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CNN NEWSROOM

CENTCOM Twitter Hacked; NYPD at Paris Memorial; Victims Laid to Rest; TSA Concerned Over Potential Nonmetallic IEDs; Heightened Fears of Anti-Semitism in France

Aired January 13, 2015 - 09:30   ET

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


C. CHRISTINE FAIR, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY: Honestly, I don't know why this Twitter story is actually worthy of CNN's time. I think there are much bigger issues pertaining to ISIS.

I'd like to draw the attention to the fact that, you know, we have a visa waiver program in the United States and this actually allows a number of citizens from mostly European countries to come here without any sort of scrutiny. And when we're talking about ISIS, the real threat are individuals that travel from these countries, go and train and fight with ISIS. And these are individuals that can very easily come to our own country.

I think we have another problem. We don't have the same scale of the issues that some European countries like France are facing, but we do have a potential problem of American citizens who have American passports going to theaters like Pakistan, Iraq, Syria, and then coming back. And we have a fairly significant problem with our different law enforcement agencies, how they interface with intelligence, when our citizens travel abroad there's no agency tasked with tracking them and so when they come back it basically falls upon officials at airports to see if their story makes sense.

So I think we've got bigger issues, quite frankly, than some bozos hacking the CENTCOM Twitter feed. This is just not something I'm losing sleep over.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Well -- but I'm glad to hear that, Christine, but, still, I mean, (INAUDIBLE), CENTCOM.

FAIR: It's Twitter. It's Twitter.

COSTELLO: It's Twitter and it's a -- I mean YouTube.

FAIR: It's Twitter.

JULIETTE KAYYEM, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: I know. To pick up on Christine's point, I mean it's --

FAIR: There's no security. It's Twitter.

KAYYEM: Yes. Yes. And I think to pick up on Christine's point, there is -- I mean we're both saying, there's just -- there's bigger issues right now. The problem is, is that people need to have confidence that government is protecting them. And when something like this happens, whether we cover it or anyone covers it, it looks like none of the systems are working, that nothing is safe, not even a Twitter account. And that's why, you know, people are reacting to it.

But just exactly what Christine said, I mean when you actually think about, you know, as parents, as citizens what we should be concerned about right now is just that the world seems a little bit on fire right now, whether it's in Africa, whether it's in the Middle East, whether it's in Europe. And the sense of competency that we need to see from our government is undermined by incidents like this, even though the incident itself is not a security threat. And so that's sort of the dynamic I see going on.

COSTELLO: And it comes on the -- and I know it's nothing like the Sony breach. It's nothing like that. But it comes on the heels of that, Christine. It's just disturbing in a certain way.

FAIR: No, we -- we -- it is in no way disturbing. It is Twitter. This isn't being managed from a secure Internet facility. It's Twitter. Our real issues are, who monitors American citizens when they travel abroad and they have potentially trained with terrorist organizations in Pakistan, Somalia, Iraq, Syria? How do we ensure that when people come here on the visa waiver program that they're not here with nefarious intent? How do we monitor communities of interest without alienating them? You know, I think that we have much bigger issues.

It's Twitter. Anyone who's been on Twitter, anyone who has been on FaceBook knows these accounts get hacked. This is not what CNN should be focusing upon. You all have bigger stories than the hacking of CENTCOM. It's Twitter account.

COSTELLO: Oh, well, I can't say I disagree with you, Christine, but we are concentrating on those bigger issues as well in a big way.

FAIR: I know.

COSTELLO: Thanks to both of you. I appreciate it.

FAIR: Thank you.

COSTELLO: Christine Fair and Juliette Kayyem.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, anti-Semitism fears are leading many Jews living in France to reconsider what nation they call home and potentially move to Israel. But if Jews flee France, doesn't that mean the terrorists win? We'll talk about that next.

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COSTELLO: Want to head back to Paris right now and throw it to Jim Sciutto because he's standing outside the "Charlie Hebdo" magazine headquarters. And who does he run into? New York City police officers? Really, Jim?

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: NYPD NYPD cops. They just came a few moments ago. A very powerful moment, Carol. I spoke to them. They said they had just arrived this morning and they flew here specifically to come here to this memorial today and show their respects. They came down to the memorial here for the cartoonists.

Right now, they're just down the street from us if you can see them walking back towards us. They went closer to another memorial up there which is for the policeman who was killed here. You'll remember that horrible video of a policeman being executed on the ground by one of the attackers.

They have about a dozen of them here now. A real powerful moment showing American support certainly, but of course New York City, which has, as we know very well, its owe horrible history with terror some 14 years ago, and it just shows you how the moments here, the events here resonated around the world, Carol. A really powerful moment.

And I think we're going to get a chance to -- I snapped this photo as they stood in front for a moment of silence in front of all the flowers and the pens and pencils and crayons and personal messages that people have been leaving here for the last week. Great to see.

I'm a New Yorker myself. Not just as an American, but as a New Yorker, great to see New York, the NYPD coming out to show their support to Paris today. We think, Carol, we're going to get a moment to speak with one of the policemen before they leave, and I think it'll be great. But really, really in a week of powerful moments, this certainly is one of them, Carol.

COSTELLO: Oh, absolutely. And we did see the picture. Thanks for snapping it for us. Jim Sciutto, I'll let you go grab one of those police officers so we can hear more. Thank you so much.

A somber day in Jerusalem as the four victims of the attack on a Jewish supermarket in Paris are buried. Hundreds attending the memorial service, including the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who joined both Israeli and French dignitaries to pay their respects. Joining me now from Jerusalem, CNN's Becky Anderson.

Hi, Becky.

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, the bodies of the four Jewish victims of those attacks have been laid to rest, as you rightly pointed out today, Tuesday, in Jerusalem, not very far from this bureau. I have to say, about five minutes away. Their bodies flown to Israel from France overnight. A very emotional ceremony. It started at noon. A couple of hours.

At the same time, it has to be said, that Paris stopped to mourn the police officers who were also murdered last week.

Now, the state funeral services here at the (INAUDIBLE) cemetery for Yohan Cohen, for Philippe Braham, for Francois-Michel Saada and for Yoav Hattab, attended by Israel's prime minister and by the president, by religious leaders and by members of the victim's families too, Carol, symbolically lit torches to the deceased and spoke very movingly. You have Hatab's father, who is the chief rabbi of Toulouse, in Tunisia, saying simply, quote, "as this is God's judgment, I accept it with love," end quote.

Emotive eulogies from the attending politicians as well, but also a real message about what they perceive as a rise of anti-Semitism in France and across Europe. For example, the killings of the four French Jews awakened bad memories, the president said. Terrorism pursues the Jewish community and it is dangerous to deny it, Rivlin said. But the president and prime minister extending once again the offer of alia (ph), of refuge in Israel to French Jews. Though totally, I have to say, a more defiant president suggesting that Jews shouldn't be forced to move to Israel to ensure their safety.

And after these speeches, the bodies shrouded in the traditional Jewish prayer shawl were lowered into their graves in the cemetery, their final resting place. So in the end, that final resting place was, indeed, Israel.

Carol.

COSTELLO: All right, we'll talk more about anti-Semitism in Europe, specifically in France, in just a minute.

But I want to head back to Paris because Jim Sciutto was going to try to grab one of those New York City police officers to talk about why they're in Paris today and he managed to do that.

Take it away, Jim.

SCIUTTO: Well, Carol, I'll tell you, credit where credit is due. It's not just NYPD. We have the D.C. Police Department, the Los Angeles Police Department, as well as the U.S. Secret Service represented here, all arrived this morning.

Perhaps I could start with you Officers Downing (ph) and Galadi (ph). Why did you come today?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We wanted to show our support to the French national police and, you know, to the people of Paris in general. Just a, you know, just a horrific attack.

SCIUTTO: No question. What are your thoughts, Officer Downing, as you come to the memorial here? Of course, two police officers lost their lives that day, one just down the street here. What comes to mind as you come to the memorial?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's just horrific. It's a real tragedy. I think law enforcement all over the world is grieving for the French. And this isn't a problem just for France. It's not a problem just for Europe. It's a global problem. And we need to come together even stronger than we are today to weed it out and prevent it from occurring.

SCIUTTO: No question. I mean the attackers said that cops, police officers were a specific target and there have been warnings since then against specifically singling out cops. In the U.S., do you feel a similar threat? Do you feel singled out as targets of these kinds of terror groups? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, you know, with the, you know, ISIS really

using social media to encourage people to do acts, you know, do whatever you can with whatever you can and even in New York, you know, we had an attack where two officers were attacked with a hatchet.

SCIUTTO: With a hatchet, I remember.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So I think that the threat is definitely out there to law enforcement. However, I think, you know, locally, federally, you know, we do a good job trying to find these people and hopefully, you know, prevent these attacks from happening.

SCIUTTO: I know there's tremendous communication between police forces here. For instance, I know that the NYPD, I believe, has a detective here in Paris and other European cities to share information, intelligence. Have you -- have police departments in the U.S. been given any specific warnings following the Paris attacks that have led you to change behavior or raise your alert level?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I think the information we received has been, raise your attention cycle. That direction has been given to target police, target military, target civilians that are in security roles. And so not to get over anxious or paranoid about it, but to prepare for it and raise the attention cycle. And I think the other message is, police can't do it alone. They need the community's help.

SCIUTTO: Yes, the community's help. The old saying, if you see something, say something, right, kind of thing? I know that one of the particular focuses has been communicating with Muslim communities in the U.S. In effect, eliciting their support, which is there and we've heard this for a number of years, but also helping to identify potential recruits to Islamic extremism. Is that something -- and I know NYPD in particular has had, you know, a long history of this post 9/11.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We do. We have extensive outreach to the Muslim community. I wouldn't say it's just NYPD. It's done by most departments. I know that LAPD is very much involved in that aspect too.

SCIUTTO: What kind of reception have you gotten here, all of you, since you've arrived? I saw -- well, in fact, just, Carol, as they came to stand at the memorial here, a little burst of applause came out from some of the folks here, of course, recognized them as Americans. I mean have you had -- have people expressed to you gratitude for coming and giving this showing of support?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They have. I mean it's still a somber moment for us all to be here, but when they see up eating lunch today, they came up and just thanked us for being here and for showing support.

SCIUTTO: Well, we're glad to see you here as Americans. Of course, I'm biased for the New Yorker. But, you know, I live in D.C. So you guys -- you other guys aren't so bad. Thanks so much, Officer Downing --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you. SCIUTTO: Officer Galadi --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.

SCIUTTO: And the rest of you as well.

Carol, Carol, great to see them. You see them standing together there, a physical show of support and sympathy, really, that I think that all of us feel with this kind of attack. And of course the sad fact is that the threat is one that we all hold in common, not just members of the law enforcement community, but just as citizens. It's a real threat and it's something that we're going to have to stick together facing, going forward.

COSTELLO: That's true. That's the only way we'll defeat them, is together, and that's a true story. Jim Sciutto, thank you so much and thanks to all of those fine officers. And it's so great to see them in uniform in Paris, because I think that sends a really strong message.

Thanks to all. I'll be right back.

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COSTELLO: Concerns over future attacks of terrorism are behind an increase in security across the United States and it's linked to an al Qaeda magazine article describing how to make bombs out of nonmetallic household items.

CNN aviation and government regulation correspondent Rene Marsh has been digging into this. She joins us now. So we'll see changes at the airport?

RENE MARSH, CNN AVIATION & GOVT. REGULATION CORRESPONDENT: Carol, we will see changes, and this is what the changes will look like. TSA will be doing random checks of we're talking about luggage as well as passengers at the gate -- meaning once you've already cleared security, you could still have a TSA agent ask you to either, A, open that luggage, or they may want to do additional searches at that point.

Again, this is all linked to a very big concern, which is that nonmetallic IED, which essentially they say can go through metal detectors. Now, metal detectors very different from the body scanners which you're looking at images of that there on your screen. The body scanners can detect these nonmetallic IEDs. However, metal detectors cannot.

The concern is, at smaller airports, they may not necessarily have those body scanners, so there is that potential loophole there. Again, you mentioned that "Inspire" article that came out recently. It details how you can essentially use homemade products to create these nonmetallic IEDs. And, as this official tells me, this government official with knowledge of this, the nonmetallic IED is the greatest threat to aviation security, simply because it can get through those metal detectors, Carol. COSTELLO: So do we know that these nonmetallic explosives have even been developed? Just because it's in magazine article in "Inspire" magazine doesn't mean it's true.

MARSH: We don't -- they're very sensitive with their intelligence, what they know, how far these individuals have been able to get as far as creating them. They know that the know-how is out there and so that's the concern. They're not necessarily sharing with us have they been successful in creating these nonmetallic IEDs.

But this has been a concern in the aviation community for quite some time. We've heard former TSA head John Pistole in my sitdown with him recently before he left the agency, he talked a lot about the concern for these nonmetallic IEDs which can, again, go through that metal detector, which is very different from the body scanners. So they're not taking any chances.

Also, the concern is the overseas airports that may not use these body scanners. So they are working with their overseas and international counterparts to make sure that they are aligned to make sure that all of these potential loopholes are closed, Carol.

COSTELLO: All right. Rene Marsh reporting live from Washington. Many thanks.

The attacks in Paris have only heightened fears that anti-Semitism is on the rise in France, prompting some Jews to consider moving to Israel. That possibility is deeply troubling to France's prime minister. He says an exodus of Jews would be disastrous to the French Republic, which he says was shaped heavily by the Jewish culture.

France is home to half a million Jews. That's largest population in Europe and third largest after Israel and the United States. But last year, a record number of French Jews, 7,000, emigrated to Israel.

And in an interview with CNN, the French ambassador to the United States expressed concerns similar to those of the French prime minister.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GERARD ARAUD, FRENCH AMBASSADOR TO THE U.S.: Personally I'm devastated by the idea that some of my compatriots are going to Israel -- not going to Israel because they chose to go to Israel but are going to Israel because they feel -- they don't feel safe in France. It would be a major, moral, political, human failure of the French republic if we are not able to protect our Jewish compatriots. And the president said it, the prime minister, for us, it's a major challenge. And we'll do our best to face it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Cyril Berdugo, joins me now. He grew up in Paris but his family -- actually, he moved out of the country a few years ago, but his parents remain. He moved out due to anti-Semitism. So welcome. Thank you so much for being here. CYRIL BERDUGO, FAMILY LEFT PARIS DUE TO GROWING ANTI-SEMITISM: Thank

you.

COSTELLO: So what kind of discussion did you have with your parents when you decided to move from Paris?

BERDUGO: It was very simple. Since the early 200s, we have seen a rise of anti-Semitism rise in France, especially in Paris, with THE synagogues and young Jews being attacked. In 2006, a 23-year-old Jewish man named Ilan Halimi was abducted, tortured for 24 days, 24 days, and killed by a group of extremists. In 2012, there has been -- there was a major Jewish attack, including a jihadist who actually went to Syria and came back to France to attack seven people, including four Jews at a Jewish school in Toulouse. In 2014, there was another jihadist who went to Syria and came back to Europe, killing four Jews at a Jewish museum in Brussels, Belgium.

I left France a few years ago when those attacks were happening. And I told my family that it was very obvious to me that anti-Semitism was becoming impossible in France; it was becoming an intolerable situation in France. And I told my parents I would leave to be able to express my Judaism in a very free way here in the U.S.

COSTELLO: So you couldn't express that because of fear in France. What was that like?

BERDUGO: That is correct. There are Jews assaulted in the street of Paris and all over France and all over Western Europe on a daily basis, because they wear a yarmulke or a star of David and because they are apparently Jews. And, unfortunately, there is a radical Islam that is attacking Jews on a regular basis.

COSTELLO: So your parents decided to stay, though. Why did they decide to stay?

BERDUGO: They decided to stay because they've been there for 40 years and they thought it would be easier to keep going with what they've been enduring in France instead of moving and rebuilding a network and rebuilding companies elsewhere. But, you know, a recent --

COSTELLO: Well, there's always some people say that if -- you let the terrorists win if you move out of France.

BERDUGO: That's right. But a recent poll said that about 75 percent of Jews in France have thought about leaving France, and that's because of fear but it's also because of love of another country. And it could be Israel, it could be the U.K., it could be the U.S. If they want to be Jews and if they want to be free and if they want to feel secure, then they will unfortunately have to leave.

COSTELLO: Well, let me ask you that question again. And, trust me, I'm asking you this from a naive place because I'm not Jewish. I don't know how that feels. But what would you say to those people who say that if Jewish people move out of France, they let terrorists win? Because you're being chased around the world again. BERDUGO: There's some part of truth in that. Unfortunately, every

Jewish family has felt like what has happened to Jews over the last ten years in France could have happened to them. And that is the major issue that French Jews are facing today. I personally know people that were killed in the attacks last week. What if I'm next? What if my mother is next? I do believe that Jews do live in fear in France and I believe that now is the time to go.

COSTELLO: Cyril, thank you so much for sharing your story. We appreciate it. We do.

We're going to talk more about anti-Semitism in France. We're going to go back to Paris and talk to Jim Sciutto about that, but that happens in the next hour, which starts after a break.

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