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EARLY START

Police Raid Belgian Terror Cells; Widening Terrorism Investigation in Paris; D.C. Attack Plot Suspect in Court Today

Aired January 16, 2015 - 05:30   ET

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


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ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking news this morning: terror alert across Europe. Intelligence source telling CNN as many as 20 jihadist sleeper cells are operating throughout the continent. Some threats are being described as imminent. This as we learn new information about the terror raids in Belgium and their ties to the Paris attacks. We are live breaking down all of the information overnight.

Good morning. Welcome back to EARLY START. I'm Christine Romans.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm John Berman live in Paris this morning.

And breaking overnight: new information on the terror threat that seems to span at least four European countries. A Western intelligence source tells CNN this threat involves as many as 20 sleeper cells. Police in Belgium went after one of the cells on Thursday in a raid in the city of Verviers, planning a major imminent attack. This raid killed two suspects, wounded one more. The wounded suspect is in custody.

Belgium officials say this raid was one of just several across the country. It did foil an imminent terror attack. Officials say they recovered weapons, police uniforms in the raids. Indicating perhaps the target of the attacks were against police officers in Belgium. At this point, officials say there does not appear to be a link of what was going on in Belgium and last week's terror attacks here in Paris. But intelligence sources do say that the Paris attacks might have led to information that sped up the timing of the Belgian operation.

I want to get more right now from journalist Chris Burns.

And, Chris, you are in Brussels. We have just been briefed by Belgian officials about some of the information, some of the details of these overnight raids.

CHRIS BURNS, JOURNALIST: Yes, John. In fact, we're hearing through reports here that in fact this police headquarters, federal police headquarters, of Belgium over my shoulder now heavily guarded by commandos, could very well have been the target of this potential terrorist attack. And in addition to that, according to reports here, are that a high level Belgian figure could have been a part of that operation, could have been -- sorry, taken hostage and beheaded.

This is something that we can't confirm from this end. But this is what we're hearing in news reports. The operations over the past 24 hours, we are hearing now that there were 13 arrests in 12 different court ordered searches. And in fact there was an arrest just late this morning in the shopping district of Place Louise. There was a man who had been linked to one of the searches where they couldn't find anybody there.

But they did find evidence and so they have arrested him right there in the middle of the shopping district. Just a few steps away from Gucci. It's just -- the police are really stepping up their operations. Also their security. This is level three of four now. It has been raised to three across the country. Courthouses, police stations and other places are being heavily guarded now because of this palpable threat the police are now finding out increasing amounts of evidence to believe -- John.

BERMAN: Chris Burns for us in Brussels in Belgium.

Again officials there just briefing on the details of this operation. As many as a dozen, perhaps more people, now in custody. Some of them say Belgian officials did fight in Syria, we believe alongside ISIS, and have now returned to Belgium. They are all Belgian citizens, we're told, as well.

When they conducted these raids, some of the materials they turned up, AK-47s, small firearms, ammunition, explosives, walkie-talkies, radios, cell phones, a knife. We're also told fake police uniforms were discovered indicating that perhaps police were a target of these attacks, these attacks that were foiled, we think, overnight in Belgium, although operations do seem to be continuing in that country. More raids could be imminent.

This is just one piece of the puzzle going on in Europe right now. A Western intelligence source points to the possibility of many terror cells threatening countries all around Europe.

We want to bring in Isa Soares right now. As many as 20 cells in France, Germany, Belgium. Isa Soares is here in France, we understand, anywhere from 120 to 180 people may be involved in these cells.

ISA SOARES, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Indeed. Good morning, John.

Europeans waking up to the possibility that up to 20 terror cells could be active across Europe. These people make up 120 to 180 people. And they are ready to strike, according to Western intelligence source, in Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. We're also hearing that the imminent threat, according to the source, the imminent is in fact in Belgium and possibly the Netherlands.

So who exactly are these men? Very interesting. I just heard from Chris Burns who perhaps they were in Syria. This is the belief also across Europe. That these are men, Europeans, who have gone to fight in Syria, who've been radicalized and are coming back. We had learned these 24 hours about some 3,000 Europeans have gone to fight there. About 500 have returned. 250 coming to the U.K., 200 to Belgium, and 70 to France.

And I have given the fact that we've seen the terror attacks here in France, police have been stepping up the intelligence, chasing every possible element, every single possible cell across the continent.

Let me bring you up to date with developments out of Paris. In the last hour or so, Paris prosecutor telling CNN they have arrested 12 people, 12 people being held and they're still in custody here in France for supporting, providing logistical support, John, the terminology they used, to Coulibaly. Coulibaly, the terrorist behind the kosher store attack where four people died.

We have also learned "Le Monde" reporting in overnight really that Hayat Boumeddiene, the wife of Coulibaly, is reported to be between four months to five months pregnant.

We have also learned in the last hour that several media organizations online are down. We do not know if they have been hacked. We do know, however, they are all using the same server. The server is called (INAUDIBLE), basically saying they could -- it could be a hack. But for the time being, they just do not know.

Let's turn our attention to neighboring Germany because there have been some major developments happening overnight. German Police telling CNN two men have been arrested. Both of them in their 40s. There were 11 raids across the country. 11 apartments they searched. These two men, let me tell you more about them. One of them is believed to be a leader of a radical Islam group in Berlin.

He is believed to be -- whose job was to radicalize people there and really support and recruit a network of Chechen jihadists. That's what we're learning. The other man is suspected -- also in his 40s, is suspected of having joint ISIS back in May.

So you're starting to get the picture of the number of Europeans going there and they coming back and then their intentions behind that. All this is happening as we have learned a purported video from ISIS warning that more attacks are coming indeed to Europe. Three jihadists, three French speaking jihadists in this video saying, and I'm quoting them here, "We are going to come to Europe and there will be more operations across Europe."

CNN cannot independently confirm the authenticity of that video. Nevertheless, it is unnerving given what has happened not just in Paris, but indeed in Belgium overnight. And the fact that AQAP, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, has claimed responsibility for their attack in the kosher store. And now more threats coming from ISIS and indeed what we just heard in the last few minutes from Chris Burns in Belgium, that they perhaps were targeting police there with plenty of weaponry with them -- John.

BERMAN: All right. Isa Soares for us here in Paris. A lot of information because there is a lot going on all across Europe

right now. One thing the Belgian prosecutor did say clearly, he does not think there was any connection between the terror cells and the raids that took place in Belgium overnight that are still frankly ongoing in Belgium and the attacks here in Paris one week ago. No connection, he says, as of now.

We should tell you just a few moments ago right behind me at this ongoing memorial for those people killed at the "Charlie Hebdo" officer, there was a visit from U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. He is here in Paris this morning meeting with the French leader, Francois Hollande, also the Foreign minister. The secretary of State came here, he laid a wreath at this memorial behind me, and he will be speaking in about an hour from now from here in Paris.

But I want to get back to this ongoing terror operation. Not to mention the new terror concerns across Europe.

Joining me to talk about this. terrorism expert Fabrice Magnier.

Fabrice, I want to talk about these raids in Belgium for a moment, because some of the things they found in these raids, AK-47s, small weapons, ammunition, explosives, and walkie-talkies, radios and police uniforms. A lot, a lot of materials involved there indicating that they were planning an attack.

FABRIC MAGNIER, COUNTER TERRORISM EXPERT: Yes. That's clear. When you start to have police uniforms, that means they want to target police station or you want to use police uniform just to enter some security perimeter who are controlled by police officer. We don't know exactly but obviously it does say they were planning to target police station, police place in Belgium.

BERMAN: And you told me that the people you've talked to here in France are very concerned about just that thing. Police here in France feel like they are targets right now.

MAGNIER: Yes, of course, because as we have seen last week, they were targeting, as I said, soldier who are against Islam. So of course all military forces, police forces, everything which represents the forces, army forces would be targeted today.

BERMAN: We learned that as many as 12 people perhaps more have been arrested in Belgium in these raids. Two killed. But many more arrested at this point. Some of them have returned from Syria where they have been fighting alongside ISIS and other militant groups there. This is a real concern for officials here in Europe.

MAGNIER: Yes. It's a real concern because all those guys fighting in Syria, fighting in Iraq or they're in Mali, (INAUDIBLE), now are flying back to Europe. And it's very easy because we are just -- we have borders but we just need to have a car to enter Europe. And it's quite difficult to control all those flows, actually. So for sure, it's a major concern.

We know in France, we have more than 1,000 jihadists -- who are known to have been there. So when they are back, they just want to fight against our system, against our democracy, against our armed forces, against our economy.

BERMAN: In Belgium, they were able to stop them, they were able to follow a few of these men when they came back from Syria. They launched that raid last night. Killed two suspects, detained one other. They have many more under arrest right now.

How can you keep that pressure up? They caught one cell right there. Do you have the capability to catch more?

MAGNIER: Yes. We have the capability to catch more. And I would say it's not confidential in France. Our police forces stop on a regular basis such attacks in France. People don't know about that, but we have a very good intelligence agencies and SWAT team who work very well every day to stop those guys.

BERMAN: We also learned overnight that 12 suspects had been detained here in France believed to be connected to Amedy Coulibaly. Believed to be part of a network of logistical support for him. That number at 12.

What could these suspects have done to help in the attacks here in Paris?

MAGNIER: We can imagine. You know, such a terror cell are made of what? First, people who had prepare, getting information about the target. They can attack themselves. Then people will provide like apartment to hide during the preparation of the attack. All the people to provide equipment. Logistic means like cars. Like you say in Belgium, (INAUDIBLE) jackets, telephones, talkie-walkies, money, whatever. Ammunition. Explosive, rocket launcher, RPG, you know what I mean.

And maybe also those guys, I mean, logistical supplies, they provide also transportation from one point to another point to enable those guys to be quiet and ready to strike. And then maybe to enable them to escape if they decide to escape, if they decide to not die during the action.

BERMAN: Fabrice Magnier, these men now in custody, believed to be linked to Amedy Coulibaly.

MAGNIER: Yes.

BERMAN: And, Christine, you know, this memorial behind me, it still grows by the day. And we're expected to hear from U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry within the hour -- Christine.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: All right, John in Paris for us this morning.

Thank you, John.

Forty-two minutes past the hour. Happening in just hours, the terror suspect accused of plotting an attack on Capitol Hill, that man heads to court. New information we're learning about the suspect and the case against him.

Plus, breaking news overnight. U.S. troops, U.S. troops now set to train Syrian rebels in the fight against ISIS. Those details next.

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ROMANS: Breaking overnight, the Pentagon sending about 400 troops to train moderate Syrian rebels in the fight against ISIS. Defense officials say beginning sometime this spring, trainers will work out of sites in Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar. Now in addition to the U.S. trainers, the U.S. is also going to send hundreds of additional military personnel. They will provide security and other support at those training sites for Syrian rebels.

In court later today, the Ohio gunman arrested by the FBI on Thursday for plotting a violent attack on the U.S. capitol. Now we know a lot more this morning about this man, 20-year-old Christopher Cornell.

What brought him to the attention of authorities, what his parents are saying in his defense, CNN's Alexandra Field is in Cincinnati with the latest.

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Christine, Christopher Cornell, he is the man accused in that plot to bomb the Capitol and shoot victims as they fled from the buildings. His name is known to the country now, but it was known around his community before that.

Local authorities are now telling us that he was the lone demonstrator, the sole protester at a 9/11 memorial event back in 2013. Authorities say that he caused a disturbance, but he wasn't arrested at the time. He was apparently holding a sign that said "9/11 is an inside job."

Today he is facing serious charges, accused of attempting to kill a U.S. government officer. He will appear in court later today for a detention hearing. But his parents are coming to his defense saying that their 20-year-old son, raised here in Cincinnati, didn't have the capability or the resources to pull off the kind of attack that he is accused of. Instead, they say they believe their son was coerced.

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JOHN CORNELL, FATHER OF CAPITOL TERROR SUSPECT: Chris has never been out of Cincinnati. I believe he was coerced into a lot of this stuff. I believe that the so-called snitch filled his head with a lot of stuff.

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FIELD: Investigators had been following Cornell for months ever since an FBI informant tipped them off to some Twitter activity in which Cornell was allegedly discussing jihad. But they didn't take action until he was walking out of this Cincinnati gun store. This is where they say he bought two assault rifles and 600 rounds of ammunition.

Because law enforcement officials were tracking Cornell's moves, they say that lawmakers were never in imminent danger. Following his detention hearing later today, he will be back in court next week for pretrial hearings -- Christine.

ROMANS: All right, Alexandra Field, thank you for that.

Time now for an EARLY START on your money. Looks like another rough day for the stock market. Futures pointing lower. Oil prices have stabilized, but gas prices still falling.

Look at this. The national average for a gallon of regular now $2.08. That's down more than $1.20 from this time last year.

You know, drivers are winning. No question. But the chief oil analyst, though, for GasBuddy says the oil slide has one big loser.

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TOM KLOZA, GASBUDDY CHIEF OIL ANALYST: I think both the United States and Saudis are happy that we are hitting Vladimir Putin very, very hard in the wallet. I mean, he is the biggest loser in all of this.

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ROMANS: The Russian government gets 50 percent of its revenue from oil and gas experts. Its currency has plunged. Sanctions from the U.S. and other countries also making things much more difficult there. Those are put in place following the crisis, of course, in Ukraine. So that's the big picture on those lower gas prices.

Forty-eight minutes past the hour. For the first time -- in 50 years, Americans will be able more freely to move to Cuba -- to go to Cuba. President Obama relaxing restrictions.

We'll break down the new rules next.

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ROMANS: Secretary of State John Kerry says he'll likely meet with Iran's Foreign minister in Paris today. The pair are seeking to gain momentum going into talks on Iran's nuclear program. The two men held hours of discussions in Geneva on Wednesday ahead of several days of negotiations between the U.S. and the Iranian team in coming days.

After more than 50 years of isolation, new rules easing travel and trade restrictions into Cuba go into effect today. Among them U.S. airlines will be allowed to fly scheduled routes to Cuba for the first time in decades. Individual Americans will be able to travel to Cuba as long as it's for religious, educational or some other approved purpose, and they could bring back up to $400 in Cuban goods, including $100 worth of alcohol and tobacco.

Non Cuban-Americans can send up to $8,000 a year to any Cuban national and those of Cuban relatives can send as much as they want.

And the budget battle lines are being drawn. President Obama reportedly will ask Congress for a nearly 7 percent increase in spending when he submits his budget proposal in February. That's as much as $68 billion more than the current budget limits. And it comes at a time when the Republican-controlled Congress appears eager to make deep cuts in spending.

While President Obama finished his works on Tuesday's State of the Union address, we're now learning that Iowa freshman senator, Joni Ernst, will deliver the Republican response. Ernst is Iowa's first female senator, first female combat veteran to serve in the Senate. She says she's humbled and honored to have the opportunity.

Getting the flu shot hasn't done much to keep influenza at bay this season it turns out. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the vaccine will reduce your chance of getting the flu by just 23 percent. Officials have previously said this year's vaccine is not as effective against the current flu strain. Still, they say getting the flu shot is better than nothing. Normally the flu shot is close to 60 percent effective. And medical experts say wash your hands.

Fifty-three minutes past the hour. Uber running into another roadblock. We'll tell you where you won't be able to get an Uber car with an EARLY START on your money next.

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ROMANS: All right. Let's get an EARLY START on your money this morning. Stock futures pointing to a lower open. The Dow riding a five-session losing streak. Markets in Asia lower overnight. Thursday's surprise currency move out of Switzerland having a big effect in global markets. That is the big macro story here.

Oil price is the other big story that's stabilized around $47 a barrel. But gas prices are still declining as the national average nears two bucks 2 a gallon.

All right. We mentioned that U.S. airlines will soon be able to fly to Cuba under new rules announced by the administration. And three airlines, JetBlue, Delta and United, have all expressed interest. Now travel agents and airlines will be able to book tickets to Cuba for U.S. citizens as long as they meet the new expanded list of criteria. United says the first flights will likely originate from Newark and Houston.

Travelers will also be able to use credit cards on the island. A big restriction that complicated travel there in the past.

All right. You soon may be able to fly to Cuba, but you won't be able to use Uber in South Carolina. At least not for a while. The state's Public Service Commission sent a cease and desist order to one of the company's subsidiaries. The commission says that Uber doesn't have the correct certificate to operate there. Uber has applied for one but it has not been issued yet. The service was available in four South Carolina cities. Uber hasn't yet responded to our request for a comment.

All right. Terror threat across Europe this morning. Investigators warning of up to 20 jihadist sleeper cells across the continent. We're covering everything as "NEW DAY" starts right now.