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CNN LIVE SATURDAY

Former Hostage In Iraq Returns Home; Actor Gary Sinise Fights To Help Children In Iraq

Aired August 28, 2004 - 18:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Good evening. I'm Carol Lin and welcome to CNN LIVE SATURDAY. Straight ahead, a former American hostage in Iraq. Micah Garen is home today with his fiancee, and their emotional message for Americans is straight ahead.
Also, he's a movie star with a mission. Gary Sinise is doing his part to help Iraqi children. The project, why he's helping out and how you can help. That is coming up.

But right now we begin with what could be a story right out of a Tom Clancy novel, but this is not fiction. A Pentagon analyst is under investigation for being a possible spy for Israel. CNN's Kathleen Koch has that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Headed to a campaign swing through Ohio, President Bush did not respond to questions about reports of an espionage investigation at the Pentagon. His spokesman, Scott McClellan only saying, "Any time there's an allegation of this nature, it is a serious matter." Senior U.S. officials say an FBI investigation lasting several months has found evidence an employee working in the Pentagon may have passed classified information to Israel. While one official contends he may have been in a position to influence Bush administration policy towards Iran and Iraq. Another claims the analyst in an undersecretary's office is -- quote -- "not in a level to influence policy." The Pentagon, in a statement, said "DOD has been cooperating with the Department of Justice on this matter for an extended period of time. It is the DOD's understanding that the investigation within the DOD is limited in its scope."

Israel is refuting the charges, citing the case of American naval intelligence analyst Jonathan Pollard, convicted of giving classified documents to Israel in the mid-1980s and sentenced to life in prison.

YUVAL STEINTZ, ISRAELI KNESSET MEMBER: Since the Pollard case 20 years ago, there was clear and firm decision not to spy against the United States government or in the United States. And therefore, I am 100 percent confident that there is no Israeli involvement in this case.

KOCH: Officials said the analyst allegedly passed classified documents to Israel through a pro-Israeli lobbying group, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee or AIPAC. AIPAC calls allegations of criminal conduct by its employees false and baseless, saying it's -- quote -- "comprised of proud and loyal U.S. citizens committed to promoting American interests." It says it is cooperating fully with authorities.

Israel has longstanding concerns about Iran developing a nuclear weapons capability. So one analyst says Israel would benefit from inside information on U.S. policy deliberations on that and other issues in the region.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It then probably gives ammunition to Israeli policy makers to think through that American thinking and then come up with some answers or counter-arguments as to what are some of the holes or loopholes within that U.S. argument.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KOCH: And government officials say at this point not only has there been no decision to prosecute, but it's possible that no charges at all will be filed. And if they are, they may not necessarily be espionage charges -- Carol.

LIN: All right, thanks very much. Kathleen Koch, live at the White House with that.

Now, we want to move on to New York City, the city that's constantly on alert. It's dealing with the news that at least two men were trying to bomb a major subway station and maybe even more than that. CNN homeland security correspondent Jeanne Meserve has more details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The alleged plot involved blowing up the Herald Square subway stop, just blocks from Madison Square Garden, where the Republican National Convention will be held. Arraigned Saturday afternoon on charges of conspiring to maliciously damage and destroy the station, James el- Shafay, a 19-year-old U.S. citizen, and a 21-year-old Pakistani, Shahawar Matin Siraj, who worked as an Islamic bookstore in Brooklyn, where are made the acquaintance of a police informant.

COMM. RAY KELLY, NEW YORK POLICE: To the best of our knowledge, they had no connection to an international terrorist organization, and they had no explosives in their possession.

MESERVE: According to the police, the men had scouted three police stations and a prison on Staten Island, the Verrazano Bridge and several subway stations, including the one at Herald Square, talking about placing explosives in conversations with the informant. The men allegedly returned to the Herald Square station last Saturday. The U.S. attorney's office says the men were drawing diagrams to facilitate the later placement of a bomb. The police decided to take them into custody.

KELLY: The motive was basically hatred for the system. They talked about the shops and the -- you know, the commercial shops at the subway station. MESERVE: Kelly said they had also made anti-Semitic statements, but the Republican National Convention did not appear to figure in their planning.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Leave me alone.

MESERVE: The mother of el-Shafay wept during the men's court appearance, and the uncle of Siraj expressed disbelief.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Does he like America?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He like America. Why not? Why come here if you don't like America?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MESERVE: Commissioner Kelly refused to characterize the men as either big fish or small potatoes. But he said, whether they were professionals or amateurs, their intent was to do damage and kill people.

Carol, back to you.

LIN: Jeanne Meserve in New York, thank you.

Well, the Republican convention does start there on Monday, but protesters are already out in force. CNN's Jason Carroll has that story.

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Planned Parenthood protest was vocal but peaceful. Thousands gathered at a park in Brooklyn for pre-march rally. In the group, actress and activist Kathleen Turner.

KATHLEEN TURNER, ACTRESS/ACTIVIST: I think abortion is a necessary part of a woman's spectrum of choice. I don't think it is in any way anyone's first choice. It's certainly not as a form of contraception or something. But it must be available for medical reasons.

CROWD: What do we want? CHOICE! When do we want it? Now!

CARROLL: Following the rally, a march across Brooklyn Bridge to city hall in lower Manhattan.

(on camera): What do you think of the demonstration so far and the turnout?

HEATHER KOFELSON, ABORTION RIGHTS SUPPORTER: It's been great and everybody's been very peaceful and excited and telling everybody why they're out here.

CROWED: Slavery no. Abortion no. Dred Scott went and Roe must go.

CARROLL: A much smaller group opposing abortion met Planned Parenthood demonstrators as they were walking off the bridge but were blocked by police.

DEBRA DIASIO, ANTIABORTION PROTESTER: We should be at the fence up there. They're blocking us from the fence.

ELIZABETH, ANTIABORTION PROTESTOR: We're being blocked again, censored again. And I'd like to say we'd like to promote adoption.

CARROLL: While this protest was relatively large, on Sunday, thousands more are likely to demonstrate in an anti-war rally and march past Madison Square Garden, the site of the Republican National Convention on Monday. The city denied organizers of that demonstration a permit to rally in Central Park, but it's clear some are planning to end up there anyway.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're going to head for Central Park.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I'm not sure if -- yes, we'll try for that.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We will certainly end up in Central Park, as people have called for it. There will be a large picnic in the park.

CARROLL (on camera): Police set up a temporary holding pen in the event that they do have to make large-scale arrests, but law enforcement officials are hoping Sunday's demonstration is as orderly as this one.

Jason Carroll, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Jason just mentioned that an anti-war protest planned for New York tomorrow, a huge anti-war march. That's just an example of some of the protesters there today, but a huge anti-war march is supposed to go right by the site of the Republican convention at the end of Union Square Park in Manhattan as well. Organizers hope to draw about a quarter million people. And I'm going to be talking with our own security analyst who does not think New York is secure enough for the RNC. That's going to be at 10:00 tonight.

And in the meantime, news across America begins with a group of African-Americans speaking out about gay marriage.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALAN KEYES (R), ILLINOIS SENATORIAL CANDIDATE: I feel a moral obligation to stand here today with black pastors and concerned black citizens to repel and refute the notion that somehow or another the homosexual assault on traditional marriage in the name of gay marriage represents something that is in the tradition of the Civil Rights Movement.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: Illinois Senate candidate Alan Keyes joined some 40 black preachers in remembering the 41st anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech. The Republican is battling Democratic Barack Obama for the Illinois Senate seat.

Federal health officials say they don't expect a flu shot shortage despite millions of doses of the vaccine being contaminated. Other batches are being tested for safety, and shipments of the vaccine have been delayed.

Thunderstorms turned parts of eastern Kansas into a flood zone last night. Emergency crews had to pull several people out of their cars and here you could see why. The weather is giving them a break today, though, allowing things, thank goodness, to dry out.

And yet a tropical storm warning is in effect for South Carolina this evening. Take a look at this. You're looking, shortly, at what's happening in Charleston right now -- there you go, that's a tower cam shot -- where people are waiting to see what Gaston brings. Jacqui Jeras is in the weather center right now.

Jacqui, where is Gaston?

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, Gaston is about a 100 -- just over a hundred miles away from Charleston right now, but it is picking up some strength and it's also expected to pick up a little forward speed. We were initially thinking it would be late in the afternoon, maybe in the early evening tomorrow before this could possibly be making landfall. Now it's looking like it's probably going to happen by mid afternoon tomorrow. Maximum sustained winds now are at 50 miles per hour with some higher gusts. And it is drifting off to the west. Some of the rain bands making their way on shore. You can see some of the heavier showers and thunderstorms getting close to moving on the shore. So later on this evening into the overnight hours, we're going to start to see some heavy downpours. Four to eight inches of rainfall will be possible and isolated tornadoes are going to be a possibility as well.

Tropical storm warnings remain in place all along the South Carolina coastline, but also a hurricane watch has been issued because there's the potential that this could strengthen into a weak category one hurricane. Either way, it's just going to be a couple miles per hour, we think, difference. But as long as it sits there and spins and doesn't pick up a lot of speed. That means it is going to have the potential to continue to strengthen.

But here's our forecast track, and the timing now, so it looks like mid afternoon, maybe 2:00, 3:00 tomorrow when it could be making landfall, moving through the Carolinas, dumping in some very heavy rainfall, then moving back out into the open water and starting to weaken as it does so. So it's going to be an interesting next 24 hours, I think, Carol. And also at this time, we don't want to discount Frances. Still a long time before Frances could -- and could is the key word here -- have any kind of influence on the United States. That would be in the next week. But just to let you know Frances upgraded to a category four now, something we're going to need to monitor very closely.

LIN: You bet. Thanks very much, Jacqui.

It just feels like just yesterday when Hurricane Charley slammed into Florida and many of those victims, at least some of those victims may have more to lose if they actually come forward and ask for help. For example, some illegal immigrants in Florida think they're going to be deported. Federal officials would only say financial aid is limited for illegal workers, but they can get food and shelter. In the meantime, no lights or hot water for some storm victims. Still about 12,000 people don't have electricity. And President Bush is asking Congress to approve $2 billion in relief for hurricane victims there.

Unwanted guest in Athens, still to come, what you can expect at the Olympics' closing ceremony after protesters get their way.

Plus, it is sure good to be home. One former Iraqi hostage talks for the first time about his happy ending.

And later, get ready for the Texas two step in the Big Apple, how some people are preparing to have a grand 'ole Texan time.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: "Oh, it's really good to be home." That is what Micah Garen said today. It is the first time we've heard from him since his hostage takers in Iraq let him go. And our Alina Cho was there when Micah spoke with some of the reporters in New York.