Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

ISIS Beheads American Journalist; Protesters Gather At Prosecutor's Office

Aired August 20, 2014 - 10:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. I'm Carol Costello. Thank you so much for joining me. We begin with horrific developments out of the Middle East. Islamic terrorists have executed a U.S. journalist and warned that another may soon die.

The terror group, ISIS released a chilling video that appears to show the beheading of kidnapped American journalist, James Foley. The video is so gruesome we can only show you these still images.

ISIS claims Foley's brutal execution is payback for U.S. air strikes in Iraq. Also in the video, ISIS militants threaten to kill captured American journalist, another one named, Stephen Sotloff, and you see him there if those air strikes don't stop.

In the meantime, the White House says it's working to confirm the authenticity of this video. Earlier this morning, the former CIA deputy director responded to Foley's killing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE MORELL, FORMER CIA DEPUTY DIRECTOR: What ISIS are trying to do is here is intimidate the United States of backing off of the attacks that we've done the last several weeks, and I think our response should be and our response will be to not do that.

In fact, we should pick up the pace here. The definition of terrorism is political violence, a violence for political effect. So we should mark this date down because this is ISSI's first terrorist attack against the United States.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Wow. Those who knew Foley describe him as a brave and tireless war correspondent. Shortly after that video was released, Foley's mother issued a statement.

In part, it reads, quote, "We have never been prouder of our son, Jim. He gave his life trying to expose the world to the suffering of the Syrian people. We thank Jim for all the joy he gave us. He was an extraordinary son, brother, journalist, and person."

Let's talk more about this with CNN Pentagon correspondent, Barbara Starr. Good morning, Barbara. BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. Well, when you look at that still photo upsetting as it is, focus for one minute on that black-clad murderer of Jim Foley. He spoke on the video with a British accent. This is now raising concerns from London to Washington.

Once again, about possible westerners, including Europeans and Americans going to Syria and Iraq and fighting with ISIS, possibly planning to come home and plot new attacks. But in the meantime, an American family mourns.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STARR (voice-over): The ISIS video is simply too horrific to show. The man being executed by beheading is James Foley, a freelance journalist kidnapped in Northwest Syria on November 22nd, 2012, Thanksgiving Day.

ISIS, the brutal militants, rampaging through Syria and Iraq, say they killed Foley in retaliation for U.S. military operations in Iraq. Foley, a freelance photojournalist from New Hampshire, reads a message denouncing the U.S. presumably written by his captors.

He says America is his real killer and then Foley is murdered. The Obama administration said they are working to authenticate the video, adding if genuine, we are appalled by the brutal murder of an innocent American journalist, and we express our deepest condolences to his family and friends.

And the family of Jim Foley released a statement late Tuesday night that reads in part, "We implore the kidnappers to spare the lives of the remaining hostages. Like Jim, they are innocent. They have no control over American government policy in Iraq, Syria or anywhere in the world."

Another American journalist, Steven Sotloff, is shown at end of the video, the executioner speaking with an apparent British accent threatens to take Sotloff's life if President Obama doesn't stop air strikes in Iraq.

Sotloff kidnapped on the Syrian-Turkish border has worked as a contributor to "Time" magazine. No one knows how many thousands of Syrians and Iraqis have died at the hands of ISIS militants. Across their stronghold in Northern Iraq, cold-blooded mass killings of Iraqi men, women and children.

REAR ADMIRAL JOHN KIRBY, PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY: We do have information that they continue. These kinds of deprivations and crimes against humanity, no question about that.

STARR: After dozens of air strikes against ISIS positions across Northern Iraq, the group may feel pressure, but there is no sign it's abandoning its violence and horror. ISIS has some 10,000 fighters. It's now a group the U.S. intelligence community calls a credible alternative to al Qaeda with aspirations to attack the United States.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

STARR: And to date, no indication that the Obama administration is going to hold back on further air strikes against any targets, any ISIS targets that it feels it wants to strike for humanitarian reasons if they are attacking some of these minority groups or to protect American interests inside Iraq -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right, Barbara Starr, reporting live from the Pentagon this morning. So how will the White House respond to this threat from ISIS? You heard a little bit about how they may not respond from Barbara Starr, but maybe the president will come out and say something this afternoon.

Let's more about that with White House correspondent, Michelle Kosinski. She is in Martha's Vineyard. Michelle, will we be hearing from the president at some point today?

MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: We think that's pretty likely, but we haven't had any definite indication of that at this point. We know -- we've asked the White House -- reached out by everyone at this point, so they know that the press and likely the American public is eagerly awaiting a response.

To see what they would say at this point and knowing the sensitivity of the situation, obviously it's going to take some time to determine what exactly is best to say, to talk to the intelligence community, members of the national security team.

To find out what exactly it is would be appropriate at this point and would not put this other person in custody in any kind of further jeopardy, really a difficult situation as we all know. So at this point, we're waiting and seeing.

We have heard of course from the National Security Council saying they are appalled by this brutal murder of an innocent American journalist. So it could be something along those lines. Often statements like this are aligned among layers of the administration.

But yes, the president has come out and spoken three times already on the situation in Iraq and now there is this that has happened just after the U.S. air strikes have made gains.

Of course, you know, that's no coincidence as some of our analysts have pointed out. Now ISIS is seeing the threat to them by these air strikes and they try something as brutal and awful, shocking to the public as this now -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Michelle Kosinski reporting live from Martha's Vineyard this morning. Let's bring in Fran Townsend. She's a CNN national security analyst. There you are, Fran. I couldn't find you for a minute and you are right there on my screen. Thank you so much for joining me.

Sorry to lighten the mood like that because this is such a serious topic. You heard the former CIA deputy director say, this is ISIS first terrorist act against the United States. Chilling words. FRANCES TOWNSEND, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: No, that's right. And they have undertaken a pretty sophisticated propaganda campaign. So 5 minutes before I go on air today with you, Carol, I tweet that I'm going to be on and I get ISIS supporters sending tweeting back to me horrific pictures.

This also happened last night when I tweeted I was going to be on and so they not only putting out their own propaganda, the orange jump suit that James Foley and Sotlof are shown in, it was reminiscent of Guantanamo.

You know, the taping of the horrific beheading is out of the al Qaeda playbook. So this is very much now a terrorist organization that's claimed that they are a state. You know, the speaker in the video claims that they are a legitimate government.

The fact that they used someone with a British accent to make the statement is a reminder about the serious threat of foreign fighters against western interests. Look, I agree completely with Mike Morell, the former deputy director of the CIA that we not only have to maintain, but step up our efforts.

But I would say to you, Carol, that bombing ISIS targets in Iraq is not going to be enough because all you are going to do is push them back into the safe haven that Syria has become. So we need a strategic plan to absolutely wipe out ISIS completely.

COSTELLO: When you say strategic plan, does that include the possibility of American boots on the ground in Iraq?

TOWNSEND: Certainly -- what you need your Arab allies who by the way have encouraged action against the use of force and action -- against ISIS targets in Syria and Iraq. This really requires the president to build an international coalition and talk about the various instruments of national power and international power that can be used to defeat this organization.

COSTELLO: All right, Fran Townsend reporting for us or giving us her analysis this morning. I appreciate it.

Still to come to the NEWSROOM, the grand jury hasn't even convened yet and already the protests have begun. Talk about what's going on in Ferguson this morning. George Howell is there. Good morning, George.

GEORGE HOWELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, good morning to you. We're actually in Clayton, Missouri, right now, in front of the county prosecuting attorney's office, where we expect a protest to start any moment now. CNN covering this from all angles. Live report coming up as CNN continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: All right, getting back to our other big story this morning, the tense situation in Ferguson, Missouri. Right now, the attorney general, the U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder is on his way to Ferguson, promising, quote, "a fair and thorough investigation into the shooting death of Michael Brown."

And the fate of the officer, Darren Wilson, may be on the line as soon as today. A grand jury could convene to hear evidence to decide whether or not a crime was committed in Brown's death.

In the meantime, it was a relatively calm night on the streets of Ferguson, 47 people were arrested, but police officers saw no need to use tear gas as they have felt the need to do so many times before.

In the words of Captain Ron Johnson, it was a turning point for the city. I hope he is right. Last night's calm though could boil over again today, protesters are gathering in front of the St. Louis County prosecutor's office, calling for him to remove himself from the grand jury proceedings.

That's where we find our George Howell this morning. Good morning, George.

HOWELL: Carol, good morning to you. So you can see people are starting to gather here. Quite frankly, right now more media than protesters. People who are planning to show up here. One person told me that the challenge right now is just finding parking.

A lot of the parking spots are taken. A lot of people are expected to show up here right now. The issues at hand, many of the protesters, many people have concerns about Robert McCulloch taking this case saying that his family is too deeply embedded in police departments here.

Saying that his brother and cousin and uncle are police officers and his mother works as a clerk. I want to go ahead and show you sort of a live picture of what's happening here in Clayton, Missouri.

You can see people are taking to the streets. A lot more media right now I'm seeing than actual protesters. Some people with signs as you mentioned, step down McCulloch, also we love Mike.

The protesters demanding that Mr. McCulloch recuse himself from this case. Also asking for Darren Wilson to be arrested immediately. That's one of the demands that they are making here. You can see police there have police line in front of this building.

This is the designated area as we understand it where protesters will be able to gather, and again, you know, we understand all of this is happening in the backdrop as Attorney General Eric Holder is planning to visit Ferguson today.

He will meet with civil rights leaders and prosecutors there. He will also take time, we understand, to meet with the Brown family. So all of this playing out. We're starting to see the legal beginnings of this case getting under way.

COSTELLO: All right, George Howell, reporting live from Clayton, Missouri this morning. For a closer look at the prosecutor at the center of this controversy, I want to bring in CNN's Jean Casarez. JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is a career prosecutor. He has been re-elected many, many times, but all of a sudden now there is a controversy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERT MCCULLOCH, ST. LOUIS COUNTY PROSECUTING ATTORNEY: Every witness who has anything at all to say will be presented to the grand jury.

CASAREZ (voice-over): This is the man, St. Louis County Prosecutor Robert McCulloch, who will be responsible if there is a prosecution in the death of 18-year-old, Michael Brown.

MCCULLOCH: I can't guarantee and won't guarantee and nobody can any particular outcome on the investigation. We don't know where the investigation is going to end up.

CASAREZ: And some in the community want this lead prosecutor out because they feel he will be biased.

JAMILAH NASHEED (D), MISSOURI STATE SENATOR: Bob McCulloch, if you are listening, voluntarily recuse yourself from this investigation. The people and the African-American community, they do not have the confidence that you would be fair and impartial.

CASAREZ: The outcry caused by McCulloch's deep ties to the police in this community, his own father was a police officer who was murdered while on duty in 1964.

NASHEED: His cousin is a police officer. His mother works for the police department. His uncle is a police officer, and again, we think that his judgment will be clogged.

CASAREZ: Missouri State Senator Nasheed is calling for a special prosecutor to replace McCulloch. She spelled out her concerns in a letter to him. If you should decide not to indict this police officer, the rioting we witnessed this past week will seem like a picnic compared to the havoc that will likely occur because the black community will never accept that there was an impartial investigation from your office.

Protesters at his office demanded he recuse himself and an online petition calling for his removal from the investigation has garnered tens of thousands of signatures. He made a name for himself early on when he prosecuted Axle Rose of Guns and Roses fame in 1991 when rioting broke out after a concert.

The case ended with a plea deal. McCulloch though shows no signs of backing down. His office released this statement to CNN. "Mr. McCulloch has been the elected prosecutor in St. Louis County since 1991. He has been re-elected every four years by an overwhelming majority of St. Louis County. The people have faith in Mr. McCulloch and he will continue to do his duties.

(END VIDEOTAPE) CASAREZ: And the fact is this case is now going to be in the hands of a grand jury. The citizens of the community, and Carol, one other thing that people around talking about, but it's factual. He's a crime victim. His father was murdered. So there is an empathy for other crime victims and those are the parents of Michael Brown.

COSTELLO: So many controversies surrounding this case. I want to bring in Joey Jackson, who is our CNN legal analyst. Jean, you stick around.

Joey, why doesn't the governor say, you know, maybe it is time for a special prosecutor because we don't want any controversy surrounding these grand jury proceedings. Why take the chance?

JOEY JACKSON, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Good morning, Carol. Good morning, Jean. Listen, you know, it's certainly within the governor's prerogative that is Jay Nixon, to step in. When you look at a case like this, it has so much to do with public confidence and with the public wanting and needing justice, whatever that is.

So the concern, when it comes to a grand jury is that there are historically as Jean will tell you, they are secretive proceedings and it's built that way and it's designed to protect the integrity of it.

But I think, Carol, therein lies the problem. The people want it to be public and that also leads to the other issue. Why is he pursuing a grand jury as opposed to a criminal complaint where you would then have a court preliminary hearing to determine if there's probable cause for the arrest.

If it went that way, Carol, what would happen is that the evidence would be made public. It would be challenged in public, and it would be for everyone to see, the family members, the media, et cetera.

And to this point as we know the governor has said, he trusts that the duly elected representative of that county could handle the case, but I think it goes against the notions of the people. They want more independence.

They want perhaps a different way for this to proceed to this point. It's not it will be the grand jury.

COSTELLO: Every public official in St. Louis seems to be tippy-towing around this case, right? So maybe that the prosecutor said, you know, this is a racially and politically charged case. I'll let the people decide, right?

CASAREZ: I think you are right. I think you are definitely possibly right and if they do not return an indictment, I heard the district attorney say it would become public, everything that happened in the grand jury. So the public will see what they presented as evidence there.

This is a secret proceeding, but the DA's office told me, we will present to the grand jury everything we have. And take an oath as a prosecutor. JACKSON: The problem generally though, Carol, with grand jury proceedings and I presented many as a prosecutor in my former life, but the reality is that the prosecutor is the judge, the jury, and the executioner. So a lot of it has to do in the manner in which witnesses are presented, the spin in which is placed upon those witnesses.

And yes, they hear everything, but it's about a presentation, and so therefore the hope is if and he's making it public after, I guess what he's suggesting is he will do it in the way that presents the evidence fairly, reasonably.

So that those 12 grand jurors, nine of which would have to vote if there's probable cause to move forward, there's the hope that he at least presented it in a fair, impartial and factual way.

COSTELLO: All right, I have to leave it there. Joey Jackson, Jean Casarez, thanks to both of you. I appreciate it.

Breaking news to pass along to you now. We've been showing you still frames from that horrific video from ISIS, allegedly beheading an American journalist. The person in that video who spoke about the beheading had a British accent.

So British authorities are now combing through that video trying to find out who this terrorist is. CNN's Atika Shubert is on the phone with more from London. Tell us more, Atika.

ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): What we know here is that he has a very distinctive British accent possibly from South England. So what the government is doing now is they are combing through that video. They are using analysis to try and see if they can identify this man through his voice.

That might take some time, but it's something they are very concerned about because they already know that hundreds of militants have been going from Britain to Syria to fight there, and it's always been a concern that they may come back.

But to see this kind of video, this horrific gruesome video, is definitely very worrying for the government here and they want to find out exactly who he is and who else is out there with him.

COSTELLO: To me, it just sounds like an impossible task since this terrorist, of course, had his face covered, right?

SHUBERT: He has his face covered, but again, he has a distinctive voice. So they are going to try and analyse the audio in that. Remember, they have been keeping tabs on a lot of people going in. It may be matter of narrowing down, who he was associated with, are they going to be able to find other people that might lead them to identify this guy.

Remember, they estimate that about half of the militants going from Britain to Syria in that area are from the London area. So the more they can narrow it down, maybe find somebody who might recognize his voice means they might be able to identify him.

COSTELLO: We'll see. Atika Shubert reporting live for us from London. Thanks so much. I'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAPTAIN RON JOHNSON, MISSOURI HIGHWAY PATROL: I believe there was a turning point made. I think that turning point was made by the clergy, the activists, the volunteers, and the men and women of law enforcement who partnered together to make a difference, but also those citizens who took heed to what we talked about last night.

Not allowing the criminals that mask themselves in a protest. They protested early and went home early and allowed us a better visual look at those criminal and agitators.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: The U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder is likely hoping he can help calm tensions in Missouri even more. He is en route to Ferguson right now, expected to meet with FBI investigators already on the ground. He will meet with Department of Justice personnel who are working on the case. He'll also meet with community leaders.

CNN's Evan Perez live in Ferguson with more on Holder's visit. Good morning.

EVAN PEREZ, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. We expect the attorney general to arrive here in about 90 minutes or so and he will be here for several hours. We know he's going to meet with some community leaders as you just mentioned.