[Soledad O'brien, Cnn Anchor:] New pictures this hour from Cambodia, where gunmen today took over a local school. Children and teachers taken hostage and the military called in to break it up. Police in Aruba returned to the home of a local judge. Cars and other items taken, possible evidence in the search for Natalee Holloway. And raises in one Arizona community are returning home after a military jet slams into their neighborhood. The very latest on what went wrong on this
[American Morning. Announcer:] From the CNN broadcast center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Soledad O'Brien and Bill Hemmer.
[Bill Hemmer, Cnn Anchor:] On a Thursday, 8:00 in New York. Good morning, everybody. Also ahead, we'll talk about the earthquakes this week, as in plural, all happening in the zone known as the ring of fire, out in the Pacific.
[O'brien:] And, of course, many people are asking if they're connected and if that means that there are more earthquakes, and maybe bigger earthquakes, that are coming. We'll take a look at that this morning.
[Hemmer:] First, the headlines the top of the hour. Back to Carol Costello with those good morning.
[Carol Costello, Cnn Anchor:] Good morning. Good morning to all of you. Now in the news, two car bombs two car bomb attacks target Iraqi forces in Iraq. Five Iraqi soldiers were wounded in an explosion at the gate of an oil company in Kirkuk. In Baghdad, a car bomb wounded five Iraqi soldiers on patrol. And five U.S. Marines were killed on Wednesday by a roadside bomb in Ramadi. A sailor with the unit also died from small arms fire in a separate incident. This month alone, nearly 50 U.S. troops have been killed in Iraq. In South Carolina, a former police officer facing charges after he was captured on videotape beating a suspect. The Dillon Police Department releasing this video. It shows Officer Donnie Grimsley hitting the suspect with a flashlight. Grimsley and other officers are also seen kicking and stomping the suspect as he pleads, "Please stop hitting me." He and another officer have since been fired. Still no sign of pop star Michael Jackson since his acquittal. But one of his brothers says he is at peace and recovering from the ordeal. Jackson hasn't been seen since Monday, when a jury found him not guilty on all 10 counts in his molestation trial. On CNN's "LARRY KING LIVE," Jermaine Jackson clarified some rumors surrounding his brother. [Begin Video Clip From Cnn's "larry King Live"]
[Jermaine Jackson, Michael's Brother:] Michael does not sleep in the bed with children. Also, Michael's quarters at his ranch is the size of a 2,000 or more square foot condo, OK? And at the same time, Michael does not sleep in the bed with children. So that was the misunderstanding that everybody put out there.
[Costello:] Jackson also suggested the pop star might move out of the country. And a stunt by a British tabloid is sparking a review of security procedures at the military academy that Prince Harry attends. The "Sun" of London says one of its reporters, posing as a student, took this video of Prince Harry in training at Sandhurst Academy. The reporter also constructed a fake bomb in his car. The "Sun" says it was tipped off by a concerned insider worried about security at the academy. He was in there for about seven hours just wandering around the halls and...
[Hemmer:] Will it change the rules now?
[Costello:] I think so.
[Hemmer:] Yes.
[O'brien:] I want to guess yes.
[Costello:] I think so.
[Hemmer:] Thanks, Carol.
[Costello:] Sure.
[O'brien:] Thanks. Well, a hostage standoff ended a couple of hours ago at an international school for children. It happened in Siem Reap in Cambodia, in the northern part of the country. Fifty elementary students were held captive at one point. Police say one child was shot and killed by one of the gunmen. Aneesh Raman is live by video phone from the region this morning Aneesh, good morning to you. What's the latest on this?
[Aneesh Raman, Cnn Correspondent:] Soledad, good morning. This six hour stand-off ended amidst gunfire. Police officials on the ground saying that a 5-year-old Canadian boy was killed by the hostage takers. Four of them, the hostage takers, wounded, are now in police custody, being interrogated. These were elementary school children between the ages of two and six, dozens of them of various nationalities. Siem Reap a tourist hub where a number of expatriates live as part of the tourism industry. An international school, so there were all sorts of nationalities there. Hours of negotiations, Soledad. The main demands of the hostage takers throughout the day were threefold. First, they wanted additional arms. They went in with shotguns and AK-47s. They wanted RPG launchers. They also wanted money, about $1,000 U.S., as well as safe transport to the Thai border. The government offered them both a van and money. That is what hostage takers took at the end to try and escape, when they were then taken into custody. Gunfire erupted, we presume, as government officials began to move into that area. And the children all were evacuated immediately, along with their teachers. But very tense moments for the parents, who for hours were standing outside, unsure of the fate of their children Soledad.
[O'brien:] Yes, one can imagine. Aneesh, you said it's an international school. Any reason beyond that, though, why it might have been a target?
[Raman:] That was of much debate today was the why. This was clearly a target that had international reach, both by virtue of it being Siem Reap, the economic sort of backbone of Cambodia right now as a tourism industry, and also because of the expat children that were there. The prime minister, Hun Sen, was quick to say that this was not politically motivated, that, in fact, these were small time criminals essentially looking for money. But that aside, the implications and the effect are very real and what this will mean for the expats there and for security at international schools throughout the region is something that will be debated in the days to come Soledad.
[O'brien:] Sure, I would imagine. Aneesh Raman for us this morning. Aneesh, thanks for that update Bill.
[Hemmer:] Now to Aruba. A ruling is expected today regarding evidence against the three suspects held in the case of Natalee Holloway. Police on Wednesday were back at the home of one of the men, Joran van der Sloot, age 17. They carried out a number of bags and they towed away two cars from the home. Marianne Croes is the spokesperson for the prosecution in Aruba. Good morning to you, Miss. Croes. Thank you for your time here today.
[Marianne Croes, Aruba Prosecution Spokeswoman:] You're very welcome. And good morning to you, too.
[Hemmer:] Did this search yesterday turn up any clues sat the home of van der Sloot?
[Croes:] I cannot talk specifically about clues. But I can say at this time, that two cars were confiscated for further technical investigation.
[Hemmer:] All right, but let me push you just a little bit here. What were they looking for in that home?
[Croes:] As a part of the investigation, they wwere looking for more clues as to the disappearance of the American tourist.
[Hemmer:] Yes. You mentioned the two cars, though. Wasn't the car that was involved the night that Natalee disappeared owned by another young man?
[Croes:] Yes, but that car is already confiscated.
[Hemmer:] Is it fair to say, though, that the focus of your investigation is on this young man, van der Sloot his last name, of Dutch descent, based on the search that was carried out this week?
[Croes:] At the moment, we have three suspects in custody and we are investigating every lead concerning all three suspects.
[Hemmer:] The father of van der Sloot has filed a motion he is a judge in Aruba to get access to his son. Under law in Aruba, will that be granted?
[Croes:] It's he has filed a motion because the prosecutor denied him access and because he wants access to his son. He has filed a motion. Yesterday, that motion was treated before a judge and tomorrow, this morning the decision will be made known.
[Hemmer:] So it's possible that that father could access his son today if that's granted?
[Croes:] Yes, it is.
[Hemmer:] Yes. And, also, Natalee's mother has been saying that it is her fear that because this young man's son is a judge of significant power there in Aruba, that perhaps he is being protected by the state. How would you respond to that charge, Miss. Croes?
[Croes:] I will deny that charge because we are doing our utmost to find, to solve this case and maybe even find Natalee. We really do want to find her and we are doing everything that is possible. And it doesn't matter who is involved. The goal of our investigation is to solve this case and find Natalee.
[Hemmer:] Yes, and one other thing here. This court appearance yesterday, what happened in court?
[Croes:] The prosecutor was called to testify before a judge and a judge of instruction because of the motions filed by the defense in two of the three cases.
[Hemmer:] Yes, and these motions that were filed, one report in "USA Today" indicates that these motions were centered on documents withheld from attorneys for the 17-year-old boy. Is that the case?
[Croes:] Yes. In two of the three cases, the motion filed was because certain documents pertaining to this case were not given to the attorney. That was a decision that was made by the prosecutor. The attorney didn't agree with this decision and that's why they filed the motion.
[Hemmer:] And did they win on that motion or has that been decided?
[Croes:] That will also be decided this morning.
[Hemmer:] OK. We'll keep to watch of the developments out of Aruba today. Marianne Croes is a spokesperson for the prosecutor's officer down there in Palm Beach. Thank you, Miss. Croes.
[Croes:] You're welcome.
[Hemmer:] All right Soledad.
[O'brien:] Bill, thanks. It's almost 10 past the hour. Time to get another check of the weather this morning. And Chad Myers is looking at, what?
[Chad Myers, Cnn Meteorologist:] Some airport delays, I think, the potential for some, at least, in the Northeast. From Newark to LaGuardia and Boston, low ceilings, low cloud cover. They have to space the planes apart a little bit. You can't get as many planes in and out as you'd probably like.
[Hemmer:] Medical breakthroughs are bringing new hope to infertile couples. In a moment, you'll meet a husband and wife who were hoping for twins. Thanks to fertility treatment, they got the surprise of a lifetime. We'll talk about that.
[O'brien:] Also, a series of earthquakes raising new concerns along the Pacific Coast. Is a dangerous pattern developing there?
[Hemmer:] And Mrs. Smith goes to Washington. Angelina Jolie arriving in D.C. to fight for an issue close to her heart. That story still to come on AMERICAN MORNING.