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CNN NEWSROOM
Turkish Coup Exposes Rift bets Secularists and Islamists; France Mourns Attack Victims in Nice; A Look at Fethullah Gulen; Promenade in Nice Reopens; Behind the Scenes at the RNC. Aired 2-3a ET
Aired July 17, 2016 - 02:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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MAX FOSTER, CNN HOST: Welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world. It's 8:00 in the morning. I'm Max Foster in Nice.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST: And I'm Becky Anderson in Paris. And this is CNN NEWSROOM.
We are following two major stories this hour, the attack in Nice and the failed coup in Turkey. And that is where we begin. Turkey's president is blaming an Islamic cleric in the U.S. for Friday's coup attempt. He's asking the U.S. to arrest him or hand him over.
Meanwhile, supporters of the president celebrating the failed government overthrow; nearly 3,000 military personnel are being detained and 2,700 judges are now suspended since the attempted coup. It is just after 9:00 am in Turkey. CNN's Ian Lee joining us now from Istanbul -- Ian.
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IAN LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A bloody 24 hours of chaos and bloodshed in Turkey. It started with elements of the military declared it had taken control of the country and imposed martial law.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan appealed to his supporters on FaceTime to take to the streets and fight for democracy. They heeded that call. Social media showed protesters squaring off against tanks and armored vehicles.
Turkish forces loyal to Erdogan rushed the coup but not before isolated heavy fighting. Gunshots reported at the presidential complex in Ankara and helicopters reportedly opened fire at the national intelligence headquarters.
The coup's soldiers eventually abandoned their weapons.
FIKRI ISIK, TURKISH DEFENSE MINISTER (through translator): Right now, there's no place that is not under our control. At this point and at this time, there are no risk spots. There are no places that are not under our control. So, yes, the coup is blocked. LEE: Retribution has begun. At least 2,800 soldiers of various ranks have been arrested and 2,700 members of the judiciary removed. The prime minister vowing they will pay a heavy price.
LEE (voice-over): Now, public enemy number one, this man. Fethullah Gulen, an influential cleric in exile in the United States. Erdogan accuses him of being the puppet master of the attempted overthrow.
RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, TURKISH PRESIDENT (through translator): I call on the United States and President Barack Obama. Dear Mr. President, I told you this before, either arrest Fethullah Gulen or return him to Turkey.
LEE: Gulen denies responsibility, claiming anyone could have been behind it.
And in a rare show of unity, in a country where politics can be divisive and deadly, Turkey's various political parties united to denounce the coup. That unity, not likely to last. Opposition figures worry the coup gave Erdogan a gift, an excuse to consolidate power while galvanizing his supporters and cracking down on dissent.
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ANDERSON: Ian Lee joining us now from Istanbul.
And is it clear yet what the consequences of this failed coup might be, Ian, for the political system in Turkey and with Turkey's relations with others around the world?
LEE: That's right, Becky. We're hearing from opposition and analysts saying that now, after this coup has failed, that Erdogan is going to use it as an opportunity to go after any sort of political dissent, even if it isn't associated with the coup. Those people who he sees as adversaries, to crack down on them.
And that has made the opposition very worried. Now international community has expressed concern. First of all, they backed the democratically elected government of Erdogan. They were against the coup.
But also they said that now, after it's over, due process needs to take place, especially when it comes to Fethullah Gulen, saying that the evidence needs to be presented, at least as far as the United States is concerned, if action is going to be taken.
They want to see the evidence. They want the proof that he was behind this. Now Gulen has said anyone could have been behind it and he's denying responsibility.
But right now it is somewhat of a fragile situation after this coup --
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LEE: -- to see what Erdogan's going to do. We've already seen thousands of people arrested, 2,800 in the military, over 2,700 members of the judiciary and we heard that they're going to treat them harshly. So we're still waiting to see what else is going to develop after this.
ANDERSON: Ian Lee is in Istanbul for you. Thank you, Ian.
Even as the coup failed, its impact is being felt around the world. Cyril Vanier joins me now. He's an anchor and international correspondent for France 24.
Remind us who this U.S.-based cleric, Fethullah Gulen, is and why President Erdogan is so determined that he was behind this failed coup.
CYRIL VANIER, FRANCE 24: He's an imam; he's a preacher. He's somebody who has spent the last 50 years building up his influence in Turkey and worldwide, it has to be said. It's mostly through schools, his organization, the brotherhood, runs many schools in Turkey. About 100-plus schools in the U.S. by the way. So it's also worldwide.
He had a media empire; he helped the president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, come to power. This was more than a decade ago. But since then, he's fallen way out of favor.
That happened when some of his supporters accused Erdogan and his inner circle of being corrupt and accused them of corruption. And that's why since then, he's been put on a Turkish terror watch and President Erdogan now accusing him of being behind the coup.
ANDERSON: He lives in Pennsylvania. I mean, has done since 1999.
So how would he influence what is going on in Turkey today?
VANIER: Well, he's considered to have a lot of deep-seated support and longstanding support within several branches of the Turkish government, essentially the police and the judiciary. But it's noteworthy that he was not known for having deep support within the army.
It's also noteworthy that he has long spoken out against military rule and he's been, for a long time in favor of a civilian democracy.
ANDERSON: So I guess the question now is, how does this play out within the realm of U.S.-Turkish relations?
What -- because it's clearly a ratcheting up of tensions in Washington at the moment.
How significant is that?
VANIER: It is significant and it's a tricky calculus for the U.S. On the one hand, they want to support Turkey, important NATO ally, important ally in the fight against the Islamic State group, second army of NATO behind only the U.S.
The Incirlik airbase -- and to just take that one example -- is a very important staging ground for the U.S. operations, air operations in Iraq and Syria. They need Turkey on board, bottom line.
However, the U.S. obviously has to respect due process, has to respect the law and do not consider Fethullah Gulen a terrorist.
So how do they deal with this calculus?
What they've said so far is we'll help you but do provide evidence that he was in any way involved with this coup attempt.
ANDERSON: There are 1,500 troops based at Incirlik airbase in Turkey, U.S. troops. Anti-ISIS operations, of course, are run from there. Operations there have been halted. We heard yesterday the power was cut at one point.
Are those guys safe?
VANIER: I would say they're safe right now and Turkey has no interest in letting the U.S. think or believe in any way that there's any threat to the safety of American soldiers. I don't think that's in Ankara's interest.
And right now the fact those operations have been halted I would say is just collateral damage of a wider measure post-coup d'etat, which has been to close the Turkish airspace. So all military aircraft. So that's why a lot of American planes have been grounded because Turkish planes are also grounded.
Bear in mind, we're looking at a situation where, just 36 hours ago, Turkish planes were being used to bomb Turkish tanks in the capital.
ANDERSON: Thank you for the time being. Cyril will be with us throughout the morning for your analysis on what is a still very fluid story.
Let's get you back to Max for the time being and more from Nice.
FOSTER: Becky, France, a country in grief, trying to come to terms with yet another terror attack. The 84 people killed here in Nice on Thursday are being remembered in the first of three days of national mourning.
The promenade where the man has zigzagged a truck through crowds is being reopened. And the French government says it will active thousands of reserve cfcs to increase security and relieve the military.
And a phone number belonging to the attacker here in Nice came up with a separate investigation into an associate of a jihadist recruiter. A source tells CNN that authorities are now trying to determine what the connection was between the two men. Our Isa Soares has more on what we're learning about the man behind the Nice massacre.
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(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) ISA SOARES, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is the face of the man who brought terror to the streets of Nice. Mohamed Bouhlel, a young, mall-time criminal, who French authorities say was not known to have any links to terrorism.
BERNARD CAZENUEVE, FRENCH INTERIOR MINISTER (through translator): It seems that he became radicalized very quickly.
SOARES: ISIS has claimed the 31-year-old was one of their soldiers who heeded their call. But questions still remain as to whether he received a direct order by the terror group, or was simply inspired by their ideology.
Investigators are looking to answer that. They're digging deep into his life. Some neighbors in his apartment building describe him as a bit of a loner, quiet and even odd.
JASMINE CORMAN, SUSPECT'S NEIGHBOR (through translator): He never spoke. He didn't speak to anyone. He was always alone with his bike and he drank alcohol during Ramadan. I lived under a murderer.
SOARES (on camera): This is his apartment. As you can see here the door has been completely blown out. And if you look through the keyhole you can see the place has been thoroughly searched, cupboard doors open, drawers strewn to the floor.
SOARES (voice-over): From the outside, his life looked almost ordinary, a delivery driver with three children who according to one neighbor was never mean.
French media describe him as the man who loved bodybuilding and salsa dancing. But those closest to him paint a picture of a disturbed individual.
MOHAMED MONDHER LAHOUAIEJ BOUHLEL, SUSPECT'S FATHER (through translator): He was of a nervous disposition. He would become angry, he would shout and he would break everything that was in front of him.
SOARES: His unstable character didn't go unnoticed or unpunished with authorities coming face-to-face with him only two months ago.
JEAN-JACQUES URVOAS, FRENCH JUSTICE MINISTER (through translator): He was charged with armed assault. There was an altercation in a public road among two drivers and himself, which involved a wooden pallet which was thrown by him.
SOARES: Slowly a picture is emerging of Mohamed Bouhlel. It's up to authorities to determine now, whether his actions were driven by rage or radicalization -- Isa Soares, CNN, Nice, France.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FOSTER: We're going to bring in Melissa Bell. She's an international affairs editor with France 24. She joins us via Skype from Burgundy, in France. Melissa, this unstable person who is going through this relationship
trauma doesn't sound like the soldier that ISIS are describing in their statement.
MELISSA BELL, FRANCE 24: No. And yet, Max, specialists of ISIS communication do point out that there has never been, so far, an example of an opportunistic claim of responsibility.
There have been times of crashes and one example that's given in particularly crashes in the Egypt airplane between Paris and Cairo just a few weeks ago, when they could have claimed responsibility but didn't. So it hasn't happened so far.
Also they point out that it wasn't simply (INAUDIBLE) his act wasn't given credit or thanked or saluted (INAUDIBLE) referred to as a soldier. And that this suggests a tighter link than perhaps we imagined over the course of the last few weeks.
Now of course that is yet to be established. It has yet to be proven and clearly authorities have even this morning -- are even this morning continuing their questioning of the five people of his entourage, including his ex-wife, that remain in their custody.
And it is those interviews that are providing precious clues into his last few days with this, a new piece of information emerging, that, indeed, within the days before the 14th of July massacre on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, Mohamed Bouhlel did start to speak of his allegiance to the Islamic State group, his radicalization to his entourage.
We're also learning of course from the investigation a little bit more about what he actually was up to in those crucial days leading up to the 14th of July. Authorities are now -- sources close to the investigation now saying the authorities believe that on the 12th and 13th, he made trips to the Promenade des Anglais, where he spent some time watching the area, staking it out and looking at what would become the scene of his massacre just a couple of days later.
FOSTER: OK. Melissa Bell, back with you later. Thank you very much indeed.
Meanwhile, Friday's coup attempt in Turkey produced some tense moments for a CNN affiliate. What led soldiers to storm their building and take over their newsroom -- next.
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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ANDERSON (voice-over): A remarkable video of a fight back as Turkish soldiers storm a broadcast building in Istanbul. Police and civilians resist. The building houses CNN Turk. It briefly went off air. We'll have much more on that in a moment.
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ANDERSON: Of course that takeover of our affiliate came in the midst of an attempted coup in Turkey. And it didn't take long for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to blame this man, Fethullah Gulen, for it.
Gulen is an Islamic cleric. He is living in exile in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania . The cleric says he doesn't know anything about the coup and has gone so far as to accuse Mr. Erdogan of orchestrating it himself. For more now on those tense moments at CNN Turk in Istanbul on Friday, this video shows troops storming the building. The soldiers then seized the newsroom at gunpoint. Nobody was hurt. CNN's Gul Tuysuz now explains how it all played out.
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GUL TUYSUZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: As chaos unfolded across Turkey under occupation, an anchor for state broadcaster TRT reads a message from those attempting a coup. It declares martial law and a curfew, a curfew that will eventually fail after an appearance by the country's embattled president on CNN Turk.
In an unusual use of technology, Recep Tayyip Erdogan appears on an iPhone with a FaceTime connection held up by the CNN Turk anchor.
"Go to the streets and give them their answer," he urges.
"I'm coming to a square in Ankara."
Thousands of people took to the streets --
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TUYSUZ (voice-over): -- in solidarity with Erdogan. Chanting, "God is great," they stood up against the military and held the streets across the country.
And all throughout, CNN Turk stayed on air. But just as the soldiers occupying TRT were expelled, CNN Turk would be silenced by the coup attempt.
In a dramatic moment, a calm but visibly shaken CNN Turk anchor tells viewers, "I think you can hear me. A helicopter has landed on our building and soldiers have entered the area of our studio using force."
Twenty minutes later, a breaking news banner appears, CNN Turk broadcast being cut, followed by the anchor saying, "They are now in our control room. We tried our best," she says. And the channel cuts to a studio camera, showing the last remaining
employees clearing out. The signal of the empty studio would be up for roughly 40 minutes with muffled voices heard off camera.
Finally, commotion outside the studio. CNN Turk managers enter the studio. And nearly an hour after soldiers first took over their control room, the camera position changes and CNN Turk returns to air -- Gul Tuysuz, CNN, Atlanta.
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ANDERSON: Well, we will consider the significant consequence of the failed overthrown Turkey a little later this hour. First, let me get you back to the Southern French beach resort city of Nice, the scene of such carnage on Bastille Day -- Max.
FOSTER: Becky, people across France and in other nations have been paying tribute to the victims of the Bastille Day attack here in Nice.
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FOSTER (voice-over): This was the scene as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry laid flowers in Luxembourg in honor of those killed in Thursday's attack. Saturday marked the start of three days of official mourning in France.
Doctors are trying to save some of the youngest victims still. They were wounded in the massacre here in Nice. Medical officials say they have treated hundreds of injured people in several hospitals. They say about a third of them are children under the age of 5. About 2 dozen people are still on life support, including five children.
Families are seeking guidance for so many children who survived but who now carry on memories of the attack. I spoke with Juliette Meadel. She's the French secretary of state for victim support and she described the social assistance in place at the Maison des Victimes.
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JULIETTE MEADEL, MAISON DES VICTIMS: You have a first room, where there are some games for children. And they are waiting with their parents the moment when they're going to meet a psychologist.
And after that, they have a kind of meeting with the psychologist. And it helps parents to give some advice to help children to sleep because the problem is that, after this kind of attack, terrorist attack, children are totally traumatized. So they can't sleep. And it's a very difficult thing for families.
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FOSTER: With us, Geoff Donovan, he's an Australian tourist who saw the attack from the balcony of your hotel. You were on the street level before the truck came through, I
understand.
GEOFF DONOVAN, ATTACK WITNESS: Yes, we were on the street level where the fireworks had finished at the front of our hotel. There was a small temporary stall there, I think selling candy or selling souvenirs. I was going to go to the store. My wife said I feel uneasy here. I don't feel safe here. There's too many people.
That was our plan when we came to France, to avoid crowds. So we went straight to our room. Two minutes later, I was on the balcony, looking down. I saw the van came along. I saw it on the road. I saw it enter the promenade and I directly, where all the children around the temporary stall, knew it was a terrorist attack straight away.
I saw it mow all the children down and I saw him continue down the road, zigzagging, hitting as many as people as he could. I didn't see the confrontation at the end with police. I didn't hear the gunshots because there were too many screams, pandemonium, people running everywhere.
FOSTER: How fast was it going?
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DONOVAN: In miles per hour?
FOSTER: Well, no, just give us a sense of the speed of the event.
DONOVAN: Ah, the speed of the event was very quick. Very quick. The speed of the lorry, he just sped up to hit this store. He got very fast, he hit it at about 40, 50 miles per hour and then continued --
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DONOVAN: -- down the street at various speeds. But the whole event was very quick, pandemonium. People didn't know where to run. There were running everywhere.
FOSTER: They didn't know what was going on, did they?
This was happening so quickly and --
DONOVAN: Even two hours later, I didn't know what was going on because down the street I saw police come with guns drawn. They dropped to the ground in front of the hotel. They pointed the guns at our hotel and the Negresco hotel.
I think people were worried about novel incidents. They didn't know if they wanted to go down to help the people. My wife herself had first aid experience. My wife stopped me and just as well because I think the police -- but ambulances didn't arrive for nearly an hour. I think they were dealing with people elsewhere, I'm not sure.
But that was in our minds, where are the people?
Where are the police?
FOSTER: So you were standing there on this balcony, looking at the aftermath of this carnage, just seeing bodies presumably because everyone had run away.
DONOVAN: Yet, just bodies, there were some people trying to help the bodies. There were people limping and some people were there trying to help but very few.
FOSTER: But you were helpless presumably because you couldn't move. You weren't able to go down.
DONOVAN: No, my wife said you can't go down there. It might be more, multiple attacks. And I think it's a wise thing, too. But I felt helpless.
FOSTER: Has it sunk in?
Are you -- I mean, how do you -- are you still in shock or...?
DONOVAN: No, I'm feeling somber. It's different layers, a lot of what ifs, as everybody else. But other people were closer to the action than I were, that saw their loved ones get killed and I think their trouble is more than mine.
FOSTER: Well, thank you for speaking to us and sharing your story.
DONOVAN: Thank you.
FOSTER: Becky, so many stories unfolding of course all the time. But they're all just horrendous and that's what the country's dealing with right now.
ANDERSON: Yes, it's heartbreaking, isn't it?
All right, Max, thank you.
Turkey's president says he knows exactly who brought about the deadly coup attempt in his country. We will explain how an Islamic cleric living in Pennsylvania finds himself accused of treason.
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FOSTER: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Max Foster in Nice, France.
ANDERSON: And I'm Becky Anderson in Paris for you.
The Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is demanding that an Islamic cleric living in exile in the United States of -- state of Pennsylvania is sent back to Turkey. Erdogan says Fethullah Gulen masterminded Friday's coup attempt. People are protesting outside Fethullah Gulen's home on Saturday but he has been steadfast in denying any and all involvement.
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FETHULLAH GULEN, ISLAMIC CLERIC (through translator): We have always done our best to mend and improve relations or keep them good. But if the source of that breakup or if the source of the problem is rooted in Turkey, then there's not much we can do.
Democracy cannot be achieved through military coups and people should not be sympathetic to any coups.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, Gulen is notoriously reclusive, despite his worldwide following. In September 2014, Ivan Watson put together this profile on the mysterious cleric.
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IVAN WATSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: One of the world's most powerful Muslim preachers lives behind these gates in a compound located in the small leafy town of Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania.
The reclusive Turkish cleric's name is Fethullah Gulen. If you believe the government of Turkey, supporters of the cleric in Pennsylvania are spearheading a coup attempt here in Turkey that's destabilizing one of America's most important allies in the Middle East.
Turkish prime minister recently compared Gulen and his supporters to a virus and a medieval cult of assassins, while a top official from the prime minister's political party told me Gulen and his supporters have infiltrated the Turkish police force and judiciary.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are confronted by a structure that doesn't take orders from within the chain of command of the state but rather takes orders from outside the state.
WATSON: So who is the mysterious man in Pennsylvania?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fethullah Gulen leads the largest Islamic community in Turkey. His followers are estimated to be millions in number. And this is also the best organized Islamic community in terms of NGOs, the media, schools, charities, dormitories. WATSON: Every year students from Gluen's schools operating in
more than 100 countries around the world including one of the largest charter school networks in the U.S., gather in Istanbul for a lavish event called the Turkish Olympics.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That moment is a civil society moment with a civic approach. It is not Islamist. It doesn't have any strict political ideology. It is games fusing religion and politics.
WATSON: Throughout most of the last decade the Gulen movement was also a strong supporter of Turkey's religious conservative prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. And in recent years it became increasingly dangerous to criticize the Gulen movement. Police arrested and imprisoned writer Ahmet Sik for more than a year and a court banned his book criticizing the movement before it was even published. Now out of prison but still facing charges, Sik argues that the forced political marriage between the government and the Gulen movement has turned into a nasty divorce.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (via translator): On the one side there's the Gulen community, a dark, opaque power that can damage the most powerful government in Turkish history. On the other side you have a government under the guise of fighting this community can and has suspended all democratic principles.
WATSON: On December 17th, police launched a series of raids detaining dozens of people close to the Turkish government on charges of corruption. The government immediately claims the corruption probe was politically motivated and began demoting thousands of police officers and prosecutors believed to be linked to the Gulen movement.
Gulen has since denounced the government in a fiery online sermon, but also denying he gives orders to anyone in the Turkish judiciary. With his supporters embroiled in a power struggle with the Turkish government it is highly unlikely this enigmatic man in Pennsylvania will return to Turkey anytime soon --
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WATSON (voice-over): -- Ivan Watson, CNN, Istanbul.
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ANDERSON: Turkey, of course, has dealt with military coups before. But let's just analyze what is going on at this point. Fawaz Gerges, author of "ISIS: A History" and chairman of contemporary Middle Eastern studies at the London School of Economics joining us out of London this morning.
Let's just consider for a moment the significance of a potential deterioration of relations between the U.S. and Turkey should Washington refuse to hand Gulen over, Turkey, of course, a key NATO ally and also hosting 1,500 U.S. troops at the incircik airbase at present in what is their anti-ISIS operation.
What are the risks here?
FAWAZ GERGES, DIR. MIDDLE EAST CENTER, LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS: Big risks. And as you know, Becky, tensions are rising between Turkey and the United States after the coup attempt. There are some Turkish officials who insinuate that the United States had a finger, a hand in the coup plot against Turkey. The State Department responded angrily by saying, dare you say that the United States had any role in the coup attempt; in fact, the Obama administration came out publicly in support of the Turkish government.
I mean, I think the crux of the matter is the following: the Turkish government and President Erdogan accuses the U.S.-based Turkish cleric, Gulen, of basically being behind the coup plot. And he wants him to be extradited to Turkey.
John Kerry, the secretary of state, said, give us what you have; let us see the the evidence that you have. We will study the evidence then we'll make a decision.
But the reality is there is a real risk that U.S.-Turkish relations will likely deteriorate in the next few days and next few weeks with tremendous consequences for the strategic relationship between Turkey and the United States.
ANDERSON: Fawaz, you talked about John Kerry there. Let's just have a listen to exactly what he said in response.
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JOHN KERRY, SECRETARY OF STATE: I'm sure that people will wonder about allegations of who may have instigated this and where support came from. The United States will obviously be supportive of any legitimate investigative efforts.
And under due process within the law, we will be completely supportive of efforts to assist the government of Turkey if they so request.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: And, Fawaz, very telling, I think, that the secretary of state didn't name-check the cleric there. It is unlikely that Gulen will be extradited anytime soon. Certainly the States don't see him as a terrorist, as Erdogan himself does.
Is there any threat to those U.S. troops, who are based at incir with these anti-ISIS operations, should these relations between Washington and Turkey deteriorate further?
GERGES: It's unlikely, Becky, because Turkey also is a major beneficiary of this strategic relationship. Turkey is a pivotal member in NATO. The United States has invested billions of dollars in the Turkish military. Turkey is a pivotal player in the U.S.-led coalition in Syria and Iraq, the second largest army after the United States in NATO.
So it's really a kind of a mutual relationship. But for the moment the Turkish government, the Turkish leadership is trying to really put a great deal of pressure on the United States to extradite Gulen.
Here is the irony, Becky: Gulen and President Erdogan used to be best allies, from best allies to bitter enemies. Both sides are really two sides of the same coin. They are religious activists. This is a struggle for power. It's not an ideological -- both belong to the so- called religious activist camp, that they are really part of the same ideological world view, even though they have now a major, bitter nasty divorce between the two.
But I doubt it very much if the U.S. would extradite Gulen without basically due process and real credible evidence.
ANDERSON: Fawaz Gerges is out of London for you today.
I'm in Paris. We'll be back with more on exactly what is going on in Turkey and its consequences next hour.
For the time being, let me hand you back over to my colleague, Max Foster, who is in Nice for you.
FOSTER: Yes, Becky, we moved position today. But the site of Thursday's deadly terror attack where we were yesterday in Nice now reopened and people are wandering up and down the beachfront as they once did.
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FOSTER: But that promenade is a grim reminder of the tragedy that occurred here just days ago. We'll have some thoughts on that next.
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FOSTER: Coming to you live from Nice in France today. ISIS claiming it was one of its soldiers who plowed a truck into a crowd during Bastille Day celebrations just down the road. French investigators say the driver was a 31-year old, who somehow became rapidly radicalized and he hadn't showed up on any antiterrorist radar.
France is now questioning several people, including the driver's ex- wife. Now the site of Thursday's terror attack has now reopened. But the visitors to the beachside promenade are instantly reminded of the carnage that occurred just days before.
Will Ripley has been down there.
A really poignant moment when they reopened it.
WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And it was difficult to be there ydayd, Max, because you had the juxtaposition of people who were out trying to enjoy their holiday here in Nice on the French Riviera and the Promenade des Anglais is an iconic, beautiful location.
And yet you also face this constant reminder of what happened when you looked at the pavement, places where people died. And its going to be difficult to return to normal here.
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WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The French Riviera, a place of undeniable beauty and now unthinkable tragedy. For the first time since the attack in Nice, the beach is back open. So is the iconic Promenade des Anglais. All appears normal until you see the flowers marking the spots where so many died.
GEOFF DONOVAN, NICE MASSACRE WITNESS: A lot of people were closer down here, saw their family being killed, saw their children being killed. I feel for those and the thousands of people that are related and friends of theirs.
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RIPLEY (voice-over): Geoff Donovan from Australia watched from his fifth-floor balcony. A young boy died in the lobby of his hotel, one of many children buying candy from Juliette (INAUDIBLE).
"That one was shouting, that one was crying," she says. "It was a catastrophe to see death in front of you. It was hard, really, really hard."
Here, heartbreaking reminders of young lives lost.
One note reads, "Twenty hit here, many children."
Another, "Our thoughts are with you, little princess."
Of the 84 who died, more than a dozen remain unidentified. Along this promenade, these pictures of the missing.
Alexandre Goutagny (ph) is helping his neighbors search for some of those missing. He lives in Nice. He's haunted by the children he saw running, crying, calling for their parents who didn't make it.
ALEXANDRE GOUTAGNY (PH), NICE MASSACRE WITNESS: It's quite difficult for me to sleep, you know, because I'm hearing the voices, I'm seeing the faces and remembering the faces of these children.
RIPLEY (voice-over): His sister in Paris called to check on him after the attack. Last November 13th, he called to check on her. Terrorists stormed Le Petit Cambodge restaurant, shooting her twice. His sister survived. Three of her friends died.
GOUTAGNY (PH): I think nobody can feel safe, you know?
We are experience, we are changing our mind, we are changing our way to live.
RIPLEY (voice-over): Things appear back to normal here. But life will never be the same.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
RIPLEY: Some people may find it shocking or the might feel uncomfortable about the fact that the promenade reopened so quickly but I think the headline here sums it up, "Life is stronger than fear."
And people here are ready to get on with their lives now.
FOSTER: Determined to, really.
(CROSSTALK)
RIPLEY: Absolutely --
FOSTER: -- determination to show ISIS that they're not going to be -- not going to have their lives interrupted. Will, thank you very much indeed.
We're going to Natalie next because there's lots else going on in the world as well. Natalie's at the CNN Center.
Hi, Natalie.
NATALIE ALLEN, CNN ANCHOR: And, Max, thanks so much.
Yes, the U.S. Republican National Convention kicks off on Monday and the presumptive nominee has finally announced his running mate. More on Donald Trump's new sidekick. That's coming next and much more.
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[02:50:00]
ALLEN: U.S. presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has chosen his running mate. It's Indiana governor Mike Pence. The two held their first rally Saturday. As Jim Acosta reports, the campaign is pushing back hard against any notion that Trump was second-guessing his V.P. pick.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Governor Pence, how are you feeling right now?
JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Tapped to be Donald Trump's running mate, Mike Pence was plunged into the 2016 election at a turbulent time. His announcement was leaked and then postponed -- a jarring move Trump's aides said that was vital after the terror attack in Nice. But Pence projected calm.
MIKE PENCE, U.S. PRESUMPTIVE REPUBLICAN V.P. NOMINEE: We love Indiana. We love our country. My family and I couldn't be more honored to have the opportunity to run with and serve with the next president of the United States.
ACOSTA: As Trump appeared to be ginning up some drama surrounding his selection.
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESUMPTIVE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: I haven't made my final-final decision.
ACOSTA: Sources tell CNN the presumptive GOP nominee was wavering at the last minute, asking aides overnight whether he could pull back on the Pence pick. Those advisers, sources say, told him no.
But a top Trump adviser told CNN that was all just a rumor. And a campaign spokesman tweeted, "This is completely false. Zero truth to it."
By the morning it all seemed to go like clockwork. Trump tweeted his announcement. Pence tweeted back, he was honored to join the ticket. Aides to the Indiana governor filed the paperwork pulling him out of the race for election.
Even though Trump and Pence are said to be off to a good start as running mates, they do have their differences.
Pence supported the Iraq war. Trump became a critic. As governor, Pence expanded health care coverage under Obamacare, a program Trump has savaged.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Governor, could we have a word?
ACOSTA: In picking Pence, Trump looked past New Jersey Governor Chris Christie who has become a trusted adviser in recent months. Sources tell CNN Christie made a last-ditch attempt to change Trump's mind yesterday as Pence was on his way to New York.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Governor, do you have electricity?
ACOSTA: But Trump was not only dealing with his vice presidential pick, he was responding to the attack in Nice, calling on the U.S. to declare war on ISIS.
TRUMP: I would. I would. This is war. If you look at it, this is war coming from all different parts. And frankly, it's war and we're dealing with people without uniforms.
ACOSTA: Hillary Clinton told CNN the U.S. should be more cautious.
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESUMPTIVE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Well, I think
it's clear, we are at war with these terrorist groups. And what they represent. It's a different kind of war. And we need to be smart about how we wage it and win it.
ACOSTA: Clinton is also considering her vice presidential pick in announcing her upcoming convention speakers. President Obama, the first lady, Vice President Biden and Bernie Sanders, while rolling out a web video slamming pence.
PENCE: I long for the day that Roe vs. Wade is sent to the ash heap of history.
ACOSTA (on camera): Next up for Trump and pence is when they fly off to Cleveland and the Republican national convention where they'll be officially declared the GOP ticket. Trump at this event here in New York tried to push back on any notion there will be a floor fight in Cleveland, saying the Never Trump movement has been crushed -- Jim Acosta, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ALLEN: The Republican National Convention kicks off on Monday. And be sure to watch CNN for all the coverage. And my colleague, Christi Paul, got a behind-the-scenes look at CNN's production facility at the site there in Cleveland. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(MUSIC PLAYING)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): In many ways, the essential part of the convention is you never get to see but here it is.
So this is CNN's portable control room, if you will.
In this truck car, technicians --
[02:55:00]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): -- engineers, production staff, editorial staff, graphics team, everything that we need to put together a production. And we'll show you up front.
From up here, our directors and producers will have access to dozens and dozens of cameras from around the convention floor.
CHRISTI PAUL, CNN HOST: (INAUDIBLE) all lit up?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Every single screen will be lit up. They're just setting it up now.
But as you can start to see, we have individual cameras in our anchor booth, on the floor. We'll have access to cameras all around the hall and everything that you need to pull together the convention, even cameras outside the hall.
A convention is nothing unless you can hear what the candidates and the speakers are saying. And that is where our CNN audio team comes in.
PAUL: So is it safe to say that you hear things that you could probably write about?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
PAUL: That people never hear?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, but professionalism prevents me from doing it.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ALLEN: Please watch our professional special coverage of the Republican National Convention. It begins Monday. Christiane Amanpour, Kate Bolduan, Hala Gorani will be live from Cleveland. Join us all week for special coverage of all the news from the convention, right here on CNN.
Thanks for watching, I'm Natalie Allen. We'll have more news with Max and Becky in just a moment. You're watching CNN. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
