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Don Lemon Tonight

One Terror Suspect Surrenders; Two On the Run

Aired January 07, 2015 - 23:00   ET

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

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ANNOUNCER: This is CNN Breaking News.

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: It is 11 p.m. on the east coast, 5 a.m. in Paris, where the youngest of three terror suspect has surrendered. Agency France press named the suspect as 18-year-old Hamid Mourad, but the desperate manhunt for two suspects not over after 12 people are murdered in cold blood in the office of the satirical magazine.

This is CNN TONIGHT. I'm Don Lemon. Here's what we know right now. Hooded gunmen dressed in black burst into the, "Charlie Hebdo" office and systematically executed 12 people. The dead include some of the best known satirical cartoonists in France and police officers as well.

Eleven people are wounded in the attack including four in serious condition. The suspects escaped into the streets of Paris. The deputy mayor tells CNN now that two of the suspects are brothers. They are still at large tonight.

This is a national day of mourning in France. Demonstrators across Europe have taken to the streets in solidarity with the victims. Meantime here in New York police are stepping up counterterrorism patrols in response to the attack in Paris.

We are going to get to the White House in Washington, to Washington and Michelle Kosinski, she's going to give us her response, what the White House, how they are responding to this, and also Frederick Pleitgen live for us in Paris.

That's where we want to go first. So Fred, 5:00 a.m. in Paris, what's the very latest on the manhunt and the police operations?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the manhunt is still ongoing and as you said, the youngest of the three suspects has turned himself into police a parentally he did so after hearing his name in the media. That's something that, that we have been getting.

It is unclear whether or not the police have been able to substantiate whether or not he's actually attached to the attack that took place earlier.

They have, of course, also put out a search warrant and, and search pictures of, the two other suspects, who are still at large, who they are looking for and who police say one must be very delicate when dealing with because they could very well be armed and of course, very dangerous as the videos that we have seen from the scene of the crime seems to suggest as well.

So the manhunt is still very much ongoing. It's concentrating on a town that is north of Paris, which is about 1-1/2 hours away from here and at this point in time, we know that during -- the search that has been going on there. There have been no shots fired.

The police are combing that place going through different areas. At this point in time, it appears as though those two other people are still at large -- Don.

LEMON: Let's talk about the demonstrations. I understand you were at a demonstration. Thousands of Parisians gathered to show solidarity for the fallen. What are you hearing from the demonstrators?

PLEITGEN: Well, I mean, on the one hand, of course, they have a very heavy heart. They say they have a heavy feeling. There was one person that came up to me. He said he wanted to tell American television that he hasn't felt the way that he feels now since September the 11th, 2001.

Of course, he said he didn't want to equate the two events because he knew that 9/11 was so much bigger than what happened here today. But he said it is that same, very, very heavy feeling that many people here do have in themselves.

At the same time, you could tell that there was a big mood of defiance among those people. That many of them were saying that they're not going to allow their way of life off to be influenced by terrorism.

They kept saying, "freedom" which is something that of course, here in France, is just held, very, very high. So yes, on the one hand, you had defiance. You had a very heavy heart.

And one of the things that we didn't see, which I thought was very important, you didn't see any sort of anti-Muslim sentiment going on at those demonstrations, which were very much impromptu, which was just called upon, on social media, earlier today.

And tens of thousands of people showed up in Paris, in other places in France, and indeed in other places in Europe as well -- Don.

LEMON: Al right, Fred, standby, I want to get now to Washington now to Michelle Kosinski. Michelle, what's the White House's response?

MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: We heard several times from the president himself, from the White House, strongly worded statements. So we know they're on this. They're closely monitoring it. Maybe most importantly, offering France assistance. Here's the president.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: We see the type of cowardly evil attacks that took place today reinforces once again why it is so important for us to stand in solidarity with them just as they stand in solidarity with us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOSINSKI: President Obama called the French president today offering whatever assistance France needed in this. What we are not hearing from the White House, or the president's national security team, just yet, are details on how much the U.S. knew about any chatter that might have been going on in the background.

Were one or more of the suspects known to U.S. authorities for whatever reason? It is just too early right now for the White House and top officials to be weighing in on those details.

Also, they weren't giving a lot of detail on what kind of assistance the U.S. is offering. I mean, we heard repeatedly the secretary of Homeland Security, Jay Johnson say, only today that the U.S. is doing a number of things to help France.

Although we did hear from the FBI saying that they're looking through data bases to try to help French authorities gather information, look for connections and they said that top security officials are in open and constant communication with the French -- Don.

LEMON: I'm going to speak with the police commissioner and the deputy commissioner here in New York City in just a moment to talk about how they're preparing here. Of course, New York always concerned, 9/11, of course.

I want to know the White House's concerned about possible targets inside the United States. Are they talking about that, Michelle?

KOSINSKI: They didn't bring it up. They were asked about that today and the White House said clearly that they know of no credible information or credible threats about any kind of similar attacks being planned in the U.S. or any reason specifically for Americans to be concerned about this.

But I think it was interesting when we did hear from Jay Johnson, Homeland Security secretary. He said what bothers him about this is looking at the way the threat has evolved, that attacks, and planning of the attacks is becoming complex, more involvement of lone wolves.

That there are more affiliates and scattered affiliates of terror groups. So what he worries about most, he said, were lone wolf attacks within the U.S. and his emphasis was that the security community and the intelligence community also needs to remain more agile to deal with this and yet that they're concerned -- Don.

LEMON: I want to talk to you about this, Michelle, because you were in Paris two years ago. You actually interviewed the magazine editor of "Charlie Hebdo" who was one of the journalists killed in the attacks. Tell me about the conversation?

KOSINSKI: All right, it was a conversation by phone and it was difficult to sit down with these people during that sensitive time because they were in consultation with the police too. And he constantly had police security with him because of the kinds of threats that he was always getting.

You've know you might expect somebody who is a fiery, supporter of what they believed in, but he was actually this very calm person. I mean, look at these people. They're kind of a combination of journalists and artists.

When you talk to them you get a since of their belief in importance of what they were doing, this political satire. I know that the question came up. Even the White House mentioned it at the time. That they didn't question the right of someone to make these cartoons, but they questioned the judgment.

That was the question that was kind of hanging in the air. OK, we understand what you do, but do you really have to do it now at that time. There were embassies and consulates under threat, under attack, Benghazi.

A controversial film had just come out online in the U.S. so the question to them was why do it now? And to talk to him, you know, he said, that's really the point that there isn't a time. There shouldn't be one group you should be extra sensitive around.

They made fun of the pope, world leaders. You've name it. They tackled it in a kind of very edgy way. They didn't feel like they needed to sort of toe the line or act any differently for one particular group. They felt that was sort of unfair to everyone else.

And you really got a sense of the conviction and the defiance behind what they were doing. They weren't just messing around and, when you talk to some of these people and the people of their staff. You understood that they weren't just trying to, you know, start a fire or, or get attention.

Part of this French intellectual group that felt that this kind of -- of speech was very important that's something that we heard echoed from the president himself today. He said that the U.S. and France have the same values, belief in the freedom of speech, and the freedom of the press -- Don.

LEMON: Michelle Kosinski in Washington, thank you very much. Fred Pleitgen is in Paris for us this evening.

The attack on the officer of "Charlie Hebdo" in broad daylight right in the heart of Paris was chilling for its bloodshed, but also for its precision. Something we haven't necessarily seen in other terror attacks. CNN's Jean Casarez has more.

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JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They are carried out in different ways with various motivations. But the goal was the same from Boston to Kenya to Paris, terror.

Today's attack at the offices of "Charlie Hebdo" magazine appeared highly planned with trained shooters in masks wearing gloves. It's a calculated attack on the second floor where the staff were having their editorial meeting.

ROBERT MCFADDEN, THE SOUTAN GROUP: Some experts have said it showed a high level of tactical assault capabilities. But on the other end of the spectrum, I've heard it described as akin to a bank robbery crew.

CASAREZ: This attack is far different from other recent terror events on soft targets like the September 2013 attack in a shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya that left at least 67 people dead and 175 injured.

MCFADDEN: That may speak again to the motivation of the group involved here. Relative to what happened in Kenya and in Mumbai and some other places where there is no discrimination of victims whatsoever. The idea is kill as many people as the possible.

CASAREZ: The Paris gunmen appear to have planned their getaway not common experts say and far different than suicide bombing attacks in London, on trains, buses and in the financial district on July 7th, 2005.

MCFADDEN: When you talk about logistics, planning, for an operation today, more sophisticated, more far reaching than a suicide assault where you may have less trained individuals, less financial support, less sophistication when it comes to the device itself.

CASAREZ (on camera): How do you compare and contrast that with the suicide bombing attacks that take place, a different mindset there?

MCFADDEN: Absolutely a different mindset, I mean, you are going to do the act as a suicide bomber, martyr as they would say versus we have the plan. Here is who is going to do it. Here is how we are going to do it. Here is our escape plan because we are going to live for another day.

CASAREZ (voice-over): Live another day, experts say, possibly for another attack. In the March 2004 bombings of commuter trains in Spain, the weapons of choice, ten bombs in backpacks and other small bags on four commuter trains in several different stations, able to kill many more, 191 dead from the attack and 1,800 wounded.

MCFADDEN: But here though you, you had a very targeted going after that building. The individuals involved with the satirical magazine. So it could point to where they really wanted to send a message if you are going to do these kind of things that insult our religion as we know it then we are coming after you.

CASAREZ: A highly personal way of carrying out terror. One designed experts say to deter freedom of expression and leave a longer lasting legacy of fear. Jean Casarez, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: Jean, appreciate that. Is radical Islam to blame for what happened in Paris? One prominent American voice, Republican Senator Lindsay Graham of South Carolina says yes.

I am joined now by Arsalan Iftikhar, a senior editor of the "Islamic monthly" and founder of the muslimguy.com. Appreciate you being here tonight. What is your reaction to what happened, Arsalan?

ARSALAN IFTIKHAR, SENIOR EDITOR, "THE ISLAMIC MONTHLY": I think like millions and billions of people around the world, we were shocked and horrified to see what happened today at the offices of "Charlie Hebdo" in Paris. It is something that is against any normative teaching of Islam or any religious teaching and it's a crime against humanity and an act of mass murderer.

LEMON: Do you have a problem with these cartoons the way they depict the Prophet Mohammed?

IFTIKHAR: No, not at all. I think that if, you know, surveyed the vast majority of Muslims around the world. You know, they would certainly say that, you know, the killing of innocent civilians is not only murder, but it's also against any normative mainstream teachings of Islam. And you know, their acts are about as Muslim as abortion clinic bombers or gay night club bombers acts are Christian.

LEMON: What you are saying is very close to, to what CARE is saying, CARE, of course, is America's largest Muslim civil liberties advocacy organization. I want to read to you. They put out a statement tonight denouncing the attack in Paris.

And they said, "There is absolutely no justification in Islam for this kind of heinous massacre targeting innocent people. Islam is a religion pro most tolerance, emphasizes freedom of speech, and encourages moderate middle path."

Then it goes on to talk about that they should be brought swiftly to justice. Their words and what you are saying, no, that's not always a reality of what many people think about Islam?

IFTIKHAR: Yes. But you know -- Don, it is important to not conflate, you know, the actions of a very few to, you know, of a population of 1.7 billion people, which represents 20 percent of the world's population.

You know, if people want to blame Islam for things, you know, they can blame us for inventing algebra or modern medical anesthesia, or having 5 out of the last 12 Nobel Peace Prize winners.

It's important that, you know, to call out the fact that when Christians commit acts of terror we don't ask priests and pastors to go on national television and condemn these acts.

But sadly, Muslim public intellectual thinkers, leaders and Islamic scholars have that double standard that we have deal with. But it is important for us to get the message out that Muslims are not only as opposed to terrorism, but one of the victims today actually, the police officer, a 42-year-old man who was gunned down on the sidewalk was actually a Muslim.

LEMON: Many times Muslims are the victims of these terrorist attacks. Listen. You are saying that Islam is to blame? Radical Islam is to blame? IFTIKHAR: Well, I think it is important to keep in mind that, you know, bringing religion into it at all is, you know, actually serving the purposes of the terrorists. I mean, the Prophet Muhammad said, that extremists should be considered the dogs of hell and enemies of Islam.

He was attacked and defamed many times during his life. There was not one time where he told people to take retribution for that. So I think it is important to keep in mind these are irreligious criminals that are committing acts of mass murder.

And you know, again, to conflate this to a civilization that has been around for 1400 years and again, you know, has created things like algebra and modern medicine, you know, I think is reductive and simplistic at best.

LEMON: I will have to ask you because a lot of violent extremists use religion to justify their actions. "Newsweek" found back in August, 16 percent of French citizens support ISIS. Would you describe those who support ISIS as Islamic extremists?

IFTIKHAR: They obviously -- you know, they obviously have sympathies for that ideology. I don't think that that would mean that they would justify the killing of innocent civilians or murdering people on the streets.

Again you, know there has been no religion in the history of the world, Don, that has been immune from acts of religious terrorism and we had nine crusades. We had the 30 years of war. We have the Ku Klux Klan in America, a Christianist organization, you know.

In Norway a couple years ago, you remember, Don, the murder of 77 kids on an island, and tried to assassinate the prime minister of Norway and left behind a 1,500-page treatise calling himself a soldier of Christianity.

Now we didn't expect every Christian leader around the world to go on national television and condemn him because we knew that he was a lunatic. But sadly there is a double standard in place when a brown Muslim commits an act of murder.

LEMON: Point taken, Arsalan. I understand where you're going, but I just want to get a more specific, again, in August, 16 percent of French citizens support ISIS. Can you describe those who support ISIS as Islamic extremists? Do you support ISIS?

IFTIKHAR: Did you ask if I support ISIS? I said obviously the 16 percent of people support the ideology, but again I don't think that that would necessarily extrapolate to supporting of killing innocent people. You can have sympathy for an ideology and not, you know support the mass murder of people.

And that's what the vast majority of the Muslims, whether you are dealing with Paris or Islamabad, or Jakarta, you know, we're as horrified as everybody else about what happened today. We grieve with the victims and with the people of Paris. LEMON: So, Frederik Pleitgen, our reporter there said that people took to the streets and we saw them in Paris. He said he didn't see much anti-Muslim or anti-Islam demonstrators there or talk of it. Do you worry about anti-Muslim protests in the days to come?

IFTIKHAR: You know, it's really interesting, Don. You know, in the last few weeks, Germany has seen close to 20,000 people showing up at anti-Muslim rallies. We see the rise of far right nationalistic, xenophobic political parties like the party in France, or Holland, and other neo-Nazi parties. There is far right political extremist groups that are using this as a talking point.

LEMON: Should you worry about it?

IFTIKHAR: Sure, I do. I think it is important to keep in mind that these are, you know, European societies are wonderful free societies that are welcoming to people of all different background. I think that, you know, common sense will ultimately prevail.

LEMON: Arsalan Iftikhar, thank you for coming on. I really appreciate it.

IFTIKHAR: My pleasure, Don, thank you.

LEMON: We've got much more to come tonight on the manhunt in France where two remaining suspects in the terror attack in the heart of Paris. Were there warning signs? Was this failure of intelligence? We'll get some answers when we come back.

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LEMON: One of the suspects on the attack on "Charlie Hebdo" magazine was known to U.S. law enforcement. A law enforcement official is telling CNN that the FBI and U.S. intelligence agencies are looking at the suspect's contacts, his e-mails, his post on social media and other communications. But were some warning signs missed?

Joining me is Tom Fuentes, a CNN law enforcement analyst who is a former FBI assistant director. He joins us via Skype, and also, Juliette Kayyem, CNN national security analyst for CNN.

Tom, every time an attack happens. We ask, is this an intelligence failure? Were there credible threats? Are either of questions fair to ask given the current climate?

TOM FUENTES, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Well, they're fair to ask, but every time it seems like we have somebody that has already been on some list. The problem is we have about a million people on these lists and a few thousand agents and police officers that can be addressing it.

This is true whether it's in the United Kingdom or France, or any major country in the world. They're going to have 10 to 100 times more people to be worried about than they can possibly ever track on a daily basis. LEMON: Juliet, earlier today, Senator Lindsay Graham told my colleague, Dana Bash, that people in your business need to be concerned, meaning us, that they're soft targets. Was today a pointed mass attack on specific people? Was that a game changer?

JULIETTE KAYYEM, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Yes, I mean this wasn't a fascination. I mean, it was targeted individuals for what they had done. It's an assassination that causes terror amongst a community because -- and not just Parisians, but obviously journalists, columnists, and people who speak the truth.

This is the terrorists want to kill the messenger and they did so today in a very public fashion. And the challenge is what we love about the media, it is essentially open. It's a soft target. You cannot fortify every newspaper, every journalist, and every cartoonist.

They will always be soft targets because that's the nature of what they do. They get in there. They meet with the community and they report on it. They make fun of it. They commentate on it.

So it is, it is scary for journalists as we have seen many, throughout the day, but it is also unfortunately sort of unavoidable. This is the kind of attack that is amplified because it was an attack against those who, who, essentially speak.

LEMON: Tom Fuentes, we have seen so many of these smaller attacks recently. There was Canada. There was Australia and the hatchet attack in New York. Now today's attack. They have all been different, but with tragic results. How can law enforcement officials adapt quickly to these things?

FUENTES: Well, they can only do the best they can, Don. There are so many of these threats against so many different targets for so many different reasons. It is really hard. As far as, attacking, cartoonists or journalists, it is nothing new.

We had the woman from Pennsylvania, in 2009, trying to put together a team. She called herself, Jihad Jane. Trying to put together a team to go to Stockholm and hack to death a cartoonist there.

We had a separate plot, Donald Hedley from Chicago who provided assistance to the Mumbaya Jack, but before that, he had made several surveillance trips to Copenhagen to do an attack on cartoonists who insulted Islam with their depiction of Muhammad.

We have had these before. This is the one that's been carried out to the most extreme with the extreme violence and the large number of people that were actually shot to death yesterday now.

LEMON: I want to talk to you about the information that we had tonight. The manhunt, one of the suspects in custody, two on the loose. They belief are armed and dangerous. What are authorities doing right now? What's going on?

FUENTES: Well, they're going to every possible known location where, you know, to find out if these two are -- actually are the ones. And I am sure they're doing the interrogation of the individual that surrendered to see if he actually was involved or whether they had erroneous information that led to them putting out his name in public in the first place.

We don't know that. I heard Juliet earlier this evening comment that first reports are often very wrong and have to be corrected later. I agree with her. That's a strong possibility that whatever the basis was for the information it might not be accurate.

LEMON: One of the suspects in Paris massacre, known to U.S. law enforcement. Juliette Kayyem, as I asked Tom Fuentes, what was missed here? How can we do it better meaning everyone across the world?

KAYYEM: Right. That second question is great because, essentially, the purpose of going back and figuring out sort of what, what were the intelligence pieces. Who knew what when? Why were these, you know, why were they not on some sort of, you know, more specific terror watch list is to learn for the next time.

Because as we have all been saying all day, the nature of the threat is changing constantly, this is a new type of attack. We may never be ahead of them, but we can certainly learn from what they're doing.

So it's too early to say intelligence failed because we don't know what was in the system. There was so much noise. We have to go back and figure it out.

I will also say, that part of the benefit of them abandoning the car and probably making mistakes at the site is that -- that the, you know the crime scene is essentially just a bevy of evidence to figure out sort of, what kind of guns were they using.

Where were they purchased? How did they get the car? How did they get guns in a country look France that just does not have of a gun culture like ours?

And then to figure out if there are others involved. That's what's going to happen over the next -- week, month and the months ahead. As the French and the Europeans and of course, the United States all focus on -- these culprits and then, of course, if there is any others.

LEMON: Juliette, Tom, thank you.

When we come back, the nation's largest city prepared for any emergency in the wake of a terror attack. I will talk to the New York police commissioner and his deputy commission in charge of counterterrorism next.

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LEMON: Back now with our breaking news, one of the three suspects in the deadly attack in Paris turned himself into police. AFP is reporting he is 18 years old. A statement posted on their web site, French National Police asked for information on two more suspects, Shariff Kouachi and Said Kouachi warning that both are potentially armed and dangerous.

Joining me now are William Bratton, police commissioner of New York City and John Miller, deputy commissioner of intelligence and counterterrorism.

So Commissioner Bratton, you have taken some terrorism steps here in New York City. What are they? You have increased presence?

WILLIAM BRATTON, NEW YORK CITY POLICE COMMISSIONER: That's correct. Literally, almost immediately upon hearing of the events in Paris, we benefit by the fact that we have a detective assigned there full time. So throughout the day we have been getting information from him.

He has very close working relationships with the French police. We activated plans we have in place for these types of incidents in which we have CRV, critical response vehicles.

That are pre-stationed in Manhattan and can be moved around anywhere in the city very quickly to provide extra security at various critical locations. So working with information about this attack in Paris, we quickly put that into place.

We also have our Hercules teams, which many in New York are very familiar with seeing around the city frequently, those are the heavily armed officers that we utilize to help secure critical sites. So there was a multilayer response that went into effect almost immediately upon learning of this event in Paris.

LEMON: What is your concern of a copycat?

BRATTON: Well, it is just that concern. The copycat or -- the incidents involving terrorists in the past, is that often times they lack like to try multiple events. There is all way that concern. Until we get an understanding of what is happening in this case in Paris and even now, many hours into the events.

It is still not quite clear exactly what happened. Who is involved? That, we will always err on the side of caution. We benefit because we have such a large police force. So many capabilities and reap sources to put into -- resources to put into play.

We are able to move quickly and comprehensively to secure multiple sites and also benefit by huge intelligence operation that commissioner miller directs that almost 1,000 people focused entirely on intelligence and terrorism activities here in the city.

LEMON: I can imagine the video that was taken by someone on the scene is going to be very helpful in the investigation. Commissioner Miller, what struck you about the video, the video of these gunmen today? They hid their faces. They had a getaway plan. What does that suggest if anything to you?

JOHN MILLER, DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF INTELLIGENCE AND COUNTERTERRORISM: I think what was most striking from the video, from both an intelligence standpoint and from a tactics standpoint, is when you look at these two individuals, they have come prepared with their tactical clothing. They have come with tactical gear, magazine holders, and the weaponry.

But the most striking thing is -- the level of calm, and purpose, for, through which they move through this an entire event. You witness the execution of a police officer. You see them -- in their escape having already killed a number of people in the newspaper office.

What you don't see is panic on the part of the gunman. These are strong indicators that this is not the first time they have handled weapons. It's not the first time they've have been around gunfire.

So as officials in France go through the background of these individuals, as we lack at the background of the individuals within the U.S. intelligence community, what we are looking for is, where have they traveled, where have they trained.

Where they have they fought? We will gather those facts. But I would suggest in absence of those facts, it is going to be fairly unlikely that this was the first time they handled firearms or shot at people before.

LEMON: French police put their names out there on a web site asking for information and their pictures. Commissioner Bratton, the fact that they knew who these individuals were so early on, does that tell you anything about the investigation or their affiliation?

BRATTON: One of the things we know about the French police services is they are very good, we liaison with them quite closely. We have a detective assigned full time in Paris who has been there for a number of years.

So, we are well aware of their capabilities which are very significant. So I think the fact that they're as good as they are and ability to work with any leads very quickly that they might be given. It's a reflection of the capabilities and some qualities of the police intelligence and counterterrorism services.

LEMON: Is your detective assisting in the investigation?

MILLER: Our detective from the intelligence bureau is certainly available to the French. This has always been clear to the French prefecture of police to -- that's what his job is, as a liaison post.

It is to be the broker between the NYPD and the French prefecture of police in Paris to make sure if they need information we can supply it that we have it.

And the same goes both ways. The idea that our detective was on the scene today, was later at the hospital had access to the people in the investigation and was able to feed information as he got it in real time back to the intelligence bureau.

So that we could do the proper deployments, understand the threat picture, and have the latest information as it was coming in was invaluable. At the same time we were getting information through the FBI and their legal attache through joint terrorism task force.

All of this communication was nearly seamless today. In a city with a target environment like New York City that is critical.

LEMON: Commissioner Bratton, Deputy Commissioner Miller, thank you for your time.

Are the Paris attackers lone wolves or part of an army of terror? Up next I'll ask a former jihadist what he believes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: The attack on the office of the magazine "Charlie Hebdo," the gunman reportedly said "God is great" and that they were avenging the Prophet Muhammad. That's according to a French prosecutor. So will the attack have a chilling effect on freedom of the press? What do we know about the terrorists?

Joining me now is Sheik, he is a former jihadist, and the author of "Undercover Jihadi" and Mia Bloom, professor of Securities Studies at the University of Massachusetts and the author of "Bombshell" and she joins us via Skype.

You used to be a jihadist. Then you became an undercover agent fighting terrorism. What do you think of this attack? Do you think the guys were lone wolves or part of, should say, were they part of a bigger organization?

MUBIN SHAIKH, FORMER JIHADIST: Yes, part of the wolf pack. These are individuals again. We need how to get away from the caricature, has to be sent from higher command, control system. That's not all way the case. They can act on their own. They can act on orders as well. The two are not necessarily mutually exclusive.

LEMON: Do you, Mubin, think tha the attack will cause journalists and cartoonists a censor themselves?

SHAIKH: No, not in France that's for sure.

LEMON: All right, Mia, you said this magazine was deliberately being provocative. Do you think they crossed the line?

MIA BLOOM, AUTHOR, "BOMBSHELL": No, they have insulted a variety of religions not just Islam that has been targeted, but I think at a certain point we have to wonder what is the value of deliberately mocking the Prophet Muhammad when you know what the reaction is going to be.

In particular in a setting like France, that is increasingly shifting to the right, has Maria Lepen, a notable politician, this is a horrible terrorist attack if I have to wonder what has been the value of having these kinds of cartoons appear, periodically, in the magazines. They knew what was coming.

LEMON: Mubin, do you think they crossed the line?

SHAIKH: Look, my personal views, I don't like to see any prophet of God insulted because I am a religious person, but I live in the west, they have principles of free speech, which include mocking your most dearly cherished beliefs, religious figures, and what not. So look, if you can't handle the rights then don't enjoy the freedoms.

LEMON: Mia, how is France different, different than the U.S. when it comes to anti-Islamic sentiment?

BLOOM: When you think about it the idea of French citizenship is French identity. The United States, Australia, Canada, these are melting pots in which every single person's family emigrated or the grandparents or great grandparents emigrated from somewhere else.

There is no dominant single identity within the United States. And so for example, France has banned the head scarf. They have banned religious head gear, whether it is a skullcap or orthodox Jews or the religious garb for Muslims.

These are really problematic issues. That is not the most welcoming atmosphere for immigrant communities. So it is not an assimilationist kind of environment. Also a lot of French Muslims are notoriously living in very poor condition. They didn't have the same opportunities when you look at the French jails.

They're disproportionately populated by Muslim criminals. The question is not whether more Muslims commit crimes, but whether the police prosecute Muslim offenders more aggressively than non-Muslim offender.

LEMON: What did you see in the video of the attack today?

BLOOM: What I saw. I think we may disagree on the level of professionalism. It's controlled use of the weapon. Although, he thinks they were holding their guns improperly.

In terms of the, ability to shoot, there isn't a lot of -- there is control of the muzzle. But there was also the fact that -- the reaction to having shot the police officer on the ground didn't seem to cause any panic.

Like it was not as if you fire a gun and then you are shocked by the reaction or you are shocked by the recoil effect. So for me these guys had experience using guns.

When they switched to their getaway cars that to me indicate that they're not as professional as we meet have thought. Given what -- what Bill Bratton said.

LEMON: Mubin, what did you see? You said you didn't think they're as professional as some -- you disagree with Mia?

SHAIKH: Yes, just again how we use the terms. They certainly have combat experience of some sort whether it is an actual theater or not. We'll learn that. But like I said, I mean, improperly holding the weapon you've pointed, point a weapon in a direction press the trigger the bullets are going to fly.

They hit their targets, succeeded in that sense again weapon not being held properly. Risk of cross fire. You know, they left the documents inside the car. So there is, more than the average person, but again what does the average person.

The average person in the U.S. depending where you are in the U.S. probably has a lot, lot more professional gun control, and gun use than these individual and yet, you know, those American whose have familiarity with weapons, what it comes to.

So they have some familiarity more than the average person. But I don't look to use the word professional because professional person is somebody who, they're properly trained in a very strict rigid setting. These guys weren't that, but they succeed in their attack. That's the thing what matters.

LEMON: Moving, they said that they were affiliated with al Qaeda reportedly and that they said that you can blame in Yemen for that. What does that mean to you?

SHAIKH: You know there is one report of that. Assuming it is a true report. I would look to see, well is that really Yemen, Arabian peninsula, would have jumped on it and taken credit for it. They're very good doing that. They didn't do that.

So it was it to throw off the trail? But again itch they were in Syria and they were training in that sort of environment then it might start leaning towards ISIS again.

LEMON: Would al Qaeda have recruited them or would they be affiliated with them do you think, Mia?

BLOOM: Well. I think I saw something that Ruben tweeted earlier that, in 2008, there were allegations that -- that Shareef Kouachi may have been trying to get to Iraq to train with al Qaeda in Iraq or there was some affiliation he was arrested with a large group of individuals in France at the same time.

So the question then becomes ISIS and al Qaeda in Iraq are loosely affiliated because one is a parent organization. But al Qaeda in Iraq was still an al Qaeda group. And it wasn't ISIS, which has been for all intents and purposes kicked out of al Qaeda for being too radical.

LEMON: Mia, Mubin, appreciate it. Coming up, the people of Paris take to the streets in support of "Charlie Hebdo" as France observes a national day of mourning.

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LEMON: Today a national day of mourning in France following the attack on "Charlie Hebdo" that killed 12 people. Thousands of people flooded the streets of Paris in solidarity with the victims and demostrating for freedom of press, freedom of speech and liberty.

CNN's Frederik Pleitgen talked with the demonstrators. FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thousands of people have come there in Paris to protest again the killing of the journalists and caricaturists from the magazine "Charlie Hebdo" what this is in essence, a demonstration for freedom of the press, freedom of speech and liberty.

Those are the word that we keep hearing around this demo. At the same time, people are chanting a lot of slogans, sometimes people are silenced, and holding pens into the air to show that the pen will not be silenced by violence.

Nevertheless, many people that we spoke to here at the protest say they're absolutely shocked by the events and they compare them to some of the worst terror attacks in history.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean, the same mood as the day of 9/11. Of course it's, it's nothing to be compared that's -- it's the same symbol to be struck in the heart of our lives and our democracy and of our -- and liberty and freedom.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The liberty of press. The liberty of -- the liberty, it's real important. So I -- it's important just to go out and be there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PLEITGEN: There is a very clear message coming from the protests here. All of the people say, all of us are Charlie Hebdo, which means that the entire nation stands behind satirical magazine. We saw the sea of candles to spell out "we are all Charlie" or I am Charlie.

One of the interesting things about the protest is, while it is very loud, very emotional. At the same time there is no anti-Islamic or anti-Muslim sentiment here. People realize this is not work that happened in the name of Islam, but these are simply terrorists.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The reason why you came, I came, and not question of religions, a question of saying no, no to violence. No to some kind of religious imperialism, and to say, no, no, no, no.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PLEITGEN: Freedom of expression is what these people are saying. They say the values will remain strong. But of course, they also realize these values are indeed very much in danger. And that radical parties from both side from the right-wing here in France.

But also from radical Islamic side are going to try to use these events for the purposes. That's one of the reasons why they came out here to make their statement that a civil society in France will not be brought down by what happened here on this day.

LEMON: Fred, thank you. We'll be right back.

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LEMON: Coming up on 5:00 a.m. in Paris, a city reeling from the worst terror attack in history. Right now one suspect turned himself in, two others, a manhunt for them. Our coverage is going to continue here on CNN now at the CNN center in Atlanta. I'm Don Lemon. Thank you for watching.