Nation briefs 07/14/03

Graham: Al-Qaida trained thousands of terrorists

WASHINGTON -- A congressional investigation into the Sept. 11 attacks has concluded that between 70,000 and 120,000 terrorists were trained by al-Qaida and some are still in the United States, Sen. Bob Graham, D-Fla., said Sunday.

"We have to assume that as those people were placed around the world, some were placed inside the United States. Some of them are in the United States today," Graham said on NBC's "Meet the Press."

After months of investigation and a series of congressional hearings last year, the House and Senate Intelligence panels wrapped up their report Dec. 20 and released a summary.

The full classified report is still under review at the FBI and CIA, which are trying to determine whether any disclosure of information might pose a risk to national security and should remain secret.

Graham, a Democratic presidential candidate, was the senior Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee when the investigation was completed last year.

Missing children search moves to Midwest

CONCORD, N.H. -- Investigators looking for the bodies of two children missing from New Hampshire since July 4 focused their search Sunday along the route their father traveled across the Midwest, authorities said.

A search by Ohio state police and the FBI of open areas and parks in the Toledo area turned up nothing and was called off after more than seven hours, authorities said.

The FBI obtained information that Sarah Gehring, 14, and brother Philip, 11, may have been dropped off in the area, said Special Agent Robert Hawk in Cleveland.

"We'll continue the search if warranted," he said. "We've looked every place that we think logically these children could or might be."

The children were last seen at a fireworks display in Concord with their father, Manuel Gehring.

Survey: Gas prices up more than a penny

CAMARILLO, Calif. -- Gas prices rose just over a penny per gallon over three weeks as the cost of crude oil increased, an industry analyst said Sunday.

The average price for a gallon of self-serve gas Friday, including all grades and taxes, was about $1.55, according to the Lundberg Survey of 8,000 stations -- an increase of 1.07 cents per gallon from a June 20 survey.

Gas prices have been rising gradually from a low of $1.54 per gallon June 6 following an 11-week post-Iraq war slide, said analyst Trilby Lundberg.

The increases have been driven largely by a move by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries to tighten supplies. A short-term general strike in Nigeria and worries that Tropical Storm Claudette could affect U.S. Gulf Coast oil facilities also were factors.

Police shoot, kill fugitive in Michigan

FREMONT, Mich. -- A fugitive who slipped away from his home during a deadly police standoff early last week was shot and killed by police Sunday morning, officials said.

Scott Allen Woodring, 40, had been charged with killing trooper Kevin Marshall during the 40-hour standoff. He had barricaded himself in his rural home July 6 as police attempted to serve a felony arrest warrant.

On Sunday, police received a tip that Woodring was in a vehicle behind a house, about four miles southwest of his Dayton Township home.

When officers arrived and ordered Woodring to remain inside the vehicle, he emerged with an assault rifle and turned toward them, state police inspector Barry Getzen said.

Police would not say how many times officers fired at Woodring, how many times he was hit or who owned the property where he was found.

Woodring was pronounced dead at the scene.

-- From wire reports