WikiLeaks Docs: Arab Leaders Urged U.S. to Attack Iran; Portland Bomb Plot; Washington's Unfinished Business
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: For allegedly planning to bomb a Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Portland, Oregon. This morning, we're learning more about the teenage and a possible revenge attack on a mosque that he attended.</s>KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: And losing John Lennon, all this week, we're previewing a CNN documentary that counts down to Lennon's murder 30 years ago. This morning, an exclusive interview with the wife of killer, Mark David Chapman.</s>ROBERTS: Looking forward to that, up first, part-Bond movie, part Tom Clancy novel. The whistle blower web site WikiLeaks striking again. The huge document dump revealing conversations between Washington and diplomats stationed around the world.</s>CHETRY: Yes, some of the most fascinating parts are about Iran and Jill Dougherty is live from Washington with more on that. Jill, first of all, how damaging is this latest release of documents?</s>JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN FOREIGN AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Kiran, you know, it's really hard at this point because it's very early now. Not all of the documents have been released, still more to come. So it's hard to assess what overall this will do. But I did talk to one U.S. official who said that this could be hugely damaging and one of the factors is the number of these documents, 250,000 of them, and as I said, there are more to come. It gets into diplomatic issues, leaders, hot spots around the world. Literally almost everywhere the United States has diplomacy. And it's not just U.S. diplomats that are quoted in this. There are leaders from other countries who are quoted talking about third countries. So the net of this and the impact could be really, really broad. This came out, obviously, over the weekend and now Monday, we should be hearing from around the world some reaction to this. It could certainly at a minimum make life difficult for the U.S. diplomats that are in embassies and missions around the world dealing with people, perhaps, about whom they said very uncomplimentary things. But then it rises in significance when you get into U.S. strategy and vision, what the U.S. has been doing with its diplomacy around the world. And one last thing, Kiran and John, I've been looking at some of the blogs and one person said, well, if you've done nothing wrong, you have nothing to fear. But that's not really what we're talking about here. It's not necessarily anything wrong, it's things that were done -- it's the unvarnished truth about things. And that is going to make it very difficult for U.S. diplomats to tell and be honest about what they are reporting back to Washington. It's very, very damaging to the structure of how they do business.</s>ROBERTS: Sort of like if your private conversations were suddenly printed on the front page of the "New York Times." A lot of chatter too about Iran and its nuclear program, specifically regarding both Israel and Saudi Arabia.</s>DOUGHERTY: Right. Those are some of the most interesting. In fact, you have to say in the Arab world in the Mideast, the most interesting stuff will be those comments by Arab leaders, specifically the leader of Saudi Arabia, talking about Iran, the fear and loathing that they have for Iran, its nuclear program, and for the President Ahmadinejad. Another one is this disturbing report that Oran is getting missiles from North Korea. That's a very serious part that's come out in WikiLeaks. And another aspect of this is how they gather intelligence and the cable purportedly coming from Washington and Secretary Clinton, although not always do they come directly from the secretary even though it's signed by her, telling diplomats to gather information on other diplomats. Things like credit card numbers, frequent flier numbers, and that, of course, would lead to the implication that there's spying. Something that Crowley vehemently denies. He says this is what they do, they collect information and added other diplomats from other countries do the same thing.</s>CHETRY: All right, Jill Dougherty for us with the latest on the WikiLeaks. Thank you.</s>ROBERTS: Thanks, Jill. From the White House, to the Pentagon, to Congress, American officials are saying the leak is illegal and may put lives at risk. Congressman Peter King of New York, the Ranking Republican on the House Homeland Security Committee says WikiLeaks should be declared a foreign terrorist organization and called on the Obama administration to prosecute its founder, Julian Assange.</s>CHETRY: Coming up at the bottom of the hour, we're going to speak with the WikiLeaks spokesperson about the accusations and what they think is an organization that this leaks accomplished. In just a few hours, a suspect accused of plotting to set up a bomb at a Christmas tree lighting in Portland, Oregon is due to appear in Federal Court. He's 19-year-old Mohamed Osman Mohammed, a Somali- American charged with trying to use a weapon of mass destruction.</s>ROBERTS: A sting operation exposed the plot. Authorities say Mohammed wanted those attending the tree lighting to leave quote, "either dead or injured." CNN Thelma Gutierrez is following this developing story for us. She's in Portland, chilling, particularly when we considered that he really tried to detonate this bomb. Thankfully, it was a fake bomb and nothing real, but the intent would appear to be there.</s>THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. John, Kiran, the police chief here in Portland told us, even though the public was never in any immediate danger because the bomb was fake, it's frightening to think what would have happened after all, on Friday night, this downtown area was crowded with thousands of people. Who is the suspect? Mohamed Osman Mohammed, we followed his trail to the town of Corvallis.</s>GUTIERREZ (voice-over): Corvallis, Oregon, a picture postcard college town, an hour and a half outside of Portland, the home of Oregon State University. This is where 19-year-old Mohamed Osman Mohammed known as Mo to his friends has lived for the past year and studied engineering part-time. Alex Masik, a friend from high school said Mohamed was outgoing, the kind of guy everyone wanted to hang out with.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He had a lot of friends like he was pretty popular. He seemed like he was friends from people of every crowd.</s>GUTIERREZ: FBI investigators paint a different picture. They say Mohamed, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Somalia told an undercover agent he'd been thinking about committing violent Jihad since he was 15. According to an FBI affidavit, he plotted for months with undercover agents believed to be Jihadists. To detonate a van filled with explosives at a tree lighting ceremony this past Friday in downtown Portland. In preparation, he allegedly exploded a practice bomb earlier this month and recorded a chilling good-bye tape saying "to my parents who held me back from Jihad and the cause of Allah, nothing you can do to can hold me back." FBI agents are investigating an apparent arson attack on the Islamic Center in Corvallis where Mohamed sometimes worshipped the destroyed much of the front office. These men who grew up in Corvallis worry that Muslims once again will be targeted for the actions of one misguided person.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're going to assume that this mosque is what trained him to do such and such item.</s>MOHSIN SAEED, GREW UP IN CORVALLIS: My name is Mohamed, and that first thing threw me off. Great, now Mohamed is forever linked with more and more perpetual --</s>GUTIERREZ: Imam Usif Wanley of the Islamic Center says Mohamed worshipped here once every two months. (on camera): What was your first reaction when you heard that he'd been arrested?</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was shocked. And the greatest thing, you know, that affects me most is I wish I could have intervened in a way.</s>GUTIERREZ: It seems as though you're very saddened by this, very emotional time? Why?</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He had the brightest future, you know.</s>GUTIERREZ: And hurt the Muslim community, as well?</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And put the civilians in threat and the population as a whole.</s>GUTIERREZ: Now the young student who appeared to have it all could face life in prison for attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction. He's scheduled to appear in court later today. John, Kiran --</s>CHETRY: And some of the FBI said they've not made a connection between the apparent attack on the mosque and Mohamed's arrest, but of course, it seems to be more than a coincidence. What are they saying about that?</s>GUTIERREZ: Kiran, that's exactly what the imam believes. He says this mosque has existed in the town of Corvallis for 40 years, they have never been attacked and now this. He says what has been very surprising to him is that the community yesterday as word got out about the alleged attack, people started coming out and talking to them offering their support. Business people have even told the imam that they will help to raise funds so that they can rebuild that center.</s>CHETRY: Thelma Gutierrez for us this morning, thank you.</s>ROBERTS: Some sad news from Hollywood this morning. Actor, Leslie Neilson has died of complications from pneumonia. Neilson's long career as a dramatic actor took a sharp comedic turn in 1980 with his unforgettable role in the movie "Airplane." Surely you remember that? And of course, he went on to star in the police squad television series and then in three "Naked Gun" movies. The great Leslie Neilson, 84 years old.</s>CHETRY: So funny that a whole generation of people that only remember him as the comedic actor not the dramatic actor.</s>ROBERTS: It spawned so many favorite lines. Have you have a favorite line?</s>CHETRY: I still love when he says pudding? And he says no thank you.</s>ROBERTS: I like that famous line. It's is the same old story. Boy finds girl, boy loses girl. Girl finds boy, boy forgets girl. Boy remembers girl, boy loses girl in tragic blimp accident. Goodyear? No, the worst.</s>CHETRY: You really had that one of those planned out.</s>ROBERTS: It's one of those things that sticks with you.</s>CHETRY: He was great. He will be missed, but he'll live on in the movies and quotable quotes. About 10 minutes past the hour right now. I know Reynolds Wolf has a favorite line from Leslie Neilson. He's in the Extreme Weather Center this morning. Hey, Reynolds.</s>REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: I've got to jump onboard with John on that one. That was absolutely classic. One thing that's not going to be so classic today is your travel. We've got millions of Americans still trying to get home either way you're going to be traveling and it might be that pain for many of you. Check out this map behind you -- behind me, rather. Delays in Minneapolis, Chicago, St. Louis, Memphis, Dallas, some of those delays possibly up to an hour or so. The reason why is because this immense storm system right in the middle of the country, top half is going to bringing some storms to the northern plains. Thunderstorms will be a possibility. Very quickly, your temperatures for the day, a bit on the cool side, no surprise for billings, 23 degrees, 71 in Dallas, 53 in D.C., 50 in New York, 85 in Tampa, and 59 in San Francisco. OK, guys, you're up to speed. Let's pitch it back to you in New York. Pretty good day for you guys.</s>ROBERTS: Yes, and 50 degrees not bad in anybody's book this time of year. Reynolds, thanks so much.</s>CHETRY: Still to come on Most News in the Morning, stepping back from the brink of war, China is calling for emergency talks on the crisis in Korea. We're live in South Korea with the latest developments.</s>ROBERTS: Next week marks the 30th anniversary of John Lennon's murder. We have a special documentary this Saturday that looks into the months leading up to it. And this morning, part of our exclusive interview with the wife of Lennon's killer Mark David Chapman.</s>CHETRY: And could it be true? Does Wolf Blitzer really do the dougie? Well, we have the "Soul Train" awards. Got to see more of this video coming up. I love the facial expressions, Wolf. Eleven minutes past the hour.