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NEW DAY SUNDAY
ISIS Executes British Hostage David Haines; British P.M. Cameron Makes Statement on ISIS
Aired September 14, 2014 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CHRISTI PAUL, CNN ANCHOR: Thank you so much for starting your morning us with.
VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: We've got much more ahead on the next hour of your NEW DAY. It starts right now.
(MUSIC)
PAUL: Sunday morning at 7:00 a.m. The alarm always goes off just a little too soon. Hopefully, it's not even going off for you this morning, on a weekend. I'm Christi Paul.
BLACKWELL: I'm Victor Blackwell. Four o'clock out on the West Coast. This is NEW DAY SUNDAY.
And this morning, Britain and the U.S. are vowing justice for a British aide worker and father who went to Syria to help terrified war refugees there, only to be taking hostage and then killed by ISIS.
PAUL: Yes, the terror group released a video reportedly showing the beheading of David Haines. Now, we're not going to show you the full video of his killing. It's too gruesome, and you can see Haines here, though, kneeling, as his masked killer stands next to him. Before he takes Haines life, he threatened Britain with more bloodshed.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're evil alliance of America, which continues to strike the Muslims of Iraq and most recently bombed the Haditha dam will only accelerate your destruction and playing the role of the obedient lapdog, Cameron, will only drag you and your people into another bloody and unwinnable war.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLACKWELL: On that video, the executioner also threatened to kill another British aide worker now being held by ISIS. ISIS says he is Alan Henning. He is here kneeling next to that man in black. Like Haines, he went to Syria to help war refugees.
PAUL: Haines is the third Western hostage -- think about this -- to be killed by ISIS in recent weeks. They've also beheaded American freelance journalist James Foley and Steven Sotloff.
BLACKWELL: We're covering the story from all angles with our team of reporters around the world.
Atika Shubert is in London.
PAUL: Anna Coren is in Irbil, Iraq, and Erin McPike at the White House.
Atika, I do want to start with you. British Prime Minister David Cameron, he's been hosting this top level emergency security meeting. Do we know what has come out of that so far?
ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We don't know yet actually. We are expecting him to come out of Downing Street any moment now with a statement. We'll bring that you to as soon as we get it. We do know that he's been briefed by top security and intelligence chiefs not only on that video, of course, but possibly also on who is the identity of that militant in that video. We know that investigators have been scouring that video, analyzing the audio in it to try and identify that militant who appears to be British.
One of the analysts that I've been speaking to says it's likely that British investigators know who that is but they simply aren't saying because they do either want to capture or kill him, find some way to bring him to justice.
BLACKWELL: Anna, to you now. The president last week talked about the need to go into Syria with air strikes. There have been about 160 U.S. air strikes in Iraq thus far. And three quarters of Americans say there should be air strikes.
What effectively has been the fruit of those strikes? How has this affected ISIS?
ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They're very effective. They've stopped their rapid (INAUDIBLE) to cross Iraq. Remember, before those air strikes, ISIS controlled one-third of this country. They still maintain that territory. But they haven't been able to go any further.
Obviously, these air strikes, you know, taking out those enemy positions, those armored vehicles as they make the convoys across the plains and deserts here in northern and western Iraq, the mortars, the artillery. I mean, it's hurting them. It's having real impact.
Obviously, they are also working with the Peshmerga, the Kurdish forces and the Iraqi forces. They're trying that vital cover to allow those ground forces to then take the fight to ISIS. But certainly when President Obama announced he's going to step up the air strikes here in Iraq, that was welcomed news to Iraqis because there is a feeling that they need to step up the campaign here to really hurt ISIS, to cripple them because of the ground forces aren't going to do it on their own.
PAUL: Hey, Atika, we know the Britain said a few weeks ago that it tried to rescue one of its citizens from ISIS. What do we know about that attempt? And is there a good gauge of how many British hostages there may be?
SHUBERT: There could certainly be more British hostages. We don't know for certain that number. We know that ISIS holds about 20 hostages. We know that from former militants that have actually come back from Syria. But we don't know how many of them are British. We know there are a number of other European hostages and also some -- possibly some women that are being held.
But in terms of, you know, the rescue operation of what could happen, we're not sure yet. We know that Britain said a rescue operation was attempted --
BLACKWELL: Atika, let me interrupt you for just a moment. We've got Prime Minister Cameron now speaking.
DAVID CAMERON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: -- in the name of Islam. That is nonsense. Islam is a religion of peace.
They are not Muslims, they are monsters. They make no secret of their desire to do as much harm not just in the Middle East but to any countries or people who's seek to stand in their way or dare to stand for values that they disagree with.
It was an ISIL fanatic who gunned down four people in a museum in Brussels. So, let me be clear, the British people need to know that this is a fanatical organization called ISIL that has not only murdered a British hostage, they have planned and continue to plan attacks across Europe and in our country.
We are a peaceful people. We do not seek out confrontation. But we need to understand we cannot ignore this threat to our security and that of our allies. There is no option of keeping our heads down that would make us safe. The problem would merely get worse as it has done over recent months, not just for us but for Europe and for the world.
We cannot just walk on by if we're to keep this country safe. We have to confront this menace.
Step-by-step, we must drive back, dismantle and ultimately destroy ISIL and what it stands for. We will do so in a calm, deliberate way, but with an iron determination. We'll not do so on our own but by working closely with our allies, not just the United States and in Europe but also in the region, because this organization poses a massive threat to the entire Middle East.
So, we will defeat ISIS through a comprehensive and sustained counterterrorism strategy.
First, we will work with the Iraqi government to ensure it represents all of its people and is able to tackle this threat in effectively. We will support the Kurdish regional government while holding the front line against ISIL. We will help them protect their own people and the minorities, including Christians that they helped already through ammunition and training. Second, we will work at the United Nations to mobilize the
broadest possible support to bear down on is.
Third, the United States is taking direct military action. We support that. British tornadoes and surveillance aircraft have been helping with intelligence gathering and logistics. This is not about British combat troops on the ground. It is about working with others to extinguish this terrorist threat.
As this strategy intensifies, we're ready to take whatever steps are necessary to deal with this threat and keep our country safe.
Fourth, we will continue to support the enormous humanitarian efforts including using the RAF to do so to help the literally millions of people who fled ISIL and are now living in appalling conditions.
And, fifth and perhaps most important, we will maintain and continue to reinforce our formidable counter-terrorism effort here at home to prevent attacks and hunt down those planning them. People across this country would have been sickened by the fact that it could have been a British citizen, a British citizen who could have carried out this unspeakable act. It is the very opposite of everything our country stands for. It falls to the government and to each and every one of us to drain this poison from our society and to take on this warped ideology that is radicalizing some of our young people.
The murder of David Haines at the hands of ISIS will not lead Britain to shirk our responsibility with our allies to deal with the threat that this organization poses. It must strengthen our resolve. We must recognize that it will take time to eradicate a threat like this.
It will require, as I've described, action at home and abroad. This is not something we can do on our own. We have to work with the rest of the world.
But ultimately, our security as a nation, the way we go about our every day lives in this free and tolerant society that is Britain has always depended on our readiness to act against those who stand for hatred and who stand for destruction. And that is exactly what we will do. Thank you.
BLACKWELL: All right. Comments there from British Prime Minister David Cameron, speaking after, of course, the release of this recording of the execution, beheading of David Haines.
Do we still have Atika Shubert with us in London?
Atika, I want to come out to you. The prime minister there detailing several things, several ways that the U.K. will work with the international community, the U.N., the U.S. and other countries to be able to attack is. This is in line -- actually, strengthening what he said over the last couple weeks.
SHUBERT: Yes. In fact, he very clearly said that Britain will not shirk responsibilities. This video will only strengthen our resolve.
Now, the thing that a lot of the British public will be looking at is what kind of military support Britain will be lending to this coalition against ISIS. He already said that British jets, for example, have been involved with intelligence gathering, supporting the coalition in that way. But he also very clearly said this is not about boots on the ground.
And the open question that still remains is whether or not Britain will actually help with air strikes in Syria. This is something that last year British lawmakers clearly voted against. Now that means that the moment the British prime minister may not be able to carry out air strikes in Syria but they haven't ruled it out. So, it is always a possibility, and it does sound like the tone of this statement that Britain is now quite seriously considering it to strengthen their military resolve.
PAUL: All right. I just want to reintroduce our panel here. Atika Shubert, Anna Coren, Lieutenant Colonel Bob McGinnis, and Erin McPike with us as we just heard from Prime Minister David Cameron there.
He did say something to that point that I thought stuck with me and, Lieutenant Colonel Maginnis, I want to get your thoughts. He said this isn't about British troops on the ground. He did not say we are not sending British troops on the ground. But he said this isn't about them.
What do you take of that particular verbiage?
LT. COLONEL BOB MAGINNIS, U.S. ARMY (RET): Well, Christi, the prime minister fully understand that we're not going defeat ISIS from the air alone. And, of course, President Obama's made it clear that we need to get the Iraqis to Peshmerga to do more. But, of course, Syrian moderates and then we're struggling right now as Secretary Kerry is all over the Middle East in Riyadh, in Ankara, and Cairo trying to recruit those boots on the ground that are going to do this particular job.
But at the end of the day, if we don't have reliable ground forces to augment the air effort, it's going to be a long slog trying to resolve this conflict. And, of course, just the other day the White House made it very clear, we are at war with ISIS.
At war, you have to bring all the elements of power to bear, not just diplomatic. We've got to have military people on the ground to do this. And, you know, it's not looking good at this point. But I think Mr. Cameron's statement suggests that there will be people there, even the prime minister of Australia said this morning, he is going to send advisors. Well, advisors become combatants ultimately if the time continues and the circumstances dictate.
BLACKWELL: So, if we're hearing from Prime Minister Abbott and we're hearing from Prime Minister Cameron, not the direct refusal to send their troops, but we're hearing from President Obama that he's not sending U.S. troops, is the president being honest with us? Is he being straight forward with us? I want to read for you something that I read this morning in "The Times" in which it describes the Syrian, the moderate forces, the Free Syrian Army especially, says that they've been weak, divided, without coherent plans.
Today, they're even weaker, more divided in some cases, their best fighters are hard line Islamists. So, if we know that about the moderate forces, why are we hearing from the leaders that they likely will not or in some cases absolutely will not send in their troops? It seems like they would have to.
MAGINNIS: It's difficult situation, Victor. Look at what's going on in Syria where, you know, free Syrian army is collaborating with some of the radical groups.
So, vetting out a moderate force that we can arm and then depend on, that Riyadh said they can come in and train is going to be incredibly difficult. What we will probably see over time, our special operating forces in small groups that will be operating eventually in Syria. They have to.
You know, Raqqa is the epicenter of where all this fighting is coming from. And if we don't have people on the field in Raqqa going after ISIS, I don't know how we're going to sort out and defend the innocence that are there clearly. And then at the same time, destroy the infrastructure of ISIS.
PAUL: All right. We're going to hold our panel here if you'll all just stay close. We're going to take a quick break and continue the conversation on the other side. Stay close.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLACKWELL: We're covering this breaking story from all angles with a team of reporters around the world.
We have first Atika Shubert in London.
PAUL: Anna Coren is in Irbil, Iraq. Erin McPike is at the White House. And, of course, we're talking about this third beheading of a British worker now from ISIS and the statements that we just heard from British Prime Minister David Cameron.
Erin, I want to go to you. Do we know if the president, President Obama has had any conversations with Prime Minister Cameron since this video came out? And if by chance since they've been talking about the possibility of airstrikes in Syria, they may be more imminent at this point?
ERIN MCPIKE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Christi, what I will tell you is that as we were communicating with the White House and immediate aftermath of this latest act last night, the White House was very tight lipped referring really -- referring us to the U.K. Now, shortly before 9:00 p.m. last night, the president did put out a statement, of course, condemning the latest act. I want to read part of that system to you. He says, "The United States stands shoulder to shoulder tonight
with our close friend and ally in grief and resolve. We will work with the United Kingdom in a broad coalition of nations from the region and the world to bring the perpetrators of this outrageous act to justice and to degrade and destroy the threat to the people of our countries, region and the world."
Now, Christi and Victor, one other point I want to make, we just heard British Prime Minister David Cameron speak there. And at the top of his remarks, he was talking about the fact that it was an ISIS person who was behind the shooting at the Brussels Museum. He made the point that ISIS militants have threatened attacks all across Europe.
That is something different than what we have heard from President Obama. The Obama administration has been very clear that they have not detected any direct threats in the United States or potential acts of terrorism here.
But that was a stronger statement from David Cameron than we've been hearing from President Obama on that point.
BLACKWELL: I want to go back to Anna Coren there in Irbil. During the spring and summer, Anna, there were many Sunni groups fighting alongside ISIS. That is how in many ways they drummed up this huge number that we heard.
Do we know if that is continuing at the same rate or if some of the groups because they're not interested in simply a caliphate or Islamic State, those groups are now separated?
COREN: No, Victor, they're still working together. We have to remember it's the ISIS-controlled towns and cities that are Sunni populations. You know, they haven't necessarily invited ISIS militants in, but they welcomed them.
The reason being is that they see ISIS to be better than the Iraqi military. It is perceived that they are filled with Shia, militia backed by Iran, the former government under Nouri al-Maliki persecuted, marginalized, alienated, the Sunni population.
So, an actual fact, they see the Iraqis to be more of an enemy than ISIS. I mean, that is -- it is a general stereotype because obviously not all Sunnis feel this way. There is definitely a sense of alienation that why should we fight ISIS like we did back in 2006, 2007 and 2008 when we were asked by the United States to rise up against al Qaeda in Iraq. They did that. They did that very effectively.
And later on, these sons of Iraq were disbanded. They felt like they were double-crossed. And that is where this alienation has taken place.
So, there really was a vacuum within this country which has made for futile ground, which ISIS has gone and exploited. Hence they now control a third of this country. They do have the support of locals which is why it's going to be extremely difficult to get into those major cities that are Sunni controlled. If you send in Shia troops if, you send in Kurdish troops into Mosul, there will be a bloodbath, a sectarian bloodbath. They cannot do that.
That's why the new Iraqi prime minister talked about this national coalition of forces, National Guard is the term he uses, of Sunni forces to go in and help liberate these towns and cities. But as we know, Victor and Christi, this is a long term strategy. Trust needs to be rebuilt. Otherwise, there is just going to be no progress whatsoever.
PAUL: All right. We have to take a quick break. Stand by with us here. There is so much more to discuss.
We'll be back in just a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLACKWELL: All right. Welcome back to NEW DAY.
We'll get back to that conversation about ISIS. We've got Fareed Zakaria joining us in just a moment.
And we want to get you caught up now, though, with a couple of your morning reads.
PAUL: Yes, and just to catch you up.
ISIS has executed another hostage, if you're just joining us here. A video posted online appears to show the beheading of British aide worker David Haines. He was abducted last year near a Syrian refugee camp and had only been at the camp 10 days. He's the third Westerner to be killed by ISIS in recent weeks and in a vow to hunt down those responsible, David Cameron called the execution, quote, "an act of pure evil."
BLACKWELL: American detainee Matthew Miller has been sentenced to six years of hard labor in North Korea. A state media reports North Korean Supreme Court today found Miller guilty of committing acts hostile to the country. These are new images from that trial. The 24-year-old was arrested back in April after he tore up his visa reportedly seeking asylum.
PAUL: In politics, Hillary Clinton is in Iowa today. Her first trip to the battleground state since 2008, when, of course, she was running for president. Clinton is expected to headline the Harkin steak fry hosted by the state's long time Democratic Senator Tom Harkin, of course.
Political analysts say the former first lady's trip to Iowa is a good indicator that she may be having presidential aspirations for 2016 on the plate.
BLACKWELL: Sports now, Floyd "Money" Mayweather put his perfect record on the line in a rematch with Marcus Maidana last night. And it worked out. He won by unanimous decision. But there was some controversy. In the eighth round, Mayweather accused Maidana of biting his hand. But the $32 million that he probably -- he's taken home, we know, will probably make him feel a lot better this morning.
PAUL: Make anybody feel a lot better.
And football fans going outside, expect some sunshine and dry temperatures for your game only if you live in the northeast or mid- Atlantic. Lingering showers, scattered thunderstorms expected to hang around the south and parts of the Midwest today. Just so you know what to grab before you head out the door today.
BLACKWELL: All right. When we come back, we'll continue this conversation about ISIS after the execution of a third Westerner, this time a British aide worker David Haines.
Fareed Zakaria joins us to talk more about the terror group and the political lift in Iraq and Syria as the air strikes continue.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID CAMERON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: We are a peaceful people. We do not seek out confrontation, but we need to understand -- we cannot ignore this threat to our security and that of our allies. There is no option of keeping our heads down that would make us safe. The problem would merely get worse as it has done over recent months, not just for us but for Europe and for the world. We cannot just walk on by if we are to keep this country safe. We have to con front this menace.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PAUL: Prime Minister David Cameron there showing us all his reaction to this brutal act, a third beheading this time of a British aide worker by ISIS. We need -- we have a lot of questions about what else is coming now, forth coming from this.
BLACKWELL: Yes, let's get some answers for you now.
Peter Neumann is director of the International Center for the Study of Radicalization. Also joining us is CNN's Fareed Zakaria, host of "FAREED ZAKARIA GPS". And we have Lieutenant Colonel Bob Maginnis back with us.
And, Fareed, I want to start with you. I want to pull a thread that Anna Coren shared us with us from Irbil. She talked about these -- the Sunni militias that during the spring and summer joined with or alongside ISIS in part because ISIS is not giving them an option -- it's either this or die -- but also because there is likely a bit of the once burned, twice shy leftover from the al Maliki regime, in which that was supposed to be a theory of reconciliation, instead, it was purging and consolidation.
What can the West do to separate the hard-liners who are hoping for this caliphate from those Sunni militias who are not as extreme as ISIS?
PAUL: Fareed, that's to you.
BLACKWELL: All right. I think we're having difficulty with Fareed there.
Peter, I'll toss it out to you.
PETER NEUMANN, DIRECTOR, INTL. CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF RADICALIZATION: Yes. I think it's really important to do two things. One is to contain ISIS in the areas in which it is and then to start fighting it back. Of course, it will be when the local populations turn against is that you can really talk about victory.
The military can only contain ISIS. It can support the process. It cannot completely overturn it.
The second thing is to stop Westerners and other foreigners from going to Syria and Iraq. Those foreign fighters have made the conflict so much worse. And they are also representing the long term threat, because they're creating this international network that positive potentially be a terrorist network for a whole generation. So these two tasks are really important.
PAUL: OK. I think we have Fareed with us now.
Fareed, I want to ask you about, as he's talking about, containment of ISIS. Part of that has to come from trying to dissuade people from joining them in the first place. Get rid of this recruitment and how successful it's been. And I think Prime Minister Cameron spoke to that when he came out and said, first of all, he said, Islam is a religion of peace. This is a fanatical organization.
How do you get people to understand that this is a terrorist group, this is not a group that is following any ideology of Islam?
FAREED ZAKARIA, CNN HOST, FAREED ZAKARIA GPS: Well, the most important thing is that Islamic militants are much more (AUDIO GAP) in a way that frankly we have not seen. We've seen some of it.
BLACKWELL: Yes, we have difficulty hearing you, Fareed.
PAUL: We're so sorry.
BLACKWELL: We apologize for this connection.
Let me come to you, Lieutenant Colonel. How difficult will it be to get some of these moderate forces in Syria to shift their attention from the ouster of Assad and his regime to ISIS?
LT. COL. BOB MAGINNIS, U.S. ARMY (RET): It will be a challenge and as your guests indicated, Maliki, the former prime minister made it very difficult because of his clear sectarian approach to government. However, I think Secretary Kerry has done two very important things here. He met yesterday with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in Baghdad. And he outlined, you know, some of the things that must be done. One of the things, they have to stop shelling indiscriminately into neighborhoods, which obviously antagonizes those that are -- we're trying to influence.
You know, if we want to have a reawakening like we did in '06 and '07, that turned the tide against al Qaeda, we have to get serious about bringing the Sunni population into an inclusive government. That's one of them.
The other thing is and I think this is a very wise decision by secretary, and that is recruiting General John Allen to really oversee the building of a coalition. He has great experience in Afghanistan and Iraq, working on the awakening issue. I think he will provide some sage advice to both President Obama and Mr. Kerry and on the ground. We'll be able to work with the allies.
So, these are steps in the right direction. But it's going to be a long slog. It's going to be very difficult in the future.
PAUL: Peter, I want to get to you with the question I just had about Islam being religion of peace. How do you dissuade people from becoming radicals in this movement?
NEUMANN: I think when you look especially at many people from Europe and other western countries that have gone to Iraq as fighters and joined ISIS and other groups, it's really important that you start engaging these people at home. You stop them from going to these places but more importantly, you engage with Muslim communities.
There's conversations about Syria happening in almost every Muslim household in this country and Britain, but also in other European countries. Often, Muslim parents do not feel they have the verbal ammunition to win and sustain arguments with their own kids.
Often, they're therefore avoiding the arguments. They should have these arguments. They should fight it out and not force their kids to go on the Internet and get advice there. That's really, really important.
Even though it sounds wishy-washy, it is ultimately the most important thing to prevent people from being interested in this ideology in the first place and to make it clear that this is not mainstream Islam.
BLACKWELL: Yes, it's been explained as a grooming process in which you take someone who is despondent and show that you understand and here is where your passion should lie.
Peter Neumann and Lieutenant Bob Maginnis, our thanks to you. Also to Fareed Zakaria for being with us this morning.
PAUL: Thank you, gentlemen.
Well, another big story that we've been talking about this week, Ray Rice. Do you know he put himself back in the spotlight? The running back brought his wife and his daughter to a football game at his alma mater yesterday. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLACKWELL: Running back Ray Rice returned to public forum yesterday. He's making his first public appearance since getting cut from the ravens and dropped from the NFL indefinitely over this domestic abuse scandal.
PAUL: Yes, I mean, he'd been keeping a low profile, expectedly. But he did bring his wife and his young daughter to a football game at his former high school.
And CNN's Alexandra Field was there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Christi, Victor, this is the football field where Ray Rice's football career really started. It's the field at New Rochelle High School. It's the place that he returned to on the week where so many people have said that his football playing career may have come to an end.
Ray Rice stood at the sidelines for half of his former high school team's game. He was next to his wife surrounded by friends and a few supporters. Some people are stopping by to give hand shakes or offer hugs to the embattled athlete.
His former high school coach also speaking out offering his support for Ray Rice. Here's what he said.
COACH LOUIS DIRIENZO, NEW ROCHELLE HEAD FOOTBALL COACH: Ray is a part of our family and a part of this program. That's why I'm very happy he's here today. Because he made a mistake and he made a very terrible mistake, but I know that character of the man. And he will rise from this.
PRINCIPAL REGGIE RICHARDSON, NEW ROCHELLE HIGH SCHOOL: People may see people embracing Ray or having strong feelings about Ray because he's very beloved in this community. But that doesn't mean that people excuse what he's done.
FIELD: Earlier this week, New Rochelle High School made the decision to remove Ray Rice's portrait from their wall of fame. They also took his Ravens jersey off the gymnasium wall.
I spoke to the principal. He said it was important to acknowledge the severity of what happened inside that elevator with those actions.
But the principal says that a high school is a place for learning. There are lessons about forgiveness and redemption that could be learned here as well. And he said, it is possible that one day that portrait and that jersey could return to the walls here in New Rochelle High School -- Christi, Victor.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLACKWELL: All right. Alexandra Field reporting for us. Thank you so much.
PAUL: Just ahead, the strange case of Matthew Miller, the young American tourist in North Korea who's now been sentenced to six years in prison. We're taking you live to Seoul, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLACKWELL: Welcome back.
American Matthew Todd Miller was found guilty today of hostile acts by North Korea and punished to six years of hard labor. Now, he's been detained in North Korea on unspecified charges since April.
PAUL: Yes, this is a case that it doesn't make a lot of sense to a lot of Americans. He went there on a tourist visa we know and then what happened next is really a muddy picture at this point.
CNN's Paula Hancocks is in Seoul, South Korea.
First of all, Paula, let's get to what happened to today's development in Pyongyang. Can you explain for us?
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. It was a trial that took place in Pyongyang. We know that Matthew Todd Miller now has been sentenced to six years hard labor.
Now, the supreme court in Pyongyang effectively says that he was found guilty of committing hostile acts when he came into the country itself, so when he came in with that tourist visa and also said that he was under the guise of a tourist.
Now, it isn't clear as you say, as many things are not with North Korea what exactly happened next. According to North Korean state media, what happened back in April was that Matthew Todd Miller then ripped up his tourist visa as he was entering the country and said he was claiming asylum.
Now, CNN actually got some pretty significant access to Miller when they were in Pyongyang recently, a very rare interview with him. Even then, it was not clear, though, he said simply he was not there to talk about that. He believed that he was allowed to do this interview with CNN because it was his last chance to try and talk to the U.S. government and try and get them to help him.
So, certainly it is incredibly unclear what exactly happened and Miller himself at that point appeared to be unable to discuss it in much detail. Of course, North Korean officials very close to him, watching that interview closely.
BLACKWELL: So, have we learned anything about the two other Americans that are being held in North Korea, Kenneth Bae and Jeffrey Fowle?
HANCOCKS: Well, Kenneth Bae was sentenced almost two years ago now. This is something that is very significant, the fact that he has been held longer than any other American since the 1950s, since the Korean War. He's coming up to two years and he is doing hard labor. He says he's working six days a week, eight hours a day.
He committed hostile acts. He's a former missionary as we understand it. There may have been something in that realm that upset the North Korean government.
And then also, there's Jeffrey Fowle. He has not gone to trial yet. He according to North Korean media is accused of leaving a bible in his hotel. He is concerned obviously. His trial date will be coming up very soon, and North Koreans are not saying exactly when yet.
But the one thing about all three of these U.S. citizens that all experts practically agree on is the fact that North Korea wants a high-profile American official to go over to North Korea to pay lip service and to try and secure the release of them. This has a precedent. This has happened in the past we've seen former Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter have been to Pyongyang to try to secure the release of previous detainees. It's worked and so, experts say this is what Pyongyang wants at this case.
PAUL: All righty. Paula Hancocks, thank you so much for letting us know what's happening. We appreciate it.
BLACKWELL: Thank you, Paula.
A cop killer is on the loose in Pennsylvania or somewhere in that region, maybe New York, maybe New Jersey. So, where are authorities looking and do they have a suspect? We'll tell you what they know.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLACKWELL: There's a huge expansive hunt right now under way in Pennsylvania for a person who shot at two state troopers yesterday. One is dead. The other is in critical condition.
PAUL: CNN national reporter Nick Valencia has been up on this story, boy, since yesterday.
NICK VALENCIA, CNN NATIONAL REPORTER: Yes, it's a tragic, tragic story. One police officer, one state trooper in Pennsylvania dead and we're expecting to get more information later this morning at 10:00 a.m. But today, in northeastern Pennsylvania, flags at half staff to honor the fallen officer.
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OPERATOR: Emergency traffic, go ahead.
CALLER: Under fire! We are moving the landing zone to the middle school.
OPERATOR: Emergency. Report you're under fire.
VALENCIA (voice-over): 911 audio from Pike County in eastern Pennsylvania.
OPERATOR: Route 6 to 402. Front road closure. Nobody is to go down south of 402.
VALENCIA: After two Pennsylvania state troopers are ambushed just outside of police barracks in Blooming Grove.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This attack was an ambush. Our troopers were leaving the barracks and were shot without warning and really had no chance to defend themselves.
VALENCIA: One trooper, Corporal Bryon Dickson, was killed in the Friday night attack. Another trooper, Alex Douglas, is hospitalized, in stable but critical condition.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a cowardly attack. It's an attack upon all of us in society and the people of Pennsylvania.
VALENCIA: This morning, a manhunt is under way for the person or persons involved in the attack and it's not just Pennsylvania officers involved in the search. Hundreds of officers from multiple agencies, including New York and New Jersey, are involved in the hunt, on the ground and in the air.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We do not believe any particular person is specifically at risk. This attack was directed specifically at law enforcement.
VALENCIA: So far, no arrests have been made, but police say they are interviewing hundreds of people and there is a $20,000 reward.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're looking for the cooperation of the public, whether it's money that would motivate you, or just outraged at this terrible act, because I can tell you, the Pennsylvania state police and law enforcement in general will not rest until this individual is apprehended.
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VALENCIA: Now, we do know that someone was brought in for questions yesterday. He has been released and they're asking those in the area township of about 5,000 people to remain vigilant.
PAUL: You would think -- I mean, this is such a small community. You would think that -- was there not a camera out there?
VALENCIA: You know, that was asked to the top cop there, the police commissioner, during the press conference yesterday. You would assume that there would be surveillance video outside the police barracks but he was unwilling to comment or give much details. There's clearly something that the police know. They didn't give a shelter in place warning to those folks in the area.
So, perhaps we'll hear more at this you know, as they give information later this morning at about 10:00 a.m., guys.
PAUL: All right. Good to know. Nick Valencia, thank you so much.
BLACKWELL: Thank you, Nick.
VALENCIA: You got it.
PAUL: And thank you for starting your morning with us.
BLACKWELL: There's much more ahead on the next hour of NEW DAY, starts right now.
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PAUL: Wishing you a good morning this morning and so grateful for your company. I'm Christi Paul.
BLACKWELL: I'm Victor Blackwell. Eight o'clock here on the East Coast.
This is NEW DAY SUNDAY.
And this morning: another hostage held by ISIS has been killed -- his family understandably is grieving, his life obviously taken too soon.
PAUL: Now, the U.S. and Britain are vowing justice against this terror group. British Prime Minister David Cameron spoke a short time ago.
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DAVID CAMERON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: Step by step we must drive back, dismantle and ultimately destroy ISIL and what it stands for. We will do so in a calm, deliberate way, but with an iron determination. We will not so on our own, but by working closely with our allies, not just the United States and in Europe, but also in the region.
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PAUL: He's speaking there just hours after ISIS released a video purportedly showing the beheading of David Haines. That's Haines there kneeling, his masked killer standing next to him, before he takes his life.
He threatens Britain with more bloodshed.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're evil alliance of America, which continues to strike the Muslims of Iraq and most recently bombed the Haditha dam will only accelerate your destruction and playing the role of the obedient lapdog, Cameron, will only drag you and your people into another bloody and unwinnable war.
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BLACKWELL: And then in the video, the executioner also threatened to kill another British aide worker now being held by ISIS. ISIS says this man is Alan Henning. He's kneeling here.
Like Haines, he went to Syria to help war refugees.
PAUL: But think about this, Haines is the third Western hostage to be killed by ISIS in recent weeks.
