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Orlando Gunman's Wife Could Face Charges; Crews Search for Child Possibly Taken by Alligator; Hackers Behind Computer Attack on DNC Linked to Russian Intelligence. Aired 12-1a ET
Aired June 15, 2016 - 00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[00:00:00] AMARA WALKER, CNN: He, everyone. I'm Amara Walker, you're watching CNN Newsroom L.A.
First, the developments in the Orlando terror investigation, the gunman's wife could face charges for failing to report his general plans for an attack. But a law enforcement source says, FBI investigators do not believe Noor Salman was a co-conspirator and the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.
She told the FBI that she saw violent changes in her husband's behavior, and knew he wanted to carry out a jihadist attack. But she denied knowing the specific plans. We're also told Salman travel with her husband when he visited a Disney shopping complex and the Pulse Nightclub in early June.
Jessica Schneider was tracking all the developments, joining us now live from Orlando. So, Jessica, let's start with this why then -- what exactly she knew about the gunman and his intentions?
JESSICA SCHNEIDER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah. Amara, you know, that's exactly what investigators are trying to figure out, what did she know and when did she know it.
Now, Noor Salman married that gunman back in 2011. They have a 3- year-old son together. And right now, she is being interviewed and investigated by the FBI. In fact , it was in the middle of last night that she actually left this condo complex where she lived and was taken by law enforcement officials.
Now, what our sources are telling us is that, she is telling agents that she tried to dissuade her husband from acting out violently or from putting in place those plans for jihad that he had expressed to her.
However, the FBI agents are then putting to the fact that she went with her husband on, to two different occasions, to both Pulse Nightclub as well as a Disney resort in the days just before this horrific attack. She went to a Disney resort called Disney Springs with him but she claims all the while the she did not know of any specific acts that he might take only that generally he had violent tendencies and said to her that he wanted to commit these acts of jihad.
So right now, investigators are trying to figure out exactly what she knew. And if that is determined that she knew about his specific plans, they could charge her with a felony, is actually called misprision of a felony and it's when there's a concealment of a crime. This is a lofty crime, a lofty felony. It could carry up to three years in prison.
But right now, investigators still interviewing hers to looking at the timelines, still looking at the facts and trying to determine how to perceive next, Amara?
WALKER: And, Jessica, investigators have been searching the gunman's home as well. They did take some items from there including a computer, some electronics, cellphone, do we know what was found on these electronic devices?
SCHNEIDER: Yeah. They've been doing a lot of investigation and analysis of his electronics. There are two things in particular.
First of all, they were able to track some of his movements based on the cellphone towers, and that's impart how they determined that he had actually gone to this Disney property before and he had actually been to the Pulse Nightclub.
Also, they've been looking at his records in terms of searching on the internet, they've found out that he did search for ISIS propaganda, he watched videos of the ISIS beheadings, and he also looked into some of the videos of some of those clerics who spewed hate for America.
So he has done extensive searching on his computers for all of this type of ISIS propaganda, Amara.
WALKER: All right. Jessica Schneider with the very latest from Orlando. Many thanks, Jessica
In the meantime, the nightclub massacre is dominating the U.S. presidential campaign, and sparking a new argument between Donald Trump and President Obama. Trump says, Mr. Obama is more angry at hand that he is at the Orlando gunman and he continues to variate (ph) the President for not using the term radical Islam.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: One of the folks in television said, "Lawyers Trump gotten under his skin but he was more angry. And a lot of people have said this, "The level of anger. That's the kind of anger he should have for the shooter and these killers that shouldn't be here."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALKER: President Obama says he doesn't use the term because it blames an entire religion for the actions of just a few people who are perverting Islam, and he called Trump's proposed Muslim ban, dangerous.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) PRES. BARACH OBAMA, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: This is a country founded on basic freedoms, including freedom of religion. We do not have religious test here. Our founders or Constitution or Bill of Rights are clear about that.
We now have proposals from the presumptive Republican nominee for president of the United States to bar all Muslims from immigrating to America.
[00:05:03] The hear language that singles out immigrants and suggests entire religious communities are complicit in violence. Where does this stop?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALKER: And Democrat Hillary Clinton echoed the president's comments.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: What Donald Trump is saying is shameful. It is disrespectful to the people who were killed and wounded and their family. And it is yet more evidence that he is temperamentally unfit and totally unqualified to be commander ...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALKER: Joining us now Democratic Strategist Dave Jacobson and Republican Consultant John Thomas. Gentlemen, good to have you both here, I'm going to start with you, John.
Because, you know, we heard again the sound bites were Trump is hitting at President Obama saying, basically insinuating that he has compassion or has some kind of sympathy for radical Islamist. He is saying that there are, you know, Obama is more angry at hand that he should be at the shooter. He has been hitting, backing in for saying, for refusing to use the word radical Islam.
Is that fair? Is not responsible for Trump to insinuate such things?
JOHN THOMAS, REPUBLICAN CONSULTANT: I don't think, I don't think President Obama has sympathy for the shooter. I think Donald Trump frame that issue incorrectly. I think it was a legitimate concern to say, "Look, I do not think the president of United States and his administration are adequately fighting terrorism the way they should, and part of that starts with your rhetoric.
And I think the way he has responded and after these attacks, was not tough enough. That's how he should have framed it, not, well, he should. He is more focused on me than the shooter.
It's interesting. This should have been Trump's week in terms of surging in the polls. He's -- Trump is known as a strong bully, a bully perhaps for Americans, but he had some good moments this week, but overall he keeps tripping over himself instead of rising to the occasion. WALKER: You know, I think a lot of people think that whatever he is saying right now and doubling down on the Muslim ban is truly plaintiff as basin (ph). And, you know, when we watched President Obama's tirade against Trump. And then, what did you think about that, Dave? Was that quite effective and way you surprised to see such an impassioned president intervene in such a way?
DAVE JACOBSON, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: I think it's emblematic of the fact that John Boehner, the former Speaker of the House, got it wrong. Ted Cruz isn't Lucifer in the flesh, it's Donald Trump.
I mean, the reality that of this guy's insanity knows no bounds. He essentially blamed President Obama for having somehow, some connection to the terrorist attack at Orlando. It's unprecedented for a candidate, a major nominee of one of the two political parties in this country, to blame up a sitting president, you know, to have some sort of involvement with a terrorist act. The worst massacre that we've seen ever.
And I think, look, Donald Trump's race remarks or sort of emblematic of the troubles that he is having in his campaign. His campaign is in a downward spiral. Today, Bloomberg released a poll showing him down 12 points behind Hillary Clinton.
I think it stems from the fact that he went on this racist tirade against Judge Curiel was overseeing the Trump University case, the fact that his political director left his campaign is not raising money, and he is running a terrible campaign. I mean, this is a guy whose campaign is falling apart ...
THOMAS: We're in uncharted territory here. Normally, you, when you are the presumptive nominee of your party, you attack the other candidate on the other side. Right now he is attacking Hillary Clinton and the sitting president of United States.
Look, no rules or every rule has been broken in this campaign cycle so I'm not going to say flat out, it won't work. But I would advise him to focus on Hillary Clinton and stay away from picking President Obama because this isn't a Republican primary anymore.
WALKER: Well, speaking of that, I mean, we keep hearing from the Republicans and from Donald Trump that President Obama, the Democrats have not been strong enough on terrorism. So what would Donald Trump do to be stronger on terrorism if you were president?
THOMAS: Well, I think he said a few things. One is, cutting off the oil supply with Middle East. I think, two, was tearing up the Iran deal, you know, shutting off immigration until we can sort all those out there. Those are ...
WALKER: Banning Muslims.
THOMAS: Yeah. I mean, those are concrete solutions. Hillary Clinton has been called for gun control that has been largely her response. I think Hillary find yourself in a problem here though, because a lot of rhetoric in her speech was saying, "How we have to stop, you know, the tighten sanctions on countries that to do business with her.
Well, that was her job as Secretary of State for four years. So she's also going to have to defend her record. Largely, her strategy has worked so far which is step back and let Donald Trump tripped over himself.
WALKER: But, you know, you mentioned Donald Trump, one of his plans is to, hold immigration or in other words, ban Muslims from entering the U.S. for, you know, whatever length of time.
[00:09:53] You know, when it come -- President Obama said this today. He says, when you single out one religion that becomes very dangerous because there are Muslims in this country who feel marginalized and disenfranchised are on the cost. And by doing that, that will push them into -- I think, President Obama said the arms of radicalization. Dave, do you agree with that?
JACOBSON: Right, wholeheartedly. I mean, look, the reality is Speaker Paul Ryan came out and said, "I fundamentally disagree with this ban on Muslims coming into the country." So not only is Donald Trump a man, and I went by himself, but the Republican Party is with him. And I think fundamentally he misunderstands how to win a presidential race. I mean, this guy had a very divisive, you know, sort of, you know, hard-hitting campaign on the primary, and he was successful knocking out 16 GOP contenders.
The question is, "How does he make that transition to appeal to the sort of moderate purple state voters?" This is in the transition that's going to pick up those votes from moderate Republicans and independent voters who have sort of been sitting on the sidelines, up until now.
THOMAS: But Donald Trump has an opportunity, and that is Americans are scared. They're frustrated that we are seeing these attacks happening and they want something to happen. So, this is an opportunity I just think right now ...
WALKER: So what about gun control then? I mean, this is a terrorist suspect who was investigated by the FBI twice. He had been on a federal watch list taken off. I mean, that kind of highlights just how easy access to guns. And for international viewers, I think it's appalling to hear how easy it was for someone like him to get his hands on a gun.
So, is Congress going to change and pass laws finally that will make it much more difficult, not ban or abolish the Second Amendment, but make it way more difficult for anyone like him to get hands on assault rifle.
THOMAS: I don't think you're going to see that because the argument to the contrary is pretty strong. For instance, in France, they have much more restrictive gun laws that we do in the United States, yet in the latest terrorist attack, they have machine guns, AR-15s and pistols.
WALKER: But America stands on its own when it comes to the number of mass shooting. We are ...
THOMAS: Well, so much bigger place.
WALKER: It's uniquely American phenomenon.
THOMAS: I think the problem is we have to treat the problem of radical Islam and how we tackle that. It's, look, whether they're using fertilizer bombs to kill us or you look at places like Israel were tardy get guns. What do they used? They use knives and cars just plowing people down. I think Americans think it's a larger problem and they're frustrated that we need action.
WALKER: Dave, let's look at glass (ph) pretty quickly before we got to go.
JACOBSON: Well, I think it's largely the disconnect between the GOP elite and American voters. I mean, the reality is, if you look at public polling, 80 percent, according to the public polling group, 80 percent of gun owners across America support enhancing background checks. You must have a background checks, had there been sort of a nationwide background check system in place at this killer who, you know ...
WALKER: But he did pass background checks.
JACOBSON: Well, but ...
WALKER: That's perhaps a damn close if they close the terror gap that may have, you know ...
JACOBSON: Correct.
WALKER: ... mad them depressed, you know, but that's -- we're going to have to leave at there gentlemen.
WALKER: Sure.
WALKER: That's a very lively discussion.
THOMAS: Yeah.
WALKER: Great to have you both, John Thomas and David Jacobson.
JACOBSON: We appreciate it.
WALKER: We appreciate that, all right.
Well, you know, many of the shooting victims are just starting their lives as young adults making plans for their futures. That was the case for Juan Ramon Guerrero and his boyfriend, Christopher Andrew Leinonen, who was known as Drew. Juan was 22, Drew was 32. They were deeply in love and hoped to get married. Well, now, the families are planning their funerals.
Earlier, Anderson Cooper spoke with Drew's mother about the loss.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN NEWS ANCHOR: Where does your strength come from? And you're smiling. You are able to talk about your son. I think there's a lot of people ...
CHRISTINE LEINONEN: Because I love him. I could be sad and I have incredibly sad moments, and I could be angry and I have been given a license to be angry for different types of treatments, but when you want to know about the love and the love is going to usurp the hate. That's given (ph) ...
COOPER: And you feel that love?
LEINONEN: I feel that love with Christopher, with his friends, with you, with the Orlando community. Christopher was Orlando's child, even though I gave birth to him, Orlando is now the adoptive mother.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
WALKER: Joining me now is Irshad Manji. She is a Muslim, a lesbian and the founder of the Moral Courage Project at the University of Southern California.
Irshad, I appreciate you coming in. Thanks for your time.
IRSHAD MANJI, MORAL COURAGE PROJECT FOUNDER: It's a pleasure.
WALKER: There had been just so many heartbreaking stories that we're hearing from the Orlando massacre. I am curious, you know, how it makes you feel as a Muslim and a lesbian to hear just so much heartbreak right now that is going on in the U.S.
MANJI: You know, all kinds of people are targeted in the United States with guns and particularly with assault rifles, and I do not put one community above another in terms of how I feel. It is heartbreaking, but at the same time, you know, the change is going to come from the ground up, not from the top down. And so I hope that this marks a tipping point in the United States.
[00:15:00] Interestingly, I'm hearing conservatives begin to say, "Yeah, why do we need these assault rifles?" And that's something I haven't heard even after Sandy Hook. So, while we weep for the victims and their families, I don't think they will have died in vain.
WALKER: You know, there're a lot of questions about the motives of the shooter. You know, we know that he called 911 and swear allegiance to ISIS. We know that he had been attending the same mass for years, as President Obama said, it looks like he's self- radicalized to some propaganda of extremist views he saw on the internet.
But, we've also heard from Muslim leaders who say this has nothing to do with Islam. What is your reaction to that hate?
MANJI: So, moderate Muslims use the mantra. This has nothing to do with Islam, because they are not willing to face the fact that there are regressive verses in the Quran. And by the way, I speak is a faithful Muslim, as somebody who chooses to remain within my fate because I love it enough to point out that there are ways to reform how we practice Islam so that it really is a religion of peace. But when moderate Muslim say this has nothing to do with Islam, that is rubbish.
After all, here was this gunman who shouted "Allahu Akbar", "God is greater." Now, that doesn't mean that he was motivated only by religion, but clearly there was some religious symbolism that helped to incite this incident. And so frankly, moderate Muslims, who are not so moderate today, have to own up to the fact that we got a problem in our community. And until we solve it with honesty, we will only see more damage done.
So what does the Quran say about it all? We can only know that we do not know. That is why we need humility when it comes to interpretation. I have my interpretation. Somebody else can have their interpretation. Maybe we will both see each other in hell. I do not know. But the point is, that we have the humility to leave the judgment to up God.
WALKER: Very fascinating viewpoints from you. And thank you for taking the time.
Irshad Manji, thanks for your time.
MANJI: My pleasure.
WALKER: Well, vigils have been held daily throughout Orlando to honor the shooting victims.
At the University of Central Florida, students, staff and community members fill the student union building earlier this week. They raised their lighted cellphones as the victim's names were read followed by moment of silence.
And for more information about how you can help victims and their families, go to CNN.com/impact.
Up next, I'm going to speak with singer and gay-rights activist, Lance Bass, about the mass shooting in Orlando, and several late-night comedians are taking a serious tone in the wake of this tragedy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CONAN O'BRIEN, COMEDIAN: Nobody I know or have ever met in my entire life should have access to a weapon that can kill so many people so quickly.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[00:20:47] WALKER: Welcome back everyone. Social media has been flooded with tributes to the 49 people killed in the Orlando mass shooting. Famous figures in the LGBT community are also speaking out on Twitter. TV host Andy Cohen tweeted this, "I am speechless, sick and so sad reading the news from Orlando, sending strength to my gay brothers and sisters." Also TV personality Ross Matthews wrote, "I am sickened to a way to the horrific news out of Orlando. Smiling happy dancing people gunned down for no reason. Hug your friends. "
And singer Ricky Martin tweeted, "I am gay and I am not afraid. Love conquers all, #PrayforOrlando."
Late-night comedians are also making bold statements in the wake of this tragedy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SETH MEYERS, TALK SHOW HOST: Whether the shooter was a homophobe, mentally ill, a terrorist inspired by ISIS or all three, what allow him to kill so many people on Sunday was his gun.
SAMANTHA BEE, TALK SHOW HOST: He beat his ex-wife. He'd been reported multiple times to his employer as homophobic and unhinged. And the FBI had twice questioned him for ties to terrorism. But none of these things disqualified him from legally buying a gun that shoots 45 rounds a minute.
CONAN O'BRIEN, TALK SHOW HOST: Nobody I know or have ever met in my entire life should have access to a weapon that can kill so many people so quickly.
JOHN OLIVER, TALK SHOW HOST: Right now, this just hurts. And the worst thing is this pain is so familiar in Paris last November. Terrorists seem to target places symbolizing everything that is wonderful about France, culture, music, restaurants.
And in Orlando early this morning, the gunman attacked a Latin night at a gay club in theme park capital of the world.
JIMMY FALLON, TALK SHOW HOST: What can we learn from this, what if my kids are gay, what do I tell them? Maybe there's a lesson from all this, a lesson in tolerance. We need to support each other's differences and worry less about our own opinions.
STEPHEN COLBERT: Love does not despair. Love makes us strong. Love gives us the courage to act. Love gives us hope that changes possible. Love allows us to change the script.
JAMES CORDEN, TALK SHOW HOST: He said when something bad happens, we have three choices. We can let it define us, we can let it destroy us or we can let it strengthen us. We are with you every step of the way.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALKER: And entertainer and activist, Lance Bass, also tweeting, "I'm gutted over the news in Orlando, the tears will not stop. My thoughts are with my gay brothers and sisters and their families", and Lance Bass joining me here in studio in Los Angeles. Now, thank you so much for making the time to make it over. You know, as you were saying in the tweet, your tears won't stop. And we're learning over the last couple days, you know, more about the people who were killed. We're hearing survivor stories. What has it been like for you emotionally over the last few days?
LANCE BASS, SINGER AND GAY ACTIVIST: It's been devastating, just like, you know, the whole world is feeling. I woke up Sunday morning to a lot of text from friends because, you know, I used to live in Orlando. I spent a lot of years living in Orlando and have several friends that still live there.
So before I even knew what had happened, I was getting text of, "I'm so sorry about Orlando." And I just immediately started bawling, not even knowing what had happened to something -- I felt it. And as we got the news, it was just absolutely devastating. And of course, I was trying to figure out if I knew anyone that was hurt.
WALKER: You lived in Orlando. So, did you know of this night club or had you have been before?
BASS: Of course, I've definitely been to Pulse.
WALKER: You have been?
BASS: Of course. I mean, it's one of the, you know, one of the places that, you know, the LGBT community can go, you know, relax and have fun and not worry about something like this happening.
WALKER: You know, this attack doesn't fit into just one single category.
BASS: Right.
WALKER: I mean, it's terrorism, it's also a hate crime. But when it comes to the LGBT community, do you think that people, you know, also focus on, you know, the history of the LGBT community, the fact that it has been the target of violence many times before?
[00:25:00] BASS: Yeah. I mean, this is nothing new for LGBT, you know. We've been under attacked in the whole existence of humanity. Just in recent years that people are now just accepting LGBT community as a whole.
And the support we're getting is just amazing right now and overwhelming. And you see the times have changed and people are supporting and showing that, you know, love is love. And, you know, like you said, there's many layers to the situation right now.
It's a hate crime. It's terrorism. You know, there's, you know, we need to talk about gun regulation. It's everything all put together. And I have to say that this is a hornets' nest that is definitely been stirred up.
And the LGBT community is one that will not sit back and let anything like this happen. So, you're going to see a lot of change happening in the next few months.
WALKER: What kind of change?
BASS: Well, I mean, LGBT is really going to be fighting a lot, especially for just some common sense gun regulation right now. One, you know, these politicians and these religious leaders that are using LGBT as a scapegoat to get elected to, you know, further their own agenda to line, you know, their pockets with money. It's just sickening and disgusting. And these people are now being revealed.
And where it's up to us to educate the people about who we're electing into office. You need to find out who the representatives are, who are the ones being paid by the NRA to make sure these gun laws are not passed.
No one's taking guns away to certain types of guns. No one needs an AR-15. Obviously, look what's happened the last years, two years with this particular gun. We don't sell grenades, right? So, why would we sell these weapons that we can kill all these multiple people is just not needed.
WALKER: Do you think there needs to be more tolerance in religions when it comes to the LGBT community as well as not just in Islam, but Christianity as well? Evangelicals do take an anti-gay position.
BASS: Of course, everyone definitely needs to be, you know, more tolerant of everyone's views. You know, it's all about love. There's gonna be extremism in every religion, every walk of life. Those are the ones that we have to really watch and those are the ones that we have to be scared of because Christianity Muslim, whatever it is, those extremists, they're brainwashed into thinking something that they think they're doing good.
I mean, they really do. But you know, obviously, they're definitely on the wrong side of everything, of history, of just being wrong. And we just have to really make sure that we put laws into place that are protecting us from those extremists because right now, the law is on their side.
This guy got a gun, a Chris AR-15 with all these ammunition just days ago after the FBI already interviewed him three times. There was -- we already knew.
WALKER: And he was on a federal watch list.
BASS: It's insane. It was that easy to grab a gun like that. That is just wrong, wrong, wrong. And we cannot -- we can't do it anymore. Like this, it's time for us to say something, to do something. We cannot forget about this tragedy.
So many important topics to discuss and we're so glad that we are able to get your voice and perspective. Lance Bass, I appreciate your time. Thank you very much.
BASS: Thanks. WALKER: New details are emerging about the man behind a deadly terror attack in France, will tell you what police new about him, just ahead. Also, hackers stealing files including one on Trump from servers belonging to the U.S. Democratic Committee. Experts say, Russia is to blame.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[00:31:54] WALKER: Welcome everyone. You are watching CNN Newsroom lived from Los Angeles. I'm Amara Walker.
The headlines this hour, the Orlando gunman's wife could face charges for failing to report his general plans for a jihadist attack. A source says, Noor Salman told investigators she saw changes in her husband's behavior and tried to discourage him from doing anything violent, but she denied knowing his specific plans.
An Islamic extremist, who killed a police commander and his partner in France also threatened the Euro 2016 Football Championship. In an online video he broadcast from the murder scene. This happened west of Paris, Monday, at the couple's home. Police killed the man after he had taken the couple's three-year-old son hostage. The boy is said to be OK.
And the desperate search going on right now, near Orlando, Florida, right now for a two-year-old child carried off by an alligator.
The Sheriff's Department says the animal dragged the child into a lagoon, a couple of hours ago near Disney resort.
Let's get straight to Martin Savidge, who was following this live from Florida with more details. Martin?
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Amara. Let me tell you where we are.
First of all, we are at the property of the Walt Disney World and everybody knows that is the magic kingdom throughout the world, but tonight it's a far grimmer tale that is playing out.
We're in the staging area behind us here you get the Florida Highway Patrol, dozens of cars that had come from the Orange County Sheriff's Department. There is at least one helicopter up in the air, searchlight on. And here is what they're looking for, a report came in about three hours ago of what may be a child taken by an alligator here in the Walt Disney World property.
It happened in the area of the Graham Floridian. It's one of the major hotels here. And according to people who are on the property, this was movie night, so everybody would gather along the banks or in the beach of the Seven Seas Lagoon. It's basically a large lake and at that point that this report has come in of a two-year-old child that may have been taken by an alligator.
Well that has triggered all sorts of alarm bells and there is a massive and desperate search underway to try to locate that child and to try to determine exactly what has happened. Hence, why you have the large turnout here of law enforcement, why you have the helicopters in the area, you also have Florida Fish Wildlife. They are taking part. They've got boats on the water.
Finding the child is the first and foremost effort that's underway. The guests who were there along the shoreline were immediately asked to leave the area and returned to their hotel rooms to allow the security personnel of Walt Disney World to take over and begin handling the situation. We're waiting and anticipating to get a media briefing from officials here in just a few minutes.
So that is the basics of what we know, horrific, potentially, horrific tale but is playing out in a place that is known for usually family fun. Amara?
WALKER: Absolutely. Shocking details, Martin Savidge, live for us there in Orlando.
[00:35:01]
And, of course, we will take that news conference live when it happens. And, hopefully, we will get more information about what exactly transpired there. Appreciate that, Martin.
Turning now to another story we're following. Cyber security experts say hackers linked to Russian intelligence are behind a computer attack on the U.S. Democratic National Committee.
Now the DNC contracted a firm last month called Crowdstrike, when it discovered the intrusion. They say there were two hackers, but they were not working together. The intruders apparently roamed around the network for about a year and at one case they allegedly stole opposition research on Donald Trump.
Now the U.S. has not officially determined the hackers are connected to the Russian government.
Joining me now is Hemu Nigam, an internet security analyst and the founder CEO of SSP Blue.
All right. So let's talk about this hack. Cybersecurity experts believe that the Russians are behind it, as we said, even though the U.S. government isn't saying that right now. But that doesn't surprise you, right? Because, obviously, the Russians would be interested in who the next president of the United States will be.
HEMU NIGAM, FOUNDER CEO, SSP BLUE: Absolutely. It doesn't surprise me. I actually think that -- first of all, they were there for a year before Crowdstrike actually identified them.
There were two separate hacks. One was reading all the e-mails and chats going through the email system. The other was going into Donald Trump's Intel file that the Democrats keep on him, probably to use during the campaign when the season starts.
But I would think that they have already gotten into the RNC one as well, and are doing similar things, because this was set up, the future presidency, and they need to know who are their adversaries going to be.
WALKER: So potentially what kind of information -- I mean, obviously, there's a lot of stuff out there about Trump.
But is there a lot of stuff that the public still does not know about him that the Russians might find quite salacious?
NIGAM: Oh, I'm sure there's a lot of stuff in that file that's being planned out on a road map of when Hillary Clinton starts her real campaign post the Democratic National Convention and the RNC, and gets on that road.
There's going to be ads coming out. There will be information about his top aides. What kind of people they are. There is some dirt in the background. All of that stuff goes into a file that gets used in typical campaigns.
So RNC is I'm sure doing the same thing. The Russians are looking at it and saying, well, let's find out if, first of all, is there something about Donald Trump we need to know if he does become president. And for that matter, maybe we want him as president so we can perhaps leak some things to get him ready to fight the battle.
WALKER: You know, the DNC we know probably has a lot of very important files and information that they probably don't want the public to see.
So how in the world does something like this happen? You would think that something like -- an entity like the Democratic National Committee would have servers that would be strong enough to protect them from such hackings.
NIGAM: Right. That's the greatest phrase in world. You would think they would. But they don't. And the reality is this isn't the first time.
The last election, the same similar things happened where other countries or other hackers were trying to get in. and I think what they have to realize is if you are running for president and you are the nominee, at this point, the secret service really, which actually monitors these networks and protects them, needs to look at it and say, let's assume they are already the president and protect it that way.
Because the reality is right now with so many campaign volunteers logging in from all places around the country with unsecured devices, the avenues for attack are greater than you can imagine.
WALKER: I mean, the U.S. government has been hacked before. You know, Sony Pictures, you know, a huge company renowned around the world hacked.
I mean, why is this happening again? Shouldn't these companies or a government have protections in placed so this doesn't happen? Is it difficult to get access to them? Are they expensive? What is it about that is not, I guess, as pervasive in terms of acquiring the technology?
NIGAM: Well, it's an afterthought. That's the unfortunate part. These cyber security questions are afterthoughts. What they should have been doing is -- well, I'm not a Crowdstrike spokesperson, just so you know, but they should have been calling companies like Crowdstrike and saying, come help us get set up before. Don't just come in after the cleanup time to get the cleanup done. Come in before we're even starting to get full pledged on the campaign trail.
[00:40:00] WALKER: And just quickly, what is your concern about what the hackers will do with the information?
NIGAM: I actually think they can do two different main things. One is the Russian government can use it to figure out what kind of adversaries there are. And there's a lot you can do to affect diplomacy and things like that.
The other is that the hackers could actually give it to Donald Trump and say, we would rather have you in the White House because we've heard Donald Trump say positive things about Putin.
WALKER: Yes, that's quite concerning, all of it, as we're hearing it.
Hemu Nigam, great to have you on program.
NIGAM: Thanks, Amara.
WALKER: Thank you for that perspective.
We're going to take a short break.
When we come back, we are expecting an update soon from Orlando, where an alligator may have dragged a 2-year-old boy at a Disney resort. He is missing. More on that -- next.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE ANNOUNCER: This is CNN "Breaking News."
WALKER: We want to welcome our viewers joining us in the United States and around the world. I'm Amara Walker in Los Angeles.
Right now, we are following this breaking news story of a search in Florida for a child possibly dragged away by an alligator at a Walt Disney World Resort.
Now police are holding a news conference. That should be going on any minute now. We will take that live as soon as that happens. But here are the details as we know it. They are just coming in.
But, again, a 2-year-old boy we are being told by the Orange County Sheriff's Department in Florida was taken, dragged by an alligator into a lagoon. These are pictures that you're looking at over that resort. This apparently happened at the Disney Grand Floridian Resort and Spa in Bay Lakes, Florida.
Of course, this is right next to Walt Disney World. Supposed to be the happiest place in the world. But right now as you can imagine, people there are terrified about what may have happened. Family members, of course, must be horrified as well.
This apparently happened at the Seven Seas Lagoon, which is right adjacent -- I was just looking at a map right now. And the Disney Grand Floridian Resort and Spa is right next to the Seven Seas Lagoon.
And we just spoke with Martin Savidge who was on scene right now. We are trying to establish a connection with him.
But he just told me a few moments ago that the search is on right now for this missing child who is believed to have been dragged into that water by an alligator and people along the shore there have been evacuated as a precaution. Obviously, a shocking and terrifying situation right now.
Martin Savidge standing by live from the scene.
Martin, what is the latest on the search?
SAVIDGE: Hello, Amara.
We can still hear the helicopters that are up now. Some of them -- at least one of them has been up for almost an hour and a half searching with a high-powered spotlight. It's over the area of the Seven Seas Lagoon, which of course is the focus of what is the search effort to try to find a 2-year-old child. The report is that the child may have been taken by an alligator.
We're waiting here and set up for a press conference that should begin in just a matter of minutes. And they will give us more insight as to how this all happened.
According to guests that were in the area, at the Grand Floridian Hotel. If you don't know, it's a massive hotel on the property. It's one of many that are located here at Walt Disney World. But it's certainly is, the name implies, one of the biggest.
And it was movie night. And apparently people were lined up along the beach that is part of this lagoon.
[00:45:00] And the report is that their child may have been taken by an alligator. Of course, that would be a horrific and desperate situation. That's why you have all of the law enforcement that is gathering here.
This is the staging area. On top of that, you have Florida Wild Life, Fish and Wild Life there out there. They have a boat on the water, we're told. There are authorities that are searching along the shoreline there as well. The guests that were in the immediate area were told to evacuate. To go back to their rooms. This way everyone could be accounted for. And it would allow the authorities to begin the search and rescue effort. So that's what is taking place right now.
And we're waiting to get some kind of input from officials to learn was this child with other children at the time? Was it walking by the water? How exactly could something as horrific as these sounds have happened in a place that is known to be a place of family fun, of entertainment and a great place for people to come and always has been? But that has all changed tonight.
Amara?
WALKER: Martin, just give us a little bit more information. I know you just arrived on scene, about the Seven Seas Lagoon.
Is this a recreational area? Do people go in the water? I lived in Florida. I know that alligators are plentiful. You can find them and see them really anywhere. But is this a lagoon where alligators are known to roam in or around?
SAVIDGE: Just about anywhere in Florida if you've got a small body of water. And I'm talking about a very small body of water. It's possible that you attract alligators. They are just part of the natural landscape down here.
And, usually, they are not necessarily a problem. You do have to approach them with a great deal of caution.
The Seven Seas Lagoon is primarily an ornamental lagoon. In other words, it's not usually looked upon as an area where people do want to go swimming. But it's a huge part of the landscape that makes up the massive area that is Walt Disney World.
You've got the Walt Disney World theme parks that are gathered around here. And then you have the hotels. Usually on property hotels. The large ones that many guests if you're staying on property would be at.
And they are sort of scattered along the shoreline here of the lagoon. And that's the case of the Grand Floridian. And as we say tonight, they had what's called movie night. Many of the hotels have special themes. They do special events. It's all part of the guests to have a great and fabulous time during the week.
Something has gone horribly wrong. And it is being reported that a 2- year-old child somehow was taken by an alligator.
Again, the exact circumstances, how it happened, and whether alligators -- whether they patrol for them on the water there, whether they guard against them, if they warn guests about them we don't know.
We're waiting right now to find out what's the latest on the search. Those other details will wait.
But to find out where this child is, how this child is and the effort that is under way to locate them in the dark. That's the other big challenge. It is very dark here.
And despite the fact that you are talking about a huge and international amusement park, most of the areas around the lake, the lighting is limited. It's part of the aesthetics.
Now they are bringing in lighting. The helicopters have search lights. And the effort is under way to locate this child. And we hope to get an update in just a short time.
Amara?
WALKER: Absolutely.
Again, as Martin Savidge was saying, we are waiting for a news conference to happen any minute. It was supposed to take place about three minutes ago. So we will wait to hear more information.
But as Martin Savidge was saying, logistical challenge as it is turning into nighttime for the search for this 2-year-old boy who may have been taken by an alligator.
Martin, I'm just curious to know how close you are to the scene. And what else you are learning about the search?
Again, I know we are waiting for more information. I know details are pretty scant right now. But do we know if divers are being called in? What are you kind of seeing there around you?
SAVIDGE: The area where we are -- and you have to remember, Disney World is a huge property. But the area where we are is the staging area. It is the staging area for the authorities. It's also now become a staging area for the media presence that continues to grow.
So the location of the Seven Seas Lagoon and the area that appears to be the active search area, maybe is about a half a mile away from us.
You know, one of the things you quickly realize any time you interact with news on a property such as Disney World, the environment is carefully controlled.
It's controlled for the benefit of the guests, but it's also controlled for the purposes of Disney controls the security. And Disney will also be on top of the information that comes out.
So you are not allowed to get into the area where this is being taken place. There's actual gates that have now come down across the grand driveway entrances.
There are now private security forces that are set up and checking I.D.s and asking to prove that you are a guest in order to get on the property.
[00:50:00] This is the standard kind of regimen. It's a standard kind of response for Disney here.
They want to protect the environment for their guests. They also want to be sure that the information that comes out about the image of Disney World is just as carefully protected as well.
That said, we are anticipating that we're going to get an update from the authorities. Whether they will be Disney officials here telling us about what's exactly happening on their property or whether they leave it to the Orange County Sheriff's Department, that remains to be seen.
But it's obviously a desperate and significant search that's taking place. And it's one that is likely to go through the night unless in some way we are told in a few minutes that there has been some kind of a resolution.
The key here, though, is of course locating, finding and checking on the welfare of this child that's reported missing and possibly taken by an alligator.
WALKER: And just to put things into context for our viewers in the U.S. and around the world, it is summertime. It is June, which means that a lot of families do head to Disney World there in Florida. It is a popular destination for families.
But, again, as Martin Savidge is reporting, we're still waiting for this news conference to take place. The word is that a child -- a 2- year-old toddler may have been dragged into the water there at the Disney Grand Floridian Resort and Spa near the Disney World Resort.
Just a quick question, again, to follow up, Martin.
Have you had a chance to speak to any of the people there on the ground? Any witnesses? What are people saying about the atmosphere?
SAVIDGE: No. We haven't had that opportunity, again, because every attempt we made to try to get into the area where this is focused, where the search effort is going on, we were turned away.
And the guests clearly -- we know from people who have told us tweeting out and speaking out from the property that they were all told to immediately go back to their rooms.
We haven't heard from anyone who says they actually saw this take place. And that's, of course, key here, too. Because you want to know was it right by the water? Was it possibly at land? Was the child dragged away? Is it possible the child is still somewhere on land as opposed to in the water?
You know, these are all critical questions. I'm sure the authorities are on top of it and getting that critical information right now. It's just that that hasn't been transmitted to us. We understand we're not taking part in the search.
Keep in mind, you know, everybody is aware of what Disney World is. It's one of the largest entertainment complexes in the world. It's one of the largest employers in the State of Florida. And you are now talking about what is probably peak season.
Schools in the United States have just let out. So for a lot of families, one of the first things to do, pack up the car and you go down to Disney World.
And many families have waited a long time planning and saving for a trip like this. So you could imagine the horror of something like this playing out in a place that is known as just a beautiful and magical place for children is a tragic turn of events.
The authorities here are right now not focused on what it means for the resort. They are focused on what it means for the family. And they want to find that child.
WALKER: Absolutely. Martin Savidge, we appreciate your reporting.
Again, we are waiting for a news conference to take place any minute there outside the Disney Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, if you are joining us.
Thank you Martin Savidge for that report.
And if you are just joining us, I want to recap what we have been following. A really horrific story.
A child, a 2-year-old toddler is missing. The boy may have been taken by an alligator. That's what we are hearing.
Martin Savidge was just reporting that it was movie night at the resort, at the Disney Grand Floridian Resort and Spa. People were lined up around the lagoon for movie night. But this child ended up missing. And, of course, out of an abundance of a caution, the officials there evacuating everyone in and around the lagoon.
So again, an intense and desperate search is under way right now for this boy. A lot of officials there on the scene, including Florida Fish and Wild Life as they hope to find this boy.
But again, just some really grim prospects that are being played out in many people's minds right now.
We're going to take a short break here and have more information for you on the other side. Stay with us.
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[00:51:13] WALKER: Welcome to our viewers in the U.S. and around the world. I'm Amara Walker. Thank you for joining us.
We are following this breaking news out of Florida, where a 2-year-old is missing, who may have been taken by an alligator.
Martin Savidge is there on the ground live for us from Florida. He has more details.
Martin, if you can just first off take us through what we know happened.
SAVIDGE: Yes, Amara. It began I would say about 3-1/2 hours ago when there was a report that came in to the Orange County Sheriff's Department. That's the sheriff's department that oversees this part of Disney World. And that report was that a 2-year-old had possibly been taken by an alligator on the banks or on the beach of the Seven Seas Lagoon.
Well, that instantly triggered a response. Law enforcement is out here. You have Florida Wild Life, that's out here as well. They've got boats on the water for a long time. They had a helicopter up in the air. You can see the powerful beam that was probing down into what must be the area where they were searching.
And that at the same time, we were getting reports from guests on the property that the guests who had been gathered for this movie night, that was taking place in the water front, were now being told to evacuate, go back to their rooms.
This would allow a couple of things. One, pull all the people away from any potential danger, and two, allow the authorities to take over the scene. Because, clearly, these are the critical moments, the critical hours to try to locate this child and to determine exactly what has happened.
We don't know much more than that as to where this child was, who was with the child at the time. Was the child in the water? Was the child up on land? We just simply don't know.
Alligators are part of the landscape of Florida. Just about anywhere you have water, it is a possibility you're going to have alligators.
Do they patrol for them here in a place like Disney World? We don't know at this point. And that's not the key. The key is trying to find a child and make sure that that child is all right. Hence, the reason that the staging area is continuing to grow with law enforcement.
You've got highway patrol. You've got the sheriff's department. You've also got others who are showing up that are dealing with alligators and animals. So the search is under way. We hope to get more in a moment.
WALKER: Absolutely. Martin Savidge, we appreciate that.
We're going to take a short break here.
And, of course, as Martin Savidge was saying, we are expecting a news conference. We will bring that to you live as soon as it happens. Stay with us. You are watching CNN.
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