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Police Shotting in Baton Rouge and Minnesota; Rio Ready for Olympics?; FBI Director to Testify to Congress on Clinton Investigation; Angela Merkel to Address German Lawmakers on European Council Meeting. Aired 3-4a ET
Aired July 07, 2016 - 03:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[03:00:00] ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN NEWSROOM SHOW HOST: Almost two years after the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, history appears to repeat itself in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
We will bring you the latest on the killing of 37-year-old Alton Sterling by police. And breaking news of yet, another controversial shooting of an African-American man in Minnesota.
Plus, it's already dealing with street crime, pollution and the threat of the Zika virus. But with four weeks to go until the Olympics, is Rio prepared for international terrorism? We've got expert analysis on that.
Hello and welcome to our viewers here in the United States and all around the world. I'm Rosemary Church at CNN world headquarters in Atlanta. This is CNN Newsroom.
And we begin this hour with two shootings in the United States, both involve police and the death of an African-American man.
In just a moment, we will have the latest fallout from the incident in Louisiana in the Southern U.S. But amid the anger there, we got word of another shooting, this one in Minnesota and we want to go to a news conference on this right now. Let's have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JON MANGSETH, ST. ANTHONY POLICE DEPARTMENT INTERIM CHIEF: On the evening of 7-6-2016, at approximately 9 p.m., a St. Anthony police officer affected a traffic stop on Larpenteur Avenue at Fry Street in the City of Falcon Heights, Minnesota. During the stop, shots were fired. One adult male was taken to the hospital.
We have been informed that this individual is deceased. No one else was injured and the BCA has been called in to investigate this officer-involved shooting. A handgun was recovered from the scene. The BCA will provide additional information as their investigation progresses.
The officer involved in this incident has been put on standard paid administrative leave. I thank you all for coming in at this hour and have a good morning. Thank you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: All right. We were listening there. This is the latest fatal shooting linked to a traffic stop this time. It was a very short news conference there in Minnesota and we had learned there that shots were fired at a traffic stop and an African-American man was taken to the hospital and he died as a result of this traffic stop.
Now, at this point, we do understand that there was an incident. We know that the woman involved in the car, she was with a child, as well. And she took some video and posted that on Facebook.
We must warn you, the video is graphic and may be very upsetting, but we're showing the video to you because the woman who shot it clearly wanted people to see what happened.
Lavish Reynolds and her daughter were passengers in this car. The woman says her boyfriend was driving when they were pulled over for a traffic stop. Now Reynolds started live streaming the stop on Facebook and this is what happened.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LAVISH REYNOLDS, PHILANDO CASTILE'S GIRLFRIEND: Stay with me. We got pulled over for a busted taillight in the back and the police (muted). He's covered. He just killed my boyfriend. He's licensed, he's carry -- he's licensed to carry.
He was trying to get out his I.D. in his wallet out of his pocket and he let the officer know that he was -- he had a firearm and he was reaching for his wallet. And the officer just shot him in his arm.
We're waiting for -- I will, sir, no worries. (muted). He just shot his arm off. We got pulled over on Larpenteur.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I told him not to reach for it. I told him to get his hand off it.
REYNOLDS: He had -- you told him to get his I.D., sir, his driver's license. Oh, my God. Please don't tell me he's dead. (muted) Please don't tell me my boyfriend just went like that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Keep your hands where they are, please.
REYNOLDS: Yes, I will, sir. I'll keep my hands where they are. Please don't tell me this, lord. Please dear Jesus, don't tell me that he's gone. Please, don't tell me that he's gone. Please, officer, don't tell me that you just did this to him. You shot four bullets into him, sir. He was just getting his license and registration, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get the female passenger out.
[03:05:00] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ma'am, I'll just call you right now with your hands off. Let me see your hands. Exit now. Keep them up. Keep them up. REYNOLDS: Where is my daughter? You got my daughter?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Face away from me and walk backwards. Walk backwards towards me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Keep walking.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Walk backwards.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Keep walking. Keep walking. Get on your knees. Get on your knees.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ma'am, you're just being detained right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: Extraordinary and distressing footage there. An incredibly composed Lavish Reynolds there recording that incident there were her husband, they were pulled over by traffic police and her boyfriend, I should say, was shot four times from her reporting on that.
Now, as you heard from the news conference that we brought you just moments ago, police say that man who was involved there was shot and did die from his injuries once he was taken to hospital. No one else was injured. But a handgun was found at the scene.
And police say they are investigating what happened. And Lavish Reynolds, she took that, she was streaming that video and she put it on Facebook.
Now, the U.S. Justice Department is also investigating another case causing outrage. Police shot and killed Alton Sterling outside a Louisiana convenience store. Now several people recorded that scene. We want to warn you, as well that the video is very graphic and disturbing.
Martin Savidge reports from Baton Rouge.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: New video obtained by CNN begins with the two responding officers and 37-year-old Alton Sterling, already struggling on the ground. Shouts and then shots are heard.
The camera jerks away then returns, showing one officer lying on the ground beside a sprawled Sterling. Another officer reaches down and takes an object out of Sterling's pocket.
Witnesses later say that object was a gun. Another video circulated on social media is 13 seconds longer and starts earlier with the two Baton Rouge officers confronting a man in the red shirt later identified as Sterling.
One of the officers pulls him over the hood of a car and pins him to the ground. A second officer attempts to assist in restraining Sterling. Seconds later, someone shouts about a gun.
One of the officers appears to draw his weapon. Both videos offer only a fraction of the tragedy and don't tell the whole story.
(OFF-MIKE)
SAVIDGE: Before the videos, radio transmissions obtained by CNN show police were dispatched to the convenience store after an anonymous 911 call reported a man threatening with a gun.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He pulled gun (Inaudible) the complainant told him he couldn't be around there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAVIDGE: The convenience store owner where the shooting occurred says he lets Sterling sell CD's in front of the store and never had any problems.
Abdullah Muflahi was at his store when police arrived.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ABDULLAH MUFLAHI, TRIPLE S FOOD MART OWNER: First slammed him on top of the car over here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAVIDGE: Muflahi says the officers used a stun gun on Sterling then tackled him. Then came the gunshots.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MUFLAHI: After the cop have went inside his pocket and pull a gun.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAVIDGE: After the shooting, radio recordings captured the frantic officer calls.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Shots fired, shots fire.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Copy, Shots fired North Foster, 2100 North Foster, Fairfield.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Both officers OK, suspect is down. I need EMS code 3.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAVIDGE: Sterling died on the scene. According to the coroner, cause of death was due to multiple gunshot wounds to the chest and back.
Police have identified the two officers as Blane Salamoni and Howie Lake II, who have a combined seven years on the force. Both men are now on administrative leave.
As video of Sterling's death spread on social media, it sparked outrage.
(CROWD CHANTING)
SAVIDGE: Amid fears the demonstrations could grow larger and violent. The U.S. Justice Department says it's taking the lead into the investigation into the officer's actions while Louisiana's governor is calling for calm.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN BEL EDWARDS, LOUISIANA GOVERNOR: And I'm urging everyone to remain peaceful. One thing is for sure, another violent act or destruction of property is not the answer.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAVIDGE: While videos that Sterling's shooting have triggered anger in many, they've caused obvious heartbreak for his family. Something painfully evident as the emotion of Sterling's son spoke at a news conference with the teen at her side.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
QUINYETTA MCMILLAN, STERLING'S OLDEST SON MOTHER: He is 15 years old. He had to watch this and this was put all over the outlet. And everything that was possible to be shown.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[03:10:02] SAVIDGE: The involvement of federal investigators is something that many protesters have wanted, but they admit it's just the beginning. Back to you.
CHURCH: Now, as Martin mentioned, protests and vigils have popped up across the U.S. in Alton Sterling's memory. This one in Ferguson, Missouri. It's a city rocked by violence after police killed an unarmed black teenager back in 2014.
Police in Philadelphia arrested about a dozen protesters Wednesday after they blocked highway traffic. And demonstrations in Baton Rouge have been largely peaceful. An artist painted a mural during one of them in honor of his memory.
Joining me now to talk more about the shooting death of Alton Sterling is criminal defense attorney Page Pate. Thank you so much for coming in and talking with us.
The videos that we've seen are disturbing. We have two police officers on top of Mr. Sterling and he is shot at point blank range. What is your reading of what played out.
PAGE PATE, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: I mean, we haven't talk to all of the witness yet. But having watched both of these videos I think it is a clear case of excessive force. I've represented police officers in cases like this where they've used force against an individual that they were trying to arrest or trying to apprehend.
And the key legal question is, does that individual, Mr. Sterling in this case, present an immediate threat to the officer or some other individual in the area? If there is no immediate threat, if that person doesn't have a gun out and is about to shoot, then you cannot use deadly force.
And so, I think what we've seen from this video is excessive force because they shot him and they killed him when he was completely immobile.
CHURCH: Now, the Justice Department is now handling this. How do you think they will proceed going forward?
PATE: Well, the Justice Department will come in as an independent agency to look at this. There's a U.S. attorney's office there in Baton Rouge. But I do expect the investigation will be run out of main justice in D.C.
The FBI will investigate it. They'll of course look at the same video that we've looked at but they will also talk to the witnesses. They will, of course, talk to the officers. If the officers want to cooperate. They don't have to.
Because if it's a criminal investigation, then they have a Fifth Amendment privilege not to talk to law enforcement. So, we don't know at this point if the officers are actually going to make a statement about what happened.
CHURCH: And as you say, you've dealt with cases like this.
PATE: Yes.
CHURCH: How should the police have dealt with this particular situation?
PATE: Well, the first thing that you want to do when you arrive on the scene when there's been a complaint of an individual where a firearm threatening people is you want to assess whether or not that person is an immediate danger to anyone.
Do you see a firearm? Is he making moves or gestures in a violence or tumultuous manner towards someone? But from what we saw in the video, when they approached this individual initially, he didn't have a gun that was brandished. You couldn't see any type of weapon and he wasn't moving towards anyone.
He appeared to be in a position posing no harm to anyone. So, once he's contained and you know there's no harm, then you can approach him, question him if necessary.
And if you believe he's committing a crime, if you find a gun on him and it turns out he's a convicted felon, then you can arrest him. But there's no reason for deadly force if he's not posing an immediate threat to you.
CHURCH: We see the same situation play out a number of times across the United States. What is the problem here? Is there a problem with the training of police in these sorts of situations? Do people panic? Do the police just not know how to handle some of these situations?
PATE: I think it's a little bit of both. And then I also think there's -- I hate to say it, but an undercurrent of racism in some law enforcement agencies across the United States. I mean, I've seen that personally in my practice.
And I don't think you can have any other conclusion after watching this video other than these officers did not treat this man as they should have. Now, was that based on their prejudices? Or their fear, their panic? Maybe they were poorly trained.
But they've all been in law enforcement for several years. Both of these officers who were directly involved in the use of force, they're not new cops. They've been on the force for a period of time. You would expect them to be better trained.
CHURCH: Page Pate, thanks so much for talking with us. I appreciate it.
PATE: Thank you.
CHURCH: Hours from now, the FBI director will testify before a congressional committee. He is expected to explain his recommendation that no criminal charges be filed against Hillary Clinton in relation to her e-mails.
The attorney general has accepted that recommendation and closed the year-long investigation. Loretta Lynch will also testify before House lawmakers next week.
[03:14:58] Well, so far, the presumptive democratic nominee has said nothing publicly about the findings of the FBI's investigation. But she had plenty to say about her opponent, slamming Donald Trump and his business record.
Brianna Keilar has the details.
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: As Hillary Clinton tries to highlight Donald Trump's business failures in New Jersey...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON, (D) U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: What he did here in Atlantic City is exactly what he will do if he wins in November.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR: She is still facing criticism over her e-mail practices despite the FBI'S recommendation not to prosecute. The GOP is on the offensive. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAUL RYAN, U.S. SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: Director Comey's presentation shredded the claims that Secretary Clinton made throughout the year with respect to this issue. The DNA, Clapper, should deny Hillary Clinton access to classified information during this campaign.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR: The Republican National Committee calling out Clinton's initial inaccurate statement with a new web video.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLINTON: I did not e-mail any classified material to anyone on my e- mail.
JAMES COMEY, U.S. FBI DIRECTOR: One hundred ten e-mails in 52 e-mail chains have been determined by the owning agency to contain classified information.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR: And House republicans have called FBI director James Comey to testify to explain why the government isn't charging Clinton. Donald Trump...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, (R) U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: She lied.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR: ... is hitting Clinton from the trail as she tries to shift the focus back to his record in Atlantic City where three of trump's four bankruptcies affected businesses.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLINTON: Contractors, many of them small businesses took heavy losses and many of themselves went bust. But Donald Trump, he walked away with millions. And here is what he says about the whole experience. He actually brags about it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR: Her campaign is unveiling an online video about how his companies and bankruptcies hurt small businesses.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A lot a of the people that helped build the Taj got 30 cents on the dollar.
These were small businesses. So you don't pay a 100,000 bill, it puts them out of business. (END VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR: Trump responded on Twitter blaming local democratic leaders saying "Even the once break scissors in bankrupt in a sea. Others to follow. Ask the democrat city council what happened to Atlantic City."
Brianna Keilar, CNN, Washington.
CHURCH: And as Clinton slammed Trump's business record, he rallied with a potential running mate. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich joined Trump on stage in Ohio Wednesday night.
Trump's campaign has been quiet about who he'll pick and win. But two possible V.P.'s have already fallen by the way side. Iowa Senator Joni Ernst told Trump she is focus on her state. And Tennessee senator Bob Corker said he's better suited for other jobs.
Meantime, Donald Trump is firing back at the criticism he's received for tweeting an image many are calling anti-Semitic. Donald Trump also used a reference to a Disney movie to defend it on Twitter, tweeting this. "Where is the outrage for this Disney book? Is this the star of David, also? Dishonest media.
Well, Hillary Clinton's primary rival, Bernie Sanders is applauding her new plan that would make college more affordable for U.S. families.
Sanders said he supported the proposal during his speech in Washington Wednesday. He and Clinton spoke about it before the announcement.
Sanders has not formerly backed Clinton as the Democratic Party nominee. He was booed during a meeting with democratic lawmakers for not doing so.
Well, Olympics organizers say a terror attack is unlikely during the games, but Brazil is on alert after an online threat from an ISIS fighter.
And moving forward after Britain's Brexit vote, coming out. Angela Merkel briefs German lawmakers on possible next step. That and more, still to come.
[03:20:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
AMARA WALKER, ROAD TO RIO ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. I'm Amara Walker. This is your Road to Rio update.
U.S. and Brazilian authorities are hunting for a former Guantanamo Bay detainee who disappeared from Uruguay. Forty-four-year-old Abu Wa'el Dhiab, a Syrian national went off the radar several weeks ago. Dhiab had settled in Uruguay after being released in 2014.
A South American airline issued a warning saying he may tried to use a fake passport to enter Brazil ahead of the Olympics Games next month.
Brazil's justice minister says that the country is prepared for a terror attack if one should occur during the Olympics. Government official say they will deploy about 22,000 troops to cover security during the game.
The U.S. Olympic rowing team will appear in special seamless unisuits when they hit the water for the Olympics. Knitted with anti-microbial material, the innovative suits will provide much needed protection against exposure to bacteria in the polluted lagoon.
China's national gymnastics and weightlifting teams help open training sessions in Beijing. Wednesday, the gymnasts are preparing to leave for Sao Paulo on July 22nd before going to Rio. China top the weightlifting and gymnastics competitions at the 2012 London games with five gold medals in each sport.
And that is your Road to Rio update. I'm Amara Walker.
CHURCH: We are following a developing story out of Bangladesh. Gunmen have opened fire on police at a security checkpoint near a prayer congregation of about 100,000 people. A crowd was gathering to celebrate the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr.
CNN's Alexandra Field joins us now from Dhaka. So, Alexandra, what all do we know about this attack coming less than a week after the Dhaka cafe attack that killed more than 20 people.
ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Rosemary, right now, police are saying that they are the group of attackers surrounding inside of a house. That after the attackers approached this security gate which was about a kilometer away from the country's largest prayer gathering to mark the end of Eid.
And officials are now saying there were some 300,000 people who were there to pray. They say that no civilians were injured. However, 10 police officers have been injured, one police officer has been killed. One attacker has been killed. The rest remain surrounded.
Investigators say that the attackers came and approached security armed with guns and also curling explosives, Rosemary.
CHURCH: Alexandra, the Bangladeshi government has denied to this point that ISIS is evident in its country. What are government authorities saying about this now given this is playing out?
FIELD: Look, because this is still ongoing, they say this too early to try and determine who the attackers are. But for some context here, we know that ISIS has called for attacks during the holy month of Ramadan.
We know that they also claimed responsibility for the attack that happened in Dhaka less than a week ago. And, Rosemary, these are two very different styles of attacks. The attack just a week ago was on ex-pats largely mostly foreigners killed who were inside a restaurant in the Ghouzan district here in Dhaka which is an affluent area, full of ex-pats with diplomatic en clave.
But the target today, this eve gathering the largest in the country, 300,000 Muslims would have been in attendance there. We understand that they did not get past the security check point. That the attack happened on the police who were stationed outside there.
[03:25:01] As you point out government officials have repeatedly said that they don't believe that ISIS operates in Bangladesh. They said that in the aftermath of the attack at that restaurant, and they have said that after a series of attacks targeting specific people who have been hacked to death in Bangladesh over the last year or two.
Despite the fact that ISIS has also claimed responsibility for some of those killings. Instead, Rosemary, what we continue to hear from government officials is that they believe that domestic terror groups are behind these killings specifically a locally banned Islamic group.
CHURCH: To Alexandra Field joining us there from Dhaka. And of course, as this is still playing out we know at this point some 300,000 people were praying there. And this group of attackers have been surrounded. One policemen has been killed, one attacker killed at this point.
We'll certainly stay on top of this story. Many thanks to our Alexandra Field.
The field of conservative candidates running to go be Britain's next prime minister will be whittle down to two over the coming hours. Home Secretary, Theresa May on the left as we look at this picture and Junior Energy Minister Andrea Leadsom are the two front runners. Justice Secretary Michael Gove is in third place.
Now ultimately, 150,000 Conservative Party members will decide who will replace David Cameron in September.
Well, meantime, German Chancellor Angela Merkel is addressing lawmakers right now on the outcome of last week's European Council meeting.
We're taking these live pictures. She is at odds with some European leaders who want Britain to trigger the exit from the E.U. sooner rather than later. We will, of course, bring you the highlights from this ongoing speech in the coming hours. We are monitoring it right now.
Well, next here on CNN, an update on two fatal shootings by police officers in the United States.
Plus, why Wales is going home from Euro 2016 with their head high despite losing to Portugal in the semis.
And Brazil is preparing for the possibility of terrorism as the country gets ready for tens of thousands of visitors at the Olympic Games.
We're back in a moment.
[03:30:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHURCH: Now we want to welcome back our viewers here in the United States and all around the world. I'm Rosemary Church.
We're following two deadly shootings by police officers that is sparking outrage in the United States right now. We want to warn you, these videos are very graphic. And you may find them upsetting.
We are showing this video because the woman who shot it clearly wanted people to see what happened.
Now, Lavish Reynolds live stream the aftermath of a traffic stop in Minnesota where she says officer shot her boyfriend. She was the passenger in the car along with daughter.
We're going to let you to listen to portions of that video.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REYNOLDS: Stay with me. We got pulled over for a busted taillight in the back and the police (muted). He's covered. He just killed my boyfriend. He's licensed, he's carry -- he's licensed to carry.
He was trying to get out his I.D. in his wallet out of his pocket and he let the officer know that he was -- he had a firearm and he was reaching for his wallet. And the officer just shot him in his arm.
We're waiting for backup -- I will, sir, no worries. (muted). He just shot his arm off. We got pulled over on Larpenteur.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I told him not to reach for it. I told him to get his hand off it.
REYNOLDS: He had -- you told him to get his I.D., sir, his driver's license. Oh, my God. Please don't tell me he's dead. (muted) Please don't tell me my boyfriend just went like that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Keep your hands where they are, please.
REYNOLDS: Yes, I will, sir. I'll keep my hands where they are. Please don't tell me this, lord. Please dear Jesus, don't tell me that he's gone. Please, don't tell me that he's gone.
Please, officer, don't tell me that you just did this to him. You shot four bullets into him, sir. He was just getting his license and registration, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get the female passenger out.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ma'am, I'll just call you right now with your hands off. Let me see your hands. Exit now. Keep them up. Keep them up.
REYNOLDS: Where is my daughter? You got my daughter?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Face away from me and walk backwards. Walk backwards towards me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Keep walking. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Walk backwards.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Keep walking. Keep walking. Get on your knees. Get on your knees.
REYNOLDS: Please don't tell me he's gone. Please, Jesus, no! Please, no! Please, no, don't let him be gone, lord.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right. Listen to me.
REYNOLDS: We in the back seat of the police car. Phil's sister called me. The police just shot my boyfriend for no apparent reason. My phone is about to die. They shot him. He shot him three times because we have a busted taillight.
He asked him for license and registration. He told him that man that it was in his wallet, but he had a pistol on him because he's licensed to carry and the officer told him, don't move. And as he was putting his hands back up, the officer shot him in his arm about four or five times.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: Lavish Reynolds telling her story there. And in a news conference earlier this hour, police say the man who was shot in that video did die from his injuries. No one else was injured, but police say a hand gun was found on the scene and that they are investigating what happened.
Now, the U.S. Justice Department is also investigating the deadly shooting of a black man by a white police officer in Louisiana. Alton Sterling's death Tuesday was caught on several cameras.
Police were responding to an emergency call about a man with a gun. The officers have been placed on leave which is standard after police involved shootings.
We'll continue to follow both of those stories. But meantime, with the Olympic Games less than a month away, Rio is now bolstering its security.
[03:34:59] The country is on high alert after an ISIS fighter claimed Brazil would be a terror target.
Nick Paton Walsh was there as Brazilian Special Forces practiced some intense drills.
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Rio, dealing with the unthinkable. A terror attack on the subway. Brazilian Special Forces move in. The gunman taken down.
This drill bolstered by training from French SWAT team specialists. A little drama. What they're hoping this won't happy, but preparing in case it does.
The threat against the Brazilian Olympics always hanging somewhat in the background. On display to the media, to show that a country was virtually no history of dealing with terrorism, it's vigilant enough to hold the safe games.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LUIZ LINHARES, BRAZILIAN MINISTRY OF DEFENSE CHIEF: There is not a specific threat and you have to prepare for the great spectrum of threats.
WALSH: Are you screening the names of people who tickets?
LINHARES: Always, always. Not just us. We have a relation with the other countries. They are helping us about this. They are screening the name, they are screening the people who are visiting us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALSH: This is a contradiction here in Rio with just weeks to go until South Americas first Olympics. One Western counterterrorism official told me, yes, the games are a potential target because they are a huge international sporting event and ISIS do have foreign fighters still on the loose.
But at the same time, also maybe they're not. Brazil lacks the extremist network that terrorists rely upon to launch such an attack.
There has been one odd threat, however. One French ISIS fighter tweeting after the Paris attacks that Brazil was next. Several ISIS fighters seen in that propaganda speak Portuguese and they've launched a telegram channel in that language spoken in Brazil.
Brazil's intelligence agency said in April that the threat and the number of Brazilians influenced by ISIS ideology had increased in recent months while it's also insisting the games were not threatened. A country struggling with the difficult balance between vigilant and a warm welcome headed into the unknown.
Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
CHURCH: Joining me now to talk more about this is terror and security expert David Kennedy. Thank you so much for being with us.
DAVID KENNEDY, TERROR & SECURITY EXPERT: Thanks, Rosemary.
CHURCH: Now as we just heard in that report from Nick Paton Walsh, an ISIS fighter declared that Brazil was next after the terror attacks in Paris. How concerned should we be? And is Brazil prepared to deal with a terror attack given it's clearly struggling already to stop theft and other crimes on the streets right now.
KENNEDY: What's interesting with Brazil is that they actually had one of the highest rates across the entire world just from a crime perspective, gun battles, fights and things like that.
Terrorism hasn't been one of their strong points for having to deal with it. This is their incredible threat. They've seen a lot of increased Daesh activity around, you know, becoming extremism, loyalty to ISIS.
So, this is something that's definitely a concern of theirs and they're expecting over 500,000 tourists coming in just to see the event themselves and trying to discern which one would actually be, you know, possibly loyalist to ISIS or one that are already inside of Brazil, specifically within Rio.
It's very, very challenging for them and something that should be a very big concern for the most folks there.
CHURCH: Yes, absolutely. And, of course, it goes without saying that the Olympic Games are a potential target for any terror group. So, how big a threat is this Portuguese speaking ISIS community that's been launched online.
KENNEDY: Definitely. I mean, whenever you can speak a native language and kind of blend in with your surroundings, it's something that is very concerning, especially if you can start to radicalize individuals within the different states.
And you've seen it a lot with the Paris attacks, with other locations in the E.U., as well as within the United States. And so you look at Rio as a prime example of that where they might be able to radicalize individuals within Brazil itself to launch and carry out these types of attacks.
And something that now Brazil definitely recognizes as being a very big concern of theirs but at the same time, haven't been traditionally, you know, taught to be able to handle these types of situations in the past.
So, it's something that they may be very much well unprepared for. And it's seems to be, you know, based on all of the violence that we're seeing erupting in Rio, as well as the homicide rates and everything else, something that would be a major concern of mine especially from a terrorism perspective.
CHURCH: Yes, it certainly is a real concern. Of course, the 1972 summer Olympics they came to be known as the Munich massacre when members of the black September Palestinian terrorist organization killed two Israeli athletes. And of course, the remaining hostages was slain in that failed rescue attempt.
It shocked the world, of course. How concerned should the international community be that the Rio games could be vulnerable to just such an attack? What security measures are in place to stop an attack of that magnitude?
[03:40:03] KENNEDY: Well, they're talking upwards of 35,000 security guards just in the general vicinity to be able to try to protect the Olympic games themselves. Which is a gift they have to see they're going to have a large amount of force out there trying to protect from something like that occurring again.
At the same time, though, you know, if you have somebody that's inside already, that could do this type of hostage situation, that's something that, you know, you need to be prepared for from a counterterrorism perspective and that's something that you see the Brazilian police focusing on, as well their counterterrorism units.
But the police did say most recently in the news publicly that they will not be able to guarantee any public safety. Which, you know, that statement alone to me would be a large concern if you have the police making public statements that they're not going to be able to guarantee the safety of any tourists that are visiting the areas.
So, I'd be very concerned personally for my personal safety there, as well as what could potentially happen during the Olympics themselves.
CHURCH: Yes, indeed. Not very comforting at all. David Kennedy, thank you so much for talking with us and sharing your expertise on this topic. I appreciate it.
KENNEDY: Thanks, Rosemary. I appreciate it.
CHURCH: And just ahead, we'll check the weather as a super typhoon is about nine hours away from slamming into Taiwan. Just how much rain is expected to hit the island as the military prepares for possible flash floods and landslides. We're back with that.
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CHURCH: Taiwan is on high alert ahead of the arrival of what's being called a near perfect super typhoon, expected to slam into the island in the coming hours.
And our meteorologist Pedram Javaheri joins us now from the International Weather Center with the details. So, give us an idea on just how prepared the island is for this.
PEDRAM JAVAHERI, CNN METEOROLOGIST: You know, they see plenty of tropical cyclones, typhoons and this particular one unfortunately is among the top of the category.
[03:45:00] Of course, a category five equivalent as, Rosemary said, being called a near perfect, almost a flawless presentation on satellite imagery as far as the symmetry, the organization, the ping view eye.
And, of course, the wind speeds off the top of the charts there. Two hundred eighty kilometers per hour. That's about 174 miles per hour. That is a healthy category five equivalent storm system.
And we know landfall sometime late tonight into early tomorrow morning local time, around midnight tonight to be precised across this region of central Taiwan.
And just to show you some of the strongest storms on earth we've ever seen as far as landfall and wind speeds. We have to go to super typhoon Haiyan 305 kilometer per hour winds, that's about 190 miles per hour at landfall.
Cyclone Winston earlier this year in Fiji impacted that area with almost 300 kilometer per hour winds. And we have super typhoon Joan impacted Taiwan back in the 1950's. And this one comes in again in the top of the category.
But 400 tropical storms made landfall and typhoons across this region of Taiwan in recorded history. But since 1950, only 18 of them have been category fours or category five. This particular one would come in tonight as number 19.
So, again, talks about the rarity of such a strong storm system as it makes landfall. And the population density across this region of Taiwan is far, far fewer than, say, on the other opposite end of the island as we have far more people on the lesser amount in these communities.
But I want to show you the geographical perspective if you're be going for the island of Taiwan. Because we know it's home to some of the highest mountains in the world when it comes to the high density of them, at least.
Some 300 mountains in the island right there that are rising to about 4,000 or so meters high. Now take a look at the perspective. Shandong, one of those communities that's right there on the immediate coast.
If you go in for a closer look, it is these communities we know about 70,000 people are going to be in the direct path of where some of these closer communities are in. That's where we think the storm surge could be significant. Evacuation certainly have to be in place over this region at this hour.
And then as the storm moves over this area or reemerges over the Taiwan strait later tomorrow, tomorrow night it is eastern China that is going to be dealing with this.
And we're talking about an area there that has about 50 or so million people just in the direct path of it from Guanghua to Fuzhou. Into the north, of course, the population continues to rise.
So, this is a very, very densely populated region, Rosemary. The rainfall is going to be an issue. We know that. That's a given with the mountains, especially. And then you consider the wind speeds associated with this also a major issue.
So, this is a story we're going to follow here over the next 24 hours as it makes landfall.
CHURCH: And we certainly appreciate it as do the people in that region. Many thanks to you, Pedram.
JAVAHERI: Thanks, Rosemary.
CHURCH: Well, Spanish state media report that football legend Lionel Messi and his father will appeal their sentence after they were found guilty of defrauding Spanish tax authorities. They were sentence to 21 months in jail.
But with no criminal records, they will stay outside prison on probation. Messi was also ordered to pay a $2.3 million fine. His dad, 1.7 million. That's of course, champ change to the Barcelona star who made more than 81 million last year. Forbes ranks him the second highest paid athlete on the planet.
Also some big news in football, Portugal are heading to the Euro 2016 final after beating Wales 2-nil in Leon.
Our Christina Macfarlane was at the big match along with thousands of fans.
CHRISTINA MACFARLANE, CNN WORLD SPORTS ANCHOR: This is a scene of heartbreak for so many Welsh fans here tonight. The seats are now empty. They are turning off the lights. But not so long ago, that was not the scene, 27,500 fans packed into the principality stadium here in Wales as largest fans on to cheer their team on all the way to the final.
And optimism was high in the first half. They were on the edge of their seats belting out the national anthem. But then straight into the second half, of course, the mood drops distinctly into the first 10 minutes to the successive goals from Portugal.
Ronaldo and Nani fans state resolutely in their seats. But then five minutes towards the end, they headed for the door. But this is not a failure for this world scene and for their fans.
There was an immense amount of pride for the fans we've spoken to here tonight and what this team have achieved. How far they've come. No one thought a semifinal result would be possible for these Welsh men. They defeated Belgium. They defeated Northern Ireland. They qualified from the group stage.
That is better than England, than Spain than Italy. Who would have thought of that at the start of the competition and now this team will go on. They will hold their heads high, they will attempt to qualify in two years' time at the World Cup 2018 in Russia, knowing that they are as good as some of the best footballing nations now in the world.
Christina Macfarlane, CNN, Cardiff.
CHURCH: And at the Wimbledon Championship two tennis great survived nerve racking matches and move to the semifinals. Just when it seemed Andy Murray was losing control, he had a dramatic fight back. This is Murray's seventh time reaching the Wimbledon semifinals. He won the tournament in 2013.
[03:50:00] And Roger Federer continues on his quest to win Wimbledon for a record eighth time. The iconic Swiss managed to recover from a rough start in the quarter finals. Federer is now the first player to win a single match at a major tennis tournament 307 times.
Well, the U.K. may be leaving the European Union, but it will still have to work with Germany as a key NATO ally.
Coming up, Angela Merkel briefs German lawmakers on possible next steps. We'll have that for you. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALKER: Hello, everyone. I'm Amara Walker. This is your Road to Rio update.
U.S. and Brazilian authorities are hunting for a former Guantanamo Bay detainee who disappeared from Uruguay. Forty-four-year-old Abu Wa'el Dhiab, a Syrian national went off the radar several weeks ago. Dhiab had settled in Uruguay after being released in 2014.
A South American airline issued a warning saying he may try to use a fake passport to enter Brazil ahead of the Olympics Games next month.
Brazil's justice minister says that the country is prepared for a terror attack if one should occur during the Olympics. Government official say they will deploy about 22,000 troops to cover security during the game.
The U.S. Olympic rowing team will appear in special seamless unisuits when they hit the water for the Olympics. Knitted with anti-microbial material, the innovative suits will provide much needed protection against exposure to bacteria in the polluted lagoon.
China's national gymnastics and weightlifting teams help open training sessions in Beijing. Wednesday, the gymnasts are preparing to leave for Sao Paulo on July 22nd before going to Rio. China top the weightlifting and gymnastics competitions at the 2012 London games with five gold medals in each sport.
And that is your Road to Rio update. I'm Amara Walker.
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CHURCH: German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been speaking about the future of NATO at the Bundestag in Berlin.
And Atika Shubert is in the German capital and joins us now live. So, Atika, what all did Angela Merkel have to say? What were the big headlines?
ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, this was really a preview of the NATO summit that would be taking place tomorrow in Warsaw. And she made the case that NATO is needed more than ever now. She cited the Ukraine conflict, for example, but also the refugee crisis, that the NATO has a role to play in helping to resolve all of these.
[03:55:05] Now, she specifically mentioned that in the Warsaw summit, there will be the announcement of more forward deployment of rapid reaction forces, NATO forces in Poland in particular, in eastern Europe.
This is something that we've already been seeing with, for example, the missile defense shield being posted in Romania and parts of Poland and Russia has taken great umbrage to seeing those rockets being put in place. So she made a special point in this speech to say that diplomacy and
dialogue are key here and that the sort of rocket deterrent in Eastern Europe is not directed at Russia. But, instead, the need for dialogue exists and there should be no considering this as an upset of the balance of power in the region.
So, clearly, she -- her message here was twofold. On the one hand, that NATO's rapid reaction forces will be deployed further in Eastern Europe and as a deterrent.
But on the other hand, dialogue is very much the order of the day and that there can be no resolution to the conflicts, not only in Europe, but she made a point to say in Syria, as well, you know, without Russia's involvement.
CHURCH: All right. Many thanks to our Atika Shubert with that, joining us from the German capital.
And thank you so much to all of you for keeping us company. I'm Rosemary Church. Remember to connect with me anytime on Twitter @rosemarycnn. I want to hear from you.
And for our viewers here in the U.S., Early Start begins after a short break. And for everyone else, stay tuned for more news from around the world with Hannah Vaughan Jones in London.
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