Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Big Tech Companies Want NSA Restrained; U.S., British Spies Infiltrate the Gaming World; Newtown Asks Media to Stay Away; Merrill Newman Released from North Korea

Aired December 09, 2013 - 13:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: They say it's gone too far. Now they want to put a stop to it. Some of the nation's largest technology companies have signed an open letter asking the Obama administration and Congress to rein in government surveillance.

For more, let's go out to San Francisco. CNN's Dan Simon is standing by with the latest.

Why did these technology companies write this letter right now?

DAN SIMON, CNN SILICON VALLEY CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, the most important thing for any company to have whether you're selling a product or providing a service is the trust of your customers. And clearly, these technology companies, the biggest ones on the planet, Facebook, Google, Apple, Microsoft, et cetera, are worried about a possible erosion of trust among its users after these NSA disclosures became public and Edward Snowden became a household name. They have called on the government and the president to show some leadership and provide restraint when it comes to surveillance and written this open letter. It reads in part, "The balance in many countries has tipped too far in favor of the state and away from the rights of the individual."

Wolf, this united and extraordinary show of support among these technology companies really shows that they are deeply concerned about users' privacy and about information becoming exposes, information that may include e-mails or text messages or contacts or the web sites that people serf. That is why they've written this letter.

BLITZER: In part, it could affect their bottom line, as well. That could be a motivating factor, right?

SIMON: No question about it. If people are fearful of using these services that could affect people going to these sites and that will cost these companies money.

Now, the official line from the U.S. intelligence authorities is that the average person has nothing to worry about, that they're really targeting foreign citizens here. But of course, Wolf, there be deep skepticism regarding that. The question now is whether this show of muscle by technology leaders will cause the president and Congress to do anything about it -- Wolf? BLITZER: Dan Simon with the latest on that.

Meanwhile, Edward Snowden's documents are also disclosing U.S. and British spies have infiltrated online gaming, specifically World of War Craft and Second Life.

Brian Todd is here with this part of the story.

What's going on?

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, apparently, according to these reports in "The Guardian" and "New York Times," "Pro Publica," they got documents from Edward Snowden for their information. They say that the NSA and its British counterpart, called the GCHQ, have undertaken a massive campaign in the last six years or so, since about 2006, to tap into people playing online games, called World of War Craft, Second Life and the Xbox Live Console. You and I don't play those games. Millions of other people do.

And the reason they're tapping into this stuff is that, according to those reports, they fear terrorists could use it to communicate secretly, to move money, to maybe even plot attacks. The reason for that is these video games have certain features that militant groups and criminal groups value, meaning the ability to create a fake identities, voice and text-chat capability, the ability for players to speak to each other in real time. Terrorist groups value those capabilities. They could go on there and create characters to communicate with each other and possibly plot attacks, Wolf. In some cases, real life spies from the NSA and British agency, according to the reports in "The Times" and "The Guardian" have created make- believe characters themselves to play in these games and interact with other game players to try to get information or try to recruit informers.

We contacted the NSA. They have no comment on these reports in "The Guardian" and at "New York Times." They sent us a statement saying, "The NSA's foreign intelligence mission is centered on valid foreign intelligence targets."

It comes back to the arguments the NSA not supposed to spy on Americans, especially Americans within the United States, but they can conduct some of this surveillance on game players now who may be overseas.

We also couldn't get comment yet -- we're working on it -- getting comment from the companies that make these games.

BLITZER: Is there any indication that a terrorist or terrorists or a terror network has been stymied or stopped or apprehended as a result of these gamers surveillance?

TODD: According to these reports, no indication yet these programs have caught terrorists. They have discovered, for instance, on the World of War Craft games there are accounts that are related to militant groups playing the games, meaning some people belonging to groups may be playing the games but not necessarily for nefarious purposes. Maybe for fun. That's about the extent to which they've discovered.

This is a massive program right now. To our knowledge, according to reports, not necessarily successful yet in catching terrorists.

BLITZER: All right. We learn something I guess every day, Brian.

TODD: Careful on those games.

BLITZER: Thanks very much.

It's a heartbreaking anniversary. We heard from Newtown victims' families just a few minutes ago. Town officials also spoke out today. We're going to hear from them. Our own Poppy Harlow is standing by.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: It's been nearly one year since 26 children and teachers were killed at the Sandy Hook Elementary School by a lone gunman. As you heard here just a few minutes ago, parents and others in Newtown, Connecticut, are speaking out right now, very emotionally about the coming anniversary.

Poppy Harlow has been tracking the story from New York.

Poppy, what are the issues coming up today for this community?

POPPY HARLOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, as you know, Wolf, we are just a few days before that one-year mark. Saturday, December 14th, that will mark one year since that absolutely tragic shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. So the families of a number of the victims who were killed on that day came out and gave a very short prepared statement. I want to highlight some of it. They said, "Of course, December 14th changed our lives forever." They thanked everyone for the outpouring of support that has come their way and talked about how each family is going through this differently in their own unique way and that the public needs to understand that. They also announced that they have started a website for those families, Mysandyhookfamily.org. They say it's a way for them to help one another to communicate, to being able to get through this in their open way. At the end of the statement, it was prepared, each family member came by and said that they will be lighting a candle for the loved one that they lost. And that really hit me. We weren't expecting that. And they described either their children or their sister or whomever they lost in their own way saying gorgeous or irrepressible or wonderful. You could feel it coming through the screen watching this.

I also want to tell you this follows a press conference held just two hours ago in Newtown, also by city officials. And the main message of this press conference was, we are doing this now to answer your questions because we really are pleading with the media to stay away from Newtown on Saturday, on that one-year mark, saying we need our own time to heal without the presence of all the media.

Here is what Pat Llodra, said. She's like the mayor of the town, the first selectman.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PATRICIA LLODRA, NEWTOWN FIRST SELECTMAN: We're trying to respect the world's interest in us and we've certainly benefited from that interest in many ways but we also have a real need for our community to gain its foothold a little bit, particularly around this very difficult time. So -- and we pay a price when the media is here because we're a small community. There's many of you and not so many of us. So we may pay that emotional and economic toll and really, we were hurt very badly last year, as you all know. We don't need to be reminded. We don't need to relive it. We live it every day. We carry it with us. We were fully aware you have our tragedy. We're trying to say please give us the chance to grow into that happy healthy place that loved children and families, that has great schools. We know who we are. We know that's our destiny but we need you to help us get there by please staying away.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: And, Wolf, I can tell you, as for CNN, we will be covering, obviously, that one-year mark, but we will not do it from Newtown. We will respect their wishes and not be there. This is clearly a day to be on their own as we're hearing from all of those members of the community there. But incredibly difficult to watch. The police chief also spoke and said they'll have extra law enforcement on hand this weekend. We also heard from the interim superintendent of the schools, who talked about the kids and how their grieving happens at different times. He said things occur at all different times. So they have a long way to go, but this community is certainly bulging together.

BLITZER: That was heart-breaking to hear the parents and loved ones speak of those who were killed one year ago.

Thanks, Poppy. Thanks very much.

This note to viewers. Don't miss Anderson Cooper's special report this Wednesday night honoring the children, "Newtown, One Year Later." It airs 10:00 p.m. eastern.

An 85-year-old American held inside the repressive regime of North Korea now free. I'll speak with former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson about Merrill Newman's ordeal.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: A power shift going on in North Korea right now. The once- powerful uncle of Kim Jung-Un has been removed from his post in the government, accused of trying to build their own power base and sell off the country's resources. This is the same man who helped Kim Jong-Un transition to power two years ago. Analysts say Kim's removal of his uncle indicates he's getting rid of the so-called old guard close to his father.

The other story we are following out of North Korea is the sudden release of Merrill Newman, the 85-year-old American veteran who was abruptly pulled off a plane as he was leaving North Korea and held for more than a month. He was unexpected released overnight Friday, made his way back to the United States.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MERRILL NEWMAN, U.S. VETERAN HELD IN NORTH KOREA: It's been a great, great homecoming. And I'm tired, but ready to be with my family now. And thank you all for your support.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: The Korean War veteran told "The Santa Cruz Sentinel" he was well fed while being held and he was kept in a hotel room, not a jail cell. He says he was comfortable if not even bored during his detention.

Joining us now on the phone is the former New Mexico governor, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Bill Richardson.

I was surprised. I don't know about you, governor, that he was released sort of unilaterally without you or former President Bill Clinton or Jimmy Carter or someone going there to bring him home. How unusual was this?

BILL RICHARDSON, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE U.N. & FORMER NEW MEXICO GOVERNOR (voice-over): It was unusual, very surprising that he was suddenly deported, that there was no requirement for a dialogue with a high-profile person. What is also interesting was that he was kept in a hotel, that he was not kept in a prison, which means that the North Koreans did not mean to keep him in prison very long, I think once he made his confession.

But it's very bizarre, the way the new leader, Kim Jong-Un, is handling these cases. As we both know, there's another American, Kenneth Bay, that is still in prison. One year, no requests for dialogue. In fact, an American envoy went out there, and the North Koreans said, go back, we're not ready to negotiate. So very inconsistent.

But it shows that the new young leader, Kim Jong-Un, is firmly in control. He's consolidating his power. He's purging the old guard and anybody that he thinks is going to be a challenge to him.

BLITZER: You know, what's really strange -- and I'm curious to get your thoughts, Governor, on this -- is that Dennis Rodman, the NBA star, the retired NBA star, he's heading back to North Korea to see his supposed good friend, Kim Jong-Un, at the end of this month. How does that fit into all of this weird stuff that's coming out of there?

RICHARDSON: Well, it shows -- I don't know if it's the immaturity of the new leader. It shows that he and Rodman have struck up a friendship. The problem is that Rodman doesn't use that friendship to help with Kenneth Bay, at least get him out. Maybe he will do that. But it shows that Kim Jong-Un is still not ready to meet anybody that has some substance, foreign policy background. He hasn't done that with the Chinese. He hasn't done it with South Koreans. Again, it shows that he is probably right now spending his time consolidating his power, and he's replaced various generals from the old guard, keeping control of the military, the Communist Party.

But what is so interesting is how publicly he humiliated his uncle in talking about his ouster, that they went out of their way to show that this was a very visible ouster. And I have never seen that done in North Korea before with his father. They ousted people, but it was done on a more quiet basis.

BLITZER: If Dennis Rodman leaves North Korea with Kenneth Bay, the American sentenced to a long term, a prison sentence for apparently doing some missionary work, supposedly, in North Korea, that would be encouraging to get the other American out. And Dennis Rodman would be praised if he were to leave together with Kenneth Bay, right?

RICHARDSON: That's right. And Rodman should concentrate on doing that. I don't think Rodman takes my advice very well, but that would be a big clue, to bring Kenneth Bay back. He's been there a year. He's in bad physical condition. His family is suffering. He should come home. And if Rodman can pull it off, that is great. But Rodman has not shown signs of being interested in Kenneth Bay. I hope that changes.

BLITZER: I think he did issue a statement early on, urging the North Koreans to release Kenneth Bay. Let's see what he does on the ground. We know he has a good relationship with Kim Jong-Un, the new leader, two years in power. If he can bring home Kenneth Bay, that would be excellent work for Dennis Rodman. He would be praised if he were to do so.

If you're watching, Dennis, make the effort, bring Kenneth Bay home.

Governor, thanks very much.

RICHARDSON: Thank you very much, Wolf.

BLITZER: Poets and presidents are among those remembering Nelson Mandela. Among them, Maya Angelou. She shares her thoughts and memories when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: The world is remembering the life and the achievements of Nelson Mandela. The famed poet Maya Angelou's words may be very, very touching to so many of our viewers. She sat down with our own Anderson Cooper to talk about her feelings on the passing of Nelson Mandela.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON COOPER, HOST, A.C. 360: Dr. Angelou, I watched the poem you wrote and recited in memory of President Mandela. One of the things you struck me is you referred to him as David, not just South Africa's David, out our David, and our Gideon.

MAYA ANGELOU, POET: The truth is we have many of us are Davids. A man, a woman, we can all be that particular person. Who has enough courage to stand up and say I am one. I have enough courage to dare to be a lover. Not an indulger, but somebody who dares to love. Now, that's what Nelson Mandela was about. He had enough courage to say I am -- you may call me. I am a person who dares to care for other human beings. And you see, one of the reasons I said this to you some time ago when I had the pleasure of speaking to you, Anderson Cooper. I like the fact you have enough courage to stand up. Courage is the most important of all the virtues. It's true. It's true. He was a courageous human being. And full of the idea that he was on a journey. And he had something to do. He had a place to be. And it's fabulous to realize that there's an old spiritual, old gospel song which is --

(SINGING)

ANGELOU: He was on a journey, and he knew it. And he had something to do. And this is what each of us has. If we have enough courage, we can say, I'm on a journey I have a charge to keep.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Nelson Mandela will be buried on Sunday, Sunday morning. Of course, we'll have live coverage.

That's it for me. Thanks very much for watching. See you back 5:00 p.m. eastern in "THE SITUATION ROOM."

NEWSROOM continues right now with Brooke Baldwin.