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NYC Mayor: Chelsea Bombing Was An "Intentional Act;" U.S. Expresses "Regret" Over Deaths Of Syrian Soldiers. Aired 6:30-7a ET

Aired September 19, 2016 - 06:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: All right, this investigation is moving very quickly. Let's get to Elizabeth, New Jersey. Authorities there are now on the second scene hours after a bomb exploded and several others were found in a trash can near the train station in that city. We have CNN's Rachel Crane live on the scene. What is new?

RACHEL CRANE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Chris, sources are telling CNN that the investigation that is going on behind me is, in fact, connected to the ongoing terror investigation. Behind me, you can see FBI agents inside of a fried chicken restaurant. Also upstairs in a home.

We also see New Jersey state police on the scene. A little bit earlier there were several more cars here. They have cleared out quite a bit. But this scene just five minutes away from where we have been all night at the Elizabeth train station where that backpack was found with those five devices.

Now, this is an ongoing investigation still very early on unclear if it is connected to that incident -- Chris.

CUOMO: All right, Rachel, thank you very much. We'll give you more as we get the information into the news room -- Alyson.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: OK, Chris, yes, we will bring you more breaking news as we get it, but authorities are investigating these explosive devices that were discovered in New York and New Jersey. So there was one bomb in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood that injured 29 people.

We're joined now by Corey Johnson, a New York City Council member representing Chelsea, as well as Aiden Leslie, who heard the blast from his apartment and recorded video of the scene moments after the explosion.

Gentlemen, thanks so much for being here. Cory, I want to start with you because the investigation keeps unfolding. There was video, obviously, from that area. What do you know about what happened in Chelsea, your district?

COREY JOHNSON (D), NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL MEMBER: The 23rd Street where the initial bomb went off is still being treated as a crime scene. The FBI and the NYPD and the Joint Terrorism Task Force are still all in control of the scene.

It's my understanding that that block is still going to be cordoned off for the next couple of days and they're gathering a lot of evidence still. You saw yesterday they got a car that was hit by shrapnel.

They're trying to get people's clothes who were hit by shrapnel. So, the scene itself is still under control by city, state and federal authorities.

At 27th Street where the secondary device was found has now been reopened. They've cleared that area and people can now get back to it.

CAMEROTA: Just to give people some context, Chelsea is a residential neighborhood. If somebody wanted to cause sort of maximum catastrophe, they would have gone to Grand Central Station. Why do you think this was planted in Chelsea?

JOHNSON: I mean, this is the very strange thing as you said, Alisyn. This is not Times Square. This is not the World Trade Center. This is not Grand Central Station. West 23rd Street and I represent the area, I like the block. I live in the neighborhood. It's a nondescript block.

There is no military facility, police facility. It's a block with residential buildings and ground floor commercial retail stores, cafes, a main thoroughfare. It's very strange.

But on Saturday night, I was at 23rd Street and 9th Avenue when the bomb went off and I walking that way when it happened. The streets were mobbed with people. A warm Saturday night, this was clearly intended to cause chaos and to strike fear into the hearts and minds of people.

CAMEROTA: Aiden, tell us what you experienced on Saturday night.

AIDEN LESLIE, WITNESSED NYC BOMBING ON SATURDAY NIGHT: Yes, I was at my home and I was sitting at my desk just doing some work, just like any other Saturday night and I just out of the blue heard this explosion and it was not just a normal explosion, it was really normal. It was extremely scary. It's like the hair on my arm came up when I heard it.

CAMEROTA: Because it was louder?

LESLIE: It was loud but also, the walls of my apartment shook. So, obviously, I knew that this was something terribly wrong and not normal.

CAMEROTA: That video that we are watching is the video that you shot. You went to the scene. Tell us what you saw there.

[06:35:03]LESLIE: So as soon as I heard it, I went to the back of my window in my apartment and I looked out the window to see if I could see anything. Something in my gut told me to get out of the apartment and I grabbed my keys and ran down stairs and headed towards 23rd.

At that moment, there was a lot of smoke and I thought maybe a gassy smell because that's what people were saying, you know, I was running there. There was some dust, but the scene was extremely chaotic and very unnerving.

CAMEROTA: I can imagine that it was unnerving yet you went towards the scene. Was there a sense that there was going to be more?

LESLIE: You know, I don't know why I ran to the scene. I just went to it. It was just a gut instinct. It's my neighborhood, as you were saying about Chelsea, this is where we live. This is our home.

So, something in my gut told me to go and I got pretty close to the scene. There were people running west. I was going east. You know, I saw -- one of the first things I saw was an elderly man, his whole side of his face was bloody.

He had a female companion with him and she was elderly, as well, trying to help him across the street. She was unhurt and it was very disturbing.

CUOMO: I could imagine. We understand from police sources that there is a person of interest and that maybe that person has been spotted on video. What are the authorities telling you about their investigation?

JOHNSON: So, my understanding is that, again, it's unconfirmed. It's just being sourced that video footage from both 23rd Street where the explosion went off and 27th Street four blocks north that there is video footage that places one person in both places just before the explosions took place.

So, you know, that's good news in the sense that hopefully the authorities can lead that down. Last night, the FBI stopped five people on the parkway in Brooklyn.

I hope that we're able to bring to justice whoever did it this. We want to get whoever was trying to do this to our neighborhood and to our city.

CAMEROTA: Gentlemen, thank you very much for being here and take care of yourself. You know, these things last longer than you think. Thank you very much for being here. Let's get to Chris.

CUOMO: All right, the investigation is moving very quickly into these bombings in New Jersey and in New York. Multiple devices. Investigators are seeing them as similar. There's more coming next.

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[06:41:59]

CAMEROTA: We do have breaking news to report to you right now. There is a major development in the investigation into that series of weekend bombings in New York and New Jersey. CNN investigative producer, Shimon Prokupecz, is here with us now. Shimon, what have you learned?

SHIMON PROKUPECZ, CNN INVESTIGATIVE PRODUCE: We have learned is that the investigators are now working under the theory that this was a cell. Possible terror cell working in New Jersey somewhere around maybe less than a dozen people who may be behind the bombs, the explosions in New York and in New Jersey and the explosion out some of the bombs that were found last night in Elizabeth, New Jersey.

CUOMO: So, I'm looking at the reporting I'm getting at the same time. So, they were checking boxes the investigators. Are the devices similar? Yes, they see similar devices in terms of what was used to detonate them.

The cell phone and Christmas chain lights and also some of the material that was used and they stopped that car and they found that members in that car were living together or centered in the same part of New Jersey of Elizabeth.

PROKUPECZ: That's correct. Some of the people who they questioned last night. Now, we don't know, we have been told they haven't been arrested. They are still with the FBI. They are from Elizabeth, New Jersey.

What is going on this morning, the FBI is conducting a search in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and we are told by law enforcement, this is all connected to what happened in Chelsea over the weekend and also connected to what happened in Seaside Heights, and also what occurred last night out at the train station where they found some bombs.

CAMEROTA: So interesting. So, coordinated with the New Jersey, the charity run in Seaside Park and then Chelsea, these two different locations. One of which exploded and then last night's Elizabeth, New Jersey, bomb at the train station. So, what do they tell you about the timing and the location of these things?

PROKUPECZ: So, as you can imagine, these investigations aren't telling us much. Things have gone dark. Normally when you're dealing with terror investigations, a lot of classified information that is exchanged. People are not really telling us much.

There is a lot of work going on overnight. They were out and doing other searches and we don't know about them yet. We do expect some significant news today on this investigation.

We think there will be a lot of movement and possible arrests so we're just waiting to find out, but there is a lot going on that we just don't know about right now.

CUOMO: And they did a lot of quick coordinating and surveillance video in all the different places. They were looking for similar license plates and models of cars and they have gotten caught in that.

They are also telling us to be careful about why they haven't arrested anybody. Obviously when you hear they have the guys. You want to know why they are not arrested. Police only get one shot, really, to bring them in. They have to release them if they can't make the case so the arrest has to come when they know they can hold them.

PROKUPECZ: Right. They could be holding people and they could be talking to people, but we just don't know about it, which we think is some of what's going on certainly with some of the people that they were questioning last night in Brooklyn.

CAMEROTA: Shimon, we know you are working all of your sources. Come back to us when you have anything. Thank you very much for bringing it here.

All right, we'll have much more on the bombing investigation straight ahead.

But first a CNN exclusive, Secretary of State John Kerry, why he's saying U.S./Russian relations may be at a different point after this American airstrike put Syria's ceasefire in jeopardy.

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[06:49:09]

CUOMO: All right, a little bit of sports to even out the day. The Minnesota Vikings opening their brand new stadium. An injury to their star running back will certainly put a damper on the night. We have Andy Sholes more on this morning's "Bleacher Report." What an "oh, no" went throughout the entire stadium.

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Absolutely, Chris. You know, Vikings fans and football owners holding their breath last night after Adrian Peterson went down with another knee injury it happened in the third quarter. Peterson's right knee going to get twisted on this play right here and helped to the locker room.

The coach said after the game, doesn't look that bad and he might play next week. Minnesota would go on to win their first game in their brand new $1.1 billion stadium.

And the injury bug also biting the New England Patriots' quarterback, Jimmy Garappolo. He was injured in the second quarter. Reports an injured AC joint in his shoulder.

[06:50:04]Patriots on a short week as they hosted Texans on Thursday. Rookie, Jacobi (inaudible) will start if Garoppolo can't go. Of course, the Patriots waiting until week five when they get Tom Brady back from suspension.

CAMEROTA: OK, Andy, thanks so much for that.

All right, Russian-backed hackers accused of targeting the U.S. political system. Is Russia trying to influence the race between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump? We asked Secretary of State John Kerry in a CNN exclusive.

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CAMEROTA: This morning the U.S. is expressing regret over U.S.-led coalition airstrikes that accidentally killed and wounded dozens of Syrian soldiers. This as Secretary of State John Kerry is offering sharp criticism of Russia for failing to enforce a ceasefire agreement in Syria.

CNN global affairs correspondent, Elise Labott, joins us now with her interview with John Kerry. Elise, thanks so much for being here.

ELISE LABOTT, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, listen, both sides, U.S. and Russia, Alyson, are trading barbs and blaming each other for what happened on Sunday. The Russians are saying the U.S. is using this as a ploy not to cooperate in Syria.

The U.S. says Russia really has only itself to blame for what it's been doing to support President Assad and Syria. You have to look at this in the whole context, right, of the growing mistrust between the U.S. and Russia. This is what I asked Secretary Kerry about.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

[06:55:06]LABOTT: I'd like to ask you about the events yesterday in Syria. You said the strike that hit the Syrian regime forces was an accident. The Russians are saying that this is a ploy to avoid cooperation, and now they're saying this cast ceasefire and doubt.

JOHN KERRY, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: They can make their judgments and, obviously, they have. The biggest judgment they need to make is stop Assad from bombing people indiscriminately, which he continues to do.

If you're serious about having a ceasefire and they say they are, then they should keep Assad from flying right now and prove their sincerity about a ceasefire.

So, we call on Russia to stop the grandstanding, stop the show boating and get the humanitarian assistance going. This started Monday night of this past week and the humanitarian assistance is supposed to be flowing and the regime, once again, is blocking it.

Russia's client, Russia's supported friend is the single biggest blockade to the ability to move forward here. The opposition feels threatened because the bombs continue even as they're supposed to be a cessation of hostilities.

Let me just say this clearly, Russia signed up to a cessation of hostilities. Assad said he would live by it then he needs to stop and let the joint implementation center get set up so Russia and the United States can coordinate in order to avoid the kind of terrible thing that happened.

LABOTT: This is the same leadership, though, that is being investigated by intelligence agencies for hacking the U.S. electoral systems. I mean, is this a government we should be doing business with? KERRY: Elise, unfortunately, we live in a world where you have to do business even with people you have deep disagreements and that is not new.

LABOTT: Are they trying to help Donald Trump win over Hillary Clinton or is this a broader attack on U.S. democracy and electorate?

KERRY: I'm not going to speculate.

LABOTT: It must concern you, though.

KERRY: Of course, all of these things are of concern. We live in a world of concern today, Elise. We wake up every single day and we're trying to deal with the challenge of an African nation that has got a president who is challenging its constitution or we have multiple --

LABOTT: This is challenging. Mr. Secretary, though, this is --

KERRY: -- al Shabaab or we have challenges in --

LABOTT: This is challenging the U.S. Constitution.

KERRY: We have made it crystal clear to Russia what the consequences might be. The president, myself, we had conversations. We know what' happening. We're being vigilant and I do not --

LABOTT: What is happening?

KERRY: I do not believe that Russia will have the ability to affect this election and we're going to be absolutely vigilant about it. The president has made that clear and Russia is warned.

LABOTT: Are you worried if Donald Trump is elected it could roll back some of the games that you have talked about.

KERRY: I'm not going to get involved in the campaign, I have said that many times. My position requires that I stand back and I'm standing back.

LABOTT: But you are an exclusive club. There are very few people who know what Hillary Clinton is going through right now as a Democratic nominee. What does she need to do in the next 50 days?

KERRY: I'll talk generically. You're getting into October. October is a month when your juices and your blood really begins to flow. You've been at this for two years plus. It's exhausting.

But you can see the end and the stakes really descend on you. You really have a sense of just how much is up for grabs here in terms of the future of our nation.

And I think that energizes, that clarifies the focus and it provides an intensity and a passion and I'm confident that over the next month, we will see a sharpening, if you will, of the differences and of the arguments between the candidates.

LABOTT: You think her arguments will carry the day?

KERRY: Again, you're trying to get me in this race, aren't you?

LABOTT: I am.

KERRY: I don't blame you. But I'm not going to bite, at least not today.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CAMEROTA: Elise, great interview. So did he shed any light on where the Syrian ceasefire stands now?

ALEPPO: Well, this morning it looks like it's really blowing up. Yesterday, you had airstrikes on Aleppo and today the Syrian regime said it will move people out of besieged areas. The question is how long this will go on and Secretary Kerry not ready to pull the plug because he said all of the options are ugly. There is no alternative.

CUOMO: The fight on terror abroad and now we're going to get to the fight on terror here at home. There is a lot of new information to report. Let's get to it.

CAMEROTA: We are going to welcome our viewers in the U.S. and around the world. This is NEW DAY and we do begin with breaking news.

Investigators say they're now looking into the possibility that a terror cell is behind that series of bombings in two different states over the weekend. The revelation comes after another bomb exploded overnight in New Jersey as a robot tried to dismantle it. Here it is.

(VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: OK.