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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports
Cyanide Goes Missing; Arabic Web Site with Al Qaeda Information; Can Arafat Change His Ways?
Aired May 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 this special edition of WOLF BLITZER REPORTS: Alarming warning signs about flight training and Osama bin Laden. Should the FBI have put it all together?
New terror clues? Deadly cyanide, 10 tons of it, goes missing in a hijacked truck.
And an Arabic Web site which seems to have inside information from al Qaeda.
He has ruled with a strong arm, but he is under strong pressure to clean up his Palestinian Authority.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
YASSER ARAFAT, CHMN. PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY: We are now badly in need to reevaluate our policies.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Can Yasser Arafat change his ways? I will ask the man who tried to make peace with him.
Hello, I'm Wolf Blitzer reporting live tonight from Jerusalem.
We begin with new revelations about an FBI memo issued last summer that mentioned Osama bin Laden by name in a warning about Arabs seeking flight training in the United States. Our justice correspondent, Kelli Arena is in Washington and she has the details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KELLI ARENA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Osama bin Laden's name was specifically mentioned in a memo written by an FBI agent in Phoenix last summer urging headquarters to investigate Middle Eastern men enrolled in flight schools. It's just the latest bit of information to trickle out about the classified memo which came to light back in October.
SEN. BOB GRAHAM (D-FL), INTEL. CHMN.: It was directed at flight schools in the Arizona area, which were alleged to have an unusual number of Arab students, and the suspicion that they had been sent there in a coordinated plot by Osama bin Laden. ARENA: The mention of bin Laden did not lend special credence to the memo, as he has been at the top of the terror radar screen since 1993. But, FBI director Robert Mueller last week admitted that headquarters gave the memo too little attention and offered this defense.
ROBERT MUELLER, FBI DIRECTOR: There are more than 2,000 aviation academies in the United States. The latest figure, I think I heard, is something like 20,000 students attending them. And it was perceived this would be a monumental undertaking without any specificity as to particular persons.
ARENA: But, consider this: There was a note sent from an agent in Minneapolis about Zacarias Moussaoui, suggesting he might be planning to fly something into the World Trade Center. That sounds pretty specific. But, several officials point out it was merely speculation at the time.
MUELLER: Red flags went up. The agent in Minneapolis did a terrific job in pushing hard as he could to do everything we could with Moussaoui. But, did we discern from that, that there was a plot that would have led us to the September 11? No.
ARENA: Moussaoui, you may recall, is in U.S. custody, and investigators believe he was supposed to be the 20th hijacker. The FBI is undergoing a major overhaul. It is shifting its focus from crime fighting to intelligence gathering, and it's going to spearhead the fight against terrorism from headquarters, not from field offices.
NANCY SAVEGE, PRESIDENT, FBI AGENTS ASSOCIATION: I think, you know, we know it still takes a case agent to make a case, and I don't think anyone is trying to change that. They just want to make sure all of the information in coalesced in a central point because these are national and international rings.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ARENA: While the basic outline of the reorganization was made public months ago, specifics are still being ironed out. Mueller is meeting with special agents from around the country this week to fine- tune his plan --Wolf.
BLITZER: Kelli Arena in Washington, thank you for that report.
To Mexico now, where the hunt is on for a truck carrying -- get this -- 10 tons of deadly cyanide, stolen by three armed men last weekend. CNN Mexico City bureau chief, Harris Whitbeck, is live with more -- Harris.
HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Wolf. The federal police here have no new leads on the whereabouts of that truck, a truck which, as you say, was carrying 10 tons, 96 drums of cyanide, was hijacked on Friday on a stretch of highway about 150 miles, 200 kilometers, north of Mexico City.
The police say they believe the three armed men who hijacked this truck did not know what it was transporting. It has become quite common in that part of the country for trucks to be hijacked. Those trucks are usually stripped down and are sold as spare parts. Police believe the armed men did not know it was carrying cyanide. They have now issued a public warning, they have also launched a public appeal trying to get the message to these armed gunmen that the cargo in that truck is deadly and that they should try and turn it over, at least leave it somewhere where authorities can pick it up.
They're concerned that they might just abandon it somewhere causing major environmental damage in the area. Again, the authorities are on the lookout for that truck and the FBI has also been advised of this in case the truck should try to cross the border with the United States -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Harris Whitbeck in Mexico City, thank you very much.
In an unrelated case, authorities in Kansas City are not investigating the theft of uniforms from a truck stolen two weeks ago. Among the uniforms: Those that would be worn by airport workers. CNN's Patty Davis is in Washington with more -- Patty.
PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Wolf. That truck was stolen nearly two weeks ago from a Kansas City uniform company. Normally that is a local police affair. But news of what was in this truck has Washington taking notice. The stolen uniforms include uniforms for airport workers, mechanics, bag handlers, even pilots. Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta on a bus tour promoting 9/11 airport security changes says he's concerned that uniforms could be used to gain access to commercial airplanes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NORMAN MINETA, TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY: Anything from mechanics' uniforms to airline pilots'. So they're trying to find them now, make sure that they're not being used by someone to imitate some airline employees.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DAVIS: Now, Wolf, that truck was recovered but the uniforms are still missing. The FBI says that its terrorism task force is keeping tabs on the missing uniforms. Kansas City International Airport has been notified, but the FBI is downplaying the significance of this heist, saying the truck was the first on the company's lot, basically the easiest to get to.
An FBI spokesman says that the uniforms may not have been targeted specifically, just part of the stolen loot -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Patty Davis thank you for that report.
An al Qaeda Internet connection? There is some concern about one very suspicious Web site. Our Mike Boettcher is on that story and has this report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) MIKE BOETTCHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Web site, called alneda.com, is only in Arabic. It first drew attention in February with reports about al Qaeda prisoners in Pakistan, and what was supposed to have been a condolence message from Osama bin Laden and Mullah Omar to the family of a Muslim cleric. Then, in March and April a series of messages posted, some signed al Qaeda Jihad, full of interesting claims.
PROF. MAGNUS RANSTORP, ST. ANDREWS UNIVERSITY: One of the messages also talks about or claims bin Laden is well and healthy, and preparing himself for the next round of jihad against the United States.
BOETTCHER: Professor Magnus Ranstorp, a counterterrorism expert at St. Andrews University, has been monitoring the Alneda Web site.
RANSTORP: It is not so much geared toward the west, but rather to own potential new supporters among the Muslim community.
BOETTCHER (on camera): The relationship between the Web site and al Qaeda is not clear. We sent e-mails to the Web site and have not received a reply. But, CNN has learned intelligence agencies around the world have been monitoring the Web site, looking for any clues that might help them.
RANSTORP: To really gauge who is visiting the site, giving clues to possible future perpetrators, future supporters.
BOETTCHER: Aside from the news about bin Laden, says Ranstorp, the site has a claim of responsibility by al Qaeda for the bombing of a synagogue in Tunisia that killed at least 18 people.
And there was this taunt about a captured al Qaeda leader said to be cooperating with the U.S.: "We challenge them now to obtain any useful information from Abu Zubaydah."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: That was CNN's Mike Boettcher. He'll have much more on this story. There is another surprise about the Web site. Hear about it later tonight when Mike hosts live from Afghanistan. That's at 8:30 Eastern, 5:30 on the West Coast.
Here in the Middle East, all eyes and ears have been on Yasser Arafat, who delivered a major speech earlier today. Whether he delivers, of course, on what he said, remains to be seen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): It was a hastily arranged speech on this day the Palestinians call El Nacbah (ph) , the catastrophe, the day Israel was established in 1948. The Palestinian leader offered his standard condemnation of Israel, but also insisted a new state of Palestine could eventually live in peace with Israel.
ARAFAT: Peace was and will remain our strategic option and we will never give it away.
BLITZER: Under pressure from the Israelis, the Bush Administration, moderate Arab states and even from within the Palestinian community, Arafat acknowledged making mistakes and vowed to accept reforms within the Palestinian Authority. But in his 40 minute address before the Palestinian legislative council he offered few specifics and no timetable for new elections.
ARAFAT: I would like to call on you to re-evaluate all our administrative, ministerial, and security institutions after we have seen errors here and there.
BLITZER: Israelis were quick to dismiss Arafat's words as largely meaningless.
RA'ANAN GISSIN, SHARON SPOKESMAN: One would have expected him to come out very strongly against terrorist activity, against suicide and homicide bombing, but he did not make that statement. He alluded to the fact that perhaps there are terrorist activity that he's against, but he did not come out as a leader of the Palestinian people and say we've got to stop it.
BLITZER: In Washington the Bush Administration said it wants to see more deeds from Arafat.
ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Yasser Arafat's words in his speech were positive, but what's most important to President Bush is to see action more than words. And so the president will wait to see whether or not Yasser Arafat and others in the Palestinian authority actually take action that leads to a better life for the Palestinian people and actions that lead to a region that can live in more stability and security.
BLITZER: CNN has learned that CIA director George Tenet is seriously considering inviting to Washington top security officials from the Palestinian Authority, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan to come up with ways to unify and strengthen the Palestinian security services.
That, sources say, could help prevent future terrorist strikes against Israelis. Such a round of talks could set the stage for a Tenet visit to the Middle East, but for now the preliminary discussions continue.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
And I'll have much more on this story including reaction from both sides at the half-hour. I'll speak with a Nabil Sha'ath. He is a Palestinian cabinet minister, and the former prime minister of Israel, Ehud Barak.
Our Web question of the day: Do you think Yasser Arafat can overhaul the Palestinian Authority? Go to my Web page, cnn.com/wolf. That is where you can vote. While you are there, let me know what you are thinking. Send me your comments and I'll read some of them on the air each day at the end of this program. That is also, of course, where you can read my daily on-line column at cnn.com/wolf.
Look who's pointing the finger now! Coming up: A new twist to the sex abuse scandal. Why the Catholic church is targeting its accusers. Plus, is Jimmy Carter causing trouble again? Why the White House is speaking up once again. And get ready for the mighty Mississippi. Will the rising river wreak havoc? First, our news quiz.
How much damage did the great flood of 1993 cause: $10 million, $15 million, $10 billion, or $15 billion? The answer coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Welcome back. A lot is happening on the legal front in the United States today. For that, let's turn it over to Fredricka Whitfield standing by at the CNN center in Atlanta -- Fredricka.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Thank you, Wolf.
Fist up, the first court appearance for Dontee Stokes. He is the 26-year-old man accused of shooting a Baltimore priest he says molested him. CNN's Jeanne Meserve joins us from the courthouse in Baltimore now. Hi there, Jeanne.
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi Fredricka. District judge Gary Bass says he wants to see a psychological evaluation before making a decision on bail for Dontee Stokes. Stokes appeared via a video connection at his bail hearing and revealed that he tried to kill himself in the mid '90s by taking an overdose of pills that would have been after he first made his allegations of sexual abuse against Father Maurice Blackwell.
Blackwell is the Catholic priest who he is alleged to have shot Monday night. Stokes said that he is depressed but not suicidal. The judge said he wanted to see what the doctors had to say. Assistant states attorney, Sylvester Cox argued that Stokes poses a threat to society and particularly to Father Blackwell, who remains in serious condition. However, Stokes' attorney argued otherwise.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
THOMAS MCNICHOLAS, STOKES ATTORNEY: We maintain he's not a threat to society. This is a complete aberration in this young man's life. He's never been in trouble before. He's always worked. He's lived an exemplary life up until this point.
MESERVE: Stokes relatives appeared in force at the courtroom today. They said they believe there are other victims of Father Blackwell. They have set up a post office box to allow them to come forward but as of late this afternoon the states attorney is aware of no new allegations against Father Blackwell. For now Stokes remains in jail and his bail hearing will continue on Friday -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, thank you, Jeanne from Baltimore.
In other sex abuse cases, the church itself is digging in its heels over the way it is responding to sex abuse charges. Instead of settling, the church, in some places, is now pointing fingers. CNN national correspondent, Gary Tuchman, examines the new approach.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Gregory Ford was 6 years old in 1983, when he says he started getting molested by a priest in Newton, Massachusetts. His parents have filed a civil suit, and the church is fighting back.
In legal papers, lawyers for Cardinal Bernard Law, the spiritual leader of Boston's Catholics, say: the negligence of the plaintiffs contributed to cause the injury, or damage complained of. In other words, the church says the child and his parents should share the blame because they trusted the priest. Paula and Rodney Ford are the parents of Gregory.
RODNEY FORD, FATHER OF ALLEGED VICTIM: Maybe I should have said to my son when I was tying his shoe before he went to CCD class, today you are about to play cards -- and it is going to be strip poker, so make sure you lose today.
TUCHMAN: His alleged molester, Paul Shanley, is now under arrest on charges of repeatedly raping another child. Hundreds of pages of documents indicate Boston's Catholic leaders were aware for decades of accusations of sexual deviancy by Shanley. But, despite the damning evidence, church leaders are aggressively using the courts to fight this suit, and it's also increasingly happening in other parts of the country.
PATRICK SCHILTZ, UNIVERSITY OF ST. THOMAS: Rule one of defending church's and clergy sexual misconduct litigation is never blame the victim.
Patrick Schiltz is a law school dean in Minnesota, who has represented hundreds of religious leaders accused of molestation. While he says never to blame the victim, he does not blame church attorneys for increasingly using the courts.
SCHILTZ: You can't sort of shake hands unless both sides are reaching out their hands. And one of the things that is happening is the victims are reaching out their hands less, and that puts everybody from the first moment in a more aggressive adversarial stance.
TUCHMAN: Attorneys for alleged victims of defrocked Boston priest, John Geoghan, say the archdiocese was unscrupulous when it backed out of an up to $30 million financial settlement deal because it said it could not afford it. And the attorney representing some of the alleged victims of Paul Shanley says the Boston church is purposely trying to make the situation more painful for his clients.
RODERICK MACLEISH, PLAINTIFFS ATTORNEY: Lawyers take an oath that they shall not anything to impede the efficient and timely administration of justice. And I think that was has been happening here are stall tactics, delay, ignoring court orders, putting victims through horrendous dispositions. TUCHMAN: Attorney Macleish made a similar allegation during a court hearing on Tuesday. The cardinal's attorney did not turn the other cheek.
WILSON ROGERS, CARDINAL LAW'S ATTORNEY: I am getting very fed up with these disingenuous misrepresentations by Mr. Macleish to this court.
TUCHMAN: But when asked to elaborate about those disingenuous misrepresentations.
ROGERS: No, no comment.
TUCHMAN (on camera): Their media strategy right now is to stay quiet. It's their legal strategy that is making some noise.
Gary Tuchman, CNN, Boston.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Also from our justice files: In Arizona, a career criminal, a clergyman and a convicted sex offender have been arrested for allegedly trying to kill the governor and a sheriff. Police say the trio had plotted to kidnap Governor Jane Hull, then force her to sign a pardon for one of the suspects, and ultimately kill her. That was the plan. Officials say Donald Cochran, already in jail, also planned to hire a hitman to kill Sheriff Joe Arpaio (ph) , who is known for his strict treatment of inmates.
And in New Haven, Connecticut, Martin Frankel pleads guilty to racketeering, conspiracy, securities and wire fraud. The former financier was accused of bilking more than $200 million from insurance companies in five southern states. He fled the country three years ago, when insurance regulators began investigating him. Frankel was arrested four months later in Hamburg, Germany.
Those are the legal highlights. Now back to Wolf in Jerusalem.
BLITZER: Thank you very much, Fredricka. And Fredricka will be back later in the hour with more news. But right now, let's go back to our top story: Terrorist threats facing the United States. For that let's bring in Ray Kelly, commissioner of the New York City Police Department.
Commissioner Kelly, thank you for joining us, especially as we honor police across the United States. This week National Police Week we'll talk about that in just a moment, but give us the overview right now. In New York City, how concerned are you about additional terrorist threats?
RAY KELLY, COMMISSIONER, NYPD: Well, obviously we have to be concerned very much so after September 11. New York City has been targeted four times in the last decade, twice in 1993, once in '97 and of course the horrendous events of September 11, 2001. So yes, we're concerned. We're on a heightened state of readiness. We brought on board I think some excellent people to help us; Retired Marine General Frank Labuty (ph) and David Cohn (ph) the former director of operations CIA, are both actively engaged in doing the right thing to make certain that we're prepared to defend New York.
BLITZER: There's a lot of speculation, as you've heard I'm sure Commissioner Kelly, over the past few days about the potential for soft targets being targeted in the United States along the lines of what's been going on here in Israel, pizzerias, supermarkets, malls. Is that a major concern in New York City?
KELLY: Well, it's a concern. I think we have to rely to a great extent on intelligence information. There are so many potential targets that unless we have some indication or some intelligence information coming our way, it's difficult to put strategies in place. We can harden certain targets, certainly certain sensitive targets, utilities, power plants, those sorts of things. But when you start getting into the so-called soft target area, it becomes extremely challenging.
BLITZER: You've heard these reports that the FBI wants to reorganize some of its structure, create in Washington for example this super-squad to look at terrorism. Is this a good idea as far as you're concerned?
KELLY: Well, I have a lot of confidence in Director Mueller. I was actually talking to him just today in Washington. I think he's got some good plans to go forward with. I think he knows where he wants to go and as I say, I have a lot of confidence in his direction of the bureau.
BLITZER: As you know, this is National Police Week in the United States. Since September 11 we've -- obviously across the country, everyone has a greater respect for law enforcement authorities -- but has that held on do you think, the aftermath, as the weeks and months continue to move farther away from September 11?
KELLY: Well, I think it has. Interestingly we just conducted a recruitment campaign for the New York City Police Department. Our test will be given on June 8 and our filing period was six weeks. We have three times as many candidates as we had for previous tests, more than we had in the last decade; almost 36,000 candidates. So I think that is an indication of an interest in working in the public sector and particularly working in law enforcement.
I was very encouraged by that, and I think there is a different sort of relationship between the community and the police after 9/11. I think there's more understanding, if you will, on both sides.
BLITZER: All right. Commissioner Kelly, congratulations to you, to police officers all across the country as we honor the police during National Police Week. Thanks so much for joining us, as always.
We have much more coming up including this: Why do young Palestinians want to become suicide bombers? Part of the reason may be a man you will meet next. Also, an embarrassing bit of diplomacy: What happened to a former world leader when he ate the wrong vegetable? And the train versus the truck: Another bad day on the railroad.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Welcome back. We want to introduce you now to an old man who inspires young people to blow themselves up. Take a look at this, not the man on the left, it is the man on the right. His name is Sheikh Yassin and he would never say what Yasser Arafat said to me a few days ago. He would never say yes to a Jewish state in this part of the world no matter how small.
Yassin is the founder and spiritual leader of Hamas, whose followers committed about half of the suicide bombings against Israeli civilians. Yesterday we give you an inside look at some Hamas fighters training in the over crowded Gaza Strip preparing for a possible Israeli reprisal.
Now CNN's Matthew Chance in a rare conversation with man whose voice is soft and high and barely audible, but who's message is chilling.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SHEIKH AHMED YASSIN, HAMAS SPIRITUAL LEADER (through translator): If the enemy tries to enter Gaza, he will pay a heavy price. The ground beneath his feet will burst into flames. For us sacrifice is an honor and martyrdom is something we all hope to achieve. Threats do not frighten us.
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): But what about suicide attacks? They are discriminate against Israelis and (UNINTELLIGIBLE) a heavy response against Palestinians. How can he continue to justify them?
YASSIN (through translator): The young men in our military wing do not engage in martyrdom operations because they like to. These operations are intended to hit the military personnel who dress in civilian clothing. It is self-defense against an Israeli military which kills Palestinian civilians. This is the last arrow in the of our fighters. We do not have F-16 warplanes or Apache helicopters or tanks. Our bodies are our only weapons. We have no option but to die in order to defend ourselves.
CHANCE: Do you not recognize that these attacks are causing the Palestinian cause a great deal of political damage in the eyes of the international community? You are being seen as terrorists.
YASSIN: Had we been the aggressors, I am certain it would harm our cause, but we are defending ourselves. Can the world condone this operation that oppresses an entire people, besieges them, deprives them of food and life.
If the world condones that and prevents us from practicing our right to self-defense, then that is the real crime. (END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Sheikh Yassin speaking to our Matthew Chance just earlier today, and earlier in this program we heard from Yasser Arafat about suicide bombers, about terrorism, also about reform within the Palestinian Authority.
For some additional perspective, I spoke just a short time ago with Nabil Sha'ath. He is a Palestinian cabinet minister. He spoke to us from Gaza.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Nabil Sha'ath, thanks so much for joining us. Israeli officials here in Jerusalem are already saying that Yasser Arafat's speech was basically meaningless because he didn't directly tell Palestinians to stop the suicide bombing attacks against Israeli civilians. What is your reaction to that?
NABIL SHA'ATH, PALESTINIAN CABINET MINISTER: He has already said that many times, and his last speech that was directed in Arabic just about that took place only a few days ago.
Today he was giving a much broader speech about commitment to peace and about commitment to reform.
BLITZER: But it would have been a good opportunity for him to say in Arabic what President Bush, for example, has repeatedly urged him to say, to say in Arabic to his own people, stop the suicide attacks.
SHA'ATH: I think it is very clear that what he stands for is to end this kind of violence, and with it all kinds of violence, and to have a real cease-fire, if that would also lead to pulling out the Israelis out of the towns and Palestinian towns and villages without a revolving door of reoccupation and movement back to the political process.
BLITZER: The White House, in reacting to the President Arafat's speech, said his words were encouraging but actions speak louder than words when it comes to the issue of reforming the Palestinian Authority.
The chairman was very non-specific in offering details. When do you believe, for example, there will be early elections, the next round of elections?
SHA'ATH: Well, elections, I think, he was clear that we should start preparing for them and not only for the legislative council, the parliament, but also for local authorities and labor unions and every other place in which elections are needed to bring in new blood and to democratically elect people.
I think he is going to start these proceedings very, very soon. But you must understand that to enable -- in order to enable him to do these elections properly, the Israelis forces have to pull out of the cities and villages and have to allow elections in Jerusalem as what happened before, and has to allow international observers to come and witness and vouch and monitor.
All of these require action that is not entirely Palestinian.
BLITZER: What about the restructuring the security services, unifying them under one central commander? That is what the U.S. seems to want. Is the chairman ready to do that?
SHA'ATH: Yes, I think the chairman is going to make use of the opportunity provided by the visit of Mr. Tenet, which we hope will be very soon, in order to discuss with him our plans to rebuild, and of course not rebuild as was, but rebuild on a new model of effectiveness and clear lines of command and clear assignment of duties.
A Palestinian police force that the Palestinians will be proud of.
BLITZER: Nabil Sha'ath, thanks so much for joining us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Earlier today, I also got Israeli reaction, very strong Israeli reaction from a man who offered a peace deal to Yasser Arafat nearly two years ago at Camp David.
I spoke with the former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, who was in Tel Aviv.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
Prime Minister Barak, thanks so much for joining us.
I don't know if you had chance to study Yasser Arafat's speech today before the Palestinian legislative council, but he professed his desire for peace, a new state of Palestine living alongside Israel. Do you believe he is sincere?
EHUD BARAK, FORMER ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: You know, unfortunately we had so many disappointments from him, and not just us, but world leaders as a whole, that I, you know -- looking into our experience I would guess that it is just another smoke screen or verbal gymnastics that intend to relieve some of the burden of responsibility from his shoulder.
BLITZER: So is it a waste of time for the Israeli government to even bother in negotiating with the Palestinian Authority under the control of Yasser Arafat?
BARAK: Personally, watching him some 25 years through the sights of some 10 years from the other side of the negotiating table, I do not believe that he is going to change. It is -- you know, the leopard doesn't change its spots.
He is so deep into it, I personally compare him to Saddam Hussein, Milosevic. You remember Senator Dole and Jesse Jackson coming to his palace, but the moment he turned to eliminate Kuwait from the map and from history, the whole world could easily point to the bad guy in the story, and the same with Milosevic.
You remember with the Clarke (ph) and Richard Holbrooke negotiating with him and the date on Ohio meetings, but when he turned to mass graves and the other atrocities in Kosovo, the whole world could say that is the reality. It is unfortunate. We would hope for better world but this is the real world.
BLITZER: Are you saying that Yasser Arafat is no different than Saddam Hussein or Slobodan Milosevic.
BARAK: Yes, I basically say that it is time that the world will be able to look realty in the eye and to tell the truth about what we see and what we read in the intelligence hard material.
But you know, I would be more than happy to be found wrong, but the only way to be found wrong is that Arafat will say loud and clear that he is ready to go back to negotiation, back based on Camp David, if he recognize that after 9-11 and even before 9-11, no suicide bombing can gain any political gains.
So he should go, by definition, to the point where we were before the opening of this violence and he should put an end immediately to incitement and so on. If he would do all this, I would say that our government have to reassess or recontemplate its attitude toward him.
BLITZER: If you can't negotiate with Yasser Arafat, who is an alternative within the Palestinian leadership with whom Israel could negotiate?
BARAK: You know, I thought all along the last (UNINTELLIGIBLE) of a year and a half that the focus on Arafat the individual is wrong. When you try to confine him, you end up with the ironies of modern media, that he is strengthened. When you try to put him to dictate who will replace him, you in a way eliminate whoever we, the Israelis will mention, is eliminated automatically from the real list of candidates.
If we will try to define what kinds of reforms are needed in the Palestinian society, they will never be implemented.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: All right. Prime minister Ehud Barak, the former prime minister of Israel, joining us from Tel Aviv. Thank you very much.
And just ahead, former president Jimmy Carter is making history in Cuba, but is he also causing heartburn in the Bush administration?
And later, devastating floods in the Midwest. We will tell you what residents are expecting next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Welcome back. On his landmark visit to Cuba, former president Jimmy Carter is talking about building bridges between the two countries. In his speech last night the former president said he hopes the U.S. Congress will revoke the economic embargo against the communist nation, but the White House says that is not in the agenda.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARI FLEISCHER: The president very strongly believes that the trade embargo with Cuba is a very important ongoing part of America's policy, because trade with Cuba only benefits the oppressive government of Cuba. It does not get into the hands of the people. That has been the experience of the nations that have traded with Cuba.
Trade with Cuba, unlike trade with any other nation in the world -- almost any other nation in the world -- does not help the people of Cuba, and that is the heart of the problem with the trade.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: For more on the Carter visit and the state dinner that Fidel Castro is hosting tonight in Carter's honor, let us go to our Havana bureau chief, Lucia Newman. She joins us live -- Lucia.
LUCIA NEWMAN, HAVANA BUREAU CHIEF: Hello, Wolf. Indeed, President Carter's historic speech to the people of Cuba is still resounding in the minds and in the hearts, really, of many, many, many Cubans here.
Mr. Carter himself has continued to show interest, nevertheless, in the positive aspects of this country, of its revolution, today, for example, he toured a rehabilitation center for handicapped children.
But it is nevertheless his speech to the Cuban people yesterday where he spoke of the need for democracy, for freedom, for the right to speak out and form opposition parties, as well as for the United States to drop its economic embargo against Cuba, that really amazed people.
Many that I spoke to say that they were very impressed with the respect that Mr. Carter showed not only for the people but also for the Cuban government. Remember, Wolf, that President Fidel Castro was sitting there right in the front row as he spoke.
Now the sponsors of an unprecedented opposition initiative to introduce sweeping political and economic changes to this country legally through a referendum say they are very grateful to Mr. Carter for having put their initiative on the map.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OSWALDO PAYO, CUBAN DISSIDENT: We feel ashamed because only if a former American president comes here do Cubans find out there is a legal initiative in Cuba attached to the constitution. Not the American constitution...
(END VIDEO CLIP) Now Mr. Carter -- rather Mr. Castro has not really made any comments yet about the speech. The government is preferring rather to emphasize what it considers the more positive aspects, for example the attack on the U.S. economic embargo.
Castro is making good so far on his promise not to take offense with anything that Jimmy Carter has to say, but of course taking offense and taking advice are two very different things, Wolf.
BLITZER: Lucia Newman, covering this historic visit to Cuba, thanks so much for joining us.
And up next, devastating floods along the Mississippi River. Our own Jeff Flock is, of course, in the flood zone. He joins us now live with a preview -- Jeff.
JEFF FLOCK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, Wolf. I want to show you what is going on right now as we speak. Take a look at a flood fight. This is a sandbagging effort going on in Crystal City, Missouri.
Why? Take a look at downtown. A lot of water there. Not as much as 1993 by a long shot, but still, the flood waters are rising. I will have the full story when we come back in just a moment.
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BLITZER: Earlier we asked, how much damage did the great flood of 1993 cause? The answer -- $15 billion of damage was caused, and 50 people died when hundreds of levies failed along the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, causing the great flood of 1993.
Some wild weather has hit parts of the United States. For that let's go back to CNN's Fredricka Whitfield at the CNN center in Atlanta -- Fredricka.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks a lot, Wolf. At the moment fire and floods could spell disaster for residents of the Midwest and the Southwest.
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In Arizona, more than 200 firefighters are battling a wildfire just north of Payson (ph). The so-called springer fire spread quickly yesterday, fueled by high winds and extremely dry conditions. It was calmer overnight, though, which helped crews get a handle on the fire.
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Now folks in the Midwest have a different sort of worry, too much water. And more, unfortunately, is on the way, which means all those rain-swollen rivers will keep rising. Keeping a keen eye on the Mississippi is our own Jeff Flock in Crystal City, Missouri with more on that. Hi there, Jeff.
FLOCK: Hello, Fredricka. Indeed, this is not the great flood of 1993, not by a long shot, but I do want to show you the flood fight that's going on.
Kind of an ingenious invention you see right there, basically a hole in a board. Take a sandbag, stick it underneath sort of with an upside down cone there with a top cut off of it, and there you go, that's how they fill bags. I want to show you also what they're doing with them. They are building a flood wall which -- about four hours ago the flood wall that they are now building did not even exist, but you see those bags being passed hand to hand to bag against the still rising Mississippi.
Now to the water. We've got pictures of that as well. Perhaps you see the downtown of Crystal City, Missouri, which is where we stand right now, and as we do take a look at that, I want to try to interrupt, if I can, Carey Freedmire (ph), who is the supervisor of the department of public works right now.
He has been trying to stay abreast of everything going on. I am sorry to interrupt you there, Carey (ph), but give me the latest. Where do you stand with this? How much more water are you expecting?
CAREY FREEDMIRE: We are expecting about another foot before it crests, and that's barring we don't get no rain.
FLOCK: Now you say crests -- when is the crest?
FREEDMIRE: Crest is tomorrow, and it's supposed to be at 37-5 on the St. Louis, at St. Louis, and that would put it about a foot higher than it is now.
FLOCK: So if you get another foot, as we take a look back in the --already water up on sandbags in some areas, if you get another foot what does that mean to you?
FREEDMIRE: Right now it looks like we are going to be in pretty good shape thanks to the lots of volunteers that we have received. We are in pretty good shape. What's really going to hurt us if we get a big rain.
FLOCK: We are going to watch that. I am going to let you get back to what you got to do, Carey.
That is the latest from here, Fredricka. Of course we will continue to watch it. Back to you.
WHITFIELD: All right, thanks a lot, Jeff, and a reminder to our viewers, tonight CNN is live from the flood zone. Join Jeff to find out what is behind the wild weather we are having this spring.
That's tonight at 8:00 p.m. Eastern, 5:00 p.m. Pacific.
And in a moment, which car is the most popular among thieves? Find out if you own it. Also, a drive through disaster. What went wrong at this McDonald's?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BLITZER: Only moments ago an arrest was announced in Philadelphia involving those bombing incidents with a Middle East message. Here is the announcement that was made just a few minutes ago.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Here to announce a joint effort, investigation effort, with the arrest, we just made an arrest 30 minutes ago on the events of this week that was going on in Philadelphia of Preston H. Lit.
And the arrest was just made a few blocks down. He is from the 1700 block of Burgan (ph) street. The charges -- he is being charged federally. He is currently in custody and is being brought en route to the FBI office for processing.
He is being charged with threat to use explosive devices and he was picked up by the Philadelphia police department 30 minutes ago by their bike patrol. I'd like Captain Murphy to tell you about that arrest.
CAPTAIN MURPHY: Actually about a half hour ago -- we had information prior to this, as the investigation developed, so we knew who the individual was, we knew the type of vehicle he was driving, it was a 1991 Buick Regal.
He went by the location where we were standing, where he had previously dumped all the trash, and as a result of this 7th district officers having the description of the car and the vehicle pursued him and apprehended him after about a four or five block chase at Langden and Rawn (ph), I believe it is.
Right now, circumstances being what they were, as far as the bomb was earlier this week, they're going over the -- they're going over...
BLITZER: So there you have it. An arrest announced just a few minutes ago in Philadelphia, in that bombing incident that has caused some concern in the Philadelphia area. We will have much more on this coming up as additional details become available.
Now time for to you vote -- to go on-line, vote about our question of the day. Do you think Yasser Arafat can overhaul the Palestinian Authority? We'll tally the results, have the results in two minutes.
Also, a diplomatic mistake involving food. Germany's former leader doesn't look too thrilled here. Learn what happened to him next.
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BLITZER: Let's go to New York to check to see what's ahead on LOU DOBBS MONEYLINE, that of course beginning at the top of the hour.
DOBBS: Wolf, thank you very much. Coming up, damning evidence that the United States could possibly have prevented the terrorist attacks of the September 11. We'll have live report for you from Washington tonight.
Yasser Arafat admits the Palestinian authority must be reformed. We will have the latest for you. And the massive flooding in the Midwest could worsen. We will have live report from Indiana.
All of that and lot more at the top of the hour. Please join us. Now back to Wolf Blitzer in Jerusalem -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Thank you very much, Lou. We will be watching as we do every day. Now to get the results of our Web question of the day. Earlier we asked do you think Yasser Arafat can indeed overhaul the Palestinian Authority. Twenty-six percent of you said yes, 74 percent said no. Remember, this is not a scientific poll.
Let's get to some of your e-mails. Steven has this suggestion. "Next time you interview Arafat, ask him why he called for a million martyrs to march on Jerusalem, right after he told you he was doing everything he could to stop terrorism?"
Serge also had some advice. "I appreciate your reporting on life in Tel Aviv and the security issues there, but you should also report on a West Bank city like Jenin to show the oppression and humiliation the Palestinians living there face every day.
And this note, back here in Jerusalem earlier, a holiday celebration that almost proved too much for the German chancellor, the former German chancellor, that is, Helmut Kohl. While visiting President Moshe Katsav he was offered a selection of homegrown vegetables, in particular a red pepper. Mistranslation -- he was told if he had enemies, give them the pepper. Instead he took a huge bite. He then went for the water.
That's all the time we have right now. LOU DOBBS MONEYLINE begins right now.
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