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Male Hostage Released Unhurt From Texas Synagogue, Three Hostages Perhaps Still Remain; Australian Court Hearing Novak Djokovic's Appeal Of Visa Revocation; Millions In U.S. In Path Of Severe Winter Weather. Aired 9-10p ET

Aired January 15, 2022 - 21:00   ET

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

[21:00:00]

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): This is CNN breaking news.

POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): It is the top of the hour. I'm Poppy Harlow, in for Pamela Brown.

SWAT teams surge on a synagogue in Texas as a dramatic hostage situation unfolds.

A federal court in Australia weighing whether tennis ace Novak Djokovic will play or pack his bags.

And more than 70 million Americans in the path of a major winter storm. We will tell you what is ahead tonight and tomorrow.

We begin this hour with significant developments in tonight's breaking news. We are learning more about a man, who said he traveled to a Texas synagogue today on a mission.

Some 10 hours later, three people are still being held hostage, including the rabbi of Congregation Beth Israel. One hostage was released. He was physically not injured. FBI negotiators are working to bring the standoff to a peaceful end.

We are working to confirm the stunning account from a congregant who says she was watching a live stream of today's Sabbath service when the suspect entered.

With me now is our Ed Lavandera, who has been on the ground, covering this really since this happened.

You have been there and you were there the moment that one of the hostages, a male, was released. That is at least one piece of good news out of this tragic situation.

What more can you tell us?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's been three hours since that hostage was able to get out of the synagogue, which sits just about a little more than a quarter of a mile down the road from where we are. And so, we presume hostage negotiators continue doing their work this evening, as you said.

We are going into about 10 hours that this hostage situation has been unfolding here in the town of Colleyville, Texas, which is just northeast of Ft. Worth. You know, it's been a harrowing end to a horrific day for the members of this congregation.

It's a small Jewish congregation. About 150 families belong to this synagogue. Most of them have not been attending Sabbath services in person because of the COVID pandemic. That's why so many people were at home watching on the live stream.

That's why there were so few people inside the synagogue when the suspect entered and took four people hostage; one man was released. We are told that person does not need medical attention, was physically unhurt, as you mentioned.

And that person has been reunited with their families as well. But clearly, a great deal of concerns ongoing, as there are still three people left inside that synagogue. We are still awaiting word on what will happen and unfold here in the coming hours.

HARLOW: Ed, what has been most striking to you on the ground in that community?

You're hearing from people coming together, obviously, shock and horror.

And then what, what has struck you the most?

LAVANDERA: Several things: we've heard from synagogue members, who have described to us how they were watching this on the live stream. You can imagine the horror, the fear, the panic, trying to make sense of it.

From what we've heard from several congregants, it was rather chaotic. It was not necessarily a clean picture of what was going on inside. So you'd hear the suspect screaming, see him at times being apologetic and describe himself as someone who's not a criminal.

So you can imagine what they are dealing with as they experienced all of that. Then what we learned about the rabbi of this synagogue, someone who has dedicated themselves intensely over the last five or six years during his tenure here at this synagogue, to reach out to members of different faiths.

Poppy, we are reporting from the parking lot of a Catholic church, where we interviewed members of the local -- nearby mosque, Muslim leaders of a mosque, who know this rabbi very well, over the last few years, working on interfaith issues, bringing different communities together.

[21:05:00]

LAVANDERA: It's really striking as you sit here and take it all in as we await hopefully good news developing in the coming hours.

HARLOW: Ed Lavandera, thank you to you and your entire team. We appreciate your reporting.

Evan Perez is continuing to work his sources for us tonight in Washington.

Do we have clarity or any clarity on the identity of this suspect and motive?

EVAN PEREZ, CNN SR. JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: No, we do not at this point, Poppy. We know the FBI is working to confirm the identity of the suspect. They've developed some information and I think they think that they have a good idea.

But until that information is confirmed, where he came from, who is he, what exactly is his interest in what he has said, not only to the FBI crisis negotiators -- who are still, by the way, in contact with him; they are still maintaining that contact with him until they can get all of that -- I think they're moving very cautiously.

We do know that he has expressed that one of his concerns or one of his issues is the imprisonment of Aafia Siddiqui, who as you have pointed out, is serving an 86-year sentence in a federal prison in Texas. And she is something of a cause celebre in Islamist extremist circles, in jihadi circles.

Certainly, there are a number of terrorists who have tried to carry out attacks, specifically tied to trying to free her. So there is that part of the story the FBI is working on, to try to determine exactly what exactly where this concern or this issue has come from with regard to this suspect.

At this point, the goal is to keep talking to him. They want to make sure there is no harm that comes to the three people still in there.

HARLOW: Do they feel more hopeful?

Do you know Evan, the fact that one hostage has been released, coupled with the fact he is still talking to the authorities -- and it's been almost 10 hours -- so you know, he will get tired and worn down.

PEREZ: Again, those are two hopeful signs for the FBI investigators on the scene. They want to make sure they keep talking to him because, if he keeps talking, that means that these hostages are safe, right, and that's the ultimate goal to get this resolved without any harm coming to people in there.

Yes, this is now going on, according to police, the Colleyville Police Department, this began at about 10:40 am their time, local time, so it's been dragging on. And you know, the FBI has to be -- and the local police have to be ready to take other action, if they detect something is amiss, right?

If he changes his tone, then they also have to be ready to take other action. So as long as he is talking -- and as you pointed out, the release of this hostage about two hours ago was a big, big, hopeful sign because it indicated that they could have some rapport and trust. So as long as that is going on, they're willing to stand by and wait

it out but they have to be ready, though, to take other action, in case something else turns.

HARLOW: Certainly, Evan, thank you so much for staying up late and getting us all this information.

Joining us is former CIA counter terrorism official Phil Mudd.

How would you put together all we have seen?

We learned a lot in the last three hours; one of the hostages has been released. We have learned more about this desire to have Aafia Siddiqui released.

Where does this stand?

PHIL MUDD, CNN COUNTERTERRORISM ANALYST: I think even in the past couple hours, things are changing. First you have the release of the hostage, who presumably has provided information on whether there is a weapon. I presume there is.

Also on the mental state of that individual, it's been a long time. This is an unusual length of time for a hostage negotiation. So one of the questions is whether the emotional state of the person, of the hostage-taker is declining over time. The FBI team on the phone is getting the same idea.

Is this person slipping away?

I'd say, finally, you've got to presume the bureau and police have identified this individual. You've got to presume that. That would mean more information about the background of the mental state of this person.

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HARLOW: I want to get your take. We got a statement from the attorney for Aafia Siddiqui.

For our viewers, law enforcement believes that the motivation of this hostage-taker is at least in part to get Aafia Siddiqui freed from prison. She is serving an 86-year sentence for trying to kill Americans in Afghanistan.

Anyway, her lawyer just put out a statement that says, quote, "We implore the hostage taker to immediately release all the hostages and turn himself in."

I would assume this would be read by the FBI to the hostage-taker. No?

MUDD: Yes, but I don't think it's that significant. I remember this case. This is a female plus someone highly technically trained in medicine and science. She became a cult figure and I am sure in the mind of this person, she is a cult figure. So I am not sure that a lawyer's statement would make a difference in this person's mind. HARLOW: How do they go about negotiating for the other three hostages

to be released after 10 hours?

I mean, you've just got this sort of human factor, the human element of exhaustion.

MUDD: Yes.

HARLOW: And that must actually give them some hope they can wear him down?

MUDD: I'm not sure I would buy that. Look. If you figure out how much energy invested in the past 10 hours, walking in -- we've been hearing about the streaming video -- yet the energy the person has invested over time, they've got to be slipping.

There is no way, especially with an emotional state, where you think that taking hostages will allow for the release of a federal prisoner, you can't imagine that this person is getting more emotionally stable as negotiations continue.

I am actually losing hope that this person will do the right thing. I'm not saying people will get hurt but this person is getting more and more likely to release three other people soon.

HARLOW: You think more likely they are released or not?

MUDD: More likely the Feds start to say, we have to take a different tack because this has been going on too long.

HARLOW: Which is what?

How do you decide to go in?

MUDD: Potentially sending in a hostage rescue team.

HARLOW: How do you make that call?

MUDD: First by assessing -- let's go back to the person released -- by assessing the emotional state.

Also saying, are we making progress?

This is exceptionally long for a hostage negotiation. Most of these will be resolved within 2-4 hours.

HARLOW: Wow. Yes. This is almost 10. Phil Mudd, thank you so much for your expertise.

Earlier I spoke with Stacey Silverman, a member of the Congregation Beth Israel for 13 years. She was today watching the Facebook Live stream when all of this unfolded. I want you to listen to what she told me.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) STACEY SILVERMAN, MEMBER, CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL: My mother called

and told me there was a hostage situation going on in our synagogue, which is almost unbelievable.

So I dialed into the live stream and I heard the perpetrator speaking, alternating between English and his native tongue and very, you know, just hateful, hateful rhetoric; he hates the Jews. He talked about Israel and Palestine. He blamed the Jews, you know, for everything going on in the world.

And just hateful, hateful language; he said he was the brother of an ISIS terrorist, who is apparently incarcerated in a federal prison in Ft. Worth, and indicated that he chose our synagogue because he flew in.

He said he flew in 5,000 miles and that ours is the closest to DFW International Airport. So that's why he appeared at our synagogue.

HARLOW: Wow. I mean, there is so much you just said that I am hearing for the first time and I think our viewers are hearing for the first time in terms of what he said about the reason that he was there.

Did he say anything about violence, about taking hostages, about his demands?

SILVERMAN: Yes, he said he had a gun, he said he had a bomb. He said he wouldn't let people go until his sister was released from this prison. He was, you know, adamant. He was adamant and, you know, then he would vacillate, saying he's not a bad person. He doesn't want to hurt anyone but his sister is not a terrorist.

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SILVERMAN: I mean, we were on this two hours. It was horrifying.

And anti-Semitism has been on the rise in this country in the past few years, both on the Left and on the Right. And it has been a very scary time. And we all kind of knew after what happened at Tree of Life that it can happen anywhere -- or San Diego, the Chabad of Poway community.

But this rabbi is beloved. And I wanted to say that Rabbi Charlie is respected and beloved in this community and has spent his entire tenure, over 13 years at this synagogue, he has spent building bridges -- we have a very small Jewish community in this area. We're in between Dallas and Ft. Worth in the cities.

But there is a very, very large Muslim community and Rabbi Charlie has reached out. We have Ramadan with the Muslim community. We have iftar dinner. We have a strong community. We have strong relations with our neighbors, our Christian neighbors and our Muslim neighbors.

So for this to happen is just horrifying. We just want Rabbi Charlie released and our congregants safe who are there.

Because of COVID and because our county has 40 percent positivity rate, most people Zoom in for the services. A lot of people aren't actually there. So that's why there weren't so many. But any hostage is one too many. And we just want them safe. We just want them to walk out of this space --

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HARLOW: Of course. We all do. And thank goodness, one at least has been released, physically uninjured at least, is what we've heard. I should note -- and thank you for sharing all this information with us because we have not, we did not see the live stream.

And we do not, have not yet, CNN has not yet confirmed or cooperated (sic) those comments that he made.

Obviously, we're in the middle of fact checking all of that but I appreciate you sharing that with us. And I am so sorry. I know this has been your home for 13 years. So we're wishing for the best for you and your entire community tonight. Stacey, thank you for calling in.

SILVERMAN: Thank you so much, Poppy.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARLOW: Again, our thanks to Stacey for that. The man holding these hostages, as we mentioned, has let one of them go. He is still holding three others, still tonight, after 10 hours. More on this breaking news next.

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HARLOW: Back to our breaking news out of Colleyville, Texas, where one of four people held hostage at the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue has been released uninjured. Investigators believe three hostages are still being held after some 10 hours.

The FBI is still negotiating with the suspect inside and police say at this time there are no known injuries. Officials tell CNN the hostage- taker may have been motivated by a desire to free a woman, Aafia Siddiqui, currently serving an 86-year sentence at a federal prison in Texas.

She was convicted of trying to kill Americans overseas. Earlier, I spoke with Jonathan Greenblatt, the CEO and national director of the Anti-Defamation League. He says today's desecration of a Jewish house of faith is painfully familiar. Take a listen.

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JONATHAN GREENBLATT, CEO AND NATIONAL DIRECTOR, ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE: Unfortunately, Poppy, I feel like we have been here before. This is the first time that anyone at ADL at all can recall a hostage- taking at a synagogue.

But unfortunately, Jewish sites have been targeted again and again and again by extremists over the years. And unfortunately, this fits into that pattern very neatly. The reality is that there is a reason why synagogues as well as Jewish day schools, Jewish community centers, Jewish communal offices all have intense security because they face a series of threats.

Now Aafia Siddiqui, I can tell you, our Center on Extremism has tracked her for years even before her arrest. We know her husband is the nephew of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. And we know she was affiliated with Al Qaeda.

But most germane to this situation, we know she has been open and explicit in her anti-Semitism. Anti-Jewish conspiracies tend to loom large in the minds of extremists, including Islamist extremists.

After she was arrested and she went to court, she insisted that there were no Jews in her jury pool. She used anti-Semitic tropes throughout the trial.

And then literally, when her verdict was announced -- and she was convicted of crimes against America, including shooting U.S. troops in an act of attempted murder -- her public exclamation was that this verdict didn't come from America; it came from Israel.

So this is a woman who we know and her supporters who we know spout hostile anti-Semitic conspiracy theories. Now again there is a lot of information we need to gather about who did this, why exactly she's doing this. But we're very alarmed.

HARLOW: And Jonathan, just let me remind our viewers, if people are just joining us, hearing you talk about Aafia Siddiqui, in U.S. custody. She is serving an 86-year prison sentence in Texas right now.

The reason you are describing her and these crimes is because, we've just been told in the last hour by two different law enforcement officials, that investigators believe the hostage-taker in the Texas synagogue situation may have been motivated by a desire to try in some way to get her freed.

We don't know the hostage-taker's name or the connection. But I appreciate you laying that out.

The fact that this was being live streamed -- and our reporting is, for well over an hour, people could hear this, could hear the gunman.

GREENBLATT: So many synagogues, Poppy, have moved to live streaming services, because of COVID restrictions.

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GREENBLATT: My synagogue, many family and friends, so some can go to services but you can live stream them. So it was really not a surprise it was being livestreamed. This is a reform synagogue, located in suburban Dallas. And many of the members would have been at home, watching this on

their laptops, on their computers, even on their phones. That's just part of the new kind of way that we're worshiping in this post-COVID Omicron world.

But again what's scary is that the idea that someone with weapons of some kind could get into the synagogue and hold the rabbi and these other people hostage.

We have staff, ADL has staff on the ground in Colleyville, at the command center. We are monitoring the situation very closely. And Poppy, I'll also tell you, I've gotten many calls this evening from Jewish leaders around the country. People are scared. People are very, very terrified.

HARLOW: We know the government, federal government is deploying extra resources to synagogues and Jewish centers across the country in response to this. Jonathan Greenblatt, we are all hoping for the best as we continue to monitor this. I appreciate you joining me tonight.

GREENBLATT: Thank you for having me.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARLOW: The global Jewish community, I should say, is expressing support. Just an outpouring of support, really from around the world tonight for the hostages.

Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett tweeted this, "I am closely monitoring the hostage situation taking place in Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas. We pray for the safety of the hostages and the rescuers."

Police are ramping up security at synagogues across the country tonight after what is ongoing. Our coverage continues next.

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HARLOW: Welcome back.

We're continuing to monitor the hostage situation in Colleyville, Texas. The latest information is that one male hostage has been released. Three others are still inside. The FBI is continuing its negotiations with the suspect.

Law enforcement believe he may have been motivated to do this by a desire to free Aafia Siddiqui, serving an 86 year prison sentence in Texas for trying to kill Americans overseas.

Anthony Barksdale is a CNN law enforcement analyst. Also with me, national security analyst Juliette Kayyem.

Thank you both very much for being here.

Anthony, let me start with you. This is a real joint effort between the FBI and the Colleyville Police Department and local authorities, 10 hours in and one hostage released.

What does it tell you?

ANTHONY BARKSDALE, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Well, it tells me that law enforcement, this joint effort, they're doing something right. You want to take your time, not push a tragedy.

Getting one hostage released, that's work, that's effort. So they're going in the right direction. I know people want this over with quickly, the family, the community. But this is positive, in my opinion, thus far.

HARLOW: Juliette, do you see it that way as well?

JULIETTE KAYYEM, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Absolutely. They are still talking to him. One hostage is released. There has been no deaths yet. You want this situation to end one way only, which is that the hostages are not harmed.

What happens to the perp is of less significance at this stage. I think the other of this is what we are seeing in this time period. Now that we know potentially what the motivation is, related to Siddiqui, related to the Islamic terrorism -- and she was arrested for potential attacks against American soldiers in Afghanistan and is serving time in Texas.

This has given law enforcement time to help and support other synagogues that will be potentially congregating in the days ahead. It's horrible for that community. But most importantly, we have hostages still alive, which is good news.

HARLOW: Does your experience tell you, because this perp is still talking to authorities and he has released one of the hostages, that it is more likely than not that the other will be released?

KAYYEM: Here's what we do know right now. We are not hearing from the FBI about other synagogues. They were clear to say this was a discrete threat, not an ongoing one.

They may know that this is a lone person. That's much better than 10 or multiple events around the country. He is one man, who has been, you know, in trying to keep others imprisoned for a period of time, there's tired, delusions, it's those weaknesses that the FBI takes advantage of.

So whether literally if he falls asleep, if he becomes vulnerable, if one or two or three hostages are able to get out. It's hard to say, we don't know but time is on the side of this right now. He will start to get tired physically and it doesn't look like he's aided and abetted by anyone else. [21:35:00]

HARLOW: How do other federal governments ramp up resources to protect synagogues, Jewish establishments across the country?

New York City is doing the same, Los Angeles is doing the same.

What actually do local police departments do?

Like what is the NYPD doing, for example, right here?

BARKSDALE: Based on community relations, you will reach out to the Jewish community synagogues and make clear you are giving additional patrols to their areas, to their communities.

In Baltimore, we would put special deployments out, specifically when there were incidents of this type in the Jewish community. So it's not hard for law enforcements to do. But it has to be done. So it can be expected across the U.S. right now.

HARLOW: Anthony, thank you; Juliette Kayyem as well. We appreciate you staying up to help us as this unfolds.

The coverage of the hostage situation continues right after this break.

Plus more breaking news: tennis star Djokovic trying to get approval to stay in Australia, despite not getting a vaccine. The federal court fight over this ongoing right now.

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HARLOW: A major and an encouraging development tonight in a hostage standoff inside a Texas synagogue. Last hour, we reported that one hostage had been released unharmed. We also can report there have so far been no known injuries and the FBI continues to speak with the hostage-taker.

This is all happening at Congregation Beth Israel near Ft. Worth. Three hostages do remain inside. Witnesses say they were actually watching this all happen on a Facebook Live streaming of the service when the gunman interrupted it.

Mood shifting between apologetic and screaming. The rabbi is believed to be among the remaining hostages.

Two law enforcement officials tell CNN, investigators believe the suspect was motivated by a desire to free a woman by the name of Aafia Siddiqui. She was convicted in 2010 on seven charges, including attempted murder and armed assault on U.S. officers in Afghanistan. She is now serving an 86 year prison sentence in Texas.

In Australia, a federal court is hearing tennis star Novak Djokovic's appeal of his visa cancellation. The Australian government says his anti-vaxing stance imperils the health and the stability of the country's people and that is why they want the courts to stand by the minister's decision to have him deported.

Phil Black, when we spoke last hour, we were on a break for lunch.

Is this trial, hearing, I should say, resumed?

And where is it?

PHIL BLACK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it just resumed a few moments ago. The government's lawyer is continuing his arguments in defense of the immigration minister's decision to cancel Novak Djokovic's visa.

That was based on his belief that his continued presence, Djokovic's presence, could result in fewer people getting vaccinated and public demonstrations, that could serve as points of community transmission and would be as risk to public health in that sense.

The arguments in favor of that, according to his lawyer, were not just to Djokovic's status as being unvaccinated and his clear determination to remain unvaccinated. He also referenced the recent admission by Novak Djokovic, that after he recently tested positive to COVID-19, he still spent time with a French sports journalist, still sat for a photo shoot in which he removed his mask, knowingly breaking the isolation rules as they exist in his home country of Serbia.

The lawyer said that there are various aspects in which his presence, his influence as a sport star could propose bad, unsafe behavior. For that reason, he says the cancellation should stand.

Now we should see these hearings, these arguments wrap up in the coming hour. Then it becomes a matter of the judges going away and making the decision. We will be on standby to see how quickly they come back and whether it is today, whether it is soon enough, to potentially allow Djokovic to take place in the Australian Open tomorrow.

HARLOW: Phil, if he can't, for either reason, if they, you know, stand by the minister's decision to cancel his visa or if they don't come back with the decision in time before the tournament starts, what happens to the tournament, in general?

Because he is the number one seed.

BLACK: Yes. So there is a way of reshuffling the order of play, in such a way that someone else would take his place in the lineup.

I believe, under the technicalities of the law, because the draw and order of players are already determined, a qualifier from -- an unseeded qualifier would essentially take his place in the draw or something very similar to that. Essentially a reshuffle would take place so that the tournament goes on, it just goes on without Novak Djokovic.

HARLOW: Wow. So many people are wondering. We are watching closely. We appreciate you being there in Melbourne, thanks very, very much.

Now back to our breaking news story, tonight a man holding hostages at a synagogue in Texas has let one go free. He is still holding at least three other people inside. We have the latest on this breaking news next.

[21:45:00]

HARLOW: Also a check of the winter weather forecast threatening ice, rain, snow for millions up and down the South and East Coast.

And incredible also, image of a volcanic eruption that set off a tsunami threat across the Pacific today. We will ask a volcano expert how it compares to other underwater eruptions -- next.

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HARLOW: Breaking news we're continuing to follow tonight out of Colleyville, Texas, where one of the four people that have been held hostage for 10 hours today at the Congregation Beth Israel has been released unhurt.

Investigators believe three hostages are still being held after some 10 hours, as I mentioned. The FBI is still negotiating with the suspect. Police say there are no known injuries at this time.

Officials tell CNN the hostage-taker's motive may have been a desire to free a woman named Aafia Siddiqui, who is serving an 86-year prison sentence in federal prison in Texas. She was convicted of trying to kill Americans overseas a decade ago.

Around 74 million people, meantime, are under winter weather alerts right now. The Carolinas and Georgia could see snow.

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HARLOW: More video is coming in from that volcano that erupted underwater near Tonga. Satellite images show a huge explosion that brought powerful waves to much of the Pacific Ocean. A Tonga tsunami has hit its main island and flooded sections of the capital.

Here in the United States, much of the West Coast was under a tsunami advisory while the waves continued to batter the coastline. Let's bring in volcanologist Jess Phoenix.

It's the coolest profession title there is. You believe in boots on the ground science. And you were talking about this earlier that I thought was interesting, just basically saying there's so much we still don't know about this eruption and what it will mean.

JESS PHOENIX, VOLCANOLOGIST: Yes, thank you so much for having me on, Poppy, because, in the aftermath of events like this, that's when we see a lot of misinformation, a lot of confusion.

Unfortunately, many people just don't know a lot about volcanoes. And one of the most important things to note in a developing situation like this is that we haven't seen this volcano erupt on this scale before.

But the size of the volcano complex, all of its component parts shows us that it's capable of something like this. While it's nothing humans have seen since we've been recording data, it's something that most likely has happened before. But each eruption is its own individual, sort of contained thing. So we're going to have to see how this plays out.

HARLOW: Can you explain to people who are seeing some of these images for the first time and seeing the -- I mean, to have something happen in Tonga and to have a tsunami warning on the coast of California, it's a huge deal because of how far apart they are.

Can you explain and is there a warning for something like this?

Was this about to erupt?

PHOENIX: This volcano had actually shown increased signs of activity for several weeks now. And, of course, the Tonga Geological Services is an agency that monitors activity in the region. So they have information coming in all the time about any active or potentially active volcanoes nearby.

And that's the same in any country around the world that has active volcanoes. So they knew that the volcano was showing signs of unrest. The issue is that we can't predict eruptions. So we don't know how large an eruption might be, when it will happen and we don't know how long the eruptive sequence of events is going to take.

So there's a lot of unknowns here. And what I will say is, while we didn't know that this eruption was going to occur on this scale, as far as the tsunami goes, we have sensors throughout the oceans, buoys, that record when the ocean fluctuates.

And those sensors are so delicate that they can tell even the matter of just a few inches of water displacement. So as soon as this eruption happened and the shock waves started to go out in the air, the ocean water was displaced as well.

So folks on the coastal regions of Japan, North America, South America, Australia, New Zealand, they all had warnings that tsunami waves could reach them. Fortunately, people were warned on those areas. But the island of Tonga, much closer to the eruption, seems like they didn't have much warning at all.

[21:55:00]

PHOENIX: So we're still waiting to see the extent of the damage that they've felt.

HARLOW: Finally, are there adverse environmental impacts, other than the tsunami and what we saw in the flooding?

I mean, volcanic ash into the air?

PHOENIX: Yes, volcanic ash, I'm so glad you mentioned it, because a lot of people think volcano ash is like soot in your fireplace. It's not; it is actually pulverized fragments of rock and they are very tiny. We're talking microscopic.

And they can form blankets hundreds of miles away. They can float on the ocean, making rafts; they're pretty devastating to local populations, too, because they can collapse the roofs of buildings. They can stop jet engines from functioning and, of course, they'll smother crops and pollute water supplies.

So, yes, the folks nearby are going to be feeling the effects of this eruption for quite a few months, I would say, at the very minimum.

HARLOW: Jess Phoenix, thank you so much. We all feel much smarter after listening to you on all of this. It's fascinating. We appreciate it. Thank you so much.

Obviously, we are staying very much on top of the continuing hostage situation at the synagogue in Texas. We will bring you updates as we have them. We know one of the four hostages at Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas, has been released tonight.

Investigators do believe the three others are still being held after some 10 hours. CNN will follow this story throughout the night. Tune in tomorrow morning to "NEW DAY WEEKEND" for all the developments.

I'm Poppy Harlow in for Pamela Brown. She'll she you here next weekend and I'll see you again tomorrow night.