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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

U.S. Targets Jihadi John; Kurdish Forces Battle ISIS for Sinjar; Donald Trump: On the Attack; Rex Ryan Returns to New York. Aired 5-5:30a ET

Aired November 13, 2015 - 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: He appeared in a series of brutal ISIS execution videos. The Pentagon says it is still assessing the results of this airstrike that targeted him. But a U.S. official tells CNN authorities are confident that strike killed Emwazi.

[05:00:05] For the very latest, let's turn to CNN's Nic Robertson in London.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Well, at the moment, we have very few precise details about the strike. Jihadi John or Mohammed Emwazi, we're told, was in a vehicle when it was struck. It was as a result of persistent surveillance. We heard a lot about that over the previous years how drones will maintain surveillance over a particular area at a particular site for a period of time.

The strike took place in the town of Raqqa. Now, this is ISIS headquarters. Jihadi John, of course, we know him because he came to prominence for the brutal beheadings of U.S. journalist James Foley, Steven Sotloff, Peter Kassig, U.S. aid worker, two British aid workers, a Japanese journalists, also beheaded by him in brutal fashion, threats to the United States, threats to the British government, to David Cameron, the prime minister here. It was, of course, those brutal headings that really put the United States on the track to begin airstrikes, coalition airstrikes, if you will, inside Syria.

But from the details that we're learning at the moment, a really, potentially preliminary. The Pentagon says they may provide more details as that becomes necessary. The British prime minister's office here, David Cameron's office at 10 Downing Street, say they, like the United States, won't be providing confident at this stage. What his means for ISIS, they lost a prominent figurehead. But having said that, Jihadi John had been out of the headlines for many, many months now.

So, what this will mean to them tactically on the ground is probably very little.

Nic Robertson, CNN, London. (END VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Our thanks to Nic.

We have breaking news on another front in the battle against ISIS. Kurdish Peshmerga forces trumpeting their momentum as they fight fighting to retake the city of Sinjar from ISIS. They entered the city from all directions and up to 7,500 troops reclaimed 60 square miles of territory. This is with the help of some 250 airstrikes by the U.S.-led coalition in northern Iraq in recent days. Commanders are going up against 600 ISIS fighters in Sinjar, but they are dug in behind land mines and booby traps, making it very difficult to operate.

Our senior international correspondent Nick Paton Walsh is embedded with these forces. He is in the outskirts of Sinjar.

Nick, first of all, obviously, be careful, as you careful as you need to be. Set the scene for us right now.

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: John, you joined me an hour or so after we returned from inside the city. In a distance behind me, a key develop has occurred. You can see the grain silo, as many say, being a key part of ISIS infrastructure in Sinjar. It's now has Kurdish forces on its roof. Some Kurdish flags flying near bit.

So, a vital change has occurred inside the city. We saw that happen and it started earlier today with Kurdish Peshmerga simply walking in large numbers converging to the center. We heard heavy clashes. Not perhaps as heavy as you could expected, but remember the scenes in Kobani where ISIS tried to hold a similar town. That went on for months.

But here, intense fighting for a short period. As it appears, the Peshmerga began to move eastward across into ISIS held territory. That town is now silent. When we were inside the scale of the challenge ahead was evident.

Yes, there could be pockets of ISIS fighters inside, but the town is littered with booby traps, literally everywhere you look, you get a warning of what could or could not be a device left behind by ISIS. The infrastructure of the town lay in waste to rubble. Massive devastation to the buildings all around.

What's key now is the level of resistance hiding in the town and if this is a complete victory for Peshmerga in Sinjar. It's been very fast. Just heard one likely heard one blast behind me there. They have taken the town very quickly.

It is symbolic as a victory because it reverses the retaliation on the Yazidi population last year when ISIS swept in. You can never take back the scars, but you could give them back their town. It is also strategic. We know the town runs on a main highway between Raqqa and Syria and Mosul in Iraq. It's now in Peshmerga hands. Peshmerga is digging trenches and

layering it with earth berms. It's pretty impossible frankly for ISIS to use it as a main supply route now. We have to see this is the beginning of the momentum for the Peshmerga and coalition forces who played a huge role in the skies, fomenting this assault. If this is beginning momentum for them to move towards Raqqa or Mosul, or just one isolated of success -- John.

BERMAN: Nick, you said the coalition played a huge role from the air. Obviously, this was a complicated, coordinate operation with some 7,500 troops on a move from many different directions. Give us a sense as much as you can of the U.S. role in this operation.

[05:05:05] WALSH: Predominately in the skies without a doubt. In fact, one Canadian volunteer I spoke to who's fighting alongside the Peshmerga as a medic, his name is Jason, said that if it wasn't for them, the air strikes, this would not have happen. He has seen Kurdish soldiers die in front of them. He was fighting religious fascism in the form of ISIS. But he was quite clear it's the airstrikes that really have done it.

And we've seen that ourselves. They come in on the most opportune moments to push ISIS back, or hold ISIS at a distance. There are also military advisers on the ground here. That's well-known and admitted by the Pentagon. We don't see them on the frontlines, but they are clearly helping calling the air strikes, but assisting with tactics, too.

But a swift victory here. Some may say that is a victory for the Obama administration, slightly more hands on advisory role experience here in the fight against ISIS, or it may simply be the Peshmerga had finally the numbers to do the job -- John.

BERMAN: Nick Paton Walsh on the outskirts of Sinjar embedded with the Kurdish troops there -- Nick, thank you so much for being with us.

ROMANS: Just remarkable and dramatic developments this morning. The Kurdistan regional security council tweeting ISIL defeated and on the run. But as you know, Nick saying the town is booby trapped. There are a lot of defensive positions and some concerns that there could be ISIS elements waiting to counterattack.

Joining us now from Washington to break down the latest in the battle for Sinjar, CNN military analyst and former Air Force colonel, Cedric Leighton.

Thank you so much for joining us.

What -- you listen to Nick Paton Walsh there. You heard the reporting of the columns of Peshmerga going into the city and now, we're seeing the flag rising above the silo, the cement factory. What is your response here? Your initial reaction?

COL. CEDRIC LEIGHTON (RET), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Well, Christine, good morning. It's absolutely a positive development and the fact that they are

coming in and doing this so quickly is a huge deal. However, now that I said that it's a huge deal, we have to be very careful not only what Nick Paton Walsh mentioned with the booby traps, but the fact that the ISIS forces have a tendency to melt back into the countryside. They're very good at doing that, and it's a kind of a traditional form of warfare in this part of the world and we have to very careful that they don't do that and we don't have to do another Sinjar in the near future.

BERMAN: Colonel, we're seeing enormous amount of activity. It really does look like an acceleration in the battle against ISIS, the U.S. putting special forces on the ground in Syria, the moment of the supplies and air power into that region right now. And also overnight, the news of a drone attack targeting Jihadi John, Mohammed Emwazi, the man seen in the execution videos.

The fact that the United States could target this man at all, does this indicate to you that the U.S. has some kind of new intelligence assets inside ISIS with increased visibility?

LEIGHTON: Well, I think what it indicates to me, John, is that we are using the means at our disposal in a much more effective fashion. So we use a lot of what we call technical means to collect intelligence. And, you know, we are seeing that in the provision of the drone strikes, if they did actually get Mohammed Emwazi, Jihadi John, then that would show them to go after individual people, but what they call high profile targets.

And although he didn't hold necessarily the top position in ISIS, what Jihadi John was, was a propaganda tool for ISIS. And to eliminate that is a significant issue. So, the intelligence is being used to great effect. The fact that airpower is being used in the way that it's being used is also critical because you are coordinating with ground forces and the fact you are coordinating that way shows that it's a combined operation in the classic sense, but with the twist going into unconventional warfare and is doing so in a very effective fashion.

ROMANS: We know drone surveillance. What about the chatter and what about the ears on the ground, I guess? You have a middle ages philosophy meets the 21st tech world. Can we assume that we are listening and watching everything these guys are writing and these videos they're producing and we know where it's coming from?

LEIGHTON: Well, there is always a risk in intelligence that you get the information, but you don't know what that information means. So, what you are dealing with is lots of chatter. It's very important to pull the salient features out of that chatter and actually use that to form actionable intelligence.

That's the challenge that intelligence forces have and at least in these operations, particularly Sinjar and going after Jihadi John, it appears to have been, initially at least, very effective.

BERMAN: Also getting word overnight, Colonel, of new air strikes targeting the ISIS oil infrastructures in eastern Syria. Trying to cut off a revenue source. How significant is this?

[05:10:00] LEIGHTON: It's very significant, because like any organization, ISIS has to finance its operation. And the way they are financing it is in part through oil sales and through smuggling of oil and other goods through that region of Turkey, Iraq and Syria. And that is, you know, to go after the supply lines is very significant because when you cut that off, you are cutting off their economic life blood.

There are also reports out there of an increase of hunger in places like Mosul, Iraq's second largest city, which is, of course, under ISIS control. If that is true, then it also shows that the noose is tightening around ISIS and we're finally getting to a point where we can affect them from a military standpoint and also, from obviously political and diplomatic standpoint as well.

ROMANS: All right. Colonel Cedric Leighton, thank you so much for joining us this morning. Great perspective on a lot of developments to fighting ISIS this morning.

BERMAN: A lot of news, a lot of news overnight.

LEIGHTON: You bet.

BERMAN: All right. Some political news as well. Donald Trump goes off in late night rambling 95-minute rant. Surprising insults directed Ben Carson's way. We'll discuss, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:15:26] ROMANS: Big political news overnight. Donald Trump unplugged and unrestrained on his current biggest rival. In an interview with CNN's Erin Burnett, Trump compared Ben Carson's self described pathological temper to the incurable sickness of a child molester.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I haven't seen it, I know it's in the book, that he's got a pathological temper or temperament. That's big problem because you don't cure that. That's like -- you know, I could say, they'd say you don't cure a child molester. You don't cure these people. You don't cure a child molester.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: This was just one of the stunning statements from Trump overnight. At a 95-minute rambling Iowa rally. He used a swear word in it, vowing to bomb the heck out of ISIS, but he didn't say heck.

Trump even asked if anyone in the crowd had a knife to demonstrate why he doubts Carson's story about trying to stab someone could have happened as described.

More now from CNN's Athena Jones. She's with Trump's campaign in Iowa. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ATHENA JONES, CNN REPORTER: Good morning, John and Christine.

One of the first things Trump said when he took the stage here in Ft. Dodge is that the gloves are off. And that was more than true when it comes to Ben Carson. He spent several minutes hitting Ben Carson, raising doubts some of the stories Carson has told about his violent past. Take a listen.

TRUMP: He took the knife and went after a friend and he lunged -- he lunged that knife into the stomach of his friend. But lo and behold, it hit the belt. It hit the belt. And the knife broke.

How stupid are the people of Iowa? How stupid are the people of the country to believe this crap?

JONES: So, some of the toughest and most animated remarks we've heard from Trump about Ben Carson, one of his top rivals. He also spent time slamming his other rivals both within and outside of his party, blasting Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio and calling -- saying of Hillary Clinton, that the only thing she has going for her is the woman card.

I can tell you the audience here seemed to really eat it up -- John, Christine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: All right. Athena, thank you for that.

Now, the Carson campaign responded to the Trump rambling. A top aide, Armstrong Williams, tell CNN, "Mr. Trump has resentment when he sees Dr. Carson rise. He lashes out like he did tonight."

BERMAN: Revenge is a dish best served Rex. A huge game Rex Ryan's old team with the Jets and new team the Bills. The big winner was Rex Ryan.

Andy Scholes has the bleacher report, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:22:33] BERMAN: All eyes on Rex Ryan during last night's AFC East showdown between the Bills and Jets.

ROMANS: Andy Scholes has more in this morning's bleacher report.

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Hey, good morning, guys.

Rex Ryan who's fired by Jets last season said last night's game will likely get dumped by a girl you like. You just got to move on. Ryan, of course, moving with the Bills who are rocking a Nike color rush uniforms last night, look like Christmas on the field in this one.

Picking up on the second quarter, on the kickoff return, the Jets fumble and Duke Williams takes it in for a touchdown. The bills were up 22-3, but the Jets rally and late in the fourth on fourth down, Davis never looks for Ryan Fitzpatrick's pass. Rex Ryan gets revenge and the Bills 22-17 win.

The Dallas Cowboys locker room is not a happy place right now. The team has lost six in a row. While Jason Witten was speaking with reporter, wide receiver Dez Bryant went on a tirade against the media.

Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DEZ BRYANT, COWBOYS WIDE RECIEVER: (EXPLETIVE DELETED) and I'll let you know why I do this, why I do this. I'll let it be known why I do it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: All of this was over a story over Dez apparently unhappy with. Dez later tweeted if you are going to tell something, tell the whole thing. I'm done with the situation. I hope everyone is having a great day.

All right. For the second straight morning I ask, will anyone ever beat the Golden State Warriors? Steph Curry put up 21 points in the first quarter alone. He scored 20 points in a quarter four times this season. The rest of the NBA combined has done that twice. Curry ended the game with 46 points as the warriors win, 129-116. Warriors are on pace to go 82-0 this season.

All right. Huge fight this weekend in Melbourne, Australia. Undefeated bantamweight champ Ronda Rousey puts her title on the line against fellow American Holly Holm. In speaking with CNN world sports, she intends Rousey talks about what makes her different than her opponent.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RONDA ROUSEY, UFC BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPION: I work harder than Holly does. I know I want it more than she does. And that's really -- it's no big secret other than.

[05:25:01] There's -- she -- I'm willing to die in there and she is there for a paycheck. That's the difference.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: Guys, I give Holms zero chance of winning Saturday night's fight.

BERMAN: I think that might high, Andy. I think you might be setting a high mark.

Can I say, you and I, Andy Scholes, we're going to start the Steph Curry is underrated fan club right now. I cannot believe what he's doing. I have never seen a shooter do what he is doing right now.

SCHOLES: Best ever. I mean, he literally is the best shooter ever to play the game of basketball. It's incredible.

BERMAN: All right. We started the club right there. You hear, you witness it. Thanks, Andy.

SCHOLES: All right.

ROMANS: Twenty-five minutes past the hour. U.S. airstrikes targeting Jihadi John, the ISIS executioner on those ISIS beheading videos. What we are learning new this morning about that operation, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: Breaking news this morning: the U.S. launching new attacks on ISIS in Iraq and Syria. Drone strikes targeting the ISIS executioner Jihadi John. This as ISIS launches a new deadly attack. We have developments, including a statement from the British prime minister any second.