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From Boston Bomb Suspect to Witness; Tornado Damage Tops $2 Billion; Weiner Running for Mayor of New York

Aired May 23, 2013 - 10:30   ET

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

AMINA CHAUDARY, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, "THE ISLAMIC MONTHLY" (via telephone): But after we interviewed him, we learned that this was not necessarily true. He explained the story that once he landed on the street, covered in blood from himself and other people around him, he got up and he started walking as everyone else is trying to get out of the area.

He went to a police officer. I need help, where do I go? The police officer directed him to where all the other ambulances were and he then started walking there, a runner or a bystander saw him and offered to help him. And he understands this as, you know, an act of good Samaritan, you know, they are trying to help him out.

By the time he got to the ambulance, though, there were three other police officers that jumped on the ambulance with him. And then that's how everything else --

(CROSSTALK)

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: OK, so then, you know, he's injured, he's in the ambulance, they take him to the hospital. He's lying in his hospital bed and you write, "Alharbi tells you about his hospital experience saying in part quote, 'All the police officers and all the FBI and all the nurses and all the doctors were staring at me. I was looking at them like, is it because of the color of my skin or is it because of the name of my country?'"

CHAUDARY: Right.

COSTELLO: And what happened next? What did they say to him as he's lying in his hospital bed?

CHAUDARY: Right. I mean I think this really points to two important aspects, right? So the first is racial profiling. I mean, unless there were three other police officers that jumped on the ambulance with every other victim that went to the hospital then this is a case of racial profiling.

Fine, it's happening in America. It's likely going to continue to happen. Addressing racial profiling is a larger issue.

The other point is that, you know, the bombing happened at 2:50 p.m. By 4:28 p.m., a new report had come out, citing authorities saying that there was a Saudi suspect in custody. So there's two problems to this -- the first being that he was labeled a Saudi; and the second, that he was labeled a suspect.

And you know, the bigger issue is really what happened, how was his name released, how was -- you know, his address released and why was this one description, within an hour and a half of the bombing taking place, mentioned to the media?

(CROSSTALK)

COSTELLO: Because from what I remember, he was never considered a suspect. He was just a suspicious person.

CHAUDARY: Right, right. Right well, you know, again, we've contacted the FBI and we wanted to know, and I think this would really help. I mean facts are still coming out with regards to the bombing. And -- and that's fine. This will take some time to fully understand. But we wanted to know from the FBI, well, what was his official status? Was he ever officially detained? Was he in custody? Was he, you know, a person of question? Was he ever labeled by the FBI as a suspect? And we just don't have the answers to that.

But, you know, the Homeland Security, during a congressional hearing, you know, said that he was never really a person of interest. On top of which, you know he was just someone that was at the wrong place, the wrong time.

(CROSSTALK)

COSTELLO: OK so -- so tell me -- tell me where he is now. Like, is he back in Saudi Arabia? Is he still in the United States? Is he still --

CHAUDARY: No, he was not deported. You know, that's another story that's come out from -- from the media. And so he's not deported. And again, we don't know. Investigations are still happening with the FBI, the entire bombing, in the entire bombing situation.

But the biggest question really here is, he's here, he's in Boston, he's trying to resume his normal life. That's not possible, though, because after he was discharged, he couldn't go back to his house since the full address was revealed. The names of his roommates were revealed. He changed the way that he looks in public, especially given that his photos from Facebook were literally all over.

His full name is all over the media. And so he's -- he's trying to pick up his -- his -- his life, you know, make it back to normal. So he doesn't know, though, what he'll continue doing in America, but the bigger question and the one that we're hoping to get answers to is where did -- where was the fault? I mean, we know for a fact that if you were to thrown certain descriptors into the lion's den of media, certain conversations are going to ensue from that.

COSTELLO: Right.

CHAUDARY: So was it necessary to mention that he was Saudi? I'm not sure. And the bigger takeaway from this you know whatever emerges from the FBI investigation after this, the biggest takeaway is that the moral of the story doesn't change. And that's being that he cooperated with the FBI. I think anybody would, not just, you know, because if they know themselves to be innocent, they're going to want to cooperate with the FBI.

But on top of that, you know I mean we all are trying to protect this country, we love this country, we want to get back to this country. But he doesn't blame the FBI.

COSTELLO: Right, right.

CHAUDARY: But why was his name released and where does that fault happen?

COSTELLO: Well, our best to him and thanks to you for sharing his story. Amina Chaudary, editor in chief of "Islamic Monthly" magazine. Thank you so much. Just ahead in the NEWSROOM --

(CROSSTALK)

CHAUDARY: Thank you.

COSTELLO: -- you're welcome.

Just ahead in the NEWSROOM nearly 13,000 homes damaged or destroyed in Moore, Oklahoma. Rebuilding costs could top $2 billion and the State Insurance Commissioner says that figure could go higher.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back and good morning to you once again. I'm Brooke Baldwin with special coverage here in Moore, Oklahoma of, as you can see, just the sheer devastation and damage from Monday's EF-5 tornado.

I can tell you now that the rain has picked up again. We've been seeing severe storms here in Moore throughout the course of the morning which just adds another layer of difficulty for people who are coming out, to try to find you know bits and pieces from their homes. Like let me just show you quickly here, beyond the radar, this one picture that this homeowner found in his backyard. Not his child, not anyone in his family, it says, "To daddy, Tara and Matthew at six months."

So first it's the mementos and next it's the rebuilding. And according to folks out here, somewhere between 12,000 and 13,000 homes were either damaged or totally destroyed. And one of the questions we asked John Doak this morning, he's the Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner, is just what these families have to go through, the steps they take to rebuild. Here's what he told me.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: We talked first, just in terms of the sheer numbers. I'm seeing somewhere between 12,000 to 13,000 homes either damaged or destroyed. JOHN DOAK, OKLAHOMA INSURANCE COMMISSIONER: Those are the numbers that we're hearing as well. But those are yet to be totally confirmed by EMS the emergency management groups, Albert Ashworth's group. But we're seeing just yesterday alone, we know that at the Insurance Checkpoint Demand Center, that they process opened 4,000 claims yesterday alone.

BALDWIN: Are you a native Okie?

DOAK: I am. I am.

BALDWIN: You are a native Okie.

DOAK: I'm from -- I'm born and raised here in Oklahoma and this is not the first time we've been through this.

BALDWIN: This is not the first time. Help people understand, who are not from Oklahoma, the process that these people, these families have to go through. Their homes are gone or destroyed and they have to file these claims.

DOAK: Right. Well, it's, you know, it's a very simple process. We've got it down to a science here.

BALDWIN: Do you?

DOAK: We've had in the last couple of years, we've had the first ever national tornado summit here in Oklahoma City.

BALDWIN: Two months ago, right?

DOAK: Yes two months ago we partnered with Emergency Management, the National Association of Insurance Commission has helped sponsor this. But it was -- it continues to help us learn best practices about how to prepare for tornadoes and major catastrophes like this.

BALDWIN: But what about not even preparation? I mean obviously, look, where we're standing around the muck and the mud and the debris. So once someone loses their home, what is -- what is priority number one for them?

DOAK: Right priority number one is take care of the person and make sure they're OK, get medication, get them put back together, you know the mind, spirit, body. Make sure that they're OK, if they've lost a loved one, but those priorities are the first, take care of the person.

The second is you can replace the homes and the cars. You can't replace the children. So you take care -- the property exposures are secondary. So now the insurance industry is starting to step up. Search and rescue looks to be over.

And now the insurance companies are lined up. They've come in from all over the world. They're stationed at Moore First Baptist Church. And the first thing we want to do is make sure that Oklahomans are getting additional living space checks, they're able to get a hotel room, get clothes, start to get their life back together and then to sit down and go through a claims process, which is sometimes a very thoughtful process to understand the contract language.

But again, the insurance industry is here. They're stepping up and they are doing the right thing.

BALDWIN: So let's just say I live in this neighborhood.

DOAK: Right.

BALDWIN: And my house, gone.

DOAK: Gone.

BALDWIN: And I have insurance.

DOAK: Correct.

BALDWIN: Are you going to rebuild my house, no cost to me?

DOAK: The options are solely to the consumer. They have an option to rebuild or potentially relocate. They may want to go to another neighborhood -- we think that most people will rebuild in this area.

BALDWIN: Everyone I've talked to wants to rebuild.

DOAK: They are very committed to the area. So yes, they're going to go to begin to select a contractor and work with their insurance company. Again, get those additional living expenses up front right now where they can get clothes, and get their lives back to order, get kids in school and then they begin the process of rebuilding their homes, because the insurance companies have all the data on their homes. They don't have to show up with a policy. It's all in electronic databases.

So they're going to make it -- try to make it as easy as possible. But, again, they're going to walk through the consumer with specific limits on their policies.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: And that was John Doak who joined me earlier here, Oklahoma's Insurance Commissioner. We want to take a quick break, but as we do so, I want to just show you some pictures of these homes behind me, the homes absolutely leveled And look at this, a child's play kitchen, a stroller, the "x." Many, many people going through, looking for bodies, dead or alive. These are the pictures throughout Moore, Oklahoma and the surrounding region. It's tough to look at. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: At 45 minutes past the hour, time to check our top stories.

A 37-year-old man is now in custody as part of an investigation into ricin-laced letters in Washington State. An indictment says Matthew Buquet threatened to injure and kill a federal judge. The letters were mailed to that judge in a Spokane post office last week.

In Los Angeles, voters elect the city's first Jewish mayor. Eric Garcetti will take the reins July 1st from Antonio Villaraigosa who could not run because of term limits. The 42-year-old Garcetti has promised to pull L.A. out of recession. He defeated the city comptroller, Wendy Greuel who would have been L.A.'s first female mayor.

The search resumes this morning in Minnesota for a fourth grader missing after a landslide. One child was killed, two others hurt Wednesday while at a field trip at a park. Recent heavy rains have hindered the search efforts.

And an 80-year-old Japanese man is now the oldest person ever to reach the summit of Mt. Everest. Yuichiro Miuri got to the top with his son at his side. It was his third trip to the top of the world. He also climbed Everest at age 70 and again at age 75.

Just ahead in the NEWSROOM, mud and misery. We'll take you back live to Moore, Oklahoma for the latest from the tornado zone.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Good morning and welcome back here. I'm Brooke Baldwin and you're watching special coverage of the tornado aftermath, the EF-5 tornado aftermath here in Moore, Oklahoma. It's just been under three days since that monstrous tornado hit Moore in the surrounding area of Oklahoma City. And folks that live here, they are just now facing the enormity of the challenges that lie ahead. I want you to listen to something. This is the Oklahoma City mayor just describing the scale of the tragedy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR MICK CORNETT, OKLAHOMA CITY: The numbers of this event are becoming even more staggering -- 33,000 people affected, 12,000 to 13,000 homes impacted, property damages, $1.5 to $2 billion. Obviously this is a significant event and it's one that's going to take us a while to address.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: And the numbers, you heard the mayor mentioning a few, they really reflect the heartbreak here. 24 people killed, ten of them children. And today, this heartbroken town steels itself for the funerals.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CORNETT: This is going to be a tough weekend for us as we bury those children who died in the elementary school and the rest of our citizens who fought from the storm and just couldn't evade the terror.

We have learned that President Obama will be traveling to Moore this coming Sunday to tour, certainly visit with the families, see the devastation here. Last night, the president vowed that the country will be with the residents' road to recovery each and every step of the way.

Much more from Moore, Oklahoma, coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: He's back. After two years on the sidelines, Anthony Weiner back in the political spotlight; the former congressman kicking off his bid this morning for New York City mayor. Jason Carroll joins us now. Did he draw a crowd?

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Oh, a huge crowd, huge crowd. And he's also drawing some huge headlines. I want you to take a look at what Weiner woke up to this morning. These are the types of headlines that Anthony Weiner does not want to see. Also, a bit of discouraging news coming in from New York's governor this morning -- Governor Cuomo told a group of editors when Cuomo was asked if the city should re- elect Weiner, Cuomo said, quote, "Shame on us if that happens."

But Weiner is moving ahead anyway. He kicked off his mayoral bid in Harlem just a few hours ago, meeting and greeting voters out there on the street. As you can see, Weiner answered questions and pushed his platform that he is the best candidate to support New York City's middle class.

There was a crush of media there, as this was the former congressman's first public event, since announcing his run for mayor. A poll conducted last week shows most New Yorkers don't want him to run. In fact, 49 percent saying he should not do it, versus 38 percent saying he should. He fared even worse, Carroll, among women voters. 52 percent polled saying they don't want to see him as mayor.

And so when I was out there this morning, I asked Weiner about that poll and how he hopes to rebuild the trust he lost after that sexting scandal.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTHONY WEINER, FORMER CONGRESSMAN, NEW YORK: Ultimately, this is day one or two of the campaign and one of the ways I do it is by seeing people, but, also, you know, I frankly, have been encouraged by how many people say they're prepared to give me a second chance and just listen to my ideas.

And look, there may be people who say they're not, and who they say they'll never vote for me. And I get that and I respect that and people have a right to have that view. But even for those people, I want them to hear about what I have to say.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARROLL: Well, Weiner posted a video declaring his run for mayor overnight on Tuesday. His wife, Huma, is in it. The two-minute shows is Weiner, the family man, while also - acknowledging his failures from the past.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) WEINER: Look, I made some big mistakes and I know I let a lot of people down, but I've also learned some tough lessons.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARROLL: So here's where we stand. Right now polling shows Weiner placing second in the eight-candidate field for mayor. He has raised nearly $5 million. So far, no major endorsements, not from any unions, not from the Clintons. You'll remember his wife worked for Hillary Clinton when he was secretary of state. Weiner definitely has his work cut out for him, Carol, the primary now less than four months away.

COSTELLO: So when do you think the New York tabloids will tire of Weiner jokes?

CARROLL: If you know anything about the New York tabloids, I don't think they're ever going to get tired of it. And that's one of the things that Weiner -- just one of the small things that Weiner is going to have to overcome. His major issue, it's trust. It's really rebuilding and getting the trust from the people that feel as though he abandoned them when he lied about that sexting scandal.

COSTELLO: All right. Jason Carroll, many thanks. And thank you for joining us today. I'm Carol Costello. "CNN NEWSROOM" continues after a short break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)