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84 Dead 50 Critical In France Terror Attack; Police Identify Driver in France Terror Attack; Trump To Announce Pence As VP Pick Today; Third Major Attack In France In 18 Months. Aired 10-11am ET
Aired July 15, 2016 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CLARISSA WARD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Independence Day to watch the fireworks. Tourists, locals, children, you heard President Francois Hollande saying
that at least two children have succumbed to their injuries, 28 more children injured. Essentially, this is now a nation once again in
mourning, but also really struggling to find a way forward in terms of dealing with this problem, because the reality as you heard from Nick
Robertson is this man did not likely have any background in militant terrorist activity. So, a lot of questions yet to be answered, Robyn.
ROBYN CURNOW, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: A lot of questions, a lot of heartache, Clarissa Ward there in Nice, and we're going to continue our
coverage with my colleague Anderson Cooper. Stay with CNN.
ANDERSON COOPER, ANDERSON COOPER 360 ANCHOR: French Riveria. He's a 31- year-old French-Tunisian and resident of Nice last nights' attack took place. Investigators are still collecting evidence in the French Riveria,
town of Nice, and we want to warn you some of the video is disturbing and difficult to watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: As you know a massive truck ploughed through a holiday crowd, people running in all directions. Many simply couldn't get out of the way.
84 people killed in all. We learned in this last hour from France's president, another 50 are still (INAUDIBLE) critically - in a critical
state, critically injured. Many of the dead and injured are children. The rampage stretched for a - for about 1.3 miles. The beach area was packed
with locals and tourist, partiers and families all gathered for Bastille Day, a holiday celebrating France's independences. Some witnesses say the
driver was also shooting as he ploughed through the crowd, though, that has not been confirmed. A handgun was found with the driver. You can see from
the bullet-riddled windshield. He was finally shot to death by police. CNN correspondence and as what's covering every angle of this developing
story. Let's begin in Nice with CNN's Nick Robertson. Nick, you're outside I think the killer's - the terrorist's house. What have you
learned?
NICK ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, with one, from neighbors here, Anderson, that he was a relatively quiet man, that he lived separately from
his wife and three young children. We know - neighbors describe him as a man who would sort of come out of his apartment on this street here, walk
up the road to a nearby cafe have a coffee by himself, you know, as you know going out to a cafe here in France, very normal sort of thing to do.
But he wouldn't talk to anyone and that's what the neighbors have remarked upon here. He would go out, come back. The police just in the last sort
of 45 minutes here have finished a forensic examination of a small delivery truck parked just across the road here that neighbors say they're not sure
if it was his delivery truck, what his connection was to it, but the police blew out the windows of the vehicle when they began the search, then police
and forensic protected clothing, mask on their faces, began a very, very detailed search of the - of the vehicle for about - lasting about three to
four hours.
They pulled out what appeared to be stacks of paper, possibly receipts. They were that in a brown forensic evidence bags to take away. The police
appeared to be quite relaxed during that procedure. They didn't appear to be feeling that there was potentially explosives in this vehicle. The
vehicle, of course, now been towed away. This neighborhood here, not poor, not terribly (INAUDIBLE) but reasonably prosperous in the outskirts of
Nice, just where the hills, mountains begin to go up. About 10 or 15 minutes drive from here to the promenade envoy where the attack took place.
So, what do we know about this man? At the moment is merely the thinnest of details. 31 years old, French-Tunisian national according to French
officials here, slightly and not odd enough that the local community here could notice that he was a little bit of a loner, but apart from that,
very, very few details concretely so far, Anderson.
COOPER: A source had told - close the investigation had told CNN that he had a record of sort of a petty criminal record. It was not on French
police radar as an extremist, as a jihadist.
ROBERTSON: Those are the details that we have. The police have yet to go on the record if you will, or at least announce that publicly, but that
appears to be the case. In France, if you're believed to be a radical or suspected of wanting to plan a terrorist event, the police take out what
they call a fish S on you. This is a record-keeping device if you will, that they will then begin to investigate you. This hasn't happened for
Mohamed Bouhlel. He was only known as you say for those petty crimes. We've heard it reported that they were small gun-related crimes, petty
criminality. Nothing as far as we know to do with terrorism. And indeed, Tunisian officials have been reported saying that he last visited his home
in Tunisia, family home, of course, four years ago. They have no record of him having an association with terrorist in Tunisia either. That again,
not something that police here are confirming to us yet, but these are details here that are beginning to emerge in some reports, Anderson.
COOPER: And as we talked about in the past hour, a number of the people that we've seen taking part in these Islamist Jihadist attacks, the
Bataclan and (INAUDIBLE) were petty criminals essentially without a long record or a lot of association with Islamic groups. Nick Robertson, we'll
continue to check in with you. Will Ripley is near the scene of the terror attack. Will, it's been cordoned off now. Police are still treating it -
I mean, there's a lot of evidence to collect still at the scene.
WILL RIPLEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah. And they - there are a lot of police barricades around this area, Anderson. Normally, what
might take you five minutes to get somewhere today might take you 30 minutes or even an hour, and I'll show you what the police have done. You
can kind of - you can see how they have completely blocked off our view of the entire beach front promenade here. This is because they don't want
necessarily the media or other - or anybody to see what has really been a gruesome scene that we saw in photos, in videos, and social media when this
truck came and travelled for more than a mile aiming for specific groups of people.
Even when we arrived here about five hours ago, we were hearing over the police scanners at those police barricades that they were still
transporting people to the hospital. We know that those 28 children are very critically hurt, because a lot of people were out here, families,
students on school trips, they come to the French Riviera as a dream vacation for a lot of people from outside of France, and this is a very
popular vacation destination. Inside is the - is the Bastille Day weekend. A lot of people have left Paris, they were off work, and so while there was
heavy security in Paris in events there we're not interrupted. Down here, we're also told there was intense security, but they - the police were
looking for improvised explosive devices, not for somebody with a truck. They just haven't seen anything like this before.
COOPER: Yeah. And Will, I mean, I was in Nice on that promenade park just a couple of weeks ago. I mean, for someone who hasn't been, that is really
the key kind of avenue in the city. If you're going to go anywhere, that's where you go because it's along the water, it's where there's cafes and
restaurants and some of the best hotels as well.
RIPLEY: And especially last night, because there's - the best view of the fireworks was here, and those who, you know, reported also hearing the
gunfire, they say it began simultaneously with the fireworks display, so obviously those two sounds are virtually identical, which would need
investigators, and of course, we'll hear more from them in the coming hours and days, but it seems as if, there was a deliberate attempt to conceal the
sound of gunfire before the truck started moving down the promenade. And this is sadly becoming really a fact of life for the French people. This
country in particular is vulnerable because there's the easy access in the European Union, in and out.
So, people from outside can cross relatively easily where it'd be harder to access for example the U.K., which would be a desirable target, and
certainly United States, a much more difficult target for terrorists. But here also, I mean, this is in the heart of Europe, the epicenter of
European Western values. It's a secular country and that jihadists despise the most. And so, last night, in months, three major attacks, and then a
number of smaller attacks as well, some successful, some not, dozens of on- going terror investigations right now, but how do you police somebody who's never been on the jihadist radar until they commit an attack like this?
People are having to accept the reality that this could become a more - a more regular occurrence. And not only Europe, but elsewhere despite
thousands of extra police officers on the streets who've been working during the Euro soccer tournament, during the Fete de la Musique, the music
festival that was in Paris last month during, of course, all of the celebrations yesterday, and yet still this one individual, whether he's a
lone wolf or had accomplices was able to kill so many people and injured so many more including the children.
COOPER: Yeah. And the state of emergency has now been extended for an additional three months. It was to end on July 26th. Will Ripley, thanks
for reporting from the scene. Mark Krikorian is an American staying in an apartment about a half mile from the scene of last night's terror attack.
He'd been on the Bastille Day fireworks show or he'd been to it, and had gone back home which saw crowds of people fleeing in panic. Mark joins us
now from Nice. So, Mark, when you realized something terrible was happening, you - were you already back home, and what did you see and hear?
MARK KRIKORIAN, AMERICAN WITNESS: Yes, I was. I was at the fireworks down on the promenade, and the wife and kids and in-laws didn't want to come,
they were too tired, so I just went. And when it was over, I - though even though there were musical performances continuing, I just headed home.
We're only a couple of blocks away from the promenade. And as soon as I got into the apartment, the street that our apartment overlooks a
pedestrian mall that's got cafes and stores and stuff. As soon as I got in, I started hearing screaming people, you know, running, knocking things
over, knocking tables over, glass breaking. It was almost like something out of the movies except it was a real thing. I didn't know what's going
on, but obviously there was some kind of attack or fear of an attack. So, my kids were blocking at the windows. I told them get away from the
windows. And, you know, then only little by little that I learned what had happened down here.
COOPER: And in terms of the security that you had seen while you were out, how was it?
KRIKORIAN: Well, the - you know, beforehand during the fireworks, it was just like fireworks in the United States, you know, 4th of July. It was
all kinds of people, lots of foreigners obviously because it's a big tourist town, you know that. And, you know, people with kids in their
shoulders, the whole thing. And then afterwards, once things settled down right in front of my apartment and there was no more actual screaming and
running, I went out and see what was going on. I was able to get down to the police line, which, you know, was a good way away from where the
attacks were but you could see where they were. And even two hours later, there were still ambulances streaming into the, you know, into the - into
the restricted area. And in fact, the grimmest thing was a whole convoy of minivans from the Nice's coroner's office come to do their grim jobs.
COOPER: Uh-hmm. Mark Krikkorian, I appreciate you talking to us. I'm glad that you and your family are OK. Atika Shubert is in a hospital in
Nice. Well, she just spoken to some victims. Atika, what have you learned?
ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, we've been speaking with doctors and some victims who were at the attack last night. What doctors have been
telling us is the scene last night here was eerie. That patients were being brought, and very young children suffering from these catastrophic
injuries, the kinds of injuries you would see in a terrible car accident. Chest injuries, limbs being twisted around the wrong way, quite a number
are very serious head injuries as well. There are now 28 children at this hospital here still being treated. At least three are still in very
serious condition. But one of the problem that doctors have had here is simply identifying children, because so many of them were actually
separated from their parent.
That - and they were unconscious. They didn't know who the kids were. They have now been able to identify most of them, though one still remained
unidentified. We have also had the chance to speak with one 14-year-old girl, who's just come out, fortunately, her injury was relatively light,
but the psychological trauma she has from simply witnessed the event will stay with her for the rest of her life. She broke down in tears when she
told us what she saw. The mangled bodies, people being pushed trying to escape anyway they can, and she just curled up into a ball trying to
protect herself as the stampede ran over her. It's those kinds of horrific experiences that we're hearing about here. And that kind of trauma is
going to stay with her for the rest of her life, Anderson.
COOPER: Those poor kids separated from their family members for hours while they were in the hospital. Atika Shubert, I appreciate you being
there. Donald Trump was supposed to announce Indiana Governor Mike Pence as his vice president pick next hour. An (inaudible) blade in the wake of
the terror attacks, CNN has learned that the Trump campaign will make the announcement sometime today. CNN Sara Murray is outside Trump Tower. So,
Sara, it just seems like there will be some sort of announcement today afterall?
SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICS REPORTER: That's right, Anderson. That's what we're hearing is that Donald Trump will announce that Mike Pence is the
pick today, but they will not appear jointly until tomorrow morning, likely in New Jersey. Now, there was an element of surprise. Of course, that was
already gone. CNN confirmed yesterday that Mike Pence was the pick. And today, they have to file the paperwork to withdraw from the Indiana
governor's race. So, there was going to be an element of surprise that was lost at any - at any rate today, no matter how they sort of handle this.
So, it looks like the Trump campaign will confirm that Mike Pence is the pick at some point today, and then tomorrow, they will have their joint
event that was postponed today in the wake of the terror attack in Nice, Anderson.
COOPER: All right, Sara Murray. Sara, thanks very much. Of course, the convention begins on Monday. We'll be there starting Sunday, at Sunday
evening broadcasting. Still to come, France now coming with the painful or coping with the painful reality, three major terror attacks in 18 months.
Why has it become such a target? What can be done to stop it from happening again? And that - is that possible? We'll be right back.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
[10:19:10] COOPER: President Obama says he's willing to do whatever he can to help France in the wake of this terror attack. We're going to go to
Evan Perez who's in Washington on what the intelligence or what intel the U.S. is getting this morning. Evan, what did you learn?
[10:19:22] EVAN PEREZ, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Anderson, at this stage, investigators here don't really find any connection with terrorist
groups. It appears that this is a lone attacker. Obviously, it's early in the investigations. And right now, those investigators are going through
the communications and all the databases to learn what they can about this terrorist. So far they only see that he has a minor criminal background.
He wasn't on the radar as a possible extremist. And they believe he only rented this truck a couple of days ago before the attack, which really
gives you a sense of how difficult it is to prevent an attack like this.
Now, this morning, the security is being beefed up at prominent locations in New York City. The New York Governor, Andrew Cuomo says that he's
ordered more security at places like airports and mass transit and tunnels, and as you mentioned, President Obama has said he's offered the assistance
of U.S. investigators to the French government. And right now, law enforcement officials are reviewing on-going cases of success - suspected
extremist here in this country. You know, that someone have access to large trucks through their work, did they have a commercial driver's
license, is there anyone under surveillance that is trying to rent a vehicle like this. Now, we've seen these types of attacks using large
vehicles. It's not a new tactic, but this attack means that there's going to be renewed focus on this issue, Anderson.
COOPER: Yeah. It certainly should be. Evan Perez, thanks very much. It's hard to believe this is France's third major terror attack in 18
months. Question of course is why is the country become such a target. I want to bring in CNN law enforcement analyst, Art Roderick, CNN contributor
and co-author of ISIS Inside the Army of Terror. Michael Weiss also joined by Peter Neumann, he's director of The International Centre for the Study
of Radicalisation and Political Violence at King's College. Michael, you know, it's so interesting when you hear what we know about this individual
now. Petty crimes.
[10:21:06] MICHAEL WEISS, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Uh-hmm.
COOPER: The leader of the mosque, and he's saying that really, he has not history of being in mosque or association necessarily with religion.
Didn't seem like a devote person.
WEISS: Yeah.
COOPER: We've seen this time and time again. It seems these are kind of life's losers who often latch onto this to kind of give them some sort of
depraved glory.
WEISS: Right now, it seems like he's got the early CV for potential graduate into Jihadism. What's missing is any kind of flirtation with the
Islamist ideology. Was he watching on (INAUDIBLE) videos, was he reading Dabiq or Inspire Magazine, those kind of thing. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the
founder of AQI, which is now ISIS. Same kind of background, he was a pimp and a thug running around Jordan, had tattoos, was an alcoholic, used to
get into fights, got thrown in prison, he's mom said I need to switch you out. She sent him to a mosque. And that's when he started to do - imbibe
the radical ideology. He was told you have to go fight Afghanistan.
COOPER: I mean, obviously, this person has committed an act of terror. He's - I mean, a mass - it's a horrific, horrific event.
WEISS: Yeah.
COOPER: Does he want the label of terrorist? Does that give him some identity?
WEISS: I mean, you know, before we went on air, what's the difference between a mass murderer and a terrorist? It's a declaration of allegiance
to some organization. So far, we haven't seen that yet. You know, he didn't post anything on social media saying, pledging via to Abu Bakr al-
Baghdadi or even to, you know, Osama bin Laden or Ayman al-Zawahiri. We don't know what really motivated this guy. He could be a loser, you know,
I've seen reports of - he was married with three kids, his marriage broke down, he went into a deep, dark depression, who knows?
I mean, a lot of people, you know, it's hard for the western imagination to understand this, but when you interview people who join ISIS, and you ask
them, "Why did you join?" A lot of them don't say, "It's because, you know, I want heaven on earth, or I believe in the mission of the caliphate.
I'm looking to usher the end times." Often it's, "I - you know, I wasn't getting what I wanted out of my current affiliation with the - with the
rebel group or an activist constituency. And they were giving me a pragmatic reason for joining. They gave me a banner, you know? It could
be the same thing with this guy.
COOPER: Peter Neumann, what stands out to you about this attack?
[10:23:17] PETER NEUMANN, DIRECTOR OF THE INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR THE STUDY OF RADICALISATION AND POLITICAL VIOLENCE: I think it's really
shocking to see that 84 people died in a relatively simple attack. We know that ISIS has been calling for these attacks, at least since September of
2014. And in fact, in December 2014, there were a number of cars that were being driven into Christmas markets in France, but on none of these
occasions more than one person died. The fact that 84 people died in a very simple car attack, it must be sending a signal to other potential lone
wolves that you can potentially kill a lot of people with a very simple and almost unpreventable type of attack.
COOPER: And Art, I mean, that certainly raises for law enforcement, you know, a very concerning spectre. I mean, how do you - if somebody who is
not on the radar as a jihadist or is an extremist who's just a pretty criminal with some weapons charges, I believe this individual had, chooses
to get behind a truck, you know, how hard is that to prevent?
[10:24:20] ART RODERICK, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: It's almost impossible. We know that if you're willing to die for a cause, and it's almost impossible to
stop the individual, but using the - using the truck is unique over there in Europe, but as a deadly weapon any way, but we've had some experience
over here at least using a truck as explosives. You go far - as far back as '93, the first World Trade Center bombing. The bombing in the federal
building in Oklahoma City.
And the U.S. government established certain setback guidelines to prevent that type of incident from occurring. I think what you're going to see
here with the two conventions coming up is also an exterior perimeter that will be somewhat hard based on this particular attack. But again, if
somebody is willing to die for their cause, regardless of what that cause is. And we've seen these same types of individuals recruited not only by
Al-Qaeda and ISIS, but also by white supremacist groups here in the U.S. and by cults. They look for disenfranchised individuals to bring on board,
and once that individual makes that commitment, it's almost impossible to stop them.
COOPER: Michael, how well versed are these people usually in the Quran in ideology?
WEISS: It's funny. I just interviewed a guy who deserted from ISIS. He was actually arrested and imprisoned for three and a half months as an ISIS
fighter. They accused him as spying for the coalition. And he said that the religious indoctrination, he was being taught by a 25-year old from
Tunisia who probably couldn't cite one hadith, but he was - he's able - this is back to basics. He's like, "I'm already a Muslim. Why are you
telling me things I know, the pillars of Islam, and all of that?" A lot of the time - I mean, one of the more interesting aspects of ISIS is they are
self-inventing an ideology, one that doesn't even exist within the annals of Salafi Jihadism.
There are things that they are finding arcane references, too, in the Quran, and creating (INAUDIBLE) justifications for it. Throwing
homosexuals off rooftops for instance. A lot of Salafi Jihadist have said, "We don't even have this as a former punishment. We haven't accepted this
as a viable form of punishment." ISIS has created an entire theology around it. And they're finding clerics, creating their own clerics, their
own clerisy to promulgate this stuff. It's a brainwashing exercise, you know? Trying to mold people, you know, get them young as much as -
COOPER: Michael Weiss, Art Roderick, Peter Neumann, I appreciate your expertise. Much more after the break. We'll be right back.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL)
[10:31:05]
ANDERSON COOPER, HOST: I want to welcome our viewers in the United States and around the world. I'm Anderson Cooper, a lot to get to in this next
half hour.
French investigators now say they know the name of the man who drove a freight truck through a holiday crowd killing dozens.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: He's a 31 French Tunisian, a resident of Nice where last night's attacks took place. We also learned in the last hour that in addition to
the 84 killed another 50 are critically injured. Many children are among the dead and injured. The driver continued his rampage for 1.3 miles along
the French Riviera before police shot him dead. There are reports the driver may have been shooting at people alongside his truck as he tried to
hit as many people as possible in his path.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: The French Riviera in every way embodies the definition of a soft target. Last night's carnage also marks the third major terror attack in
France in just months. Our Will Ripley joins us now from the scene in Nice.
The entire area that you are standing in front of, the promenade where the attack took place, that's now been cordoned off, correct?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILL RIPLEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It has, yes. And you know, as I showed you earlier and I'll show you again. This police barricade that is
set up is a visual barricade in addition to the layers of security to keep people from actually getting to this area. And the reason for that is
simply from the images that have been coming in, the pictures were so gruesome, people who were laying there with either catastrophic fractures
they're now being treated in hospital. There were people being transported as recently as - earlier this morning but then also even as of early this
afternoon, neighbors who were on the scene had said that there were still some bodies that remain on the street. We don't know if they've all been
cleared. We would assume that they have been at this point, but we're just not able to get close enough to see.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: And in terms of, obviously, this investigation now is in full force both for finding out what happened last night exactly and how this person
was able to commit this act of terror, but also the investigation moving forward to see if there was anyone else involved in the attack.
RIPLEY: That's right. And that's why you saw the police raids, that they're actually ongoing. Because France is under a state of emergency that was set
to expire July 26 but has now been extended for three months allowing police to conduct these raids without having to go through the court
process first.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RIPLEY: They were able to go to this apartment in Nice where the suspected attacker, a 33-year-old man, a father of three, according to reports,
someone who neighbors described as a loner who we've actually learned is not affiliated with any mosque here in Nice. That's some new information.
Also indications that he may have been separated from his wife, there were reports of domestic violence charges and some other petty crime. And we do
know that, according to one local affiliate, his ex-wife is being questioned.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RIPLEY: Now we're not sure if that's the wife that he is separated from currently, if there's another ex-wife in the picture. I mean all of these
details are still coming together and we certainly don't want to pay too much attention to the person that committed this atrocity, that took 84
lives including children, families who were here together. But it is critical for investigators now to search the apartment, to find out if
there were accomplices and also find out what motivated this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RIPLEY: Because as of right now, no terror group has taken responsibility.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: Will Ripley, Will thanks very much for the update. With me know is Republican Senator Dan Coats of Indiana. Senator Coats is a member of the
Select Committee on Intelligence.
Welcome, and I'm sorry it's under these circumstances, Senator. In terms of preventing something like this, whether in the United States or Europe,
this is an extraordinarily difficult thing for law enforcement for the intelligence community. If you have somebody who is not on the radar as a
Jihadist, as a radical extremist who is a petty criminal who suddenly decides to turn in this direction.
[10:35:02]
SENATOR DAN COATS, MEMBER SELECT COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE: We have a lot of people that seem to be inspired by what's happening in the Middle East
and by some of the publications and stuff that goes over the web and the internet from ISIS.
I really -- what you said is true. I mean, it's very, very difficult to pinpoint just everyone. I'm told there are 10,000 terrorist affiliated
people on the French list and only 5,000 people that can keep track of them. Inevitably, somebody's going to be able to be successful. And
particularly if they use means where they're not part of a conspiracy, not part of a larger group but are inspired to do this kind of thing, it's
going to be very, very hard to stop.
In my opinion until we go and stick the dagger in the heart of ISIS and eliminate that corps there, we're going to keep hearing about these things
and unfortunately these massacres are occurring on an ever-occurring basis.
COOPER: Do you think you know cutting the head off ISIS essentially would actually stop these kind of attacks or would some other group, some other
form of the same ideology just take its place? If a lot of these people are sort of so-called radicalized, watching stuff on the internet, does it
matter whether or not ISIS is controlling territory in Iraq, in Syria?
SENATOR COATS: Well, I think it does matter because they've had the resources and they've had the physical geographic ability to, in a sense,
put an organization together. I think they're the heart of the issue. You're right, there are affiliate groups out there that might want to keep
going, but they're going to be easier to track, I think, than ISIS. I mean the inspiration, this whole Jihadist mentality wrapped in theological basis
has emanated from ISIS and I think it will send a great signal to these other groups that we're coming after you. But we've hit the core and taken
them out. So you don't have someone to lean back on or somebody that's going to continue to do inspire you to do these kinds of things. We've been
doing this --
COOPER: Sorry. Go ahead.
SENATOR COATS: We've been doing this incrementally here, but we really haven't taken the step of declaring all-out war against ISIS and doing
whatever we need to do to stop this. This incremental piece by piece, piece by piece is just going to continue to lead to what we've seen in the
massacre at Nice.
COOPER: You believe there should be an actual declaration of war?
SENATOR COATS: I would support a declaration of war. I think western civilization is -- should be at war with this radical Islamic terrorist
operation. And until we declare that and then take what is necessary to win this war, we're going to continue to have breaking news, more of these
massacres. It's occurring on an ever increasing basis. So I think it's time to stand up and say enough is enough.
COOPER: Dan Coats, I appreciate your time, sir, thank you very much. Senator Coats.
Still to come, Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump now responding to yet another terror attack, what they are saying, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:40:10]
ROBYN CURNOW, HOST: I'm Robyn Curnow at the CNN Center, thanks for joining us and you're watching CNN's continuing coverage of the horrifying terror
attack in Nice, France. This is what we know.
French President Francois Hollande says 50 people are still fighting for their lives after Thursday's terror attack. He says among the 84 who died
many were young children. We must warn you the photos, the pictures, the images we're going to show you now are graphic.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CURNOW: A truck drove for two kilometers into crowds of people on a promenade, all of them celebrating Bastille Day, the French National Day.
The driver, we understand, also opened fire. Mr. Holland visited a hospital in Nice where some of the injured are being treated. He praised the doctors
and nurses who worked overnight to save as many lives as possible.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CURNOW: We're also learning more about the attacker. He's been identified as Mohamed Bouhlel. According to a French official, he's a 31 French
Tunisian who lived in Nice. The President of the Union of Mosques in France says Bouhlel was not known to be a practicing Muslim. French media say his
ex-wife has been detained and is currently being questioned by the police.
Well let's get the very latest from our Nic Robertson who is in Nice. There's not a lot we know about this man. Hi there, Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, hi there, Robyn. We're outside his apartment now. We've just been in. His name's on the
letter box in the apartment building. There's about a dozen or so people living there. We talked to some of his neighbors. What people have told us
here that he was relatively quiet, kept himself to himself. One lady here described him as sort of coming and going from the apartment, it's up there
on the second floor, coming and going from the apartment using his bicycle.
She used to see him every day coming and going. So he appeared to have a life that had at least some structure or regular hours to it if you will.
That he was coming and going every day.
Other neighbors have told us he was something of a loner, that he would go off to one of the local cafes here, by himself, have a coffee by himself,
not talk to many other people, come back here. So something of a loner.
The Police have been into his apartment. You can see the door's been broken in, jimmied open. In fact, one of the locks, a big sort of lock around the
keyhole is missing there and you can look through there as I did. And you can see that it appears at least as if the apartment has had a rough and
ready search, if you will.
There are cupboards there with the doors open, there are book shelves that you can see with drawers pulled out of a chest of drawers sort of strewn on
the floor. Obviously, we're not able to see the whole apartment, we're not able to go in, it's still locked. But the impression that's created from
the limited view that we have is that the police have broken their way in there and have done a very sort of rough and ready search of the apartment
building.
It's shut up now. There appears to be no police, certainly no police on duty outside. And the vehicle search that they were doing here a few hours
ago, that's finished now. That took them several hours of forensic search of a small delivery truck. They blew open the windows. But the search did
seem to be quite relaxed, they took out papers. It didn't appear as if they thought that the vehicle would have any explosives or anything dangerous in
it at least for the majority of the search there, Robyn.
CURNOW: But we still don't know what drove him to do this horrid, evil act.
ROBERTSON: No clues yet. But when we talk about profiles and we've talked about a number of these attacks in the past and the number of people that
have fit a similar profile in a way. We know that he is married. His wife's being questioned by the police. So they had three young children is what
the neighbors here have told us. That they're living separately.
You know, in past acts, we've heard about people who are a little bit loners, a little bit off by themselves going through some sort of trauma in
their lives. That puts them a little off kilter. And they start behaving differently and then falling prey to, you know, this sort of radical Islam
that they can find on the internet, the inspiration of various radical groups.
We don't know that happened here. But when you look at the limited details we have, and we shouldn't speculate because the police will be through
their searches and investigation getting a lot more pertinent, relevant detailed information, but you can see that there is a potential here that
this man potentially falls into a profile that we've seen previous attackers fall into, Robyn.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CURNOW: And we've just heard information that the Paris Mayor saying that the Eiffel Tower will be lit in the French flag in the colors again. This
keeps on happening. These patterns of attacks, hashtags, facebook solidarity. We just heard from Francoise Hollande urging French people to
be strong.
[10:45:13]
CURNOW: But what is the feeling like there? Is there an exhaustion, just an overwhelming sense of how inevitable some of these attacks keep on - keep
on being?
ROBERTSON: Well, the more lives that are touched and so many lives here have been so tragically touched and changed forever. Families ripped apart.
The feeling here in Nice is that terrible things that they've seen happen in other parts of the country have now been touched on them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTSON: I don't think it lessens the sense of bereavement, of tragedy here at all. But the solidarity that the country has exhibited in the past,
the flying their flags at half-staff for the next three days, now the state of emergency being extended later this month for another three months.
These are all becoming all too normal for the people of France.
What we understand since the Charlie Hebdo attack in January last year, that's 18 months ago now, there have been ten, ten, terror attacks or
attempted terror attacks that have been thwarted in that time. That's a very large number. So this is becoming part of the tapestry of the
background of people's lives here, but I think no less painful and no less shocking and no less disturbing than when it happens amidst your own
community, which is what - which is what people here are now coming to terms with, Robyn.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CURNOW: And, of course, because it is France, it touches people not just in the country but also the visitors, the tourists whose lives have also been
touched by this latest horrific act. Nic Robertson, thank you so much.
Well our Clarissa Ward has the details now on how this deadly attack took place. Again, I must warn you these images are hard to watch and are
disturbing. Here's her report.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLARISSA WARD, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A scene of horrifying carnage. Bodies strewn along Nice's famed seaside promenade.
After this truck plows through a crowd of hundreds watching Bastille Day fireworks. A witness says the driver first started shooting into the crowd
from inside the truck right after the fireworks ended.
VOICE OF DOMINIQUE MOLINA: I wondered is that fireworks? But it definitely was not fireworks. And you heard screaming and then you just seen masses of
people fleeing.
WARD: Another eyewitness capturing this video of The truck slowly approaching people on the promenade before the driver accelerates hitting
one after another.
VOICE OF INGA: It was complete chaos. People were running away, one lady fell on the ground and everybody was running right over her.
VOICE OF PAUL DELANE: The music was so loud that we couldn't hear anything. I didn't really see a truck, but just people running and screaming and
crying and people carrying their children.
WARD: Those who survived the attack describing the chaos and confusion.
VOICE OF MARYAM VIOLET: I was walking amongst bodies, dead bodies and wounded people and families of those people just gathering around the
bodies.
WARD: The truck's path of destruction over a mile long before finally stopping in front of this witness.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was nervous, he was not controlling and he was moving inside like this, like this. And I saw he was like holding something like a
cell phone.
WARD: Police circling the truck ending the carnage by shooting and killing the driver.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They shoot guns. They killed him already and his head was out the window.
WARD: Survivors desperate for help.
VOICE OF ERIC DRATTELL: I wasn't sure what it was and tried calling the police. The lines were complete jammed.
VIOLET: I think it took 10, 15 minutes until you know there were like first signs of you know ambulances.
WARD: Police say they found a handgun and several fake rifles and fake grenades. French President Francois Hollande raced back to Paris after the
attacks, telling the world that France is strong and will always be stronger than those who want to attack the country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CURNOW: This is what we know. 84 people dead, at least 50 people still hovering between life and death. This was a devastating terror attack in
Nice. Our Nic Robertson is standing by in front of the apartment of the attacker.
And we heard Clarissa there explain the devastation of this act. This man zigzagging with this freight truck across two kilometers worth of
promenade. This has left a huge crime scene for investigators to try and have to deal with.
[15:50:00]
ROBERTSON: There is a potential trove of information. This -- you know, when you look at the what, when, why and how, certainly the police are
going to be able to figure out how it was done. There are plenty of witnesses we know already who will be able to give the police some vital
detail and information. But really one of the vital things for the police to know right now is are there any associates, are there other people
likely plotting and planning other attacks? What sort of level of - alert do they need to be on? So while they can gather all the information from
the crime scene there, that they will desperately being to try to be sort of now through his wife, the interview there, questioning her, through his
social media, through any other conversations, any other friends, trying to figure out is he part of a network, was he acting alone, and what other
potential imminent threat there may be. That the most pressing issue here right now, Robyn.
CURNOW: All important questions. Nic Robertson, stand by. Thanks so much for that update on the investigation.
I want to go to the scene of this horrific act. Clarissa ward is standing by.
Hi there Clarissa when we talk about the investigation. we talk about this man who has carried out this act. But what it boils down to, 84 people lost
their lives, 50 still terribly wounded. Let's not forget them at this hour.
WARD: Of course, Robyn, absolutely. And everyone you talk to here feels the same thing. Absolute shock at the horror, at the brutality, of the brute
force of this crime.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WARD: People in France have become somewhat, sadly, accustomed to random acts of terrorism, but what we haven't seen before is using a truck to kill
more than 80 people, we've seen a makeshift memorial that's starting to take shape. And interestingly, just about an hour ago, French President
Francois Hollande actually came here in a motorcade and the reaction from the crowd was not what you expect. Not one of solidarity, not one of
solemnity. Actually a lot of people Robyn were very angry. Some people even shouting out "murderer, murderer."
So I think what you see here now is in addition obviously to the mourning, there's a profound sense of insecurity. People here do not feel like their
stability is guaranteed and there's resentment against the political establishment as a result Robyn.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CURNOW: Yes with that in mind, I mean that's a fascinating reaction, but as Nic Robertson was saying, I mean it's estimated that there have been about
ten terror attacks or near attacks just in the last year or so there in France. Is there a fear from the French public overwhelmingly that the
government is on top of things or do they understand that it's so hard to try and get one lone zealot who wants to cause destruction like this?
WARD: Well, we heard, Robyn, from the French Prime Minister this morning. And he said basically this is a tragedy, this is terrible, we must mourn
the dead, we must be you know together in a symbol of solidarity. But he also said essentially this will happen again. This is potentially the new
normal here in Europe. And I think that people are grudgingly coming to terms with that but that's not to say of course that they accept it.
There is a definite sense of frustration among certain quarters that not enough is being done to stem the tide of terrorist violence that has
consumed France, Belgium and then spread across the Middle East as well. People are used to seeing -- people from France are used to seeing these
sorts of scenes play out perhaps in Saudi Arabia, or Lebanon or even Turkey, but they're not used to seeing these acts perpetrated on their own
soil. And they don't necessarily feel that enough is being done to stop them.
CURNOW: Clarissa Ward there on the scene in Nice. Thank you so much for your perspective and your reporting.
Stay with CNN. I'm Robyn Curnow. I'm going to hand you over to my colleague, Anderson Cooper.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: And Donald Trump has made it official tweeting out that Mike Pence is his vice presidential pick.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: I want to show you the tweet. Here's Donald Trump tweeting out moments ago, I am pleased to announce that I have chosen Governor Mike
Pence as my vice presidential running mate. News conference tomorrow at 11:00 a.m.
Initially there was to have been the announcement made today at 11:00 a.m., but the Trump campaign decided to postpone that in the wake of the terror
attack out of Nice. And this is obviously something we have been watching closely for quite some time. But Governor Mike Pence of Indiana is the vice
presidential pick for Donald Trump and there will be a press conference soon with both of them tomorrow at 11:00 o'clock, a.m.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[10:5510]
COOPER: There are a lot more to tell you about the terror attacks in Nice. 84 people we know have been killed in the terror attack. 50 more remain in
critical condition according to France's president, many of them children. Among the dead we now know at least two Americans.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: This is 11-year-old Brody Copeland. His dad Sean from Austin, Texas, they were on vacation with family celebrating a birthday. There's a
photo of Brody that was taken just hours before that massacre. I want to go right now to CNN's Jean Casarez. We're learning now just beginning who some
of these victims were.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. And only two Americans at this point. But they are, Anderson, from Texas, just as you said, the heart
of Texas. Sean and Brody Copeland. Brodie was 11 years old. He was a member of the Hill County Baseball team.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CASAREZ: And I think we have a picture that was just released from the family of father and son. Father actually coached the baseball team. But
they were in France for as you said, a family vacation. There was an aunt and two cousins that were there also. They started out according to the
Austin American statement in Spain, and then went on, they wanted to celebrate Bastille Day. But we do have a statement from the family that
came out early today, the family that some of them still remain in Texas.
"We are heartbroken and in shock over the loss of Brodie Copeland, an amazing son and brother who lit up our lives and Sean Copeland, a wonderful
husband and father. They are so loved."
And Anderson, according to the Austin American statement, they are from Lakeway, Texas, which is right in the heart. It's out from Austin. It's the
hill country. Right next to Lake Travis. And the father, Sean Copeland worked for Lexmark Corporation, he was a Vice President.
ANDERSON: It's so horrific. Our thoughts and prayers are with that family, and with all the victims.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Jean, thank you very much. I do want to go back to our Sara Murray who is standing by outside Trump Tower. So Sara, Donald Trump has
made it available. Mike Pence his vice presidential pick.
SARA MURRAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: He has made it official, not necessarily in the way that Donald Trump was hoping to, but fittingly, he is announcing
the news on twitter. He said, "I am pleased to announce that I have chosen Governor Mike Pence as my vice presidential running mate. News conference
tomorrow at 11:00 a.m."
And Anderson, it is likely that news conference is going to be in New Jersey, but of course it hasn't been advised yet. And with Donald Trump
these things don't tend to be set in stone sometimes even after they are advised.
Now of course this is a decision that Donald Trump sort of wrestled with. He had a number of people including many people he's known for much longer
than Mike Pence in his (inaudible) in the final tier.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MURRAY: CNN confirmed yesterday that he had made the offer to Mike Pence and Mike Pence accepted, but there was still a lot of nervousness. I think
probably even on the part of those in Mike Pence's camp as they were waiting for the official announcement. Of course, by noon today Mike Pence
had to withdraw his name from the race for the Indiana Governor's battle. And so I think he'll feel a lot more comfortable doing that now, now that
Donald Trump has put out the tweet and made it official. Anderson.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: And do we know, the press conference tomorrow, I assume they're appearing together at that?
MURRAY: Yes. We are expecting them to appear together and, of course, Mike Pence is already in New York with a number of his senior aides. Those are
the aides that we believe will follow him and campaign with him and work with him as he becomes the vice president.
But you know, it must have been a tense 24 hours for Mike Pence. He arrived in New York yesterday. He's been sitting in that hotel as Donald Trump has
been out there saying I haven't made my final, final pick. And as Don Jr. was saying, there are still three people under consideration, all that was
happening while Mike Pence was here in New York under the impression that the deal was done and that he had been picked. And so this has to be a
weight off his shoulders today Anderson.
COOPER: And, is there going to be any campaigning over the weekend or are they just preparing for the convention which begins Monday?
MURRAY: That's one of the things that we have been waiting to hear. Now usually when you announce your vice presidential pick, you do sort of a fly
around to battleground states, maybe you go to their home state. That's something we saw Mitt Romney do with Paul Ryan in 2012. This is obviously a
much tighter timeframe because the convention begins on Monday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MURRAY: And so I think that's one of the things I think the Trump campaign is going to be gaming out. We do know that they were supposed to sit this
evening for an interview with "60 Minutes" together so it's likely that that will still happen. But the campaign schedule going forward still has
yet to be released. So we will see, Anderson.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: All right. Sara Murray, appreciate it. Thank you very much. A lot going on. It is a fast-moving day. As you know the death toll in Nice, now
stands at 84. 50 according to France's President still in a critical state, as he said a critical condition. Many of them according to France's
president are children.
Thank you very much for joining me today for this last two hours. I'm Anderson Cooper. At this Hour with Berman and Baldwin begins right now.
END
