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The Lead with Jake Tapper

U.S. Hostage Killed; Airline Safety Fears; ISIS Sent Family Proof U.S. Hostage is Dead; Interview with U.S. Congressman Paul Gosar of Arizona

Aired February 10, 2015 - 16:00   ET

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

JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: Their last American hostage today confirmed dead, and now ISIS wants more.

I'm Jake Tapper. This is THE LEAD.

The world lead, her life cut far too short, Kayla Mueller, the American aid worker who lived to make the world a better place, kidnapped by terrorists and today confirmed killed. Some of her family and friends are set to speak publicly in minutes, and we will bring that to you right here live.

Plus, Kayla Mueller was the last American held by ISIS, but now grave new warnings from U.S. intelligence officials that more Americans might not be safe from the terrorist group's clutches.

And the national lead. She looks more likely to slip you candy than slip past airport security, but this 63-year-old con artist duped the TSA and got on planes without a ticket not once, but twice. If she can swindle security, should we be more concerned about who else might be getting onto our planes?

Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to THE LEAD. I'm Jake Tapper.

Some breaking news in our world lead, where we're waiting for the family of Kayla Mueller to speak at any moment. There, you see the microphones in Prescott, Arizona. We will bring that to you live. That family and the nation are of course today heartbroken, as ISIS confirms their worst fears.

Kayla Mueller, the American aid worker abducted by the savage terror group, is dead. Today, her family put out a statement saying ISIS contacted them directly, providing the proof they hoped would never come, pictures showing their daughter no longer alive.

Today, the White House shed little light on what may have exactly been in those pictures. They would not say how Kayla died, only that the pictures as far as they can tell are real and the intelligence community has verified their authenticity.

Analysts believe that Mueller was the last American held hostage by ISIS, but they also say ISIS wants to kidnap more Westerners.

Let's go right to CNN justice correspondent Pamela Brown. Pamela, the reason people care about what the photos show of the fact

that she's no longer alive, which is obviously the most important thing and tragic, but is also because ISIS claimed that Kayla was killed in a Jordanian airstrike.

PAMELA BROWN, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: That's absolutely right. That is still very much a mystery, how she died. The pictures apparently don't reveal that, how she died or when she died.

We know the FBI is right now trying to determine that. But the White House is making it clear today that, regardless of whether she was killed in an airstrike or executed, ISIS is responsible.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BROWN (voice-over): Calling themselves heartbroken, the family of 26- year-old American hostage Kayla Mueller said today they have received confirmation that their daughter is dead.

U.S. officials say Kayla's ISIS captors sent the family a private message over the weekend, including pictures that were used by forensics examiners to verify her death.

CHRIS VOSS, FORMER FBI HOSTAGE NEGOTIATOR: They're taking a look at the actual evidence that's been supplied, and then they're comparing that with intelligence they have got. And, clearly, with the factors they're looking at, they feel like that Kayla is in fact deceased. They're stopping short of saying that ISIS murdered her, but one way or another, ISIS is responsible for her death.

BROWN: The new information does not clarify how and when Mueller died, though ISIS claimed that Mueller was killed in a Jordanian airstrike last Friday. At the time, it offered no proof other than these images of a destroyed building.

Today, the White House cast doubt on that claim and made it clear ISIS is ultimately responsible for her death.

JOSH EARNEST, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The information that we have is that there's no evidence of civilians in the target area prior to the coalition strike taking place. And that certainly would call into question the claims that are made by ISIL.

BROWN: Kayla dedicated her life to international causes, eventually helping Syrian refugees on the Turkish border. But what brought her to Syrian city of Aleppo, where she was kidnapped in August of 2013, remains a mystery.

The Mueller family today released a letter Kayla wrote in the spring of 2014 while in captivity, saying -- quote -- "If you could say that I suffered at all throughout this whole experience, it's only knowing how much suffering I have put you all through. Please know that I am in a safe location, completely unharmed and healthy, put on weight, in fact. I have been treated with the utmost respect and kindness." She signed the letter, "All my everything, Kayla." VOSS: The letter was absolutely written under duress, and at the same time I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of that was true. My guess is that Kayla was such an incredible, strong, spiritual, respectful person that she actually caused them to treat her the same way that she treated them.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BROWN: And President Obama called the Mueller family on Sunday night, we're told, to send his condolences and in a statement today called ISIS a hateful and abhorrent terrorist group whose actions stand to stark contrast to the spirit of people like Kayla.

TAPPER: All right, Pamela Brown, stick around. Want to talk to you a little bit more.

But, right now, I want to go to CNN's Ana Cabrera. She's on the phone and she's live in Prescott, Arizona, where Kayla Mueller's family and friends live, where we are expected to hear from her parents at any moment.

Ana, must be a brutal, brutal day in Prescott. How are people reacting?

ANA CABRERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: People are heartbroken. It is a devastating day for the family, for the community, for friends of Kayla Mueller.

Again, we're in her hometown and I'm standing next to a throng of media from both local outlets, as well as national and international outlets. And we are expecting to hear from Kayla Mueller's family for the first time in the past year-and-a-half as they have been suffering in silence throughout this nightmarish ordeal.

We believe they are going to be speaking to us any minute. And as soon as they step in front of the podium, I will be sure to make sure we can all listen in to their words, everybody hanging on to find out how they're going to react, what they're going to say.

But I can tell you in a statement that they put out earlier today, what they really want people to focus on today is how Kayla lived, not how she died, and her legacy that they believe will live on as somebody who really strived to make a difference in the world, helping people who are most vulnerable, going to them in their place of suffering.

And we are witnessing a group of people just about to step in front of the podium. We understand we're going to be hearing from two of Kayla's aunts, as well as a couple of friends who want to share memories and stories.

KATHLEEN DAY, FRIEND OF MUELLER FAMILY: Hi there. I'm Reverend Kathleen Day. And I'm a friend of the Muellers.

Kayla was a student at University -- or at Northern Arizona University, in campus ministry, among all the different organizations that she was involved in. And since then, I have kept up with her and know her and her family. And they have asked some of us to come and give you a few words of ways that we know Kayla, maybe words that aren't quite so scripted.

So, if I can get through it, I think about two minutes they said for each of us.

As far as Syria goes, you know, when Kayla was at campus ministry, she was part of a just peace group. And we would talk about peace through justice, that you can't have peace without justice. And we met, would have a simple dinner and we would read books and talk about articles through a variety of lenses.

And together a group of us traveled to Guatemala to hear their stories and just keep that conversation going. So when Kayla was in Syria, I tried to follow what she was doing, and I would read her posts.

And it was really like keeping vigil, because it was so difficult to read about the horror that was happening in Syria and to see the pictures that she would post. And I have a few words from some of the things that she posted last -- in March of 2013.

And she said: "I want to tell the world about the situation in Syria. There's no fuel. There's no electricity. There's no food. This is the situation. They're shelling, explosions, gunfire, violence. No one is working. There's no jobs. People are just surviving day to day, living for the sake of living. Every human being should act. They should stop this violence. People are fleeing. We can't bear this. It's too much."

And she says: "I hope you can tell the entire world what I have said here and what I have seen."

And that's what we're doing. We're telling the whole world. Kayla asked us -- and I think you saw one of her quotes when they said, where is the world? And that we can say, we're right here, Syria. We have heard. We have seen your suffering reflected in Kayla's eyes. And we have seen it and we intend to do something about it.

And then, when I watched those posts, when we were thinking about having an attack, and many of us were writing Kayla saying, what do you think about this military suggestion? And there was no word from Kayla. And I had just seen her in May, when she was home. And then we got word that she had been kidnapped.

And so we have taken that long journey with her, where we were forced to hold our breath. You know, all these stories about Kayla, and she sounds so extraordinary, but what was so extraordinary about Kayla is she did ordinary things to extraordinary measures.

She gave people food. She gave people water. She looked for clothes. She looked for houses. One of her posts said, I have a family of eight, and they need to stay somewhere for a month. I need $191, and not one NGO can give that to me. Can you believe that? And she talked that the Syrian refugees were giving Syrian refugees

money. And so when we find that post and we find her resilience, it's not that she was so angelic. It's that she just saw things and did whatever she could with whatever she could.

It was just her heart, her mind, her guitar, her pen, her computer. And then in prison, what we have seen from that letter is that she just continued to be free. And I thought I would share with you a couple of funny things we heard, if you can believe, in prison.

Some people told us that Kayla tried to teach the guards crafts, to make origami, little cranes, little peace cranes, and that they told each other stories and they sang each other songs, that they tried to exercise in that small space and that Kayla would stand on her head.

We just -- those of us who know her and know what a free little spirit she was, we just delight in that, that Kayla remained Kayla. And, you know, they tried to silence her. They locked her up. They kept us silent out of fear. But now she's free.

And she says that she found freedom even in captivity and that she is grateful. And so her light shines. And we thank you for shining your light not on Kayla, but shine your light on the suffering that Kayla saw. And let's tell Syria, we hear you, and we're going to do something.

ERYN STREET, FRIEND OF KAYLA MUELLER: Hi. My name is Eryn Street.

And I'm here to talk about Kayla Mueller.

Kayla was my closest friend, my kindred spirit. I'm going to miss her more deeply than words can express. Kayla was joy. And with her, life was always fun.

A memory that always makes me laugh is when our car broke down a half- mile from my mom's house. We could have easily walked that half-mile and found someone to tow the car. But what fun would that be?

So, instead, we turned on Bob Marley full-blast on the radio and with the car in neutral, we started pushing that golden brown chariot home, only pausing a few moments to take some memorable silly pictures.

Our last road trip together was January of 2010. I was moving from Illinois to Arizona, and she joined me and my two cats as our traveling companion. It was a difficult journey, as I was leaving my family halfway across the country, but her friendship and support eased my pain and brought joy to the adventure.

Kayla had such, such great empathy, and that is -- it's hard to find that in this world. It's really rare. And it was her greatest strength. She has this amazing ability to share in another person's suffering and still add a little happiness to it. And she could always find that silver lining.

I want to share with you a part of a journal entry that Kayla wrote. It was right before we took that road trip. This is Kayla. "For anyone who might be wondering why I'm in Illinois, let me

explain. A dear friend of mine is packing her belongings up and moving out west to our beloved state of Arizona. I'm just along for the road trip back to share a few giggles and make sure nobody falls asleep at the wheel. I can try a hand at changing a tire or something, but no guarantees at that one. There have been many long goodbyes and a release of tears that have been residing in deep places over these last two days.

"And it has been interesting to observe the bitter of the sweet that is the situation. I have been reflecting on how I will do the same thing very soon. goodbyes have never been too hard for me. They don't seem to be something in need of being made difficult or complicated. Sometimes, I get a feeling that tells me if I will or will not see a person again, making it easier and sometimes harder.

"But moving on in a way through things is as much a part of life as breathing. It is an integral at renewing and necessary venture for growth and discovery. Goodbyes come with the package. Although goodbye is really just a see you later, later might be a while, but, as the French say, c'est la vie."

I'm not yet sure how to live in a world without Kayla, but I do know that we're all living in a better world because of her. So I'm going to end on a quote that reminds me of her.

"Peace is not something you wish for. It's something you make. It's something you do. It's something you are. And it's something you give away."

Thank you.

LORI LYON, KAYLA MUELLER'S AUNT: Hi, I'm Lori.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm Gerri.

LYON: I'm Marsha's sisters. We're Kayla's aunts. This is a statement from Kayla's aunts, uncles and cousins.

First, we would like to thank the media for your patience.

Second, we would like to thank the FBI agents that have been working with Marsha, Carl, Eric and the family. They have been amazing.

We want to thank everyone for their love, support, and prayers at this difficult time. It has been a stressful time for our family and also for the world.

What can we tell you about Kayla? Kayla was a combination of Marsha and Carl. She was generous, caring, compassionate like our sister Marsha. She was strong, driven, and passionate like our brother-in- law Carl. She was the best of both of them.

She had a quiet, calming presence. She was a free spirit, always standing up for those who were suffering and wanting to be their voice. Even as a little girl, Kayla was a bright, inquisitive, kind little girl.

At a very young age, Kayla knew her passion. She knew her calling. A lot of people never have the opportunity to say that. Kayla's calling was to help those who were suffering whether in her hometown of Prescott or on the other side of the world.

She has done more in her incredible 26 years than many people can ever imagine doing in their lifetime. My daughter said to me, thing that's were important to Kayla are finally getting the attention that they deserve.

Kayla has touched the heart of the world. The world grieve was us. The world mourns with us. The world wants to be more like Kayla. And if that is her legacy and the footprint that she leaves on the world, then that is a wonderful thing.

In Kayla's letter to Marsha and Carl she wrote, "I have come to see there is good in every situation. Sometimes we just have to look for it." And right now, that's what we're all trying to do.

TAPPER: The family and friends of Kayla Mueller, the American aid worker who was just 26, killed by ISIS. ISIS claims that's she was killed by a Jordanian air strike while in their custody. Either way, it is the fault of ISIS which kidnapped this incredible young woman in 2013.

You heard the testimony there from one of her aunts, from her childhood friend, from the Reverend Kathleen Day, a family friend who knew Kayla at Northern Arizona University where she was active with campus ministry. Reverend Day sharing some incredible stories, anecdotal to be sure, but remarkable about the spirit of this young woman, how she was even attempting to teach origami to the guards in prison.

Ana Cabrera is in Prescott, Arizona, was just there in person watching this remarkable and emotional scene unfold.

Ana, it must have been even more moving to watch in person.

CABRERA (via telephone): Absolutely. In fact, you could hear sniffles from residents, community members, perhaps even journalists who I was standing next to surrounding those microphones where we just heard from her two aunts who were incredibly emotional as well as her childhood friends and one of her mentors at the University of Northern Arizona, Kathleen Day.

I think what was really impactful about what they talked about, one, a common theme in all three of those statements was the fact that Kayla really wanted to shine light of the people of Syria and the plight that they were enduring there. And through the tragic death of Kayla, the world is paying attention to what was most important to her, and that he thought that that was particularly important for them as they try to now cope with her los and try to lift up her legacy.

The other thing that I thought was really quite impactful that we heard from Kathleen Day, I wrote this down, she said, you know what's extraordinary Kayla is she did ordinary things to extraordinary lengths. It's something we can all aspire to do.

She was very simplistic in how she was able to help people, but she used what she had, her talents, her physical being, her mind, her heart to reach them in whatever capacity she could to aid in their suffering, whether it was as you mentioned doing origami, whether it was providing food and water, whether it was just trying to shine a light in a very dark situation to those people in Syria, and in other parts of the world as she went in and helped out in India. She helped in Israel. We know she spent some time here in Prescott working for an AIDS/HIV center as well as volunteering at a women's shelter.

So, this woman spoke through her actions of how important it was to make a difference in the world and to leave the world a better place. I think it was her childhood friend who said, I don't know how the world is going to move on without Kayla, but Kayla has certainly made a difference in this world -- Jake.

TAPPER: She certainly has. Ana Cabrera in Prescott, Arizona, where the family and friends of slain ISIS hostage Kayla Mueller just delivered an emotional and heartfelt tribute to this remarkable 26- year-old woman who was striving to make the world a better place in the small ways she could, going to Syria trying to tell the world about the horrors the people in that country have suffered because of the civil war in that country and the ruthless dictator Bashar al- Assad, as well as the ruthless terrorists of ISIS.

Pamela Brown is here in studio with me.

Pamela, the word first came on Friday that this young woman whose had been held hostage since 2013 was, according to ISIS -- and of course, they are difficult to believe when they say anything -- that she had been killed in an air strike. A lot of people doubting that as the method of death but certainly people really starting to worry, even more than they had been worrying. Then over the weekend, even worse news.

What did the family go through? What did the government go through? How did they find out that the worst had in fact happened?

PAMELA BROWN, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well, no doubt about it this has been a living hell for the family, Jake. Add one family friend said, it was a punch in the gut when ISIS made those claims on Friday, but it appeared that the family was still holding out hope because as we know there was no proof of death. There was only a dilapidated building that ISIS was showing to prove she was killed in the air strike.

Then, we learned the family reached out to ISIS and was actually very respectful. They said, look, our daughter is your guest, you said she's your guest, please treat her as such. Please provide a private message back to us.

And then, we learn Saturday that the U.S. government became aware of pictures that ISIS sent to the family that verified Kayla's death. Of course the government, the FBI, forensics examiners wanted to authenticate the pictures and be absolutely certain before going back to the family and saying they had a high degree of confidence that she was killed. I think that coupled with the fact that ISIS -- it would be unlikely ISIS would say she was dead and led her turn up alive has led to this conclusion, Jake.

What's interesting here is to compare how this was treated and other hostages, other American hostages. ISIS has really gone to the lengths to exploit the deaths of other hostages. We asked people today, former FBI negotiators, why do you think ISIS directly e-mailed this to the family and didn't exploit it, publicize it like it has with others? And one person I was speaking with, the fact she was a woman may have changed the calculus, the fact that she was probably so respectful, such a good person, may have gained favor with her captors.

But that's just part of the analysis. A lot of unanswered questions. We know the FBI right now, Jake, trying to figure out when and how she was killed.

TAPPER: A horrible story. Pamela Brown, thank you so much.

Kayla Mueller, of course, disappeared into the hands of ISIS in 2013. And today that letter released by her family, the one Kayla penned in captivity, hinted at the emotional toll being held hostage for all of those months took upon her. How much she ached to be free, how much she desired to see her family again. In the letter she wrote, "I miss you all as if it has been a decade of forced separation."

But the letter scribbled in cursive in a single page contains an astonishing amount of courage. "Do not fear for me," she wrote. "Continue to pray as I will, plus by God's will, we will be together soon."

I want to bring in Congressman Paul Gosar. He represents Arizona's fourth district, which includes Prescott where Kayla Mueller's family lives.

Sir, thank you for being here. I'm sorry it couldn't be under more pleasant circumstances. I know you haven't heard from the family since this news came out, but you were in regular contact with the Muellers. When ISIS claimed Kayla was killed in a Jordanian air strike last week, were they still holding out hope she was alive? Were they hoping that ISIS was lying?

REP. PAUL GOSAR (R), ARIZONA: Absolutely, Jake, and so were all of the community in Prescott and Arizona's fourth district and Arizona and across the country. We were hoping that our prayers would be answered with a miracle coming to Prescott.

TAPPER: ISIS had made a ransom demand for Kayla. Did her family consider paying it? Did the administration guide them one way or the other?

GOSAR: I don't know what the deliberations, Jake, were between the White House and the Muellers because I do know it was not just financial but also to have a release of a political prisoner that was convicted here in the United States for 86 years for conspiring with the enemy. So, I don't know those deliberations between the White House and the Muellers, but there were some negotiations that were going on through the Muellers.

TAPPER: Do you know the name of this prisoner?

GOSAR: Yes. I believe this is the lady that Shaikh Mohammed used as a financier and courier. I want I'm very good at Arabic, but it's Adafi Siddiqui (ph).

TAPPER: OK.

GOSAR: She's imprisoned in a federal prison in Dallas, Texas, or in Texas somewhere.

TAPPER: ISIS sent proof to the Muellers that their daughter had been killed, a photograph might indicate how she died. Obviously, ISIS is responsible for her death. They kidnapped her. They were holding her captive.

Do you think it matters to the family whether she was murdered directly at the hands of ISIS or in an air strike accidentally?

GOSAR: I don't know, Jake. But I know that the family made a press statement basically holding them accountable for kidnapping. They should have let her go.

Here is a young lady that was all about humanitarian efforts. You know, she actually went into Syria to extricate people who could not get care on the Turkish side where she was working. So, they -- this is the worst of humanity taking advantage and they should be responsible for this young lady's death regardless of how it happened.

TAPPER: They're obviously loathsome and the people they've killed are the most innocent and people trying to make the world a better place. I believe that you sent some of your staff to try to save her. They went to Turkey?

GOSAR: They did. My chief of staff in December of 2013 had an opportunity to go to southern Turkey, so we sent him with the opportunity of maybe going to a refugee camp which he did on the other side of Kobani. And all of those attempts did not work as well.

We also reached out to friends who have family in the Syrian area. But because of the way that ISIS had destroyed Syria, they had no ability as well, Jake. So, there were very, very few assets to help us in trying to get Ms. Kayla back.

TAPPER: Congressman Paul Gosar, thank you so much. If you do talk to the family, please let them know that there are so many of us who are sending our thoughts and prayers to them today.

GOSAR: I appreciate it and think of Kayla as well. What a wonderful young lady, giving the very, very best humanitarian effort around the world.

TAPPER: Thank you so much, sir. GOSAR: Thanks, Jake.

TAPPER: We have to take a very quick break. When we come back, new details on ISIS terrorists' plans to kidnap more Westerners. A how-to guide for ISIS wannabes to sneak into Syria has emerged. All of that, next.

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