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Trump's Questionable Claims about 9/11; Mali Declared 10-Day State of Emergency; Belgians Respond to Terror Alert with Cat Pictures. Aired 1-2a ET

Aired November 24, 2015 - 01:00   ET

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


[01:00:00]

ISHA SESAY, CNN ANCHOR: This is CNN Newsroom, live from Los Angeles.

Ahead this hour, French police closed down a suburban street after the discovering of a possible suicide vest.

Plus, the Belgian security lockdown is extended with officials determined to prevent an attack there.

And U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump is back under fire for his latest comments about Muslims and 9/11.

Hello, and welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world. I'm Isha Sesay. Newsroom L.A. starts right now.

We begin in Paris where officials are analyzing an apparent suicide vest found in the suburban trashcan. Security forces still off the street while a bomb squad retrieves the vest.

Officers are not saying whether the vest is related to last week's attacks but CNN affiliate BFMTV reports that the vest contained the same kind of explosives used in the rampage. The affiliates also reports that the terrorist suspect Salah Abdelsalam's mobile phone was tracked to the area where the vest was found soon after the attacks. Abdelsalam remains at large.

CNN's Max Foster joins us now live from Paris.

Max, a series of major developments in the Paris investigation brings up the speed with the latest.

MAX FOSTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah. That item in the bin, that's the interesting but so far, because everybody is wondering whether or not it was Abdelsalam's suicide belt, and BFMTV got there for (ph) some information. We've seen to suggest the body of the case (ph), we're waiting for official confirmation on that.

Separately, more information coming from U.S. intelligence really, about a cellphone that was found in a bin near the Bataclan Theater which is the scene of one of the attacks, of course. And we know that a map was on that cellphone. We know that there some are encrypted data. There was also a text message. And what it suggests is that, there was some surveillance of the sites before the attacks were carried out.

Also that there were quite sophisticated military training are going into the attackers. We know that European intelligence sources had said that they have been to Syria and got some sort of training. So what we end up with is a picture of very sophisticated attacks, where the sites of the have scouting out oh, and the attacks were carried out by a train, a military train effectively attackers.

So U.S. law enforcement agencies are being told to review their plans, really, for an active shooter in a similar terrorist attack. And they're being told in particular to look after anyone that may be carrying out surveillance on soft targets so a very concerning series of events because it was so sophisticated, Isha.

SESAY: Yeah, Max. And while the investigation goes on we know that French President Francois Hollande is on that something of a diplomatic mission to create what's being called a grand and single coalition.

Are we getting any specifics on what exactly that would mean on the battlefield?

FOSTER: Well, effectively what it means is if he can get what he wants to gain (ph), and France does often play this role of mediator with super powers, this bringing effectively Russia and the United States together. They are leading two separate coalitions on the ground. They have huge differences in what they see is the political future of Syria. But what president Hollande is going to try to do is bring them together to what more closely on practical matters in the battlefield.

Here's a report on that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: The largest aircraft carrier in Western Europe, the Charles de Gaulle, used to strike against ISIS.

The British prime minister stood shoulder to shoulder in his words with his French counterpart in Paris, at the scene of one of the attacks, the Bataclan Musical. Then they got down to business, Cameron calling a gain on Briton's law makers to allow him to take part in air strikes against ISIS in Syria.

DAVID CAMERON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: I firmly support the action that President Hollande has taken to strike ISIL in Syria and it's my firm conviction that Britain should do so too. Of course, that will be the decision for parliament to make.

FOSTER: Cameron is now back in London to make his pace, while Hollande will take his message to President Obama at the White House before meeting Chancellor Merkel on Wednesday and President Putin on Thursday.

Hollande is calling for a grand coalition of super powers against ISIS despite differences over the future of Syria's president. [01:05:00] FRANCOIS HOLLANDE, FRENCH PRESIDENT (through translation): The solution is to have a government of union in Syria and we know Bashar al-Assad cannot be the future. Therefore, this seems to be the good formula and we have to act so all countries can find the political solution in Syria as well as strike Daesh.

FOSTER: The U.S. led coalition has been bombing ISIS for more than a year. Russia joined the conflict in recent months but U.S. officials contend that Russians have mainly being challenging opponents of his ally President Bashar al-Assad not ISIS.

Obama says Putin needs to make a fundamental shift in his support for the Syrian president before joined action can be considered.

BARACK OBAMA, U.S. PRESIDENT: The question on this point is whether they can make the strategic adjustment that allows them to be effective partners with us and the other 65 countries who are already part of the counter-ISIL campaign. And we don't know that yet.

FOSTER: Some analysts say there is potential for cooperation.

JULIEN THERON, POLITICAL SCIENTIST, UNIVERSITY OF PARIS: To limited perhaps a military intelligence sharing maybe about to come on, on operations on certain targets but perhaps not more than that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: So effectively, Hollande is trying to do for Putin and for Obama is getting to put their strategic differences aside in what in some sort of practical way on the ground tackling ISIS in Syria and Iraq, Isah.

SESAY: Max, sending to events there in Paris, you know, it is a city that typically welcomes millions of tourists every year to taken in the site, the extent has got to be that these attacks will impact those numbers.

FOSTER: Yeah, absolutely. There's a massive Christmas market along the Champs-Elysees at the Baymont. Normally be very, very busy indeed. And people just sort of walking up and down, not actually buying many things. I think there's a sense of -- until they had this remembrance so does on Friday not to get completely back to normal in a sense of going out and doing Christmas shopping, is something that feels inappropriate about at this time, that essentially just going out of buying essentials.

The Paris terror attacks certainly taking a heavy toll on the city's vital tourism industry, as well.

Here's our Senior International Correspondent, Jim Bittermann.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JIM BITTERMANN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: At the world famous Bristol hotel in Paris, the lobby has been unusually quiet, and with reason. DIDIER LE CALVEZ, CEO, LE BRISTOL HOTEL: Probably business went down 50 percent of this a week following the attacks. But that's to be expected and that's understandable.

BITTERMANN: Understandable, perhaps, because like Calvez has been through this before. He saw the cancellations come in immediately after the January attack of Charlie Hebdo. It took six months for business to come back to normal levels.

At other hotels, the story is the same or worse. The tourists have been voting with their feet.

BOUNNI, SURGEON: I was disappointed and I can tell you that half of the room was empty.

ONEAL BULLAH, MUSICIAN: I'm coming from Germany, and a lot of people have canceled their tickets and having there of traveling to Paris this moment.

BITTERMANN: Across Paris, the story is much the same. The restaurant association says business is off by nearly 40 percent. Caterers say they've lost 80 percent of their business as events have been canceled.

In France, those numbers are especially important. Seven percent of the nation gross domestic product comes from travel and tourism. Hundreds of thousands of jobs are involved.

Over to Paris, tourist office, it's not so much the present as the future that raises concern.

NICHOLAS LEFEBVRE, DIRECTOR, PARIS TOURISM OOFICE: What is important is what will come for Christmas and New Year's Eve, which is very important for the tourism industry in Paris.

BITTERMANN: The government is keenly aware what a huge hit the tourist sector has and will take from the attack and called together the industry's representatives to listen to their woes and see what can be done especially in the way of reassuring the communication strategy.

MATHIAS FEID, DEPUTY TOURISM MINISTER, FRANCE: For those who are in doubt right now I want to say that they're most welcome here and more than ever we will be glad to host them. Everything is done for their security here.

BITTERMANN: France is arguably the top travel destination in the world. Some tourists will no doubt visit Paris no matter what. But the reality is that after two major tourist attacks this year, the French travel industry is in somewhat fragile shape. Anything further that makes tourists jittery could have a devastating economic effect.

Jim Bittermann, CNN, Paris.

(END VIDEO CLIP) FOSTER: ISIS still ongoing investigation of course with the Abdelsalam still on the run and there's a suspicion that he must be -- must have some help from people hiding him over there in Brussels if he is in Brussels and that's the ongoing concern. It's still not over yet but it's a great city, Isha, as you know.

SESAY: Yeah. Yeah, it is indeed a beautiful city.

Max Foster joining us there from Paris, way it is approaching 10 minutes past 7:00 on the Tuesday morning. Thank you so much, Max, thank you.

[01:10:00] Well, Belgium authorities have charged the suspect in connection with the Paris attacks. Prosecutors also say 15 people who are detained had been released.

Meanwhile, Brussels will stay at the highest terror alert level until on this Monday and Belgian's prime minister says Wednesday will be the earliest day (ph) schools in the metro will open in Brussels.

CNN International correspondent Frederik Pleitgen is live in Brussels with the very latest.

So Fred, set the scene for us, how are people there in Brussels coping with what effectively a city lock down?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, REPORTER: Well, it's very difficult for them, Isha. And I'm sort of seeing out the window was on the streets earlier today. And there are some people who already going to work. It is obviously still very early here in Brussels as well, 7:00 A.M.

The only people at this point in time almost that you see on the streets are soldiers and police officers who have obviously patrolling, been patrolling the place throughout the entire night. Other than that, there really aren't that many people out. And that's the heavy toll that is taken on a lot of people.

There are many businesses that are shut down and as many people who are not going to work at all. They're sort of going to work for a couple of minutes, picking up their work laptop and they're going back home to work from there. The city as you've said is in effect on lock down. And I want to show you how that unfolded.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

The E.U.'s administrative capital under a de facto state of lock down, cops and soldiers, patrols through empty streets as the subway systems, schools and many shops remain shut because of the terror alert. Many parents keeping their children indoors.

We're trying to go out just in the mornings and do the shopping in the mornings. And after that, after the night arrives we will just stay at home.

Belgium's authorities continue to conduct raids, hoping to catch Salah Abdeslam, believed to have fled here after participating in the Paris attacks. But authorities are also trying to foil what the government believes could be an imminent terror plot.

Many businesses owners are shutting down, heeding the government's advice to prevent larger gatherings of people which could be vulnerable to attack.

The police and the military certainly are making their presence felt here on the streets of Belgium's capital. There are military vehicles patrolling the area and also soldiers on the ground standing guard especially in places that are highly frequented by tourists.

Management of the AB concert hall has decided to cancel all shows for the entire week, also because a music hall was one of the venues hit by terrorists in the Paris attacks, the man in charge says.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We don't take any risks, not for the public, not for the people work here, be enough for the officers themselves.

PLEITGEN: Soldiers on the streets of a European capital, unthinkable for most only a weeks ago, but now a harsh reality for the residences of Brussels who are carrying on as best they can, hoping the scare will end soon.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Right there, at least, Isha, they have some more information as to when the scare might actually end as the government here saying that the level 4 terror threat will be in effect, until at least that next Monday. And also that they're going to try and start reopening the subway system as well as some of the schools come Wednesday. Of course, all of that depending on what the next couple of days are going to bring on the security front, as well.

SESAY: Yeah, Fred. And to that point, do Belgian authorities have any leads in the hunts for Salah Abdeslam, or for what they have said is potentially another group of individuals looking to carry out Paris style attacks there in Belgium?

PLEITGEN: Well, you know, it looks like they have a very little at this point in time. And if you watched the press conference by the Belgium prime minister last night, he said that the threat is still imminent. They believed that there could be attacks similar to the ones in Paris. But they still really don't seem to have nailed down where those attacks could come from though.

Now, of course, one of the places that they're searching if anybody who has anything to do with Salah Abdeslam. If we look at the 21 people who were taken into custody over the past a couple of days, all of them were either relatives or friends of Salah Abdeslam as we've noted. At least one of those people has now been charged to four crimes in relation to the Paris terror attacks.

So, certainly, those are the areas that they're looking in but it still seamless though, they have not nailed down where exactly such attacks could come from. Could they come from direct associates of Abdeslam? Could there be other selves (ph) operation here in this country? Certainly, they do believe that it would be impossible for him to remain on the run for such an extended period of time without having some sort of support network in place most probably here in Belgium.

And if we look at what the government here has said with the federal prosecutor has said is they believed that he might be somewhere here in the Brussels area. However, all the raids that we've seen so far here in Brussels and the Molenbeek area, in other area in Brussels as well have not yielded at any sort of indication that they might have him.

[01:15:02] SESAY: Very worrying, indeed. Frederik Pleitgen joining us there from Brussels, Belgium. Fred, always appreciate it. Thank you.

Now, the U.S. state department had issued a worldwide travel alert for Americans. They had calls on U.S. citizens to be vigilant in public places and when using transportation. It cites possible attacks from ISIS, al-Qaeda, Boko Haram or terrorist acting alone.

Americans are also should prepared for additional security screenings and unexpected disruptions. The alert will expire in 90 days on February the 24th, 2016.

Well, France, carry through with its promise to intensify strikes with ISIS, the latest weapon in the French arsenal ahead.

Plus, Pope Francis is getting ready to make his first visit to Africa and security is being tightened in the aftermath of the Paris attacks. Do stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SESAY: Iran's supreme leader says U.S. policy in the Middle East is a threat to Iran and Russia. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made the comments in a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Tehran.

[01:20:00] According to Inter-Facts, a Kremlin spokesman said, "The leaders agreed international powers should not impose their political agendas on Syria". Iran state-run media reported, Mr. Putin will finalize $40 billion economic agreement with the Iran during this visit.

Well, France conducted its first air strikes against ISIS in Syria from the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, Monday. The carrier deployed to the east in Mediterranean after the Paris attacks.

The French defense ministry says four aircraft hit ISIS targets in Ramadi and Mosul. Ian Lee joined us now from Cairo with more details in. What can you tell us about these French strike? Do we know what was targeted?

IAN LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Isha, France has really ramped up the number of air strikes. The arrival of the Charles de Gaulle in the eastern Mediterranean almost triples the number of aircraft that they have, a total of now 38 that can be used in these air strikes. Now, we're hearing their targeting is the headquarters, the recruiting

centers as well as training facilities of ISIS. And now they are hitting targets not only in Syria but also in Iraq, with Ramadi, with Mosul and as well as Raqqa being targeted at. They're getting their target list from intelligence that is being intercepted by not only France as well as the United States helping determine what targets to hit.

SESAY: And Ian, we're also getting new details about two significant U.S. strikes in Syria. Tell us what we know.

LEE: Well, these strikes are targeting ISIS' infrastructure. We're trying to degrade the way that they acquire revenue. And what we're hearing is that -- these two strikes hit at 238 trucks. We're hearing that these were oil tankers. And ISIS gets about 50 percent of its revenue from selling oil.

And so that's been one of the main targets, not only of the United States and as well as their coalition partners but also Russia. Russia reporting that in the past five days that they hit a thousand oil tankers belonging to ISIS, as well as hitting ISIS oil-producing facilities, really trying to make it so this terror group cannot fund itself and pay its people, really trying to hit it in the pocketbook.

But it also shows how this coalition, these strikes against ISIS is broadening. You have now Russia, Europe, the United States, their coalition. France, as well as the United Kingdom, prime minister David Cameron on Thursday is going to go in front of parliament and try to talk, try to persuade them to start striking ISIS in Iraq and Syria, as well.

SESAY: Ian, the fight against ISIS only intensifying. And in fact, we turn our attention to a developing story, word of two bombs exploding outside a hotel there in Egypt in the area called al-Arish. Tell us what we know.

LEE: Well this is in the northern part of Sinai. It is the major city in the north. Two, what we're hearing, car bombs blowing up, this according to state media. Targeting judges in that town, we're hearing one person was killed in that strike yesterday.

There was also an attack against police officers. One person killed. This was carried out against ISIS and this comes as Egypt also tries to carry out a parliamentary election yesterday. It concluded judges were in town to oversee to the polling stations. ISIS find to disrupt that. They have targeted candidates running in the northern part of Sinai as well in that path.

But these sorts of attacks happen almost on a daily basis. ISIS has killed hundreds of people in the northern Sinai, including soldiers, police officers as well as civilians.

SESAY: Ian Lee joining us from Cairo, Egypt. We appreciate the reporting, thank you.

Now, Pope Francis is getting ready for his first trip to Africa. The terror attacks in Paris means security is heightened to the Pope's visit which begins on Wednesday. Pope Francis' visit to the continent will include stops in Kenya, Uganda and the war torn Central African Republic.

For more, let's bring in our CNN contributor Barbie Nadeau who's joined us now live from Rome.

Barbie, talk to us about how these recent ISIS attacks, ISIS threats against the Vatican for that matter, impacting the pope's trip to Africa.

BARBIE NADEAU, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, it would seem they're not impacting the pope's trip at all even though he has been warned that this is a particularly dangerous moment to be making such an historic voyage. The Vatican security says they have faith in the African security even though French authorities have warned that this is quite dangerous.

It's important to remember that the pope doesn't travel alone. He's got with him an entourage of journalist, of diplomats from the Vatican and others.

[01:25:02] And he's collecting as he goes to these places in Africa with large crowds of people. And the authorities are quite worried and concerned that that's where the threat really lies in these crowds of Catholics and Christians who come to see the pope in areas that may not be secure.

But the Vatican says, they trust the security measures that are put in place by the authorities in Africa. And they are, it should be said, they're sending their own security detail ahead of time and they have almost doubled the pope's security ahead of this trip, Isha.

SESAY: Barbie, the challenge here with Pope Francis when he'd made these foreign trips is that, he tends to do his own thing when there are large crowds. Tends to, kind of, you know, I guess, do things that security wouldn't really approval.

The question is whether that will happen again while he's in Africa? That's got to be the concern.

NADEAU: Well, I think that we can be rest assured that Pope Francis will do his own thing. He refuses to wear a bullet-proof vest, for example, as he spokes and said, "What's the point of that when he's traveling in an open air vehicle?" He refuses to stand and meet his followers behind bullet-proof glass.

He has the ultimate faith in God, I guess, you can say. And he trusted everything will be OK or everything will turn out the way it's supposed to. But he doesn't want anything between him and his followers. And I think we'll going to see that in Africa.

This is his first visit. And he's going to very sensitive areas, areas where there have been conflicts in the past. But he doesn't seem to take much -- pretty much attention to the security warnings. Instead, he's going to do it the Pope Francis way. SESAY: Yes, he's going to do it the way he wants to. Barbie Nadeau joining us there from Rome with some important perspective, Barbie, thank you.

NADEAU: Thank you.

SESAY: And this just into us here at CNN Newsroom.

South Korea's national intelligence believes North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has sent his presumed number two into exile. Members of the intelligence service told parliament they think the man was sent to a farm earlier this month for re-education. The reason for his expulsion isn't known, but it could be that he differences of opinion with Kim Jong-un.

Another theory is that, he was vanished over the collapse of a power plant last month. The story will continue to keep an eye on for you.

Well, one of the worst days in U.S history is that the center of a questionable claim by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, that story after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:30:00]

SESAY: You are watching CNN Newsroom live from Los Angeles. I'm Isha Sesay, the headlines this hour.

Investigations in Paris are analyzing a possible suicide vest found in a garbage can. They have not said if the vest is related to the November 13th terror attacks.

Officials are also looking at a cellphone recovered near the Bataclan concert venue. They say that encrypted applications and possible clues about the terrorist preparations for the attacks.

Belgian authorities have charged a suspect in connection with the Paris attacks. A total of 21 people have been arrested in raids since Sunday including five new arrests on Monday. Brussels will stay at the highest terror alert level until at least Monday.

France has launched its first air strikes into Syria from the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle. The carrier deployed to the Eastern Mediterranean after the Paris attacks. The French defense ministry says that aircraft hit ISIS targets in Ramadi and Mosul.

U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is calling for surveillance on some mosques and watch lists to the Syrian refugees after the Paris attacks. And now, he is also getting attention for making questionable claims after 9/11.

CNN's Sara Murray has the details.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SARA MURRAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In the wake of the Paris terrorist attacks, Donald Trump is sharpening his anti-terror rhetoric, with some of those salvos now coming under intense scrutiny. Trump, contends he saw thousands of people celebrating in New Jersey after the 9/11 attacks.

DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: the other night, I watched in Jersey City, New Jersey where thousands and thousands of people were cheering as that building was coming down.

MURRAY: Standing by his claim, even as news organizations and government leaders call it false.

TRUMP: You know, the police say that didn't happen.

There were people that were cheering in the other side of New Jersey where you have large Arab populations. They were cheering as the World Trade Center came down.

MURRAY: And tonight, Trump is not backing down, pointing to this sentence in a Washington Post story published a week after the 9/11 attacks as proof of his claims. The paper said law enforcement had detained people allegedly seen cheering on rooftops in Jersey City.

Today, that city's mayor said the reports were unfounded. CNN has found no evidence of arrests or video showing Muslims cheering. Still, despite that lack of evidence today Trump's main rival, Dr. Ben Carson said he saw the same thing.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did you see that happening, though, on 9/11?

BEN CARSON, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I saw there's a film of it in New Jersey, yeah.

MURRAY: Trump also talking tougher when it comes to the treatment of suspected terrorists.

TRUMP: They don't use waterboarding over there, they use chopping off people's heads.

MURRAY: Calling Sunday for reinstating waterboarding as an interrogation tactic.

TRUMP: I think waterboarding is peanuts compared to what they do to us.

MURRAY: Now, in the hours after making the statement, Dr. Ben Carson, his backed away from his previous comments. He said he does remember seeing footage of people protesting in the wake of 9/11 but it was not in New Jersey, it was in the Middle East.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump at his event in Columbus, Ohio, did not back down from his comments, once again reaffirming that he believe that he saw people protesting 9/11 in New Jersey.

Sara Murray, CNN, Columbus, Ohio. (END VIDEO CLIP)

SESAY: Ben Ferguson and Marc Lamont Hill, great to have you both on the show.

Ben, if I could start with you, how do you view these recent comments by several GOP presidential candidates, essentially calling Syrian refugees a potential threat to the U.S., and therefore to be kept out of the country?

BEN FERGUSON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I think they see that the safeguards needing to make sure they are absolutely, positively sure who the people are coming into this country and we see what happened and how this was exported by the terrorist in Paris.

So I don't think it is so much about the refugees as much that there's about making sure they were keeping out ISIS terrorists who are very willing to use any weakness in the system, especially refugee status to come and not only to this country but also other countries like Paris and Belgium by using that status to get in and gain access to that country.

[01:35:08] So I think the candidates want to make it clear. This is not about not liking refugees or not wanting to help refugees. They want to help them. They don't want to allow terrorists to come in and be able to do what they just did in Paris.

SESAY: And Marc, do you agree?

MARC LAMONT HILL, CNN POLITICAL CONTRIBUTOR: No, not at all. I don't think that -- Obviously, no one wants to let terrorists in the country. I don't think that's for debate. I think we've all agreed that terrorist don't belong in the country. We don't want them there.

I think too often now, we use the moment of terrorism or discourses of security as a pretext to not let people in, to play out also to xenophobia.

So in this case, despite the fact that we have a range of security checks, a range of departments from the State Department, Defense Department, Homeland Security. They all partake in the investigation of potential refugees. It's not an overnight process. Despite all of this we acted that people can just sort of join ISIS and stumble into the United States through a refugee process. I agree we could do more. I agree that we could have greater intelligence in Syria which would allow us to have greater insight to those coming over but we make sure that people are not terrorists before they come here. And we have to maintain our -- not just our status but also our practice of being the nation that let people in when they're vulnerable and desperate.

SESAY: And let me bring a statistic to our attention, to both of you gentlemen.

On Sunday night, I had Professor Brian Levin on the show. He is from the nonpartisan Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism. He made the point that since 9/11 this country has taken in about 784,000 refugees. And out of those there have been three individuals who are deemed to pose a threat.

So Ben, when you look at those numbers, when you just look at the raw data, the question has to be asked whether GOP candidates are actually just deliberately stoking fear just for political gain.

FERGUSON: Yeah, I don't think its stoking fear, and I think Paris is prove that it's not an issue certain fear. It's an issue of being cautious and using every precaution that we have to make sure that we learn from the mistakes and vulnerabilities of what we just saw in Paris.

I'm in a conservative state right now, Texas. The second-most Syrians -- have been coming into this state. So this state is very open to refugees, for example, but as the governor put it, "We have to look and learn from Paris and make sure that we see what vulnerabilities there are".

We also know from intelligence that ISIS has told individuals that under their leadership that you should exploit the refugee process to your advantage. That is what we've seen from intelligence on ISIS.

So when you see that there is a new way that terrorists are trying to gain access into this country and other countries, you have to change and adapt to that. And again, since -- if you look at the data that Syria has been and the people from Syria have been overwhelmingly welcomed in Texas. And again, conservative state, but when you see this you have to look at it and say, "Maybe we should at the toss but in here, maybe we need to change things and our intelligence and checking out these individuals. It's very hard to do in Syria right now because who are you going to call? And who are you going to ask? It's different than other countries?

HILL: The problem with that argument is that, it suggests somehow that our system is the same as Paris or France rather, and therefore we have to learn from the mistakes of Paris so that we don't replicate them. The problem is our systems of checks are far more intense than Paris than France is. It's far more than the Europe in general. So we already do more than Europe. The reason why we've had 784,000 refugees and almost no real terrorist is because we don't do what Europe does. So we don't have the same threat and vulnerabilities as Europe.

Again, we can always do more, no one argues that we can't have greater security check, greater threshold et cetera. But they can't stop us from being the nation that lets people in.

And let's not forget two things, one, it is our foreign policy in part that allows the kind of despotic regimes in Syria and the region that make people want to leave and abandon ISIS and abandon all of these other folk. And two, when we don't let people in, and we double down on the discourse of xenophobia and Islamophobia which is some people are doing, not all, but some people are doing, we actually produce more terrorism and produce more unrest. We radicalize people who now look at us as an enemy rather than safe haven. So it's in our best interest to do this.

SESAY: Ben, point to that.

FERGUSON: The former assistant FBI director came out yesterday and said -- that he said, "One of the biggest reasons he has red flags with Syria is, unlike other countries we have allowed refugees and there's been a checks and balance in a central person or group that we've been able to check with that individual or about that individual in that host country." We do not have that relationship in Syria. So at the very beginning he is saying it's flawed with Syria because we do not have anyone to check with over there.

HILL: I disagree with -- I mean, I agree that there is no central person, you're right, it's not like in Jordan, it's not like in...

FERGUSON: I mean, Assad is going to tell us who the terrorists are.

[01:40:00] SESAY: So let me ask you both. So this question that many around world are opposing which is not just to the United States but also to Europe, many take the stand off by not letting these people, many of whom are fleeing terror and atrocity into places of safe haven, the Europe, the United States is basically shirking a moral responsibility and also saying something about their own values, how do you respond to that, Ben?

FERGUSON: Yeah. I disagree. And here's why, you don't have to, by not allowing them in the country doesn't mean you don't help them at all. I think we need to put more pressure on our allies and more pressure on other countries that are centrally located where these refugees are and help them.

We are more than willing to help the refugees that this is not an either or, either we're going to help them by allowing them to come here. We're not going to help them at all. There are other ways that you can help these refugees without taking them half way around the world. And that part of the equation seems to somehow completely alluded this conversation. There are other ways and options to setup safe places for these refugees in this part of the world.

HILL: Well, I think -- real quickly.

SESAY: Let Marc jump in quickly, he said...

HILL: Real quick. Taking people half way across the world when you're in an area of extreme crisis and trauma actually isn't a bad thing, it's a good thing. Most people, who are fighting, who are running from (inaudible) or Assad regime or the ISIS, are very happy to be across the world.

The other things here is that, other countries are doing their part in the regime. Lebanon has about 1.4 billion. Turkey has about 1.9 million, even Iraq has Syrian refugees. We see them -- and even Egypt has Syrian refugees. So the immediate area does do that, the question is what role are we going to play?

Even Paris itself which is a victim of this awful tragedy is willing to take 30,000 more. So if they're willing to take 30,000 after the crisis it seems to me that we have a moral, and political, and tactical responsibility to do the same.

SESAY: Ben Ferguson and Marc Lamont Hill great discussion. Thank you to you both. Thank you so much.

HILL: Thank you for having us.

FERGUSON: Thank you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SESAY: A great conversation there.

A plea for information and an increase in patrols in Mali as a state of emergency takes hold, details ahead.

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[01:45:00]

SESAY: Hello, everyone. Scientists are trying to stamp out malaria with the help of the insect that spreads it.

Biologist at the University of California, Irvine has created a mutative bread of mosquito. It has genes that make it resistant to malaria so it can't spread the disease to people.

Additionally, when a male mosquito with this resistant gene mates with a non-engineered female, researchers say 99.5 percent of their offspring will also be resistant to malaria. That could help stop the disease which kills more than half a million people every year.

While Mali's government is asking anyone with the information on the name gunman in Friday to hotel attack to come forward, state-run television showed images of the men. Mali is in a ten-day state of emergency.

Our own David McKenzie has details on the latest security measures.

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DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: At a base in Bamako, a French commander readies his men.

(FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

MCKENZIE: Monbelli-Valliore telling his U.N. police force.

"On the day of the attack he helped rescue people from the Radisson. Tonight, you will keep Malians safe".

This is the capital on the edge with the U.N. police joining the Malian forces.

What's happening tonight? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tonight, we carry out patrols with policemen.

MCKENZIE: The joint patrols are a request from the Malian government just days after an eight-hour siege in the country's most prominent western hotel, al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and another Jihadi group claiming responsibility for the killing of at least 20 civilians.

The forensic investigated have marked of the individual bullet holes in the wall. Many of the people killed were here in the lobby section of the hotel tragically as they tried to get away to the service elevator. And also, further up on the fourth floor other hostages were killed.

The United Nations has been pushing for joint patrols in the capital for years but politically it was perhaps too sensitive for Malian politicians, but not now, not after the attack.

Hundred personnel carries right in the heart of Bamako, the capital. The U.N. is used to patrolling in the north of the country at the frontline of the jihadi threat but now the threat has come here.

They're chasing possible leads but tonight it was so (inaudible). Random checkpoints on a road just outside the city come up with very little.

For years, terror struck in Mali's remote interior, now the capital no longer a shelter. The sense is it's time to act differently.

David McKenzie, CNN, Bamako, Mali.

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SESAY: Now, a sense of humor is overtaking a sense of fear in Brussels. We'll tell you why Belgians are responding to the country's terror alert with cats.

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[01:50:00]

SESAY: The family of a teenager who was arrested when his homemade clock was mistaken for a bomb is suing his former city and school for $15 million.

Ahmed Mohamed was detained by police and suspended from school in Texas in September. His case stirred outrage on social media.

President Obama invited Mohamed to the White House and a school in Qatar offered him a scholarship.

The family's attorney said the teen suffered severe psychological trauma and his reputation is permanently scarred.

Well, three in Muslim comics want the world to know that not all Muslims are the same. The Pakistani men are using their comedy in the hopes of preventing any kind of backlash against Muslim.

The comedians also say Muslim should not have to apologize for the terrorism when they're victims of it as well. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As you all may know, on the 13th of November, the French capital saw barbaric act of terror.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And we like you to know that we're just as shocked and horrified as everyone as around the world.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And were constantly praying for your safety and security.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We actually are one of the few nations who completely understand what you guys are going through.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why? Because incidents like these are really common in Pakistan. In fact, less than a year ago a school in Peshawar was attacked, where more than 130 children were brutally killed but we are not going to be apologetic about it. In here is why? We cannot possibly be held responsible for the actions of a few deranged individuals who somehow claim to be like us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SESAY: Well, this video has gone viral with more than 700 million views and over a 150,000 shares online.

Now, Belgian's capital remains under the highest terror alert. Over the weekend, the police asked residence not to tweet about their operation. Rather than giving into fear, some Belgians took a lighter approach. Lynda Kinkade reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LYNDA KINKADE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: With Brussels under lock down authorities warned the public not to share any information about the terror raids, fearing it may tip off the suspects.

The response by many people was perfect. Confuse them with cat picture. A sense of humor overtook a sense of fear. Some defiant, yet whimsy using the hash tag Brussels lock down, Twitter was overrun with cats, the occasional dog, but mostly cats.

This tweet certainly did not let the cat out of the bag or give away any legitimate intelligence about police movements. You can't keep hiding. Lore Vonckosh (ph), "Day 12, they still think I'm a Husky".

Here, we see the feline version of the Brussels lock down crisis center. Matteo Albania wrote, residents told to stay away from windows. Not sure they got the message.

Hiding in a suitcase, this cat asked, is it safe to come out yet?

[01:55:00] While (hold) the cats took to the skies others took to the rooftops, snappy cats on patrol.

Even the media got involved, feline fever at its best. (Inaudible) warned they're getting close, stay low and don't panic. Followed by, they got him.

The humor was not lost on the Belgian police who Twitted a big bowl of cat food for the cats who helped us yesterday. The message is clear, "Keep calm and tweet a cat".

Lynda Kinkade, CNN.

SESAY: Cats take over Twitter. Well, you're watching CNN Newsroom live from Los Angeles. I'm Isha Sesay. For our viewers in the U.S "Amanpour" is next.

Everyone else, the news continues with Rosemary Church and Errol Barnett, right after this.

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