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Quest Means Business
Police Name London Attacker as Khalid Masood; Police Believe London Attacker Acted Alone; U.K Parliament Pauses For Minute's Silence; Obamacare Repeal Vote Postponed; Israel Arrests Test Suspect in Bomb Threat Cases; Kremlin Critic Killed Outside Hotel In Ukraine
Aired March 25, 2017 - 16:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[00:00:06] HALA GORANI, CNN ANCHOR: Hello everyone, I'm Hala Gorani here in London. We are following two major breaking new stories this hour in
the British capital. We're learning more about the man behind Wednesday's deadly attack on Parliament.
PAULA NEWTON, CNN ANCHOR: I am Paula Newton in New York. In the past few hours, Donald Trump has suffered a major setback with a crucial vote on
health care suddenly scrapped on Capitol Hill. We will get to that but right now we go to Hala in England.
GORANI: Thanks Paula. The investigation is fast-paced and it is developing. We have major developments to bring you just over the last few
hours some of these important details that emerged. British police have identified the person they say carried out the attack in Westminster that
left three people dead and dozens were injured.
The assailant has been named Khalid Masood. He was born in the United Kingdom in 1964. Police had no prior intelligence about his intent to
launch a terrorist attack but he was known to authorities.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
THERESA MAY, PRIME MINISTER OF THE UNITED KINGDOM: Some years ago, he was once investigated by MI5 in relation to concerns about violent extremism.
He was a peripheral figure; the case is historic; he was not part of the current intelligence picture. There was no prior intelligence of his
intent or if the plot. Intense investigations continue.
And, as Acting Deputy Commissioner Rowley confirmed last night, our working assumption is that the attacker was inspired by Islamist ideology.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: Also today, ISIS issued a statement they claim the responsibility for the murderous rampage. Let's bring in our reporters Phil Black is at
New Scotland Yard, Nic Robertson joins us from Birmingham.
Phil, first to you. What more do we know about this attacker?
PHIL BLACK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So, Hala, as (INAUDIBLE) this was a man who was known to authorities here. Firstly, the police because he had a long,
violent criminal record, one that stretched from 1993 to 2003 and included convictions for a range of offenses including assaults and causing grievous
bodily harm, possession of offensive weapons. His most recent conviction was back in 2003 that was for possession of a knife.
So, not recent contact but extended contact between the police and Masood, in addition to that, you heard the prime minister there talking about MI5
investigation into this man. This is the domestic security and intelligence service because of suspicions about possible extremism.
Again, it seems that that came to nothing. The prime minister wasn't very so specific there in terms of the timeframe she said some years ago, but he
was a peripheral figure, you heard her say not part of the current intelligence picture.
So all of these points to the fact that this is a man who was known to authorities because he was a convicted violent criminals known to
intelligence sources because of suspected extremism, but none of this was recent and so that is why no one saw this attack coming. Hala?
GORANI: Right. And he's so much older than the typical profile with the involved in this type of attack. Nic Robertson is in Birmingham.
Authorities made some arrest. They searched the home of the suspect as well.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: They did. The property behind me was the one that overnight police raided. Armed police
raided used a battering ram to get in through the door. We're told by witnesses four people were arrested here. Two, not far away. A man and a
woman with a couple that were arrested a young man, a woman in here it was three men and one woman that were arrested.
There were two other people arrested and one somewhere else in Birmingham and one in London. But it's the four here and the young couple were
arrested. But right now police say that they're holding on suspicion preparation of a terrorist act.
Now that doesn't necessarily mean they were mixing chemicals to make a bomb, but it does mean in the loosest sense of the word that they could be
associated with activities that could be conceived in supporting the preparation of a terrorist act.
We also know that the garage -- this car rental agency that the vehicle was rented from that was used in the attack is just a mile from here. So it
was beginning to emerge is a picture of -- of a sort of center of gravity for the police interest and potentially the attacker's involvement in this
area of Birmingham.
The police say that he lived in the West Midlands, which could mean this part of -- which could mean this area of Birmingham. However, the police
are saying what ties attacker, Khalid Masood, to the four people arrested here while the other two, the young couple not far away.
So at the moment it's not clear if they were potentially supporting him, or just called up because they knew him and we do see in cases like this,
people arrested in the early days will be taken in for questioning after thorough questioning police recognize that they didn't have a role to play
and they (INAUDIBLE) released, Hala.
[00:05:15] GORANI: But Phil Black at New Scotland Yard, I mean, we're talking about this arrest but let's be clear. Police are saying they
believe only one person was involved, right?
BLACK: Yes, right, one person involved in terms of carrying out the violence that we saw here yesterday. But what they're looking to determine
is to what degree Masood may have had support and encouragement in the preparation just what led him to do this. Part of that is with you whose
associates were.
Another thing they're be looking and I know we've been talking about this. This is just what inspired him to do this. The police here have talked
about international terrorism being his inspiration. But what group specifically, the police haven't said. ISIS is claimed is one of their own
but the authorities here I think say it's a bit too soon heard to be saying that definitively just yet, Hala.
GORANI: And Nic Robertson, we mentioned the authorities searching the home, making all those arrests not exactly sure what connection it might
have, but what would they be at this stage of the investigation looking into in terms of what they retrieved from the from the residence?
ROBERTSON: What we know that they retrieved several boxes from the residence. It's not clear what was in there but also the premise behind me
here a number of police up to 10 at one time we were told in the day we saw at least they'll close a half a dozen of the police who were inside the
building behind me come out towards the end of the day. They've been in there all day potentially going through a forensic examination of the
building. It's not again clear precisely what this suspicion of preparation to commit terrorist act means in the case of the people here,
but it had a lot, a lot police scrutiny today and we don't know the scope and scale of the extent inside the building behind me that they were
searching for sizes so may indicate or they may be looking for specific things and it takes a long time to do that, it is unclear, but we have seen
items in plastic boxes taken from premises here that the police have been searching today, Hala.
GORANI: All right, Nic Robertson in Birmingham and Phil Black at New Scotland Yard, thanks very much.
As Londoners come together this evening, I want to bring in someone familiar to our regular reviewers Fawaz Gerges, he's a professor at the
London School of Economics and author of "ISIS, A History".
Now, amazingly, I learned coming here you were at Parliament when this all happened. You witnessed some of it?
FAWAZ GERGES, PROFESSOR, LONDON SCHOOL OF ECNOMICS: Really by accident. And I was passing by going to an interview and suddenly I heard some shots.
I do not think very seriously. I thought maybe there were -- it took two minutes, screaming, shouting, I saw dozens of French students teenagers
crying. The entire area turned into a war zone, I mean armed police offices, helicopters.
But really the point I think out of it, you know, I worked on such things that it can happen any time, anywhere. This is a criminal activities.
Just one killer who basically visited Hara on the city took yesterday.
GORANI: Yes, I find it unbelievable that you were there. In fact I was there as well. I was sitting in on Prime Minister's questions and we
walked out a minute or two before the attack began and just turned right instead of left. And both of our stories I think illustrate just the
randomness of these events and these poor unfortunate people who are the wrong place at the wrong time, in the wrong place at the wrong time.
GERGES: It clearly is. It can happen anywhere, even here --
GORANI: Yes.
GERGES: -- because you talking about what we call lone wolves, you're talking about people are willing to kill. I mean, imagine, he attacked the
police officers with a knife. He knew exactly what was going to be killed but yet he was willing to kill and get killed in the process.
GORANI: Yes.
GERGES: What can you do about it? People keep saying, you know, how do you get treated this, I mean lone wolf phenomenon. It's almost impossible
because when a person is determined, I mean, died for whatever he believes and it's really difficult to get rid of this particular phenomenon.
GORANI: Yes. It's this kind of murder suicide rampage inspired by loosely I guess by an ideology they may have understand anyway. But I found
interesting the age of this man, 52. We've never -- I have not, in my experience in covering these attacks for years.
GERGES: The most important distinctive feature about, I mean, Khalid Masood is age 50 -- 52 years old.
GORANI: Yes.
GERGES: Most of the previous attackers in their 20s. They deluded. It could easily be brainwashed. This man was older more mature. He knew what
he was doing. He was on a mission. And in this particular sense, this is the changes of dynamics that tell them that just the 20s and 30s but even
the 50s.
[00:10:00] GORANI: But there's something very strange about the cycle (ph) I don't quite get to be honest with you because someone in their 50s we
were talking with one of the specialist Steve Hewitt who is in Manchester right now is that obviously when you are in your 50s you're set in a
certain kind of way or lifestyle, et cetera. You don't have that kind of passion of being brainwashed and seduced by these types of murderous death
cults as much, right?
GERGES: I see differently. I see differently because he knew exactly what was doing. He believed in his mission. He had a criminal background. He
violent background.
GORANI: But from 15 years above.
GERGES: Absolutely. But the man obviously he believing what he was doing.
GORANI: Yes.
GERGES: Because, I mean, think about it, that the second thing about really Khalid Masood, he did not have, I mean, obviously, firearms,
explosions. Imagine, Hala, if he had firearms like the at sales (ph) Impasse in Bronxville and Brussels and other places. This tells me it was
a primitive, of course --
GORANI: Yes.
GERGES: -- using a rented car and a knife. But this is a lone wolf as opposed to sales (ph) and in a way, even though it was a bloody. We should
basically celebrate the fact that there are no hardcore sales, organize sales whose major weapons and firearms.
GORANI: Yes. I mean you mentioned the fact that it was unsophisticated. I wonder based on the claim of responsibility that we got from the ISIS
link information website, was this do you think directed from -- directly from Syria or was it inspired, was it some sort of kind of lame copycat
attack?
GERGES: Hala, anyone who carries out any attack in the world today in particular Western countries, ISIS or they so-called Islamic State will
take responsibility. Why did it cal it ISIS? In every single case, Khalid Masood has become a foot solider of ISIS. My reading, my understanding
based on many cases is that basically there was not operational relationship --
GORANI: Yes.
GERGES: --between ISIS and Khalid Masood. It's more motivation and inspiration.
GORANI: I mean you have others who get money --
GERGES: Yes.
GORANI: -- to sent to them.
GERGES: Yes.
GORANI: They have the plane ticket --
GERGES: Yes.
GORANI: -- like that Egyptian who try to stop the solider in the (INAUDIBLE) someone paid for his plane ticket.
GERGES: Yes. Or even in Paris and Brussels.
GORANI: Yes. Yes.
GERGES: In Paris and Brussels you had Muhammad al-Adnani --
GORANI: Yes.
GERGES: -- the second man in command of ISIS sending one of his lieutenants organized the attacks in Paris and in Brussels. What it tells
me there are no major cells (ph) in Britain, even though Britain has been bracing itself for major attacks.
You were talking early to your correspondents about the arrest. The arrest of the (Inaudible) have been doing in the day (ph) are basically to prevent
any potential attackers.
GORANI: Yes.
GERGES: It's also to find out about the background and if there any other perpetrator. So that the fact is, the British government has been very
proactive and preventative. And in a way, it has so far succeeded in preventing major attacks even though the message --
GORANI: Yes.
GERGES: -- was sent yesterday.
GORANI: That's right. Well, hopefully we won't see anymore of those anytime soon. Fawaz Gerges as always, thanks so much for joining us.
In Parliament today, lawmakers held a minute silence as a mark of respect to the victims of Wednesday's attack.
Members of Parliament and government officials returned to work in Westminster less than 24 hours after the rampage. Prime Minister Theresa
May struck a defiant tone in her speech saying the best way to defeat terrorism is to just keep living our lives as normal.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAY: But the greatest response lies not in the words of politicians, but in the everyday actions of ordinary people. For beyond these walls today -
- in scenes repeated in towns and cities across the country, millions of people are going about their days and getting on with their lives.
The streets are as busy as ever. The offices full. The coffee shops and cafes bustling.
As I speak millions will be boarding trains and aeroplanes to travel to London, and to see for themselves the greatest city on Earth. It is in
these actions, millions of acts of normality -- that we find the best response to terrorism. A response that denies our enemies their victory.
That refuses to let them win.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: Well, Londoners are indeed carrying on as usual. They got on buses, their bikes and headed back to work this morning. You see it there
and the Westminster Bridge reopened as well. Londoners also stood shoulder to shoulder and a vigil in Trafalgar Square by observing them in silence,
lighting candles for the victims of the attack, the U.K. Home Secretary Amber Rudd told the crowd, terrorists will not win. The London Mayor Said
Khan, the first Muslim mayor of the city said that evil twisted individuals try to destroy our shared way of life.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SADIQ KHAN, MAYOR OF LONDON: We come together as Londoners tonight to remember those who have lost their lives and all those affected by the
horrific attack yesterday. But also to send a clear message, Londoners will never be cowed by terrorism.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[00:15:18] GORANI: Well, earlier the mayor told Christiane Amanpour why believes terrorist will never win. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KHAN: It's worth reminding ourselves why the terrorists hate us so much. They hate the fact that here in London and across our country, Christians,
Jews, Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus, Buddhists don't just tolerate each other; we respect each other. We celebrate each other. We embrace each other. We
have a vibrant democracy. We have civil liberties and human rights.
And that's what they hate. We police by consent, though, and that means working with the communities, being our eyes and ears supplied with
intelligence to give us information to help keep us safe. And the police are acting on the intelligence they've got.
There's been raids across the country, not just in Birmingham but in London and other cities across the country. Some arrests have been made. But
members of the public whatever faith they are recognize the police have a very important job to do to investigate this matter but too keep us safe.
It's the police we ring when we fear for our personal safety, it's the police we ring and give information to if we're suspicious of people within
our community.
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN ANCHOR: Mayor, you have said that this was precisely the nightmare scenario that you were dreading like many mayors in
many parts of the world, in the current environment.
I wonder -- I know you don't want to talk politics today -- but whether you have a reaction to the sort of kneejerk tweet that came out of the United
States from the president's son, Donald Trump Jr., referencing an interview you had done months ago and saying, you've got to be kidding me, regarding
the frequency or the likelihood of terrorism in big cities today.
KHAN: Well, I'm not going to respond to a tweet from Donald Trump Jr., I've been doing far more important things over the last 24 hours.
What I do know is that the threat level in London and across the country is severe, that means an attack is highly likely.
I was in New York last year when there was an attack in New York and terrorists hate the fact that, whether it's New York, whether it's London,
whether it's Paris, whether it's Brussels, whether it's Istanbul, whether it's Madrid, we have diverse communities living together peacefully.
(INAUDIBLE) situation where Parliament is returning to normal today and city hall is returning to normal today. City hall is returning to normal
today. Tourists are returning to London today. Businesses returning to normal today.
Just the thing that the terrorists hate. And I'm not going to allow terrorists to divide London, to destroy our way of life. We remain united
and we are the greatest city in the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: All right, just as they reopened the road here behind me and life is getting back to normal. We're getting some sad news from Central
London. Met police says that another person has died as a result of the attack here on Wednesday. That means that the death toll now stands at
four. The attacker was also killed. Paula, back to you.
NEWTON: That's a upset sad news. Hala, we'll continue to follow the investigation throughout but for now we're going to take you here stateside
in the Washington apparently no plan B and now no vote to the repeal of Obamacare as President Trump first major legislative task. With the vote
stacked against its success its been put off.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[00:20:39] GORANI: Welcome back. Some unfortunate news to bring your from Central London here. Met police say another person has died as a result of
the attack here on Wednesday, that murderous attack that involved an SUV and a stabbing.
Now this means that the death toll stands at four. The man had been receiving medical treatment in hospital following the attack and life
support was withdrawn this evening. Unfortunately, obviously another family devastated forever changed and another innocent person killed by a
murderous terrorist in an act of senseless violence.
There you have it. That's the side update from London. We'll see you in a bit with more. Paula, back to you now in New York.
NEWTON: Indeed, Hala, as London tries to get back to normal behind you. We are following up on developments this side of the ocean. It's a major
blow for President Trump in his first major legislative test. Tonight's plan load on the repeal of Obamacare has been put off at least until
tomorrow.
The chairman of the conservative so-called Freedom Caucus said the votes simply weren't there after a frenzy of meetings failed to produce a deal.
Now it's a difficult balancing act for the present appeasing conservatives without alienating moderates.
When we talked about this, though, we all talking about within the family, within that Republican family. The bill needs 216 votes to pass. No
Democrats are expected to support it. That means no more than 21. The Republicans can vote against it.
Joining me now John Avlon. He's a CNN political analyst and editor in chief at the Daily Beast. You know, stop saying I told you so. I can hear
you you're saying I told you so but if you look at it. Look, the president has put a lot of his credibility on this. They say he's continuing to talk
to people, you know he loves this kind of thing.
I mean there is still hope, right?
JOHN AVLON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Sure. Look, I mean, you know, I think the difficulty is that this is a president who prides himself on perfecting
the art of the deal, but horsetrading and Congresses is sometimes a great deal more difficult than real estate. And what you got right now is chaos
on Capitol Hill. The administration and in the House leadership and promising about tonight, they just postponed it after a long meeting the
president with the Freedom Caucus.
And as you pointed out, the difficulty is in herding the cats even within his own caucus. He has got folks on the far right who don't want to
support the bill is going to run a dozen centrist Republicans a dwindling breed who was meeting with later this afternoon to try to convince, but
that's a very difficult balancing act and they're making changes to the bill up until the very last moment, a momentous bill impacting millions of
Americans try to undo a central part of Barack Obama's legacy. But Donald Trump and his crew having a hard time getting the deal done tonight.
NEWTON: And for good reason, you know, we talked about the art of the deal all the time. No, this is the art of war. When you get down to brass
tacks in terms of what has to be done on this deal and you and I both know -- you know, when it comes down to it, if you're congressman at this point
in time, you're trying to deal with what you will face when you go back home and you face those voters what that stake here, I mean what's the
crocks (ph) of it that even Donald Trump that can't get them to say yes to this deal.
AVLON: Well, look, I mean health care is enormously, you know, passionate and personal issue for people. The difficulty is that the opposition to
Obamacare is really united Republican caucus, but the focus under beneath the bumper sticker of repeal and replace the ups is been entirely on the
repeal, not so much the actual replaced. And so you got issues from cost to coverage to folks on the far right wanting to sort of cut costs further
as much as humanly possible. And the fact that there are 23 House districts that Hillary Clinton won and where Republicans managed to
maintain. And the bill is not particularly popular, to the extent that its contents are known and can be known. Add all those factors together and
getting a unified front in the 11th hour is incredibly difficult. Even if you are alleged art of the deal.
NEWTON: Yes. And when you get down to it, how Obamacare in of itself been a game charger even for Republicans, things that we saw in Obamacare, you
know, like pre-existing conditions, keeping your kids on until they're 26.
I mean even Republican voters, is it becoming hard for them to let go of those provisions?
AVLON: Well, look, the president himself both during the campaign and in the State of the Union address said that any plan would maintain those very
broad popular provisions. Those have I think been treated and embraced by the American people outside the politicization and the polarization that
surrounds the name, the brand Obamacare. So you're right. That's a major factor.
[00:25:13] I think the other factor that people are confronting is the difference in the grandstanding and governing and the reality so much of
our political associations today are driven by negative association rather than positive proposals and once you try to make that leap, you find
yourself in a ticket (ph) of difficulties that are proving very hard to navigate even with unified Republican control of Washington right now.
NEWTON: Yes. I mean, Trump himself, you know, came up with a neophyte a few weeks ago he said, who knew health care can be complicated. No,
actually we all knew the health care can be that complicated.
Now, having said that, though, to give the guy some credit, I mean, John, tell me what do you think? Because I'm not sure that he will wear the
blame for this if they don't get to a vote and if they don't get it through the House, at least on this round.
AVLON: Well, look, he's got -- get a legislative wins on his score card for the first hundred days. If this falls through, you're looking at a big
goose egg and he can try to pass the buck and pass the blame. I think it's been notable that for men who loves slapping his name on everything, he's
been going up extra innings tried to have it not be called Trumpcare, it doesn't seem to want to own it in that regard.
His hardcore supports will support him no matter what. I'm very confident in that. But at some point, you know, the rhetoric's going to meet reality
and if the president, you know, looks toward the end of his first hundred days and doesn't have a major legislative achievement on objective apples
to apples scorecard that doesn't look good for a president trying coalesce popularity and what is supposed to be his maximum moment of leverage.
NEWTON: Absolutely. He has put a lot on line. John, thank you so much joining us with this late breaking developments here. Appreciate it.
AVLON: Thank you.
NEWTON: Now, the delay of the vote pushed US stocks to losses. The Dow tipped just slightly into the red is the news was announced. It closed off
about five points, extending its weeklong losing streak. Now the Dow is off 1.4 percent this month after a string of records. Of course, investors
worried the fight over health care will distract the Trump Administration from its promises of tax cuts and regulation rollbacks.
Ted Weisberg is the president of Seaport Securities and you were the man who's going to tell me. Is that true Ted? Tell me. Is it true but look
is the (INAUDIBLE) with health care and that means tax agenda and infrastructure regulation off the table.
TED WEISBERG, PRESIDENT, SEAPORT SECURITIES: Well I think were sort of throwing the baby out with the bathwater and I think that's probably a bit
of a stretch.
First of all, personally, I think it will get done, number one, because it is like having pension in children. You know, it's --
NEWTON: No kidding.
WEISBERG: I don't -- quite frankly, I don't understand why the Democrats would embrace some of these changes because the good news is health care is
still good to be in place and this is designed to make it better or to take care with some of the problems but that's, you know, another issue didn't
necessarily deal with the stock market.
I think two days ago we got up kind of shot across the bow, what we might expect the cause of the uncertainty created by the inability to get this
done but I think it will get done in one form or another. And, you know, listen, nothing cheesy in Washington, it's kind of like making sausage,
right? this is the process and, you know, what we spoiled because we didn't see a lot of that for the last eight years.
It's all kind of behind closed -- whatever was going on. It was not very visible. This is quite visible. And we have a little family fight going
on. And I think at the end of the day, it will it will get resolved then we'll get this health care bill. Will we get it tomorrow. I mean through
the House. Does it happen tomorrow or does it happen next week. I don't think that's really the issue.
I think the main thing is that -- in my view will happen and I think the market yesterday and today, even though they sold a little today, you know,
they didn't really bang him hard today and they certainly didn't bang him hard yesterday. I don't think that's much of a problem.
NEWTON: Does that mean that the Trump rally though, I hear you correctly, he still has a ways to go you think. It's not (INAUDIBLE) already.
WEISBERG: Well, we've come a long way in a very short period of time. I think we would have a positive market no matter who won the election. I
think the market in that respect was pretty agnostic.
The fact that it turn out the way it did was kind of putting fuel on that fire. Markets don't go straight up, trees don't grow in the sky.
Unfortunately, they don't give us a bill and then they're not going to tell us when, you know, when we were going to go the other way.
So, you know, giving little back (ph) here is really standard operating procedure, but beyond that, I think the election was an absolute game
change as far as the stock market --
NEWTON: And still is.
WEISBERG: And still is, and I think the lines of least resistance are up, not down, and in fact I think there's a lot of sold-out bulls. Nothing
more bearish than the sold out. I think there is a lot of money on the sidelines. All, you know, waiting, waiting. You know, they're all waiting
for the market to come in so they can take advantage of it.
The fact is wishing is not a good strategy.
[0:30:00] NEWTON: Got to make it happen.
WEISBERG: And I think that any selloff is actually buying opportunity not a selling opportunity.
NEWTON: OK, spoken like a true thought, just came off the trading floor (ph). I understand that. Ted, quickly though, one more thing. What can
change that? And my opinion is any whispers of trade war or any kind of those border taxes can change that. What do you think?
WEISBERG: Well, a lot of things can change it, but I think you really have to look at the big picture of six months, 12 months, 18 months, two years,
and I think the change that the market is looking at and the market lights is not what I would call near-term day-to-day business stuff because all
those things are possible, but I think the prospect of real physical change.
You know, the Fed said a couple years ago that they were doing all they could do with monetary policy, and they needed some help in fiscal policy,
and they never got it.
NEWTON: And they're happy to see that.
WEISBERG: Well, I don't know if they're happy or not. But now, they're going to get.
NEWTON: Yes.
WEISBERG: That in some form they're going to get, this is a very positive thing.
NEWTON: I have to leave it there, Ted. Thanks so much for coming to see us up here.
After the break, we'll return to London with more on our breaking news. Is the death toll unfortunately from Wednesday's attack rises to four?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HALA GORANI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, I'm Hala Gorani in London.
NEWTON: And I'm Paula Newton in New York. These are the top news headlines we're following for you this hour.
NEWTON: The terror attack at British Parliament has claimed another life. London police say a 75-year-old man that had been receiving medical
treatment in hospital for his injury has been taken off life support. Tonight, the death toll now stands at four.
British police have made eight arrests as they investigate Wednesday's deadly attack. Detectives swarmed locations in Birmingham and other cities
over night. And Thursday morning, they've also identified the attacker. He's 52-year-old, Khalid Masood, a British native with a history of violent
crime.
In Antwerp, Belgium, authorities say they thwarted an attempted terrorist attack. Now, they intercepted a French man driving toward a busy
pedestrian area at a very high speed in the red car you see being towed in the distance there. Authorities say inside were weapons and a canister
with an unknown substance.
Officials say the U.S. won't be voting on a Republican health care plan, Thursday, as expected. Party leaders and present Donald Trump have been
holding meetings to try and get the votes pass the measure as Republicans are set to go behind closed doors in the coming hours to discuss that
situation.
Israeli police say a teenager has been arrested in connection with bomb threats against Jewish institutions and community centers across the U.S.
and in several other countries. Now, a police spokesperson said the 19- year-old used advanced camouflage technology to cover his tracks, a motive still unknown.
[0:35:07] The president of Ukraine is calling the killing of a Kremlin critic a "Russian state terrorist act". Denis Voronenkov, a former Russian
lawmaker, who fled to Ukraine last year was shot and killed outside the Kiev Hotel in broad daylight. Officials say a suspect is now in custody.
The Kremlin spokesman says any claims that Russia is tied to the killing are "absurd".
GORANI: All right, Paula, we'll get back to you in a moment. But to recap the fourth fatality in the London attack has just been announced. Police
say he was a 75-year-old man. Earlier today we learned more about the other three victims. They were the police officer Keith Palmer along with
an American tourist and a British teacher.
These flags represent the nationalities of the victims and casualties in Central London on Wednesday. There were three children from France, two
people from Romania, four from South Korea, one from Poland, one from Ireland, one from China, one person as well up from Germany, Italy and
America, two from Greece and 12 people from right here in Britain. They all required treatment.
The American who lost his life was Kurt Cochran. He was celebrating his 25th wedding anniversary with his wife Melissa. She survived. Another
victim was Aysha Frade. She was 43 years old, s teacher of Spanish descent, partly. The mayor of her hometown said she lived here for several
years.
At the United Nations in New York, the Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson who was also mayor of London said that an attack on London is an attack on the
world.
Listen to Johnson.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BORIS JOHNSON, BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY: You may know that today there are victims in London from 11 nations, which goes to show the attack on
London is an attack on the world.
And I can tell you from my talks here in the United States with the U.S. government and with partners from around the world that the world is
uniting to defeat the people who launched this attack and to defeat their bankrupt and odious ideology.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: Well, that was Boris Johnson. He's in New York today. He was visiting with the Trump White House a couple days ago in Washington.
Nick Paton Walsh joins me from Westminster with more about the victims, what we know about them. Nick.
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. And as the days gone on, we have learned more about the lives tragically lost
in the violent acts that began pretty much where I'm standing here on Westminster Bridge.
Now, we don't know vast amounts of details about how people were injured, the sequence, but the Hyundai four-by-four vehicle rose up on the pavement
where I'm standing, here. And the vicinity of where I am moving down here, it was Kurt Cochran here on his 25th anniversary with his wife Melissa. He
was killed by that car moving quickly. Amateur video showing people actually flung into oncoming traffic. One woman in fact, it's either
thrown over or jumping off this bridge in sort of attempt to escape further injury and also, too, as well as you said Aysha Frade, a 43-year-old
Spanish teacher, resident for quite some time here in London killed, too.
The car then continues further to cross this bridge down to the other side. Now passed or early on this after, police lines, it crashed into the
railings there. Interestingly enough, we saw this bridge teeming with people, obviously it's less tonight. In fact, behind me it appears that
police and medical staffs have pulled over a car on this bridge now and having quite impassion discussion with what are these occupants.
But that goes to show how the city is still very much on some sense of alert here because it was Khalid Masood who drove that Hyundai further
across the bridge. It crashes the railings, gone out and then tried to -- seems getting to the Parliament court yards with that knife. He was then
shot dead, but not before he took as life of his third of four victims.
During that afternoon, I met with PC Keith Palmer, killed this evening by that knife wilted by Khalid Masood. And as you said as well now the 75-
year-old man has in fact died of his injuries in hospital, Hala. But that death toll hasn't grown tragically in the last hour. So about 40 people
injured, possibly showed about 10 of those in are pretty serious conditions as far as we understand now. Hala.
GORANI: All right. Thanks very much, Nick Paton Walsh. Not far from our position here there on Westminster Bridge. Thanks very much, Nick,
reiterating there the breaking news.
In the last just half-hour or so, we learned from authorities that a fourth person has died as a result of this attack, a 75-year-old man who was taken
off life support, who was fighting for his life and unfortunately died as a result of the car attack on the bridge.
[0:40:07] Now, in a sign of solidarity in Germany, a Union flag was projected on to the side of the famous Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. There
you have it just showing, you know, unity. We saw it with the French flag and the Belgian flag and it just goes to show you that just of the last
several years, Paula, in New York we have had so many of these attacks and we have covered so many of them including one in fact in Germany quite
similar to this one, except that it was with the truck on that Christmas market in Berlin, this one causing the deaths of four people.
Paula, back to your in New York.
NEWTON: Yes. And it is obviously a heartening just to see all of those tributes. As you said, we've had to go through this kind of thing before.
I mean, Hala, it so struck me. You're talking to Paton Walsh (ph) earlier and you know he made it clear. The good news is that they haven't found
this kind of hardcore cell there that was part of this terrorist attack according to police, at the same time Hala, I mean you are there. You're
at Parliament when this happened. It must strike you that one person can cause just so much devastation.
GORANI: Yes. And the issue too is that these are very common items. I mean everyone has access to a weapon like a knife. Everyone pretty much
can rent a car as long as you have driver's license.
So if you want to cause mayhem and damage like this on this the type of scale, you can if you have the intent, especially if in the end, you accept
the fact that you are probably going to get killed.
It's just that pretty typical murder suicide scenario of someone -- probably according to official who is inspired by this radical ideology,
this twisted ideology. Whether it was inspired or a copycat attack were directed from the ISIS-controlled territory, but, you know, in the end, the
question is, does it really matters? It's just this ideology is finding a home in the twisted mind of some people, but it takes just one person to
bring complete chaos to a very busy area like Westminster.
How do you stop it? Every, you know, expert you talked to is basically, I hate to say it, it's very, very difficult especially if it is a lone-wolf
type person, especially if it's someone who's not part of a network because how do you monitor someone who is sort of a solo operative? There is no
real chat or they're not are really exchanging ideas with anyone.
So, you know, ultimately either you can have to sort of figure out a way to make sure that people who have any kind of potential to slide into this
type of activity are monitored or, you know, fight the ideology at the base, try to figure out a way, a brag to make ISIS less of an attractive
option for some of these people on or in the communities.
We were speaking by the way with Lord Admiral Allen West. He was saying in some of these communities to make those communities perhaps more of a part
of the wider community as well. In some instances would probably help combat this.
So it's multi-pronged approach, but a very, very difficult problem to address especially when it is just one individual, Paula.
NEWTON: And if any country has been looking at how to do that multi- pronged approach, it is a Britain as they will continue to do. Our Hala Gorani remains there at the scene for us. We will get to you just a little
bit later on.
And from us now, the future of President Trump's pledge to repeal and replace Obamacare is in jeopardy. The bill doesn't have the support it
needs. The vote for tonight is up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[0:45:38] NEWTON: Mr. President's first major legislative test and he just doesn't have the votes. The Press Secretary says there is no plan B to the
repeal of Obamacare. Despite all that, House Majority Leader says don't panic.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KEVIN MCCARTHY, U.S. HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER: Don't judge on every certain time when a bill has to be done by getting it done. And always during the
final part, everybody wants to negotiate as much as possible. We've been listening to all sides that we have a very diverse conference. We want to
make sure that everybody should have a voice. We've been studying this for six years, more than 113 hearings on moving new legislation and I think
we're at the right point right now and just getting the final deadline done.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: Now, in the past few minutes, I've just been watching this break over the wires here, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has just
released its report card on the revised health care bill.
The CBO estimates the revised bill will cut deficits by $150 billion over the next decade. Doesn't sound like much, does it? That's less than half
the savings on the first draft of the bill. Twenty-four million Americans are projected to lose their health insurance that's unchanged from the
first bill. Thank goodness, Mark Preston here again, CNN senior political analyst.
OK, so give it to us, Mark. That just came in from CBO.
MARK PRESTON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Right.
NEWTON: You know, how does even that changed what is already a very complicated equation among the Republicans?
PRESTON: Among Republicans, I'll just talk about where we are in this moment. You have the president meeting with House Republicans who are on
the fence, who are either undecided about whether vote for this bill or not vote for the bill, or are flat out no. And then you have this Chief of
Staff and his top advisers at the same time, right now, on Capitol Hill with the Speaker of House Paul Ryan trying to figure out how to make this
work.
To the point of this new score and for our viewers around the world, basically, this is the projection. If this legislation passes, what we
would actually see in savings from these new mechanisms put in place, that's not going to play well with conservatives who want to see more
savings.
NEWTON: And that's the reason they kind of put the bill on place. You know, for everyone in internationally looking at this and saying, "I don't
know why I have to care about the health care bill in United States because we know it's a mess." OK, putting that aside, what does that mean for
Donald Trump in a lot of what has been put on his legislative agenda? Things like taxes --
PRESTON: Right.
NEWTON: -- things like infrastructure, even things that some people don't want to see, like changes to the trade deals.
PRESTON: Well, into your, too, to begin with, when people around the world are saying, "Why do I care with the health care system is in United
States?" You should care because the bottom line is the more money that is spent to try to take care of the health care system and the time that is
put into it, meaning these members of Congress and President Trump are dealing their time to it, it's less time away from -- and potentially less
money away from foreign aid perhaps, you know, that may go overseas or these members focusing on some big issues, such as of you a very unstable
North Korea or the turmoil in the Middle East.
You know, when you think about this bill, this is Donald Trump right now learning that it is very hard to legislate in the United States. It's very
difficult to get things done. His first two months, he's been successful in the sense that he has been able to use specific powers that he has to
just by fiat say we're not going to have this environmental regulation anymore, we're pulling it back, we're not going to have these particular
labor issues in place anymore, we're going to pull this back. Well now, he has a legislation and he can't just by fiat say, "I want this done." And
he's learning it very, very hard way.
NEWTON: What do you think though with the fact that he has been putting a lot of his credibility on line? I know the democrats say, "Hey, look,
rookie move." He is putting way too much on the line too soon. But a lot of people want to give him credit for that because --
PRESTON: Right.
NEWTON: -- he's known as a dealmaker.
PRESTON: Right. And what I think he's finding so humbling -- and although I don't know if he could be humbled, right? But --
NEWTON: Humble Trump.
PRESTON: Right. Humble Trump, right. Is that he's realizing that there's 535 voting members of the United States Congress, meaning in order to get a
deal, you need to get a simple majority, and sometimes just a little bit more than that. It's not just Donald Trump cutting a deal anymore.
He is putting his credibility on the line in some ways, but the question that really remains is, will he go too far? I think what he's going to be
telling in the next couple days, certainly in the next 24 hours, if he is dealt a defeat, will he turn around and then have be vindictive against
those who wouldn't give their votes? And the reason why I say that is he has all the legislative goals and accomplishments that he wants to reach.
And if he starts by going after people personally, they may never be with them.
[0:50:05] NEWTON: And let's base the facts, even though Donald Trump doesn't believe the polls. He's at historically low --
PRESTON: Thirty-nine percent right now.
NEWTON: So what are congressmen and senators thinking when they see that?
PRESTON: Well, I -- you know, every president has honeymoon period and Donald Trump certainly has had his honeymoon period in some ways. I mean -
-.
NEWTON: It seemed that it was.
PRESTON: Yes, it was. Especially, you know, with some of the falsehoods that he said and he's gotten away with. I think that they're realizing
that they either have to stick by their convictions and then for the House of Representatives, the 435 people that are running for election, you know,
in another 18 months or so, they're realizing that Donald Trump isn't going to be the one there that's going to be on the ballot. It's just going
them.
NEWTON: Now, I won't ask you for prediction if you don't want to give one on health care. What do you think? Because -- and then I just want to say
one thing. Remember this is in House then does go to Senate.
PRESTON: Right.
NEWTON: They could go back to the House.
PRESTON: Right.
NEWTON: We're just starting.
PRESTON: Right. So, you know, so a couple of things. One is I think the biggest walk right now is for health care to be fixed and fixing the right
way is three simple words, repeal and replace. And the reason why is, is that Republicans and Donald Trump are so hung up on that, instead of
saying, "We're going to go in and just fix health care, take out the bad parts put in the good parts and basically redo Obamacare as we know it."
They are deadfast from -- many of them are deadfast on saying "We've got to totally repeal and replace." It sounds good. And by the way, that's what
they ran on.
Predictions, I don't think it gets done the next 24 hours. But I do think in some ways, you will see the House of Representatives actually by a slim
majority get the bill passed, but to your point is going to go to the Senate. The Senate is going to do their thing and then they both have to
come back together and that's going to be a very messy process.
NEWTON: And in the meantime, a lot of blow on the floor with Republicans.
PRESTON: Lots of blood? Right.
NEWTON: Not even a Democratic --
PRESTON: Not even Democrats --
NEWTON: Mark, thanks again. I appreciate it.
PRESTON: Thanks.
NEWTON: Now, the electronics ban on flights out of the Middle East Airports could hurt, not help safety. Now, less explained, that's the view
from Richard Branson who calls it disturbing.
Our interview with him, up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NEWTON: I want to update you now on our breaking news from London. Met police say a 75-year-old man has died as a result of the attack here on
Wednesday. Now, that means the death toll now stands at four. The man had been receiving medical treatment in hospital following the attack and life
support was withdrawn this evening.
Richard Branson says the carry-on electronics ban from the U.S. and U.K. at many Middle Eastern airports is part of what he calls a disturbing trend.
Now, the founder of Virgin Atlantic believes devices might even be safer in the cabin and not checked as cargo.
Now, last year, the FAA issued a safety alert highlighting the risks of fires from batteries checked in the cargo hold. Branson spoke to Richard
Quest in Kuala Lumpur.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICHARD BRANSON, FOUNDER, VIRGIN ATLANTIC: If I've got a real worry about big devices, you know, putting them to hold is not necessarily any safer
than keeping them in the cabin. And in some ways, I would have modularly thought it was better if people have them in the cabin and they would, you
know, property check as they got into the cabin.
[00:55:17] The second thing I just thought I find exciting is the discriminatory that they've only chosen airports where American carriers
don't actually fly to. And that would only affect carriers like the Emirates and another other local carriers, North American carriers, and you
know, but then it wasn't just a coincidence but it's a quite a strange coincidence if that's the case.
RICHARD QUEST, CNN ANCHOR: But do you have confidence in the security of places like Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Dubai?
BRANSON: Yes, because first who (ph) runs the airport used to be -- you know, he's an excellent person who used to run Virgin Atlantic and have
every confidence in him. And you know, I mean Dubai is incredibly well run country and I would say as secure as any country in the world.
QUEST: (INAUDIBLE) from you, let's call it spade of shovel, do you think there's an element of politics in this?
BRANSON: I've been very disturbed by a lot of things that have come out of America recently as to that disturbance.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: And that's it for this hour. I'm Paula Newton in New York. We will have much more on breaking news in both Washington and London when CNN
returns.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
