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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Friend of San Bernardino Shooter Arrested; President Obama Visits National Counterterrorism Center; Kerry to Chair U.N. Meeting on Syria; Theme Parks Deploy Metal Detectors; Piecing Together Paris Ringleader's Moves. Aired 4:30-5a ET
Aired December 18, 2015 - 04:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[04:32:37] BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: The neighbor of the San Bernardino shooters arrested. Now facing terrorism charges. How investigators believe he is linked to the attack.
ALISON KOSIK, CNN ANCHOR: Trump versus Bush. Rubio versus Cruz. The feuds intensifying in the race for president.
Welcome back to EARLY START. I'm Alison Kosik.
SANCHEZ: And I'm Boris Sanchez. We're about 32 minutes past the hour.
Major new developments today in the San Bernardino terrorism case. A friend and former neighbor of attacker Syed Rizwan Farook has been arrested and charged in connection with plotting two earlier attacks with Farook. Attacks that were never actually carried out. The complaint against 24-year-old Enrique Marquez does not claim he was directly involved in the mass shooting that left 14 people dead, but it does allege that he bought two AR-15 rifles used in that attack as well as explosive material used in a pipe bomb found at the scene.
CNN's Kyung Lah is in San Bernardino with the latest.
KYUNG LAH, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Enrique Marquez faces three federal charges, the gun charges, visa and marriage fraud charges, as well as a very serious charge of material support to terrorism. According to a federal complaint, Marquez and Syed Rizwan Farook plotted as recently as four years ago to attack several -- a couple of different locations in Southern California. A cafeteria, at a community college in Riverside. They planned to drop pipe bombs on an Orange County freeway during the rush hour to maximize casualties.
The complaint also says that Marquez bought explosive powder that was then found in undetonated bombs left in the room that was the San Bernardino massacre.
Enrique Marquez did make an initial court appearance. He did not enter a plea. There is another court appearance next week -- Alison, Boris.
KOSIK: All right, Kyung. Thanks for that.
And the victims of the San Bernardino terror attack and their families will meet with President Obama tonight at a private event. The president's show of compassion also part of a weeklong push to spotlight the administration's efforts on national security and terror issues.
On Thursday, the president made a rare trip to the National Counterterrorism Center in suburban Virginia for a Christmas time terror briefing.
Let's bring in senior White House correspondent Jim Acosta for the latest.
JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Alison and Boris, it was one more attempted show of strength from President Obama as he vowed to keep the nation safe from ISIS terrorists and their so-called lone wolf followers during the holidays.
[04:35:01] After a rare briefing at the National Counterterrorism Center, the president said there is no current, specific or credible threat to the U.S. homeland and with that intelligence in hand he urged Americans to remain calm.
Under discussion at the president's meeting, the growing high tech menace of terrorists concealing their intentions on social media and through encrypted messages on smartphones. Here's more of what the president had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: When terrorists pull off a despicable act like what happened in San Bernardino, it tears at our hearts, but it also stiffens our resolve.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: Later today, the president will pay a visit to the families of the victims of the terrorist attack in San Bernardino en route to his family vacation in Hawaii, an annual trip that has been interrupted by threats to the homeland before. And the president will have one more chance to defend U.S. efforts for defeating ISIS and protecting Americans at home at his annual end-of-the-year news conference here at the White House later today -- Alison and Boris.
SANCHEZ: All right. Thank you, Jim.
Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin launching a mutual admiration society of sorts. The Russian president calling Trump, quote, "a very flamboyant man, very talented, and the absolute leader of the presidential race" at his annual State of the Union news conference in Russia. Trump returned the compliment in a statement, saying, quote, "It's always a great honor to be so nicely complimented by a man so highly respected within his own country and beyond."
KOSIK: And you can bet some of the candidates on the Republican side were watching. And now Jeb Bush is using the love fest between as an opening to hammer at the theme that he highlighted at the debate, that it's proof Trump is entertaining but not really fit to be commander- in-chief in dangerous times. Bush told EARLY START's own John Berman overnight that Putin's seal of approval isn't necessarily a good thing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEB BUSH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I don't respect Vladimir Putin. He is the leader of an important country, certainly a regional power as Barack Obama called him. But to get praise from Vladimir Putin is not going to help Donald Trump. He is not a serious candidate. And he would bring chaos to the presidency just as he's done to this campaign. It's entertaining but the simple fact is we're at war right now with Islamic terrorism and he's not offered one compelling specific thing to do to keep us safe.
It's all high volume, lots of talk but nothing specific because he hasn't taken the time to learn the issues. And I think we need someone with a steady hand in the presidency. And we're never going to beat Hillary Clinton with grandiosity, with big language without anything to back it up.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOSIK: And Trump meanwhile continue to hit back at Jeb Bush on FOX News last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I really think he's a nice man but he's doing poorly. He's doing very poorly. I mean, he was down to three or four or something like that. I just came out with numbers at 41 percent. So he's not been doing well. And you know, his pollster said, look, here's what you do. Here's a line, memorize it and say it to Trump. And you know when they let that whole clip run, he doesn't look so good according to everybody. Virtually everybody that's seen it. But, you know, he came out a couple of times during the debate in the middle of nowhere. And I said, what is that? Is that another attack? I mean, it's not just necessary.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: While Bush was taking on Donald Trump, Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz fighting another round in the immigration battle they launched at the debate. Cruz drilling in on Rubio's support for a 2013 immigration reform bill that offered a path to citizenship. A bill that Cruz later voted against. Rubio, though, swinging back pointing to an amendment that Cruz pushed that would have granted not citizenship but a path to some kind of legal status.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: He's going to have a hard time because he's not told the truth about his position in the past on legalization. And even there at the debate, he said he didn't intend to legalize people in the future. Again I think it's very crafty language. SEN. TED CRUZ (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Tuesday for the first time
in five debates Senator Rubio publicly admitted not only did he support Obama and Schumer's amnesty but he still supports amnesty and citizenship today. He had avoided doing that in the first four debates. He explicitly admitted it in this last debate.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOSIK: The Bernie Sanders campaign facing possible sanctions after admitting one of its staffers improperly accessed confidential voter information collected by the Hillary Clinton campaign. Sanders' campaign manager blaming it on a software glitch. The staffer has been fired. The DNC warning the Sanders camp it won't be allowed to access the party's voter data again until an explanation is provided.
SANCHEZ: The Pentagon plans to transfer 17 more prisoners out of Guantanamo Bay over the coming weeks. Defense Secretary Ash Carter confirming that Congress has already been informed about the move. The White House says several nations have agreed to take in lower level inmates. Reducing the total prisoner population at Gitmo to 90. The president hoping to shut down the facility before he leaves office.
And President Obama's final State of the Union address next month expected to depart from tradition. The White House says instead of ticking off a long list of legislative priorities, the president plans to share his vision for the country but an administration official insists the president has no plans to act like a lame duck in his last year in office with an agenda that includes obviously closing down Guantanamo Bay and perhaps executive actions on gun control.
[04:40:17] KOSIK: The House has passed $622 billion in tax breaks. It includes a permanent extension of the child tax credit. A more generous tuition tax credit and a delay in taxes that help pay for Obamacare. Almost all Republicans voted for the bill and more Democrats than expected backed it as well.
This is the first step in approving a big tax and spending deal. The second part of that agreement is a $1.1 trillion spending bill that funds agencies through September. And that's actually expected to be approved today. The supporters are saying this brings enough certainty to create jobs and give a boost to the economy. But there are opponents, Boris, that say this bill adds too much to the deficit.
SANCHEZ: Happening right now, U.S. and world leaders trying to find common ground in how to fight ISIS in Syria. We are live next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Supporters of sainthood for Mother Teresa one step closer to their dream.
[04:45:02] Pope Francis has now recognized a second miracle attributed to Mother Teresa which paves the way for canonization which is expected in September. She died in 1997 and has since been beatified, the first step toward sainthood. KOSIK: Secretary of State John Kerry set to chair a meeting of the
U.N. Security Council. He's trying to broker a deal to end the civil war in Syria. Russia, Germany, Iran and other European and Middle East powers are all sitting at the table.
The U.S. and Russia already agreeing to team up to pressure member nations to help cut off ISIS funding.
Let's go live to Moscow and bring in Jill Dougherty at the International Center for Defense and Security.
Thanks so much for joining us this morning. You know, we are seeing some progress about finding some common ground about the fate of Syria's Bashar al-Assad.
JILL DOUGHERTY, INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR DEFENSE AND SECURITY: Right. So actually there is some progress and it's complicated. But what they did yesterday was they got the funding part of it at the United Nations. A unanimous resolution by the U.N. to cut off funding for ISIS. And that would be trying to stop the banking system from having ISIS have access to the banking system for things especially like selling the oil that it brings in and uses as part of funding. Also sales of antiquities.
There are still issues of taxes. As you know they actually tax the people who are under their control and that's an increasing part of the $2 billion that they are taking in per year estimated. And then today, Friday, at the United Nations, Russia and the United States will both be there and they are, as you said, trying to bring everyone together to pass another resolution which would essentially give the check of approval to this process of political transition.
Still some sticking point. Precisely what would happen to President Assad in this political transition. But I think you'd have to say that there has been a narrowing of differences between the United States and Russia on that. And the final issue would be who are the opposition fighters who could sit down at the table and be part of this process -- Alison.
KOSIK: Baby steps at least there about that. You know, I want to switch gears a bit. To a little bit of politics. I know you were at Vladimir Putin's State of the Union address there in Moscow yesterday. Kind of a bizarre moment where he kind of -- it kind of felt like he gave a complete endorsement to Donald Trump.
DOUGHERTY: Well, I think it was actually even more than kind of. He said, you know, he is leading the race. He called him a very interesting, colorful person. He didn't say, I'm going to vote for him. But he did say -- in the same breath, he said, you know, the Americans interfere in our politics, I'm not going to do that. I'm not interfering. But of course, in a way he was.
It is intriguing why he would think that Donald Trump is somebody that he can work with. But you've heard the comments by Donald Trump saying I can work with Putin. There are some similarities. They're both colorful people on the world stage. They're both tough guys or at least give the impression that they are. And you know, we'll have to see how it goes. But it really was quite a moment, Alison.
KOSIK: Maybe it's the flamboyance that each has that they can each relate to, right?
DOUGHERTY: It could be. Yes. They both have a lot of that.
KOSIK: All right. Jill Dougherty, thanks so much.
SANCHEZ: Hundreds of heavily armed ISIS fighters launching a coordinated multi-pronged on Kurdish forces in northern Iraq. It's the most intense fighting in the region in months with the terrorists using car bombs, armored bulldozers and vehicles mounted with machine guns to attack the Kurds north and east of Mosul.
U.S. military officials responding with a 17-hour aerial attack. The Pentagon says at least 18 Kurdish fighters were killed in that battle.
KOSIK: A Pennsylvania man arrested and charged with conspiring to provide material support ISIS. Authorities say they found high capacity weapons magazines, ammo and survival gear when they searched the apartment of 19-year-old Jalil Aziz last month. Aziz allegedly used several Twitter accounts to reveal information about members of the U.S. military, calling for violence against them as well as American citizens. And authorities, they're saying he also helped people who were looking to travel overseas to fight alongside ISIS.
SANCHEZ: It may be known as the happiest place on earth, but to enter the magic kingdom these days you and the kids may have to pass through metal detectors first.
Walt Disney World deciding to beef up security at the entrance to all four of its Orlando theme parks. Security a major concern in the wake of the San Bernardino and Paris terror attacks.
We get more from CNN's Alina Machado.
ALINA MACHADO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Boris and Alison, Disney isn't the only one doing this. We know Universal Studios and SeaWorld are also using metal detectors to screen people who visit their theme parks.
[04:50:03] A spokesperson for Disney released a statement on the changes. It reads, "We continually review our comprehensive approach to security and are implementing additional security measures as appropriate."
Now Disney will be randomly selecting guests for a secondary screening using these new metal detectors. They've also added what they're calling, quote, "visible and non-visible" security measures at all of their parks. These measures include the use of specially trained dogs to patrol key areas.
Some of the other things you might notice if you head to a Disney park, they are discontinuing the sale of toy guns on Disney property and they're no longer allowing people to bring toy guns to the theme parks. And if you're 14 and older, you also won't be able to wear any costume at any of the parks. The new toy gun policy, they say, is being done to make sure a toy gun
doesn't cause a distraction or confusion for their cast members and security personnel in the parks. They know that very few people actually bring these items so the impact they expect will be minor. The cost in policy they say is to allow security to better screen people at the parks -- Alison and Boris.
KOSIK: All right. Alina, thanks for that.
And the wife of PGA Tour star Jason Day in the hospital overnight after getting run down by LeBron James. Day and his wife, Ellie, were sitting courtside last night at the Cavaliers game in Cleveland when LeBron accidentally slammed into her -- steamrolled actually there -- while chasing a loose ball. It's amazing to see.
The game was halted as medics put a neck brace on the golfer's wife and took her to a local hospital. She was released this morning. She's expected to be OK. James tweeting, "Hope you guys come back to another game again."
You know, it's just amazing to see -- how tall is he? 6'8"?
SANCHEZ: 6'8", 280 pounds. She was flattened.
KOSIK: Boom.
SANCHEZ: Flattened.
KOSIK: Well, we always want to get those close seats. I guess that's the risk of it.
SANCHEZ: Yes. It is the risk.
KOSIK: Imagine this. You go to pick up items you put on lay-away and they've mysteriously all been paid for. That would be nice. A generous gift from a mystery Santa next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[04:55:51] SANCHEZ: We're learning more this morning about the ringleader of the Paris terror attacks and where he was in the weeks leading up to the attack.
CNN's Sara Sidner is live in Lesbos, Greece with the latest in the investigation.
Sara, considering that European refugee crisis, just the millions of people that are going across the border into Europe trying to flee the crisis in Syria. Is it possible that Abdelhamid Abaaoud used that to his advantage to get in easily into Europe?
SARA SIDNER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That is exactly what investigators are looking into and they do think at least two others, those that were involved in the stadium bombing, were doing just that. Using fake Syrian passports and using this refugee crisis to their advantage to try and the place they wanted to attack which was Paris. We are learning from investigators, talking to CNN, they're saying
look, we now really are quite sure that Abdelhamid Abaaoud was able to get to Leros, the island of Leros in Greece. They believe he was in Syria in the weeks before and in order to do that, what the normal refugee route would be, would be to come through Syria by land to Turkey and then take a boat from Turkey to Leros.
But in between there is very, very dangerous waters. And so there is this island that's abandoned that's mostly used by the military. That island is often where people end up and then the coast guard will often come and pick them up from Greece, pick them up from that island and take them into Leros. It's a difficult journey.
Now it's difficult partly because the boats that they are using are so incredibly rickety and unprepared for very choppy waters. And we're seeing just so you know, Boris, already today we've seen two boats and now a third has just arrived with 60 people on it, packed, they're freezing. And it could very well be that investigators say he could have come in with all of these refugees. But we also must be clear that these attackers had EU passports. So they may have been able to use their own passports once they got to Europe. But certainly using the refugees as cover as they came from Syria into Greece -- Boris.
SANCHEZ: Such a delicate situation, Sara, trying to figure out who is in actual need of help and who has just nefarious intentions.
Thank you.
KOSIK: All right. Let's get an EARLY START on your money. Stocks around the world are lower this morning, as well as U.S. futures. They're in the red as well. Government -- global selloff in commodities continues. It's just shocking what's seen what's happening with oil. Yesterday Wall Street enthusiasm over the Fed's interest rate decision vanished and the Dow fell more than 250 points, as we watch oil plunged below $35 a barrel.
We've been watching oil prices being hammered in recent weeks with no signs of the supply glut easing in sight.
PayPal, doubling its paid leave for new moms. Yes. Now there is a good gift for the holidays. Moms will get 16 weeks of fully paid leave. That's up from eight weeks with 80 percent pay. And new dads, they're now going to get eight weeks paid. Lots of big tech companies lately have been upping their parental leave policy this year.
Netflix decided to let its employees take as much paid parental leave as they want for the first year and Amazon, Microsoft and others have created more generous policies for new parents.
Mystery holiday helpers spreading a lot of layaway cheers this year. Anonymous donors have cleared hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of layaway tabs this year at Wal-Mart. Toys R Us and K-Mart. This really happens every year but Wal-Mart said the secret givers, they've been more generous than ever this holiday season. Three separate people gave more than $100,000 each in Wal-Marts in Florida, Pennsylvania and Ohio. They've spent a combined $500,000. You know, it's really nice because a lot of people who put this stuff
out on layaway. They can't pay for it upfront. So this really is -- this shows that humanity really is good after all.
SANCHEZ: It's great to see, especially because of all the negative news that we have to report.
KOSIK: Right.
SANCHEZ: To see something more lighthearted during the holiday season.
KOSIK: Yes.
SANCHEZ: Nice to see. Especially as the economy continues to improve. I hope we'll see more of that.
KOSIK: Yes.
SANCHEZ: EARLY START continues right now.
The neighbor of the San Bernardino shooters arrested on terrorism charges. What investigators are now revealing.
