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NEW DAY SUNDAY

Kenya IDs Terrorist Gunman; Pope's Message to the World; Red Cross: More Than 500 People Killed. Aired 8-8:30a ET

Aired April 5, 2015 - 08:00   ET

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


[08:00:00] VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Victor Blackwell. Good to be with you.

We're starting this hour with the breaking news this morning out of Kenya on this Easter Sunday, as church services across the country are remembering the victims of Thursday's terror attack. We're learning more about one of those four assailants.

ALISON KOSIK, CNN ANCHOR: According to "Reuters", Kenya's interior ministry says he's a son of a Kenyan government official. He vanished from home and his father and police were looking for him when al Shabaab militants attacked Garissa University College on Thursday. The bodies of the four gunmen who were killed by were paraded through the streets this weekend.

One forty-seven people, most of them students, died in the attack, were killed in the attack, but we're also seeing emotional reunions between survivors and their families.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I came here at 6:00 a.m. this morning and I've been waiting. I've been waiting. I was still holding out hope that I would see my sister. I'm very excited. God loves me. I'm very excited. I don't even have words. Very happy.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) watching bullets from everywhere. Thank God I made it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: Let's go now to CNN's Soni Methu.

Soni, we understand this is Easter Sunday. But because al Shabaab separates the Christians from the Muslims, there is a lot of fear at the Christian churches this morning.

SONI METHU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There is, indeed. There is a bit of a scare in Mombasa and people are taking to social pages and expressing their fear.

But this Sunday has been dedicated to the victims of the attack. And yesterday, members of Isli community, Isli is known as little Mogadishu. It has a huge population of Somalis. They took to the streets themselves, protesting against the ideological of sectarian divide between Kenyans and Muslims.

We spoke to the Supreme Council of Muslims Secretary General who say that's the intention of al Shabaab to create a divide. But it's something that we should stand and fight, and stand as one and move in the same direction. So, this is what Kenyans are calling for now.

KOSIK: Soni, what are you learning about the gunman who's been identified?

METHU: Yes, we're learning about one gunman who's been identified as Abdirahim Abdullahi. He is said to be a law student here at the University of Nairobi. The University of Nairobi just behind me, a few minutes' walk from here.

He studied law here, his father who was a chief in the government of Mandera County. Mandera is also close to the border with Somalia. His father had reported him missing and during the attack actually police were in the process of looking for him. And his father speaking to a local radio station saying that his son finally blew himself up.

BLACKWELL: All right. Soni Methu reporting for us from Nairobi. Soni, thank you so much.

KOSIK: And now to the crisis in Yemen which this week has claimed the life of a U.S. citizen. Jamal al-Labani died this week. His cousin said he left for Yemen two months ago to see his 2 1/2- year-old daughter and wife who was pregnant. He wanted to bring them home to California.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MOHAMMED AL-AZZANI, COUSIN OF U.S. CITIZEN KILLED IN YEMEN: Every time they remember, his name, they just cry. He was pretty worried, he was pretty worried for the past three weeks, and really upsetting and really sad. I touched other families like here. They have some American relatives back in Yemen and they don't know what to do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOSIK: According to the Red Cross, more than 500 people have been killed in this latest conflict.

BLACKWELL: Joining us now for more, CNN global affairs analyst, Lieutenant Colonel James Reese.

Lieutenant Colonel, we had a conversation with Major General Spider Marks, which he said, these are Americans who are making choices. If they choose to leave, how difficult is it and is there help from the State Department to get out now that the embassy has been evacuated?

LT. COL. JAMES REESE (RET), CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: Good morning, Victor, from Iraq. Happy Easter.

One, it's very difficult to get out now. Most of the international commercial flights, shipping links have been all closed off by the Saudis, which is a concern because the Red Cross is trying to get them opened back up to bring in, you know, humanitarian and first aid relief. So, it is very challenging to get out of there. And Yemen is a difficult place to get in and be out of even when the commercial lines were open. I would go in there for our forces there, and it was just a very difficult challenge to get in and out of the country.

These aspects these Americans have to take, like General Marks said, it's a decision they made, and it's a difficult one to have to stay and my heart goes out to the family, to their loved one who was killed.

BLACKWELL: The Red Cross says that the streets in Yemen are, quote, "strewn with bodies there."

[08:05:03] I wonder in the request that they've made for this urgent cease fire for humanitarian purposes, considering that we saw in Gaza that there was a humanitarian pause, in Crimea, there was a humanitarian pause. Do you think that that will be granted in this case as well?

REESE: Well, you know, I know the Saudis pretty well. They will look at it. Unfortunately, what happens a lot of times is the opposing side will use that as an advantage to them so the Saudis have to look at their own intelligence, they have to take a look at it, and they'll make a decision. If they feel it is warranted, I definitely believe the Saudis will definitely conduct a cease-fire, a pause in their bombing to allow that first aid and that medical help to get in.

It won't last long because this is a no fail mission to the Saudis right now. They will continue to bombard Yemen until they feel that this puts them in the table for discussion with the Houthis and come to the table for discussion which is this is what their final aim is.

BLACKWELL: Yes, in most cases what we see is they last four to six hours at the very most, until it's breached.

All right. Lieutenant Colonel, thank you for joining us this morning. Happy Easter to you.

REESE: Thanks. You too.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ramps up the rhetoric against Iran. Netanyahu will be on CNN's "STATE OF THE UNION" at the top of next hour.

Following a string of racist allegations against police, we're moving to Ferguson now, some departments are taking steps to stop it.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:10:24] BLACKWELL: It's Easter Sunday. Happy Easter to you.

Across the world, millions of Christians celebrating, including thousands who watched the pope give his traditional blessing to the Vatican there in Vatican City and the world.

KOSIK: But the unusually celebratory -- the usually celebratory message, I should say, took a somber tone this time as the pope called for an end to the violence and bloodshed faced by Christians at the hands of terrorists.

BLACKWELL: Senior international correspondent Ben Wedeman is in Rome with the details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's supposed to be a holiday of celebration when Christians marked the resurrection of Jesus. But the weather in Saint Peter's square was cool and rainy. The spirit of Easter this year marred by violence, most recently in Kenya where militants from the Somali Islamist group al Shabaab slaughtered almost 150 mostly Christian students at Garissa University.

Pope Francis marking his third Easter as pontiff prayed for peace in Kenya, in Iraq, in Syria, in the Holy Land, in Libya, in Yemen, in Nigeria, in Sudan, in the Democratic Republic of Congo and in Ukraine.

POPE FRANCIS, CATHOLIC CHURCH (through translator): We ask peace above all for beloved Syria and Iraq. That the roar of arms may cease, that peaceful relations may be restored among the various groups which make up those beloved countries. May the international community not stand by before the immense humanitarian tragedy unfolding in these countries, and the drama of the numerous refugees.

WEDEMAN: Clearly, his mind occupied by war and rumors of war the world over. He did, however, end his Easter address on a slightly lighter note, asking all of those present to pray for him and wishing one and all a good Easter lunch.

Ben Wedeman, CNN, Rome.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLACKWELL: So, with the message on Syria and Libya and the Iranian message as well, I wanted to get a response from CNN's religion commentator, Father Edward Beck. He reacted to the pope's message. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FATHER EDWARD BECK, CNN RELIGION COMMENTATOR: It's expected in a message like this to be praying for world peace. Unfortunately, we find ourselves not at peace in so many areas that the list seems particularly long, but I think, again, putting into context what Christians are celebrating right now, we've just gone through the three days. So, Good Friday is about suffering. It is about somehow finding meaning in suffering and moves us to today, to Easter.

So, I think the Easter message of the pope is that even though we're living in this violent world, the prayers for peace continue. The fact is, Christians celebrate that Jesus rose from the dead today, was victor over injustice, over death.

So, the pope is really putting it in the context of we can have hope in this but he's challenging the world community that we have to work together for that. It's not going to happen unless we ban together as an international community to help make it happen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOSIK: There's been a string of allegations against police recently regarding racism. Coming up, a new program that's helping officers tell their side of the story.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:17:35] KOSIK: New this morning, San Francisco's chief of police is moving to dismiss seven officers accused of sending or receiving racist text messages. The texts mentioned lynching African- Americans, burning crosses, and derogatory comments about homosexuals and other races. The chief says they were sent in 2011 and 2012. Lawyers for the officers tell "The New York Times" the officers weren't serious but were blowing off steam.

BLACKWELL: Well, after the incidents like this in San Francisco and Ferguson, the police department there, officers being scrutinized even more. Now, there's a new program that's allowing officers to tell their side of the stories.

Joining me live is Chris Moody, senior digital correspondent.

Chris, you spoke with the head of this organization. First, actually, let's listen to a part of that interview and then we'll talk.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RONALD HOSKO, PRESIDENT, LAW ENFORCEMENT LEGAL DEFENSE FUND: To the immediate wig on one of these tantalizing events, let's just take the events in Ferguson. Early on, conclusions were reached, very quickly, that these were almost rogue actions of a racist white police officer against an innocent young teenager. My fear is that some of the conversation over the last six months has made people look at police more suspicious.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: All right. So, Chris, let's talk about this program.

There is a simulator involved. Tell us about this and what it's like.

CHRIS MOODY, CNN SENIOR DIGITAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the group is the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund, and these are people that offer services to police officers who come under legal scrutiny. You're right, in the aftermath of a lot of police encounters with the public that have evoked national outcry in the past year in Ferguson or in New York or in Cleveland, police are trying to tell their side of the story.

And what they're doing is in the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund they're taking reporters to a simulator that's used to train police officers. Use of force simulators where we're put in front of different situations maybe responding to a bank robbery, or you're responding to a shooting and trying to show us just how difficult it is to deal with certain situations when you're trying to decide whether or not to use force.

And they're trying to give reporters some perspective who might be doing pieces about what we saw in Ferguson and other places with police.

BLACKWELL: So, we saw a bit of video there of you're trying out this simulation.

[08:20:01] How did you do? What was the experience?

MOODY: I should keep my day job.

BLACKWELL: OK.

MOODY: I'm definitely not very good at it, but the screen is life size and it really puts you in the moment and makes you very nervous when you're worried about who to shoot or if to use your gun or to not use your weapon.

Police do have a tough job. I think people know that. But on the same hand, I asked them, is it justified, the anger at police been justified? And Ron Hosko, the director of that group, said, yes, it is in certain situations. He said that the police officers like we saw in San Francisco, they need to be pushed out of the profession if they're not acting professionally. And I think they're very aware of that. This is part of that response.

BLACKWELL: All right. Chris Moody, thank you so much. Good to talk with you. And good to see the response there from your time in the simulator.

MOODY: Thank you.

BLACKWELL: See you, Chris.

KOSIK: Fast cars, oh, yes. Big explosions. How "Fast and Furious 7" is ramping up for one of Hollywood's biggest April opening weekends ever.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:25:013] BLACKWELL: The Red Cross is reporting that city streets in Yemen are strewn with bodies.

KOSIK: The humanitarian organization is now calling for an immediate 24-hour cease-fire saying people injured in airstrikes and ground battles, they need treatment within hours, not days.

The fighting has taken more than 500 lives in the last two weeks.

CNN's senior international correspondent Nic Robertson has the latest on new Saudi airstrikes targeting a battle torn nation.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We're pretty close to the Yemen border here and you can hear Saudi aircraft flying over occasionally. Those strikes have continued in Yemen, targeting Houthi strongholds. That's what Saudi officials say that they're doing.

The most intense fighting seems to be around the town of Aden. By most accounts, the Houthis there are losing ground. Saudi special forces not combat special forces in there, helping bring in communications equipment, and weapons, trying to organize the sort of southern separatists there to counter the Houthi's efforts to gain control of that town. But this is what's causing a great deal of concern for the International Committee for the Red Cross. They're calling for a pause, humanitarian pause, if only, they say, so that the people in Aden who are experiencing the worst of the fight can get out of their homes for a while, get some food, get some water.

But the Red Cross are also saying that they've got a plane on stand by with 48 tons of medical equipment ready to fly in. They say that could help between 2,000 to 3,000 people with medical supplies for a number of days. They say they're concerned about the lack of medical supplies and equipment that are getting to the various hospitals in the country. They say civilians are suffering.

So far, the U.N. says more than 500 people have been killed, more than 1,700 injured. So this is really adding to the humanitarian concern and cost of what is happening inside Yemen at the moment. Of course, on top of that, a senior al Qaeda leader broken from jail appears to turn up, if you will, inside a presidential palace in the town where he was sprung from jail, Khalid al-Batarfi there, someone who has been put in jail four or five years ago by the Yemeni government because of his leadership role in al Qaeda now out on the streets.

The concern is al Qaeda will take advantage of the deteriorating security situation to extend their control inside Yemen, to reconstruct training camps, that the government had already demolished, destroyed, and taken down.

So, the real concern is in this chaos people are suffering, humanitarian pause required, and al Qaeda is taking advantage as well.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Jizan, Saudi Arabia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KOSIK: Thanks, Nic, for that.

And here's a look at other stories developing now.

In the wake of the Germanwings crash, there's a new report coming out about what Germany knew about oversight issues. An E.U. commission tells CNN they warned Germany's Air Safety Oversight Office almost four years ago to fix chronic understaffing problems.

BLACKWELL: Now, understaffing interfered with the ability to properly medically screen crews. It's unclear if that's a factor in the Germanwings crash because the co-pilot did pass a medical exam last summer. However, he deliberately crashed the plane into the Alps, killing all 150 people according to investigators onboard.

KOSIK: Cuban state media just released pictures of a rare public appearance by former leader Fidel Castro. He was meeting with a group of Venezuelans last week who were visiting Cuba on a solidarity mission. It's been more than a year since the ailing 88- year-old was last seen in public.

BLACKWELL: I love this one. When keeping it real goes wrong. NFL legend Deion Sanders is keeping a close eye on his son's Twitter account. After Deion posted about loving donuts from a place in the, quote/unquote, "hood", his dad called him out. He tweeted to his son, "You're a Huxtable with a million dollar trust fund. Stop the hood stuff." Sanders Jr. seemed to take in strides by retweeting his dad's comments.

KOSIK: Oh, yes, "Furious 7" dominating the box office this weekend. Making more than $67 billion in its first day. It's the seventh installment of the "Fast and Furious" series. Analyst are projecting it's going to rake in $150 million just by the end of the day.

BLACKWELL: Take a look at this massive school of sharks spotted off the coast of Florida Thursday. This is just south of the Sebastian Inlet. They were shot by a photographer Indian River by air. It's a company that takes pictures from a power parachute. The photographer says he often see sharks, but never, never this many.

KOSIK: So pretty. Thanks for starting your morning with us.

BLACKWELL: Happy Easter. Enjoy it with your family.

"INSIDE POLITICS WITH JOHN KING" starts right now.