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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports

Bush Signs Amber Alert Bill as Children Recovered After Abductions, Families Watch on

Aired April 30, 2003 - 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: We're standing by at the White House this hour, awaiting word from the president of the United States. We'll bring you his comments from the Oval Office as soon as we get them.
Also, an important development in the case of a missing boy. We're awaiting test results right now that could determine if a Chicago child is a long lost boy from North Carolina.

And here's a live look on the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln. It's an aircraft carrier. Pilots are getting ready to take off. We'll tell you why. It all starts right now on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Putting a public face on crimes against children and making dramatic changes in the way the nation tries to keep them safe. Amber Alert becomes law.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: These criminals can know that any driver they pass can be the one that spots them and brings them to justice.

BLITZER: An architect of the war arrives in Baghdad.

DONALD RUMSFELD, DEFENSE SECRETARY: It was possibly the fastest march on a capital in modern military history.

BLITZER: But what risks still lie ahead? The commander in chief plans a dramatic announcement.

He was a bin Laden bodyguard, but ecstatic U.S. officials say he's much bigger than that.

And peace in the Middle East. Is it mission impossible? I'll ask someone who tried and failed, Israel's Ehud Barak.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: CNN live this hour, WOLF BLITZER REPORTS, live from the nation's capital, with correspondents from around the world. WOLF BLITZER REPORTS starts now.

BLITZER: It's Wednesday, April 30, 2003. Hello from Washington. I'm Wolf Blitzer reporting.

We are following several major developments right now. That was then, this is now, 20 years after meeting Saddam Hussein in Baghdad, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is back in the Iraqi capital with victorious U.S. troops. And you're looking at a live picture from the USS Abraham Lincoln, on its way back from war. From its flight deck, President Bush will make a major announcement to the American people tomorrow night on the end of major combat in Iraq.

Right now we're also waiting to hear from the president at the White House. We'll bring you his comments as soon as we get them. And we'll get to all of that shortly.

But first, a move by the president today designed to save children's lives, and among his guests in the Rose Garden, Elizabeth Smart. Here's CNN's justice correspondent Kelli Arena. She is joining us now live -- Kelli.

KELLI ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, the alerts are named after a 9-year-old Texas girl Amber Hagerman. She was kidnapped and killed in 1996. Her family was at the White House today, along with several others.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ARENA (voice-over): Surrounded by families who have gone through the anguish of having a child abducted, President Bush signed new law expanding the Amber Alert system, aimed at helping find kidnapped children. On hand, Elizabeth Smart in her first national public appearance since being returned to her family last month.

BUSH: No child should ever have to experience the terror of abduction or worse. No family should ever have to endure the nightmare of losing a child.

ARENA: Amber Alerts exist in 41 states. They provide information on highway signs and over radio and television when a child goes missing. The system is credited with saving the lives of 64 children.

The new legislation provides federal matching grants to states and communities for equipment and training to create a uniform network nationwide.

When it looked like the bill was stalled in Congress, Elizabeth Smart's father, Ed, pleaded for action.

ED SMART, ELIZABETH SMART'S FATHER: That it is not something that can wait one more day. Lives are lost and the blood of those children is on someone's head, and when something can be done, something should be done.

ARENA: Critics say child kidnappings by strangers are not as common as they may seem and that the $25 million going to enhance the Amber Alert system could be put to better use. BARRY GLASSNER, AUTHOR, "THE CULTURE OF FEAR": You have many more children who die each year from bicycle accidents, from common accidents in their homes. So why don't we put some money into those kinds of protections? Dangers that students and young children face at school, on playgrounds.

ARENA: While the Amber Alert provision has gained the most attention, it is part of a wide-ranging package of child safety laws.

ERNIE ALLEN, NATIONAL CENTER FOR MISSING AND EXPLOITED CHILDREN: It enhances penalties for those who abduct or murder children. It provides for extended supervision for convicted sex offenders when they're released from prison. It attacks the whole issue of virtual child pornography.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ARENA: Under the bill signed by the president, obscene images of children created by computer technology will now be illegal. It's the one provision that's expected to draw fire from free speech advocates -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Kelli Arena with the latest on that important issue, thanks very much, Kelli.

The move, of course, today came too late for Polly Klaas. She was kidnapped and killed. Her father, Marc Klaas, is with us now. You were there in the Rose Garden earlier today. What do you say to those critics who say this is simply window dressing? It's not really going to save many children?

MARC KLAAS, CHILD PROTECTION ADVOCATE: I was at a press conference with Governor Davis of California, not more than maybe a month ago, and he made the announcement that an Amber Alert had been activated 29 times in California, and that 29 children had been recovered alive. I don't know how one argues with that at all. I think it's a wonderful program.

BLITZER: Is there any evidence, though, that innocent people when they get these Amber Alerts going are sort of pulled over when they have a car that looks like the car of the suspect?

KLAAS: Oh, it very well may be. You know, when we were looking for Polly, we were looking for somebody with a beard, and I know plenty of guys with beards that were pulled over, and they were more than cooperative. They just wanted to make sure that they did everything they could to ensure that my child would be recovered. So I don't think that that's an issue.

BLITZER: So the Amber Alert is very significant. But as we just heard in Kelli's piece, there's other important legislation, now the law of the land, that will also protect children. What stands out in your mind as an advocate?

KLAAS: Well, first of all, I think we have to acknowledge Chairman Sensenbrenner for standing up to the naysayers who wanted him to remove the Amber Alert from the rest of this legislation, because I think he came out with a very significant package. I personally like the two-strike law for sexual offenders, and this is a piece of legislation I've been working on with Congressman Mark Green for eight years now. And it says that somebody who is convicted for a second time of a sexual felony will spend the rest of their lives in jail. This deals with two significant issues. Number one, the issue of false accusation, and number two, the issue of repeated patterns of behavior.

BLITZER: What else needs to be done legislatively to make it part of the law of the land that will further protect children?

KLAAS: Well, first of all, I think that we have to take a very hard look at the Amber Alert itself. I do not endorse this ad hoc system of Amber Alerts that's being put on the table right now. I think we can go a lot farther. I think we can do much better by using computer systems, by using databases, by ensuring that we have the same kind of blanket coverage all across the land. I wish that the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children would wake up and realize that the plan that they're promoting is not the plan that our children deserve.

BLITZER: We saw Elizabeth Smart in the Rose Garden.

KLAAS: Yes.

BLITZER: She looked radiant.

KLAAS: Yes.

BLITZER: You were there not far away. Give us your impressions when you saw her there. We were all, of course, so thrilled when she was found alive.

KLAAS: Well, you know, we still were thrilled. I mean, it was wonderful to see Elizabeth, but it was also wonderful to see the other children that were up there. You might remember Tamira Brooks (ph) and Jackie Marris from last year. They came very close to death themselves.

So we've definitely come a long way in areas of recovering children, in areas of child protection. But I think one thing that we have to think about is this whole idea of strange danger, this business of strange abductions. I think we should be reclassifying this issue and talking about predatory abductions and non-predatory, because I know plenty of people where an evil uncle Billy did the deed.

BLITZER: All right. Marc Klaas, as usual, our heart goes out to you for the loss of your daughter, Polly, but thanks for joining us.

KLAAS: Thank you, Wolf.

BLITZER: There's word that authorities could know as soon as today possibly whether a boy from the Chicago area is, in fact, Buddy Myers, a North Carolina boy who disappeared some two years ago. For the latest, let's go to our Chicago bureau chief Jeff Flock. He has important developments -- Jeff.

JEFF FLOCK, CNN CHICAGO BUREAU CHIEF: Indeed, Wolf. Where this word is coming from is from law enforcement officials that I've talked to, CNN's Mike Brooks has been talking to. It appears, although they are waiting for these DNA tests to come back that would definitely tell them whether, in fact, this Eli Quick from Chicago is in fact Buddy Myers from North Carolina. They are also working several other tests. They're looking at blood, they are looking at fingerprints, they are looking at X-rays, dental records. They are either trying to rule him in or rule him out.

Now, they would be doing this anyway, but part of the reason they're so interested in this, because the DNA test is going to take a while, is their interviews with the principals in the case, like the man who brought the boy in in Chicago, as well as the family of Buddy Myers in North Carolina, that is really not doing it for them. That is not getting to the bottom of this story. Right now the story is very muddy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So is Eli your son?

RICKY QUICK: Yes.

FLOCK (voice-over): Ricky Quick says this little boy he brought to this hospital outside Chicago in February is his son, and his name is Eli. Raven Myers, who has seen pictures of the boy, says she thinks he's her son and his real name is Buddy.

(on camera): So if this is your boy, you're saying that the man would be a kidnapper.

RAVEN MYERS, TRISTEN MYERS' MOTHER: Yes, he would be. Because I don't know him.

FLOCK (voice-over): But the Chicago FBI apparently doesn't think Quick is a kidnapper. They questioned him overnight and then released him. It's apparently going to take a DNA test to sort out whether Eli is Buddy. Either way, he's likely in for a tough road.

Then 4-year-old Buddy Myers has been missing for two years from a North Carolina home he shared with his great aunt. He'd gone out to take these dogs for a walk. They came back. He didn't. His mother was 15 when she had him. Her mother cared for him until she died of cancer. His grandfather accidentally ran him over with the car.

The boy called Eli Quick was dirty and uncommunicative when the man who says he was his father brought him to the hospital complaining of his, quote, "aggressive behavior."

The boy had been a car crash a year earlier that killed the woman he said was his mother.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's doing fine.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is he doing fine?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He is in foster care. I'm trying to get things together. I'm very ill. My wife passed away.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FLOCK: And Wolf, even though the mother of Buddy Myers and Ricky Quick, the man who says he's the father of Eli Quick apparently lived in the same community in Louisiana at one point. Raven Myers tells CNN's Gary Tuchman says that she's never seen this Mr. Quick, and she would remember him if that was the case. She also says, Wolf, and this is an interesting development today as well that the boy had been living with his great aunt, the mother who is now a topless dancer in North Carolina says she will fight the aunt for custody of her son. She was 15 when she had him, and didn't have custody initially. She says she wants him back even though she has what looks like a difficult life, she thinks he belongs with her. At this point we don't know if this boy is her son or not.

BLITZER: As soon as you find out, those initial test results will show those results to our viewers. We'll get right back to you, Jeff Flock, with the latest on a story that's touched the hearts of a lot of people out there.

Thanks, Jeff, very much.

We are standing by to hear from President Bush this hour. He may answer some reporters' questions on what seems like a mission impossible right now, namely a peace in the Middle East and other subjects. We'll bring you his remarks as soon as we get them.

Plus, is Israel ready for a Palestinian state when it's facing more terror?

I'll ask the former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak.

And victory lap in Baghdad. Secretary Rumsfeld celebrates the win, but now comes what some say is the harder part. Can he really deliver democracy to Iraq?

And a deadly clash between U.S. forces and Iraqi protectors.

Will the bloodshed leave civilians with a bitter taste of freedom?

That, much more, the late-breaking developments when we return.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: The USS Abraham Lincoln is home bound right now. You look at these planes flying of there U.S. aircraft carrier. Kyra Phillips is joining us live.

Kyra, tell us what we are seeing. KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Wolf, how is that for perfect timing. That's the F-14 Tomcatters, VF-31 making the final fly over of the USS Abraham Lincoln. Wolf, it's a very emotional, exciting time for everyone on deck here. And of course, the fighter pilots because that's the ultimate sign they're headed home after this war. They are not allowed to ever do fly-bys while engaged on a mission and while deployed, so this means a lot to them. And they're off headed to Oceania, Virginia. Tomorrow it will be the F-18s.

BLITZER: And tomorrow the president of the United States will be out there with you, as well.

How are they getting ready for a presidential visit?

PHILLIPS: Well, they're all prepped. More than anything, they've got the stage set up. They have the logistics set up, where he's going to sleep. It will be a special stateroom. What I am told, it's a stateroom even nicer than where the admiral sleeps. He will be eating in a special room next to where he will be sleeping, but with regard to his flight, that's what everybody's talking about, Wolf. There was a lot of preparation, the air wing commander, Captain Kevin Albright had to make sure he picked the perfect pilot to fly the president.

I can't tell you what kind of aircraft for security reasons, obviously, but I can tell you he's going to land right here on this flight deck. And everyone's talking about the trap, if indeed it will be a smooth landing and he'll hit the first wire, that's what everyone is curious to see as you can imagine. It's unprecedented that this is happening, and it going to happen tomorrow morning and we'll bring it to you.

BLITZER: We'll bring it here live on CNN. Kyra Phillips aboard the Abraham Lincoln. Kyra, good work, thanks as usual for joining us. We'll be speaking to often you tomorrow. CNN will, of course, have live coverage of the president's address to the nation tomorrow night 9:00 p.m. Eastern from aboard the aircraft carrier the Abraham Lincoln.

The last time he was in the Iraqi capital was two decades and there was a handshake he'd probably like to forget. I'm talking about the American Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. He was back in Baghdad tough earlier today. Our Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr is traveling with him, and reports that times, indeed, have changed.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Nearly 20 years after Donald Rumsfeld came to Baghdad as Middle East peace envoy he returned, this time putting on an armored vest, and riding in a military convoy through the city. The most senior U.S. Official to visit. At Baghdad International Airport he thanks the troops, and said the job wasn't over just yet.

DONALD RUMSFELD, DEFENSE SECRETARY: We have to help Iraqis restore their basic services. And we have to help provide conditions of stability and security so that the Iraqi people can form an interim authority, an interim government, and then, ultimately a free Iraqi government based on political freedom, individual liberty and the rule of law.

STARR: Along the road, some Iraqis waved, some stared. Impossible to tell if they knew what was happening. Security tight at all times, military helicopters overhead. The secretary went to a power station for a briefing on progress in restoring electricity. The lights now back up in half the city, U.S. officials say. But without full power, there are still problems. Sanitation services, not fully functioning. And the civilian coordinator, retired Lieutenant General Jay Garner insisting there is no humanitarian crisis.

LT. GEN. JAY GARNER (RET.), U.S. IRAQI RECON. ADM.: You all are reporting about demonstrations and stuff, yes there are demonstrations. That's the first step in democracy, you're allowed to disagree.

STARR: Still, General Gardner, later said parts of Baghdad remain unstable. Militias still need to be brought under control. The problems for the people, he conceded, remain very real. Each so, the hope is to begin Iraqis take control of some government functions within weeks. And military commanders who met with the secretary at a bombed out palace warned there is still criminal activity. Saddam Hussein allegedly flooded the streets with weapons before the war. U.S. soldiers now find themselves removing 40 truckloads of weapons and ammunition each day from Baghdad.

(on camera): It's been an extraordinary day here in Iraq. Defense Secretary Rumsfeld coming to this capital city that U.S. forces conquered so quickly. Here at this bombed-out palace of Saddam Hussein and now a military base, he is meeting with his commanders to discuss the security situation, the progress in the reconstruction and beginning to think just how soon U.S. military forces might be able to return home.

(voice-over): But those commanders warning that a U.S. presence will be required for some time to come.

Barbara Starr, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: And how is the secretary's visit playing in the Iraqi capital? For that let's go to our senior international correspondent Nic Robertson. He is joining us live from Baghdad -- Nic.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, it's intended to play out on television and radio here. Donald Rumsfeld recording an address for the Iraqi people telling them they were going to run Iraq, that the United States wanted to help rebuild the country and restore security, but really for the people in the streets of Baghdad, the very best way to get to see Donald Rumsfeld was on satellite television.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RUMSFELD: I think it's a complicated question. ROBERTSON (voice-over): The best way for Iraqis to see Donald Rumsfeld's visit to Baghdad: on TV. Satellite TV, once banned by Saddam Hussein, now big business.

Store owner Hussan (ph): "We don't like occupation," he says, "but every honorable Iraqi citizen says thank you to Bush, Blair and Rumsfeld."

Although Rumsfeld recorded a message for Iraqis, none we talked to had heard it, most in this store thinking it's smart he didn't deliver it in person.

"He couldn't go out on the street now," says Ahmed (ph). "Maybe in the future, when there's more TV and people get the message about America's intentions."

Rumsfeld's promise of security likely popular though.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are waiting to see what they are going to do for us, and the first thing is the security we need.

ROBERTSON: At fuel stations, where lines are so long, street traders are setting up stands. Patience with Rumsfeld is in shorter supply.

"The greater the delay, the more violence," he says. "We'll start blowing up their tanks ourselves."

Across town in the ruins of Baghdad's telephone exchange, destroyed by coalition missiles, looters continue their scavenging, attitudes toward Rumsfeld more practical.

Outside the nearby stores, also damaged by the same missiles, a sense Rumsfeld is responsible.

"They should rebuild Iraq," says Hassan (ph), "rebuild what they have destroyed, and we are waiting for that."

Storekeeper Ahmed (ph), who used to sell stationary here, agrees, but fears what such involvement may lead to.

"No man occupies another's country," said Ahmed (ph), "without their own interests at heart."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTSON: Well perhaps it's the fact the last time Donald Rumsfeld visited Baghdad he did meet with Saddam Hussein, that leaves some people here saying that while they're hopeful of a better future, right now they're going to hold off, wait and see what actions the United States takes before they judge Donald Rumsfeld by his words -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Nic Robertson in Baghdad. Thanks, Nic, very much.

ROBERTSON: Mission impossible in the Middle East? President Bush is to speak any moment now in the Oval Office. He may answer some questions about how he plans to settle the decades-old conflict.

Plus, one step forward, maybe two steps back. Can the Israelis and the Palestinians put an end to the violence? I'll ask the former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak.

And an alleged al Qaeda big fish reeled in. What does he know about new attacks in the works? We'll take a closer look.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: You're looking at the live pictures of the aircraft carrier the Abraham Lincoln. It's heading toward San Diego right now. Tomorrow president bush will be onboard this carrier. He'll be addressing the American people tomorrow night, 9:00 p.m. Eastern, with word that major combat in Iraq is over, the next phase about to begin. CNN, of course, will have live coverage, 9:00 p.m. Eastern tomorrow night.

And we're also standing by now. The president's in the Oval Office. We expect he'll be answering some questions from reporters. We'll bring you his response as soon as we get that in here at CNN.

In the meantime, a deadly suicide bombing in Tel Aviv hours after a new Palestinian government was formed and hours before the United States and some influential partners offered a new plan for Middle East peace.

Let's go live to CNN's Kelly Wallace. She is joining us in Jerusalem -- Kelly.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, that suicide bombing just one example of the tremendous challenges ahead, to determine if that so-called road map will put the two sides, after two and a half years of bloodshed, on a path to peace.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WALLACE (voice-over): Presentations, diplomats hope, will be about more than symbolism. The newly-sworn in Palestinian prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas, receives a copy of the internationally-backed peace plan called the road map.

Ninety minutes earlier, the U.S. ambassador to Israel drives to Prime Minister Sharon's Jerusalem residence to give him his copy. The goal of the three-year, three-phase plan is a democratic Palestinian state by 2005 and a guarantee of Israel's security.

Getting there won't be easy. Both sides must take steps they have long resisted and are already expressing different interpretations about what should happen next. The Palestinians say the road map should be implemented immediately without any changes.

NABIL SHAATH, PALESTINIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: The road map cannot succeed unless people see that as we are implementing Israel is also implementing.

WALLACE: But Israelis say they want to see more than a dozen changes made and say there should be an end to Palestinian terror attacks before any other steps are taken.

GIDEON MEIR, ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER: There's a sequence in the road map and the sequence is calling first and foremost a stop to terror.

WALLACE: Attacks such as the early morning suicide bombing outside a Tel Aviv cafe which left three innocent civilians dead. Two radical Palestinian groups have claimed responsibility.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALLACE: And a leader with one of those groups claiming responsibility, the military wing of Hamas, speaking out today saying Hamas rejects the road map and will not disarm. Trying to rein in these radical Palestinian groups viewed as biggest challenge facing the new Palestinian prime minister and some Israeli officials are privately saying they are not so sure Mahmoud Abbas and his security team will be able to do it -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Kelly Wallace in Jerusalem. Thanks, Kelly, very much.

He was Israel's most decorated soldier and its top ranking general. As prime minister, he vowed to go all out for peace, but a marathon session at Camp David fell short. An all-out violence followed. Can the latest peace effort succeed? Joining me now is former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak. Prime Minister, thanks so much for joining us.

You know Mahmoud Abbas, also known as Abu Mazen. Can he deliver?

EHUD BARAK, FORMER ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: I hope. We shall give him the benefit of the doubt. He's a serious person, and make his mind public. Modern (ph) one, this intifadah, it does not serve the Palestinians, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and it's not enough to produce a road map. To implement is much tougher.

BLITZER: Well, to implement, he says that he's ready to do whatever he can to stop the terrorism, committed to that, but can he and his new security chief, can they crack down on Hamas, Islamic Jihad, some of the militant groups who reject the very notion of Israel?

BARAK: They will have to. Otherwise they are worthless. Of course, we should help -- you should -- the American administration, we should provide the gesture that will ease the daily life of Palestinians and even put an end to illegal outbursts and prove the rein of the rule of law over the settlers. But beyond this, Israel cannot expected and should not be expected to move forward before it becomes clear that the Palestinians are serious and ready to go even against violent resistance from Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Arafat's own brigade.

BLITZER: What can Israel do to help this new Palestinian government?

BARAK: First of all, we should not hug them too much. You asked me about Abu Mazen and Dahlan. We should not hug them too tight since it might damage them. We should respect them. We should be ready to make our gestures, but we should insist that they should act, act, namely put an end, to crush on these -- those groups. They know almost every hidden place...

BLITZER: But should Israel at the same time stop settlements and lifts some of the restrictions to make it easier for the Palestinians?

BARAK: Yes, we should do certain steps of this type, and I believe that we will do them. First of all, out of our own reasons. It's long overdue to put an end to the phenomenon that settlers are taking the law into their hands and deciding what to do. And we should, of course, find ways to ease daily life for Palestinians.

BLITZER: Let me ask you one final question. I know you have to get going. After the Iraq war, has the mood in the Middle East changed to help the peace process? Does the U.S. now have greater or less credibility to deliver?

BARAK: It has a greater capacity to deliver at the moment. It depends significantly upon what will happen in Iraq. If Iraq will move spirally, positively, namely begin to restabilize, it will dramatically improve the opportunity to make peace. If it will deteriorate and as of now, it is uncertain what direction it will take, it will complicate things and it would be impossible to reach happy settlement in the Middle East.

BLITZER: There is a historic opportunity right now. Let's hope that it pans out. Prime Minister Barak, thanks for joining us.

BARAK: May I add one point, that in the very short term, the very launching of the road map might help you, or help the administration restabilize Iraq. In the longer term, without being successful in restabilizing Iraq, you want to be able to...

BLITZER: There's a connection between these two very, very sensitive issues.

BARAK: Two directions.

BLITZER: As usual, thanks very much.

BARAK: Thank you.

BLITZER: And you can read the Middle East read map published by the State Department. We have a direct link on our Web site. Just go to cnn.com/wolf, you will get all the details. I've written about it on my column, as well. Here's your turn, by the way, to weigh in on the story. Our Web question of the day is this, "who's more committed to peace? The Israelis or the Palestinians?" We'll have the results later in the broadcast. You can vote right now. Go to cnn.com/wolf. While you're there, I'd also like to hear directly from you. Send me your comments. I'll try to read some of them on the air each day at the end of this program, and as I said, that's also where you can read my daily online column, cnn.com/wolf.

Now for the latest headlines let's go to CNN's Charles Molineaux. He is in the CNN newsroom in Atlanta.

(NEWSBREAK)

BLITZER: Thanks very much, Charles. We are standing by to hear from President Bush. He is in the Oval Office right now, meeting with Colombia's president, Alvaro Uribe. They've been meeting about the situation in Colombia, very sensitive, important issues, including, of course, illegal drugs involved on the agenda. The Colombian president now in the White House. We're expecting both of them to make brief comments and then answer reporters' questions. Reporters have gathered in the White House to ask the president some questions. We also expect among those questions to be asked, President Bush's response to the latest Middle East peace plan, the so-called road map that was officially unveiled earlier today, presented to both the new Palestinian Authority government as well as to the Israeli government. The Palestinian road map calling for the creation of a Palestinian state within three years by 2005.

President Bush has had a very, very busy day, as all of you know. He was in the Rose Garden earlier today signing that legislation into law. The Amber Alert legislation, designed to protect America's children. Other important ingredients in that legislation, as well. He's getting ready to deliver a major address to the American public tomorrow night aboard the aircraft carrier, the Abraham Lincoln. He'll be flying out tomorrow morning.

Let's go to the White House now, the Oval Office. The president, together with the Colombian president.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BUSH: A friend and courageous person, the president of Colombia. He is determined to fight terror. He is determined to fight the flow of narcotics to America. We appreciate his determination. We appreciate his resolve and we appreciate his strength.

So it's my honor to welcome you, Mr. President.

Before I ask you to speak and before we answer two questions aside, I do want to say that today we issued the road map. The road map is a beginning of a long process to achieve peace in the Middle East. In order for there to be a peace in the Middle East, it is important for all parties to assume the necessary responsibilities to achieve the condition so that peace can happen. That starts with fighting off terror. To prevent killers from disrupting that which most citizens want in the Middle East, and that is a peaceful, hopeful world.

I strongly condemn the killings that take place in the Middle East the last couple of days. I applaud the words of Abu Mazen, the new prime minister of the Palestinian Authority who renounced that terror. I look forward to spending time and energies to move the process forward. And finally, Mr. President, you're here on a day in which our country has achieved another notable success in the war against terror. Pakistan authorities have detained Whalid ba Attash. He is a killer. He was one of the top Al Qaeda operatives. He was right below Khalid Sheik Mohammed on the organizational chart of Al Qaeda. He is one less person that people who love freedom have to worry about.

I want to thank our friends in Pakistan. I want to thank the agency, the CIA, for working hard to continue to win the war against terror.

And make no mistake about it, Mr. President, we will win the war against terror. Thank you for your courageous fight in the war against terror and welcome to the Oval Office.

PRES. ALVARO URIBE, COLOMBIA: Thank you, Mr. President, for your warm welcome.

This is very important for my country. Colombia has suffered terrorists for long time. Thus Colombia understands the need to fight terrorists in our country and in other -- in any other country. And your government, your people, your country, they are our best allies for us to succeed in our fight.

Thank you again, Mr. President.

BUSH: We'll have one -- we'll alternate questions between the American side and the Colombian side.

Tom?

QUESTION: Mr. President, even if the new Palestinian (OFF-MIKE) has sworn to end the terror attack and the suicide bombers (OFF-MIKE) own party. How much confidence do you have that the new prime minister can control and reign in these people?

BUSH: Well, for certain, in order for their to be peace, we must all join together to fight off terror. Abu Mazen has publicly declared that he will fight terror. He understands that in order for the Palestinian lives to improve, terror must be battled. And I'm -- listen, I'm -- he's a man I can work with and I look forward to working with him and will work with him for the sake of peace and for the sake of security.

Do you want to call on one of your reporters?

URIBE: (SPEAKING IN SPANISH)

BUSH: Want me to do it?

URIBE: Half of my cabinet are made up of women.

(LAUGHTER)

BUSH: No, I am very impressed by that. Not only that, but they are very smart women.

Thank you.

QUESTION: Thank you. Mr. President, I'm from Colombia. We want to know how difficult is the signing of the bilateral trade agreement with Colombia.

BUSH: Well, a -- we've got a lot to work to do. The president and I look forward to discussing trade.

One thing that is for certain is, we've started down the road on a Free Trade Agreement of the Americas, which I'm absolutely confident will boost the capacity of the Colombian economy to grow. And so, we'll talk about all aspects of trade, including the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas which, in my judgment, is hopeful trade agreement there is.

We've got all kinds of different opportunities to work together, whether it be in trade or counternarcotics or fighting terror. And we will stand as a strong friend and supporter of Colombian people as they take on difficult tasks.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) peace initiatives haven't been all that successful. What's different with this one? How does this one (OFF- MIKE)

BUSH: Well, just because history has proven to be unsuccessful does not mean that we're not going to try for starters. I'm an optimist. I believe now that we have an interlocutor from the Palestinian Authority that has spoken clearly about the need to fight terror, that we have a good opportunity to advance the peace process, and I will seize the opportunity.

Secondly, the war on Iraq has made it absolutely clear that those who harbor terrorists, fund terrorists or harbor weapons of mass destruction will be held to account. That in itself helps create the conditions to move peace forward.

And by the way, in order for peace to occur all parties must assume their responsibilities; that includes the Arab nations which surround Israel and the potential Palestinian state. They must cut off funding to terrorists. They must create the conditions necessary for peace. Israel is going to have to make some sacrifices in order to move the peace process forward.

But no sacrifice should be made that will allow and encourage terror to continue and reign.

QUESTION: Mr. Bush, more than 500 (OFF-MIKE) will depart and (OFF-MIKE) I'm wondering if the United States government will be willing at some point to help (OFF-MIKE) to society (OFF-MIKE)

BUSH: To help in what fashion? I didn't get your question.

QUESTION: To re-insert through the civil society -- those terrorists that are (OFF-MIKE) themself to the (OFF-MIKE) BUSH: To bring what to the civil society? I'm sorry.

QUESTION: To re-insert themselves to move back to civil...

BUSH: Oh, to help them go back into civil society.

Well, you know, some terrorists are just plain cold-blooded killers. They're hard to retrain somebody who's a killer.

The president's going to have to make that decision, what's best for his country.

But all I know is the man is absolutely committed to fighting terror, and for that I am, I appreciate him. And he has got a straightforward, strong vision about what has to happen to people who are willing to kill innocent people. And that is they must be dealt with severely. And that's, it's interesting we share the same strategy.

When al Qaeda came and killed Americans there was only one way to deal with them, that was to hunt 'em down, find 'em and bring 'em to justice. And as I mentioned today, we found one of the al Qaeda leaders; it was a major, significant find, his detention.

And the war goes on. It takes a while. We must be patient and strong and diligent and focused. And the president of Colombia is diligent, strong and focused. He knows what he must do to make Colombia, a great nation, more safe and more secure against people who, in my opinion, are nothing but terrorists.

URIBE: Regarding this point, we have only one determination to defeat terrorists in Colombia. When you look at the people in the terror organizations, you find the ringleaders, you find professional killers, and you find young people mistakenly led by professional killers.

Therefore, we have the obligation to defeat terrorists and the duty, the obligation to give those young people the opportunity to come to live under our constitution again.

We are telling them, "You have the opportunity to follow the ringleaders of the terrorist organizations, or you have the opportunity to come to live in our community with the respect of our constitution."

For those who make -- who choose this option, we are ready to give them a new opportunity.

BUSH: Thanks.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: And there it is, the president of the United States, the president of Colombia answering reporters' questions. President Bush very forceful saying there's a new opportunity for peace in the Middle East. Let's bring in our senior White House correspondent John King with some analysis. John, what do you hear in those brief comments from the president.

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, two key points from the president on the issue of his new road map for peace in the Middle East. One, for the first time today in his 27 months as president, Mr. Bush has said there is now a Palestinian leader he trusts, someone he believes is committed to peace, someone he can work with.

That is the new prime minister Abu Mazen or Mahmoud Abbas as he is also known. Mr. Bush saying he now has a Palestinian leader he can trust and work with. He has never said that about the Palestinian President Yasser Arafat.

And significantly, the president also saying he sees a lesson for the neighbors in the Middle East region from the Iraq war. Mr. Bush saying there should be no mistaking that the lesson of the Iraq war is that any state in the region must not harbor terrorists and support terrorists and provide financial aid to terrorists.

The president didn't say so, but this administration, of course, believes Syria that and Iran both harbor Hamas and other terrorist groups responsible at times responsible for attack on Israeli citizens. So the president saying as he commits to personally engage in the Middle East peace process, he's certainly delivering a bit of a warning shot, if you will, to others in the neighborhood that he expects them to behave better.

BLITZER: And his press secretary Ari Fleischer earlier today flatly called Syria, and I'm quoting now, "a terror state." John King at the White House, thanks very much for that analysis. We'll be checking back with you, of course, throughout the evening.

Saddam Hussein sends a letter home, supposedly. Hear what the fallen dictator says about his precarious predicament. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: West of Baghdad, fresh outrage in the town of Fallujah. For the second time in three days Iraqi demonstrators have been killed apparently by U.S. forces. Two Iraqis died protesting against an incident that happened Monday. That's when U.S. forces fired on a crowd killing 15 people. In each case the U.S. Central Command and the Iraqis are accusing each other of firing first.

Meanwhile, a London-based Arabic newspaper has published a letter allegedly from Saddam Hussein to the Iraqi people. Staff members at the paper tell CNN it came by fax yesterday. And it looks like it's written in Saddam's hand writing. It calls on Iraqis to fight U.S. and British troops in the country saying, and I'm quoting now, "Iraq will emerge victorious as will the honorable people of the nation. We will recover the archaeological treasures they stole. And we will rebuild the Iraq they want to divide." U.S. officials are elated as we just heard from the president that the capture of a key al Qaeda suspect, one of several netted in a raid in Pakistan. Let's go live to our national security correspondent, David Ensor who is with me here -- David.

DAVID ENSOR, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, at this point after this arrest, it's not clear that al Qaeda now has an operations chief worthy of the name.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ENSOR (voice-over): Whalid ba Attash, also known as Khalid or Tawfiq, was the mastermind on the attack of the USS Cole in Yemen in 2000, U.S. officials say. And they are calling his capture Tuesday by Pakistani authorities extremely significant.

FLEISCHER: It's been another strong day of Pakistani cooperation in the war against terror with a helpful and significant capture.

ENSOR: Attash was Osama bin Laden's chief bodyguard for some years, a trusted lieutenant who lost one foot during fighting in Afghanistan. Like bin Laden, he is a Saudi national of Yemeni origin.

Along with five other suspected al Qaeda members, Attash was captured in the teaming city of Karachi, the same place another al Qaeda leader, Ramzi Binalsheibh was caught after a gun battle. Two former al Qaeda operations chiefs, Khalid Sheik Mohammed and Abu Zubaida, were also captured in Pakistani cities. And U.S. officials say most of al Qaeda's remaining leadership may well be in Pakistani cities, to. Though the top two leaders, bin Laden and Ayman Al- Zawahiri, are believed to be in the remote area of the Pakistani- Afghan border.

Attash also met with two of the 9/11 hijackers in Malaysia in January of 2000. And Officials say he was the intermediary between them and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the 9/11 mastermind.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ENSOR: Most importantly, U.S. officials are saying Attash knows about plans for future al Qaeda attacks. His capture could save lives, they say and for that reason, as one put it, it's a very big deal -- Wolf.

BLITZER: David Ensor with important words. Thanks, as usual, for that.

We have much more coverage coming up, including more on our top story. President Bush signing the Amber alert into -- the legislation, into law. We'll have that as well as the results of "Our Web Question of the Day." Who's more committed to peace? The Israelis or the Palestinians? Vote now at cnn.com/wolf. The results immediately when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BLITZER: More now on our top story. Amber alerts are credited with saving the lives of children across the country, including some of those young people who were invited to the White House ceremony earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): From being kidnapped to being honored in the Rose Garden. It offered rest in a very short span of time for a group of people who lived very short lives.

Almost eclipsing the president, the girl whose face has become almost synonymous now with missing children and the hope of their return. Elizabeth Smart, kidnapped from her Salt Lake City home on June 5 of last year, recovered last month, today, shakes hands with the president of the United States.

Two other teenagers with smiling faces today, Jacqueline Marris and Tamara Brooks.

BUSH: We're so happy these two young ladies are healthy and with us today.

BLITZER: On a horrible August day nine months ago, Marris and Brooks say they were kidnapped at gunpoint from a lover's lane in Lancaster, California. An Amber alert went out. Twelve hours later, they watched as police cornered their alleged abductor on a remote dirt road 100 miles away and shot him to death.

Nichole Timmons was at the White House today with her mother and sister. Nichole was just 10 when she was kidnapped from her home in Riverside, California nine months ago. An Amber alert led to her rescue several hours later, more than 300 miles away in Nevada.

But the very reason for this event, a tragedy from seven years ago that led one family from Arlington, Texas to take on a cause and make a heart wrenching journey to the Rose Garden.

BUSH: Amber Hagerman, whose mom is with us today, a good Texan, I might add...

(APPLAUSE)

BUSH: ... was 9-years-old when she was taken away from her parents. We are acting today in her memory.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: The president of the United States earlier today.

Let's see how you're weighing in on "Our Web Question of the Day." Who is more committed to peace? Look at this, 56 percent of you say the Israelis, 44 percent say the Palestinians. Remember this, is not a scientific poll.

A reminder. I'll be back tomorrow noon Eastern. Among my guests at that time, Shimon Peres. You can of course, catch WOLF BLITZER REPORTS each weekday at 5 p.m. Eastern. I'll see you then.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com





Abductions, Families Watch on>


Aired April 30, 2003 - 17:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: We're standing by at the White House this hour, awaiting word from the president of the United States. We'll bring you his comments from the Oval Office as soon as we get them.
Also, an important development in the case of a missing boy. We're awaiting test results right now that could determine if a Chicago child is a long lost boy from North Carolina.

And here's a live look on the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln. It's an aircraft carrier. Pilots are getting ready to take off. We'll tell you why. It all starts right now on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Putting a public face on crimes against children and making dramatic changes in the way the nation tries to keep them safe. Amber Alert becomes law.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: These criminals can know that any driver they pass can be the one that spots them and brings them to justice.

BLITZER: An architect of the war arrives in Baghdad.

DONALD RUMSFELD, DEFENSE SECRETARY: It was possibly the fastest march on a capital in modern military history.

BLITZER: But what risks still lie ahead? The commander in chief plans a dramatic announcement.

He was a bin Laden bodyguard, but ecstatic U.S. officials say he's much bigger than that.

And peace in the Middle East. Is it mission impossible? I'll ask someone who tried and failed, Israel's Ehud Barak.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: CNN live this hour, WOLF BLITZER REPORTS, live from the nation's capital, with correspondents from around the world. WOLF BLITZER REPORTS starts now.

BLITZER: It's Wednesday, April 30, 2003. Hello from Washington. I'm Wolf Blitzer reporting.

We are following several major developments right now. That was then, this is now, 20 years after meeting Saddam Hussein in Baghdad, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is back in the Iraqi capital with victorious U.S. troops. And you're looking at a live picture from the USS Abraham Lincoln, on its way back from war. From its flight deck, President Bush will make a major announcement to the American people tomorrow night on the end of major combat in Iraq.

Right now we're also waiting to hear from the president at the White House. We'll bring you his comments as soon as we get them. And we'll get to all of that shortly.

But first, a move by the president today designed to save children's lives, and among his guests in the Rose Garden, Elizabeth Smart. Here's CNN's justice correspondent Kelli Arena. She is joining us now live -- Kelli.

KELLI ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, the alerts are named after a 9-year-old Texas girl Amber Hagerman. She was kidnapped and killed in 1996. Her family was at the White House today, along with several others.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ARENA (voice-over): Surrounded by families who have gone through the anguish of having a child abducted, President Bush signed new law expanding the Amber Alert system, aimed at helping find kidnapped children. On hand, Elizabeth Smart in her first national public appearance since being returned to her family last month.

BUSH: No child should ever have to experience the terror of abduction or worse. No family should ever have to endure the nightmare of losing a child.

ARENA: Amber Alerts exist in 41 states. They provide information on highway signs and over radio and television when a child goes missing. The system is credited with saving the lives of 64 children.

The new legislation provides federal matching grants to states and communities for equipment and training to create a uniform network nationwide.

When it looked like the bill was stalled in Congress, Elizabeth Smart's father, Ed, pleaded for action.

ED SMART, ELIZABETH SMART'S FATHER: That it is not something that can wait one more day. Lives are lost and the blood of those children is on someone's head, and when something can be done, something should be done.

ARENA: Critics say child kidnappings by strangers are not as common as they may seem and that the $25 million going to enhance the Amber Alert system could be put to better use. BARRY GLASSNER, AUTHOR, "THE CULTURE OF FEAR": You have many more children who die each year from bicycle accidents, from common accidents in their homes. So why don't we put some money into those kinds of protections? Dangers that students and young children face at school, on playgrounds.

ARENA: While the Amber Alert provision has gained the most attention, it is part of a wide-ranging package of child safety laws.

ERNIE ALLEN, NATIONAL CENTER FOR MISSING AND EXPLOITED CHILDREN: It enhances penalties for those who abduct or murder children. It provides for extended supervision for convicted sex offenders when they're released from prison. It attacks the whole issue of virtual child pornography.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ARENA: Under the bill signed by the president, obscene images of children created by computer technology will now be illegal. It's the one provision that's expected to draw fire from free speech advocates -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Kelli Arena with the latest on that important issue, thanks very much, Kelli.

The move, of course, today came too late for Polly Klaas. She was kidnapped and killed. Her father, Marc Klaas, is with us now. You were there in the Rose Garden earlier today. What do you say to those critics who say this is simply window dressing? It's not really going to save many children?

MARC KLAAS, CHILD PROTECTION ADVOCATE: I was at a press conference with Governor Davis of California, not more than maybe a month ago, and he made the announcement that an Amber Alert had been activated 29 times in California, and that 29 children had been recovered alive. I don't know how one argues with that at all. I think it's a wonderful program.

BLITZER: Is there any evidence, though, that innocent people when they get these Amber Alerts going are sort of pulled over when they have a car that looks like the car of the suspect?

KLAAS: Oh, it very well may be. You know, when we were looking for Polly, we were looking for somebody with a beard, and I know plenty of guys with beards that were pulled over, and they were more than cooperative. They just wanted to make sure that they did everything they could to ensure that my child would be recovered. So I don't think that that's an issue.

BLITZER: So the Amber Alert is very significant. But as we just heard in Kelli's piece, there's other important legislation, now the law of the land, that will also protect children. What stands out in your mind as an advocate?

KLAAS: Well, first of all, I think we have to acknowledge Chairman Sensenbrenner for standing up to the naysayers who wanted him to remove the Amber Alert from the rest of this legislation, because I think he came out with a very significant package. I personally like the two-strike law for sexual offenders, and this is a piece of legislation I've been working on with Congressman Mark Green for eight years now. And it says that somebody who is convicted for a second time of a sexual felony will spend the rest of their lives in jail. This deals with two significant issues. Number one, the issue of false accusation, and number two, the issue of repeated patterns of behavior.

BLITZER: What else needs to be done legislatively to make it part of the law of the land that will further protect children?

KLAAS: Well, first of all, I think that we have to take a very hard look at the Amber Alert itself. I do not endorse this ad hoc system of Amber Alerts that's being put on the table right now. I think we can go a lot farther. I think we can do much better by using computer systems, by using databases, by ensuring that we have the same kind of blanket coverage all across the land. I wish that the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children would wake up and realize that the plan that they're promoting is not the plan that our children deserve.

BLITZER: We saw Elizabeth Smart in the Rose Garden.

KLAAS: Yes.

BLITZER: She looked radiant.

KLAAS: Yes.

BLITZER: You were there not far away. Give us your impressions when you saw her there. We were all, of course, so thrilled when she was found alive.

KLAAS: Well, you know, we still were thrilled. I mean, it was wonderful to see Elizabeth, but it was also wonderful to see the other children that were up there. You might remember Tamira Brooks (ph) and Jackie Marris from last year. They came very close to death themselves.

So we've definitely come a long way in areas of recovering children, in areas of child protection. But I think one thing that we have to think about is this whole idea of strange danger, this business of strange abductions. I think we should be reclassifying this issue and talking about predatory abductions and non-predatory, because I know plenty of people where an evil uncle Billy did the deed.

BLITZER: All right. Marc Klaas, as usual, our heart goes out to you for the loss of your daughter, Polly, but thanks for joining us.

KLAAS: Thank you, Wolf.

BLITZER: There's word that authorities could know as soon as today possibly whether a boy from the Chicago area is, in fact, Buddy Myers, a North Carolina boy who disappeared some two years ago. For the latest, let's go to our Chicago bureau chief Jeff Flock. He has important developments -- Jeff.

JEFF FLOCK, CNN CHICAGO BUREAU CHIEF: Indeed, Wolf. Where this word is coming from is from law enforcement officials that I've talked to, CNN's Mike Brooks has been talking to. It appears, although they are waiting for these DNA tests to come back that would definitely tell them whether, in fact, this Eli Quick from Chicago is in fact Buddy Myers from North Carolina. They are also working several other tests. They're looking at blood, they are looking at fingerprints, they are looking at X-rays, dental records. They are either trying to rule him in or rule him out.

Now, they would be doing this anyway, but part of the reason they're so interested in this, because the DNA test is going to take a while, is their interviews with the principals in the case, like the man who brought the boy in in Chicago, as well as the family of Buddy Myers in North Carolina, that is really not doing it for them. That is not getting to the bottom of this story. Right now the story is very muddy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So is Eli your son?

RICKY QUICK: Yes.

FLOCK (voice-over): Ricky Quick says this little boy he brought to this hospital outside Chicago in February is his son, and his name is Eli. Raven Myers, who has seen pictures of the boy, says she thinks he's her son and his real name is Buddy.

(on camera): So if this is your boy, you're saying that the man would be a kidnapper.

RAVEN MYERS, TRISTEN MYERS' MOTHER: Yes, he would be. Because I don't know him.

FLOCK (voice-over): But the Chicago FBI apparently doesn't think Quick is a kidnapper. They questioned him overnight and then released him. It's apparently going to take a DNA test to sort out whether Eli is Buddy. Either way, he's likely in for a tough road.

Then 4-year-old Buddy Myers has been missing for two years from a North Carolina home he shared with his great aunt. He'd gone out to take these dogs for a walk. They came back. He didn't. His mother was 15 when she had him. Her mother cared for him until she died of cancer. His grandfather accidentally ran him over with the car.

The boy called Eli Quick was dirty and uncommunicative when the man who says he was his father brought him to the hospital complaining of his, quote, "aggressive behavior."

The boy had been a car crash a year earlier that killed the woman he said was his mother.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's doing fine.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is he doing fine?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He is in foster care. I'm trying to get things together. I'm very ill. My wife passed away.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FLOCK: And Wolf, even though the mother of Buddy Myers and Ricky Quick, the man who says he's the father of Eli Quick apparently lived in the same community in Louisiana at one point. Raven Myers tells CNN's Gary Tuchman says that she's never seen this Mr. Quick, and she would remember him if that was the case. She also says, Wolf, and this is an interesting development today as well that the boy had been living with his great aunt, the mother who is now a topless dancer in North Carolina says she will fight the aunt for custody of her son. She was 15 when she had him, and didn't have custody initially. She says she wants him back even though she has what looks like a difficult life, she thinks he belongs with her. At this point we don't know if this boy is her son or not.

BLITZER: As soon as you find out, those initial test results will show those results to our viewers. We'll get right back to you, Jeff Flock, with the latest on a story that's touched the hearts of a lot of people out there.

Thanks, Jeff, very much.

We are standing by to hear from President Bush this hour. He may answer some reporters' questions on what seems like a mission impossible right now, namely a peace in the Middle East and other subjects. We'll bring you his remarks as soon as we get them.

Plus, is Israel ready for a Palestinian state when it's facing more terror?

I'll ask the former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak.

And victory lap in Baghdad. Secretary Rumsfeld celebrates the win, but now comes what some say is the harder part. Can he really deliver democracy to Iraq?

And a deadly clash between U.S. forces and Iraqi protectors.

Will the bloodshed leave civilians with a bitter taste of freedom?

That, much more, the late-breaking developments when we return.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: The USS Abraham Lincoln is home bound right now. You look at these planes flying of there U.S. aircraft carrier. Kyra Phillips is joining us live.

Kyra, tell us what we are seeing. KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Wolf, how is that for perfect timing. That's the F-14 Tomcatters, VF-31 making the final fly over of the USS Abraham Lincoln. Wolf, it's a very emotional, exciting time for everyone on deck here. And of course, the fighter pilots because that's the ultimate sign they're headed home after this war. They are not allowed to ever do fly-bys while engaged on a mission and while deployed, so this means a lot to them. And they're off headed to Oceania, Virginia. Tomorrow it will be the F-18s.

BLITZER: And tomorrow the president of the United States will be out there with you, as well.

How are they getting ready for a presidential visit?

PHILLIPS: Well, they're all prepped. More than anything, they've got the stage set up. They have the logistics set up, where he's going to sleep. It will be a special stateroom. What I am told, it's a stateroom even nicer than where the admiral sleeps. He will be eating in a special room next to where he will be sleeping, but with regard to his flight, that's what everybody's talking about, Wolf. There was a lot of preparation, the air wing commander, Captain Kevin Albright had to make sure he picked the perfect pilot to fly the president.

I can't tell you what kind of aircraft for security reasons, obviously, but I can tell you he's going to land right here on this flight deck. And everyone's talking about the trap, if indeed it will be a smooth landing and he'll hit the first wire, that's what everyone is curious to see as you can imagine. It's unprecedented that this is happening, and it going to happen tomorrow morning and we'll bring it to you.

BLITZER: We'll bring it here live on CNN. Kyra Phillips aboard the Abraham Lincoln. Kyra, good work, thanks as usual for joining us. We'll be speaking to often you tomorrow. CNN will, of course, have live coverage of the president's address to the nation tomorrow night 9:00 p.m. Eastern from aboard the aircraft carrier the Abraham Lincoln.

The last time he was in the Iraqi capital was two decades and there was a handshake he'd probably like to forget. I'm talking about the American Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. He was back in Baghdad tough earlier today. Our Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr is traveling with him, and reports that times, indeed, have changed.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Nearly 20 years after Donald Rumsfeld came to Baghdad as Middle East peace envoy he returned, this time putting on an armored vest, and riding in a military convoy through the city. The most senior U.S. Official to visit. At Baghdad International Airport he thanks the troops, and said the job wasn't over just yet.

DONALD RUMSFELD, DEFENSE SECRETARY: We have to help Iraqis restore their basic services. And we have to help provide conditions of stability and security so that the Iraqi people can form an interim authority, an interim government, and then, ultimately a free Iraqi government based on political freedom, individual liberty and the rule of law.

STARR: Along the road, some Iraqis waved, some stared. Impossible to tell if they knew what was happening. Security tight at all times, military helicopters overhead. The secretary went to a power station for a briefing on progress in restoring electricity. The lights now back up in half the city, U.S. officials say. But without full power, there are still problems. Sanitation services, not fully functioning. And the civilian coordinator, retired Lieutenant General Jay Garner insisting there is no humanitarian crisis.

LT. GEN. JAY GARNER (RET.), U.S. IRAQI RECON. ADM.: You all are reporting about demonstrations and stuff, yes there are demonstrations. That's the first step in democracy, you're allowed to disagree.

STARR: Still, General Gardner, later said parts of Baghdad remain unstable. Militias still need to be brought under control. The problems for the people, he conceded, remain very real. Each so, the hope is to begin Iraqis take control of some government functions within weeks. And military commanders who met with the secretary at a bombed out palace warned there is still criminal activity. Saddam Hussein allegedly flooded the streets with weapons before the war. U.S. soldiers now find themselves removing 40 truckloads of weapons and ammunition each day from Baghdad.

(on camera): It's been an extraordinary day here in Iraq. Defense Secretary Rumsfeld coming to this capital city that U.S. forces conquered so quickly. Here at this bombed-out palace of Saddam Hussein and now a military base, he is meeting with his commanders to discuss the security situation, the progress in the reconstruction and beginning to think just how soon U.S. military forces might be able to return home.

(voice-over): But those commanders warning that a U.S. presence will be required for some time to come.

Barbara Starr, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: And how is the secretary's visit playing in the Iraqi capital? For that let's go to our senior international correspondent Nic Robertson. He is joining us live from Baghdad -- Nic.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, it's intended to play out on television and radio here. Donald Rumsfeld recording an address for the Iraqi people telling them they were going to run Iraq, that the United States wanted to help rebuild the country and restore security, but really for the people in the streets of Baghdad, the very best way to get to see Donald Rumsfeld was on satellite television.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RUMSFELD: I think it's a complicated question. ROBERTSON (voice-over): The best way for Iraqis to see Donald Rumsfeld's visit to Baghdad: on TV. Satellite TV, once banned by Saddam Hussein, now big business.

Store owner Hussan (ph): "We don't like occupation," he says, "but every honorable Iraqi citizen says thank you to Bush, Blair and Rumsfeld."

Although Rumsfeld recorded a message for Iraqis, none we talked to had heard it, most in this store thinking it's smart he didn't deliver it in person.

"He couldn't go out on the street now," says Ahmed (ph). "Maybe in the future, when there's more TV and people get the message about America's intentions."

Rumsfeld's promise of security likely popular though.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are waiting to see what they are going to do for us, and the first thing is the security we need.

ROBERTSON: At fuel stations, where lines are so long, street traders are setting up stands. Patience with Rumsfeld is in shorter supply.

"The greater the delay, the more violence," he says. "We'll start blowing up their tanks ourselves."

Across town in the ruins of Baghdad's telephone exchange, destroyed by coalition missiles, looters continue their scavenging, attitudes toward Rumsfeld more practical.

Outside the nearby stores, also damaged by the same missiles, a sense Rumsfeld is responsible.

"They should rebuild Iraq," says Hassan (ph), "rebuild what they have destroyed, and we are waiting for that."

Storekeeper Ahmed (ph), who used to sell stationary here, agrees, but fears what such involvement may lead to.

"No man occupies another's country," said Ahmed (ph), "without their own interests at heart."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTSON: Well perhaps it's the fact the last time Donald Rumsfeld visited Baghdad he did meet with Saddam Hussein, that leaves some people here saying that while they're hopeful of a better future, right now they're going to hold off, wait and see what actions the United States takes before they judge Donald Rumsfeld by his words -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Nic Robertson in Baghdad. Thanks, Nic, very much.

ROBERTSON: Mission impossible in the Middle East? President Bush is to speak any moment now in the Oval Office. He may answer some questions about how he plans to settle the decades-old conflict.

Plus, one step forward, maybe two steps back. Can the Israelis and the Palestinians put an end to the violence? I'll ask the former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak.

And an alleged al Qaeda big fish reeled in. What does he know about new attacks in the works? We'll take a closer look.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: You're looking at the live pictures of the aircraft carrier the Abraham Lincoln. It's heading toward San Diego right now. Tomorrow president bush will be onboard this carrier. He'll be addressing the American people tomorrow night, 9:00 p.m. Eastern, with word that major combat in Iraq is over, the next phase about to begin. CNN, of course, will have live coverage, 9:00 p.m. Eastern tomorrow night.

And we're also standing by now. The president's in the Oval Office. We expect he'll be answering some questions from reporters. We'll bring you his response as soon as we get that in here at CNN.

In the meantime, a deadly suicide bombing in Tel Aviv hours after a new Palestinian government was formed and hours before the United States and some influential partners offered a new plan for Middle East peace.

Let's go live to CNN's Kelly Wallace. She is joining us in Jerusalem -- Kelly.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, that suicide bombing just one example of the tremendous challenges ahead, to determine if that so-called road map will put the two sides, after two and a half years of bloodshed, on a path to peace.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WALLACE (voice-over): Presentations, diplomats hope, will be about more than symbolism. The newly-sworn in Palestinian prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas, receives a copy of the internationally-backed peace plan called the road map.

Ninety minutes earlier, the U.S. ambassador to Israel drives to Prime Minister Sharon's Jerusalem residence to give him his copy. The goal of the three-year, three-phase plan is a democratic Palestinian state by 2005 and a guarantee of Israel's security.

Getting there won't be easy. Both sides must take steps they have long resisted and are already expressing different interpretations about what should happen next. The Palestinians say the road map should be implemented immediately without any changes.

NABIL SHAATH, PALESTINIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: The road map cannot succeed unless people see that as we are implementing Israel is also implementing.

WALLACE: But Israelis say they want to see more than a dozen changes made and say there should be an end to Palestinian terror attacks before any other steps are taken.

GIDEON MEIR, ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER: There's a sequence in the road map and the sequence is calling first and foremost a stop to terror.

WALLACE: Attacks such as the early morning suicide bombing outside a Tel Aviv cafe which left three innocent civilians dead. Two radical Palestinian groups have claimed responsibility.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALLACE: And a leader with one of those groups claiming responsibility, the military wing of Hamas, speaking out today saying Hamas rejects the road map and will not disarm. Trying to rein in these radical Palestinian groups viewed as biggest challenge facing the new Palestinian prime minister and some Israeli officials are privately saying they are not so sure Mahmoud Abbas and his security team will be able to do it -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Kelly Wallace in Jerusalem. Thanks, Kelly, very much.

He was Israel's most decorated soldier and its top ranking general. As prime minister, he vowed to go all out for peace, but a marathon session at Camp David fell short. An all-out violence followed. Can the latest peace effort succeed? Joining me now is former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak. Prime Minister, thanks so much for joining us.

You know Mahmoud Abbas, also known as Abu Mazen. Can he deliver?

EHUD BARAK, FORMER ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: I hope. We shall give him the benefit of the doubt. He's a serious person, and make his mind public. Modern (ph) one, this intifadah, it does not serve the Palestinians, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and it's not enough to produce a road map. To implement is much tougher.

BLITZER: Well, to implement, he says that he's ready to do whatever he can to stop the terrorism, committed to that, but can he and his new security chief, can they crack down on Hamas, Islamic Jihad, some of the militant groups who reject the very notion of Israel?

BARAK: They will have to. Otherwise they are worthless. Of course, we should help -- you should -- the American administration, we should provide the gesture that will ease the daily life of Palestinians and even put an end to illegal outbursts and prove the rein of the rule of law over the settlers. But beyond this, Israel cannot expected and should not be expected to move forward before it becomes clear that the Palestinians are serious and ready to go even against violent resistance from Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Arafat's own brigade.

BLITZER: What can Israel do to help this new Palestinian government?

BARAK: First of all, we should not hug them too much. You asked me about Abu Mazen and Dahlan. We should not hug them too tight since it might damage them. We should respect them. We should be ready to make our gestures, but we should insist that they should act, act, namely put an end, to crush on these -- those groups. They know almost every hidden place...

BLITZER: But should Israel at the same time stop settlements and lifts some of the restrictions to make it easier for the Palestinians?

BARAK: Yes, we should do certain steps of this type, and I believe that we will do them. First of all, out of our own reasons. It's long overdue to put an end to the phenomenon that settlers are taking the law into their hands and deciding what to do. And we should, of course, find ways to ease daily life for Palestinians.

BLITZER: Let me ask you one final question. I know you have to get going. After the Iraq war, has the mood in the Middle East changed to help the peace process? Does the U.S. now have greater or less credibility to deliver?

BARAK: It has a greater capacity to deliver at the moment. It depends significantly upon what will happen in Iraq. If Iraq will move spirally, positively, namely begin to restabilize, it will dramatically improve the opportunity to make peace. If it will deteriorate and as of now, it is uncertain what direction it will take, it will complicate things and it would be impossible to reach happy settlement in the Middle East.

BLITZER: There is a historic opportunity right now. Let's hope that it pans out. Prime Minister Barak, thanks for joining us.

BARAK: May I add one point, that in the very short term, the very launching of the road map might help you, or help the administration restabilize Iraq. In the longer term, without being successful in restabilizing Iraq, you want to be able to...

BLITZER: There's a connection between these two very, very sensitive issues.

BARAK: Two directions.

BLITZER: As usual, thanks very much.

BARAK: Thank you.

BLITZER: And you can read the Middle East read map published by the State Department. We have a direct link on our Web site. Just go to cnn.com/wolf, you will get all the details. I've written about it on my column, as well. Here's your turn, by the way, to weigh in on the story. Our Web question of the day is this, "who's more committed to peace? The Israelis or the Palestinians?" We'll have the results later in the broadcast. You can vote right now. Go to cnn.com/wolf. While you're there, I'd also like to hear directly from you. Send me your comments. I'll try to read some of them on the air each day at the end of this program, and as I said, that's also where you can read my daily online column, cnn.com/wolf.

Now for the latest headlines let's go to CNN's Charles Molineaux. He is in the CNN newsroom in Atlanta.

(NEWSBREAK)

BLITZER: Thanks very much, Charles. We are standing by to hear from President Bush. He is in the Oval Office right now, meeting with Colombia's president, Alvaro Uribe. They've been meeting about the situation in Colombia, very sensitive, important issues, including, of course, illegal drugs involved on the agenda. The Colombian president now in the White House. We're expecting both of them to make brief comments and then answer reporters' questions. Reporters have gathered in the White House to ask the president some questions. We also expect among those questions to be asked, President Bush's response to the latest Middle East peace plan, the so-called road map that was officially unveiled earlier today, presented to both the new Palestinian Authority government as well as to the Israeli government. The Palestinian road map calling for the creation of a Palestinian state within three years by 2005.

President Bush has had a very, very busy day, as all of you know. He was in the Rose Garden earlier today signing that legislation into law. The Amber Alert legislation, designed to protect America's children. Other important ingredients in that legislation, as well. He's getting ready to deliver a major address to the American public tomorrow night aboard the aircraft carrier, the Abraham Lincoln. He'll be flying out tomorrow morning.

Let's go to the White House now, the Oval Office. The president, together with the Colombian president.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BUSH: A friend and courageous person, the president of Colombia. He is determined to fight terror. He is determined to fight the flow of narcotics to America. We appreciate his determination. We appreciate his resolve and we appreciate his strength.

So it's my honor to welcome you, Mr. President.

Before I ask you to speak and before we answer two questions aside, I do want to say that today we issued the road map. The road map is a beginning of a long process to achieve peace in the Middle East. In order for there to be a peace in the Middle East, it is important for all parties to assume the necessary responsibilities to achieve the condition so that peace can happen. That starts with fighting off terror. To prevent killers from disrupting that which most citizens want in the Middle East, and that is a peaceful, hopeful world.

I strongly condemn the killings that take place in the Middle East the last couple of days. I applaud the words of Abu Mazen, the new prime minister of the Palestinian Authority who renounced that terror. I look forward to spending time and energies to move the process forward. And finally, Mr. President, you're here on a day in which our country has achieved another notable success in the war against terror. Pakistan authorities have detained Whalid ba Attash. He is a killer. He was one of the top Al Qaeda operatives. He was right below Khalid Sheik Mohammed on the organizational chart of Al Qaeda. He is one less person that people who love freedom have to worry about.

I want to thank our friends in Pakistan. I want to thank the agency, the CIA, for working hard to continue to win the war against terror.

And make no mistake about it, Mr. President, we will win the war against terror. Thank you for your courageous fight in the war against terror and welcome to the Oval Office.

PRES. ALVARO URIBE, COLOMBIA: Thank you, Mr. President, for your warm welcome.

This is very important for my country. Colombia has suffered terrorists for long time. Thus Colombia understands the need to fight terrorists in our country and in other -- in any other country. And your government, your people, your country, they are our best allies for us to succeed in our fight.

Thank you again, Mr. President.

BUSH: We'll have one -- we'll alternate questions between the American side and the Colombian side.

Tom?

QUESTION: Mr. President, even if the new Palestinian (OFF-MIKE) has sworn to end the terror attack and the suicide bombers (OFF-MIKE) own party. How much confidence do you have that the new prime minister can control and reign in these people?

BUSH: Well, for certain, in order for their to be peace, we must all join together to fight off terror. Abu Mazen has publicly declared that he will fight terror. He understands that in order for the Palestinian lives to improve, terror must be battled. And I'm -- listen, I'm -- he's a man I can work with and I look forward to working with him and will work with him for the sake of peace and for the sake of security.

Do you want to call on one of your reporters?

URIBE: (SPEAKING IN SPANISH)

BUSH: Want me to do it?

URIBE: Half of my cabinet are made up of women.

(LAUGHTER)

BUSH: No, I am very impressed by that. Not only that, but they are very smart women.

Thank you.

QUESTION: Thank you. Mr. President, I'm from Colombia. We want to know how difficult is the signing of the bilateral trade agreement with Colombia.

BUSH: Well, a -- we've got a lot to work to do. The president and I look forward to discussing trade.

One thing that is for certain is, we've started down the road on a Free Trade Agreement of the Americas, which I'm absolutely confident will boost the capacity of the Colombian economy to grow. And so, we'll talk about all aspects of trade, including the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas which, in my judgment, is hopeful trade agreement there is.

We've got all kinds of different opportunities to work together, whether it be in trade or counternarcotics or fighting terror. And we will stand as a strong friend and supporter of Colombian people as they take on difficult tasks.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) peace initiatives haven't been all that successful. What's different with this one? How does this one (OFF- MIKE)

BUSH: Well, just because history has proven to be unsuccessful does not mean that we're not going to try for starters. I'm an optimist. I believe now that we have an interlocutor from the Palestinian Authority that has spoken clearly about the need to fight terror, that we have a good opportunity to advance the peace process, and I will seize the opportunity.

Secondly, the war on Iraq has made it absolutely clear that those who harbor terrorists, fund terrorists or harbor weapons of mass destruction will be held to account. That in itself helps create the conditions to move peace forward.

And by the way, in order for peace to occur all parties must assume their responsibilities; that includes the Arab nations which surround Israel and the potential Palestinian state. They must cut off funding to terrorists. They must create the conditions necessary for peace. Israel is going to have to make some sacrifices in order to move the peace process forward.

But no sacrifice should be made that will allow and encourage terror to continue and reign.

QUESTION: Mr. Bush, more than 500 (OFF-MIKE) will depart and (OFF-MIKE) I'm wondering if the United States government will be willing at some point to help (OFF-MIKE) to society (OFF-MIKE)

BUSH: To help in what fashion? I didn't get your question.

QUESTION: To re-insert through the civil society -- those terrorists that are (OFF-MIKE) themself to the (OFF-MIKE) BUSH: To bring what to the civil society? I'm sorry.

QUESTION: To re-insert themselves to move back to civil...

BUSH: Oh, to help them go back into civil society.

Well, you know, some terrorists are just plain cold-blooded killers. They're hard to retrain somebody who's a killer.

The president's going to have to make that decision, what's best for his country.

But all I know is the man is absolutely committed to fighting terror, and for that I am, I appreciate him. And he has got a straightforward, strong vision about what has to happen to people who are willing to kill innocent people. And that is they must be dealt with severely. And that's, it's interesting we share the same strategy.

When al Qaeda came and killed Americans there was only one way to deal with them, that was to hunt 'em down, find 'em and bring 'em to justice. And as I mentioned today, we found one of the al Qaeda leaders; it was a major, significant find, his detention.

And the war goes on. It takes a while. We must be patient and strong and diligent and focused. And the president of Colombia is diligent, strong and focused. He knows what he must do to make Colombia, a great nation, more safe and more secure against people who, in my opinion, are nothing but terrorists.

URIBE: Regarding this point, we have only one determination to defeat terrorists in Colombia. When you look at the people in the terror organizations, you find the ringleaders, you find professional killers, and you find young people mistakenly led by professional killers.

Therefore, we have the obligation to defeat terrorists and the duty, the obligation to give those young people the opportunity to come to live under our constitution again.

We are telling them, "You have the opportunity to follow the ringleaders of the terrorist organizations, or you have the opportunity to come to live in our community with the respect of our constitution."

For those who make -- who choose this option, we are ready to give them a new opportunity.

BUSH: Thanks.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: And there it is, the president of the United States, the president of Colombia answering reporters' questions. President Bush very forceful saying there's a new opportunity for peace in the Middle East. Let's bring in our senior White House correspondent John King with some analysis. John, what do you hear in those brief comments from the president.

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, two key points from the president on the issue of his new road map for peace in the Middle East. One, for the first time today in his 27 months as president, Mr. Bush has said there is now a Palestinian leader he trusts, someone he believes is committed to peace, someone he can work with.

That is the new prime minister Abu Mazen or Mahmoud Abbas as he is also known. Mr. Bush saying he now has a Palestinian leader he can trust and work with. He has never said that about the Palestinian President Yasser Arafat.

And significantly, the president also saying he sees a lesson for the neighbors in the Middle East region from the Iraq war. Mr. Bush saying there should be no mistaking that the lesson of the Iraq war is that any state in the region must not harbor terrorists and support terrorists and provide financial aid to terrorists.

The president didn't say so, but this administration, of course, believes Syria that and Iran both harbor Hamas and other terrorist groups responsible at times responsible for attack on Israeli citizens. So the president saying as he commits to personally engage in the Middle East peace process, he's certainly delivering a bit of a warning shot, if you will, to others in the neighborhood that he expects them to behave better.

BLITZER: And his press secretary Ari Fleischer earlier today flatly called Syria, and I'm quoting now, "a terror state." John King at the White House, thanks very much for that analysis. We'll be checking back with you, of course, throughout the evening.

Saddam Hussein sends a letter home, supposedly. Hear what the fallen dictator says about his precarious predicament. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: West of Baghdad, fresh outrage in the town of Fallujah. For the second time in three days Iraqi demonstrators have been killed apparently by U.S. forces. Two Iraqis died protesting against an incident that happened Monday. That's when U.S. forces fired on a crowd killing 15 people. In each case the U.S. Central Command and the Iraqis are accusing each other of firing first.

Meanwhile, a London-based Arabic newspaper has published a letter allegedly from Saddam Hussein to the Iraqi people. Staff members at the paper tell CNN it came by fax yesterday. And it looks like it's written in Saddam's hand writing. It calls on Iraqis to fight U.S. and British troops in the country saying, and I'm quoting now, "Iraq will emerge victorious as will the honorable people of the nation. We will recover the archaeological treasures they stole. And we will rebuild the Iraq they want to divide." U.S. officials are elated as we just heard from the president that the capture of a key al Qaeda suspect, one of several netted in a raid in Pakistan. Let's go live to our national security correspondent, David Ensor who is with me here -- David.

DAVID ENSOR, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, at this point after this arrest, it's not clear that al Qaeda now has an operations chief worthy of the name.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ENSOR (voice-over): Whalid ba Attash, also known as Khalid or Tawfiq, was the mastermind on the attack of the USS Cole in Yemen in 2000, U.S. officials say. And they are calling his capture Tuesday by Pakistani authorities extremely significant.

FLEISCHER: It's been another strong day of Pakistani cooperation in the war against terror with a helpful and significant capture.

ENSOR: Attash was Osama bin Laden's chief bodyguard for some years, a trusted lieutenant who lost one foot during fighting in Afghanistan. Like bin Laden, he is a Saudi national of Yemeni origin.

Along with five other suspected al Qaeda members, Attash was captured in the teaming city of Karachi, the same place another al Qaeda leader, Ramzi Binalsheibh was caught after a gun battle. Two former al Qaeda operations chiefs, Khalid Sheik Mohammed and Abu Zubaida, were also captured in Pakistani cities. And U.S. officials say most of al Qaeda's remaining leadership may well be in Pakistani cities, to. Though the top two leaders, bin Laden and Ayman Al- Zawahiri, are believed to be in the remote area of the Pakistani- Afghan border.

Attash also met with two of the 9/11 hijackers in Malaysia in January of 2000. And Officials say he was the intermediary between them and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the 9/11 mastermind.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ENSOR: Most importantly, U.S. officials are saying Attash knows about plans for future al Qaeda attacks. His capture could save lives, they say and for that reason, as one put it, it's a very big deal -- Wolf.

BLITZER: David Ensor with important words. Thanks, as usual, for that.

We have much more coverage coming up, including more on our top story. President Bush signing the Amber alert into -- the legislation, into law. We'll have that as well as the results of "Our Web Question of the Day." Who's more committed to peace? The Israelis or the Palestinians? Vote now at cnn.com/wolf. The results immediately when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BLITZER: More now on our top story. Amber alerts are credited with saving the lives of children across the country, including some of those young people who were invited to the White House ceremony earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): From being kidnapped to being honored in the Rose Garden. It offered rest in a very short span of time for a group of people who lived very short lives.

Almost eclipsing the president, the girl whose face has become almost synonymous now with missing children and the hope of their return. Elizabeth Smart, kidnapped from her Salt Lake City home on June 5 of last year, recovered last month, today, shakes hands with the president of the United States.

Two other teenagers with smiling faces today, Jacqueline Marris and Tamara Brooks.

BUSH: We're so happy these two young ladies are healthy and with us today.

BLITZER: On a horrible August day nine months ago, Marris and Brooks say they were kidnapped at gunpoint from a lover's lane in Lancaster, California. An Amber alert went out. Twelve hours later, they watched as police cornered their alleged abductor on a remote dirt road 100 miles away and shot him to death.

Nichole Timmons was at the White House today with her mother and sister. Nichole was just 10 when she was kidnapped from her home in Riverside, California nine months ago. An Amber alert led to her rescue several hours later, more than 300 miles away in Nevada.

But the very reason for this event, a tragedy from seven years ago that led one family from Arlington, Texas to take on a cause and make a heart wrenching journey to the Rose Garden.

BUSH: Amber Hagerman, whose mom is with us today, a good Texan, I might add...

(APPLAUSE)

BUSH: ... was 9-years-old when she was taken away from her parents. We are acting today in her memory.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: The president of the United States earlier today.

Let's see how you're weighing in on "Our Web Question of the Day." Who is more committed to peace? Look at this, 56 percent of you say the Israelis, 44 percent say the Palestinians. Remember this, is not a scientific poll.

A reminder. I'll be back tomorrow noon Eastern. Among my guests at that time, Shimon Peres. You can of course, catch WOLF BLITZER REPORTS each weekday at 5 p.m. Eastern. I'll see you then.

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