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Isa Soares Tonight
Officials Hold Briefing on Dallas ICE Office Shooting; Joshua Jahn Indented to Kill ICE Agents; Trump Suggests Progress on Gaza Ceasefire Efforts; Abbas Condemns Settlement Expansion in West Bank; Former French President Sarkozy Sentenced to Five Years in Prison. Palestine Authority President Mahmoud Abbas Cites Palestinians Won't Leave Gaza; U.S. Justice Department Nears a Decision on Whether to Charge Former FBI Director James Comey with Lying to Congress; Former French President Sarkozy Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison. Aired 2-3p ET
Aired September 25, 2025 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[14:00:00]
ISA SOARES, HOST, ISA SOARES TONIGHT: A very warm welcome to the show, everyone, I'm Isa Soares. Tonight, Palestinians will not leave. Those are
the words of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas as he delivers his speech to the United Nations General Assembly. I'll speak with one aid
organization with teams on the ground in Gaza.
Then the U.S. Justice Department nears a decision on whether to charge former FBI Director James Comey with lying to Congress. We'll go live to
Washington for you. Plus, former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is sentenced to five years in prison. We'll have that and much more right
ahead on the show.
We'll begin tonight with high-powered diplomacy in Washington and a Palestinian declaration at the U.N. General Assembly. The leaders of NATO's
two largest armies, the U.S. and Turkey are discussing advanced fighter jets at the White House. U.S. President Donald Trump suggests the U.S.
could soon lift F-35 sanctions on Turkey, which would put the fighter jets back on Ankara's shopping list.
The meeting between Mr. Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan comes after each leader addressed the U.N. General Assembly. Today, world
leaders at that gathering heard from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. In a video address, he declared, quote, "Hamas will not have
a role to play in a Palestinian state". Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAHMOUD ABBAS, PRESIDENT OF THE STATE OF PALESTINE (through translator): Just three days ago, we met at a high level international conference in New
York under the joint chairmanship of France and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with wide-scale international presence and united positions that
expressed a genuine international will to put an end to this historic conflict by recognizing the state of Palestine, ending the occupation, and
returning hope to both the Palestinian and Israeli people.
And here, I would like to, on behalf of the Palestinian people, to express our gratitude and appreciation to all the states that recently recognized
the state of Palestine, and those that intend to recognize the state of Palestine soon. We urge all the states that have not done so yet to
recognize the state of Palestine. We call on supporting Palestine, obtaining a full membership in the United Nations. It should be noted that
we have already recognized Israel's right to exist in 1988 and in 1993. And we still recognize this right.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: And Mr. Abbas was forced to address the U.N. chamber via video after the White House denied visas for Palestinian diplomats prior to the
General Assembly. Lots for us to get through. Joining me now is CNN's international diplomatic editor, Nic Robertson. And Nic, you know, Mahmoud
Abbas there, very clear in his condemnation of Hamas, saying it won't have a role to play in a Palestinian state. How important was that message to
lay it out very clearly.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: That the Hamas would hand over their weapons --
SOARES: Yes --
ROBERTSON: To representative of the Palestinian Authority. There would be one law, one security force, that the Palestinians don't want to have an
armed state. I think those were very important points that he put down there. But I think these are points that have been heard before as well
as his list of priorities ending the war.
I think return of hostages was third on his list. Humanitarian supplies to be allowed back in, and a very thorough and strong condemnation, as you
would expect of Israel. But I'm not sure that this has advanced our understanding of where the gaps may be closing for an agreement for Israel
to agree with this or any elements of it.
[14:05:00]
President Trump said the most important thing for him was getting the hostages back --
SOARES: Yes, all of them, all of them, didn't he?
ROBERTSON: All of the hostages --
SOARES: Yes --
ROBERTSON: Was His important thing. But he also said Netanyahu -- well, Israel knows what I want. So, I think, you know, more to come on this when
President Trump has actually met with the Israeli Prime Minister. But for Mahmoud Abbas to be able to address U.N. Security Council this way by --
SOARES: Yes --
ROBERTSON: A virtual link, I think that was so telling in and of itself.
SOARES: And of course, we'll see Netanyahu address the U.N. General Assembly, I think that's tomorrow, meet with President Trump, I believe
that's on Monday. But we have heard hopes of a breakthrough many times. But now we're talking -- we're hearing about a 21 -- a 21-point plan that
President Trump presented or spoke to with Arab leaders. Do we have any more details about what that plan actually entails, Nic?
ROBERTSON: Not really.
SOARES: OK --
ROBERTSON: But again, the list of -- you know, the items that we believe because President Trump and none of the Arab countries have really been
clear about what's on it. I think the Turkish President today indicated that it might be -- might be helpful -- fruitful, I think is the word that
he used to describe the meeting.
President Trump had where he laid out those 21 points. The President again today saying that he was -- you know, he felt good that it could happen.
That was echoing what Steve Witkoff had said, releasing the hostages, again, a key detail -- ending a permanent end to the war. But it's all the
-- you know, it's 21 points.
SOARES: Yes --
ROBERTSON: And look, the way that -- and nowhere where this is being negotiated at the moment. Qatar is not playing the role of mediator at the
moment. Egypt hasn't really picked it up. So, it's really not clear where these 21 points are really going to be hashed out and finalized, perhaps
some details coming out of it that there may be sort of an international police security force, Arab and other Muslim countries, there to help
establish, but really --
SOARES: Yes, quickly --
ROBERTSON: Skinny on details --
SOARES: Very briefly, very briefly, he met with Erdogan, of course, asking him for help in bringing the war in Ukraine to an end, but also asking him
to stop buying Russian oil. How did he respond to that?
ROBERTSON: Erdogan didn't respond to it --
SOARES: Oh, OK --
ROBERTSON: Because it was very much --
(LAUGHTER)
ROBERTSON: It was -- it was very much President Trump speaking. And I think Erdogan just spoke once, and the area of leverage for the United
States. President Trump is with these F-35s. So --
SOARES: Yes --
ROBERTSON: Turkey was originally going to buy 2019, they got taken off the -- taken off the buying list or list of buyers, if you will, because they
bought Russian surface-to-air missile defense systems. That's where the leverage is. Erdogan does want, you know, parity with others in the region.
And of course, that's a -- that's a concern.
But F-35s, F-16s missile -- Patriot missile defense systems, if Trump can have leverage over the -- over the oil. What was interesting, I think in
Trump's comments today, speaking on the issue, he called -- he called what Russia is doing in Ukraine a rampage. That language, when we've been
looking to see is President Trump going to flip-flop --
SOARES: Yes --
ROBERTSON: On his assertion that Ukraine can take back ground, and essentially win back territory. He hasn't flip-flopped, the language was
still there strongly against Russia.
SOARES: Well, at least he hasn't flip-flopped in the last 48 hours. Let's see, Nic, appreciate it, thank you very much indeed. Well, as the U.N.
General Assembly grinds ahead in New York, European regional security as well as diplomacy is being put to the test yet again. Unauthorized drones
forced the Aalborg Airport in northern Denmark to shut down on Wednesday.
It is the second airport to close in the country just this week. While it is unclear who was manning the drones. This comes as Europe is on high
alert following a slew of airspace violations by Russia. I laid out these recent incursions earlier.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: While a lot of questions remain, here is what we do know so far. On September the 9th, Poland says it saw as many as 21 Russian drones
entering its airspace. Each one scattered across the country. NATO fighter jets shot down multiple of these drones with authorities later telling the
media many were unarmed dummy drones.
Moscow denied responsibility. Five days later, if you come with me, NATO member Romania said it deployed two F-16 fighter jets in an attempt to
intercept a Russian drone that crossed into its airspace after an attack on neighboring Ukraine. Romania says the drone hovered inside its territory
for roughly 50 minutes, 5-0.
The Foreign Ministry there, pointing the finger squarely at Moscow and its, quote, "irresponsible actions". The Kremlin, though, clapped back, saying
the accusation lacked evidence.
[14:10:00]
And then last Friday, if you come with me, move the incursions as we've seen, moved further north to Estonia which says three Russian fighter jets
violated its airspace for a total of 12 minutes, triggering an emergency security council meeting in which the EU's top diplomat said was an
incident that was a deliberate provocation.
Russia later denied its jets had entered Estonian airspace, insisting the flight was carried out in, quote, "strict accordance with international
rules and without violating the borders of that country". Now, these incursions, as you can see, were mostly along NATO's eastern flank, and
it's still unclear whether all of these incidents were intentional.
But the incidents have put Europe on high alert. And then this week, we have seen airports in Oslo and in Copenhagen forced to shut down after at
least two drones were spotted. Just yesterday, flights from Aalborg Airport in northern Denmark were also disrupted for exactly the same reason.
It is not clear who was behind these drones deployments, of course, and Russia has denied involvement. But this is how the Danish government has
responded. Have a listen.
PETER HUMMELGAARD, JUSTICE MINISTER, DENMARK (through translator): And without drawing any conclusions regarding the evening and nights events in
Denmark, we can state that sabotage and cyber attacks and other forms of hybrid attacks have become an all too reoccurring part of European reality.
The purpose is to stress test borders and create fear and uncertainty among the population and decision makers, and we must also state that the threat
from hybrid attacks is something that is here to stay and is developing rapidly.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Well, to break down what the slew of incursions into European airspace mean for NATO and peace in Europe. I'm joined now by Gabrielius
Landsbergis; former Foreign Minister of Lithuania. Great to see you, Gabrielius. We just laid out, as you saw there, the latest incursions. How
do you assess these? I think we can call them regular incursions. I mean, that has certainly been the case in the last week, two weeks, and indeed,
its intentions here.
GABRIELIUS LANDSBERGIS, FORMER FOREIGN MINISTER OF LITHUANIA: Well, first of all, it's good to be back on the show. I would -- I think that we need
to call them what it is, it's a Russian operation against the -- against the western countries on the eastern flank, and the northern flank, so to
say, because as you very well mentioned, northern countries, northern European countries are also facing these elements, these operations.
And we have to be very clear, not just by naming them, but also be very clear about what we are going to do about them. And so far, we have not yet
heard a very clear answer as to that.
SOARES: Yes, I'm glad you brought it up, because President Trump said he would agree -- and you would have heard this, Gabrielius, with NATO
shooting down Russian jets and flying objects that entered its airspace. But here's how the NATO Secretary-General, what he said to my colleague,
Christiane Amanpour. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARK RUTTE, SECRETARY-GENERAL, NATO: Our military, our military commanders, our fighter jets, pilots, they can do what is necessary to keep
our people safe. If it is -- if there is no direct threat, they will escort these planes out of allied airspace. If there is a direct threat, they
might ultimately do the ultimate thing.
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Which is shoot them down.
RUTTE: Yes, if necessary.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Is that the right strategy in your view? And is that a strong- enough deterrence?
LANDSBERGIS: I think that it lacks a clear message to Putin, because he still thinks that we are afraid to do what is necessary. Because we might
not know when a jet or a drone poses a direct threat, and if it's operating in the -- in the area of, you know, any country, a NATO country, we need to
say that if it's there illegally, it will be taken down.
That is the message that Putin needs to hear. And so far, he has not heard it. And the second thing, Isa --
SOARES: Right, so how then do you translate that message, Gabrielius -- sorry, how do you translate that message then into action? What would that
mean in real terms?
LANDSBERGIS: Well, we need to take down. We need to be very clear that if you enter illegally an airspace of NATO country with, you know, either
drone or a jet, you know, Russia is fighting a war against -- European against western ally, Ukraine. So, it is very clear that it doesn't have
good intentions, neither against Ukraine nor against any western country.
That means that if they enter, they need to be not escorted, not -- you know, have a phone call with Moscow and ask about the intentions, you know,
why are you in Estonian airspace? But take it down like Turkish leadership did a couple of years ago.
[14:15:00]
The plane flew in, it was taken down, no World War III started, but no other plane has ever breached Turkish airspace ever again.
SOARES: Making it clear that, that is the red line. Of course, our viewers would know this. You know, NATO announced the Eastern Sentry. I mean, how
effective do you think they can be realistically, and how prepared would you say, Gabrielius, are NATO countries in terms of -- in technological
terms to stop these drones?
We've seen, of course, more than ten -- more than three incursions in ten days in terms of Europe, NATO's preparations when it comes to drones. Your
assessment.
LANDSBERGIS: Well, unfortunately, we are not very well prepared. And the operation against Poland has clearly shown that. You know, 20 drones have
flown in, four were taken down. Imagine if those drones, if those -- the rest of 16 drones would be armed Shahed drones, which Ukraine sees hundreds
of every single night.
So, that -- you know, that tells us that we don't have a radar capability, we don't have means to take down slow-flying, low-flying objects that
Russians are using these days in the war. So, paradoxically, we need to be very fast of learning Ukrainian lessons. It's no longer that we need to
teach Ukrainians anything. You know, we are just wasting our time if we're not still doing that.
Learn, procure, help Ukrainians strengthen their air defenses and, you know, and establish the same systems on our -- in our countries.
SOARES: Let me get your thoughts on Ukraine, because our viewers will know you were very well sourced and connected. So, let me get -- let me get your
thoughts on what we've heard. Yesterday, the media, European leaders were trying to make sense of what we heard from President Trump on social media,
where he basically said Ukraine can regain all land lost since -- to Russia since the invasion.
Is that you think, a shift in your view, a spur of the moment-feeling from a president who is, quite frankly, pretty unpredictable and has really
hovered on Ukraine?
LANDSBERGIS: Well, it is -- it is difficult to say. You know, we applaud - -
SOARES: Yes --
LANDSBERGIS: When it is, you know, right moment. So, I think it is -- it is a good moment to do -- to do that today. It strengthens Ukrainians
argument. President Zelenskyy has now more arguments to persuade members of Congress, members of Senate, you know, to speak out in the world because
he's not alone in this, not he and, you know, and European leaders, but he and President Trump are exactly same, saying exactly the same -- the same
thing. What I would like to see here is that the words would be followed by action.
SOARES: Yes --
LANDSBERGIS: And clearly, just as with the incursions into Europe, just with the Trump's words on Ukraine, you know, a new technology that would be
provided to Ukraine would actually put a lot more weight to the words that have been said. So, let's talk about Tomahawks. Let's talk about Taurus
missile, Taurus, you know, long-range missiles that could be used by Ukrainians to hit targets deep within Russia.
And actually, you know, control the escalation so that it's not just Russians who are telling how far and how deep they are going to go into
Europe, into Ukraine, but actually us in the West, helping Ukrainians to set the tone.
SOARES: Yes, and we've heard, of course, today, as Nic Robertson was saying, the President talk about rampage, Russian rampage. But like you
clearly stated there, Gabrielius, we haven't heard any words on sanctions, on timelines or ultimatums. We haven't heard anything in the last 48 hours
or so. Gabrielius, as always, great to see you. Thank you very much indeed.
LANDSBERGIS: Thank you.
SOARES: And still to come tonight, the potential indictment of the very high profile political figure in the U.S. may be imminent. Ahead, why the
Justice Department could be getting ready to prosecute former FBI Director James Comey. And then an aid group on the ground in Gaza accuses Israel of
a war on healthcare, warning more medical facilities are nearing collapse. Both of those stories after this short break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:20:00]
SOARES: We may be about to witness an unprecedented moment in U.S. history. Sources say the U.S. Justice Department could make a decision as
early as today on whether to indict former FBI Director James Comey. But they add, Attorney General Pam Bondi and prosecutors have reservations
about the case.
And at issue here is whether Comey lied to Congress in 2020, despite a lengthy investigation that proved otherwise about Russian interference in
the 2016 election. Critics have long accused Comey of tipping the election to Mr. Trump by reopening an investigation into Hillary Clinton's e-mails
just days before voters cast their ballots.
Since then, the former FBI director has become a top Trump critic, and one the President has repeatedly vowed to get revenge on. Just a few hours ago,
Trump called Comey a sick man, not only a sick man -- Katelyn Polantz joins me now, but a sick man that did terrible things at the FBI. So, what more
are you learning from the CNN sources? And these reservations with Attorney General Pam Bondi, as well as prosecutors here?
KATELYN POLANTZ, CNN CRIME & JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well, there are a lot of moving parts here in this story today, in this afternoon where we are
watching courthouses very closely in the Eastern District of Virginia. This would be a very unusual, even unprecedented case, although we use that word
a lot now in the legal sphere against a former FBI director.
What we know from our sources is that prosecutors have been looking at possibly charging Jim Comey with perjury related to testimony he gave to
the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2022. So five years ago, and the time that they could bring that case, it's about to expire next Tuesday.
So, they are down to the wire here. There's a newly installed attorney, U.S. Attorney leading the office of prosecutors in the Eastern District of
Virginia, her name is Lindsey Halligan. She was a former personal lawyer to Donald Trump, and now she's one of the people who would be a decision-
maker, others would be the Attorney General, the deputy Attorney General, Todd Blanche, on whether to bring this case.
Our team of reporters on this, though, we have learned through sources today that there is hesitation, especially about the strength of a case
against Jim Comey. We don't know exactly what answer the prosecutors would be looking here as a possible lying charge. But we do know that there are
reservations that prosecutors who have looked at it at the ground level in Virginia, that they have reservations about it, wrote a memo about that.
And then the Attorney General Pam Bondi, has also had concerns about the strength of the case. That doesn't mean, though, that a case wouldn't be
brought. And what we are watching for now is whether a grand jury is asked in the federal courthouse or one of the federal courthouses in Virginia to
approve an indictment against Jim Comey, who he would -- that he would then have to face in court.
All at the same time as having a lot of political pressure, including from Donald Trump himself, saying publicly that justice must be served, and that
he would like to see an opponent of his indicted.
SOARES: And Katelyn, critics may look at this and think, this is Trump -- really, President Trump going after political adversaries. And now, we're
also hearing from senior Justice Department leaders, they're advocating, it seems, for a charge against John Bolton, right? Trump's former adviser-
turned, I should say critic. What are you hearing on that front?
[14:25:00]
POLANTZ: Yes, another case that the White House is making clear that they would love to see some sort of charge around somebody who is a political
opponent of the President, in this situation, it's a little bit different than the Comey case. The concerns here are not about the strength of the
case. The concerns are about the timing.
And what I've learned this week through sources along with our producer, Hannah Rabinowitz(ph), we were talking to sources who tell us that there
are worries of prosecutors on this case against John Bolton, looking at evidence gathered from his home in Maryland, as well as his office in
Washington D.C., looking at whether he mishandled national security records.
They think that they could bring a case, just not by the end of this week, but that is what the political appointees in the Justice Department,
essentially people from the deputy Attorney General's office, that's what they want. They're giving them a deadline of Friday, knowing that it would
appease or placate the President wanting to prosecute his political opponents. So, a lot is going on here. None of these instances are the
same. They are going --
SOARES: Yes --
POLANTZ: To all be very different cases. But the overt political pressure on bringing cases against people that Donald Trump does not like in his
political spheres, the retaliation he wants, that is a common thread through them all.
SOARES: It is, it is indeed, Katelyn. Appreciate it as always. Thank you very much. I do want to stay in the United States, I want to focus on the
deadly shooting at immigration facility in Dallas, in Texas, where the FBI says the evidence suggests a high degree of pre-attack planning. FBI
Director Kash Patel said the shooter conducted large amounts of research on ICE, ballistics, as well as the recent assassination of Charlie Kirk.
He also said a handwritten note indicated a desire to terrorize ICE agents. Authorities report the shooter was found dead at the scene from a self-
inflicted gunshot wound. One detainee was killed and two others injured on Wednesday. Well, the corridors of political power often contain images of
kings, queens, presidents as well as prime ministers, and so it is at the White House, where a newly introduced presidential walk of fame, as you can
see there, lines the wall outside the Oval Office.
It is pretty standard fare until you get to the spot where former President Joe Biden would be featured, right there, instead of him, a portrait of
him, an image of an autopen. It is a reference to President Trump's frequent allegation that Biden wasn't making the decisions because of
cognitive decline. Biden has called that suggestion ridiculous and false.
His advisors have denied any effort to conceal his deteriorating condition during the final years of his presidency. And still to come on the show
tonight, the U.N. says intensified Israeli strikes on Gaza city are inflicting heavy casualties and have forced several health facilities to
shut down. And we'll speak with an aid group that has dire warnings about the state of healthcare in Gaza as well as worsening conditions for
Palestinians in the West Bank. That is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:30:00]
SOARES: I want to take you live to Dallas where officials are speaking about Wednesday's deadly shooting in an ICE facility. Let's listen in.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: -- Joseph Rothrock, the special agent in charge of the FBI Dallas. With him is Marcos Charles, the acting executive associate
director of ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations. We also have Josh Johnson, the acting field office director, ERO Operations, Dallas Field
Office. Travis Pickard, special agent in charge of HSI Dallas. And Bennie Mims, special agent in charge of ATF Dallas.
At the back, I will be putting a sign-in sheet for all media. So, please, before you leave, add your information so that we have that. And following
the remarks, we will have a brief period for questions and answers. Please remember to identify yourself and your media affiliation when you ask a
question. And with that, I'll turn it over to acting U.S. Attorney Nancy Larson.
NANCY E. LARSON, ACTING U.S. ATTORNEY FOR NORTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS: Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for being here today. This is the third time
in my short four-month tenure as the acting United States attorney for this district where we have suffered violent attacks and threats at ICE
facilities.
First, you'll recall July 4, 2024, the violent attack on the Prairieland facility in Alvarado, Texas. The second occurred on August 25, 2024, when
Bratton Dean Wilkinson, who stands charged by federal complaint, pretended to have a bomb. He showed up at the ICE facility with a backpack and
something that looked like a detonator on his wrist and threatened the facility. Third, of course, is yesterday's attack, September 24, 2025, when
the Dallas ICE facility was riddled with gunfire, costing the life of one detainee and injuring two other detainees critically.
Initially, I want to commend the cooperation of the Dallas Police Department, the Dallas County Sheriff's Office, the FBI, the ATF, ICE, and
HSI for their swift and decisive response to this crime. Members of these agencies quickly secured the scene and the evidence and worked tirelessly
to determine any continuing threat. Due to their efforts, it did not take long to ascertain the identity of the shooter, who was deceased by a self-
inflicted gunshot wound, and that he very likely acted alone. His name is Joshua Jahn, 29, of Fairview, Texas.
Let me just review a very brief summary of the timeline of yesterday's attack. We believe at some point around 3:00 in the morning that the
suspect was seen driving on footage with a large ladder on his car, and we believe that that is what he used to position himself on top of the
building.
[14:35:00]
The shooting itself started at approximately 6:30 a.m. After the shooting started, Dallas Police Department arrived en masse, secured the scene. Law
enforcement officers found the sniper dead. They found bullets on the rooftop, one of which was labeled with the words anti-ICE.
That morning, gunshots sprayed the length of the building, the windows, and law enforcement vans that were in the Sallieport area. Detainees were
struck by these bullets. One was killed, two were wounded, and both of them are undergoing treatment. Shortly thereafter, the FBI began its meticulous
work at the crime scene.
At the same time, we obtained and executed multiple search warrants yesterday for devices and locations associated with the sniper. FBI agents
executed a search warrant at the sniper's residence yesterday, and there found a collection of notes.
First, I want to point out that one of these notes or papers, the sniper explicitly states, yes, it was just me. That statement appears to be
correct at this point in the investigation. Notably, these loose notes included a game plan of the attack and target areas at the facility.
He called the ICE employees people showing up to collect a dirty paycheck. He wrote that he intended to maximize lethality against ICE personnel and
to maximize property damage at the facility. He hoped to minimize any collateral damage or injury to the detainees and any other innocent people.
It seems that he did not intend to kill the detainees or harm them.
It's clear from these notes that he was targeting ICE agents and ICE personnel. The tragic irony for his evil plot here is that it was a
detainee who was killed and two other detainees that were injured when he fired into the Sallieport.
He also hoped his actions would give ICE agents real terror of being gunned down. He did this to induce constant stress in their lives. He hoped his
actions would terrorize ICE employees and interfere with their work, which he called human trafficking. And this, what he did, is the very definition
of terrorism.
Again, his notes reveal, yes, it was just me and my brain. And he said, good luck with the digital footprint. And of course, we take this to mean
that he deleted evidence from his devices. His words were definitively anti-ICE.
That said, we did not find evidence of membership in any specific group or entity, nor did he mention any specific government agency other than ICE.
Among his papers, though, was a handwritten note in which, in crude words, he expressed his hatred for the federal government.
Finally, I want to address the heroism of our federal agents yesterday. While under fire, ICE agents and ATF agents, who were also present in the
facility Sallieport area, worked together to remove detainees from the vans and get them to safety while the bullets were flying. These agents were
heroic, clearly willing to lay down their lives to save the lives of the detainees in their custody. And that's an extremely important point to make
at this point in time.
I want to express my deepest appreciation for the bravery of these law enforcement officers yesterday and every single day that they go out there
to keep us safe.
I'll now turn it over to FBI special agent in Charge of the Dallas Field Office, Joe Rothrock. Thank you.
JOSEPH ROTHROCK, SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE, FBI DALLAS: Good afternoon. First, I'd like to start by thanking our acting United States Attorney,
Nancy Larson, and her office for their support during this investigation.
My name is Joe Rothrock, and I'm the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Dallas Field Office.
[14:40:00]
Yesterday morning, Joshua Jahn carried out a targeted ambush-style attack on law enforcement. Today, I will provide you with some updates of what
we've learned through our investigation to date to include Jahn's own words in his handwritten notes.
Jahn specifically intended to kill ICE agents. He fired at transport vehicles carrying ICE personnel, federal agents, and detainees. He also
fired multiple shots into the windows of the office building, where numerous ICE employees do their jobs every day.
We now know that Jahn engaged in significant high degree of pre-attack planning. He searched for information about the office building and how to
track ICE agents' locations. Jahn also acknowledged the potential for other casualties. He knew with a high likelihood ICE detainees would be
transported that morning in the exact location where he was facing from his perch on a nearby rooftop. Jahn's attack did in fact result in the tragic
death of one detainee and the injury to two other detainees.
We have been able to confirm that Jahn legally obtained an 8mm bolt-action rifle he used in the shooting in August of this year. Based on our
investigation to date, we believe Jahn acted alone. But I'll stress, our investigation continues. This attack yet again underscores the dangers that
law enforcement face daily.
We continue to see an increased threat against law enforcement. This is the second attack in recent months on ICE facilities here in North Texas. I do
want to take this opportunity to thank our law enforcement partners, some of whom are here with us today. When Jahn began firing, agents from both
ICE and the ATF put themselves in the line of fire --
SOARES: You have been listening there to officials in Dallas, Texas, of course, giving us the media briefing following the deadly shooting at an
immigration facility in Dallas. We've got more information now regarding what unfolded and what they're learning as part of the investigation. The
acting U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Texas, it is the third time she's said in 10 years as his attorney that she has seen ICE suffering
attacks in its facilities. The latest, of course, was on September 24th, when ICE, she said, was riddled with gunfire, killing one detainee,
injuring two others.
Now, we know that the person deceased, the person behind this, was Joshua Jahn, 29 years of age. We are learning from her that he had written in a
note, following, of course, what she said was search warrants, a collection of notes that they collected, that he wanted to maximize ICE facilities and
minimize detainees, the injuries detainees. Of course, what we do know unfolded is that one detainee was killed, two others were injured.
She said the suspect's actions were the definition of terrorism, she said. She also said that it's important, as part of these search warrants, that
they had explicitly -- the game plan of attack. And important, she said, there was no evidence of membership of any other group or entity. So, we'll
continue, of course, to keep an ear out for what comes out of that presser, any more details. But we're starting to get a picture, of course, of what
unfolded and what, of course, the shooter's intentions were. Important to point out, of course, that he was deceased by self-inflicted wound. We'll
keep an eye, of course, on this presser.
In the meantime, I'm going to take a short break. We'll see you on the other side.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:45:00]
SOARES: Gaza is not being raised in silence. It's being annihilated in full view of the world. That warning today from the Gaza municipality as
words of condemnation fill the halls of the United Nations, while the reality on the ground goes unchanged. Gaza's health ministry says 83 people
have been killed in new Israeli attacks. The U.N. Human Rights Office warns of intensified strikes in Gaza City, including on tents and residential
buildings. And it does say several health facilities have been forced to shut down. Others, including Shifa Hospital, are reporting constant
shelling, as well as airstrikes.
U.S. President Donald Trump suggests there's been progress, meantime, on ceasefire efforts after he met with Arab and Muslim leaders at the U.N. And
Mahmoud Abbas, head of the Palestinian Authority, was not -- important to mention, not among them. He did address the UNGA virtually today, the
United General Assembly, saying he's ready to work with Mr. Trump and others to implement a Gaza peace plan. But he said peace and justice cannot
come until Palestine is freed.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAHMOUD ABBAS, PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY PRESIDENT (through translator): What Israel is carrying out is not merely an aggression, it is a war crime and a
crime against humanity that is both documented and monitored. And it will be recorded in history books and the pages of international conscious as
one of the most horrific chapters of humanitarian tragedy in the 20th and 21st centuries.
In the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, the capital of the State of Palestine, the extremist Israeli government continues to implement its
settlement policies through illegal settlement expansion and developing projects for annexing settlements.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: While Abbas was stuck in Ramallah after the U.S. denied him a visa, tomorrow the U.N. will witness a rare, if not unprecedented sight. A
sitting leader, who's accused of war crimes by the International Criminal Court, will take the stage. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu left
Tel Aviv earlier today with a strong defense of the war on Hamas. He rejects the ICC's arrest warrant against him, but his flight path could
indicate some concern.
I'm joined now by Aseel Baidoun, the deputy director of Advocacy and Campaigns for Medical Aid for Palestinians. They have teams on the ground
in Gaza, and she joins me here. Aseel, thank you very much for being on the show. Look, we have all this week, in fact, continued to show our viewers
how Israeli forces are pushing deeper and deeper into Gaza City, heavy shellings, explosions, hospitals, as we're reporting. What are your teams
in Gaza? What are they telling you?
ASEEL BAIDOUN, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, MEDICAL AID FOR PALESTINIANS: So, just before I left the office, we were trying to send an urgent warning for the
FCDO in London, asking them to protect one of the hospitals called the Halo (ph) Hospital. There are 14 babies -- not babies, infants in the ICU. And
the hospital said that the tanks are really around the hospital and they're out of fuel. And if we did not support them, if the governments did not
protect the hospital, we would lose 14 babies.
And I was also trying to figure out the situation at the Shifa Hospital and the Patient Friends Hospital and another hospital called Sahaba. So, we're
talking about four major hospitals in the northern Gaza under imminent risk of being forced out of service or being attacked. So, the situation is
catastrophic when it comes to the healthcare.
[14:50:00]
And this is not the first time throughout the two years of the war Israel has attacked almost every hospital. Now, we have less than a third of all
hospitals in Gaza partially functioning. So, again, I keep like getting content of trying to protect hospitals. But unfortunately, no matter how
often we send alarms, the International Community does not take tangible action and the hospital ends up being out of service. And many patients
lose their lives and many health workers either killed or detained.
SOARES: And we'll talk about the impact that has, of course, on the patients. But, you know, that first hospital where -- with the infants,
where was that exactly?
BAIDOUN: So, it's in Gaza, in northern Gaza.
SOARES: And what has happened to it? What happened to those infants?
BAIDOUN: So, until now, they're still in the incubators. But the hospital is running out of fuel because Israel is not allowing fuel in. And they're
saying there's an imminent risk of them being raided or get evacuation order for them to leave. So, they're just asking for protection, urgent
protection.
SOARES: And as we've seen, like you said, Aseel, we have seen these attacks around hospitals, you know, for some time now by the Israeli
forces. What impact, real-time impact, does that have on people just trying to get by every day with other illnesses, of course, other urgent care
that's needed? Speak to that.
BAIDOUN: So, let's put the context right. So, we're talking about a famine. And we're talking about people living in a genocide. So, we're
talking about like a lot of need for care with wounds. And we have people with malnutrition and other diseases, and they cannot access the needed
services.
So, we're talking about, in my opinion, a campaign of ethnic cleansing. Because if you live in a place where you cannot access care, what would you
do? Then you have to leave. But then you have to leave to a south where it's a really populated area. And the occupancy rate in hospitals there,
like there's two major two hospitals, 300 percent occupancy rates in the emergency rooms.
So, really -- it's really catastrophic. They are not getting the care they need. They're being starved. And that's a man-made crisis. And Israel
really made it clear that it's a war on hospitals. Because if people cannot access care, they cannot be treated, they're either left to die or they're
either left to find other places in the south.
SOARES: And so, many people, as we -- as our reporters have shown in the last week or so, so many can't leave, don't have the means physically of
moving, of course, from Gaza City. You're normally, Aseel, based in Ramallah. I want to speak to what you are seeing and the concerns there, of
course, in the West Bank.
Can you -- and I know that comparing West Bank to Gaza is completely different, and you -- I'm sure you feel lucky and privileged in many ways.
But there are huge fears with this far-right elements of Netanyahu's party.
BAIDOUN: So, yes, I feel privileged that I'm not living a genocide, but I'm living in an apartheid system. So, there's real fears that you will be
following Gaza's steps. So, what's happening now in the West Bank is we've already been living in annexation, and we've already been living in
fragmented geographical cities where Israel has installed iron gates. And by iron gates, I mean like every town has been closed down with gates that
the Israeli army can open and close whenever they want to. We cannot access cities. It's not easy to access health care. Ambulances are being
obstructed, in addition to the subtler violence that are really terrifying.
And like imagine you're living in a village where anytime armed mobs will just show up, protected by the Israeli army, and they start burning houses,
burning cars, shooting people, and you have nothing to do about it. You either leave or you just have to face your fate.
So, we're living in extreme terror of, first of all, when they say, when the Israeli officials and the right-wing officials say there is more
annexation, and we just don't understand.
SOARES: And this is what you've heard? Yes.
BAIDOUN: We just -- what do they mean? Like where would they -- we would go? We're already concentrated in specific areas with gated entrances. And
we just think, so maybe we're going to be following Gaza steps, maybe a genocide, because what else would happen?
SOARES: Absolutely terrifying. Aseel, thank you very much for coming on the show. Really appreciate it. Now, in an historic first in France, former
French President Nicolas Sarkozy now faces five years in prison. Sarkozy was found guilty of conspiracy to finance his 2007 campaign, with money
from the Libyan government and the late Muammar Gaddafi. He was cleared of three other charges, but the Paris court ruled the former president must go
to jail, even if he appeals the verdict. Our Melissa Bell has more from Paris for you.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He'd arrived at the courthouse with his wife, looking confident. But Nicolas
Sarkozy emerged as the first ever former French president to be headed to prison.
NICOLAS SARKOZY, FORMER FRENCH PRESIDENT (through translator): If they absolutely want me to sleep in prison, I will sleep in prison. But with my
head held high, I'm innocent.
BELL (voice-over): The former French president was found guilty of criminal conspiracy in a trial he's long argued was politically motivated.
[14:55:00]
Sarkozy was accused of striking a corruption pact with Libya's Muammar Gaddafi back in 2005 in order to help illegally fund Sarkozy's victorious
presidential election bid in 2007. It's not the first time that Nicolas Sarkozy's faced a guilty verdict or indeed a jail sentence. But in 2021,
when he was found guilty of having tried to bribe a judge, he was allowed to wear an electronic bracelet at home. This time, he left court knowing
that he'd be incarcerated.
His wife, Carla Bruni, posting on Instagram after the verdict, love is the answer, hashtag hatred will not win.
Nicolas Sarkozy isn't the only leading politician accusing the French judiciary of political bias. In March, the far-right's Marine Le Pen was
found guilty of embezzling European funds. She's now appealing a five-year ban on seeking political office with an eye on the next presidential
election in 2027. Nicolas Sarkozy, too, has vowed to appeal.
SARKOZY (through translator): Those who hate me so much think they are humiliating me. What they have humiliated today is France.
BELL: But the judge's ruling, which referred to the extreme gravity of the offenses, means that no appeal is going to change the fact that Nicolas
Sarkozy is going to jail. He'll find out when his prison sentence is to start on October 13th.
Melissa Bell, CNN, Paris.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: A very busy hour, but that does it for tonight. Do stay right here. "What We Know" with Max Foster is up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:00:00]
END
