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Kidnapper in Court; Bomb Maker Killed; AC/DC Drummer Arrested; Confession to News Team

Aired November 06, 2014 - 14:00   ET

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


BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, Wolf, thank you so much.

Great to be with all of you on this Thursday. I'm Brooke Baldwin.

We being with this, the worst situation - the worst possible scenario for this Philadelphia family ends in the best way. This woman was just ripped from the streets. The mother of this kidnapping victim, that you see fighting for her life, she spoke out Tuesday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KEISHA GAITHER, MOTHER OF KIDNAPPED WOMAN: Give me my baby. Give me my child. Please. (INAUDIBLE) I just want my daughter. Please let her go. Please let her go.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: That was Tuesday. Now I want you to listen to this mother of Carlesha Freeland-Gaither speaking one day later, talking about Philadelphia Detective James Sloan (ph).

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GAITHER: He sat in my kitchen in front of me and told me I'm bring your daughter home. I'm bringing your daughter home. I said (INAUDIBLE), he said, no, I'm bringing your daughter home. And he brought my baby home.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.

GAITHER: He brought her right home.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good job.

GAITHER: Thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Right home. Hugs all around. I mean the smiles couldn't be wider. The gratitude couldn't be greater because the story here, this 22-year-old nursing assistant is free, rescued, just about 115 miles from where she was taken Sunday.

Again, her name is Carlesha Freeland-Gaither. She left the hospital just this morning. She is back where she belongs, with her family. Police say the man who took her is in exactly where he belongs as well, in police custody.

Just in this last hour, 37-year-old Delvin Barnes was in a Maryland courtroom for a separate abduction. It is equally disturbing. Let me tell you that story. This 16-year-old Virginia girl, taken back on the 1st of October, found naked, doused in gasoline and bleach and severely burned, but she managed to escape from Barnes according to police there.

Alexandra Field, let me bring you in. You are live in Philadelphia with more on this one.

Let's talk about this case there as it pertains to the city in which you are. How did they find this guy, Delvin Barnes?

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: OK. Well, a lot of things fell into place in the right way, Brooke, which is hard to believe and a very happy ending when you consider that horrible abduction scene that we all saw on that video. But after that happened, you had a number of different police agencies working together and you had tremendous help from the public. A lot of it has to do with that surveillance video.

First of all, people saw the video. They knew that this was a woman who was in truly imminent danger. From there police had those images. They also knew that this was something -- they eventually learned that this was somebody who police were looking for in relation to that other case.

But what happened here were a couple of key breaks. First of all, you had Carlesha Gaither's ATM card used in Maryland. And when it was used by the suspect, there was obviously that ATM camera. There was also another surveillance camera at a convenience store that was relied upon. Police say that by using some of these images, they were able to get a very clear picture of the suspect's face and then they knew who they were looking for. Listen to how the police chief describes it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COMMISSIONER CHARLES RAMSEY, PHILADELPHIA POLICE: We actually found a scene where some items were discarded that belonged to her. A receipt was found there, so we were able to backtrack that. It was a grocery store in Philadelphia. We pulled video from there. Very good video. We got that out. The media was a great help to us because by putting that video out, we got a phone call from a person who sold this individual a car.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FIELD: So when police realized that they were looking for Devlin Barnes, they were able to trace his car using a GPS. They found him in a parking lot. She was inside the car at the time, as was he. They closed in on him. They were able to arrest him and Carlesha now at home, behind me, trying to rest and recover from an ordeal that, Brooke, most of us can't imagine.

BALDWIN: The fact that that car salesperson had put the GPS in there certainly fortuitous in this whole situation. We mentioned a second ago that he was in a Maryland courtroom this afternoon. What happened there?

FIELD: A very brief hearing, about three minutes, where he waived his right to extradition. That means that Barnes will now be brought back to Virginia and that's where he will face charges related to the abduction of the 16 year old that you mentioned, Brooke, We're talking about charges including attempted murder here. A hideous and terrible situation. A 16 year old who was able to get away. This happened more than a month ago. She's in the hospital now still recovering from the trauma of that situation. Barnes now facing justice, soon to head to that state.

BALDWIN: Thinking about both of those families and those two young women. Alexandra Field for me in Philadelphia, thank you so much.

And now to this one. It looks like they finally got him. They got him. David Drugeon, just 24 years of age, considered one of the most dangerous terrorists in the world. Drugeon is a key bomb maker for the al Qaeda offshoot group Khorasan. He is believed to be part of a plot to dip clothing in explosives to make bombs that airport security cannot detect. The U.S. tried to take him out a couple of weeks ago, lobbying 47 tomahawk missiles into Syria, but they didn't hit him until last night. The U.S. zeroed in on targets near Idlib in northwestern Syria and pounded them with air strikes, including this one you see. And this is believed the one in which he was killed in one of these strikes.

All right, let's go to the Pentagon, to our correspondent there, Barbara Starr.

Tell me - tell me more about this guy and what you've learned.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, good afternoon, Brooke.

Let me start by saying the U.S. military officials believe they got him. They don't have the dead body. They don't have DNA. They don't know 100 percent for sure. But they do believe that the air strikes most likely were successful in killing this man.

This is a guy they wanted to get very badly. The Khorasan Group that he belongs to, key al Qaeda operatives, sometimes called the A-team of al Qaeda, now in Syria, very hardcore with technical capability to make bombs that can potentially get past airport screening.

Drugeon is -- was a French jihadist. That's another danger here because he had the capability to help with recruiting fighters to come to Syria, get training, send them back into Europe and then possibly send them onto the United States. So, look, this is someone they wanted to get very badly.

And the key in here is he was killed, by all accounts, in a car driving down a road. So that means, of course, they had very specific intelligence about where he was and where he was going to be at a point in time. All of this adds up to they're pretty sure they got him. Nothing is ever 100 percent until they know.

Brooke.

BALDWIN: Let me ask you about that final point though, because, you know, we've talked a lot, in the lead-up especially, to this air campaign in Syria about lack of intelligence So, obviously, this is a sign that there was specific intelligence that led them to this location. We're not privy to that intelligence, but how -- what kind of intelligence might it have been, Barbara?

STARR: Well, you know, think of it this way, you're trying to go after literally a particular human being. You have to know where they are going to be at a point in time so you can launch a weapon to kill that person. That's how blunt this is. That means there's really only two ways you get the intelligence. Either you have a source inside the organization close to the organization who has given you that information, or you are able to monitor their cell phones, their electronic transmissions, their e-mails, you're able to monitor their communications and that gives you the tip-off about where they're going to be. So this tells you the level of intelligence, the level of concern and priority that the U.S. has placed on the Khorasan Group.

Getting Drugeon is a start, but U.S officials will also tell you, this group still, they are not down and out and the U.S. still considers them an imminent threat.

Brooke.

BALDWIN: Still incredibly significant if and when, as you point out, appropriately this is a 100 percent hit. Barbara Starr, thank you so much, at the Pentagon.

Coming up next, a Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Famer slapped in handcuffs. The drummer for AC/DC accused of hiring a hit man to kill not just one but two people. We're on that for you.

Also, so much for working together. First, President Obama suggests he won't budge on big issues. Now you have these two Republicans he's battled with the most making a move that will not make President Obama very happy.

And a chilling story of a confession turned carjacking. The whole thing caught on tape.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've done an extremely bad thing. I just (INAUDIBLE) that she's all right. I think she's dead.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE). You've got to talk to me here. (INAUDIBLE), from Channel 7. There's been a shooting (INAUDIBLE). I have the shooter with me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Welcome back. You're watching CNN. I'm Brooke Baldwin. Did you see this story today? Rock n' Roll Hall of Famer's AC/DC

vowing to rock on despite the arrest of their drummer who is accused of a crime that echoes one of the band's biggest hits, "Dirty Deeds." Here's the deed. Allegedly drummer Phil Rudd is accused of trying to hire a hit man to kill two men. He is also charged with threatening to kill, possession of methamphetamines and marijuana possession. Rudd appeared in court today in New Zealand. He has since been released on bond. This arrest comes less than a month before AC/DC is scheduled to release their new album and then go on tour.

Ian Drew is on the line with me. He is the entertainment director for "US Weekly."

And, Ian, can you help me fill in any of these blanks here as far as these allegations go? Why he was in New Zealand? Anything on this.

IAN DREW, ENTERTAINMENT DIRECTOR, "US WEEKLY" (via telephone): Well, you know, he's been in New Zealand. That's where he lives. But he was charged in court. Of course he's 60 years old. The guy is still in this band. It's one of the biggest selling acts. They were just inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame about 11 years ago. And they have a new album coming and a tour.

Now their publicist did say, everything's going to move forward, but that's what's so shocking about this. Everyone is shocked, the band, their managers, everyone around them, their fans. No one really knows where this is coming from. And I think this is going to be one of the big tabloid stories in New Zealand and then trickling out into the rest of the world ongoing, almost like the Oscar Pistorius case where you're just getting new details all the time and I'm sure there's going to be a lot more surfacing tomorrow.

Now, he tried to procure the murder of two men. I mean I think that the other charge, which is possession of methamphetamine and possession of cannabis, is almost a rock 'n' roll standard. That would be weird if he wasn't charged with those things. But in terms of hiring the hit of two guys, we're going to have to see what happens. There's no inkling of what this could be or who these men are yet, but that's surely going to be dug up in the next few days by the local press there.

BALDWIN: I am sure you are exactly right and we'll get more of those details in the coming days.

But, for now, as far as the band is concerned, they did release a statement, very brief, on their website. So let's just put this on the screen. And I can tell you, this is what AC/DC is saying. "We've only become aware of Phil's arrest as the news was breaking. We have no further comment."

For you AC/DC fans, you know this, but for the rest of you, you know, this has been just the latest to hit this band, this absence of Phil Rudd. They say it won't affect the release of the new album. But this is a band that has definitely been at a loss. The death of singer Bon Scott back in 1980. And then you had just this past year, earlier this year, founding rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young retired for medical reasons.

So, Ian, given all of that, I know people are so excited to see them on tour. Presumably, depending on the outcome of this charge, that may - that may change.

DREW: Yes, Malcolm had dementia which - yes. Malcolm has dementia. But, you know, people love their sound. I mean, remember, AC/DC is not one of those bands that - it's about a particular hit of the moment. They are a sound. They are a group. And they have very, very loyal fans. They're almost a genre unto themselves. So these guys -- people just want to go to rock out. So as long as someone's there - and like I said, this is the drummer. So I hate to be crass, but he can be replaced. I mean the drummer you can replace. It's not like the lead singer or somebody who's like extremely identifiable as much. They can find someone to fill in.

BALDWIN: We will find out in the coming days more details here in these allegations of hiring this hit man. Ian Drew, thank you so much for jumping on the line, with "US Weekly." I really, really appreciate it.

DREW: Coming up next, a crying man with blood on his hands walks up to this reporter, makes a chilling confession, but the story takes on this twist that ends up in a dramatic standoff. Don't miss it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just (INAUDIBLE) I hope that she's all right. I think she's dead.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE). You've got to talk to me here. Peter Steve (ph) from Channel 7. There's been a shooting at (INAUDIBLE). I have the shooter with me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: A cameraman, racing to the scene of a shooting, gets one of the most chilling, most bizarre confrontations while he's headed there. This man, sweating with bloody hands, flags down 7 News photographer Peter Steer (ph) and he says, hey, I got a story for you. So Steer tells him to hurry because he has to get to the scene of a shooting. But the man interjects and says, "mate," I'm quoting him, "mate, I'm the shooter. I think she's dead." What's a cameraman to do? Keep rolling, of course. But this guy's confession took a dramatic turn. You have to see this. 7 News' Carley Waters (ph) has this riveting encounter.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CARLEY WATERS, 7 NEWS (voice-over): This is the moment the interview when the armed man gives himself up to 7 News cameraman Peter Steer.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, my name's Louie Brook (ph). I'm (INAUDIBLE) police (ph). And I've done an extremely bad thing. WATERS: With blood on his hands, he asks Peter to call police.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just say I hope that she's all right. I think she's dead.

WATERS: Hello. You've got to talk to me here. Peter Steer from Channel 7. There's been a shooting at (INAUDIBLE). I have the shooter with me.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE).

WATERS: He's given himself up to me.

WATERS: Brook was on a Harley Davidson when he hailed down Peter, who was on his way to the incident.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I surrender myself to God (ph).

WATERS: He told Peter he was the person police were looking for after allegedly injuring a woman at a house in (INAUDIBLE).

STEER: No, he looks OK but he's pretty remorseful at this stage. (INAUDIBLE), I can tell you that (INAUDIBLE).

WATERS: The cameraman kept him calm and kept up conversation for almost half an hour. He called police a second time.

STEER: It's very important. It's extremely important. I have the person that you're looking for.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I feel like a coward. You know, a coward. I couldn't fight - I couldn't fight the devil.

WATERS: But, as Brook was sitting on the ground, he changed his mind about surrendering. Smiling, he pointed the gun at Peter.

STEER: Don't be a (EXPLETIVE DELETED) idiot. Don't be a (EXPLETIVE DELETED) idiot, mate. Mate, don't be a (EXPLETIVE DELETED). Don't be an idiot. Geez, (INAUDIBLE) inside the - mate, don't be silly. Don't be silly.

WATERS: And stole the 7 News car.

STEER: Well, he was more than willing at first to, you know, go quietly, but I suppose something (INAUDIBLE) in his mind that now I'll do this in a big way.

WATERS: Police picked up Peter.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Channel 7 cameraman (INAUDIBLE) has been - his car has been - it got hijacked by that gunman.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE).

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He does have a firearm?

STEER: He does. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He has a firearm.

STEER: He says it's a replica, but, you know -

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He has a firearm. And he's heading south back towards (INAUDIBLE) in Channel 7's camera car.

WATERS: Brook drove straight to a nearby service station, then this. Another of Peter's cameras, mounted inside, captured the moment he crashed into a sign, then slammed into a gas tank.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get on the ground now! Get down! Get on the ground now! Get on the ground!

(CROSS TALK)

STEER: I don't think he had a weapon at the time, but he moved pretty much straight over to the gas (INAUDIBLE) and anything could have happened from there. You could hear gas leaking.

WATERS (on camera): The man was taken into custody, but the drama didn't end there. The leaking tank contains 7,000 liters of gas. Firefighters were called in. Streets were locked down for hours.

WATERS (voice-over): Guy Elston (ph) was at the service station.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And he just walked up to me purposely, looked me in the eyes and asked me for a cigarette lighter.

WATERS: He says Brook tried to get inside.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And he took about five steps back and took a running jump headfirst at the doors, pretty well knocked him unconscious.

WATERS: Like (ph) today, Brook was charged with a number of offenses, including attempted murder. Peter Steer has been a news cameraman since 1980.

STEER: I wanted to get that shot of him with the gun, but I didn't want to get shot.

WATERS: A man who normally records the news is now making it.

STEER: For a cameraman, like it's - it's -- it was sort of stuff that you sort of dream of, I guess. You know, so, yes, I'm fine. I'm fine. I just need a big drink.

WATERS: Carley Waters, 7 News.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: You don't see that often, do you? The man has been charged on several counts, including attempted murder.

Just ahead, Jon Stewart chats with us here at CNN about why he took this risk and made this film that may not be popular in America. He talked to Christiane Amanpour. She'll join me.

Plus, one of my next guests says that President Obama isn't listening to the voters he says he hears. And now two of the Republicans President Obama must work with are stirring the pot. Didn't they all get the message? Americans are sick of this. We'll discuss, coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R), HOUSE SPEAKER: The president continues to act on his own, he is going to poison the well. When you play with matches, you take the risk of burning yourself. And he's going to burn himself if he continues to go down this path. The American people made it clear Election Day, they want to get things done and they don't want the president acting on a unilateral basis.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: That is House Speaker John Boehner just a very short time ago warning the president not to go around the new solidly Republican Congress.