Monday, February 19

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Editor's Note: The CNN Wire is a running log of the latest news from CNN World Headquarters, reported by CNN's correspondents and producers, and The CNN Wire editors. "Posted" times are Eastern Standard.

Closing arguments in criminal trial of ex-Cheney aide start Tuesday

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The jury in the criminal trial of Vice President Cheney's former chief of staff may be asked for some good faith as they prepare to deliberate the charges against Lewis "Scooter" Libby.

Closing arguments in the trial that began January 23 are slated to begin Tuesday.

This past Friday, after the court's week had ended, Libby's defense attorneys filed papers asking the judge to allow a statement of "good faith" to be read to the jury.

"Evidence of good faith can negate the specific intent to commit the crimes," Libby's lawyers wrote, citing as evidence Libby's testimony to a grand jury in March, 2004 that eventually indicted him on charges that include perjury and obstruction of justice.

"He describes his efforts to recall accurately the conversations he was asked to recount, and explains how and why any inaccuracies may have innocently occurred," said the defense counsel.

"If the evidence in this case leaves you with a reasonable doubt as to whether Mr. Libby acted with criminal intent or bad faith, you must find Mr. Libby not guilty," his lawyers wrote as part of the proposed statement. (Posted 2:30 a.m.)

Police release sketches of suspects in train bombing; death toll climbs to 68

NEW DELHI (CNN) -- Indian police Tuesday released sketches of two men suspected in the deadly fire bombing of a Pakistani-bound train north of New Delhi.

According to Director General of Police Sharad Kumar, the sketches were based on eyewitness accounts that two men, believed to be in their 20s, jumped off the train before a pair of explosions went off in two passenger cars, killing at least 68 people.

Calling it a "well-planned conspiracy," he said four to five people may have been involved in the plot.

According to Kumar, digital timers used to set off the bombs have been found by investigators.

Authorities are offering about $2,300 for leads in the case and have interrogated about 30 to 35 people.

The gasoline-based bombs went off early Monday morning as the Samjhauta Express passed through Panipat, about 50 miles north of New Delhi.

Northern Rail spokesman Rakesh Saxena said three unexploded bombs were found near the train tracks.

There were 610 passengers on the train which originated in New Delhi.

Although a precise breakdown was not available, authorities believed most of the victims were Pakistanis.

A specially scheduled train from Pakistan arrived in the Indian capital Tuesday morning, allowing family members to visit injured loved ones at Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi or travel to Panipat to claim remains at the morgue. (Posted 2:10 a.m.)

Coalition destroys helicopter at crash site after completing site investigation

KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Coalition forces have completed the crash site investigation of a U.S. military CH-47 helicopter that went down in southeastern Afghanistan Sunday morning, killing eight U.S. soldiers and wounding 14 others, a coalition statement released Tuesday said.

"The U.S. Army Chinook helicopter was damaged beyond repair and could not be moved from the crash site," the statement said.

"Coalition forces destroyed the wreckage late Monday evening to clear the area of large debris and to prevent possible exploitation of the site by terrorist groups."

Investigators will use their findings from the site to try to determine the cause of the crash, although a coalition spokesman said earlier that weather was not believed to be a factor.

At the time the helicopter went down, a coalition statement said the pilot reported experiencing a "sudden, unexplained loss of power and control." (Posted 1:10 a.m.)

Coalition drops 2,000 bomb on Taliban insurgents

KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Coalition forces launched a precision airstrike on Taliban fighters cornered in a cave in central Afghanistan Tuesday, a coalition military statement said.

According to the statement, Afghan National Army and coalition forces engaged Taliban insurgents in western Uruzgan province, while clearing roadside bombs.

During the fighting, Taliban fighters retreated into a cave.

"Coalition forces dropped one 2,000 pound bomb on the cave, sealing it off," the coalition said.

"Due to the precision of the airstrike, there were no damages or injuries to civilians during the operation. Additionally, there were no reported Afghan or Coalition casualties during the engagement."

There was no immediate word on the fates of the Taliban fighters. (Posted 12:30 a.m.)

U.S. soldier dies in Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) -- A U.S. soldier died Monday during combat operations near Naray in northeastern Afghanistan's Kunar province, a U.S. military statement said.

Since the start of Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S. military has suffered 295 fatalities in Afghanistan. (Posted 11:10 p.m.)

Stranded climbers, dog off Mount Hood after frigid night

MOUNT HOOD, Ore. (CNN) -- Three formerly stranded climbers and a dog were off Mount Hood Monday afternoon, a day after they fell over a ledge and spent a cold night huddled with the Labrador retriever in sleeping bags, a rescue spokesman said.

The two women and a man, who suffered only minor injuries, were brought down under their own power, accompanied by three rescue teams. They were brought to a state camp site, said Russell Gubele of Mountain Wave Search and Rescue.

Trevor Liston, one of five climbers -- from the original group of eight -- who were rescued from the mountain Sunday, said the other members of the group were relieved to learn that their friends had been found shortly before 11 a.m. Monday. (Posted 7:24 p.m.)

Cruise delayed as divers investigate damage to ship

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (CNN) -- Princess Cruises delayed the departure of the Regal Princess for at least a day while it investigates the extent of damage to a salt-water ballast tank, which occurred as the ship was arriving Monday morning in Acapulco, a spokeswoman said.

Julie Benson said it was not clear whether the ship had run aground. "The cause of that damage is still unclear," she said. "We're investigating and assessing the full extent of the damage and we have divers down under the ship as we speak doing that." (Posted 6:22 p.m.)

Pakistan: Al Qaeda not using tribal region for regrouping

ISLAMABAD (CNN) -- Pakistan denied published reports Monday that indicated al Qaeda is active and getting stronger in its tribal North Waziristan region along the country's border with Afghanistan.

Pakistani Information Minister Mohammad Ali Durani told CNN the reports -- initially from the New York Times -- are "ridiculous."

"We have deployed more than 80,000 troops in that area, and we are controlling that belt," Durani said. "And whenever we get any Taliban or al Qaeda activity report, we always go in with full force and destroy those camps. We ourselves are victims of these terrorist activities and cannot allow them to get stronger."

Durani also said that it is "ridiculous to point fingers without any reason."

"If someone has any information, they should have passed that on to us," he said. (Posted 6:02 p.m.)

Gunman believed dead in fiery Maryland standoff, police say

FREDERICK, Md. (CNN) -- A gunman set a Maryland liquor store ablaze during a standoff with police Monday and is believed to have died in the fire, a police spokesman said Monday.

The blaze inflicted heavy damage on the Antietam Plaza strip mall in Frederick, about 36 miles west of Baltimore, but there were no injuries to police or anyone else in the shopping center, Frederick police Lt. Thomas Chase said. (Posted 3:36 p.m.)

U.S. Marine killed in Anbar fighting; 3 soldiers killed on patrol

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- A U.S. Marine assigned to Multi-National Force-West was killed Monday during fighting in Iraq's Anbar province, according to a U.S. military news release.

The Marine is the fifth American service member attached to Multi-National Force-West to die in Anbar fighting since Friday.

Also Monday, three soldiers were killed and two were wounded by a roadside bomb that struck their patrol southwest of Baghdad, the military said.

Earlier on Monday, the military announced that a soldier and a Marine assigned to the same force also died in Sunday fighting in Anbar, west of Baghdad. It was not clear if they were killed in the same incident. Two other Marines attached to the unit died in Anbar combat, one on Friday and one on Saturday. (Posted 3:04 p.m.)

Rescuers reach 3 stranded climbers on Mount Hood

MOUNT HOOD, Ore. (CNN) -- Rescue teams Monday reached three climbers who fell over a ledge on Oregon's Mount Hood and will assist them getting off the mountain, a spokesman for the rescuers told CNN.

"They will assist in their own rescue," said Russell Gubele (prono: GOO blay). "They're going to walk down. ... We'll be helping them."

The two women and a man spent Sunday night huddled with their Labrador retriever in sleeping bags, waiting for rescue, he said.

Once the sun rose shortly after 7 a.m. (10 a.m. ET), Monday's rescue operation began, Gubele, command officer for Mountain Wave Search and Rescue, told CNN. "We knew where they were," he said. "Weather was really bad. ... It was a matter of getting the teams down there to them." (Posted 2:51 p.m.)

Violence in Iraq kills at least 33, wounds 87

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- Violence inside Iraq's capital and in outlying areas left at least 33 people dead and 87 wounded Monday, Iraqi officials reported.

Mortars slammed into a residential area in southern Baghdad's Dora district Monday afternoon, killing 11 people and wounding 14, Iraqi police said. Earlier, a bomb exploded inside a minibus in central Baghdad, killing two people and wounding eight, police said.

About 30 minutes later, six people were killed, including three Iraqi police officers, and 40 were wounded -- 10 of them police -- when a pair of roadside bombs exploded near an Iraqi police patrol in the Zafaraniya district of southeastern Baghdad, police said.

Earlier in the morning, a car bomb exploded along a street in Mahmoudiya, about 25 miles (40 km) south of Baghdad, killing one person and wounding four, police said.

North of Baghdad in Baiji, a roadside bomb attack on a convoy of Iraqi government ministers and other officials left three Iraqi police dead and six wounded, an official with Tikrit police said. None of the officials were injured in the attack.

An attack on an Iraqi army officer's home in Dhuluiya, about 50 miles north of Baghdad, killed five people, including an Iraqi soldier, and wounded 10, six of them Iraqi soldiers, a Tikrit police official said. The army officer was not hurt in the attack. Three other attacks left five dead and five wounded. (Posted 2:14 p.m.)

Hamas-Fatah power-sharing deal overshadows Mideast peace talks

JERUSALEM (CNN) -- A recent power-sharing deal between the moderate Palestinian Fatah movement and hard-line Hamas leaders put a damper on Monday's effort to restart peace negotiations with Israel, U.S. State Department officials said.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's meeting Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Jerusalem had been scheduled before Fatah and Hamas officials signed an agreement to form a unity government on Feb. 8 in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

That agreement took the focus away from Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts and turned Rice's role on Monday into a moderator between the two leaders over the tensions created by the Mecca agreement.

Evidence of those tensions came in a brief, vague statement read by Rice after the talks. She described the meeting as "useful and productive," and said all three expect to meet again soon, without offering any specifics. (Posted 1:49 p.m.)

Next step for Dems: change war authorization?

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- It's one of the biggest arguments the Iraq war's supporters use to condemn critics in Congress. And if Democrats have their way, it may be replaced.

Democratic senators are talking Monday about revising the authorization for use of force in Iraq that was passed by Congress in 2002. They would do so by working to pass a new resolution putting additional restrictions on military action in the country.

Senate Democratic leaders have tentatively agreed to try to modify the 2002 resolution, two senior Democratic aides told CNN.

On Sunday's political talk shows, Democrats chatted up the idea. "I've been working with some of my colleagues to try to convince them that that's the way to go -- to repeal and restate the president's authority, make it clear that the purpose that he has troops in there is to, in fact, protect against al Qaeda gaining chunks of territory, training the Iraqi forces, force protection, and for our forces," Sen. Joe Biden, a presidential hopeful, told CBS's "Face the Nation." (Posted 12:15 p.m.)

Insurgents strike U.S.-Iraqi base; 10 reported dead, including 2 U.S. soldiers

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- Three suicide car bombs detonated Monday morning near an outpost of U.S. troops and Iraqi police north of Baghdad, part of a coordinated attack that killed two U.S. soldiers and eight Iraqi police officers, Iraqi officials told CNN.

The U.S. military issued a news release confirming an attack on a "coalition combat outpost" north of Baghdad that involved a suicide car bomber. The military said the "coordinated attack" killed two soldiers and wounded 17. It did not reveal the exact location of the attack.

Iraqi officials said the insurgents targeted Iraqi police headquarters in Tarmiya -- about 25 miles (40 km) north of Baghdad -- which also houses U.S. troops.

After a series of three suicide car bombings, 50 gunmen opened fire on the outpost, the officials said.

A U.S. military official confirmed that insurgents fired small arms and threw grenades after an initial car bombing.The site has been secured and the incident is under investigation, the U.S. military said. (Posted 10:35 a.m.)

Iranian patrol boats probe Iraqi waters

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- In the days after a Feb. 11 U.S. military press conference in Baghdad claiming Iran was supplying advanced weapons to Iraqi insurgents, Iranian patrol boats and other small Iranian flagged ships probed defensive measures near two Iraqi offshore oil terminals at the northern end of the Persian Gulf, several U.S. military officials told CNN Monday.

The Iranian actions have been a subject of several operational briefings for U.S. military personnel in recent days. All of the officials emphasized that so far the United States does not see the Iranian moves as aggressive or provocative. The assessment is that the probes are part of a continuing effort by Iran to raise its military presence in the Persian Gulf.

Officials said that for several months they have seen Iranian flagged vessels attempt to approach oil terminals in the area, but activity increased last week.

On at least two days last week, Iranian patrol boats crossed into Iraqi waters at the northern end of the gulf. The boats stayed inside Iraqi waters for several minutes before being told to leave by Iraqi security forces. The Iranians boats did not approach the oil terminals.

Iraqi security forces recently took over the main responsibility for guarding the terminals, although U.S. naval forces remain nearby. The U.S. Navy believes the probes are an effort by Iran to see what kind of military reaction they get from Iraqi and U.S. naval forces. --From CNN Pentagon Correspondent Barbara Starr (Posted 10:30 a.m.)

With fliers stranded, JetBlue vows 'Customer Bill of Rights'

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Despite promises to rectify the chaos caused by nearly a week of vastly interrupted flight schedules, JetBlue Airways began President's Day by canceling 23 percent of its flights nationwide.

Flights have been canceled in and out of 11 airports: Richmond, Va.; Pittsburgh, Pa.; Charlotte and Raleigh/Durham, N.C.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Austin and Houston, Texas; Bermuda; Columbus, Ohio; Nashville, Tenn.; and Portland, Maine.

By Tuesday, the airline hopes to be 90 percent operational and begin the task of delivering the huge number of misplaced bags to passengers around the country, said spokeswoman Jennifer Dervin.

By Wednesday, Dervin said, the airline expects to be 100 percent operational.

The damage caused to the company's reputation has not gone unnoticed by CEO David Neeleman, who has drawn up a "Customer Bill of Rights" to be unveiled Tuesday. (Posted 9:55 a.m.)

IRNA: Iran executes man for last week's deadly bombing attack

TEHRAN (CNN) -- Iranian officials Monday executed a man identified as one of the main perpetrators in last week's car bombing that killed 11 members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and wounded 31 others, Iran's state-run news agency, IRNA, reported.

According to the report, Nasrollah Shanbe-Zehi was hanged in the southeastern Iranian city of Zahedan, where the attack took place Wednesday.

A large number of residents witnessed the hanging and voiced support of the execution by chanting anti-U.S. and anti-Israel slogans, IRNA reported.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini said that an investigation revealed foreigners were behind the attack, according to IRNA. (Posted 8:41 a.m.)

Embassy employee suffers nosebleed after opening letter, triggering false alarm

PARIS (CNN) -- An employee at the Canadian Embassy in Paris experienced a nosebleed and fell ill shortly after opening a letter on Monday, triggering fears that the letter was toxic and prompting authorities to temporarily shut down the embassy and adjacent street, a Paris police spokesman told CNN.

The alert was lifted after police determined the employee had been ill for some time and had been experiencing nosebleeds.

Employees have since returned to the embassy, located in a trendy section of the city, just off the Champs-Elysees. The street outside the embassy, Avenue Montaigne, has been reopened.

The letter was taken for analysis by police wearing protective suits, as a precaution, police said. (Posted 6:38 a.m.)

British police arrest suspect in string of letter bombs

LONDON (CNN) -- British authorities early Monday arrested a suspect in a string of parcel bombings across Britain that injured several people in recent weeks, police told CNN.

The man was arrested in Cambridge, in eastern England, police said. They said an examination of his house in Cambridge by forensic officers is under way and could last several days.

The bombs were sent in two main clusters, the first on January 18 to forensic science laboratories in the Oxfordshire and West Midlands area. The second was earlier this month to the offices of agencies that regulate motor vehicles, including a driver's license office in south Wales. The other package was sent to a house in Kent used as a business address, where it exploded, injuring the householder.

Detectives believe all seven letter bombs are linked. Police say they cannot guarantee that there are not more devices in the postal system and have urged members of the public to be vigilant. (Posted 6 a.m.)

Middle East leaders, Rice meet in Jerusalem

JERUSALEM (CNN) -- With downplayed expectations of success or even progress in the Middle East peace process, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

There has been a "lowering of expectations for the outcome," said Miri Eisen, Olmert's spokeswoman. "The importance of this meeting is in their sitting down and having dialogue."

Eisen said it's just important that the meeting is taking place.

"We try to define it as confidence-building," she said. "You have to meet somebody and talk to him and see if you have confidence and trust each other and see if there is a sense that you can go forward."

The meeting of Israeli and Palestinian leaders came despite no sign that a new Palestinian government will do what world leaders have called for: renounce terrorism and recognize Israel. (Posted 5 a.m.)

56 suspected terrorists detained in military operations in Iraq

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- Coalition Forces detained seven suspected terrorists and destroyed a vehicle rigged with explosives device during a raid east of Tikrit Monday morning, a U.S. military statement said.

The raid was launched after intelligence reports "indicated a suspected terrorist with ties to the foreign fighter facilitator network was working the targeted area," the statement said. In apprehending the targeted individual, coalition forces also detained six other suspected terrorists.

The forces also discovered a vehicle bomb on the property and destroyed it, the military said. Tikrit is located about 80 miles north of Baghdad.

In weekend operations, U.S. soldiers detained 49 suspected terrorists during raids Friday and Saturday in Quarghuli Village, southwest of Baghdad, another U.S. military statement said. Dubbed "Operation Polar Iron," the two-day operation consisted of air and ground assaults on "anti-Iraqi forces believed to be operating in and around Quarghuli Village."

According to the military, the area has been "long known as a terrorist safe haven." (Posted 3:05 a.m.)

Criminal investigation opened into McDonald's restaurant blast

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (CNN) -- The city prosecutor's office in St. Petersburg opened a criminal investigation Monday into a bomb blast that tore through a McDonald's restaurant in the city center the night before, wounding six people, Russia's Interfax news agency reported.

"The criminal case was opened under the article of the Criminal Code of attempted murder of two and more persons," city prosecutor Sergei Zaitsev said, according to Interfax.

"The substance from which the bomb was made is now being identified. The blast did not cause serious destruction."

According to Interfax, four people were shell-shocked, one was hospitalized for burns and another person was treated for shrapnel wounds. (Posted 2 a.m.)

U.S. Marine dies in Anbar province

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- A U.S. Marine was killed Saturday during combat operations in Anbar province, west of Baghdad, a U.S. military statement released Monday said.

According to the military, the Marine was assigned to Multi-National Force-West.

Since the start of the war, the U.S. military has suffered 3,132 fatalities in Iraq. (Posted 1:30 a.m.)

Sabotage suspected as 65 dead, 12 hurt by blasts on Pakistan-bound Indian train

PANIPAT, India (CNN) -- India's home secretary said explosions on board an Indian passenger train bound for Pakistan that killed at least 65 people and wounded at least 12 early Monday were the work of subversives and were intended to subvert the peace process

"This is an act of sabotage," said Indian Home Secretary V.K. Dugal, who blamed the high death toll on the early hour of the blasts, saying many people were sleeping.

The pair of explosions happened in two passenger coaches as the Samjhauta Express passed through Panipat, about 50 miles north of New Delhi, said Northern Rail spokesman Rakesh Saxena.

Saxena said three unexploded bombs were found near the train tracks. There were 610 passengers on the train which originated in New Delhi, he said.

Dugal told CNN, "It now appears they were petrol-based devices."

The Samjhauta Express -- which translates into "Friendship Express" -- was established several years ago as Indian and Pakistan officials worked to improve relations between the two countries and the incident came as Pakistani Foreign Minister Khursheed Kasuri was due in New Delhi on Tuesday for talks with Indian leaders on the peace process between the two nations. (Posted 12:35 a.m.)

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