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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports

Arrest Made in North Dakota Student's Disappearance; Americans Abroad Put on Alert; Can U.N. Cut off Money Flowing to al Qaeda?

Aired December 02, 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, HOST: Happening now, a break in the heart- wrenching case of a 22-year-old missing North Dakota woman. This man is about to be extradited from Minnesota to North Dakota suspected of kidnapping her. But is she still alive? Stand by for hard news on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): New terror warnings. Americans abroad are pout on alert.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The timing of the threat was for the next several days.

BLITZER: Al Qaeda's assets. Can the United Nations cut off the money flow?

Missing student. An arrest leaves room for hope.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Honey, we're still looking for you. We know you're there.

BLITZER: And the shocking story of America's uninsured.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's baffling when people are doing all the right things, they're working, they're being responsible, they're paying taxes.

BLITZER: You won't believe just how many are out there.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: This is WOLF BLITZER REPORTS for Tuesday, December 2, 2003.

BLITZER: We begin with a pair of warnings. The United States issuing a terror alert for Americans abroad, and putting would-be nuclear nations on notice that secret weapons programs won't be tolerated. We'll go live to our national security correspondent David Ensor in just a moment, but we start at the State Department, with CNN's Andrea Koppel -- Andrea.

ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, for some of your viewers, these terror alerts, especially those overseas, may have become somewhat routine. But U.S. officials point out what's especially noteworthy about these latest alerts is just how specific they are. With that in mind, tonight security forces in Kenya are on high alert.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KOPPEL (voice-over): The threat came in an anonymous e-mail to the U.S. embassy in Kenya's capital. A State Department public announcement said the terrorist threats were aimed at "American and Western interests in downtown Nairobi, specifically targeting the Stanley Hotel and the Hilton Hotel."

The announcement notes this information has not been corroborated. But according to the U.S. ambassador to Kenya, the e- mail specified Wednesday as the target date for an attack.

ADAM ERELI, STATE DEPT. SPOKESMAN: The anonymous warning also said that the timing of the threat was for the next several days. So given that specificity, it was incumbent upon us to take the steps that we took.

KOPPEL: A popular tourist destination, Kenya has been targeted by al Qaeda terrorists before. Last year in Mombasa, when suicide bombers killed more than a dozen people, at an Israeli-owned hotel, and attempted to bring down an Israeli passenger jet with shoulder- fired missiles. And in 1998, when suicide bombers attacked the U.S. embassy, killing 219 people.

Meanwhile, in Saudi Arabia, just weeks after al Qaeda is believed to have carried out suicide bombings at a mostly Arab housing compound in Riyadh, the U.S. embassy issued fresh warnings.

ERELI: The worded message cited recent confirmed information that indicated that the Cidar Village (ph) housing compound in Riyadh has been under active surveillance by terrorist elements and that other Western compounds within the kingdom may also be targeted.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KOPPEL: For that reason, the State Department is urging Americans to defer all nonessential travel to the Saudi kingdom and to Kenya, and is also warning Americans already in both of those countries to keep a low profile, Wolf, and to also try to be vigilant and stay away from those places where they know Westerners or Americans are known to congregate -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Good advice for Americans around the world. Thanks very much for that, Andrea.

British police, meanwhile, have rounded up 14 people today in a series of anti-terror raids. Four suspects were picked up in London, where several homes and businesses were searched. Six others were detained in the university town of Cambridge, and four more arrests were made in a pair of towns near Birmingham. Last Thursday, police seized a suspect and explosives in the southwestern town of Gloucester. Britain has been on its second highest security alert for two weeks. A top administration official today warns so-called rogue states that the United States and its allies will get tough on weapons of mass destruction programs. For that, let's turn to our national security correspondent, David Ensor -- David.

DAVID ENSOR, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, this warning comes, Wolf, at a time when there is a reasonable amount of tension with Iran over its nuclear program, as well as North Korea.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) targets.

ENSOR (voice-over): What you see in this training exercise could soon be for real, says the Bush administration. In this case, Japanese troops storming a ship in an Australian-led exercise, including U.S. forces, in October, searching for weapons of mass destruction or missile components on the high seas.

JOHN BOLTON, UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE: While we will pursue diplomatic solutions wherever possible, the United States and its allies are also willing to deploy more robust techniques, such as the interdiction and seizure of illicit goods.

ENSOR: It was a warning, Bolton said, especially to North Korea, Iran, but also Syria, Libya, Cuba and others, that trading in weapons of mass destruction parts is about to get harder.

BOLTON: There is no doubt that the international trafficking in WMD materials is extensive and it's being conducted in many cases by both buyers and sellers who have made solemn treaty obligations not to do what they're doing.

ENSOR: Stepping up searches and seizures at sea, in ports and airports, is good, says one of Bolton's predecessors. But it won't solve the problem.

ROBERT EINHORN, CSIS: It will help, but rarely, rarely. I think for every case where we have timely actionable intelligence information, there will be at least 10 or more where we simply don't have that kind of information.

ENSOR: Also needed, legal authority and the will to seize what's found. The Sosan (ph) stopped at sea by Spanish forces almost a year ago smuggling North Korean SCUD missiles was allowed to continue with its cargo to the buyer, Yemen, because Washington needs Yemen's help in the war on terrorism.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ENSOR: Bolton also warned North Korea that the U.S. will insist on tough, explicit ways for the world to verify that Pyongyang really does give up all its nuclear weapons capability, in any possible deal. U.S. officials are saying that planning for another round of six-party talks on North Korea's weapons has hit a snag, and now not likely to resume this month -- Wolf. BLITZER: David Ensor, thanks very much for that. We'll have much more coming up on the terror threats, as well as the latest situation in Iraq. That's coming up.

But let's move on to an important story we're following right here in the United States. A convicted sex offender has been arrested in connection with that missing student case in North Dakota. But police still don't know what happened to the woman who vanished.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PETER WELTE, NORTH DAKOTA ATTORNEY GENERAL: We're trying to maintain a positive outlook on this. And we are approaching it from that aspect.

BLITZER (voice-over): The search continues for 22-year-old Dru Sjodin, despite the arrest of an ex-convict who has been charged with her kidnapping.

50-year-old Alfonso Rodriguez Jr., was taken into custody at his home in Crookston, Minnesota. Crookston is about 30 miles from the shopping mall in Grand Forks, North Dakota where Sjodin was last seen November 22. She worked at a Victoria's Secret store in the mall while also attending classes at the University of North Dakota. Rodriguez is a registered predatory sex offender who has served time for rape, and authorities say he was near the mall when the crime occurred.

WELTE: We do have probable cause that he was in Grand Forks at that time, and that -- and that he was in the parking lot, and we have probable cause and issued the arrest based on that, that he was there.

BLITZER: Officials won't say whether the suspect is cooperating with investigators, but the missing woman's family remains hopeful she'll be found alive and well.

ALLAN SJODIN, FATHER: Honey, we're still looking for you. We know you're there. Our strength is drawn off of you. We're just overwhelmed with this. Obviously, we're just totally overwhelmed. But what we want is for everyone to continue what they've been doing. Just like these folks have been saying, check your shelter belts, check your buildings, check anything, check everything. We want information. We have the strength and wherewithal to be out there. We're going to continue to be there, honey. We're going to find you.

SVEN SJODIN, BROTHER: We are a strong family, and we know she's out there. She's a strong girl. And I know we're just right around the corner from you, Dru. If you are watching TV right now, you got a bunch of thanks to say, and we'll see you in a while. And we love you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Here's some more background now on Alfonso Rodriguez Jr. He was previously convicted in Minnesota of raping two women and attempting to rape a third, and has used a weapon in connection with at least one of his assaults. Minnesota law classifies him as a level three sex offender. That's the category of offenders considered most likely to repeat their crimes.

He served a 23-year sentence for rape, kidnapping and assault, and when he was released last May, authorities held a community notification meeting in Crookston to alert resident that a registered sex offender was living in their community. More than 100 people attended that meeting.

Alfonso Rodriguez Jr. is expected to make a court appearance tomorrow on kidnapping charges. Joining us from Grand Forks, the police chief, John Packett. Chief, thanks very much for joining us. What's the latest on the search for this 22-year-old woman?

CHIEF JOHN PACKETT, GRAND FORKS POLICE: Well, good evening. We're very pleased that there's enough interest nationally on this case that allows us to get the word out.

I think as your viewers just saw with the Sjodin family, their energy is really assisting us in this tenth day of this tragic event. We're certainly heartened that there's been an arrest made but we're only halfway there, I think.

Tomorrow's going to be a very important day. We estimate up to 1,500 citizens will be bused to grand forks from as far away as the twin cities and Fargo to assist in the search. I think that's unprecedented in a situation like this. And it certainly shows the community interest in this case.

BLITZER: Do you believe, Chief, she is still alive?

PACKETT: Yes, I do. It's important to us right now, I think, to reassure her that we are searching. The common focus of every day in our briefing of investigators, every day in dealing with the media is that, Dru, we are coming. We are looking for you. We will bring you home. That's what's driving us now. That's our No. 1 goal.

BLITZER: Do you have new leads -- without telling us where the leads are coming from -- do you have new leads on her whereabouts, perhaps?

PACKETT: As far as leads, I think it is the totality of what brought us to this point in time. Certainly probable cause for search warrants, probable cause for an arrest warrant last night. The totality of about 1,000 leads to date has resulted in the arrest of the individual that we're talking about.

I think all those things lead us to believe that we can get very close to bringing her home very quickly, and I'm heartened by that.

At the same time, I'll take no solace in the arrest being made until we bring her home.

BLITZER: The suspicion, Chief, and just correct if I'm wrong, is that Alfonso Rodriguez Jr. kidnapped this woman? PACKETT: Yes. We believe there's probable cause that he was seen in the area of the mall in which she was taken. We feel there's enough evidence that ties him to her. And that's what resulted in the arrest warrant last night and his incarceration.

BLITZER: Let's hope, Chief, that you find Dru Sjodin quickly, she's safe. Our prayers, of course, are with her and her family. Chief, thanks for joining us.

PACKETT: Thank you very much.

BLITZER: It's the break police in Ohio have been waiting for. New developments in the case of the deadly highway shooting. We'll have details.

Officers' actions, a deadly result. Did the police follow procedure?

We're waiting for some final judgment in Cincinnati.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, nothing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: No protection. The new face of America's uninsured.

We'll get to all of that, including General George Joulwan. He's standing by to tell us what is happening in Iraq.

But first, today's news quiz.

When was Major Medical Expense Insurance introduced nationally, 1944, 1951, 1958, 1965? The answer coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Off with his head. U.S. Forces may not have him in the flesh, but Saddam Hussein's head is definitely coming down. We'll have details. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Turning now to Iraq. Two days ago it was the scene of a battle. The area near Samarra was the scene of a more routine ambush today which unfortunately claimed the life of another United States soldier. Let's go live to CNN senior international correspondent Walter Rogers, he's joining us in Baghdad -- Walt.

WALTER RODGERS, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Wolf. Routine ambush tragicly translate into a soldier from the 4th Infantry Division killed in a remotely detonated roadside bomb explosion. He suffered mortal head wounds. And coming off as the U.S. Army portrayed as a substantial military victory on Sunday, the Americans today had to settle for something less impressive, a more symbolic triumph.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RODGERS (voice-over): Saddam's head removed, but still at large former Iraqi despot may well be taunting Washington, where is the rest of me. In Baghdad, Saddam had four massive heads of himself cast, each 30 feet or 8 meters high, weighing 7 tons. He fancied himself a great warrior. Hence, the head gear. At times, Saladin at others Neburchadnezzer. The U.S. administrater here in Iraq fancies Saddam's monuments to Saddam gone.

PAUL BREMER, U.S. CIVILIAN ADMINISTRATOR: I've been looking at these heads for six months. And I'm delighted to see them coming down. It is a symbol of how the regime they represent is gone.

RODGERS: There was applause from the U.S. led coalition at the head lifting, but Iraqis remain too frightened to applaud yet, especially with Saddam still eluding capture. This man should know, he used to work in the government.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Iraqi people will continue to fear him. I think the public opinion is such that from past experience, it shows this man was always able to come back.

RODGERS: As recently as last week, President Bush assured the Iraqi people that will never happen.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The regime of Saddam Hussein is gone forever.

RODGERS: The problem is, many Iraqis say the U.S. has a credibility gap in Iraq.

ABDUL SATTAR JAWAD, BAGHDAD UNIVERSITY: The failure to catch him is not in favor of the American forces. You must squeeze him as soon as possible. He is the sort of menace, a sort of threat, and he is a violent man.

RODGERS: The U.S.-led coalition has squeezed Saddam, driven him underground, made his loyalists bleed. But at the end of the day, Saddam keeps getting away.

LT. GEN. RICARDO SANCHEZ, U.S. ARMY: It is difficult to find him, given that I haven't found him, killed him or captured him. And I need the Iraqi people's help. And together we'll find him, we'll capture him or we'll kill him.

RODGERS: Short of that, however, the U.S. is having to settle for these symbols, which are less than persuasive to the vast majority of Iraqis.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

RODGERS: Most of the Iraqi people, however, simply do not know where Saddam Hussein is. He's so expert at covering his tracks -- Wolf. BLITZER: Walter Rodgers with the latest in Baghdad. Walt, thanks very much.

To our viewers, here is your turn to weigh in on this important story. Our Web question of the day is this: Is $27,000 to remove Saddam Hussein's busts in Baghdad money well spent? You can vote right now, yes or no. Just go to cnn.com/wolf. We'll have the results later in this broadcast.

The bus came down in Baghdad two days after the United States claimed a major victory in Samarra, where dozens of insurgents were reportedly killed. Earlier today, it seemed as if the coalition was about to claim another victory, but officials denied reports Iraq's second most wanted man had been captured.

To get a sense of how the mission in Iraq is going, let's turn to retired U.S. Army General George Joulwan. He commanded troops at every level in the U.S. military, and is the former supreme allied commander of NATO. General Joulwan, thanks very much for joining us.

The bus of Saddam Hussein going down, but he is still at large. How big, militarily, is that, how big of a factor for U.S. troops that Saddam is still on the loose?

GEN. GEORGE JOULWAN (RET.), FORMER NATO SUPREME ALLIED COMMANDER: I think it's very important that every attempt be made to capture, kill Saddam Hussein. I think there is central direction here. Whether it's Saddam Hussein or not, we don't know that for sure, but there is central direction what's going on. Now, what we saw recently in Samarra and elsewhere. So that central direction needs to be eliminated. And I think it is in that Sunni triangle. That's his home base and that's where most probably he is.

BLITZER: You could see the frustration. You were looking at Ricardo Sanchez, the three-star general, when he was talking about Saddam. You can just feel the frustration he has.

JOULWAN: I think it's very important, though, and I know these officers and I know their frustration. But that ought not to be our only focus. We are in a tough fight over there. And these guerrillas or Fedayeen, they stood and fought against overwhelming odds by the U.S.

BLITZER: In Samarra?

JOULWAN: In Samarra.

BLITZER: So what does that say to you?

JOULWAN: That says that they are regrouping. There are those that are trained enough to have a coordinated attack. We must understand that, and we must have the actionable intelligence when we commit forces that we try to predict where this will occur. But they are willing to stand and fight. And that's significant.

BLITZER: There are some who suggest they want to have these kinds of incidents, knowing the fire power is overwhelmingly against them, to try to get public support, Iraqi support for them.

JOULWAN: There is a psychological operation going on on their part. They want to keep -- the news media keeps reporting, whether it's one soldier, U.S. soldier killed or some of our allies. That keeps this myth going that there is some more control than they really have.

BLITZER: So what's the most pressing thing the United States military, the Army in particular, must do in Iraq right now?

JOULWAN: In my opinion, what they have to do is a combination of civilian and military. But I think, really, what the military must do is get control. And we don't really have that control yet. And there is still some initiative with the terrorists, with the Fedayeen. So I think you have to get control. If you have to generate more combat power, if that means bringing in some more allied troops to be able to go out and really provide the sort of control we need on the borders of the country, to prevent foreign soldiers from coming in, all of that needs to be done. And we're not there. And it's a big job. These are big borders, and it takes a lot of troops to cover them.

BLITZER: General Joulwan, the former NATO commander, as usual, thanks very much for coming in.

JOULWAN: Thank you.

BLITZER: A community's call for answers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: These officers responded very well to an assaultive person, a very large person who clearly attacked them very violently.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: But not everyone agrees. Some Cincinnati leaders are demanding more answers into the actions caught on this videotape.

Getting tough on terror. New concerns have the United Nations up in arms over al Qaeda.

Cold stares in the Steel City. With the tariff issue looming, President Bush making a stop in Pittsburgh. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back to CNN.

Were the actions of these officers justified? The talk continues in Cincinnati. We'll get to that. First, though, a quick check of the latest headlines.

(NEWSBREAK)

BLITZER: Fallout is growing from a violent videotaped encounter between Cincinnati police and a man who later died. CNN's Brian Cabell is joining us now live with the latest -- Brian.

BRIAN CABELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, the coroner's office is now telling us they expect to have at least a couple of major findings by mid-day tomorrow, namely the cause of death of Nathaniel Jones, and also the levels of PCP and cocaine that were found in his system.

The crime lab did release some results earlier this afternoon. And those were that a couple of items taken from his car, a small amount of cocaine, less than a gram, and also a couple of cigarettes that had been laced with PCP. That may shed some light on the condition he was in on Sunday morning.

What has not been answered exactly yet is why was he so belligerent? Why was he swing at the police officers? What exactly was said between the officers and him before the fight erupted?

It took two officers, along with some nightsticks and some backup officers, to finally subdue him. Of course, shortly afterwards he was rushed to the hospital. And that's where he died.

Critics, though, pointing to past problems here in Cincinnati with police and with blacks, say this incident was not handled properly.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JULEANA FRIERSON, CINCINNATI BLACK UNITED FRONT: When you look at the beginning of the tape, you see Mr. Jones standing there all alone, bothering no one. So what happened to get to where it went?

And then when you look at the police hitting this man 40 times, something is wrong with that. Where is the mental help response team? We fought for that procedure to be put in place. They said that one person was on a burglary call. Then something's wrong with that procedure.

CHIEF LARRY STREICHER JR., CINCINNATI POLICE: It's incumbent upon the police department to conduct a 360 degree evaluation of this incident so that, hopefully, at the end of the day we can answer each and every question that everybody has.

And that's our goal at this point, to answer all those questions, because there are different perspectives from different parts of society.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABELL: So the police are now investigating this. The federal government is taking a look. Citizens' Council is also investigating, and the NAACP says it, too, is investigating.

So Wolf, at this point we have a lot of questions and so far, only a few questions.

BLITZER: CNN's Brian Cabell, reporting for us. Thanks, Brian, very much. The son of convicted sniper John Muhammad testifies in the trial of his alleged accomplice. That story tops our "Justice File."

Lawyers for Lee Boyd Malvo called 21-year-old Lindbergh Williams to the stand. Williams described John Muhammad as a manipulator who takes advantage of people's weaknesses. Defense lawyers contend Muhammad indoctrinated Malvo and coerced him into taking part in the sniper shootings.

Emotional testimony in the manslaughter trial of South Dakota congressman, Bill Janklow. A witness cried on the stand while recalling the accident that killed his friend. Prosecutors say Janklow was speeding when his car hit the victim's motorcycle. His lawyers say Janklow was suffering a diabetic reaction at the time.

And a 14-year-old boy in Baton Rouge, Louisiana is charged with second-degree murder in the death of a 2-year-old. Police say the toddler died after the teenager wrestled with him, then tried to cover up the child's injuries by putting him into bed.

The coroner's office says the 2-year-old suffered lacerations to his spleen and liver and bled to death.

Armed, dangerous and ready to strike. An inside look at al Qaeda and the United Nations' latest plan to combat terrorism.

Unemployment numbers shrinking. But there's a new problem facing America's work force.

And a well-known tourist attraction in jeopardy. What's happening to Mount Kilimanjaro?

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Strong support. The role of Spain in the war in Iraq and against terrorism worldwide. I'll speak with the Spanish foreign minister, Ana Palacio.

And high-tech gear. How about eyeglasses with computer screens? The newest gadgets you can wear. All that, that's coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Al Qaeda is continuing to grow and is winning new recruits. That according to a new United Nations report which says many governments don't cooperate with financial and arms embargoes against the terror network.

CNN's Martin Savidge looks at one possible solution.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): If the U.N. had its way, this house would be taken away from its owner, a war prize in what it says is the fight against international terrorism.

The house belongs to a man named Youssef Nada, an Egyptian-born banker. It's on a hillside in the small Italian enclave inside Switzerland.

Two years ago, at the urging of the U.S., Nada's business in the nearby town of Lagana (ph) was raided, and all of his assets in Switzerland frozen. The charge? That through his companies, including a bank and management company called Al Taqwa, he was providing funding and financing to al Qaeda.

JUAN ZARATE, U.S. TREASURY DEPT.: We've frozen and asked other countries to freeze the assets of Youssef Nada and the Bank Al Taqwa network. And in fact, they have taken further action recently to shut down his continuing operations and work very closely with the Italians and the Swiss to do that.

SAVIDGE: Now, in a new report, the U.N. says the financial war on terrorism has become stalled, and the way to restart it is by not just freezing assets, but actually taking them away from their owners. Youssef Nada is singled out in the report.

MICHAEL CHANDLER, U.N. MONITORING GROUP: He wanted money to pay for taxes on a property in Italy. Our concern was that if he was able to have that money and could pay the taxes, he would then be in a position to sell the house. So the cash and where does the money go?

SAVIDGE: For his part, Youssef Nada tells CNN he's no longer in business, and he continues to deny any connection to al Qaeda. If the U.N. convinces the government of Switzerland and Italy to take away his house, he says there is nothing he can do.

Martin Savidge, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: They gave their lives to keep the peace. Now, a nation takes time out to honor those lost in a deadly battle.

A new look taking shape in Iraq. We'll show you the political facelift taking place in the war-torn nation.

Sick with no support, a problem facing millions of Americans. A shocking report.

We'll get to all of that. First, though, a look at some other stories happening around the world.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Can we talk? Representatives of 13 Palestinian factions began talks in Cairo with Egyptian officials. The talks are aimed at ending attacks against Israelis as a step toward peace negotiations.

War crime sentence. The U.N. War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague has sentenced former Bosnian Serb officer to 27 years in prison, a longer sentence than even the prosecutors had recommended. Magnir Lukovic (ph) admitted involvement in the 1995 massacre of thousands of Muslims in Srebrenica.

Anger in Africa. Pro-government mobs in Ivory Coast want free reign to resume fighting rebels. They surrounded a French army post to demand that French peacekeepers abandon cease-fire lines.

Melting mountain. They are an international tourism attraction, and the title subject of a famed novel by Ernest Hemingway. But the snows of Mount Kilimanjaro are in jeopardy.

Experts say a changing climate, less rain, is causing the mountain's glaciers to melt and they may vanish completely by 2020.

Gadget gear. An unusual fashion show in Tokyo featured high tech gadgets you can wear. Fashion designers and electronics experts worked together to come up with ideas like eyeglasses with computer screens, skirts and tank tops with fiber optic cables, and a global positioning system you can use while you walk around.

And that's our look around the world.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: A day of mourning in Spain, where a state funeral was held for seven intelligence officers killed in Iraq.

The king and queen joined the Spanish prime minister and hundreds of mourners for the service in Madrid at the National Intelligence Center. The officers died in a shootout with unidentified gunmen Saturday south of Baghdad.

Despite the casualties and broad public opposition, the prime minister says Spanish troops will remain in Iraq and that withdrawal would be the worst alternative.

Along with Britain and Italy, Spain has been Washington's staunchest European ally in the war in Iraq. Earlier I spoke about the situation with a Spanish foreign minister, Ana Palacio.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Foreign minister, thanks so much for joining us. Welcome to Washington. First of all, our deepest condolences to the Spanish citizens who have been killed in Iraq recently, especially the seven intelligence officers. Were they specifically targeted?

ANA PALACIO, SPANISH FOREIGN MINISTER: Well, they were ambushed. If they were specifically targeted is something we have to determine.

BLITZER: Do you know, in fact, if the enemy in this particular case, the insurgents knew these Spaniards were, in fact, intelligence officers? PALACIO: We really don't know. We are investigating.

BLITZER: Who do you suspect at this point, knowing the investigation may be still continuing, was responsible?

PALACIO: Well, you know, I think that in Iraq we have a very clear partner. There is a mixture of terrorists here with remnants of the Saddam Hussein regime. People that are nostalgic of his bloody dictatorship. There are some that are.

And this is mixed with terrorists from abroad, and this is what we are facing now.

BLITZER: They want you, the insurgents, to pick up and get out of Iraq. Will they succeed in their mission?

PALACIO: Well, they won't. We have a firm commitment. Spain has a firm commitment.

You know, we know that it is in our interest that Iraq recovers the place it deserves in the international community. The day Turkey is member of the European Union, the European Union is Iraq's neighbor.

BLITZER: At this point, are you planning on maintaining your level, your troop deployment...

PALACIO: Absolutely.

BLITZER: ... or increasing or decreasing?

PALACIO: Well, right now the information I have is that we are keeping it. And we may change, but what the plans are is that the troops that are there will come back, and they will be replaced by another contingent of the same amount.

BLITZER: Spain has been a close ally of the United States, the Bush administration. You've been meeting with the secretary of state, other top officials while you're here in Washington.

Italy also a strong supporter of the U.S. government. But France, other countries in Europe deeply opposed to the ongoing U.S. policy. How divided is Europe right now as far as Iraq is concerned?

PALACIO: Well, Europe was offended (ph). And I'm not going to minimize what happened. But it was before the intervention.

Right now I think that there is a common interest in rebuilding Iraq, in having Iraq come back to the international community of states that abide by the rule of law.

BLITZER: Should the international community, the Iraq problem, be internationalized? Let the U.N. or NATO, perhaps, take over from the U.S.?

PALACIO: Well, I would say that Iraq is already internationalized. It's international...

BLITZER: But the U.S. is really running the show.

PALACIO: It's true. It's true.

And I think that right now we have to work on the transfer of the exercise of sovereignty, the full exercise of sovereignty to the Iraqi people. and this is our firm commitment.

BLITZER: NATO is in charge of the peacekeeping effort in Afghanistan. Should that be a model for Iraq?

PALACIO: Well, I think Iraq has nothing to do with Afghanistan. But of course, in due time, we may consider other solutions. And this is -- will have to be something that will be discussed.

BLITZER: Foreign minister, thanks so much for joining us. Once again, welcome to Washington.

PALACIO: Thank you.

BLITZER: Working without a safety net. Up next, details on the very disturbing trend taking shape in our nation's work force. You'll want to see this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Earlier, we asked, "When was major medical expense insurance introduced nationally" The answer, 1951.

Major medical coverage offers broad and substantial protection for large, unpredictable medical expenses. It has grown rapidly since insurance companies began offering it more than 50 years ago.

Health care has been back in the spotlight with a recent effort to add a drug benefit to Medicare. But another problem still looms large, a growing crisis that's largely ignored.

CNN's Jen Rogers is in Los Angeles with more on the millions of working Americans who are uninsured -- Jen.

JEN ROGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Wolf. It is a growing percentage of the population, middle-class families with no health insurance.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What do we want? Health care. When do we want it? Now.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What do we want? Health care. When do we want it? Now.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What do we want? Health care. When do we want it? Now.

ROGERS (voice-over): It's a battle cry over 43 million uninsured Americans can sympathize with.

ANDREW FONSECA, WORKER WITH NO INSURANCE: I don't have any insurance at all. Nothing.

ROGERS: Andrew Fonseca is 24. He hasn't had insurance in three years.

FONSECA: I don't do things like I used to, like go snowboarding, and go to the park and play basketball more often without having to worry about hurting myself.

ROGERS: Historically, the ranks of the uninsured have been dominated by the unemployed, part time workers and those in low wage jobs. But Fonseca is none of the above.

He works full time at a nursery in California and makes over $24,000 a year, placing him on the front lines of an emerging trend, young, employed and uninsured.

RON POLLACK, FAMILIES USA: It's baffling when people do all the right things. They're working. They're being responsible. They're paying taxes, and, yet, they can't get health coverage.

ROGERS: While the majority of uninsured Americans are low-income workers, nearly 20 percent make between $25,000 and just under $50,000 a year. Another 11 percent have an annual household income between $50,000 and $75,000, and over eight percent make over $75,000 a year.

At one time, a job with a salary that high would almost certainly have provided benefits, but with health care costs up double digits each of the last four years, the number of uninsured workers is climbing, too, chipping away at decades of gains.

POLLACK: I think it is really going to be the predominant basis for contentiousness between business and labor.

ROGERS: For the most part, businesses aren't dropping health benefits completely.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We need health care right away.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We need health care right away.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We need health care right away.

ROGERS: But changes are making health care coverage less accessible, as companies either restrict eligibility or pass more costs on to employees.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're going to see employers try every which way they can imagine to try to manage the health care liability of their companies.

ROGERS: As for Andrew Fonseca, he is thinking about getting a part-time job at a grocery store just so he'll be eligible for benefits. But of course, that plan will have to wait. Remember, they're on strike.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROGERS: Now, small businesses like the kind Andrew Fonseca works for have historically struggled to provide health insurance. But bigger companies, new studies are showing, are also cutting back, and that really is the very bedrock of the nation's private health care system, which has many experts very concerned -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Jen Rogers in L.A. with a very solid report. Jen, thanks very much.

Heads rolling in Baghdad. Is $27,000 to remove Saddam Hussein's statues money well spent? You can vote right now at CNN.com. We'll have the results when we come back.

Also, new information on those shootings in Columbus, Ohio. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: For those of us living in the greater Washington area, very disturbing information coming out of Columbus, Ohio, right now. Police determining that, in their opinion, the 12 shootings -- yes, 12 shootings -- in recent weeks in Columbus are, in their words, definitely related, even though only four of them have been ballistically coordinated.

More information on this coming up here on CNN throughout the night. But yes, once again, all 12 shootings apparently related. This according to the Franklin County Sheriff's Department, which had a news conference just a little while ago. We'll continue to monitor that story.

Here's your -- how you're weighing in on our web question of the day. We've been asking you this question, "Is $27,000 to remove Saddam Hussein busts in Baghdad money well spent?"

Look at this. Fifty-nine percent of you say yes, 41 percent of you say no. As always, we remind you this is not a scientific poll.

A reminder, we're here twice a day on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS: 5 p.m. Eastern, also every week day at noon Eastern. See you tomorrow. Till then, thanks very much for joining us.

"LOU DOBBS TONIGHT" starts right now.

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Americans Abroad Put on Alert; Can U.N. Cut off Money Flowing to al Qaeda?>

Aired December 2, 2003 - 17:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, HOST: Happening now, a break in the heart- wrenching case of a 22-year-old missing North Dakota woman. This man is about to be extradited from Minnesota to North Dakota suspected of kidnapping her. But is she still alive? Stand by for hard news on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): New terror warnings. Americans abroad are pout on alert.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The timing of the threat was for the next several days.

BLITZER: Al Qaeda's assets. Can the United Nations cut off the money flow?

Missing student. An arrest leaves room for hope.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Honey, we're still looking for you. We know you're there.

BLITZER: And the shocking story of America's uninsured.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's baffling when people are doing all the right things, they're working, they're being responsible, they're paying taxes.

BLITZER: You won't believe just how many are out there.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: This is WOLF BLITZER REPORTS for Tuesday, December 2, 2003.

BLITZER: We begin with a pair of warnings. The United States issuing a terror alert for Americans abroad, and putting would-be nuclear nations on notice that secret weapons programs won't be tolerated. We'll go live to our national security correspondent David Ensor in just a moment, but we start at the State Department, with CNN's Andrea Koppel -- Andrea.

ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, for some of your viewers, these terror alerts, especially those overseas, may have become somewhat routine. But U.S. officials point out what's especially noteworthy about these latest alerts is just how specific they are. With that in mind, tonight security forces in Kenya are on high alert.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KOPPEL (voice-over): The threat came in an anonymous e-mail to the U.S. embassy in Kenya's capital. A State Department public announcement said the terrorist threats were aimed at "American and Western interests in downtown Nairobi, specifically targeting the Stanley Hotel and the Hilton Hotel."

The announcement notes this information has not been corroborated. But according to the U.S. ambassador to Kenya, the e- mail specified Wednesday as the target date for an attack.

ADAM ERELI, STATE DEPT. SPOKESMAN: The anonymous warning also said that the timing of the threat was for the next several days. So given that specificity, it was incumbent upon us to take the steps that we took.

KOPPEL: A popular tourist destination, Kenya has been targeted by al Qaeda terrorists before. Last year in Mombasa, when suicide bombers killed more than a dozen people, at an Israeli-owned hotel, and attempted to bring down an Israeli passenger jet with shoulder- fired missiles. And in 1998, when suicide bombers attacked the U.S. embassy, killing 219 people.

Meanwhile, in Saudi Arabia, just weeks after al Qaeda is believed to have carried out suicide bombings at a mostly Arab housing compound in Riyadh, the U.S. embassy issued fresh warnings.

ERELI: The worded message cited recent confirmed information that indicated that the Cidar Village (ph) housing compound in Riyadh has been under active surveillance by terrorist elements and that other Western compounds within the kingdom may also be targeted.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KOPPEL: For that reason, the State Department is urging Americans to defer all nonessential travel to the Saudi kingdom and to Kenya, and is also warning Americans already in both of those countries to keep a low profile, Wolf, and to also try to be vigilant and stay away from those places where they know Westerners or Americans are known to congregate -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Good advice for Americans around the world. Thanks very much for that, Andrea.

British police, meanwhile, have rounded up 14 people today in a series of anti-terror raids. Four suspects were picked up in London, where several homes and businesses were searched. Six others were detained in the university town of Cambridge, and four more arrests were made in a pair of towns near Birmingham. Last Thursday, police seized a suspect and explosives in the southwestern town of Gloucester. Britain has been on its second highest security alert for two weeks. A top administration official today warns so-called rogue states that the United States and its allies will get tough on weapons of mass destruction programs. For that, let's turn to our national security correspondent, David Ensor -- David.

DAVID ENSOR, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, this warning comes, Wolf, at a time when there is a reasonable amount of tension with Iran over its nuclear program, as well as North Korea.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) targets.

ENSOR (voice-over): What you see in this training exercise could soon be for real, says the Bush administration. In this case, Japanese troops storming a ship in an Australian-led exercise, including U.S. forces, in October, searching for weapons of mass destruction or missile components on the high seas.

JOHN BOLTON, UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE: While we will pursue diplomatic solutions wherever possible, the United States and its allies are also willing to deploy more robust techniques, such as the interdiction and seizure of illicit goods.

ENSOR: It was a warning, Bolton said, especially to North Korea, Iran, but also Syria, Libya, Cuba and others, that trading in weapons of mass destruction parts is about to get harder.

BOLTON: There is no doubt that the international trafficking in WMD materials is extensive and it's being conducted in many cases by both buyers and sellers who have made solemn treaty obligations not to do what they're doing.

ENSOR: Stepping up searches and seizures at sea, in ports and airports, is good, says one of Bolton's predecessors. But it won't solve the problem.

ROBERT EINHORN, CSIS: It will help, but rarely, rarely. I think for every case where we have timely actionable intelligence information, there will be at least 10 or more where we simply don't have that kind of information.

ENSOR: Also needed, legal authority and the will to seize what's found. The Sosan (ph) stopped at sea by Spanish forces almost a year ago smuggling North Korean SCUD missiles was allowed to continue with its cargo to the buyer, Yemen, because Washington needs Yemen's help in the war on terrorism.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ENSOR: Bolton also warned North Korea that the U.S. will insist on tough, explicit ways for the world to verify that Pyongyang really does give up all its nuclear weapons capability, in any possible deal. U.S. officials are saying that planning for another round of six-party talks on North Korea's weapons has hit a snag, and now not likely to resume this month -- Wolf. BLITZER: David Ensor, thanks very much for that. We'll have much more coming up on the terror threats, as well as the latest situation in Iraq. That's coming up.

But let's move on to an important story we're following right here in the United States. A convicted sex offender has been arrested in connection with that missing student case in North Dakota. But police still don't know what happened to the woman who vanished.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PETER WELTE, NORTH DAKOTA ATTORNEY GENERAL: We're trying to maintain a positive outlook on this. And we are approaching it from that aspect.

BLITZER (voice-over): The search continues for 22-year-old Dru Sjodin, despite the arrest of an ex-convict who has been charged with her kidnapping.

50-year-old Alfonso Rodriguez Jr., was taken into custody at his home in Crookston, Minnesota. Crookston is about 30 miles from the shopping mall in Grand Forks, North Dakota where Sjodin was last seen November 22. She worked at a Victoria's Secret store in the mall while also attending classes at the University of North Dakota. Rodriguez is a registered predatory sex offender who has served time for rape, and authorities say he was near the mall when the crime occurred.

WELTE: We do have probable cause that he was in Grand Forks at that time, and that -- and that he was in the parking lot, and we have probable cause and issued the arrest based on that, that he was there.

BLITZER: Officials won't say whether the suspect is cooperating with investigators, but the missing woman's family remains hopeful she'll be found alive and well.

ALLAN SJODIN, FATHER: Honey, we're still looking for you. We know you're there. Our strength is drawn off of you. We're just overwhelmed with this. Obviously, we're just totally overwhelmed. But what we want is for everyone to continue what they've been doing. Just like these folks have been saying, check your shelter belts, check your buildings, check anything, check everything. We want information. We have the strength and wherewithal to be out there. We're going to continue to be there, honey. We're going to find you.

SVEN SJODIN, BROTHER: We are a strong family, and we know she's out there. She's a strong girl. And I know we're just right around the corner from you, Dru. If you are watching TV right now, you got a bunch of thanks to say, and we'll see you in a while. And we love you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Here's some more background now on Alfonso Rodriguez Jr. He was previously convicted in Minnesota of raping two women and attempting to rape a third, and has used a weapon in connection with at least one of his assaults. Minnesota law classifies him as a level three sex offender. That's the category of offenders considered most likely to repeat their crimes.

He served a 23-year sentence for rape, kidnapping and assault, and when he was released last May, authorities held a community notification meeting in Crookston to alert resident that a registered sex offender was living in their community. More than 100 people attended that meeting.

Alfonso Rodriguez Jr. is expected to make a court appearance tomorrow on kidnapping charges. Joining us from Grand Forks, the police chief, John Packett. Chief, thanks very much for joining us. What's the latest on the search for this 22-year-old woman?

CHIEF JOHN PACKETT, GRAND FORKS POLICE: Well, good evening. We're very pleased that there's enough interest nationally on this case that allows us to get the word out.

I think as your viewers just saw with the Sjodin family, their energy is really assisting us in this tenth day of this tragic event. We're certainly heartened that there's been an arrest made but we're only halfway there, I think.

Tomorrow's going to be a very important day. We estimate up to 1,500 citizens will be bused to grand forks from as far away as the twin cities and Fargo to assist in the search. I think that's unprecedented in a situation like this. And it certainly shows the community interest in this case.

BLITZER: Do you believe, Chief, she is still alive?

PACKETT: Yes, I do. It's important to us right now, I think, to reassure her that we are searching. The common focus of every day in our briefing of investigators, every day in dealing with the media is that, Dru, we are coming. We are looking for you. We will bring you home. That's what's driving us now. That's our No. 1 goal.

BLITZER: Do you have new leads -- without telling us where the leads are coming from -- do you have new leads on her whereabouts, perhaps?

PACKETT: As far as leads, I think it is the totality of what brought us to this point in time. Certainly probable cause for search warrants, probable cause for an arrest warrant last night. The totality of about 1,000 leads to date has resulted in the arrest of the individual that we're talking about.

I think all those things lead us to believe that we can get very close to bringing her home very quickly, and I'm heartened by that.

At the same time, I'll take no solace in the arrest being made until we bring her home.

BLITZER: The suspicion, Chief, and just correct if I'm wrong, is that Alfonso Rodriguez Jr. kidnapped this woman? PACKETT: Yes. We believe there's probable cause that he was seen in the area of the mall in which she was taken. We feel there's enough evidence that ties him to her. And that's what resulted in the arrest warrant last night and his incarceration.

BLITZER: Let's hope, Chief, that you find Dru Sjodin quickly, she's safe. Our prayers, of course, are with her and her family. Chief, thanks for joining us.

PACKETT: Thank you very much.

BLITZER: It's the break police in Ohio have been waiting for. New developments in the case of the deadly highway shooting. We'll have details.

Officers' actions, a deadly result. Did the police follow procedure?

We're waiting for some final judgment in Cincinnati.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, nothing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: No protection. The new face of America's uninsured.

We'll get to all of that, including General George Joulwan. He's standing by to tell us what is happening in Iraq.

But first, today's news quiz.

When was Major Medical Expense Insurance introduced nationally, 1944, 1951, 1958, 1965? The answer coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Off with his head. U.S. Forces may not have him in the flesh, but Saddam Hussein's head is definitely coming down. We'll have details. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Turning now to Iraq. Two days ago it was the scene of a battle. The area near Samarra was the scene of a more routine ambush today which unfortunately claimed the life of another United States soldier. Let's go live to CNN senior international correspondent Walter Rogers, he's joining us in Baghdad -- Walt.

WALTER RODGERS, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Wolf. Routine ambush tragicly translate into a soldier from the 4th Infantry Division killed in a remotely detonated roadside bomb explosion. He suffered mortal head wounds. And coming off as the U.S. Army portrayed as a substantial military victory on Sunday, the Americans today had to settle for something less impressive, a more symbolic triumph.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RODGERS (voice-over): Saddam's head removed, but still at large former Iraqi despot may well be taunting Washington, where is the rest of me. In Baghdad, Saddam had four massive heads of himself cast, each 30 feet or 8 meters high, weighing 7 tons. He fancied himself a great warrior. Hence, the head gear. At times, Saladin at others Neburchadnezzer. The U.S. administrater here in Iraq fancies Saddam's monuments to Saddam gone.

PAUL BREMER, U.S. CIVILIAN ADMINISTRATOR: I've been looking at these heads for six months. And I'm delighted to see them coming down. It is a symbol of how the regime they represent is gone.

RODGERS: There was applause from the U.S. led coalition at the head lifting, but Iraqis remain too frightened to applaud yet, especially with Saddam still eluding capture. This man should know, he used to work in the government.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Iraqi people will continue to fear him. I think the public opinion is such that from past experience, it shows this man was always able to come back.

RODGERS: As recently as last week, President Bush assured the Iraqi people that will never happen.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The regime of Saddam Hussein is gone forever.

RODGERS: The problem is, many Iraqis say the U.S. has a credibility gap in Iraq.

ABDUL SATTAR JAWAD, BAGHDAD UNIVERSITY: The failure to catch him is not in favor of the American forces. You must squeeze him as soon as possible. He is the sort of menace, a sort of threat, and he is a violent man.

RODGERS: The U.S.-led coalition has squeezed Saddam, driven him underground, made his loyalists bleed. But at the end of the day, Saddam keeps getting away.

LT. GEN. RICARDO SANCHEZ, U.S. ARMY: It is difficult to find him, given that I haven't found him, killed him or captured him. And I need the Iraqi people's help. And together we'll find him, we'll capture him or we'll kill him.

RODGERS: Short of that, however, the U.S. is having to settle for these symbols, which are less than persuasive to the vast majority of Iraqis.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

RODGERS: Most of the Iraqi people, however, simply do not know where Saddam Hussein is. He's so expert at covering his tracks -- Wolf. BLITZER: Walter Rodgers with the latest in Baghdad. Walt, thanks very much.

To our viewers, here is your turn to weigh in on this important story. Our Web question of the day is this: Is $27,000 to remove Saddam Hussein's busts in Baghdad money well spent? You can vote right now, yes or no. Just go to cnn.com/wolf. We'll have the results later in this broadcast.

The bus came down in Baghdad two days after the United States claimed a major victory in Samarra, where dozens of insurgents were reportedly killed. Earlier today, it seemed as if the coalition was about to claim another victory, but officials denied reports Iraq's second most wanted man had been captured.

To get a sense of how the mission in Iraq is going, let's turn to retired U.S. Army General George Joulwan. He commanded troops at every level in the U.S. military, and is the former supreme allied commander of NATO. General Joulwan, thanks very much for joining us.

The bus of Saddam Hussein going down, but he is still at large. How big, militarily, is that, how big of a factor for U.S. troops that Saddam is still on the loose?

GEN. GEORGE JOULWAN (RET.), FORMER NATO SUPREME ALLIED COMMANDER: I think it's very important that every attempt be made to capture, kill Saddam Hussein. I think there is central direction here. Whether it's Saddam Hussein or not, we don't know that for sure, but there is central direction what's going on. Now, what we saw recently in Samarra and elsewhere. So that central direction needs to be eliminated. And I think it is in that Sunni triangle. That's his home base and that's where most probably he is.

BLITZER: You could see the frustration. You were looking at Ricardo Sanchez, the three-star general, when he was talking about Saddam. You can just feel the frustration he has.

JOULWAN: I think it's very important, though, and I know these officers and I know their frustration. But that ought not to be our only focus. We are in a tough fight over there. And these guerrillas or Fedayeen, they stood and fought against overwhelming odds by the U.S.

BLITZER: In Samarra?

JOULWAN: In Samarra.

BLITZER: So what does that say to you?

JOULWAN: That says that they are regrouping. There are those that are trained enough to have a coordinated attack. We must understand that, and we must have the actionable intelligence when we commit forces that we try to predict where this will occur. But they are willing to stand and fight. And that's significant.

BLITZER: There are some who suggest they want to have these kinds of incidents, knowing the fire power is overwhelmingly against them, to try to get public support, Iraqi support for them.

JOULWAN: There is a psychological operation going on on their part. They want to keep -- the news media keeps reporting, whether it's one soldier, U.S. soldier killed or some of our allies. That keeps this myth going that there is some more control than they really have.

BLITZER: So what's the most pressing thing the United States military, the Army in particular, must do in Iraq right now?

JOULWAN: In my opinion, what they have to do is a combination of civilian and military. But I think, really, what the military must do is get control. And we don't really have that control yet. And there is still some initiative with the terrorists, with the Fedayeen. So I think you have to get control. If you have to generate more combat power, if that means bringing in some more allied troops to be able to go out and really provide the sort of control we need on the borders of the country, to prevent foreign soldiers from coming in, all of that needs to be done. And we're not there. And it's a big job. These are big borders, and it takes a lot of troops to cover them.

BLITZER: General Joulwan, the former NATO commander, as usual, thanks very much for coming in.

JOULWAN: Thank you.

BLITZER: A community's call for answers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: These officers responded very well to an assaultive person, a very large person who clearly attacked them very violently.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: But not everyone agrees. Some Cincinnati leaders are demanding more answers into the actions caught on this videotape.

Getting tough on terror. New concerns have the United Nations up in arms over al Qaeda.

Cold stares in the Steel City. With the tariff issue looming, President Bush making a stop in Pittsburgh. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back to CNN.

Were the actions of these officers justified? The talk continues in Cincinnati. We'll get to that. First, though, a quick check of the latest headlines.

(NEWSBREAK)

BLITZER: Fallout is growing from a violent videotaped encounter between Cincinnati police and a man who later died. CNN's Brian Cabell is joining us now live with the latest -- Brian.

BRIAN CABELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, the coroner's office is now telling us they expect to have at least a couple of major findings by mid-day tomorrow, namely the cause of death of Nathaniel Jones, and also the levels of PCP and cocaine that were found in his system.

The crime lab did release some results earlier this afternoon. And those were that a couple of items taken from his car, a small amount of cocaine, less than a gram, and also a couple of cigarettes that had been laced with PCP. That may shed some light on the condition he was in on Sunday morning.

What has not been answered exactly yet is why was he so belligerent? Why was he swing at the police officers? What exactly was said between the officers and him before the fight erupted?

It took two officers, along with some nightsticks and some backup officers, to finally subdue him. Of course, shortly afterwards he was rushed to the hospital. And that's where he died.

Critics, though, pointing to past problems here in Cincinnati with police and with blacks, say this incident was not handled properly.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JULEANA FRIERSON, CINCINNATI BLACK UNITED FRONT: When you look at the beginning of the tape, you see Mr. Jones standing there all alone, bothering no one. So what happened to get to where it went?

And then when you look at the police hitting this man 40 times, something is wrong with that. Where is the mental help response team? We fought for that procedure to be put in place. They said that one person was on a burglary call. Then something's wrong with that procedure.

CHIEF LARRY STREICHER JR., CINCINNATI POLICE: It's incumbent upon the police department to conduct a 360 degree evaluation of this incident so that, hopefully, at the end of the day we can answer each and every question that everybody has.

And that's our goal at this point, to answer all those questions, because there are different perspectives from different parts of society.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABELL: So the police are now investigating this. The federal government is taking a look. Citizens' Council is also investigating, and the NAACP says it, too, is investigating.

So Wolf, at this point we have a lot of questions and so far, only a few questions.

BLITZER: CNN's Brian Cabell, reporting for us. Thanks, Brian, very much. The son of convicted sniper John Muhammad testifies in the trial of his alleged accomplice. That story tops our "Justice File."

Lawyers for Lee Boyd Malvo called 21-year-old Lindbergh Williams to the stand. Williams described John Muhammad as a manipulator who takes advantage of people's weaknesses. Defense lawyers contend Muhammad indoctrinated Malvo and coerced him into taking part in the sniper shootings.

Emotional testimony in the manslaughter trial of South Dakota congressman, Bill Janklow. A witness cried on the stand while recalling the accident that killed his friend. Prosecutors say Janklow was speeding when his car hit the victim's motorcycle. His lawyers say Janklow was suffering a diabetic reaction at the time.

And a 14-year-old boy in Baton Rouge, Louisiana is charged with second-degree murder in the death of a 2-year-old. Police say the toddler died after the teenager wrestled with him, then tried to cover up the child's injuries by putting him into bed.

The coroner's office says the 2-year-old suffered lacerations to his spleen and liver and bled to death.

Armed, dangerous and ready to strike. An inside look at al Qaeda and the United Nations' latest plan to combat terrorism.

Unemployment numbers shrinking. But there's a new problem facing America's work force.

And a well-known tourist attraction in jeopardy. What's happening to Mount Kilimanjaro?

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Strong support. The role of Spain in the war in Iraq and against terrorism worldwide. I'll speak with the Spanish foreign minister, Ana Palacio.

And high-tech gear. How about eyeglasses with computer screens? The newest gadgets you can wear. All that, that's coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Al Qaeda is continuing to grow and is winning new recruits. That according to a new United Nations report which says many governments don't cooperate with financial and arms embargoes against the terror network.

CNN's Martin Savidge looks at one possible solution.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): If the U.N. had its way, this house would be taken away from its owner, a war prize in what it says is the fight against international terrorism.

The house belongs to a man named Youssef Nada, an Egyptian-born banker. It's on a hillside in the small Italian enclave inside Switzerland.

Two years ago, at the urging of the U.S., Nada's business in the nearby town of Lagana (ph) was raided, and all of his assets in Switzerland frozen. The charge? That through his companies, including a bank and management company called Al Taqwa, he was providing funding and financing to al Qaeda.

JUAN ZARATE, U.S. TREASURY DEPT.: We've frozen and asked other countries to freeze the assets of Youssef Nada and the Bank Al Taqwa network. And in fact, they have taken further action recently to shut down his continuing operations and work very closely with the Italians and the Swiss to do that.

SAVIDGE: Now, in a new report, the U.N. says the financial war on terrorism has become stalled, and the way to restart it is by not just freezing assets, but actually taking them away from their owners. Youssef Nada is singled out in the report.

MICHAEL CHANDLER, U.N. MONITORING GROUP: He wanted money to pay for taxes on a property in Italy. Our concern was that if he was able to have that money and could pay the taxes, he would then be in a position to sell the house. So the cash and where does the money go?

SAVIDGE: For his part, Youssef Nada tells CNN he's no longer in business, and he continues to deny any connection to al Qaeda. If the U.N. convinces the government of Switzerland and Italy to take away his house, he says there is nothing he can do.

Martin Savidge, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: They gave their lives to keep the peace. Now, a nation takes time out to honor those lost in a deadly battle.

A new look taking shape in Iraq. We'll show you the political facelift taking place in the war-torn nation.

Sick with no support, a problem facing millions of Americans. A shocking report.

We'll get to all of that. First, though, a look at some other stories happening around the world.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Can we talk? Representatives of 13 Palestinian factions began talks in Cairo with Egyptian officials. The talks are aimed at ending attacks against Israelis as a step toward peace negotiations.

War crime sentence. The U.N. War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague has sentenced former Bosnian Serb officer to 27 years in prison, a longer sentence than even the prosecutors had recommended. Magnir Lukovic (ph) admitted involvement in the 1995 massacre of thousands of Muslims in Srebrenica.

Anger in Africa. Pro-government mobs in Ivory Coast want free reign to resume fighting rebels. They surrounded a French army post to demand that French peacekeepers abandon cease-fire lines.

Melting mountain. They are an international tourism attraction, and the title subject of a famed novel by Ernest Hemingway. But the snows of Mount Kilimanjaro are in jeopardy.

Experts say a changing climate, less rain, is causing the mountain's glaciers to melt and they may vanish completely by 2020.

Gadget gear. An unusual fashion show in Tokyo featured high tech gadgets you can wear. Fashion designers and electronics experts worked together to come up with ideas like eyeglasses with computer screens, skirts and tank tops with fiber optic cables, and a global positioning system you can use while you walk around.

And that's our look around the world.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: A day of mourning in Spain, where a state funeral was held for seven intelligence officers killed in Iraq.

The king and queen joined the Spanish prime minister and hundreds of mourners for the service in Madrid at the National Intelligence Center. The officers died in a shootout with unidentified gunmen Saturday south of Baghdad.

Despite the casualties and broad public opposition, the prime minister says Spanish troops will remain in Iraq and that withdrawal would be the worst alternative.

Along with Britain and Italy, Spain has been Washington's staunchest European ally in the war in Iraq. Earlier I spoke about the situation with a Spanish foreign minister, Ana Palacio.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Foreign minister, thanks so much for joining us. Welcome to Washington. First of all, our deepest condolences to the Spanish citizens who have been killed in Iraq recently, especially the seven intelligence officers. Were they specifically targeted?

ANA PALACIO, SPANISH FOREIGN MINISTER: Well, they were ambushed. If they were specifically targeted is something we have to determine.

BLITZER: Do you know, in fact, if the enemy in this particular case, the insurgents knew these Spaniards were, in fact, intelligence officers? PALACIO: We really don't know. We are investigating.

BLITZER: Who do you suspect at this point, knowing the investigation may be still continuing, was responsible?

PALACIO: Well, you know, I think that in Iraq we have a very clear partner. There is a mixture of terrorists here with remnants of the Saddam Hussein regime. People that are nostalgic of his bloody dictatorship. There are some that are.

And this is mixed with terrorists from abroad, and this is what we are facing now.

BLITZER: They want you, the insurgents, to pick up and get out of Iraq. Will they succeed in their mission?

PALACIO: Well, they won't. We have a firm commitment. Spain has a firm commitment.

You know, we know that it is in our interest that Iraq recovers the place it deserves in the international community. The day Turkey is member of the European Union, the European Union is Iraq's neighbor.

BLITZER: At this point, are you planning on maintaining your level, your troop deployment...

PALACIO: Absolutely.

BLITZER: ... or increasing or decreasing?

PALACIO: Well, right now the information I have is that we are keeping it. And we may change, but what the plans are is that the troops that are there will come back, and they will be replaced by another contingent of the same amount.

BLITZER: Spain has been a close ally of the United States, the Bush administration. You've been meeting with the secretary of state, other top officials while you're here in Washington.

Italy also a strong supporter of the U.S. government. But France, other countries in Europe deeply opposed to the ongoing U.S. policy. How divided is Europe right now as far as Iraq is concerned?

PALACIO: Well, Europe was offended (ph). And I'm not going to minimize what happened. But it was before the intervention.

Right now I think that there is a common interest in rebuilding Iraq, in having Iraq come back to the international community of states that abide by the rule of law.

BLITZER: Should the international community, the Iraq problem, be internationalized? Let the U.N. or NATO, perhaps, take over from the U.S.?

PALACIO: Well, I would say that Iraq is already internationalized. It's international...

BLITZER: But the U.S. is really running the show.

PALACIO: It's true. It's true.

And I think that right now we have to work on the transfer of the exercise of sovereignty, the full exercise of sovereignty to the Iraqi people. and this is our firm commitment.

BLITZER: NATO is in charge of the peacekeeping effort in Afghanistan. Should that be a model for Iraq?

PALACIO: Well, I think Iraq has nothing to do with Afghanistan. But of course, in due time, we may consider other solutions. And this is -- will have to be something that will be discussed.

BLITZER: Foreign minister, thanks so much for joining us. Once again, welcome to Washington.

PALACIO: Thank you.

BLITZER: Working without a safety net. Up next, details on the very disturbing trend taking shape in our nation's work force. You'll want to see this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Earlier, we asked, "When was major medical expense insurance introduced nationally" The answer, 1951.

Major medical coverage offers broad and substantial protection for large, unpredictable medical expenses. It has grown rapidly since insurance companies began offering it more than 50 years ago.

Health care has been back in the spotlight with a recent effort to add a drug benefit to Medicare. But another problem still looms large, a growing crisis that's largely ignored.

CNN's Jen Rogers is in Los Angeles with more on the millions of working Americans who are uninsured -- Jen.

JEN ROGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Wolf. It is a growing percentage of the population, middle-class families with no health insurance.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What do we want? Health care. When do we want it? Now.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What do we want? Health care. When do we want it? Now.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What do we want? Health care. When do we want it? Now.

ROGERS (voice-over): It's a battle cry over 43 million uninsured Americans can sympathize with.

ANDREW FONSECA, WORKER WITH NO INSURANCE: I don't have any insurance at all. Nothing.

ROGERS: Andrew Fonseca is 24. He hasn't had insurance in three years.

FONSECA: I don't do things like I used to, like go snowboarding, and go to the park and play basketball more often without having to worry about hurting myself.

ROGERS: Historically, the ranks of the uninsured have been dominated by the unemployed, part time workers and those in low wage jobs. But Fonseca is none of the above.

He works full time at a nursery in California and makes over $24,000 a year, placing him on the front lines of an emerging trend, young, employed and uninsured.

RON POLLACK, FAMILIES USA: It's baffling when people do all the right things. They're working. They're being responsible. They're paying taxes, and, yet, they can't get health coverage.

ROGERS: While the majority of uninsured Americans are low-income workers, nearly 20 percent make between $25,000 and just under $50,000 a year. Another 11 percent have an annual household income between $50,000 and $75,000, and over eight percent make over $75,000 a year.

At one time, a job with a salary that high would almost certainly have provided benefits, but with health care costs up double digits each of the last four years, the number of uninsured workers is climbing, too, chipping away at decades of gains.

POLLACK: I think it is really going to be the predominant basis for contentiousness between business and labor.

ROGERS: For the most part, businesses aren't dropping health benefits completely.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We need health care right away.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We need health care right away.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We need health care right away.

ROGERS: But changes are making health care coverage less accessible, as companies either restrict eligibility or pass more costs on to employees.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're going to see employers try every which way they can imagine to try to manage the health care liability of their companies.

ROGERS: As for Andrew Fonseca, he is thinking about getting a part-time job at a grocery store just so he'll be eligible for benefits. But of course, that plan will have to wait. Remember, they're on strike.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROGERS: Now, small businesses like the kind Andrew Fonseca works for have historically struggled to provide health insurance. But bigger companies, new studies are showing, are also cutting back, and that really is the very bedrock of the nation's private health care system, which has many experts very concerned -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Jen Rogers in L.A. with a very solid report. Jen, thanks very much.

Heads rolling in Baghdad. Is $27,000 to remove Saddam Hussein's statues money well spent? You can vote right now at CNN.com. We'll have the results when we come back.

Also, new information on those shootings in Columbus, Ohio. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: For those of us living in the greater Washington area, very disturbing information coming out of Columbus, Ohio, right now. Police determining that, in their opinion, the 12 shootings -- yes, 12 shootings -- in recent weeks in Columbus are, in their words, definitely related, even though only four of them have been ballistically coordinated.

More information on this coming up here on CNN throughout the night. But yes, once again, all 12 shootings apparently related. This according to the Franklin County Sheriff's Department, which had a news conference just a little while ago. We'll continue to monitor that story.

Here's your -- how you're weighing in on our web question of the day. We've been asking you this question, "Is $27,000 to remove Saddam Hussein busts in Baghdad money well spent?"

Look at this. Fifty-nine percent of you say yes, 41 percent of you say no. As always, we remind you this is not a scientific poll.

A reminder, we're here twice a day on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS: 5 p.m. Eastern, also every week day at noon Eastern. See you tomorrow. Till then, thanks very much for joining us.

"LOU DOBBS TONIGHT" starts right now.

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Americans Abroad Put on Alert; Can U.N. Cut off Money Flowing to al Qaeda?>