9/11/01

LC010911

VAL>> GOOD AFTERNOON, I'M VAL ZAVALA.

JESS>> AND I'M JESS MARLOW.

WE'RE IN THE LIFE AND TIMES STUDIO TO BEGIN OUR SPECIAL COVERAGE OF TODAY'S TRAGIC EVENTS IN NEW YORK AND WASHINGTON. WE WANT TO LET YOU KNOW WE'RE PREEMPTING OUR NORMAL CHILDREN'S PROGRAMMING FOR THE ENTIRE AFTERNOON. WE'LL BE CARRYING LIVE PICTURES FROM CNN AND FROM NEWSHOUR. WE WANT TO MAKE CERTAIN YOU PARENTS ARE AWARE OF THAT, JUST IN CASE YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT YOUR CHILDREN MIGHT SEE.

VAL>> COMMUNITY LEADERS FROM ACROSS THE L.A. REGION GATHERED TODAY TO DISCUSS SECURITY FOR THE CITY AND COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES. L.A. POLICE CHIEF, BERNARD PARKS, WAS AMONG THEM. HERE'S SOME OF WHAT THE CHIEF HAD TO SAY.

BERNARD PARKS>> THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN WORKING HAND IN HAND SINCE 5:30 THIS MORNING TO BE ASSESSED OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN OTHER PARTS OF THIS COUNTRY, TO TAKE PRECAUTIONARY MOVES IN THIS CITY TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THE ENTIRE PUBLIC. WE HAVE COMPLETELY REVIEWED ALL OF OUR MAJOR FACILITIES. WE'VE LOOKED AT ALL OF OUR POLICE STATION STANDING PLANS AND SECURITY PLANS. WE HAVE PUT EXTRA OFFICERS IN THE FIELD. WE'VE HELD OVER OUR MORNING WATCH. WE'VE DONE ALL THE THINGS THAT WE THINK ARE NECESSARY TO ASSESS THESE ISSUES.

WE'VE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THE L.A. COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, THE LOCAL FBI AND ALL OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT BROTHERS AND SISTERS TO TALK ABOUT THESE ISSUES AND SEE WHAT INFORMATION THEY MAY HAVE THAT WOULD MAKE US BETTER PREPARED. WE WANT TO ASSURE THE PUBLIC THAT THE CITY OF L.A. IS PREPARED TO ADDRESS THIS AS ALL PRECAUTIONARY, BUT WE CANNOT BE MORE CONCERNED AND CAUTIOUS AFTER WE SEE THE VIVID IMAGES ON THE TELEVISION SCREEN. SO WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT ASSURANCE THAT WE'LL BE WORKING THROUGHOUT THE DAY WITH ALL THE LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS IN THIS COMMUNITY TO ENSURE THAT INFORMATION IS PASSED ON READILY, THAT WE ARE AWARE OF ALL THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND ASSESSMENTS OF INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION AND SO THAT WE CAN BRING ABOUT THE SAFEST ENVIRONMENT IN THE CITY OF L.A.

VAL>> AND L.A. POLICE CHIEF PARKS GAVE OUT A PUBLIC INFORMATION NUMBER FOR PEOPLE TO CALL FOR AN UPDATE ON WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES. THAT NUMBER IS ON YOUR SCREEN. IT'S 1-888-356-4661.

JESS>> AS YOU KNOW, THREE OF THE FOUR PLANES THAT CRASHED TODAY AFTER BEING HIJACKED WERE HEADED TO LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. WE WANT TO BRING YOU UP TO SPEED NOW ON OPERATIONS AT LAX. MICHAEL PIGIRALAMO, DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR LOS ANGELES WORLD AFFAIRS AIRPORTS, SPOKE TO THE PRESS EARLIER TODAY. HERE IS WHAT HE HAD TO SAY.

MICHAEL PIGIRALAMO>> WE ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE FAA AND THE FBI IN THIS SHUTDOWN OF OUR FACILITIES. WE ARE SECURING THE FACILITIES. THEY HAVE BEEN SECURED AND WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF CONTINUING TO MONITOR THE ACTIVITIES, BOTH NATIONALLY AND LOCALLY, AND WE'RE PREPARED TO DO WHATEVER ANY OF THE AGENCIES DEEM APPROPRIATE WITH REGARDS TO SECURITY FOR OUR AIRPORTS.

AT THIS POINT, WHAT THE PLAN IS, WE'RE NOW ALLOWING ANY COMMERCIAL OR PRIVATE VEHICLES INTO ANY OF OUR AIRPORTS. IF THERE IS A POTENTIAL OF SOME INTERNATIONAL ARRIVALS, WE ARE GOING TO MOVE THOSE MEETERS AND GREETERS OUT TO OUR LOT B, WHICH IS EAST OF THE AIRPORT, AND WE WILL PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION TO THAT LOCATION SO THAT PEOPLE CAN MEET IF THOSE FLIGHTS ARE AND DO ARRIVE AT LOS ANGELES. WE DON'T HAVE ANY INFORMATION AT THIS TIME THAT THEY ARE, BECAUSE THEY'RE SUCH LONG FLIGHTS AND THEY CAN POSSIBLY DIVERT TO OTHER CITIES, BUT WE'RE PREPARED TO HANDLE THAT.

IT'S VERY FLUID. WE'RE VERY INTERESTED IN PROTECTING THE PUBLIC AND, AS I SAID, WE'RE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE FAA AND THE FBI ON THIS ISSUE. LAPD IS HERE AND OUR AIRPORT POLICE ARE STAFFING ALL OF THE APPROPRIATE LOCATIONS OF THIS AIRPORT. WE'RE GOING TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS. WE'RE WAITING FOR THE FAA TO GIVE US AN IDEA ON WHEN THEY THINK THAT THEY'LL GET THE AIR SYSTEM BACK IN OPERATION ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. BUT, AT THIS TIME, WE HAVE NO INFORMATION ON WHEN THEY ARE PLANNING ON DOING IT.

JESS>> AND MR. PIGIRALAMO WILL FORGIVE ME FOR BUTCHERING HIS NAME. HERE ARE THE NUMBERS HE OFFERED FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PASSENGERS ON THE UNITED AND AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHTS HEADED TO LOS ANGELES:

AMERICAN AIRLINES
1-800-245-0999

UNITED AIRLINES
1-800-932-8555

VAL>> WE ARE NOW GOING LIVE TO CNN FOR SOME SPECIAL COVERAGE OF THE SITUATION. WE'LL STICK WITH THEM UNTIL ABOUT 3:00 P.M. WE'LL THEN JOIN NEWSHOUR WITH JIM LEHRER FOR A SPECIAL BROADCAST AT 3:00 AND WE WILL BE BACK HERE LIVE AS THE STORY DEVELOPS.

JESS>> AND WE'LL HAVE A SPECIAL ONE-HOUR EDITION OF LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT AT 7:00 P.M. UNTIL THEN, WE NOW JOIN CNN.

SHIMON PERES>> WE KNOW THAT THE WHOLE NATION WILL BE MOURNING AND I AM SURE THAT AS BITTER AND PAINFUL THE EVENT IS, THE ONLY ONE THAT CAN SAVE HUMANITY FROM THIS TERRIBLE DANGER IS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. IT WAS NOT AN ATTACK ONLY UPON AMERICA, BUT AN ATTACK UPON CIVILIZATION, AN ATTEMPT TO INTRODUCE THE RULES OF JUNGLE IN OUR LIVES, NOT TO PERMIT PEOPLE TO FLY FREELY, TO WALK SAFELY, TO BE ASSURED AT THE PLACES THEY LIVE. IT IS LIKE A DECLARATION OF WAR OR AN INTRODUCTION OF A TERRIBLE HARM AND WE HAVE TO DRAW ALL THE CONCLUSIONS FULLY, UNCOMPROMISINGLY AND RIGHT AWAY.

AARON BROWN>> SIR, YOU HAVE BEEN A SOLDIER, A LEADER OF A COUNTRY. YOU HAVE BEEN PRIVY TO SOME OF THE MOST DETAILED INTELLIGENCE REPORTS THERE ARE OUT THERE. ARE YOU SURPRISED BY THE SOPHISTICATION THAT MUST HAVE BEEN AT PLAY TO CARRY OUT THESE ATTACKS?

SHIMON PERES>> IT'S A SOPHISTICATION OF THE MOST EVIL KIND AND ONLY EVIL PEOPLE CAN ARRIVE TO SUCH A SOPHISTICATION. THE MEASURE MUST BE RADICAL AS THE EVIL ITSELF. I THINK WHAT SHOULD BE DONE IS TO IDENTIFY EVERY COUNTRY THAT HOLDS OR SUPPORTS TERRORISTS AND DECLARE THOSE COUNTRIES AS TERRORIST COUNTRIES.

I THINK THERE MUST BE CALLS TO ALL RELIGIOUS LEADERS, CHRISTIAN, MUSLIM, JEWISH, TO CONDEMN FULLY WITHOUT AN EXCUSE ALL THE SUICIDAL BOMBERS WHO, IN ORDER TO KILL OTHERS, THEY KILL THEMSELVES. IT'S AGAINST THE BASIS OF OUR LIVES. IT'S AGAINST THE GOSPEL OF EVERY BELIEVER. THEN AGAIN, WE HAVE TO ORGANIZE OURSELVES GLOBALLY BECAUSE WE ARE GOING OVER FROM A WORLD OF ENEMIES WHERE YOU HAVE HAD ARMIES TO FACE THEM TO A WORLD OF GLOBAL DANGERS THAT WE DON'T HAVE YET NEITHER A STRATEGY NOR AN ARMY TO STOP IT. WE HAVE TO GET OURSELVES ORGANIZED PROPERLY AND FULLY AND IMMEDIATELY.

AARON BROWN>> MR. FOREIGN MINISTER, I HOPE YOU'LL ANSWER THIS. LET ME ASK IT ANYWAY. DID THE GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL HAVE ANY INTELLIGENCE PRIOR, ANY INDICATIONS PRIOR, THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS MIGHT HAPPEN?

SHIMON PERES>> NOT SPECIFICALLY. WE HAVE HAD WARNINGS AND NOW ALL THE TIME WARNINGS, BUT WE KNOW AND ALL OF US ARE AWARE OF SOME OF THAT FROM WHERE TERROR CAN ORIGINATE. BUT ANYWAY, I DON'T HAVE ANY SPECIFIC INFORMATION AND I WOULDN'T LIKE TO BLAME ANYBODY WITHOUT FULL KNOWLEDGE.

AARON BROWN>> I UNDERSTAND THAT AND LET ME THEN, JUST FOR THE RECORD, ASK THE LOGICAL FOLLOW-UP, WHICH IS SINCE THE ATTACKS THEMSELVES, HAS THE ISRAELI INTELLIGENCE PICKED UP ANY INFORMATION THAT SUGGESTS WHO MIGHT BE INVOLVED IN THIS?

SHIMON PERES>> ANY INFORMATION WE SHALL HAVE WE SHALL HAND OVER IMMEDIATELY TO OUR AMERICAN FRIENDS AND WE ALSO SEND RIGHT NOW OUR PLANE WITH OUR RESCUE TEAM, WHICH IS ALREADY ON THE WAY, WHATEVER WE SHALL BE ABLE TO DO OR WE CAN DO IN ORDER TO BE OF HELP. WE SHOULD DO IT FULL-HEARTEDLY WITHOUT ANY RESERVATIONS. PERMIT ME TO SAY THAT TODAY EACH OF US FEELS AMERICAN, LIKE AN AMERICAN, WITH ALL THE SERIOUSNESS, ALL THE PAIN AND ALL THE DETERMINATION.

AARON BROWN>> SIR, DO YOU HAVE ANY DOUBT IN YOUR MIND THAT THE ROOT OF THIS ATTACK ON THE UNITED STATES TODAY, THE ROOT OF IT TOOK PLACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST? THAT THE EVENTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST, THE ORGANIZATIONS IN THE MIDDLE EAST, DO YOU BELIEVE THAT TO BE THE CASE?

SHIMON PERES>> I THINK WE HAVE TO BRING AN ANSWER TO THE CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLE EAST, BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE ALREADY ACTS OF TERROR IN THE UNITED STATES DISCONNECTED FROM THE MIDDLE EAST, AND THERE ARE MANY OTHER PLACES THE SAME STORY. WE HAVE TO PUT AN END TO TERROR BECAUSE IT'S A DANGER TO EVERY PERSON AND EVERY COUNTRY, NO MATTER WHERE IT IS. SO THE REASONS ARE IMPORTANT, BUT THE ATTRACTION TO USE TERROR IN ORDER TO KILL, IN ORDER TO THREATEN, IS EXISTING EVERYWHERE. IT'S NOT CONNECTED TO SPECIFIC CASE OF SPECIFIC PLACE.

AARON BROWN>> SIR, THANK YOU. SHIMON PERES, THE ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER, A LONG-TIME ISRAELI LEADER IN ANY NUMBER OF GOVERNMENTS, JOINING US FROM JERUSALEM TONIGHT WHERE IT IS A LITTLE BIT AFTER 11:00, ABOUT TEN MINUTES AFTER 11:00. THANK YOU, SIR, FOR JOINING US.

WE ARE GETTING INFORMATION NOW THAT ONE OF THE OTHER BUILDINGS, BUILDING SEVEN, IN THE WORLD TRADE CENTER COMPLEX IS ON FIRE AND HAS EITHER COLLAPSED OR IS COLLAPSING. YOU, TO BE HONEST, CAN SEE THESE PICTURES A LITTLE BIT MORE CLEARLY THAN I. BUT BUILDING SEVEN, ONE OF THE BUILDINGS IN THIS VERY LARGE COMPLEX OF BUILDINGS THAT IS THE TRADE CENTER WHERE THERE WERE -- AND THAT IS THE RIGHT WAY TO PUT IT -- THERE WERE THE TWO TOWERS, BUT THEN THERE ARE A NUMBER OF SUPPORT BUILDINGS AROUND IT, RETAIL SPACES, RESTAURANTS, OFFICE SPACE, GARAGES, THE TRAINS COME IN FROM NEW JERSEY BRINGING COMMUTERS AND TAKING COMMUTERS BACK, COME INTO THE COMPLEX THAT IS THE WORLD TRADE CENTER. NOW WE ARE TOLD THAT THERE IS A FIRE THERE AND THAT BUILDING MAY COLLAPSE AS WELL, AS YOU CAN SEE.

WE CAN SEE, AS WE LOOK NOW, BACK DOWNTOWN, WE CAN SEE THE BILLOWING SMOKE. IT IS EXTRAORDINARY TO US, I GUESS, HOW LONG THIS SCENE HAS GONE ON. THE SMOKE HAS NOT CLEARED AT ALL. IT HAS NOT LIGHTENED AT ALL. THERE WAS THAT HORRIFIC MOMENT WHEN THE TOWERS COLLAPSED AND THEN WE'VE BEEN IN THIS SORT OF SITUATION EVER SINCE.

AS THE FIRES CONTINUE TO BURN, ROSE ARCE, ONE OF OUR PRODUCERS WHO HAS BEEN SLOWLY AND DILIGENTLY MAKING HER WAY TO THE BUILDING, DESCRIBED THE FIRES THAT SHE SAW IN THE AREA OF THE TOWERS THEMSELVES AND, CLEARLY, THOSE FIRES CONTINUE TO BURN AT ABOUT 4:15 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME TODAY IN AN UNBELIEVABLE AND AWFUL SCENE IN NEW YORK. JUDY?

JUDY WOODRUFF>> AARON, FOR THOSE OF US WHO DON'T KNOW THAT AREA AS LOWER MANHATTAN, YOU ARE EXPLAINING SOMETHING THAT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE I THINK THE BELIEF HAD BEEN THAT THERE WERE JUST THE TWO TOWERS, BUT YOU'RE NOW TELLING US THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER BUILDINGS THAT MAKE UP THE COMPLEX OF BUILDINGS. 

AS AARON IS JUST SAYING, AND WE'RE HEARING FOR THE FIRST TIME, ONE OF THE SUPPORT BUILDINGS IS ON THE VERGE OF COLLAPSING, IF IT HAS NOT ALREADY COLLAPSED. IT LOOKS TO ME, AS IT MAY TO AARON AS WELL WITH THESE LIVE PICTURES, THAT THAT SMOKE IS SO BLACK THAT IT MAY BE THE RESULT OF A FRESH PART OF THIS TERRIBLE DISASTER, BUT IT IS ONLY SPECULATION AT THIS POINT. WE EVIDENTLY DON'T HAVE ANYONE ON THE PHONE DOWN THERE THAT WE CAN GET TO RIGHT THIS MOMENT, BUT, OF COURSE, WHEN WE DO, WE WILL TELL YOU WHAT IS GOING ON.

WE DO KNOW THAT EVERY EFFORT IS BEING MADE BY NEW YORK AND EMERGENCY AUTHORITIES TO GET PEOPLE OUT, BUT YOU ALSO HEARD OUR PRODUCER, ROSE ARCE, SAYING NOT TOO LONG AGO THAT EVEN THE EMERGENCY PERSONNEL CANNOT GET CLOSE BECAUSE DEBRIS IS FALLING AT A STEADY RATE WITHIN A TWO-BLOCK RADIUS AROUND THE TRADE CENTER. EVEN THEIR MOST HEARTFELT EFFORTS TO GET IN THERE AND RESCUE PEOPLE, THEY JUST CAN'T DO IT BECAUSE THE RISK IS TOO GREAT.

WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO WATCH THIS HORRIFIC SCENE IN NEW YORK CITY AS WE BRING YOU UP TO DATE ON WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING HERE IN WASHINGTON. CONGRESS WOULD HAVE BEEN IN SESSION TODAY. IN FACT, IT WAS GAVELED TO ORDER THIS MORNING. AT LEAST THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING. BUT MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, AFTER THESE BUILDINGS WERE HIT, WERE QUICKLY EVACUATED AND SOME HAVE BEEN GATHERING. THERE WAS A REPORT NOT TOO LONG THAT AT 6:00 TODAY EASTERN TIME, THERE WOULD BE A CONFERENCE CALL OF THE CONGRESSIONAL LEADERSHIP TO ASSESS THE CATASTROPHE OF TODAY AND TO CONSIDER WHEN THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS SHOULD MEET AGAIN. AS OF NOW, THE CAPITOL WAS LARGELY EVACUATED.

CNN'S KATE SNOW IS AT A LOCATION NEAR THE CAPITOL AND SHE'S BEEN TALKING CONSTANTLY TO MEMBERS AND TO OTHER MEMBERS OF THE STAFF. KATE, WHAT ARE YOU LEARNING?

KATE SNOW>> JUDY, WE ARE STILL UNDER A LOCKDOWN AT THE CAPITOL. WE'VE BEEN TOLD THAT SENATOR LOTT AND SENATOR DASCHLE WOULD LIKE TO CALL THE SENATE BACK INTO SESSION THIS AFTERNOON. THEY WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT. WHETHER THAT'S GOING TO BE A POSSIBILITY IS UNCLEAR AT THIS POINT.

JOINING ME HERE A COUPLE OF BLOCKS AWAY FROM THE CAPITOL IS SENATOR BOB GRAHAM, DEMOCRAT FROM FLORIDA AND THE CHAIRMAN OF THE SENATE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE. YOU HOLD A POSITION WHERE YOU ARE IN THE KNOW, SENATOR. TELL US, WHAT DO YOU KNOW AT THIS POINT ABOUT THE EVENTS THAT HAVE TRANSPIRED TODAY? HAVE YOU BEEN BRIEFED YET?

BOB GRAHAM>> KATE, WE'RE ABOUT TO HAVE A BRIEFING. THE HEAD OF THE CIA HAS BEEN BRIEFING THE CABINET AND THE OTHER KEY OFFICIALS TO THE PRESIDENT THIS AFTERNOON AND HE'S GOING TO BE TALKING TO MEMBERS OF CONGRESS ON THE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEES AND LEADERSHIP SHORTLY.

KATE SNOW>> IT'S BEEN REPORTED, OUR DAVID ENSORE HAS REPORTED THAT THERE ARE STRONG INDICATIONS THAT THIS COULD BE LINKED TO OSAMA BIN LADEN. DO YOU PERSONALLY BELIEVE THAT THAT COULD BE THE CASE?

BOB GRAHAM>> KATE, I THINK IT'S PREMATURE TO START NAMING A PRIME SUSPECT. IF YOU'LL RECALL, AFTER THE OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBING, THERE WAS AN EARLY IDENTIFICATION OF AN ARAB GROUP THAT HAD DONE IT AND IT TURNED OUT TO BE FALSE. LET'S WITHHOLD UNTIL WE GET A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION. MY OWN SENSE IS THAT THERE ARE NOT VERY MANY GROUPS AROUND THE WORLD WHO HAVE THE CAPABILITY OF PLANNING, COORDINATING AND EXECUTING A TERRORIST ATTACK OF THIS SOPHISTICATION.

KATE SNOW>> YOU ARE CONSTANTLY BEING BRIEFED BY THE FBI, BY THE CIA, BY THE NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCIES. YOU ARE ONE OF THE SENATORS THAT KNOWS THE MOST ABOUT OUR NATIONAL SECURITY. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS ANY ADVANCE WARNING OF THIS ATTACK?

BOB GRAHAM>> NO. IF THERE HAD BEEN AN ADVANCE WARNING, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN STEPS TAKEN TO HAVE INTERDICTED IT. THERE HAD BEEN A GENERAL THREAT WARNING THAT THERE WAS A GREATER LIKELIHOOD OF SOME TERRORIST ATTACK SOMEWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES, BUT IT WAS NOT AT A SUFFICIENTLY DETAILED LEVEL TO ALLOW FOR SOME RESPONSE.

KATE SNOW>> AND WHEN WAS THAT GENERAL WARNING?

BOB GRAHAM>> EARLY IN THE SUMMER, THERE WAS A GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENT OF AN INCREASE IN THREAT LEVEL FOR TERRORISM.

KATE SNOW>> AND WERE THERE CHANGES MADE THEN TO OUR SECURITY? TELL ME ABOUT THAT.

BOB GRAHAM>> YES. THERE WERE GENERAL STEPS TAKEN IN TERMS OF OUR INTELLIGENCE GATHERING, PARTICULARLY RELATED TO THOSE THAT WE HAD THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF SUSPICION, GREATER SECURITY AT KEY VULNERABLE AREAS, AND I'M CERTAIN THAT THE MILITARY WAS PLACED AT A SOMEWHAT HIGHER LEVEL OF ALERT.

KATE SNOW>> WERE YOU THEN SURPRISED? AS YOU SAT IN YOUR OFFICE, YOU TOLD ME YOU WERE HERE THIS MORNING, YOU WERE ON CAPITOL HILL WHEN THE FIRST WORDS STARTED COMING DOWN ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED IN NEW YORK. WERE YOU SURPRISED?

BOB GRAHAM>> WELL, THE ANSWER IS, I WAS SHOCKED AT WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED, THE EXTENT OF IT. THE BRUSQUENESS, THE AUDACIOUSNESS OF THIS KIND OF AN AERIAL ATTACK AGAINST SOME OF OUR BEST-KNOWN SYMBOLS OF AMERICA. I WAS NOT SURPRISED THAT THERE WAS AN ATTACK, WAS SURPRISED AT THE SPECIFICITY OF THIS ONE.

KATE SNOW>> DOES THE SENATE NOW, TO SHOW THAT THE SENATE CAN GET ON WITH BUSINESS AND THAT THE U.S. CONGRESS HAS NOT BEEN IMPEDED, DO YOU THINK THE SENATE OUGHT TO COME BACK AND GET BACK TO BUSINESS TO DEFEND THAT SIGNAL?

BOB GRAHAM>> WELL, I THINK FIRST, AS ALL AMERICANS, WE NEED TO EXTEND OUR SYMPATHY TO THE FAMILIES THAT HAVE BEEN SO TRAGICALLY AFFECTED BY THIS. WE ALSO NEED TO SEND A SIGNAL TO THE WORLD THAT A GROUP OF TERRORISTS CANNOT INTIMIDATE THE GREATEST DEMOCRACY IN THE HISTORY OF THE GLOBE AND THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO CARRY OUT OUR RESPONSIBILITIES.

KATE SNOW>> AND AT THIS BRIEFING, YOU'D TOLD ME, WITHIN THE HOUR, BEFORE 5:00 EASTERN, YOU EXPECT TO TALK NOT ONLY WITH INTELLIGENCE, FBI, BUT ALSO WITH YOUR COLLEAGUES, THE LEADERSHIP, AND I UNDERSTAND SOME DECISIONS ARE GOING TO BE MADE ABOUT HOW TO PROCEED FROM HERE.

BOB GRAHAM>> WELL, I THINK WHAT WE'LL BE GETTING AT THIS BRIEFING IS SOME MORE DETAIL AS TO WHAT HAPPENED TODAY. BUT THERE CLEARLY ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE HAVE KNOWN THAT NEED TO BE UNDERTAKEN FOR OUR LONG-TERM PROTECTION. FOR INSTANCE, WE NEED TO MAKE A GREATER INVESTMENT IN HUMAN INTELLIGENCE. THAT'S OLD-FASHIONED SPIES THAT CAN GET CLOSE TO A TERRORIST AND FIND OUT WHAT THEY'RE INTENTIONS OR MOTIVATIONS ARE. WE NEED TO SEE THAT OUR TECHNICAL ABILITY TO GATHER INFORMATION STAYS AS WORLD-CLASS AS IT'S BEEN FOR THE LAST FIFTY YEARS AND WE NEED TO CLOSE THE GAP BETWEEN THE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION WE GATHER AND THAT WHICH WE ARE ABLE TO ANALYZE AND CONVERT INTO USEFUL INTELLIGENCE.

KATE SNOW>> SENATOR BOB GRAHAM, DEMOCRAT FROM FLORIDA, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE SENATE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE, JOINING US HERE. HE'S ABOUT TO RECEIVE A BRIEFING, JUDY, AND WE WILL GET BACK TO YOU WITH WORD WHEN WE KNOW MORE FROM HERE. JUDY?

JUDY WOODRUFF>> ALL RIGHT, KATE. WE'VE BEEN LISTENING CLOSELY TO WHAT SENATOR GRAHAM AND I WOULD JUST REMIND EVERYONE, IF THEY HAVEN'T ALREADY TAKEN NOTE OF THIS, THAT THIS WEEK IS ACTUALLY THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE CAMP DAVID ACCORDS. THOSE TOOK PLACE BACK IN 1978, 23 YEARS AGO, OVER A PERIOD OF ABOUT A LITTLE MORE THAN A WEEK BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 5 AND ABOUT THE 17TH. THIS WAS THE FRAMEWORK FOR PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST, AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN ISRAEL AND EGYPT THAT MANY OF THE MORE HARD-LINE ARAB STATES SAID THEY WOULD NEVER FORGIVE EGYPT AND CERTAINLY ISRAEL FOR DOING THIS. THEY FELT BETRAYED BY IT. THERE ARE THOSE TODAY SUGGESTING PERHAPS THAT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE TIMING, ALTHOUGH AT THIS POINT, IT WOULD BE PURELY SPECULATION TO SAY ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.

YOU'RE CONTINUING TO SEE PICTURES OF THE TERRIBLE DEVASTATION IN NEW YORK CITY IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE TWO AIRPLANES THAT FLEW INTO THE TWIN TOWERS OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTER. THERE ARE ADJACENT BUILDINGS, PART OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTER COMPLEX, THAT ARE STILL VERY MUCH AT RISK. ONE OF THESE BUILDINGS MAY HAVE COLLAPSED OR MAY BE IN THE PROCESS OF COLLAPSING. AARON BROWN, BACK TO YOU IN MANHATTAN.

AARON BROWN>> JUDY, THANK YOU. JIM DESTEFANO IS A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER. HE KNOWS ABOUT BIG BUILDINGS AND WHAT HAPPENS IN THESE SORT OF CATASTROPHIC MOMENTS. HE JOINS US FROM DEERFIELD, CONNECTICUT ON THE PHONE. JIM, THE PLANE HIT -- I HOPE THIS ISN'T A TERRIBLY OVERSIMPLIFIED QUESTION, BUT WHAT HAPPENS TO THE BUILDING ITSELF?

JIM DESTEFANO>> WELL, IT'S DESTRUCTION. IT'S A TREMENDOUS IMPACT THAT'S APPLIED TO THE BUILDING WHEN A COLLISION LIKE THIS OCCURS AND IT'S CLEAR THAT THAT IMPACT WAS SUFFICIENT TO DO DAMAGE TO THE COLUMNS AND THE BRACING SYSTEM SUPPORTING THE BUILDING. THAT, COUPLED WITH THE FIRE RAGING AND THE HIGH TEMPERATURES SOFTENING THE STRUCTURAL STEEL, THEN PRECIPITATED A DESTABILIZATION OF THE COLUMNS AND CLEARLY THE COLUMNS BUCKLED AT THE LOWER FLOORS CAUSING THE BUILDING TO COLLAPSE.

AARON BROWN>> SO IT IS A COMBINATION OF, AS WE SEE AGAIN THIS EXTRAORDINARY SHOT OF THE SECOND PLANE HITTING THE TOWER, IT IS A COMBINATION OF THE IMPACT OF THE PLANE ITSELF AND THEN THE FIRE THAT ENSUES THAT CAUSES THESE -- I DON'T KNOW, ARE THEY CALLED BEAMS? -- TO BUCKLE?

JIM DESTEFANO>> IT'S THE COLUMNS. THE VERTICAL ELEMENTS ARE COLUMNS AND THOSE ARE THE ELEMENTS THAT ARE HOLDING THE WHOLE BUILDING UP. THOSE ARE THE CRITICAL VULNERABLE ELEMENTS THAT CLEARLY FAILED IN A BUCKLING MODE FROM THE HIGH TEMPERATURES AND THE DAMAGE FROM THE IMPACT.

AARON BROWN>> NOW I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO ASSIGN ANY BLAME TO ANYONE ABOUT ANYTHING HERE, BUT JUST GIVE ME AN IDEA IF, IN FACT, YOU CAN DESIGN THESE BUILDINGS IN SUCH A WAY SO THAT THIS SORT OF THING DOES NOT HAPPEN EVEN IN A CATASTROPHIC EVENT.

JIM DESTEFANO>> IT'S VERY DIFFICULT WHEN YOU'RE DESIGNING A STRUCTURE LIKE THIS TO IMAGINE ALL THE SCENARIOS OF THINGS THAT MIGHT OCCUR TO THE BUILDING DURING ITS CONSTRUCTION. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT, WHEN THIS BUILDING WAS DESIGNED, ONE OF THE CRITERIA THAT IT WAS DESIGNED FOR WAS A DIRECT HIT FROM A 707. CLEARLY, PLANES ARE LARGER TODAY AND IT WASN'T CONSIDERED THE EFFECTS OF THE AFTERMATH FIRES AND HIGH TEMPERATURES THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN APPLIED TO THE STRUCTURE SUBSEQUENT TO THE COLLISION AS WE SAW IT TODAY.

AARON BROWN>> AND TO THE BEST THAT YOU CAN, GIVE ME AN IDEA OF HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE FOR THAT BUILDING TO BE SAFE TO GO INTO. BECAUSE WHAT WE KNOW IS THERE -- OR WHAT WE BELIEVE, AT LEAST -- THERE ARE STILL PEOPLE TRAPPED IN THERE. THE MAYOR TALKED ABOUT A WEEK THAT THIS RESCUE OPERATION IS GOING TO TAKE. IS THAT REALISTIC?

JIM DESTEFANO>> I THINK IT'S VERY REALISTIC THAT WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN OTHER COLLAPSES LIKE THE PLAZA HERE IN CONNECTICUT AND THE HYATT REGENCY IN KANSAS CITY AND THE OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBING, IT TAKES A VERY LONG TIME TO CLEAR THE RUBBLE AND FIND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT MIGHT BE TRAPPED UNDERNEATH IT.

AARON BROWN>> AT WHAT POINT -- WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN BEFORE IT IS LITERALLY SAFE TO SEND SOMEONE INTO THAT FATE?

JIM DESTEFANO>> I DON'T KNOW THAT IT WILL EVER BE SAFE. I THINK THE RESCUE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THERE TRYING TO SAVE PEOPLE ARE VERY MUCH AT RISK, AS THEY ALWAYS ARE IN THESE KINDS OF DISASTERS. WHEN YOU HAVE A PILE OF RUBBLE LIKE THIS, THE STRUCTURE IS ALWAYS SOMEWHAT UNSTABLE, SO THOSE RESCUE WORKERS THAT ARE IN THERE ARE AT SOME RISK. THERE'S NEVER A POINT WHEN YOU CAN SAY THIS BUILDING IS SAFE TO WALK INTO AND START LOOKING AROUND.

AARON BROWN>> JIM, THANK YOU. JIM DESTEFANO, A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER, JOINING US FROM DEERFIELD, CONNECTICUT ON THE PHONE. WE HAVE, OVER THE LAST SIX OR SEVEN HOURS NOW, SHOWN YOU SOME EXTRAORDINARY PICTURES. MANY OF THOSE PICTURES HAVE COME FROM THE AIR. WE HAVE SEEN THE PLANE HITTING THE TOWER. WE'VE SEEN THE TOWER COLLAPSE.

IN THIS DAY AND AGE, LOTS OF PEOPLE WALK AROUND THIS CITY AND EVERY CITY, I GUESS, WITH VIDEO CAMERAS AND ONE OF THEM TODAY IN LOWER MANHATTAN WAS DR. MARK HEATH. DR. HEATH KEPT ROLLING, AS WE SAY IN THE NEWS BUSINESS, AND THIS IS WHAT HE SAW WITH AS LITTLE COMMENTARY FROM US AS POSSIBLE.

[AMATEUR VIDEO CAMERA FILM CLIP]

AARON BROWN>> THOSE PICTURES WERE SHOT BY DR. MARK HEATH. WE DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT DR. HEATH, BUT WE, I THINK, CAN FAIRLY SAY THAT HE HAD EXTRAORDINARY PRESENCE OF MIND AS HE CONTINUED NOT ONLY SHOOTING THOSE PICTURES, BUT ALSO OFFERING ASSISTANCE WHERE HE COULD. AT ONE POINT, HE HID BEHIND A CAR, TRIED TO GET INTO THE CAR TO PROTECT HIMSELF FROM BOTH THE DEBRIS AND THE SMOKE THAT WAS BUILDING AROUND HIM. THE CAR WAS LOCKED, HE TRIED TO BREAK IN, COULDN'T, AND THEN HID HIS FACE IN A MEDICAL BAG, HIS MEDICAL BAG, ALL THE WHILE HE KEPT SHOOTING.

A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE WONDERED ABOUT, A COUPLE OF SOUNDS. THERE WAS A CHIRPING SOUND THAT YOU HEARD AT VARIOUS POINTS IN THE TAPE. THAT IS THE SOUND OF THE LOCATER DEVICES THAT FIREMEN AND WOMEN WEAR SO THAT, IF THEY ARE LOST IN A FIRE, THEIR COLLEAGUES, THEIR BROTHER AND SISTER FIREFIGHTERS, CAN GET TO THEM. THERE WAS ALSO A KIND OF -- IT SOUNDED TO US, AT LEAST -- LIKE A KIND OF WHISTLING SOUND. THAT'S THE SOUND OF RESPIRATORS THAT THE FIREMEN AND THE EMERGENCY SERVICE PERSONNEL AND THE REST WERE USING AND OFFERING TO PEOPLE WHO NEEDED IT. 

OUR COLLEAGUES AT CNN FN ARE REPORTING NOW THAT THE STOCK EXCHANGES, THE NASDAQ, THE AMERICAN STOCK EXCHANGE, THE NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE, ALL, OF COURSE, CLOSED TODAY AND WILL REMAIN CLOSED THROUGH WEDNESDAY. SO THE STOCK MARKETS, THE FINANCIAL MARKETS IN THE COUNTRY AND YET, AGAIN, WE CANNOT RECALL ANYTHING LIKE THAT EVER OCCURRING. PERHAPS IT HAS AND WE DON'T REMEMBER IT, BUT WE DON'T REMEMBER IT. THE STOCK MARKETS, ALL OF THEM, STAY CLOSED THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

AIR TRAVEL SHUT DOWN IN THE UNITED STATES UNTIL AT LEAST NOON TOMORROW AND CERTAINLY NO GUARANTEE IT'LL OPEN AFTER THAT. THAT AFFECTS ON AN AVERAGE ABOUT A MILLION AND A HALF PEOPLE EVERY SINGLE DAY, 40,000 TO 50,000 FLIGHTS, ALL OF THEM GROUNDED. THERE WERE ABOUT 50 PLANES IN THE AIR AFTER THE FAA ESSENTIALLY LOCKED DOWN THE AIRPORTS IN THE COUNTRY. ALL OF THOSE PLANES MADE IT SAFELY TO DESTINATIONS. WE DON'T KNOW IF THEY MADE IT TO THE DESTINATIONS THEY WERE HEADED FOR, BUT THEY WERE ALL ABLE TO LAND SAFELY. CNN'S JOEY CHIN IN ATLANTA. JOEY?

JOEY CHIN>> AARON, WE'RE FOLLOWING AND WATCHING THESE EXTRAORDINARY PICTURES AS THEY STILL COME IN. AS WE CONTINUE TO WATCH ALL THE EVENTS, WE WANT TO BRING OUR VIEWERS BACK TO WHERE ALL OF THIS STARTED TODAY AND WE HAVE ADDITIONAL PICTURES TO GIVE YOU, SOME ADDITIONAL PERSPECTIVE TO THE STORY WE ARE TELLING YOU THIS AFTERNOON.

FIRST UP, WE GO BACK TO 8:48 THIS MORNING. THAT IS EASTERN. THE CRASH OF THE FIRST HIJACKED AIRLINER HIT THE NORTH TOWER OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTER IN LOWER MANHATTAN IN NEW YORK. YOU SEE THE GAPING HOLE AND THE YOU SEE THE BLACK SMOKE THAT BILLOWS FROM THE TOWER. ACTUALLY, YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE PICTURE OF THE SECOND AIRLINE THAT CRASHED INTO THE SECOND TOWER, THE SOUTH TOWER, AS WELL.

NOW WE WANT TO MOVE YOU OVER AND SHOW YOU SOME EXCLUSIVE CNN PICTURES, STILL PICTURES, OF THE SECOND CRASH AS IT HAPPENED. YOU SEE THE PLANE BEARING IN ON THE SOUTH TOWER OF THE TRADE CENTER. THIS IS UNITED AIRLINES FLIGHT 175. IT WAS A BOEING 767 SCHEDULED FROM BOSTON TO LOS ANGELES, 65 PEOPLE ON BOARD, AND YOU SEE WHAT HAPPENED. JUST SHEARED RIGHT INTO THE SOUTH TOWER. HORRIBLE CRASH. MASSIVE BURST OF FLAMES. THIS CRASH OCCURRED AT FOUR MINUTES AFTER 9:00 THIS MORNING. AGAIN, THAT'S NEW YORK TIME.

NOW MOVE AHEAD TO 10:30, 10:29 ACTUALLY. THE NORTH TOWER HAD COLLAPSED ALREADY. THIS IS THE SOUTH TOWER YOU CAN SEE COLLAPSING INTO THE STREETS OF LOWER MANHATTAN, JUST FALLING AWAY. WE KNOW THAT, AS YOU SEE IT THERE, IT'S JUST FALLING AWAY, JUST FALLING OUT OF THE SKY, FALLING INTO PIECES ALL OVER LOWER MANHATTAN, SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THE TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF ASH JUST DUMPED ON LOWER MANHATTAN TODAY.

ROUGHLY, 50,000 PEOPLE WORKED IN THE TOWERS IN THE CENTER AREA ON A DAILY BASIS AND THEN, OF COURSE, THERE ARE ADDITIONAL TENS OF THOUSANDS OF TOURISTS WHO WOULD COME TO THE TOURS WHO'D WANT TO SEE THE TREMENDOUS VANTAGE POINT YOU WOULD HAVE FROM THE TOP OF THE TOWERS. NEW YORK CITY MAYOR, RUDY GIULIANI, TOLD US HE DOES BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS A HORRENDOUS LOSS OF LIFE THERE, BUT HE DOESN'T EVEN WANT TO TRY TO GUESS HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE DIED IN NEW YORK TODAY.

HERE NOW WE WANT TO GIVE YOU EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS OF PEOPLE WHO SAW SOME OF WHAT HAPPENED TODAY.

>> I HEARD THE SOUND OF A JET. I ASSUMED IT WAS LIKE A NAVY JET OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT JUST FLYING BY. SOMETIMES THEY'LL FLY VERY LOW NEAR THE WORLD TRADE CENTER, YOU KNOW, NOT NEAR IT. THEN I HEARD A LARGE EXPLOSION AND I THOUGHT IT WAS A SONIC BOOM. WHEN I HEARD THE EXPLOSION, I LOOKED UP AND WHAT I SAW WAS, I SAW RED AND I ACTUALLY SAW DEBRIS JUST START TO FALL DOWN. I WAS SO CLOSE TO THE BUILDING THAT I COULDN'T RUN AWAY FROM THE BUILDING, SO I ACTUALLY HAD TO RUN TOWARDS IT.

IF YOU KNOW THE WORLD FINANCIAL CENTER, IT'S GOT A RIBBED DESIGN, SO YOU ACTUALLY HAVE A TWO BY TWO SPACE WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY SNEAK INTO THE BUILDING AND HIDE. MYSELF AND ONE OTHER MAN WERE THERE. WE HAD OUR BOOK BAGS OVER OUR HEADS. DEBRIS WAS FALLING DOWN ABOUT THE SIZE OF THIS. ALL PORTIONS OF THE BUILDING WERE FALLING DOWN. THAT WENT ON FOR ABOUT THIRTY OR FORTY SECONDS AND THAT, FOR ME, WAS THE WORST PART OF THIS WHOLE EXPERIENCE. I FEARED FOR MY OWN LIFE AT THAT TIME.

AFTER THAT STOPPED, I WALKED OUT, MYSELF. I DIDN'T SEE ANYBODY IN THE PLAZA, SO NOBODY HURT WAS IN THE PLAZA AT THAT POINT. I WALKED TO MY BUILDING IN THE WORLD FINANCIAL CENTER AND SEEN THAT MY COLLEAGUES THAT EVACUATED THE BUILDING WERE DOWNSTAIRS. 

NOW ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE WORLD FINANCIAL CENTER WHICH IS RIGHT ON THE HUDSON RIVER, THERE'S AN OUTDOOR PLAZA, OKAY? YOU CAN LOOK OVER THE WORLD FINANCIAL CENTER AND SEE THE WORLD TRADE CENTER. WE WERE LOOKING BACK AT THE BUILDING IN FLAMES, WHICH WAS ABOUT FIVE OR TEN AFTER NINE, AND WE SEE A SECOND COMMERCIAL JET FLYING EXTREMELY LOW ACTUALLY COLLIDE INTO THE SOUTH TOWER OF THE BUILDING. AT THAT POINT, WE DECIDED JUST TO GET OUT OF THERE.

PEOPLE WERE JUST GOING CRAZY AT THAT POINT, EVACUATING. WE STARTED TO WALK NORTH AND ULTIMATELY GOT UP TO HERE. DURING OUR WALK, WE SAW THE SOUTH TOWER COLLAPSE TO THE GROUND AND THEN IT WAS VERY AMAZING TO SEE THE NORTH TOWER STANDING THERE BY ITSELF AFTER YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS OF SEEING THEM TOGETHER, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE NORTH TOWER JUST COLLAPSED UPON ITSELF AND JUST FELL TO THE GROUND. THE CLOUD OF DUST COVERED ALL OF DOWNTOWN MANHATTAN, BATTERY PARK AND EVERYTHING. PHENOMENAL. I NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT.

JOEY CHIN>> THE EYEWITNESS DESCRIPTION OF THE HORRIBLE SCENE IN NEW YORK CITY THIS MORNING. AND IN THE MIDST OF ALL OF THAT, IN THE MIDST OF THAT TERRIBLE TRAGEDY, THERE WAS FURTHER CHAOS DOWN IN WASHINGTON. AT 9:45 THIS MORNING, AN AIRLINER CRASHING INTO THE PENTAGON, THE PLANE WHICH WAS AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT 77 WHICH WAS SCHEDULED FROM WASHINGTON'S DULLES AIRPORT OUT TO LOS ANGELES. THE BOEING 757 HIT THE ARMY SIDE OF THIS HUGE FORTRESS THAT IS THE PENTAGON. THE PENTAGON, OF COURSE, IS NOT JUST A SYMBOL OF THE NATION'S MILITARY MIGHT, BUT TODAY IS A COMMAND CENTER AND IT'S ALL THAT IS HAPPENED.

NOW THERE WAS A FOURTH CRASH WHICH OCCURRED TODAY IN SHANKSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA. UNITED AIRLINES FLIGHT 93 WAS BOUND FROM NEWARK, NEW JERSEY OUT TO SAN FRANCISCO. THERE WERE 45 PEOPLE ON BOARD. AUTHORITIES SAY THERE WERE NO SURVIVORS.

IN ALL, THERE WERE FOUR CRASHES, 266 PASSENGERS AND CREW AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE STILL HAVE NO IDEA HOW MANY PEOPLE MAY HAVE DIED ON THE GROUND IN THE COURSE OF ALL THESE CATASTROPHES. 

JOINING US NOW FROM DALLAS, TEXAS IS JEFFREY BEATTY. HE'S A COUNTER-TERRORISM EXPERT WHO HAD DONE WORK ON THE FIRST WORLD TRADE CENTER ATTACK. THAT WAS BACK IN 1993. AS WELL, HE'S DONE SOME WORK FOR THE PENTAGON. OF COURSE, THERE WILL BE A LOT OF TRYING TO READ THROUGH ALL OF THIS, MR. BEATTY. IS THERE SOMETHING THAT YOU HAD SEEN IN THE EVENTS OF TODAY THAT YOU SEE AS PERHAPS A SYMBOL OF WHAT GROUP MIGHT BE INVOLVED OR SOME OTHER HALLMARK OF TERRORISM HERE?

JEFFREY BEATTY>> WELL, I THINK IT'S A LITTLE TOO EARLY TO SPECULATE ON WHAT GROUP MIGHT BE INVOLVED, JOEY. IF YOU REMEMBER BACK TO THE OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBING, EVERYONE RUSHED TO JUDGMENT TO THINK IT WAS PERHAPS OVERSEAS-BASED TERRORISM.

NOW WHILE ALL THE INDICATORS ARE GOING IN THAT DIRECTION, IT WOULD PROBABLY BE PRUDENT TO JUST FOCUS ON THE RESCUE EFFORTS TODAY AND ALSO TO ASK OURSELVES, YOU KNOW, HOW DID THIS HAPPEN AND KIND OF BREAK DOWN THE OPERATION AND SHOW PEOPLE THAT THIS WAS A VERY LOW-TECH BUT HIGH-CONCEPT OPERATION ON THE PART OF THE TERRORISTS.

JOEY CHIN>> WELL, DESCRIBE THAT FOR US. WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT? HIGH-CONCEPT?

JEFFREY BEATTY>> WELL, WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS, YOU KNOW, AMERICANS TEND TO RELY ON HIGH-TECH. WE LOOK TO HIGH-TECH TO SOLVE MOST OF OUR PROBLEMS. TERRORISTS DON'T HAVE HIGH-TECH AT THEIR DISPOSAL TO THE DEGREE THAT A GOVERNMENT SUCH AS THE UNITED STATES HAS. BUT UNFORTUNATELY THEY HAVE A LOT OF TIME. AN OPERATION SUCH AS THIS MAY HAVE BEEN YEARS IN THE MAKING. WE DON'T KNOW YET HOW THIS OPERATION WAS ABLE TO GO FORWARD, BUT LET'S JUST, YOU KNOW, BREAK DOWN THE STEPS.

I TOOK A FEW NOTES ON IT. AT SOME POINT, WE ALL RECOGNIZED THAT THERE WAS SOME INTELLIGENCE FAILURE, THAT WE'VE GOT TO DO BETTER. WE'VE DONE GOOD IN THE PAST, WE'VE IMPROVED OUR ABILITY TO DEFEAT TERRORISM, THOUGH WE'RE NOT PERFECT YET AND THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF THAT, TO BE SURE. BUT THEN WHAT HAPPENED WAS, THE QUESTION IS, HOW DID THESE PEOPLE GET SOME SORT OF WEAPON ONTO AN AIRPLANE? YOU KNOW, I'M SURE THE FAA AND THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND ALL THE AIRPORTS FROM WHICH THESE AIRCRAFT WERE LAUNCHED THIS MORNING WILL BE TAKING A REALLY HARD LOOK AT THAT AND I'M SURE WE'LL SEE SOME CHANGES IN THE FUTURE.

JOEY CHIN>> BUT NOT "AN" AIRPLANE, MR. BEATTY. I MEAN, FOUR AIRCRAFT. THAT'S AN AWFUL LOT, IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.

JEFFREY BEATTY>> EXACTLY. THIS IS A HIGHLY SOPHISTICATED APPROACH, YOU KNOW, BUT IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME WE'VE SEEN THAT. WE'VE SEEN FOREIGN GROUPS DESTROY TWO EMBASSIES WITHIN MOMENTS OF EACH OTHER A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO ON THE CONTINENT OF AFRICA, SO WE KNOW THAT OUR OPPONENT IS CAPABLE OF THIS TYPE OF OPERATION AND HE DEMONSTRATED IT TODAY IN OUR HOMELAND.

THE INTERESTING THING HERE, JOEY, YOU DIDN'T NEED TO BRING ACROSS HUNDREDS OF POUNDS OF EXPLOSIVES ACROSS THE BORDER SOMEPLACE TO COMMANDEER AN AIRPLANE. WHY DID THEY CHOOSE THESE AIRPLANES? THEY PICKED THESE WIDE-BODY AIRPLANES. THE FACT THAT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER WAS PREPARED TO SUSTAIN A HIT FROM A 707 WAS NOT A WELL-KEPT SECRET. THEY PICKED AIRPLANES THAT WERE BIGGER THAN THAT. ALSO, THEY PICKED AIRPLANES THAT TOOK OFF FROM THE EAST COAST, HEADED TO THE WEST COAST, THAT WERE BIG AIRPLANES, FULL OF FUEL. THEY WEREN'T INTERESTED IN KILLING PEOPLE ON THE AIRPLANES. THE AIRPLANES THEMSELVES BECAME THE BOMBS, SO THEY DIDN'T NEED TO BRING EXPLOSIVES INTO THE COUNTRY. 

WE DON'T KNOW YET WHETHER IT WAS KNIVES OR HANDGUNS OR WHATEVER, BUT THE NEXT QUESTION IN THE STEP AS WE BREAK DOWN THE OPERATIONAL ACTS IN THIS ATTACK IS, HOW DID THESE PEOPLE GET WEAPONS ONTO THE AIRCRAFT? THEN FROM THERE, TO CONTINUE IT, THE QUESTION IS ASKED, WHAT ABOUT A COCKPIT INCURSION? HOW IS IT THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO GET INTO THE COCKPITS OF THE AIRCRAFT, TAKE OVER THE CONTROLS AND, AS WE KNOW AND HAVE HEARD IN THE PAST, THAT THERE ARE TRANSPONDER CODES THAT PILOTS CAN SEND IF AN AIRCRAFT IS HIJACKED. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, WE DIDN'T GET SOME OF THAT YET, SO WE HAVE TO ASSUME THAT THE COCKPITS WERE BURST INTO RATHER QUICKLY.

I HEARD JUDY WOODRUFF AND OTHERS EARLIER INFER, AND I JOIN THEM IN DRAWING THE SAME INFERENCE, THAT IT'S HIGHLY DOUBTFUL THAT THE PILOTS OF THESE AIRCRAFTS, THE UNITED AIRLINES PILOTS AND THE AMERICAN AIRLINE PILOT, WERE AT THE CONTROLS OF THESE AIRCRAFT WHEN THEY IMPACTED THEIR TARGETS. SO WE HAVE GOT TO ASSUME AND INFER THAT PEOPLE CAPABLE OF FLYING THE AIRCRAFT AND, REMEMBER, THESE AIRCRAFT ARE ON DUTY ALL OVER THE WORLD, THESE PERPETRATORS NO DOUBT REHEARSED THIS OPERATION, REHEARSED BREAKING INTO THE COCKPIT AND OTHER LOCATIONS, BUT THEY WERE PROBABLY PILOTED TO THE TARGETS BY PEOPLE CAPABLE OF FLYING A MILITARY OR A JET AIRCRAFT.

JOEY CHIN>> DO YOU THINK -- I MEAN, I HAVE TO INTERRUPT YOU TO ASK -- DO YOU THINK THAT PERHAPS IN LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITY OF TERROR THREATS, I MEAN, CERTAINLY TERROR THREATS HAVE COME TO THIS COUNTRY IN THE PAST AND I'M WONDERING IF YOU THINK PERHAPS WE WERE THINKING TOO HIGH A CONCEPT. WE THOUGHT OF SOMETHING MORE ELABORATE AND PERHAPS INTELLIGENCE SHOULD HAVE BEEN FOCUSED ON THIS KIND OF LOW-TECH APPROACH. I SUPPOSE HINDSIGHT IS 20-20, BUT --

JEFFREY BEATTY>> -- I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD IN WHAT YOU'RE POINTING OUT, JOEY. WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO WALK AND CHEW GUM AT THE SAME TIME. YOU KNOW, WE CANNOT JUST FOCUS ALL OUR ENERGIES ON WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION, CHEMICAL-BIOLOGICAL, ETC. WE'VE ALL BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT AND HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS HAVE BEEN SPENT ON THAT IN RECENT YEARS. BUT THIS DIDN'T USE ANY WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION AND I'M AFRAID THAT THE CASUALTY TALLY COULD APPROACH FIVE FIGURES. THAT MEANS THAT WE'VE GOT TO BEAT THESE PEOPLE, NOT ONLY HIGH-TECH, BUT WE'VE GOT TO BE HIGH-CONCEPT. THAT MEANS WE'VE GOT TO WORK HARDER IN PLANNING THAN WE HAVE UP TO THIS POINT AND I KNOW THAT WE WILL.

IF I COULD SAY A WORD ABOUT THE PEOPLE AT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER AND AT THE PENTAGON, WE'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE IN MY COMPANY TO WORK WITH BOTH ORGANIZATIONS. WE TRAINED EVERY SECURITY OFFICER AT BOTH LOCATIONS. THEY KNEW WHAT THEY WERE UP AGAINST. THEY KNEW THAT THEY WERE ICONS, AMERICAN ICONS, THAT WERE LIKELY TO BE TARGETED -- EXCUSE ME, IT'S BEEN AN EMOTIONAL DAY PLUS IT'S A LITTLE HOT OUT HERE -- LIKELY TO BE TARGETED. THEY DID THEIR BEST, BUT THEY WERE ONLY ONE PART OF A SYSTEM THAT WE'VE JUST OUTLINED.

YOU KNOW, DOUG CARPALOF, THE DIRECTOR OF LIFE, SAFETY AND SECURITY FOR THE WORLD TRADE CENTER, IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE PREMIER SECURITY PEOPLE IN OUR COUNTRY. DOUG WAS ALWAYS AFRAID OF THE SCENARIO WHERE THERE WAS A MASS CASUALTY INCIDENT AT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER AND HUNDREDS OF EMERGENCY VEHICLES WOULD RUSH TO THE SCENE. THEY DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO CHECK ALL THOSE VEHICLES TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY DON'T POSE A THREAT. SO WE'RE YET TO DETERMINE -- WE'VE HEARD REPORTS OF SECONDARY EXPLOSIONS AFTER THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED -- WHETHER IN FACT THERE WASN'T SOMETHING ELSE AT THE BASE OF THE TOWERS THAT IN FACT WERE THE COUP DE GRACE TO BRING THEM TO THE GROUND.

JOEY CHIN>> MR. BEATTY, WE APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR INSIGHT. UNFORTUNATELY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LEAVE YOU. THERE ARE STILL FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS ON THIS STORY. JEFFREY BEATTY'S COMPANY IS INVOLVED IN COUNTER-TERRORISM INFORMATION AND HE JOINED US THIS AFTERNOON FROM DALLAS. NOW LET'S GO BACK TO NEW YORK FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION THERE AND AARON BROWN.

AARON BROWN>> JOEY, THANK YOU. A COUPLE OF THINGS. THE PRESIDENT IS EN ROUTE BACK TO WASHINGTON, WE ARE NOW TOLD. THE PRESIDENT HAD STARTED HIS DAY IN SARASOTA, FLORIDA, THEN WENT TO SHREVEPORT, A MILITARY BASE OUTSIDE OF SHREVEPORT, THEN WENT TO NEBRASKA WHERE THE STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND IS LOCATED, AND NOW HE IS MAKING HIS WAY BACK TO WASHINGTON. WE ARE TOLD THE PRESIDENT WILL ADDRESS THE NATION AT SOME POINT TONIGHT. WE DO NOT KNOW AT WHAT TIME, BUT OF COURSE, WHEN IT HAPPENS, WE WILL CARRY THAT LIVE AS WELL.

WE'RE ALSO GETTING REPORTS THAT A SECOND BUILDING IN THE COMPLEX OF THE TRADE CENTER, AND, AGAIN, YOU HAVE THE TWO TOWERS, BUT THEN YOU HAVE A NUMBER OF SUPPORT BUILDINGS AROUND IT, THAT ANOTHER OF THOSE BUILDINGS, WE REPORTED A BIT AGO ON BUILDING SEVEN, WE NOW REPORT THAT THERE ARE PROBLEMS IN BUILDING FIVE AND THAT MAY BE COLLAPSING AS WELL, BUT AT LEAST THERE IS FIRE THERE.

THERE ARE ENORMOUS LOGISTICAL PROBLEMS. WE JUST LOOKED DOWN WHAT IS EIGHTH AVENUE BEHIND US HERE WHICH IS NORMALLY AT THIS TIME OF THE DAY PACKED WITH CARS. THIS IS RUSH HOUR, PEOPLE TRYING TO GET OUT OF THE CITY. IT IS EMPTY AND THE CITY, AT LEAST IN THIS PART OF THE CITY, MANHATTAN, IS SHUT DOWN WHICH MEANS THAT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO WERE TRYING TO GET HOME, TRYING TO GET TO THE SUBURBS, TRYING TO GET TO LONG ISLAND, TRYING TO GET TO NEW JERSEY, PARTICULARLY, THAT'S WHERE THOSE TRAINS THAT ARE CALLED THE PATH TRAINS COME FROM NEW JERSEY AT THE TRADE CENTER, ALL OF THEM STRANDED HERE.

CNN'S RICHARD ROTH IS DOWN ON THE STREETS OF NEW YORK AND HE IS TALKING TO SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO I SUSPECT ARE WONDERING WHEN THEY WILL GET HOME. RICHARD?

RICHARD ROTH>> PEOPLE THAT YOU WOULD HAVE SEEN IN LOCATIONS YOU WERE JUST EXAMINING, MANY THOUSANDS OF THEM ARE HERE RIGHT NOW ON THE WEST SIDE OF MANHATTAN TRYING TO ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK. NEW YORK CITY IS SENDING THEM TO FERRIES THAT ARE TAKING THEM TO NEW JERSEY.

NEW YORK CITY BRIDGES, WE'RE TOLD, ARE OPEN FOR PEDESTRIANS. THE TUNNELS FOR TRAINS TO TAKE THE THOUSANDS HERE WERE CLOSED. MANY OF THESE PEOPLE STUNNED, SHOCKED, SILENT. I MEAN, YOU'VE NEVER HEARD SO MANY NEW YORKERS SO QUIET IN YOUR LIFE AND MANY OF THEM JUST HAVE TO LOOK OVER THEIR SHOULDERS TO SEE WHAT THEY ESCAPED AS THESE TWO TOWERS WERE LEVELED.

NEW YORK CITY MAYOR, RUDOLPH GIULIANI, CALLED IT ONE OF THE MOST HEINOUS ACTS IN UNITED STATES HISTORY. HE SAYS HE FEARS THAT THE DEATH TOLL MAY BE MORE THAN NEW YORK CAN BEAR. HE ASKS ALL NEW YORKERS TO SAY A PRAYER. HE SAID A RESCUE EFFORT WAS BEGINNING, BUT AS WE WERE TOLD BY ONE OFFICIAL WITH THE NEW YORK-NEW JERSEY PORT AUTHORITY, THERE IS SO MUCH JET FUEL, FURNITURE, PAPER, EVERYTHING STILL GOING ON UP IN SMOKE THAT HE DIDN'T WANT TO SEND IN HIS PEOPLE TO BEGIN ANY TYPE OF DETAILED RESCUE EFFORT. THERE ARE REPORTS THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE ALIVE, MANY DEAD DOWN THERE. SCORES, HUNDREDS OF EMERGENCY VEHICLES WITH THEIR SIRENS HAVE BEEN ROARING DOWN MANHATTAN'S WEST SIDE HERE TO THE SCENE CARRYING FEDERAL SECURITY PEOPLE OF ALL KINDS.

MAYOR RUDOLPH GIULIANI SAID THAT THERE HAVE BEEN MORE THAN A THOUSAND PEOPLE TAKEN TO WHAT'S KNOWN AS LIBERTY STATE PARK, THE WALKING WOUNDED, HE CALLED THEM, SEVERAL HUNDRED, SIX HUNDRED OR SO, IN NEW YORK CITY HOSPITALS AND THE MAYOR SAID THAT THERE ARE 170 HOSPITALS THAT ARE UP AND RUNNING AND OTHER BUILDINGS ARE HELPING OUT FOR SUPPORT. U.S. JET FIGHTERS OVERHEAD CIRCLING OCCASIONALLY, PEOPLE CRANING THEIR NECKS, LOOKING UP IN THE SKY. EVERYBODY'S GOT A MEMORY, EVERYBODY'S GOT A STORY HERE.

I PERSONALLY SAW TOWER NUMBER ONE, WHERE CNN'S NEW YORK BUREAU USED TO BE IN THE LOBBY SEVENTEEN OR EIGHTEEN YEARS AGO, COME TUMBLING DOWN AND I WAS PART OF A STAMPEDE AS PEOPLE JUST RACED FOR THEIR LIVES AS THE SMOKE CAME CLOSER AND CLOSER TO ALL OF US. THAT WAS AFTER TOWER NUMBER TWO HAD GONE DOWN. YOU COULDN'T EVEN SEE WHAT WAS LEFT OF IT, IF ANYTHING WAS STANDING, DUE TO ALL OF THE SMOKE. AARON?

AARON BROWN>> RICHARD, JUST HELP ORIENT ME FOR A SECOND. TELL ME WHERE YOU ARE IN THE CITY RIGHT NOW AS YOU'RE TALKING TO THEM.

RICHARD ROTH>> WE'RE ON APPROXIMATELY 33RD STREET ON THE WEST SIDE OF MANHATTAN. THE HUDSON RIVER IS JUST BEHIND OUR CAMERA POSITION HERE. IT IS AN ORDERLY DEPARTURE HERE. I MEAN, YOU CAN SEE FOR YOURSELF. PEOPLE ARE JUST -- THEY LEFT WORK EARLY, THEY WERE ORDERED OUT, THE CITY IS ON HIGH ALERT, NO FLIGHTS AND PEOPLE ARE HEADED TO NEW JERSEY. MANY OF THEM WOULD BE AT THE FERRY AT THIS TIME ON A NORMAL TIME. THIS IS CERTAINLY NOT A VERY NORMAL DAY IN NEW YORK CITY.

AARON BROWN>> IT CERTAINLY IS NOT, RICHARD. THANK YOU. I DON'T KNOW IF REMARKABLE IS THE RIGHT WORD, BUT IT'S WORTH NOTING AGAIN THAT, IN EVERY PICTURE THAT WE HAVE SEEN FROM THE SCENE, THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE JUST EXPERIENCED THE MOST HORRENDOUS IMAGINABLE THING WERE REMARKABLY ORDERLY AND CALM AS THEY LEFT THE AREA. I DON'T WANT TO SUGGEST FOR A SECOND THAT THERE WASN'T ANY PANIC, THAT THERE WASN'T ANY SCREAMING. THESE ARE HUMAN BEINGS AND HUMAN BEINGS BEHAVE IN A VARIETY OF WAYS. BUT EVERY PICTURE WE HAVE SEEN, NEW YORKERS CALMLY, IF THAT'S THE RIGHT WORD, CALMLY LEFT THE SCENE, MOVED OUT OF THE AREA, NO REPORTS OF TROUBLE AT ALL AS FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE PERSONNEL CAME DOWN INTO THE CITY. SCORES, HUNDREDS OF CIVILIANS STARTED TO MOVE OUT AND THEY ARE STILL CALMLY MOVING OUT. WE SUSPECT THERE IS SOME SENSE OF SHOCK AS THEY TRY AND FIGURE OUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THIS CITY, WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THEIR LIVES AND PERHAPS, MOST IMPORTANTLY, WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THEIR FRIENDS AND THEIR COWORKERS WHO MAY NOT HAVE GOTTEN OUT OF THOSE BUILDINGS TODAY. 

ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT THE CITY IS FACED WITH IS, AND AS RICHARD ALLUDED TO, IS MOVING PEOPLE AROUND. YOU HAVE ESSENTIALLY A SHUTDOWN GOING ON HERE. IN SOME OF THE OUTLYING AREAS, CITY GOVERNMENTS ARE TRYING TO SUPPORT THE CITY AS BEST THEY CAN. TOM SWOZZI IS THE MAYOR OF GLEN COVE OUT ON LONG ISLAND. TOM, I THINK YOU'RE ON THE PHONE. MR. MAYOR, CAN YOU HEAR ME?

TOM SWOZZI>> YES, THIS IS TOM SWOZZI, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF GLEN COVE. 

AARON BROWN>> TOM, TELL US WHAT GLEN COVE IS DOING TO SUPPORT THE EFFORTS GOING ON HERE IN MANHATTAN.

TOM SWOZZI>> WE HAVE HIGH-SPEED FERRIES THAT OPERATE FROM GLEN COVE TO PIER ELEVEN DOWN BY WALL STREET AND WE'VE ALREADY EVACUATED ABOUT 1,200 PEOPLE WITH THE HELP OF FOX NAVIGATION FROM NEW YORK CITY OUT HERE BACK TO THE ISLAND. WE ARE NOW WORKING AT THE REQUEST OF COMMISSIONER KARRICK TO TRY AND BRING EMERGENCY PERSONNEL, DOCTORS, NURSES, BACK INTO MANHATTAN TO TRY AND HELP RELIEVE SOME OF THESE DOCTORS AND NURSES THAT ARE GOING TO START GETTING VERY EXHAUSTED AT THE AREA HOSPITALS DOWN ON THE SOUTHERN TIP OF MANHATTAN.

AARON BROWN>> AND IS THERE A NUMBER PEOPLE SHOULD CALL OR A LOCATION THEY OUGHT TO GO TO IF THEY ARE MEDICAL PERSONNEL AND CAN HELP IN THE EFFORT DOWN THERE WHERE THEY CAN GET ON ONE OF THESE FERRIES AND COME ON DOWN?

TOM SWOZZI>> WE'D LIKE THEM TO COME TO THE END OF GLEN COVE ROAD, THE NORTHERN END OF GLEN COVE ROAD IN GLEN COVE. THERE'S A PARKING LOT ACROSS FROM OUR POLICE STATION. THE END OF GLEN COVE ROAD ACROSS FROM THE GLEN COVE POLICE STATION. WE'LL TAKE THEM BY BUS DOWN TO THE FERRY TERMINAL. IF THEY WANT TO CALL FOR INFORMATION, THEY SHOULD CALL THE FERRY TERMINAL ITSELF AT 609-3342. 609-3342.

WE'RE COORDINATING WITH THE NASSAU COUNTY AND SUFFOLK COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICES AS WELL, BUT RIGHT NOW, WE NEED TO GET EMERGENCY TYPE PERSONNEL. DOCTORS, NURSES, EMTS. WE KNOW EVERYBODY WANTS TO HELP, BUT WE'RE NOT LOOKING FOR JUST REGULAR VOLUNTEERS WHO MEAN WELL. WE APPRECIATE THEIR INTEREST. WE'RE LOOKING FOR PROFESSIONALS WHO CAN GO INTO MANHATTAN AND BE PREPARED TO WORK.

AARON BROWN>> TOM, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND FOR YOUR EFFORTS TODAY. I APOLOGIZE FOR MISPRONOUNCING YOUR NAME A MOMENT AGO. THANK YOU. JUDY IN WASHINGTON?

JUDY WOODRUFF>> AARON, WE'RE HERE IN THE WASHINGTON STUDIO. AMONG OTHERS, I'M JOINED BY FORMER U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE, ALEXANDER HAIG, FORMER ARMY GENERAL HAIG. YOU WERE, OF COURSE, SECRETARY OF STATE DURING THE RONALD REAGAN ADMINISTRATION. MR. SECRETARY, YOU WERE IN THAT POST AT A TIME OF A NATIONAL EMERGENCY, THE ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON THE LIFE OF PRESIDENT REAGAN. WHAT I WANT TO SPECIFICALLY ASK YOU ABOUT IS, WHAT IS IT LIKE FOR THE PEOPLE ON THE INSIDE, THE HEARTBEAT OF GOVERNMENT, WHEN SOMETHING HORRIFIC LIKE THIS HAPPENS? OF COURSE, THIS IS A VERY DIFFERENT SITUATION, BUT WHAT IS IT LIKE WHEN YOU HAVE TO REACT TO SOMETHING?

ALEXANDER HAIG>> WELL, I THINK MOST PEOPLE WAIT AND LOOK FOR DIRECTION, SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT THEY HAVE IT. IF THEY DON'T, THEY SOMETIMES SIT IN SHOCKED INACTION. SO YOU HAVE TO HAVE THAT AND THAT'S THE CRITICAL ASPECT OF MOVING THROUGH A CRISIS OF THIS KIND.

JUDY WOODRUFF>> AND WE'VE HEARD FROM PRESIDENT BUSH NOW AT THREE DIFFERENT INTERVALS TODAY WHEN HE WAS STILL IN FLORIDA, WHEN HE WAS ON TO LOUISIANA AND THEN A STATEMENT WHEN HE WAS IN NEBRASKA. NOW WE KNOW HE'S BACK TO WASHINGTON. NOW LET ME ASK YOU, HE'S COMING BACK TO THE WASHINGTON AREA. WE DON'T KNOW WHERE HE'S GOING TO GO. VICE PRESIDENT CHENEY AT AN UNDISCLOSED LOCATION. THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, SECOND IN LINE TO THE PRESIDENCY, AT AN UNDISCLOSED LOCATION. I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO TELL US WHERE THEY AREA, BUT WHAT WOULD IT BE LIKE IN ONE OF THESE LOCATIONS WHERE THEY WERE ESSENTIALLY KEPT AWAY AND KEPT SAFE?

ALEXANDER HAIG>> WELL, ALL OF THESE INSTALLATIONS HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED FOR PRECISELY THIS REASON AND THAT MEANS THAT THEY'RE ARMED WITH COMMUNICATIONS, WITH LIVING FACILITIES, AND THAT'S THE SITUATION. NOW THEY DON'T EXERCISE THEM ALL AS REGULARLY AS I SUPPOSE WE USED TO DURING THE NUCLEAR ERA, BUT THEY STILL EXERCISE THEM AND THEY ARE VERY, VERY EFFICIENT FACILITIES.

JUDY WOODRUFF>> YOU'RE SAYING THEY DON'T EXERCISE THEM PRESUMABLY BECAUSE IT'S FELT THAT THE THREAT ISN'T AS SERIOUS IN THE POST-COLD WAR WORLD?

ALEXANDER HAIG>> WELL, YOU KNOW, GOVERNMENT IS TOUGH AND PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS RESPONDING TO THE CRISIS OF THE MOMENT. USUALLY IT'S IN THE FIRST HEADLINES IN THE DAILY PRESS. SO MANY TIMES, THEY DON'T GET TO GO TO THESE RELOCATION SITES AS OFTEN AS WE'D LIKE. I USED TO HAVE TO PUSH THAT WHEN I WAS IN THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL.

JUDY WOODRUFF>> THE EXERCISE WHERE YOU WOULD PRACTICE WHAT YOU WOULD DO IN AN EMERGENCY?

ALEXANDER HAIG>> EXACTLY.

JUDY WOODRUFF>> BUT ONCE THEY'RE AT THE SITE AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT VERY SPARE SURROUNDINGS, BARE WALLS, CANNED GOODS FOR FOOD? WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT HERE?

ALEXANDER HAIG>> IT VARIES, IT VARIES, OF COURSE. THERE'S AN AIRBORNE FACILITY. WE ALL KNOW THAT THERE IS AN AIRBORNE FACILITY FOR THE PRESIDENT AND THAT'S ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE. THERE ARE OTHER FACILITIES, SOME VERY, VERY CLOSE AND SOME MORE DISTANT, WHICH WERE ANTICIPATED MIGHT BE REQUIRED IN A NUCLEAR ATTACK.

JUDY WOODRUFF>> WHAT ABOUT THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION? YOU MENTIONED THAT. THE FIRST POINT YOU MADE THAT ONCE THEY'RE AT THESE LOCATIONS, THERE HAS TO BE COMMUNICATION. HOW UP TO DATE IS ALL THAT?

ALEXANDER HAIG>> WELL, IT'S KEPT PRETTY WELL UP TO DATE. I KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, THE DAY PRESIDENT REAGAN WAS SHOT, IT WAS VERY CLEAR TO ME THAT THAT COMMAND POST, THAT COMMAND AND CONTROL CENTER, HAD TO BE IN THE WEST BASEMENT OF THE WHITE HOUSE OR IN ONE OF THESE ALTERNATE EMERGENCY FACILITIES BECAUSE THEY WERE EQUIPPED TO DO PRECISELY THAT. NOW SINCE THAT TIME, WE'VE IMPROVED THE STATE DEPARTMENT'S COMMUNICATION FACILITIES AND THE PENTAGON, OF COURSE, IS VERY WELL EQUIPPED IN THAT REGARD. SO THERE ARE THREE LOCATIONS WHICH YOU COULD RUN A CRISIS FROM THAT AE KNOWN, BUT THERE ARE OTHERS.

JUDY WOODRUFF>> GENERAL HAIG, WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THOSE AMERICANS WATCHING THIS HORRIFIC SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES UNFOLD ON TELEVISION BEFORE THEM AND WONDERING IS AMERICA SAFE? IS AMERICA SAFE? DO I FEEL SAFE GETTING ON AN AIRPLANE AND FLYING SOMEWHERE? AM I SAFE TO GO INTO A TALL BUILDING IN MANHATTAN? TO WALK INTO A FEDERAL BUILDING IN WASHINGTON, D.C. ANYWHERE, WHETHER IT'S TOURING THE WHITE HOUSE OR THE CAPITOL? WHAT HAS TODAY DONE TO OUR SENSE OF SAFETY?

ALEXANDER HAIG>> THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION, JUDY, IS OBVIOUSLY WHATEVER WE'VE DONE HERETOFORE HAS NOT BEEN ADEQUATE FROM THE STANDPOINT OF YOUR QUESTION. THAT'S BEEN A PRODUCT OF A NUMBER OF THINGS. IT'S WHAT I CALL THE MODERN DAY RATIONALIZATION OF CONFLICTS SITUATION AND WHAT I CALL THE DEVELOPMENT OF MORAL EQUIVALENTS BETWEEN THE TERRORIST WHO'S THE PERPETRATOR OF THE ILLEGAL ACT WHERE INNOCENT CIVILIANS, NONCOMBATANTS, WOMEN, CHILDREN, EVERYONE, ARE INVOLVED, AND THE DEFENDERS AGAINST THOSE ATTACKS ARE EQUATED MORALLY BECAUSE OF SOME PERCEPTION OF THEIR LACK OF SOCIAL JUSTICE ON ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE MORALISTS HERE IN THIS COUNTRY AND WE DO THAT. THE SIMPLE FACTS ARE THAT NATIONAL LEADERSHIP HAS TO ESTABLISH THAT TERRORISM IS AN ILLEGAL ACT OF SUCH MAGNITUDE NOW THAT IT OVERWHELMS THE ISSUES OF SOCIAL JUSTICE WHICH CAUSE US TO QUIBBLE AND RESTRAIN US AT A TIME WHEN A CRIME OF THIS NATURE HAS BEEN EXECUTED.

JUDY WOODRUFF>> YOU'RE SAYING EVEN OVER INDIVIDUAL LIBERTIES IN SOME INSTANCES?

ALEXANDER HAIG>> WELL, SOMETIMES YES, AND THAT'S AN UNFORTUNATE STATEMENT, AS AN ADVOCATE OF THOSE VERY LIBERTIES. BUT YES, SOMETIMES.

JUDY WOODRUFF>> FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE, ALEXANDER HAIG, ARMY GENERAL ALEXANDER HAIG, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING WITH US.

ALEXANDER HAIG>> THANK YOU, JUDY.

JUDY WOODRUFF>> WE APPRECIATE IT. WE JUST HEARD GENERAL HAIG TALKING ABOUT TERRORISM AND HOW MUCH GREATER A PRESENCE IT IS IN OUR LIVES THAN WE HAD EXPECTED. WE'RE TOLD THAT TOMORROW THE CONGRESS WILL CONVENE AT 10:00 IN THE MORNING. WE'RE TOLD THAT THEY PLAN TO PASS RESOLUTION OR RESOLUTIONS CONDEMNING TERRORISM AND THEN IMMEDIATELY ADJOURN.

YOU'RE LOOKING AT A LIVE PICTURE OF THE UNITED STATES CAPITOL. THE FLAG IS FLYING AT HALF-STAFF THERE. NOW THAT IS THE WHITE HOUSE. THAT'S NEXT TO THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE BUILDING, BUT THE OTHER PICTURE WE SAW WITH THE FLAG FLYING AT HALF-STAFF NEAR THE UNITED STATES CAPITOL BUILDING. NOW BACK TO JOEY CHIN IN ATLANTA.

JOEY CHIN>> JUDY, THANKS VERY MUCH. JOINED HERE ON THIS SET BY MILES O'BRIEN, WHO IS OUR RESIDENT PILOT AND CERTAINLY HAS QUITE A BIT OF UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE WHYS AND WHEREFORES OF WHAT SIGNIFICANCE THEY MIGHT HAVE IN PUTTING TOGETHER WHAT HAPPENED, MILES HAS SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION NOW THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTANDING WHO MIGHT HAVE DONE THIS AND WHY.

MILES O'BRIEN>> WELL, THIS IS SORT OF OUR FIRST CLUE AS TO WHAT'S GOING ON. OBVIOUSLY MORE INFORMATION WILL COME OUT AS THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TAPES AND HOPEFULLY THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDINGS COME OUT. BUT LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THIS. THIS IS ACTUAL ARCHIVAL INFORMATION FROM THE RADAR TRACKS, FROM THE FAA GROUND CENTERS.

THESE ARE THE TWO PLANES WHICH ULTIMATELY ENDED UP AT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER, THE TWO TOWERS. BOTH OF THEM LEFT BOSTON WITHIN FIFTEEN MINUTES OF EACH OTHER. BOTH WERE HEADED TO LOS ANGELES, PERHAPS NO COINCIDENCE, HEAVILY LADEN WITH FUEL. BOTH OF THEM MADE EXTREME AND NOTICEABLE DEVIATIONS AND WERE HEADING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION FOR THIRTY, PERHAPS FORTY, MINUTES, THUS CLEARLY GIVING AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS QUITE A BIT OF ATTENTION. THERE MUST HAVE BEEN SOME COMMUNICATION BACK AND FORTH. IT'S UNCLEAR NOW.

JOEY CHIN>> THIS IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL FOLKS WOULD HAVE SEEN. THEY WOULD HAVE SEEN THESE UP CLOSE?
MILES O'BRIEN>> CLEARLY. AND THE FACT THAT TWO PLANES WERE DOING THIS MUST HAVE SEEMED ODD. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CONVERSATIONS WERE, BUT SUFFICE TO SAY THAT IT WOULD BE ODD.

NOW TAKE A LOOK AT THIS FLIGHT. THIS IS UNITED 93. THIS TOOK OFF FROM DULLES AIRPORT, WAS HEADED FOR SAN FRANCISCO. ONCE AGAIN, A COAST TO COAST FLIGHT HEAVILY LADEN WITH FUEL FLEW ON OUT FROM NEWARK TO ABOUT CLEVELAND, THEN TOOK IT'S DOGLEG, WAS HEADED PRETTY MUCH TO THE D.C. AREA AND THEN DISAPPEARED OFF THE RADAR SCREENS RIGHT HERE OUTSIDE OF THE PITTSBURGH AREA IN A PLACE CALLED SHANKSVILLE. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED THERE.

WHAT'S KIND OF ODD ABOUT THIS ONE, JOEY, IS THAT AT SOME POINT AFTER FLYING PAST PITTSBURGH, THE PILOT APPARENTLY RADIOED AND CHANGED HIS DESTINATION TO DCA WHICH IS RONALD REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT. UNCLEAR WHAT THAT MEANS. NOW LET ME JUST KIND OF PUT THIS ALL UNDER ONE GRAPHIC, IF YOU WILL. IF WE CAN PUT UP THAT GRAPHIC AND I'LL USE THE TELESTRATOR TO SHOW YOU EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON. HERE ARE THE IMPORTANT CITIES.

FIRST OF ALL, LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT 8:00 A.M. AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS AT 8:00 A.M. THAT WAS THE FIRST DEPARTURE, OKAY? THIS IS THE AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT ELEVEN. IT WAS HEADED OUT THIS WAY TO LOS ANGELES, 81 PASSENGERS, 11 CREW MEMBERS.

NOW 8:15, UNITED FLIGHT 175 HEADS OUT A LITTLE DIFFERENT ROUTE ACROSS, ALSO HEADED FOR LOS ANGELES. THAT WAS AT 8:15.

AT 8:21 A.M., DULLES AIRPORT IS YOUR LOCATION AND THAT IS AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT 77, A 757, 58 PASSENGERS AND CREW. IT HEADED OFF ON TO LOS ANGELES. WE DON'T HAVE A RADAR TRACK ON THIS, SO I'M DOING A LITTLE BIT OF SPECULATION THERE.

FINALLY, UNITED AIRLINES FLIGHT 93 AT 8:43 DEPARTS NEWARK AIRPORT AND BEGINS ITS TRIP ALL THE WAY OVER TO CLEVELAND.

NOW LET'S GET THE IMPACT TIMES HERE. AT 8:45, THE AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT ELEVEN IMPACTS IN NEW YORK AT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER.

AT 9:03, THE UNITED FLIGHT 175 IMPACTS AT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER.

AT 9:45 A.M. AND, OF COURSE, ALL THESE TIMES ARE EASTERN TIMES, THE AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT THAT WAS HEADED FROM DULLES TO LOS ANGELES HITS AT THE -- EXCUSE ME, I SHOULD HAVE BEEN DRAWING THAT TO NEW YORK. I WAS DRAWING IT TO WASHINGTON -- HITS AT THE PENTAGON. MY APOLOGIES ON THAT.

THEN FINALLY, UNITED AIRLINES FLIGHT 93 ENDS UP OUTSIDE OF PITTSBURGH. I MADE A BIT OF A HASH THERE, BUT IT GIVES YOU A SENSE OF HOW WELL COORDINATED THIS WAS AND HOW SOPHISTICATED AN OPERATION THIS WAS.

A COUPLE OF POINTS TO REMEMBER, THE FACT THAT IF YOU CAN FLY A 757, YOU CAN FLY A 767. IDENTICAL COCKPITS, SO IF YOU WERE TRAINING SOMEBODY TO FLY THAT AIRCRAFT, THEY'RE MORE OR LESS INTERCHANGEABLE. BUT THE POINT THAT IS WORTH MENTIONING HERE IS, YOU HAD FOUR LARGE AIRLINERS ON TRANSCONTINENTAL FLIGHTS WITH EXTREME DEVIATIONS. THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM CLEARLY WAS UPSET BY THIS. I'M VERY CURIOUS TO HEAR WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE RADIO TRANSMISSIONS AND WHETHER AT SOME POINT THE BIG PICTURE WAS EVER ANALYZED. IT'S DONE BY INDIVIDUAL CENTERS. MAYBE THE BIG PICTURE WASN'T ANALYZED.

JOEY CHIN>> MILES O'BRIEN, OUR CORRESPONDENT, THANKS VERY MUCH FOR YOUR INSIGHT INTO ALL THIS. NOW WE RETURN TO AARON BROWN UP IN NEW YORK. AARON?

AARON BROWN>> JOEY AND MILES, THANK YOU. THAT IS A GREAT POINT. YOU DO WONDER IF AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS WERE EVER ABLE TO PUT THE PIECES TOGETHER AND, IF THEY WERE, WHAT THEY MUST HAVE THOUGHT, WHAT WENT THROUGH THEIR MINDS THIS MORNING WHEN THEY REALIZED THAT THEY HAD NOT ONE ANOMALY, BUT THEY HAD SEVERAL GOING ON AT THE SAME TIME, ONE HEADING TO WASHINGTON AND TWO HEADING HERE IN NEW YORK.

CNN'S TIM O'BRIEN HAS BEEN WORKING THE PHONES AS ALL OF US HAVE BEEN THROUGHOUT THE DAY AND HE JOINS US FROM WASHINGTON WITH AN EXTRAORDINARY PIECE OF INFORMATION ON THE PENTAGON CRASH. TIM, ARE YOU THERE?

TIM O'BRIEN>> I AM. OUR UNDERSTANDING IS THAT BARBARA OLSON WAS ON THE PLANE, A FREQUENT COMMENTATOR ON CNN AND THE WIFE OF SOLICITOR GENERAL TED OLSON. SHE CALLED HER HUSBAND TWICE DURING THE HIJACKING TO TELL HIM THE PLANE HAD BEEN HIJACKED. THEY LOST CONTACT ONCE AND SHE CALLED BACK. AFTER THE FIRST CALL, OLSON TOLD THE COMMAND CENTER AT THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT TO INFORM THEM OF THIS HIJACKING AND THEY SAID THEY KNEW NOTHING ABOUT IT BUT WOULD TRACK IT DOWN.

BARBARA OLSON TOLD TED THE FOLLOWING STORY THAT ALL THE PASSENGERS WERE HERDED TO THE BACK OF THE PLANE, INCLUDING THE FLIGHT PERSONNEL, INCLUDING THE PILOT, AND THE ONLY WEAPONS SHE MENTIONED WERE KNIVES AND CARDBOARD CUTTERS. YOU WOULD THINK THAT IF THERE WERE MACHINEGUNS OR ANY OTHER KIND OF GUNS THAT SHE WOULD HAVE MENTIONED THAT, BUT THE ONLY WEAPONS SHE MENTIONED WERE KNIVES AND CARDBOARD CUTTERS. I ASKED TED IF SHE MADE ANY REFERENCE TO NATIONALITY OF THE HIJACKERS OR ANY SUSPICIONS ABOUT THE MOTIVE. HE SAID SHE MADE NO REFERENCE TO THAT AT ALL. THEY DIDN'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF TIME TO TALK. SHE SAID TO TED, "WHAT DO I TELL THE PILOT TO DO?", SOMEWHAT TYPICAL OF BARBARA, A TAKE-CHARGE KIND OF PERSON, BUT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. THEY WERE ALL TRAPPED IN THE BACK OF THE PLANE.

AARON BROWN>> DID SHE -- WAS SHE ABLE TO TELL MR. OLSON HOW MANY HIJACKERS WERE ON BOARD THE PLANE?

TIM O'BRIEN>> I ASKED TED THAT. NO, BUT SHE REFERRED TO THEM AS MORE THAN ONE. INCIDENTALLY, SHE WASN'T EVEN SUPPOSED TO BE ON THIS FLIGHT. SHE WAS BOOKED ON A FLIGHT YESTERDAY, BUT TODAY IS TED'S BIRTHDAY, SO SHE WANTED TO BE HERE THIS MORNING TO HAVE BREAKFAST WITH HIM BEFORE SHE LEFT. SAD STORY.

AARON BROWN>> IT'S A HORRIBLE STORY AND ONE CAN ONLY ASSUME THAT IT IS ONE OF MANY HORRIBLE STORIES THAT WE WILL HEAR IN THE HOURS AHEAD. IT SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT THE WORLD WE LIVE IN THAT PEOPLE, WHILE THIS WAS GOING ON, WERE ABLE TO MAKE CELL PHONE CALLS. WE HEARD EARLIER TODAY OF ANOTHER CALL THAT WAS MADE FROM A PLANE THAT THERE WAS SOME AWARENESS ON THE GROUND, PERHAPS NOT FORMAL AWARENESS, BUT SOME AWARENESS OF WHAT WAS GOING ON AT LEAST ON SOME OF THOSE PLANES. MR. OLSON MUST BE DEVASTATED.

TIM O'BRIEN>> WELL, YOU CAN IMAGINE. HE'S SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS, BUT THIS IS TOUGH FOR EVERYBODY. TOUGH FOR THE COUNTRY, BUT IT'S PARTICULARLY TOUGH FOR THE LOVED ONES.

AARON BROWN>> IT IS INDEED. TIM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORT.

TIM O'BRIEN>> SURE.

AARON BROWN>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORT. WE APPRECIATE THAT. AGAIN, BARBARA OLSON, ONE OF THE 200-PLUS PASSENGERS ON FOUR DIFFERENT AIRLINERS AND WE HAVE NO REASON TO BELIEVE THAT ANY OF THOSE PEOPLE SURVIVED THE CRASHES TODAY HERE IN NEW YORK AND PENNSYLVANIA OUTSIDE OF PITTSBURGH AND AT THE PENTAGON IN WASHINGTON.

WE STILL DO NOT HAVE A VERY GOOD FEEL, TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST, FOR HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE DIED TODAY. WE HAVE NO PARTICULAR FEEL, TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST, HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN INJURED. WE CAN ONLY SURMISE THAT WE ARE TALKING IN THE HUNDREDS, THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT CERTAINLY HAVE BEEN INJURED TODAY. HOW MANY OF THOSE WILL SURVIVE, WE DO NOT YET KNOW. JUDY?

JUDY WOODRUFF>> AND, AARON, THIS MAY BE ANOTHER POINT WHERE WE WANT TO SAY GOD BLESS THE SOULS OF THOSE WHO HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES TODAY OR WHO ARE DYING AS WE SPEAK IN HOSPITALS AND IN PLACES WHERE THEY CANNOT BE REACHED. I THINK EVEN THOSE OUT THERE WHO MAY NOT BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A GOD, AT A TIME LIKE THIS, WE ALL REACH OUT FOR A HIGHER BEING AND WE WANT TO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS SOMEONE WHO CAN BRING US SALVATION.

JAMIE MCINTYRE AT THE PENTAGON, QUESTIONS TODAY ABOUT THE WHEREABOUTS OF SOME OF THE TOP PEOPLE IN GOVERNMENT IN THE UNITED STATES? WE'VE KNOWN THE PRESIDENT'S BEEN FLYING AROUND THE COUNTRY, THE VICE PRESIDENT'S BEEN OUT OF SIGHT, THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE, MR. RUMSFELD, HAS ALSO BEEN OUT OF SIGHT. WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT HIM AND WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?

JAMIE MCINTYRE>> WELL, A SHORT TIME AGO, HE DID COME OUT AND INSPECT THE DAMAGE HERE AT THE PENTAGON, ALONG WITH THE VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF, GENERAL RICHARD MYERS. WE'RE SO FAR AWAY, THOUGH, WE COULD BARELY SEE THAT IT WAS THEM. IT HAD TO BE POINTED OUT TO ME BY A PENTAGON OFFICIAL WHO THEY WERE.

THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE, THOUGH, INITIALLY RAN TO THE SCENE APPARENTLY OF THE TRAGEDY AND ACTUALLY ASSISTED GETTING SOME PEOPLE ONTO STRETCHERS, WAS THEN BROUGHT BACK TO THE NATIONAL MILITARY COMMAND CENTER IN THE BOWELS OF THE PENTAGON, A SECURE WAR ROOM AREA WHERE HE HAS BEEN RECEIVING INTELLIGENCE BRIEFINGS AND INFORMATIONAL UPDATES. THE PENTAGON SAYS THAT IT CAN ACCOUNT FOR ALL OF THE SENIOR MILITARY LEADERSHIP. NONE OF THEM WERE KILLED IN THIS ATTACK. HOWEVER, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME CASUALTIES --

JUDY WOODRUFF>> -- JAMIE MCINTYRE, I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT. WE'RE GOING TO GO TO ISRAEL. THE PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL, ARIEL SHARON.

ARIEL SHARON>> ... THE WORST THAT HAS EVER BEEN SEEN. WE EXPRESS OUR DEEP REGRETS AND SEND OUR CONDOLENCES, WHOLEHEARTED CONDOLENCES. WE ARE READY TO EXTEND WHATEVER AID AND ASSISTANCE IS REQUIRED. WAR AGAINST TERRORISTS IS AN INTERNATIONAL WAR, A WAR OF A COALITION OF THE FREE WORLD AGAINST ALL THE TERROR GROUPS AND AGAINST WHOEVER BELIEVES THEY CAN POSE A THREAT TO FREEDOM.

THIS IS A WAR BETWEEN THE GOOD AND THE BAD, BETWEEN HUMANITY AND THOSE WHO ARE BLOODTHIRSTY. THE CRIMINAL ATTACK TODAY ON INNOCENT CIVILIANS IN THE UNITED STATES IS A TURNING POINT IN WAR AGAINST INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM. EVEN IF THE WAR AGAINST TERROR IS LONG AND EVEN IF THE TERROR WOULD TRY TO RAISE ITS HEAD AGAIN, THERE WON'T BE ANY ROOM IN THE WORLD IN WHICH TERRORISTS, THEIR ASSISTANTS AND THOSE WHO SEND THEM, TO BE ABLE TO FIND A SHELTER OR A REFUGE.

THE GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL HAS DECIDED TOMORROW A MOURNING DAY IN A SHOW OF SOLIDARITY WITH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. I WOULD LIKE TO SEND MY CONDOLENCES TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, TO PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH AND TO ALL THE CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES. IN THIS VERY DIFFICULT HOUR, OUR HEARTS ARE WITH YOU.

INTERPRETER>> COULD YOU TELL THE ISRAELI PUBLIC WHAT ARE THE IMPACTS OF THESE ATTACKS ON THE PEOPLE HERE?

ARIEL SHARON (INTERPRETED)>> I HAVE ALREADY SAID VERY CLEARLY THAT THERE WILL ONLY BE A STATEMENT. THERE WON'T BE ANY OTHER STATEMENTS APART FROM WHAT I HAVE ALREADY SAID. WE HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS. OUR STAND VIS-À-VIS TERROR IS VERY WELL KNOWN, VERY FIRM AND DECISIVE, AND WE WILL ACT ACCORDINGLY.

ARIEL SHARON>> ... AND AGAINST OUR COMMON VALUES. THE FIGHT AGAINST TERROR IS AN INTERNATIONAL STRUGGLE OF THE FREE WORLD AGAINST THE FORCES OF DARKNESS WHO SEEK TO DESTROY OUR LIBERTY AND OUR WAY OF LIFE. I BELIEVE THAT, TOGETHER, WE CAN DEFEAT THESE FORCES OF EVIL. AT THIS MOST DIFFICULT HOUR, ALL ISRAELIS STAND AS ONE WITH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. OUR HEARTS ARE WITH YOU AND WE ARE READY TO PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE AT ANY TIME. THE GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL HAS DECLARED A DAY OF MOURNING TOMORROW AS WE BOW OUR HEADS AND SHARE IN THE SORROW OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

JUDY WOODRUFF>> ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER, ARIEL SHARON, TALKING BRIEFLY WITH REPORTERS, OFFERING FIRST OF ALL HIS CONDOLENCES TO AMERICANS, SAYING WHOEVER BELIEVES THAT -- OR SAYING RATHER THIS HAS BEEN A THREAT TO FREEDOM. HE WENT ON TO SAY THIS IS A CRIMINAL ATTACK ON INNOCENT CIVILIANS AND HE CALLED IT A TURNING POINT IN THE WAR AGAINST INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM. HE WENT ON TO SAY THAT, EVEN IF THIS WAR IS LONG, THERE WILL BE NO ROOM FOR TERRORISTS TO FIND REFUGE. HE ALSO SAID THAT TOMORROW IN ISRAEL WILL BE A DAY OF MOURNING.

NOW WE WANT TO GO BACK TO THE PENTAGON TO CNN'S MILITARY AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT, JAMIE MCINTYRE. YOU WANT TO PICK UP WHERE YOU LEFT OFF, JAMIE, DESCRIBING THE SITUATION THERE AND ALSO WHAT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE RUMSFELD IS UP TO.

JAMIE MCINTYRE>> WELL, JUDY, THE FIRES ARE STILL BURNING HERE IN SOME PARTS OF THE PENTAGON, AS YOU CAN SEE FROM SOME OF THE SMOKE THAT'S COMING UP FROM BEHIND ME. THERE WILL BE A RECOVERY EFFORT THAT WILL GET UNDERWAY FAIRLY SOON. A LOT OF HEAVY EQUIPMENT HAS BROUGHT IN. SO-CALLED URBAN RESCUE UNITS THAT ARE USUALLY USED IN THE EVENT OF AN EARTHQUAKE HAVE BEEN BROUGHT IN FROM SOME OF THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENTS IN FAIRFAX AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY IN ORDER TO ASSIST IN TRYING TO FIND THE BODIES OF PEOPLE HERE. THEY HAVE NOT GIVEN ANY CASUALTY FIGURES, BUT WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE DIED IN THIS INCIDENT INCLUDING, NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH, IS THE MORE THAN SIXTY PASSENGERS WHO WERE ON THAT AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT 77 THAT TOOK OFF FROM DULLES AIRPORT THIS MORNING.

ONE OF THE EYEWITNESSES TO THIS INCIDENT WAS A TV REPORTER HIMSELF WHO WAS IN TRAFFIC AND ACTUALLY SAW THE PLANE COME IN. I TALKED TO HIM EARLIER TODAY. HIS NAME IS MIKE WALTER OF USA TODAY, LIVE.

MIKE WALTER>> I WAS HEADING IN THE NORTHBOUND ON 27 IN THE TRAFFIC THIS MORNING. IT WAS, YOU KNOW, A TYPICAL RUSH HOUR. IT HAD GROUND TO A STANDSTILL AND I LOOKED OFF, YOU KNOW, LOOKED OUT MY WINDOW AND I SAW THIS PLANE, A JET, AMERICAN AIRLINES JET, COMING. I THOUGHT, THIS DOESN'T ADD UP. IT'S REALLY LOW. I SAW IT. IT JUST WENT -- I MEAN, IT WAS LIKE A CRUISE MISSILE WITH WINGS. WENT RIGHT THERE AND SLAMMED RIGHT INTO THE PENTAGON. HUGE EXPLOSION, GREAT BALL OF FIRE, SMOKE STARTED BILLOWING OUT AND THEN THERE WAS JUST CHAOS ON THE HIGHWAY AS PEOPLE EITHER TRIED TO MOVE AROUND THE TRAFFIC AND GO DOWN EITHER FORWARD OR BACKWARD. WE HAD A LADY WHO WAS IN FRONT OF ME WHO WAS BACKING UP AND SCREAMING, "EVERYBODY GO BACK, GO BACK, THEY'VE HIT THE PENTAGON." IT WAS JUST SHEER TERROR.

JAMIE MCINTYRE>> WHAT GOES THROUGH YOUR MIND WHEN YOU SEE SOMETHING LIKE THAT?

MIKE WALTER>> YOU KNOW, I'VE ASKED THAT QUESTION OF A MILLION PEOPLE AND, YOU KNOW, THE ONLY THING THAT I -- I JUST KEPT UTTERING IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN -- "OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD, I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS." AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT GOES THROUGH YOUR MIND IS THAT YOU JUST CAN'T BELIEVE THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS COULD HAPPEN. AND YET I WAS SITTING THERE LISTENING ON THE RADIO TO THE ACCOUNTS OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED IN NEW YORK. I'D JUST LISTENED TO THE PRESIDENT AND YOU'D THINK, AS A JOURNALIST, I'D PUT TWO AND TWO TOGETHER AND THINK, OH MY GOD, BUT IT DIDN'T EVEN OCCUR TO ME.

JAMIE MCINTYRE>> OBVIOUSLY, THIS WAS AN ENORMOUS TRAGEDY, BUT DID YOU WITNESS ANY OF THE RESCUE OR ANY OF THE VICTIMS?

MIKE WALTER>> I GOT TO TELL YOU, I GOT OUT AND WALKED OVER AND I SAW PARTS OF THE PLANE. THE DEBRIS WAS ACTUALLY ON THE OVERPASS THERE. I WATCHED THIS MILITARY PERSONNEL WHO JUST CAME RUNNING OUT WITH STRETCHERS AND TARPS AND SET UP A TRIAGE UNIT AND I JUST COULDN'T HELP BUT FEEL FOR THESE GUYS. YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE THEIR FRIENDS AND COMRADES IN THERE AND YET THEY IMMEDIATELY JUMPED INTO ACTION. IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE TO WATCH. AND THE TOUGHEST THING FOR ME RIGHT NOW IS I'VE GOT A 14-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER AND A LOT OF HER FRIENDS HAVE PARENTS WHO WORK IN THE PENTAGON. I JUST TALKED TO HER ON THE PHONE AND THOSE KIDS ARE GOING THROUGH AGONY. THEY DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE OKAY, SO IT'S TOUGH. I MEAN, THIS REALLY HITS HOME.

JAMIE MCINTYRE>> JUDY, THERE'S STILL A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE HERE. THIS PART OF THE PENTAGON HAD UNDERGONE A MAJOR RENOVATION. SOME OF THE PEOPLE HERE TOLD ME STORIES ABOUT HEROIC EFFORTS. OTHERS DESCRIBED HOW SOME OF THE NEW ARCHITECTURE OF THE RENOVATED PENTAGON MAY HAVE HELPED SAVE THEIR LIVES. ONE NAVY OFFICER TOLD ME ABOUT HOW HE SAW THE FLAMES RUSH BY HIS WINDOW WHICH SHOOK, BUT BECAUSE THEY'RE MADE OF NEW TEMPERED GLASS THAT HAD BEEN PUT IN TO INCREASE SECURITY, THEY DID NOT BREAK.

THE WORK WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT. PENTAGON OFFICIALS SAY THEY DO HOPE TO REOCCUPY THE OTHER PART OF THE BUILDING THAT'S NOT AFFECTED. IT'S A HUGE BUILDING, 24,000 PEOPLE WORK HERE, BUT IT MAY BE A NUMBER OF DAYS BEFORE ANYBODY'S ABLE TO GO BACK TO WORK. JUDY?

JUDY WOODRUFF>> ALL RIGHT. JAMIE MCINTYRE REPORTING FROM THE PENTAGON AND, JAMIE, YOUR INTERVIEW REMINDING US THAT, FIRST AND FOREMOST, THIS IS A HORRIFIC HUMAN TRAGEDY. FAMILIES WITH HEARTS BROKEN IN NEW YORK AND WASHINGTON AND ALL ACROSS THIS NATION. 

JUST A QUICK WORD ON WHAT WE'VE BEEN LEARNING. WE DO EXPECT TONIGHT PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH WILL SPEAK TO THE NATION IN A TELEVISED ADDRESS. WE DON'T HAVE MUCH MORE INFORMATION THAN THAT IN TERMS OF WHEN. IN ADDITION, WE ARE TOLD THAT THE FOUR LEADERS OF CONGRESS, THE HOUSE SPEAKER, DENNIS HASTERT, THE HOUSE DEMOCRATIC LEADER, RICHARD GEPHARDT, AND OVER IN THE SENATE SIDE, TOM DASCHLE, THE DEMOCRATIC LEADER, AND TRENT LOTT, THE REPUBLICAN LEADER, ALL FOUR OF THEM WILL COME TOGETHER AT I'M TOLD 7:30 ON THE EAST FRONT OF THE CAPITOL FOR A NEWS STATEMENT, PERHAPS A NEWS CONFERENCE.

WE ALL KNOW THAT AT TIMES OF CRISIS THE VERY VISCERAL FIGHTS THAT GO ON BETWEEN THE POLITICAL PARTIES IN OUR COUNTRY FALL AWAY. IT MAY ONLY BE FOR A BRIEF PERIOD, BUT THIS IS ONE OF THOSE TIMES WHEN POLITICAL PARTISAN DIFFERENCES ARE BEING PUT ASIDE TO COME TOGETHER TO SPEAK TO THE COUNTRY.

JOINING ME HERE IN THE WASHINGTON STUDIO, A FAMILIAR NAME, A FAMILIAR FACE, BEST-SELLING AUTHOR OF SO MANY NOVELS, TOM CLANCY. MYSTERY IS AT THE HEART, TOM CLANCY, OF THE MILITARY COMMUNITY, THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY. PEOPLE IN OUR NEWS ROOM HAVE BEEN SAYING TODAY WHAT'S HAPPENING IS LIKE RIGHT OUT OF A TOM CLANCY NOVEL. BUT COULD YOU POSSIBLY IMAGINE SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO WRITE ABOUT?

TOM CLANCY>> YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE PROBLEMS OF BEING A WRITER OF FICTION IS THAT YOU CAN'T KEEP UP WITH ALL THE MADMEN IN THE WORLD AS MUCH AS YOU TRY. I FRANKLY WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS NOT A CREDIBLE THREAT TO HAVE FOUR SEPARATE PEOPLE TRYING TO COMMIT SUICIDE IN THE SAME WAY ON THE SAME MORNING.

JUDY WOODRUFF>> WHY NOT?

TOM CLANCY>> BECAUSE ENDING YOUR OWN LIFE IS NOT SOMETHING THE AVERAGE PERSON DOES. EVERYBODY'S ASSUMING THESE ARE ISLAMIC TERRORISTS. WELL, IF SO, THEY'VE DEFILED THEIR OWN RELIGION. YOU KNOW, ISLAM DOES NOT PERMIT SUICIDE. IT SAYS YOU GO TO HELL IF YOU DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

JUDY WOODRUFF>> BUT WE SEE SUICIDE BOMBINGS IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND IN ISRAEL AND --

TOM CLANCY>> -- WELL, JUDY, WE SAW PEOPLE IN NORTHERN IRELAND, CATHOLICS ACTING LIKE SAVAGES AND PROTESTANTS ACTING LIKE SAVAGES. SO NOW WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO CALL THEMSELVES MUSLIMS ACTING LIKE SAVAGES. IT HAPPENS. IT'S NOT BECAUSE OF THEIR RELIGION. IT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE FOOLS.

JUDY WOODRUFF>> WHAT DOES THIS SAY NOW? I MEAN, YOU'VE DONE A LOT OF REPORTING. YOU NOT ONLY WRITE FICTION, YOU DO A LOT OF REPORTING FROM INSIDE THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY, INSIDE THE MILITARY COMMUNITY. WHAT DOES THIS SAY ABOUT HOW PREPARED WE ARE AS A COUNTRY?

TOM CLANCY>> WELL, PEOPLE ALWAYS ASK THAT KIND OF QUESTION WHEN THINGS GO WRONG, BUT YOU DON'T ASK THE QUESTION WHEN THINGS GO RIGHT. THE REASON IS, YOU CAN'T TELL WHEN THINGS GO RIGHT IN THAT BUSINESS.

ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE BEEN SAYING FOR A LOT OF YEARS IS THAT WE NEED TO UPGRADE THE HUMAN CAPABILITIES, HUMAN INTELLIGENCE CAPABILITIES, IN THE CIA AND THE REST OF OUR INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY BECAUSE YOU CAN DO A LOT WITH SATELLITES, YOU CAN DO A LOT WITH EAVESDROPPING TECHNIQUES, BUT YOU CAN'T FIND OUT WHAT'S IN A PERSON'S MIND EXCEPT BY TALKING TO THAT PERSON. SO THE AGENCY NEEDS TO INCREASE ITS HUMAN INTELLIGENCE CAPABILITIES. THE CIA HAS ABOUT 20,000 EMPLOYEES. LESS THAN 1,000 OF THEM ARE ACTUALLY FIELD INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS. THAT NUMBER SHOULD BE AT LEAST DOUBLED. BUT AMERICANS, AS A NATION, DOESN'T LOVE OUR INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY AND CERTAINLY THE NEWS MEDIA DOES NOT LOVE OUR INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY. IF YOU --

JUDY WOODRUFF>> -- I'M GOING TO INTERRUPT YOU, TOM CLANCY. I'M TOLD AARON BROWN IN NEW YORK HAS A DEVELOPMENT. AARON?

AARON BROWN>> WELL, JUDY, JUST IN THE LAST FEW SECONDS, ANOTHER BUILDING -- WE WILL SPECULATE CAREFULLY HERE THAT IT WAS BUILDING NUMBER SEVEN -- ONE OF THE BUILDINGS IN SUPPORT OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTER TOWERS HAS COLLAPSED. THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN WITH US FOR A WHILE, YOU CAN SEE INDEED THE SMOKE COLOR HAS CHANGED FROM -- IT'S GOT MUCH LIGHTER, SO WE BELIEVE THAT YET ANOTHER BUILDING, THIS WILL BE THE THIRD BUILDING, HAS COLLAPSED. LIKELY BUILDING NUMBER SEVEN, ALTHOUGH WE ALSO HEARD THAT THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH BUILDING NUMBER FIVE AND IT'S POSSIBLE THAT ONE WENT DOWN TOO. BUT AGAIN, ANOTHER BUILDING IN THE TRADE CENTER COMPLEX APPEARS NOW TO HAVE --

JESS>> -- CALIFORNIA'S GOVERNOR GRAY DAVIS IS MAKING A STATEMENT NOW ON THIS SITUATION AND WE'RE GOING TO JOIN KTLA FOR THAT. HERE'S THE GOVERNOR.

APPARENTLY, HE'S NOT QUITE READY OR --

VAL>> -- NOT QUITE READY, THAT'S TRUE, BUT HE HAS SAID EARLIER THAT MANY OF THE GOVERNMENT OFFICES AND BUSINESSES ARE CLOSED TODAY. AND, OF COURSE, HERE IN LOS ANGELES, MANY OF THE AMUSEMENT PARKS ARE CLOSED, JPL IS CLOSED, ALL FEDERAL BUILDINGS ARE CLOSED. PEOPLE ARE TRYING, I THINK, TO BE AS NORMAL AS POSSIBLE, BUT THERE ARE SOME PLACES THAT ARE OBVIOUS SECURITY TARGETS THAT ARE --

JESS>> -- HE MAY ALSO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF SECURITY, WHICH IS GOT TO BE A CONCERN OF ANYBODY IN HIS POSITION. GOVERNOR GRAY DAVIS.

SORRY. WE'RE HAVING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES GETTING TO THAT. STAY WITH US AND WE'LL TRY TO GET TO HIM JUST AS SOON AS WE CAN.

VAL>> THAT'S RIGHT. WE'RE GOING BACK NOW TO CNN.

JUDY WOODRUFF>> -- ... ARE YOU SAYING THAT THEY ARE SIGNIFICANTLY UNDER-FUNDED IN THAT AREA? NOT JUST THE CIA, BUT THE FBI?

TOM CLANCY>> HUMAN INTELLIGENCE IS DE-EMPHASIZED. THE FBI'S JOB IS --

JUDY WOODRUFF>> -- SPYING IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE?

TOM CLANCY>> THAT'S WHAT INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS DO. THEY SPY. THE CIA HAS 20,000 EMPLOYEES, ABOUT 800 OF WHOM ARE ACTUALLY SPOOKS. AND OF THEM, MAYBE AS MANY AS TWO-THIRDS ACTUALLY GET OUTSIDE AND DO SPOOK OPERATIONS --

JUDY WOODRUFF>> -- AND WE KNOW THAT --

TOM CLANCY>> -- AND WE NEED TO DO BETTER THAN THAT. WE NEED TO DO MORE THAN THAT. YOU GATHER INFORMATION OF THIS TYPE BY PUTTING PEOPLE OUT ON THE STREETS. SAME WAY COPS GATHER INFORMATION FROM INFORMANTS. THIS ISN'T ROCKET SCIENCE. IT'S A MATTER OF HIRING PEOPLE AND LETTING THEM DO THE WORK.

JUDY WOODRUFF>> I'M GOING TO TURN IT BACK OVER TO AARON, BUT MY QUESTION IS, HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT TO BELIEVE? WE HAD AN ARAB JOURNALIST IN LONDON JUST TODAY SAYING WE HAD THIS INFORMATION A FEW WEEKS AGO. IT WAS COMING. WE DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER TO BELIEVE IT. NOW BACK TO AARON IN NEW YORK.

AARON BROWN>> JUDY, THANK YOU. WE'VE TALKED A NUMBER OF TIMES TODAY ABOUT THE FACT THAT IT IS SIMPLY TOO DANGEROUS FOR OFFICIALS TO GET IN AND AROUND THESE BUILDINGS. IT'S VERY, VERY DANGEROUS AND, FOR PROOF OF THAT, JUST A FEW MOMENTS AGO WHEN ANOTHER BUILDING IN THE COMPLEX THAT IS THE WORLD TRADE CENTER, OR WAS THE WORLD TRADE CENTER, COLLAPSED. WE CAN SHOW YOU WHAT THAT LOOKED LIKE.

THESE ARE TAPE PICTURES TAKEN LITERALLY JUST A FEW MOMENTS AGO WHEN THAT BUILDING WENT DOWN. WE ARE SEEING THEM FOR THE FIRST TIME. THIS IS -- CORRECT ME IN THE BOOTH. I BELIEVE THAT WAS IN FACT A PIECE OF TAPE THAT WE GOT JUST A BIT AGO OF THE SECOND PLANE HITTING THE SOUTH TOWER OF THE TRADE CENTER JUST A LITTLE BIT AFTER 9:00 THIS MORNING.

AGAIN, A THIRD BUILDING AT THE TRADE CENTER HAS COLLAPSED WITHIN THE LAST THREE OR FOUR MINUTES, BUILDING NUMBER SEVEN. THIS IS NO SMALL BUILDING, AS YOU CAN SEE. IT'S 47 STORIES. IT WOULD STAND OUT IN MOST AMERICAN CITIES. IT LOOKS SMALL, I GUESS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT WAS 100-PLUS STORIES OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTER. THIS BUILDING NUMBER SEVEN IS 40-PLUS STORIES, ALMOST FIFTY STORIES, COLLAPSING AS WELL. IF WE CAN GO BACK TO THE TAPE AND SEE IT ONE MORE TIME AND I'LL LOOK AT IT WITH YOU. AGAIN, THIS OCCURRED JUST IN THE LAST SEVERAL MOMENTS AROUND THE TRADE CENTER BUILDINGS. BUILDING NUMBER SEVEN, 47 STORIES. MAUREEN MADDEN, CNN PRODUCER, IS IN THE AREA. MAUREEN, WHAT CAN YOU TELL US? WHAT DID YOU SEE?

MAUREEN MADDEN>> ABOUT TWO MINUTES AGO, WE HAPPENED TO SEE SEVEN WORLD TRADE CENTER GO DOWN, WHICH HOLDS THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FOR THE CITY OF NEW YORK ON THE 23RD FLOOR THERE. WHAT WE HEARD FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND NYPD IS THAT THE WHOLE SOUTH PART OF THE BUILDING WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES AT ONE POINT AND IT WAS A MATTER OF TIME FOR IT TO COLLAPSE. THEY WERE JUST WAITING FOR IT TO COLLAPSE. THEY'D BEEN WAITING FOR THAT A HALF HOUR. WHEN IT WENT DOWN, IT WAS QUICK, IT WAS QUIET AND WE SAW A LOT OF SMOKE COME UP. NOW THE SMOKE HAS PRETTY MUCH GONE OFF TO THE SIDE GOING TOWARD THE EAST SIDE OF MANHATTAN.

AARON BROWN>> SO UNLIKE THE COLLAPSE OF THE FIRST OF THE TOWERS WAY BACK THIS MORNING, AROUND TEN OR SO THIS MORNING, AND THEN THE SECOND TOWER WHICH COLLAPSED SHORTLY THEREAFTER, AT LEAST WHERE BUILDING NUMBER SEVEN IS CONCERNED, A BUILDING THAT AMONG OTHER THINGS HOUSED THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK, AT LEAST THEY HAD SOME WARNING. THEY HAD SIGNS THAT THIS MIGHT HAPPEN AND THEY WERE ABLE TO GET AS MANY PEOPLE AWAY FROM THE AREA. THE PEOPLE IN THE AREA, OF COURSE, ARE FIREFIGHTERS, EMS PERSONNEL AND LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF POLICE OFFICERS WHO HAVE CORDONED OFF THE AREA.

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN WITH US THROUGHOUT THE DAY, WE HAVE SHOWN YOU A NUMBER OF TIMES A PIECE OF VIDEO, PICTURES OF THE PLANE COMING INTO THE BUILDING. WE HAVE NOW ANOTHER PIECE OF VIDEO THAT WILL SHOW THE SAME THING, DIFFERENT ANGLE. IF WE CAN ROLL THAT AND TAKE A LOOK NOW. THIS, AGAIN, WAS SHORTLY AFTER THE FIRST -- WOW, OH MY GOSH -- THIS COMES TO US FROM PAX-TV. I WONDER, GUYS, IF WE CAN RE-CUE THAT IN A MOMENT AND SHOW THAT AGAIN.

YOU SEE THE FIRE COMING OUT OF THE FIRST BUILDING THERE, THE PLANE ON THE LOWER LEFT SIDE OF YOUR SCREEN. IT LOOKS TO ME, AND I'LL CONFESS I DON'T HAVE THE GREATEST MONITOR HERE, BUT YOU CAN ALMOST SEE THE NOSE OF THAT PLANE COMING THROUGH THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BUILDING. THAT MAY HAVE BEEN AN ILLUSION AS WE LOOKED AT IT HERE, BUT THAT'S HOW IT LOOKED TO US. THESE ARE FULLY LOADED PLANES, FULLY LOADED WITH JET FUEL. THEY WERE HEADED FROM THE EAST COAST TO THE WEST COAST, SO THEY HAD AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF JET FUEL.

JEFFREY BEATTY, A SECURITY CONSULTANT, SAID TO US A LITTLE BIT AGO, THIS WAS LOW-TECH, HIGH-CONCEPT. THE PLANE WAS THE BOMB AND YOU JUST SAW THE BOMB GO OFF. THAT WAS AROUND 10:00 THIS MORNING -- THAT WAS AROUND 9:00 THIS MORNING, ABOUT 9:08 THIS MORNING. BEN WIEDEMAN, WHO NORMALLY REPORTS FOR US -- I'M SORRY, WE'LL GET TO THAT. LET'S GO BACK TO WASHINGTON AND CNN'S JUDY WOODRUFF. JUDY?

JUDY WOODRUFF>> AARON, AGAIN, PICTURES THAT HAVE EVERYONE HERE RIVETED. WE ARE TOLD -- I DON'T KNOW WHETHER WE HAVE THIS PICTURE RIGHT NOW AVAILABLE TO SHOW OUR VIEWERS, BUT I'M TOLD THAT JUST A SHORT TIME AGO, DRIVING UP MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE WHICH IS ONE OF THE MAIN THOROUGHFARES HERE IN THE NATION'S CAPITOL, GOES ALL THE WAY FROM THE CAPITOL OUT TO NORTHWEST WASHINGTON BEYOND THE NAVAL OBSERVATORY WHERE THE VICE PRESIDENT LIVES AND BEYOND ON OUT INTO THE MARYLAND SUBURBS.

THERE WAS OBSERVED A CONVOY OF MILITARY VEHICLES, HUMVEES, MILITARY VEHICLES, DRIVING UP SLOWLY, PATROLLING, APPEARING TO PATROL THE AREA, GOING OUT AWAY FROM THE CAPITOL TOWARD NORTHWEST, TOWARD MARYLAND. NOW PERHAPS THIS IS JUST A PATROLLING EFFORT, BUT THE SIGHT OF IT HAS TO BE SOMETHING TO CAUSE COMMENT BECAUSE, NORMALLY AT THIS HOUR IN WASHINGTON, YOU WOULD SEE AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF JUST RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. BUT TODAY IS NOT LIKE ANY OTHER DAY.

NOW TO OUR SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, JOHN KING, WHO'S JUST ABOUT A BLOCK AND A HALF FROM THE WHITE HOUSE ON TOP OF AN OFFICE BUILDING UP ABOVE THE TENTH FLOOR THERE. JOHN?

JOHN KING>> JUDY, A FEW QUICK BITS OF INFORMATION. AS WE HAVE BEEN REPORTING, THE PRESIDENT IS ON HIS WAY BACK TO WASHINGTON AND WE CAN NOW SAY DEFINITIVELY THAT, WHEN HE ARRIVES IN WASHINGTON, HE WILL ADDRESS THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TONIGHT. I AM TOLD BY SOURCES THAT PLANS ARE FOR AN ADDRESS FROM THE WHITE HOUSE, THE TARGET TIME 9:00 P.M. THAT COULD BE MOVED UP A LITTLE, BUT 8:00 OR 9:00 P.M., WE ARE NOW TOLD IS THE TARGET TIME. BUT FOR NOW, THE ADMINISTRATION WILL NOT CONFIRM THAT THE ADDRESS WILL BE BROADCAST FROM THE WHITE HOUSE.

THERE HAVE BEEN SECURITY CONCERNS THROUGHOUT THE DAY. WE SEE NOW ON THE GROUNDS OF THE WHITE HOUSE, WHICH WAS EVACUATED HOURS AGO, SOME BOMB-SNIFFING DOGS AND OTHER SECURITY PERSONNEL SECURING THE AREA AROUND THE WHITE HOUSE. WE ARE TOLD BY ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS THE PRESIDENT WILL BE BACK IN WASHINGTON SHORTLY AND WILL ADDRESS THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TONIGHT. 

AS WE REPORTED A BIT EARLIER, CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS WHO ALSO, AS PART OF THE PROTOCOL, THE EMERGENCY EVACUATION PROTOCOL, WERE TAKEN TO A SECURE LOCATION THEMSELVES OUTSIDE OF WASHINGTON. THE BIPARTISAN CONGRESSIONAL LEADERSHIP ALSO MAKING ITS WAY BACK TO WASHINGTON AND IT WILL DELIVER STATEMENTS, THE FOUR LEADERS FROM THE STEPS OF THE CAPITOL TONIGHT AS WELL, ALL OF THESE DESIGNED TO OFFER SIGNS OF REASSURANCES TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE THAT THEIR GOVERNMENT IS UP AND RUNNING AT THIS TIME OF GREAT TRAGEDY.

I WANT TO ADD ONE OTHER BIT OF INFORMATION. A LOT OF LAWMAKERS TRIED TO GET BRIEFING FROM CAPITOL HILL'S POLICE, FROM ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS, FROM THE CIA AND THE FBI AND OTHERS. WE ARE TOLD THAT, IN THOSE BRIEFINGS, THERE HAS BEEN SOME SPECULATION AND, AGAIN, THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS ARE SAYING THIS IS JUST SPECULATION AT THIS MOMENT, BUT THAT PLANE THAT CRASHED OUTSIDE OF PITTSBURGH MAY HAVE BEEN HEADING TOWARD WASHINGTON.

IN THOSE BRIEFINGS, I'M TOLD BY SEVERAL SOURCES, THREE POTENTIAL TARGETS WERE LISTED. ONE, THE PRESIDENTIAL RETREAT AT CAMP DAVID, TWO, THE WHITE HOUSE, AND THREE, THE UNITED STATES CAPITOL BUILDING. AGAIN, THE LAWMAKERS AND OTHER OFFICIALS BEING GIVEN THOSE BRIEFINGS TOLD THAT IS SPECULATIVE, BUT BASED ON THE FLIGHT PATH AND EVERYTHING ELSE WE'VE SEEN UNFOLD ON THIS TRAGIC DAY, LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS BELIEVE AT THIS MOMENT THE POTENTIAL TARGETS FOR THAT PLANE WHICH CRASHED OUTSIDE PITTSBURGH WERE PERHAPS CAMP DAVID, PERHAPS THE WHITE HOUSE BEHIND ME, OR PERHAPS THE UNITED STATES CAPITOL. JUDY?

JUDY WOODRUFF>> JOHN, WE CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE STRUGGLE THAT MUST HAVE GONE ON ON BOARD THAT AIRCRAFT IN THE COCKPIT OR WHEREVER IN ORDER TO KEEP THE PLANE FROM GOING WHERE THE PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO BRING IT TO WASHINGTON -- THEY WERE OBVIOUSLY PREVENTED FROM REACHING THEIR TARGET.

AIR TRAVEL THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, DOMESTIC AIR TRAVEL, HAS BEEN SHUT DOWN TODAY SINCE THESE TERRIBLE INCIDENTS IN NEW YORK CITY AND HERE IN WASHINGTON. IN FACT, THERE'S NO AIR TRAVEL UNTIL AT LEAST NOON TOMORROW ON ORDER OF THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION.

BUT RIGHT NOW, WE WANT TO GO TO ONE OF THE AIRPORTS IN THE WASHINGTON AREA, THAT IS DULLES INTERNATIONAL. THIS IS THE SITE OF WHERE THE AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT 77 THAT LEFT THIS MORNING ON ITS WAY TO LOS ANGELES AND ENDED UP PLOWING INTO THE PENTAGON A VERY SHORT TIME LATER. CNN'S EILEEN O'CONNER IS THERE AT DULLES. EILEEN?

EILEEN O'CONNER>> WELL, THERE HAS BEEN SOME ACTIVITY HERE, JUDY. THE FBI HAS ARRIVED AND THEY HAVE BEEN SEEN GOING IN AND OUT OF THE BUILDING. THEY BROUGHT SOME EQUIPMENT IN TO CHECK THROUGH THE BUILDING. WE DO KNOW FROM AIRPORT PERSONNEL AND THE AIRPORT AUTHORITY THAT BOTH NATIONAL AND DULLES ARE SHUT DOWN UNTIL 11:00 AT LEAST TOMORROW MORNING.

BUT ALSO THEY'VE IMMEDIATELY IMPLEMENTED AN EMERGENCY DRILL PROCEDURE. THAT MEANS THAT THEY CALLED IN ALL OF THEIR POLICE AND THEY HAVE THEIR OWN POLICE FORCE AND THEIR OWN FIRE PERSONNEL AND THEY ALSO HAVE ALL OF THEIR OPERATIONAL BEST HERE AT THE AIRPORT. THEY ARE SECURING THE AIRPORT. YOU CAN SEE ACTUALLY BEHIND ME THAT THEY HAVE ACTUALLY ERECTED BARRICADES, CONCRETE BARRICADES, WITH SOME OF THESE FORKLIFTS, HAVE BEEN OPERATING OVER THE LAST HOUR ERECTING THESE BARRICADES. ALSO, THERE'S BARRICADES RIGHT NOW IN THE ENTRANCES TO THE AIRPORT TO PREVENT ANYONE FROM COMING BACK HERE.

AS YOU ALSO SAID, UNITED AND AMERICAN AIRLINES, OBVIOUSLY, ARE THE ONES THAT LOST FLIGHTS. THEY HAVE BEEN ISSUING STATEMENTS SAYING THAT THEY ARE TRYING TO HELP THE FAMILIES. BOTH OF THESE AIRLINES ISSUING STATEMENTS. THEY'VE ALSO SAID THAT THEY HAVE ACCOUNTED FOR ALL OF THEIR OTHER FLIGHTS AND THAT THEY ARE ALL SAFELY ON THE GROUND. THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE KNOW THAT. AND THEY ALSO SAY THAT THEY WILL DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR CUSTOMERS, THE PEOPLE WHO WERE TRAVELING, ARE COMFORTABLE UNTIL THEY CAN FLY ON TO THEIR DESTINATIONS. JUDY?

JUDY WOODRUFF>> AND, EILEEN, ANY OTHER PEOPLE AROUND THERE? I MEAN, WE SEE YOU OBVIOUSLY AND WE SEE A FEW OTHER PEOPLE, BUT PRESUMABLY NOT MUCH OTHER ACTIVITY THERE AT ALL?

EILEEN O'CONNER>> NO, AND THEY HAVE ACTUALLY TRIED TO STAGE SOME OF THE -- OBVIOUSLY, THERE ARE RELATIVES, CONCERNED RELATIVES, FROM THE AMERICAN FLIGHT THAT TOOK OFF THIS MORNING. WE ARE BEING TOLD BY AIRPORT AUTHORITIES THAT THEY ARE TRYING TO SEND THOSE RELATIVES OVER TO A NEARBY HOTEL AND TO TRY TO GIVE THEM INFORMATION. BOTH AIRLINES HAVE ISSUED PHONE NUMBERS FOR PEOPLE TO FIND OUT ABOUT LOVED ONES. ONE OF THOSE AIRLINES IS UNITED. THEIR NUMBER IS 1-800-932-8555.

BUT THEY ARE SAYING THAT PEOPLE SHOULD STAY AWAY FROM THE AIRPORTS. THESE AIRPORTS ARE SHUT. AGAIN, THEY'RE UNDER EMERGENCY PROCEDURES. ALSO, YOU KNOW, JUDY, FOR HERE, AN INVESTIGATION IS TAKING PLACE. THE FBI IS ALREADY HERE. THEY'VE HAD SNIFFER DOGS AROUND THE AIRPORT. THEY WANT TO SEE HOW THE SECURITY WAS BREACHED. WE ARE ALSO TOLD THAT THE TARMAC HAS BEEN SECURED, THAT THE AIRPLANES THAT ARE CURRENTLY ON THE GROUND WERE VERY QUICKLY SECURED AFTER IT WAS DECIDED TO SHUT THESE AIRPORTS DOWN. JUDY?

JUDY WOODRUFF>> EILEEN, JUST TO REITERATE, THERE WERE EIGHT CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES INVOLVED WITH THESE AIRCRAFT THAT PLOWED INTO THE TRADE CENTER BUILDING COMPLEX AND INTO THE PENTAGON AND THEN INTO THE GROUND INTO SHANKSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA SOUTH OF PITTSBURGH. TWO PLANES TOOK OFF FROM BOSTON, ONE FROM NEWARK, ONE FROM DULLES NEAR WASHINGTON WHERE YOU ARE. THREE OF THOSE FLIGHTS WERE HEADED FOR LOS ANGELES, ONE FOR SAN FRANCISCO. OF COURSE, NONE OF THOSE FLIGHTS REACHED THEIR INTENDED DESTINATIONS. NOW BACK TO AARON IN NEW YORK.

AARON BROWN>> JUDY, THANK YOU. IT IS -- I KNOW FOR MANY OF YOU AROUND THE COUNTRY, YOU ARE MAKING YOUR WAY HOME. YOU HAVE NOT NECESSARILY BEEN WITH US ALL DAY LONG. LIFE HAS GONE ON. I SUPPOSE THE TV IS ON IN MOST OFFICES, BUT LIFE HAS GONE ON. I JUST WONDER IF WE CAN TAKE A SHOT OF THE BUILDING BEHIND ME, THE WORLD TRADE CENTER BUILDING, AND JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO TRY AND ABSORB NOT WITH THE FACTS, NOT WITH THE PIECES OF INFORMATION, BUT JUST LOOK AT THAT SCENE AND THINK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TODAY. 

THERE WERE 50,000 OR SO PEOPLE WHO CAME TO WORK ON A BEAUTIFUL LATE SUMMER MORNING HERE IN NEW YORK IN THOSE TWO TOWERS THAT ARE NOW GONE. THESE ARE PEOPLE WITH FAMILIES, WITH CHILDREN, PEOPLE WHO HAD OFFICES AND HAVE THEM NO MORE, PEOPLE WHOSE LIVES ARE FOREVER CHANGED AND IT HAPPENED IN A SPACE OF VERY FEW MINUTES.

AT 8:48 THIS MORNING, IT BEGAN. A FEW MINUTES LATER, AT ABOUT 9:08, A SECOND PLANE ZOOMED TOWARDS THE UN-HIT TOWER, THE SECOND TOWER. YOU SEE IT IN THE LOWER PART OF YOUR SCREEN, AND IT JUST SLICES THAT TOWER IN HALF. IF WE CAN RE-RACK IT AND SHOW IT AGAIN SO YOU'LL KNOW WHERE TO LOOK. YOU'LL SEE THE PLANE FIRST IN THE LOWER LEFT SIDE OF THE SCREEN COMING AT IT AND THERE IT GOES AND WHAT MUST IT HAVE BEEN LIKE IN THOSE BUILDINGS AND ON THESE HIJACKED AIRLINERS.

WE'VE HEARD EARLIER THAT BARBARA OLSEN, A FREQUENT COMMENTATOR HERE, WAS ON THE FLIGHT THAT WAS GOING TO WASHINGTON OR HAD BEEN HIJACKED TO WASHINGTON. SHE CALLED HER HUSBAND AND SAID THAT THE HIJACKING WAS UNDERWAY. SHE SAID THAT, FROM WHAT SHE COULD TELL, THE HIJACKERS, AND SHE DIDN'T INDICATE HOW MANY EXCEPT THERE WAS MORE THAN ONE, WERE ARMED WITH JUST KNIVES AND CARDBOARD CUTTERS. THAT THEY HAD HERDED ALL THE PEOPLE ONBOARD THIS FLIGHT TO THE BACK OF THE PLANE, INCLUDING THE PILOT. SHE ASKED HER HUSBAND, THE SOLICITOR GENERAL, TED OLSEN, WHO MANY OF YOU WILL RECALL ARGUED THE POST-ELECTION CASE BEFORE THE SUPREME COURT, SAID TO HER HUSBAND, "WHAT DO I DO?" SHORTLY AFTER THAT, THAT PLANE WITH MS. OLSEN AND MANY MORE CRASHED AT THE PENTAGON. 

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK JOINS US FROM LITTLE ROCK. GENERAL CLARK HAS BEEN WITH US A NUMBER OF TIMES TODAY. GENERAL, I WONDER IF YOU WILL WEIGH IN FOR A SECOND ON THIS DEBATE OR THIS DISCUSSION THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR MOST OF THE AFTERNOON HERE, WHICH IS, HAVE WE MISAPPLIED IN SOME WAYS INTELLIGENCE RESOURCES? THAT WE HAVE BECOME SO INFATUATED WITH WHAT WE CAN DO WITH MACHINES AND HIGH-TECH THAT WE HAVE INAPPROPRIATELY, I GUESS, SPENT LESS MONEY, LESS EFFORT, ON THE DOWN AND DIRTY HUMAN INTELLIGENCE?

WESLEY CLARK>> WELL, THAT'S CERTAINLY A QUESTION THAT EVERYONE IS GOING TO BE ASKING AND IT WILL BE ASKED IN OFFICIAL CHANNELS AND IT WILL BE ASKED TO THOSE WHO ARE BEST IN A POSITION TO GIVE THAT ANSWER. MY EXPERIENCE WITH IT HAS BEEN THAT I'VE HEARD THIS CHARGE NOW FOR SOME 25 YEARS IN THE INTELLIGENCE BUSINESS. WE HAVE PUT EMPHASIS INTO NOT ONLY TECHNICAL INTELLIGENCE, BUT HUMAN INTELLIGENCE. BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY HARD TO GET THE KIND OF SPECIFIC INTELLIGENCE THAT WOULD PREVENT SOMETHING LIKE THIS. 

MANY OF THESE PEOPLE ARE MEMBERS OF A FAMILY. THEY COME FROM A SPECIFIC VILLAGE PERHAPS. THEIR BACKGROUND IS KNOWN AND VETTED. THEY'RE CAREFULLY CONTROLLED. THEIR MOVEMENTS AND COMMUNICATIONS ARE MONITORED. AND IT'S DIFFICULT, NO DOUBT, FOR ANY INTELLIGENCE ORGANIZATION, NO MATTER HOW WELL IT'S RESOURCED AND HOW COURAGEOUS ITS MEMBERS, TO PENETRATE AN ORGANIZATION LIKE THAT AND GIVE US INFORMATION. INTELLIGENCE IS ALWAYS CHARACTERIZED BY A FAILURE TO KNOW WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW. I'M SURE THAT WE'LL MAKE IMPROVEMENTS. THERE ARE ALWAYS MORE THINGS THAT COULD BE DONE IN THE AFTERMATH OF SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

BUT IF THERE'S ONE SINGLE MESSAGE THAT COMES THROUGH TO ME HERE, AND I THINK WILL COME THROUGH TO MANY OTHERS, IS THAT IT'S NOT ENOUGH SIMPLY TO PUT UP THE BEST DEFENSES AGAINST TERRORISM, BUT THAT MORE ACTIVE MEASURES ARE NO DOUBT CALLED FOR, PARTICULARLY IN THIS CASE.

AARON BROWN>> WHEN YOU SAY MORE ACTIVE MEASURES, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT PRO ACTIVE?

WESLEY CLARK>> THAT'S RIGHT. PREEMPTIVE MEASURES. WE'VE KNOWN A NUMBER OF THESE GROUPS HAVE, FOR A LONG TIME, SAID THEY DECLARED WAR ON THE UNITED STATES. WE HAVE DEALT WITH THEM, WE'VE FENCED WITH THEM, WE'VE COOPERATED WITH OTHER GOVERNMENTS AGAINST THEM, WE'VE CHASED INDIVIDUALS, WE'VE HAULED SOME INTO COURT. BUT I THINK THAT NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE TO ASK OURSELVES COULD WE HAVE LEARNED MORE IN THIS SPECIFIC CASE, WE ALSO HAVE TO ASK OURSELVES COULD WE HAVE DONE MORE, IF WE'D BEEN WILLING TO TAKE GREATER RISKS, IF WE'D BEEN WILLING TO TAKE MORE EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES EARLIER, TO TAKE SOME OF THESE GROUPS AND SOME OF THESE INDIVIDUALS AT THEIR WORD THAT THEY HAD DECLARED WAR ON US AND THEY DESERVED TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY AND THEY MERITED SOME PREEMPTIVE ACTION.

AARON BROWN>> AND JUST PERHAPS STATING THE OBVIOUS, SIR, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT PREEMPTIVE ACTION, FIRST OF ALL, YOU'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO FIND THE PEOPLE YOU'RE TAKING THE ACTION AGAINST. DO WE KNOW WHERE THE RIGHT PEOPLE ARE SO THAT, IF THE COUNTRY IS GOING AFTER THESE PEOPLE, THEY GET THE RIGHT PEOPLE?

WESLEY CLARK>> WELL, I THINK THAT'S ALWAYS THE PROBLEM AND THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A CERTAIN DEGREE OF UNCERTAINTY AND THERE WILL BE A CERTAIN DEGREE OF CONCERN ABOUT THIS. THE BEST WAY TO HANDLE ANY INTERNATIONAL TERRORIST ORGANIZATION IS TO ARREST ITS LEADERS, PRESENT THE EVIDENCE AND HAVE THEM TRIED IN A COURT OF LAW. THAT CERTAINLY IS THE WAY ANYONE WOULD PREFER TO DEAL WITH THIS, BUT PERHAPS IN SOME CASES, IT'S NOT POSSIBLE TO DO THAT OR IT'S NOT POSSIBLE TO DO THAT QUICK ENOUGH. WE'LL HAVE TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS IN THE AFTERMATH. IT'S NOT SIMPLY ABOUT INTELLIGENCE. IT'S ALSO ABOUT ACTING ON INTELLIGENCE.

AARON BROWN>> ULTIMATELY, SIR, THIS IS NOT SIMPLY A MILITARY OR INTELLIGENCE QUESTION. THIS IS A CORE POLITICAL QUESTION. IT REALLY HAS TO DO WITH HOW WE SEE OURSELVES AS A COUNTRY, WHETHER WE ARE WILLING TO TAKE THE RISK THAT SOME INNOCENTS MAY PERISH BECAUSE OF WHAT WE AS A COUNTRY DO AND THAT'S A POLITICAL QUESTION FOR THE COUNTRY TO DEAL WITH.

WESLEY CLARK>> IT'S A PROFOUND POLITICAL QUESTION AND I THINK IT'S ALSO A QUESTION FOR THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY BECAUSE AN EVENT LIKE THIS IS A REAL CRY FOR ALARM AND RECOGNITION IN THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. IF A TRAGEDY LIKE THIS CAN HAPPEN HERE, IT CAN HAPPEN ANYWHERE, AND INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM IS TOO DANGEROUS AND TOO AMBIGUOUS AND TOO DIFFICULT FOR ANY SINGLE NATION TO HANDLE BY ITSELF.

WE NEED STRONG RELIABLE SUPPORT FROM FRIENDS AND ALLIES AROUND THE WORLD AND I'M SURE WE'LL BE ASKING FOR IT. AND CLEARLY, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT OFTEN COMES FROM THIS IS NOT ONLY BETTER U.S. INTELLIGENCE, IT'S BETTER SHARING OF INFORMATION, POOLING OF INFORMATION, WITH OUR PARTNERS IN ALL CORNERS OF THE GLOBE.

AARON BROWN>> GENERAL CLARK, THANKS AGAIN FOR JOINING US AS YOU HAVE A NUMBER OF OTHER TIMES TODAY AND I SUSPECT YOU WILL AGAIN BEFORE THE DAY IS OUT. GENERAL WESLEY CLARK FROM LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS TODAY. THANK YOU, SIR. JUDY?

JUDY WOODRUFF>> AARON, WE WANT TO TELL OUR VIEWERS, FIRST OF ALL, THAT WE HAVE JUST BEEN HANDED A REPORT FROM CNN REPORTER, PATTY DAVIS, THAT ALL INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS HAVE NOW ARRIVED OR WILL BE ARRIVING SHORTLY. THOSE ARE FLIGHTS COMING INTO THE UNITED STATES OR CANADA. THOSE ARE FLIGHTS THAT HAVE PRESUMABLY HAVE LEFT THEIR DESTINATION HOURS AND HOURS AGO, BUT THEY HAVE ARRIVED SAFELY OR THEY ARE EXPECTED TO SHORTLY. WE'LL CONTINUE TO BRING YOU UPDATES ON AIR TRAVEL AS WE GET THEM.

I'VE JUST BEEN TOLD THAT PRESIDENT BUSH WILL ADDRESS THE NATION TONIGHT AT 9:00 EASTERN TIME. WE HAD BEEN TOLD A LITTLE BIT EARLIER THAT THE PRESIDENT WOULD BE SPEAKING TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. WE NOW HAVE CONFIRMED THE TIME IS 9:00 EASTERN AND YOU CAN COUNT ON THE FACT, OF COURSE, CNN WILL CARRY THAT ADDRESS. CNN CORRESPONDENT, JEANNE MESERVE, HAS SPENT THE LAST SEVERAL HOURS AT THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY. THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO, JEANNE, ARE DEALING ALL THE TIME WITH DISASTERS. BRING US UP TO DATE ON WHAT'S GOING ON THERE NOW.

JEANNE MESERVE>> JUDY, THE NATIONAL INTERAGENCY EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER IS UP AND RUNNING HERE, AS IT IS OFTEN AT TIMES OF DISASTER. WE WENT UP AND LOOKED AT THAT A COUPLE OF HOURS AGO. THERE ARE ABOUT FORTY PEOPLE UP THERE. THEY REPRESENT 28 DIFFERENT GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND OFFICES, ALSO THE RED CROSS AND THE SALVATION ARMY. WHAT THEY DO IS TRY AND FIGURE OUT WHAT LOCAL AND STATE OFFICIALS NEED TO HELP THEM DEAL WITH A DISASTER SITUATION AND THEY HAVE ALREADY MADE SOME MOVES TODAY.

THEY HAVE DISPATCHED URBAN SEARCH AND RESCUE TASKFORCES. FOUR OF THEM HAVE BEEN SENT TO THE PENTAGON, FOUR ARE EN ROUTE TO NEW YORK CITY. ANOTHER FOUR HAVE BEEN ACTIVATED. THREE OF THOSE IN CALIFORNIA, ON IN MISSOURI. THE LAST TIME I WAS ABLE TO SPEAK TO AN OFFICIAL HERE, THEY WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THEM TO NEW YORK CITY. APPARENTLY, IT WAS GOING TO TAKE A MILITARY AIRLIFT BECAUSE, OF COURSE, THERE IS NO COMMERCIAL AIR TRAFFIC AT THIS TIME.

EACH OF THOSE TASKFORCES CONSIST OF 62 PEOPLE AND ABOUT 60,000 POUNDS OF EQUIPMENT. THAT'S MEDICAL GEAR, TOOLS, DOGS, FOOD. THE IDEA IS THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO BE SELF-SUFFICIENT FOR 72 HOURS AT A STRETCH. THEY PROVIDE A WIDE ARRAY OF SERVICES. THEY WILL DO SEARCH AND RESCUE. THEY CAN SHUT OFF UTILITIES. THEY CAN CHECK THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF BUILDINGS. THERE ARE A TOTAL OF 28 OF THESE TASKFORCES AROUND THE COUNTRY. WE'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THE OTHER 16 MOST OF THEM HAVE BEEN PUT ON ALERT STATUS, BUT THEY HAVE NOT YET BEEN ACTIVATED AND GIVEN ORDERS TO MOVE.

IN ADDITION, DISASTER MORTUARY AFFAIRS TEAMS, FOUR OF THEM, HAVE BEEN SENT TO NEW YORK CITY, THREE OF THEM TO THE PENTAGON, THIRTY PEOPLE ON EACH OF THESE TEAMS. WHAT THEY DO IS HELP TAKE CARE OF THE BODIES AFTER THEY HAVE BEEN EXTRICATED FROM THE WRECKAGE. ALSO, THERE ARE DISASTER MEDICAL ASSISTANCE TEAMS, FOUR OF THEM TO NEW YORK, THREE TO THE PENTAGON, 35 PEOPLE ON EACH OF THOSE TEAMS. THOSE WOULD BE DOCTORS, NURSES AND PARAMEDICS TO HELP, OF COURSE, WITH THE MEDICAL SITUATION.

I SHOULD MENTION THAT THE DIRECTOR OF THIS AGENCY, JOE OLBO, WAS NOT IN WASHINGTON WHEN THESE EVENTS TOOK PLACE. HE WAS AT MONTANA AT A CONFERENCE OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGERS CONFERENCE. THIS IS ALL THE STATE EMERGENCY DIRECTORS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY. HE, OF COURSE, IMMEDIATELY MADE MOVE TO GET BACK TO WASHINGTON. WE BELIEVE HE IS NOW ON HIS WAY HERE. JUDY, BACK TO YOU.

JUDY WOODRUFF>> ALL RIGHT, JEANNE MESERVE, TELLING US ABOUT THE TEAMS OF EXPERIENCED PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING DEPLOYED FROM FEMA. THAT'S THE NICKNAME FOR THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY HEADQUARTERED HERE IN WASHINGTON. BUT RIGHT NOW TEAMS OF PEOPLE BEING SENT OUT, DEPLOYED TO THE SITES OF THESE HORRIFIC DISASTERS, THE NEW YORK TWIN TOWERS, THE WORLD TRADE CENTER.

YOU'RE STILL LOOKING AT THOSE LIVE PICTURES ON THE RIGHT PART OF YOUR SCREEN HERE IN WASHINGTON, TO THE PENTAGON, THE SITE OF ANOTHER AIRPLANE CRASH. JOINING US NOW FROM CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA, FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE, LAWRENCE EAGLEBURGER. HE WAS SECRETARY IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE FIRST PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH. I WANT TO ASK YOU, SECRETARY EAGLEBURGER, SO MANY PEOPLE -- WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO A LOT OF PEOPLE TODAY, BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT MANY AMERICANS NOW ARE GOING TO WANT TO STRIKE BACK, TO GET BACK AS SOON AS WE CAN AND AS HARD AS WE CAN AT WHOEVER WAS BEHIND THIS. HOW REALISTIC IS THAT?

LAWRENCE EAGLEBURGER>> OH, BOY, THAT'S A VERY TOUGH QUESTION. WELL, IT WON'T BE QUICK, I THINK. IT'LL TAKE US SOME TIME TO ORGANIZE OURSELVES, TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS, ALTHOUGH I MUST SAY, BY THE WAY, THAT'S LESS OF A CONCERN TO ME THAN IT WILL BE TO A NUMBER OF OTHERS.

WE KNOW WHO MOST OF THE TERRORISTS ARE. WE MAY NOT KNOW WHICH ONES DID THIS, ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE TO HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY WELL ORGANIZED AND VERY WELL FINANCED. BUT GETTING BACK AT ALMOST IS THE WRONG WAY, I THINK, TO PUT THIS, THOUGH THAT'S WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL WANT. WHAT I THINK WE NEED NOW TO UNDERSTAND IS THIS REALLY IS A WAR WITH TERRORISM AND WE NEED TO BE PREPARED TO ACT AS IF WE ARE AT WAR. THAT DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN THAT YOU HAVE TO STRIKE BACK ONLY AT THOSE THAT YOU KNOW WERE THE PERPETRATORS OF THIS THING.

WE KNOW A LOT OF TERRORISTS AROUND THE WORLD AND WE KNOW A LOT OF GOVERNMENTS THAT HAVE FINANCED AND SUPPORTED TERRORISM. YOU START WITH OSAMA BIN LADEN, I SUPPOSE, AND YOU START WITH THE AFGHANS, BUT EITHER --

JUDY WOODRUFF>> -- BUT WHAT CAN YOU DO, MR. SECRETARY?

LAWRENCE EAGLEBURGER>> WHAT YOU DO IS, YOU STRIKE AT THE MILITARILY -- I MEAN, I KNOW THIS IS GOING TO SOUND AWFUL, BUT MY POINT IS, THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY TO BEGIN TO DEAL WITH PEOPLE LIKE THIS AND THAT IS YOU HAVE TO KILL SOME OF THEM, EVEN IF THEY ARE NOT IMMEDIATELY DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THIS THING. WE DO KNOW THAT THE TALABAN AND THE GOVERNMENT OF AFGHANISTAN HAS MOTHERED OSAMA BIN LADEN FOR YEARS. THEY NEED TO BE HIT. EITHER THEY NEED TO BE HIT OR THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND VERY QUICKLY THAT THEY HAVE GOT TO STOP SUPPORTING TERRORISM AND THEN MAKE IT EVIDENT THAT THEY'RE STOPPING THE TERRORISM.

JUDY WOODRUFF>> SO YOU'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A LONG, DRAWN-OUT INVESTIGATION, AS WE HAD WITH PAN AM 103 OVER LOCKERBIE, A LONG, DRAWN-OUT EFFORT TO EXTRADITE POSSIBLE SUSPECTS?

LAWRENCE EAGLEBURGER>> I HOPE NOT, I HOPE NOT, BECAUSE IF THAT'S THE CASE, WELL, YOU SAW WHAT HAPPENED WITH PAN AM 103. I MEAN, BY THE TIME IT WAS ALL DONE, FIRST OF ALL, MANY PEOPLE HAD LOST ALL INTEREST IN THE SUBJECT. THIS IS AN ACT OF -- WELL, WHEN THEY COMPARE THIS TO PEARL HARBOR, I DON'T THINK THEY'RE WRONG IN THE SENSE THAT IT'S A SURPRISE ATTACK AND I SUSPECT, IF WE ARE WISE ABOUT THIS, PEARL HARBOR BROUGHT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TOGETHER AND MADE US RECOGNIZE WE HAD SOMETHING WE HAD TO DEAL WITH. PERHAPS THIS WILL DO THE SAME THING FOR ALL OF US.

JUDY WOODRUFF>> ALL RIGHT. FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE, LAWRENCE EAGLEBURGER.

LAWRENCE EAGLEBURGER>> CAN I MAKE ONE MORE POINT? ONE MORE POINT BEFORE YOU GO?

JUDY WOODRUFF>> YES, MR. SECRETARY, YOU MAY.

LAWRENCE EAGLEBURGER>> WE NEED TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED THAT THESE PLANES COULD BE HIJACKED. THAT, TO ME, IS THE MOST CRITICAL QUESTION OF ALL. HOW WAS IT POSSIBLE TO HIJACK THESE AIRCRAFT? I THOUGHT WE HAD DEALT WITH THAT PROBLEM BEFORE. IF THEY HAD NOT BEEN HIJACKED, NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED.

JUDY WOODRUFF>> WELL, WE DID HEAR A FRAGMENT OF INFORMATION, MR. SECRETARY, REPORTEDLY FROM BARBARA OLSEN, THE CONSERVATIVE COMMENTATOR, THE WIFE OF UNITED STATES SOLICITOR GENERAL, WHO TOLD HER HUSBAND AND OTHERS IN A PHONE CALL THAT THESE WERE MEN WHO HAD HIJACKED, THIS WAS THE AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT THAT LEFT DULLES, THAT THESE MEN, AS FAR AS SHE COULD TELL, ONLY HAD KNIVES AND CARDBOARD CUTTERS ON THEM AS WEAPONS. WE WANT TO THANK SECRETARY LAWRENCE EAGLEBURGER FOR JOINING US. JOEY CHIN IN ATLANTA.

JOEY CHIN>> JUDY, THANKS VERY MUCH. FOR OUR VIEWERS WHO HAVE JUST BEEN TRYING TO CATCH UP ON ALL THE EVENTS THAT HAVE OCCURRED, I WANT TO BRING YOU FIRST UP TO DATE WITH THE LATEST INFORMATION ON A FULL DETAIL OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE COURSE OF THIS DAY, WITH THE LATEST FROM BEN WEIDEMAN...

VAL>> GOOD AFTERNOON, I'M VAL ZAVALA.

JESS>> AND I'M JESS MARLOW.

WE'RE IN THE LIFE AND TIMES STUDIO WITH SPECIAL COVERAGE OF TODAY'S TRAGIC EVENTS IN NEW YORK AND WASHINGTON. A REMINDER TO PARENTS. WE'RE PREEMPTING OUR NORMAL CHILDREN'S PROGRAMMING FOR THE ENTIRE AFTERNOON. WE'LL BE CARRYING LIVE PICTURES FROM NEWSHOUR. WE WANT TO CAUTION YOU IN CASE YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT YOUR CHILDREN MIGHT SEE.

VAL>> AND RIGHT NOW, GAY YEE IS HERE IN OUR STUDIO WITH US. SHE HAS BEEN COVERING WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING IN LOS ANGELES AT LAX AND CITY HALL. GAY, WHAT CAN YOU TELL US? WHAT'S GOING ON?

GAY>> I GUESS THE BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE THE SITUATION OUT THERE, IT'S RELATIVELY EERIE. WE WERE DOWNTOWN AND WE WERE OUTSIDE MANY OF THE OFFICE BUILDINGS. RIGHT NOW, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE U.S. MARSHALL'S COMMAND CENTER RIGHT OUTSIDE THE ROYBAL. AS YOU KNOW, THE ROYBAL HOUSES THE FEDERAL BUILDING, ALSO U.S. COURTS. THERE IS AN ARMORED TRUCK RIGHT OUTSIDE THERE AND A BOMB SQUAD AND THAT WAS VERY UNUSUAL. I WAS NOT HERE DURING THE CIVIL UNREST IN '92 AND I WONDERED IF IT WAS VERY SIMILAR TO THIS. BUT YOU VIRTUALLY SEE THE PARKING LOTS EMPTY, PEOPLE ARE NOT ABOUT, PEOPLE ARE NOT WALKING ABOUT --

VAL>> -- CAN YOU TRAVEL THE FREEWAYS?

GAY>> ABSOLUTELY. YOU CAN GET AROUND. EARLIER THIS MORNING, THEY WERE IMPACTED, BUT NOW YOU CAN TRAVEL QUITE FREELY. WE ACTUALLY GOT DOWN TO THE AIRPORT WITHOUT ANY PROBLEM. WE COULD NOT GET INTO THE AIRPORT, HOWEVER. THAT WAS MUCH MORE DIFFICULT. AS YOU CAN SEE, MANY OF THE PLANES ARE GROUNDED. THIS PLACE IS VERY, VERY QUIET AT THIS POINT. BUT WE WERE NOT ABLE TO ACTUALLY GET ANYWHERE CLOSE TO IT BECAUSE THEY HAVE PRETTY MUCH CLOSED UP ALL THE ENTRANCES. MEANTIME, WE HAVE A BITE FROM GOVERNOR DAVIS AT THIS POINT WHO IS TELLING US ABOUT THE STATEWIDE EMERGENCY THAT WE CURRENTLY FACE.

GRAY DAVIS>> AND CERTAINLY NO ONE COULD IMAGINE A CATASTROPHE ON THIS SCALE, BUT BY ALL ACCOUNTS, THE RESCUE EFFORTS IN NEW YORK WERE NOTHING LESS THAN HEROIC. WE HOPE IN A SMALL WAY TO PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE TO THE URBAN SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAMS THAT SHOULD BE ARRIVING LATE NIGHT OR EARLY TOMORROW MORNING IN NEW YORK.

ONE FINAL THING, ON THE CALL WITH THE SHERIFFS, THERE WERE REPEATED CONCERNS ABOUT TAKING PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT ANY REPRISALS AGAINST AMERICANS. WE ARE ONE COUNTRY. WE MAY BE OF DIFFERENT FAITHS AND COME FROM DIFFERENT NATIONS, BUT WE'RE ALL AMERICANS AND WE NEED TO LET THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DETERMINE WHO THE CULPRITS ARE THAT CAUSED THIS UNSPEAKABLE ACT AND LET THEM DEVELOP A PLAN FOR DECISIVE AND COORDINATED ACTION.

WE DO NOT WANT AMERICANS TURNING ON AMERICANS. WE DO NOT WANT REPRISALS WITHIN OUR BORDERS OR WITHIN THE AMERICAN BORDERS. SO INDIVIDUAL SHERIFFS ARE MEETING WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS FROM VARIOUS DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES URGING CALM, URGING DISCUSSION, LETTING PEOPLE AIR THEIR CONCERNS AND GRIEVANCES, BUT DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO KEEP IT IN THE DISCUSSION STAGE AND PREVENT ANY UNWANTED VIOLENCE.

JESS>> CALIFORNIA IS PARTICULARLY TOUCHED BY THIS, SINCE THREE OF THE FOUR PLANES WERE HEADED FOR LOS ANGELES, AS A MATTER OF FACT.

GAY>> THAT'S RIGHT. AND WE DID CONDUCT QUITE A FEW MAN ON THE STREET INTERVIEWS. WE TALKED TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT REALLY AFFECTS PEOPLE THE MOST. THE FACT THAT TERRORIST ATTACKS ALWAYS SEEM TO BE SOMETHING OVER THERE IN THE MIDEAST. IT NEVER REALLY TOUCHED YOUR OWN LIVES HERE ON HOME SOIL AND THAT'S THE GREATEST INSULT TO PEOPLE, THAT THIS IS REAL AND THEIR SENSE OF SECURITY IS GONE.

VAL>> NOW IN ADDITION TO WHAT GOVERNOR DAVIS JUST SAID, WE HEARD CALIFORNIA IS BEEFING UP SECURITY IN CERTAIN AREAS. THE ELECTRIC GRID HAS INCREASED SECURITY AROUND IT, STATE WATER PROJECTS, BRIDGES AND, OF COURSE, ANYWHERE IN THE STATE CAPITOL AS WELL, AND ALL STATE BUILDINGS ARE CLOSED FOR TODAY WITH THE EXCEPTION OF NON-ESSENTIAL PERSONNEL. SO GOVERNOR DAVIS IS DOING SOMETHING VERY CONCRETE ABOUT INCREASED SECURITY HERE.

GAY>> AND, OF COURSE, YOU WOULD HAVE TO. THE LOCAL OFFICIALS HAVE COME TOGETHER. THEY HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE FBI, WITH THE FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS AND THEY HAVE ALSO BEEN DISCUSSING IN TERMS OF ANY SORT OF CONTACTS THEY HAVE HAD OR IF THEY'VE HEARD OF ANY TERRORIST ATTACKS --

VAL>> -- IN FACT, I THINK THE CHP DID SAY THERE WERE SOME THREATS, BUT THEY WERE NOT VERIFIABLE AND NOT THEIR IDEA.

JESS>> WHEN YOU WERE AT THE AIRPORT TODAY, THERE MUST HAVE BEEN FAMILIES WHO WERE EXPECTING SOMEONE TO COME IN ON THOSE FLIGHTS. WHAT WERE THEY DOING WITH THEM?

GAY>> WE SPOKE TO SOME OF THE SECURITY PEOPLE AT THE FRONT ENTRANCE. THEY SAID THAT, FOR THE MOST PART, MOST PEOPLE HAD ALREADY HEARD ABOUT IT. ON RARE OCCASIONS, THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE THAT DID NOT. MOST OF THE PEOPLE WHO WERE ALREADY IN THE AIRPORT WERE SHUTTLED OUT. THE AIRPORT WAS EVACUATED AND THEY HAD BEEN TAKEN TO A PARKING LOT CALLED PARKING LOT B AND THAT'S WHERE THEY'VE KIND OF SET UP A BIT OF A COMMAND POST. VARIOUS AIRLINE WORKERS ARE STRUGGLING TO MAKE CONTACT WITH FAMILY MEMBERS PERHAPS OVERSEAS OR HERE ON HOME SOIL OR TRYING TO GET THEM ACCOMMODATIONS, HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS, WHATNOT.

JESS>> ACCOMMODATIONS, CERTAINLY, BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T GET A FLIGHT.

GAY>> THEY CAN'T GET A FLIGHT OUT, BUT RUMOR HAS IT THAT THE AIRPORT MAY OPEN UP AGAIN TOMORROW, BUT THAT HAS BEEN UNCONFIRMED.

JESS>> 30,000 PASSENGERS WERE STRANDED IN ATLANTA'S AIRPORT.

VAL>> 30,000. IT'S UNBELIEVABLE. WE SHOULD ALSO MENTION THAT MAYOR HAHN WAS IN WASHINGTON, D.C. HE ACTUALLY WAS ABLE TO SEE SOME OF THE SMOKE THAT ROSE AFTER THE PENTAGON ATTACK OCCURRED, SO IT'S UNBELIEVABLE. AND THERE ARE SOME SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAMS GOING FROM LOS ANGELES ON MILITARY FLIGHTS TO NEW YORK.

WELL, EARLIER TODAY, LOS ANGELES POLICE CHIEF, BERNARD PARKS, GAVE OUT PUBLIC INFORMATION NUMBERS. THIS IS FOR YOU TO CALL IF YOU WANT AN UPDATE ON WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE IN THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES. THE NUMBER IS 888-356-4661.

JESS>> AND, AS WE SAID, THREE OF THE FOUR PLANES THAT CRASHED AFTER BEING HIJACKED WERE HEADED TO LAX, SO HERE ARE THE NUMBERS FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNITED AND AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHTS THAT TRAGICALLY NEVER MADE IT TO THEIR DESTINATIONS. FOR AMERICAN INFORMATION, YOU CAN CALL 1-800-245-0999. FOR UNITED AIRLINES, THE NUMBER IS 1-800-932-8555.

VAL>> WE NOW GO TO THE NEWSHOUR. WE JOIN THEM IN PROGRESS.

 

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