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Mohammed Cartoon Contest Sparks Controversy; Gunman's Apartment Searched; Obama Heads to New York; Marilyn Mosby in the Spotlight. Aired 9:30-10a ET

Aired May 04, 2015 - 09:30   ET

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

PAMELA GELLER, ORGANIZED "DRAW MOHAMMED" EVENT: This cannot be sanctioned. This cannot be sanctioned. The West must stand up for freedom of speech. It's the core, fundamental element of this constitutional republic.

[09:30:01]ALISYN CAMEROTA, ANCHOR, CNN'S "NEW DAY": I mean what your critics say about this is that you weren't just going after say al Qaeda or ISIS or extremism, but even just Islam. I mean let me read to you a portion and excerpt from your keynote speaker, Girit Wilders (ph), who said this to the crowd before the attack broke out. He said, "our Judeo-Christian culture is far superior to the Islamic one. I can give you a million reasons. But here is an important one. We've got humor and they don't. Islam does not allow free speech because free speech shows how evil and wrong Islam is, and Islam does not allow humor because humor shows how foolish and ridiculous it is."

Now, of course, that's not about extremism. He's talking about a religion of which there are 3 million Muslims even here in the United States.

GELLER: First of all, he's entitled to his opinion. End of story. So what. So he said that. And, frankly, what he said was true. There is no humor. Khomeini, when he took over in 1979, said there is no humor. The fact is that we need to have this discussion.

Alisyn, there's a problem in Islam. And the problem is, we can't talk about the problem. We are seeing the wholesale slaughter of Christians in Iraq and in Syria. In Nigeria, in the Congo, Central African Republic, the jihad is raging and all we can talk about is backlash-a- phobia. It's nonsense. We have to be able to discuss. And when you say it's -- I'm anti-Muslim, excuse me, I'm anti-jihad.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: OK. So let's talk about this. Harris Zafar joins me now. He's the national spokesman for the Ahmadiyya Muslim community and the author of "Demystifying Islam: Tackling Tough Questions."

Welcome.

HARRIS ZAFAR, SPOKESMAN, AHMADIYYA MUSLIM COMMUNITY USA: Thank you for having me. Appreciate it.

COSTELLO: First of all, your reaction to Geller's remarks.

ZAFAR: Well, this is just another peg in a decades-long of ridiculous comments from Pamela Geller. I mean we stand with her and with everyone who wants to defend freedom of speech. The track record of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is that as Muslims who believe in the Messiah, we believe that everyone has a right to speak their words. And our faith actually backs that up. It champions free speech.

But the problem is, she isn't calling out free speech. She isn't calling out jihadists. She isn't calling out radicals. She and Girt Wilders (ph) are anti-Islamic. They are -- they are castigating the entire religion of Islam, not just Muslims, actually the philosophy that's followed by 1.6 billion people. So that's -- that's free speech, but it's hate speech, and it's inciting hatred of religions.

COSTELLO: But Harris -- but Harris --

ZAFAR: Uh-huh.

COSTELLO: She says, so what? So what? He has a right to his opinion. Big deal.

ZAFAR: Oh, I was just simply answering your question. The greater point here is that a violent reaction is never sanctioned. And that's why I dedicate an entire chapter to this in my book is that -- to give a detailed analysis that Islam actually does champion free speech. It's not just a talking point. That there's no evidence in the Koran or in the life of Mohammed that says that you're allowed to intimidate others by silencing them. So such acts like this or "Charlie Hebdo" or what others have faced is a gross violation of Islam and we condemn it wholeheartedly. And so what we're asking for is, partner with us. Work with your -- with peaceful Muslims who want to eradicate this, who want more dialogue because the Koran says to respond to speech with speech. Work with us, don't cast us aside.

COSTELLO: So -- so, Harris, you would -- you would get together with Girt Wilders and Pamela Geller to work on this problem?

ZAFAR: Absolutely, because what they're saying is that there's a problem in Islam. I welcome an open, public forum debate so where we can rationally, with words, with our speech, they can advance their arguments of why Islam is radical and evil, and I can advance our arguments with the Ahmadiyya Muslim community which is proving that Islam does not sanction that. Let the best idea win. That's how we get to the bottom of this peacefully. And not -- but not this tasteless, I'm going to poke you in the eye and if you respond you must be an animal, but what about the low moral state of those who think that insulting others with defamatory speech is OK. We need to call both the sides out.

COSTELLO: Yes, and you talk about poking in the eye. There are many in the Muslim community, they might say Pamela Geller is certainly guilty of that in New York City. For example, she put up ads in the subway saying, quote, "in any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel. Defeat jihad." Many Jewish rabbis in the city were not so happy about these ads, so they ran counter ads. The rabbis' ad said, quote, "in the choice between love and hate, choose love. Help stop bigotry against our Muslim neighbors." Talk about that a bit.

ZAFAR: Absolutely. This is the beauty of any faith teachings, which is to see the humanity in others, not to devalue their lives. Not to -- not to seek ways of division. Seek ways of union. So those rabbis, the pastors, the members of all of the faiths that we work with, we value that relationship. And it proves that this -- this is a political thing. It's not a religious thing. So Pam Geller is a political figure who seeks to divide people. Girt Wilders is literally a political figure who seeks to divide and to castigate one group aside as being different from the rest. And that's not what we do in a civilized society with moral integrity. So I work with any of these rabbis and pastors who are willing to actually fix society and advance peace.

[09:35:31] COSTELLO: Harris Zafar, thank you so much for being with me this morning. I appreciate it.

ZAFAR: Thank you, Carol. Really appreciate it.

COSTELLO: You're welcome.

All right, we're going to take you to Phoenix, next. We're going to talk to a reporter there and, of course, the FBI searching the apartment of one of the suspects who shoot a security guard outside of this Texas event we were just talking about. Much more in the NEWSROOM, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: All right, we want to take you back out live to Phoenix right now where the FBI is searching the apartment located in Phoenix, Arizona, of one of the alleged gunmen in that Texas shooting in Garland, Texas. There was a shooting that happened outside of an event featuring a cartoon contest. You were challenged to -- to draw a cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed. These two men showed up. They opened fire. Police fired back. And two men were shot.

And again, the FBI is searching one of the apartment -- is searching the apartment where these two men lived. We know one of their names, Elton Simpson. So let's head back out to Phoenix right now and check in with Javier Soto. He works at one of our affiliates there, KTVK.

[09:40:11] Javier, what more can you tell us?

JAVIER SOTO, REPORTER, KTVK: Yes, good morning to you, Carol.

We just got out from talking with some of the neighbors of Simpson and they described two gentlemen who lived there and they did describe them as gentlemen, saying they were very nice. And when I referenced one of them as Elton Simpson, as you just mentioned, they said that they went by a different name.

But currently the FBI is in and out of that apartment complex unit here at the Autumn Ridge. We're right north of Phoenix. And they served the search warrant late last night into early this morning. We are told that several units surrounding the one unit where they

were serving a search warrant were evacuated at about 10:00 last night. They weren't allowed back into their units until about 4:00 this morning. But the FBI, with the assistance of Phoenix Police, served a search warrant. We were told there were some loud flash-bangs as the FBI and Phoenix Police made entry. Once they determined nobody was inside, they sent a robot in to conduct surveillance throughout that apartment unit to make sure there were no bombs inside, and then the FBI started their investigation.

Now, neighbors tell us that they're actually centered around a van in the back parking lot searching through that, as well. And according to FBI officials, they got information from yesterday's shooting, once they were able to get inside that vehicle and gather information and that's what brought them to this apartment complex here in north Phoenix, connecting Simpson, as well as the second suspect to this unit.

So they're far from done conducting their investigation. There's no telling at this point what kind of evidence they were able to pull away from here. But again, those other surrounding units were allowed back in to their homes just a few hours ago. And they described the two men who lived here as being very nice.

Carol.

COSTELLO: All right, I want, if you could, Scottie (ph), to put up that tweet supposedly sent out by one of the suspects, Elton Simpson. And I want the audience to look at that while I ask you this next question, Javier. Is there a problem in Phoenix with radicalized young men?

SOTO: I'm sorry, can you repeat that?

COSTELLO: Is there a wider problem of -- in Phoenix with radicalized young men?

SOTO: You know, there's no telling at this point. You know, this is something widespread across the nation. There are pockets and cells of stuff we really don't know. So I don't think any state or any city is immune to that at this point.

As you know, ISIS -- when they announced this event was going to take place where they were awarding an artist $10,000 for the best drawing of the Prophet Mohammed, ISIS online started calling for attacks like the one we saw yesterday. So I think when you say there are radicalized individuals, I think no place, no city, no state is immune to that at this point.

COSTELLO: All right, Javier Soto, thanks for the incite. I appreciate it.

I'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [09:47:08] COSTELLO: As unrest in Baltimore continues to focus the country's attention on race relations, President Obama will head to New York, where he'll spin off his already Existing My Brother's Keeper program into a new, nonprofit foundation backed by celebrities, athletes, CEOs and former government officials.

Now President Obama created the multimillion dollar program back in 2014 in the wake of Trayvon Martin's killing to address the lack of opportunity that young minority boys face across the often poor neighborhoods across the country.

Baltimore native Kevin Shird joins me again. He's a former drug dealer turned community leader focused on substance abuse prevention. He's also the author of "Lessons Of Redemption". Kevin, thanks for being with me again. I appreciate it.

KEVIN SHIRD, AUTHOR, "LESSONS OF REDEMPTION": Good morning. Thank you.

COSTELLO: Good morning. President Obama will announce his new initiative in New York City. Should he have gone to Baltimore to do that?

SHIRD: Yes. Yes. And I have a message for our president that please don't let the people of Baltimore feel abandoned like the people in New Orleans felt abandoned during Hurricane Katrina. We need President Obama in Baltimore to lift the spirits up of the people, to lift the morale up of the people. The young people need to see our president.

COSTELLO: I think that, in some people's mind, if the president goes to Baltimore it would appear that he's taking sides. How would you answer those people?

SHIRD: Yes, taking the side of the people. And the young people in Baltimore, to see President Obama come to West Baltimore, young drug dealers, young gang members, and see, you know, the President of the United States come to their neighborhood, it could -- it has the potential to change their whole lives.

And let me just tell you this one story real quick. In 2008, during the presidential election, this was my first time involved in a -- in any election in my entire life. And to see a black man elected, I mean I had tears in my eyes. But it also changed my perception of the world and what's possible. And so these young people in West Baltimore, they need that same experience.

Fifty percent unemployment rate in that area. Fifty percent of the individuals in that community are on some type of public assistance. 200 businesses have been destroyed in Baltimore during the riots. Older senior citizens struggling to get medication because we know the CVS was burnt but other pharmacies in that area have been burned down, as well.

So we need President Obama in Baltimore. We don't want to feel like -- and perception is everything. So let me just make that clear. Perception is everything. We don't want to feel like the people in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina.

[09:50:00] And we know our president cares. But we have to see it. We have to feel it. And those people -- this is this is a history-making moment. And, again, to see a black man rise to the top as the President of the United States, to see him come through your neighborhood and tell you you're going to be OK, I got your back. They need to hear that. And they need to feel it.

COSTELLO: Well, we'll see if President Obama heeds your call. Kevin Shird, thank you so much for your insight. I appreciate it. I'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: All eyes are on Marilyn Mosby, the prosecutor now in the spotlight after she filed criminal charges against six officers in the death of Freddie Gray. The whirlwind attention coming as she's only been on the job since January.

Sara Sidner nabbed an exclusive interview.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SARA SIDNER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He's a Baltimore councilman, and she's the youngest state's attorney in America and suddenly one of the most invisible figures in the host highly publicized homicide case in recent Baltimore history.

Her choice to charge six officers so far has seen more praise than protest. But her critics have already pounced on the couple's political connection.

MARILYN MOSBY, STATE'S ATTORNEY FOR BALTIMORE CITY: There is no conflict of interest. I mean, I'm going to prosecute. I'm the Baltimore City state's attorney. My district covers every district in Baltimore City. I have -- there's a number of crimes that take place in Baltimore City, and unfortunately, in the district that we live. Where is the conflict?

SIDNER: Their relationship established over a decade ago at Tuskeegee University.

M MOSBY: He was very popular, but what attracted me to him was that there was substance.

[09:55:04] It wasn't just a physical attraction, it was he wanted to be a public servant. He wanted make a difference.

NICK MOSBY, BALTIMORE CITY COUNCILMAN: She knew exactly what she wanted to do, she knew how she wanted to get there. And I just -- it was the first time I really met a woman -- or a young lady at the time like that.

SIDNER: But they discovered they had so much more in common than ambition. Both are the first in their families to go to college. Both grew up in rough neighborhoods. And both were impacted by crime, especially Marilyn. Her cousin, mistaken for a drug dealer, shot and killed in front of their family home when she was just 14.

M MOSBY: I saw my 17-year-old cousin with all these dreams and all these aspiration who is now going to a grave. But the individual responsible for his death was also 17-years-old. And it struck me. I said, how could we have gotten to that 17-year-old before he decided to take a life? .

SIDNER: It was a defining moment for a girl who came from four generations of police officers. Both she and Nick believe the community and the police can work together despite the difficult relationship.

M. MOSBY: It is about bridging everybody together. It is ability realizing that at the end of the day, it's a very small number of individuals that are defining the perception of our city.

SIDNER: As a black man in America what is your contact and relationship with the police?

N MOSBY: It's been tough, a struggle. I've been physically assaulted by the police.

SIDNER: Doesn't that make you angry?

N MOSBY: I mean, anger is -- you learn how to handle your differences, you learn how to handle your anger through education and who you are and what you are and what -- you got to force change in a positive way versus the negativity or the violence.

SIDNER: Marilyn Mosby says she sees no difference between someone with or without a badge when it comes to justice.

M MOSBY: At the end of the day, my job is to seek justice and to apply justice fair and equally to everybody, no matter what their color, their creed, their religion, their ethnicity.

SIDNER: Do you think you can do that beyond a reasonable doubt in perhaps the biggest case of your life?

M MOSBY: Absolutely.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ELAM (on camera): So in talking to the both of them, there's one more criticism that's out there. People questioning whether she has the chops, the experience, to do a case that is this big, especially including the attention of a nation on this case, the pressure she's going to face. And her reaction to that, while she wouldn't speak to details of the case because it is still under investigation, which is a pretty normal thing for a prosecutor to do, she said, look, people doubted that I could become the state's attorney. I'm the youngest in America and there were a lot of people that didn't think I couldn't do that, but I'm here.

Carol?

COSTELLO: All right. Sara Sidner, reporting live from Baltimore this morning, thank you. The next hour of CNN NEWSROOM after a break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)