Missing Student in Aruba; Rumsfeld on Gitmo
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's take a look at what's happening "Now in the News." President Bush calls on Congress to renew the Patriot Act. He'll make his case in a speech you'll see live this hour. Mr. Bush says the law passed after 9/11 is an important tool in the war on terror. Critics say it undermines freedom and civil liberties. We're following new developments in the case of an Alabama teenager missing in Aruba. Police this morning arrested three more men in connection with Natalee Holloway's disappearance. They were last seen -- they were the last people seen with Holloway before she vanished. Details in a live report from Aruba just ahead. Authorities say a fifth person is in custody in the terrorism investigation in Lodi, California. He is the son of a local Muslim leader who was detained earlier. In another development, the FBI has backed off earlier suggestions of a possible plot to attack hospitals and grocery stores. Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan gives a rather upbeat assessment of the nation's economy. In remarks before Congress last hour, Greenspan said the U.S. economy is on reasonably firm footing with no significant slowdown expected. His remarks suggest the Fed will continue its interest rate hikes. Let's check the time. 8:00 a.m. in Lodi, California; 10:00 a.m. in Oklahoma City; and 11:00 a.m. in Columbus, Ohio. From CNN Center in Atlanta, good morning. I'm Daryn Kagan. First up this hour, there are new developments this morning in Aruba. That is where three more men are under arrest in connection with the disappearance of Alabama teenager Natalee Holloway. Our Karl Penhaul is following the story, joins us now from Palm Beach, Aruba.</s>KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, those arrests came just before dawn this morning, and police have spent much of the morning searching the properties where those men were arrested in the search for anything that could lead them to clues as to the whereabouts of Natalee Holloway. The three men that have been arrested were the three last seen in Natalee's company on the early morning when she disappeared. Those were the three men that, together with Natalee, drove off in a vehicle from outside the Carlos 'N Charlie's Mexican restaurant. Now, of course, with these latest arrests, it takes to five the number of people detained in the case of the disappearance of Natalee. We, though, talked to the defense attorney for the first two suspects who were arrested over the weekend to ask him if there was any connection between the three arrested today and the other two arrested over on the weekend.</s>CHRIS LEJUEZ, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: My client does not know these three men. But I do know, out of the five, that these three men were the three -- the last three to see Natalee Holloway that night, probably the night of her disappearance, when they took her back to her hotel at approximately 2:30 in the morning.</s>PENHAUL: We're awaiting a press conference later on, possibly around midday or early afternoon, and hope to get some more updates then -- Daryn.</s>KAGAN: Karl Penhaul, live from Palm Beach, Aruba. Thank you. President Bush is campaigning for renewal of the Patriot Act. He is set to deliver a speech in just a few minutes. Our Congressional Correspondent Joe Johns is traveling with the president and joins us live from Columbus, Ohio, with a preview. Joe, good morning.</s>JOE JOHNS, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn. The president just got here in Columbus, Ohio, accompanied by the attorney general, Alberto Gonzales. The president appearing in just a little while here at the Ohio Highway Patrol Academy to promote the renewal of 16 provisions of the Patriot Act that are set to expire at the end of the year. The White House chose this location because it was here in the Columbus area that the case of Iyman Faris played out. He was the truck driver who was arrested and pleaded guilty, accused of assisting al Qaeda, even meeting Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in 2002. The administration says it used provisions of the Patriot Act to follow the truck driver.</s>SCOTT MCCLELLAN, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: He's an individual that had gone to Afghanistan and met with Osama bin Laden at an al Qaeda training camp and helped terrorists research airplanes and handle case and purchase supplies. And he met with Khalid Sheikh Mohammed back in 2002 and agreed to take part in the al Qaeda plot to destroy a New York City bridge. After he returned back to the United States, federal investigators used the Patriot Act to follow him. And once he was confronted with the evidence against him, he cooperated and provided valuable information to law enforcement authorities.</s>JOHNS: Now, review and renewal of some of the provisions of the Patriot Act is, of course, controversial. There are some who say there need to be revisions in order to protect civil liberties. The administration, on the other hand, says stripping any of the provisions of the Patriot Act would make America less safe. Daryn, back to you.</s>KAGAN: Joe Johns, live from Columbus, Ohio. Thank you. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld weighing in on the future of the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Human rights activists, some politicians and even a former president have recommended shutting it down. Our Pentagon Correspondent Barbara Starr joins us with reaction from Rumsfeld. Good morning.</s>BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Daryn. Well, in the wake of calls, at least from the news media, from Senator Biden, from Jimmy Carter, former President Carter, the questions do continue to come to administration officials about what to do about Guantanamo Bay. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld earlier this week made it very clear that in his view there is no consideration in the administration for closing down the detention facility on Cuba. But at a press conference in Europe earlier today, he was asked again about that very question. And he offered some more insight into his thinking. Here's what had he to say.</s>DONALD RUMSFELD, DEFENSE SECRETARY: A whole lot of questions come to mind. If you closed it, where would you go? The -- our desire all along has been to see that people who were involved in the September 11 killing of 3,000 men, women and children, and were captured, engaged in terrorist activities, or captured on battlefields in Afghanistan or Iraq or elsewhere, be kept off the streets so they don't kill more people. Second, it has been an attempt to find out from them information about potential terrorist attacks that might be in the offing. And, in fact, that's happened.</s>STARR: Now, one of the reasons the secretary of defense was asked about this was yesterday, President Bush was also asked by a reporter for a news organization what his view was on closing down Guantanamo Bay, especially after President Carter spoke on the matter. President Bush getting some attention in those remarks because he said the U.S. was exploring all alternatives, but administration officials behind the scenes are making it very clear that the only alternatives they are really considering is continuing with their ongoing plans to send detainees off the island, back to their home countries for detention or release when that is possible. No consideration being given to shutting gown Guantanamo Bay at this point. Daryn, there are still 520 detainees on the island, and 234 have actually left the island since the operation began there. And when they talk about leaving the island, what they mean is that alternative, sending them back to their home country for detention if they are still deemed to be a threat, or sending them back to their home country for release -- Daryn.</s>KAGAN: All right. Barbara Starr at the Pentagon. Thank you. Authorities are holding a fifth person in an ongoing terror investigation in California. He is the son of a local Muslim leader detained earlier in Lodi, California. That's near Sacramento. Another father and son are also being held. They're accused of lying about the son attending a terrorist training camp. Also, the FBI is backing up earlier details about a possible plot to attack grocery stores and hospitals. To Capitol Hill now, and live pictures for you. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff testifying before a House committee this morning. He's discussing how prepared his department is to respond to terrorism threats facing the nation. Lawmakers are looking into emergency procedures for the Capitol building. That hearing also taking place. Live pictures for you at this hour. A scare involving a small plane last month led to mass evacuation of the Capitol and the White House. CNN "Security Watch" keeps you up to date on safety. Stay tuned day and night for the most reliable news about your security. Well, something wicked threatens. Lots of tornado warnings around Leavenworth County, Texas, yesterday. But it was thunderstorms that delivered the power punch: two inches of rain and 80-mile-an-hour winds that knocked out electricity. Also, you'll want to keep an eye on the Caribbean, where a tropical depression has grown into the first named storm of the season. Forecasters say Tropical Storm Arlene could reach Cuba by tonight and move into the Gulf of Mexico tomorrow.</s>KAGAN: We are expecting -- speaking of standing by, we are expecting President Bush to speak in Columbus, Ohio, about 10 minutes from now. He's expected to make his case for the Patriot Act. We will bring you live coverage of the president's speech when it begins. A lot of lawmakers will be paying attention to the president's pitch, including Russ Feingold. The senator has been a vocal critic of the Patriot Act. He will also weigh in later this hour.