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New Day

Jordan Vows 'Relentless War' Against ISIS; U.S. Search & Rescue Assets Moved to Fight ISIS; U.S. to Give Ukraine $16.4 Million in Humanitarian Aid; Tense Moments in Hernandez Murder Trial

Aired February 05, 2015 - 07:00   ET

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

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The Jordanians want to increase the number of airstrikes they're carrying out.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At the end of the day it's going to take a regional force beyond Jordan.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't want to see it being American ground forces carrying the heavy load again.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's got to have moderate Arab nations that are bringing this force to bear.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mayday, mayday, engine flameout.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The final seconds of TransAsia Airways Flight 235.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A flameout means that the engine has lost its combustion.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This toddler somehow survived.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Screaming, yelling. It was just total panic.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Smoke and flames poured out of a packed Metro North train.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why was the car on the train tracks? And what caused this accident to be failed?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Chris Cuomo, Alisyn Camerota and Michaela Pereira.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone. Welcome back to NEW DAY.

The savage killing of a captured Jordanian pilot by ISIS triggering renewed global outrage. In Jordan, King Abdullah vowing to wage a, quote, "relentless war" against the terrorists. Jordan planning more airstrikes, which could include hitting ISIS targets outside of Syria for the first time.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: However, that which is making Jordan get further in is making others pull back. The UAE suspending airstrikes, complaining that U.S. search-and-rescue assets weren't close enough to protect shot-down pilots. The Pentagon is denying that, but moving additional assets into northern Iraq anyway.

Let's get the latest on this story. CNN's Atika Shubert following developments in Amman, Jordan. Atika.

ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Chris, just a few moments ago we actually saw four Jordanian fighter jets flying overhead in the skies of Amman. We understand that these are jets that just recently returned from flying missions against ISIS in Syria and Iraq. And they've actually passed through not only Amman, but also the skies over Karak, and that is where King Abdullah is paying his -- paying his respects and giving his condolences to the Kaseasbeh family, the family that lost that Jordanian pilot, telling them that his death will not be in vain.

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SHUBERT (voice-over): Jordan's King Abdullah now vowing a, quote, "relentless" war on ISIS. A U.S. official tells CNN the Arab kingdom seeking to launch more airstrikes against the terrorist group.

The King in line with his people's cries for revenge, this possible increase in fire power a direct retaliation for one of their own, pilot Mu'ath al-Kaseasbeh. It's still unclear what form their earth- shaking retaliation might take.

Meanwhile, word that the United Arab Emirates, a key player in the coalition against ISIS, suspended its airstrikes after the Jordanian pilot was captured in December. The White House is downplaying the loss of the UAE's airpower.

JOSH EARNEST, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: We certainly have appreciated the wide range of commitments that the United Arab Emirates has made to this broad international coalition, including their military commitments. But you know, John, I can tell you that the pace of operations in Syria has not slowed.

SHUBERT: The administration instead focusing on the coalition being at least 60 countries strong, the U.S. conducting a large percentage of the airstrikes.

This as the U.S. military moves some search-and-rescue assets into northern Iraq.

And just yesterday at his confirmation hearing to become the next secretary of defense, Ashton Carter promising to resolve the U.S. delays in arms sales to Jordan.

ASHTON CARTER, U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY: We need partners on the ground to beat ISIS, and the Jordanian people have clearly reacted the way that encourages us to support them. (END VIDEOTAPE)

CAMEROTA: We want to get now to Barbara Starr. She has some breaking news for us at Pentagon. Barbara, what do we know?

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Alisyn, good morning.

I think everyone is watching to see Jordan's next move. What King Abdullah will order his military to do.

Realistically, the only option on the table is stepped-up airstrikes, knowing that the Jordanians have very clear, they are not talking about ground troops; the U.S. is not talking about ground troops.

But in the coming hours, it is, I think, very fair to expect those -- to see those stepped-up airstrikes, given King Abdullah's promise that Jordan will enact some sort of program of retaliation, if you will, for the killing of the pilot.

So what are we talking about? Jordanian war planes traveling into Syrian air space, most likely, most likely conducting strikes over Raqqah, that ISIS stronghold, where so many of the hostages, including the pilot, are believed to have been killed. That would be the most direct option.

But if those Jordanian war planes do fly, it will be U.S. warplanes that will likely be in a support role. Nobody in the coalition flies alone. The U.S. will be able to provide overwatch, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance. As Atika has pointed out, combat search-and-rescue assets, air assets are now in northern Iraq. That may not be related to this. But they have that capability. Much closer in case there is a problem. So everything is put in place.

And what we do know is over the last 72 hours or so, the coalition has been looking at what they call their air tasking order. This is the list of targets that they can go after. They apportion them out to various countries that are flying the missions. The Jordanians have wanted to step up. And now we will watch very carefully in the coming hours to see exactly what happens -- Alisyn.

CAMEROTA: Barbara Starr, thank you for all that background.

Let's go to Chris.

CUOMO: All right. Very helpful information. Let's see what it means from the Jordanian perspective.

We have Dr. Mohammed al-Momani, the spokesman for Jordan's government.

Doctor, thank you for joining us this morning. The airstrikes that Jordan is expected to undertake and may be undertaking as we speak -- will they just be in Syria? Or are you extending your missions into Iraq?

DR. MOHAMMED AL-MOMANI, SPOKESMAN FOR JORDAN: Hello, Chris. The plan, actually, is to go after targets in order to degrade them

and to defeat them. And most of the targets happen to be in east Syria. Having said that, we are in coordination with our American friends, as well as other allies in the coalition, in order to make sure that we go after the targets of DAISH, and that we hit them and hit them hard, because we want to make sure that they will pay for the crime they did and the atrocity they did to our pilots.

CUOMO: DAISH, that name, you're referring to the Arabic acronym for what we call ISIS in the U.S. And I understand why you use it. I just want to make it clear to the audience. King Abdullah is a trained fighter pilot. There is a suggestion he may take part in these missions. Is that true?

AL-MOMANI: No, actually, it's not true. There has been some talks about this in social media. But since the morning, I've been asked and I said, this is not true. Our pilots are flying there, we are hitting targets of dash. But no, his majesty is not going to be participating in these -- in these airstrikes.

CUOMO: The need for targets is very great. You know, you may want to strike at DAISH, but where? Your intelligence capabilities are very well-known. That you have a rare ability in Jordan to infiltrate terror groups.

Are you going to start using those powers of intelligence and spy networks to start creating more targets for the coalition to bomb and strike?

AL-MOMANI: Indeed, after what happened with this wave of anger across the Jordanian society and the Arab and Muslim world, actually, and the whole international community, our intelligence services, as well as our military, will be looking more intensely into finding new targets. Hitting hard on the DAISH strongholds, and places where they can be hit hard. We will do this. We used to do this. This will intensify this now after what they did.

We made it very clear right from the beginning that our response will be strong and will be decisive. We will not let this crime of killing our pilots, with the horrific way it was done pass without punishment. These people will be punished, and they will hear from all of us. Very soon.

CUOMO: The Jordanian people had been divided when it came to fighting DAISH and feelings about radicalization and feelings about whether Jordan should be involved with the west. Now this pilot being killed in the way he was killed, seems to have changed everything. Why and how different is the population now?

AL-MOMANI: I'm not sure I can use the word "divided." We have some difference of opinion regarding the timing of the air campaign, regarding the priority or the way this war was conducted. But I think the mass, mass majority of Jordanians understand that we need to preempt the danger of terrorism and extremism.

But after our pilot was killed and after the way he was killed, burned alive, I think all Jordanians now feel very, very angry. And they feel that their country and their state must take decisive action to make those who did this crime pay for it.

CUOMO: So the Jordanian people are more united than ever -- than ever against at least this common enemy. We are told that King Abdullah met with the pilot's father. What message was communicated?

AL-MOMANI: He met him twice before. But today it's Jordanian tradition that we go to funeral houses and offer our condolences. So his majesty went there himself in Karak, the city that the pilot came from. And he was accompanied by Prince Faisal and prime minister and other officials to personally give his condolences to the family and to tell the father of the pilot that his son is the son of all Jordanians, and that the crime that was done against this pilot will be punished and that we are all united against that.

And the father of the pilot actually has been reiterating the same message. He is angry. And he asked his majesty and government to take steps in order to make DAISH pay the price for what they did.

CUOMO: You have the will. Do you have the equipment that you need? How important is the United States and the coalition to providing you what you need to do now what you so desperately want to do?

AL-MOMANI: This is a very important question, Chris, and his majesty just cut his visit to the United States and one of the important things. That's been discussed with officials, and the administration is the need to further step up maybe the aid and the military equipment that Jordan might need.

And actually, we heard very positive response from officials in the United States that they are willing to help Jordan and to provide Jordan with necessary equipment needed. And this is appreciated, and we hope it will be done soon.

CUOMO: There's a feeling in the coalition, and certainly in the United States, that this fight against extremism is your region's fight. Is an Arab fight, as well. And that there hasn't been enough ownership of this situation, and that maybe this will change things. Do you believe the King can reach out to fellow leaders and get this to be more of a regional united front against the war within your own faith?

AL-MOMANI: Another very important point. We have been very clear and his majesty was very courageous in saying publicly and repeatedly that this is our war. This is the Muslim world war. And this is the Arab's war. Because DAISH is in the front of Jordan and putting threats to Saudi Arabia. And to Kuwait and other gulf countries, as well as Iraq and Syria, of course.

So it is logical for all of us to say and understand and accept that this is our war, especially that DAISH is committing this war on the name of Islam, which is absolutely incorrect and not true.

So I think this is maybe another opportunity for us to be more open about it. And to say, furthermore, that this is our war, and we need to stand and fight terrorism, because it's done in our region. It's threatening the stability of our society and our land. And most above all, it's done on behalf of Islam, which we totally and categorically reject.

CUOMO: Dr. Al-Momani, that is a strong message. And certainly, the root causes of what breeds extremism are much easier for you to get at than it is for the west. We look forward to seeing what happens, and we are sorry for the loss you have taken so far. Thank you for being on NEW DAY.

AL-MOMANI: Thank you. Thank you, Chris.

CUOMO: Mick.

MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: Really interesting perspective to get from the doctor. Thank you, Chris.

Secretary of State John Kerry announcing this morning that the U.S. is going to give millions of dollars in humanitarian aid to Ukraine. Secretary Kerry just finished a meeting with the country's president. Our chief national correspondent, Jim Sciutto, is traveling with the secretary, joining us now live, to the tune of $16 million.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Michaela. And we just learned some other news, and that is that the French president, Francois Hollande and the German chancellor, Angela Merkel. They'll be coming to Kiev later today, as well. And then, crucially, on to Moscow to meet with Russian leaders.

And now you have all the western powers represented in Kiev today. Why are they coming here today? It's because, as a senior State Department official told us on the flight in, a grave escalation of the fighting on the ground. A dire security situation, particularly in the last several days, hundreds of square miles taken by pro- Russian and Russian forces, and keep in mind when you speak to Ukrainian officials, they don't describe this as a pro-Russian separatist operation. They describe it as a Russian operation. They estimate as many as 9,000 Russian troops inside Ukraine. That's not a number that western officials confirm.

But they do also say that Russian involvement has increased substantially. So in the face of that, the main announcement here today is that $16.5 million in humanitarian aid. But I can tell you I wouldn't be surprised that, in private conversations that Secretary Kerry is having today, that he's hearing more, that they want more from Ukrainian officials, particularly this talk of lethal weapons. Defensive weapons to help the Ukrainian army on the ground.

But that's still a subject of debate within the Obama administration. No decision made. I'm told by State Department officials that the focus now is simply on a cease-fire to stop the bloodshed, which, Chris and Michaela, has truly accelerated in these last few days. There's war. It's happening in Europe today. And all the major western powers, Alisyn, concerned about it.

CUOMO: OK, Jim Sciutto, thanks so much for that update. CAMEROTA: This is just in to CNN. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula

confirming the death of a top-ranking senior cleric and three others in a drone strike on their vehicle last week. The cleric had appeared in many propaganda videos for the terrorist group, often criticizing ISIS for its expansion into Yemen. We'll bring you more details as soon as they become available.

CUOMO: We now know what was going on in the cockpit of that TransAsia plane that crashed into a river in Taiwan, killing 32 of 58 on board. It was a mayday call. It was made, and the voice of the recording says, "Mayday, mayday. Engine flameout." It's just seconds before the plane went down. Twelve are still missing; 14 others did survive this disaster, remarkably. Investigators are now examining the data that was downloaded from the plane's recovered black boxes to figure out what happened with that engine.

PEREIRA: Investigators are on the site of Tuesday's deadly Metro- North accident north of New York City. Key focus is why and how a woman ended one her SUV on the tracks in those moments before the crash. Officials are also trying to figure out whether it was the gasoline from the SUV or the electrified third rail that fueled the fire that killed five people on board the train. Regular service, though, is set to resume this morning.

CUOMO: and the more we learn, the more we have to report on both of these devastating crashes. We're going to bring it to you ahead. The key question: Were they preventable? We're going to talk with a former head of the NTSB about what investigators are looking for and what they found.

CAMEROTA: Jeb Bush takes his show on the road. And the first stop was not Iowa or New Hampshire. It was Detroit. What does that say about his potential bid for the White House in 2016? John King will explain on "Inside Politics."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CUOMO: Welcome back. Boy, this Aaron Hernandez murder trial is one to watch. From sisters on opposite sides of the case, to the victim's mom being warned by the judge not to be emotional? And now possibly incriminating security footage inside the ex-football star's home.

Susan Candiotti takes us inside the courtroom as all of these events unfold.

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Remembering a painful day, Shaneah Jenkins watches herself on security camera video visiting the home of then New England Patriot tight end, Aaron Hernandez. Jenkins is hugging Hernandez' fiancee, older sister Shayanna, after learning boyfriend Odin Lloyd has just been shot dead less than a mile away from the Hernandez home. Shaneah testifies Hernandez is also in the house that day.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE; Did he seem very shaken up?

SHANEAH JENKINS, GIRLFRIEND OF ODIN LLOYD: He seemed stressed. CANDIOTTI: Nine days later, Hernandez is arrested for Lloyd's murder.

The murder weapon is still missing. Prosecutors show jurors home surveillance photos of Hernandez' fiancee holding something in her hands.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This item then, she is holding, do you know what that is?

JENKINS: The black trash bag.

CANDIOTTI: Authorities suspect Hernandez' fiancee, sitting behind him in court, uses the trash bag to hide the missing murder weapon inside a box, and throwing it away, after getting a coded message from Hernandez.

His defense team questions Jenkins on how much time her boyfriend, Lloyd, spent with Hernandez, Jenkins telling jurors it was mainly during visits with her older sister.

A powerful moment coming when prosecutors ask Odin Lloyd's mother to identify a photo of her dead son at a hearing without the jury present.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Does that depict your son's body?

URSULA WARD, MOTHER OF ODIN LLOYD: Yes.

CANDIOTTI: With Hernandez watching intently, Ward said she knew many of her son's friends, but not Hernandez.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Had you ever met him before?

WARD; No.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Had he ever come to your home?

WARD: No.

CANDIOTTI: But she clearly remembers seeing her son hours before he was shot to death.

WARD: I just saw his beautiful pink gums smiling across the street at me.

CANDIOTTI: Susan Candiotti, CNN, Fall River, Massachusetts.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CAMEROTA: OK. We're going to talk also in the program about measles. You've heard a lot about what parents on both sides feel. You've heard what the media thinks about the measles outbreak. Next you're going to hear about someone who really matters, who can change things. Dr. Sanjay Gupta sits down with the surgeon general and gets his take, ahead.

PEREIRA: And Alisyn, nearly every politician has weighed in on the vaccine debate, Dr. Rand Paul taking most of the heat. The question is, what does this mean for him? And what does it mean for the issue going forward? John King is going to explore all of this and much more "Inside Politics."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PEREIRA: Good to have you back with us here on NEW DAY.

Jordan's King Abdullah is vowing a relentless war against ISIS, calling the savage killing of the captured Jordanian pilot by the Islamic terrorists. Jordan is planning increased airstrikes and could target ISIS for the first time outside of Syria.

In the meantime, the United Arab Emirates is suspending its participation in coalition airstrikes, while U.S. officials say the Pentagon has moved additional military assets into northern Iraq to fight ISIS.

CUOMO: There is a grave acceleration of fighting in Ukraine. That's the word from the U.S. State Department. After a closed-door meeting with the country's president and Secretary of State John Kerry this morning, the U.S. pledges $16.4 million in humanitarian assistance. But much more is needed if Ukraine is to hold off the Russian- sponsored war machine.

Meantime, French President Francois Hollande said both he and the German chancellor are working toward peace. They say they're close to a proposal they hope will be acceptable to all parties in the conflict.

CAMEROTA: A small deadly plane crash in Texas sheared a more than 800-foot television transmitter tower in half. The plane was approaching a local airport in Lubbock on Wednesday night when it crashed into the tower, knocking local station KCBD off the air and cutting power to the surrounding area. The pilot was killed in this crash; and the TV station and studio was evacuated, but no one on the ground was hurt.

PEREIRA: All right. Check out this Missouri police officer getting down with the good foot. Oh, yes, the unidentified officer got caught on dance cam, dancing, snapping his fingers, while he sings a little ditty. That's right. The Smithville Police Department posted it on their Facebook page where it's gotten a whole lot of attention. The department says the officer merely was testing out his dash cam. That's the official word.

CUOMO: It works. I like that move, by the way. I haven't done that in a while.

I've got a dodgy knee.

PEREIRA: I like that he keeps it all close to home, though. You know? He doesn't get too wild.

CAMEROTA: I like that he paces back and forth, looking at the camera. That's a good move. PEREIRA: It's very John King-esque.

CUOMO: It is very King-ish. Very well said, as I said you (ph). We go to "Inside Politics" now on NEW DAY with John King.

I was thinking of you yesterday, my dancing friend, with the Patriots parade and with what we dealt with, with Dr. Carson here on the show when he was talking about measles and who's to blame.

JOHN KING, CNN HOST, "INSIDE POLITICS": I watched your Dr. Carson interview. I thought that you were great. And I thought his lesson to all the Republican would-be presidential candidates was pretty good, too. Vaccinations work, why don't we stop that debate?

But let's go "Inside Politics." Thank you for complimenting my Patriots, and I believe if you use facial recognition software that was Chris Cuomo actually going back and forth in front of that police cruiser.

Let's go "Inside Politics." Jeb Bush had his big debut yesterday. He decided not to go to Iowa, not to go to New Hampshire. His first big speech as a presidential candidate -- yes, he's running even though he hasn't made that last step yet -- was to the Detroit Economic Club.

With me this morning to share their reporting and their insights, Nia- Malika Henderson of "The Washington Post", Olivier Knox of Yahoo News.

Let's listen to Jeb Bush. He started off by saying I want to address income inequality. The American Dream is missing for a lot of families. And he said if you think conservatives don't care about urban America, you're wrong.