Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Holiday Security Heightened Amid Terror Threat; Beaches on High Alert after Shark Attacks; Greek Economy Facing Collapse; Homeland Security Bulletin Calls For Vigilance; U.S. Boost Security Measures For Holiday Weekend; Dozen Jail Staffers Put On Paid Leave; U.S. Women Seek Revenge At World Cup Final. Aired 11a-12p ET

Aired July 04, 2015 - 11:00   ET

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


[10:59:48] VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: Happy Fourth of July to you. There's much more ahead in the next hour of the CNN NEWSROOM. We turn it over now to Fredricka Whitfield.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Good to see you guys. Happy Fourth.

ALISON KOSIK, CNN ANCHOR: Hey -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: I like the red, white, and blue we've got going on here.

BLACKWELL: Yes, we've got it all represented now.

WHITFIELD: Are fireworks in your forecast for this evening? I know it's rainy here but --

BLACKWELL: No. We have a barbecue. I have to get in bed early. I do.

WHITFIELD: Since when has that stopped you -- Victor?

BLACKWELL: I know. I've been getting it.

WHITFIELD: Alison, we know how it is, right?

KOSIK: Oh, I'm taking a nap.

WHITFIELD: Nap for the Fourth. Fireworks later on.

BLACKWELL: Yes.

WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks so much. Good to see you guys. Have a great Fourth. Appreciate it.

All right. It's the 11:00 Eastern. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. NEWSROOM starts right now.

Happy Fourth.

Americans here and around the world are celebrating Independence Day. And with this, the FBI and Department of Homeland Security warning authorities across the nation to be extra vigilant, saying that big holiday events could be targets of terror threats.

Along with heavy police presence, authorities have set up counter terrorism measures that include police snipers in strategic places and spotters in large crowds. Even U.S. diplomatic posts around the world are being asked to double-check their security measures.

All of this comes as the radical group ISIS continues to call on its supporters to carry out attacks. The group also said the current holiday of Ramadan is a time when jihad is most important.

We've got full coverage for you. CNN national correspondent Sunlen Serfaty is at the National Mall in Washington; CNN's Boris Sanchez is at Penn Station in New York; and "Daily Beast" correspondent Michael Daly has more information on terror cell arrests right here in the U.S.

Let's begin with Sunlen Serfaty.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Ramped up security across the nation on this holiday. In Washington, check points for those watching the fireworks with more than 18,000 feet of fencing in place to protect the National Mall. Special patrols at Washington landmarks and a heavy police presence authorities say in both seen and unseen ways.

LT. ALLAN GRIFFITH, U.S. PARK POLICE: We prepare for worst case scenarios and we have contingencies in place should they occur but we don't anticipate that they will.

SERFATY: Much of the anxiety stems from a bulletin issued by the FBI and Department of Homeland Security warning of potential attacks by ISIS this holiday weekend. U.S. officials say there is no intelligence about specific or credible plots but there has been an uptick of chatter from ISIS encouraging their followers to attack during this time. The dominant concern, home grown violent extremists, supporters of ISIS within the U.S. who may be inspired to carry out their call to action.

ASHTON CARTER, U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: In the era of social media and phenomena like ISIL, unlike al Qaeda of the old days, there doesn't have to be and won't necessarily be a command and control relationship between somebody who instigates an incident and ISIL as an organization. They are self-radicalized, self-organized people on social media.

SERFATY: These so called lone wolf attacks are a challenge for the intelligence community much harder to pick up ahead of time.

It's not just in Washington. Police forces across the nation including New York, Philadelphia and Los Angeles are on high alert and not just in the streets but online.

GRIFFITH: There are people assigned monitoring social media and known Web sites, though. SERFATY: Looking for any specifics.

GRIFFITH: That's correct. Just any kind of watch words. So it is constantly being monitored.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right. So law enforcement in New York City is also being especially vigilant this weekend. New York State Governor Cuomo calling the city quote, "a top target for terrorists".

CNN's Boris Sanchez is at Penn Station in New York.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: According to AAA, about 42 million people will be traveling this holiday weekend. So officials are giving extra attention to travel hubs of all type including here at Penn Station in New York.

Yesterday, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that he is beefing up patrols and staff at the emergency operations centers here in the city. That aside from law enforcement telling us that they have snipers and spotters in key strategic locations watching crowds for anything that seems out of place.

We also know they have scanned for explosives and radioactive devices at land, sea and from the air as well. There are also 7,000 cameras watching crowds here in New York city for anything that looks suspicious or out of place. Officials tell us they are prepared for any kind of attack. And some people here at Penn Station tell us they are happy to see the increased law enforcement presence.

MARIE GARVEY, TRAVELING THROUGH PENN STATION: I have noticed more of a police presence, which makes me feel safer. Like I said, I was born and raised in New York. And you know, pre-9/11 and stuff like that, we need to take security, you know. We have to for the safety of everyone. We need our police presence and I think it makes people feel more secure when we do have police presence.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[11:05:04] SANCEZ: The governor is also asking New Yorkers to be vigilant, to look for anything suspicious and to report it to law enforcement immediately. Clearly, it's going to be a very busy weekend for officers.

WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks so much, Boris and Sunlen at the top of the hour.

So how real is this security threat this weekend? I want to bring in Michael Daly. He is a special correspondent for the "Daily Beast" and he's in New York. Good to see you.

So you have been reporting on terror cell arrests made in New York that included individuals allegedly researching the making of pressure cooker bombs similar to used in the Boston marathon bombing. So what more can you tell us about that? MICHAEL DALY, "DAILY BEAST": Well, I am told that the FBI headquarters and the White House made a decision to roll up two suspected small groups of suspected ISIS supporters. One was up in the Boston area. The more serious one was down in New York. That included one individual who they trapped online and saw that he was actively researching the building of pressure cooker bombs as well as electrical circuitry to apparently to detonate such a bomb.

There was a second individual he was recorded with knowledge that he had been discussing with the first individual building a pressure cooker bomb. And there was no -- one added bit of worry is that the one gentleman, the one with the pressure cooker bomb, suggested in a discussion with an informant that he was actually receiving orders from ISIS officials.

WHITFIELD: And this is a 20-year-old that you write about who apparently referred to ISIS as Dala (ph), Arabic for "state", when communicating with confidential informants?

DALY: Right. And you have a 20-year-old college kid from Queens, New York who's going to an aeronautics school near LaGuardia Airport. And you know, you would think, and the pictures of him showing him in his graduation cap. He looks like the all American boy.

But the FBI has these recordings of his online postings that suggested this was a guy who was really actively looking to mount an attack.

WHITFIELD: Ok. And then you also write because you have a lot of sources who have given you lots of information to paint a very detailed and disturbing scenario particularly as we are in the holiday weekend. You are right that the other cell I'm quoting you now, the other cell that worried officials as the holiday approached was comprised of two men from Boston and a third from Rhode Island. The three allegedly plotting at one point to behead the anti-Muslim agitator Pamela Geller in New York.

DALY: That's what the FBI said and the Boston police concur. These gentlemen ordered knives very similar to the one that the ISIS guy used to behead an American journalist and hostages and they have obtained some of those knives. They initially according to the criminal complaint, were discussing going to New York and beheading Pamela Geller. One of the gentlemen was then recorded saying that he really couldn't wait that long. And what he decided was he going to go after the boys in blue is what he was saying.

A few hours after that recorded phone conversation, the FBI and the Boston police approached this gentleman. And he went after them with one of the knives that he had ordered and was shot to death. The other was subsequently arrested. Hopefully, they are no longer a threat.

WHITFIELD: And of course, everyone is still being asked to be very vigilant this weekend.

All right. Michael Daly -- thank you so much. Good to see you.

DALY: Thanks.

WHITFIELD: Also, coming up, it's one of the busiest beach weekends of the summer but after 11 reported shark attacks in one region alone, will people be staying out of the water? Nick Valencia is live for us in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina -- Nick. It looks pretty crowded there.

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey there -- Fred. Yes, it is crowded. A busy weekend here indeed. I'm Nick Valencia in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina.

Coming up after the break we'll tell you what people here are saying about this seemingly busy shark bite season.

You're watching the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[111236] WHITFIELD: All right. Millions of Americans are spending the Fourth of July weekend at the beach where so many of us want to be. But 11 shark attacks now along the Carolina coast in recent weeks has a lot of beachgoers on edge. North Carolina's governor is now asking experts to try to find patterns in the shark attacks.

It is not only a safety issue but for the state, a concern over tourism and the money that it generates. The latest person to be attacked, a former Boston editor who was rushed to the hospital after a shark pulled him under the water and then bit his rib cage, hip, leg and hands. The attack happened off the North Carolina coast.

Our Nick Valencia is in North Carolina. So Nick, what are you learning about the 68-year-old Andrew Costello's condition?

VALENCIA: Well, he was airlifted and he's now in fair condition we're told by hospital officials. Certainly, a concerning situation for anyone along the Eastern Seaboard especially off the coast of North Carolina and South Carolina where these attacks have been concentrated.

But we've been talking to people who are going in the water despite these reports. Some people say they have some healthy fear about what's going on. Others saying it's not really a concern at all.

William, if you just want to pan over to the side here -- we'll give you a sense of exactly what this beach looks like -- Fred. You see lots of people out here enjoying the water, we spoke to a couple of people earlier who say they've got mixed feelings about what's going on here off the coast of the Carolinas.

BOB KIEBER, SURFER: It is such a very rare occurrence. I know there is more this year. But I don't -- this is such a rare thing and there are so many other problems we are going to have on July 4th. This isn't really should be something that we are all that concerned about. I know they are very scary but they're just not -- I don't know -- they're just not that concerning to me.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're just hoping that we don't get bit.

VALENCIA: Are you scared at all?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Like a little, not that much.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. A healthy fear.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VALENCIA: So you see a mixed reaction there. The likelihood of being bitten by a shark there Fred is 1 in 11.5 million. The chances are more likely that you would be struck by lightning or become president of the United States. Expert scientists they're all scientist. They're all saying if you are going to swim in the ocean, swim in groups, also avoid swimming at dusk and dawn, That's when sharks are the most active -- Fred.

[11:14:56] WHITFIELD: Interesting. So Nick, while you do have a lot of people behind you, when we have the shot of people in the water, there weren't that many people. And I realize some folks were talking about the healthy fear, like the little girl there. Have there also been conversations about whether the beaches should have been closed this holiday weekend at all?

VALENCIA: Sure. There are some beach-goers here who think that it is better off not to stick around these waters or venture into the waters and some even more critical of the local government saying that they should have shut down the beach.

National Park Service has the jurisdiction up until the shoreline. Coast Guard is the only one that can tell people to stay out of water. So really -- there is not really a choice here to be able to tell people to stay out of the water or not if they want to go in. The beach today, on this busy Fourth of July, it is open and ready for business -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: I know beachgoers are very happy that it's open. Now what about, are there more choppers in the air? Are there More lifeguards posted with binoculars to see or look for any particular activity of sharks?

VALENCIAZ: That's a great question. In fact, just sort of a cursory search here and looking around. We have seen lifeguard presence. We've seen, you know, public works sanitation workers here, lots of public safety. We have seen that presence. Whether or not it is an increased presence, that's anyone's guess.

But right now, it seems pretty great day out there -- very sunny. A lot of people out here enjoying the sunny weather here in Wrightsville Beach -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Well maybe Nick in between live shots you can take a little dip and tell us what water, you know, conditions are like, you know. And share the word on the beach there.

VALENCIA: I'm sure lucky -- yes. WHITFIELD: All right. Nick Valencia, we'll see you soon. Thanks so much.

Let's check out more about the weather for the beachgoers. They are out there in full force. Ivan Cabrera, you and I both wish we were there beach side.

IVAN CABRERA, AMS METEOROLOGIST: My good side, it looks fantastic, doesn't it, out there.

WHITFIELD: I know. Talk to us about how the weather and the water conditions really do, I guess, they can be an enticement for shark activity or does it not impact things?

CABRERA: We have to be vigilant. It is their habitat, obviously, and just use common sense. But some of the things that may have contributed to this earlier than unusual shark bite season, if you will. The sharks are following the food source. That happens every year but the warmer the normal ocean temperatures could have gotten this started a little bit earlier here.

We also have some theories of water salinity going up as a result of the drought, so much fresh water going into the ocean. That may be a factor. And also A decreased food source from overfishing. These are some theories. We'll have to leave it to the marine biologists to figure this out. But we do know that for the Carolinas, generally, five to seven shark bites the entire year. So far, we have had 11. No question about it -- it's an unusual year and it's certainly higher than what we normally get and we're just at the beginning of beach season here? So I wanted to watch that.

The do's -- well swim near a lifeguard and groups. Be vigilant as we mentioned. Dull colors -- you want to dress in those.

And then the don'ts -- you don't want to swim near pier. That's where the food source says a lot of fishing going on, a lot of bait there. Don't swim at night. Don't wear shiny jewelry. I got attacked by a barracuda once, they also like that.

WHITFIELD: Barracuda -- yes.

CABRERA: Yes. So keep the bling at home and don't bring it to the beach and don't pee in the water. That's a new one I learned. If you're apparently there -- as well. Happy Fourth of July.

This is the forecast as we take you into the beaches here we'll have some thunderstorms (INAUDIBLE)

A soggy southeast. We had a big race here in Atlanta this morning. It was rained out. That's going to continue for today. In the northwest, you're going to be scorching in the triple digit. As far as the forecast for Boston as you head out to the esplanade 65 degrees, mostly cloudy. It is going to be fantastic out there, looking good. It's always a bit timely with the 1812 overture at the end there.

69 in New York, mostly cloudy skies and we're looking at the nation's capital, It was 73 -- so not bad all.

W1; That's good. And that's always -- I'm partial. That is the best place to see fear works hands down. That's all there is to it.

All right. Thanks so much, Ivan Cabrera. Appreciate that. See you later.

All right. Straight ahead, a picture that captures just how desperate the situation in Greece is as the country waits to see if their economy will be saved. The latest on the dire situation next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:22:45] WHITFIELD: All right. Now a check of our other top stories.

A fireworks malfunction injured nine people. It happened during a show last night in Colorado. A shell exploded in its tube and then landed in the crowd instead of firing into the sky.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Whoa.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Whoa. What's going on.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Low-lying one.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Great fireworks.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh my God -- that's not good.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Holy (EXPLETIVE DELETED).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Oh boy. All nine people were treated for minor abrasion burns at the show and then released. An investigation was launched immediately after the incident.

And Massachusetts police are asking for help in identifying a toddler whose body washed ashore along the Boston harbor last week. Officials have released computer generated sketches of the girl and say she was about four years old and had brown eyes and hair. They add that her body which was found in a zebra striped blanket inside of a trash can showed no obvious signs of trauma. So far, they have received thousands of tips but still they have not been able to identify this little girl.

And a Texas man has died in an alligator attack. Witnesses say the man took off his shoes and shirt after someone warned him not to swim in the water. A nearby sign said, "No swimming, alligators.: The man jumped in anyway and was immediately attacked. A state game warden on the job for 22 years says it is the first fatal alligator attack he can recall And a source directly involved in the nuclear talks with Iran tells

CNN there has been some movement on the issue of sanctions relief. That source says the tentative agreement would allow both sides to declare sanctions lifted but would actually lift them over time as Iran meets various obligations. However, the source adds, there is a lot of work to do, including getting approval from the foreign ministers of the countries involved in the talks.

And Greece's economy is on the brink of collapse and its ATMs are running out of money. Even supplies of food and medicine are starting to run low. This picture saying it all. A 77-year-old retiree turned away from four separate banks trying to withdraw, that picture right there, a pension on behalf of his wife breaks down in tears.

[11:25:03] Well tomorrow, voters will hit the polls to decide how Greece should proceed. Massive rallies continue for each side as polls show voters are evenly divided on the bailout issue.

Our Richard Quest is with us now from Athens, Greece. So what is the latest -- Richard?

RICHARD QUEST, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: It is a quiet day this Saturday as campaigning drifts off, there are no polls. A day of reflection if you like before the voting actually begins on Sunday.

But you are absolutely right. The nation is split. It is well-within the last polls that we saw. The last polls are well within the margin of error. There are said to be at least 10 percent or 12 percent of the population undecided. And they are -- both sides are fighting for what they believe is the heart and soul of Greece in the future. The political future, the economic future, whether it is a no vote and they fight harder with the Europeans, whether it is a yes vote and they agree to more austerity.

But having had the banks closed for a week, Fredricka, has been so devastating that whatever happens, the Greek people are in line for some very difficult negotiations and more austerity.

WHITFIELD: And what is it at the core of the issue of whether local currency or the euro could save this economy?

QUEST: We're a long way from the drachma coming back. It doesn't exist. It went a long time ago. And even tomorrow's referendum vote is not about bringing back the drachma.

Now, the yes campaign says eventually, if no wins, the drachma will be the inevitable result. The yes campaign says that's not the case. You can still vote no. And really what happened here is both sides have ratcheted up the fear level.

On the one hand, they say, don't vote for us and you'll end up with the new currency. The other side says, don't vote for us and you'll end up with more poverty. This is the level of depth of fear that they are playing on each side with each other. It just shows how serious the situation is in Greece economically and politically tonight. WHITFIELD: All right. And the vote coming tomorrow. Thank you so

much Richard Quest.

Still ahead, security ramped up across this country for this Fourth of July due to concerns about terrorist threats. The former assistant director of the FBI weighing in -- next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, hello. Welcome back. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. On this holiday weekend, the FBI and Department of Homeland Security are warning authorities across the nation to be extra vigilant saying that some of the country's biggest events could be targets of a terror threat.

Police have responded with heavy presence and counterterrorism measures. Even U.S. embassies and consulates around the world are being asked to double-check their security measures.

I want to bring in Tom Fuentes in Washington. He is a CNN law enforcement analyst and former FBI assistant director. Good to see you. All right, we have had terror threats before on holiday weekends. What was it about any recent chatter perhaps or is it just long-standing chatter that has led to this increase of security?

TOM FUENTES, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Actually, Fredricka, it is long-standing, a steady, constant drumbeat of orders to the disciples of ISIS, go kill all over the world. This year, a couple of weeks ago, they issued statements online telling their followers if you kill during Ramadan, you will get extra bonus points in heaven for doing it.

Ramadan started a couple of weeks ago and continues until July 17th. After issuing that order, we had the three attacks a week ago Friday in Leone, France, the beheading. We had the Tunisia beach attack and then a mosque attack in Kuwait.

So that started on the first major holy day of Ramadan. So it's really a steady drumbeat. Keep doing it. It is not in particular because of the 4th of July, at least from Ramadan headquarters, if you will, or at least their media centers.

Here, the authorities are worried that because it is the 4th of July, because there will be hundreds of thousands of people at various events around the country that it does present an enticing target to followers of ISIS that if you want to kill somebody, you will get maximum media coverage, plus the extra bonus points in heaven if you do it now.

WHITFIELD: And then you know, I spoke with a journalist, Michael Daley, about 30 minutes ago. He talked about a possible terror cell in New York that is of particular interest. I heard the members were allegedly researching how to make pressure cooker bombs. What do you think after hearing that conversation?

FUENTES: I heard that interview. That was a case that had been going for a while with the FBI. Two cases, the one in Boston involving Usama Rahim (ph). The FBI was on him.

The attack that he was going to do and he was later shot that day was intercepted on an FBI wiretap when Rahim called his partner, David Wright, and said, I can't wait to go out of state to do the beheading, which they later found out was Pamela Geller.

I want to attack the boys in blue today. As he left his house, as quick as the FBI and Boston P.D. could get to them, they did. He pulled out the giant hunting knife he had just purchased and they shot him dead.

So that attack had nothing to do with 4th of July. It only had to do with Rahim in his head deciding that that was the day he wanted to attack. The other plot in New York was also taken down a week or so ago. It was similar to that.

These were not related to 4th of July. They were not related to soft targets that will be out there today and tomorrow at various events.

WHITFIELD: So then talk to us about the soft targets. What does that mean for today and tomorrow? How can protections be put in place when we are talking about large crowds?

FUENTES: Well, the reason we call them soft, there are no real protections in place that go beyond just vigilant police officers and vigilant public on the street. The definition basically is that once you go through a security checkpoint and they have run the security wand up and down your body or you have gone through the magnetometer machine.

They checked your bags, your backpack, what you're bringing in then that become a more hardened target. It is harder for them to get a bomb inside the fencing.

As you are approaching the fending, as you are walking down the street, riding the metros, a bus or a taxi or any other public transportation in a public place, it is soft because no one has gone through a security check at the place you are.

[11:35:15] And so you are vulnerable if somebody all of a sudden decides to do an attack and pull a knife out of their waistband and come after you. There has been no checkpoint they have gone through up to that point.

So everybody that has gone to any event any time or going to work any other day of the week is basically a soft target because they are wide open. The public has not been checked for any kind of weapon.

WHITFIELD: All right, all the more reason why law enforcement is saying be extra vigilant. If you see a bag just laying around, that's something that needs to be addressed. All right, Tom Fuentes, thanks so much.

FUENTES: You're welcome.

WHITFIELD: All right, coming up, allegations of sex contraband, oil paintings for favors and trading drugs. Find out how prison guards become involved in the corruption behind bars.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Authorities are learning new details about the brazen escape of two killers in New York including a letter that deceased fugitive, Richard Matt, sent his daughter before breaking out of prison.

The letter according to the "Buffalo News" read, quote, "I always promised I would see you on the outside. I am a man of my word," end quote. Investigators believe Matt's daughter didn't even know about the plan. She received the letter three days after the inmates broke out.

[11:40:03] The other escapee, David Sweat, told investigators that his relationship with Matt went sour quickly after their escape saying that he was irked that Matt was drinking and was too out of shape to keep up.

So as these details are coming out, we are also getting a better picture of corruption inside the Clinton County Correctional facility, allegations of sex, contraband, oil paintings for favors, reports of heroin use by inmates and employees involved in trading for drugs.

The prison has a new warden and as many as 12 staffers are on paid leave. Joining me now to discuss all of this is former prison corrections officer, Gary Cornelius, licensed psychologist, Erik Fisher, and Eric Jenson, a former inmate of the Clinton County Correctional facility that knew the two escapees we understand.

So Gary, you first. How does this kind of corruption go on behind bars in your view?

GARY CORNELIUS, FORMER PRISON CORRECTIONS OFFICER: Well, I think I would like to say that the majority of correctional officers are good, professional people, well-trained, highly motivated but, like in any profession, you have a couple of bad apples.

I think that corruption can start when there are three areas that the correctional officer has trouble handling. The first is power. We see allegations and convictions at times of excessive force. Pressure, they are pressured and manipulated by the inmates.

As we all are finding out about the New York escape, these manipulations can go over time. They can be very subtle. They can pray on the weaknesses or perceived weaknesses of the correctional staff, both sworn and civilian.

The third area is responsibility. The correctional officer forgets or doesn't want to remember that they have a responsibility to their profession, their fellow officers, and the taxpayers. They don't cope maturely with life's problems, could be a sense of greed.

Sometimes the environment itself, the honor block system, so to speak, can lead the correctional officer to mistakenly believe, well, these guys are in the honor block, so everything must be OK. Their guard gets let down a little bit.

WHITFIELD: OK, so, Gary, that's your point of view as a former corrections officer. So Erik Fisher, as a psychologist here, how much of this resonates with how you see the culture, perhaps, of the prison system? He was talking about those three areas of power, pressure, responsibility, that all those things could be influential.

ERIK FISHER, LICENSED PSYCHOLOGIST: Right, right. Those are definitely influences. We have to look at in psychology, there is a famous experiment in the '70s run by Philip Zimbardo where he took some college students and put them in a prisoner and guard experiment.

And it showed how quickly these power dynamics did get escalated from the guards wanting to have control and being demeaning to the prisoners and the prisoners experiencing some of these effects that inmates often do.

But in this situation, you also have a situation where people still want to be liked. In a work place where your coworkers are in one position, but you are also in a lot of interaction with inmates, it leaves you potentially open to manipulation.

Inmates who are extremely psychopathic are pros at manipulating people and people in the position of power or guards often think they are exempt to that manipulation or feel in control.

So often they'll start to head down the slippery slope and think that they can do this to get this favor and this and that they can get this favor and they think they are in charge, but the minute they start doing favors for the inmates is the minute that they can start to slip down that slope into what becomes what ultimately happened with these escaped convicts.

WHITFIELD: So then Eric, formerly as an inmate at the Clinton Correctional Facility, what you just heard from Erik here, is that something that you see playing out, that kind of battle of manipulation and some win, some don't.

ERIK JENSEN, FORMER CLINTON CORRECTIONAL FACILITY INMATE: Definitely.

WHITFIELD: Even when they think they are the ones in control?

JENSEN: I totally agree with what Erik is saying. I have seen it many times whether it be something as small as a cigarette or something even smaller like asking for a pass to go to another block to go talk to your friends over there.

In Clinton, this was common practice. It wasn't anything special for these officers to let you run around. They used to bring in venison, deer meat, pictures of their hunting, camping trips so --

WHITFIELD: So is this common practice because this is survival or is there something else behind this kind of cat and mouse game that it becomes?

[11:45:01] JENSEN: Well, the level of fraternization there is the highest I have seen at any other facility. I have been in a couple. And in Clinton, things were just ran totally different there. It was like an unspoken rule there.

You could ask an officer for a favor and nine times out of ten, if it wasn't something too extreme, they would do it for you. If an officer is doing ten years, 15 years with the same inmates, that he builds a relationship with them.

WHITFIELD: So, Gary, as a former correctional officer, talk to us more about that relationship that almost sounds as Erik was saying inevitable especially if you are talking about a long time. Did you ever find yourself in a situation where relationships just naturally happen simply because of the familiarity with an inmate who is there and so are you as a working officer?

CORNELIUS: In my 27 years, I got to know many inmates, but I was very careful when I started writing about this subject and teaching it, is whatnot to tell them. You can talk about things like movies, things on TV. You can talk about very innocent things.

But the minute you open up and you say, I'm having some problems at home. Another thing is too, inmates, I think, will look for people, what I call, out on a limb. They are away from their fellow officers. We have to much watch out for each other. Supervisors have to get around.

If they see correctional officers spending too much time with inmates, talking to them really serious conversations, lengthy conversations, that supervisor and the fellow COs have a responsibility to pull that CO aside and what are you talking to them about? You are spending a lot of time down there.

It is easier said than done. Like the gentleman says, both gentlemen are saying, these things are very subtle. They happen over time. Psychopathic inmates have no conscience. If they use up a CO, in this case, these guys escape, they are not going to lie in bed at night tears on the pillow. They are going to go for the next target that they can obtain.

WHITFIELD: So Erik Fisher, a psychologist here, I mean, this is some serious psychological warfare going on here.

FISHER: It is. It is all about power. That game never stops. While they say familiarity breeds contempt, sometimes it breeds an attraction. I think we have to look at in some ways, some of these things become bromances, you know, because you have people, the guards are also people who want power and prisoners who want power.

We have to look at this subtle dynamic. As psychologists found in that experiment, you can't necessarily predict who is going to be somebody who is going to be susceptible by psychological tests beforehand. Sometimes, people just fall into that.

We have to all be accountable for ourselves and make sure we ask for help. There is a reason that those policies and procedures are so rigid and put in place. WHITFIELD: Are you talking about correctional officers have to be able to ask for help?

FISHER: Exactly. They have to be able to let themselves know when they are starting to slip down that slope. Those procedures are there in place to make sure that inappropriate boundaries don't get crossed and that's critical.

CORNELIUS: One comment if I may. This applies to sworn and not sworn. The training has to begin the first day they report for duty or work at the institution.

WHITFIELD: All right, we'll leave it right there. Gary Cornelius and Erik Fisher and Erik Jensen, thanks to all of you. Appreciate it.

All right, still ahead, the women's World Cup final. It is set. Guess what? Go USA. USA in it against Japan. It is a rematch of 2011's final. Coy Wire is covering it for us from Vancouver -- Coy.

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Fred, it is calm here. It is beautiful. You get a feeling of the calm before the storm. Women's national team seeks revenge against Japan. World Cup final tomorrow. We'll have more on that next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:52:44]

WHITFIELD: All right, the U.S. will play Japan in a potential history-making women's World Cup soccer final tomorrow night, but today the sporting world is buzzing over the latest development in a Major League Baseball hacking scandal.

A front office executive has been fired, and the feds are now recommending charges be brought against at least one St. Louis Cardinals employees.

Our Cory Wire is in Vancouver for the World Cup, but first before we talk about women's World Cup soccer, let's talk about this scandal. Who got the ax?

WIRE: Well, the Cardinals, Fred, said that this week they fired the director of scouting, Chris Corea (ph). It's not yet clear what role he played, if any, in the alleged computer intrusion. His lawyer says his hasn't done anything illegal.

Well, we know the federal investigators have recommended that charges be brought against at least one Cardinals employee. It's just not clear which employee they recommend to be charged as of now.

We also know the FBI is investigating, focus is on whether the Cardinal's front office employees broke federal law and whether senior officials with the Cardinals were aware of the spying -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: My goodness. OK, well, let's talk about something else, the reason why you are in Vancouver because it's all on the line for the U.S. women. Tomorrow night a win and perhaps a win over Japan, this may be payback, because it was Japan who beat the USA in the 2011 World Cup final. So what are the chances that history will be made in favor of the U.S. team this time around?

WIRE: I would say chances are good. The number one ranked, German team was considered to be the most formidable foe for the U.S., and they have already taken them down. There is a slight chance that they could overlook Japan, but remember, there are 13 players on the U.S. team who were part of that team that lost to Japan in 2011 World Cup.

And they haven't forgotten it, Fred. One of those players, all-time American goal scorer, Abby Wambach, certainly won't let her teammates take Japan too lightly. She says the loss to Japan four years ago still hunts her to this day, but the team can't focus on just revenge alone. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Heartbreak never goes away, but now we have an opportunity. It's not about revenge or avenging that loss.

[11:55:03] We don't overlook Japan for one second because they are very, very organized and a good team.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WIRE: A good team indeed, action kicks off tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. Eastern, in what many are calling a virtual home game for the U.S. Fred, there are a lot of red, white and blue in Vancouver, I can tell you. I want to say happy 4th of July to you, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Happy 4th, and go Team USA! All right, fantastic. Coy Wire, I appreciate it in Vancouver. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. Happening right now in the NEWSROOM, ramped up security across the nation this 4th of July. Concerns of terrorist threats have police on alert and extra patrols in place.

Plus fireworks out of control, several people are injured when shells fly into the crowd.

Carolina beaches on alert this weekend after a string of shark attacks. You're live in the CNN newsroom.

Hello, everyone. Happy 4th. Thanks so much for joining me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

Americans here in the U.S. and around the world are celebrating Independence Day and the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security are warning authorities across the nation to be extra vigilant saying that big holiday events could be targets of a terror threat.