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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports
Bodies Found Inside Truck in Texas; Are There More al Qaeda Bombings to Come?; Mass Graves Uncovered in Iraq
Aired May 14, 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.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WOLF BLITZER, HOST: A gruesome find in Texas.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thirteen bodies have been counted inside the trailer area. Four bodies are on the ground directly behind the trailer area.
BLITZER: Police try to figure out how it happened and who's responsible.
The suicide bombings in Saudi Arabia. Are there more to come?
ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Al Qaeda does remain a threat.
BLITZER: All signs point to Osama bin Laden's terror group. What might he be planning next?
Mass graves uncovered in Iraq. More than a thousand bodies, so far.
Who are they?
The Air Force academy under fire for its handling of sex assaults. Now all eyes on proceedings against the cadet accused of rape.
And why millions of Americans who think they're healthy aren't.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The risk of heart disease and stroke starts to rise along before hypertension is established.
BLITZER: Changing guidelines on blood pressure.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: It's Wednesday, May 14, 2003. Hello, from the CNN center in Atlanta, I'm Wolf Blitzer reporting.
New concerns right now that al Qaeda may be planning more terror attacks, putting more Americans on edge. I want to go straight away to CNN's national security correspondent David Ensor.
He is joining with us late-breaking developments in Washington -- David.
DAVID ENSOR, NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, as one official put it to me today there are bad people planning bad things in a lot of places.
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ENSOR (voice-over): In the wake of the bloody attacks in Riyadh which the Bush administration says bore the hallmarks of al Qaeda. Officials say there is intelligence suggesting there could be additional terrorist attacks soon.
FLEISCHER: It does show that they indeed remain a threat and that's why this administration is working so diligently to first prosecute this war against al Qaeda everywhere.
ENSOR: U.S. Officials say there is intelligence information about Kenya, scene of the resort attack last year, the Philippines, dealing with a Muslim guerrilla insurgency and Indonesia where a travel advisory warns of possible attacks like the one in Bali against locations where westerners congregate. U.S. officials say there is also intelligence suggesting additional attacks are possible in Saudi Arabia.
In Riyadh, Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal acknowledged his country had not done enough to prevent terrorism saying, quote, "The fact the terrorism happened is an indication of short comes and we have to learn from our mistakes and seek to improve the performance in this respect."
NAIL AL-JUBEIR, SAUDI EMBASSY: The death of civilians is simply unacceptable and we will make sure that those behind it will pay the ultimate price.
ENSOR: U.S. officials say the Riyadh attacks may be what 9/11 was for the United States, a wake-up call for the Saudis. Democratic presidential candidate Senator Bob Graham says he hopes the Saudis get the message.
SEN. BOB GRAHAM (D-FL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: They have been an uneven and unpredictable ally in the war against terror.
ENSOR: Saudi officials are reportedly focusing in on this man Khalid Mohammed al-Jahani (ph) as the possible ringleader. A tape of him holding a Kalashnikov and promising to die in a martyrdom terror operation was found in an al Qaeda safe house in Kabul and made public in January of last year.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ENSOR: U.S. officials say he did indeed make way to his way to his home land of Saudi Arabia and may have played a key role in the Riyadh attacks. Though they're also looking at a couple of other core al Qaeda figures as a possible mastermind -- wolf.
BLITZER: David Ensor, in Washington. Thanks very much. Secretary of State Colin Powell is being dogged by the terror attack. The one in Saudi Arabia came hours before his arrival and now he's in Russia where terrorists struck again today.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
Ralitsa Vassileva is in Moscow.
RALITSA VASSILEVA, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The U.S. Secretary of state arrived in Moscow from Saudi Arabia from with deadly terrorist attacks in Riyadh and Chechnya on his mind, only to get news of Wednesday another, this one, again in Russia's Republic of Chechnya. Authorities say at least 14 mostly elderly people died and more than a hundred were injured when a female suicide bomber detonated explosives strapped to her waist into a crowd of thousands gathered for a religious festivity. Chechnya's second deadly suicide bombing in three days came just before Powell met with Russian President Vladimir Putin to talk about mending U.S.-Russian relationships, strained over Moscow's opposition to the war in Iraq.
COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: We have had disagreements in the recent past especially with respect to Iraq, but now I think we have the opportunity to move forward and all of us join together to help the Iraqi people to a better life.
VASSILEVA: The U.S. wants Russian support for a draft resolution, lifting sanctions on Iraq so that coalition forces can use Iraq's oil revenues for its post-war reconstruction, but Moscow agrees with other countries that are seeking a bigger role for the United Nations and wants U.N. arms inspectors to verify weapons of mass destruction before sanctions are lifted. Despite this, Russia's foreign minister appeared optimistic.
IGOR IVANOV, RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: We (UNINTELLIGIBLE) our desire and intention to continue further development and strengthen (UNINTELLIGIBLE) on a bi-lateral basis and in an international form.
VASSILEVA (voice-over): And proof of this intention to put this disagreement behind on the very day of Powell's visit, the Russian Lower House of Parliament ratified a nuclear arms reduction treaty it has held back for months in protest of the war in Iraq.
Ralitsa Vassileva, CNN, Moscow.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: The attacks in Russia and Saudi Arabia make this week's terror drill by the Homeland Security Department here in the United States all the more timely. Today's exercises got under way in Chicago with hospitals treating victims of a mock biological terror attack. The drill started Monday With a mock dirty bomb attack in Seattle.
Joining me now live from Capitol Hill to talk about the terror strikes, what we know, what we don't know is the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, the Republican Senator Pat Roberts of Kansas.
Mr. Chairman, thank you very much for joining us.
Do we know who is responsible for the terror strike in Saudi Arabia?
SEN. PAT ROBERTS (R), KANSAS: Well, I think it is Jahani as referenced in your newscast although it's very difficult to point out one individual person. He is a good friend of the fellow that really led the effort against the USS Cole, in my mind it's no question it was al Qaeda. It's interesting for me to note that the Saudi Arabians did not admit there was any al Qaeda in their country upwards of several months ago. This is going to be a very crucial and key task for the Saudis in regards to full cooperation with the United States in the war on terrorism.
BLITZER: Senator Roberts, as you know and many of our viewers know, there were all sorts of warnings in the weeks leading up to the terror strike.
Did the Saudis simply fail to heed those warnings from the U.S. and other sources?
ROBERTS: I don't think they failed to heed it, they just didn't have the security forces to meet the threat. It was a soft target. It was contracting housing. I don't think that entered their minds. There's a big question in my mind as to whether their security forces can be beefed up to do the job. We did issue a May 1 travel advisory from the State Department. There was reporting all across the intelligence community that this was a very serious threat, an attack was being planned, an attack would take place and an attack was imminent. We didn't have the who, when and where, we have to do a better job of that, but the Saudis need to work with us to get that job done. We have to have unfettered access with the FBI and CIA with the investigation and that's a good first step.
BLITZER: They didn't do it with the bombing after the Khobar towers.
Will the Saudis do it now?
ROBERTS: They better do it now. There's a whole laundry list that we're not very happy with the Saudis in regards to the money going to terrorists in regards to them separating out the terrorist threat in regards to attacks on the kingdom and attacks on the United States. This was an attack on their kingdom, their country. This was an attack on the United States. They must provide the full cooperation if we're going to be successful. I hope they will.
BLITZER: Senator Roberts, what do you make of the capability of al Qaeda, perhaps a reformed, different al Qaeda that hit soft targets not only in Saudi Arabia but perhaps here in the United States.
ROBERTS: I'm not sure the United States is their prime target right now. I think they would if they could but we are more of a hard target. I would expect more problems in Africa. I would expect more problems and more threats in regards to Indonesia, certainly in the Gulf. If there is any good news out of this tragedy and I don't mean to portray it as good news is that this was a soft target, it was unprotected and it was outside of the United States, but we will have to be on our guard for future attacks.
BLITZER: Well, how vulnerable are concerns that may be watching the program right now?
How concerned should they be about terror strikes here in the U.S.
ROBERTS: I'm not as concerned about the terror attacks in the United States. I am concerned about that it seems to me that the warnings we've had across the board through the intelligence community had been on this particular attack. It may not be over and it may well be that this attack prevented a larger scale attack and it would be another attack in Saudi Arabia. That's what I'm worried about right now.
BLITZER: Senator Roberts, always good of you to join us. Thanks very much.
ROBERTS: Thank you, Wolf.
BLITZER: We'll have you back. Appreciate it very much. Senator Pat Roberts, the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Meanwhile, death occurs in Texas. There's a death trap. More than a dozen people suffocated in the back of a truck.
Also, nuclear mistake. The nation's top weapons lab loses the keys to the house. What's going on?
And Air Force Academy rape scandal. A cadet faces rape charges, but is he a scapegoat for years of cover-up?
And under pressure. You may not be as healthy as you think. A story affecting, get this, 45 million Americans, and the story potentially of life and death, and your blood pressure still to come.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Welcome back. It's something no one would want to imagine. A sweltering semitrailer with a cargo of suspected illegal immigrants, inside, just inside the Texas border from Mexico. Some were living, some were dead. Here's CNN's Denise Bellgrave.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DENISE BELLGRAVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was a gruesome discovery. Officials in south Texas found the bodies of 17 people thought to be among a group being smuggled from Mexico into the United States. Some were found locked inside a hot, crowded tractor trailer parked at a truck stop. Others were lying on the ground near the truck.
Federal authorities suspect as many as 70 people were in the truck at one time. Most fled the scene when police arrived.
SHERIFF MICHAEL RATCLIFF, VICTORIA COUNTY, TEXAS: We've had different estimates from witnesses. Some would indicate there were as many as 40 at one time on the ground. Our goal is to get medical attention to these people.
BELLGRAVE: Some survivors were taken to the hospital, suffering from heat exhaustion and suffocation. Another victim died from a heart attack after arriving at the hospital. The victims included one infant, who suffocated on the trip, which ended at the Speedy Stop rest stop on Highway 77 in Victoria, Texas.
ASA HUTCHINSON, UNDER SECRETARY BORDER AND TRANSPORTATION SECURITY: Agents with the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement are on the scene, are heavily involved in the investigation and leading it from the standpoint of what could be a potential alien smuggling case.
BELLGRAVE: A man believed to have been the driver of the truck was taken into custody. Police say he fled the scene before the victims were discovered.
In Atlanta, I'm Denise Bellgrave, reporting.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: And joining me now from Houston to offer some additional perspective is Jacob Monty, he is an immigration attorney, and Mr. Monty, thanks very much for joining us.
This is shocking. How shocked are you by what happened today?
JACOB MONTY, IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY: Well, very shocked, Wolf, but it happens every year, especially during the summer months. These people are coming over to work, and they don't want to do any harm. They're just coming to be busboys and butchers and gardeners, and yet they pay the ultimate price. And today's events were just tragic. Again, these are people coming just to work, and they paid the ultimate price today, but it happens because there is no way for them to come lawfully into the country.
BLITZER: So what happens? They pay the driver or pay someone to smuggle them into the United States, not knowing how dangerous it may be in the back of a truck like that?
MONTY: Yes. Oftentimes, the exact route that they are going to be smuggled in is not known to them, and they're charged an exorbitant sum of money, thousands of dollars, and yet they don't really understand the risks, or maybe they do understand the risks, but they're trying to feed families in Mexico and they're trying to perform jobs that U.S. workers aren't wanting to do. So it's tragic that they get sucked into this.
BLITZER: Is it part of some sort of organized ring, a smuggling ring, or are these individuals, freelancers who have a truck and decide that they're going to try to smuggle people in, even if it's obviously as dangerous as it is?
MONTY: You know, I think research has shown that there's very organized smuggling rings operating in this country. It's a $1 billion a year enterprise, and so these aren't just freelancers, as you say. There are systems that exist to get the people in, and ultimately the aliens end up paying the price.
BLITZER: These are desperate people trying to get into the United States. Mr. Monty, thanks for adding some perspective to what is obviously a horrible, horrible story. Appreciate it very much.
Let's move on now. A set of missing keys at a nuclear lab is prompting a federal investigation. CNN's Rusty Dornin is keeping track of the story. She is joining me now live from San Francisco. Rusty, this is another shocking story. Tell our viewers what's going on.
RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, these keys were just one of 200 sets of keys at the Livermore National Laboratory that provide access to the high security areas, but the lab essentials are saying there is no reason to worry, that the national security has been compromised, because the keys themselves are not the only access to these high security areas. You also have to have card keys to get in there, controlled computer access, and of course, security guards.
But what they're saying happened is a security guard finishing up his shift on April 16 was supposed to put his keys back in the cabinet, says he put them back in the cabinet; 24 hours later they discovered those keys were missing.
Now, the lab says: "Upon discovering that the keys were missing, operational security personnel took immediate action by initiating comprehensive searches of on-site and off-site facilities and patrol vehicles. The keys have not yet been located."
Of course, they have -- or are in the process of changing the locks at gates and offices at the laboratory, and also have extra security personnel on duty.
They say they don't know whether this patrol officer actually put the keys in his pocket and left and perhaps lost them, or they really were stolen.
Now, this is just the latest in a series of embarrassing incidents for the University of California, which manages Los Alamos and the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory. The most recent at the Lawrence Livermore Lab occurred last month, when the head of security, Bill Cleveland, resigned after an alleged affair with accused spy Katrina Leung. Now, lab officials claim there is no relationship between these two, but of course critics are saying that it raises very serious issues about management and security at the Lawrence Livermore Lab -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Rusty Dornin, thanks very much for that explanation. Appreciate it.
Stabbed in the street, a 15-year-old murdered after refusing the advances of an older man. Was it a hate crime?
Also, rape at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Is a culture of cover- up starting to change?
And ocean overkill. Why your favorite fish may soon be extinct from the supermarket. That and much more all coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: There's some shocking news unfolding in various parts of the country. Let's begin in New Jersey. It's more than a homicide investigation. Police have to sort out whether a 15-year-old girl was killed because she's supposedly told an aggressive man almost twice her age she wasn't interested in him because she liked women. Dave Barker of our CNN affiliate WWOR talked with the girl's friends who watched the whole thing unfold.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVE BARKER, WWOR CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Seventeen-year-old Chantell Woodbridge in the white T-shirt here says the knife that was plunged into heart of her girlfriend also stabbed deeply into hers.
CHANTELL WOODBRIDGE, VICTIM'S GIRLFRIEND: I haven't eaten, and it's hard for me to sleep. And I just miss her a lot, and I just want to know why it happened. That was my heart right there. I loved her.
BARKER: Woodbridge says she and 15-year-old Sekiah Gunn (ph) started dating last winter, but they often went into the city on weekends because they felt more comfortable there.
They got back to Newark around 3:30 a.m. last Saturday. She and Sekiah (ph), along with three other gay teenage girls, were waiting at this bus stop when three young men came up. That's when hateful words started to fly, according to the victim's cousin, who was also there.
(on camera): You were saying they were calling you guys fags?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, they were calling us like fags and homos.
BARKER (voice-over): Words then turned into a fight, she says, and one of the men suddenly stabbed Sekiah (ph). Her heart pumped so much blood that it soaked through three layers of clothing before she died.
At the site of the killing, a huge crowd gathered today. Other teens told us the killing has shaken them, but will not change their lives or lifestyles.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I know who I am, and I am going to believe in (UNINTELLIGIBLE), as well as my mother and my family, and my friends.
BARKER (on camera): And you're not worried about the future?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm not worried about the future.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Dave Barker of our affiliate WWOR reporting. Dave, thank you very much.
Let's look at some other stories right now. In our justice files in Illinois, a Chicago area judge has turned down a high school student's request to throw out a 10-day suspension over a hazing incident. The news comes after another senior filed a second lawsuit today, asking for the same thing. The girl identified only as Jane Doe is one of 32 seniors suspended despite the incident taking place off school property.
Twelve years have gone, come and gone since a Jewish scholar was killed in a riot in Brooklyn's Crown Heights neighborhood, but today a federal jury convicted Limerick Nelson, not of murder, but of violating Yankel Rosenbaum's civil rights. This is the third time Nelson's been tried. He could spend up to 10 years in prison.
And at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, a hearing is taking place for a sophomore cadet accused of raping a freshman cadet last fall. The woman testified there was no way to fight off Douglas Neaster (ph). She says she reported the alleged rape to school administrators, but says they took action against her for fraternization and drinking, and not Neaster (ph). A hearing will determine whether he faces a court-martial.
Mass graves found. Thousands of buried bodies, and the desperate search for loved ones.
Plus, life after the war. Sometimes the hardest thing is getting back to normal.
And scandal at "The New York Times." Will a lying reporter face criminal charges? First, a look at some other news making headlines around the world.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER (voice-over): Palestinian security sources say three Palestinian policemen were killed and 29 wounded by Israeli forces in southern Gaza. Israeli military sources say their forces came under fire while conducting operations in the area.
Iran's president says recently revealed talks between Washington and Tehran will continue, but he says there are no new developments in the two-year-old dialogue whose topics included U.S. operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.
In The Hague, trial has begun for three former Bosnian Serb officers accused of genocide for the 1995 massacre in Srebrenica. More than 7,000 Muslim men and boys were executed. The largest mass killing in Europe since World War II.
A CNN International broadcast was blacked out in China during a segment on the SARS epidemic. Sensors there cited what they called the network's negative coverage of China.
The State Department is putting Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck to work, in Cambodia. They'll be featured in the Khmer language ad campaign warning about the dangers of land mines.
And the Cannes Film Festival is under way, with a smaller American presence than usual. Only one major studio is represented. Organizers say it's a coincidence and has nothing to do with strained French-American relations.
And that's our look around the world.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Welcome back to CNN. I'm Wolf Blitzer. Coming up, life after the war. U.S. troops get help turning off the kill switch. But first, for the latest headlines, let's go to CNN's Arthel Neville. She's here in the CNN newsroom in Atlanta.
(NEWSBREAK)
BLITZER: A village south of Baghdad is the scene of what's believed to be the biggest mass grave found in Iraq since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein. More than 1,000 sets of remains have been found so far and today the digging goes on.
Our Baghdad bureau chief, Jane Arraf, went to the scene.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF: People from surrounding villages are continuing to stream into here even as night falls, desperately looking for any evidence of their loved once.
Now they're going through piles of tattered clothing, faded I.D. cards and bits of bone, one of the reasons why it's been so difficult to identify the people buried here. A local doctor in charge of the operation says that they found about 150 people today, but identified only 65 of them. He says they will keep looking for more bodies.
DR. HAFED HUSSEINI, EXCAVATION LEADER: We are continuing watching (ph) and are digging in other holes in this area and we are digging more than four holes, three of that we find (UNINTELLIGIBLE) victims, about 200 of them. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) about 75 identified bodies and the other are (UNINTELLIGIBLE) for hope that other families identify them.
ARRAF (voice-over): Most of the people appear to have been Shias who were kale killed in the space of just a few days after the 1991 Gulf War, when they were encouraged to rise up against Saddam Hussein. But no one came to their aid and up to 100,000 are believed to have been killed and families around here, many of them say that in every family there was at least one person missing, women and children as well as men. In addition, there were Egyptians who were found in these graves.
(on camera): It is unclear how many more bodies will be discovered, but it is clear more will.
Jane Arraf, CNN, reporting from Mahawil, Iraq.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: And with lawlessness still a serious problem in Baghdad, U.S. troops are stepping up their efforts to get looters off the streets. They can now hold looting suspects for up to 20 days. The previous detention period was 48 hours. But military officials deny a report that a "shoot to kill" policy is now in effect for looters.
With thousands of American G.I.s still serving in Iraq, the stress of a long deployment can mount for both the soldiers and their families. But now the U.S. Army is taking a new approach to make sure that when those soldiers return home, their reintegration is as smooth as possible.
As CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr reports, says it's a lesson learned through tragedy.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was a terrible summer at Fort Bragg last year. Four soldiers, some just back from Afghanistan, killed their wives.
Master Sergeant William Wright, only home a month, strangled his wife and hid her body for days.
Although no connection was apparent, the Army worried that the stress of deployments and combat might be getting to the troops. To make sure nothing like last year happened again, all soldiers returning must now be checked to see how they are handling life back home.
Machine gunner Timothy Gonzales, just back from his first six- month deployment to Afghanistan, reunited with his wife, Leah.
TIMOTHY GONZALES, U.S. ARMY: We had a lot of counseling before we came back, a lot of talking to chaplain on just stuff on like how -- how the wives are running the house now and just to let us know that, you know, don't go home and be the -- try to be the commander because you weren't there.
LEAH GONZALES, ARMY WIFE: He doesn't talk to me. I don't ask him questions. We just kind of leave Afghanistan in Afghanistan.
STARR: Fort Bragg chaplains say the personal approach is vital.
MAJ. MICHAEL CHARLES, U.S. ARMY CHAPLAIN: Your close chain of command needs to look that soldier in the eye and ask the simple questions of how are you doing? You OK? You've been gone a while. You've been out there in the age (ph) for awhile.
STARR: Commanders will look for soldiers troubled by combat, expressing thoughts of suicide, involved in domestic violence, seeming to be a loner with drug or alcohol problems.
(on camera): The tragedy of last summer still lingers here at Fort Bragg. Just as the war in Iraq was getting under way a few weeks ago, William Wright hanged himself in the jail cell, his young children now unlikely to get any Army benefits.
The Army hopes this new intervention program will help identify troubled soldiers and get them help before it's too late.
Barbara Starr, CNN, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: And I want to get back to that issue we discussed earlier, the rape scandal unfolding at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado. This isn't, of course, the first time that the academy has come under fire for allegation of ignoring reports of sexual abuse.
Dorothy Mackey says she was subjected to physical, sexual and emotional assaults as a career officer and although she reported it, she says the military never took her all that seriously.
She's joining us now live.
Dorothy, thanks very much.
What do you make of this latest development -- what's going on at the U.S. Air Force Academy?
DOROTHY MACKEY, ACCUSES AIR FORCE ACADEMY OF RAPE: Well, actually, I've had 15 of the cadets contact me as well as parents of a 13-year-old that was raped there. This is not unusual. It's happening both at the Academy as well as through all the services.
BLITZER: What are they doing wrong? What do they need do to make sure that these kinds of issues get resolved quickly and that the victim is not subjected to even more pain?
MACKEY: Well, thank you for asking that question. I've actually been asked by senators and congressmen for my recommendation because I've been looking at this issue for 19 years.
In part, we need outside advocates that are literally going to investigate it honestly and with great integrity. We need a removal of the system and we need special prosecutors appointed, such as Linda Farstein (ph) from New York.
BLITZER: Is there a sense that the military is still an old boy's club and, in effect, women are treated differently?
MACKEY: Well, it's not just women. Actually by the Air Force Academy's own standards and across all the military services, I've dealt with both women who have been assaulted, but also male cadets, 24 male cadets were sexually issue. And this is not a gay on gay issue, this is a heterosexual on heterosexual issue.
The issues also is the fact that there are five laws on the U.S. books that give immunity to military members who rape, maim or murder their own or others.
So this is a long history of events that needs to be fully disclosed and the American public will involve -- will be be involved and needs to be involved because ultimately we are all the losers.
BLITZER: Is there a difference between the various branches of the U.S. military? We're getting a lot of information about the U.S. Air Force Academy, but what about West Point or Annapolis? Is there a significant difference among these academies?
MACKEY: They're really not and you can pretty much find that out once you get the -- a look at the Air force and all of the military services as we stand alone.
In fact, I have one case out of Fort Drum. Allison Devant (ph), who was raped and she reported it and she's, in fact, being pretty much harangued and harassed.
Multiple women, both Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps as well as men. Men who are often raped in the military services, their lives are threatened and I have one parent who's contacted me whose son was murdered shortly after he was sexually abused.
BLITZER: Some of the women who have apparently have been raped or allegedly have been raped, they themselves have been disciplined for drinking alcohol, which is, of course, prohibited at these academies. What do you make of that?
MACKEY: Well, again, that's typically another way of simply minimizing the issue and not holding accountable what has really happened.
I think what's most telling is that in 1990, after the intolerance was brought on by the Tailhook scandal, a gentleman by the name of Lieutenant Colonel McDowell (ph) was brought on and sanctioned by the Department of Defense. He was supposed to be the investigator and the expert in talking to rape victims. His entire premise was to call rape victims liars and to virtually discount them.
Now, an interesting thing about that is that he was not only the expert, but he also helped to train the other military criminal investigative services, so that again, once again, this is a very broad, wide perspective. We need to look at this and bring in outside, true advocates who are not simply going to simply minimize these issues.
BLITZER: Dorothy Mackey, thanks for joining us. We did ask the U.S. Air Force Academy to answer some of our specific questions regarding past and present accusations. It was unable to get us a statement at this time, although the secretary of the Air Force and high officials in the Pentagon are promising that a full-scale investigation is under way. They're going to fix this situation at the U.S. Air Force Academy. That's what they say.
A newspaper scandal that's rocked the U.S. news media world. "The New York Times" called into question. Will criminal charges follow?
And danger in the veins. Medical news that could affect 45 million Americans, maybe you. What you need to know right now about blood pressure and your health. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: He broke the story about a reporter who broke the rules at "The New York Times." Could there be more trouble ahead for a trusted American newspaper? I'll ask Howard Kurtz. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Welcome back. Federal investigators are now looking to allegations that a former "New York Times" reporter, one named Jayson Blair, broke the law. Blair is accused of faking stories and quotes and plagiarizing other publications.
The story, of course, has greatly embarrassed "The New York Times." And today the newspaper's employees gathered for a forum talk about it.
With us now from Washington, Howard Kurtz, he's the host of CNN's "RELIABLE SOURCES" and "The Washington Post" media reporter.
Howie, thanks for joining us. First of all, what are you hearing about the forum, specifically Howell Raines, the editor of "The New York Times?"
HOWARD KURTZ, HOST, "RELIABLE SOURCES": Well, this was an extraordinary meeting, Wolf. It just ended about an hour ago and I've been working the phones. There was a lot of anger and resentment voiced at the meeting toward the paper's top managers. Howell Raines the executive editor was asked whether he would resign. Remember, these are his own employees questioning him.
He said absolutely not and the publisher Arthur Sulzberger gave Raines a vote of confidence saying he would not accept a resignation even if Raines were to offer one.
BLITZER: And this notion that the U.S. attorney or federal authorities may be looking into what Jayson Blair did. What's that?
KURTZ: It is not clear at this hour. That was not explored at the meetings. What we do know is that the U.S. attorney's office in Manhattan has asked "The New York Times" for certain information relating to Jayson Blair. But it's frankly hard to figure out what federal law he might have broken.
As much of an outrage as his serial fabrication were, and I've spent two weeks now working on this story. It is not against federal law to lie to a newspaper or to commit plagiarism. He did apparently engage in some expense account chiseling. But that hardly seems to rise to the level of a federal prosecution.
BLITZER: Is there some connection -- as you and I remember and many of our viewers remember those bombshell stories in "The New York Times" during the sniper affair in the Washington, D.C. area -- when he was reporting all sorts of wild things that federal law enforcement -- that local law enforcement authorities were flatly denying. Could there be something there that's worthy of a federal law enforcement investigation?
KURTZ: I suppose that is a possibility, Wolf, that putting out false information, perhaps could be construed as somehow impeding an investigation.
Those sniper stories by Jayson Blair took up a lot of time in this meeting. And staff members demanded to know why the top editors of the paper, even after the prosecutor in Virginia had called a news conference to denounce the stories as wrong, why they didn't crack down on Jayson Blair? Why they didn't ask for his sources? The unnamed sources he referred to.
And Raines and others said that was a mistake. And a lot of people just wanted to know how could you take a 27-year-old kid who had had 50 corrections and a lot of problems on the metro staff and send him into Maryland to do work on the biggest, most sensitive story at the time and not ask tough questions when his own reporting came under fire?
BLITZER: Especially when other reporters from "The New York Times" were saying these stories don't make any sense. Where's he getting this kind of information? I remember at the time when I was covering the sniper story, reading those stories in "The New York Times" and several officials saying this guy looks like he's just making it up. Obviously "The New York Times" didn't pay enough attention to its own reporters who had been on the beat in the Washington, D.C. area long enough.
As you well know, Howie, talk radio's all over this right now. There's an accusation out there, a painful accusation, because of the desire for "The New York Times" to have diversity, to get young, bright, African-Americans especially on the way up at "The New York Times," they bent over to give this Jayson Blair a break. Is there any truth to that?
KURTZ: I don't think there's any question, Wolf, that the desire of "The Times" to diversify its staff and not to say, pull the plug on a promising, young, black journalist played a role here. It was at the very least a factor because there were so many red flags. You had editors writing e-mails saying we've got to stop this guy from writing to "The Times. He had negative evaluations, he had mistakes, he had erratic work behavior.
Now I'm not saying that his color is entirely to blame. Clearly there was some communications and just management failure at "The Times," going through all of these yellow lights, all these red flags. But it's hard to escape the conclusion that he was given more lenient treatment because he was a promising minority reporter.
And that is what is part of what is causing the turmoil not only on talk radio, as you say, but within the confines of "The New York Times" which -- where everyone is greatly embarrassed that such a great newspaper that's won so many Pulitzer Prizes has been put through the embarrassment of these many fabrications.
BLITZER: "The New York Times" a great newspaper, indeed. But there are now rumors out there, and I'll say rumors because we haven't confirmed them, that they're looking at other reporters, one or two other reporters particularly, to see if there's been cheating, lying, plagiarizing going on. Have you heard anything along those lines whatsoever, Howie?
KURTZ: I think some reporters from outside "The Times" are taking a look at a couple of people who have had an embarrassing record of corrections and clarifications. I don't have any evidence, Wolf, that "The New York Times" itself is doing any sort of internal inquiry. Right now they've got their hands full dealing with the fallout from this Jayson Blair case.
The fallout from this is going to last a long time. I can tell you that because at this newspaper, "The Washington Post," the Janet Cooke fiasco happened place 22 years ago and people still bring it up. It's the kind of thing that stains your reputation for a long time.
I give "The Times" credit for conducting an investigation, trying to put the facts out there. But they really still haven't come to grips with the management failures, why the tough questions weren't asked, why Blair was allowed to remain on sensitive stories for so long. I took me about two days to find out that a lot of the people he claimed he had interviewed had never even spoken to him, that he hadn't even been in those cities. And that's one of the reasons that the tenor (ph) of the staff meeting which I say just ended an hour ago was so tense and why there is still so much anxiety, resentment and hurt feelings, I think, at "The New York Times."
BLITZER: At this meeting, this forum, this extraordinary forum you said you were on the phone trying to get some information. Anything else develop there other than some reporters asking Howell Raines, the editor, of he plans on resigning?
KURTZ: Well other reporters were asking not just about the horrible track record of Jayson Blair, not just about why he wasn't caught sooner before he fabricated or plagiarized 36 stories. But about Howell Raines' own management style. He's a very hard-charging, some would say bullheaded guy. A lot of veteran reporters, very talented people have left the paper.
And Raines did a modified mea culpa. Said he knew that he was perceived as being kind of arrogant and inaccessible and promising to try to change the climate of the newsroom. So this became the sort of moment when a lot of the built-up resentment toward the editor came out because of the embarrassment over Jayson Blair. BLITZER: CNN's Howard Kurtz of "The Washington Post," as well he is the host of CNN's "RELIABLE SOURCES," which always takes a critical look at the news media. It airs every Sunday morning 11:30 a.m. Eastern. If you haven't watched it, you must watch this program if you're interested in the news. Howie, thank very much.
And here's your turn to weigh in on this important story. Our Web question of the day is this: Do you think the news media are generally reliable? We'll have the results later in this broadcast. Please vote at cnn.com/wolf.
And while you're there, I'd like to hear 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. That's also, of course, where you can read my daily online column, cnn.com/wolf.
Coming up, what's normal blood pressure? You might be surprised by new guidelines from the federal government. They're just out today. This is a story you need to watch when we return.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: If you think your blood pressure is normal, you might want to check again. The government is out with some new guidelines that might surprise you. Here's CNN medical correspondent Christy Feig.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRISTY FEIG, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Arva Jackson's first symptom of high blood pressure was a heart attack. Now she's determined to prevent that from happening again.
ARVA JACKSON, BLOOD PRESSURE PATIENT: The medications apparently keep me at a level so that whatever, you know, potential there is for high blood pressure is held at bay.
FEIG: In an aggressive approach to prevent heart attacks and strokes, experts are changing the recommendations for treating high blood pressure. What used to be the golden number, 120 over 80, is now part of a new category called prehypertension. For the 45 million Americans in this group, it's not time for medicine yet, but major lifestyle changes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you don't have time for physical activity, you will find time for illness.
FEIG: What used to be considered borderline, a top number of 140 or more, or a bottom number of at least 90, now may mean medicine.
DR. ARAM CHOBANIAN, BOSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE: Nearly one-third of Americans with high blood pressure aren't aware of it, and two-thirds with hypertension still do not have it adequately treated.
FEIG: Doctors say the toughest thing about high blood pressure is the lack of obvious symptoms.
DR. RAMIN OSKOUT, CARDIOLOGIST: Elevated blood pressure causes the heart walls to thicken, eventually the heart valves to weaken and heart muscle to weaken, and eventually congestive heart failure is the end result.
FEIG: The numbers may have changed, but the basics haven't. Watch your intake of salt and alcohol, and eat lots of fruits and vegetables.
Christy Feig, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Good advice for all of us. Our Web question of the day is this, do you think the news media are generally reliable? Vote now at cnn.com/wolf. We'll give you the results immediately when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Now here's how you're weighing in on our Web question of the day. Earlier we asked you, do you think the news media are generally reliable? Look at this, 19 percent of you say yes; 81 percent of you say no. Remember, this is not a scientific poll.
Now a quick check of the headlines at this hour.
(NEWSBREAK)
BLITZER: A reminder: You can always catch WOLF BLITZER REPORTS weekdays, 5:00 p.m. Eastern, 2:00 p.m. Pacific, for the latest developments. Let's turn it over to Lou Dobbs. He's standing by in New York.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Qaeda Bombings to Come?; Mass Graves Uncovered in Iraq>
Aired May 14, 2003 - 17:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WOLF BLITZER, HOST: A gruesome find in Texas.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thirteen bodies have been counted inside the trailer area. Four bodies are on the ground directly behind the trailer area.
BLITZER: Police try to figure out how it happened and who's responsible.
The suicide bombings in Saudi Arabia. Are there more to come?
ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Al Qaeda does remain a threat.
BLITZER: All signs point to Osama bin Laden's terror group. What might he be planning next?
Mass graves uncovered in Iraq. More than a thousand bodies, so far.
Who are they?
The Air Force academy under fire for its handling of sex assaults. Now all eyes on proceedings against the cadet accused of rape.
And why millions of Americans who think they're healthy aren't.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The risk of heart disease and stroke starts to rise along before hypertension is established.
BLITZER: Changing guidelines on blood pressure.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: It's Wednesday, May 14, 2003. Hello, from the CNN center in Atlanta, I'm Wolf Blitzer reporting.
New concerns right now that al Qaeda may be planning more terror attacks, putting more Americans on edge. I want to go straight away to CNN's national security correspondent David Ensor.
He is joining with us late-breaking developments in Washington -- David.
DAVID ENSOR, NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, as one official put it to me today there are bad people planning bad things in a lot of places.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ENSOR (voice-over): In the wake of the bloody attacks in Riyadh which the Bush administration says bore the hallmarks of al Qaeda. Officials say there is intelligence suggesting there could be additional terrorist attacks soon.
FLEISCHER: It does show that they indeed remain a threat and that's why this administration is working so diligently to first prosecute this war against al Qaeda everywhere.
ENSOR: U.S. Officials say there is intelligence information about Kenya, scene of the resort attack last year, the Philippines, dealing with a Muslim guerrilla insurgency and Indonesia where a travel advisory warns of possible attacks like the one in Bali against locations where westerners congregate. U.S. officials say there is also intelligence suggesting additional attacks are possible in Saudi Arabia.
In Riyadh, Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal acknowledged his country had not done enough to prevent terrorism saying, quote, "The fact the terrorism happened is an indication of short comes and we have to learn from our mistakes and seek to improve the performance in this respect."
NAIL AL-JUBEIR, SAUDI EMBASSY: The death of civilians is simply unacceptable and we will make sure that those behind it will pay the ultimate price.
ENSOR: U.S. officials say the Riyadh attacks may be what 9/11 was for the United States, a wake-up call for the Saudis. Democratic presidential candidate Senator Bob Graham says he hopes the Saudis get the message.
SEN. BOB GRAHAM (D-FL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: They have been an uneven and unpredictable ally in the war against terror.
ENSOR: Saudi officials are reportedly focusing in on this man Khalid Mohammed al-Jahani (ph) as the possible ringleader. A tape of him holding a Kalashnikov and promising to die in a martyrdom terror operation was found in an al Qaeda safe house in Kabul and made public in January of last year.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ENSOR: U.S. officials say he did indeed make way to his way to his home land of Saudi Arabia and may have played a key role in the Riyadh attacks. Though they're also looking at a couple of other core al Qaeda figures as a possible mastermind -- wolf.
BLITZER: David Ensor, in Washington. Thanks very much. Secretary of State Colin Powell is being dogged by the terror attack. The one in Saudi Arabia came hours before his arrival and now he's in Russia where terrorists struck again today.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
Ralitsa Vassileva is in Moscow.
RALITSA VASSILEVA, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The U.S. Secretary of state arrived in Moscow from Saudi Arabia from with deadly terrorist attacks in Riyadh and Chechnya on his mind, only to get news of Wednesday another, this one, again in Russia's Republic of Chechnya. Authorities say at least 14 mostly elderly people died and more than a hundred were injured when a female suicide bomber detonated explosives strapped to her waist into a crowd of thousands gathered for a religious festivity. Chechnya's second deadly suicide bombing in three days came just before Powell met with Russian President Vladimir Putin to talk about mending U.S.-Russian relationships, strained over Moscow's opposition to the war in Iraq.
COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: We have had disagreements in the recent past especially with respect to Iraq, but now I think we have the opportunity to move forward and all of us join together to help the Iraqi people to a better life.
VASSILEVA: The U.S. wants Russian support for a draft resolution, lifting sanctions on Iraq so that coalition forces can use Iraq's oil revenues for its post-war reconstruction, but Moscow agrees with other countries that are seeking a bigger role for the United Nations and wants U.N. arms inspectors to verify weapons of mass destruction before sanctions are lifted. Despite this, Russia's foreign minister appeared optimistic.
IGOR IVANOV, RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: We (UNINTELLIGIBLE) our desire and intention to continue further development and strengthen (UNINTELLIGIBLE) on a bi-lateral basis and in an international form.
VASSILEVA (voice-over): And proof of this intention to put this disagreement behind on the very day of Powell's visit, the Russian Lower House of Parliament ratified a nuclear arms reduction treaty it has held back for months in protest of the war in Iraq.
Ralitsa Vassileva, CNN, Moscow.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: The attacks in Russia and Saudi Arabia make this week's terror drill by the Homeland Security Department here in the United States all the more timely. Today's exercises got under way in Chicago with hospitals treating victims of a mock biological terror attack. The drill started Monday With a mock dirty bomb attack in Seattle.
Joining me now live from Capitol Hill to talk about the terror strikes, what we know, what we don't know is the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, the Republican Senator Pat Roberts of Kansas.
Mr. Chairman, thank you very much for joining us.
Do we know who is responsible for the terror strike in Saudi Arabia?
SEN. PAT ROBERTS (R), KANSAS: Well, I think it is Jahani as referenced in your newscast although it's very difficult to point out one individual person. He is a good friend of the fellow that really led the effort against the USS Cole, in my mind it's no question it was al Qaeda. It's interesting for me to note that the Saudi Arabians did not admit there was any al Qaeda in their country upwards of several months ago. This is going to be a very crucial and key task for the Saudis in regards to full cooperation with the United States in the war on terrorism.
BLITZER: Senator Roberts, as you know and many of our viewers know, there were all sorts of warnings in the weeks leading up to the terror strike.
Did the Saudis simply fail to heed those warnings from the U.S. and other sources?
ROBERTS: I don't think they failed to heed it, they just didn't have the security forces to meet the threat. It was a soft target. It was contracting housing. I don't think that entered their minds. There's a big question in my mind as to whether their security forces can be beefed up to do the job. We did issue a May 1 travel advisory from the State Department. There was reporting all across the intelligence community that this was a very serious threat, an attack was being planned, an attack would take place and an attack was imminent. We didn't have the who, when and where, we have to do a better job of that, but the Saudis need to work with us to get that job done. We have to have unfettered access with the FBI and CIA with the investigation and that's a good first step.
BLITZER: They didn't do it with the bombing after the Khobar towers.
Will the Saudis do it now?
ROBERTS: They better do it now. There's a whole laundry list that we're not very happy with the Saudis in regards to the money going to terrorists in regards to them separating out the terrorist threat in regards to attacks on the kingdom and attacks on the United States. This was an attack on their kingdom, their country. This was an attack on the United States. They must provide the full cooperation if we're going to be successful. I hope they will.
BLITZER: Senator Roberts, what do you make of the capability of al Qaeda, perhaps a reformed, different al Qaeda that hit soft targets not only in Saudi Arabia but perhaps here in the United States.
ROBERTS: I'm not sure the United States is their prime target right now. I think they would if they could but we are more of a hard target. I would expect more problems in Africa. I would expect more problems and more threats in regards to Indonesia, certainly in the Gulf. If there is any good news out of this tragedy and I don't mean to portray it as good news is that this was a soft target, it was unprotected and it was outside of the United States, but we will have to be on our guard for future attacks.
BLITZER: Well, how vulnerable are concerns that may be watching the program right now?
How concerned should they be about terror strikes here in the U.S.
ROBERTS: I'm not as concerned about the terror attacks in the United States. I am concerned about that it seems to me that the warnings we've had across the board through the intelligence community had been on this particular attack. It may not be over and it may well be that this attack prevented a larger scale attack and it would be another attack in Saudi Arabia. That's what I'm worried about right now.
BLITZER: Senator Roberts, always good of you to join us. Thanks very much.
ROBERTS: Thank you, Wolf.
BLITZER: We'll have you back. Appreciate it very much. Senator Pat Roberts, the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Meanwhile, death occurs in Texas. There's a death trap. More than a dozen people suffocated in the back of a truck.
Also, nuclear mistake. The nation's top weapons lab loses the keys to the house. What's going on?
And Air Force Academy rape scandal. A cadet faces rape charges, but is he a scapegoat for years of cover-up?
And under pressure. You may not be as healthy as you think. A story affecting, get this, 45 million Americans, and the story potentially of life and death, and your blood pressure still to come.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Welcome back. It's something no one would want to imagine. A sweltering semitrailer with a cargo of suspected illegal immigrants, inside, just inside the Texas border from Mexico. Some were living, some were dead. Here's CNN's Denise Bellgrave.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DENISE BELLGRAVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was a gruesome discovery. Officials in south Texas found the bodies of 17 people thought to be among a group being smuggled from Mexico into the United States. Some were found locked inside a hot, crowded tractor trailer parked at a truck stop. Others were lying on the ground near the truck.
Federal authorities suspect as many as 70 people were in the truck at one time. Most fled the scene when police arrived.
SHERIFF MICHAEL RATCLIFF, VICTORIA COUNTY, TEXAS: We've had different estimates from witnesses. Some would indicate there were as many as 40 at one time on the ground. Our goal is to get medical attention to these people.
BELLGRAVE: Some survivors were taken to the hospital, suffering from heat exhaustion and suffocation. Another victim died from a heart attack after arriving at the hospital. The victims included one infant, who suffocated on the trip, which ended at the Speedy Stop rest stop on Highway 77 in Victoria, Texas.
ASA HUTCHINSON, UNDER SECRETARY BORDER AND TRANSPORTATION SECURITY: Agents with the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement are on the scene, are heavily involved in the investigation and leading it from the standpoint of what could be a potential alien smuggling case.
BELLGRAVE: A man believed to have been the driver of the truck was taken into custody. Police say he fled the scene before the victims were discovered.
In Atlanta, I'm Denise Bellgrave, reporting.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: And joining me now from Houston to offer some additional perspective is Jacob Monty, he is an immigration attorney, and Mr. Monty, thanks very much for joining us.
This is shocking. How shocked are you by what happened today?
JACOB MONTY, IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY: Well, very shocked, Wolf, but it happens every year, especially during the summer months. These people are coming over to work, and they don't want to do any harm. They're just coming to be busboys and butchers and gardeners, and yet they pay the ultimate price. And today's events were just tragic. Again, these are people coming just to work, and they paid the ultimate price today, but it happens because there is no way for them to come lawfully into the country.
BLITZER: So what happens? They pay the driver or pay someone to smuggle them into the United States, not knowing how dangerous it may be in the back of a truck like that?
MONTY: Yes. Oftentimes, the exact route that they are going to be smuggled in is not known to them, and they're charged an exorbitant sum of money, thousands of dollars, and yet they don't really understand the risks, or maybe they do understand the risks, but they're trying to feed families in Mexico and they're trying to perform jobs that U.S. workers aren't wanting to do. So it's tragic that they get sucked into this.
BLITZER: Is it part of some sort of organized ring, a smuggling ring, or are these individuals, freelancers who have a truck and decide that they're going to try to smuggle people in, even if it's obviously as dangerous as it is?
MONTY: You know, I think research has shown that there's very organized smuggling rings operating in this country. It's a $1 billion a year enterprise, and so these aren't just freelancers, as you say. There are systems that exist to get the people in, and ultimately the aliens end up paying the price.
BLITZER: These are desperate people trying to get into the United States. Mr. Monty, thanks for adding some perspective to what is obviously a horrible, horrible story. Appreciate it very much.
Let's move on now. A set of missing keys at a nuclear lab is prompting a federal investigation. CNN's Rusty Dornin is keeping track of the story. She is joining me now live from San Francisco. Rusty, this is another shocking story. Tell our viewers what's going on.
RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, these keys were just one of 200 sets of keys at the Livermore National Laboratory that provide access to the high security areas, but the lab essentials are saying there is no reason to worry, that the national security has been compromised, because the keys themselves are not the only access to these high security areas. You also have to have card keys to get in there, controlled computer access, and of course, security guards.
But what they're saying happened is a security guard finishing up his shift on April 16 was supposed to put his keys back in the cabinet, says he put them back in the cabinet; 24 hours later they discovered those keys were missing.
Now, the lab says: "Upon discovering that the keys were missing, operational security personnel took immediate action by initiating comprehensive searches of on-site and off-site facilities and patrol vehicles. The keys have not yet been located."
Of course, they have -- or are in the process of changing the locks at gates and offices at the laboratory, and also have extra security personnel on duty.
They say they don't know whether this patrol officer actually put the keys in his pocket and left and perhaps lost them, or they really were stolen.
Now, this is just the latest in a series of embarrassing incidents for the University of California, which manages Los Alamos and the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory. The most recent at the Lawrence Livermore Lab occurred last month, when the head of security, Bill Cleveland, resigned after an alleged affair with accused spy Katrina Leung. Now, lab officials claim there is no relationship between these two, but of course critics are saying that it raises very serious issues about management and security at the Lawrence Livermore Lab -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Rusty Dornin, thanks very much for that explanation. Appreciate it.
Stabbed in the street, a 15-year-old murdered after refusing the advances of an older man. Was it a hate crime?
Also, rape at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Is a culture of cover- up starting to change?
And ocean overkill. Why your favorite fish may soon be extinct from the supermarket. That and much more all coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: There's some shocking news unfolding in various parts of the country. Let's begin in New Jersey. It's more than a homicide investigation. Police have to sort out whether a 15-year-old girl was killed because she's supposedly told an aggressive man almost twice her age she wasn't interested in him because she liked women. Dave Barker of our CNN affiliate WWOR talked with the girl's friends who watched the whole thing unfold.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVE BARKER, WWOR CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Seventeen-year-old Chantell Woodbridge in the white T-shirt here says the knife that was plunged into heart of her girlfriend also stabbed deeply into hers.
CHANTELL WOODBRIDGE, VICTIM'S GIRLFRIEND: I haven't eaten, and it's hard for me to sleep. And I just miss her a lot, and I just want to know why it happened. That was my heart right there. I loved her.
BARKER: Woodbridge says she and 15-year-old Sekiah Gunn (ph) started dating last winter, but they often went into the city on weekends because they felt more comfortable there.
They got back to Newark around 3:30 a.m. last Saturday. She and Sekiah (ph), along with three other gay teenage girls, were waiting at this bus stop when three young men came up. That's when hateful words started to fly, according to the victim's cousin, who was also there.
(on camera): You were saying they were calling you guys fags?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, they were calling us like fags and homos.
BARKER (voice-over): Words then turned into a fight, she says, and one of the men suddenly stabbed Sekiah (ph). Her heart pumped so much blood that it soaked through three layers of clothing before she died.
At the site of the killing, a huge crowd gathered today. Other teens told us the killing has shaken them, but will not change their lives or lifestyles.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I know who I am, and I am going to believe in (UNINTELLIGIBLE), as well as my mother and my family, and my friends.
BARKER (on camera): And you're not worried about the future?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm not worried about the future.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Dave Barker of our affiliate WWOR reporting. Dave, thank you very much.
Let's look at some other stories right now. In our justice files in Illinois, a Chicago area judge has turned down a high school student's request to throw out a 10-day suspension over a hazing incident. The news comes after another senior filed a second lawsuit today, asking for the same thing. The girl identified only as Jane Doe is one of 32 seniors suspended despite the incident taking place off school property.
Twelve years have gone, come and gone since a Jewish scholar was killed in a riot in Brooklyn's Crown Heights neighborhood, but today a federal jury convicted Limerick Nelson, not of murder, but of violating Yankel Rosenbaum's civil rights. This is the third time Nelson's been tried. He could spend up to 10 years in prison.
And at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, a hearing is taking place for a sophomore cadet accused of raping a freshman cadet last fall. The woman testified there was no way to fight off Douglas Neaster (ph). She says she reported the alleged rape to school administrators, but says they took action against her for fraternization and drinking, and not Neaster (ph). A hearing will determine whether he faces a court-martial.
Mass graves found. Thousands of buried bodies, and the desperate search for loved ones.
Plus, life after the war. Sometimes the hardest thing is getting back to normal.
And scandal at "The New York Times." Will a lying reporter face criminal charges? First, a look at some other news making headlines around the world.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER (voice-over): Palestinian security sources say three Palestinian policemen were killed and 29 wounded by Israeli forces in southern Gaza. Israeli military sources say their forces came under fire while conducting operations in the area.
Iran's president says recently revealed talks between Washington and Tehran will continue, but he says there are no new developments in the two-year-old dialogue whose topics included U.S. operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.
In The Hague, trial has begun for three former Bosnian Serb officers accused of genocide for the 1995 massacre in Srebrenica. More than 7,000 Muslim men and boys were executed. The largest mass killing in Europe since World War II.
A CNN International broadcast was blacked out in China during a segment on the SARS epidemic. Sensors there cited what they called the network's negative coverage of China.
The State Department is putting Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck to work, in Cambodia. They'll be featured in the Khmer language ad campaign warning about the dangers of land mines.
And the Cannes Film Festival is under way, with a smaller American presence than usual. Only one major studio is represented. Organizers say it's a coincidence and has nothing to do with strained French-American relations.
And that's our look around the world.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Welcome back to CNN. I'm Wolf Blitzer. Coming up, life after the war. U.S. troops get help turning off the kill switch. But first, for the latest headlines, let's go to CNN's Arthel Neville. She's here in the CNN newsroom in Atlanta.
(NEWSBREAK)
BLITZER: A village south of Baghdad is the scene of what's believed to be the biggest mass grave found in Iraq since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein. More than 1,000 sets of remains have been found so far and today the digging goes on.
Our Baghdad bureau chief, Jane Arraf, went to the scene.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF: People from surrounding villages are continuing to stream into here even as night falls, desperately looking for any evidence of their loved once.
Now they're going through piles of tattered clothing, faded I.D. cards and bits of bone, one of the reasons why it's been so difficult to identify the people buried here. A local doctor in charge of the operation says that they found about 150 people today, but identified only 65 of them. He says they will keep looking for more bodies.
DR. HAFED HUSSEINI, EXCAVATION LEADER: We are continuing watching (ph) and are digging in other holes in this area and we are digging more than four holes, three of that we find (UNINTELLIGIBLE) victims, about 200 of them. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) about 75 identified bodies and the other are (UNINTELLIGIBLE) for hope that other families identify them.
ARRAF (voice-over): Most of the people appear to have been Shias who were kale killed in the space of just a few days after the 1991 Gulf War, when they were encouraged to rise up against Saddam Hussein. But no one came to their aid and up to 100,000 are believed to have been killed and families around here, many of them say that in every family there was at least one person missing, women and children as well as men. In addition, there were Egyptians who were found in these graves.
(on camera): It is unclear how many more bodies will be discovered, but it is clear more will.
Jane Arraf, CNN, reporting from Mahawil, Iraq.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: And with lawlessness still a serious problem in Baghdad, U.S. troops are stepping up their efforts to get looters off the streets. They can now hold looting suspects for up to 20 days. The previous detention period was 48 hours. But military officials deny a report that a "shoot to kill" policy is now in effect for looters.
With thousands of American G.I.s still serving in Iraq, the stress of a long deployment can mount for both the soldiers and their families. But now the U.S. Army is taking a new approach to make sure that when those soldiers return home, their reintegration is as smooth as possible.
As CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr reports, says it's a lesson learned through tragedy.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was a terrible summer at Fort Bragg last year. Four soldiers, some just back from Afghanistan, killed their wives.
Master Sergeant William Wright, only home a month, strangled his wife and hid her body for days.
Although no connection was apparent, the Army worried that the stress of deployments and combat might be getting to the troops. To make sure nothing like last year happened again, all soldiers returning must now be checked to see how they are handling life back home.
Machine gunner Timothy Gonzales, just back from his first six- month deployment to Afghanistan, reunited with his wife, Leah.
TIMOTHY GONZALES, U.S. ARMY: We had a lot of counseling before we came back, a lot of talking to chaplain on just stuff on like how -- how the wives are running the house now and just to let us know that, you know, don't go home and be the -- try to be the commander because you weren't there.
LEAH GONZALES, ARMY WIFE: He doesn't talk to me. I don't ask him questions. We just kind of leave Afghanistan in Afghanistan.
STARR: Fort Bragg chaplains say the personal approach is vital.
MAJ. MICHAEL CHARLES, U.S. ARMY CHAPLAIN: Your close chain of command needs to look that soldier in the eye and ask the simple questions of how are you doing? You OK? You've been gone a while. You've been out there in the age (ph) for awhile.
STARR: Commanders will look for soldiers troubled by combat, expressing thoughts of suicide, involved in domestic violence, seeming to be a loner with drug or alcohol problems.
(on camera): The tragedy of last summer still lingers here at Fort Bragg. Just as the war in Iraq was getting under way a few weeks ago, William Wright hanged himself in the jail cell, his young children now unlikely to get any Army benefits.
The Army hopes this new intervention program will help identify troubled soldiers and get them help before it's too late.
Barbara Starr, CNN, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: And I want to get back to that issue we discussed earlier, the rape scandal unfolding at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado. This isn't, of course, the first time that the academy has come under fire for allegation of ignoring reports of sexual abuse.
Dorothy Mackey says she was subjected to physical, sexual and emotional assaults as a career officer and although she reported it, she says the military never took her all that seriously.
She's joining us now live.
Dorothy, thanks very much.
What do you make of this latest development -- what's going on at the U.S. Air Force Academy?
DOROTHY MACKEY, ACCUSES AIR FORCE ACADEMY OF RAPE: Well, actually, I've had 15 of the cadets contact me as well as parents of a 13-year-old that was raped there. This is not unusual. It's happening both at the Academy as well as through all the services.
BLITZER: What are they doing wrong? What do they need do to make sure that these kinds of issues get resolved quickly and that the victim is not subjected to even more pain?
MACKEY: Well, thank you for asking that question. I've actually been asked by senators and congressmen for my recommendation because I've been looking at this issue for 19 years.
In part, we need outside advocates that are literally going to investigate it honestly and with great integrity. We need a removal of the system and we need special prosecutors appointed, such as Linda Farstein (ph) from New York.
BLITZER: Is there a sense that the military is still an old boy's club and, in effect, women are treated differently?
MACKEY: Well, it's not just women. Actually by the Air Force Academy's own standards and across all the military services, I've dealt with both women who have been assaulted, but also male cadets, 24 male cadets were sexually issue. And this is not a gay on gay issue, this is a heterosexual on heterosexual issue.
The issues also is the fact that there are five laws on the U.S. books that give immunity to military members who rape, maim or murder their own or others.
So this is a long history of events that needs to be fully disclosed and the American public will involve -- will be be involved and needs to be involved because ultimately we are all the losers.
BLITZER: Is there a difference between the various branches of the U.S. military? We're getting a lot of information about the U.S. Air Force Academy, but what about West Point or Annapolis? Is there a significant difference among these academies?
MACKEY: They're really not and you can pretty much find that out once you get the -- a look at the Air force and all of the military services as we stand alone.
In fact, I have one case out of Fort Drum. Allison Devant (ph), who was raped and she reported it and she's, in fact, being pretty much harangued and harassed.
Multiple women, both Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps as well as men. Men who are often raped in the military services, their lives are threatened and I have one parent who's contacted me whose son was murdered shortly after he was sexually abused.
BLITZER: Some of the women who have apparently have been raped or allegedly have been raped, they themselves have been disciplined for drinking alcohol, which is, of course, prohibited at these academies. What do you make of that?
MACKEY: Well, again, that's typically another way of simply minimizing the issue and not holding accountable what has really happened.
I think what's most telling is that in 1990, after the intolerance was brought on by the Tailhook scandal, a gentleman by the name of Lieutenant Colonel McDowell (ph) was brought on and sanctioned by the Department of Defense. He was supposed to be the investigator and the expert in talking to rape victims. His entire premise was to call rape victims liars and to virtually discount them.
Now, an interesting thing about that is that he was not only the expert, but he also helped to train the other military criminal investigative services, so that again, once again, this is a very broad, wide perspective. We need to look at this and bring in outside, true advocates who are not simply going to simply minimize these issues.
BLITZER: Dorothy Mackey, thanks for joining us. We did ask the U.S. Air Force Academy to answer some of our specific questions regarding past and present accusations. It was unable to get us a statement at this time, although the secretary of the Air Force and high officials in the Pentagon are promising that a full-scale investigation is under way. They're going to fix this situation at the U.S. Air Force Academy. That's what they say.
A newspaper scandal that's rocked the U.S. news media world. "The New York Times" called into question. Will criminal charges follow?
And danger in the veins. Medical news that could affect 45 million Americans, maybe you. What you need to know right now about blood pressure and your health. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: He broke the story about a reporter who broke the rules at "The New York Times." Could there be more trouble ahead for a trusted American newspaper? I'll ask Howard Kurtz. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Welcome back. Federal investigators are now looking to allegations that a former "New York Times" reporter, one named Jayson Blair, broke the law. Blair is accused of faking stories and quotes and plagiarizing other publications.
The story, of course, has greatly embarrassed "The New York Times." And today the newspaper's employees gathered for a forum talk about it.
With us now from Washington, Howard Kurtz, he's the host of CNN's "RELIABLE SOURCES" and "The Washington Post" media reporter.
Howie, thanks for joining us. First of all, what are you hearing about the forum, specifically Howell Raines, the editor of "The New York Times?"
HOWARD KURTZ, HOST, "RELIABLE SOURCES": Well, this was an extraordinary meeting, Wolf. It just ended about an hour ago and I've been working the phones. There was a lot of anger and resentment voiced at the meeting toward the paper's top managers. Howell Raines the executive editor was asked whether he would resign. Remember, these are his own employees questioning him.
He said absolutely not and the publisher Arthur Sulzberger gave Raines a vote of confidence saying he would not accept a resignation even if Raines were to offer one.
BLITZER: And this notion that the U.S. attorney or federal authorities may be looking into what Jayson Blair did. What's that?
KURTZ: It is not clear at this hour. That was not explored at the meetings. What we do know is that the U.S. attorney's office in Manhattan has asked "The New York Times" for certain information relating to Jayson Blair. But it's frankly hard to figure out what federal law he might have broken.
As much of an outrage as his serial fabrication were, and I've spent two weeks now working on this story. It is not against federal law to lie to a newspaper or to commit plagiarism. He did apparently engage in some expense account chiseling. But that hardly seems to rise to the level of a federal prosecution.
BLITZER: Is there some connection -- as you and I remember and many of our viewers remember those bombshell stories in "The New York Times" during the sniper affair in the Washington, D.C. area -- when he was reporting all sorts of wild things that federal law enforcement -- that local law enforcement authorities were flatly denying. Could there be something there that's worthy of a federal law enforcement investigation?
KURTZ: I suppose that is a possibility, Wolf, that putting out false information, perhaps could be construed as somehow impeding an investigation.
Those sniper stories by Jayson Blair took up a lot of time in this meeting. And staff members demanded to know why the top editors of the paper, even after the prosecutor in Virginia had called a news conference to denounce the stories as wrong, why they didn't crack down on Jayson Blair? Why they didn't ask for his sources? The unnamed sources he referred to.
And Raines and others said that was a mistake. And a lot of people just wanted to know how could you take a 27-year-old kid who had had 50 corrections and a lot of problems on the metro staff and send him into Maryland to do work on the biggest, most sensitive story at the time and not ask tough questions when his own reporting came under fire?
BLITZER: Especially when other reporters from "The New York Times" were saying these stories don't make any sense. Where's he getting this kind of information? I remember at the time when I was covering the sniper story, reading those stories in "The New York Times" and several officials saying this guy looks like he's just making it up. Obviously "The New York Times" didn't pay enough attention to its own reporters who had been on the beat in the Washington, D.C. area long enough.
As you well know, Howie, talk radio's all over this right now. There's an accusation out there, a painful accusation, because of the desire for "The New York Times" to have diversity, to get young, bright, African-Americans especially on the way up at "The New York Times," they bent over to give this Jayson Blair a break. Is there any truth to that?
KURTZ: I don't think there's any question, Wolf, that the desire of "The Times" to diversify its staff and not to say, pull the plug on a promising, young, black journalist played a role here. It was at the very least a factor because there were so many red flags. You had editors writing e-mails saying we've got to stop this guy from writing to "The Times. He had negative evaluations, he had mistakes, he had erratic work behavior.
Now I'm not saying that his color is entirely to blame. Clearly there was some communications and just management failure at "The Times," going through all of these yellow lights, all these red flags. But it's hard to escape the conclusion that he was given more lenient treatment because he was a promising minority reporter.
And that is what is part of what is causing the turmoil not only on talk radio, as you say, but within the confines of "The New York Times" which -- where everyone is greatly embarrassed that such a great newspaper that's won so many Pulitzer Prizes has been put through the embarrassment of these many fabrications.
BLITZER: "The New York Times" a great newspaper, indeed. But there are now rumors out there, and I'll say rumors because we haven't confirmed them, that they're looking at other reporters, one or two other reporters particularly, to see if there's been cheating, lying, plagiarizing going on. Have you heard anything along those lines whatsoever, Howie?
KURTZ: I think some reporters from outside "The Times" are taking a look at a couple of people who have had an embarrassing record of corrections and clarifications. I don't have any evidence, Wolf, that "The New York Times" itself is doing any sort of internal inquiry. Right now they've got their hands full dealing with the fallout from this Jayson Blair case.
The fallout from this is going to last a long time. I can tell you that because at this newspaper, "The Washington Post," the Janet Cooke fiasco happened place 22 years ago and people still bring it up. It's the kind of thing that stains your reputation for a long time.
I give "The Times" credit for conducting an investigation, trying to put the facts out there. But they really still haven't come to grips with the management failures, why the tough questions weren't asked, why Blair was allowed to remain on sensitive stories for so long. I took me about two days to find out that a lot of the people he claimed he had interviewed had never even spoken to him, that he hadn't even been in those cities. And that's one of the reasons that the tenor (ph) of the staff meeting which I say just ended an hour ago was so tense and why there is still so much anxiety, resentment and hurt feelings, I think, at "The New York Times."
BLITZER: At this meeting, this forum, this extraordinary forum you said you were on the phone trying to get some information. Anything else develop there other than some reporters asking Howell Raines, the editor, of he plans on resigning?
KURTZ: Well other reporters were asking not just about the horrible track record of Jayson Blair, not just about why he wasn't caught sooner before he fabricated or plagiarized 36 stories. But about Howell Raines' own management style. He's a very hard-charging, some would say bullheaded guy. A lot of veteran reporters, very talented people have left the paper.
And Raines did a modified mea culpa. Said he knew that he was perceived as being kind of arrogant and inaccessible and promising to try to change the climate of the newsroom. So this became the sort of moment when a lot of the built-up resentment toward the editor came out because of the embarrassment over Jayson Blair. BLITZER: CNN's Howard Kurtz of "The Washington Post," as well he is the host of CNN's "RELIABLE SOURCES," which always takes a critical look at the news media. It airs every Sunday morning 11:30 a.m. Eastern. If you haven't watched it, you must watch this program if you're interested in the news. Howie, thank very much.
And here's your turn to weigh in on this important story. Our Web question of the day is this: Do you think the news media are generally reliable? We'll have the results later in this broadcast. Please vote at cnn.com/wolf.
And while you're there, I'd like to hear 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. That's also, of course, where you can read my daily online column, cnn.com/wolf.
Coming up, what's normal blood pressure? You might be surprised by new guidelines from the federal government. They're just out today. This is a story you need to watch when we return.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: If you think your blood pressure is normal, you might want to check again. The government is out with some new guidelines that might surprise you. Here's CNN medical correspondent Christy Feig.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRISTY FEIG, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Arva Jackson's first symptom of high blood pressure was a heart attack. Now she's determined to prevent that from happening again.
ARVA JACKSON, BLOOD PRESSURE PATIENT: The medications apparently keep me at a level so that whatever, you know, potential there is for high blood pressure is held at bay.
FEIG: In an aggressive approach to prevent heart attacks and strokes, experts are changing the recommendations for treating high blood pressure. What used to be the golden number, 120 over 80, is now part of a new category called prehypertension. For the 45 million Americans in this group, it's not time for medicine yet, but major lifestyle changes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you don't have time for physical activity, you will find time for illness.
FEIG: What used to be considered borderline, a top number of 140 or more, or a bottom number of at least 90, now may mean medicine.
DR. ARAM CHOBANIAN, BOSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE: Nearly one-third of Americans with high blood pressure aren't aware of it, and two-thirds with hypertension still do not have it adequately treated.
FEIG: Doctors say the toughest thing about high blood pressure is the lack of obvious symptoms.
DR. RAMIN OSKOUT, CARDIOLOGIST: Elevated blood pressure causes the heart walls to thicken, eventually the heart valves to weaken and heart muscle to weaken, and eventually congestive heart failure is the end result.
FEIG: The numbers may have changed, but the basics haven't. Watch your intake of salt and alcohol, and eat lots of fruits and vegetables.
Christy Feig, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Good advice for all of us. Our Web question of the day is this, do you think the news media are generally reliable? Vote now at cnn.com/wolf. We'll give you the results immediately when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Now here's how you're weighing in on our Web question of the day. Earlier we asked you, do you think the news media are generally reliable? Look at this, 19 percent of you say yes; 81 percent of you say no. Remember, this is not a scientific poll.
Now a quick check of the headlines at this hour.
(NEWSBREAK)
BLITZER: A reminder: You can always catch WOLF BLITZER REPORTS weekdays, 5:00 p.m. Eastern, 2:00 p.m. Pacific, for the latest developments. Let's turn it over to Lou Dobbs. He's standing by in New York.
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Qaeda Bombings to Come?; Mass Graves Uncovered in Iraq>
