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Pope Francis On The Move Through Ecuador; Convicted Boston Marathon Bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev Asking For New Trial; President Obama To Give Speech Update On The Fight Against ISIS; 3:30-3:54p ET

Aired July 06, 2015 - 15:30   ET

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

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[15:31:56] BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Half past the hour. You're watching CNN. I'm Brooke Baldwin.

The pope today, Pope Francis, on the move in the Pope mobile through Ecuador. This is his first stop on his week-long South America visit. Pope Francis drew huge crowd. This is an outdoor math just a short time ago. Waves, cheers greeting the catholic leader as he drove by in the Pope mobile.

So let's go live to Quito, Ecuador to my colleague, Rosa Flores. What an amazing assignment here. So he is in Guayaquil right now. He is heading back to Quito. What is he doing?

ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, he has a full itinerary, Brooke. Like you said, he's in Guayaquil right now. He's heading my way here to Quito. He is going to be visiting with the president this afternoon. He is also going to be - going into the cathedral that you see behind me, meeting with clergy. He's also going to cross the plaza that you see behind me and mingle with the crowd. So you have seen him do that a lot. And, of course, he's going to do that in his home continent.

Now, he just broke bread with hundreds of thousands of faithfuls in Guayaquil. It was a packed house. He spoke about the importance of the family, the importance of the mother in the family and the importance of the family unit and unity and how the family is the first hospital for all of its members. He also talked, Brooke, about service and how service is true love and that service is not about charity. It's about having a social responsibility.

Now, it's no mistake that he chose three countries that are some of the poorest countries in South America for this visit -- Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay. Poverty rate, they are between 40 and 45 percent. They all have large indigenous population. And so, throughout this visit and throughout these events, we're going to see the inclusion of the culture, the language of these three courts incorporated into these events and, Brooke, that's no mistake. He's trying to bring a message of inclusion in the church to make sure that he can bring his flock back in. As you know, some Catholics leaving the Catholic Church and him trying to bring them back - Brooke.

BALDWIN: You know, Rosa, I feel like this Pope often makes news wherever he goes or even when he's on the plane heading back to the Vatican. Have there been any moments yet? I was reading this moment about an impromptu prayer outside of a residence where he was staying and then those sort of gathering around. Can you talk to me about any moments he's had so far on this trip?

FLORES: Yes, definitely so. He's had moments, of course, along the Pope mobile route with some of the faithfuls. We talked to some people yesterday when we were actually there on the Pope mobile route and they were very emotional about being able to have an exchange with the Pope about being able him for a blessing.

And then, of course, the one that you mentioned, this is outside a diplomatic mission at the Holy Sea which is the resident where the Pope is staying here in Ecuador. The crowds were very large outside, Brooke, and they were all chanting and asking for the Pope to come outside one more time. And so, of course, the Pope broke protocol. This is according to the Vatican radio. He walked outside, chatted with them for a bit and then offered them a blessing and said, OK, now you all have to go home so this community can rest and so, of course, so the Pope could rest as well - Brooke.

[15:35:51] BALDWIN: Breaking protocol, making news on any continent.

Rosa Flores, live in Ecuador, thank you so much.

And again, just a reminder, the Pope will be in the United States in this upcoming September.

Coming up next, the new information on the three British teenagers who ran away far away to join ISIS. Guess what, we just learned two of them may now be married. That's next.

Plus, convicted Boston marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev sentenced to death, now making with his attorney this new request of the court, the motion he filed, straight ahead.

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[15:40:34] BALDWIN: President Obama right now at the Pentagon meeting with top military officials there, a briefing on the war against ISIS as the U.S. tries to push back gains made by the terror group. Stand by because we're going to hear from the president in a few moments.

U.S.-led forces unleashing new wave of airstrikes in Syria and Iraq, 18 of them hitting Raqqa, an ISIS stronghold in Syria and also now believed to be the home of the two missing British schoolgirls who we reported on some time ago. Now, we're learning they have just become ISIS brides.

Joining me now is Kimberly Dozier, CNN global affairs analyst and Paul Cruickshank, CNN terrorism analyst.

So welcome to both of you. And before we get into the role of women and, you know, interrogation and what could be happening to these young ladies, Paul, to you first. As I mentioned, we're going to listen to the president in about 15 minutes from now talking to Barbara Starr, not a likely decision making meeting and status update meeting. But still, what will you be listening for when you hear the president?

PAUL CRUICKSHANK, CNN TERRORISM ANALYST: Well, I'll be listening to what is the plan to dismantle the terrorist safe haven in Syria and Iraq. ISIS is still very strong in both these countries. But in Syria, Al-Qaeda's affiliate in Syria is also increasingly strong over their state control parts of Idlib, its pushing into Aleppo. Obviously very, very concerning that the Al-Qaeda terrorist organization has a safe haven in Syria, given the events of 14 years ago when Al-Qaeda had a safe haven in Afghanistan.

But also what is the president planning to do about ISIS advance in Libya? It's expanding big time across Libya. The Tunisian gunman who launched that attack on the beach the other day, he trained in Libya. What is the president going to do about ISIS in Egypt? The group in Egypt, the ISIS affiliate there increasingly strong, launching an unprecedented attack just last week in the Sanaa province, Brooke.

BALDWIN: Again, live pictures in Pentagon. We will be taking that. We will be taking the president in mere minutes.

But Kim Dozier, about these young British women, you and I have spoken about women, we spoken the widow of Abu Sayyaf, the ISIS money guy who, you know, the U.S. targeted and now they have his widow in Iraq who they are questioning, interrogating. Can you just tell me a little bit about what she may know about ISIS?

KIMBERLY DOZIER, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: Well, interrogators are actually learning a lot from her about how ISIS works and the prominent role of women within the organization. She was not just the woman cooking in the kitchen and taking care of the family. She was entrusted with taking care of the women's slave network. She also was entrusted with running some of the other wives, coordinating how they took care of their commanders.

So because of that and because probably she is trying to make sure that she has some future after this that is not spending the rest of her life in jail, she's been cooperating, telling interrogators her role in the organization and also how women are part of the hierarchy. And they pass messages back and forth, for instance. It goes back to what you were talking about, what is the attraction for women overseas to come and join this organization. They are being told you will have a prominent role.

BALDWIN: That's my -- so the follow up is about, you know, and this is what we are getting from this British lawyer, Kim, telling CNN that these runaway British schoolgirls may have just been married off with ISIS militants. And I'm wondering, you know, what is the lure? What are they being promised in terms of going, you know, into Syria and marrying these terrorists?

DOZIER: Well, they are being told that they will have a role in this new caliphate in terms of holding the family together, comforting the fighters when they come back home from the battlefront and also helping run things like the concept brigades which help run the civil affairs inside some of the areas that ISIS controls. These are all not major roles in terms of the fight but they are important roles and the women are being told, you know, you will be part of this.

[15:45:06] BALDWIN: Paul, how are they getting -- back to this widow being questioned and, you know, giving up information and her husband was high up there and it is from everything I've read, the wife ranking sort of corresponds with the husband's raking within, you know, ISIS. How are they getting her to talk? What's the incentive for her?

CRUICKSHANK: We don't know the details of how they are getting her to talk. But they are obviously very skilled in these type types of interrogations, skilled in asking the types of questions which might get somebody to open up, sort of a heart softly approach her first, creating a rapport. Presumably the interrogations going on in Arabic rather than English from some people that can build a certain amount of rapport with her and just sort of getting her to talk and talk and talk. And all of this kind of information on ISIS is, of course, very valuable because the United States has had a bit of a black hole when it comes to ISIS' operations in Syria from a human intelligence point of view. They don't have the developed human intelligent networks that they've had in Pakistan and Yemen. So all of this is very, very valuable, clearly all of the information that they can get from her.

BALDWIN: OK. Paul Cruickshank and Kimberly Dozier, thank you very much.

This again, watching, waiting to hear from President Barack Obama. He is expected to speak in just a couple of minutes live there from the Pentagon, specifically ISIS and on war overseas. And listen, really here at home. All of these young people listening to this message. Some of them would like to act on it. We'll take it live.

Plus, Boston bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was sentenced to death just last month. Remember, he spoke in that federal courthouse to those families and the victims. Well, we are now hearing today he's filing a motion. What he is specifically asking for, next.

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[15:51:22] BALDWIN: All right. As we reported just last hour, convicted Boston marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is asking for a new trial. His attorneys filed these preliminary motion according to federal court documents. The 21-year-old was sentenced to death for the attack at the marathon in 2013. His lawyers say they will file more documents outlining reasons for requesting this new trial. What does this really mean? Let's bring in CNN commentator and legal analyst Mel Robbins because to be crystal clear, this is totally separate from any potential appeal. These are motion.

MEL ROBBINS, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Correct. So welcome to law school. OK, you are about to have live a headache. So here's the deal. At any trial after somebody is convicted, so I'm representing somebody, they're convicted by a jury, I'm going to stand up and I make a rule 29 motion, which is basically me appealing to the judge saying, judge, please override the jury, acquit my client. When they normal would do that is right after the conviction and

before the sentencing. What happened in this case is the lawyers for Tsarnaev said, give us more time. The judge said, no problem, we'll give you more time to do the motion, let's move on to sentencing. So now, what you're seeing is those motions that normally would take place during the trial happening right now.

BALDWIN: After he's been sentenced to death. So I can't imagine any kind of file on that motion to acquit is going to happen.

ROBBINS: No way. There's no way the judge is going to grant these motions, but this is how it builds for the appeal.

BALDWIN: OK.

ROBBINS: So when the appeal comes, they will make the fact that the judge denied these motions part of the appeal, Brooke.

BALDWIN: Planting the seeds, sort of.

ROBBINS: Yes.

BALDWIN: So 60 more seconds. So once the motions are filed and they both get resolved, however which way they get resolved, then one would assume -- and we shouldn't assume because we don't know, every case is different that they would file. There's at least one mandatory appeal.

ROBBINS: Yes. The appeal process will happen after these motions are complete. If they were to appeal right now, they would lose the right to actually make these motions. But here's an interesting twist. If they didn't make these motions, that the defense council didn't do this, Tsarnaev could appeal and say he needs a new trial, because his attorneys weren't effective at their job.

BALDWIN: The machinations.

ROBBINS: Very wonky. I know. This is why law school --

BALDWIN: I'm very impressed in two minutes, Mel Robbins. That's why you are pro. Thank you so much.

ROBBINS: Thank you.

BALDWIN: And that will do did for me. As we mentioned, from the Pentagon, the president has been there meeting with top military leaders, specifically on ISIS. We will take it in just a second.

Live pictures again here from the Pentagon. I'm Brooke Baldwin. Thanks for watching.

I want to send it to Washington a bit early today. Let's get to Jake Tapper with "THE LEAD."