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CNN NEWSROOM

Eight New Suspects Tied to Jihadist Recruiting; U.S. Considers Sending Military Aide to Ukraine; Cuban Media Releases New Photos of Castro; Murder Charge for Rap Mogul in Hit and Run

Aired February 3, 2015 - 10:30   ET

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


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CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning. I'm Carol Costello. Thank you so much for joining me.

We want to show you some new images stemming from the Paris terror investigation. CNN obtained these private images of Amedy Coulibaly, the gunman who killed four hostages and then himself inside that kosher market. Now they come from a source close to the investigation.

With him in the photos is his girlfriend who, as you know, remains at large and is believed to be hiding at Syria. These photos were found on private memory cards belonging to the couple and they are part of the police investigation.

We'll talk more about those photos later on, on CNN.

Also today in France, anti-terror police say they have arrested eight people. All are accused of having ties to jihadist cells in Lyons and Paris suburbs. The arrests come nearly a month after those deadly Paris attacks and these new suspects are accused of helping to recruit young jihadists and deploying them to Syria for a holy war.

For now there's no known link to last month's terrorism though but there are similarities. You may remember the Kouachi brothers who carried out the massacre at the "Charlie Hebdo" offices. They too were French jihadists also suspected of having ties to Syria. France's government has been stepping up efforts to fight radical propaganda. They launched an online campaign targeting the militants' recruiting efforts.

Also in the news this morning the U.S. is considering sending weapons to Ukraine to help their escalating battle with pro-Russian rebels. The high stakes gamble would put anti-tank, anti-air, and anti-mortar systems into the hands of Ukrainian fighters. A fear in providing military aid is that Russia would counter and send similar support to the rebels widening the conflict and putting millions of lives at risk.

But here's a look at why some say help is urgently need. It's the before and after of the destruction at Donetsk's once proud energy airport. Just months ago Ukraine's international airport was fully functioning. Now dead bodies lie on the ground and utter devastation remains.

Secretary of State John Kerry will be in Kiev on Thursday meeting with Petro Poroshenko, the Ukrainian president about the crisis.

Jim Sciutto is CNN's chief national security correspondent. He joins me live in Washington with more. Good morning Jim.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Good morning Carol.

You know, I was at that airport in Donetsk last spring covering the presidential election there. And I'll tell you when I was there, I thought to myself this airport is nicer than a lot of U.S. airports. And now to see the destruction there is just a reminder of how this war is progressing. This is in Europe -- Eastern Europe. It's in Europe.

COSTELLO: So this idea of arming Ukrainian rebels, when might this go down?

SCIUTTO: Well, clearly there's a debate in the administration. There are those in the State Department, Defense Department, who believe -- whose opinion has changed and also Democrats on the Hill. I spoke with Senator Chris Murphy on the Senate Foreign Relations committee. His opinion has changed.

The White House opinion, we had Ben Rhodes on CNN last night saying "its preference remains on a peaceful negotiation. Its position remains that more arms won't make the situation better. So there's a debate.

What has changed? Why do some new disagree with that administration position? Basically because Ukraine is losing on the ground. Those pro-Russia rebels aided by Russian troops, Russian tanks, Russian weapons are moving forward taking ground there and those Ukrainian troops just don't have the ability to hold ground and fight back.

COSTELLO: Of course, Russia is involved in this as we know. What about those sanctions that are tanking Russia's economy, not having any effect on the way Vladimir Putin is dealing with Ukraine?

SCIUTTO: Apparently he's become Putin the Undeterrable -- right. Because those sanctions are exacting a price from the Russian economy along with the dip in the price of oil but that has not changed apparently the calculus on the ground. Because Russia has doubled down; it's been sending more troops, more heavy weapons in despite those sanctions and that's another reason why you have some in the administration, again apparently night the White House, but some in the administration who believe it's time to reassess.

If the sanctions aren't deterring him, then perhaps you need weapons to the Ukrainians just to right the balance on the ground. No one's talking about the Ukrainians winning this against the military might of Russia but more about restoring some sort of balance that can then set up negotiations.

COSTELLO: All right. Jim Sciutto -- thanks for the info. We appreciate it.

SCIUTTO: Thank you.

Let's talk more about this with Jonathan Gilliam, a former Navy SEAL and former FBI agent. Welcome, sir. Thanks for being here.

So is it a good idea to arm Ukrainians fighting the pro-Russian rebels?

JONATHAN GILLIAM, FORMER NAVY SEAL: I think it's a little bit too much too late. I think it's going to have some impact in their ability to fight against the rebels, the Russian rebels.

Here's the thing that we need to start looking at. They are the eastern side of Ukraine highly Russian. I mean it's -- the population is mostly Russian there. And it's been spoken about all along that Vladimir Putin would come in and really try to take the eastern part of Ukraine.

There's never been a line set by any of the world's superpowers including the United States saying you will not go past this line. I mean there has -- we have to start thinking of things in active military mindset and language that he will understand.

COSTELLO: So give the Eastern part of Ukraine to Russia and say you won.

GILLIAM: Right. I'm not saying that. But we should have at least set up a line saying you won't go past here. The problem is when you're dealing with somebody like Putin, who is an educated tactician you have to forward think him. And that's the biggest problem that we've had. We don't set lines and we don't forward think Putin and that's been a real problem in our foreign policies.

COSTELLO: OK. Let's say that Ukraine and the United States agree that there's some sort of line, right, that Russians can't cross. These Russian rebels. Then what happens? How do you keep Russian rebels from crossing those lines?

GILLIAM: Well we -- you know, inevitably there's going to have to be -- this is where a coalition force really can come in handy. Often when we're fighting over in the Middle East, a coalition force is made up of groups that don't really know how to fight and it's so spread out.

Here we have a very defined area where the coalition -- a world coalition could literally come in and say this is going to stop. You know, when you're dealing with somebody like Putin -- again some people call him a "Madman". Some people call him extremely tactically bright. Either way, you have to show him that you mean business and going over and offering some weapons and support, which we do quite a bit --

COSTELLO: When you talk about coalition, do you mean American boots on the ground in Ukraine? What do you mean by that? GILLIAM: Well, there's going to have to be something done otherwise

Vladimir Putin is going to continue to move. So there will have to be boots on the ground of some sort, advisers, people that are actually working with Ukrainians to push forward. They are an ally.

This is the type of thing that does not necessarily have to be just the United States. I'm a big proponent of going in the Islamic fight over in the Middle East of the United States taking a bigger role on the ground. Here, I think it's reverse. This is a conventional war. And we can fight this with conventional tactics of advising and having --

COSTELLO: Of course, there is a line of thought that Ukraine's fight kind of affects Europe more than us, right?

GILLIAM: Absolutely.

COSTELLO: So why don't they do it?

GILLIAM: Well, they should be involved in this. I think that's the problem when it comes to the way that we look at unconventional war which we have in the Middle East and a conventional-type war which we have in Ukraine. Europe needs to be involved in this. The thing with the United States is we are a world leader.

We forget these words like superpowers. We tend to look at that and we forget the fact that we're world leaders. We should be leading a coalition in Ukraine and we should be taking the lead on the fight in the Middle East. I don't think we're doing either one of those right now.

COSTELLO: We'll see what happens. Jonathan Gilliam -- you so much for joining me. I appreciate it.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, in the midst of rumors about his health, new images of Fidel Castro appear in Cuban state me it all he attempts show we'll take you live in Havana, next.

COSTELLO: For the first time since last summer, we're getting a glimpse of former Cuban leader Fidel Castro. These pictures appearing in the online version of Cuba's state-run newspaper -- the 88-year-old Castro shown with his wife and the leader of the University of Havana Student Association. Photos released as Republican Senator Marco Rubio will lead a hearing on a bid to normalize U.S. relations with Cuba.

CNN's Patrick Oppmann joins me now from Havana to talk more about these pictures. Good morning.

PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, they were a long time coming these pictures. We waited for weeks. Really any sign of life. Here we have it and then some. 21 photos released. Very unusual that so many photos would be released -- photos from inside Fidel Castro's home showing his wife who is rarely shown and less frequently mentioned by name, which she was today; and then a very long article from this head of student association. Of course, we should point out, it's staunchly pro-government. Talking about his three-hour meeting with Fidel Castro just about two weeks ago where they touched on a number of subjects: everything from the resumed U.S./Cuban relations, to astronomy, to Fidel's thoughts on how to improve world food production and there's new animals that have been brought to the Havana zoo.

So just about every topic you can imagine. They talked for about three hours so for a man who was supposed to be near death if you believe social media rumors, Fidel Castro seems anything but -- Carol?

COSTELLO: What's the idea behind releasing these pictures? I mean why now?

OPPOMAN: Why not in the beginning is our question. Why leave us dangling for so many months. Really, the Cuban government tried to send out filters and little signs over the last few weeks. It really wasn't enough. People want to know where Fidel Castro was and why had it taken so long for him to comment on this landmark deal between the U.S. and Cuba. And there really were no easy explanations like anything this is a very secretive country and there's perhaps no more tightly guarded secret than Fidel Castro's health and whereabouts.

But now we're getting clear signs that it appears to be -- for his aides, considering in as many years of given his age and years of health problems, he appears to be in good shape. That should dampen down some of the rumors at least for the moment, Carol.

COSTELLO: At least for the moment. Patrick Oppmann, live in Havana Cuba. Thanks so much.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, Suge Knight has his bail revoked he faces a murder charge following a hit and run. Why a California D.A. says this is my third strike and he's out.

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COSTELLO: Rap mogul Suge Knight is expected to be arraigned in a California court today. He's been charged with murder following a hit-and-run accident that left this man -- Terry Carter dead and another man injured. Knight was out on bail for robbery when that hit and run went down. The L.A. District attorney saying that and other previous convictions make this case quote a "third strike case". CNN's Paul Vercammen is in Los Angeles with more. Hi -- Paul.

PAUL VERCAMMEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. Rather ominous sign here today. It's foggy and certainly no smoke will follow Suge Knight as he enters court today. When he turned himself in the other day, he had his trademark cigar and was puffing it. Now this morning he faces very serious charges as you articulated. One count of murder, one count of attempted murder and two counts of felony hit and run.

And what is the alleged murder weapon in this case? It is his Ford 150 truck that's about two and a half tons. He allegedly drove over two men in that truck. Now, Knight's attorney is saying all the while that it was Knight who feared for his life and his safety. He was being attacked by several men.

How did this all start? Reportedly earlier in the day, this is last week, he was on the set of Straight out of Compton". This is a movie about the legendary rap group NWA. Knight is either asked to leave or leaves the set and later in the day he meets up with other men who were on this shoot and at 3:00 in the afternoon at a hamburger stand, Knight and a man named Clay begin fighting through the window of Knight's truck trading punches.

Again, Knight's attorney says that Knight fled in a hurry trying to get away from these men but in the end, we had one man killed, Jerry Carter and play (inaudible) seriously injured in all of this.

Violence, of course, just seems to follow Suge Knight. You may know that he was the driver in the car in Las Vegas when his friend and client Tupak was murdered. And in August Suge Knight himself was shot six times in a party in a sunset strip club. A lot going on here today; he's being held without bail -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right. Paul Vercammen reporting live from Los Angeles thank you. I'll be right back.

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COSTELLO: Checking some other top stories for you at 55 minutes past.

In his first interview since his release from an Egyptian prison, al Jazeera journalist Peter Greste is calling on authorities in Cairo to release two of his colleagues who are still behind bars. Greste was released and deported from Egypt on Sunday to whether still journalists are still being held in Egypt.

All three were sentenced in 2013 to seven years in prison. Among the charges, spreading lies to help the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood.

Whitney Houston's daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown is still fighting for her life. She was found face down in a bath tub over the weekend at her home near Atlanta. She's now on a medically induced coma in intensive care. Sources tell CNN she's been having seizures.

Three years ago next Wednesday, her mother Whitney Houston died in an accidental drowning in a bathtub in a hotel in Los Angeles.

After covering the Super Bowl, pro-football hall of fame defensive tackle Warren Sapp has lost his job as an NFL network analyst. Just hours after the game he was arrested and charged with soliciting a prostitute; he was also booked on two misdemeanor counts of assault. Sapp was released after a court appearance late yesterday. He heads back to court later this month.

It's one of the things we all will remember about the Super Bowl's halftime show. Katy Perry dancing with those sharks. While Perry's dancing and singing drew a lot of raves her Sharks system took criticism for their performance. Just who were those dancers in the shark suits?

Here's CNN's Jeanne Moos.

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JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Talk about the worst call at the Super Bowl. No, not that one. We mean whoever called for the dancing sharks -- as they gyrated alongside Katy Perry singing "Teenage Dream", they flailed their fins to fame. The shark screen left was a killer.

Noted one sports blog, left shark failed out of choreography school.

On Twitter, they were compared to hologram shark from "Back to the Future".

Next thing you know, the dancing sharks found themselves in "Finding Nemo", peaking over the cast of "Shark Tank", inserted into "Jaws", the movie.

MOOS: So, who are the mystery sharks causing such a splash with those flapping fins?

Two of Katy Perry's regular dancers came out of their shark suits on social media. Bryan Gaw, the left shark said, "Yes, the rumors are true". And look at the abs on the dancer who was the right shark. Scott Myrick tweeted, I've never been more proud to be part of something in my life.

Check out his moves minus the shark scale.

Scott told Reddit that visibility in the suit was terrible. "I ran into a palm tree, but the camera missed it." He said he only and a half to change into his shark costume from his previous get up as a horse, and chessboard Knight, as Katy sang "Dark Horse".

Scott also danced the part of Katy Perry's "Kitty Purry" on tour, but nothing compares to the fish bowl that is the Super Bowl, soon one shark was dancing in a flip book.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Was it my imagination or were the sharks doing the "Macarena"?

MOOS: It's a feeding frenzy if everyone flips out over floundering fish.

Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.

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COSTELLO: Thank you so much for joining me today. I'm Carol Costello. Another hour of NEWSROOM straight ahead.