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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

War on ISIS: New Airstrikes in Iraq & Syria; Syrian Refugees Line Turkish Border; Suspect Arrested in Missing Nurse Case

Aired September 25, 2014 - 05:00   ET

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

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: The war on ISIS rages on this morning. New airstrikes targeting the terrorists in Syria and Iraq. President Obama back at the United Nations today after convincing world leaders to help in the battle against ISIS. We are live in Iraq with the latest on the ground, and the new world power that could soon be joining these airstrikes.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Syrian refugees fleeing from ISIS, seeking safety in Turkey. But they are not exactly getting a warm welcome. We are live at the border where this humanitarian crisis is raging.

ROMANS: And the man suspected of abducting a missing nursing student has been arrested. But this mystery of what happened to Hannah Graham, where she is, it remains. The latest on this case, ahead.

Good morning. Welcome to EARLY START. I'm Christine Romans.

BERMAN: And I'm John Berman. Great to see you today. It is Thursday, September 25th. It's 5:00 a.m. in the east. We do want to welcome all of our viewers here in the United States and around the world.

The war against ISIS is intensifying this morning with new air strikes in Eastern Syria carried out overnight by the U.S. and coalition warplanes. At least a dozen mobile oil refineries were targeted. The Pentagon spokesman says the military is, quote, "very confident we hit what we were aiming at." These refineries were so key in financing the terror of ISIS -- $2 million a day they make off the black market oil. The new air strikes began just hours after President Obama addressed the United Nation General Assembly, calling for a united front against the Islamic terror group.

CNN senior White House correspondent Jim Acosta has been at the United Nation, as the president works to strengthen the coalition against ISIS.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: John and Christine, in a tough-talking speech here at the United Nations, President Obama urged the world to join forces and form a coalition to take on ISIS. At one point during the speech, he all but foreshadowed those air strikes in Eastern Syria that would take place later in the day when he told those ISIS fighters to clear off the battlefield. The president describing ISIS as a cancer that needed to be eradicated.

Here's more of what the president had to say.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: There can be no reasoning, no negotiations with this brand of evil. The only language understood by killers like this is the language of force. So, the United States of America will work with a broad coalition to dismantle this network of death.

ACOSTA: The president stayed on that war footing in a meeting with the new Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. The president emphasized that this war on ISIS will not be short-lived, and that these air strikes will be going on for sometime in both Iraq and in Syria.

Later in the day, he presided over a session of the U.N. Security Council on the important subject of these foreign fighters that are a threat both here in the United States and in the West, not to mention down in the Middle East. The president will continue this theme of coalition-building later on this morning when he gives remarks on the conference of the deadly Ebola outbreak in Africa -- John and Christine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: All right. Thanks for that, Jim Acosta.

With the world attention focused on the new campaign against ISIS in Syria, U.S. forces continuing to hit the militant group in Iraq as they have been now for weeks. American war planes conducting air strikes Wednesday on two ISIS fighter positions in northern Iraq and two vehicles west of Baghdad.

But President Obama drawing the lines, setting a limit on how much the U.S. will do during his meeting with the new Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: Although we cannot do this for you, we can be a strong partner and we are fully committed to your success. We wish you Godspeed and we are grateful for your willingness to take on this leadership mantle at such a critical time in your country's history.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: A critical time indeed.

Joining us now with latest from Iraq is CNN's Ben Wedeman.

Good morning, Ben.

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Christine.

Well, when we last spoke to you guys, we were at that bridge up just up the river that got blown up. Now, we're at a place where the Kurdish forces have built a new bridge over this river because this is an area that is just about half an hour's drive from Mosul where in early June, of course, ISIS took over the city of several million people. If the Kurds move forward and push them back, this area, this road to Mosul, is critical.

Now, I want to show you something else going on around here. If you look over on the horizon, that is a town where smoke is coming up from there. The Kurdish forces are now basically defusing or blowing up charges, IEDs and other booby trapped bombs that ISIS left behind when they left. That really is one of the critical problems that they have been facing in trying to move towards Mosul, that there are explosives rigged everywhere left by ISIS to slow the advance of Kurdish forces in that direction.

Now, earlier today, we were speaking with a Kurdish commander saying they definitely appreciate the U.S. airstrikes that have been going on. It's not just air strikes, but U.S. forces, planes and other means providing critical intelligence for them to know where ISIS is and where their forces are. They say they noticed a change in ISIS tactics. Before they would drive with their Humvees they captured earlier this summer from Iraqi forces. They were driving out in the open.

Now, they're hiding those vehicles, heavy vehicles and moving around in civilian vehicles making them a more difficult target for Kurdish forces, as well as coalition or American aircraft.

ROMANS: Ben Wedeman, thanks so much. A change in tactics, making it important for the U.S. to change tactics. Have good intelligence there on the ground about where to strike. Thank you, Ben Wedeman, in Iraq for us this morning.

You know, top diplomats are warning against letting the fight against this group helping Bashar al Assad. ISIS emerged as one of the rebel groups fighting to overthrow Assad's regime. In his U.N. address, the president -- President Obama took pains to emphasize that the air strikes are intended to help moderate Syrian rebels, not help Assad. Syria's representative to the U.N. criticized that part of the president's message.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BASHAR JA'AFARI, SYRIAN AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: The approach by President Obama was a rather constructive one, except in the small part where he contradicted himself by saying that USA -- I mean, his administration would support what he called the Syrian opposition. He shouldn't have said that in this way, because we are the legitimate government. Nobody has the authority or the permission or the power to war against legitimate government elected by its own people. This is the case of the Syrian government.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: The refugee crisis at the border between Syria and Turkey continues to get worse as ISIS continues to advance on Kurdish towns. Here's some new ISIS video claiming to show militant fighters taking the town of Kobani. Hundreds of refugees have flooded the border area in just the last few days, fleeing that town of Kobani.

At the United Nations on Wednesday, the president of Turkey said the total number of Syrian refugees in his country is 1.5 million. And he scolded what he called the rich and strong European nations for failing to do their share to help the Syrian refugees. Of course, Turkey coming under criticism of its own from what's happening at the border.

CNN's Phil Black is on the border where people, family and children have been streaming or trying to stream across.

Good morning, Phil.

PHIL BLACK, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello, John.

The Turkish authorities here, as we speak, is just getting ready, just starting really to open up the crossing point here at the Turkish- Syria border. That is because behind me through the barb wire, you might be able to see people there are still people there waiting, some waiting by necessity, others by choice.

Those waiting by necessity because the Turkish authorities are opening the border for limited periods of time, each day. They say they are doing this in an orderly, organized manageable way.

When the first influx of refuges came across the border, they had no choice but to let them in. The numbers have eased a little more now. So, what they're doing is they're doing it in a more controlled way, searching them, registering them, giving them medical attention, the food, the water that they need and so forth.

The others waiting by choice -- well, these are people who have come to the border with herds of livestock, their animals, their most valuable possessions. They are not allowed to cross with them, so for the moment, they are waiting in the hopes that perhaps those circumstances will change, either they'd be allowed to cross with them or perhaps they can take them home. They are still trying to maintain some hope.

These refugees are still coming to the border area because of that fighting you mentioned just south of here around the community of Kobani. That is where ISIS is trying to take over this majority ethnic Kurdish community and region. Speaking to the refugees here, they tell us that fighters from the region, local ones, as well as fighters have come across from Turkey, they managed to slow down the ISIS advance. But they say the bombardment from the ISIS fighters is still very, very intense. They say, so far, there has been no major obvious targeting of these ISIS fighters by that U.S.-led coalition in airstrikes or missile strikes so far.

So, what all this means for the Turkish authorities is they are burdened of dealing with Syrian refugees and continues to grow, continues to grow rapidly. As you said, several hundred thousand have crossed in a few days, on top of the 1.5 million from the ongoing Syrian civil conflict. And that frustration, that anger really from the Turkish president, that is something that we see and hear on the ground.

We are talking to aid workers, when talking to Turkish officials, they do believe that they have been left to carry the bulk of the burden with this humanitarian crisis and other countries are simply not doing enough to help -- John.

BERMAN: And more millions of people caught in the middle of this crisis.

Our Phil Black standing among some of them right now at the Turkish/Syrian border -- thanks so much, Phil.

ROMANS: France's foreign ministry is confirming that a video showing the murder of a French mountaineer is authentic. French officials say Herve Gourdel was kidnapped over the weekend in Algeria by armed ISIS allies. The video titled, quote, "A message of blood for the French government" shows the beheading of this mountaineer Gourdel.

Secretary of State John Kerry spoke out Wednesday at the U.N. General Assembly condemning the act.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN KERRY, SECRETARY OF STATE: We stand by the French people in outrage at this barbarity. And we also share their resolve to rid the earth of this menace. We will not stand by as ISIL and others who use fear and violence and oppression to achieve their goals, continue to find safe haven anywhere, including in Syria.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Gourdel had just arrived in the country. He was going to go hiking and then was kidnapped on Sunday and just killed.

Now, the British aid worker Alan Henning is still believed to be in the hands of ISIS. His family holding out hopes the Islamic terror organization will have compassion and release him.

BERMAN: U.S. airstrikes in Syria aimed at an al Qaeda-linked group killed at least one of its leaders. Officials said not confirmed reports that the head of Khorasan was the senior operative killed in the attack. And this latest round of airstrikes carried out simultaneously against Khorasan. There are really two separate strikes in Syria. There were strikes against Khorasan, with tomahawk missiles and the separate strike against ISIS, with the five-nation Arab coalition. Khorasan is accused of plotting attacks against the United States and Europe.

I want to talk about the latest in the fight about the Ebola outbreak. President Obama is set to address the U.N. General Assembly on the emergency later this morning. And there are growing concerns that the outbreak could have political implications in West Africa. A top Liberian official quoted was saying to say the slow response could cause the region to slip back into conflict.

Also, there is a severe shortage of treatment centers in Liberia's capital, which means more people are dying of Ebola at their homes infecting family members and neighbors. Only 18 percent of Ebola patients in Liberia are being cared for right now in hospitals. Aid workers, health workers, educators are now facing the added danger of attacked while trying to disinfect areas, trying to bury the dead, just trying to inform people about the dangers and risks of Ebola.

In the latest, a Red Cross team was attacked collecting bodies in New Guinea.

Other developments, a pair of drug companies now planning to advance another Ebola vaccine to human trials this year. This coming as the FDA this week is warning three companies against marketing their products as possible treatment for remedies for Ebola.

ROMANS: This is a big developing story and the world cannot afford the worst-case scenario.

BERMAN: No. And the president will deliver a really much anticipated address at the United Nations about Ebola this morning.

ROMANS: All right. Thirteen minutes past the hour. Time for an EARLY START on your money.

European stocks up. Asian shares ended the day higher as well. There are hopes out there for more stimulus measures in Europe and China this morning.

U.S. stock futures barely moving. Stocks rallied yesterday. The Dow gained 150 points.

The bailed out General Motors executives got a big payday. President Obama asked the cash salaries be capped at $500,000 as a condition of the bailout. But according to a new report, Treasury Department approved higher salaries for 16 employees at GM and its former financing arm Ally Financial last year.

The top 25 employees each received $1 million in compensation of at least a million dollars, including stock options, stock rather, while the company struggled to repay the government. The Treasury Department says the report contains inaccuracies, that Congress never established a pay cap.

But it is another reminder that U.S. taxpayers bailed out a bunch of companies and banks and auto companies. They took a $10 billion loss, taxpayers did, on their GM bailout. As GM started doing better and bonuses kept flowing, and there are those who are against the bailout are pretty upset about that.

BERMAN: The aftershocks will go on for years.

ROMANS: That's right.

All right. A suspect behind bars this morning accused in the disappearance of nursing student Hannah Graham. The latest on that case, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROMANS: The suspect wanted for abduction in the case of missing University of Virginia student Hannah Graham, the suspect now under arrest. Thirty-two-year-old Jesse Matthew apprehended by police in Galveston, Texas.

Virginia authorities say the extradition process already underway. Matthew was the last person seen with Hannah Graham before she disappeared 12 days ago. There were prayers for Hannah Wednesday night in her hometown of Alexandria.

I want to get more now on the suspect's capture in Texas from CNN's Jean Casarez.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Jesse Matthew is in custody this morning in Texas. He was actually found on the beach in the Galveston area, Bolivar Peninsula. It's an area where family goes for vacation and fishing. And that is where a Galveston deputy sheriff actually located him. Now, we don't know circumstances as to how he was picked up, but the jail did confirm with me that they stayed at the scene with him for quite a few hours.

And then at 8:00 local time last night is when they brought him into the jail, didn't book him right away because they were questioning him. Of course, this is all in the disappearance of the sophomore Hannah Graham.

Now, the next step this morning is that law enforcement from right here in Charlottesville, Virginia, are going to be fly to Texas and the next step is the extradition process. Now, someone who is in custody can fight extradition or they can waive extradition and voluntarily come back to the state of Virginia. But we cannot forget the heart and sole soul of this case, and that's Hannah Graham -- the sophomore who went missing 12 days ago.

Where is she? Law enforcement is asking everyone in the community to look for her, because she cannot be forgotten in the case -- Christine, John.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: That is so true, 12 days now and still looking for Hannah.

BERMAN: And remarkable this man was found in Texas on the beach in Galveston. So many questions there. We could find out more on that today.

Nineteen minutes after the hour. Let's take a look at the forecast.

Meteorologist Indra Petersons, good morning.

INDRA PETERSONS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Good morning.

We actually have good news. If you're on the West Coast, this is the one place they want the rain. They definitely need the rain. And take a look, finally, they are starting to see showers making their way. This is not going to be nearly enough, but they're going to take what they can get.

On the East Coast, we are talking about showers as well. There's a low kind of making its way up the coastline. We're still dealing with those showers in the morning hours. It will be the story for about the next day or so. So, you can actually see today from Boston back down to Raleigh, we start to see more of these showers continue throughout the day. Also some windy conditions, you are between the low and high there. You'll start to notice the gusty conditions, I felt them this morning, I didn't like it.

Here's what we're looking at tomorrow. We're talking about Boston through New York City, but again, this low slowly making its way offshore. It only improves by the time you get into the afternoon on Friday. All you will be left with are the winds.

But good winds, speaking of winds, we're talking 30, even some places almost 40-mile-an-hour winds are out there. Generally speaking, about the 15-to-20-mile-an-hour range. But definitely you can see the difference as the system made its way. About a good 10 degree drop is what everyone is feeling on that Eastern Seaboard today from what you felt yesterday.

But as soon as that low kicks out of here, warm air moves in, good news to the West Coast to actually finally get the cold air. We're kind of flip-flopping our pattern. Look at temperature drop, from 10 degrees below normal, good timing on the weekend to 10 degrees above normal.

BERMAN: Excellent. Well done.

ROMANS: Friday eve.

PETERSONS: How often do I say I know?

BERMAN: You always know.

ROMANS: Thanks, Indra.

BERMAN: The weather could be an issue today. Tonight is supposed to be Derek Jeter's final game at Yankee Stadium.

ROMANS: No one told me.

BERMAN: The most under-covered event on earth.

ROMANS: There is no coverage of Derek Jeter.

BERMAN: But this game tonight, it could be in jeopardy. Andy Scholes explains in "The Bleacher Report", next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: Derek Jeter is a baseball player. ROMANS: Really?

BERMAN: Tonight, he may be at Yankee Stadium playing for the Yankees for the very last time. That is if the weather cooperates.

ROMANS: Andy Scholes has more with this morning's "Bleacher Report".

Hey, Andy.

ANDY SCHOLES, BLEACHER REPORT: Good morning, guys.

As you know, there's a 100 percent chance of rain today in New York. And that's causing mass panic because tonight is supposed to be Derek Jeter's final farewell at Yankee's stadium.

The cheapest ticket to get into tonight's game, right now, is still going for 250 bucks, despite the weather. They are more than likely will not make this game up if it's rained up because it won't affect the playoffs in any way. If that were to happen, if the game were to be canceled, Jeter's last game in Yankee Stadium would have been yesterday, where he went 0 for 4 and left on deck when the game ended. Not very Jeter-like. So, let's all hope they get to play tonight's game.

A grand jury deciding not to indict NASCAR driver Tony Stewart in the death of fellow racer Kevin Ward Jr. Twenty-year-old Ward was struck and killed by Stewart's car after he climbed out of his car to confront Stewart during a dirt track in Upstate New York last month. Prosecutors also revealed that ward had marijuana in his system, enough they say to impair his judgment.

In a statement, Stewart says, "This has been the toughest and most emotional experience of my life and it will stay with me forever. I'm very grateful for all the support I've received and continue to receive."

Number one on the lineup section on bleacherreport.com this morning, ESPN commentator Bill Simmons has been suspended for three weeks for calling Roger Goodell a liar on his podcast "BS Report". Simmons said Goodell is lying and would fail the lie detector test if he was asked questions about the Ray Rice situation. He then challenged ESPN to suspend him saying, call me and say I'm in trouble. I dare you.

Well, ESPN did call. They released a statement saying, "Simmons didn't meet their journalist standards."

Little ironic guys, Simmons has been suspended longer than Ray Rice was originally suspended by the NFL for domestic abuse.

BERMAN: He dared ESPN to suspend. ESPN did. ESPN makes a lot of money off of football.

SCHOLES: Yes. We'll see. Simmons said he was going to go public with something if they suspended him. Well, what that is, I don't know.

BERMAN: He has the Grantland web site which is terrific sports, and, you know, pop culture. Very interesting. He does a lot.

ROMANS: A lot of people follow him.

All right. Thanks so much. Nice to see you, Andy.

BERMAN: All right. President Obama gaining world support for the war against ISIS. World support, but what do the Clintons think? President Bill Clinton and former secretary of state, we're going to discuss what they told CNN, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)