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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports
Bush Defends Agenda; CIA Director Says He Knows Where Bin Laden Is; Insurgents Strike Police; Violence Precedes Meeting Between Israeli, Palestinian Leaders; Secretary Rice Pushes for Democracy in Egypt; Families of 9/11 Victims Protest Rebuilding Plans; Guards of Saddam Hussein Share Personal Stories
Aired June 20, 2005 - 17:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, HOST: Happening now, the fate of John Bolton. At this hour, the Senate is taking up this controversial nomination to become the next United States ambassador to the U.N. Will his supporters get enough votes this time, and if not, will the president go around Capitol Hill?
Stand by for hard news on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER (voice-over): Where is bin Laden? The CIA director says he thinks he knows. But has a weak link in the war on terror put the al Qaeda leader out of reach?
Guarding Saddam. A behind-the-scenes look at life behind bars, from his favorite snack food to his advice on picking a wife.
Dispute at Ground Zero.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is what the site should all be about. Thank you.
BLITZER: Nine 11 families say the rebuilding plans shortchange a crucial group: the victims.
ANNOUNCER: This is WOLF BLITZER REPORTS for Monday, June 20, 2005.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Thanks for joining us.
At home and abroad he's been taking heat over the war in Iraq and the war against terror, and a key nomination has been bogged down in the U.S. Senate. His poll numbers, almost across the board, have been rapidly slipping. Today, President Bush came out and defended his agenda.
Let's begin with our White House correspondent, Suzanne Malveaux -- Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, it really is a new move, a new push but an old message here as the White House is trying to reverse this trend. That is, sinking support for the U.S. mission in Iraq.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX (voice-over): President Bush's message to the American people: He's paying attention on Iraq, and he cares.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think about Iraq every day. Every single day.
MALVEAUX: The president's remarks are part of a White House initiative, aides say, to give the kind of honest assessment lawmakers have been calling for, to talk about the good, and the bad.
BUSH: I understand we've got kids in harm's way, and I worry about their families, and obviously any time there's a death, I grieve. But I want those families to know we will complete the mission and the world will be better off for it.
MALVEAUX: The president's statements come amid recent polls showing he's lost the majority of American support for the U.S. mission in Iraq. It also comes as he struggles to get his pick for U.N. ambassador, John Bolton, voted through congress.
For his part, the president says he's standing firm.
BUSH: I think Mr. Bolton ought to get an up or down vote on the Senate floor.
MALVEAUX: But first, Bolton has to clear a procedural hurdle, a Senate vote showdown, scheduled for this evening.
Mr. Bush was confronted with another sore subject after his Oval Office meeting with European Union leaders, the controversy over U.S. treatment of detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The president reiterated his position that the interrogation tactics used there are humane.
BUSH: We want to learn as much as we can in this new kind of war about the intention and about the methods, and about how these people operate. And they're dangerous and they're still around, and they'll kill in a moment's notice.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: And Wolf, of course again, back on Bolton, all eyes tonight to see what actually happens there. President Bush dodging a question whether or not he would consider a congressional recess appointment. But White House aides say that he's keeping all of his options open -- Wolf.
BLITZER: And of course, we'll have the very latest here on CNN, the nomination of John Bolton. That's happening this hour. We'll see what the vote is when all of the dust settles. Thanks very much, Suzanne Malveaux.
The CIA director, Porter Goss, says he thinks he knows where Osama bin Laden is hiding out. But is the al Qaeda leader beyond the reach of U.S. forces?
Right now, let's get some answers. We'll turn to CNN's David Ensor. He's been following the story from our CNN America Bureau -- David.
DAVID ENSOR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, in a sense, is he beyond their reach, beyond the reach of troops on the ground. But the real problem is getting really precise information.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ENSOR (voice-over): CIA director Porter Goss raised eyebrows with his comment to "TIME" magazine that he has an excellent idea of where Osama bin Laden is. Current U.S. officials were quick to say that the information is not specific enough to take immediate action.
JOHN MCLAUGHLIN, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR: I think he's probably talking about a very large area, hundreds of square miles, along the Afghan/Pakistani border. As you know, it's an area that is inaccessible, mountainous.
ENSOR: Bin Laden, U.S. officials say, is probably hiding in Pakistan's northwest territories, or Waziristan, along the Afghan/Pakistani border. It is rugged country, mostly mountainous, with hundreds of caves and hideouts. Bin Laden could be in either country, but U.S. forces in Afghanistan make it dangerous on that side of the border, in the view of the outgoing U.S. ambassador in Kabul.
ZALMAY KHALILZAD, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO AFGHANISTAN: I do not believe that Osama is in Afghanistan.
ENSOR: Khalilzad said bin Laden will be caught sooner or later.
KHALILZAD: It's not an easy job to find one person, maybe with someone helping him, a small group of people in a vast region.
ENSOR: Pakistan won't let U.S. military units operate on their own. Pakistani military units have been up in some border villages in recent months for the first time in decades, U.S. officials say, putting new pressure on the al Qaeda fugitive leaders.
MCLAUGHLIN: It's likely that he's having more trouble communicating. It's likely that he's having to move. It's likely he's having to go underground. And when those sorts of things happen, people on the run are somewhat more vulnerable.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ENSOR: So while Director Goss's information may be excellent, it is not precise enough for military action, a point underscored today by the White House spokesman.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCOTT MCCLELLAN, WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN: I think what the director was referring to was that he has an excellent idea of what area he may be in. If we knew exactly where Osama bin Laden was, we would go get him. I can assure of you that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ENSOR: Now the U.S. and Pakistan have never said publicly what their arrangement may be in the event Osama bin Laden is caught, but you can pretty much be sure, Wolf, that there is an arrangement. And it would likely involve some sort of U.S. military action. Whether it be Cruise missiles or troops on the ground, not clear. Pakistanis would probably also be involved.
BLITZER: You know, they criticize CIA directors when they don't speak to the media, and then they're criticized when they do speak to the media, because a lot of criticism: "Why is he even talking about this right now? If he's got information about Osama bin Laden, let him go find him."
ENSOR: Well, that's right. And he does have good information, but it's not good enough to find him. That's the problem. It's too large an area, still, and a large part of it is in Pakistan, where the Pakistanis don't want American troops right now.
BLITZER: Is there any explanation they're giving why he decided to speak out on this to begin with?
ENSOR: Not really. He'd always said he might occasionally speak publicly, short interviews once in awhile. This looks like the first one.
BLITZER: Let's see if there are more. Thanks very much, David Ensor reporting for us. We'll have more on the subject of Osama bin Laden and theories about his whereabouts. That's coming up. The former defense secretary, William Cohen, he's standing by to join us live.
U.S. Marines today wrapped up what's called Operation Spear, aimed at insurgents near the Syrian border. But not before blowing up what they say was a major car bomb factory, destroying a dozen vehicles, loaded with explosives.
Elsewhere, the insurgency rages on. CNN's Jennifer Eccleston is in Baghdad.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JENNIFER ECCLESTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: After a weekend marked by violence, the attacks continued this day.
A suicide car bomb exploded outside of a checkpoint on the road to Baghdad's airport, killing one person and wounding several others.
And earlier this morning, five police and security forces were killed when a car bomb exploded near their Baghdad police station. It appeared that it was in a coordinated attack. The insurgents fired on police. When security forces were called in for backup, a bomb detonated. Some 15 security forces were also wounded. Also, in the northern Kurdish city of Irbil, a suicide bomber killed 12 people in an attack on a group of traffic police officers, who were gathered for their morning roll call. The attacker was dressed as a policeman. More than 100 of them were wounded.
This, of course, follows yesterday's deadly attack on a Baghdad restaurant popular with police. A suicide bomber blew himself up during the busy lunchtime period, killing, what -- 23 people, rather, and wounding seven others. This happened just 300 yards from the Green Zone, the home to the U.S. military and the transitional Iraqi government.
And finally today, the Iraqi government announced an offer of a $10 million reward for the capture of the close Saddam Hussein aide, General Izzat Ibrahim al-Duri. He's the former deputy commander of the Iraqi armed forces, the man many people believe is directly involved in orchestrated -- orchestrating much of the homegrown violence, the homegrown insurgency here in Iraq.
Jennifer Eccleston, CNN, Baghdad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: A fresh wave of violence ahead of a key meeting between Israeli and Palestinian leaders. We'll take closer look at the impact.
Also, why some 9/11 families are protesting a planned memorial at Ground Zero.
Plus some intimate insight into Saddam Hussein from the American soldiers who've been guarding him. Surprising and personal details of the former dictator. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Israel's pullout from Gaza will be on the agenda when the Israeli and Palestinian leaders meet tomorrow. But their summit is already being overshadowed by a new wave of violence.
CNN's Guy Raz reports from Jerusalem.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GUY RAZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This bomb wasn't meant to be safely detonated by an Israeli explosives team. The intended destination: a hospital.
A 21-year-old would-be suicide bomber from Gaza planned to set off the explosive inside an Israeli medical center where she was scheduled to receive treatment by Israeli doctors.
Hours before, the blood-stained stretcher carrying the body of 17-year-old Ihab al-Nabanyan (ph) was paraded through the streets of Gaza. The boy was shot dead by Israeli soldiers after he tried to climb the fence in a no-go zone separating Israel and Gaza. Israel says the boy ignored warning shots and orders shouted over a loudspeaker, but his family says al-Nabanyan (ph) was unarmed and tried crossing the fence in hopes of finding work in Israel.
Around the same time, gunmen from the armed Palestinian militia, Islamic Jihad, opened fire on this Israeli car driving along a West Bank road. Twenty-eight-year-old Yibdeni Rider (ph) was killed instantly. Both Palestinian and Israeli officials tried to put on a brave face.
NASSER AL-KIDWA, PALESTINIAN FOREIGN MINISTER (through translator): We hope the latest incidents won't affect the meeting between President Abbas and Prime Minister Sharon.
RAZ: The two leaders are set to hold bilateral talks late on Tuesday, four months since they last met in Egypt. Talks will focus on Israel's upcoming plan to evacuate its settlers and soldiers from the occupied Gaza strip.
Israel originally intended to pull out from Gaza without consulting the Palestinian Authority. That position has changed, but the Israeli prime minister is already setting conditions for future cooperation with his Palestinian counterparts.
ARIEL SHARON, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): That the Palestinians stop the terror, violence, and incitement, dismantle the terror organizations, collect weapons and implement the needed reforms.
RAZ: It's a tall order for the embattled Palestinian president.
(on camera) And Mahmoud Abbas, for now, has his own priorities to discuss with Ariel Sharon. The Palestinian leader wants to make sure that Gaza isn't the last time the two sides coordinate an Israeli withdrawal from occupied areas.
Guy Raz, CNN, Jerusalem.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: The latest violence follows a weekend visit by the secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice. She's now in Saudi Arabia, but earlier today, she was in Egypt with some tough talk about democracy.
CNN's Ben Wedeman reports from Cairo.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice came to press the Bush administration's campaign for democratic reform in a region where dictatorship rules.
She unleashed her public fire on an audience at the American University in Cairo. There, she went down a list of what she views as basic obligations every government has towards its citizens. CONDOLEEZZA RICE, SECRETARY OF STATE: When we talk about democracy, though, we are referring to governments that protect certain basic rights for all their citizens. Among these, the right to speak freely, the right to associate, the right to worship as you wish, the freedom to educate your children, boys and girls, and freedom from the midnight knock of the secret police.
WEDEMAN: Political activists in Egypt and elsewhere in the region know well the sound of that midnight knock and, according to human rights groups, are no strangers to beatings, torture and intimidation.
In May, dozens of pro-democracy protesters in Cairo were attacked by a mob of Mubarak supporters. Several women demonstrators were sexually molested, while police looked on passively.
RICE: We are all concerned for the future of Egypt's reforms, when peaceful supporters of democracy, men and women, are not free from violence.
WEDEMAN: Rice also insisted that international monitors and observers be allowed access to Egyptian presidential and parliamentary elections later this year.
After the address, one member of the ruling party suggested the secretary was going too far.
MOHAMED KAMEL, NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY: I think the presidential election -- I thought the presidential election or the parliamentary election is our business.
WEDEMAN: Before leaving Cairo, Rice met with Egyptian civil society leaders, but though invited, many opposition figures stayed away.
(on camera) The Bush administration is walking a fine line here. If it pushes too hard for democracy, there could be a backlash against perceived foreign meddling, but if it doesn't push hard enough, dictators may conclude the pro-democracy movement in the Arab world is just a passing fad and could be crushed as soon as Washington loses interest.
Ben Wedeman, CNN, Cairo.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: A memorial to victims of 9/11, why some of their families are protesting plans at Ground Zero. Mary Snow is standing by with details.
Also, his daily habits, his favorite snacks and even his fatherly advice. An intimate look at Saddam Hussein from a surprising source.
Plus, new details about the search for Natalee Holloway and its impact on Aruba's tourist trade.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Almost everyone is in favor of a memorial at Ground Zero to victims of 9/11. But a controversy has broken out over what exactly should be part of that memorial.
CNN's Mary Snow has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is what the site should all be about. Thank you.
MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Families of 9/11 victims say Ground Zero should be dedicated to remembering 9/11 and nothing else.
ANTHONY GARDNER, BROTHER OF 9/11 VICTIM: I believe that politics and economic agendas are destroying this sacred site and are taking precedence over the 9/11 Memorial and Museum.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nine 11 memorial only.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nine 11 memorial only.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nine 11 memorial only.
SNOW: The families are protesting plans to include another museum that would feature other periods of American history, such as the revolution and the civil rights movement.
MICHAEL BURKE, BROTHER OF 9/11 VICTIM: This is a history that we all should know and learn, but not here, not on sacred ground.
SNOW: The building officials say there is a place for history at the site, besides 9/11. They say the International Freedom Center, which will stand next to the 9/11 Memorial, should include exhibits on what they call America's march toward freedom.
JOHN CAHILL, LOWER MANHATTAN DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION: The Freedom Center stands for what was attacked that day, here and around the world.
SNOW (on camera): Officials estimate that more than nine million people visit Ground Zero each year. Nothing is built here yet, and families of victims say that's why they want to keep the focus on 9/11 only.
(voice-over) That memorial is still four years away. It would have an underground center to tell the stories of the nearly 3,000 people killed in the World Trade Center attack. The Freedom Center would be above ground, adjacent to the Memorial Plaza.
Some families worry the exhibits will contain political slants. Charles Wolf, who lost his wife on 9/11, says the site will become a magnet for protests.
CHARLES WOLF, WIDOWER OF 9/11 VICTIM: Do you find a debate about Nazism at Auschwitz? Do you find a debate about the North and the South at Gettysburg?
SNOW: Rebuilding officials say the Freedom Center will not be a political forum.
CAHILL: Americans want a place, on sacred ground, that attacks American history. Americans won't stand for that, and I believe that Americans will be, as in the general public, will be the best censors (ph) for this site.
SNOW: But that's not good enough for some 9/11 families who have not, until now, been outspoken about the rebuilding effort.
Jackie Mardikian lost her son in the Trade Center.
JACKIE MARDIKIAN, MOTHER OF 9/11 VICTIM: This is sacred ground, and we want to save it for September 11 issues. We want to have a memorial adequate for the thousands of people who lost their lives and perished on that day.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SNOW: Rebuilding officials indicate that one possible fallout from the controversy is their ability to raise money. They say unity is key to raising the estimated $500 million need to build the site -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Mary Snow reporting for us. Mary, thank you very much.
When we come back, the hunt for Osama bin Laden. If the CIA director says he has an excellent idea of where Osama bin Laden is hiding, why hasn't he been captured? The former defense secretary, William Cohen, standing by to weigh in.
Plus, Saddam Hussein behind bars. We'll get a rare glimpse into the daily life of a captured dictator. That's coming up.
And later, Cruise abused, question mark? Why the actor is definitely not laughing after a fake reporter pulls a prank in London. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANNOUNCER: From our studios in Washington, once again, Wolf Blitzer.
BLITZER: Welcome back.
Guarding Saddam Hussein: we'll hear about the former dictator's daily routine and personal habits from young American soldiers who once watched over him.
But first, let's get a quick check of some other stories now in the news.
Jury deliberations have started in Philadelphia, Mississippi, in the murder trial of 80-year-old Edgar Ray Killen. Prosecutors say Killen, a former Ku Klux Klansman, was responsible for the deaths of three civil rights workers in 1964. Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood delivered the prosecution's closing argument for the prosecution. Killen did not testify.
A report from the Energy Department's inspector general is raising questions about security at U.S. nuclear weapons sites. It says 16 illegal immigrants using phony documents were construction workers at the Y -- Y-12 national security complex in Knoxville, Tennessee, last year, gaining access on multiple occasions.
You can check out CNN's most popular video of the day at CNN.com. Click on "video link" at our web site and look for the most popular video of the day. Watch it as many times as you want whenever you want. It's a new way to experience the power of CNN video, and it's free.
We're learning some very intimate, new details about Saddam Hussein. Several American soldiers are talking about their experience guarding the former Iraqi leader, and they're sharing some surprising stories.
CNN's Brian Todd is here, and he has details -- Brian.
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, these young soldiers say the man -- they could not believe the man they were guarding was that same brutal dictator they'd heard so much about. And they paint a picture of what one of them called a broken man, worlds away from the life he once knew.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TODD (voice-over): He snubbed his nose at the west and wagged his finger at an Iraqi judge. But to a group of young American men, Saddam Hussein has apparently opened up.
In the July issue of "GQ" magazine, five soldiers from a Pennsylvania National Guard unit reveal intimate details of the nearly 10 months they stood watch over Saddam in his cell. What did the man many called the Butcher of Baghdad like for breakfast?
SPEC. SEAN O'SHEA, GUARDED SADDAM HUSSEIN: He had French toast. He had eggs. No pork, because in Muslims, they can't -- they don't eat pork and then he'd have cereal.
TODD: Mixed news for Kellogg's here. The former dictator, according to his guards, hated Froot Loops but loved Raisin Bran Crunch.
Frito-Lay also had some items on the menu.
O'SHEA: From the mess hall he got, like, a big box of little bags of Cheetos. And so for, like, a midday snack we were told to give him the Cheetos. And then one day we ran out of Cheetos and all we had was Doritos. That's all he talked about. That's all he wanted to eat after that.
TODD: According to the article, in between family sized bags of Doritos, the guards say, Saddam Hussein found time to offer them personal advice.
CPL. JONATHAN REESE, GUARDED SADDAM HUSSEIN: Like he told him about how to, what kind of girl to have.
TODD: His reported counsel to Specialist Sean O'Shea, find a woman not too smart, not too dumb, not too old, not too young.
But this account of Saddam's captivity goes beyond the trivial. Speaking about President Bush, "GQ" reports Saddam told his guards, quote, "He knows I have nothing, no mass weapons. He knows he'll never find them."
The article also reports that the night the Shock and Awe campaign began Saddam told his captors he tried to escape his palace in a taxi cab. The guards quote him as saying, "America, they dumb. They bomb wrong palace."
And according to one soldier, Saddam told him he never had a relationship with Osama bin Laden.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TODD: We contacted the Pentagon for response to Saddam's reported comments about bin Laden, weapons of mass destruction and the allied bombing campaign. A Pentagon spokesman said it would be inappropriate for the Department of Defense to respond to any information in the "GQ" article.
Now, according to "GQ," Saddam is convinced he'll return to power some day, and he invited his young American guards to visit him when he does. The guards said Saddam showed an affinity for Reagan and Dan Rather but shockingly, Wolf, he is not too keen on the Bush family.
BLITZER: I'm shocked. Thanks very much, Brian Todd. Fascinating article.
And this important programming note for our viewers: tonight on "PAULA ZAHN NOW," two of those men who guarded Saddam Hussein will share their personal stories. Corporal Jonathan Reese and Specialist Sean O'Shea, both of the Pennsylvania National Guard will join Paula tonight. That begins 8 p.m. Eastern on "PAULA ZAHN NOW."
As we noted earlier, CIA Director Porter Goss says he's got, quote, "an excellent idea" where Osama bin Laden is hiding out. If so, why can't U.S. forces get their hands on the al Qaeda leader?
Joining us now from Philadelphia our world affairs analyst, the former Defense secretary, William Cohen. He's the chairman and CEO of The Cohen Group here in Washington. Mr. Secretary, thanks so much for joining us. What do you think the CIA director was thinking when he said he had an excellent idea of Osama bin Laden's whereabouts?
WILLIAM COHEN, THE COHEN GROUP: Well, it's interesting that the White House is now putting out a "what the director meant to say" type of statement. It's an expression of certainty without specificity, which is only calculated, it seems to me, to raise more questions like you're raising now. If we know where he is or nearly where is he, why haven't we taken greater measures? And I think it's surprising in terms of the language that was used in several accounts. Number one, it puts bin Laden back in the news. I think the administration's been trying to keep him off the front pages.
Secondly, it used language that was quite specific in terms of certainty, at least, but not in terms of the geographical area.
Third thing it did was to use language which is somewhat inconsistent with what President Bush has campaigned on. "We're going to get him, dead or alive. We're going to smoke him out." This was much softer language, namely, we were going to have to act in an unconventional way in a conventional world, according to rules that the international community would accept or engage in fair play. This is language that's more akin to what John Kerry was talking about as far as a nuance foreign policy. And it's more on diplomacy rather than military force.
So there are a lot of reasons, I think, that the White House probably is not too pleased with the statement itself. But it does raise a couple of other issues. Is it Afghanistan or Pakistan? Could it be Iran even? If he's in Iran, he would have to be there with the consent of the government. If he's in Pakistan, not with the consent of the government, but nonetheless it puts him in a more difficult position, the president, because he has to deal with President Musharraf of Pakistan, and he may not have the complete support of his own military in trying to, quote, "smoke out" bin Laden.
So a lot of questions raised by this particular interview.
BLITZER: One thought some people had, Mr. Secretary, is that Porter Goss, being a shrewd guy that he is, himself a former spook going back to the '60s, maybe he's doing a little psychological warfare with Osama bin Laden, trying to smoke him out, if you will, and try to get him nervous.
COHEN: That may be a factor to take into account. It could be that, by expressing such certainty, that perhaps he's trying to spook bin Laden into thinking we know where he is and therefore put him on the move, therefore the more he moves, he might become more dedetectable. But it does, at least, raise some question in terms of how the interview was conducted or the words used. And again, the language, going back to, we're going to have to find a way to engage in some kind of fair play and try to strengthen the weak links, without specifying what those links are.
So, it raises a lot of questions. But perhaps Porter Goss had something else in mind in doing so.
BLITZER: We'll see what he does next.
Quickly on Condoleezza Rice and her trip through the Middle East right now. She's trying to promote democracy. Is this mission impossible?
COHEN: Not mission impossible. We're seeing a number of democratic movements underway. We're certainly seeing the election of an anti-Syrian presence in Lebanon. We're seeing movements take place certainly in Afghanistan, the elections that were held in Iraq, President Mubarak himself indicating multiparty candidates in the next election set for September. So a lot of momentum in that direction. A long way to go, but certainly not an impossible dream.
BLITZER: William Cohen, the former Defense secretary. Thanks very much for that. He joins us every week here on this program.
Let's get a quick look at some other news making headlines around the world.
Opposition leader Saad Hariri is claiming victory following the final round of Lebanese parliamentary elections. He's the son of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, whose February assassination triggered protests that drove Syrian troops out of Lebanon.
Surging water. Cleanup crews were busy in northern England after a series of flash floods. Roads were washed away, and people had to be plucked from rooftops and trees.
China too. Floods continue to ravage China. In southern China a sports field collapsed, and a landslide trapped passengers aboard a train.
And that's our look around the world.
Some new developments in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway. A fourth suspect in the case goes to court. We'll go live to Aruba.
Plus island impact. Known as the go-to island in the Caribbean, will Aruba's economy be able to survive the Natalee Holloway mystery?
Plus, more accounts compromised. The latest security breach involving tens of thousands of credit cards. Information you need to know, that's coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Hundreds of professionals and volunteers are combing A mountainous region of Utah searching for an 11-year-old Boy Scout missing for three days. Brennan Hawkins was last seen Friday night near a rock climbing wall at a scouting site in the area. Authorities say they have few clues to go on. Yesterday about 3,000 people turned up to help with the search.
It's now been three weeks since 18-year-old Natalee Holloway disappeared on a school trip to Aruba and despite a series of arrests in the case, her whereabouts and even her fate remain unclear.
CNN's Karl Penhaul, once again, joining from us Palm Beach, Aruba, with more information.
Karl, what do we know?
KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, a fourth suspect, who was arrested on Friday in this case, appeared before Aruba's court today. His name is Steve Croes. He's a 26-year-old, a disc jockey on a party boat that normally sails off the west coast of Aruba. Judges today -- in today's court session ordered that Croes should be kept in custody for a further eight days in order to allow police and investigator time to see what links, if any, he has to the case of Natalee's disappearance and also what links he has to the three other suspects in this case.
What prosecutors have told us is that at present, he does stand accused, like the other three suspects, of counts of murder one, murder two, and kidnapping leading to death.
Also, over the weekend, Paul van der Sloot -- a judge and also the father of 17-year-old Joran van der Sloot, one of the four suspects in this case, was questioned by police, but police say at this stage, he's considered a witness, not a suspect -- Wolf?
BLITZER: So far, still none of the questions answered -- the serious questions. Thanks very much. Karl Penhaul, with that update.
The Holloway case could mean trouble for Aruba. Like so many of its neighbors, tourism fuels the island's economy. Once again, CNN's Mary Snow is in New York with that part of the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It is the picture of paradise: an island slightly larger than Washington D.C.
Aruba tourism officials say more than one million visitors go there each year, about 70 percent of them American. Aruba touts itself as the go-to island in the Caribbean, with safety as one of its appeals. The State Department's travel advice notes that street crime is low, but since Natalee Holloway's disappearance in early June, the island's tourism authority says tourists are concerned.
MYRNA JANSEN, ARUBA TOURISM AUTHORITY: We have received about 600 e-mails since June the sixth and some people ask, you know, "I have an 8-year-old daughter. Should I come to Aruba?" Others ask, you know, "What is the status of the case."
SNOW: Aruba's tourism authority say it's trying to personally answer those e-mails and it says, despite the concerns, tourists, mostly from the U.S., are not changing their travel plans.
JANSEN: From the Hotel Associations, we know that there have not been any major cancellations at all. SNOW: Any impact on tourism is key, since the country's estimated economy of $2 billion relies heavily on visitors. Travel industry analyst Diane Clarkson estimates tourism makes up 60 percent of the total economy and says it has puts officials in Aruba in a tight spot.
DIANE CLARKSON, JUPITER RESEARCH: They're trying to balance all of this global media attention on something that is tragic and at the same time, they're very aware that their country's economy depends on people continuing to visit. So it's a tricky position for them to be in right now.
SNOW: U.S. travel agents like Tradewind Tours, which specialize in Caribbean vacations, says it, too, has heard concerns with no cancellations on trips to Aruba, but it expects all the publicity surrounding the Holloway case could have an impact on future bookings.
GRETA HOLMEN, TRADEWIND TOURS: I think, generally, it probably will affect short-term. Long-term: Hopefully not.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SNOW: Now, because Aruba, like any tourism industry, relies on perception, travel industry observers say the potential key factor for any kind of impact is how long this case goes on -- Wolf?
BLITZER: All right. Mary Snow reporting for us.
Thanks, Mary, very much.
Credit card breach: At least 200,000 and potentially as many as 40 million accounts compromised. Who is behind the stolen data? We'll get an update -- information you need to know.
Plus, a movie premiere turns into a war of words for actor Tom Cruise. See what happens when he confronts a so-called practical joker.
And then and now: What's happened to Linda Tripp? One of the key players in the Clinton impeachment and the Monica Lewinsky saga.
Out Paula Zahn brings us up to speed on Linda Tripp and her whereabouts right now, what's happening with her.
Stay with us. -
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Police shot a man dead today in a federal courthouse in downtown Seattle. Authorities say he was making threats and appeared to be carrying a hand grenade. The Seattle Police Chief, Gil Kerlikowske, is joining us now on the phone.
Chief, thanks very much for joining us. Tell our viewers what happened. KERLIKOWSKE: Well, five minutes before Noon, Pacific time, there was a call from the courthouse of a man inside with a hand grenade. Officers and federal authorities were there and about 20 minutes into this situation, Seattle police officers shot and killed him.
BLITZER: Was the hand grenade a real hand grenade?
KERLIKOWSKE: We're examining the hand grenade now and it certainly is a World War II type grenade. Now, let me tell you that he was also wearing a backpack but instead of wearing it on his back, he had it across his chest. That backpack was X-rayed and did not -- there's no explosive in that backpack.
BLITZER: What -- was there a fear, though, that he could have -- he could be wearing a suicide bombing vest, if you will?
KERLIKOWSKE: Well, I think there was certainly that fear of -- the evidence of the hand grenade was common to what everyone could see in that lobby of this brand new federal courthouse. The second thing is, that wearing that backpack across his chest, I think, had great concern for everyone.
BLITZER: Did he go through the metal detectors, the X-ray devices upon entering the lobby of that federal court building?
KERLIKOWSKE: No, you can walk in the front door and be in essentially a vestibule-type area prior to having to go through security and access the elevators and so, he did not go through security.
BLITZER: There's been a lot of concern, as you well know, Chief, in recent months, over security for judges and courthouses, especially federal courthouses around the country. What does this incident say, if anything, to you about that concern?
KERLIKOWSKE: Well, we have examined this is and the courthouse directly across the street from our west precinct and our squad officers and others, during the early stages, of course, are knowledgeable about the courthouse. The response time was almost instantaneous. The level of security and the training of all of the people involved, the evacuation of people within the building, the containment of the suspect. At this preliminary stage, I can tell that you that I'm very pleased with what I have seen.
BLITZER: And no second-guessing the actions of your personnel on the ground, using deadly force to deal with this situation?
KERLIKOWSKE: Well, we always go through a very extensive shooting investigation, including empaneling a jury here that will review this at a future point in time. But from everything I can see right now, and the fact that it was absolutely confirmed that he was holding a grenade in his hand, I feel confident that the officers made a difficult decision, but I feel they made the right decision.
BLITZER: The Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske, joining us from the scene. Chief, thanks very much for updating our viewers on that.
We're also learning some disturbing new details about the latest security breach involving tens of thousands of credit cards, maybe a whole lot more. Our senior correspondent Allan Chernoff is following the story from New York. He's joining us live with details. Allan, fill in our viewers, what exactly we know.
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN SR. CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, Card Systems Solutions, a company that does credit card transactions, apparently was engaging in some improper research. The company was actually holding on to credit card numbers when it shouldn't have been. It was holding those numbers to figure out why certain transactions don't get approved.
Well, what happened here is that this was a violation of MasterCard and Visa Association rules. The company told us, quote, "we were out of compliance, and we recognize that file was out of compliance with the association rules."
Well, on May 22nd, according to the company, hackers struck. They were able to download about 200,000 credit card numbers. About 68,000 of them were MasterCards, 100,000 Visa and about 30,000 other branded cards. And what the hackers got, not only the card numbers but also the cardholder names and the security code -- that's what you have on the back of your credit card. There certainly could be many more that the hackers were able to get as well, because the company had 40 million card numbers in its entire database -- Wolf.
BLITZER: We keep hearing these horror stories almost on a weekly, sometimes a daily basis. What should our viewers be doing right now, if they're concerned and want to protect themselves?
CHERNOFF: Wolf, a very difficult situation, indeed. Because in fact, the companies are saying, the banks are saying that they are only going to contact consumers if they see suspicious activity on their credit card. They're not just going to pick up the phone and say, "your number had been illegally downloaded." In fact, this afternoon, I tried calling the bank that issued one of my credit cards, and the representative said, "well, our bank isn't affected." I said, "well, it's not a bank-specific issue." He put me on hold. The music playing on hold, by the way, was "Don't Worry, Be Happy." And then the representative came back and told me there's actually nothing we can do unless we see suspicious activity on your account -- Wolf.
BLITZER: All right, we'll just have to wait and see and watch it, be very, very diligent, check our accounts every single month. Thanks very much, Allan Chernoff, for that information.
And to our viewers: Please stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.
When we come back, a joke goes too far, and the actor Tom Cruise definitely not laughing after a fake reporter pulls a prank in London. We'll get to that.
First, though, as part of CNN's anniversary series, "Then & Now," CNN's Paula Zahn has the story of Linda Tripp.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LINDA TRIPP: I'm you. I'm just like you.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Former White House employee Linda Tripp may not have been just like every American, but she was certainly everywhere in 1998.
MONICA LEWINSKY: If I ever want to have an affair with a married man, especially the president, please shoot me.
ZAHN: Tripp's taped phone conversations with White House intern Monica Lewinsky made her a key part of the Whitewater investigation and the impeachment of President Clinton.
TRIPP: Monica made choices, the president made choices, and I was forced to make choices.
ZAHN: Those choices made Tripp a punchline on "Saturday Night Live," and a political pariah.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I didn't hear that. Tell me that louder.
TRIPP: I regret that my children were put through just horrific pain, and that other people's children were as well.
ZAHN: Tripp is now 55 years old, and married her childhood sweetheart last year. The couple own a holiday themed gift shop and live on a farm near Middleburg, Virginia. Tripp has undergone plastic surgery and survived a bout with breast cancer. She says she doesn't hate Bill Clinton, but wishes he would have made different choices.
TRIPP: He could have been completely honest. I think he could have done it in a way that would have saved us all an enormous amount of heartache.
ZAHN: Tripp has not talked with or seen Monica Lewinsky since 1998.
TRIPP: Given the same set of circumstances at the time, knowing what I did at the time, I probably would have done it all the same way.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Tom Cruise was attending the London premiere of his new movie, "War of the Worlds," when a phony reporter working for a television comedy show squirted him with water. Cruise did not find the stunt funny.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOM CRUISE, ACTOR: Come here, come here. (CROSSTALK)
CRUISE: Why would you do that? Why would you do that?
What's so funny about it? That is ridiculous. Do you like making less of people, is that it? Hey, hey, no, no, don't run away. Don't run away. Well, I don't care. That's incredibly rude. I'm here giving you an interview, answering your questions, and you do something really nasty. You're a jerk. You're a jerk. You know what? You're a jerk. You ought to be ashamed of yourself. Pretty amazing. That was rude.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: The reporter and his crew have been released on bail, but they could still face assault charges.
That's it for me. Thanks very much for joining us. I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington. "LOU DOBBS TONIGHT" starts right now, Lou standing by in New York -- Lou.
LOU DOBBS, HOST, "LOU DOBBS TONIGHT": Thank you, Wolf.
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