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Magnitude-6.0 Earthquake Triggered Landslides and Dislodged Rocks in Malaysia's Mount Kinabalu; Rahim's Family Continues to Question His Alleged Ties to Terrorism. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired June 05, 2015 - 15:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:31:21] BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN HOST: Talk about a harrowing and treacherous rescue attempt is under way right now on southeast Asia's highest mountain after this magnitude-6.0 earthquake triggered landslides and dislodged rocks. This is on Malaysia's Mount Kinabalu, 137 climbers are stranded, including five Americans. Mountain guides have been able to bring some other trapped climbers to safety.

One woman named Charlene wrote on Facebook some hours ago, saying they were waiting for a helicopter to come in and save them but couldn't go down because of shaking.

Here with me now, someone who knows what it's like to definitely be under duress on a pretty huge mountain. Filmmaker Michael Churton was at Mount Everest base camp very recently in April when that historic 7.8 earthquake unleashed those avalanches there.

So, pleasure to have you on. I know you're recently home, still seeing doctors just because of being beaten up so badly. Take me back to when you were at base camp and once it all started to happen, what was that like? What did you do?

MICHAEL CHURTON, MT. EVEREST CLIMBER HIT AVALANCHE AFTER NEPAL EARTHQUAKE: I mean, we had a very short amount of time from the time the original earthquake happened. We had probably a minute and a half or so. And then once we saw the avalanche come, we had about five seconds to just get down and find a place.

I mean, it was a terrifying experience to kind of see -- it was about a 4,000-foot wall of snow coming. And it was moving fast.

BALDWIN: You sat there watching it come towards you?

CHURTON: Worse. I mean, I watched it for a second. And just I saw how fast it was moving. And you were like you had no idea to tell. I just knew that it was definitely going to take us over. And it's never happened more than I know of in recorded history. That never, you know, eight years ago was the last earthquake of this magnitude. And so base camp is usually safe. I mean, there's been stories about dustings from avalanches coming over, but this type of event is unheard of. BALDWIN: The notion of being, you know, for all these people who are

stranded, in Malaysia on this mountain, I mean, can you walk me through what they must be thinking, what they're hoping, you know, in terms of having a helicopter or who knows what swoop in? But based upon conditions, I imagine that's touchy.

CHURTON: Well, I mean, yes. And I think definitely in these countries that aren't set up as wells as like U.S., you know, I think, you know, when you're up there it would depend on your supplies and your food with us. We -- fortunately, our climbers were at camp one and camp two. And they had a couple days' worth of food. But it could have very easily become a bad situation if the helicopter pilots weren't able to get them out in the first couple days. So I would think those people that are going right now are just, you know, looking at their rations hoping there's enough and that there is enough to get down.

BALDWIN: Because they would have no idea. I mean, did you have any idea once it hit, I mean, how long it could be before you got down?

CHURTON: You know, I mean, it kind of hit me, you know, right after the avalanche has pushed through and, you know, all the dust happened. I saw one of -- I started wanting to film. And then I saw one of the guys I was with who was pushed about 30 feet over. And he yelled to me, you know, find some warm clothes. This, you know, 70-year-old guy, who was a major in the Australian army. So when he yells something out, you know --

BALDWIN: You pay attention. You listen.

CHURTON: Right. It made me think, we're at Everest base camp. It's going to be negative 20 degrees in three hours, four hours. We have no shelter. Who knows what works. And so then you're kind of in the emergency go mode. Then our base camp manager ended up very quickly making a call for us to fleet for the next town and hike down.

BALDWIN: To your point about this part of the world, communications can be spotty on a good day, right? So when this happens, what kind of, you know, because I'm just thinking of these people stranded in Malaysia.

CHURTON: You realize that, you know, you don't know. I'm not as familiar with this mountain, but it likely (INAUDIBLE), like if it's cloudy, there are no helicopters, you know. Even getting a hell continuer is a two-hour flight to Kathmandu, you know. So -- and there's only so many - you know, there's four, five, or six that are in the region, you know. So, you know, you know that you need to kind of prepare, at least to hunker down for three or four days. And that's, you know, why it right when I heard that, then I realized, like, all right, I can leave filming to the side. I need to survive. Then I realized I was a little too off to even like hold a camera, so.

[15:35:21] BALDWIN: When you decided to say yes to the trip, and this wasn't your first time to Everest. You said you'd gone the year before?

CHURTON: Yes.

BALDWIN: So were you aware climbing in this part of the world, OK, an earthquake or certainly an avalanche could happen? I mean, was this something that was in the back of your mind as you were climbing?

CHURTON: I think, you know, I mean, overall, because I was going to base camp, you know, base camp is safe. Truckers go there.

BALDWIN: By the way, it takes eight days to get to base camp. Don't down play what you did.

CHURTON: But I mean, it's such a beautiful, you know, trip. I mean, the people, the Sherpa that you meet along the way in the tea houses.

BALDWIN: I'd love to do it, yes.

CHURTON: You know, from going last year, I had to go back this year. As you make your way up, I don't think you think about avalanches or anything, especially if you're not a climber. Like the climbers are thinking about avalanche. There was a terrible avalanche last year. But the climbers, they take on risks. They know that this is about - there is risks. There are bodies on Mt. Everest that haven't made it down, you know.

But when you're going to base camp, I mean, you pass families, you know. Like, 13-year-old girl, you know. For the most part, it's anyone can do it. You don't have to be in phenomenal shape. It depends how your body adjusts to altitude. That's always the wild card.

BALDWIN: Yes. I was just wondering like the mental state of people even climbing this particular mountain in Malaysia and would they be thinking about potential earthquakes in this part of the world, you know. And to think to your point about families climbing, who knows? We know five Americans, but who knows, people could be younger. As we're getting more information, it's scary for all of them.

Michael Churton, thank you so much for coming by and sharing your story. I really appreciate it. Wish you the best.

CHURTON: Thank you.

BALDWIN: Just ahead here on CNN, family members of the men killed in that Boston terror operation, they're speaking out. Authorities say Usama Rahim was influenced by ISIS before he was shot and killed by police. You are about to hear from his brother and his reaction to all of this coming up next.

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[15:40:34] BALDWIN: Anthony Bourdain is heading to eastern Europe for the next episode of "PARTS UNKNOWN." Take a look at what he found in Hungary.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ANTHONY BOURDAIN, CNN HOST, PARTS UNKNOWN: So Budapest, I don't know why it took me so long to get here. Everybody said it was great. It is, in fact, great. The architecture here is just very deeply satisfying. Ranges from sort of the classic to the quirky to the lush, the eccentric. It's just a deeply pleasurable experience walking down the street.

I find myself coveting buildings here. I'm not one to indulge in architecture porn ordinarily, but here I find myself all the time sort of wanting to own or live in just about every building I see. I've never felt that way before. And the food is, indeed, rich and deep and deeply satisfying. It's also spicy. I like spicy. You should come here. I'm glad I did.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Don't miss an all-new episode of "PARTS UNKNOWN" 9:00 eastern on Sunday right here on CNN. We'll be right back.

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[15:43:14] BALDWIN: Today a private funeral is being held for the terror suspect shot and killed in Boston earlier this week, inspired by ISIS. Usama Rahim plotted to kill police, this according to an affidavit. Now it turns out as early as 2012, he had thought about law enforcement. Apparently he posted on Facebook under a different name that he believed the FBI had contacted him to speak out about quote "allegations involving him." The FBI, by the way, is not commenting on that. But Rahim's family continues to question his alleged ties to terrorism.

Let me bring in my colleague, Erin Burnett, anchor of "OUTFRONT." You talked to his brother, this pretty prominent imam in the Boston area. What did he tell you?

ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST, OUTFRONT: It's interesting. An imam who at one point had been a member of the mosque that the Tsarnaev brothers went to. He's now an imam out in California, but he came home, here to be with his brother and to preside over the funeral.

Now, I asked him this crucial question, because as you know, Brooke, we've learned that officials are telling CNN that ISIS operatives overseas were directing Usama Rahim and directing him to go ahead with this beheading plot, which is obviously a very significant development. So I asked his brother, I said, well, is your brother linked to ISIS? Did you have any idea about this? And he was pretty defensive. Here's what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

IBRAHIM RAHIM, IMAM/BROTHER OF BOSTON TERROR SUSPECT: Of course we dispute it. We don't know that Usama -- that to be a fact about Usama. As his relatives at all, we are a Muslim-American community. And you know, I think, really, you have to start speaking more about the Muslims of America and not the Muslims in Syria who are doing bad things who don't like America. Speak about the Muslims who actually live here who love America. That's me. That's Usama. That's the Rahim family.

BURNETT: Well, let me ask you about that. Because, Ibrahim, if that's you as an imam trying to be a leader in your community, if what your brother is accused of is true, it was not your brother. That would mean --

[15:45:05] RAHIM: No, he was my brother.

BURNETT: Your brother was planning to behead a prominent New Yorker. Your bother was planning to possibly behead police. I mean, those are horrific things. If that's true --

RAHIM: If that was true.

BURNETT: So if that is true, Ibrahim, what do you say?

RAHIM: That's a hypothetical question. You can't answer a hypothetical. Let's establish the facts. The facts are still coming in.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: Wow.

BURNETT: So, you know, he says he's open to the facts, but obviously he doesn't want to hear that about his brother. Now, his lawyer was also sitting there. And his lawyer wanted to make it clear that authorities so far in Boston and at the joint terrorism task force have been very open, very fair and very transparent to the family. So the family has felt very included in the process thus far.

BALDWIN: He's the one who came out quickly who said, you know, listen, it was my brother who was shot in the back three times, who was on the bus stop, who was on the phone with our father. Wanted a witness. None of which is accurate, according to anyone who saw the surveillance video and also Boston police.

BURNETT: Right. So he, the day this happened, came out and said, my brother was shot in the back three times while he was on the phone with my father. The last words that he said to my father were, I can't breathe. And he said he was just at the bus stop trying to go to work. So that was his version of the story.

Now, when I spoke to him last night, it was minutes after he had seen the surveillance video himself for the first time. So he said, I know he was not shot in the back. So he said, you know, I had heard that from some other witness that was there, and I now know that to not be the case. So he seemed to say, well, the facts are out there. And on those facts, I don't, you know, he wasn't shot in the back. But he didn't walk all of it back. He said he still wanted to learn and understand more. But in terms of the allegation of being not in the back, at that, at least, we know the family says that did not happen.

BALDWIN: I mean, even some of the black or Muslim leaders in the community who saw the surveillance video, I talked tone the other day, even they were saying, yes, I saw x, y, and z, but it's still not entirely conclusive.

BURNETT: Right. I mean, it's hard and it's from a distance, our understanding. And I haven't seen that actual video myself. And you know, what people have been saying, it's kind of far away. So it's hard to be definitive.

BALDWIN: Erin Burnett, thank you so much as always.

BURNETT: Good to see you, Brooke.

BALDWIN: Good to see you, my friend. We'll watch for Erin at 7:00 eastern here, Erin Burnett, "OUTFRONT."

Now to this. CNN hero who is feeding those in the most desperate need has just hit a new milestone. He's now helping one million children every single day. Here's his story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST, AC360: The Scottish highlands are his home, but for decades Magnus MacFarlane has been changing lives around the globe. Every weekday his program, Mary's meals, provides free, nutritious food to school children in 12 of the world's poorest countries. His work earned him global recognition as a top 10 CNN hero.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Being honored as a CNN Hero in terms of raising awareness, it's just incredible. At that time, we were feeding 400,000-something children. Since then, we've more than doubled.

COOPER: Among those now benefitting from Magnus' work are AIDS orphans being educated by Marie de Silva in Malawi. She was also honored as a top-ten CNN hero.

But in May, Magnus reached an incredible milestone. Mary's meals now feeds one million children around the world every school day. That's five million meals every week.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: How awesome is that? We'd love for you to nominate a hero. Just go to CNNheroes.com.

Coming up next, do you know who this is? Here is a hint. He works here at CNN. He went head to head with me and others on the new CNN quiz show "the '70s edition." He and another guest will be joining me live. I'm about to do something I don't really want to. I'm going to hand the reins over the show to someone else. Find out why next.

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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are the reigning champion.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I didn't want to say anything. I am. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Alysin.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Jimmy Cooper.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That is correct.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm hoping for questions about the music.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was a disco hater. I lived in a news consuming household.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Richard Quest and Brooke Baldwin!

BALDWIN: I may be younger, but I was part of the '70s. So the Brit and the youngest on the show, what's going on here?

RICHARD QUEST, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT: I'll let you in on a secret. I am what is.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don Lemon and John Berman.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I did not win the first CNN quiz show. This time I'm hoping we do.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We sign --

BERMAN: Spiro Agnew.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Correct.

DON LEMON, CNN HOST, CNN TONIGHT: The 70s, that's when I really came of age. Every night we had to watch news.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As I was walking down the street. One day.

LEMON: I'm studying, John.

BERMAN: You're the man.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIAN STELTER CNN SENIOR MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: I'm not Brooke Baldwin. I'm Brian Stelter and I'm hijacking Brooke's show for a few minutes because she and fellow CNN host Bill Weir are about to face hard hitting no hold bard questions from me, the host of "RELIABLE SOURCE."

Brooke and Bill, of course, are going head-to-head on CNN's groovy '70s edition quiz show. It is on Monday night. And before we talk to them about that, here's a little more of the show.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: I feel like I have a piece of the '70s being born in July of 1979. [15:55:01] QUEST: I lived in the 1970s.

BALDWIN: Music. Culture. TV.

QUEST: Politics. Business. Diplomacy.

COOPER: When John Berman is back.

BERMAN: I can confirm I won celebrity jeopardy.

COOPER: He's teamed up with Don Lemon. It didn't do so well last time.

LEMON: I've actually been studying.

BERMAN: Do you really care?

LEMON: You are good at detail.

BERMAN: Right. What your good at?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If you watched the quiz show last night you know I had to carry Jake Tapper.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think I really hit the lottery with her as a partner.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I assume I have to do all the heavy-lifting once again.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STELTER: So now I get to play host. Brooke and Bill are here. Brooke to you first and since it is usually --.

BALDWIN: I didn't move very far, by the way. Very odd sitting in this seat. This is a no-no.

(CROSSTALK)

STELTER: Intimidating actually to be asked questions from Anderson Cooper for this show. Tell me, and far, Bill a formidable opponent.

BALDWIN: I think we went - we had a moment. (INAUDIBLE) big monitor and it involves, I think the category was sex.

BILL WEIR, CNN HOST: That's right. Yes, the sexual liberation.

BALDWIN: Someone did pretty well. I'm just saying.

WEIR: But I have to apologize to you for something.

STELTER: For what?

WEIR: So we're running these promos.

BALDWIN: For calling me a kid.

WEIR: Exactly.

BALDWIN: I was like really the bread in the kid.

WEIR: That was it, you know. In the '70s quest was going to Hogwarts and you were like a Zigot. But it seems - (INAUDIBLE) call you a kid. You're a professional respected woman colleague.

BALDWIN: It is OK. I have love for you. Listen. I was in the '70s for a big six months. Obviously, I culled much from that decade.

STELTER: Yes, I do wonder if some of the opponents has an advantage. Maybe the older opponents?

WEIR: That's right. It is one of the few times. I think it was about 12th in '79. So this is my earliest memory. And I got to say, the questions were not softballs. This is a quiz. And I learned a lot, sort of taking this forced march down memory lane, Watergates, Vietnam. But if you look at it --

BALDWIN: TVs, movies, music.

WEIR: That decade favorite music.

BALDWIN: So awesome.

WEIR: And for film too. And you know, there's so much cynicism and suspicion in the culture but out of that comes sweep art.

STELTER: How many hours of preparation, Brooke?

BALDWIN: I mean, absolutely had, what, our book was like this thick, in addition to "the New York Times" 70s book that we are all given to read. So we all did quite a bit of, you know, reading and studying. But I mean, at the same time then you're working with your cohorts so mine was the Richard Quest who was phenomenal and phenomenally brilliant. But when it comes to giving clues, you know, let's be real. Sometimes it's a bit of a challenge. I think I can give this away that like I think the person on the screen behind me was Freddie Mercury and he goes thermometer. And I'm like what?

WEIR: Or lead singer of Queen.

STELTER: Quest just hosted a game show for ABC. Did that help at all?

BALDWIN: What do you think?

WEIR: No.

STELTER: Not at all?

WEIR: Well, we can't -- BALDWIN: I think he actually did quite well without giving it away.

WEIR: He's amazing. He is great.

STELTER: You are both new this time around. You know, Berman was back for more, Alysin Camerota, your partner was the winner last time. Must have been an advantage to you.

WEIR: Totally, yes. If you're paired up with someone much rather heard than Lemon. Are you kidding?

STELTER: Wait. Team Lemon.

BALDWIN: I mean, this is you, right?

WEIR: Well, yes. That's me and Alysin.

BALDWIN: And that is Alysin Camerota. We were like is that Halloween? She goes, no.

WEIR: She was raised by a biker gang. And my mom actually set me to Douglas road elementary school in Wisconsin 1975. Intentionally like that.

BALDWIN: That was your picture day with the bow tie.

WEIR: Which is why we don't talk, mom.

BALDWIN: You looked very comfortable in the bow tie. You actually wore that many days to school, didn't you?

WEIR: But honestly, this is true. About the same time Anderson Cooper was hanging out at studio 54 with Michael Jackson.

BALDWIN: Twice. We heard all about that.

WEIR: We heard all about that. And then somehow they didn't let me in with that look.

BALDWIN: Can't understand why.

WEIR: Go figure.

STELTER: Now, I know you are not going to tell me who won.

But here is the serious question. CNN is the most trusted name in news. What does a quiz show add to the mix?

BALDWIN: I think was just really fun because we just go to be us. I mean, I got to be me. Obviously, sitting in that seat but we're working through so much, you know, serious news and capital journalist. And I think the fact that we got to goof off and make fun of each other and called it is fact was phenomenal.

WEIR: Exactly. It was a huge exercising chemistry and camaraderie. We had a great time. Very competitive. Raised good money for charity.

BALDWIN: So great.

WEIR: But, there is some culture. There's some news. There's some meat in these questions and the exercises.

BALDWIN: You walk away with some definitely a little something.

STELTER: I actually learned more from first-round than I thought I was. When I tuned in, I have a feeling it will be this way next Monday. Thank you both for being here, I think would say. Brooke, I'm going to end your show for you. The quiz show we're talking about here Monday at 9:00 p.m. eastern time.

BALDWIN: Please watch it.

STELTER: And now it is down to D.C. "The LEAD" with Jake Tapper starts right now.