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At This Hour

State of Emergency in Ferguson; Terrorists Attack Synagogue in Israel, Killing Three American Rabbis; Interview with Amb. Ron Prosor; Obama Condemns Jerusalem Attack; Virginia Woman Arrested for ISIS Recruitment

Aired November 18, 2014 - 11:00   ET

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

MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: Men armed with knives and axes storm a Jerusalem synagogue, killing four people, including three Americans. The FBI is now involved. Israel promises to respond with, quote, "a heavy hand."

Missouri under a state of emergency and the grand jury hasn't even announced its decision? The Michael Brown shooting, did the governor go too far, or is this the only way to prepare for possible violence? We'll discuss.

And a serial rapist, that's what a new accuser is calling Bill Cosby as she describes a series of sexual assault she says happened at the hand of that famed comedian.

Good morning to you, I'm Michaela Pereira. John Berman is off today. We'll have those stories and much more, ahead @THISHOUR.

Sadly, we begin with grim stories, a place of calm and peace turning to a scene of mayhem, two men storming into a Jerusalem synagogue today, attacking worshippers with axes and knives. Police say all four killed were rabbis, three of them Israeli Americans.

This deadly rampage left at least six other people wounded. Police shot and killed both Palestinian attackers. Now, because three Americans were killed, the FBI will now launch an investigation. We're going to bring you a live report from Jerusalem ahead.

But first we turn here stateside to the state of emergency in Ferguson, Missouri, on orders of the governor and police vigilance in city's nationwide on the urging of the FBI.

Those precautions come in advance of a grand jury decision on whether or not to indict Officer Darren Wilson in the fatal shooting of teenager Michael Brown. We all remember the death of the unarmed teenager back on August 9 and how it triggered weeks of protests that sometimes turned violent.

Authorities are determined not to have a repeat of that unrest. Now the question is, are they going about it the right way?

I have two excellent guests today, I'm joined by Michael Balboni, a former New York state Homeland Security director. And also Suzan Johnson Cook is a former U.S. ambassador at large for international religious freedom and, of course, a community leader.

You know, I was thinking. We were talking about this just a moment ago, just before we went live here. We have the benefit this time of forethought. We have an advantage, we can prepare.

But I wonder what the message -- Michael, we'll start with you -- that's being sent by issuing a statement of emergency in advance. I understand it's a preparation but you have to wonder what the optics would be. And then also, sending in the national guard or at least readying the national guard.

MICHAEL BALBONI, SENIOR FELLOW, HOMELAND SECURITY POLICY INSTITUTE: It's all about resourcing. It's also about communication, being able to talk to the folks in the communities ahead of time to say here's our plans, here's what we're going to be doing.

The key in these types of situations is to set up protest zones and secure zones to make sure that you have to community aware of what's going to be happening. You can understand people's concern after the last incident, but it's very important to begin with information, begin with communication.

Right now, they're ramping up quickly. I think part of it is that they have a lot of different jurisdictions that are there bringing together -- it's not like New York City.

PEREIRA: That's proven problematic before.

BALBONI: Coordinating a lot of different jurisdictions is always problematic, but again, it's about anticipating what's going to happen but telling the community what you're going to be doing.

PEREIRA: So on the part of the community, does this send up red flags to you?

SUZAN JOHNSON COOK, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR AT LARGE FOR INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM: It's all about (inaudible).

First of all, let me give my condolences to my rabbi friends, colleagues, families who were killed in Jerusalem but also my condolences to Michael Brown's family as well because there are families at stake here.

PEREIRA: And that's an important thing to remember.

COOK: There's an individual and family that was involved in this, so it sends up red flags. And we're talking about response, relationships. and America doesn't want to deal with the race issue.

So it sends up red flags when you have 68 percent of your population who are African-American. Yes. It's insightful, that they're trying to have something -- the only time the national guard comes is when there's a storm.

PEREIRA: When there's a problem, when there's trouble.

COOK: So you're sending them ahead of time.

PEREIRA: You equate it with trouble.

COOK: You equate it with trouble.

PEREIRA: It's interesting. We had the police chief of Cincinnati on "NEW DAY" this morning. He made a really interesting statement.

He said it's not right to react to an emergency situation like what we saw happen in Ferguson and then try to establish a relationship in the community. You have to have that relationship from the jump.

And that's something the two of you were talking about. The need for this cohesiveness. What would you advise? Because I know you've been in a situation where you've had to deploy military personnel.

How would you advise officers who are getting -- standing by to go to Ferguson?

BALBONI: You have to recognize the assets you have at your availability. National guard, a fantastic opportunity to restore calm and rebuild communities and help in natural disasters as you talk about, but they're not police officers.

COOK: And have they been trained in sensitivity?

BALBONI: Exactly. That's very true.

COOK: They're going into something that's volatile. Have they been trained to be sensitive?

They have weapons against people who do not have weapons, and they're going into something already volatile, so now what happens? Is there another Kent State? What begins to happen? Do they start shooting at innocent people?

BALBONI: The optics are very important because, you know, tear gas, things like that, very, very bad. There's all sorts of nonlethal and different types of strategies. Mounted patrols are much, much more effective.

But, again, you have to have communication back and forth, and you have to talk to community leaders and say this is what we're going to plan to do, this is how we're going to respond.

COOK: But the real issue becomes why is it taking the grand jury so long to meet and to give a response? And so we can't get away from that.

We have Eric Garner in New York. We have Michael Brown in Ferguson. So what's taking so long? So when you send the optic of national guard going in, FBI coming in, what begins to happen?

So it sounds to us like a decision has already been made and you're waiting. COOK: To be fair, they have until January 7th, so they can -- we don't

know what kind of information and what details and what witness testimony that they're getting.

They have the time, and they're allowed to deliberate on this. And we hope they make a prudent, rational decision and not rushed to judgment.

Here's something that I do want to ask you about Suzan because I know it seems in a way there's a bit of an "us" and "them," and then there's the folks in the middle, the folks that are business owners, the parents of school-age children that are worried this decision is going to impact their children's safety, trying to get to and from school.

How do we get all of these people together?

COOK: Most of our relationship building now and in the future, we've got to look at the long-term impact as well. So there are people who are affected, yes. There are people affected from what's already happened, and there are people who are going to be affected in the future.

How do begin long-term relationships? You're talking about restoration, you're talking about relationships, and do you begin to have that?

With community leaders, you just had Reverend Jamal Bryant on. You have to deal with the churches that are there. You have to deal with the civic organizations. The NAACP has had a presence there. And so begin to begin the relationships now.

PEREIRA: Suzan Johnson Cook, Michael Balboni, can we call on you both again?

COOK: Oh, please.

PEREIRA: I'd like that. Thank you so much for being here.

COOK: This is going to be going on for a while.

PEREIRA: Sadly it is. It's an important discussion to have. Thank you so much for joining us.

BALBONI: Thank you for having me.

PEREIRA: Ahead @THISHOUR, we turn back to Jerusalem, terror there, two men armed with knives and axes attacking worshippers at a synagogue.

Three American rabbis among those killed. We'll bring you a live report from Jerusalem, just ahead.

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PEREIRA: They were cousins, armed with axes and knives. They launched an attack on worship worshippers and all four people were killed. All of them rabbis, three American Israelis, one a British citizen.

We're told because of the connection to America the FBI is going to launch an investigation. President Obama for his part has condemned these attacks saying there can be no justification.

He added, quote, "At this sensitive moment in Jerusalem, it's more important for Israeli and Palestinian leaders and ordinary citizens to work cooperative to lower tensions, reject violence and seek a path towards peace."

Israeli envoy to the U.N. Ron Prosor is here and Ben Wedeman joins us from Jerusalem. Ben, I want to turn to you. Give us the latest on the situation. It's been a very, very tense day there.

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it's been very tense since about 7:00 this morning when this attack took place when these two Palestinians from east Jerusalem burst into morning prayers and killed those four people.

There were actually about ten or possibly a dozen people inside this synagogue, six remain in very serious condition, one of them was one of the police officers who responded to the calls for help, arriving on the scene just seven minutes after it happened and then, of course, they were able to kill those two attackers.

But we are expecting the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to make a statement in about an hour and fifteen minutes from now on the situation in Jerusalem which, of course, is very tense.

He has come out and said that they, the Israeli security forces, will be demolishing the homes of those two Palestinian attackers. He has come out also, earlier in the day, condemning what he called incitement by Hamas as well as the Palestinian authority led by President Mahmoud Abbas.

So certainly we're expecting some sort of further explanation as to what Israel's steps will be. It's important to keep in mind that these attackers don't come from the west bank, they don't come from Gaza, they live within an area that is under full Israeli control, Michaela.

PEREIRA: Quickly, I'm wondering, Ben, if you can give us an understanding that the authorities believe these were lone wolf actors, if you will. But we have also been reporting here in the last few weeks, in the last month, of other kind of similar attacks.

WEDEMAN: Yes, we've had a variety of attacks. In fact, six people have been killed in the last few weeks by what are being described as these lone wolf attacks, attackers largely from east Jerusalem with no apparent affiliation to any radical Palestinian organizations.

And this is what makes it so difficult because under normal circumstances these t Israeli security forces intelligence who are quite capable have a lot of means at their -- that they can use to watch and follow people. When it comes to judges who are just acting on their own it's very difficult to anticipate any possible attacks.

PEREIRA: Ben Wedeman, our thanks.

Ambassador Prosor is here with me in studio. Sir, first of all, our condolences certainly have to be given. What a terrible day.

We've heard the reaction of Benjamin Netanyahu, saying he is going to respond and that Israel will respond with a heavy hand.

I think there's such concern about a new level of conflict, but what do you expect that heavy hand to look like?

RON PROSOR, ISRAELI PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE TO THE UNITED NATIONS: First, let's look at the facts. Just think. In less than a month six terrorist attacks against Israelis. Trains, streets, the Palestinian authority putting cartoons on their official sites calling the ram Jews. And if you look at today, basically innocent Israelis can not find sanctuary.

PEREIRA: In a house of worship.

PROSOR: In a sanctuary of a synagogue. And you saw with American citizens and British citizens, terrorism doesn't have borders, doesn't know nationalities. And I have to tell the American people and everyone else, look, Israel is on the front line encountering this terrorism from Hamas, from Hezbollah, from all those radical enemies that you see all around. If you're not with us today, you'll find terrorism on your doorsteps tomorrow.

PEREIRA: And we are already seeing the terrorism working its way around the world. What do you expect the reaction to be like from your country?

PROSOR: Well, first and foremost, every prime minister, every president, the first thing that he has to do is protect his citizens, so I think you see a reaction trying to protect Israeli citizens, which is quite obvious. But the point that I want to make, which is really important, is the incitement. Because the incitement issue continues day in and day out and we can see that in the Palestinian authority on Hamas calling for a day of rage.

And those are the results, because people come and listen to this, so you have Israel and the prime minister on the one hand with Kerry and King Abdullah and Jordan, Prime Minister Netanyahu standing tall and saying, hey, no changes on the temple mount and the other side, inciting.

PEREIRA: So here's a question. We've tried to explore this many times here. How do you counter the inciting of an ideology? Because you can destroy a people, but the ideology will continue.

PROSOR: That's true. But what do you have? You have to make sure that terrorist organizations like Hamas, Hezbollah, ISIS, Boko Haram, and Nigeria, they all have an ideology going out against the values that we all cherish, Americans, Israelis, everyone in the world. But we can't make a differentiation. We have to really stick very strong and counter it everyday. Because at the end of the day, only through education, we will be able to change something. PEREIRA: To that end, there's no -- we are in for a long haul.

PROSOR: True. We are in for a long haul, understanding that there are powers and terrorist organizations with ideology trying to take us down. And if you look after 9/11, the terrorist acts after 9/11 have increased by five times as much around the world. So we all have to stand very strong, not making any discounts, not blaming ourselves, but making sure those that those terrorists are going to be attacked and stopped before they reach our doorsteps.

PEREIRA: Ambassador Prosor, thank you so much for your time today. And again, our condolences.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, I should point out, is going to hold a news conference around 12:30 Eastern time, about an hour from now, and CNN will bring his comments to you live when that happens.

Ahead right here, recruiting for ISIS. An American woman accused of trying to sign up people for terror attacks. We'll take you inside the FBI's undercover operation coming up.

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PEREIRA: We have some new video here, just a moment ago at this hour, the president was meeting with his national security and public health teams for an update on the response to Ebola and he was asked about the attacks in Jerusalem today. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We know that two attackers senselessly and brutally attacked innocent worshippers in a synagogue during their morning prayers. Obviously, we condemn, in the strongest terms, these attacks. A number of people were wounded and four people were killed, including three American citizens, so this is a tragedy for both nations, Israel, as well as the United States, and our hearts go out to the families who, obviously, are undergoing enormous grief right now. Secretary Kerry has spoken to Prime Minister Netanyahu. President Abbas has strongly condemned the attacks.

Tragically, this is not the first loss of life that we have seen in recent months. Too many Israelis have died, too many Palestinians have died. And at this difficult time, I think it's important for both Palestinians and Israelis to try to work together to lower tensions and to reject violence. The murderers for today's outrageous acts represent the kind of extremism that threatens to bring all of the Middle East into the kind of spiral from which it's very difficult to emerge, and we know how this violence can get worse over time.

But we have to remind ourselves that the majority of Palestinians and Israelis overwhelmingly want peace and to be able to raise their families, knowing they're safe and secure. The United States wants to work with all parties involved to make that a reality and to isolate the kinds of extremists that are bringing about this terrible carnage. Now I turn to the topic of this meeting -

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PEREIRA: That was moments ago. The president speaking about the horrific attacks at a synagogue in Jerusalem where three American- Israeli rabbis and a British-Israeli rabbi were killed brutally in an attack there. Several other people were injured. He also mentioned the secretary of state has spoken with Benjamin Netanyahu. John Kerry, for his part, calls the attack an act of pure terror and senseless brutality and murder. Stay with CNN, we'll have more on this throughout the day.

Right now, though, we want to turn to a head-scratcher. We've seen this situation play out a few times here now. A young American woman, under arrest at this hour, after claiming that she is a recruiter for ISIS. Heather Kaufman is her name. She is charged with lying to federal agents about her ties to the terror group.

Our Deborah Feyerick is chasing down details, and she is here with me now. This, I think, mystifies so many people. What more do we know about this young woman -- young lady, isn't she?

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, she is. She's 29 years old. And it's interesting, she's charged with making false statements that promote international terrorism. And so she may have exaggerated her actual ties to ISIS, but 29-year-old Heather Kaufman lives in Henrico County, Virginia.

According to a criminal complaint, she describes herself almost as a recruiter, telling an undercover FBI agent that she's able to arrange travel to Turkey so that a wannabe Jihadi can meet with ISIS facilitators. And she describes the facilitators as legitimate ISIS contacts who can arrange training and entry into Syria for anyone to join ISIS and die in battle.

Now according to the FBI, she tried to recruit two people. In the first case, it was a man that she claimed was her husband, whom it appears she'd never met, but who said that he wanted their future son to be a Mujahideen. Well, the man changed his mind, he stayed in Macedonia instead. The second was this undercover FBI agent. He was part of an operation that was developed this summer after FBI agents executed a search warrant on the woman's multiple Facebook accounts. Those accounts suggest the woman was becoming more and more radicalized and supportive of ISIS. She posted images and quotes, calling the virtues of Mujahideen, claiming that she loves ISIS.

So there was a lot going on with this young woman, those accounts were deleted because of her views. When she was confronted at her office by FBI agents, she denied these activities. Federal agents said, you know, lying to federal officials is a crime and that's what she was ultimately charged with.

PEREIRA: So here's a question. Is there smoke -- when you see there's smoke, is there a fire? Is there anything to substantiate her claims that she has these ties or is this somebody making a lot of noise? FEYERICK: Well that's what's all under investigation right now. The

FBI did execute a search warrant on the Facebook accounts. Their key thing was finding out whether, in fact, this woman did have any sort of legitimate network, because that's what they wanted to know. Who she's speaking with, who she's in contact with, can she make that move for somebody who says, oh, I want to go fight, to say okay, well I have a guy who knows a guy? And so that's really what they're looking at. But ultimately, they didn't charge her with that, they charged her with making those false statements.

PEREIRA: Right. She's got a hearing tomorrow, correct?

FEYERICK: She does have a hearing tomorrow.

PEREIRA: What happens there?

FEYERICK: We believe that she'll be arraigned on those charges, and we're looking at that now. It's a little bit murky as to what's going on.

PEREIRA: Update us.

FEYERICK: Of course.

PEREIRA: Thank you so much, Deborah Feyerick with that. Thank you.

Ahead @THISHOUR, the latest woman to come forward saying that Bill Cosby sexually assaulted her. She calls him a serial rapist. We'll have the accusations and the potential impact on Cosby's career up next.

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