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Americans Joining ISIS; Human Factor: Paralyzed Congressman Breaks Barriers; Warren Jeffs' Children Accuse Him of Sexual Abuse. Aired 8:30-9a ET

Aired September 30, 2015 - 08:30   ET

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


(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:33:54] ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. is failing to stop the flow of foreign fighters joining ISIS. That is according to a scathing new report from a congressional committee. It says more than 25,000 foreigners have traveled to Syria and Iraq, including 205 Americans, to join the terrorists.

Let's talk about this with Republican Congressman Michael McCaul, who's the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee. And that is behind his new report.

Congressman, thanks so much for being on NEW DAY.

REP. MICHAEL MCCAUL (R), CHAIRMAN, HOUSE HOMELAND SECURITY COMMITTEE: Thanks, Alisyn.

CAMEROTA: Lots of troubling key findings here. Let me read some of them to our viewers. Currently no comprehensive global database of the foreign fighter names. Jihadist recruiters using secure websites and apps to communicate with Americans. The federal government has failed to develop early intervention strategies. Huh? I mean, we all thought we were past this.

MCCAUL: Well, and let me stress, Alisyn, this was a bipartisan report. The terrorists don't check our partisan affiliation. You know, Republicans, Democrats came together on the committee to find the best way to protect Americans. And what we found was very disturbing. We don't have a national strategy. We can't - the intelligence sharing is not where it should be. The fact we don't have a national strategy both militarily, politically, but also back in the United States to counter this radicalization that we find happening over the Internet on a daily basis coming out of Syria into the United States to radicalize followers as well.

[08:35:22] CAMEROTA: Yes.

MCCAUL: So I - the threat environments very high and we need to have a strategy.

CAMEROTA: Well, we sure do. And let's just break it down a little bit. Be - that what you're talking about, the federal government failing to develop early intervention strategies, I mean that's getting right at the beginning, right at the root of it. Why don't we have early intervention strategies? Many have been suggested.

MCCAUL: It hasn't been a focus. We spend billions of dollars with our military, with air strikes, billions to prevent terrorists from getting into the United States, but very little on the prevention side to - for early detection. There are warning signs in all these cases before a terrorist attack occurs. We've arrested over 60 - about 67 ISIS followers in the United States over the last year. And that's the good news.

The thing that keeps me up at night is the Chattanooga case, for instance, where we didn't know about it. In most of these case where a terrorist event occurs, you find their friends or family or they went to a mosque and the radicalization warning signs in the mosque that were not reported or detected early. And I think we need to focus a lot on that. We - we do a lot to combat it overseas but not enough I think here in the United States.

CAMEROTA: Let's look at that next point that we read, that jihadist recruiters are using secure websites and apps to community with Americans. Surely we have the technology to infiltrate this and break it up, no?

MCCAUL: We don't. I think this is one of the greatest challenges of law enforcement. In the post Snowden era, the terrorists have very savvy - a new generation, different from bin Laden (INAUDIBLE) and couriers, a new generation of terrorists who are very savvy on the Internet. And what they do, Alisyn, is they - they communicate and then they go - once they have the hook on someone in the United States, they go into what's called "dark space." A dark platform of communication that is so secure that even if we have a court order, we can't see those communications. And if you can't see what they're saying, it's very hard to stop it.

CAMEROTA: One of the key findings of the report says that several dozen of these Americans who have gone over to receive jihadist training have managed to make it back into America. Do we know who those are? Are we tracking them?

MCCAUL: Well, I mean it's a - a sensitive subject. Let me - if I can put a broader picture. Thirty thousand foreign fighters from a hundred different countries, 5,000 with western passports that could get into the United States, hundreds of Americans, and this is who we know of. We don't have good intelligence on the ground in Syria, so you really don't know what you don't know. These are just the numbers that we know of. Two hundred and fifty Americans have traveled to the region and many of those have returned to the United States, each one of those a potential ticking time bomb. If we can charge them with evidence under the Constitution, we do so. And if we can't, then we have to expend tremendous amounts of resources to monitor them to make sure they don't kill Americans. But it's a tremendous challenge.

CAMEROTA: Yes. Congressman, what's the one thing that could happen today that would help solve some of this? The easiest, the fastest thing that could happen?

MCCAUL: Well, I think it's - it's a variety of things. I mean one is to eliminate the threat at its source. That's the military objective. Politically, you talked a lot about Assad earlier in the program. That has to be dealt with. Europe has to tighten up its travel restrictions with the foreign fighters. And then we need to deal with this prevention piece of radicalization over the Internet in the United States. And if we do nothing, this threat will just continue to grow as it has and as we stated in our report.

CAMEROTA: Yes. Congressman McCaul, it's all very ominous. Thanks so much for explaining it to us today on NEW DAY.

What's your take on this? You can tweet us using the #newdaycnn or post your comment on facebook.com/newday.

Michaela.

MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: We are thrilled to have this lady here with us this morning, Lisa Ling. She has a shocking interview to share with us. Warren Jeffs' children speaking out for the first times, claiming that the controversial religious leader also abused them. You just have to wait to hear what they have to say. Lisa joins us in a moment.

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[08:43:42] PEREIRA: Here we go with the five things to know for you new day.

At number one, the president of Planned Parenthood grilled on Capitol Hill. Cecile Richards calling videotapes produced by conservative critics heavily doctored and outrageous, while denying that her organization profits from selling fetal tissue.

Georgia has executed the only woman on death row there overnight. Kelly Gissendaner was put to death after a series of appeals failed. She had her lover killer her husband some 18 years ago.

Joaquin is now a hurricane packing 75 miles an hour winds. It is expected to pose quite a serious threat, flooding, to major cities along the East Coast. Some areas already getting soaked with heavy rain.

Russia has launched its first air strike in Syria this morning near the western city of Homes (ph) in the fight against ISIS. American officials say U.S. missions are continuing as normal in Syria.

The Palestinian flag to be raised at the U.N. for the first time ever today. President Mahmoud Abbas calling the event historic, a beacon of hope in trying to achieve an independent state.

For more on the five things, you can always visit newdaycnn.com for the very latest.

Chris.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Left paralyzed been an accident as a teenager, one man refused to let obstacles stand in his way. He says the more people doubt him, the more he's motivated and he's keeping busy with a seat in Congress. Dr. Sanjay Gupta has today's "Human Factor." Check this out.

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[08:45:05] DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): Sixteen-year-old James Langevin was volunteering at a local police station when an officer's gun accidentally discharged.

REP. JAMES LANGEVIN (D), RHODE ISLAND: The bullet ricocheted off a locker, is what I'm told and the bullet went through my neck and severed my spinal cord.

GUPTA: Langevin was paralyzed from the waist down and has limited mobility in his arms.

LANGEVIN: The question I had right from the get-go, how am I going to live any kind of a meaningful life going forward?

GUPTA: But Langevin did just that. He attended college. Went on to Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. And was elected a Democratic Congressman for the state of Rhode Island. Motivated, he says, by his own desire to prove the naysayers wrong.

LANGEVIN: I would hear the, well, you are a nice guy, but this is a rough business and you're better off doing something else. You know, it's always when you tell me I can't do something that, you know, I'll find a way.

GUPTA: He did find a way. On the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Langevin made history.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: For first time in our country's history, a gentlemen with the challenges that Mr. Langevin faces is presiding as Speaker of the House of Representatives.

(APPLAUSE)

LANGEVIN: I hope that the people can look at me and say, you know, here is a guy with tremendous challenge and difficulties, but somehow he's made it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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[08:50:01] PEREIRA: Warren Jeffs, the controversial leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Latter-Day Saints, is serving time behind bars for the sexual assault and abuse of minors. Now two of his children are breaking their silence. They are speaking out about their father, claiming that he sexual abused them too. It's part of a new interview that you'll only see right here on CNN during tonight's premiere episode of "This is Life with Lisa Ling." I want you to take a look at this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) LISA LING, CNN HOST, "THE IS LIFE WITH LISA LING" (voice-over): Warren's abuse of the innocent began long before he became the Prophet. He found his first victims at home under his own roof.

BECKY JEFFS, DAUGHTER OF WARREN JEFFS WHO ACCUSES HIM OF SEXUAL ABUSE: When I was really young, probably between the ages of 4 and 6, it was at night. He came to my room. I kept thinking, father, do you know what you're doing? Are you awake? I was thinking there's got to be a reason because he teaches these strict principles of morals and everything. It just scared me. I tried to convince myself it didn't happen. But all my life it would come to my mind. I never told anybody.

LING (on camera): Why didn't you tell anyone?

JEFFS: Because father knows best.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PEREIRA: Lisa Ling joins us in the studio now. So compelling to listen to her speak. So brave of her. How did that come about? Because I can't imagine it was something that she was eager to do necessarily.

LING: No. No. She and her brother actually talked to us. And these aren't people who are eager to go write books or become famous. They have only been out less than two years, Becky about a year, and they desperately want people to know, people who are still inside the FLDS, that their father is a fraud. And most importantly, they really want to convey to their father because he really is the only person who can change things.

PEREIRA: You actually say they want him to sit down and see this piece.

LING: She called me and asked if we could call the prison to air our episode because he's the only person who can make a change and admit to the people that he's been a fraud and tell the people the truth.

CAMEROTA: And do we know if he knows that she has gone public?

LING: I'm sure he probably knows by now. He has a select few people that he communicates with. She was on the list originally, but obviously she's not in his good graces anymore.

CUOMO: Right. ABC News did a lot of reporting on him. He's well aware of what the allegations are and he is very, very resistant to them. The question becomes what can she do for herself to break his hold over her? As you know, the victimology, very often, is that the abuse continues because of the lack of admission. So what do they do?

LING: And this is one of the reasons why she and her brother are so eager to speak out about the abuse. I mean, talking about issues pertaining to sex, there are things that they are incredibly modest about in their community. But this is so important for them to convey. People in their community need to know what he was like before he became the Prophet. That there was something in his nature. That he was a pedophile. And thousands and thousands of people still believe he's the hand of God and believe in every word that he dictates from prison.

PEREIRA: Well it is powerful stuff. You are going tune in tonight to watch that. But up coming in season two there are some other things. And there is one that you are really excited about and it took a lot of work, it took a lot of building of confidence. You went inside a biker gang.

LING: We did. We embedded with the biker club that has been targeted the hardest by the federal government, the Mongols, based in Los Angeles, but with chapters all over the country.

PEREIRA: They were involved in the Waco thing.

LING: They weren't involved in the Waco shootout, but since then the FBI has ratcheted up surveillance on all biker clubs, particularly on this one, and they --

CUOMO: Did you get soft on the Mongols? You pro-Mongol?

LING: I didn't say -- I won't say I got soft on them, but it's a really - we felt very inside, they gave us unprecedented access and it was a fascinating experience.

Another episode that we did is called "Fatherless Towns" and we spent time in a jail in Richmond, Virginia, a city where households are missing many men, so many of whom are incarcerated. And these men were allowed to participate in this incredible fatherhood program because so many people locked up behind bars are parents and the idea behind this is to connect fathers with their kids and the program culminates in a father/daughter dance inside the jail. And I strongly suggest people have a box of Kleenex next to them when they watch this because this is incredibly emotional The idea is to incentivize fathers to do right by their daughters when they get out.

PEREIRA: You all realize how good this season is going to be of "This Is Life with Lisa Ling."

CAMEROTA: I'm getting that.

PEREIRA: I'm telling you --

LING: It's a good one.

PEREIRA: -- it is one - Yeah, I know you're very proud of the work. Thanks so much for joining us.

LING: Thank you. Thanks for having me.

PEREIRA: Hopefully we'll see more of you.

LING: Yes.

PEREIRA: Don't forget to tune in. This is Lisa Ling. It airs tonight right here on CNN, 9:00 p.m. Be there.

[08:54:43] CUOMO: That is good stuff, but we have even more. Coming up, "The Good Stuff."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CUOMO: Isabella Gregory, five years old, like many in her Kentucky town, she lined up with her family for the funeral of Joseph Ponders, the state trooper killed in the line of duty. After the funeral, she just happened to be in the same McDonald's with some of the troopers who had been there. She tells her parents - remember, she is just five years old -- she wants to take her allowance and do something for them.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ISABELLA GREGORY, USED ALLOWANCE MONEY TO BUY OFFICERS ICE CREAM: I got them ice cream.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why did you get them ice cream?

GREGORY: Because their friend died.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CUOMO: Because remember, a five-year-old values nothing as much as they value ice cream, and yet she bought them all sundaes because their friend died.

PEREIRA: Oh.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED POLICE OFFICER: Because of the day that we just had, I mean, it is almost a tearjerker. I kept my composure, but it is one of those things, it makes us realize why we do what we do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CUOMO: You know, they say on-the-job cops when they talk about what they do, but really there is such an intimacy among them and one of them dies, it is like family that is lost. And this little five-year- old really tapped into that.

PEREIRA: A little sweetness and innocence on such a hard day can soften the blow of losing a colleague.

CAMEROTA: Right.

CUOMO: She says she wants to be a cop someday, too.

PEREIRA: Oh --

CAMEROTA: Oh my gosh. Wow.

PEREIRA: How about that? CAMEROTA: Right. Because five-year-olds understand ice cream and

friends. And so she --

PEREIRA: Shouldn't we all just kind of stick to that?

CAMEROTA: Yeah. So true.

PEREIRA: All right. Ice cream for all our friends.

Time for "NEWSROOM" with Carol Costello. Apparently we're having ice cream today, friend.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: That sounds awsome to me. You guys have a great day. "NEWSROOM" starts now.