to put a little bit of the fear of God in us here. There are a lot of people at home who are watching probably thinking, this doesn't affect me. How does it affect us?
SVOBODA: Well, you're right. When you look at the winter and spring, a drought doesn't mean a total lack of rainfall. You're still going to have rains, like the rains we saw over the Atlantic seaboard states here this last weekend.
The fact remains, however, that the long-term deficits continue to pile up. This time of year, we normally see an inch or more a week in a lot of areas on the East Coast, in the southeast in particular. And so, even if you're getting an inch or two, a lot of this area from Maine to Georgia, we have seen accumulated deficits of 10 to 20 inches over the last year.
KOPPEL: And so what does that mean? Worst-case scenario, what are we looking at in the months ahead?
SVOBODA: Well, right now what it means is this is more of a hydrological drought in that it is a long-term deficit accumulation. And so, our rainfall has really been lagging for months. And what you start to see are things like wells going dry, our reservoir systems are being depleted for major cities like Baltimore and New York City in drought emergencies. And if it continues to stay dry, the impacts will start to trickle into, say, the agricultural sector.
KOPPEL: All right. So do you have practical tips for those of us who live here on the East Coast who want to be good citizens and want to try conserve water? How can we do that without crimping our lifestyles too much?
SVOBODA: Right. Well, in some cases, that will be voluntary. And, unfortunately, in some areas, that is going to be mandatory on monitoring the amount of water that we can use. Water conservation is a great practice in times of drought, but it's a great practice in times when we're not in drought as well.
So, really, things you can do, you know, obviously, you're not going to be able to maybe water the yard or wash the car. You know, things like more mulching to keep the moisture, conserve the moisture that you do have around. Shorter showers, things like that, just general doing things with water that make common sense: running your dishwasher when it is full, your washing machine. Those are the little things you can do, even though when you look out the window, it might still look like it's green out there.
KOPPEL: No more half-loads of laundry. I don't know if you were able to listen to our CNN news quiz before this segment, but we were telling our viewers that it hasn't been this bad since the 1930's. Is that right?
SVOBODA: Well, yes. I think if you looked at the most extreme case in more recent history, I think, in a good deal of the East, you would probably be looking at the 60's. I think the 60's would be an area that pop out to me, looking at past droughts. And then, also, not too long ago, you remember the timing of the drought in the summer of '99 was very severe.
KOPPEL: So, are we going to see another "Dust Bowl"?
SVOBODA: Well, a lot of things have happened since "The Dust Bowl." You know, the creation of the soil conservation service alone has really put a lot of practices into play now where we're doing a much better job of being stewards of the land and the water. So, you know, I think it would take a lot more than what we're seeing right now. This isn't an unprecedented event at this time.
If it continues through the summer and through next winter and we're into a second or two and a half, three-year event, then it is really going to put a test to what kind of planning we've done to deal with droughts.
KOPPEL: Mark Svoboda, with the National Drought Mitigation Center in Lincoln, Nebraska. I thank you, sir, for joining us.
SVOBODA: My pleasure.
KOPPEL: Checking international stories making news at this hour, as torrential rains send flood waters sweeping through the Spanish holiday island of Tenerife, there was a dramatic rescue. But with clean-up operations under way, authorities have discovered the bodies of six flood victims. The fear now is that damaged buildings may collapse.
Taiwan authorities today vowed stepped-up inspections of high- rise building sites in Taipei, a day after a powerful earthquake sent two construction cranes hurdling down from a skyscraper, killing five workers. The capital was shaken by two moderate earthquakes today, among more than 100 aftershocks.
Britain's Queen Mother is being mourned by members of the royal family and by commoners. Cannons boomed out salutes throughout the country for the matriarch who was called magical by her grandson, Prince Charles.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRINCE CHARLES, PRINCE OF WALES: She wrote sparkingly wonderful letters. And her turn of phrase could be utterly memorable. But above all, she saw the funny side of life. And we laughed until we cried. And, oh, I shall miss those laughs.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOPPEL: With the loss of her mother and the recent death of her sister, Queen Elizabeth may ask Prince Charles to shoulder greater responsibilities. CNN's Diana Muriel looks at the impact on the royal family.
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DIANA MURIEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A picture of grief, the first sighting of Queen Elizabeth following the death of her mother. But once the private and public mourning is over, the work of the royal family must go on.
In this golden jubilee year, the queen has a full program and will tour much of the British Isles. The high point coming in June with a four-day celebration of fireworks, concerts, royal processions and services of thanksgiving. Many believe the role of the queen and the way she is perceived by her subjects may well change now that her mother is gone.
HUGO VICKERS, ROYAL HISTORIAN: The queen, although head of her family, has always deferred to her mother. And, in a way, the personality and character of the queen have always been slightly eclipsed by the queen mother, who was such an outgoing person and didn't have the burdens and responsibilities that the queen has.
MURIEL: Although the queen mother had no constitutional position, she was a powerful figurehead as well as patron of more than 350 organizations, including eight military regiments, the British Red Cross and the Women's Institute. Those duties are now expected to be shouldered by other members of the royal family.
Her youngest son, Prince Edward, together with his wife, Sophie, countess of Wessex, recently announced their retirement from their respective business occupations specifically in order to help the queen with her jubilee program. But how popular a substitute would they be for royal duties.
IAN LLOYD, FREELANCE ROYAL PHOTOGRAPHER: I think given the fact that Edward and Sophie are supposed to be media savvy people, well, they do lend themselves into some silly situations. I think that the British public has reached the end of its tether, and I think that they've really have got to play it carefully, because any more disasters will just not be tolerated.
MURIEL: The queen could be expected to look to her eldest son, Prince Charles, to do more. But the problem of his relationship with divorcee Camilla Parker-Bowles remains. The death of the queen mother may provide a revolution of this situation. She was known to have disapproved of his remarriage to a divorcee.
ROBERT JOBSON, ROYAL COMMENTATOR: The queen mother always urged Prince Charles to put duty first. She feared that if he married a divorcee, it would put the monarchy into crisis again, and I think that is why he never did so during her lifetime.
MURIEL: The younger royals, especially Prince William, who is finishing his education at St. Andrews University, are unlikely to take on any many more royal duties at this stage.
(on camera): The queen then, with Prince Phillip, will be very much in the public eye. In future, to stand on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, here behind me, without either her mother or sister by her side. Just a decade on her annis seribilus (ph) of 1992, the queen's golden jubilee year has begun with personal loss, but must continue in public duty.
Diana Muriel, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KOPPEL: Let's go to New York now and get a preview of "LOU DOBBS MONEYLINE", which begins at the top of the hour. Good evening, Lou.
LOU DOBBS, CNN ANCHOR: Good evening, Andrea. Thank you.
Coming up on "MONEYLINE", we'll have the latest for you on the Middle East. Live reports from Jerusalem, including the effect that this continuing violence could have on economic performance around the world.
The Dow Jones Industrials fall today. I will talk with two experts who remain bullish on both the economy and the markets.
And we will take a look at why bankruptcy sometimes isn't such a bad thing, especially if you are listed on the Fortune 500. All of that and more at the top of the hour. Please join us. Andrea, back to you.
KOPPEL: Thank you, Lou.
The results of our Web question of the day are coming up. Can Yasser Arafat stop the attacks in the Middle East? And why some of our viewers want President Bush to do more.
But first, the new Fortune 500 list is out, and one entry has folks scratching their heads. The failed energy trader Enron not only remains on the list, it moved up to No. 5. As it turns out, the ranking is based on Enron's earnings only up to September 30th, which was two months before the company filed for bankruptcy. For the record, the other companies in Fortune's top five are Wal-Mart, Exxon, Mobil, General Motors and Ford.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bigger than Kmart, Sears and JC Penney combined, Wal-Mart leads the pack in Fortune's general merchandisers category. And with revenues topping $219 billion and profits reaching $6.6 billion, Wal-Mart also comes in as the No. 1 Fortune 500 company overall. The main-street values of founder Sam Walton have drawn more than a million employees to Wal-Mart nationwide. But some experts wonder if these down-home practices can continue in a world of 24-hour super centers. But for now, Wal-Mart's everyday low prices continue to attract customers both in the U.S. and in the international markets of Canada, Mexico and Europe.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KOPPEL: Back to our Web question of the day. Do you think Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat has the power to stop the suicide bombings? Most of you, 70 percent, say no. The other 30 percent of you say yes. A reminder, this poll is not scientific.
Time now to hear from you. E-mail on the Middle East crisis continue to pour in and many of you are disappointed with the way the president is addressing the problem. Tony writes: "It's time for the Bush administration to take a lead role in outlining a political solution to this problem. The Saudi plan would be a good starting point. Let's go for it."
Dolores also criticizes the administration: "It seems Mr. Bush, by stating all terrorists should be eradicated, have given Israel carte blanch to do whatever he chooses with the Palestinians. He is encouraging all-out chaos in the Middle East."
But Curt disagrees: "When you strap bombs to your waist with the goal of killing innocent people, that's terrorism no matter how you slice it."
We leave you with a sad note. Wolf Blitzer's father, David Blitzer, passed away yesterday at the age of 81 after a long batter with cancer. We at CNN send our deepest condolences to Wolf, his mother and the entire Blitzer family.
I'm Andrea Koppel in for Wolf. "LOU DOBBS MONEYLINE" begins right now.
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