Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports
Iraqi government to gain custody of Saddam Hussein, U.S. Marine missing, U.S. expels two Iranians for taking photos of U.S. transportation systems, Teacher accused of having sex with 14-year-old student
Aired June 29, 2004 - 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, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Arrest warrants. Iraq's new government is about to get custody of Saddam Hussein and his henchmen. But who will hold the keys?
Missing Marine. From Utah to Lebanon, a family waits.
SAMI HASSOUN, BROTHER OF MISSING MARINE: He was doing his job. We never hurt nobody in our whole life.
BLITZER: Spying or sightseeing? The U.S. expels two Iranians for taking pictures of New York's subways and tunnels.
Neck and neck -- and Nader. New number from Florida. Can he do it again?
Teacher in trouble. Shocking charges in two counties involving sex with a student.
ANNOUNCER: This is "WOLF BLITZER REPORTS" for Tuesday, June 29, 2004.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: The day after still surrounded by violence, Iraq's new leaders start running their own affairs. Near the top of the agenda, justice for Saddam Hussein. Our senior international correspondent Brent Sadler reports from Baghdad.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRENT SADLER, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): The status of Iraq once-untouchable ruler is about to change. Saddam Hussein will be transferred from American to Iraqi legal custody to face charges in an open court this week, though he'll remain under U.S. lock and key.
It won't be the start of a full trial for alleged war crimes, including genocide but the first step. Iraqi authorities here say arrest warrants were issued for the ex-president and eleven of his top officials, including one of the most well known faces from the old regime, former Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz. AYAD ALLAWI, IRAQI INTERIM PRIME MINISTER (through translator): The judicial process may take some time. Justice will be done, however, and the progress of these cases will be done for all to see.
SADLER: But even as the newly-empowered government finds its feet, U.S. forces came under renewed attack in Baghdad. A roadside bomb targeted an American military convoy killing three U.S. Marines and wounding two others.
Iraqi security forces also came under attack. Police stations in Baghdad were hit by rocket and machine gun fire inflicting light casualties. The oil infrastructure was also targeted again, this time south of Baghdad where saboteurs blew up a pipeline aiming to disrupt exports of crude oil. In response, Iraqi authorities are set to impose tough new security measures to crack down on the militants.
BARHAM SALEH, DEP. IRAQI PRIME MINISTER: It will involve giving the government the ability to, for example, impose curfews and put in place the legal mechanisms by which dangerous people could be detained but we have to do all these things mindful of our moral and legal obligations towards human rights.
SADLER: On the diplomatic front, the United States has restored relations with Iraq broken after the 1990 invasion of Kuwait. The new U.S. Ambassador John Negroponte has been sent to hold the fort in the so-called Green Zone, home of the old occupation authority and the target of recent rocket attacks and car bombs.
(on camera): The interim government is expected to have a limited life of just seven months until elections but, in the meantime, the leadership will try to prove its metal by taking action to confront the insurgents with its new found power.
Brent Sadler, CNN, Baghdad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: And when it comes to Saddam Hussein, top Iraqi officials are now telling me their biggest concern he possibly could escape. Just a little while ago I spoke by phone with Salem Chalabi, the general director of the Iraqi Special Tribunal.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Salem Chalabi, thanks for joining us once again. Tell us what you know, what you can, about the transfer of legal custody from the U.S. to Iraq involving Saddam Hussein?
SALEM CHALABI, GENERAL DIRECTOR, IRAQI SPECIAL TRIBUNAL: The transfer is being done pursuant to an agreement reached between the coalition and the Iraqi government. And it's not legal custody so much as the fact that we're asking for assistance with respect to some security issues from the coalition.
BLITZER: The U.S. will be in charge, though, of security. But the Iraqis, the judicial system, will begin to go forward with jurisdiction over some sort of trial. Is that right?
CHALABI: It's more or less right. Although assisting the U.S. will be Iraqi security personnel so that in due course Iraqis will take over the process.
The transfer will be taking place over the next 48 hours. As you may know there are 12 people who are going to be transferred. This is the first phase of a number of phases for more transfers over the next few months.
BLITZER: Will those 12 people, Saddam Hussein and the others, all be in the same location or in different locations?
CHALABI: Well, that's kind of a security issue that, you know, I'm not comfortable speaking of, about. But in -- they will not all be in one location and they will not have the ability of communicating with each other.
BLITZER: In the transfer, when this transfer occurs, will the news media be allowed to take pictures of Saddam Hussein and the 11 others?
CHALABI: I think there will be some select members of the news media who will be allowed to come. But they won't be able to film the thing. It will be -- the film will be distributed by the Iraqi Special Tribunal.
BLITZER: In other words, we will get pictures, but the pictures will be taken by the Iraqis. Is that right?
CHALABI: Yes. With some international correspondents there to authenticate the process.
BLITZER: What about the actual trial? When do you believe the Iraqi judicial system will be ready to begin trials against Saddam Hussein and the 11 others?
CHALABI: Well, as I said, it's going to be more than 11. And there may be a lot more. But I -- the trials themselves, I think, will take some time. I suspect that there will be a number of people who would likely be indicted in the fall. But more likely, you know, the senior ones will not be indicted for some time.
Then after that, I suspect that, you know, the trials will start maybe in a few months further down the line.
BLITZER: So we're really talking about -- we're really talking about 2005, before Saddam Hussein or Tariq Aziz or Chemical Ali really begin to go before a trial?
CHALABI: Yes. But, you know, the proceedings will start before, obviously.
BLITZER: How worried are you that Saddam Hussein or any of these others, A, might escape or, B, could be killed while in -- even under this kind of security situation? CHALABI: I mean it's worrisome. The escape, you know, that's why we reached this agreement with the coalition, to make sure that people like that do not escape.
But, you know, I'm worried. I mean as the executive director of the tribunal, I'm clearly -- my No. 1 concern is the protection of the key personnel as well as the detainees.
BLITZER: Are you more worried about the escape option or of somebody just killing him?
CHALABI: I mean, I'm worried probably more about the escape option.
BLITZER: Well, that's major concern, obviously. And clearly it explains why the Iraqi government has asked the U.S. help with the security situation.
Salem Chalabi, thanks very much for joining us.
CHALABI: Sure.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Salem Chalabi speaking with us a little while ago from Baghdad.
Let's go back to Baghdad live now. Anderson Cooper is joining us from the Iraqi capital. Anderson, you heard Salem Chalabi say his biggest concern is Saddam Hussein under the wrong circumstances could actually escape. How widespread is that feeling based on the conversations you've had in Iraq since you got there several days ago?
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: I think that would be a concern just about of everyone here. I mean everyone wants to see this man brought to justice. Different interpretations of exactly what that means to a lot of people who would like to see Saddam Hussein killed here in Iraq. There are a lot of people, obviously, who would like to do him harm and some people who would even like to break him out to free him.
I think another big concern would be terrorists or insurgents trying to stage some sort of a large operation around the same time that Saddam Hussein was transferred. Whether or not it was directly to try to free Saddam Hussein, I think would be more to try to gain media attention and make some sort of a statement.
We have seen over and over and over again these insurgents, these foreign fighters, are very adept at the use of the media at trying to figure out when they can strike for maximum political impact. The transfer of Saddam Hussein, of course, on Thursday would be one of those times -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Anderson, on this day after the transfer of power, have you seen any real changes on the streets of Baghdad? COOPER: You don't see that much. I mean it's not as if suddenly everyone woke up today and, you know, the sun shone brighter and everything was different. I mean, life continues. The electricity blackouts continue for large amounts of Iraqis throughout the country. There is a sense, though, of sort of a honeymoon period I think. A lot of people willing to give this government, willing to give their new government a chance, a certain amount of time to sort of wait and see to see what they're actually going to do. We haven't heard so many details yet from Prime Minister Allawi about what he is going to do to try to crack down the security situation. We have heard some statements about a possible curfew, about other strong actions they might be taking, but I think a lot of Iraqis are still waiting to see what kind of a change it's going to make in their daily lives -- Wolf.
BLITZER: CNN's Anderson Cooper reporting once again for us from Baghdad. Anderson thanks very much. And this important note to our viewers out there, Anderson, once again, will be anchoring his program tonight live from Baghdad. "ANDERSON COOPER 360." That begins 7:00 p.m. Eastern, 4:00 Pacific. That's coming up less than two hours from now.
The search continues for a U.S. marine corporal missing in Iraq and sources say that after some initial doubt the Pentagon now thinks he has indeed been captured. Our Pentagon correspondent, Barbara Starr, standing by with more -- Barbara.
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Hello to you, Wolf. Although no official Pentagon announcement has been made, sources are telling CNN that Corporal Wassef Hassoun, Marine Corporal Wassef Hassoun, has now been classified as captured by the military several days after he was seen on a videotape broadcast, blindfolded and with a sword held to his head. The marines corps has prepared a statement which says Corporal Hassoun has been officially listed as captured and that statement says, quote, "while his absence initially prompted investigators to believe he was missing, the videos shown on international television depicted the marine being held against his will by masked captors."
Now this case has been very unusual from the beginning. The corporal was last seen on June 19. He did not report for duty the next morning. It was believed at that time that he was absent without leave if you will. An unauthorized absence from his duty station in Iraq. It was believed at that time, the working theory was that he possibly had family troubles and was trying to make his way to family members in Lebanon. Since then, of course, now he has been seen on this videotape. It is not clear at this point how he fell into the hands of insurgents. So all of this remains under investigation -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Barbara Starr reporting from the Pentagon. Barbara, thanks very much.
Pilots, truckers and potential ties to terror. Why some members of the international air crews are now barred from entering the United States. You're looking at a crime being committed, a crime the FBI says has been repeated by a team of armed men in the Washington, D.C., area. Coming up, more of the dramatic video taken by a journalist in the right place at the right time.
BLITZER: A middle school teacher accused of having sex with a 14-year-old student. We'll go inside the scandal that shocked a Florida community.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Welcome back. American officials have ordered two guards at the Iranian Mission to the United Nations expelled from the United States. The reason, the FBI says they were seen videotaping sensitive locations around New York City. Our senior U.N. correspondent Richard Roth joining us now live with details -- Richard.
RICHARD ROTH, CNN SR. U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, the two Iranians were ordered out last weekend, this after warnings not to take photographs of New York City tourist attractions.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROTH (voice-over): The two Iranians were security guards here at Iran's mission to the United Nations. They were accused by the U.S. of conduct inconsistent with their jobs.
STUART HOLLIDAY, DEP. U.S. AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: These individuals were moving around New York City and essentially surveilling taking photographs of a variety of New York landmarks and infrastructure and the rest.
ROTH: Officials say the duo were seen photographing transportation systems, such as subways and buses. They say photos of other sensitive sites were also snapped, including tunnels. But officials would not disclose which particular landmarks might have been filmed. This is the third pair of Iranian security guards to be required to leave by the U.S. in the last two years. Last November, at this Queens, New York, subway station a New York transit officer detained two Iranians who the police commissioner later described as agents engaged in reconnaissance of the subway.
ADAM ERELI, U.S. STATE DEPT. SPOKESMAN: We had also made it clear that this kind of activity was unacceptable and yet it continued in this latest case so we were really left -- this was the option that we were left with.
ROTH: The government of Iran sharply disagrees. A spokesman for the Iranian Mission said the photos they shot were consistent with obvious and popular attractions in New York City. The statement says millions of visitors come to New York with cameras and that it is very unfortunate that a regular sight seeing and shooting photos by two guards of this mission on a holiday became so contentious and controversial.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROTH: There's no U.S. law that says the Iranians couldn't have taken the photos. Even the Iranian statement says this. However the New York City Transit Authority, Wolf, has been proposing that all photography on the subways and buses be banned for the 7 million who live in New York. Back to you.
BLITZER: All right. Richard Roth in New York. Thanks, Richard, very much.
There's also concern about international air crews with some now banned from the United States after their names showed up on an anti- terror database. Our homeland security correspondent Jeanne Meserve joining us live with more on that -- Jeanne.
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, in an effort to prevent an airplane or a truck from being used as a bomb, the U.S. government has checked the names of flight crews and some truckers against terrorism databases and has gotten some hits. The Federal Aviation Administration says ten members of foreign flight crews have been banned from entering the U.S., one has been suspended. The bulk of them had associated with terrorists or supported terrorist organizations.
According to the Department of Homeland Security Undersecretary Asa Hutchinson, some were using fraudulent passports, one had a criminal record for assaulting a U.S. law enforcement officer. Hutchinson says they are from three countries but will not specify what countries or what airline or cargo company they work for. A similar check of the 2.7 million truckers licensed to carry hazardous materials turned up 29 potential persons of interest. One has been expelled from the country for unrelated reasons. The other 28 are undergoing additional law enforcement checks. Hutchinson says the public should feel safer now that these checks are being done, but concedes that many other workers in the transportation sector undergo no government screening whatsoever -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Jeanne Meserve with that, thanks very much.
The Bush administration is having to rethink some of its strategy for the war on terror, now that U.S. supreme court has eliminated two of its main tactics. Yesterday the justices ruled American citizens deemed enemy combatants cannot be held indefinitely without charges or trial. And they also ruled that foreign detainees held at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba must have access to American courts. Double defeats for the Justice Department.
Just a short while ago, I spoke with the deputy U.S. attorney general, James Comey about what the administration will do next.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: James Comey, thanks very much for joining us. I think by most accounts the Supreme Court dealt the Bush administration, the Justice Department a serious setback yesterday when they said those detainees at Guantanamo Bay should have access to the courts. What do you do next?
JAMES COMEY, DEPUTY U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: Well, go back to the lower courts and try to figure out what process is due. The court, as you know, upheld the government's core argument which was that the president had the power to hold people like Hamdi and people like the people at Guantanamo, but said that additional process was due, rejected the government's contention that we were giving them enough process. And now we need to figure out exactly what the court meant by appropriate process. And we're going to do that.
BLITZER: Does it make any sense to keep those 600 or so detainees at -- excuse me -- at Guantanamo Bay or move them to the continental United States because the court seems to suggest it doesn't make any difference. The U.S. has control over this Cuban territory effectively speaking as well.
COMEY: Well, that's why I'm not sure it would make a difference as you said. The court has said that because of the unique facts that surround Guantanamo, that base, that is essentially the United States for jurisdiction purposes.
So it's as if they were in New Jersey. So it really doesn't matter whether they were moved somewhere else in the United States.
BLITZER: Will you move them?
COMEY: I have no knowledge of any plans to move them. I'm certainly not aware of any discussions about that.
BLITZER: When will lawyers start talking to these people? There are a whole bunch of lawyers who say they have clients already there. When are these lawyers going to start going down to talk to their clients?
COMEY: I don't know the answer to that. I do know that a lot of people, both lawyers on that and lawyers on our side, will need to spend a lot of time with the Supreme Court's very long opinions and figure out just what the court had in mind in terms process.
That is, do we go to a particular district court with these cases, can they go any where in the country? What's the standard of review? Exactly how is this going to work?
We're going to figure it out and there will be fair process consistent with the court's decision.
BLITZER: But clearly there's no recourse. This is the highest court in the land. You have to go ahead and do the what the Supreme Court said. You're not going to try to challenge this introducing new legislation in Congress or anything like that, are you?
COMEY: Or we're going to -- I mean, as a lawyer I assure you I do what the Supreme Court says. And we will carry out the Supreme Court's decision.
As I said, the Supreme Court's decision lays out some important legal principles but doesn't have a lot of detail for how we're going to carry this out. That's what we're going to figure out. We'll work with the district court in the Hamdi case and wherever the cases are filed in the Guantanamo cases to figure out what is process that's due.
In other words, does it have to be something closer to a trial, which we think is inappropriate. Does it have to be something like an administrative proceeding? All that remains to be done.
BLITZER: Is it a coincidence that the Pentagon, the U.S. military announced military tribunals today would go forward for some of the detainees at Gitmo? Is that just a coincidence it happens on the day after the Supreme Court ruling?
COMEY: I didn't know it had been announced. I don't know one way or another.
BLITZER: Because they made that announcement earlier today that they're going to start, at least for some of the detainees, military tribunals which, obviously, some of those detainees and their lawyers or people who that they're their lawyers wanted.
The whole notion of Yaser Hamdi, an American citizen. He was only a few months old when his family took him from Louisiana back to Saudi Arabia. He now, what, has full access to the courts just like any other American citizen?
COMEY: Well, he's had access to the court all along. That's something that people are confused about from some of the media accounts.
The government never contended that Hamdi doesn't get to bring an action in court. We just said the standard should be whether there's some evidence to justify his detention as a combatant. The Supreme Court said no, it has to be more than that. They didn't say exactly what it had to be.
So that's one of the things we're going to figure out. It will remain in court, as it has been. And the district court that has this case down in Norfolk, Virginia, will have to determine what process is appropriate. And that's what we're going to do.
BLITZER: What about the other American citizen deemed an enemy combatant, Jose Padilla? What happens to him. There's suggestions in the media out there you might file charges against him in Florida.
COMEY: Well that's not something I can comment on. But what will happen to him is first his lawyers will have to file an action in the right court. We said all along since they first filed in Manhattan that for legal reasons this had to be filed in South Carolina. The Supreme Court agreed with that.
But I would imagine the course of the Padilla case will be influenced in large part by what court said in Hamdi. That it has to be some sort of process before a neutral decision maker to evaluate this person's detention. That it doesn't have to be a criminal trial of any sort. And perhaps the government can be able to presume that the person is appropriately held and that he has to overcome that presumption.
But all that remains to be seen. Justice O'Connor laid out a number of broad ideas for how this might go. And we're going to take it and go from there.
BLITZER: Well if all of these detainees or the one at Guantanamo or Yaser Hamdi or Jose Padilla are enemy combatants, why not put them all simply before a military tribunal and avoid the whole civilian justice system?
COMEY: Well as to the American citizens, as you'll recall, the president said early on in his order establishing the military tribunals no that American citizen could go before them. So that's never been an option for those folks. Certainly an option for the other people held at Guantanamo. And you reported to me, I didn't know that, that they're going to press ahead with some of the tribunals there.
I think what court has said on both Guantanamo and Hamdi is that the president has the power to hold these people because they're our enemy, but there has to be some process, not necessarily a federal judge, but some process like a tribunal to evaluate whether they should be continued to be held.
BLITZER: Any progress being made on those seven suspected terrorists you announced worldwide lookout for only a few weeks ago?
COMEY: I have none to report publicly. They continue to be a great concern, particularly this fellow Shukrijumah, the trained pilot who trained for the explosives mission with Padilla in Afghanistan. We've got to find that guy.
BLITZER: You have any idea where he might be and which country, what part of the world? You think he could be in the United States?
COMEY: I can't say at this point. I have some idea but I can't share it with you. It's something we're pursuing very, very aggressively. And we meant it when we said weeks ago we want people to keep an eye out. Often times the best law enforcement is the eyes of a citizen.
BLITZER: One final question. How much of a setback historically speaking did you suffer yesterday with the Supreme Court decisions?
COMEY: It was a mixed result for the government. We won a key point which was that the president has the power with to detain people as a result of the September 11 attacks, to fight that war on terror. That's critical. And as you know the other side had argued that the president didn't have that power.
We lost the part about process where we had urged a more limited form of process for someone like Hamdi and the court said it has to be more than that. So that's not a win for the government. That's a loss for the government. But it's something the government can deal with. We will embrace that. We will have process. And we believe we'll satisfy as to certainly as to Hamdi and Padilla that these are guys who are enemy combatants and should be held.
BLITZER: James Comey, the deputy attorney general. Thanks very much for joining us.
COMEY: Thanks, Wolf.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Missing United States marine now classified as captured. His family begs for his safe return. Just ahead, we'll hear from Corporal Wassef Hassoun's brother.
Many say he cost Al Gore the last election. Will he do the same thing to John Kerry this year? We'll show you some new poll numbers on the Ralph Nader factor.
Robbery in progress. These heavily armed men are about to rob a bank in broad daylight. It's a shocking crime and all of it caught on videotape. We'll show you.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Welcome back. More on our top story coming up, fears of an escape by Saddam Hussein and questions surrounding his upcoming trial. I'll speak with Carl Levin, the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
We'll get to all of that. First, though, a quick check of some other headlines.
President Bush is on his way back to Washington following the end of the NATO summit in Turkey. Speaking in Istanbul on the last day of the summit, the president again urged the European Union to admit Turkey as a member.
Secretary of State Colin Powell has arrived in Sudan for talks. He's urging the Sudanese government to rein in militia groups blamed for forcing more than one million people out of their homes.
The United Nations says 24 people are dead following the crash of a helicopter carrying U.N. personnel and others. The chopper was on a routine flight in Sierra Leone, where the U.N. is conducting a peacekeeping mission. The cause is under investigation.
Eight months after an FBI bugging device was discovered in the office of Philadelphia Mayor John Street, federal prosecutors have issued 12 indictments in a municipal corruption probe. The defendants include a former city treasurer, but there are no charges against Mayor Street.
More now on missing Marine Wassef Hassoun. As our Barbara Starr reported just a few minutes ago, the Pentagon is now classifying him as captured and his family is issue an emotional new appeal for his release.
CNN's Ed Lavandera is in West Jordan, Utah, near Salt Lake City, with that part of the story -- Ed.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Wolf.
Well, what the Pentagon is saying today is something that this family has been sure of since Sunday. And the family members that are speaking publicly are in Lebanon.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LAVANDERA (voice-over): Fami Hassoun sat before microphones in Lebanon and called on Middle East authorities to step in and help save his brother; 24-year-old Marine Corporal Wassef Ali Hassoun notice is in the custody of Islamic militants who are threatening to kill him if Iraqi prisoners are not released.
FAMI HASSOUN, BROTHER OF CORPORAL HASSOUN: I would like to call on all the ambassadors in all countries around the world, and especially around Iraq, please help us. Please help us in our case with our brother. He is with the Marines. He was doing his job.
LAVANDERA: The U.S. military now agrees that it is Corporal Hassoun who appears blindfolded in the videotape broadcast on Arab television, but military officials say how he disappeared is still under investigation. Officials say Hassoun might have voluntary walked away from a U.S. base near Fallujah.
On the videotape, the captor's voice is heard saying Hassoun was lured away. And U.S. officials say they are also looking into whether family problems might have played a role in Hassoun's disappearance. No matter how it happened, the Marine's family hopes his captors will spare a fellow Muslims life.
HASSOUN: It's not his mistake that he is down in Iraq. It's not his mistake that the whole thing happened. He was just a soldier doing his job, like any other person. Please leave him for the sake of God.
LAVANDERA: In West Jordan, Utah, Hassoun's family remains silent, but they're not alone in their grief and fear. A neighbor and retired Marine Milton Kelly (ph) asked the family if he could put American and Marine flags in front of their home, a symbol to the Hassoun they're not alone as they wait for word of Corporal Hassoun's fate.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Once a Marine, always a Marine. And we are fellow brothers. We're neighbors. We live just one street over. And our prayers and thoughts are all with them.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LAVANDERA: Here in West Jordan, Utah, we understand a little more than two hours ago, three Marines arrived here at the home of Corporal Hassoun and they have been helping the family through this and passing along whatever information they can to family members as well.
But the family here reiterating that they will not speak publicly until Corporal Hassoun's fate is resolved -- Wolf.
BLITZER: CNN's Ed Lavandera reporting for us -- thanks, Ed, very much.
The new Iraqi government this week begins the process of trying to bring Saddam Hussein to justice, but could Saddam Hussein actually escape justice if he's transferred to Iraqi hands?
Earlier, I spoke with Democratic Senator Carl Levin, a member of both the Armed Services and Intelligence Committees.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Senator Levin, thanks very much for joining us.
We heard earlier from Salem Chalabi, the man in charge of the tribunals of the trials of Saddam Hussein and the other Iraqi leaders, that he's very worried, Salem Chalabi, of possibly Saddam Hussein either escaping or being killed. That's why this interim Iraqi government has asked the U.S. to help provide protection and security.
How worried are you about Saddam Hussein, who is about to be transferred, of him escaping?
SEN. CARL LEVIN (D), MICHIGAN: I don't think there's any greater chance of his escaping or of his being killed as long as he's in our actual custody.
The legal change in custody does not change either of those two issues. But if there were a physical change to them or a physical change in location, then I think there really would be some concern of either of those events occurring.
BLITZER: Is this the right thing to do now, to let the Iraqis try him?
LEVIN: I think the Iraqis are the right ones to try him.
I think it's important that he be given a trial, which, when the Muslim world looks at it and when the rest of the world looks at it, will be viewed as a trial, a real trial and not a show trial. There's plenty of crimes that he, obviously, has committed, but he's got to be convicted appropriately and properly of those crimes, because this is what's going to set the tone in Iraq for decades to come, and as well as, it seems to me, showing the rest of the world that we're a nation of law, no matter how horrific it is the defendant is.
BLITZER: Are you confident or upbeat at all that this transfer of power, that this new system in Iraq is going to work?
LEVIN: Wolf, I'm hopeful.
I can't say I'm confident. In the short term, I doubt that a lot's going to change on the street in the short term. But the psychology is important. And it's clear from at least the public opinion polls that we've seen in Iraq that the people of Iraq wanted us to turn over sovereignty to Iraqis.
That in turn will hopefully reduce the number of people who will join the folks who are trying to attack us. In other words, once Iraqis are in charge and the argument that we're dominating or that we are occupying the country can no longer be made as effectively to those young men, particularly, then hopefully we're going to find fewer people joining the insurgents.
BLITZER: Are there new rules of engagement for the U.S. military in Iraq operating right now, 135,000 or so, because there has been this transfer of sovereignty?
LEVIN: I don't believe there are new rules of engagement. There's going to be a liaison group that's going to connect our military with the Iraqi civilian and military leadership to work out differences. But in terms of the actual rules of engagement, I don't believe there have been any changes in those rules of engagement.
BLITZER: The NATO allies have agreed to start training some Iraqi security police, military, a lot of observers suggesting this is really bare-bones. There's not really much there. What do you think?
LEVIN: I think it's nominal. I'm glad they're doing it. I hope that it is an official act of NATO, not just some NATO countries that are doing it that hadn't been doing it before, but an official act of NATO. That will help a little bit, but it is minimal.
As far as I'm concerned, the whole unilateral approach not just to Iraq, but to the world in general and to world issues that this administration has carried out really has produced a lot of opposition to us and to our actions. It's kind of chickens coming home to roost in Iraq that we don't have more international support there, we don't have official NATO troops on the ground there, and that we don't have any Muslim countries.
And one of the real tests as to whether or not this turnover is going to succeed in changing things, at least in the short term, is whether we can get some Muslim nations there with troops in the short term. It's very, very important that we do that.
BLITZER: Is it a coincidence the day after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that those detainees, those terror suspects at the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, that they do have rights to the U.S. courts, on this day after the Pentagon announces that they will start creating a military tribunal to start dealing with these detainees? What do you make of that?
LEVIN: Well, they have been saying that they were going to do that for a long time. And I don't know whether the timing is coincidental or not. But they had been saying that they were going to put together this tribunal for a long, long time and identify some people who would go in front of that tribunal.
So I just don't know whether it's a coincidence.
BLITZER: Senator Levin, thanks very much for joining us.
LEVIN: Good being with you, as always, Wolf.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: New poll numbers are giving new insight into the Ralph Nader effect. What impact will the independent candidate have on the race for the White House?
Heavily armed suspects, a burning escape vehicle. Police investigate what looks like the latest in a series of bold bank robberies here in the Washington, D.C., area.
Plus, what this young teacher is accused of that has an entire Florida community talking and worrying.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Ever since Ralph Nader announced his plans to run for president again this year, Democrats have worried he might siphon votes away from John Kerry. Some new poll numbers are lending some support to that concern.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER (voice-over): Ralph Nader was campaigning in Washington, D.C., for the Muslim vote.
RALPH NADER (I), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's time for the American people to realize that Muslim-Americans are only the latest religious and ethnic group to feel the brunt of political hysteria and abuse.
BLITZER: The independent candidate is working the crowds hard and his poll numbers, while tiny compared to President Bush and Senator Kerry, are still significant, given the Electoral College winner-take-all system in each state.
Check out the latest Quinnipiac University Poll in the key battleground state of Florida. In a three-way contest, Bush and Kerry have 43 percent each to Nader's 5 percent. In a two-way contest, Kerry comes in with 46 percent to Bush's 44 a statistical dead heat.
Could Florida be deja vu all over again? In 2000, Bush carried the state by 537 votes and won the election. Nader received 97,488 votes in Florida. And most observers agree a majority of them would have been more likely to vote for Al Gore than George Bush.
HOWARD DEAN (D), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think Ralph Nader's candidacy is the single biggest danger to the Kerry candidacy. He only has to take 3 percent of the vote in two or three states to send George Bush back to the White House.
BLITZER: The Nader effect could, indeed, be decisive in several other battleground states as well. In Michigan, a recent poll had Kerry with 45 percent, Bush with 43 percent, and Nader at 3 percent. In New Hampshire, another poll has Bush and Kerry at 46 percent each, with Nader coming in with 2 percent, similar numbers in Wisconsin, Bush 44, Kerry 42, Nader with 4.
The Nader factor could be even more important in Pennsylvania. A recent poll had Kerry at 44, Bush 43, Nader 7 percent, each within the margin of error. Since announcing his candidacy, Nader has strongly denied he's a spoiler for the Democrats. He says he's attracting Republican votes as well.
NADER: This assumption that my votes only come from the Democrats is simply not true. Even in the year 2000, it wasn't true. A majority of the votes for me in the year 2000 were people who didn't want -- who wouldn't have voted otherwise or who would have voted for Bush.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Democrat certainly aren't buying Nader's assurances he'll be taking votes from President Bush and they're hoping John Kerry will pick a vice presidential running mate with some strong appeal.
On that regard, a newly released CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll showed that 24 percent said they'll be enthusiastic if Kerry picks North Carolina Senator John Edwards as his running mate. Missouri Congressman Dick Gephardt and retired U.S. Army General Wesley Clark tied for second with 15 percent. They were followed by Indiana Senator Evan Bayh and Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack, both in single digits.
Weighing in on Internet porn. Are laws aimed at protecting children trampling adults' rights to free speech?
Sex scandal. We'll take you inside a shocking case involving a female teacher and a 14-year-old student.
A daring robbery in the middle of the day all caught on tape by a journalist who happened to be near the scene of the crime.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Police here in the Washington, D.C., area are investigating what might be the latest in a series of bold bank robberies by three heavily armed suspects.
CNN's Mike Brooks, covering the story for us, joining us now live -- Mike.
MIKE BROOKS, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Wolf, a photojournalist from WTTG-TV captured video of something we don't usually see, heavily armed bank robbers coming out of the bank after a holdup.
Let's take a look. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BROOKS: (voice-over): An unidentified woman walks past the SunTrust Bank on Upper Connecticut Avenue in Washington. She looks to her left and sees something near a green minivan that gets her attention. She plays it cool and then runs across the street.
Moments later, a heavily armed man carrying what appears to be an AK-47 peeks around the corner of the bank and then gets back into that van. Then two more heavily armed men emerge from the bank. One of the men is carrying a bag. The other loses his footing. The man quickly recovers and jumps into the driver's seat. The van cuts across Connecticut Avenue and speeds away from the scene.
This is the same getaway van several blocks away going up in flames. Law enforcement sources tell me the criminals set the van on fire in an effort to destroy evidence. Officials believe they then took off in another vehicle. Law enforcement authorities believe these may be the same men responsible for five other similar bank robberies in D.C. and Prince George's County, Maryland, since early January.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BROOKS: Law enforcement sources close to the investigation tell me the robbers have set fire to two other getaway vehicles. So far, no one has been injured during the robberies, even though a gunman fired a shot in the bank in this most recent robbery. During robbery No. 4, the gunmen fired at a Prince George's County police officer, narrowly missing her. The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for their arrest -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Mike, do we know what that photojournalist happened to be doing there at the right place at the right time?
BROOKS: Wolf, he was shooting a promotional video for fire safety across the street at a firehouse. Someone ran over, said the bank was being held up and he took the pictures from behind a tree -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Interesting. All right, very fascinating, very worrying as well. Mike Brooks reporting for us -- thanks, Mike, very much.
Issuing its final decision of the term, the United States Supreme Court today blocked enforcement of a law that was supposed to protect children from Internet pornography. The 1998 law established fines for allowing minors to have easy access to online pornography. By a 5-4 vote, the court said the law probably violates the First Amendment and suggested less restrictive solutions may be possible. It sent the case back to a lower court for further consideration.
Shocking charges involving sex with a student. We'll go inside a scandal that stunned a Florida community. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BLITZER: The case of a young teacher and her alleged relationship with a 14-year-old student has become a huge story in Tampa, Florida, and is now making national headlines.
CNN's Brian Todd has been in contact with law enforcement authorities down in Tampa. He's joining us now live with more -- Brian.
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, this is an incredible story right now of a young woman who seemingly had everything going for her and is now embroiled in a scandal that has shaken at least two families and a large community.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TODD (voice-over): Her marriage and career just beginning, this 23-year-old remedial reading teacher is now at the center of a sordid case that swept through a huge Florida community. Debra Beasley Lafave faces five counts in connection with her alleged relationship with a 14-year-old boy.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All the contact has been sexual in nature.
TODD: Police and sheriff's officers in two counties tell CNN Lafave met the boy at the school where she teaches, a suburb of Tampa. They say the boy was not her student, but she approached him at various school events and earlier this month they began having sex, first at her apartment, then inside her portable classroom at the middle school. Then, authorities say, the boy went on vacation at the home of his cousin, north of Tampa, in Ocala, Florida, and Lafave followed him.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And the teacher traveled to Ocala from her home and met with the student and also his cousin and some of these activities took place in front of the cousin.
TODD: The activities in question, according to the Marion County Sheriff's Office, sex in the back seat of an SUV on at least two occasions while the boy's 15-year-old cousin was driving. Police back in Temple Terrace were notified after the 14-year-old told his parents of the alleged encounters.
Temple Terrace police contacted the Marion County Sheriff's Office and Debra Lafave has now been booked on four counts of lewd and lascivious battery and one count of lewd and lascivious exhibition. She's been released on bond from both counties. Her attorney spoke to reporters this week.
JOHN FITZGIBBONS, ATTORNEY FOR LAFAVE: There is a presumption of innocence in this country for anyone charged with a crime. And we hope that everyone would listen to that.
TODD: CNN obtained a copy of Debra Lafave's personnel file from the Hillsborough County School District. In the evaluation we reviewed, she received ratings of excellent in every category. We also saw two glowing letters of recommendation from her college supervisor and her previous boss at another Florida middle school.
But in the Marion County Sheriff's probable cause affidavit, there's an exchange where the detective asks the boy if he thought the activities were unusual. The affidavit says the boy told detectives Lafave was -- quote -- "turned on by the fact that having sexual relations with him was not allowed."
This recalls two similar high-profile cases, Seattle-area teacher Mary Kay LeTourneau served time for having sex with an underage student and had two children by him. And a 39-year-old softball coach from Oregon now faces charges after having disappeared for nearly a year with a teenage girl. Police say she traveled with him willingly.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TODD: Hillsborough County school officials tell CNN Debra Lafave is now on administrative leave with pay, but soon the superintendent will recommend that she be suspended without pay pending the outcome of her case, Wolf.
BLITZER: Brian Todd, very disturbing story. Thanks very much. We'll be pursuing that tomorrow as well, see how big of a problem this is nationwide.
A reminder, you can always catch WOLF BLITZER REPORTS weekdays at this time, 5:00 p.m. Eastern. We're on noon Eastern as well.
Until tomorrow, thanks very much for joining. I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington.
"LOU DOBBS TONIGHT" starts right now.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired June 29, 2004 - 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, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Arrest warrants. Iraq's new government is about to get custody of Saddam Hussein and his henchmen. But who will hold the keys?
Missing Marine. From Utah to Lebanon, a family waits.
SAMI HASSOUN, BROTHER OF MISSING MARINE: He was doing his job. We never hurt nobody in our whole life.
BLITZER: Spying or sightseeing? The U.S. expels two Iranians for taking pictures of New York's subways and tunnels.
Neck and neck -- and Nader. New number from Florida. Can he do it again?
Teacher in trouble. Shocking charges in two counties involving sex with a student.
ANNOUNCER: This is "WOLF BLITZER REPORTS" for Tuesday, June 29, 2004.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: The day after still surrounded by violence, Iraq's new leaders start running their own affairs. Near the top of the agenda, justice for Saddam Hussein. Our senior international correspondent Brent Sadler reports from Baghdad.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRENT SADLER, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): The status of Iraq once-untouchable ruler is about to change. Saddam Hussein will be transferred from American to Iraqi legal custody to face charges in an open court this week, though he'll remain under U.S. lock and key.
It won't be the start of a full trial for alleged war crimes, including genocide but the first step. Iraqi authorities here say arrest warrants were issued for the ex-president and eleven of his top officials, including one of the most well known faces from the old regime, former Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz. AYAD ALLAWI, IRAQI INTERIM PRIME MINISTER (through translator): The judicial process may take some time. Justice will be done, however, and the progress of these cases will be done for all to see.
SADLER: But even as the newly-empowered government finds its feet, U.S. forces came under renewed attack in Baghdad. A roadside bomb targeted an American military convoy killing three U.S. Marines and wounding two others.
Iraqi security forces also came under attack. Police stations in Baghdad were hit by rocket and machine gun fire inflicting light casualties. The oil infrastructure was also targeted again, this time south of Baghdad where saboteurs blew up a pipeline aiming to disrupt exports of crude oil. In response, Iraqi authorities are set to impose tough new security measures to crack down on the militants.
BARHAM SALEH, DEP. IRAQI PRIME MINISTER: It will involve giving the government the ability to, for example, impose curfews and put in place the legal mechanisms by which dangerous people could be detained but we have to do all these things mindful of our moral and legal obligations towards human rights.
SADLER: On the diplomatic front, the United States has restored relations with Iraq broken after the 1990 invasion of Kuwait. The new U.S. Ambassador John Negroponte has been sent to hold the fort in the so-called Green Zone, home of the old occupation authority and the target of recent rocket attacks and car bombs.
(on camera): The interim government is expected to have a limited life of just seven months until elections but, in the meantime, the leadership will try to prove its metal by taking action to confront the insurgents with its new found power.
Brent Sadler, CNN, Baghdad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: And when it comes to Saddam Hussein, top Iraqi officials are now telling me their biggest concern he possibly could escape. Just a little while ago I spoke by phone with Salem Chalabi, the general director of the Iraqi Special Tribunal.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Salem Chalabi, thanks for joining us once again. Tell us what you know, what you can, about the transfer of legal custody from the U.S. to Iraq involving Saddam Hussein?
SALEM CHALABI, GENERAL DIRECTOR, IRAQI SPECIAL TRIBUNAL: The transfer is being done pursuant to an agreement reached between the coalition and the Iraqi government. And it's not legal custody so much as the fact that we're asking for assistance with respect to some security issues from the coalition.
BLITZER: The U.S. will be in charge, though, of security. But the Iraqis, the judicial system, will begin to go forward with jurisdiction over some sort of trial. Is that right?
CHALABI: It's more or less right. Although assisting the U.S. will be Iraqi security personnel so that in due course Iraqis will take over the process.
The transfer will be taking place over the next 48 hours. As you may know there are 12 people who are going to be transferred. This is the first phase of a number of phases for more transfers over the next few months.
BLITZER: Will those 12 people, Saddam Hussein and the others, all be in the same location or in different locations?
CHALABI: Well, that's kind of a security issue that, you know, I'm not comfortable speaking of, about. But in -- they will not all be in one location and they will not have the ability of communicating with each other.
BLITZER: In the transfer, when this transfer occurs, will the news media be allowed to take pictures of Saddam Hussein and the 11 others?
CHALABI: I think there will be some select members of the news media who will be allowed to come. But they won't be able to film the thing. It will be -- the film will be distributed by the Iraqi Special Tribunal.
BLITZER: In other words, we will get pictures, but the pictures will be taken by the Iraqis. Is that right?
CHALABI: Yes. With some international correspondents there to authenticate the process.
BLITZER: What about the actual trial? When do you believe the Iraqi judicial system will be ready to begin trials against Saddam Hussein and the 11 others?
CHALABI: Well, as I said, it's going to be more than 11. And there may be a lot more. But I -- the trials themselves, I think, will take some time. I suspect that there will be a number of people who would likely be indicted in the fall. But more likely, you know, the senior ones will not be indicted for some time.
Then after that, I suspect that, you know, the trials will start maybe in a few months further down the line.
BLITZER: So we're really talking about -- we're really talking about 2005, before Saddam Hussein or Tariq Aziz or Chemical Ali really begin to go before a trial?
CHALABI: Yes. But, you know, the proceedings will start before, obviously.
BLITZER: How worried are you that Saddam Hussein or any of these others, A, might escape or, B, could be killed while in -- even under this kind of security situation? CHALABI: I mean it's worrisome. The escape, you know, that's why we reached this agreement with the coalition, to make sure that people like that do not escape.
But, you know, I'm worried. I mean as the executive director of the tribunal, I'm clearly -- my No. 1 concern is the protection of the key personnel as well as the detainees.
BLITZER: Are you more worried about the escape option or of somebody just killing him?
CHALABI: I mean, I'm worried probably more about the escape option.
BLITZER: Well, that's major concern, obviously. And clearly it explains why the Iraqi government has asked the U.S. help with the security situation.
Salem Chalabi, thanks very much for joining us.
CHALABI: Sure.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Salem Chalabi speaking with us a little while ago from Baghdad.
Let's go back to Baghdad live now. Anderson Cooper is joining us from the Iraqi capital. Anderson, you heard Salem Chalabi say his biggest concern is Saddam Hussein under the wrong circumstances could actually escape. How widespread is that feeling based on the conversations you've had in Iraq since you got there several days ago?
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: I think that would be a concern just about of everyone here. I mean everyone wants to see this man brought to justice. Different interpretations of exactly what that means to a lot of people who would like to see Saddam Hussein killed here in Iraq. There are a lot of people, obviously, who would like to do him harm and some people who would even like to break him out to free him.
I think another big concern would be terrorists or insurgents trying to stage some sort of a large operation around the same time that Saddam Hussein was transferred. Whether or not it was directly to try to free Saddam Hussein, I think would be more to try to gain media attention and make some sort of a statement.
We have seen over and over and over again these insurgents, these foreign fighters, are very adept at the use of the media at trying to figure out when they can strike for maximum political impact. The transfer of Saddam Hussein, of course, on Thursday would be one of those times -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Anderson, on this day after the transfer of power, have you seen any real changes on the streets of Baghdad? COOPER: You don't see that much. I mean it's not as if suddenly everyone woke up today and, you know, the sun shone brighter and everything was different. I mean, life continues. The electricity blackouts continue for large amounts of Iraqis throughout the country. There is a sense, though, of sort of a honeymoon period I think. A lot of people willing to give this government, willing to give their new government a chance, a certain amount of time to sort of wait and see to see what they're actually going to do. We haven't heard so many details yet from Prime Minister Allawi about what he is going to do to try to crack down the security situation. We have heard some statements about a possible curfew, about other strong actions they might be taking, but I think a lot of Iraqis are still waiting to see what kind of a change it's going to make in their daily lives -- Wolf.
BLITZER: CNN's Anderson Cooper reporting once again for us from Baghdad. Anderson thanks very much. And this important note to our viewers out there, Anderson, once again, will be anchoring his program tonight live from Baghdad. "ANDERSON COOPER 360." That begins 7:00 p.m. Eastern, 4:00 Pacific. That's coming up less than two hours from now.
The search continues for a U.S. marine corporal missing in Iraq and sources say that after some initial doubt the Pentagon now thinks he has indeed been captured. Our Pentagon correspondent, Barbara Starr, standing by with more -- Barbara.
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Hello to you, Wolf. Although no official Pentagon announcement has been made, sources are telling CNN that Corporal Wassef Hassoun, Marine Corporal Wassef Hassoun, has now been classified as captured by the military several days after he was seen on a videotape broadcast, blindfolded and with a sword held to his head. The marines corps has prepared a statement which says Corporal Hassoun has been officially listed as captured and that statement says, quote, "while his absence initially prompted investigators to believe he was missing, the videos shown on international television depicted the marine being held against his will by masked captors."
Now this case has been very unusual from the beginning. The corporal was last seen on June 19. He did not report for duty the next morning. It was believed at that time that he was absent without leave if you will. An unauthorized absence from his duty station in Iraq. It was believed at that time, the working theory was that he possibly had family troubles and was trying to make his way to family members in Lebanon. Since then, of course, now he has been seen on this videotape. It is not clear at this point how he fell into the hands of insurgents. So all of this remains under investigation -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Barbara Starr reporting from the Pentagon. Barbara, thanks very much.
Pilots, truckers and potential ties to terror. Why some members of the international air crews are now barred from entering the United States. You're looking at a crime being committed, a crime the FBI says has been repeated by a team of armed men in the Washington, D.C., area. Coming up, more of the dramatic video taken by a journalist in the right place at the right time.
BLITZER: A middle school teacher accused of having sex with a 14-year-old student. We'll go inside the scandal that shocked a Florida community.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Welcome back. American officials have ordered two guards at the Iranian Mission to the United Nations expelled from the United States. The reason, the FBI says they were seen videotaping sensitive locations around New York City. Our senior U.N. correspondent Richard Roth joining us now live with details -- Richard.
RICHARD ROTH, CNN SR. U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, the two Iranians were ordered out last weekend, this after warnings not to take photographs of New York City tourist attractions.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROTH (voice-over): The two Iranians were security guards here at Iran's mission to the United Nations. They were accused by the U.S. of conduct inconsistent with their jobs.
STUART HOLLIDAY, DEP. U.S. AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: These individuals were moving around New York City and essentially surveilling taking photographs of a variety of New York landmarks and infrastructure and the rest.
ROTH: Officials say the duo were seen photographing transportation systems, such as subways and buses. They say photos of other sensitive sites were also snapped, including tunnels. But officials would not disclose which particular landmarks might have been filmed. This is the third pair of Iranian security guards to be required to leave by the U.S. in the last two years. Last November, at this Queens, New York, subway station a New York transit officer detained two Iranians who the police commissioner later described as agents engaged in reconnaissance of the subway.
ADAM ERELI, U.S. STATE DEPT. SPOKESMAN: We had also made it clear that this kind of activity was unacceptable and yet it continued in this latest case so we were really left -- this was the option that we were left with.
ROTH: The government of Iran sharply disagrees. A spokesman for the Iranian Mission said the photos they shot were consistent with obvious and popular attractions in New York City. The statement says millions of visitors come to New York with cameras and that it is very unfortunate that a regular sight seeing and shooting photos by two guards of this mission on a holiday became so contentious and controversial.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROTH: There's no U.S. law that says the Iranians couldn't have taken the photos. Even the Iranian statement says this. However the New York City Transit Authority, Wolf, has been proposing that all photography on the subways and buses be banned for the 7 million who live in New York. Back to you.
BLITZER: All right. Richard Roth in New York. Thanks, Richard, very much.
There's also concern about international air crews with some now banned from the United States after their names showed up on an anti- terror database. Our homeland security correspondent Jeanne Meserve joining us live with more on that -- Jeanne.
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, in an effort to prevent an airplane or a truck from being used as a bomb, the U.S. government has checked the names of flight crews and some truckers against terrorism databases and has gotten some hits. The Federal Aviation Administration says ten members of foreign flight crews have been banned from entering the U.S., one has been suspended. The bulk of them had associated with terrorists or supported terrorist organizations.
According to the Department of Homeland Security Undersecretary Asa Hutchinson, some were using fraudulent passports, one had a criminal record for assaulting a U.S. law enforcement officer. Hutchinson says they are from three countries but will not specify what countries or what airline or cargo company they work for. A similar check of the 2.7 million truckers licensed to carry hazardous materials turned up 29 potential persons of interest. One has been expelled from the country for unrelated reasons. The other 28 are undergoing additional law enforcement checks. Hutchinson says the public should feel safer now that these checks are being done, but concedes that many other workers in the transportation sector undergo no government screening whatsoever -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Jeanne Meserve with that, thanks very much.
The Bush administration is having to rethink some of its strategy for the war on terror, now that U.S. supreme court has eliminated two of its main tactics. Yesterday the justices ruled American citizens deemed enemy combatants cannot be held indefinitely without charges or trial. And they also ruled that foreign detainees held at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba must have access to American courts. Double defeats for the Justice Department.
Just a short while ago, I spoke with the deputy U.S. attorney general, James Comey about what the administration will do next.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: James Comey, thanks very much for joining us. I think by most accounts the Supreme Court dealt the Bush administration, the Justice Department a serious setback yesterday when they said those detainees at Guantanamo Bay should have access to the courts. What do you do next?
JAMES COMEY, DEPUTY U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: Well, go back to the lower courts and try to figure out what process is due. The court, as you know, upheld the government's core argument which was that the president had the power to hold people like Hamdi and people like the people at Guantanamo, but said that additional process was due, rejected the government's contention that we were giving them enough process. And now we need to figure out exactly what the court meant by appropriate process. And we're going to do that.
BLITZER: Does it make any sense to keep those 600 or so detainees at -- excuse me -- at Guantanamo Bay or move them to the continental United States because the court seems to suggest it doesn't make any difference. The U.S. has control over this Cuban territory effectively speaking as well.
COMEY: Well, that's why I'm not sure it would make a difference as you said. The court has said that because of the unique facts that surround Guantanamo, that base, that is essentially the United States for jurisdiction purposes.
So it's as if they were in New Jersey. So it really doesn't matter whether they were moved somewhere else in the United States.
BLITZER: Will you move them?
COMEY: I have no knowledge of any plans to move them. I'm certainly not aware of any discussions about that.
BLITZER: When will lawyers start talking to these people? There are a whole bunch of lawyers who say they have clients already there. When are these lawyers going to start going down to talk to their clients?
COMEY: I don't know the answer to that. I do know that a lot of people, both lawyers on that and lawyers on our side, will need to spend a lot of time with the Supreme Court's very long opinions and figure out just what the court had in mind in terms process.
That is, do we go to a particular district court with these cases, can they go any where in the country? What's the standard of review? Exactly how is this going to work?
We're going to figure it out and there will be fair process consistent with the court's decision.
BLITZER: But clearly there's no recourse. This is the highest court in the land. You have to go ahead and do the what the Supreme Court said. You're not going to try to challenge this introducing new legislation in Congress or anything like that, are you?
COMEY: Or we're going to -- I mean, as a lawyer I assure you I do what the Supreme Court says. And we will carry out the Supreme Court's decision.
As I said, the Supreme Court's decision lays out some important legal principles but doesn't have a lot of detail for how we're going to carry this out. That's what we're going to figure out. We'll work with the district court in the Hamdi case and wherever the cases are filed in the Guantanamo cases to figure out what is process that's due.
In other words, does it have to be something closer to a trial, which we think is inappropriate. Does it have to be something like an administrative proceeding? All that remains to be done.
BLITZER: Is it a coincidence that the Pentagon, the U.S. military announced military tribunals today would go forward for some of the detainees at Gitmo? Is that just a coincidence it happens on the day after the Supreme Court ruling?
COMEY: I didn't know it had been announced. I don't know one way or another.
BLITZER: Because they made that announcement earlier today that they're going to start, at least for some of the detainees, military tribunals which, obviously, some of those detainees and their lawyers or people who that they're their lawyers wanted.
The whole notion of Yaser Hamdi, an American citizen. He was only a few months old when his family took him from Louisiana back to Saudi Arabia. He now, what, has full access to the courts just like any other American citizen?
COMEY: Well, he's had access to the court all along. That's something that people are confused about from some of the media accounts.
The government never contended that Hamdi doesn't get to bring an action in court. We just said the standard should be whether there's some evidence to justify his detention as a combatant. The Supreme Court said no, it has to be more than that. They didn't say exactly what it had to be.
So that's one of the things we're going to figure out. It will remain in court, as it has been. And the district court that has this case down in Norfolk, Virginia, will have to determine what process is appropriate. And that's what we're going to do.
BLITZER: What about the other American citizen deemed an enemy combatant, Jose Padilla? What happens to him. There's suggestions in the media out there you might file charges against him in Florida.
COMEY: Well that's not something I can comment on. But what will happen to him is first his lawyers will have to file an action in the right court. We said all along since they first filed in Manhattan that for legal reasons this had to be filed in South Carolina. The Supreme Court agreed with that.
But I would imagine the course of the Padilla case will be influenced in large part by what court said in Hamdi. That it has to be some sort of process before a neutral decision maker to evaluate this person's detention. That it doesn't have to be a criminal trial of any sort. And perhaps the government can be able to presume that the person is appropriately held and that he has to overcome that presumption.
But all that remains to be seen. Justice O'Connor laid out a number of broad ideas for how this might go. And we're going to take it and go from there.
BLITZER: Well if all of these detainees or the one at Guantanamo or Yaser Hamdi or Jose Padilla are enemy combatants, why not put them all simply before a military tribunal and avoid the whole civilian justice system?
COMEY: Well as to the American citizens, as you'll recall, the president said early on in his order establishing the military tribunals no that American citizen could go before them. So that's never been an option for those folks. Certainly an option for the other people held at Guantanamo. And you reported to me, I didn't know that, that they're going to press ahead with some of the tribunals there.
I think what court has said on both Guantanamo and Hamdi is that the president has the power to hold these people because they're our enemy, but there has to be some process, not necessarily a federal judge, but some process like a tribunal to evaluate whether they should be continued to be held.
BLITZER: Any progress being made on those seven suspected terrorists you announced worldwide lookout for only a few weeks ago?
COMEY: I have none to report publicly. They continue to be a great concern, particularly this fellow Shukrijumah, the trained pilot who trained for the explosives mission with Padilla in Afghanistan. We've got to find that guy.
BLITZER: You have any idea where he might be and which country, what part of the world? You think he could be in the United States?
COMEY: I can't say at this point. I have some idea but I can't share it with you. It's something we're pursuing very, very aggressively. And we meant it when we said weeks ago we want people to keep an eye out. Often times the best law enforcement is the eyes of a citizen.
BLITZER: One final question. How much of a setback historically speaking did you suffer yesterday with the Supreme Court decisions?
COMEY: It was a mixed result for the government. We won a key point which was that the president has the power with to detain people as a result of the September 11 attacks, to fight that war on terror. That's critical. And as you know the other side had argued that the president didn't have that power.
We lost the part about process where we had urged a more limited form of process for someone like Hamdi and the court said it has to be more than that. So that's not a win for the government. That's a loss for the government. But it's something the government can deal with. We will embrace that. We will have process. And we believe we'll satisfy as to certainly as to Hamdi and Padilla that these are guys who are enemy combatants and should be held.
BLITZER: James Comey, the deputy attorney general. Thanks very much for joining us.
COMEY: Thanks, Wolf.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Missing United States marine now classified as captured. His family begs for his safe return. Just ahead, we'll hear from Corporal Wassef Hassoun's brother.
Many say he cost Al Gore the last election. Will he do the same thing to John Kerry this year? We'll show you some new poll numbers on the Ralph Nader factor.
Robbery in progress. These heavily armed men are about to rob a bank in broad daylight. It's a shocking crime and all of it caught on videotape. We'll show you.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Welcome back. More on our top story coming up, fears of an escape by Saddam Hussein and questions surrounding his upcoming trial. I'll speak with Carl Levin, the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
We'll get to all of that. First, though, a quick check of some other headlines.
President Bush is on his way back to Washington following the end of the NATO summit in Turkey. Speaking in Istanbul on the last day of the summit, the president again urged the European Union to admit Turkey as a member.
Secretary of State Colin Powell has arrived in Sudan for talks. He's urging the Sudanese government to rein in militia groups blamed for forcing more than one million people out of their homes.
The United Nations says 24 people are dead following the crash of a helicopter carrying U.N. personnel and others. The chopper was on a routine flight in Sierra Leone, where the U.N. is conducting a peacekeeping mission. The cause is under investigation.
Eight months after an FBI bugging device was discovered in the office of Philadelphia Mayor John Street, federal prosecutors have issued 12 indictments in a municipal corruption probe. The defendants include a former city treasurer, but there are no charges against Mayor Street.
More now on missing Marine Wassef Hassoun. As our Barbara Starr reported just a few minutes ago, the Pentagon is now classifying him as captured and his family is issue an emotional new appeal for his release.
CNN's Ed Lavandera is in West Jordan, Utah, near Salt Lake City, with that part of the story -- Ed.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Wolf.
Well, what the Pentagon is saying today is something that this family has been sure of since Sunday. And the family members that are speaking publicly are in Lebanon.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LAVANDERA (voice-over): Fami Hassoun sat before microphones in Lebanon and called on Middle East authorities to step in and help save his brother; 24-year-old Marine Corporal Wassef Ali Hassoun notice is in the custody of Islamic militants who are threatening to kill him if Iraqi prisoners are not released.
FAMI HASSOUN, BROTHER OF CORPORAL HASSOUN: I would like to call on all the ambassadors in all countries around the world, and especially around Iraq, please help us. Please help us in our case with our brother. He is with the Marines. He was doing his job.
LAVANDERA: The U.S. military now agrees that it is Corporal Hassoun who appears blindfolded in the videotape broadcast on Arab television, but military officials say how he disappeared is still under investigation. Officials say Hassoun might have voluntary walked away from a U.S. base near Fallujah.
On the videotape, the captor's voice is heard saying Hassoun was lured away. And U.S. officials say they are also looking into whether family problems might have played a role in Hassoun's disappearance. No matter how it happened, the Marine's family hopes his captors will spare a fellow Muslims life.
HASSOUN: It's not his mistake that he is down in Iraq. It's not his mistake that the whole thing happened. He was just a soldier doing his job, like any other person. Please leave him for the sake of God.
LAVANDERA: In West Jordan, Utah, Hassoun's family remains silent, but they're not alone in their grief and fear. A neighbor and retired Marine Milton Kelly (ph) asked the family if he could put American and Marine flags in front of their home, a symbol to the Hassoun they're not alone as they wait for word of Corporal Hassoun's fate.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Once a Marine, always a Marine. And we are fellow brothers. We're neighbors. We live just one street over. And our prayers and thoughts are all with them.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LAVANDERA: Here in West Jordan, Utah, we understand a little more than two hours ago, three Marines arrived here at the home of Corporal Hassoun and they have been helping the family through this and passing along whatever information they can to family members as well.
But the family here reiterating that they will not speak publicly until Corporal Hassoun's fate is resolved -- Wolf.
BLITZER: CNN's Ed Lavandera reporting for us -- thanks, Ed, very much.
The new Iraqi government this week begins the process of trying to bring Saddam Hussein to justice, but could Saddam Hussein actually escape justice if he's transferred to Iraqi hands?
Earlier, I spoke with Democratic Senator Carl Levin, a member of both the Armed Services and Intelligence Committees.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Senator Levin, thanks very much for joining us.
We heard earlier from Salem Chalabi, the man in charge of the tribunals of the trials of Saddam Hussein and the other Iraqi leaders, that he's very worried, Salem Chalabi, of possibly Saddam Hussein either escaping or being killed. That's why this interim Iraqi government has asked the U.S. to help provide protection and security.
How worried are you about Saddam Hussein, who is about to be transferred, of him escaping?
SEN. CARL LEVIN (D), MICHIGAN: I don't think there's any greater chance of his escaping or of his being killed as long as he's in our actual custody.
The legal change in custody does not change either of those two issues. But if there were a physical change to them or a physical change in location, then I think there really would be some concern of either of those events occurring.
BLITZER: Is this the right thing to do now, to let the Iraqis try him?
LEVIN: I think the Iraqis are the right ones to try him.
I think it's important that he be given a trial, which, when the Muslim world looks at it and when the rest of the world looks at it, will be viewed as a trial, a real trial and not a show trial. There's plenty of crimes that he, obviously, has committed, but he's got to be convicted appropriately and properly of those crimes, because this is what's going to set the tone in Iraq for decades to come, and as well as, it seems to me, showing the rest of the world that we're a nation of law, no matter how horrific it is the defendant is.
BLITZER: Are you confident or upbeat at all that this transfer of power, that this new system in Iraq is going to work?
LEVIN: Wolf, I'm hopeful.
I can't say I'm confident. In the short term, I doubt that a lot's going to change on the street in the short term. But the psychology is important. And it's clear from at least the public opinion polls that we've seen in Iraq that the people of Iraq wanted us to turn over sovereignty to Iraqis.
That in turn will hopefully reduce the number of people who will join the folks who are trying to attack us. In other words, once Iraqis are in charge and the argument that we're dominating or that we are occupying the country can no longer be made as effectively to those young men, particularly, then hopefully we're going to find fewer people joining the insurgents.
BLITZER: Are there new rules of engagement for the U.S. military in Iraq operating right now, 135,000 or so, because there has been this transfer of sovereignty?
LEVIN: I don't believe there are new rules of engagement. There's going to be a liaison group that's going to connect our military with the Iraqi civilian and military leadership to work out differences. But in terms of the actual rules of engagement, I don't believe there have been any changes in those rules of engagement.
BLITZER: The NATO allies have agreed to start training some Iraqi security police, military, a lot of observers suggesting this is really bare-bones. There's not really much there. What do you think?
LEVIN: I think it's nominal. I'm glad they're doing it. I hope that it is an official act of NATO, not just some NATO countries that are doing it that hadn't been doing it before, but an official act of NATO. That will help a little bit, but it is minimal.
As far as I'm concerned, the whole unilateral approach not just to Iraq, but to the world in general and to world issues that this administration has carried out really has produced a lot of opposition to us and to our actions. It's kind of chickens coming home to roost in Iraq that we don't have more international support there, we don't have official NATO troops on the ground there, and that we don't have any Muslim countries.
And one of the real tests as to whether or not this turnover is going to succeed in changing things, at least in the short term, is whether we can get some Muslim nations there with troops in the short term. It's very, very important that we do that.
BLITZER: Is it a coincidence the day after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that those detainees, those terror suspects at the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, that they do have rights to the U.S. courts, on this day after the Pentagon announces that they will start creating a military tribunal to start dealing with these detainees? What do you make of that?
LEVIN: Well, they have been saying that they were going to do that for a long time. And I don't know whether the timing is coincidental or not. But they had been saying that they were going to put together this tribunal for a long, long time and identify some people who would go in front of that tribunal.
So I just don't know whether it's a coincidence.
BLITZER: Senator Levin, thanks very much for joining us.
LEVIN: Good being with you, as always, Wolf.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: New poll numbers are giving new insight into the Ralph Nader effect. What impact will the independent candidate have on the race for the White House?
Heavily armed suspects, a burning escape vehicle. Police investigate what looks like the latest in a series of bold bank robberies here in the Washington, D.C., area.
Plus, what this young teacher is accused of that has an entire Florida community talking and worrying.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Ever since Ralph Nader announced his plans to run for president again this year, Democrats have worried he might siphon votes away from John Kerry. Some new poll numbers are lending some support to that concern.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER (voice-over): Ralph Nader was campaigning in Washington, D.C., for the Muslim vote.
RALPH NADER (I), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's time for the American people to realize that Muslim-Americans are only the latest religious and ethnic group to feel the brunt of political hysteria and abuse.
BLITZER: The independent candidate is working the crowds hard and his poll numbers, while tiny compared to President Bush and Senator Kerry, are still significant, given the Electoral College winner-take-all system in each state.
Check out the latest Quinnipiac University Poll in the key battleground state of Florida. In a three-way contest, Bush and Kerry have 43 percent each to Nader's 5 percent. In a two-way contest, Kerry comes in with 46 percent to Bush's 44 a statistical dead heat.
Could Florida be deja vu all over again? In 2000, Bush carried the state by 537 votes and won the election. Nader received 97,488 votes in Florida. And most observers agree a majority of them would have been more likely to vote for Al Gore than George Bush.
HOWARD DEAN (D), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think Ralph Nader's candidacy is the single biggest danger to the Kerry candidacy. He only has to take 3 percent of the vote in two or three states to send George Bush back to the White House.
BLITZER: The Nader effect could, indeed, be decisive in several other battleground states as well. In Michigan, a recent poll had Kerry with 45 percent, Bush with 43 percent, and Nader at 3 percent. In New Hampshire, another poll has Bush and Kerry at 46 percent each, with Nader coming in with 2 percent, similar numbers in Wisconsin, Bush 44, Kerry 42, Nader with 4.
The Nader factor could be even more important in Pennsylvania. A recent poll had Kerry at 44, Bush 43, Nader 7 percent, each within the margin of error. Since announcing his candidacy, Nader has strongly denied he's a spoiler for the Democrats. He says he's attracting Republican votes as well.
NADER: This assumption that my votes only come from the Democrats is simply not true. Even in the year 2000, it wasn't true. A majority of the votes for me in the year 2000 were people who didn't want -- who wouldn't have voted otherwise or who would have voted for Bush.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Democrat certainly aren't buying Nader's assurances he'll be taking votes from President Bush and they're hoping John Kerry will pick a vice presidential running mate with some strong appeal.
On that regard, a newly released CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll showed that 24 percent said they'll be enthusiastic if Kerry picks North Carolina Senator John Edwards as his running mate. Missouri Congressman Dick Gephardt and retired U.S. Army General Wesley Clark tied for second with 15 percent. They were followed by Indiana Senator Evan Bayh and Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack, both in single digits.
Weighing in on Internet porn. Are laws aimed at protecting children trampling adults' rights to free speech?
Sex scandal. We'll take you inside a shocking case involving a female teacher and a 14-year-old student.
A daring robbery in the middle of the day all caught on tape by a journalist who happened to be near the scene of the crime.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Police here in the Washington, D.C., area are investigating what might be the latest in a series of bold bank robberies by three heavily armed suspects.
CNN's Mike Brooks, covering the story for us, joining us now live -- Mike.
MIKE BROOKS, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Wolf, a photojournalist from WTTG-TV captured video of something we don't usually see, heavily armed bank robbers coming out of the bank after a holdup.
Let's take a look. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BROOKS: (voice-over): An unidentified woman walks past the SunTrust Bank on Upper Connecticut Avenue in Washington. She looks to her left and sees something near a green minivan that gets her attention. She plays it cool and then runs across the street.
Moments later, a heavily armed man carrying what appears to be an AK-47 peeks around the corner of the bank and then gets back into that van. Then two more heavily armed men emerge from the bank. One of the men is carrying a bag. The other loses his footing. The man quickly recovers and jumps into the driver's seat. The van cuts across Connecticut Avenue and speeds away from the scene.
This is the same getaway van several blocks away going up in flames. Law enforcement sources tell me the criminals set the van on fire in an effort to destroy evidence. Officials believe they then took off in another vehicle. Law enforcement authorities believe these may be the same men responsible for five other similar bank robberies in D.C. and Prince George's County, Maryland, since early January.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BROOKS: Law enforcement sources close to the investigation tell me the robbers have set fire to two other getaway vehicles. So far, no one has been injured during the robberies, even though a gunman fired a shot in the bank in this most recent robbery. During robbery No. 4, the gunmen fired at a Prince George's County police officer, narrowly missing her. The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for their arrest -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Mike, do we know what that photojournalist happened to be doing there at the right place at the right time?
BROOKS: Wolf, he was shooting a promotional video for fire safety across the street at a firehouse. Someone ran over, said the bank was being held up and he took the pictures from behind a tree -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Interesting. All right, very fascinating, very worrying as well. Mike Brooks reporting for us -- thanks, Mike, very much.
Issuing its final decision of the term, the United States Supreme Court today blocked enforcement of a law that was supposed to protect children from Internet pornography. The 1998 law established fines for allowing minors to have easy access to online pornography. By a 5-4 vote, the court said the law probably violates the First Amendment and suggested less restrictive solutions may be possible. It sent the case back to a lower court for further consideration.
Shocking charges involving sex with a student. We'll go inside a scandal that stunned a Florida community. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BLITZER: The case of a young teacher and her alleged relationship with a 14-year-old student has become a huge story in Tampa, Florida, and is now making national headlines.
CNN's Brian Todd has been in contact with law enforcement authorities down in Tampa. He's joining us now live with more -- Brian.
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, this is an incredible story right now of a young woman who seemingly had everything going for her and is now embroiled in a scandal that has shaken at least two families and a large community.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TODD (voice-over): Her marriage and career just beginning, this 23-year-old remedial reading teacher is now at the center of a sordid case that swept through a huge Florida community. Debra Beasley Lafave faces five counts in connection with her alleged relationship with a 14-year-old boy.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All the contact has been sexual in nature.
TODD: Police and sheriff's officers in two counties tell CNN Lafave met the boy at the school where she teaches, a suburb of Tampa. They say the boy was not her student, but she approached him at various school events and earlier this month they began having sex, first at her apartment, then inside her portable classroom at the middle school. Then, authorities say, the boy went on vacation at the home of his cousin, north of Tampa, in Ocala, Florida, and Lafave followed him.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And the teacher traveled to Ocala from her home and met with the student and also his cousin and some of these activities took place in front of the cousin.
TODD: The activities in question, according to the Marion County Sheriff's Office, sex in the back seat of an SUV on at least two occasions while the boy's 15-year-old cousin was driving. Police back in Temple Terrace were notified after the 14-year-old told his parents of the alleged encounters.
Temple Terrace police contacted the Marion County Sheriff's Office and Debra Lafave has now been booked on four counts of lewd and lascivious battery and one count of lewd and lascivious exhibition. She's been released on bond from both counties. Her attorney spoke to reporters this week.
JOHN FITZGIBBONS, ATTORNEY FOR LAFAVE: There is a presumption of innocence in this country for anyone charged with a crime. And we hope that everyone would listen to that.
TODD: CNN obtained a copy of Debra Lafave's personnel file from the Hillsborough County School District. In the evaluation we reviewed, she received ratings of excellent in every category. We also saw two glowing letters of recommendation from her college supervisor and her previous boss at another Florida middle school.
But in the Marion County Sheriff's probable cause affidavit, there's an exchange where the detective asks the boy if he thought the activities were unusual. The affidavit says the boy told detectives Lafave was -- quote -- "turned on by the fact that having sexual relations with him was not allowed."
This recalls two similar high-profile cases, Seattle-area teacher Mary Kay LeTourneau served time for having sex with an underage student and had two children by him. And a 39-year-old softball coach from Oregon now faces charges after having disappeared for nearly a year with a teenage girl. Police say she traveled with him willingly.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TODD: Hillsborough County school officials tell CNN Debra Lafave is now on administrative leave with pay, but soon the superintendent will recommend that she be suspended without pay pending the outcome of her case, Wolf.
BLITZER: Brian Todd, very disturbing story. Thanks very much. We'll be pursuing that tomorrow as well, see how big of a problem this is nationwide.
A reminder, you can always catch WOLF BLITZER REPORTS weekdays at this time, 5:00 p.m. Eastern. We're on noon Eastern as well.
Until tomorrow, thanks very much for joining. I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington.
"LOU DOBBS TONIGHT" starts right now.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
