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Connect the World
Show of Solidarity in Norway; Interview with Norwegian Prime Minister; First Australian Wins Tour de Franc; Strauss-Kahn's Accuser Speaks Out; Human Trafficking Crackdown in Mexico; How Mexican Government Keeps Tourists Coming; Countdown to London Olympics: British Diver Tom Daley; Parting Shots of Norway Memorial Service
Aired July 25, 2011 - 16:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BECKY ANDERSON, HOST: A show of solidarity by a nation in mourning -- more than 100,000 people filled the streets of Oslo with a message of peace after the weekend of despair. The killer in court and a chilling claim -- he says there are more cells in his extremist network.
Also tonight, the hotel maid accusing Dominique Strauss-Kahn of sexual assault -- listen to her story and decide for yourself, is she telling the truth?
And with this week marking a year to go to London 2012, we'll introduce you to an Olympic veteran and hometown favorite who is juggling his training with the pressures of high school.
These stories and more tonight as we connect the world.
Well, he admits to mass murder and suggest he didn't act alone. The man charged with terror attacks in Norway makes his first appearance in court amid a national outpouring of grief for the victims. And as Anders Behring Brevik looked rather pleased with himself as he left the closed door hearing. The judge said Brevik admitted to last week's bombings and shooting rampage and claimed to have worked for two other extremist cells. But he would not accept criminal guilt.
Here's how the judge put it, speaking through a translator.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
INGER-JOHANNE BAUER, TRANSLATOR, OSLO DISTRICT COURT (through translator): Despite that the accused has acknowledged the actual circumstances, he has not pleaded guilty. According to what the court understands, the accused believed that he needed to carry out these acts in order to save Norway and Western Europe from, among other things, cultural Marxism and Muslim take over.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, surely after that hearing, huge crowds filled the streets of Oslo in a show of grief and solidarity. Many carried roses to honor the victims of Friday's attacks.
Well, police have now lowered the death toll from 93 to 76 -- still an unfathomable number of lives lost in a senseless tragedy.
Well, Brevik's attorney says his client was eager to appear in court today, hoping to have a public platform for his views. Indeed, a manifesto apparently written by Brevik refers to mass killings as "a marketing tool," a way to get the world to take notice of his anti-Muslim crusade.
Well, Michael Holmes, my colleague, is following all of these developments for me tonight from Oslo and he joins us from there -- Michael.
MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Becky, it has been a very dramatic day. At the court hearing, as you said, Anders Brevers -- Brevik, he had planned to talk, if you like. He had planned to say some of his manifesto and give his views on the Islamic growth in Europe, all the sort of stuff that we've been hearing.
But the police, as you said, they went to the judge and they said to him, we're worried that he's going to try to send a message to other co- conspirators out there, if they do exist. And so they wanted a closed court hearing. And that's what they got.
The media had been hoping to get in there and see this hearing. It didn't happen. But the judge did give a news conference afterwards, as you heard a little bit of it there. And he did give a lot of detail about -- about what Brevik has said to the police and what he's said in court.
And a lot of it is very disturbing stuff. He said that the accused wanted to give a strong signal that cannot be misunderstood and -- and referring to the Labour Party here, he said that if it carries out its policies, it must assume responsibility for this "treason" -- that was his word. And he said he cannot allow this country to be, in his words, colonized by Muslims.
Now, obviously the -- the -- the drama that was going on inside that courtroom would have been something to see.
What we heard then was the judge remanded him custody for eight weeks. Four of those weeks are going to be in solitary confinement. He won't be allowed to see anyone other than his own lawyers. And -- and he won't be allowed to see radio, newspapers or anything like that.
So, Becky, it was -- it was a very dramatic day in court. He's got to be back in court in eight -- within eight weeks for another remand hearing.
ANDERSON: Yes, Michael, amazing stuff. And I know we alluded to other extremist cells out there, although we don't have any more details on that as of yet, I understand.
Just before we go, what's going on behind you?
HOLMES: Yes, now it's interesting, Becky. This is the main cathedral here in Oslo. And over the last couple of hours, there were very emotional scenes here. A crowd of probably over -- well over 100,000 people started up there in the square, about a few hundred meters from here, and -- and slowly -- they met up there, first of all. And everyone had flowers. At one point, there was silence and everyone held up these flowers. It was a very dramatic, very emotional scene. And then everyone moved down here to the cathedral. And there's still several hundred people milling around. And -- and sort of behind those people back there, there is a carpet of flowers. I mean it -- it's probably, you know, 50 yards by about 20 yards of just flowers that people have placed there in remembrance and -- and to show their respect for those who have lost their lives over this -- on Friday.
A very, very sad, very solemn moment, too --
ANDERSON: Yes.
HOLMES: -- and Norwegians coming out in their tens of thousands to show their respect.
ANDERSON: Yes, remarkable stuff.
Michael, thank you for that.
Michael Holmes for you tonight in Oslo.
Well, while 76 families grieve tonight for the loss of their loved ones, others still don't have closure. Several people are still missing on the island of Utoeya, where a gunman took his anger out on young people attending summer camp.
Diana Magnay has more on the search operations.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
DIANA MAGNAY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's a painstaking task and a grim one, scouring the dark waters of this Norwegian field for the few still listed as missing and for clothes, shoes, anything belonging to those who met their death here. Tommy Odegaard has been leading the Red Cross' search operation since Friday evening.
(on camera): When did it begin to sink in, what had happened?
TOMMY ODEGAARD, RED CROSS: Well, I'm not sure if anything have -- things happened yet. I've been very concentrated about the work that we are doing and tried to keep the -- my emotions a little bit away from this. So maybe it will take some time until they -- they'll come.
MAGNAY (voice-over): Just across from the island, a family lays flowers for the dead. Rolf Lie tells me he's already heard enough about the twisted thinking of the man behind this massacre -- the hatred of immigrants and crusading mentality revealed in his manifesto and splashed across the world's press.
ROLF LIE, UTOEYA RESIDENT: His message should not be spread too much. It's not a good force. He wants the whole world to see and imagine his thoughts. And I think that's not the best way.
MAGNAY (on camera): What did you think when you read about his manifesto?
ODEGAARD: I was scared. I think this is Hitler Number Two.
MAGNAY: We're five minutes from Utoeya and we've just driven past this cutting (ph) which has graffiti on it saying things like, "White Power," "Die Black People" and a swastika. It does make you wonder.
Brevik acted out on his far right ideologies, but how many people in this society feel the same way as he does?
(voice-over): Odegaard has been too busy to watch the news or to read much about the killer.
ODEGAARD: Well, I guess other people knows a lot more of the circumstances, some things around this, than I do, because I haven't been watching any news at all. This is what we have been doing all weekend, searching for people.
MAGNAY: The police have revised the death count down from the 93 first feared dead and say they hope to finish their investigations here by sundown on Monday. But Norway, as a country, will long be searching for answers as to how this green and pleasant land could have bred such a monster.
Diana Magnay, CNN, near Utoeya, Norway.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, the Norwegian prime addressed mourners today in Oslo. He encouraged them to engage in the political process, saying free choice is the jewel of democracy. He also said evil can kill a person, but it cannot kill an entire society.
Well, CNN's Nic Robertson sat down with the prime minister earlier today.
Here is part of their discussion.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: You have experienced the loss of people who were near and dear and close to you. People you (INAUDIBLE) -- you've known for -- for decades.
JENS STOLTENBERG, NORWEGIAN PRIME MINISTER: Yes, people are -- people I have known for many years, I know their parents, friends. And this youth camp is a annual traditional camp in -- in the Labour Party of Norway. And I -- I myself have participated every summer since 1974.
ROBERTSON: Since you were a teenager.
STOLTENBERG: Yes, since I was a teenagers. And it's a great symbol of, you know, young people being active, participating in political debates and learning about society and learning about the political system of Norway. And all these young people are people who would like to make a difference for -- for Norway, because this is where are the leaders of tomorrow of Norway.
ROBERTSON: How do you explain this not to the nation, but to yourself?
STOLTENBERG: I think that I never will be able to explain it fully to myself, how this could happen and the horror that so many people experienced at that island on Friday. Because many people were killed. But many more people, young people, teenagers, some children, saw other children, young people being killed. I think no one will have an -- no one who wasn't there will never be able to fully understood what happened.
ROBERTSON: There must have been moments in the past few days where you just want to stop and take a moment for yourself.
STOLTENBERG: To be honest, I think that, for me, it has been -- it has -- it has given me strength. It has given me, in a way, courage that I have the responsibility to help and to assist and to try to give some kind of direction.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
ANDERSON: Jens Stoltenberg, the Norwegian prime minister.
Our top story this hour, the Norway massacre.
Coming up, whether the suspect had help and the rise of the extreme far right in Europe. That is just two minutes away.
Then, the first Australian to ever win the world's premier cycling event and the Norwegians who rode with heavy heart.
And his accuser goes public -- the latest twist in the sexual assault case against Dominique Strauss-Kahn.
We're taking a very short break.
Back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Brimming with paranoia -- images of the crusades and rants against Muslims. This 12 minute video and 1,500 page manifesto were found on the Facebook page of Anders Brevik over the weekend. Police say the Norwegian mass murder suspect posted his rambling European Declaration of Independence just hours before the killings.
In the document, Brevik blames multiculturalism and Islamicization for what he considers the annihilation of the European race. And he calls on Europeans to form a resistance movement. He claims that he's not driven by a hatred of Muslims, but what he calls a love for Europe.
Well, right now, police are trying to figure out whether Brevik is a demented loner, or if he is truly part of a newer, angrier nationalist movement in Europe.
Dan Rivers that's a look at the rise of the far right.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
DAN RIVERS, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It looks like a classic al Qaeda attack, but this was from the opposite end of the political spectrum. Far right extremists, possibly a lone wolf, furious at perceived Islamification in Norway, venting his anger on his own people.
But it appears Anders Behring Brevik wasn't alone in his warped political ideology. His alleged manifesto boasts of links around Europe and he even claims he attended a summit with other extremists in April 2002 in London.
Far right groups have condemned the massacre in Britain, but some, like the English Defence League, whose rallies have often descended into violence, have described the attack as a wake up call for politicians. They share Brevik's anger at perceived uncontrolled immigration. They say tensions are at boiling point.
STEPHEN GASH, STOP ISLAMIFICATION OF EUROPE: Resentment is huge, I'm telling you. But you're not going to see (INAUDIBLE) the kind of action. I don't believe that's going to happen. But you are going to see vendors - - you're going to see mosques invaded, that kind of thing.
RIVERS: The far right is enjoying a resurgence across Europe. In the Netherlands, Geert Wilders' Freedom Party won 15 percent of the vote in 2010. In Denmark, the Danish People's Party, led by Pia Kjaersgaard has 25 seats in the parliament. And in France, Marnie Le Pen's Front Nacionale has surged in popularity.
ALEXANDER MELEAGROU-HITCHENS, RADICALIZATION EXPERT: Perhaps one of the reasons why we've seen a rise in far right political groups is, particularly in this country, I think a lot of the analysis looks at the failure of mainstream parties, on the left and right and center, of -- of really addressing issues that are taken very seriously by a lot of working class people in this country, such as immigration.
RIVERS: America has already experienced the horror of a far right lone wolf terrorist. Timothy McVeigh's truck bombing of a federal building in Oklahoma in 1995 left 168 people dead.
And in Britain, an anonymous face in a cloud suddenly became a killer in 1999. Extremist David Copeland set off three bombs targeting minorities.
(on camera): David Copeland's terrible bombing campaign was 12 years ago here in London, but the police have never discounted the threat from a so-called lone wolf terrorist. In some ways, it is their worst case scenario. Events in Norway have underlined just how difficult it is to thwart such an attacker. If they're acting alone, it's almost impossible for security agencies to stop them. No co-conspirators means no e-mail for intercept and no phone calls to tap.
With rising discontent among the far right, it is a problem now vexing police across Europe.
Dan Rivers, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, you heard Dan in that report mention the English Defence League. It is criticizing journalists as its claims have been too quick to link the EDL to -- and this is how they are describing Brevik -- this murderous creature. A statement on the group's Web site reads: "We can categorically say that there have never been any official contact between him and the EDL.
Well, we're joined now by the EDL's spokesman, who goes by the name of Tommy Robinson.
And he's calling in from Luton, just outside London.
Tommy, you deny that your organization had any official contact with Brevik.
But could some of your supporters have been in touch with him?
TOMMY ROBINSON, ENGLISH DEFENCE LEAGUE: First of all -- first of all, can I start by saying our grief, our sympathies and our prayers go out for all the victims' families of this atrocity?
We're praying and thinking of all of them and all of Norway at this difficult time.
ANDERSON: Thank you for that.
ROBINSON: But with regards to our members having contact with him, none of our leadership have -- we have a -- we have 100,000 members. I believe in his statement he says that he had contact with some members of the English Defence League. But the thing that we're seeing which the media aren't reporting is I've read on page 1,438 of his dossier he states: "The English Defence League is an anti-fascist, anti-racist organization who denounce violence." He -- he describes us as naive fools.
ANDERSON: Um-hmm.
ROBINSON: He says that our ideologues --
ANDERSON: All right --
ROBINSON: -- are miles apart and can never combine because we still believe that the democratic process can save Britain.
ANDERSON: All right, you categorically --
ROBINSON: And we --
ANDERSON: -- condemn his actions, then, do you?
ROBINSON: I categorically condemn his actions. But when I said it was a wake up call, I don't want to belittle what the man has done. It's disgusting. He is a freak.
But at the same time, it should be a wake up call to the whole of Europe. There is an undercurrent of anger and frustration -- I can talk for England -- a massive undercurrent of frustration, of anger of what is happening to our country. What happens --
ANDERSON: All right --
ROBINSON: -- what's happening to our --
ANDERSON: -- in an interview today --
ROBINSON: -- in our communities.
ANDERSON: -- Tommy, you said: "I think we're five years away from that happening here or 10 years, of English lads doing that because of the desperation they are in."
Is that a threat?
ROBINSON: No, it's not a threat. It's -- I'm trying to be realistic about the situation. We can't keep bussing this under the carpet. We can't try and just tarnish a group over an incident like this.
Let's try and prevent it ever happening. God -- God forbid this happens on British soil.
But they need to wake up to the fret, wake up to the reality. And let's just start addressing these issues and (INAUDIBLE) --
ANDERSON: What are the issues?
ROBINSON: (INAUDIBLE).
ANDERSON: OK. Let's get -- let's get you to address them.
What are the issues?
ROBINSON: The issues are Islamism, the spread of Sharia law, the spread -- the spread of all -- all the bad parts of Islam that we've seen across our country. And we're having it stuck down our throat that Islam is the religion of peace. That is the biggest facade I've ever heard.
ANDERSON: All right. Let me put this to you --
ROBINSON: The problem is not --
ANDERSON: Let me put this to you, Tommy.
Western governments are repeatedly stressing that societies must now be integrated, with shared values, shared languages and norms.
What's wrong with that?
ROBINSON: (INAUDIBLE) there's nothing wrong with that. That's what we promote. That is why this -- this man who's done this thing absolutely condemned us in his report, because we promote integration. He said that we -- we have non-European members and leaders from Africa, from Asian origin, which we do. We want integration.
But you have got an ideology that promotes non-integration. You've got an intolerant ideology masquerading as a religion across Europe. And (INAUDIBLE) towns and cities, like Luton, not (INAUDIBLE), not the little (INAUDIBLE), none of our politicians, they don't understand this.
ANDERSON: All right, let's --
ROBINSON: -- because they don't --
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: Let --
ROBINSON: (INAUDIBLE).
ANDERSON: -- let me put this to you.
ROBINSON: (INAUDIBLE).
ANDERSON: Let me put this to you, Tommy.
Tonight, people will say it's organizations like yours that fan the flames of hatred. They'll say -- there will be people out there who say you should bear some responsibility for the tragic events in Norway.
What do you say to them?
ROBINSON: I would say the complete opposite. The English Defence League have given a platform -- when you're frustrated in a democracy, you go out and you peacefully protest. That is what our organization is trying to do. You don't go and shoot people. You don't blow things up.
People need a platform. They need somewhere to show their vent -- their frustration and their anger. We just want to tarnish the anger, channel it in the right group, which is peacefully protesting, and let people have their voices heard.
Instead of just dismissing hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of thousands of people, millions of people's opinions in this country. Our culture is under attack. Our way of life is under attack. Our -- our identity is under attack. Everything is under attack --
ANDERSON: All right, Tommy --
ROBINSON: -- from the spread of Islam. So we're actually benefiting, oddly, because you're giving these people a platform. If you -- if you take that democratic right away from people, which we are seeing in this country by our authorities, giving us standing orders from demonstrating in this sector, in the home of democracy, supposedly, if you take that voice away, then what alternative will people have?
ANDERSON: I want to stop you there, Mr -- .
ROBINSON: -- (INAUDIBLE).
ANDERSON: You've made your point.
Thank you for that.
Tommy Robinson is the spokesman for the English Defence League this evening.
Let's focus more on the hatred of multi-culturalism, as we heard it from Anders Brevik in his manifesto and how this idea might spread.
T.J. Leyden is a former neo-Nazi, white supremacist. He founded a group called Hate To Hope.
He's also the co-founder of StrHATE Talk Consulting, an organization that he says combats bigotry, intolerance and discrimination.
Joining us live from Las Vegas this evening.
There are suggestions that Brevik had links to far right groups in the UK.
We've just heard from the English Defence League, which is a far right group here. It's denied any official contract -- contact, they say, and that they condemn the actions of Brevik.
Do you, though, think he may have drawn strength from other people who share his, for example, anti-immigrant values?
T.J. LEYDEN, FOUNDER, HATE TO HOPE, INC.: Well, of course he did. He get -- he took what he heard from groups like, you know, you just had on there and the way they talk. I mean you could listen to him, everything that was bad in society is -- was Islam, the boogeyman. I mean you can't have a bogeyman all the time.
And if you always are saying that this group is bad and that group is bad, it's like 50 years ago in Europe, everybody was condemning the Jews. It was all the Jews' fault and Jews are doing this.
Now, it's just a different group. You just changed Jews for Is -- Muslims.
ANDERSON: Talk to me about how somebody forms the sort of ideas and - - as Anders Brevik has. He seemed to be motivated by a hatred of multi- culturalism, specifically, Muslim integration across the Western world.
How would he have formed these ideas?
LEYDEN: I think the thing is that, you know, he was spoon fed it. You know, you start with smaller groups and as things are coming out about this guy, you're probably going to find out that he was with an early nationalist group and then he -- then he moved more and more and more radical until eventually he got to the point where he felt that only one that could solve the problems for Norway were himself and he had to strike out against the government that he saw as being, you know, the one political status.
They were pushing multi-culturalism. They were pushing -- you know, they weren't kicking the Muslims out of the country. They -- they weren't doing the right religion. They weren't the right color. I mean these are all the same things that, you know, Europe has been, you know, sorry and sadly plagued with it. And we here in the U.S. have to deal with, too, is this fascism, this right-wing radicalism.
ANDERSON: You are a reformed white supremacist.
Does what Anders Brevik suggest in -- in this manifesto, does it resonate with the way that you used to think?
LEYDEN: It does. I mean there's a lot of stuff that's in there that is -- that talks about, you know, the same thing, that there has to be, you know, a resistance. You have to stand up. You have to fight back. You know, it -- the time for talking is no longer around. You have to actually go to action. You know, and the only action is violence.
And that's sad. I mean the sadness that these people, you know, in Norway are now going to feel for generations, these young people who are at this camp, who are -- every time they see a police officer, they're going to -- it's going to remind them --
ANDERSON: All right --
LEYDEN: -- do I trust (AUDIO GAP).
ANDERSON: And with that, we have sadly lost him.
Fascinating stuff from a man who says that he understands them and would, in the past, have sympathized with what Anders Brevik may have at least said in his manifesto.
Well, the judge handling the Brevik case says he will assign two court psychiatrists to the suspect, whose next court appearance will be in eight weeks. Brevik will be held in isolation for the next month and will have access only to his lawyers, meaning no access to letters or to the news.
Well, after the break, we'll take a look at how the Norwegian terror attacks have reverberated around the world. It's an emotional ride, not least for the country's top cyclists pedaling with a heavy heart in the Tour de France and feeling a long way from home.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back.
You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson, at 27 minutes past 9:00 London time.
Cadel Evans weighed into the history books on Sunday, becoming the first Australian to win the world's greatest cycling race. He was swamped by all eight of his teammates after crossing the finishing line in Tour de France in Paris.
His victory after three weeks of grueling racing over 3,000 kilometers catapults him back into the top of the world rankings.
So let's get more on the story, shall we, with world sports' Patrick Snell.
And finishing twice second -- second twice before.
So how did he do it this time?
PATRICK SNELL, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Becky, yes, what an achievement for Australian sport. I think, perhaps, at 34 years young, Evans himself had maybe slightly started to believe in whether this was ever going to happen. He'd had, as you say, a couple of previous near misses. He'd turned 34 years of age.
But he really got this one, effectively, Becky, on Saturday. He had a magnificent performance in the time trial that ended up in Grenoble (ph). And this was a key moment in Tour de France. It effectively crowned him as Australia's first ever Tour de France champion.
And, really, it's a fantastic achievement. In a land, you know, where cricket normally dominates, or Australian really football dominates, this is really putting cycling on the map. And he's a wonderful living proof of how you never quit, how determination and just the will to win has --
ANDERSON: Sure.
SNELL: -- (INAUDIBLE). It's a fantastic achievement -- Becky.
ANDERSON: Now, some of Norway's top cyclists in that race, of course.
What was their reaction to hearing the news of this traumatic terrorist --
SNELL: Right. And you said going --
ANDERSON: -- attack?
SNELL: -- you said it. You said it right there, going into the break, cycling with a heavy heart. And this was very much the case for the Norwegian competitors, who -- who really have excelled. When you -- when you think even to compete at this level given that what took place, it's been a fantastic achievement, and particularly the Tour pushed a -- had the yellow jet -- the yellow jersey, the Miojan (ph), as the French call it, for about a week, very early on in this Tour de France. And he has done some fantastic achievements just to get the job done.
And basically, he's been speaking and talking about the poignance of it all, how difficult it's been just to focus in on the job in hand.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
THOR HUSHOVD, NORWEGIAN CYCLIST: You always hear it on the international news that big tragedies happen, and you kind of try to disappear from it, but now when it happened in Norway, of course it comes really close, and it's -- you just feel it's wrong and now you see it can happen everywhere in the world, so you just have to think about it and take -- you just enjoy every day.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PATRICK SNELL, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, in many ways, Becky, an emotional, a poignant Sunday from the Norwegian perspective at the Tour de France in Paris, there, Becky.
BECKY ANDERSON, HOST: Yes, thank you. That's Patrick Snell with your top sports stories this evening.
Your with CONNECT THE WORLD, I'm Becky Anderson. Just ahead, going public. The woman accusing Dominique Strauss-Kahn of sexual assault has her say. We'll take you to New York for more on that in about five minutes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Just after half past nine in London, you're back with CONNECT THE WORLD on CNN, the world news leader. Let's get you a check of the headlines at this point this hour.
A sea of flowers in Norway as mourners pay tribute to victims of terror. Police have now lowered the death toll from Friday's attacks to 76. Suspect Anders Behring Breivik told the judge on Monday that he was the assailant, but he refused to plead guilty.
Dueling plans to resolve the United States' debt ceiling dispute. Democrats and Republicans each revealed their own proposals earlier today.
A short while ago, the White House endorsed the Senate Democrats' latest compromise plan calling it "reasonable," and now saying the ball is in the Republicans' court. Barack Obama will address the US on the stalemate in about four and a half hours from now.
Two of Italy's most eminent forensic scientists are casting doubt on the evidence that convicted Amanda Knox of the murder of Meredith Kercher in 2007. Their findings called the original DNA evidence "unreliable." Closing arguments at Perugia's appeals court are due to begin in September.
An emergency UN meeting in Rome as aid groups and donor countries trying to figure out the world's next steps to keep Somalia's famine from spreading. The Horn of Africa is battling its worst drought in 60 years.
And no word on what caused the death of Amy Winehouse. An inquest was opened and then adjourned in London today with the coroner's office saying they are awaiting toxicology tests in the 27-year-old singer's death. A private funeral for family and friends is set for tomorrow.
"I am telling the truth from my heart." A declaration from the woman accusing former International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn of sexual assault. Nafissatou Diallo has gone public, telling ABC News in the States that she wants justice, but that she is afraid.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NAFISSATOU DIALLO, DOMINIQUE STRAUSS-KAHN'S ACCUSER: I was worried in the news. And then they say he's going to be the next president of France. And I say, "Oh, my God." And I was crying. I said, "They're going to kill me." I said, "They're going to kill me, I'm going to die."
ROBIN ROBERTS, ABC NEWS: Why did you think that, Nafi?
DIALLO: Because I know if I was in my country, he's a powerful man like that. They're going to kill me before someone knows what happened to me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Diallo's credibility is being called into question by prosecutors, and Strauss-Kahn's lawyers, his legal team, says the 32-year- old hotel employee is conducting a media campaign. My colleague Susan Candiotti has been following the story in New York. She brings us an in- depth look, now, at the accuser's public statements.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Now, we're going to show you a couple of excerpts from the interviews that she did. She spoke with ABC News and also did an interview with "Newsweek" magazine.
And one of the first things they talked to her about is what happened the night of the alleged sexual attack in that hotel suite, that luxury hotel suite.
She says when she first walked in the room, she thought it was empty, she went to clean it after she thought the person had already checked out. And then she says she saw a naked man coming out of the bathroom coming toward her. Listen.
DIALLO: I was like, "I'm so sorry." I turned my head. He came to me and grabbed my breasts. "No! You don't have to be sorry."
I said -- I said, "Stop, sir, I don't want to lose my job." I was like, "Stop, stop this! Stop this!" But he -- he wouldn't say nothing, he kept pushing me, pushing me, to the hallway, back to the hallway, keep pushing me. I was so afraid. I was so scared.
CANDIOTTI: In fact, she said, in her words, "He acted like a crazy man." Now, you will recall that Dominique Strauss-Kahn has pleaded not guilty to charges.
Authorities have said they found forensic evidence of some kind of sexual encounter in the hotel room, but the implication is is that anything that happened was consensual.
Now, there also have been some questions raised about her background, and there have been some claims that she is a prostitute. But she had a firm answer for that, too.
DIALLO: I'm not, and I never been called that since I was born. Call this my weakness. I'm telling the truth. From my heart. God knows that.
CANDIOTTI: In a written statement, lawyers for Dominique Strauss-Kahn chastised this woman and her lawyers for allowing her to come forward and make a statement at this time.
They said in part, quote, "Ms. Diallo is the first accuser in history to conduct a media campaign to persuade a prosecutor to pursue charges against a person from whom she wants money."
And then they added, talking about her lawyers, "Its obvious purpose is to inflame the public." Now, this woman has not yet filed any kind of civil lawsuit against Dominique Strauss-Kahn.
At this point, you will recall, that prosecutors are still trying to decide whether to dismiss charges because of credibility issues they have found about things she has told them about her background, about lying on an asylum application, about other issues, as well. So, they say they are still trying to sort things out.
Dominique Strauss-Kahn remains out on bond -- on his own recognizance, rather, and his next court appearance is scheduled for one week from today, that's a status conference before the judge.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Susan Candiotti reporting for you.
Well, Diallo's lawyer plans to file a civil lawsuit against Strauss- Kahn. Kenneth Thompson accuses the former IMF chief's legal team of conducting, quote, "a smear campaign" against the hotel worker.
Up next here on CNN, we're going to take you to Mexico, a country with plenty of sun, sand, and sea, of course. But these days, it's scenes of violence that hit the headlines. So, what is the government doing to keep tourists flocking to its shores? We'll find out in about 90 seconds.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: More than a thousand people have been arrested in an operation to crack down on human trafficking in Mexico. The arrests took place in Ciudad Juarez, one of Mexico's most dangerous cities, where young girls were rescued during the raids, which took place across Friday night.
It's a sad fact that human trafficking has become big business amongst Mexico's gangs. So much so that the country's president is attempting to change the constitution to make it easier for victims to speak out. But history has shown that Felipe Calderon's attempts to rein in the cartels are usually met with a bloody response.
Over the last five years, more than 35,000 people have died violently, according to government figures. In fact, there aren't many days that go by without hearing about another murder. There have been numerous discoveries of mass graves and details of gruesome attacks, including beheadings.
Well, despite all that, tourists are still going to the country. In fact, from January to May 2011, the number of international visitors grew 2.1 percent compared with the same period last year.
Our Senior Latin American Affairs Editor Rafael Romo joins me from CNN Center. These are, actually, quite surprising figures, Rafael.
RAFAEL ROMO, CNN SENIOR LATIN AMERICAN AFFAIRS EDITOR: That's right, Becky. They're very surprising, especially when you consider how much the level of violence has increased in some parts of Mexico.
Earlier this year, I visited Acapulco, a Mexican beach resort that used to attract many international tourists, especially Americans and Canadians, but deadly violence in Acapulco in the last four years is apparently having a very negative effect on its tourism industry.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(MEN SINGING IN SPANISH)
ROMO (voice-over): A Mexican folk song drowns out, for a moment, the sound of crashing waves. This is Acapulco, a sunny beach resort on the Mexican Pacific coast, a favorite destination for international travelers.
(MEN SINGING IN SPANISH)
ROMO (voice-over): After Hollywood stars like John Wayne and Johnny Weismuller made it their favorite getaway in the 1950s, it became popular with Americans, especially spring breakers in the months of March and April.
But this season is different. Restaurants and bars are empty, and very few foreigners can be seen on the beach.
BRIAN FORGRAVE, CANDIAN TOURIST: This is always a busy time. Loud music, drunken teenagers everywhere, just spring breakers -- not this year. It's quiet. Which is kind of a good thing.
ROMO: Spring break hot spots like the Acapulco Copacabana Hotel are still full.
JOSE LUIS ESPEJEL, ACAPULCO COPACABANA BEACH HOTEL: A big difference.
ROMO: But only with domestic tourists.
ESPEJEL: Last year, we have -- we had over 2600 kids. And this year, it's going to be, probably, I can say maximum about 50 or 60 of them.
ROMO: After a series of gruesome murders last year, American and British authorities issued warnings to travelers about Acapulco. Eighteen bodies were found near Acapulco last November in a shallow grave in what appears to be a massacre by a drug cartel.
ROMO (on camera): Everywhere you go in Acapulco, especially in tourist areas, you see signs like this one that say "Habla bien de Aca," "Speak well of Aca," short for Acapulco. It's a new campaign spearheaded by the tourism industry.
ROMO (voice-over): But it's hard to do that when the violence is speaking so loudly. Fifteen headless bodies were found outside a mall in January. There were more than 1,000 violent deaths in Acapulco in 2010, marking a steady increase over the last three years. With more than 940 deaths so far this year, Acapulco is on pace to break last year's record by the end of August.
BRIAN RULLAN, NIGHT CLUB OWNER: But it's not a violence against tourism. Any tourist can come here, they'll never see violence. Any person out of town will come here, they'll never see any problem against -- an attack against anybody personally.
ROMO: Brian Rullan owns Palladium, one of the hottest nightclubs in town. He used to see hundreds of spring breakers every night in previous years. Now, it's only a handful.
AMY PETERSON, AMERICAN TOURIST: Yes, it's totally safe.
ROMO: But these four young Americans from the Midwest say people are missing out.
PETERSON: My mom actually came to Mexico a couple weeks ago, asked people about it. Everyone kept telling us how safe it was, so it was no problem coming here. And -- once we got here, everyone felt so safe.
ROMO: Acapulco officials say last year they still received about nine million tourists, a number they expect will increase by 300,000 in 2011.
MANUEL ANORVE, ACAPULCO MAYOR (through translator): Acapulco is standing on its feet, and Acapulco is greater than its problems.
ROMO: Mayor Anorve points to the fact that world-class events, like the international diving championship and a Guinness record-breaking event were still held here this year.
(MEXICAN FOLK MUSIC)
ROMO: But back at the beach, these folk musicians say they know tourists are not flocking to Acapulco the way they used to. They say the chance to play a song has now become the exception rather than the norm.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMO: And one thing I did notice during my stay in Acapulco was that the number of tourists from European countries like Belgium, France, and Spain is increasing. Becky, Mexico has doubled its public relations spending to $21 million, unveiling an international campaign to promote tourism called "Mexico, the place you thought you knew."
ANDERSON: And what is the government saying at this point, Rafael?
ROMO: Well, we wanted to hear exactly what the government had to say, and then we decided to go to the top to officials in charge of revitalizing Mexico's tourism, and I had an opportunity to speak with Mexican tourism secretary Gloria Guevara, a former travel industry executive tapped by President Calderon last year.
One of the first questions I asked was if the new international campaign to promote tourism in Mexico is a desperate effort to reverse the trend, and this is what she told me.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GLORIA GUEVARA MANZO, MEXICAN TOURISM SECRETARY: No, it's actually the opposite. The US is very important for the Mexican market. It counts for 70 percent of the travelers today.
However, there is an appetite to learn also about the other offers that we have, the other segment, the cultural segment and the other destinations. So, that's why the campaign.
And if you look at the other nationalities, we have seen an increase, not only last year, but the first five months of this year, of pretty much every single country that comes to Mexico, their citizens -- the number of travelers is up.
ROMO: It seems to me that the 800 pound gorilla in the room is still drug violence in Mexico. I was telling you that earlier this year, I visited Acapulco, and I see many empty hotels and restaurants. So, do you think that it's even possible to grow tourism in Mexico without eliminating violence?
GUEVARA MANZO: Well, the reality, as I told you, Acapulco is going through a transformation and, at the same time, we have seen an -- a growth in tourism, not only last year, but it was close to 15 percent, but this year.
The first five months of this year, for instance, the numbers went up from 9.3 to 9.6. Now, if you look at also the statistics from the Department of Commerce from the US, you will see that Mexico is still the number one destination for Americans.
We have the largest share ever, 16.5. That means for an American, they keep coming back to Mexico. Most of the Americans, they come to five different destinations, or six. The Riviera Maya, Vallarta, Guadalajara, Mexico City, and Los Cabos mainly.
And what we learn also from a third party, and actually two companies that we hire, one of those, I think, was Millward Brown, was that 99 percent of the travelers that come to Mexico, they recommend their destination to family and friends.
ROMO: But Madame Secretary, can you guarantee -- and this is being watched by people all over the world -- can you guarantee anybody who's thinking about traveling to Mexico that they will be safe when they're there?
GUEVARA MANZO: Let me tell you something, Rafael, 20 to 22.4 million travelers cannot be wrong. Last year, we had 22.4 million travelers who had a great experience from different nationalities, and they enjoyed the tourist destinations.
Now, do we have a challenge? Yes, we have a challenge, but keep in mind that Mexico's a quite large country. Let me ask you, if something happens in Arizona, does that mean that you're not going to come to Chicago? Of course not.
Now, in the case of Mexico, we do have a challenge, but all the tourist areas are fine, and proof of that is the amount of travelers that we receive every year.
ROMO: President Calderon has admitted that there have been more than 34,000 deaths. Some people put the figure at 40,000 in the last four years. So, when people in other places of the world see this, they're not going to be inclined to visit your country.
GUEVARA MANZO: Well, Rafael, let me tell you, Mexico has 2,500 municipals. Those are equivalent to the counties in the US. Eighty of those have issues, 80 out of 2,500.
I would say that people need to understand the geography of Mexico. Get a map, basically, and they will see that the incidents that we have are very localized, and the tourist areas are fine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMO: That was Mexican Tourism Secretary Gloria Guevara, speaking to us about her efforts to promote her country internationally. And as a matter of fact, Becky, she was in Chicago in the United States in the middle of a visit in this country when she gave us this interview. Back to you.
ANDERSON: Fascinating. Rafael, thank you. Rafael Romo, out of the States for you this evening.
Well, six years in the planning and a year to go. We're counting down to the London Olympics, tonight. As the venues take form, so do the athletes, some of them just teenagers. So, how do they cope with the pressure? Find out when we interview one of the favorites for gold in just two minutes time.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Well, they've gone up quickly and well ahead of schedule. Since winning the bid to host the Olympics six years ago, London has wasted no time in setting the stage for the 2012 Games.
And now, here we are, ready to begin the one year countdown to the big even this week. This time next year, athletes and spectators from around the world will be descending on London as the city prepares to declare the 30th Olympiad open on July the 27th.
All this week on CONNECT THE WORLD, we're going to bring you some big interviews with some of the key players in the 2012 Olympics, the organizers, the venue designers and, of course, the athletes.
And tonight, Don Riddell begins our countdown with a young athlete who has already become one of the most recognizable young faces for the London Games.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DON RIDDELL, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Tom Daley is just 17 years old. He's still at school studying for his exams, but already he's a superstar, having dived for Great Britain at the Beijing Olympics.
And next year, he'll be a home favorite for a gold medal in London.
TOM DALEY, BRITISH OLYMPIC DIVER: The Beijing Olympics were just incredible. It was such a whirlwind, it's hard to remember things from it, because I was quite young, as well.
But I could just remember standing on top of the ten meter looking down at the bottom of the pool and seeing the Olympic rings and just being completely overwhelmed, thinking oh, my God, this is -- this is it. I'm at the pinnacle of my career, I'm competing at an Olympic Games.
It's what every athlete wants to be able to do, so it was just amazing and I can -- it's definitely good starting step for 2012 to have an Olympic experience under my belt.
RIDDELL (on camera): Did you feel like you were a man at the time, or did you feel like you were a little kid, or what?
DALEY: Well, I kind of felt like I was a little kid in a toy shop almost, because everything was new, everything was interesting, I was running around and I was thinking, oh, everything was new, everything was cool, everything -- I was taking photos of everything and things like that.
So, it's just something that you automatically just absolutely love the whole time that you were there.
RIDDELL (voice-over): Daley is already a world champion, but for all the ups that he's experienced in his young life, there have been plenty of downs, too.
His coach recently revealed the pressure of training had led to suicide threats. He's been bullied at school. And his father recently died of cancer.
RIDDELL (on camera): Did you always want to be a diver?
DALEY: Well, I never thought I would be a diver. I did loads of sports when I was younger, such as Judo, squash, tennis. I've tried football, was terrible at that. And yet, diving just seemed to be the one that I just love doing.
I was doing from the age of three, started diving just by chance to go into the local pool. And took it up, and here I am now.
RIDDELL: Ten meters is really high, isn't it?
DALEY: Yes.
RIDDELL: I've been up there just to have a look. I didn't dare jump off.
DALEY: Yes.
RIDDELL: What does it feel like the first time you got up there?
DALEY: It's very high, and it feels really weird when you get up there for the first time. I felt like I needed to crawl, because when you stand on ten meter, it's quite a wide board, and then when you stand up there, it feels like it just slims and just goes into like a balance beam and you feel like you're going to fall off either side.
It's quite scary. But once you've done it once, you want to do it again and again.
RIDDELL (voice-over): Competing in a home Olympics, though, is something you only get to do once, if at all, in a lifetime.
RIDDELL (on camera): Do you think London's going to put on a good Games?
DALEY: I think London's going to be an amazing Olympic Games. It's going to do a great job no matter what, really, because -- for me, it's the home crowd atmosphere, it's going to be incredible, no matter how the Games goes itself.
So, it'll be really interesting to see what the Opening Ceremony's going to be like because they just need to put a bit of British culture into it. And I'm sure the Brits just going to be absolutely loving it, so the atmosphere's going to be incredible anyway.
RIDDELL: Now you're, what? Seventeen years old at the moment?
DALEY: Yes.
RIDDELL: You're an Olympian already. You're a diver. You're still a school kid. You're a celebrity, you're a pinup, you're an icon, you're a role model. How does that all feel? How do you deal with it?
DALEY: It's weird, but I don't see it like that. I'm just normal Tom, I'm doing -- still got my A levels to do, I've still got to go to school, still got my normal friends, we do normal stuff. I've got -- still got two annoying young brothers, so it's like -- it's normal, everything is normal. I just dive at the same time.
RIDDELL (voice-over): It may not seem normal to most of us, but it's probably the best way of coping with the pressure, the incredible opportunity. Don Riddell, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Remarkable. Don, there, talking to Tom Daley, who has some work ahead of him if he's going to be on that Olympic podium, let me tell you, next year. Daley finished behind the Chinese divers at the World Championship in Shanghai at the weekend, ending up in fifth place.
And now, he's announced a change in his training schedule. As of January, school will be out for six months as he turns his focus entirely on going for gold.
Our Olympics countdown continues. Tomorrow night, we're going look at how the stage is being set. Join us for our big interview with two of the architects behind what is being described as a new era in Olympic venue design.
Then on Wednesday, we'll mark one year until the Opening Ceremony, with special coverage throughout the day. Don and Pedro Pinto will be reporting live from London, and we here on the show will have special guests and everything you need to know about London 2012, right here on CNN.
Before we leave you tonight, our Parting Shots takes us back to our top story tonight, last week's twin attacks in Norway. At a service in Oslo, the country's prime minister says "Norwegians are shocked and shaken, but they will never give up their values." Have a listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(CHOIR MUSIC)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): We need to try together, we need to carry together, we need to share.
OLE CHRISTIAN KVARME, BISHOP, LUTHERON CHURCH OF NORWAY (through translator): We're a small country, but we're a proud people. We are still shocked and shaken at what hit us, but we will never give up our values. Our response is more democracy, more openness, and more humanity.
If one individual can show so much hatred, imagine how much love the rest of us can show together.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: I'm Becky Anderson, thank you for watching. The world news headlines and "BACKSTORY" will follow this short break. Don't go away.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
