The Cincinnati Enquirer from Cincinnati, Ohio • Page 1

A Collectors foresee 4f! 5 a super summer Tempo, El CIK CI- 11 END I pro JLVVJlvf JIM ONLINE AT CINCINNATI.COM FINAL EDITIONEAST 50 CENTS THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2002 Ali lends star power to Freedom Center If you go Many dignitaries to visit for ceremony i Rev. Damon Lynch a co-chairman of the event. "Ali is sought after by millions of people across the world and, given his physical condition, his representatives pick and choose his appearances very carefully. "The fact that Ali would choose to come to Cincinnati speaks volumes about the importance of the Freedom By Kevin Aldridge The Cincinnati Enquirer The Greatest is coming to Cincinnati. Former world heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali will top a list of national entertainers, dignitaries and government officials in attendance at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center's groundbreaking June 17.

Freedom Center officials What Groundbreaking for the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. Cost Free. Open to public. When: June 17. Community Festival, 7 p.m.; formal dedication, 8:30 p.m.; choral performance on the riverbank, 9 p.m.

Where: Lot MehringWay at the foot of the Roebling Suspension Bridge in Cincinnati. Information: 412-6900. will announce today that Mr. Ali will light the symbolic flame of freedom at the free event. The celebration, themed "Lighting Freedom's Flame," is 7-10 p.m.

on the Cincinnati banks of the Ohio River. The ceremonies will include a minifestival, food and craft vendors and family-oriented entertainment. Mr. Ali headlines a star-studded cast at the event that is rumored to include such high-profile names as actor-singer Harry Bela-fonte, singer Lionel Richie and first lady Laura Bush. "Muhammad Ali represents what the Freedom Center is all about courage, perseverance and the fight for freedom," said the The $65 million museum is scheduled to open in 2004 between Vine and Walnut streets on the riverfront.

It will be the largest museum dedicated to the Underground Railroad and the hub of a national network of freedom station affiliates focused on research and programs that use history to promote cooperation. file Enquirer 1 Muhammad Ali will headline the Freedom Center's groundbreaking. See ALI, Page A12 Arafat's 0" 1, COJfflBOlJl U.S. upsets No. 5 Portugal encircled.

I Israelis striking back for bomb attack on bus if CR Inside Palestinians reportedly tried to use cyanide gas in attack. A2 CAN to assist in clearing records Minor offenses from 2001 riots may be expunged By Kevin Aldridge The Cincinnati Enquirer Cincinnati Community Action Now (CAN) plans to help dozens possibly hundreds of people who were cited for curfew violations during last year's riots get their criminal records cleared. A group of lawyers on the race commission's police and justice system action team told the Enquirer Wednesday that they will work with first-time offenders arrested during the unrest to help expunge their records. CAN officials said the move is not in response to any boycott demands, but instead a desire to remove blots on otherwise clean records. "We are operating within the bounds of legal propriety and there is no special treatment involved in this," said Mike Barrett, a co-chair of CAN's police and justice team.

"We don't want these folks in a situation where they might miss out on educational or job opportunities because of what happened during the unrest." A CAN study of city court records pointed to 44 individuals who would be eligible for expungement because of no prior offenses. But CAN leaders said as many as 200 more with minor blemishes on their' criminal records could also be candidates. Expungement means a $Ms53 111 The Associated PressEUSE AMENDOLA John O'Brien celebrates a goal in the Americans' improbable 3-2 World Cup victory Wednesday over Portugal. The win broke a five-game World Cup losing streak dating to 1994. By Ibrahim Hazboun The Associated Press RAMALLAH, West Bank Israeli tanks surrounded Yasser Arafat's West Bank office and penned him inside early today, hours after a Palestinian blew up a huge car bomb next to a bus and killed 17 Israeli passengers.

The invasion into Ramal-lah came five weeks after U.S. intervention helped lift a 34-day siege of Mr. Arafat's headquarters and amid talk of renewed action against the Palestinian leader, held responsible by Israel for Wednesday's bloodshed. Tanks and armored personnel carriers took positions outside Mr. Arafat's office and there were exchanges of fire between soldiers and Palestinians, officials from both sides said.

There were no immediate reports of casualties. Several ministers have demanded that Israel expel Mr. Arafat, and Israel's media has speculated that another major terror attack would prompt such an action. But other Israelis warn that an expulsion would lead to chaos and more violence. "He's safe, but there was heavy shelling, heavy shooting.

I could hear it over the phone," Palestinian Cabinet minister Saeb Erekat told CNN. A senior White House official said the United States was neither asked for nor did it grant a "green light" for the Israeli action in Ramal-lah, though it did not appear to be helpful in the push for 2002 Korea World Cup 7 An achievement for U.S. soccer The Americans had not won a World Cup game outside the United States since they upset England 1-0 in Brazil in 1950. Before Wednesday, the U.S. had a World Cup record of 1-8-1 since 1990.

See MIDEAST, Page A12 I 0 a ifi Online In Sports Next opponent -South Korea is another upstart. Ci World Cup roundup. C2 Some foreigners will be tracked in U.S. Opponents object to secret criteria Keyword: WoridCup The Associated PressGREG BAKER U.S. soccer fans celebrate the victory at South Korea's Suwon Scores, highlights dtCincinnati.Com.

World Cup Stadium. Portugal had been heavily favored. See CAN, Page A13 Inside Congress moves on two fronts to examine Sept 11. A4 Intruder abducts Utah girl from her home By Cassio Furtado and James Kuhnhenn Knight Ridder News Service WASHINGTON Starting this fall, some 100,000 foreigners out of 35 million who visit the United States each year will be required to provide fingerprints, photographs, and details about their plans here under a new anti-terrorist tracking system announced Wednesday by Attorney General John Ashcroft. The government will keep secret most of the criteria it uses for determining which foreign visitors it will screen, but lawmakers, liberals and immigration groups protested that the system will target Middle Easterners un- fairly.

Mr. Ashcroft said the new system, dubbed "the National Security Entry-Exit Registration System," will focus on those immigrants who offer "elevated national security concern." Opponents worried that meant Arabs and Muslims will be subjected to a stan-dard of law enforcement scrutiny not applied to other people. Sen. Edward Kennedy, 1-: ti said. The sister told police that the soft-spoken man got into the house by forcing open a window and had a small black handgun.

Elizabeth was wearing red pajamas, and the man let her take a pair of shoes, police said. Mr. Baird also said the family's home is for sale and police are looking at a list of people who toured the house, a 7-bed-room home listed at $1.19 but authorities were looking at the family's computer to see if the girl had contacted strangers online and interviewed the eighth-grader's classmates at Bryant Intermediate School. "This was not a purely random act. He'd have to know that she lived there," said Wes Galloway, victims' advocate for Salt Lake City police.

Elizabeth's 9-year-old sister waited several hours before alerting her parents about the abduction because of the threat, police spokesman Dwayne Baird missing child. At a late afternoon news conference, Elizabeth's father appealed for her safe return. "Elizabeth if you're out there, we're doing everything we possibly can to help you. We love you, we want you to come home 'safely to us," Edward Smart said. Mayor Rocky Anderson also announced a $10,000 reward offered for information about her disappearance.

Police said there was no indication the man knew Elizabeth, By Rich Vosepka The Associated Press SALT LAKE CITY -A gunman broke into a home and took a 14-year-old girl from her bedroom Wednesday, warning the girl's younger sister he would hurt her if she told anyone what she saw, police said. Police, some with tracking dogs, began searching the foothills for Elizabeth Smart before dawn and authorities used a statewide emergency alert system for the first time to quickly broadcast information about a Police are searching for Elizabeth Smart, 14, taken from her bedroom by an intruder Wednesday. See FOREIGNERS, Page A13 INDEX WEATHER SPORTS What a treat for local golfers Six sections, 162nd year, No. 58 High 74 Low 56 Showers, then sun. B10 Abby E4 Business Dl E6 BUSINESS Chamber earns export award The Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce today will receive an award from U.S.

Commerce Secretary Donald Evans for its work in helping businesses export goods. Dl METRO Gov. Taft signs state budget Gov. Bob Taft approved the General Assembly's $1.9 billion budget bill on Wednesday, but vetoed provisions designed to cap the budget in coming years. Bl Lotteries B2 Movies E5 Obituaries B7 Puzles E4 CI TV E4 Eighty miles away in Columbus, Robert Trent Jones- Loretta Lynn pulls no punches Loretta Lynn's grown daughters cried when their famous mother told them she planned to write a second autobiography, one that would include less-than-luminous scenes involving Ms.

Lynn's late husband, Doolittle. E3 Editorials B8 First Stop A2 Kids' Corner designed Otter Creek llll II II II II II fcn" III I I II fl III III II MA IXftllKl on I II I II I ncycied paper. provides skilled play ers and weekend hackers Classifieds Hot Off the Press C8 Copyright, 2002, The Cincinnati Enquirer alike with an exquisite golfing experience. C7 llll 0101'.