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Legal View with Ashleigh Banfield

Deadly Paris Terrorist Attack; Police Have Gunmen's Car; Manhunt Continues in Paris for Three Killers; Paris Prosecutor Comments on Attack

Aired January 07, 2015 - 12:00   ET

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

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: And hello, everyone. I'm Ashleigh Banfield. I want to welcome our viewers in the United States and around the world.

It is now nightfall in Paris, a city beloved for its culture, its art, its civility and its love. But today, terrorized apparently over cartoons. As CNN has been reporting to you for several hours now, three men dressed in black and armed with semi-automatic rifles - with automatic rifles burst into the offices of a weekly satirical newspaper called "Charlie Hebdo," and then opened fire. Twelve people are now dead. Ten of them journalists, including the publication's editor and top cartoonist, and two police officers. Eight people were also hurt and four of those were critically hurt. The gunmen sped off and then vanished, forcing officials to step up France's security posture to maximum. It's called "attack alert."

We've got much more on all of this in the first hour ahead, but first I want to play you a video clip of the attack itself which miraculously was shot from a nearby rooftop.

(VIDEO CLIP)

BANFIELD: Police now have what they believe was that gunman's car that you just saw speed away. It ended up somewhere else, in fact, elsewhere in Paris, minus those three terrorists. Security forces are now scrambling to find those three people. At the same time, President Obama is promising, quote, "any assistance needed to America's oldest ally."

I want to get right to CNN's senior international correspondent Jim Bittermann, who is live in Paris as we speak. I'm also joined by CNN law enforcement analyst Tom Fuentes and CNN national security analyst Peter Bergen, who is in Washington. And here with me in New York, former NYPD detective Harry Houck.

Jim, let me get to you right away on the scene. What's the very latest in the search for these three killers?

JIM BITTERMANN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, we're hoping to get a news conference from the prosecutor, the Paris prosecutor, in the next few minutes. It could be anytime now. And from him we're expecting to get -- he's been the person that in the past in terrorist attacks like this has given us the most complete information. We're expecting to get some information about the gunmen and the hunt for the gunmen because, as you've mentioned, they fled the scene in a black Citron (ph) and they were - they believe -- the police believe that they picked up that same car on the northern edge of Paris, not very close - not very far away, rather, from kind of the downtrodden suburbs of Paris where there's a heavily Islamic community, an immigrant community, that the gunmen may have wanted to take sanctuary in. So it may be that they have gone that direction.

But one of the things that's going to make this really difficult is that no one got a good look at the faces, so far as we know, of the gunmen. They were masked. They kept their masks on. In one video, you can see one of the gunmen picking up a shoe on the street near the car that he sped away in. And that shoe may have been part of his disguise, a new disguise that he was going to take on after he got rid of his black outfit and mask. So it could be - it could very well be the case that these three will be able to slip unnoticed away from those people who would like to find them, meaning just about all the police in France at this point, Ashleigh.

BANFIELD: Well, we're certainly going to get to the forensic trail they just may well have left behind and how that could be helping law enforcement as you and I speak live to track them. But before I do that, let's talk about the people they targeted. The word now that the editor of that magazine is dead. The top cartoonists are dead. Tell me about these victims and the actually targeting of them.

BITTERMANN: Well, the thing is that the assailants obviously had some advance information about when the magazine was going to have its editorial meeting because it's not every day and it's not every hour that these -- that the people that were killed today, the ten journalists, would be around the magazine at all. Some of them work for different magazines. Some of them work from home. But there was this editorial meeting going on this morning at 11:30 when the gunmen broke in and targeted these journalists.

Now, the magazine makes its money, makes its hay off the idea that it's going to be more extreme, more radical, more daring than anybody else. And they've been doing that for a good decade now. In any case, they have had controversies around them in the past. In 2011, they presented something called Sharia Hebdo (ph), which was a real send-up of the Islamic terrorism operations at the time and a send-up of the Prophet Muhammad. And as a consequence, they were fire-bombed at that point.

So they knew that they were controversial. They liked being controversial. But they also knew they were in danger. The head editor and also the cartoonists had some protection by police. The editor had, in fact, a policeman with him and we believe that he is one of the victims, one of the police victims that has been talked about.

So they knew they were under threat, but that didn't stop the assailants today who came at this with an almost military-style operation, Ashleigh.

BANFIELD: And we're going to talk a little bit more, Jim, in a moment about that editor and some of his rationale for the kinds of publications they put out. He has said some very strong things about standing by those publications.

In the meantime, to the hunt, the manhunt for these three mass murders. If I can, Tom Fuentes, take me through the forensic trail now that we know that the Americans have pledged all the help that the FBI can in getting to these killers and helping the French counterparts track their trail.

TOM FUENTES, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Well, I should add, Ashleigh, that the relationship between the FBI and U.S. security forces and the French has been outstanding, even preceding 9/11, you know, our attack on 9/11. A very close working relationship for many years. And the French have been very concerned about the potential of terrorism going back more than a decade. They foiled a plot to blow up our embassy the week of 9/11 which involved al Qaeda cells from seven European countries and a cell in Dubai in the UAE. They've had previous attacks on this particular magazine in 2011. And there have been other attacks or threats to attack other magazines or other cartoonists.

And you'll recall in 2009, we had the woman from Pennsylvania, Colleen LaRose, who nicknamed herself in social media, Jihad Jane, she was putting together a group of individuals who were going to go to Stockholm, Sweden, and hack to death the cartoonist that also drew offensive cartoons of Muhammad. So these kind of plots on cartoonists or editors or magazines have been ongoing for many years, and particularly this magazine itself.

BANFIELD: All right, Tom Fuentes, if I could just break in for a moment.

Prime Minister David Cameron of the U.K. is about to give some live comments. And I think we're getting those live comments ready for you. Want to make sure you're aware, there are a lot of fast and furious breaking elements to this story as leaders around the world have organized sort of impromptu news conferences to cite their solidarity with the leaders in France.

Let's go live and let's listen in to the prime minister.

DAVID CAMERON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: We will stand with you at this time. And I know that Chancellor Merkel will absolutely agrees with me that everyone should combine to condemn completely this outrage and stand with the French people at this time.

BANFIELD: The German chancellor, Angela Merkel, is speaking as well. This is sort of a scene that's being repeated around the world. The U.S. secretary of state, John Kerry, holding a news conference earlier. The president of the United States giving his comments earlier today as well. We're going to show you a lot of this reaction to this terror event in France.

In the meantime, Peter Bergen, if I can bring you into this conversation. Oftentimes when we see these kinds of terror attacks, it is not typical that the gunmen get away. In fact, it's usually a suicide mission. In this particular case, I want to ask your expertise on the notion that there may have been a very weak plan b, meaning the getaway may not have been planned quite as well as the murders.

PETER BERGEN, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: It's hard to tell. I mean, Ashleigh, I wanted to pick up I think on something important that Tom said, which is, you know, I think, as we sit here in the United States, it might be tempting to think that Americans would never involve themselves in this kind of operation. And he pointed out that a woman by - with the name - who called herself Jihad Jane, she was a Pennsylvania resident, conspired to kill a Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks. And a weekend after that, a Chicago resident, David Coleman Headley, who conspired to do an attack, which is not dissimilar to what we just see - saw today in Paris, he was planning a Mumbai-style attack on "Jyllands-Posten" newspaper in Copenhagen, which had also published cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad that were deemed offensive by many Muslims.

And then we can also add to that, in the United States we've had a number of cases -- you may recall the "South Park" episode, Ashleigh, where American -- two American citizens were convicted of trying to kind of incite violence against the - Matt Trey - Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of "South Park," because they had portrayed the Prophet Muhammad. So this is not something that is peculiar just to France. We've seen multiple conspiracies, including in the United States. by people who are trying to either murder cartoonists or incite violence against them, precisely because of this issue of portraying the Prophet Muhammad in a way that some people found insulting.

BANFIELD: Detective Houck, let me ask you that question. We - look, yesterday it took 15 hours for the New York City Police Department to track down the two guys who were alleged to have shot and injured two New York City police officers.

HARRY HOUCK, FORMER NYPD DETECTIVE: Right.

BANFIELD: That is an all-points bulletin metropolitan track-down that worked flawlessly.

HOUCK: Exactly.

BANFIELD: Now you're talking about Paris. Not entirely different than a place like New York. Tell me about the forensic trail. Tell me about the car they found. What kind of clues might they have left behind, if, in fact -

HOUCK: Right.

BANFIELD: They didn't plan so well in plan b.

HOUCK: Well, you know, we've got a lot of video right now that we can go to. All right, so --

BANFIELD: Surveillance.

HOUCK: Yes, the surveillance video, we can go back and forth. We can track them from a certain spot to the attack and then where they escaped to, OK. Hopefully there's plenty of video available in all specific areas. Now they caught --

BANFIELD: Detective, let me interrupt you only for a moment. We have breaking news coming out of Paris right now. And I just want to go live to the Paris prosecutor who's speaking just a moment and we'll listen in.

FRANCOIS MOLINS, PARIS PROSECUTOR (through translator): Paris, about crimes concerning arms any infringements the law concerning terrorism and ill practices, terrorist acts, preparation of terrorist acts, this inquiry was confided in three services of the police and judicial service of Paris at the anti-terrorist section, criminal section, the central direction and more precisely the anti-terrorist section and finally the general interior section.

Given the elements of the inquiry, I need to provide you with clarifications about the attack which took place on this day by a group of at least two individuals on the premises of "Charlie Hebdo." (INAUDIBLE) in the 11:30 this morning Paris. The facts that are following around 11:30 this morning, they presented in front of the building of "Charlie Hebdo," a vehicle out of which two individuals came out dressed in black in (INAUDIBLE) and with automatic weapons around - like Kalashnikov automatic weapons.

Where precisely the premises of "Charlie Hebdo" were -- and then one of them were killed. The individuals were on the second floor and moved towards the editing suite where the entire team were based. They shot ten people, including eight journalists, a police officer from the protection service of the personalities who are responsible for the newspaper, as well as an invited guests. According to a witness, they shouted "Allah Akbar" and they said that we've taken revenge against (ph) the prophet.

They had left the Citron (ph) car on the public route, taking the road, which is a perpendicular road. They were then faced with a police car with the first exchange of fire. They then faced with the police patrol, (INAUDIBLE), which was patrolling -- which provoked a second exchange of fire with injuries and then, third, acts on (INAUDIBLE) unleashed a third shooting against a police member staff where one of the members of staff of the 11th district was affected and shot to the ground. The questioning about this will be an inquiry about the persons where this instance took place about -- where they're contending their routes towards the north of Paris and vitally not into another vehicle in the ninth district. They were trying to pursue the route and then abandon their vehicles in a hurry in the ninth district, then struck the driver vehicle and then ran away.

The investigations -- in-depth investigations are taking place. Big mobilizations, police and judicial investigations, which have been undertaken to pursue this. You will understand that I cannot give you any indication of precisions concerning the investigations at the time in order to preserve the imperative of confidentiality and to succeed in this inquiry. Quite clearly we're talking about major instant -- individuals who committed this attack and so I do not need to emphasize the danger. And so that I - we should call upon the responsibility of the media in this situation. A meeting will be organized as soon as we can communicate other information concerning the investigation.

I'd like to remind you appeal for witnesses has been called upon and anyone who knows anything about the inquiries, 08 05 02 17 17. I repeat, 08 05 02 17 17.

The police office of Paris has activated the (INAUDIBLE) cell, the terrorist cell, with a -- for a period of eight days. There's a 24- hour telephone line. As far as the victims (ph) concerned, I'd like to clarify that autopsies be taking place tomorrow morning in Paris. Apart from the 12 persons who have been killed, 11 wounded, including four who are in a serious condition.

I'd like to say that the telephone number, 08 842 42 37 is an open telephone number for those who wish to make calls for the public. 0800 40 60 -- 0800 40 0564, which has been set up by the police prefecture finally. A list of victims of those who have died is being handed over to the ministry of justice. This transmission is important. It's going to make it possible on the one part to activate the victims' network and mediation and, to begin the psychological care for the families and on the other hand the prefix (ph) of the department in the weeks to have places where taking care of the processes (ph) of the victims will be carried out.

Thank you for your attention.

BANFIELD: All right. And as the Paris prosecutor winds up his impromptu news conference, just a couple of things to bring to you that are new in this developing story, and that is that there was a confirmation that these killers, as they let loose their weapons on these innocent journalists inside the offices of "Charlie Hebdo" magazine yelled, "the prophet has been avenged." So clearly the motive is looking clearer and clearer that they were targeting those who drew those cartoons and published those cartoons that they found offensive to the prophet and to Islam in general.

Also what was mentioned is that, interestingly, the Paris prosecutor mentioned two gunmen. But earlier the interior minister had said three. So now, perhaps he hasn't had his information updated. Perhaps this is being changed. But at least we now know from two different sources, two different numbers. Also confirmation that the vehicles were changed. The Citron was abandoned and that a pedestrian was actually struck in the process of this vehicle change. And the number of those killed and injured also updated. Still 12 killed but 11 people now updated as wounded and four of them seriously so.

So there's much more ahead in our coverage, specifically this question, so the message was, freedom of speech isn't so free, but is this kind of global murderous bullying going to have any affect at all? More of our continuing coverage right after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BANFIELD: Once again, welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. Back to our breaking story, the attack on a French magazine in Paris.

Twelve people killed, 11 people injured, four of them seriously so, two of them police officers, ten of them journalists.

I want to take you live now to CNN's Atika Shubert, who's standing by near the magazine headquarters where all of this carnage played out just hours ago.

Atika, one of the things that the Paris prosecutor just mentioned is that they are appealing for witnesses, but they have a lot more evidence that they're probably processing immediately as they still try to track these gunmen. What else are you hearing?

ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, the critical thing here is that those gunmen are still at large. And that's why police are appealing for witnesses to give them any information that might help them to track it down. Now, the sequence of events as we know it is that just before noon, gunmen approached the offices of "Charlie Hebdo," which is sort of behind that area there. This is the closest that police will let us. They specifically, according to some eyewitnesses, asked for certain cartoonists and then opened fire, killing a number of them.

They then went outside. This is when they encountered police, killing those two police officers. Now, they got into a black Citron, there's actually video of them getting into that getaway car. They drove it to the 19th (INAUDIBLE), with is north of here, and hijacked another car. Now this is where police are saying they need the most information, to find out where they went next, how did they get away to try and track them down. They're sifting through material both at the crime scene and at the car. That black Citron has now been taken by police and they're looking for any clues they can get.

Ashleigh.

BANFIELD: So, Atika, do you know anything more about the hijacking of the second car? It seemed as though the Paris prosecutor was saying that the person who was in that car, who was hijacked, was actually injured, but sounds like that person survived. Do we know if that person can be helpful in terms of determining who these killers are?

SHUBERT: I think that person can certainly be helpful. We don't know the exact status of that person. But, yes, it does seem that they took his car -- the car forcefully. We don't know the condition of that passenger. But clearly any indication they can get on the make of the car, where it was headed, would be helpful to police at this point.

And I should point out that really the country is in a state of high alert at this point. A lot of the extra police, as you can imagine, at train stations, airports, any sort of transportation hubs, but also places of worship and schools. And this is in part to keep a lookout for these men. Anybody who has information of the possibility of these men, anyone acting suspiciously, police are asking them to phone -- for witnesses to phone in any information they might have.

BANFIELD: All right, Atika Shubert live for us outside of the offices where this terror attack just has played out. Thank you for that. And we'll continue to get updates from you as you find out information as well.

And as France is raising its security alert to its highest level and it's called "attack alert," terrorism has certainly returned to that nation. Once again, the toll of the dead, 12 people. The injured, 11. The gunmen still on the loose at this hour.

I'm joined now live by Jean-Charles Brisard, who is the author of "Zarqawi: The New Face of Al-Qaeda," and Mubin Shaikh, who is a former jihadist.

Jean-Charles, if I can begin with you. The notion of what Parisian's are now having to somehow accommodate into what their world has become, is it too early to tell the effect that this has had on that city and on that country?

JEAN-CHARLES BRISARD, AUTHOR, "ZARQAWI: THE NEW FACE OF AL-QAEDA": Well, France has been living with terrorism over the past years. In the '80s, it was targeted by Algerian networks (ph). In the '90s also. So we've been already used to live with terrorism, unfortunately, in our country. We know that the intelligence and police services are doing their best. That our laws are made to us to protect the citizens and so we don't envision to change our way of mind, our living because of these attacks.

BANFIELD: You don't believe that there will be changes, that perhaps what some consider to be rather liberal viewpoints or at least critical viewpoints in how America has cracked down on terror just might abate in light of now being terribly victimized yourselves?

BRISARD: No, it never happened before and I hope it won't happen tomorrow. What we've been witnessing today is an attack against a journal, which was a symbol, a symbol of the freedom of press, the freedom of speech and a symbol also -- it was an attack against democracy. Such an attack happened in the past in Madrid, for example, or in London, who have experienced that. Only the threat (ph) has changed and the modus operandi of these individual has changed over the past - over the years. But, fundamentally, we're facing a terrorist situation with people trying to intimidate and terrorize the population which they failed to do indeed (ph).

BANFIELD: I want to read something that Salman Rushdie put out just this morning. It's a statement. And, of course, those who remember "The Satanic Verses," his book that unleashed a fatwa on him. He was in hiding for years. This is almost 30 years ago, about 27 years ago when his book came out and he endured the wrath of terrorists. He said this this morning. "Religion is a medieval form of unreason, when combined with modern weaponry becomes a real threat to our freedoms. This religious totalitarianism has caused a deadly mutation in the heart of Islam and we see the tragic consequences in Paris today. I stand with "Charlie Hebdo," as we all must, to defend the art of satire, which has always been a force for liberty, and against tyranny, dishonesty and stupidity. Respect for religion has become a code phrase meaning fear of religion. Religions like all over ideas deserve criticism, satire and, yes, our fearless disrespect." Mubin Shaikh, just a quick comment, please. Will this make a - actually, you know what, Mubin, if I can have you to hold your thought for a moment, the president has made some comments. President Obama making comments in the Oval Office with Vice President Joe Biden. I want to listen in as he makes remarks.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I've reached out to President Hollande of France and hope to have the opportunity to talk with him today. But I thought it was appropriate for me to express my deepest sympathies to the people of Paris, the people of France, for the terrible terrorist attack that took place earlier today. I think that all of us recognize that France is one of our oldest allies, our strongest allies. They have been with us at every moment when we (INAUDIBLE) in dealing with some of the terrorist organizations around the world that threaten us. For us to see the kind of cowardly, evil attacks that took place today, I think, reinforces once again why it's so important for us to stand in solidarity with them.