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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Confronting Iran In Yemeni Waters?; Iran's Power-Play In The Middle East; Two Arrested In Migrant Shipwreck Off Libya; Six American Arrested Trying To Join ISIS; Stock Futures Climb; Baltimore Protests Over Death Of Freddie Gray; Aired 5:30-6a ET

Aired April 21, 2015 - 05:30   ET

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

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Iran meanwhile flexing its military muscle at the same it's trying to broker a nuclear deal with the United States. This relationship is increasingly complicated. We have live team coverage ahead.

The death toll rising this morning in the migrant disaster in the Mediterranean, crew members from the capsized ship have been arrested. This whole thing reveals a human trafficking tragedy spiraling out of control. We're live.

Mounting questions rising anger over the death of a man mysteriously injured during his arrest. Six police officers are now off the job. We have new details in this story ahead.

Welcome back to EARLY START, everyone. I'm John Berman. It's 30 minutes past the hour right now. Christine Romans is off this morning.

This morning, there is a new hot zone that puts U.S. assets in conflict with Iran. American war ships are now patrolling the waters off the coast of Yemen. Those ships are there to block the Iranian vessels from delivering arms to rebels inside Yemen.

The Iranian-backed Houthis have overthrown the government there that is backed in turn by the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. Iranian officials are not backing down. The commander of Iran's Navy told CNN, "We don't let anyone give us warnings and threats."

Our senior international correspondent, Nick Paton Walsh, is monitoring the developments for us this morning. Good morning, Nick.

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: John, so much more at stake day by day in the waters around Yemen and skies above it. The U.S. saying it will send aircraft carrier "USS Theodore Roosevelt" and a guided missile carrier, the "USS Normandy" to add about what are already 10 ships in the region there.

Now what's key here, of course, is that Iran is suspected to have about nine ships in that same area too, who may be potentially carrying weapons that may be bound for Yemen.

The question is, if they do take that course, they are considered to be carrying weaponry for the Houthis, (inaudible) are backed or at least assisted by Iran here.

Does that mean the U.S. tries to block their path or certainly this is at least a show of force? It is, of course, in response to the United Nations Security Council resolution imposing an arms blockade on the Houthis in Yemen.

That could provide a mandate perhaps the U.S. wants if it decides to stop these ships in their path, but really I think this is more about escalation of the rhetoric and the tension in that area and the potential for an immediate conflict.

We are seeing a war now, the end of which is hard to define at this stage. Civilians increasingly caught on the ground. Over 40 killed in one air strike. The Saudis and the coalition continuing in the air campaign, which the U.S. is backing with intelligence and now maritime fire power as well.

The question is will there be a ground invasion or could there be some kind of resolution? So much in the region key to this conflict because Iran is behind the Houthis and the Saudis are the ones attacking them from the skies that could really plunge this region into a much troublesome area than it already is in if you can imagine that -- John.

BERMAN: Yes, that is only one piece of the puzzle in the complicated relationship between the United States and Iran right now. Nick Paton Walsh for us in London this morning.

U.S. officials believe the Iranian role in Yemen is evidence of a larger effort to spread Iranian influence in the Middle East. Already they are training and equipping Shiite militias in Iraq, helping to pop up the Assad government in Syria.

A senior member of the Iran's parliament added Yemen to the list when he recently said Sana'a is the fourth capital to fall into our hands. In addition, the "Washington Post" bureau chief in Tehran is being held right now for nine months.

At last, we know the charges he faces, charges that the "Washington Post" here in the United States, espionage charges deemed ludicrous. All of that going on as these nuclear negotiations continue.

We want to go straight to CNN senior international correspondent, Frederik Pleitgen, live in Tehran this morning. Good morning, Fred.

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, John. There is so much going on in U.S.-Iranian relations and of course, right now, especially the part about Yemen is the one that's heating up.

You know, the Iranians are saying the ships that they have in that area by no means want to go to the Yemeni coast. They are there fighting piracy. They say that the Iranians are doing that under international regulations.

However, they have very heavily criticized the operations that are going on over Yemen especially the Saudi involvement. They have accused the Saudis of genocide and they also say that Yemen could very well Saudi Arabia's Vietnam.

The interesting thing about the rhetoric that comes out of Tehran, when we talk about the expansion of the role that Iran has he in this region, they see it as stabilizing this region.

I was at National Armed Forces Day parade here just a couple of days ago in Tehran as well. Hassan Rouhani, the president of this country said that the Iranian military was a stabilizing factor not only for this country, but for the entire region.

They of course see that with their influence in Iraq and Lebanon and in Syria as well, which of course, is heavily criticized by many countries around the world.

[05:35:09] To them, that is all something that they say stabilizes the region. At the same time, of course, they are continuously on a confrontation course with the U.S. in places like Yemen.

They are also very much at odds with the U.S. as how to best fight ISIS in Iraq as well with Iranians say they believe what they are doing is the right thing by training up Shiite militias, Kurdish militias as well, by the way.

And the U.S. of course is following that campaign of airstrikes and all of this comes while the negotiations about the nuclear program, possible final deal, are going into the hot phase where the parties are going to be joining each other today to start technical talks.

BERMAN: In as far as the Iranians are concerned, Fred, the nuclear negotiations are separate from this almost face-to-face conflict happening off the coast of Yemen separate from this "Washington Post" correspondent being held in prison for nine months now.

We appear to have lost Fred Pleitgen live in Tehran this morning. Lucky to have him there at all for us with so much news developing between the United States and Iran, we will check back in with him in a little bit.

Developing overnight, the captain and a crew member in the ship that sank in the Mediterranean on Sunday have been arrested on suspicion of human trafficking. As many as 900 migrants from Africa are believed to have died when the overcrowded fishing vessel they were packed into capsized.

Top European leaders met in Luxemburg on Monday trying to confront what they are calling a migrant crisis right now. Hundreds of thousands of people have made the dangerous journey from North Africa to Europe so many of them need to be rescued along the way. About 3,500 people died at sea last year.

I want to bring in senior international correspondent, Ben Wedeman live from Sicily. Ben, what is the latest on the investigation this morning?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, as you mentioned, the Italian police have arrested two of the 28 survivors from that ill-fated ship. One apparently was the Tunisian captain. The other was a Syrian deck hand of some sort.

So they are currently being questioned. Now as far as beyond that, it's not all together clear at this point how this ship capsized. One U.N. official is saying it was caused because a Portuguese merchant vessel that went to the rescue of that ship got too close and caused a big wave and therefore, it capsized.

However, we spoke to two medics from the Order of Malta, who were at the scene shortly after the ship went down. They believe that indeed it was caused by many of the passengers when they saw this approaching ship going to one side and causing it to capsize.

These two medics also told us that they were out on the ocean at 1:00 a.m. in the dark in a dinghy looking for bodies. They described what they saw as a carpet of bodies bobbing in the water. They thought they were all dead.

But in fact, as they went in to recover some of the bodies, they heard one man shouting for help. They brought him on board. Another man, they saw, floating with his head up and eyes open.

They couldn't tell if he was dead or alive when they reached to pull him out of the water and he grabbed their hands and they brought him in. It sounded like a hellish scene on the water early Sunday morning when that ship went down -- John.

BERMAN: Ben Wedeman for us in Sicily. This problem is only getting worse as people literally forced out of their countries into more dangerous situations. Thanks, Ben.

New details this morning, what federal prosecutors called the biggest ISIS recruitment case so far in the United States. Officials say six men, Somali Americans, aged 19 to 21, were conspiring to sneak into Syria and join ISIS.

Four were arrested in Minneapolis on Sunday. Two others were detained in San Diego. Officials say they were trying to cross into Mexico with fake passports and make their way to Syria from there.

Prosecutors say the men were encouraged by a 21-year-old friend who already joined ISIS in Syria. The U.S. attorney in Minneapolis said there was no single mastermind behind this conspiracy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDREW LUGER, MINNESOTA U.S. ATTORNEY: In today's case, the answer is that this group of friends is recruiting each other. They are engaged in what we describe as peer-to-peer recruiting, friend to friend, brother to brother. We have terror recruiting problem in Minnesota.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BERMAN: Terror recruiting problem in Minnesota. Four of the suspects appeared in court on Monday, but they did not enter a plea.

It's 39 minutes after the hour, time for an EARLY START on your money. Cristina Alesci is here with that.

CRISTINA ALESCI, CNN MONEY CORRESPONDENT: Stocks are up around the world this morning. Asia, Europe and U.S. stock futures are all positive. Yesterday, the Dow climbed 208 points thanks to strong earnings from big players and there is a lot more to consider today. We have to see how the market reacts.

Another story for you, John, which airline do you think has the worst customer satisfaction?

BERMAN: All of the above.

[05:40:04] ALESCI: Exactly, seriously ranked dead last, Spirit Airlines, Spirit is known for cheap tickets, but also its extra fees from just about everything from carry ons to water.

Another low cost option close to the bottom, Frontier, no surprise, JetBlue claimed the top stop followed by Southwest. Believe it or not, customer hit a 20-year high.

BERMAN: Everything is relative, 19 years of misery.

ALESCI: The seats keep getting smaller.

BERMAN: Luckily. It's 20 minutes until the hour right now. Six officers suspended after a man was mysteriously injured during his arrest and died. The community is demanding answers this morning as the new video surfaces. We will break it down for you next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:44:25]

BERMAN: New protests in Baltimore and still no explanation from police about why Freddie Gray was arrested in the first place and how he ended up suffering a fatal spinal cord injury while he was in custody.

Police in Baltimore have released this new video of the arrest that shows Gray being dragged into the police van. Six officers involved in the arrest have been suspended during the investigation.

An attorney for the family said that Freddie Gray was in perfect health until police chased and tackled him. The mayor of Baltimore says she will get to the bottom of this situation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR STEPHANIE RAWLINGS-BLAKE, BALTIMORE: We are committed to making sure we get this right. We have a very challenging history in our city when it comes to trust between the community and police. [05:45:10] We have to make sure that this investigation goes forward, that it's transparent, and we have independent eyes take a look at it because it's too important not to get this right.

WILLIAM MURPHY, FREDDIE GRAY FAMILY REPRESENTATIVE: Baltimore has a sorry history of police brutality and an even sorrier history in terms of governmental response to police brutality. Typically the police deny, deny, deny no matter what the facts are.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: Emotions are running right now high in Baltimore. CNN national correspondent, Miguel Marquez is there.

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John, an amazing scene outside here in the western division of the Baltimore Police Department. A few protesters are left after a huge rain storm came through here. You can still see that they are shouting angrily at police who have gathered here.

The man in the white shirt there, Community Affairs Commander Melvin Russell, he came into the middle of the crowd, hundreds of people here at one point to try to engage them and bring down the level of anger. Here's how that turned out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are asking the wrong person.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You totally think that he was OK before he got put in that wagon.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why are you asking me questions I can't answer?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why wasn't he pulled?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MARQUEZ: Now several blocks from here where Freddie Gray died, 25 years old. When he was arrested by police, witnesses say he was complaining about having asthma and not having his inhaler on him. They put him in a wagon and took him into custody, putting him in leg irons at one point.

There was never a point, say police, where he was injured while he was arrested. By the time he got to the police station, somehow his neck was broken. His family's lawyer saying it was nearly severed, the spinal cord.

Seven days later, he died. This crowd now angry protesting that black lives matter and they don't want to see this happen again. It seems to be, at least for this tough neighborhood in Baltimore, a turning point -- John.

BERMAN: Miguel Marquez for us in Baltimore. Thanks so much.

Later this morning, the jury that convicted Dzhokhar Tsarnaev in the Boston marathon bombing will reconvene for the sentencing phase. Jurors will decide if he gets life in prison without parole or the death penalty.

Some marathon bombing survivors have appealed for Tsarnaev to be spared the death penalty not out of mercy really. They say that years of appeals that would follow a death sentence would force them to relive the painful tragedy again and again.

New details this morning about the condition of Bobbi Kristina Brown, her grandmother, Cissy Houston, says in a statement, the 22- year-old daughter of the late Whitney Houston is no longer in a medically induced coma.

But according to doctors has irreversible brain damage. Just days ago, Bobby Brown, her father said during a concert that Bobbi Kristina was awake and he felt she was watching him.

Hillary Clinton on the record about Republican attacks against her. We will tell you what she is saying and where next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:51:56]

BERMAN: Happening today, Hillary Clinton and her campaign swing through New Hampshire, her first as an official candidate. She has a visit to a community college this morning. On Monday, she was sticking with the small scale tone of her campaign.

So far, she was discussing issues including head start and social security. At the same time, she addressed some attacks. Some say new revelations coming out about her in a new book. Our senior political correspondent, Brianna Keilar, has more.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: John, good morning. In a brief Q&A session with reporters here in Keene, New Hampshire, Hillary Clinton addressed the upcoming book that alleges pay-to-play between the Clinton Foundation and foreign countries while she was secretary of state. She says it all boils down to politics.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It is political season and therefore we will be subjected to all kinds of distraction and attacks. I'm ready for that. I know that comes unfortunately with the territory. It is, I think, worth noting that the Republicans seem to be talking only about me. I don't know what they'd talk about if I weren't in the race.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Clinton campaign aides have been sharper in their rhetoric about this book, "Clinton Cash." For instance, John Podesta, the chairman of her campaign saying that its conspiracy theories woven together from cherry picked information.

Also here in New Hampshire at an event to discuss small businesses with local business owners, Hillary Clinton, put some distance between herself and President Obama on the economy. She said small businesses need to get back growing and she said the economy has stalled out -- John.

BERMAN: Brianna Keilar for us in New Hampshire, thanks so much.

There is a big food scare to tell you about overnight. Things you want to look at in your refrigerator and freezer. We will tell you all about it next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:57:18]

BERMAN: Time for an EARLY START on your money. Cristina Alesci is here with that.

ALESCI: Yes, nothing shaking this market, U.S. futures are solidly up this morning. It has been a great start to the week. Yesterday, the Dow climbed 208 points thanks to strong earnings from Morgan Stanley, Wallenberg, and IBM, but there is a lot more to consider today with Verizon, Chipotle and Yahoo! and many more reporting results.

BERMAN: Chipotle is going to show major results, burrito bowl sales in the Midwest.

ALESCI: Ever since Hillary decided to kick off her campaign there.

On to some more food stories actually, a negative one, a big food scare announced overnight. Blue Bell ice cream issued a voluntary recall for all of its products after ice cream samples tested positive for potentially deadly listeria bacteria. Listeria can cause fatal infection in young children and older people and could also be dangerous for pregnant women.

Now on a positive note, Kraft is making some big changes to the mac & cheese. John, starting next January, Kraft will remove artificial preservatives and synthetic colors from its recipe instead the company will use spices, real ones, paprika and turmeric. Parents want healthy simple food for their children. Kraft says it will taste the same.

BERMAN: It better.

ALESCI: Kraft, listen up. John Berman is coming after you.

BERMAN: I don't know what turmeric is so it better taste good. All right, Cristina, thanks so much.

The U.S. sending war ships now on patrol off the coast of Yemen. This is really a warning to Iran. A tense situation, "NEW DAY" begins right now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: U.S. Navy warships in and around the coast of Yemen.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST, "THE SITUATION ROOM": Prepared to accept any Iranian arm shipments to the Shiite rebels.

SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN: Air power alone is not the decisive factor.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have terror recruiting problem in Minnesota.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The men knew they were on the FBI's radar.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You cannot afford this kind of recruitment to happen.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The worst disaster involving migrants crossing from Northern Africa to Europe.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: More than 1,500 people have died so far this year alone.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Police have arrested two of the 27 survivors.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Pulling all of its products off store shelves.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are heartbroken over this situation and apologize to all of our loyal Blue Bell fans and customers.

(END VIDEOTAPE)