Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

New York City Car Bomb Suspect in Custody; President Obama Makes Remarks on Attempted Bombing; Dow Sells Off

Aired May 04, 2010 - 11:00   ET

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

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Live from Studio 7 at CNN world headquarters, the big stories for Tuesday, May 4th.

An American citizen goes to court three hours from now. He is accused of trying to blow up a car bomb in New York's Times Square.

Parts of downtown Nashville under siege by floodwaters this morning. The city waits for the Cumberland River to retreat.

Also this --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When you've been in the workforce for about 25 years, in industry, and seven years teaching at a university before that, you know, my -- you know, my generational lifetime was spent working, coming home.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So it's a shift. And change is not easy. And as you get older, as you know --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's harder.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- change is harder.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Jobless Americans tune in. The president touts the economic comeback this hour, but where are the jobs?

Good morning, everyone. I'm Tony Harris.

Those stories and your comments right here, right now in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Just last hour, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg had his first public comments on an arrest that happened. Here is a little of what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG (I), NEW YORK: This is not the first time that members of this firehouse have put themes in harm's way to protect us from a terrorist attack. I told you what they did on 9/11, and they stand ready no matter what the emergency is to go into danger when the rest of us react to our normal reactions and run away from danger.

The losses this firehouse has suffered have only strengthened the resolve of its members to protect our city and its residents. Their bravery was on display again this past Saturday, and I think we all owe them a great debt of gratitude for demonstrating the extraordinary judgment that helped keep the public safe.

In addition to the NYPD and the FDNY, I also would like to express my thanks to the Office of Emergency Management and the Department of Environmental Protection for their work and cooperation in this matter. Two nights ago, as many of you reported, I had dinner with Officer Rhatigan and the NYPD Mounted Unit. He did not bring along his horse.

And today I wanted to give a special thanks to Lance Orton, who is with us today.

(APPLAUSE)

As you know, Lance is the person who first alerted us to a suspicious vehicle in Times Square. He was one of the vendors that sell merchandise there.

Lance, you should know, served his country before -- once before in the Vietnam War. And today he is looking out for his fellow Americans and fellow New Yorkers.

He did exactly what I keep saying every New Yorker should do. He saw something and he said something. And his actions, along with the actions of our first responders, helped keep everyone safe.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: OK. The New York car bomb investigation.

President Obama with live remarks shortly on the arrest of suspect Faisal Shahzad. The 30-year-old U.S. citizen from Pakistan set to appear in court this afternoon.

CNN's Jason Carroll is outside the federal courthouse in lower Manhattan.

And Jason, first of all, great news that the authorities have a suspect in custody. Give us a little more guidance on when Mr. Shahzad will be in court today.

JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Tony, what we're hearing is that that initial appearance with Shahzad should take place sometime around 2:00, and that will take place in front of U.S. District Court Judge Kevin Fox. Now, apparently, what will happen during this initial appearance, some of the charges will be read. The judge will decide whether or not the suspect will be granted bail. It does not seem likely given the seriousness of this crime. You know, much has been said, Tony, about the charges that Shahzad might be facing. There are a host of charges that he could be looking at down the line. Charges such as attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction, attempted murder, possession of an explosive device. Here's another one, interstate transportation of an explosive device.

But what you want to look for when these charges are read is, will he be charged with conspiracy? Because that will indicate that there is more than one person involved in this particular crime.

So those are some of the parameters that we're going to be looking at when this proceeding gets under way just at about 2:00 this afternoon.

HARRIS: And Jason, if you would, help us with this -- what was the key breakthrough that led investigators to Faisal Shahzad?

CARROLL: Well, I think there were a lot of people who were looking at this particular case and saying you've got to point to that Nissan Pathfinder that was found in Times Square, thanks to that good Samaritan out there who spotted it, saw something suspicious, and reported it, as you heard New York city's mayor talk about that. That was a key piece of evidence, because they were able to take that vehicle and trace it back to the seller.

The seller then could confirm with investigators who it was sold to. And through that, that helps you get the ball rolling in terms of linking this crime to this person, Shahzad. So, without question, that Nissan Pathfinder, key to the investigation, an investigation that clearly is still under way.

HARRIS: Oh, yes. Absolutely.

All right. CNN's Jason Carroll for us.

Jason, good to see you. Thank you.

We will hear from New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly about the arrest in the Times Square bombing attempt. He is scheduled to speak at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time. That's 10:00 a.m. Pacific. Live coverage for you, right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Turning to other big stories.

Emergency crews are afraid they will find more bodies as the water recedes in Nashville, Tennessee. The Cumberland River crested last night, and water levels are falling now, but very slowly. There are at least 27 deaths across the Southeast, 18 of them in Tennessee.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I've seen a lot of devastation. My home isn't a year old yet. And this is very upsetting for me. I've lost a couple of antique Corvettes, and other people have just lost a lot. (END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: I've got to tell you, the flood turned the president of Nashville University into a hero. We will hear his story just ahead here in the NEWSROOM.

A couple of thing to put on your radar.

President Obama is about to discuss the economy with business leaders at the Park Hyatt Hotel in Georgetown. We also expect him to talk about last night's arrest in the Times Square bomb investigation. He is scheduled to begin speaking shortly. My understanding is that we should be seeing him -- there he is -- entering the room.

As soon as he begins his remarks -- well, let's take you to the president.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Thank you very much.

Please have a seat. Thank you so much.

Ron, thank you for the introduction and your leadership.

Before I begin, I hope you don't mind, I indicated to Jim Mullen (ph) that I want to give the American people a brief update on the investigation into the attempted terrorist attack in Times Square.

A suspect is now in custody and is being questioned. The American people can be assured that the FBI and their partners in this process have all the tools and experience they need to learn everything we can, and that includes what, if any, connection this individual has to terrorist groups. And it includes collecting critical intelligence as we work to disrupt any future attacks.

Justice will be done, and we will continue to do everything in our power to protect the American people. Attorney General Eric Holder and other members of my national security team are going to be providing more details, but let me say this -- this incident is another sobering reminder of the times in which we live.

Around the world and here at home, there are those who would attack our citizens and who would slaughter innocent men, women and children in pursuit of their murderous agenda. They will stop at nothing to kill and disrupt our way of life. But once again, an attempted attack has been failed.

It has failed because ordinary citizens were vigilant and reported suspicious activity to the authorities. It failed because these authorities, local, state and federal, acted quickly and did what they're trained to do.

I've had the opportunity to personally thank some of the citizens and law enforcement officers whose quick thinking may have saved hundreds of lives. And this suspect has been apprehended because of close and effective coordination at every level, including our Joint Terrorism Task Force and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Finally, New Yorkers have reminds us once again of how to live with their heads held high. We know the aim of those who try to carry out those attacks is to force us to live in fear, ,and thereby amplifying the effects of their attacks, even those that fail. But as Americans and as a nation, we will not be terrorized.

We will not cower in fear. We will not be intimidated. We will be vigilant and we will work together, and we will protect and defend the country we love to ensure a safe and prosperous future for our people. That's what I intend to do as president and that's what we will do as a nation.

Of course, expanding prosperity is what you work for at the Business Council. So I'm pleased to have this opportunity to meet with you. It has been a little more than a year since I last spoke to the members of this organization, and over the past year I've appreciated the advice offered by many of the leaders in this room as we grappled with a set of very difficult economic challenges.

I am here today to reiterate the importance of this partnership and the importance of seeking common ground. I recognize we're not going to agree on every single item, but as I indicated to a group of your members last night, my door is always open, for, ultimately, I believe the success of the American economy depends not on the efforts of government, but on the innovation and enterprise of America's businesses. And it will be America's businesses that help us emerge from this period of economic crisis and economic turmoil.

Now, the fact is, these have been a tough two years for our country. I don't need to tell you that. At the height of the recession, countless businesses had to shut their doors, trillions of dollars in savings were lost, forcing seniors to postpone retirement and young people to forego college, entrepreneurs to give up on starting up a company. Many businesses that remained standing had to let people go, and some of you had to make some painful decisions. And more than eight million men and women lost their jobs during the course of the downturn.

Just about every day I hear from some of these people, people who are out of work. I hear from them through letters that I receive each night, or in town halls that I've held across America. Every once in a while I hear from children seeking to make sense of what's happening with their families, the sadness and uncertainty that they don't fully understand.

And it's a reminder that what has happened is not just an economic problem. It is a human tragedy.

It's for this reason that my administration has maintained a relentless focus on reviving the economy and job growth. And in order to deal with this crisis, we've had to make a number of difficult decisions, some of which are very unpopular. But as many of you have reported, today we're beginning to see some hopeful signs.

When I last spoke to members of the Business Council, soon after taking office, the economy was losing an average of 750,000 jobs each month. Today, America is adding jobs again. Many of the businesses in this room have resumed hiring, which is welcomed news.

Last year, the economy was in free fall. Today, the economy is growing again. In fact, we've seen the fastest turnaround in growth in nearly three decades. And while we had been seeing a steady decline in manufacturing, we learned yesterday that manufacturing expanded in April for the ninth consecutive month, and at the fastest pace in nearly six years.

Now, by no stretch of the imagination can we declare victory, not until the millions of our neighbors who are looking for work can find work.

HARRIS: OK. We're going to jump out of the president's remarks right now and remind you that you can find the president's comments streaming live right now at CNN.com. And as expected, the president making remarks about the arrest of a suspect in the attempt to set off a car bomb in Times Square.

The president also making comments about the economy before the Business Council in Washington on a day -- Jenny (ph), let's see the New York Stock Exchange. Let's take a look at the Big Board.

Not quite sure why this is happening, but we have a dramatic sell-off going on right now. The Dow down 244 points.

We're going to get on the horn with our business people and find out what is going on here in just a couple of minutes. We'll follow this story for you, a dramatic sell-off of stocks, the New York Stock Exchange. The Dow down 244 points.

Still to come, hundreds of people forced out of their homes and businesses in Nashville because of historic flooding. One university president actually got into a rowboat to make a rescue. We will talk to him in just a couple of minutes.

And Jacqui Jeras is tracking the forecast to see if there will be a time to clean out before the next round of storms. We'll talk to Jacqui soon.

You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Let's get some perspective not only on what the president is saying about jobs and the economy, but let's talk about the Dow and what's happening so far this morning.

Christine Romans of our Money Team, live from New York.

And Christine, let's start there, with what's happening with the stocks right now. And this is a pretty dramatic sell-off, isn't it?

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: It is. Twenty- eight out of 30 Dow components are all lower here. The momentum is all to the downside.

There's something that we monitor, this fear gauge called the VIX Index, which is at the highest since earlier this year, showing you that there's a little bit of fear and unease in the markets. And Tony, Greece is the word, and it's not John Travolta or Olivia Newton- John. It's this big bailout, $146 billion bailout of Greece.

Initially, people were saying, hey, this sounds great. I mean, Greece is going to get its house in order. But now there are some concerns about the politics of the whole thing.

So, you've got the euro down and the dollar up, and that means anything -- if the dollar gets stronger, anything that's related to sort of exporting and the like, can cost a little bit more money. So you've got the Dow down about two percent here.

HARRIS: Yes.

ROMANS: There's a lot of other things going on, too, Tony. I mean, stocks have been up for eight weeks solidly.

HARRIS: True. True.

ROMANS: So, for a few days, people have been saying, will it be the oil spill, will it be Greece? I mean, what is it that they're going to try to maybe pin their hats on that might be a reason to sell stocks? So that's what we're seeing, but it is a pretty vigorous sell-off, I would say.

HARRIS: Yes. But back to the Greece side of the story for a moment --

ROMANS: Sure.

HARRIS: -- what are the politics that we're talking about here? Is it concern that the Greek government won't move forward with the kind of austerity moves that are necessary to bring its house in order?

ROMANS: That's part of it, but mostly it's the feeling that of the 15 nations who were supposed to sign on to help this bailout, that maybe not all of them want to do exactly what they're supposed to do.

HARRIS: And maybe won't ante up?

ROMANS: Yes. And maybe not.

I mean, Germany is a big, big contributor. I think $40 billion of it is going to come from Germany. And they're on board for $40 billion over three years, but there's some questions about whether others -- I mean, they're going to work out sort of the details of this.

Look, stocks were up first on this, then they're down. We're going to hear more about -- and Greece -- Tony, let me put Greece in perspective. Greece is one-fifth the size of California. HARRIS: Right. Right.

ROMANS: I mean, so think of that. But the issue here is the contagion. And the way all of these countries have ties to each other with debt and exports and their economies, and concerns about that -- and I have to mention China, too, because there are signs that the Chinese government is trying to cool its economy, and that's causing some concern, too. China has been a very big engine for the global recovery, so you have some people saying China's slowing down. Will that mean the overall -- you know, how are they going to handle making sure we don't have inflation, but also slowing down their very strong growth?

So there are some tricky situations around the globe, and that's what's affecting your 401(k) right now.

HARRIS: OK. Christine, appreciate it. See you I think a little a later this hour, certainly next hour.

Thanks, Christine.

Hundreds of people are forced out of homes and businesses in Nashville because of historic flooding. One university president actually -- unbelievable -- got into a rowboat to make a rescue.

We will talk to him in just a couple of minutes.

You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Let's get you caught up now on top stories.

New York car bomb suspect Faisal Shahzad due in a federal court today. Federal agents arrested him on a flight departing JFK airport for the Middle East. The 30-year-old man is a naturalized American citizen from Pakistan.

Favorable winds holding the Gulf of Mexico oil slick off shore today. The long-term path of the oil is still uncertain. The good weather is giving crews time to lay booms and take other preventative steps.

And a report finds there was no intent by a Philadelphia area school district to spy on students. Educators were able to take digital images of students' cameras on school-issued laptops. The report, prepared by a law firm, hired by the school district, found the policy was intended to reduce computer theft.

In middle Tennessee, heartbreaking scenes as record-breaking floodwaters start to recede. We will get the latest on the death toll and the damage.

We're back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) HARRIS: Boy, got to tell you, we are talking about a slow and difficult recovery right ahead for storm-ravaged parts of the Southeast. The death toll from weekend storms now at least 27 in three states. Eighteen of those deaths in Tennessee. Nashville is taking a heavy hit.

Let's take a look at this video here from one of our iReporters, Kris Caldwell, who lives in Nashville. The road looks like a waterfall here.

Boy, I'm trying to take a look that the and get the details. Wow! Look at that. That is fast-moving. The bloated Cumberland River which flows through the heart of downtown Nashville crested, right, Jacqui?

JACQUI JERAS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, it crested at 6:00 p.m. yesterday.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HARRIS: Federal agents looking for bomb clues at a home in Connecticut. CNN live from the scene in Bridgeport.

We're back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: OK. The Times Square car bomb case. Here's what we know right now.

A suspect is due in federal court in New York after 2:00 Eastern Time today. Faisal Shahzad, 30 years old and a naturalized American citizen from Pakistan., is said to be married with two small children. Federal agents tracked the SUV to its previous owner in Bridgeport, Connecticut. It was listed for sale on Web sites and sold for $1,800 cash.

Federal agents pulled Shahzad from a flight at JFK that was departing for Dubai. Officials say he planned to travel on to Pakistan, where he still has family.

Right now, authorities are searching a home in Bridgeport, Connecticut, in connection with the failed bomb attempt.

CNN's Mary Snow joining us now from the scene with the very latest.

And Mary, what are you learning about the suspect?

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Tony, this is the last known address for Faisal Shahzad, but here's the picture that we're being able to piece together so far.

The neighbors here in Bridgeport really don't know him. They say they saw a man walking around exchanging pleasantries, but we're getting a clearer picture of his life from a town not far from here in Shelton, Connecticut. And this is where he had lived.

We were able to obtain court documents that showed that he bought a home in 2004 with his wife in Shelton, Connecticut, and that foreclosure proceedings began in December of 2009 on that home. And they apparently owed more than $200,000 on that house.

Now, what we've been able to piece together from some of the neighbors in Shelton, one neighbor specifically told us that she -- the family was Shahzad, his wife and two small children and perhaps two sisters of the wife who lived in that home. This neighbor says that she remembers the wife and children leaving the home in July of last year, but that she believes that the husband, Shahzad, had left earlier than that. She's not sure where he was at that time. She's not 100 percent clear where the wife and children moved to, but she last saw them in July of last summer.

And some other neighbors are saying, you know, that they actually saw the couple entertain in their backyard on weekends. Nothing notable to speak of. So those are some of the pieces we've been able to put together so far on who this man is.

HARRIS: Yes.

SNOW: And obviously, they were facing financial difficulties.

HARRIS: Yes, OK, more details filling out the picture in the frame there on the suspect.

Mary Snow for us. Mary, appreciate it, thank you.

I've got to tell you, we are hearing from you about the New York terror arrest. Josh Levs is tracking that part of the story for us. And, Josh, what kind of comments are we getting?

JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, Tony, when I take a look at this, what I'm really doing is really using these as an example to show you what is going on in American, what people are saying, what people are feeling.

First thing I want to do is show you an iReport we've received from one of many people out there who question whether this truly was a thwarted terror attempt. They think perhaps maybe this was something that was set up to test how authorities would respond.

Let's look at this one, this is what one iReporter is saying.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN ASSELIN, IREPORTER: So this was a failed terrorist attack or this was a test? I believe residents should be on high alert. I think they're collecting information is what they were doing. They wanted to see where we would evacuate to, what police would do, what people would do.

(END VIDEO CLIP) LEVS: I'm going to emphasize as we look at that that authorities were saying that it was indeed a thwarted terror attempt, that it was stopped and that we're getting a lot of responses from people thanking the authorities out there.

I also want to show you another iReport from a man who is south Asian, one of our frequent iReporters. He talks about how this could lead to more racial profiling and in his case, he thinks some of that would make sense. Take a look at what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JIMMY DEOL, IREPORTER: In the back of your mind you know that now people question. They have the right to question more than ever before as to what your intensions are, and that is a tragedy now that will continue to mount with no end in sight and that's a shame.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEVS: He told us that he was horrified when he saw the image of the suspect in this case.

We also have for you now a video of a woman -- taken by a woman who was at Times Square during this whole incident and while we look at this, I just want you to know a little about her story.

Her name is Jennifer, Tony. She is eight months pregnant, and you can see right there. She is basically is saying that now wherever she goes she's a little more concerned. And she's talking about how she just doesn't -- she's realizing she could have been hurt really badly, could have potentially been killed and everywhere she goes she's thinking more and more about her own security right there.

So, Tony, that's a little glimpse of what we're getting from our iReports, and I want to switch to the web here for a second on this screen behind me because I want everyone to know every single piece of information that we get about this case we're sharing with you -- the latest on the suspect, the latest on the whereabouts. Also, the latest about anything we known about this state of the investigation, what authorities are looking for, what they still need to know.

So all that's coming up on CNN.com. You can certainly keep an eye on that throughout the day and, Tony, everything that we get will be updated immediately online.

HARRIS: Good stuff. All right, Josh, appreciate it. Thank you.

LEVS: Thank you, guys.

HARRIS: Hundreds of people are forced out of homes and businesses in Nashville because of historic flooding. We are going to talk with a university president who actually rescued a colleague.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Let's do this. Let's walk the steady cam in for just a moment and take a look at this first monitor here at some of the devastating flooding conditions. We're talking about neighborhoods now. Homes, you can imagine basements, first floors flooded in Tennessee. Look at these pictures, that's how devastating the flooding in Tennessee has been.

Let's move over to the next monitor here and you'll see -- we're talking about historic flooding, of course, right? And some of the counties that have received the most water here. It's just a horrific situation right now and we are starting to get some amazing stories really starting to emerge now from this devastating flooding, right?

The president of Tennessee State University, his name is Melvin Johnson, he is being hailed a hero right now. He helped rescue a faculty member and he joins us now from Nashville to talk about what happened. And it is good to see you, sir. Thanks for your time.

MELVIN JOHNSON, PRESIDENT, TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY: Well, thank you so much, Tony.

And I would certainly like to say that our hearts go out for the individuals and their families who have lost their lives in this tragedy, but I also want to assure the parents of the students at Tennessee State University that all is safe and we've got their best interests at heart.

HARRIS: Well, Melvin, you mentioned that all is safe right now. As we continue this conversation, I want to show everyone some of the flooding on your campus right now. If you would -- and some of the pictures are up right now, if you would, talk to us about conditions on campus right now.

JOHNSON: Well, conditions, as you can well imagine are pretty soggy at this point. The farm area where the faculty member was stranded is still flooded. The campus is right at the -- on the shores of the Cumberland River and of course, when it rose to its crest we got so much water that it just came in so quickly and that's what happened.

HARRIS: Yes, talk us to about the rescue you were involved in. You actually helped to save a faculty member.

JOHNSON: Right, but I don't want to suggest that this rescue was done by one person. It was our emergency response plan coming together that notified us of this incident. And I can't tell you enough how proud I am of our graduate student Quentin Pucket (ph) who actually went out on the boat with me.

And we were able to bring this faculty member, Dr. Richard Browning (ph), back to shore and get him stabilized. He was suffering from hypothermia as was the report from the hospital. So we got him to the hospital, and they were able to prevent shock, and that was the greatest threat.

HARRIS: If you would, would you paint a wider picture for us of the impact of this historic flooding on the greater Nashville area? JOHNSON: Well, I've listened to the reports and have seen very definite, quick actions by all of the emergency responders. The mayor and the governor have done just an excellent job in terms of communications and in terms of the crews getting out.

But this -- this tragedy was so widespread that we couldn't wait on the emergency response teams to our campus. And of course, I have boating experience, experience in the United States Air Force. And you attempt to assess, you attempt to look at the resources available and then you attempt to act.

So I just want to let you know that I'm proud of the campus police and another individual who tried to reach Dr. Browning, Mr. Mossel Biers (ph), another one of the staff members on the campus, came together and prevented another loss of life.

HARRIS: Are you mostly open for business right now?

JOHNSON: Oh, absolutely. We had some delay on Monday as far as our final exams are concerned.

HARRIS: Yes.

JOHNSON: I'm sure many of the student were happy about that.

HARRIS: Appreciated that, yes.

JOHNSON: I want them to know that they're just postponed and we will take care of that on Friday.

HARRIS: President Johnson, we appreciate your time and well done. It sounds like you're managing through a very, very difficult situation. Appreciate your time.

JOHNSON: Well, thank you so much for everything. Thanks, Tony.

HARRIS: It's our pleasure. Appreciate it.

Let's do this, let's get you caught up top stories right now.

A man accused of driving a car bomb into New York's Times Square is due in federal court in Manhattan today. Faisal Shahzad was arrested at JFK airport overnight, he was heading to Dubai. The 30- year-old is a naturalized U.S. citizen born in Pakistan.

Iran announcing plans to conduct another military exercise in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman. This follows last month's test of five new types of missiles and some backtracking coming today from Japan's prime minister. He said it would be difficult to move a U.S. military base off Okinawa, his message enraging islanders.

One suspect in custody, are agents onto more? The latest on the New York car bomb case straight ahead. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) HARRIS: We've got to tell you, our National Desk is working hard getting you the latest information on the Times Square car bomb suspect. Here's what we're learning and it is brand new information. And this is information that we're learning from a federal law enforcement source who has been briefed on the investigation into the suspect Faisal Shahzad.

We are learning that a 9-millimeter gun with additional clips and ammo were found in a white Isuzu vehicle at JFK airport. This is believed to be the vehicle Faisal Shahzad drove to the airport.

Sources are also telling us that 15 bags of standard green fertilizer were found in the trash outside of Faisal Shahzad's Shelton, Connecticut apartment. Also, flash powder was also found in the trash. We're also learning that roommates are being interviewed right now.

That is all additional information, new information coming to us in the CNN NEWSROOM. We will keep you posted on this and of course, pass along new information as soon as we get it.

If he did what he is accused of doing, we're talking about Faisal Shahzad, the question is did he act alone? CNN special investigations unit correspondent Drew Griffin earlier today in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN SPECIAL INVESTIGATION UNIT CORRESPONDENT: Police don't believe anybody. They're not going to believe this guy when he says they acted alone. They're going to want proof of this.

Eric Holder, in his brief speech overnight, kind of alluded to the fact that this investigation is not over. He didn't say this is a one and done, we got the guy, thank you very much. They are actively pursuing other people, whether they know who those people are or they don't.

They want to make sure that they button this up so they'll be looking to find out if, in fact, anybody was with him when he bought any of this material. If, in fact, anybody saw him getting help loading in the gun case, for instance, this huge 70-pound gun case into that car.

Police do say and law enforcement officials do say, he did buy the car. He himself bought the car and he himself drove it into Times Square. So we know at least at those two points he was acting alone at that point.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: OK, and we promise you the very latest information as soon as we get it in the CNN NEWSROOM on the Times Square car bomb suspect. So let me share with you again, we're learning from a federal law enforcement source that a 9-millimeter gun and additional clips of ammo were found in a white Isuzu vehicle at JFK airport and this is the vehicle that authorities believe Faisal Shahzad drove to the airport.

We are also learning that 15 bags of standard green fertilizer were found in a trashcan just outside of Faisal Shahzad's Shelton, Connecticut, apartment. Flash powder also found in the trash and roommates right now are being interviewed.

I should also remind you that we will hear from New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly about this arrest on the Times Square bombing attack. He is scheduled to speak at 1:00 p.m. Eastern time, that is 10:00 a.m. Pacific. Live coverage for you right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

And part of the New York bomb investigation is actually unfolding in Pakistan. Our correspondent there is doing some digging.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Very quickly now, let's get to Jason Carroll in lower Manhattan.

And, Jason, if you would, share with everyone the information, new information that we're learning about the suspect. I believe it's pretty much what I've been sharing with viewers, you may have a little bit more.

CARROLL: Right, that's correct. Federal law enforcement source telling CNN that the vehicle that was believed to be used by Shahzad to take to the airport, a white Isuzu Trooper, contained a 9- millimeter weapon. Also, additional clips and ammo found in that particular vehicle at JFK.

Of course, this all in part of the investigation that is ongoing into Shahzad at his home in Shelton, Connecticut. We're also hear that 15 bags, again, 15 bags of standard green fertilizer also found at his home there in Connecticut. In addition to that, flash powder also found there. This is a substance that is used at times to make a small explosive device like firecrackers and devices such as this also found in the trashcan at his home in Connecticut.

All this being taken into account as we await here for his initial appearance to begin sometime at around 2:00. So at this particular time, when we hear some of these charges that are read, we hear about some of these possible weapons charges that are read as he makes his initial court appearance sometime again, Tony, around 2:00.

HARRIS: OK. And, Jason, I should add in the 1:00 p.m. hour we're going to hear from Police Commissioner Ray Kelly and the U.S. attorney general, Eric Holder, will participate in that news conference as well.

Jason Carroll for us. Jason, thank you.

We are digging for more information on the New York bomb suspect. A conversation with a terrorism expert next hour about which extremist groups the suspect might be tied to and which terror networks might be recruiting in the United States. Plus, widespread flooding in Tennessee seriously impacting truckers. Flooded big rigs can't deliver goods to your stores in your neighborhoods. The impact and much more coming your way in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: I want get back to Jacqui Jeras here in the Weather Center.

(WEATHER REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)