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FBI Reveals Four Foiled Terror Plots; Digging for Jimmy Hoffa; FBI Asks For Help in Bike Bomber Case; Jury Selection Continues in Zimmerman Case.

Aired June 18, 2013 - 11:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Mac Thornbury, representative from Texas, was almost, you know, begging for more information at one point.

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. That's right. This is being coordinated -- just looking down at my Blackberry, communicating with people in the room. This is being coordinated kind of on the fly. That begging came after it was pretty clear that the goal of this hearing, the prospective members of Congress, certainly had not yet been met, and the goal to reassure Americans that they are going to get specifics, tangible proof that they were kept safer because of these secret programs.

Fran just really went into detail about the one that is kind of most understandable, which was the one to blow up the New York Stock Exchange, but as Fran also said, the one that is a lot more murky about getting information about somebody in Somalia, that is the program that people I think are most concerned about, and that has to do with phone records. The other one has to do with the Internet, which people are kind of more comfortable with, and most importantly, sources here, who have been briefed, were concerned about phone records are very comfortable with the Internet. That is the one that I think that the burden is on these members of Congress and the intelligence committee to more fully explain, give more details about, about why this is OK to use. And so far it doesn't seem they've been ability to do that.

Again, the NSA director said he's going to talk a lot more in a classified setting. But that doesn't help them make the public ones, which is the whole contention of this public hearing.

BERMAN: He says there are more than 50 cases now that this type of surveillance was seen breaking.

BASH: That's right.

BERMAN: He said that 10 of them were domestically based.

Gloria, this type of information, these facts, do you think it's enough to soothe Americans, a lot of whom seem uneasy about this?

GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: I don't think it's enough to soothe Americans, but it does kind of give you an idea of the diligence with which they work on these things. I mean, the interesting thing to me about this sort of vague investigation after 9/11, that we talk about, he essentially said the case was closed for several years. And then under Section 215, that Fran Townsend was talking about, the NSA provided the FBI with a telephone number that then allowed them to continue to pursue a case that had been a dead- end, and disrupt the financing from Somalia for terrorist activity. So that does sort of give you an idea of the diligence with which they pursued these cases.

But if you're worried about Big Brotherism, and you're worried about whether the balance is actually balanced, I think four cases for you may not be enough. In a classified setting, they're going to hear about 50 cases. They're throwing around the number 50. That's a lot. Some people would say one is enough.

And again, the American public, while it has a healthy skepticism about this, generally, when you look at the numbers, they kind of say, you know what, we think we ought to be doing some of this to protect our security. However, there's a huge generation gap here. Younger people much more worried about it. Older people not so worried about it.

BERMAN: In the case of the New York Stock Exchange, they said they lured people to the U.S. They were able to track them, arrest them and stop the plot there, so according to them, there is some tangible use of this.

Gloria Borger, Fran Townsend, Dana Bash, thank you so much.

Very interesting what's going on. We'll get back to it in just a minute. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: Welcome back, everyone. We are monitoring this hearing on Capitol Hill. What you are looking at is security officials from the United States, including the NSA chief, General Keith Alexander. They're testifying to a House committee about the surveillance issues, about the massive leaks over the last week, how they operate, and what these surveillance programs have been able to break up. We'll go back to the hearing the second there's any new revelation, any news.

In the meantime, there is a lot of other news around the world we want to discuss, starting in Boston, where a confessed killer takes the stand once again to testify against reputed mobster, Whitey Bulger, a man he called once his best friend. On Monday, John Martorano said it broke his heart when he found out his partner in crime, as he called him, was an FBI informant. He said he worked with Bulger in several hits. Bulger is charged with a long and bloody list of crimes, involving 19 murders, racketeering and extortion.

We have one footnote to the story. Some of our earlier reporting inadvertently misidentified some photos of convicted ex FBI agent, John Connelly, as mobster, John Martorano. CNN does regret that error.

The FBI is calling it the best tip yet in the search for Jimmy Hoffa. Agents have been looking for the former Teamster boss for nearly 40 years. They've track him from Florida to New Jersey, even all the way to Japan, but Michigan really has always been Ground Zero in this case, and it is again today.

CNN national correspondent, Susan Candiotti, has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Could this be Jimmy Hoffa's grave? The FBI once again digging for answers, uprooting waist-high grass and weeds on private property in suburban Detroit.

TOM FUENTES, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Why do we care? I don't know, but we do.

CANDIOTTI: This type of tip is more credible. It comes from a retired Detroit mob, Tony Zerilli, a Detroit underboss who himself did time. Sources say his dad used to run the show in the motor city.

JOHN ANTHONY, RETIRED FBI CASE AGENT: He would have known, if anyone would have known exactly what happened to Mr. Hoffa.

CANDIOTTI: When Zerilli got out of prison in 2008, an old la Costra Nostra enforcer, Tony Jackaloni (ph), told him about Hoffa's fate. After the former Teamster was lured to a restaurant, he ways taken to this property, killed and buried.

TONY ZERILLI, RETIRED MOBSTER: What happened to Hoffa was very simple -- he got picked up over there, he was buried. I say he was buried and I have a witness.

CANDIOTTI: The search warrant is seal but sources tell CNN the search warrant is several pages long and based on, quote, "credible information."

ROBERT FOLEY, FBI SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE: If it didn't rise to that level, certainly, we wouldn't be out here because a judge has to move forward on that.

CANDIOTTI: Other searches were duds. Last year, soil samples were taken from beneath a shed outside Detroit, but the tip went nowhere. In 2006, agents dug up a horse farm, but found nothing. In 2004, they tested floorboards for blood. No Hoffa. That 2006 search reportedly cost of FBI $225,000 to excavate a horse farm. Compared to last year, CNN learned local police only paid $45 to replace a broken padlock.

Zerilli's motive is simple. He's writing a book and needs the money.

ZERILLI: If they find the remains, then I'm in a position to make myself a few dollars.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BERMAN: Susan Candiotti joins me now from the site of the search in Oakland Township, right outside of Detroit. The former mobster isn't the only one talking up this tip. It seems as thought investigators are also, Susan. You've seen a lot of these searches, we all have. Is there nor anticipation this time that this time really it may be it?

CANDIOTTI: Well, of course, the FBI is always very careful not to raise expectations here too much, but clearly, this time, they are saying this is a source with a lot of credibility. Obviously, they had to have a good bit of credible information to be able to obtain that search warrant.

This is someone that our law enforcement sources say is very connected over the years. In part, he gave them names, names that authorities know. One of the things this man, Zerilli, wrote about is in a manuscript for an upcoming book. I think we drew some quotes out from it. He says of what happened to Hoffa that he was taken here that night, bound and gagged. He said one of the people that night there, quote, "Picked up a shovel and cracked Hoffa over the head." He goes on to say they threw him into a hole, and added this, "then hit Hoffa a few more times and Hoffa started to moan. They threw him in the hole and buried him alive. That was it, end of story."

The lawyer, John, who represents Mr. Zerilli, says his client was out here on several occasions, but wouldn't elaborate. Obviously, Zerilli has been talking with the FBI.

BERMAN: Susan, I think every time we hear there's another tip, another search going on, our first inclination is to go, here we go again. And within just 10 minutes, an hour, we're just fascinated by it, because it really is still riveting to so many people.

CANDIOTTI: Sure, and it goes back decades here. A lot of people have followed the story, not just crime bosses, but others who are really looking for some closure. A lot of onlookers were here this day.

But, you know, in the past I've also spoken with, and did again today, Jimmy Hoffa's daughter. And my colleague, Poppy Harlow, also spoke with her this morning. And she told us that she had in fact been notified by the FBI on Sunday. She was told that they were going to be coming by today. She said that, of course, she always appreciates the efforts, and tries desperately not to get her hopes up, and her family's hopes up too much, because they've been through this, John, so many times.

BERMAN: You know, I think that is such a good reminder, too. There is a family involved here, real people who did lose a loved one.

CANDIOTTI: That's right.

BERMAN: Susan Candiotti, thank you so much.

A suspected bike bomber on the loose. The FBI now trying something new to try to find the suspect. We'll tell you how they're reaching out for your help to solve this crime.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BERMAN: Wall Street off to a good start today. The Dow is up 117 points at 15,298. Not bad at all.

Republicans still raising questions about who ordered the IRS to target conservative political groups, but a growing number of Americans seemed to have made up their minds. Our latest poll shows that 47 percent of those questioned believe the White House gave the order. Last month, just over a third felt that way. With 49 percent disagreeing, saying the White House had nothing to do with it, compared to half saying that back in May. We will have more discussion on this hot-button issue later in the program.

One man standing in silent protest turned into hundreds in the middle of a square in Istanbul. The man stood still, staring ahead for more than five hours yesterday. People who joined him said it was a peaceful protest days after police broke up other demonstrations with tear gas and a water cannon. Police eventually did move in and arrested many of the standing protesters.

Major milestone in Afghanistan. Afghan forces earlier today took over the lead from the U.S.-led NATO coalition in that 12-years war. Marking the event, Afghan President Hamid Karzai told his troops they are now the guardians of their country. American and NATO forces will now assume an entirely supporting role with a full withdrawal of combat troops scheduled for the end of 2014.

And in Texas, a teenager is recovering from a rare shark attack. The 15-year-old was bitten in the leg while in the water at Surfside Beach on the Texas gulf coast. He punched the shark with both hands but them the shark bit him on the hand. Other kids in his church group came and got him out of there. Authorities say they haven't had a shark attack there in a quarter century.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: The FBI needs yours help. They are looking for an alleged bike bomber who they believe set off an explosive in Times Square. We'll get to that in a second. We've been monitoring Capitol Hill. Security officials, the NSA director, General Keith Alexander have been testifying about the surveillance program there. We'll get a full report at the top of the hour. If any news breaks, we'll go back to that immediately.

Meantime, this investigation in New York into a bicycle bomber in Times Square happened in 2008. There's a reward. There's a new video to help with the search.

Our Mary Snow is keeping an eye on that story.

Mary, what do we know about the suspect and this new video?

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: When it comes to the suspect we don't know much and that's why the FBI is making this push. It went back to gather any images from surveillance cameras in Times Square that may yield new clues.

The bombing took place in 2008 outside a U.S. military recruiting station. The same suspect may be linked to two similar incidents. One blast at the British consulate in 2005 and another in 1007 near the Mexican Consulate. The bombings happened in the middle of the night. The person who detonated was riding a bicycle and the devices used were similar. They were made with military grade ammunition. A federal law enforcement source says the bomb in Times Square was stronger than the device detonated during the Boston Marathon bombings in terms of destructive capability but, unlike Boston, they contained no shrapnel. Authorities did recover the bicycle but the FBI would not comment on whether it was able to obtain any forensic evidence from that bike.

BERMAN: It had an explosive capability more than the Boston Marathon bombing, but no shrapnel. Why now?

SNOW: Very good question. The FBI said it came up on the five year anniversary. The case had gone cold and that's why they are making this push. They are putting up a $65,000 reward. They're making a big push on social media. They created a hash tag of bike bomber and are hoping people will send in information.

The FBI has been successful on some of these attempts before. When they put out images of Whitey Bulger, that's what helped lead to his capture because someone had contacted authorities.

BERMAN: You look at a photo, you look at the video at first, it didn't seem to be that revealing but you never know what someone may have noticed.

SNOW: Exactly.

BERMAN: Mary Snow, thanks so much.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: We're watching hearings on Capitol Hill, going into the government surveillance programs right now. We're hearing from security officials that have outlined details of attacks that they say were broken up using the surveillance. We'll have a full report at the top of the hour in a few minutes. Florida now, the pool of perspective jurors in the George Zimmerman trial is creeping closer to the magic number, 40. That's how many people the judge want to make it through the first round of questioning. This morning they were at 32. Lawyers were working to find eight more who haven't formed opinions about this case.

Jean Casarez joins me live from Sanford, Florida.

Jean, what have you been hearing so far this morning?

JEAN CASAREZ, HLN LEGAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning. They're on their fourth juror this morning. It's gone pretty smoothly, but every story is unique and attorneys trying to read between the lines.

Being questioned is an African-American man. And one thing across the board that jurors know about and have opinions on are the protests and rallies that happened after Trayvon Martin was shot. And the juror that is now being questioned said, "I know they came to support but I'm not sure that it was necessary at the time. I think if they had stayed where they were they could have been much more effective because what they did by coming here they increased the emotion and intensity of this."

Another juror who is five and a half months pregnant made a statement on her questionnaire, the prosecutors had an issue with. "Someone lost their life," she wrote, "and that's sad but somewhere along the way, it happens."

A lot of questions on that and it wasn't until she was questioned by the defense that she said, in my line of work, people die all the time. So I guess I've become a little hardened to that because I see it constantly.

Some questions like that. And also an East Asian man said he stands out in a crowd and he won't give an opinion. He's the one that tells people, "You have to wait. You're just hearing accounts of it. You don't know the evidence."

BERMAN: It's so interesting how people relate this to their own lives and where they may have seen evidence of it, whether it be the protest or rallies or how they form their own opinions. That is so interesting.

There's also been a hearing. The judge has been hearing testimony about the screaming 911 calls. What came of that hearing yesterday?

CASAREZ: It was a death cry. Someone knew they were going to be killed and the question is, who was it. Was it George Zimmerman? Was it Trayvon Martin?

John, they haven't reached a conclusion yet. There's going to be another expert witness to take the stand tomorrow for the prosecution. It's the prosecution that wants expert testimony on this. There are no conclusions though. The experts just tend to think that it's Trayvon Martin because of the high pitched voice and because of some voice samples they have of Trayvon Martin. But the defense has credible witnesses, including the senior audio engineer from the FBI and other renowned world experts, who say it's too speculative. This is junk science. It cannot go before the jury.

BERMAN: This hearing still going on, Jean. We're at 32. We need 40 before we can take the next step. When is your best bet on when we may hear opening statements in this trial?

CASAREZ: They're on their fourth juror today. It's going smoothly. I don't see anything that stands out. We don't know if they will proceed but they'll have a full day today and as the judge said at the end of the day yesterday, she wants to get to that 40. Then lit will be general questioning. Open statement, anybody's guess. End of the week, probably next week, that's probably reality.

BERMAN: That's not very far from now.

The scene there. What's the atmosphere like? There's been so much focus on this trial?

CASAREZ: When jury selection began, it was electric here because there were some people outside expressing their beliefs, packed courtroom. Every day, the constants in that courtroom, Trayvon Martin's parents, Shelly Zimmerman, George Zimmerman's wife, and the intensity and the emotion, it has been there from day one inside the courtroom.

BERMAN: Jean Casarez, thank you for being with us. Really appreciate it.

CASAREZ: Thank you.

BERMAN: Thank you, everyone, for watching NEWSROOM. AROUND THE WORLD starts right now.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to AROUND THE WORLD. I'm Suzanne Malveaux.

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Michael Holmes. Thanks for coming in today.

As we first reported right here on CNN, U.S. intelligence officials are revealing details of terror blots they say were prevented by the surveillance program know causing so much controversy.

MALVEAUX: Just a short time ago, we saw the deputy director of the FBI, who told a House panel that more than 50 plots now have been disrupted.