Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Worldwide Travel Alert for Americans Heading Overseas; New Clue in Manhunt for a Paris Attack Suspect; Trump Defends Comments. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired November 24, 2015 - 03:00   ET

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

[03:00:01]

Errol Barnett, CNN INTERNATIONAL NEWSROOM HOST: Terror fears, a worldwide travel alert for Americans heading overseas, and new warnings to local police across the U.S.

Rosemary Church, CNN INTERNATIONAL NEWSROOM HOST: Plus, a new clue in the manhunt for a Paris attack suspect. How a possible suicide vest found in the trash could be the break investigators have been looking for.

BARNETT: And doubling down again. Donald Trump defends his controversial comments about American Muslims in the September 11th attacks.

CHURCH: Hello and welcome to our viewers here in the United States and all around the world. I am Rosemary Church.

BARNETT: And I am Errol Barnett. Thanks for joining us in our second hour of CNN Newsroom.

We begin with the deep fears of terrorism that are reverberating across the world. In the U.S., the FBI released a bulletin to local police departments, it warns officers to watch suspicious people scouting for potential suspects, and tells departments to train up for dealing with active shooters.

CHURCH: The U.S. State Department has also issued a bulletin, this one for Americans traveling abroad. It warns of possible of threats posed by ISIS, Al Qaeda, Bokoharam, and terrorists acting on their own. Meanwhile in Paris, authorities are analyzing an apparent suicide vest found in a trash can, officials have not said whether the vest is related to the November 13th attacks, but CNN affiliate BFMTV reports that the vest contained the same kind of explosives used in the Paris attacks.

BARNETT: Our Max Foster joins us live from Paris now with the latest on all of this, and Max, we assumed that of course, the intelligence the U.S. has just provided has already been shared with French officials. But fill us in, what else does this U.S. bulletin reveal about how the Paris attacks may have been planned.

MAX FOSTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It shows that they were very planned and quite sophisticated attack by all. If you look at the information they have gotten, they're reading a bit into this, but that's what intelligence officials do. They have is a cell phone in a bin outside the Bataclan Theater, and we know there was a map of the theater on that phone, some encrypted data. From that, it suggests that they had been scouting out the sights of the attack beforehand. The kind of weapons they used and the fact they were trained in Syria according to European intelligence officials that suggests there was a military- style attack and it was very fairly planned.

And done by remote, directed from ISIS headquarters wherever that was in this particular case, so the suggestion for American officials has been how do we interpret this in case there's an attack here, what they have done is put out advice to law enforcement in the United States, saying you need to be looking out for people scouting out soft targets, because you have to try and pre-empt any sort of attacks. Again, they're looking at their training of active shooter. They have to reassess what it means for their own internal security, but because this was so sophisticated, there's a lot more to think about.

BARNETT: Even though it appears there was intensive planning going into the attacks there was panic afterwards, what can you tell us about a suicide vest found in a trash can?

FOSTER: Well, this is interesting, an item has found in trash can that Paris. Our affiliate BFM, suggesting that it had an explosive in it which is the same as used in the Paris attacks, also some bolts were in there. It certainly looks like a suicide vest. They're also connecting it to Abdeslam, the eighth attacker who we think is on the run, because they say his phone was tracked to the same area. We have previous reporting that he was traveling to Brussels in what looked like a suicide vest. Perhaps that contradicts that story.

But it certainly does lend itself to the story from Abdeslam's brother suggesting that he panicked and he decided not to carry on with the attack. A suicide vest cast away in the bin on the evening on the attack. But we need official confirmation on all of that. Of course, he headed towards Brussels which is where we can find Fred Pleitgen, and Fred, just still a high alert level there.

[03:05:01]

FRED PLEITGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, the alerts level still at the very highest level, number four, and the authorities in Belgium are saying that level is going to remain in place at least until Monday, of course, pending any sort of news in the investigation that's going on into trying to find Salah Abdeslam and trying to find a possible cell that he may be associated with. Now as all of this is going on, Brussels of course, at this point in time, it's around 9:00 a.m. here this morning, just waking up, some people who can go to work are going to work, but there isn't very much going on.

What we're seeing on the streets is mostly soldiers and police officers, of course, trying to keep the peace down there. Making sure that nothing happens, especially here in the center of Brussels, we have seen armored vehicles on the ground. Again, many people are saying, look, this isn't a lockdown that people are being ordered to stay indoors, however of course, with public transport not working, with the schools not being opened, many people are telling us, what they're doing they're cycling to work, taking their laptops, going back home and working from home.

This city is still very much on the edge. By Wednesday, authorities say they want to reopen the subway gradually and they want to start reopening the schools as well. But of course, this is still something that's causing a great deal of concern for the residents of Brussels, also with the threat of a potential terrorist still out there at large and a cell supporting him as well, Max.

FOSTER: He's been out for 11 days under the radar. He's got to be protected by someone?

PLEITGEN: Yeah, I mean, that's really the main thing that the authorities here are saying, it's been 11 days. There have been raids in various parts of the country. Also in parts of the city authorities haven't been able to find him. In the past 48 hours, 21 people have been taken into custody, and what we're hearing from the authorities most are those people are associated or family members of Abdeslam, however, 17 of those have so far been released again. One man is being charged in relation to the Paris terror attacks. But they do believe that he would not be able to remain in hiding for this extended period of time if he did not have some sort of network supporting him, and one of the reasons why they fear there might be an attack similar to the one in Paris that could happen here simply because there's this network out there and they know this man is potentially very dangerous.

FOSTER: Fred in Brussels, back with you with any updates. Thank you very much indeed.

France has launched its first air strikes against ISIS from the newly- deployed Charles De Gaulle aircraft carrier. This week, British Prime Minister David Cameron will make his case for the U.K. to start bombing ISIS and Syria. Barbara Starr reports on these air strikes and the impact it may have on ISIS leaders on the run.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: ISIS leader Baghdadi is longed believed to be hiding inside ISIS' Syria stronghold of Raqqa, but the U.S. has intelligence showing some ISIS leaders are trying to get out of Raqqa CNN has learned. Leaders moving their operations to safer locations outside the city.

MARK TONER, U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT DEPUTY SPOKESPERSON: It shows the effect our air strikes and the pressure we're putting on ISIL is having.

STARR: The hunt is on for Baghdadi and at least six other senior ISIS officials, including this key man, (Inaudible) an ISIS commander the U.S. believes may now be directing attacks outside Syria and Iraq.

MARK HERTLING, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: I think they have been more decentralized outside Syria and Iraq, because they know they're getting beat in those two countries. They have given the word, conduct attacks on your local soil.

STARR: Attacks outside Syria and Iraq perhaps ordered or inspired by ISIS include Paris, Beirut, and possibly the downing of the Russian airliner in Sinai, U.S. Officials say. The French sending their own response, the aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle launched its first air strikes against ISIS targets. ISIS released a video showing what it says is damage inside Raqqa. CNN can't independently verify the images. Defense Secretary Ash Carter is to meet with his French counterpart Tuesday.

[03:10:01]

In the wake of the Paris attacks, the Pentagon is hoping allies will increase their efforts in Syria all in an effort to break ISIS' grip on Raqqa. The U.S. will press for France and Britain to send Special Forces, to join with U.S. commandos due to arrive in northern Syria at any time. The U.S. also hopes Turkey will agree to let allies not just the U.S. fly out of its air base to challenge ISIS' international networks.

The U.S. also stepping up attacks on ISIS' oil infrastructure inside Syria, in the last few days striking nearly 300 oil-smuggling trucks in the eastern part of the country. Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: All eyes there on that meeting between Hollande and Obama later today. Can they find that common ground between the U.S. and Russia? President Hollande certainly has his work cut out, Errol and Rosemary.

BARNETT: All right, Max, we'll check in with you later this hour, thanks a lot.

Now we want to get some new information, we're following news of an explosion in Greece. Police say a bomb exploded outside a government building in Athens early on Tuesday, no one was injured, and police have now sealed off the area.

CHURCH: Several Greek media outlets say they received an anonymous phone call, warning of an explosion outside the Greek Business Federation offices, no one has claimed responsibility.

Well, officials are ramping up security patrols across the United States. We'll have more on the steps being taken, especially as the holiday season gets under way.

BARNETT: Plus, we'll look at some controversial claims from Donald Trump about one of the worst days in U.S. history. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:15:01]

CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. A new U.S. intelligence bulletin is warning law enforcement to be vigilant and to review training for dealing with active shooters.

BARNETT: CNN's Ray Marsh reports New Yorkers already gotten a head start on this and more security has been deployed as the holiday season begins.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAY MARSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The frightening scene played out at an abandoned New York City subway, two active shooters, one wearing a vest rigged with explosives. This was only a drill, but it is scenario police around the country have to prepare for.

JAMES WATERS, NYPD: Obviously, suicide belts in Afghanistan and Iraq are now most recently in Paris, so I thought it was most appropriate to introduce that.

MARSH: The Department of Homeland Security tested first responders' and NYPD's response to a terror attacks on mass transit. The results of the training will be shared with law enforcement nationwide. Nearly 47 million Americans are expected to travel by car this Thanksgiving and an additional 25 million will fly on U.S. carriers, as the volume of people on the move increases, more police officers deployed to more vulnerable sites.

In major cities like New York and Washington, riders should expect random bag checks. There's also concern ahead of New York's Thanksgiving Day Parade and the city's tree-lighting ceremony.

JEH JOHNSON, U.S. HOMELAND SECURITY: We know of no specific credible threat of a Paris-like attack directed against the U.S. home land. We are and we continue to be concerned about copy-catlike attacks.

MARSH: Outside major concert venues and stadiums, there's also more security. In Atlanta this weekend, bomb-sniffing dogs and officers patrolled the WWE wrestling at Phillips Arena match.

JOHNSON: As long as terrorist organizations are calling for attacks in the homeland, we got to be vigilant and work overtime.

MARSH: Passengers traveling by air should expect longer than normal wait times. Expanded screening of items began on Friday at overseas airports with direct flights to the United States. At domestic airports, expect TSA to spend more time inspecting passengers and luggage. Random checks, hand swabs to test for explosive residue, an additional check at the gate, even pre-checked passengers may be required to remove their shoes and laptops.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: CNN's Ray Marsh reporting there.

BARNETT: U.S. Presidential candidate Donald Trump is ramping up his stance on terror after the Paris attacks. He's now calling for watch lists for Syrian refugees.

CHURCH: Now he's also sparked controversy for some questionable 9/11 claims. CNN's Sarah Murray has the details.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SARAH MURRAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In the wake of the Paris terrorist attacks, Donald Trump is sharpening his anti-terror rhetoric with some of those salvos now coming under intense scrutiny. Trump contends he saw thousands of people celebrating in New Jersey after the 9/11 attacks.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I watched in Jersey City, New Jersey, where thousands and thousands of people were cheering as that building was coming down.

MURRAY: Standing by his claim, even as news organizations and government leaders call it false.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, the police say that didn't happen.

TRUMP: The people that were cheering in the other side of New Jersey where you have large Arab populations, they were cheering as the World Trade Center came down.

MURRAY: And tonight, Trump is not backing down, pointing to this sentence in a Washington Post story published a week after the 9/11 attacks as proof of his claims. The paper said law enforcement had detained people allegedly seen cheering on rooftops in Jersey City. Today that city's mayor said the reports were unfounded. CNN has found no evidence of arrests or video showing Muslims cheering. Still, despite that lack of evidence, today, Trump's main rival, Dr. Ben Carson, said he saw the same thing.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did you see that happening, though, on 9/11?

BEN CARSON, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I saw the film of it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In New Jersey?

CARSON: Yes.

MURRAY: Trump also talking tougher when it comes to the treatment of suspected terrorists.

TRUMP: They don't use water boarding over there, they use chopping off people's heads.

[03:20:01]

MURRAY: Calling Sunday for reinstating water boarding as an interrogation tactic.

TRUMP: I think water boarding is peanuts compared to what they do to us.

MURRAY: Now in the hours after making that statement, Dr. Ben Carson has backed away from his previous comments. He said he does remember seeing footage of people protesting in the wake of 9/11, but it was not in New Jersey, it was in the Middle East. Meanwhile, Donald Trump at his event in Columbus, Ohio, did not back down from his comments, once again reaffirming he believes he saw people protesting 9/11 in New Jersey, Sara Murray, CNN, Columbus, Ohio.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BARNETT: And Trump is also standing by his comments about putting mosques under U.S. surveillance to prevent future terror attacks. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I want surveillance of these people. I want surveillance if we have to and I don't care, I want -- are you ready for this, folks? They're going to make such a big deal. They're going to make it so big. He said something so politically incorrect. That's why we're going to hell because we're so politically incorrect, such a big deal. I want surveillance of certain mosques, ok, if that's ok. I want surveillance. And you know what, we have had it before and we'll have it again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Ben Ferguson joins me now, he's a Republican commentator and a CNN Political Contributor. So, Ben, Donald Trump says he saw Muslims cheering in New Jersey on 9/11 as the Twin Towers collapsed, Ben Carson claims the same thing, but can't remember where he saw those images. He now thinks it may have been somewhere in the Middle East. What is going on with these two Republican Presidential candidates?

BEN FERGUSON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yeah, if you're going to say that, you got to make sure you know exactly where it happened. No doubt people around the world were certainly cheering that America was hit on 9/11. There were a few people in local reports in New Jersey, it certainly was not in the thousands, or a thousand in New Jersey cheering. And so, I think this is one of those little things that can have a big impact on your campaign, because if you have enough of these add up, it certainly can hurt someone like Donald Trump.

His supporters say he said big things and sometimes he gets things wrong but we don't care, we're still going to back him and support him. While other candidates in the GOP field should jump all over this and say, let's make sure we don't embellish the facts here. Let's tell the whole story the way that it is. Yeah, there were some people in this country that were excited about it, very, very few, and very, very little present in the streets, and it certainly wasn't a thousand in New Jersey.

CHURCH: And what are we to make of Trump's suggestion of a database documenting all new Muslims, refugees, and migrants, and even saying I want surveillance of these people, referring to Muslims that is not what the Republican Party stands for, and yet Trump has a lot of support, doesn't he, and his numbers show that it doesn't appear to matter what he says. What does that mean here in America? FERGUSON: Two things here, Donald Trump -- the people who are on this

Donald Trump bandwagon, they're certainly not going to leave him for anything unless it's just absolutely massive, so the question is can he add to the number to his base that obsessed with him. The problem is can you add to it. I think that's why you have seen his numbers stay consistently where they are. And I think these are the types of comments that get him in trouble. I also think it makes him vulnerable with the other GOP candidates out there.

The closer people get to having to generally walk in, you know to that little booth and close that curtain behind him and say, am I going to vote for Donald Trump with all of this adding up, I think that may be where people -- I think that's where you see where the polls change. Other candidates will remind people, here are the things he said.

CHURCH: Ben, that might be what the Republican Party machine wants to believe, but when you look at these numbers, Trump is consistently way ahead.

FERGUSON: Sure.

CHURCH: And we're only weeks away from people telling and voting and saying what they think in Iowa, so what is going to happen there?

[03:25:01]

FERGUSON: Well, Iowa has always been a place where the polls can flip very quickly and very easily, especially towards the very end. The guy at the bottom of the list named Rick Santorum whose living proof of that, a very good chance you can see that again. When it comes down to this next Presidential debate that's going to be on CNN in December, that's going to be a moment where the candidates still up there, are probably going to seize on multiple points that Donald Trump has said recently and remind people is this the guy you really want to be your nominee.

CHURCH: Ben Ferguson, a pleasure to talk with you, appreciate it.

FERGUSON: Thanks. Good to be here.

CHURCH: And you can always get your political fix on our website at cnn.com/politics.

BARNETT: Breaking news just in to CNN, Turkish media reporting a war plane has crashed in Syria, just across the border from Turkey.

CHURCH: Now, we don't know yet where the plane is from, but a Turkish media outlet has said there's footage of the jet in flames, the cause of the crash still unclear at this point. But we'll keep you updated as we learn more.

BARNETT: We're also following new developments of a shooting in the U.S. state of Minnesota, five people were wounded when gunfire broke out near a Minneapolis police precinct late on Monday. Authorities say the shooting happened close to where Black Lives Matter demonstrators were protesting the shooting death of a young man by police, 24-year-old Jamal Clark. They say the injuries are not life- threatening, officers are searching for three white male suspects in connection with that shooting, and as soon as we get more information we'll bring it to you.

CHURCH: Well, the family of a teenager who was arrested when his home made clock was mistaken for a bomb is suing his former school and city for $15 million.

BARNETT: Ahmed Muhammad was detained by police and suspended from school in Texas back in September, his case stood outrage on social media.

CHURCH: And President Obama invited Muhammad to go to the White House, and a school in (Inaudible) offered him a scholarship. The family's attorney says the teen suffered severe psychological trauma, and his reputation is permanently scarred.

French President Hollande has a big meeting in Washington. We'll be back with that and more in just a moment. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:30:01]

BARNETT: Welcome back to those of you watching here in the states and all around the world. This is CNN Newsroom. I'm Errol Barnett.

CHURCH: And I'm Rosemary Church. We want to check the main stories.

Breaking news, Turkish media reports a war plane has crashed in Syria just across the border from Turkey.

BARNETT: Now, that report says the plane's nationality at this moment is unknown. But a media outlet has said there's footage of the jet in flames. The cause of this crash is still unclear.

CHURCH: Investigators in Paris are analyzing a possible suicide vest found in a garbage can. CNN affiliate BFMTV reports the vest contained the same kind of explosive used in the Paris attacks. Authorities have not said if the vest is related to those attacks.

BARNETT: Egyptian state media reports at least one person is dead after two bombs exploded outside a hotel in Northern Sinai, the hotel has election judges in the city of Al Arish, the explosions come a day after a second and final round of parliamentary voting. There has been no claim of responsibility just yet.

CHURCH: South Korea's intelligence said North Korean leader Kim Jong- Un may have sent his presumed number two into exile. There's no word on a reason for his banishment, but it could be over differences of opinion with Kim Jong-Un.

BARNETT: Just past 9:30 in the morning there, and Max, President Hollande is heading to the White House to meet with President Obama. The big issue that they'll be dealing with will be issues -- are air strikes and what to do with Bashar Al Assad. FOSTER: Absolutely, so President Hollande basically wants to bring

the Russian and American coalitions together in one concerted effort. Also it's going to go and speak with President Obama to try and find some common ground. I think politically speaking, Russia and the U.S. are still in very different positions in terms of the future of Assad. Perhaps carving out parts of ISIS territories so Russia attacks certain bits and the American coalition attacks other bits. Whether or not he can achieve that, certainly President Obama will want to offer President Hollande something in solidarity with his country after this horrific incident in Paris.

President Obama has spoken about is intelligence sharing, how European nations need to share intelligence more effectively, certainly that would have helped in the response to attacks, because there was accusations because Belgium wasn't giving France enough information. And the terrorists were capitalizing on the fact that there was this free movement of people across the continent whereas the security agencies aren't coordinating effectively. The idea is under investigation. Belgian Ambassador to the U.N. tells Amanpour the policy has become under pressure in recent months and the Paris attacks has only added to that.

[03:35:01]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are we in a place where some of its openness is going to have to give way to more security?

BENEDICTE FRANKINET, BELGIAN AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: It's definitely in the cards. It has put on the table. The idea is -- we had to have the control on the external borders of Europe, and we now that maybe that has not been the case.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It hasn't been the case. It's not a maybe. It hasn't been the case.

FRANKINET: So basically, at least for a certain time I think, the issue has been brought up to the European conversation that we need to look at this issue.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: The deputy editor, it has been a problem that the agencies aren't coordinating effectively across the borders.

REGIS LE SOMMIER, PARIS MARCH: Yes, it's been a problem, and the border situation is really a problem right now, especially leading up to regional elections in a come of weeks in France. Crucial elections, normally, they're a little election, this time around with the high level of national front is expecting to score during those elections it's crucial. The border situation is crucial, because -- there is a number of people to the right have been asking to put it into question especially given the migrant crisis but now with the terrorist threat is going to twice as much asked and requested.

These agreements are put aside for a moment that France controls, that's going to be major, major story in the coming weeks.

FOSTER: One of those capitalizing on this is the eighth attacker still on the run, Abdeslam. There's a suicide vest that could have belonged to him in a bin in Paris.

LE SOMMIER: Absolutely. The place where the suicide vest that could have belonged to him was found is in the southern suburbs of Paris, and if he was to -- if he had left directly to Belgium then he would have thrown it to the north of Paris, which apparently, he didn't. We don't know where his whereabouts. We know very little. But if it turns out it was his suicide vest then, he might be in the south of Paris. There's a strong Jehadi connection in the south of Paris. One of the suicide bombers of the Bataclan Theater came from a place nearby. They had a whole network over there that has been known and under scrutiny for a long time.

Now, to go back to the personality of Abdeslam, it's interesting, one of our reporters spoke to his brother yesterday, he was engaged, he had almost leading up to a family life, what turns out to be -- you know, a more investigation and more in-depth investigation on his personality, turns out to be a little different. Apparently, he was known in the gay scene in Brussels, two owners of gay bars over there had given police -- handed to police video surveillance showing him inside the bars, now if -- you know, if it turns out he fled, that he didn't want a suicide himself...

FOSTER: As his brother suggests.

LE SOMMIER: Yes. That makes him a marked man for ISIS and of course, you know what happened to gay people in Raqqa, they're being thrown out of towers by the Islamic state.

FOSTER: At the same time, he has to be protected by someone...

FOSTER: This guy is under pressure if he didn't accomplish his mission. He's a dead man, he's a walking dead man for ISIS, and he's of course known for, you know -- and there's another element which is interesting that appeared yesterday about (Inaudible) took the metro to flee the Bataclan. Apparently, his DNA was found in AK over there. Left at one point, took the metro. What we know right now, one extra guy was with him in the metro, they carefully walked about two, three meters, when he left the metro, he talked to somebody in the metro, we don't know who that person is, was it the third person in the apartment, killed in the apartment, or was it is someone else, maybe a coordinator, maybe the mastermind? So that would make another guy on the run, which is, you know, very scary at this point.

FOSTER: Errol and Rosemary, certainly police officials and security sources know more than that.

BARNETT: All right, Max, thanks very much. We'll see you at the top of the hour for CNN Newsroom. We appreciate that.

Now, in a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iran's supreme leader said U.S. policy in the Middle East was a threat to both countries. The two met on the sidelines of a gas exporting summit in Tehran.

[03:40:01]

CHURCH: A Kremlin spokesperson said the leaders of agreed international powers should not impose their political agendas on Syria, according to Iran's state-run media, Mr. Putin will finalize a $40 billion economic agreement with Iran during this visit.

BARNETT: Reuter's reports Ukraine activists are blocking power line repairs in Crimea, after power lines were blown up over the weekend leaving more than 1.5 million people without electricity. Authorities have now declared a state of emergency.

CHURCH: Police have made an arrest in the Tulane medical student shooting. We will show you the shocking surveillance video of the encounter. That is coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BARNETT: In New Orleans, police have arrested a man who they say shot a Tulane University medical student. Surveillance video captured the encounter between 25-year-old Peter Gold trying to help a woman who's being assaulted when the suspect shot him in the stomach. The man then tries twice to shoot Gold in the face, but the gun jammed both times.

CHURCH: Twenty one-year-old Yurok Cane faces a number of charges including attempted first-degree murder, and Gold remains in the hospital in guarded condition, extraordinary footage there and what an outcome.

BARNETT: Yeah, just incredible.

I want to get you to Israel where U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

CHURCH: Kerry will also meet with the Palestinian leadership in the west bank later today, he's hoping to ease tensions in the region where violence has been spiraling out of control over the last two months.

BARNETT: Today is no exception. Earlier in the west bank, Israeli security forces shot a Palestinian man who they say rammed his car into them. The Israeli military says three people were injured in that attack. The assailant is getting medical care.

[03:45:01]

CHURCH: For more on Kerry's visit and the latest uptick in violence, Oren Liebermann joins us now, live from Jerusalem. So Oren, John Kerry's meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister is happening right now. What is it expected out of this, because mostly what we have heard is -- it's very little.

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the expectations here are quite low, not only Secretary of State Kerry but also White House backing off of any broader expectations of a two-state solution in the coming years. This is an effort to ease some of the tensions. Kerry is going to try to get some concrete statements on what they can do to ease the tension and cut some violence, where Americans have been killed in the west bank. But, Kerry when making his press statement didn't reference any specific steps, he made a broad statement in terms of ease and cut the violence. Here's what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN KERRY, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: I am here today to talk with the Prime Minister about the ways that we can work together, all of us, the international community, to push back against terrorism, to push back against senseless violence, and to find a way forward, to restore and begin to provide the opportunities that most reasonable people in every part of the world are seeking for themselves and for their families.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIEBERMANN: Kerry mentioned a couple of weeks ago with Netanyahu in D.C., when he made his D.C. trip, he had hour-long meetings with both leaders but still unable at this point to find some way both Secretary of State Kerry and Prime Minister Netanyahu to end the violence here. Kerry will be looking for the same from Palestinian leadership later this afternoon.

CHURCH: All right, and you will continue to cover that, Oren Liebermann joining us live from Jerusalem. Thanks.

BARNETT: Pope Francis is getting ready to make his first visit to the African continent, and security is being tightened in the aftermath of the Paris' attacks, a live report on that after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:50:01]

CHURCH: We are following breaking news. Turkish media report a war plane has crashed in Syria just across the border from Turkey. Some more details on this, Ian Lee joins us live from Cairo. Ian, what we do know about this plane and how it went down.

IAN LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Here is what we know right now, this plane crashed on the Turkish/Syrian border just north. What we don't know, though, right now is what type of airplane it was or the nationality of it, and what the reason was for it crashing. There is a video of this plane. You can see it in flames crashing toward the ground. This area, though, is an area where we haven't seen any ISIS presence, which means that it's unlikely to be a coalition plane and more likely to be either a Russian or a Syrian jet, as we know these American-led coalitions are targeting ISIS.

But we still do not know what the nationality of the plane is. These are people of Turkish ancestry. Turkey itself has expressed solidarity and support for these Turkmen inside Syria. They have condemned in the past Syria -- the Syrian government as well as the Russian air strikes against them, but right now, we're still working to confirm what the nationality and what really is the cause of this crash.

CHURCH: Yeah, they are the questions that people want answered here. Ian Lee reporting there, live from Cairo. Of course, you'll continue to follow this story, many thanks to you.

BARNETT: Pope Francis is getting ready for his first trip to Africa. The terror attacks in Paris mean security is heightened for the Pope's visit, which begins on Wednesday.

CHURCH: Pope Francis' visit to the continent will include stops in Kenya, Uganda, and the African Republic.

BARNETT: For more on this, let's bring in CNN Contributor Barbie Nadeau who joins us live from Rome, many in the press characterizing this as Pope Francis' most dangerous trip, considering the terror attacks in Kenya as well. What's behind this trip specifically?

BARBIE NADEAU, CNN Contributor: Well, this trip is very important to Pope Francis, he's been wanted to go to Africa the last couple of years. To give support to Catholics in that region who feel persecuted. It's also a very dangerous trip. He's not taking any warnings from the French government who has warned against this trip at this particular time. The Vatican here in Rome has said they have complete faith in the African security being provided for them. The Vatican has sent people ahead of time to survey the region, but of course the Pope doesn't travel alone.

There will be great groups of Catholics there to hear him. There are diplomats that go with him and other people that could be vulnerable if there's an attack against him. But the Vatican has faith. The Pope has faith. This is typical Pope Francis. He's not going to do what he feels he should do. That's what we'll see starting tomorrow.

BARNETT: Being the first Pope from Latin America, many Catholics see Pope Francis as being more welcoming, more aware of the non-European followers of the faith. But Uganda, his second stop, gays there feel persecuted by the government and other groups, they want the pope to speak out, yet the Vatican says that won't happen?

[03:55:01]

NADEAU: No, I think the Vatican is looking at this not as an opportunity to talk to specific groups within the Catholic community there, but to lift up the Catholic community to give support. And we saw here at the synod a couple of weeks ago, the Africans were well represented and their voices were heard. He listens to those in the margins. The Catholics in Africa are certainly among the least listened to in terms of the political -- and you know, faithful communities there. But we'll see if his plans change at all, today, he leaves tomorrow, but as of today, nothing on his agenda has changed in light of some of the threats and security concerns, that could change even tomorrow.

BARNETT: All right, Barbie Nadeau, live in Rome a few minutes to 10:00 a.m. there, Barbie, thanks.

CHURCH: Investigators say they have never seen anything like it, a Russian sailor was drunk when he ran a 7,000 ton cargo ship aground. The vessel slammed into Scotland's coast last February.

BARNETT: Investigators say its chief officer who in charge of the ship at the time had drank half a liter of rum. Luckily, no one was injured.

CHURCH: Unbelievable. That's it for our two hours. I am Rosemary Church.

BARNETT: And I am Errol Barnett. CNN's Max Foster is next with another hour of CNN Newsroom, including the very latest on a fighter jet that crashed with Turkish/Syrian border. Stay with CNN.