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Back to Normal; House Members at Odds; Moment Trump Waits; New Headache for Trump. Aired 3-4a ET
Aired March 23, 2017 - 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 HOST: Hello and welcome everyone. I'm Rosemary Church at CNN center in Atlanta.
HANNAH VAUGHAN JONES, CNN HOST: And I'm Hannah Vaughan Jones in London parliament. We'll be back in session in the coming hours after that brutal attack yesterday that left four people dead and at least 40 others wounded.
Terrifying scene there around the palace of Westminster. You can hear the gunfire as well as police shot and killed the attacker on the parliament ground. The man the assailant drove into crowds of pedestrians on Westminster Bridge before he crashed into a metal fence.
In one video you can see a woman plunged from the bridge into the River Thames as Westminster Bridge into the freezing River Thames. She was later pulled from the water alive as though seriously injured.
Well, the attacker then went on to fatally stab a police officer before he himself was shot.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARK ROWLEY, ACTING DEPUTY COMMISSIONER FOR SPECIALIST OPERATIONS: One of those who died today was a police officer. He is Keith Palmer, a member of our parliament for diplomatic protection command. Keith age 48 had 15 years of service and was a husband and father.
He was shown who left for work today expecting to return home at the end of his shift, and he had every right to expect that would happen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JONES: Well, as you might expect London police have now stepped up patrols on the streets. But the official security level has not been raised. Police say the attack is likely to be Islamist related terrorism.
For more now on the investigation and where it stands so far this Thursday morning let's bring CNN's Nina dos Santos who is live for us with Westminster Bridge, I believe just behind you, Nina. Just tell us the latest you're hearing from Scotland Yard and this unfolding investigation. NINA DOS SANTOS, CNN CORRESPPONDENT: Thank you very much, Hannah.
Well, Scotland Yard is actually about a quarter of a mile down the road from where I am. And that's completely shut off even to some of its own offices at the moment.
This is the scene behind me. And as you can see people like this gentleman, some of them are going to be turned away from the scene not able to get through because as you can see it's totally cordoned off. Behind us if I step out the way is Westminster Bridge. And as you can see there is no traffic there. That has been cordoned off.
There's also river police who are policing the waterways on the river to try and control river traffic as well. This is a scene of major forensic investigation because remember of course, the officers do have the vehicle in question that was used to mow down those pedestrians, claiming three of their lives.
And so they are going to be investigating them and have them right through the course of the night.
The latest I can tell you is that we're awaiting a press conference from the metropolitan police perhaps within the next half-hour to come. And overnight we have confirmation that there have been raids on an address in Birmingham. This is about 100 miles north of London, it's the second biggest city of the U.K.
We should caution, though, that we haven't been given any clear information about whether or not that raid is linked to the events that happened here in Westminster overnight.
Now let's just focus in on what we know so far, Hannah, and what we don't know. Police say that they have quote, unquote, "a fair idea of who the attacker was." But so far they haven't actually release his identity. And they do have an inkling of the motive.
As he mentioned out there, as he mentioned he said, they said that he may have been Islamist terrorist inspired but they don't quite have a firm idea of the motive that they have told the press yet.
What we do know is five people tragically lost their lives. One of those people was actually the attacker who was shot down after attacking a police officer with a knife at the gates of the House of parliament. So far the only name is the victim, is indeed that police officer.
You mentioned him yourself before, Keith Palmer, 48 years old, a veteran of the police force for 15 years, a husband and a father. So as this major counterterrorism investigation gets underway and hundreds more police officers are assigned to the case, it's also a difficult time for these officers on the streets, too, because they're mourning the loss of one of their loved one. One of their officers, indeed. Hannah?
JONES: Yes. Absolutely, such a difficult time for all of the MET force this morning. Nina, thank you very much indeed. We do have some images for you from right after the attack. And let's
bring them up now. Here you can see people attending to victims amid the chaos. And these two women holding onto one another in shock. Also this woman who was trapped under a bus as a first responder calls for help.
[03:05:00] And also the next image showing a medic helping someone lying in the street, one of the very many who were wounded. We understand 40 people wounded and many of those still being treated for their injuries in the hospital.
This of course is unfolding on Westminster Bridge. It's a busy time, it's a popular place for Londoners just a walk across to get to and from their daily businesses but also for tourists, as well. So, it would have been very busy indeed.
Labour Party MP Adrian Bailey joins me now. Adrian, I understand that you were inside the parliament at the time of this attack. And you were then in lock down in parliament. Just describe for us what happened and what you heard around you.
ADRIAN BAILEY, BRITISH PARLIAMENT MEMBER: That's right. I was walking from my office in for Terry's House to the chamber in order to vote. And I was walking through a new palace yard when I heard a crash. Then I heard shots. I thought maybe it was a demonstration. Unfortunately, I didn't have time because I was going to vote to go and look at what happened.
But then as I emerged at the stairs to go into a lobby I was almost knocked over by four burly body guards to Theresa May. And at that point I realized at that point there was something seriously amiss. I went in I voted and then of course everything was locked off, and I remained there for the next four hours or so.
JONES: Parliament on this country don't often get a good reputation and then quite a hard time by the press here. However, there's been some real stories of heroism that come out of yesterday's atrocity. One of your parliamentary colleagues, I believe, actually performed CPR on the police officer who later lost his life.
BAILEY: That's correct. By Ellwood who is himself a former soldier I think. And of course he lost his brother in the Bali bombing, and I think he was magnificent, and for me did the reputation of parliamentary there in some good there.
JONES: Yes.
BAILEY: But what I can say is that the mood in parliamentary is one of defiance.
JONES: Right.
BAILEY: We, as parliamentarians are intentionally pride of representing the people and the mother of parliament and we will continue to meet our constituents on a daily basis in parliament and will not let this event in any way deter us. JONES: Are you frightened, though? Do you feel under threat? of
course in light Jo Cox's murder last year, it wasn't in parliament but she was indeed an MP. Do politicians in this country need to feel more aware of their own personal security than ever before?
BAILEY: I think particularly since the Jo Cox murder MP's have been more aware and probably been more active in taking precautions. However, when you accept this job you know that given the international security issue there, then you're always potentially a target. And it just goes with the territory. And if you accept the job you accept the risk that goes with it. Now, I think most MP's are pretty fatalistic about it.
JONES: Yes. We mentioned in the introduction a little earlier that the terror alert in this country is at a very high level.
BAILEY: Yes.
JONES: It's at the highest level. And so there's no room for it to go anymore. When Theresa May convenes a Cobra meeting what more can she do, what more measures can be put in order to protect this country, this people of this parliament?
BAILEY: Well, as you say we're at the highest level. And I think MP's have got used to governing in parliament seeing there and really just learned to live with it.
Now, in terms of the Cobra meeting and if you like the fallout from this particular event, obviously they will be getting all the evidence together. And I'm sure they'll be looking to see if there was anything that could be done in the future that perhaps wasn't done.
But at the end of the day you know that if parliament is to engage with people, and the public is going to have access to what is their parliament. At the end of the day there's always going to be an element of risk. There is no way that it's possible to second guess every possible way of attacking there.
But what I think yesterday did show is that our security forces extremely brave, did their job very effectively, and the whole thing was extremely well organized and well responded to. But I'm sure as with everything you can always look for improvement.
JONES: And as you said before, a feeling of defiance in the face of this kind of terror attack. You yourself will be back in parliament later today?
BAILEY: Absolutely. I'm very proud to be going back after an event like this, not least to have the opportunity to pay tribute to those who helped protect parliament and all the other support services with that.
And of course to offer condolences to those people who lost loved ones as a result of the attack. And good wishes to those who have been injured in the hope that they will make a speedy recovery. [03:10:00] JONES: Absolutely. Well, we very much appreciate you
sparing the time to talk to us to CNN today. Adrian Bailey, many thanks indeed.
BAILEY: My pleasure.
JONES: Thank you. And while we are learning more and more as time unfold about this deadly terror attack from the people of course who saw it unfold.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All I could hear was bang, bang, bang. It was like loud -- I just realized later it was a gunshot because it was a louder. Probably 10, 15 meters away. Then we move forward and then I could see there is a car smashed into the parliament wall.
So I was trying to find out why the car was smashed into the parliament wall. And I could see someone, probably someone, I'm not sure, I couldn't, I can't tell. Someone underneath of the car. But the car was really smashed badly.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And I saw the vehicle mount the curb. And he was coming so quickly. I saw some people being hit in front of me. It came to where I was with. I see some shouted, get out of the way, I think, you now, it happened so quickly and I jumped to the left into the road. I think one of the guys have been hit, unfortunately was past me. You know, and then I looked around me and in shocked because I could, you know, see bodies and people. And it was a real shock.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JONES: Well, the world is of course reacting to the terror attacks fearing similar attacks on their own soil. Australia is increasing security around its own parliament building. And the New York City Police Department is upping its presence as well.
Many countries are also showing their solidarity with Britain. In France the Eiffel Tower in Paris going dark at midnight. And the city hall in Tel Aviv in Israel was lit up with the colors of the Union Flag.
We are staying here in London all day to bring you all of the breaking news developments on this very fast moving investigation. As Nina was saying a little earlier we are hoping to hear from Scotland Yard in the coming hour possibly with more details on the assailant and any motivation.
So, in the meantime, let me hand you back over to Atlanta in CNN headquarters and Rosemary Church. Rosie?
CHURCH: All right, Hannah. Thanks so much. And we'll return to you in just a moment for more on the London terror attacks.
But we do want to get to some news from the United States. And in Washington developments from the FBI investigation of possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia are happening at a dizzying pace.
First, House intelligence committee chairman Devin Nunes revealed communications between President Trump and his associates may have been intercepted by legal surveillance of foreign targets.
Nunes say Trump transition member briefed the president and spoke to reporters without sharing the information with his democratic counterpart on the committee. Adam Schiff blasted Nunes saying his actions cast doubt on how independent the committee's investigation could be.
Then Pamela Brown and Evan Perez have this exclusive report with our Anderson Cooper.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: Evan, first, what did you learned?
EVAN PEREZ, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Anderson U.S. officials tell CNN that FBI has information that indicates associates of President Donald Trump communicated with Russian operatives to possibly coordinate the release of information damaging to Hillary Clinton's campaign.
Now FBI Director James Comey made his bombshell announcement on Monday before Congress that the FBI is investigating the Trump campaign ties to Russia. The FBI is now reviewing that information which includes human intelligence, travel, business, and phone records and accounts of in-person meetings.
This information is what was raising the suspicions of FBI counterintelligence investigation that the coordination may have taken place. Though, some officials caution that the information was not yet conclusive and that the investigation is still ongoing. But the FBI has not commented nor would the White House. Though Trump officials have denied there's any evidence of collusion.
COOPER: And Pamela, I mean, this does give us more insight into what Director Comey knew when he spoke on Monday.
PAMELA BROWN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it certainly does, Anderson. If you recall in addition to Comey saying the investigation includes looking at connections at Trump associates. He also explained what it means that the investigation is being done in the first place.
MARK TURNER, (R) UNITED STATES REPRESENTATIVE: Don't you need some action or some information besides just attending a meeting, having been paid to attend a conference, that a picture was taken, or that you traveled to a country before you're open to investigation for counterintelligence by the FBI?
JAMES COMEY, UNITED STATES FBI DIRECTOR: The standard is I think there's a couple different at play, a credible allegation of wrongdoing or a reasonable basis to believe that an American may be acting as nation of a foreign power. BROWN: And one law enforcement official said the information in hand
suggest, quote, "People connected to the campaign were in contact and it appeared they were giving this thumbs up to release information when it was ready."
[03:14:58] But there are other U.S. officials we've spoken with who say it's premature to draw that inference from the information gathered so far since it's largely circumstantial. And the FBI cannot yet prove that collusion did in fact take place. But the information suggesting collusion is now a large focus of this investigation, Anderson.
COOPER: And what sort of coordination is under investigation, Evan?
PEREZ: Well, mostly the FBI is focus on the stolen and published e- mails by WikiLeaks including those from the DNC and from John Podesta, the Clinton campaign chairman. U.S. officials said that the information being investigated was not drawn from the leaked dossier of unverified information compiled by that former British intelligence official who compiled it for Trump's political opponents.
Though, we should know that the dossier also suggested that there was this coordination between Trump campaign associates and Russian operatives.
COOPER: And Pamela, do we know who's being investigated at this point?
BROWN: So our sources would not say who connected to Trump was being investigated on this information. But we do know the FBI has already been investigating four former Trump campaign associates, Michael Flynn, Paul Manafort, Roget Stone, and Carter Page for their contacts with Russians known to U.S. intelligence.
All four have denied improper contacts. And one of the obstacles here, Anderson, we're told through officials is that the FBI in trying to find conclusive intelligence is having a tough time because communication between Trump associate and Russians have ceased in recent months given the public focus on Russia ties to the Trump campaign.
In fact, some Russian officials have even changed their methods of communications making monitoring more difficult, Anderson.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: CNN's exclusive report there. And our special coverage of the London terror attack continues in just a moment with the prime minister show of resolve.
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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was just walking up to the station and there was a loud bang and the guy -- someone crashed a car. And as I took some pedestrians out. And they were just lying there, and then the whole crowd just surged around the corner, just by the gates these offices big fence.
And a guy came past my right shoulder with a big knife and just started plunging it into the policeman. I just never seen anything like that. I can't believe it what I just saw.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JONES: Well, welcome back to our special coverage of the London terror attack. That gentleman there you just saw one of the many Londoners who witnesses to the atrocity from yesterday. A stunned Londoner to 24/7 this Thursday morning people coming to terms with what happened when four people were killed and 40 others were wounded.
[03:25:06] It happened when a suspect an assailant drove his vehicle through a crowd of pedestrians on Westminster Bridge not far from where I am now. And then that vehicle then crashed into a fence in the parliament enclave itself.
Police say the suspect then went onto stab a police officer to death before police then shot the assailant and killed him. Investigators believe they know who the attacker is, but so far they are not releasing his name or indeed any other details about him including any motivation.
As they are only saying the attacker appears at least to be Islamist inspired.
Meantime, in the show of solidarity and defiance British MP's are returning to parliament today. And business as usual is set for Thursday.
Well, Prime Minister Theresa May has been making a show of that British resolve urging Londoners to go about their business. And actually just behind me at the moment we can see the house of parliament that the Union Flag, you can't quite see it through the shop, but the Union Flag is now flying at half-mast as well.
So, business as usual but with a somber tone to that.
Let's bring in Isa Soares with more on that. Isa is live in London following the political fallout to this. Isa, Londoners and parliamentarians, in particular going back to work.
ISA SOARES, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Very much so. One person said to me, Hannah, you know, we need to keep calm and carry on is that spirit of defiance that we've been seeing from Londoners that we see time and time again.
What we know the MP's will return today. They will both houses, they will sit the House of Commons, the House of Lords, one at nine, the other 11, they be returning after that horrendous ordeal that many of them encountered for hours on end, being on lock down inside.
We also know the Prime Minister Theresa May who was also inside the House of parliament yesterday when this was unfolding, she will be speaking to parliament today. We do not know what time that will happen or what she will say.
No doubt she will recount the horrors and pray as well for the officers who have fought, and put themselves in harm's way running towards really of the assailant rather than running away.
So what we will see today is London returning to normal, some sense of normalcy. You can say that, this area behind me as you clearly pointing out, Hannah, that still being cordoned off. Although in the last 30 seconds or so I heard a police officer saying some of the cordons are coming out so people can start returning to work.
I want to bring to your attention to our viewers Theresa May's speech we heard yesterday. It was a very strong words of speech where she really directed a lot of attention, the people of London saying no one will halt our resolve. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
THERESA MAY, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: Tomorrow morning parliament will meet as normal. We will come together as normal, and Londoners and others from around the world who have come here to visit this great city will get up and go about their day as normal. They will board their trains. They will leave their hotels. They will walk these streets. They will live their lives.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: And that's exactly what we've been seeing, Hannah. People on their bike, people going for a run, people getting off to work, people getting onto buses on tubes. Londoners going about their daily work, daily lives. And that shows defiance we're seeing from Londoners and what we will be seeing as well from peers and the members of parliament as they return today, a very symbolic move, Hannah.
JONES: Yes, Isa. We can see the cordon behind you most of parliament still in lock down. Just the politicians who are able to get into the houses of parliament. And as you were saying around you the life seems to be getting back to normal really. There are London buses around me.
We heard lots of sirens as well as security operations remain tight, of course. And but by and large the feeling I got at least from the people I've spoken and I wonder if it's the same with you, is that the security forces and the security services in this country and the police have really got it right as well as they possibly could have done in this incidence.
SOARES: Absolutely. Then being applauded not just by Prime Minister Theresa May, but by ordinary Londoners. We heard time and time again I spoke as we're Londoners that this sort of thing sort of instance could have happened. They've been preparing for this, being told the casualties could be much, much higher.
But many of the security forces here, many people here praising their work, praising the ambulances, everyone coming together, working together. And that's what we've been seeing here in London.
[03:24:58] You pointed out houses of parliament MP's returning, but it's important to point out that they won't be open to tours that they often do with inside the House of parliament.
So, business as usual to a certain extent, but clearly many people being very aware, very vigilant of what's going on. But that is pretty much London life as we know it, Hannah.
JONES: London life as we know it at 25 past 7 this Thursday morning. Isa for now, thanks very much, indeed. And as Isa was saying we will of course be covering this, this unfolding story as we get any more details.
We are expecting Scotland Yard to perhaps comment in the next hour or so with the latest on the investigation from the criminal fronts as well. This is of course now a murder investigation, but you can see around me at the moment. We do have lots of cyclists still trying to get into the cordoned off areas.
It almost seems as if some Londoners aren't even aware of the fact that these atrocities took place yesterday. So, London getting back into the swing of things and parliamentarians getting back to work as well.
In the meantime, I'm going to hand you back to Rosemary Church who's in CNN headquarters for the rest of the day's news.
CHURCH: Yes. Londoners getting back to normal despite this very somber. Hannah, we will get back to you in just a moment.
But I do want to get to this U.S. news. There are new questions about the link between President Trump's former campaign chief and a Russian billionaire with close ties to President Vladimir Putin.
Drew Griffin has the details of Paula Manafort's multi-million business deals.
DREW GRIFFIN, CNN SENIOR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER: The latest connection between a close Trump associate and Russia was dug up by the Associate Press, reporting a 2005 memo in which Paul Manafort already working for a Russian billionaire named Oleg Deripaska was pitching a plan to greatly benefit the Putin government.
Manafort confirmed to CNN he did work for Oleg Deripaska but he rejects the Associated Press interpretation that he was pushing the political interests of Vladimir Putin. Including the quote, "influence politics, business dealings, and news coverage inside the United States."
"I have always publicly acknowledged that I work for Mr. Deripaska and his company, Rusal to advance its interests." Manafort told CNN through his spokesman. Adding, "I did not work for the Russian government."
"Once again," Manafort writes, "smear an innuendo are being used to paint a false picture."
A spokesman for Deripaska told CNN Manafort provided investment consulting services but declined to provide any additional details. Manafort and his Russian billionaire had a major falling out.
Court document showed Deripaska funneled nearly $19 million into a Manafort business venture registered in the Cayman Islands in 2007. They invested in a Ukrainian telecom company, but the deal went sour. And according to a legal filing, Deripaska's company said Manafort simply disappeared.
White House spokesman Sean Spicer this afternoon down-playing any connection this has to the president.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEAN SPICER, UNITED STATES WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: He was a consultant. He had clients from around the world. There is no suggestion that he did anything improper or -- but to suggest that the president knew who his clients were from a decade ago is a bit insane. He was hired to do a job and he did it. That's it. Plain and simple.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRIFFIN: It's just the latest Russian headline headache for the trump administration. CNN has reported the FBI is already investigating possible connections between Trump campaign officials including Manafort and Russian officials. Manafort was fired by the Trump campaign on August 19th. That was the same day the FBI announced Manafort was involved in another investigation and another possible connection to Russia.
This time it was his consulting work for the pro-Russian, former President of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych, who eventually had to flee his own country seeking refuge in Russia with Vladimir Putin.
The government of Ukraine opened an investigation into possible corruption and money laundering charges against Yanukovych and his political party after Manafort's named appeared on a ledger of $12.7 million in secret payments.
Manafort denies he ever took money illegally from anyone in his worldwide consulting business. He denies he pushed any Russian agenda while working in Ukraine. And he now denies that connection with a Russian billionaire had anything to do with a plan to enrich Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Drew Griffin, CNN, Atlanta.
CHURCH: And we'll take a short break here and have much more on the terror attack in London including the response of the mayor of London after this short break.
[03:30:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SADIQ KHAN, MAYOR OF LONDON: London is it greatest city in the world and we stand together in the face of those who seek to harm us and destroy our way of life. We always have, and we always will. Londoners will never be cowered by terrorism.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JONES: And London's new mayor there, Sadiq Khan. Of course, this is the first time he had to deal with a terror atrocity on the streets of his city since taking up post as the mayor.
The city itself, London waking up in shock of course after that savage rampage that claimed four lives on a busy afternoon on a Wednesday here in Westminster.
A man in a large SUV ran down dozens of pedestrians on Westminster Bridge not far from where I'm standing now before stabbing an unarmed policeman to death outside parliament itself.
The driver was later shot and killed by other police officers standing by.
Well, police say the attack is likely to be Islamist-related terrorism. They have not publicly identified the assailant, though. You can hear the sirens still around me in London that this investigation still unfolding.
Police still getting to grip with what happened in this capital city.
For a look at how the attack itself played out, Clarissa Ward picks up the story. A warning, though, you may find some of the images in Clarissa's report disturbing.
CLARISSA WARD, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: About 2.40 p.m., London time a car driving over Westminster Bridge plows into horrified pedestrians. Witnesses describe the carnage.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[03:34:59] UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There were people on the ground the whole length of the bridge.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I saw people flying in the air.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WARD: Authorities estimate at least 40 people are hurt, including three police officers some with, quote, "catastrophic injuries."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To be honest, one person wasn't moving at all.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WARD: One woman ends up in the River Thames. She's later rescued with serious injuries. The attacker speeds over the bridge heading towards parliament, passes Big Ben and then crashes into a railing around the parliament complex. But the attack is not over. He exits the car and runs through an open gate heading towards parliament armed with a knife.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A guy came past my right shoulder with a big knife. He just started plunging it into the policeman. I've just never seen anything like that. I just can't believe it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WARD: The attacker is able to stab an unarmed policeman before he is shot by responding officers. One photo from the scene is of the man on a gurney being treated for injuries, multiple knives strewn about the ground below him. It's unclear at this point who he is.
A medical helicopter land amid the chaos in New Palace Yard. Authorities so far haven't confirmed to CNN who was airlifted out, but we do know tragically the policeman died from his wounds.
His name was Keith Palmer, a 15-year veteran. Three others also died in the attack. The assailant also dies from gunshot wounds. Authorities almost immediately call the attack an act of terror.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROWLEY: Terrorists have a clear reign. That is great dishoard, distrust, and to create fear. The police will stand with all communities in the U.K. and will take action against anybody who seeks to undermine society especially where their crimes are motivated by hate.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WARD: Clarissa Ward CNN, Washington.
JONES: And Mark Rowley the acting deputy commissioner for the Met police you just saw at the end of Clarissa Ward's report there is expected to update us with the very latest from Scotland Yard in the coming minutes.
So of course as soon as we hear anything from Scotland Yard we'll bring that to you hear on CNN.
But in the meantime, the MP Crispin Blunt joins me now. He was inside parliament when the attack happened yesterday. Many thanks for joining us this morning. Just describe for us what you saw, what you heard, and what you were told about what was happening.
CRISPIN BLUNT, BRITISH PARLIAMENT MEMBER: Well, like a vast majority of people, I saw very little. I wasn't able to see what happened in New Palace Yard. There were a number of colleagues who were walking to vote pass in New Palace Yard. And some of them did see what occurred when the assailant came in and they, I think some of them saw him being shot by the police.
And all of that as I just say that the security system in my judgment has actually worked properly. You have very little to protect from someone using a car and a knife, a weapons available to everybody. But this assailant was not able to get hold of any weapons, he was not able to work with anybody else.
And if he had done then it's quite that our intelligence services would have known by the cloth. Physical security works. he couldn't drive his car into the railings in order to get his car to reach the perimeter. And obviously tragically this police officer lost his life at the front.
It's very difficult to see how you can - you can change arrangements there in order -- in order to protect the police who protect us. And work some iconic targets. I think we're fortunate that decades of building up of security has worked in order to protect the vast majority of people on the site.
JONES: He was able to reach the perimeter not in the car but somehow he did manage to get into the parliament the perimeter itself. Could that be an argument that the lapse in security have been...
(CROSSTALK)
BLUNT: Well, no, it's not a lapse in security. How do you get a vote is happening. Members of parliament have eight minutes to get to the vote. The gates open so that ministers having to work in their offices and the government of parliament just adjacent can get into alongside with other MP's who are trying then to get into vote.
And when the gates are open the assailant then came in at that time. But the gates are open anyway when the MP's are addressing on Lord anyway, when they're coming onto the premises. Now, explain to me how you -- how you protect from someone with a knife.
JONES: Yes, well, this is the new normal that we're all having to now confront of course. And one of your roles within parliament is the foreign affairs select committee chair. And in light of foreign policy of things stand at the moment in the fight against ISIS and Islamic terrorism as well, do you think that there is anything in the argument that perhaps British policy is causing these kinds of atrocities to happen on U.K. soil?
[03:40:05] BLUNT: We've got a couple of decades of western interventionism in all sorts of parts of the world to cope with the consequences of that. And that's -- and we can look at what's happening in Iraq and people will talk about how the Islamic state came from a Shia led government not involving its Sunni citizens properly and the governance of Iraq.
And those are obviously issues that got to be engaged with. What the whole world has got to do is as we take physical control back of Syria and Iraq, of Raqqa or Mosul where Islamic state so-called caliphate has appeared, we will fight and get control back there. But of course the ideology is still out there. And you've still got
people like presumably this man who was killed yesterday being inflamed by this ideology online and the message getting across. And we've got to make sure that that ideological battle that we're engaged particularly is going to be led by Islamic leaders, as much as anybody else because they can talk with authority about what is and what is not. And I'm afraid for this interpretation of their religion.
JONES: Just very briefly with your MP's hat on, when you walk back into parliament today are you more fearful of the job that you now do?
BLUNT: I've always been conscious that we're likely to have an attack on the Palace of Westminster. It's an iconic target. And which is, I'm actually quite reassured by the fact that I used to hold the counterterrorism brief for the conservatives and opposition about a decade ago, and even, obviously even a deck ago which is after the 2005 attacks in London, but of course we've had IRA terrorism to cope with here for decades before that.
That the security around the Palace if Westminster has very significantly improved and it's constantly evolving with the technology available to detect people who may pose a threat with all sorts of systems that are quite properly unknown to the public.
JONES: We very much appreciate your sparing a time to talk to us today. Crispin Blunt, thank you very much, indeed.
Rosemary, back to you in Atlanta.
CHURCH: All right, Hannah, we'll return to you in just a moment.
I want to take a quick break here. Still to come, President Donald Trump's pledge to repeal and replace Obamacare is about to face its first major hurdle in Congress. And leaders are of the House intelligence committee are at odds after a White House briefing.
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ADAM SCHIFF, (D) UNITED STATES REPRESENTATIVE: If you have a chairman who is interacting with the White House and sharing information with the White House when people around the White House are the subject of the investigation. And doing so before sharing it with the committee, it make, it throws a profound doubt over whether that can be done credibly.
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ROWLEY: From the public and from five hospitals, that I speak I now have currently only four dead and 29 people were treated in hospital. We're also still collecting numbers of wounded. Sadly, seven of those in hospital are still in critical condition. Tragically the deaths included police Keith Palmer, who is protecting parliaments, two members of the public, a woman age in the mid-40's and a man in his mid-50s.
[03:45:04] The fourth man, of course was the terrorist who was shot dead by armed police at the scene. Hundreds of detectives will be working through the night. And during that time I can confirm that we've searched six addresses and made seven arrests.
The enquiry is in Birmingham, London, and to the parts of the country are continuing. It is still our belief, which continues to be borne out by investigation that this attacker acted alone and was inspired by international terrorism.
To be explicit, at this stage we have no specific information about other threats to the public.
Clearly the investigation is ongoing devoting all time and we continue to focus on his motivation, his preparation, and his associates. I do recognize that you in the media are making progress now to find the attacker. I will continue to ask that his name is not published while (Inaudible) some investigation, and as I say still conducting searches and still conducting the rest.
This large and complicated crime scene remains in place, and our there continues. And I would to thank everyone with their support and patience as we finish the work.
As people ask today we turn to switch the capital this morning, they will see more officers on duty armed and unarmed and a mixed of metropolitan police pretty transport on city of London.
We've cancelled some leave and increased our duty hours and working very hard to make sure we can reassure the public and London can go about its normal business. We must not allow terrorists to serve discord and fear in our city.
The police will stand with all communities and later today as Scotland Yard there will be meeting of faith leaders coming together. Watch our work to be investigating on what happened yesterday, we'll continue with vigor. We must also reflect.
I want to thank the public for their support and know they could reach us. I know it's pretty (Inaudible) by our men and women who are out there today protecting us.
Finally, I would like to ask the public for their continued help and continued vigilance. And again I say anything that you see causes concern, please trust your instinct and your suspicions.
Don't hesitate to call us on 0800-789-321, that's (Inaudible) hotline, or in an emergency call 999.
Thank you, I'll take some of your questions.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The video that the public being sent again been help that you've been getting e-mails, and that pictures are being sent to you. ROWLEY: So we've got CCV from the scene. We've got many videos sent from the public. And parts are piece in together the exact detail of what went on will come from those vides. So I thank the public for that.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you know more about identifying the attacker? Can you confirm at least whether he say a British national?
ROWLEY: I'm not saying any more at this stage. And also I'm not going to identify those who have been killed. And there are a mix of nationalities there, so we're still liaising with those countries and families and announcing it on isn't great to do it.
(OFF-MIC)
I've said as much as I'm going to say. As I've said I've talked about six addresses, seven arrests. I've talked about activity in London, Birmingham, and elsewhere in the country. And at this stage as our investigation continues I don't put more detail out to the public.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Any of those killed tourist?
ROWLEY I've said all I've said about the identity of the victims.
(OFF-MIC)
So, Craig Mackey, he's acting commissioner, very experienced, been deputy commissioner for five years. We have a four management team and we're completely (Inaudible) of this. We have an investigative team doing the work. Any other questions?
So you'll see the closest restricting at the moment. We have some final searches to do around parliament square. We are absolutely certain parliament will be able to do its normal business today as they've insisted they must do. It's business as normal in London, a bit of disruption around Westminster as people will understand. And more police officers on the street reassuring the public that they will get back to work in a normal way.
One last question.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you have any more information on the conditions of the three police officers who were injured?
ROWLEY: I'm not going to go into more detail. But as I've said we have seven people those in the hospital who are in critical condition. Thank you very much for your patience and time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JONES: If you are just joining us, that was Mark Rowley. He's the head of counterterrorism for the metropolitan police here in London. He's also acting deputy commissioner of four of the matters as well. Just updating on the latest on this investigation into yesterday's
terror atrocity in the heart of London. The latest on the wounded and indeed the death toll as well. He said four dead. That hasn't changed from yesterday. Twenty nine people are still being treated in the hospital, seven of those are believed to be in a critical condition.
[03:49:58] Interestingly, Mark Rowley also updating on the efforts the police have been taking across the country in light of the terror attack as well. They have been raids in Birmingham, here in London and elsewhere in the country.
He wasn't specific about the other places. Those six raids have brought about seven arrests as well. And he was very particularly to say that there was no direct link necessarily at this stage between the arrests that have been made, the addresses that have been raided, and indeed yesterday's attack as well.
No doubt they'll update us as soon as they have more information on that. He was also, Mark Rowley, also keen to say that the assailant who was shot dead by police in the aftermath of this attack, he -- his identity was known to them but he don't wish that to be put out into the media, into the public domain at this stage. They are urging our media outlets from -- to refrain from speculating after his identity.
So that's the latest that we're hearing from Scotland Yard on this ongoing investigation. Plenty more on this story and of course other stories across the world coming after this short break here on CNN.
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CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. Well, nearly three years after the Sewol Ferry sank off the South Korean Coast we are getting our first look of the doomed vessel above water. Salvage crews have pulled the 6800-ton ferry from the seabed.
It was overloaded and traveling too fast when it capsized. More than 300 people drowned, most of them teenagers on a school trip. The bodies of nine victims are still missing. Workers will search that vessel once it's stabilized and secured.
Well, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says the establishment of safe zones in Syria and Iraq will be part of the Trump administration ISIS strategy. He was speaking at a meeting of 68 countries and organizations looking to fight the terror group.
Tillerson didn't offer specific details about the safe zones or the larger plan. The Obama administration avoided safe zones citing concerns about the military commitment it would take to defend them.
An air strike on a school has killed dozens of people in Syria, the city ISIS claims as its capitol.
State-run media the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and an activist group all blame the U.S.-led coalition for the bombing. The coalition says it had no indication the air strike hit civilians but it is investigating. We want to head back to Hannah Vaughan Jones now in London covering
the aftermath of the attack there.
[03:55:02] JONES: Rosemary, thanks very much indeed.
We've just been hearing an update from the metropolitan police here in London, in which Mark Rowley, the head of counterterrorism for the Met confirmed that seven people remain in a critical condition in the hospital after Wednesday's terror attack here in the heart of London.
British officials have been warning for some time that an attack was possible and the threat level in this country has been at severe for a very long time which does indicate an attack an is imminent.
On Wednesday, the very seat of British democracy parliament became the target. Police say the attacker was Islamist inspired. He plowed his vehicle, an SUV, through a crowd of people on Westminster Bridge wounding dozens, up to 40 people we understand before crashing that vehicle into a fence near the parliament building itself.
Well, the assailant then got out and stabbed an unarmed police officer, Keith Palmer. That officer, 48 years old. He had a 15-year track record with the metropolitan police force. Palmer died in the attack along with two others.
Well, medics say many of the 40 wounded suffered catastrophic injuries. As I was just saying we heard earlier that seven people have -- are still being treated with critical injuries in the hospital as well. And 29 people overall are still being treated in the hospital.
South Korean and French students were also among those hurt of course. It's a very popular tourist area here in the heart of London. The suspect was shot dead by officers. Investigators believe they know who he was, but so far they aren't releasing any further information to us.
We're going to have continuing coverage of all the events taking place with this ongoing investigation here in London. My colleague Max Foster is up next with all the very latest as we get more updates from Scotland Yard, and indeed from parliament, as well.
Thank you for watching.
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