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Explosions at Brussels Airport & Metro Station. Aired 6-6:30a ET

Aired March 22, 2016 - 06:00   ET

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

[06:00:02] NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: ... now appears calm. That wasn't the case an hour or so ago. Eyewitnesses described some horrifying scenes, broken glass, people stretchered out past them and two explosions. Other local media reporting they had gunfire, an exchange of words in Arabic. We're working to pin that down. But what we do know from authorities at this point is two explosions in the airports, explosions at a central train station, that's Maalbeek train station near European Commission.

The subway station, the highway underpasses and the airport there all on lockdown, Brussels is on lockdown. Belgium P.M has asked all residence to stay indoors. They lifted that terror treat to four. This is only the second time since the Second World War that this has happened. The first was in the immediate aftermath of the Paris terror attacks. What that means is that the Belgian authorities can deploy soldiers onto the streets. We're going to see very similar scenes to what we saw after the Paris terror attack, when we saw those really haunting images of empty Brussel street, soldiers and people really confused and fearful, Alisyn.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Nima, do they think that the people responsible, the terrorists have been accounted for? Did they blow themselves up, or are they still looking for people?

ELBAGIR: They are being very scanned (ph) with the details they're giving. They asked for people's understanding. That at this point in time that they believe, that it was a suicide attack but they don't want to go into any more details to try to get grasp on the investigation.

But this of course comes just three day after the Belgium prime minister on Sunday when that they believed that there was a new network that had grown up around Salah Abdelsalam that was planning or trying it out attack here on Belgium. And we must stress we have not receive confirmation for any authorities as to who took part in these attacks as to who they believe was responsible for it. But they have been warning for days now that the capture of Salah Abdeslam was not the end of the security situation here and that were many more dangerous men still being sought, Alisyn.

CAMEROTA: Nima, we are looking at the aftermath of the attacks, all the crowed shot there in the airport that shows chaos and people on their cell phones. Can you understand where this happened? Is this right at the entrance point of the airport, or was it further inside for its security?

ELBAGIR: This was inside the departure hole. So this was -- when you arrive at Brussels airport, you go through with your luggage into the departure hole. It's only after you check in that you go through security. Although a lot the of people we have been speaking to inside the airport say there was a sense of heightened security. That around them they felt there was great number of officers and it was much more tight than they had been used to in the past.

So for the last few days obviously this is a country that has been reappraising its alert levels. It had been a three for a while. But authorities have been saying that they are watching very closely to see if it would need to be pushed up. And many of those eyewitnesses we were speaking said that was very much reflected in what they were they are being subjected to as they were coming in. There was very much a sense of watchfulness. So this was before they had crossed through the security checkpoints that these explosions were detonated.

CAMEROTA: And yet Nima, of course the watchfulness couldn't stop this. You know, this is here in live that we've hearing the United States at airports, is that before you get to that x-ray, the magnetometer your lose in the airport and hard to know who might have a weapon on that. We saw this similar attack at LAX. So, in other word there were more security but there was not much that they could do.

ELBAGIR: I just want to give you some breaking news that just come in to us now. The prosecutor has now confirmed that this was a suicide attack, Alisyn. We now have that confirmation. This was a suicide attack at Brussels airport.

And just going back to the point that you were making a little earlier. Yes, you know, there have been criticisms. It is very difficult to levy these criticisms immediately after an attack when people are so heartbroken. But there have been criticism for some time about the Belgium authorities handling not just of the search for Salah Abdeslam who was found just a street away from his childhood home in the neighborhood where the search initially had started for him in those days and hours just after the Paris attack. But even prior to this, intelligence agencies across Europe and in the U.S. have had a lot of concerns about the Belgian authorities handling of their home grown jihadi problem, and the broader security tightening not just an airports but train stations and other connection points.

[06:05:14] Belgium is the capital of Europe. This is where NATO is, this is where the European commission is, this is where -- everyone who comes to do business with Europe comes. So this has been a real source of concern for authorities. And that's going to be unpicked and looked over. I'm sure in the days and weeks to come. But now we know that this was a suicide attack that was carried out here this morning at rush hour, Alisyn.

CAMEROTA: And Nima, a couple more questions about that breaking news that you just reporting. We understand that the prosecutor used term coordinated terror attack referring to the attacks that happen simultaneously at the metro station and the Brussels airport. Do they believe there were three? That the fact that it was suicide bomber, does that mean that were three of them, do you know?

ELBAGIR: No. They haven't given us any figures yet, because in addition to -- when they give out these figures, usually they're talking about the immediate attackers. But they will be looking at the broader networks. Who dropped them off? Who was part of the organization, who harbored them. These are the questions that the authority is going to be looking to answer right now. Because those are the people who will still be out there that broader network.

The focus isn't now on those you know have taken themselves out of the running as an immediate risk. That suicide bomber has eliminated himself from your thinking by no longer posing (ph) a threat as of now. It's the broader network that are out there so you will going to be concerned about. And that's going to be uppermost in the prosecutor's thoughts. But our understanding is that they believe it was a complex attack. So that would involve multiple individuals, multiple locations, Alisyn.

CAMEROTA: And Nima, we understand it's coming from the office of the king's prosecutor as it is referred to Belgium. They made the assessment this was in fact a suicide bomber. Had they drawn a connection Nima between what happened today and the arrest of Abdeslam? Do they think that this was a trigger of some kind the arrest?

ELBAGIR: Well, the working theory that has been causing them concern in the days since the arrest of Abdeslam is that when you shake the hornet's nest what's going to come out, that's been the worry. And we've have seen in the past that when arrest like this, and the concern about what might come to life tend to fast forward anything plan these network have been place. And that's what the foreign minister was saying on Sunday that is really been their biggest fear is that those within that network that was plotting a new attack.

So we're talking about two separate networks at least at this point. They were concerned about the conspirators within the Paris attack plot and their network and they also concern about what they were describing as this new network that had built up around Salah Abdeslam that was planning new attacks here. And their worry was with the capture of Salah Abdeslam that any plans could have been fast forwarded those within that network was concerned that they themselves would become targeted or their plans might be neutralized by authorities.

So that is the theory they are working on at the moment, to seek out the members of that broader network. But of course we have no confirmation of that. And the first our in moments after attacks like this so much is still fluid and authorities are looking to case up every single line of investigation they have, Alisyn.

CAMEROTAL: Nima, thank you for all the information. Please stand by. Obviously we'll come back to you as more details come out of the airport there.

But in the meantime, we want to get to Chris who is in Havana, Cuba. Chris. CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: All right. And a quick recap of the new information there. According to the authorities in Belgium, they are handling this as a terror situation. They are handling this as a coordinated suicide attack. Details will be coming out as the day continues. Right now they are dealing with the urgency. They have more than a dozen dead in one location. Close to a dozen in another and many, many more injured and that obviously the immediate concern. The pictures that you're looking at there is an emergent situation.

We're hearing about vehicles flying around trying to tend to those still very much in need. That's going to be going on at the same time as trying to figure out why this happened. There is no question that there is a real concern in Belgium and surrounding Europe about what may come next. This is a common thread.

So let's get to CNN Nick Robertson live in London with the latest. You have been working your sources. We are hearing the security situation in France also on alert there in London where you are on alert and of course everyone has known that Belgium has become a rat's nest for these types of concerns of terror networks Nic.

[06:10:05] NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What we have heard from British Prime Minister David Cameron. He says he is shocked and concerned. He threw (ph) airport here in the U.K has deployed additional police around the airport.

France, as you say, is on a higher level of awareness and readiness. It was a concerned and had been a concern going into the weekend. Once Salah Abdeslam was captured that several things could precipitate a reaction from ISIS, concern that other cells could be given up by him under interrogation.

If they had to act, they had to act quickly. The concern of course said ISIS might try some kind of revenge attack. We don't know that's the case this time. And the concern as well within the arrest of Salah Abdeslam going into the weekend on Friday, one of the premises that he was at earlier in the week detonating equipment was found there, which gave the impression that he was still at the core of planning and potential preparation, detonation equipment would be used -- would be necessary as part of a suicide vest.

We don't have further details from the Belgian authorities about what else they may have found in that apart, that they raided last Tuesday. But of course will have tipped the authorities off that the threat was real, that it was still active, this is what they have said "We know as well if we delve a little deeper into the history in Belgium of terror threats there that going back almost a decade now, Al Qaeda back then had plans to attack the metro system in Brussels. We've seen the threat level focused on the stations themselves. And the Belgium authorities' eyes we've seen that go up because they have enacted tougher security right after the Paris terror attacks.

So that the picture that emerges from Europe is one that the threat level in Belgium now at his highest across Europe steps are being taking to make sure that transport network here are safer and we've seen NATO that like the European parliament that has his head quarters in Brussels where the attack on the Metro System took place this morning.

The NATO headquarters, they have announced that they also have gone on to a higher security level, aware that there could be more attacks potentially coming, Chris.

CUOMO: All right. Nic broaden this discussion now, let's bring in Peter Bergen CNN National Security Analyst. We also want to bring in Philip Mudd CNN Counter-terrorism Analyst and former CIA counter- terrorism official. Paul Cruickshank, CNN terrorism analyst, Editor in Chief of the Terrorism Studies Journal CTC, Sentinel and Michael Weiss, CNN contributor and author of ISIS inside the army of terror.

Paul, let me start with you. Nobody better connected to the situation in Belgium. What are you understanding now about where they're taking this. The official word from the prosecutor there is that it is being investigated as terror. It seen as suicide attack, what else do we know?

PETER BERGEN, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Chris, the immediate concern is there could be more attacks in Brussels in the hours ahead. This was a coordinated gun and bomb attack in the heart of Europe at Brussels airport. There were shots fired. Cries of "Allahu Akbar" and then a suicide bombing.

Also some kind of explosion apparent bombing Maalbeek metro station that's right underneath the European parliament in Brussels. This is an attack on the heart of Europe. A concern obviously that this is connected to the terrorist Salah Abdeslam. He was arrested just on Friday at his long-term safe house in Brussels where he was hiding for quite some time.

They found an ISIS flag, they found Kalashnikov, they found ammunition, and they also found detonator indicating that some kind of plot was in the works. Whether other members part of that cell s still at large who accelerated plans once he was arrested to launch some kind of attack as the dragnet came down on the group in Brussels. That is certainly one working theory right now. The working theory will be that this is connected in some way to ISIS given what we have seen play out in Brussels over the last several weeks.

CAMEROTA: I want to bring in Michael Weiss. Michael, is there any reason to believe that it is not connected to ISIS? It seems to have some of the hallmarks that we have seen with their attacks.

MICHAEL WEISS, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Yeah, it certainly does. I mean, there's always a possibility it could be some other jihadi organization, you know, as Paul mentioned, the shouting of Allahu Akhbar indicates that probably it is Islamic in Nature. But I would -- I find it very unlikely that it would another group such as Al Qaeda. I mean, you know, Brussels we have seen is honeycombed with ISIS networks and sleeper agents.

What I found remarkable about this, even if it was so-called revenge for the capture of Salah Abdeslam, the planning and preparation for this will have taken months as a coordinated attacks. They had to get explosives ready. They had to surveil targets, scout the airport and the metro station.

[06:15:11] But what it shows is a remarkable degree of fluidity. I mean, they can go operational within the space of about 72 hours. And I think that's what got a Belgium counter-terrorism officials absolutely terrified. It shows by the way Abdeslam, remember, he was meant to explode his suicide belt in the Paris attack. And by all account he seems to have chicken out.

Now it seems he is cooperating with the Belgian authorities. Now ISIS will have got wind of that fact. And if they fear that whatever human intelligence he has about the active networks in Europe will be giving to European officials, they might have indeed as Paul mentioned accelerated any plan that they had for forthcoming terrorist operation.

MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: So Mudd let's bring you in and talk about the location of the bombing there at the airport. We understand it was at the departure area of the airport there. And we know that it was ahead of the security area. So again, no screening. The screening is done after that.

This is a real point of concern. Because you can't, as we talked about, you can't control who is coming into that area of an airport. The security happens afterwards before they get to the passenger boarding area.

PHILIP MUDD, CNN COUNTER-TERRORISM ANALYST: That's right. And there will be questions after this about how you secure facilities like, the facilities Al Qaeda use to try to attack, that is iconic transportation facilities, airports and trains.

I don't think that's the right question from a security perspective, in this case. The question is going to be the human hunt. How do you find the people who are responsible for this in Brussels but also in Syria? And how do you missed a major terror plot when you've been focusing on this cell for four months after Paris.

So there is going to be concerns about the departure round. But my concerns are different, who are the people who are responsible for this? For example the bomb maker and can you take him out in the next one, two, three days?

CUOMO: And Paul Cruickshank to get back to you and again you're profound understanding of the terror and intelligence work that's going on in Belgium, how that is being coordinated specifically by France. As you know, and I'm sure you were hearing just as I was, very soon after these attacks at 8:00 a.m. local time when they happened at the airport, the French were immediately frustrated, immediately worried how they had been raising their antenna, had they been asking more. This is about coordination of intelligence and how we are able to anticipate these attacks. How these keyed into his ongoing dynamic?

PAUL CRUICKSHANK, CNN TERRORIST ANALYST: Chris, ever since the Paris attack there is has been quite strong coordination between French and Belgian authorities. They have been working handling glove to understand the network behind the Paris attack and to take them into custody.

We have seen more than 10 arrests of some very significant figures in Belgium directly linked to the body including Salah Abdeslam. But this is such a huge challenge that the Belgium and the other European are experiencing right now. More than 6,000 European extremists have traveled to Syria and Iraq. Many of them joining ISIS. More than 1,500 are back in Europe. The numbers may be larger. They just do not have the resources to watch all of them all the time. They don't have the resources to keep Europe safe right now. That's just the bottom line.

Even if they tripled their budget they wouldn't have nearly enough of what they would need to monitor all these people. They are overstretched. The country like Belgium is a very small country with nothing like the resources of the United States, nothing like the technical resources and an organization like the FBI would have.

But yet, the challenge there is much larger, and much bigger threat than anything the United States is witnessing right now. At this hour, as Phil was alluding to, there is concern that a bomb maker may still be at large. It is possible his identity is Najim Laachraoui who was identified just yesterday by Belgium authorities as being one of the members of the Paris conspiracy still at large. His fingerprints were found at the bomb be factory in Brussels, suggesting it is possible that he had some role in building those device.

We know he is still at large. He played a very significant role in the attacks. Belgian authorities believe in Paris, coordinating them over the phone in real-time, in touch with the various teams in Paris that were attacking the stadium, the cafes, and also the Bataclan concert hall. He is still at large. And he may have been the bomb maker still able to produce these kinds of devices. And that of course is very worrying indeed.

CAMEROTA: I want to bring in Peter Bergen to build on all of that. Peter, just as we are listening to Paul talking about that there are may be a terrorist or more still at large as part of this cell.

[06:20:08] We are hearing from the French interior minister briefing right now. 1,600 additional police officers are being deployed in France to the borders and to transit hubs. Because obviously after what happened in the Paris terror attacks and "Charlie Hebdo", Paris believes if there's a coordinated attack, they, too, might be part of it. What do you understand?

BERGEN: Well, I think the key here Alisyn is the nature of explosives. And that is something that forensic experts can get too pretty quickly. If it turns out to be TATP, which is basically a hydrogen peroxide base bomb, but that links it very clearly to the Paris attacks, which were all hydrogen peroxide base.

These bombs are quite difficult to make. It's not something you can get off the internet and make yourself. You have to be trained. The ingredients are highly unstable, which is why people attempt not to use these except in case where they are trying to disguise the terrorist activities because they can buy hydrogen peroxide very easily from any kind of commercial wholesaler. But we saw these explosives used in the London 777 attacks in which 52 commuters were killed. We saw this in paris where 130 were killed. We have seen this repeatedly as kind of the signature of both Al Qaeda and of ISIS in attacks in Europe and attempted attacks even in the United States. We saw an American citizen try to attempt to blow up a hydrogen peroxide bomb in the Manhattan subway on the eighth anniversary of 9/11. Luckily he was arrested along with two other Americans citizens who were part of this plot.

So this is the signature of these groups. Al Qaeda first perfected this and it is now being sort of transferred to ISIS. And I think as soon as we can kind determine the nature of the explosives, that will be very helpful and understanding what the precise links to ISIS, Alisyn.

PEREIRA: I want to bring back in Nic Robertson. Nic, hopefully you're able to hear us, you know, these explosions come within days of the arrest of the most wanted man in Europe Salah Abdeslam who is wanted in a Paris Attacks. Couldn't these attacks sort of have been triggered by that arrest the apprehension of this man?

ROBERTSON: That obviously something, you know, counter-terrorism officials they're going to be looking at. He is a man with a track record. The Paris prosecutor had said that he was involved in procuring chemical and devices that could be used as detonators. That was in event to Paris attacks. The safe house that he was hiding out and detonators where found there. It raises the question of his level of involvement. Not just in the logistics side that has been well documented by french authorities now but in the bomb making those side things.

And of course what is going to cause concern now in retrospect, is the fact that, you know, the first hours of questioning, Saturday morning before Salah Abdeslam went before a Belgium judge to determine how much longer he should be held, Salah Abdeslam lawyer said that Salah Abdeslam was cooperating with the police.

Now, if that didn't ring a warning to his cellmates that they needed to move along whatever they were planning if they were planning something, or worse than that. If somehow this had been a pre-agree coded message of some description. Let's not forget. He had been in hiding four months. He had every opportunity to plan every angle of his potential arrest or potential next attack.

So getting a message out to his supporters would probably typically be the first thing on his mind rather than say, "Oh, now I've been arrested after four months of carefully being on the run and getting in shootouts with the police. Now I'm going to tell everything." There has to be now concern by authorities. Looking back on that in retrospect, determining the wiseness, if you will, of allowing any information alleged or other who have come from him subsequent arrest getting in the public domain. But it does have to be a point of concern or be it too late right now. But on analyst an useful information going forward.

CAMEROTA: Nic, thank you. Gentlemen, please standby we want bring in now Jef Versele. He was at the Brussels airport when the attacks happened. Jeff, can you hear me?

JEF VERSELE, WITNESS TO BELGIUM ATTACK: Yes, I can hear you.

CAMEROTA: Jeff, where were you when the explosions went off?

VERSELE: I was at the departure hole when the bomb went off, yeah.

CAMEROTA: So Jeff, you had not yet gone through security?

VERSELE: No, no. The security in Brussels is after you check in then you go to security.

CAMEROTA: And tell me what you saw and heard when the explosion when on?

[06:25:01] VERSELE: So in first I was not aware that it was a bomb yet. I have the idea that next happen in food corner something that -- immediately there was panicked so people were shouting and running around and shortly after that the second explosion was there which was in my eyes much more powerful than the first one, which blow out of windows and lot of smoke and there was some panic. So their ceiling (ph) was coming down. People where on the floor. People were injured. It was quite a mess.

CAMEROTA: Were you close enough to see or hear the attackers who police are saying were suicide bombers?

VERSELE: No. Because the departure hole is on the top floor and it happened I think two floors below us. And because where I was is because they have this staircase or the way where you have the elevators. And that's why the top floor was (inaudible) that heavily. That was one of the reason why I think we didn't sight anything off of the attackers not at all.

CAMEROTA: We understand it. At least 13 people were killed at the airport this morning. Can you tell us the scene of what you saw after the explosions?

VERSELE: I mean, I can believe that because on the floor where I was, a lot of people were on the floor. They were injured so it was quite have it (inaudible).

CAMEROTA: And how was it, Jeff, that you were not injured when you were in an area of so much carnage?

VERSELE: I think I was lucky. I was very lucky. I think I have a guardian angel somewhere. So I was very lucky.

CAMEROTA: Jeff, where were you heading and when was this -- do you have a sense of if a particular airline or area was targeted?

VERSELE: Yeah, I was -- no, no. I was heading to Rome so it's like (inaudible) in Europe and I was I think now to Rome so I was going to the second area and then it happens.

CAMEROTA: And then what happened afterwards? After the explosion when off, what was the scene in the airport.

VERSELE: People started to scream and running around. And it took like awhile when you saw security. And then you saw like the army came in. They were evacuating the whole building. So they forced us to go out as fast as we could so out of the building and to get to the parking lots. And then they were assembling people. And in the meantime you saw that there were evacuating the whole airport.

It just looked like one people understood that there was a bomb went off. So it was like, so saw on the airport there was regular activity like you always see with their activity but at a certain moment they suspect that they realizes it was (inaudible) and it looks like between the moment that the bomb went off and by the moment that the decoration started. I think should be about 10 to 15 minutes. Yeah, something like that.

CAMEROTA: And how quickly did you figure out that it was a terror attack?

VERSELE: No, you cannot believe it. It is so insane. You think not in my backyard. I travel so much. So I never had the feeling to be in an safe area. But now it is quite scary. Yeah, it was.

CAMEROTA: Yeah, were you traveling alone, Jeff?

VERSELE: Yes. I was traveling alone, yeah.

CAMEROTA: And then once you were evacuated. Once you made it to the parking garage, what happened? How did you get out?

VERSELE: I wanted to get out as fast as I could. I did not stay in the area. And my car was in front parking so, I was able to take my car and to drive out.

CAMEROTA: Of the people that you saw bloodied and injured, were people able to get them help? How quickly were you seeing emergency crews helping them?

VERSELE: I'm thinking 10 minutes a lot of member they arrived. So they quite fast, then you saw people who they were brought out one by one by a police, by the army, by the fire (ph) with department. So then it was quite fast and there seems to be quite well organized, yeah.

CAMEROTA: Jeff, you say that you travel all the time. Were you aware -- how conscious were you of Brussels being a danger area? I mean after the Paris attacks, we have heard so much about the spider web of investigation and all the potential terror cells in Brussels. Did you feel a heightened sense of concern when you traveled through that airport?

VERSELE: Never at all. I never (inaudible) because (inaudible) so much off that area, so I have the idea that is there's any danger whatsoever. But now, to be honest is getting quite close that's it and assault like that. Yeah, we all think like that then it's not travel anymore. I think we have to do the opposite to prove that we're not afraid of those who have on that. [06:30:02] CAMEROTA: We heard that same sentiment in Paris when we

were there after the attacks there at the Bataclan and elsewhere. Their people felt that they had to turn out in force and yet, you know, today I'm just reading the breaking news that not only is Paris deploying 1,600 more ...