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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports

Special Edition from Qatar; Last Ditch Efforts to Keep Terri Schiavo Alive; Red Lake Shooting Survivor Speaks Out;

Aired March 24, 2005 - 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.


ANNOUNCER: Happening now in the Persian Gulf: fear of terrorism in what has been, at least until now, a peaceful part of the region. Stand by for hard news on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS.
Appeal denied: the Supreme Court rejects a request to keep Terri Schiavo alive, but some are still battling.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You need to intervene on her behalf, Governor Bush.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The only way I can contemplate Governor Bush or state officials taking Terri Schiavo from the hospice is if they kidnap her.

ANNOUNCER: School shootings, a survivor relives the massacre in Minnesota.

CODY THUNDER, SHOOTING SURVIVOR: The glass shattered, and -- I don't know, I was just in shock, and then as soon as I was shot a couple times, I got up and ran. I didn't know I was hit until I looked.

ANNOUNCER: In the Persian Gulf, we'll take you on a wild ride into an Iraqi port where Iraqis are being trained to protect themselves, and we'll take you to Qatar, a key command center for the war in Iraq. But is that war coming home to root in Qatar?

Faces of the fallen, artists help families see loved ones lost in Iraq and Afghanistan.

REX ROGERS, FATHER: It's a likeness of our son, his smile, his blue eyes. It's really hard. Very difficult for me. They say freedom -- it's just not free.

ANNOUNCER: This is a special edition of WOLF BLITZER REPORTS from the Persian Gulf, reporting from Doha, Qatar, Wolf Blitzer.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks for joining us. We're here in Qatar, the regional headquarters of the U.S. military's Central Command. In recent days, though, this oil-rich, wealthy country has suffered a major shock. We'll have details.

First, though, let's go to the CNN Center and Miles O'Brien with the day's other news.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Thank you, Wolf. In less than an hour, the next chapter of Terri Schiavo's life- or-death drama will play out in Tampa federal court. A hearing is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. Eastern on a request by Governor Jeb Bush to have the state take emergency custody of Terri Schiavo. That same request was denied a few hours ago by a state judge. This latest legal maneuvering comes after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case as it has done many times before. No reason given this time.

We have a reporter standing by throughout the state, covering all angles of this fast-moving story. We begin with CNN's John Zarrella in Pinellas Park, Florida, outside the hospice where Terri Schiavo has now gone more than six days without nourishment.

John?

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Miles, certainly coming up on the longest length of time she's been off the feeding tube. Tomorrow would be seven days, certainly the longest.

We just heard from the family that they are planning to attend that hearing in federal court -- that coming through a spokesman, saying that they were going there. For the most part today, the Schindlers, Bob and Mary, were not allowed in to see their daughter. That happened yesterday late in the afternoon. The reason apparently being today that Michael Schiavo and some other family members, his side of the family, were in there, but late this afternoon, they did get in there, and through the family spokesman, related to us that it was a very somber mood in there, that they can barely hear her voice now, that her condition is weakening and that Mary Schindler in fact had to leave the room she got so ill, looking at her daughter.

Now, that of course comes from the family, saying that her skin is beginning to gray, and that her eyes are beginning to sink in -- all of the things that would be expected to happen as you move into this period of dehydration and lack of nutrition. So, Miles, the family again planning to attend that hearing in federal court in Tampa.

Miles?

O'BRIEN: CNN's John Zarrella in Pinellas Park, thank you.

Florida Governor Jeb Bush is hunkered down in the state capitol, meanwhile, weighing options and facing tremendous pressure from some who say his very career hinges on whether he can keep Terri Schiavo alive.

CNN's Ed Henry in Tallahassee has that part of the story. Big stakes for the governor.

ED HENRY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Miles. Good evening to you.

The governor has been behind me all day, behind closed doors with staffers, trying to figure out if there's a way to save Terri Schiavo's life, with all these developments, legal and political avenues closing both in Washington and here in the state of Florida, Mr. Bush is now, in the words of one adviser, "in the eye of the storm." There are protesters in his office, people who normally support him on the life issue, though pressuring him now, fellow conservatives saying, he needs to step up, he needs to step up, he needs to do something. They're also -- his phone is ringing off the hook, people from all across the country, saying they want him to act.

What can the governor do at some point? Well, some legal analysts are now saying that the governor could order the Department of Children and Families to go into the hospice and actually take Terri Schiavo away on the grounds that she has been abused, and that he can do that according to the Adult Protective Services Act. Now, the state, in that scenario, has a 24-hour window before they have to file court papers explaining their decision, and in the meantime, they could get Terri Schiavo to a hospital to try to get that feeding tube back in and just try to save her life. The question is whether or not the governor wants to go through with that. That could obviously, and will ultimately, lead to another very messy legal fight, Miles.

O'BRIEN: Well, and Ed, these allegations of abuse, to have them come at this late hour of the game, after more than seven years of litigation seem a little odd.

HENRY: Well, it will seem odd for some. There are others who will say that the governor is looking at every possible avenue he can. I've spoken to some legal analysts saying, this is very similar perhaps to the Elian Gonzales situation, several years ago, in the Clinton administration, where the administration went in and took that boy, sent him back to Cuba. There was a lot of heat; the administration ultimately withstood it.

The question now could be for the governor: does he feel that he can withstand that kind of heat? There will ultimately be criticism if he goes in and takes Terri Schiavo out. He'll get support from a lot of conservatives, but there will be others that will suggest that perhaps this is a police state and that he overstepped his bounds. So that's what he has to weigh right now, Miles.

O'BRIEN: That's the rub. CNN's Ed Henry in Tallahassee. Thank you.

The Schiavo controversy hits very close to home for one New York family. They say their loved one once was in a similar condition, but has made a remarkable progress since then.

CNN's Mary Snow has the story.

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Miles, you know the Terri Schiavo case has hit such a nerve throughout the country. It's being so closely watched, and that is especially true for one Long Island family.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SNOW (voice-over): It was spring of 1996; 18-year-old Tommy Joannou playfully posed with his mother and brothers. Days later, he had a tragic accident, that, to this day, has left him severely brain- damaged.

ROSALEE JOANNOU, MOTHER: The hard part is, a lot of people say, oh, I wouldn't want to live in that condition, and who would? Nobody would. But when push comes to shove, I've heard of so many people that don't want to die, when push comes to shove.

SNOW: Push came to shove for Rosalee Joannou, she says, when she was told her son is in a persistent vegetative state, with little hope of surviving.

The accident happened when the then-teenager was on the hood of a car. It started moving, and he was thrown to the ground. Joannou underwent several brain surgeries, and did not show improvement. His family took him home and kept fighting.

JOANNOU: A hundred percent, they told us, he will never eat food, and he does. A hundred percent, they told us, he would never breathe on his own, and he does. So, I don't think doctors are liars, I think they just don't know enough about the brain.

SNOW: And the case of Terri Schiavo has hit home in Beth Page, New York. Years ago, Joannou, like Schiavo, had his feeding tube removed.

JOANNOU: Anything he does -- when he learned to pull himself up on handles on the wall, we were so excited. Anything he does -- the first time he laughed, we were so excited. The first time he cried, we were so excited, when he started to eat. These are all huge milestones.

SNOW: These days, he can shake hands, laugh at jokes, respond to relatives around him, but he cannot speak. The Joannou family credits intensive therapy, 70 volunteers a week, and their faith to Tommy Joannou's progress. His mother hopes his legacy will be one of hope, but it also comes with a great deal of pain.

JOANNOU: When I go to bed every night, I dream about him every single night, that he's going to get better.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SNOW (on camera): Rosalie believes that the legacy of Terri Schiavo will be that more people will prepare living wills, although she does disagree with the decision to remove the feeding tube.

Miles?

O'BRIEN: A lot of conversations about that all across the country.

Mary Snow, thank you.

The Schiavo case has thrust the city of Pinellas Park, Florida, into the spotlight.

Mayor William Mischler joins us now on the phone to talk about that.

Mayor Mischler, I assume this has created tremendous about of debate all across your city.

MAYOR MIL MISCHLER, PINELLAS PARK, FLORIDA: Yes, Miles, it has.

O'BRIEN: Is it accurate to say it's divided your town?

MISCHLER: No, I really haven't heard much from the people within our city. Of course, everybody has their opinions, and rightly so -- they are entitled to that.

I have received e-mails and, basically, they want myself or a city to go in there, and literally, one says, by God, go in there and feed her, and others that say, you know, if myself, being the mayor of the city, they think that I have the right to go in there and pull the police out of there, but by the statutes of Florida, that is not possible.

O'BRIEN: What do you tell people -- when people say those things, you're in a position where, of course, you tell them -- refer them to the Constitution, I presume, but nevertheless, as the mayor, you're responsible to the constituents. When they ask you those questions, what do you do?

MISCHLER: Well, you know, we have a council manager form of government. And basically our city council is similar the board of directors of a company, and the manager is the CEO or the president. All the employees -- the city manager works for the city council and all other employees, including the fire department, police department, and all other departments, fall under that city manager. But even the city manager does not have rights under Florida statute to go in there and really get involved with the police department's duties.

O'BRIEN: Have you taken a public stand on this case one way or another, Mayor, or do you think that's appropriate for you?

MISCHLER: No, I am not. Everybody has their own opinions, and rightfully so. Really, Miles, it's a very sad situation.

O'BRIEN: It is, indeed. Mayor William Mischler, Pinellas Park, Florida, thank you very much.

We're awaiting a federal court hearing on the custody of Terri Schiavo. We'll go live to the courthouse in Tampa. That hearing is coming up in about 50 minutes' time.

Fear of terrorism rising in an unusually quiet Persian Gulf country. Wolf takes us into Qatar as parts of his Middle East blitz, if you will.

Protecting their ports: an inside look at Iraqis training to secure their country for themselves. These are stories you'll see only on CNN.

And, back home, a survivor of the Minnesota school shooting speaks out for the first time from the hospital. You'll hear his words in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: Welcome back.

The investigation continues into Monday's deadly killing spree in Red Lake, Minnesota. One of the students wounded in the rampage spoke with reporters today. CNN's Sean Callebs with his story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It was too soon for 15-year-old Lance Crow. He couldn't bring himself to talk about Monday's shooting rampage. He left it to his cousin, 15-year-old Cody Thunder, to describe the horrific moments trying to escape alleged killer Jeff Weise.

THUNDER: I just remember shots going off, and I looked at the clock, it was a little bit before 3:00, and I turned around and there's Jeff Weise, he's pointing a gun at me, and he started shooting.

CALLEBS: Thunder says Weise was a loner, perceived as an oddball. He changed his hair, orange one day and devil-like horns the next, yet he felt compelled at times to reach out to the outcast.

THUNDER: I don't know, he was just -- he didn't really have any buddies, so I went to talk to him, because he seemed, like, alone, and I just felt like it would be good to go talk to him.

CALLEBS: Thunder, who still has a bullet lodged in his head, was asked about reports that Weise made his way through the school, laughing and grinning.

THUNDER: No, he had a mean face. Mean face.

CALLEBS: Red Lake suffered a tragedy few can fathom, except those who have experienced something similar, like students from Columbine High School in Colorado. Lauren Beyer-Bohn was in Columbine's cafeteria whentwo students turned it into a shooting gallery six years ago. Today, she is married, lives in Minnesota, and felt obliged to visit the Red Lake teens.

LAUREN BEYER-BOHN, FORMER COLUMBINE STUDENT: I was devastated. My heart broke. I was -- it brought back all the memories of what happened to me, but I knew that I needed to get up here.

CALLEBS: She says it will be toughest for the Red Lake students to return to school. Crow, Thunder, and Ryan Auginash are recovering in this hospital, their lives changed forever. They are getting support, but not enough, according to Ryan's uncle.

DARRALL AUGINASH, STUDENT'S UNCLE: We need our tribal leaders here to come here, too, to see these guys. They haven't been here yet. CALLEBS: And lest we forget, these are just children, forced to cope with a crisis. Thunder was asked, what's the first thing he'll do once he leaves the hospital.

THUNDER: See my kitties.

CALLEBS: Sean Callebs, CNN, Bemidji, Minnesota.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: Now an update on last week's Atlanta courthouse shootings: the woman credited with getting the suspect to surrender, honored today at the Georgia State Capitol where those shootings occurred initially. Officials say Ashley Smith talked Brian Nichols into surrendering while Nichols was holding her prisoner in her home outside Atlanta. Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue presented Smith with a $10,000 reward. In all, she collected $70,000 from other jurisdictions.

Back to federal court -- we're awaiting a hearing in Tampa, Florida, requested by the governor, Jeb Bush.

Our Bob Franken is at the courthouse. We'll go there live, shortly.

And guarding against insurgents, Wolf takes us to southern Iraq, where Iraqis are being trained to protect their country. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANNOUNCER: This is a special edition of WOLF BLITZER REPORTS. Reporting from Qatar, once again, Wolf Blitzer.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Welcome back.

Before the start of the war in Iraq, I was here in Qatar, spending some time watching U.S. troops prepare for that war. Now, two years later, U.S. troops are still here in Qatar, preparing for additional military action.

BLITZER (voice-over): Qatar is a small peninsula about the size of Connecticut, but it became very important as the Pentagon started making plans to invade Iraq. There were three things that made Qatar attractive to U.S. military planners: a location on the Persian Gulf, a huge airbase with the longest runway in the region, and a friendly government.

In December 2002, the U.S. and Qatar signed an agreement formally allowing the U.S. to use the Al-Udeid airbase, and Qatar became the home of U.S. Central Command during the invasion.

President Bush visited Qatar in 2003, and today the U.S. State Department describes U.S./Qatar relations as "strong" and "expanding." If there's any sore spot, it's al-Jazeera, the Qatar-based television network that's been accused of having an anti-American bias, and serving as a mouthpiece for terrorists. The U.S. says Qatar has a free press, and although it's a monarchy, the Emir has presided over a gradual move toward Democratic reform. Women are allowed to vote, and under the terms of a new constitution, voters will elect two-thirds of the Emir's advisory council.

Qatar also is trying to diversify its oil-centered economy. It's competing with because Bahrain and Dubai to become the Gulf region's top financial center. It's also hoping to develop what it calls an up-market tourism industry. Qatar already hosts an annual PGA golf tournament, and it will be the site of the 2006 Asian Games. Officials hope Qatar will be attracting more than a million tourists annually by 2010.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: Thanks, Wolf.

We're standing by in Tampa, Florida, for a new federal hearing on the Terri Schiavo case, scheduled to begin at the top of the hour.

Our Bob Franken is at the courthouse. We'll get a live update on this latest legal maneuver.

Also, into Umm Qasr: Wolf takes us to a key Iraqi port where major changes are taking place.

Plus, a wrenching tribute to America's fallen forces. We're there as loved ones view this moving exhibit for the first time.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANNOUNCER: This is a special edition of WOLF BLITZER REPORTS. Reporting from Qatar, once again, Wolf Blitzer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Welcome back.

I'm about to take you on an inside tour of the southern Iraqi port city of Umm Qasr. We'll get there shortly; first, though, back to Miles O'Brien at the CNN Center with some more of the day's other news.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: Thank you, Wolf.

A car bomb exploded in Ramadi, Iraq, today killing six police officers. U.S. military officials say the bomber also died. Nineteen other Iraqi police officers, two Iraqi civilians, and two U.S. soldiers also hurt.

After days of violent protest, opposition forces stormed the presidential compound in Kyrgyzstan, and apparently now control the former Soviet Republic. There was a reports that an opposition lawmaker has been picked to be the interim president. The whereabouts of the president is unclear. He's blamed for alleged fraud during recent parliamentary elections.

The death toll in yesterday's Texas oil-refinery explosion now stands at 15, following the discovery of an additional body. BP- Amoco, which operates the refinery in Texas City, says the explosion appears to have been an accident. The company says most of the plant is operating normally today.

Updating the top story for you in just about 30 minutes, the latest legal round in the Terri Schiavo case scheduled to get under way. A hearing is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. Eastern on a request by Governor Jeb Bush to have the state to take emergency custody of Terri Schiavo -- that same request denied a few hours ago by a state judge. This latest maneuvering comes after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case as it has done previously. No reason given, this time, again. That last-ditch legal effort will play out shortly at that federal courthouse in Tampa.

CNN national correspondent Bob Franken is there; he joins us live with an update.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: By all accounts, Miles, this is a last-ditch effort to go by the same federal judge who earlier this week refused to provide an emergency order, and that decision, in effect, ratified all the way up to the Supreme Court. The lawyers have gone back, and they want to revise their claim in the hope that they can somehow convince this judge to come up with that emergency order.

They've come up with new grounds. Number one, they are saying that there's a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Let me read from their motion: "By authorizing withholding and withholding Ms. Schiavo's nutrition and hydration, they have violated the Americans with Disabilities Act." They go on to say that there's also discrimination on the part of the hospice, in violation of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act.

Further, they talk about the doctor, Dr. Cheshire, who is a neurologist, who has provided an affidavit which was rejected in the state court, saying that he was not at all sure that Terri Schiavo has what other doctors have diagnosed as a persistent vegetative state, and they're saying that, if that is true, quote, "the significance of not being in PVS -- persistent vegetative state -- could shatter the basis for removal of life support." And that, of course, is fundamental to their plea that Terri Schiavo could be rehabilitated, that there is no reason to let her die. An emergency order is required, they say, so that the feeding tube can be reconnected; otherwise, she could be expected to die in a week.

This is, again, a very, very aggressive act of litigation on the part of those people who are trying to save Terri Schiavo. Most of these are considered very, very desperate financial -- excuse me, legal tactics, but one never knows. The judge, as I said, is the same one who had earlier rejected the pleas for an emergency order. Miles?

O'BRIEN: CNN's Bob Franken in Tampa, thank you.

What is likely to happen in this last-chance hearing? Joining me now from Miami, criminal defense attorney, former federal prosecutor Jayne Weintraub.

Jayne, I count...

JAYNE WEINTRAB, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Hi, Miles, how are you?

O'BRIEN: Good to see you.

I count six defeats for the Schindlers and their attorneys just in the past week, in courts from state to federal, all the way up to the Supreme Court. What could be possibly different this go 'round?

WEINTRAUB: Honestly, I don't think anything.

This is creative chaos in the court system, trying to circumvent the judiciary in any way possible. Miles, remember, the issue is very, very narrow. As heart-wrenching as the story is, it's one issue. What did Terri Schiavo want? Did she want to be on life support, artificially held alive, or not? The judge is the only person in a position to make that decision. He held lengthy evidentiary hearings. The judge found that, based on the testimony of the doctors and the witnesses that were called, Terri Schiavo did not want to be artificially kept alive.

That's the only issue here, period.

O'BRIEN: But there is nothing in writing that says that.

WEINTRAUB: And if there were something in writing, we wouldn't be discussing this case. And that's what's so heart-wrenching.

But the judge determined what her intent was. And that would be the purpose of the writing. The writing would be an express consent not to have life support. The judge took testimony, in the absence of legal writing, took testimony and heard evidence that supported the fact that Terri Schiavo did not want to be on life support. That was her right. That's guaranteed to her in our Constitution and our statutes.

O'BRIEN: And, of course, we should point out there is no challenge to that evidence, is there? At this juncture, they're talking about a lot of other things, not whether that evidence initially indicating she did not want to be kept alive this way is valid or not.

WEINTRAUB: That is correct.

And, personally, I think what's going on here is that the governor is using this as a political platform. And the many people who, I guess, empathize with the parents for religious our moral values are putting that ahead of what Terri Schiavo wanted.

Imagine, the judge made a finding of fact. We can't circumvent our judiciary. Imagine the chaos in the court system if you could just pass a bill and go to Congress or go to the state legislature and circumvent the judge's ruling when you don't like it or just keep filing emergency appeals one after the other. I think they're frivolous.

O'BRIEN: Have we heard the last from Governor Bush and the state in general? Is there any other avenue the state could pursue regardless of what happens in Tampa federal court?

WEINTRAUB: I do not think so. I think that the state and the lawyers know that they can't circumvent the court, that they can't go behind the judge's ruling anymore.

The governor has even tried, and there's been discussion of a pardon, of convening the cabinet for a state pardon of some sort, so we went to look at Article 4, Section 8 of the Florida Constitution, and Chapter 970 of Florida statutes talking about clemency. And the only thing a pardon will talk about is erasing someone's criminal conviction, not restoring someone's civil rights that the governor thinks have been deprived.

Terri Schiavo expressed to people she did not want to live in a vegetative state. The doctors testified this was a vegetative state that was irreversible. The judge made a finding of fact. Everything else is procedural, and, procedurally, nobody can go behind the judge's order.

O'BRIEN: Jayne Weintraub, thanks for your time. Appreciate it.

WEINTRAUB: Thanks.

O'BRIEN: Both sides in the Terri Schiavo case assembling in federal court in Tampa for the next legal battle, set to begin next 25 minutes from now. We'll have an update for you, of course.

O'BRIEN: Also, a wild ride into a key Iraqi port. Wolf visits Umm Qasr, a possible model for the future of Iraq there.

Security on the seas. Wolf interviews the commander of the aircraft carrier Carl Vinson, something you'll see only on CNN.

Plus, faces of the fallen. We'll show you a very moving tribute to the troops.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back.

I flew into the southern Iraqi port city of Umm Qasr this week. That's easier said than done.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) BLITZER (voice-over): Imagine flying into Iraq's southern port city of Umm Qasr sitting between two U.S. Navy helicopter gunners. As we approach the coastline, the pilot engages in evasive maneuvers, flying low and fast and zigzagging to avoid sniper fire from the ground. It's a harrowing experience, one made all the more nerve- wracking with the helicopter doors and windows wide open and the gunners' fingers steady on the triggers, poised to open a burst of fire.

They're looking for insurgents who might feel lucky enough to take a shot at the incoming chopper. At the Umm Qasr base, we are met by Iraqi troops who last year took charge of this facility. They're deeply proud as they take us on a tour.

(on camera): These are Iraqi soldiers that are being trained by Iraqis themselves, but also U.S. and British forces that are here. They're instructors, they're giving these guys behind me their first opportunity to train in security protection. They'll be the security force for the Iraqi base commanders here at Umm Qasr.

So, what's your bottom-line assessment? How is it coming along where we are right now on this base?

CAPTAIN GILES WALGER, U.S. MARINE CORPS: They're doing a fantastic job, sir.

BLITZER: And how long do you think it will be before they really can take charge?

WALGER: I don't have an estimate of time on that, sir. It's not my job to determine that. But they're coming along a lot faster than we had probably anticipated.

BLITZER (voice-over): The Iraqis take us on their fast patrol boats through the port.

(on camera): We're heading out from the port of Umm Qasr on one of these small patrol boats into the harbor. This is an area that is going to be incredibly important to Iraq's future economic development. This port of Umm Qasr is the major Iraqi port in the southern part of the country.

This is also where so much of the oil originates, the Iraqi oil exports, a critical part of Iraq's development, literally billions of dollars of exports at stake.

(voice-over): It's pretty empty now, but one can see the huge potential for growth. One day, Iraqis say, this harbor will be bustling with traffic, but not yet, largely because of the continuing insurgency.

Colonel Nabil Yasin Al Zadi (ph) is the Iraqi base commander. He had served in the Iraqi Navy under Saddam, but is now loyal to the new Iraq. As a result, he and his troops know they're targets of the Iraqi insurgents, but they vow to fight on. They hope it won't take long for the new Iraqi government to emerge and for the new Iraqi military to increasingly take charge of their security, enabling the Americans and other foreigners to leave. But that is only their hope.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: For a long time, people here in Qatar thought they were immune to the fears of terrorism, but, in recent days, that's changed.

CNN's Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the peaceful Persian Gulf nation of Qatar, a theater popular with Westerners earlier this month was attacked by a suicide bomber. An Islamic-related Web site posted unverified claims of responsibility.

Now concern is rising across the region about the threat from fundamentals with ties to any number of organizations. As Easter approaches, the U.S. Embassy in Qatar is now warning, a number of reports have been circulating, particularly on the Internet, suggesting that American and other Western interests, such as churches, may be the targets of terrorist attacks.

Senior U.S. commanders this week warned again that al Qaeda and other groups are on the move across the Persian Gulf all the way to eastern Africa, in part because other havens have been shut down.

MAJ. GEN. SAMUEL HELLAND, U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND: With the increase in stability and security in Afghanistan and Iraq, they have to move around.

STARR: Commanders say it may not matter if terrorists are al Qaeda members. The attackers' goal, frighten Westerners, chill the investment climate and unsettle local governments.

In Qatar, the suicide attack was the first of its kind. A close U.S. ally, Qatar hosts the desert headquarters of the U.S. Central Command, which led the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Government support for the U.S. appears unshaken.

In Saudi Arabia, a brazen military attack on the U.S. Consulate in Jeddah in December ended with several assailants being killed, shockwaves through the Kingdom. Crown Prince Abdullah has vowed a crackdown. In Kuwait, security forces had several shoot-outs with suspected militants in January. Security has been tightened at buildings and oil facilities across the country where Westerners work.

Still, General Helland says al Qaeda is increases its ties to emerging terrorist organizations and is using them as front men.

HELLAND: Now, those operations could be something as simple as cutting a railroad line, blowing up a supply line, an oil line or whatever, so they can disrupt the control of the government that is in place.

STARR (on camera): U.S. military intelligence officials fully expect more attacks, but they also say that governments in the region are responding strongly and are fully committed to defeating the terrorists.

Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: Coming up, emotional works of art, gut-wrenching reality, images in portrait sparking feelings of loss and sacrifice among families of those killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: A unique and starkly personal exhibit is on display at the Women's Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery, just outside Washington. It is made up of portraits of service men and women killed in Afghanistan and Iraq.

CNN's Brian Todd was there when family members saw their loved ones' images for the first time.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Some seem ready to say hi, extend their hand. Others are more haunting. Collectively, they're overwhelming, portraits of lives cut short.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a likeness of our son, his smile, his blue eyes. It really...

TODD: Fathers can't finish their sentences. Mothers cry, their children among this gallery of heroes -- more than 1,300 service men and women killed in Iraq and Afghanistan -- so aptly named Faces of the Fallen.

REX ROGERS, FATHER: My son was riding a five-ton truck. This girl was riding shotgun. It was a roadside bomb.

TODD: A wrenching toll on parents and artists.

B.G. Muhn spent months on his portraits. He got so close to his subjects, he says, that the soldiers appeared in his dreams.

B.G. MUHN, ARTIST: They are coming to me and try to express -- I don't know exactly what, but they're with me. They haunt me beyond the level of my current consciousness.

(on camera): B.G. Muhn's work on this project is prolific. He and his family alone have done more than 30 portraits. But he's just one of more than 200 artists who have contributed their time and talent, a massive undertaking all inspired by one woman and her own personal loss.

(voice-over): Annette Polan says she spent a month on her couch after her mother died early last year. Then she picked up a newspaper and saw a huge spread, photographs of lost servicemen.

ANNETTE POLAN, CO-CHAIRWOMAN: And I looked and it was one of those eureka moments. I said, this is a portrait gallery and I'm a portrait painter. I'm going to create something that will be more lasting.

TODD: They'll certainly last with Marine Corporal Charles Lauersdorf, who looks at the portraits of 27 buddies he lost in the Sunni Triangle last year and wonders.

CPL. CHARLES LAUERSDORF, U.S. MARINE CORPS: To come back and see them, almost a sense of guilt is associated with it.

TODD: They'll last with the memory of 21-year-old Marine Lance Corporal Elias Torrez, whose parents came all the way from Central Texas.

MARTHA RAMIREZ-TORREZ, MOTHER: There's really no words for a fallen hero. You know, it's very emotional to see that beautiful portrait.

TODD: Emotions that overtake a hardened Vietnam vet who lost his oldest boy.

ROGERS: It's hard. It's very difficult for me. They say freedom is just -- it's just not free. There's a lot of pain and suffering that goes along with it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: We'll have an update on Terri Schiavo up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: Now an update on the Terri Schiavo case.

A hearing is scheduled just moments from now on the latest attempt by Bob and Mary Schindler to get their daughter's feeding tube reconnected. The Schindlers are asking a U.S. District judge, James Whittemore, to reconsider his earlier rejection of their motion. Schiavo now has been without food or water for six full days.

And let's bring in an expert to talk a little bit more about what lies ahead, Jayne Weintraub, former federal prosecutor, joining us from Miami once again.

Jayne, good to have you back with us.

WEINTRAUB: Hi, Miles.

O'BRIEN: At what point would the federal courts, the state courts just say, I'm sorry, we're not holding any more hearings on this matter? How long can this go on?

WEINTRAUB: Actually, they will not be able to say that. When a motion is filed before the court, the court will rule on it, either deny it or grant a hearing on it.

What the courts have consistently been doing all the way throughout the federal system to the United States Supreme Court last night, they were denying to hearing it. Now, remember, we're a nation of democracy, as you said on the break, a nation of laws. We must follow the laws. Everything that has gone up on appeal after appeal is a procedural matter. It is not a substantive matter. Nobody can attack and go back and redo the evidentiary hearings now that Judge Greer has already heard.

What they're trying to do is come up with other avenues, other ways to get back into court, anything to grant a stay. They are desperate, frivolous attempts by the state to get in and stop the proceeding of what's going on with Terri Schiavo personally.

O'BRIEN: All right, Jayne Weintraub, stay with us. We'll be watching this hearing starting in about five minutes from now. Stay with CNN all throughout the night for the latest details on the Terri Schiavo case.

Now back to Wolf Blitzer with more from the Persian Gulf.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: We're aboard the Carl Vinson, the aircraft carrier, right on the Persian Gulf.

And with us, the commanding officer, Captain Kevin Donegan.

Captain, thanks very much for your hospitality.

CAPT. KEVIN DONEGAN, USS CARL VINSON: Thank you very much, Wolf.

BLITZER: Let's talk a little bit about your mission right now. From what I understand, you have a twofold mission, combat support in Iraq and what you call maritime security here in the Persian Gulf. Let's go through combat support first in Iraq.

We know there are 150,000 troops in Iraq. What's your responsibility?

DONEGAN: Well, our responsibility, the Carl Vinson as a ship, is to ensure that we're in the right place at the right time to launch the airplanes over the beach, so that when troops are on the ground, if they need help, we're there all the time to help them for as long a period of time as we can be.

So, we're basically launching missions from here in the Persian Gulf to fly over Iraq and be there if needed. I guess one of the neat parts is, if they come back with bombs still on the airplane, then that's a good thing, because it means that they weren't needed when they were over there. But we're also there ready in case they are needed.

BLITZER: And let's break down specifically. You have a lot of different kind of aircraft that can be helpful to U.S. forces fighting in Iraq right now. In addition to the jet fighters, you have jammers, AWACS. Talk a little bit about the various responsibilities that these different aircraft have. DONEGAN: That's right, Wolf.

We have airplane from the command-and-control side, like the E-2 Hawkeye, that goes out in a role of marshaling the forces, so to speak, or keeping track of where they are and making sure they're at the right place at the right time. We have airplanes, mostly the Hornet and the Super Hornet, that will fly over the beach. And they will be the ones that will be on call.

They're also providing eyes in the skies in some cases, looking down to observe and make sure that things are tracking the way we want to. And then, as you said, we have the EA-6, which is the jammer airplane that we'll send over the beach. And his job is to just do that, is to provide electronic -- in the electronic spectrum, monitor what's going on and if necessary suppress things if he had to.

BLITZER: And how often would you say your aircraft are leaving the deck here aboard the Carl Vinson and flying over Iraq?

DONEGAN: Right now, we have a very, very long fly day, and with very little breaks. We fly for about 14 or 15 straight fly days in a row. And each of those fly days is about 13 total hours of time when we launch the first airplane until we recover the last one. So, for over half of each individual day, we're pushing airplanes over the beach in support of that nation.

BLITZER: So they're going into Iraq?

DONEGAN: Yes, sir. They're going to into Iraq every day.

And what we do is, we keep those launches and recoveries going, because they'll stay for a certain period of time. They'll fuel and refuel as needed over Iraq. But then they'll come back and we'll replace them again with another crew, because, if they fly for too long, of course, fatigue will be a factor. But the average mission is probably close to about five hours.

BLITZER: As we're speaking, you've only been back here in the Persian Gulf for, what, four days?

DONEGAN: Yes, sir. This is our fourth day on station. We replaced the Harry S. Truman just about four days ago and took up the same mission that she had been doing before we got here.

BLITZER: And how long do you think you'll be staying here? Is that known already known?

DONEGAN: Well, we know about how long we're going to stay, probably through until some time towards the end of June. And then whether -- you know, the timeline for us being replaced and how that works is all being worked out.

BLITZER: The other mission you have is maritime security here in the Persian Gulf. What specifically does that mean?

DONEGAN: Well, for us, maritime -- as you know, the Persian Gulf is very big.

We're talking hundreds of miles long and hundreds of miles wide, so it's a very large area, But it's also -- in terms of commerce and trade, it's very busy. If you were to take a snapshot in time and watch just the normal traffic that comes through here, it's very, very extensive. What we're trying to do is make sure the international terrorists aren't use this sea space for any of their business. Our job is to basically deter, if necessary deny, disrupt.

Whatever it is, we need to make sure that terrorists aren't use this sea space. The phrase you heard talked about is, we're trying to pressurize the maritime domain, so that it can't be used by terrorists, or, if it is being used, then we want to stop them from using it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: All right, thanks to Wolf Blitzer aboard the USS Carl Vinson.

And thank you for joining us. I'm Miles O'Brien in Atlanta.

Stay with CNN for continuing coverage of the Terri Schiavo case. A federal court hearing regarding Schiavo's custody is expected to begin in the next few minutes in Tampa.

Live coverage on "LOU DOBBS TONIGHT," which 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 March 24, 2005 - 17:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANNOUNCER: Happening now in the Persian Gulf: fear of terrorism in what has been, at least until now, a peaceful part of the region. Stand by for hard news on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS.
Appeal denied: the Supreme Court rejects a request to keep Terri Schiavo alive, but some are still battling.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You need to intervene on her behalf, Governor Bush.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The only way I can contemplate Governor Bush or state officials taking Terri Schiavo from the hospice is if they kidnap her.

ANNOUNCER: School shootings, a survivor relives the massacre in Minnesota.

CODY THUNDER, SHOOTING SURVIVOR: The glass shattered, and -- I don't know, I was just in shock, and then as soon as I was shot a couple times, I got up and ran. I didn't know I was hit until I looked.

ANNOUNCER: In the Persian Gulf, we'll take you on a wild ride into an Iraqi port where Iraqis are being trained to protect themselves, and we'll take you to Qatar, a key command center for the war in Iraq. But is that war coming home to root in Qatar?

Faces of the fallen, artists help families see loved ones lost in Iraq and Afghanistan.

REX ROGERS, FATHER: It's a likeness of our son, his smile, his blue eyes. It's really hard. Very difficult for me. They say freedom -- it's just not free.

ANNOUNCER: This is a special edition of WOLF BLITZER REPORTS from the Persian Gulf, reporting from Doha, Qatar, Wolf Blitzer.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks for joining us. We're here in Qatar, the regional headquarters of the U.S. military's Central Command. In recent days, though, this oil-rich, wealthy country has suffered a major shock. We'll have details.

First, though, let's go to the CNN Center and Miles O'Brien with the day's other news.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Thank you, Wolf. In less than an hour, the next chapter of Terri Schiavo's life- or-death drama will play out in Tampa federal court. A hearing is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. Eastern on a request by Governor Jeb Bush to have the state take emergency custody of Terri Schiavo. That same request was denied a few hours ago by a state judge. This latest legal maneuvering comes after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case as it has done many times before. No reason given this time.

We have a reporter standing by throughout the state, covering all angles of this fast-moving story. We begin with CNN's John Zarrella in Pinellas Park, Florida, outside the hospice where Terri Schiavo has now gone more than six days without nourishment.

John?

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Miles, certainly coming up on the longest length of time she's been off the feeding tube. Tomorrow would be seven days, certainly the longest.

We just heard from the family that they are planning to attend that hearing in federal court -- that coming through a spokesman, saying that they were going there. For the most part today, the Schindlers, Bob and Mary, were not allowed in to see their daughter. That happened yesterday late in the afternoon. The reason apparently being today that Michael Schiavo and some other family members, his side of the family, were in there, but late this afternoon, they did get in there, and through the family spokesman, related to us that it was a very somber mood in there, that they can barely hear her voice now, that her condition is weakening and that Mary Schindler in fact had to leave the room she got so ill, looking at her daughter.

Now, that of course comes from the family, saying that her skin is beginning to gray, and that her eyes are beginning to sink in -- all of the things that would be expected to happen as you move into this period of dehydration and lack of nutrition. So, Miles, the family again planning to attend that hearing in federal court in Tampa.

Miles?

O'BRIEN: CNN's John Zarrella in Pinellas Park, thank you.

Florida Governor Jeb Bush is hunkered down in the state capitol, meanwhile, weighing options and facing tremendous pressure from some who say his very career hinges on whether he can keep Terri Schiavo alive.

CNN's Ed Henry in Tallahassee has that part of the story. Big stakes for the governor.

ED HENRY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Miles. Good evening to you.

The governor has been behind me all day, behind closed doors with staffers, trying to figure out if there's a way to save Terri Schiavo's life, with all these developments, legal and political avenues closing both in Washington and here in the state of Florida, Mr. Bush is now, in the words of one adviser, "in the eye of the storm." There are protesters in his office, people who normally support him on the life issue, though pressuring him now, fellow conservatives saying, he needs to step up, he needs to step up, he needs to do something. They're also -- his phone is ringing off the hook, people from all across the country, saying they want him to act.

What can the governor do at some point? Well, some legal analysts are now saying that the governor could order the Department of Children and Families to go into the hospice and actually take Terri Schiavo away on the grounds that she has been abused, and that he can do that according to the Adult Protective Services Act. Now, the state, in that scenario, has a 24-hour window before they have to file court papers explaining their decision, and in the meantime, they could get Terri Schiavo to a hospital to try to get that feeding tube back in and just try to save her life. The question is whether or not the governor wants to go through with that. That could obviously, and will ultimately, lead to another very messy legal fight, Miles.

O'BRIEN: Well, and Ed, these allegations of abuse, to have them come at this late hour of the game, after more than seven years of litigation seem a little odd.

HENRY: Well, it will seem odd for some. There are others who will say that the governor is looking at every possible avenue he can. I've spoken to some legal analysts saying, this is very similar perhaps to the Elian Gonzales situation, several years ago, in the Clinton administration, where the administration went in and took that boy, sent him back to Cuba. There was a lot of heat; the administration ultimately withstood it.

The question now could be for the governor: does he feel that he can withstand that kind of heat? There will ultimately be criticism if he goes in and takes Terri Schiavo out. He'll get support from a lot of conservatives, but there will be others that will suggest that perhaps this is a police state and that he overstepped his bounds. So that's what he has to weigh right now, Miles.

O'BRIEN: That's the rub. CNN's Ed Henry in Tallahassee. Thank you.

The Schiavo controversy hits very close to home for one New York family. They say their loved one once was in a similar condition, but has made a remarkable progress since then.

CNN's Mary Snow has the story.

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Miles, you know the Terri Schiavo case has hit such a nerve throughout the country. It's being so closely watched, and that is especially true for one Long Island family.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SNOW (voice-over): It was spring of 1996; 18-year-old Tommy Joannou playfully posed with his mother and brothers. Days later, he had a tragic accident, that, to this day, has left him severely brain- damaged.

ROSALEE JOANNOU, MOTHER: The hard part is, a lot of people say, oh, I wouldn't want to live in that condition, and who would? Nobody would. But when push comes to shove, I've heard of so many people that don't want to die, when push comes to shove.

SNOW: Push came to shove for Rosalee Joannou, she says, when she was told her son is in a persistent vegetative state, with little hope of surviving.

The accident happened when the then-teenager was on the hood of a car. It started moving, and he was thrown to the ground. Joannou underwent several brain surgeries, and did not show improvement. His family took him home and kept fighting.

JOANNOU: A hundred percent, they told us, he will never eat food, and he does. A hundred percent, they told us, he would never breathe on his own, and he does. So, I don't think doctors are liars, I think they just don't know enough about the brain.

SNOW: And the case of Terri Schiavo has hit home in Beth Page, New York. Years ago, Joannou, like Schiavo, had his feeding tube removed.

JOANNOU: Anything he does -- when he learned to pull himself up on handles on the wall, we were so excited. Anything he does -- the first time he laughed, we were so excited. The first time he cried, we were so excited, when he started to eat. These are all huge milestones.

SNOW: These days, he can shake hands, laugh at jokes, respond to relatives around him, but he cannot speak. The Joannou family credits intensive therapy, 70 volunteers a week, and their faith to Tommy Joannou's progress. His mother hopes his legacy will be one of hope, but it also comes with a great deal of pain.

JOANNOU: When I go to bed every night, I dream about him every single night, that he's going to get better.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SNOW (on camera): Rosalie believes that the legacy of Terri Schiavo will be that more people will prepare living wills, although she does disagree with the decision to remove the feeding tube.

Miles?

O'BRIEN: A lot of conversations about that all across the country.

Mary Snow, thank you.

The Schiavo case has thrust the city of Pinellas Park, Florida, into the spotlight.

Mayor William Mischler joins us now on the phone to talk about that.

Mayor Mischler, I assume this has created tremendous about of debate all across your city.

MAYOR MIL MISCHLER, PINELLAS PARK, FLORIDA: Yes, Miles, it has.

O'BRIEN: Is it accurate to say it's divided your town?

MISCHLER: No, I really haven't heard much from the people within our city. Of course, everybody has their opinions, and rightly so -- they are entitled to that.

I have received e-mails and, basically, they want myself or a city to go in there, and literally, one says, by God, go in there and feed her, and others that say, you know, if myself, being the mayor of the city, they think that I have the right to go in there and pull the police out of there, but by the statutes of Florida, that is not possible.

O'BRIEN: What do you tell people -- when people say those things, you're in a position where, of course, you tell them -- refer them to the Constitution, I presume, but nevertheless, as the mayor, you're responsible to the constituents. When they ask you those questions, what do you do?

MISCHLER: Well, you know, we have a council manager form of government. And basically our city council is similar the board of directors of a company, and the manager is the CEO or the president. All the employees -- the city manager works for the city council and all other employees, including the fire department, police department, and all other departments, fall under that city manager. But even the city manager does not have rights under Florida statute to go in there and really get involved with the police department's duties.

O'BRIEN: Have you taken a public stand on this case one way or another, Mayor, or do you think that's appropriate for you?

MISCHLER: No, I am not. Everybody has their own opinions, and rightfully so. Really, Miles, it's a very sad situation.

O'BRIEN: It is, indeed. Mayor William Mischler, Pinellas Park, Florida, thank you very much.

We're awaiting a federal court hearing on the custody of Terri Schiavo. We'll go live to the courthouse in Tampa. That hearing is coming up in about 50 minutes' time.

Fear of terrorism rising in an unusually quiet Persian Gulf country. Wolf takes us into Qatar as parts of his Middle East blitz, if you will.

Protecting their ports: an inside look at Iraqis training to secure their country for themselves. These are stories you'll see only on CNN.

And, back home, a survivor of the Minnesota school shooting speaks out for the first time from the hospital. You'll hear his words in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: Welcome back.

The investigation continues into Monday's deadly killing spree in Red Lake, Minnesota. One of the students wounded in the rampage spoke with reporters today. CNN's Sean Callebs with his story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It was too soon for 15-year-old Lance Crow. He couldn't bring himself to talk about Monday's shooting rampage. He left it to his cousin, 15-year-old Cody Thunder, to describe the horrific moments trying to escape alleged killer Jeff Weise.

THUNDER: I just remember shots going off, and I looked at the clock, it was a little bit before 3:00, and I turned around and there's Jeff Weise, he's pointing a gun at me, and he started shooting.

CALLEBS: Thunder says Weise was a loner, perceived as an oddball. He changed his hair, orange one day and devil-like horns the next, yet he felt compelled at times to reach out to the outcast.

THUNDER: I don't know, he was just -- he didn't really have any buddies, so I went to talk to him, because he seemed, like, alone, and I just felt like it would be good to go talk to him.

CALLEBS: Thunder, who still has a bullet lodged in his head, was asked about reports that Weise made his way through the school, laughing and grinning.

THUNDER: No, he had a mean face. Mean face.

CALLEBS: Red Lake suffered a tragedy few can fathom, except those who have experienced something similar, like students from Columbine High School in Colorado. Lauren Beyer-Bohn was in Columbine's cafeteria whentwo students turned it into a shooting gallery six years ago. Today, she is married, lives in Minnesota, and felt obliged to visit the Red Lake teens.

LAUREN BEYER-BOHN, FORMER COLUMBINE STUDENT: I was devastated. My heart broke. I was -- it brought back all the memories of what happened to me, but I knew that I needed to get up here.

CALLEBS: She says it will be toughest for the Red Lake students to return to school. Crow, Thunder, and Ryan Auginash are recovering in this hospital, their lives changed forever. They are getting support, but not enough, according to Ryan's uncle.

DARRALL AUGINASH, STUDENT'S UNCLE: We need our tribal leaders here to come here, too, to see these guys. They haven't been here yet. CALLEBS: And lest we forget, these are just children, forced to cope with a crisis. Thunder was asked, what's the first thing he'll do once he leaves the hospital.

THUNDER: See my kitties.

CALLEBS: Sean Callebs, CNN, Bemidji, Minnesota.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: Now an update on last week's Atlanta courthouse shootings: the woman credited with getting the suspect to surrender, honored today at the Georgia State Capitol where those shootings occurred initially. Officials say Ashley Smith talked Brian Nichols into surrendering while Nichols was holding her prisoner in her home outside Atlanta. Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue presented Smith with a $10,000 reward. In all, she collected $70,000 from other jurisdictions.

Back to federal court -- we're awaiting a hearing in Tampa, Florida, requested by the governor, Jeb Bush.

Our Bob Franken is at the courthouse. We'll go there live, shortly.

And guarding against insurgents, Wolf takes us to southern Iraq, where Iraqis are being trained to protect their country. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANNOUNCER: This is a special edition of WOLF BLITZER REPORTS. Reporting from Qatar, once again, Wolf Blitzer.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Welcome back.

Before the start of the war in Iraq, I was here in Qatar, spending some time watching U.S. troops prepare for that war. Now, two years later, U.S. troops are still here in Qatar, preparing for additional military action.

BLITZER (voice-over): Qatar is a small peninsula about the size of Connecticut, but it became very important as the Pentagon started making plans to invade Iraq. There were three things that made Qatar attractive to U.S. military planners: a location on the Persian Gulf, a huge airbase with the longest runway in the region, and a friendly government.

In December 2002, the U.S. and Qatar signed an agreement formally allowing the U.S. to use the Al-Udeid airbase, and Qatar became the home of U.S. Central Command during the invasion.

President Bush visited Qatar in 2003, and today the U.S. State Department describes U.S./Qatar relations as "strong" and "expanding." If there's any sore spot, it's al-Jazeera, the Qatar-based television network that's been accused of having an anti-American bias, and serving as a mouthpiece for terrorists. The U.S. says Qatar has a free press, and although it's a monarchy, the Emir has presided over a gradual move toward Democratic reform. Women are allowed to vote, and under the terms of a new constitution, voters will elect two-thirds of the Emir's advisory council.

Qatar also is trying to diversify its oil-centered economy. It's competing with because Bahrain and Dubai to become the Gulf region's top financial center. It's also hoping to develop what it calls an up-market tourism industry. Qatar already hosts an annual PGA golf tournament, and it will be the site of the 2006 Asian Games. Officials hope Qatar will be attracting more than a million tourists annually by 2010.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: Thanks, Wolf.

We're standing by in Tampa, Florida, for a new federal hearing on the Terri Schiavo case, scheduled to begin at the top of the hour.

Our Bob Franken is at the courthouse. We'll get a live update on this latest legal maneuver.

Also, into Umm Qasr: Wolf takes us to a key Iraqi port where major changes are taking place.

Plus, a wrenching tribute to America's fallen forces. We're there as loved ones view this moving exhibit for the first time.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANNOUNCER: This is a special edition of WOLF BLITZER REPORTS. Reporting from Qatar, once again, Wolf Blitzer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Welcome back.

I'm about to take you on an inside tour of the southern Iraqi port city of Umm Qasr. We'll get there shortly; first, though, back to Miles O'Brien at the CNN Center with some more of the day's other news.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: Thank you, Wolf.

A car bomb exploded in Ramadi, Iraq, today killing six police officers. U.S. military officials say the bomber also died. Nineteen other Iraqi police officers, two Iraqi civilians, and two U.S. soldiers also hurt.

After days of violent protest, opposition forces stormed the presidential compound in Kyrgyzstan, and apparently now control the former Soviet Republic. There was a reports that an opposition lawmaker has been picked to be the interim president. The whereabouts of the president is unclear. He's blamed for alleged fraud during recent parliamentary elections.

The death toll in yesterday's Texas oil-refinery explosion now stands at 15, following the discovery of an additional body. BP- Amoco, which operates the refinery in Texas City, says the explosion appears to have been an accident. The company says most of the plant is operating normally today.

Updating the top story for you in just about 30 minutes, the latest legal round in the Terri Schiavo case scheduled to get under way. A hearing is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. Eastern on a request by Governor Jeb Bush to have the state to take emergency custody of Terri Schiavo -- that same request denied a few hours ago by a state judge. This latest maneuvering comes after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case as it has done previously. No reason given, this time, again. That last-ditch legal effort will play out shortly at that federal courthouse in Tampa.

CNN national correspondent Bob Franken is there; he joins us live with an update.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: By all accounts, Miles, this is a last-ditch effort to go by the same federal judge who earlier this week refused to provide an emergency order, and that decision, in effect, ratified all the way up to the Supreme Court. The lawyers have gone back, and they want to revise their claim in the hope that they can somehow convince this judge to come up with that emergency order.

They've come up with new grounds. Number one, they are saying that there's a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Let me read from their motion: "By authorizing withholding and withholding Ms. Schiavo's nutrition and hydration, they have violated the Americans with Disabilities Act." They go on to say that there's also discrimination on the part of the hospice, in violation of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act.

Further, they talk about the doctor, Dr. Cheshire, who is a neurologist, who has provided an affidavit which was rejected in the state court, saying that he was not at all sure that Terri Schiavo has what other doctors have diagnosed as a persistent vegetative state, and they're saying that, if that is true, quote, "the significance of not being in PVS -- persistent vegetative state -- could shatter the basis for removal of life support." And that, of course, is fundamental to their plea that Terri Schiavo could be rehabilitated, that there is no reason to let her die. An emergency order is required, they say, so that the feeding tube can be reconnected; otherwise, she could be expected to die in a week.

This is, again, a very, very aggressive act of litigation on the part of those people who are trying to save Terri Schiavo. Most of these are considered very, very desperate financial -- excuse me, legal tactics, but one never knows. The judge, as I said, is the same one who had earlier rejected the pleas for an emergency order. Miles?

O'BRIEN: CNN's Bob Franken in Tampa, thank you.

What is likely to happen in this last-chance hearing? Joining me now from Miami, criminal defense attorney, former federal prosecutor Jayne Weintraub.

Jayne, I count...

JAYNE WEINTRAB, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Hi, Miles, how are you?

O'BRIEN: Good to see you.

I count six defeats for the Schindlers and their attorneys just in the past week, in courts from state to federal, all the way up to the Supreme Court. What could be possibly different this go 'round?

WEINTRAUB: Honestly, I don't think anything.

This is creative chaos in the court system, trying to circumvent the judiciary in any way possible. Miles, remember, the issue is very, very narrow. As heart-wrenching as the story is, it's one issue. What did Terri Schiavo want? Did she want to be on life support, artificially held alive, or not? The judge is the only person in a position to make that decision. He held lengthy evidentiary hearings. The judge found that, based on the testimony of the doctors and the witnesses that were called, Terri Schiavo did not want to be artificially kept alive.

That's the only issue here, period.

O'BRIEN: But there is nothing in writing that says that.

WEINTRAUB: And if there were something in writing, we wouldn't be discussing this case. And that's what's so heart-wrenching.

But the judge determined what her intent was. And that would be the purpose of the writing. The writing would be an express consent not to have life support. The judge took testimony, in the absence of legal writing, took testimony and heard evidence that supported the fact that Terri Schiavo did not want to be on life support. That was her right. That's guaranteed to her in our Constitution and our statutes.

O'BRIEN: And, of course, we should point out there is no challenge to that evidence, is there? At this juncture, they're talking about a lot of other things, not whether that evidence initially indicating she did not want to be kept alive this way is valid or not.

WEINTRAUB: That is correct.

And, personally, I think what's going on here is that the governor is using this as a political platform. And the many people who, I guess, empathize with the parents for religious our moral values are putting that ahead of what Terri Schiavo wanted.

Imagine, the judge made a finding of fact. We can't circumvent our judiciary. Imagine the chaos in the court system if you could just pass a bill and go to Congress or go to the state legislature and circumvent the judge's ruling when you don't like it or just keep filing emergency appeals one after the other. I think they're frivolous.

O'BRIEN: Have we heard the last from Governor Bush and the state in general? Is there any other avenue the state could pursue regardless of what happens in Tampa federal court?

WEINTRAUB: I do not think so. I think that the state and the lawyers know that they can't circumvent the court, that they can't go behind the judge's ruling anymore.

The governor has even tried, and there's been discussion of a pardon, of convening the cabinet for a state pardon of some sort, so we went to look at Article 4, Section 8 of the Florida Constitution, and Chapter 970 of Florida statutes talking about clemency. And the only thing a pardon will talk about is erasing someone's criminal conviction, not restoring someone's civil rights that the governor thinks have been deprived.

Terri Schiavo expressed to people she did not want to live in a vegetative state. The doctors testified this was a vegetative state that was irreversible. The judge made a finding of fact. Everything else is procedural, and, procedurally, nobody can go behind the judge's order.

O'BRIEN: Jayne Weintraub, thanks for your time. Appreciate it.

WEINTRAUB: Thanks.

O'BRIEN: Both sides in the Terri Schiavo case assembling in federal court in Tampa for the next legal battle, set to begin next 25 minutes from now. We'll have an update for you, of course.

O'BRIEN: Also, a wild ride into a key Iraqi port. Wolf visits Umm Qasr, a possible model for the future of Iraq there.

Security on the seas. Wolf interviews the commander of the aircraft carrier Carl Vinson, something you'll see only on CNN.

Plus, faces of the fallen. We'll show you a very moving tribute to the troops.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back.

I flew into the southern Iraqi port city of Umm Qasr this week. That's easier said than done.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) BLITZER (voice-over): Imagine flying into Iraq's southern port city of Umm Qasr sitting between two U.S. Navy helicopter gunners. As we approach the coastline, the pilot engages in evasive maneuvers, flying low and fast and zigzagging to avoid sniper fire from the ground. It's a harrowing experience, one made all the more nerve- wracking with the helicopter doors and windows wide open and the gunners' fingers steady on the triggers, poised to open a burst of fire.

They're looking for insurgents who might feel lucky enough to take a shot at the incoming chopper. At the Umm Qasr base, we are met by Iraqi troops who last year took charge of this facility. They're deeply proud as they take us on a tour.

(on camera): These are Iraqi soldiers that are being trained by Iraqis themselves, but also U.S. and British forces that are here. They're instructors, they're giving these guys behind me their first opportunity to train in security protection. They'll be the security force for the Iraqi base commanders here at Umm Qasr.

So, what's your bottom-line assessment? How is it coming along where we are right now on this base?

CAPTAIN GILES WALGER, U.S. MARINE CORPS: They're doing a fantastic job, sir.

BLITZER: And how long do you think it will be before they really can take charge?

WALGER: I don't have an estimate of time on that, sir. It's not my job to determine that. But they're coming along a lot faster than we had probably anticipated.

BLITZER (voice-over): The Iraqis take us on their fast patrol boats through the port.

(on camera): We're heading out from the port of Umm Qasr on one of these small patrol boats into the harbor. This is an area that is going to be incredibly important to Iraq's future economic development. This port of Umm Qasr is the major Iraqi port in the southern part of the country.

This is also where so much of the oil originates, the Iraqi oil exports, a critical part of Iraq's development, literally billions of dollars of exports at stake.

(voice-over): It's pretty empty now, but one can see the huge potential for growth. One day, Iraqis say, this harbor will be bustling with traffic, but not yet, largely because of the continuing insurgency.

Colonel Nabil Yasin Al Zadi (ph) is the Iraqi base commander. He had served in the Iraqi Navy under Saddam, but is now loyal to the new Iraq. As a result, he and his troops know they're targets of the Iraqi insurgents, but they vow to fight on. They hope it won't take long for the new Iraqi government to emerge and for the new Iraqi military to increasingly take charge of their security, enabling the Americans and other foreigners to leave. But that is only their hope.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: For a long time, people here in Qatar thought they were immune to the fears of terrorism, but, in recent days, that's changed.

CNN's Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the peaceful Persian Gulf nation of Qatar, a theater popular with Westerners earlier this month was attacked by a suicide bomber. An Islamic-related Web site posted unverified claims of responsibility.

Now concern is rising across the region about the threat from fundamentals with ties to any number of organizations. As Easter approaches, the U.S. Embassy in Qatar is now warning, a number of reports have been circulating, particularly on the Internet, suggesting that American and other Western interests, such as churches, may be the targets of terrorist attacks.

Senior U.S. commanders this week warned again that al Qaeda and other groups are on the move across the Persian Gulf all the way to eastern Africa, in part because other havens have been shut down.

MAJ. GEN. SAMUEL HELLAND, U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND: With the increase in stability and security in Afghanistan and Iraq, they have to move around.

STARR: Commanders say it may not matter if terrorists are al Qaeda members. The attackers' goal, frighten Westerners, chill the investment climate and unsettle local governments.

In Qatar, the suicide attack was the first of its kind. A close U.S. ally, Qatar hosts the desert headquarters of the U.S. Central Command, which led the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Government support for the U.S. appears unshaken.

In Saudi Arabia, a brazen military attack on the U.S. Consulate in Jeddah in December ended with several assailants being killed, shockwaves through the Kingdom. Crown Prince Abdullah has vowed a crackdown. In Kuwait, security forces had several shoot-outs with suspected militants in January. Security has been tightened at buildings and oil facilities across the country where Westerners work.

Still, General Helland says al Qaeda is increases its ties to emerging terrorist organizations and is using them as front men.

HELLAND: Now, those operations could be something as simple as cutting a railroad line, blowing up a supply line, an oil line or whatever, so they can disrupt the control of the government that is in place.

STARR (on camera): U.S. military intelligence officials fully expect more attacks, but they also say that governments in the region are responding strongly and are fully committed to defeating the terrorists.

Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: Coming up, emotional works of art, gut-wrenching reality, images in portrait sparking feelings of loss and sacrifice among families of those killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: A unique and starkly personal exhibit is on display at the Women's Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery, just outside Washington. It is made up of portraits of service men and women killed in Afghanistan and Iraq.

CNN's Brian Todd was there when family members saw their loved ones' images for the first time.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Some seem ready to say hi, extend their hand. Others are more haunting. Collectively, they're overwhelming, portraits of lives cut short.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a likeness of our son, his smile, his blue eyes. It really...

TODD: Fathers can't finish their sentences. Mothers cry, their children among this gallery of heroes -- more than 1,300 service men and women killed in Iraq and Afghanistan -- so aptly named Faces of the Fallen.

REX ROGERS, FATHER: My son was riding a five-ton truck. This girl was riding shotgun. It was a roadside bomb.

TODD: A wrenching toll on parents and artists.

B.G. Muhn spent months on his portraits. He got so close to his subjects, he says, that the soldiers appeared in his dreams.

B.G. MUHN, ARTIST: They are coming to me and try to express -- I don't know exactly what, but they're with me. They haunt me beyond the level of my current consciousness.

(on camera): B.G. Muhn's work on this project is prolific. He and his family alone have done more than 30 portraits. But he's just one of more than 200 artists who have contributed their time and talent, a massive undertaking all inspired by one woman and her own personal loss.

(voice-over): Annette Polan says she spent a month on her couch after her mother died early last year. Then she picked up a newspaper and saw a huge spread, photographs of lost servicemen.

ANNETTE POLAN, CO-CHAIRWOMAN: And I looked and it was one of those eureka moments. I said, this is a portrait gallery and I'm a portrait painter. I'm going to create something that will be more lasting.

TODD: They'll certainly last with Marine Corporal Charles Lauersdorf, who looks at the portraits of 27 buddies he lost in the Sunni Triangle last year and wonders.

CPL. CHARLES LAUERSDORF, U.S. MARINE CORPS: To come back and see them, almost a sense of guilt is associated with it.

TODD: They'll last with the memory of 21-year-old Marine Lance Corporal Elias Torrez, whose parents came all the way from Central Texas.

MARTHA RAMIREZ-TORREZ, MOTHER: There's really no words for a fallen hero. You know, it's very emotional to see that beautiful portrait.

TODD: Emotions that overtake a hardened Vietnam vet who lost his oldest boy.

ROGERS: It's hard. It's very difficult for me. They say freedom is just -- it's just not free. There's a lot of pain and suffering that goes along with it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: We'll have an update on Terri Schiavo up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: Now an update on the Terri Schiavo case.

A hearing is scheduled just moments from now on the latest attempt by Bob and Mary Schindler to get their daughter's feeding tube reconnected. The Schindlers are asking a U.S. District judge, James Whittemore, to reconsider his earlier rejection of their motion. Schiavo now has been without food or water for six full days.

And let's bring in an expert to talk a little bit more about what lies ahead, Jayne Weintraub, former federal prosecutor, joining us from Miami once again.

Jayne, good to have you back with us.

WEINTRAUB: Hi, Miles.

O'BRIEN: At what point would the federal courts, the state courts just say, I'm sorry, we're not holding any more hearings on this matter? How long can this go on?

WEINTRAUB: Actually, they will not be able to say that. When a motion is filed before the court, the court will rule on it, either deny it or grant a hearing on it.

What the courts have consistently been doing all the way throughout the federal system to the United States Supreme Court last night, they were denying to hearing it. Now, remember, we're a nation of democracy, as you said on the break, a nation of laws. We must follow the laws. Everything that has gone up on appeal after appeal is a procedural matter. It is not a substantive matter. Nobody can attack and go back and redo the evidentiary hearings now that Judge Greer has already heard.

What they're trying to do is come up with other avenues, other ways to get back into court, anything to grant a stay. They are desperate, frivolous attempts by the state to get in and stop the proceeding of what's going on with Terri Schiavo personally.

O'BRIEN: All right, Jayne Weintraub, stay with us. We'll be watching this hearing starting in about five minutes from now. Stay with CNN all throughout the night for the latest details on the Terri Schiavo case.

Now back to Wolf Blitzer with more from the Persian Gulf.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: We're aboard the Carl Vinson, the aircraft carrier, right on the Persian Gulf.

And with us, the commanding officer, Captain Kevin Donegan.

Captain, thanks very much for your hospitality.

CAPT. KEVIN DONEGAN, USS CARL VINSON: Thank you very much, Wolf.

BLITZER: Let's talk a little bit about your mission right now. From what I understand, you have a twofold mission, combat support in Iraq and what you call maritime security here in the Persian Gulf. Let's go through combat support first in Iraq.

We know there are 150,000 troops in Iraq. What's your responsibility?

DONEGAN: Well, our responsibility, the Carl Vinson as a ship, is to ensure that we're in the right place at the right time to launch the airplanes over the beach, so that when troops are on the ground, if they need help, we're there all the time to help them for as long a period of time as we can be.

So, we're basically launching missions from here in the Persian Gulf to fly over Iraq and be there if needed. I guess one of the neat parts is, if they come back with bombs still on the airplane, then that's a good thing, because it means that they weren't needed when they were over there. But we're also there ready in case they are needed.

BLITZER: And let's break down specifically. You have a lot of different kind of aircraft that can be helpful to U.S. forces fighting in Iraq right now. In addition to the jet fighters, you have jammers, AWACS. Talk a little bit about the various responsibilities that these different aircraft have. DONEGAN: That's right, Wolf.

We have airplane from the command-and-control side, like the E-2 Hawkeye, that goes out in a role of marshaling the forces, so to speak, or keeping track of where they are and making sure they're at the right place at the right time. We have airplanes, mostly the Hornet and the Super Hornet, that will fly over the beach. And they will be the ones that will be on call.

They're also providing eyes in the skies in some cases, looking down to observe and make sure that things are tracking the way we want to. And then, as you said, we have the EA-6, which is the jammer airplane that we'll send over the beach. And his job is to just do that, is to provide electronic -- in the electronic spectrum, monitor what's going on and if necessary suppress things if he had to.

BLITZER: And how often would you say your aircraft are leaving the deck here aboard the Carl Vinson and flying over Iraq?

DONEGAN: Right now, we have a very, very long fly day, and with very little breaks. We fly for about 14 or 15 straight fly days in a row. And each of those fly days is about 13 total hours of time when we launch the first airplane until we recover the last one. So, for over half of each individual day, we're pushing airplanes over the beach in support of that nation.

BLITZER: So they're going into Iraq?

DONEGAN: Yes, sir. They're going to into Iraq every day.

And what we do is, we keep those launches and recoveries going, because they'll stay for a certain period of time. They'll fuel and refuel as needed over Iraq. But then they'll come back and we'll replace them again with another crew, because, if they fly for too long, of course, fatigue will be a factor. But the average mission is probably close to about five hours.

BLITZER: As we're speaking, you've only been back here in the Persian Gulf for, what, four days?

DONEGAN: Yes, sir. This is our fourth day on station. We replaced the Harry S. Truman just about four days ago and took up the same mission that she had been doing before we got here.

BLITZER: And how long do you think you'll be staying here? Is that known already known?

DONEGAN: Well, we know about how long we're going to stay, probably through until some time towards the end of June. And then whether -- you know, the timeline for us being replaced and how that works is all being worked out.

BLITZER: The other mission you have is maritime security here in the Persian Gulf. What specifically does that mean?

DONEGAN: Well, for us, maritime -- as you know, the Persian Gulf is very big.

We're talking hundreds of miles long and hundreds of miles wide, so it's a very large area, But it's also -- in terms of commerce and trade, it's very busy. If you were to take a snapshot in time and watch just the normal traffic that comes through here, it's very, very extensive. What we're trying to do is make sure the international terrorists aren't use this sea space for any of their business. Our job is to basically deter, if necessary deny, disrupt.

Whatever it is, we need to make sure that terrorists aren't use this sea space. The phrase you heard talked about is, we're trying to pressurize the maritime domain, so that it can't be used by terrorists, or, if it is being used, then we want to stop them from using it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: All right, thanks to Wolf Blitzer aboard the USS Carl Vinson.

And thank you for joining us. I'm Miles O'Brien in Atlanta.

Stay with CNN for continuing coverage of the Terri Schiavo case. A federal court hearing regarding Schiavo's custody is expected to begin in the next few minutes in Tampa.

Live coverage on "LOU DOBBS TONIGHT," which starts right now.

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