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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

France At Its Highest Terror Level; Main Body of Flight 8501 Found; Deadly Attack in Nigeria

Aired January 13, 2015 - 04:30   ET

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

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CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Terror alert in France. New warnings overnight from al Qaeda as the country deploys thousands of troops to keep schools and Jewish institutions safe. Investigators are hunting for terror cells that may have helped in last week's deadly attack. This as several victims of those attacks are laid to rest this morning.

We are live in Paris bringing you the new information this morning.

Welcome back to EARLY START. I'm Christine Romans.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm John Berman in Paris. It's about 31 minutes past the hour right now.

We are standing outside the memorial at "Charlie Hebdo", the satirical magazine that was attacked just about a week ago. The U.S. Ambassador to France, Jane Hartley, just came to this spot behind me and laid a wreath herself. This is an ongoing, organic memorial. The mourning period here in France still very much continuing.

Even that as the investigation continues as to who exactly was behind these attacks. Was it more than the three men who were killed here last week?

France this morning is at its highest terror level alert. At least 10,000 soldiers, 8,000 police officers deployed to sites across the country. They want to stop the possibility of another attack like the ones that happened here that left 17 people dead. There's a memorial service beginning in a few minutes for the three members of the French police force killed in these attacks. Again, the mourning process does continue.

"The Associated Press" reports that they worry that there could be an active terror cell still in the country. Its members still at large. Overnight, there was a new threat against France from al Qaeda's North Africa branch. They posted on the Internet saying, today, France pays the cost. The post mentions French participation in the coalition fighting ISIS. It also talks about the French media, what they call the "lame media underpinning our prophet."

The terrorists' initial target here in Paris, "Charlie Hebdo" has not been stopped. The surviving members of that magazine, they have put together a new issue which will be released overnight on the stands tomorrow. And yes, once again, the Prophet Muhammad is on the cover.

Joining me now with all the new developments, our senior European correspondent Jim Bittermann.

Jim, great to have you here with us in Paris.

We just saw the ambassador here. Even as there was a new terror threat overnight from this group al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, North Africa.

JIM BITTERMANN, CNN SENIOR EUROPEAN CORRESPONDENT: You were on the air, John, but I don't know if you noticed, how the police tensed up when she started coming on. They put on their bulletproof vest. They're wearing these very thick bulletproof vests with a plate that will stop Kalashnikov bullets. It's a big change.

I mean, they also have assault rifles. They have submachine guns that they are carrying around now, and this is everywhere now. You're seeing at every --

BERMAN: Traffic cops heavily armed.

BITTERMANN: Exactly. It's -- they are taking this seriously, as well they should, because they've had three of their number cut down in the last week in these terrorist attacks. Three police men killed, and we're going to see sort of an homage to the three that were killed a little later on today.

But in any case, I think they are taking it seriously. There are reports this morning that "AFP" is reporting that a Frenchman was arrested in Bulgaria that might have some connection with this, maybe on his way to Turkey or on to Syria. We're not sure. A lot of vagueness about that.

But -- and then there was the overnight report I think you mentioned where "A.P." was saying there were six people actively sought.

Basically we heard from the prime minister yesterday that this is not necessarily they are after specific people. They want everybody that may have any connection at all that can give them some leads on to any further activity by these terrorist cells. They're just going after everything, using phone contacts and phone records and travel records and that sort of thing, just trying to sort of suss out who might be involved and who might be plotting something new.

BERMAN: Yes, really, there's something happening on two fronts here. As you said, the terror alert level raised and we just did see it here with the police heavily armed with the special armor. And there's also this investigation, clearly as you say, the prime minister making clear they do believe there were accomplices. Whether they had their eye on specific people, that's less clear for us this morning.

BITTERMAN: At this point, they probably do have a few specifics, but they're not going to tell us about them. At least -- I mean, I think when they are ready to tell us, they will photograph like they did last week. They will have names and photographs and say we are looking for these guys. They are not at that stage yet.

BERMAN: Not there yet. Jim Bittermann, great to have you with us. Thanks so much.

I want to talk more about the investigation and the word from the "Associated Press" that there are fears that there could be a terror cell still at work here. Three -- the three of terrorists behind last week's attacks, the Kouachi brothers and Amedy Coulibaly, they are now dead. Coulibaly's partner, his girlfriend, Hayat Boumeddiene, she is on the run.

The French prime minister says the terrorists could not have done this. They could not have staged these attacks without help, specifically financial help, operational help.

Could there still be members of that group still operating here in France right now? And most importantly and could they still be a threat? This as investigators try to connect all of the threads. The Western intelligence source tells CNN that last week's attackers, the Kouachis and Amedy Coulibaly have now been directly connected to al Qaeda's top recruiter in Europe. That is a man who is in and out of French custody. Both Coulibaly and Kouachis appear to have met specifically with this man.

I want to bring in CNN's Erin McLaughlin. She's in our Paris bureau right now. She has been looking at some of these threads in the investigation.

Good morning, Erin.

ERIN MCLAUGHLIN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, John.

That's right. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls saying the priority of the government right now looking for any sort of accomplices to last week's terror attacks. He noted that they already made arrests last week, and the priority very much being dismantling what appears to be some sort of larger network.

Meanwhile, we're seeing new surveillance footage dated January 2nd out of Istanbul, Turkey. The airport there which shows 26-year-old fugitive and girlfriend of the kosher market attacker Hayat Boumeddiene, passing through the airport with a male companion.

Now, we know Turkish authorities spotted her. They placed her under surveillance at the time, not being tipped off by the French at that point. Keep in mind that it was five days before the "Charlie Hebdo". They managed to track her to an area near the Turkish/Syrian border.

And it is believed that she has crossed over. Unclear at this point if she is in fact with ISIS. But French authorities vowed to bring her to justice. Experts say that if she has reached ISIS, it will be difficult to accomplish that. And they've also expressed concerns about her propaganda value. But, you know, the focus in France very much being determining the

nature of any connections these perpetrators may have to larger terror organizations. We know that the Kouachi brothers, at least one of the Kouachi brothers trained with an affiliate in Yemen in 2011. And we also saw that really chilling video from the grave of Amedy Coulibaly, the kosher market attacker, pledging allegiance to ISIS. These are things authorities in French are looking into right now -- John.

BERMAN: And, of course, one question is, who was that man in the video we just saw with Hayat Boumeddiene? And what role did he play or might he have played? What is his relationship to the various people involved here?

Erin McLaughlin thanks so much for being with us. I appreciate it.

Happening right now: the bodies of the four French Jews killed in the terror attacks on the kosher supermarket here. They arrived in Jerusalem this morning. They are set to be buried in a funeral that begins in under an hour. The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he agreed to a request from the victim's family that they be buried in the holy city.

CNN's Atika Shubert joins us live now from the cemetery.

Good morning, Atika.

ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, John.

And in fact, I do believe these coffins have just arrived to the site here. The funerals are expected in about half an hour. And dignitaries have already arrived. Distraught family members have been seated. The mayor of Jerusalem, Nir Barkat, is here, as well as France's chief rabbi, Haim Korsia.

What we expect to happen is that when we hear -- you can hear there, the master of ceremonies is just getting people seated. But what we expect to hear is from the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. We also expect to hear from Israel's president, Reuven Rivlin.

We also will see the families light a candle for each of the victims. There will be prayers as well as readings from the Book of Psalms from Israel's leading rabbis and then the families will walk to the site where their loved ones will be buried.

And already, we are seeing an outpouring of people from Israel here. Hundreds of people have already arrived, many of them from the French- speaking Jewish community here in Israel. It really goes to show how much of an impact this attack has had on people here so far away.

BERMAN: Atika, it is really remarkable to see the grief here in Paris now traveling to Jerusalem where you are.

Atika Shubert, thank you so much for being with us.

We did have some breaking news where I'm standing here outside of office of "Charlie Hebdo." The U.S. ambassador to France, Jane Hartley, she just visited here a few minutes ago laying a wreath.

And after she did that, after she expressed her sympathy, she came and spoke to me. We talked about the decision by the administration not to send a higher level official to the march, a decision the White House now says they regret.

Listen to what she said.

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AMB. JANE HARTLEY, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO FRANCE: Well, you know, I marched and I spoke to President Hollande right before the march and he was so positive about the U.S. and about our president going over to the French embassy and thanked us for everything that we had done. I had been in contact through these days. I think they know our support.

So, to be honest with you, I did not get into the logistics. But I did march right behind him. It was very, very moving, the French government march arm in arm.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: (AUDIO GAP) the White House regrets not sending a higher level official to that march. The ambassador told me, though, she has not been asked to convey any additional regret herself for the fact the White House didn't send anyone else. As far as she is concerned, that matter is over and done. She was now off to another memorial, a memorial, Christine, for the three police officers killed in the days of terror here.

ROMANS: John, I think the story about the supposed snub by the White House really was a bigger deal here than it was there, because in France, in Paris, I mean, you've got mourning, grieving and a major investigation underway. Am I right? It was a bigger story in the U.S., wasn't it?

BERMAN: The French people you talk to, you get a mix of opinions. In general, what they say, look, we've got enough to worry about without worrying about you, and what you did or did not do.

ROMANS: Right.

BERMAN: You being the Americans.

But I think there were members of the French government, French officials who perhaps had a raised eyebrow. I think as time goes on as that iconic picture of 40 world leaders in a line there is reprinted and is part of world history and world culture, you know, President Obama will never been part of that picture.

ROMANS: Yes.

BERMAN: Vice President Biden will never be part of that picture. And I think that fact will resonate here and the United States for years to come. ROMANS: John, I'm holding up "The Daily News". And the picture that's resonating this morning in the papers is "Terror, What Terror?" the president holding a San Antonio Spurs jersey, because that's who he met with yesterday -- you know, a day after the rest of the world leaders all together in Paris for unity. So, it is still an image that is top of mind here in the U.S. this morning.

We will see how that goes. An apology was a wrong move. That is what Josh Earnest said. So, we'll see if it ends there.

John, thanks so much.

We're going to be following the latest on the Paris terror attacks all morning long.

But, first, breaking news in the search for AirAsia Flight 8501. We are live with that right after the break.

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ROMANS: Happening now: France remains on edge this morning at its highest level of alert, following last week's terror that left 17 dead. Ten thousand troops and another 8,000 police on the streets across the country.

This morning, moments ago, the U.S. ambassador to France came to the offices of "Charlie Hebdo" to lay a wreath. Investigations underway trying to connect last week's terror attackers to terror cells that French officials believe are still active. And this morning, the new issue of the magazine the attackers tried to stop, "Charlie Hebdo", is on its way to news standing across France and it has a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad on its cover.

Turning now to breaking news to the bottom of the Java Sea, divers have located the fuselage of AirAsia Flight 8501. An official telling CNN the fuselage was located northeast of the tail section that was found earlier. Divers also recovering the second black box from AirAsia 8501. The cockpit voice recorder found buried beneath a mangled wing. These are huge developments for investigators who are hoping to figure out just what brought that jetliner down.

David Molko tracking the latest developments live for us this morning from Jakarta, Indonesia, really important clue for investigators now. Both of those recorders, those black boxes are in their hands.

DAVID MOLKO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Christine, that's right. A major breakthrough with the cockpit voice recorder out of the water, also the fuselage.

The official that's saying this, let's just paint the picture for you. He is the senior search and rescue official. His name is Mr. Supriati (ph). He has been in front of the cameras and on the other side of the Java SEA. This is where they are staging the helicopters, the choppers, and the ships.

He is specifically saying divers have located the fuselage. We continue to try to get more information from him and other authorities, the transport investigators, the military, those on the front lines. But at this point, he is saying, they have located the fuselage.

Christine, that is so important because it is believed that is where the remainder of the passengers and crew are on board. Their bodies are resting with that wreckage. The body count has stayed. The grim numbers here at 48 for the past several days. They continue to identify remains.

Two more identified today, including one of the flight attendants. His name is Oscar Desano (ph). That's 36 total identified.

Briefly, just to mention that cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder, flight data recorder back here in Jakarta in the black box lab. The cockpit voice recorder on its way as well.

We talked to one transport investigator. He said things are looking good, especially with the first black box, things are in good condition. They could begin to piece together this puzzle in a matter of weeks. In his words, Christine, he says the flight data recorder will tell us what happened, the cockpit voice recorder will tell us why -- Christine.

ROMANS: All right. David Molko, in Jakarta, thank you for that this morning.

Fifty-one minutes past the hour.

Boko Haram unleashing its deadliest attack ever in Africa. New details coming overnight. We're live after the break.

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ROMANS: This next story is difficult to imagine. Imagine the scope of this.

Survivors of the large scale attack in Nigeria say Boko Haram slaughtered civilians with no care, with just unbelievable slaughter here. They say these victims were forced to endure days of relentless violence at the hands of Islamic militants. Local officials have reported death tolls ranging from the hundreds to as many as 2,000 people.

For more on the bloodshed, I want to get to Diana Magnay. She's live on the ground in Johannesburg.

This story actually takes -- there aren't words to describe what survivors are saying happened there on the ground, Diana. And it's really hard to understand what could be the possible motivation for just senseless, brutal slaughter of hundreds of people.

DIANA MAGNAY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's devastating when you listen to what eyewitnesses said happened. Boko Haram came in this on Baga with rocket propelled grenades. They took their motor bikes off trucks and then they chased people into the bush and killed them. They burned them alive in their homes. They destroyed some 16 villages and burning them to the ground. This violence went on for days.

It is astonishing, but it is just an uptick in the kind of horrific violence that Boko Haram has been waging on the civilians of northeast Nigeria for five years now. We saw an attack of various suicide bombings over the weekend carried out by children. A girl as young as 10 years old had explosives strapped to her chest which detonated in the market in the regional capital of Borno province, Maiduguri.

Further south, the Nigerian military, though, did manage to repel Boko Haram militants from taking over another very important city of Damaturu (ph).

So, you know, what we are seeing is the Nigerian military making some headway against militants, but militants taking sways against the borders in northeastern Nigeria. They attacked a military base within Cameroon on Monday, although the Cameroonian government say they managed to push back the militants and caused heavy casualties.

All of this comes very close to the presidential Nigerian elections set for February 14th. The military says the death toll is far lower than what eyewitnesses have been telling us. And President Goodluck Jonathan himself hasn't mentioned the massacre in the north of the country -- Christine.

ROMANS: And witnesses there who fled said that the army just turned around and walked away, and couldn't even that town.

Diana Magnay, thank you so much for that.

Fifty-six minutes past the hour.

New terror threats overnight from al Qaeda, targeting France, as the country steps up security following last week's deadly attacks. We are back live in Paris, next.

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