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Turkey Shoots Down Russian Warplane; French President To Meet With Obama; Possible Explosive Vest Found; Brussels Remains On Highest Terror Alert; Kerry In Middle East; Trump: New Jersey Muslims Cheered On 9/11. Aired 5:30-6a ET

Aired November 24, 2015 - 05:30   ET

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

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[05:31:02] ALISON KOSIK, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking news this morning, Turkey shooting down a Russian war jet near the Syrian border claiming its air space was violated. Could this complicate the war on ISIS in Syria?

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Now the escalation in Syria happening just hours before France's president arrives in Washington trying to build an international coalition to fight ISIS.

KOSIK: Terror threats triggering a worldwide travel alert as we learn new information on how the Paris terrorist planned their attacks.

SANCHEZ: Welcome back to EARLY START. I'm Boris Sanchez.

KOSIK: Good morning. I'm Alison Kosik. It's half past the hour and breaking news right now, Turkey confirming it shot down a Russian war plane near its border with Syria.

SANCHEZ: They are claiming the plane had violated Turkish air space and ignored several warnings. Russia insisting that the plane was over Syrian air space the entire time. The downing of this Russian plane is potentially complicating the fight against ISIS and efforts to remove Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from power.

CNN's Ian Lee tracking the latest developments live from Cairo. Ian, we've heard from Russian officials that at least one of the pilots was able to reject, right?

IAN LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning. Yes, that's correct. We are hearing that in fact actually two of the pilots were able to eject. We do not know the fate of those pilots. We are seeing reports that we cannot independently verify that one of the pilots has been captured.

Let me give you a timeline of exactly what happened. We are hearing that around 9:20 local time in Turkey, two f-16 fighter jets intercepted an unknown plane, they shot it down after warning it ten times over the course of 5 minutes.

They say it violated their air space ten times. Russia says it is a bomber jet, an SU-24 that was shot down. Again, the fate of the pilots is unknown. This is in the western part of Syria where ISIS is not known to be operating.

There are Syrian rebels of Turkmen ethnicity. They have close ties to the Turkish government. Turkey has warned Russia in the past about bombing these rebel fighters. Russia has also violated the Turkish air space in the past.

Turkey has warned them before about that. We do not know exactly if the plane did violate Turkish air space. Russia is denying it at this time.

What we are hearing from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights is that Russian helicopters are patrolling the skies over the area where the crash took place looking for those downed pilots.

SANCHEZ: Now Ian, this comes at a time where Russia is trying to build inroads especially in the mid-east. Yesterday, Putin met with leaders of Iran. He's supposed to meet with leaders from Jordan and France in the coming days of France. How does this complicate that effort to build inroads and build a coalition in that area?

LEE: This is going to make everything a lot more difficult, Boris. You have the French president going to the United States. He is going to be talking to Angela Merkel in Germany and Vladimir Putin in Russia trying to get this coalition against ISIS to focus specifically on the ISIS threat.

But with this Turkish downing of the Russian plane, it will make it more difficult, especially since Turkey, a NATO member is going to be looking at this incursion as a serious escalation. Turkey is likely to call an emergency meeting of NATO.

But really when you look at this sort of downing, ISIS is going to be somewhat indirectly the winner of it because it is likely to make any sort of coalition, whether it involves Iran, Russia, Jordan, the United States, anyone, really.

[05:35:07]It is going to make it a lot more difficult when you have a NATO member shooting down a Russian airplane. Again, Turkey saying it violated the air space. Russia is denying that.

SANCHEZ: A very delicate response, a very delicate situation in the coming days for these countries. Ian, thank you.

KOSIK: And as Ian mentioned, Turkey shooting down the Russian jet is certainly going to complicate the efforts for President Obama. He is hosting French President Francois Hollande at the White House in about five hours from now.

The two leaders are set to discuss the fight against ISIS including perhaps an attempt to persuade Russia to back the removal of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad from power. CNN's Joe Johns has more from the White House.

JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Alison and Boris, ahead of President Hollande's visit to the White House to meet with President Obama, no indication from the administration that there will be any major change in strategy against ISIS.

The White House press secretary saying President Obama is interested in talking about building on the relationship between the allies, France and the United States.

What is more important is the symbolism of the leaders of France and the United States meeting together at a time of need for France, which is the United States' oldest ally. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSH EARNEST, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Frankly what President Obama is interested in doing is showing in a visible way solidarity that the United States of America feels with our allies in France.

Even in this difficult hour for that country. This is a nation that is grieving and concerned about the security situation inside their country.

They can and should take a lot of solace in knowing that the most powerful country in the world has their back and standing with them in this difficult time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JOHNS: One sticky issue is whether Hollande can help the United States and Russia heal some of the issues between them so that they can put up a united front against ISIS. One of those issues is Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad. The United States says he has to go. Russia has been accused of trying to prop him up.

SANCHEZ: More breaking news at this hour, a worldwide travel alert from the State Department as the FBI issues a new warning to U.S. law enforcement. The travel alert warns that groups like ISIS and al Qaeda continue to plan terrorist attacks in multiple regions.

It urges Americans to exercise vigilance in public places and to be aware of events around the world. The FBI warning also reveals new information on the Paris attacks advising U.S. officers to watch out for suspicious people doing surveillance on soft targets.

It says analysts believe the terrorists in Paris used that kind of prior surveillance along with tactical planning, military style training and coordinated attacks.

There is new physical evidence of an explosive vest discovered in a trash can in the Paris suburb. French media report the vest was found in the same area where the suspect's mobile phone was traced just after that attack. That suspect is still on the run.

CNN's Max Foster joins us now live from Paris with the latest. Abdelsalam, that suspect is still on the run. Officials believed he likely had help considering he has been on the run for so long. He's been able to avoid authorities, right, Max?

MAX FOSTER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That has to be a theory. It has been 11 days he has been on the run. Obviously, the assumption he was headed over to Brussels with the help of accomplices. They've carried out multiple searches, haven't managed to find him.

We hear these reports that a possible suicide vest belonging to him found that have been in Paris. So now people are asking is he in Paris. He is definitely being hidden by someone. We just don't know who.

In terms of the suicide vest, affiliate, BFM, says within an item found in a bin, there was an explosive, which is the same explosive used in the Paris attacks also bolts found. So certainly it looks like a suicide vest.

Whether or not it is connected to him, we are not quite sure. What we are hearing from BFM, as well, is that Abdelsalam's phone was tracked to the same area at the south of Paris, Boris, which links him with this possible suicide vest.

Frightening to think he could be here and the police may have been wrong all along. He might not been in Brussels. We don't know, though.

SANCHEZ: Still be concerned about that in that area. Max Foster reporting live in Paris, thank you.

KOSIK: Belgium remains on high alert today amid official warnings of a possible terror attack. In Brussels, soldiers patrol the streets. Schools and the subway systems shutdown until Wednesday at the earliest.

Now Belgian officials have charged another suspect in connection with the Paris attacks. For the latest, let's bring in CNN's Frederik Pleitgen live in Brussels.

So there is talk about possibly opening up the city again as early as Wednesday perhaps. Does this mean that authorities have gotten closer to getting information about the possible terror cell?

[05:40:01]FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Alison. It certainly does. It looks as though they have much information and while they are getting ready to open up the subway system and the schools, but the terror threat will remain in place at least until next Monday.

I want to show you a bit of the scene here in Brussels early on this Tuesday. You can see the streets are full of soldiers and military vehicles as well. Public life, has once again almost come to a standstill here.

Many people not going to work. Many people staying home, very few people out here on the streets. No curfew or anything in place, however, many people are opting to stay at home for safety reasons.

Now there have been raids in the past 48 hours that have netted some 21 people. That's what the authorities say. However, they also say that 17 of those people have already been released. Perhaps, there is one individual they are keeping in custody. He has been charged with terrorism offenses relate together Paris attacks. They do have someone that they think might know something very important.

But at this point in time, it is unclear whether or not they are any closer to finding the main man who is still on the run, Salah Abdelsalam. There is a worldwide arrest warrant for him out there.

If they are any closer to finding out, who these people may be who could be plotting what they say are imminent terror attacks right here in Brussels. That is one of the reasons why that threat level is going to remain in place at least through next weekend -- Alison.

KOSIK: All right, CNN's Frederik Pleitgen, thanks for that.

SANCHEZ: Secretary of State John Kerry in Israel as new violence breaks out in the area overnight. We are live there next.

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[05:45:50]

KOSIK: There's breaking news at this hour. The Turkish military confirming that its F-16s shot down a Russian war plane near the Turkey/Syria border. Turkey claimed the Russian jet violated its air space and ignored repeated warnings.

Russia says it stayed on the Syrian side of the border. The downing of a Russian jet by a NATO country likely expected to complicate efforts to fight ISIS, to build that coalition, and including the U.S. efforts to remove Bashar al-Assad from power in Syria.

Now NATO officials telling CNN that the alliance is monitoring the situation very closely and we are going to bring you more details on this story as we get them.

SANCHEZ: A new round of street attacks by Palestinians to report. Israeli soldier knifed to death Monday in the West Bank. While in Jerusalem, two Palestinian girls stabbed by an elderly man before police officers shot both attackers killing one of them. The victim turned out to be a Palestinian.

Secretary of State John Kerry is in the Middle East hoping to calm the violence, scheduled to meet today with leaders of both countries. Let's go live to Jerusalem and bring in CNN's Oren Lieberman. Oren, good morning.

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Boris. The expectations for this meeting of Israeli and Palestinian leaders unfortunately, at this point, are very low. Kerry and the White House have acknowledged a broader two-state solution and simply won't happen anytime soon.

So it's Kerry here trying to get practical steps from both sides to try to put an end to the attacks and end to the violence and ease the tensions here.

So far it is not just Kerry, who has been unsuccessful, but Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as well. This is a follow up to a meeting two weeks ago when Prime Minister Netanyahu was in Washington to meet with Secretary of State Kerry and with President Obama.

Where they talked more about steps and not only of what is happening here, the wave of violence, but also what is happening in the region, but now it is Kerry here focusing on the attacks.

Kerry also saying that it was a few Americans have been killed in this wave of violence including 18-year-old Ezra Schwartz from Boston killed last week.

Kerry and Netanyahu gave a short statement at the beginning of the meetings. They did not mention any practical concrete steps they can take both Netanyahu and Kerry talked about bringing about the situation, sort of an atmosphere that could bring an end to the violence.

But neither of them saying how exactly that will happen. The question at this point, Kerry meets with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas later on this afternoon at 5:00 our time.

What will he say there? And will there be any concrete steps, any solutions to end this wave of violence here? That is what Kerry hopes to do. Boris, as I mentioned, the expectations at this point are not particularly high.

SANCHEZ: A difficult effort, but an important one, nonetheless. Oren, thank you.

KOSIK: Gas prices are at rock bottom. Why you are still paying fuel surcharge to ship that package. That's next.

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[05:53:02]

SANCHEZ: Donald Trump sticking to his story. Despite skepticism, the Republican frontrunner insists he watched on TV as Arab residents in Jersey City, New Jersey, celebrated the 9/11 attacks. Trump says there is no way he is wrong because he has, quote, "The world's greatest memory."

We have more from CNN Politics reporter, Sara Murray.

SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICS REPORTER: Good morning, Alison and Boris, a defiant Donald Trump was here in Columbus, Ohio, standing by his previous comments that he saw people cheering in New Jersey when the twin towers fell on 9/11.

Now even though government officials have disputed this claim as well a number of news organizations and fact checkers, Donald Trump was not willing to back down. In fact, he even went on an extended riff saying people on Twitter agreed with him and saying he remembers the day 9/11 saying, he saw bodies fall from the twin towers from his own apartment.

Now all of this comes as Donald Trump is ratcheting up national security rhetoric in the wake of those Paris terrorist attacks. He went even a step further talking about waterboarding.

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DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This morning, they asked me a question. Would you approve waterboarding? Would I approve waterboarding? Yes, would I approve waterboarding? I said let me ask you a question.

On the other side they chop off our young people's heads and they put them on a stick. On the other side, they build these iron cages and they put 20 people in them.

They drop them into the ocean for 15 minutes and pull them up 15 minutes later. Would I approve waterboarding? You bet your ass I'd approve it.

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MURRAY: While Donald Trump has faced plenty of scrutiny about reiterating the claims of seeing people cheering in New Jersey as well as support for waterboarding as an interrogation technique, it clears he has no plans to stop in his rhetoric -- Alison and Boris, back to you.

[05:55:05]KOSIK: OK, Sara, thanks for that.

The city of Chicago is bracing for the release of a potentially explosive police video showing a white officer shooting a black teenager 16 times.

A judge has ordered Chicago police to release the dash cam video by tomorrow and widespread protests are expected. The 17-year-old Lequan McDonald was gunned down in October of 2014 by 14-year veteran Officer Jason Van Dyke. Attorneys for the family have seen the video and describe it as graphic and unsettling.

SANCHEZ: Meantime, the NAACP demanding release of a video of the shooting of the unarmed black man at the hands of Minneapolis police earlier this month. It was reported by the ambulance at the scene when 24-year-old Jamal Clark died.

Police say Clark was shot while trying to take away a police officer's gun. Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton says he's seen the video and he considers it inconclusive.

A bit of lighter news now, the family of the Irving, Texas teen hauled off in cuffs after the clock he brought to school mistaken for a bomb. He is demanding $15 million and an apology from the mayor and police chief. If the city doesn't comply, attorneys for the family say they will file a civil suit. Even though the 14-year-old was invited to the White House and he received a scholarship to stud in Qatar, family lawyers claim he has been traumatized psychologically.

And his reputation in the global community has been permanently scarred. He also claims he and his siblings have been harassed and that he wasn't read his Miranda Rights.

KOSIK: All right, let's get to EARLY START on your money. European stocks are lower this morning so are U.S. stock futures. The global selloff in commodities continues. Stocks are coming off the best weekly gain of the year. Investors are cautious. It will be a holiday-shortened trading week. It looks like another dip today if stocks follow Europe's lead.

The cost of fuel is plunging, but FedEx and UPS are still charging extra for it. UPS charges a 5.25 percent fuel surcharge on top of what it cost to ship the package. FedEx charges 4.25 percent for ground shipment.

Both companies say their fuel costs are determined by more than just gas prices. For example, increased shipments to residential customers, thanks to online shopping, mean using more fuel and that's because the delivery trucks are making more stops. FedEx and UPS also tack on a fee for residential delivery.

Hello, Adele. Adele's new album "25" selling 2.3 million copies in the first three days. It could be headed for a record 3 million in one week. A little perspective here, she almost broke the record for weekly sales in just three days held by InSync's "No Strings Attached" in 2000.

Get this, Adele has already nearly doubled Taylor Swift's first week sales for her latest album "1989." How do you like that female powerhouse, Taylor Swift and Adele.

SANCHEZ: It is interesting. She decided not to put her album on the streaming web sites. How much of that may have boosted her sales?

Turkey shooting down a Russian war jet near the Syrian border. "NEW DAY" starts now.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Turkey shooting down a Russian fighter jet near the Syrian border.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: They say they warned the plane ten times within 5 minutes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Turkish F-16s on patrol responded to the plane.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Could this complicated war on ISIS in Syria?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The State Department alerting Americans of, quote, "possible risk of travel due to increased terrorist threats."

BERMAN: Investigators found what appears to have been a possible suicide vest.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Brussels remained on lockdown.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In France alone, there has been something like 800 raids.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This Thanksgiving, we will see the highest volume of travellers since 2007.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The soft targets, I think are the big deal.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have to go about our lives adamant about protecting our way of life.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have no answer for why we don't have more of these events.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: To our viewers in the United States and around the world, you are watching NEW DAY. We are following breaking news. A Russian military jet shot down by Turkey near the Syrian border.

A Turkish military official says the plane was violating its country's air space. Russia insists that is not true and confirms the pilots were able to eject in the cockpit before going down.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: The incident is a major escalation in the Syrian conflict. It is likely to strain further relations with Russia and the west. This comes hours before President Francois Hollande is set to meet President Obama about the war ISIS.

We have every angle of the story covered the only way CNN can. Let's begin with senior international correspondent, Ben Wedeman. He is live in Erbil, Iraq. What do we know at this hour, Ben?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We know that this incident took place about four hours ago in Western Syria just on the Turkish border.