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Connect the World
50-year-old Arrested In Lee Rigby Murder Case; Kenyan Authorities Say Michael Adebolajo Arrested In 2010; South African 14-Year-Old Kills Family
Aired May 27, 2013 - 16:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BECKY ANDERSON, HOST: Backlash, anti-Muslim sentiment runs high in Britain after last week's suspected terror attack.
Plus, as fighting rages in Syria, diplomats are divided on whether arming the rebels is really the solution.
And, it won the Palm d'Or, but can it win over the public? More on the lesbian love story that has everyone talking in France.
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN London, this is Connect the World with Becky Anderson.
ANDERSON: We start tonight with a new arrest, more backlash and a closer look of extremists in the wake of last week's killing of a British soldier in London.
Officers investigating the murder of Lee Rigby in Woolwich have arrested a 50-year-old man in Welling, which is just south of Central London, that brings the total to 10 arrests. Some of those arrested have been released, some have made bail and some are still in custody, while the two main suspects remain in hospital.
Earlier today, Hundreds of English Defense League supporters marched near the central London office of British Prime Minister David Cameron. Enraged by the Rigby killing, the EDL has called for marches around the UK.
Authorities tell CNN that two war memorials in central London were vandalized early on Monday morning. Police partially covered the defaced memorials with sheets. It's not yet clear who might be behind that vandalism.
Well, we are following all the angles for you tonight on this story. Atika Shubert is outside Downing Street where the British government is forming a taskforce to look at what's fueling extremist groups. Nima Elbagir reports from Lamu in Kenya where in -- near Somalia where one of the main suspects was picked up by police three years ago for suspected extremist activity. And later, we'll also hear from Matthew Chance on the anti-Muslim backlash gaining ground in Britain.
Let's start with Atika Shubert who is live outside number 10 for you this evening. What is the latest on this investigation? And what do we have on the details of this task force that the government has set up?
ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, basically they've set up this new counter extremism taskforce. And this will basically not just look at disrupting terror cells but actually trying to combat this sort of extremist militant narrative that seems to be the breeding ground and supposedly the motivation behind the attack that we saw last week.
So that's what the taskforce is supposed to be doing. And it will officially get going next week.
In the meantime, the investigation is continuing. And as you mentioned, there have been 10 arrests in total. The latest happened today, a 50-year-old man. He was arrested by armed police, but he didn't put up a fight or a struggle. Now he joins the others that have been arrested, all of them on suspicion to conspiracy for murder.
Now most of them are young men between the ages of 21 to 28, except of course for this now 50-year-old man, but we don't know how they're all related. We don't know if they're family. If they're friends. And we don't know in what way they knew each other. We're still waiting for police to come out with those details. And, of course, the two main suspects who were arrested immediately after the attack, they remain in serious condition in separate hospitals under police guard and we understand that police have not been able to question them yet.
ANDERSON: Atika Shubert outside Number 10 for you this evening.
Let me remind you about the actual Woolwich attack. Last Wednesday, men in a car struck Lee Rigby. The soldier was then slashed and stabbed to death. After the killing, one of the suspects brandished a knife and a cleaver and said the attack was revenge for the killing of Muslims around the world.
Well, it's emerged that three years ago, that suspect, Michael Adebolajo, was arrested by Kenyan counterterrorism police. Let's go on to that part of the story for you this evening.
Nima Elbagir is live on Kenya's east coast, close to the Somali border. What more do we know at this point, Nima?
NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, we were able to retrace some of Adebolajo's movements back in November of 2010. He arrived here in Lamu where I'm speaking to you from before getting on a boat heading out towards Faza Island (ph). Where he and another two men, we understand, spent the night there before leaving under cover of dark to Gitzengenia Island (ph), which is only about 30 kilometers from the Somali mainland.
Now we understand from Kenyan authorities that this is a route that was used very much in the past by those seeking to join with the al Qaeda linked al Shabaab militant group. At the time Adebolajo maintained his innocence. And indeed, those charges were eventually dropped against him before he was deported from the country.
But having been out there, Becky, I have to tell you it's a pretty remote area. And it's difficult to really get your head around how this London boy managed to get all the way out here without some kind of a broader network to support and advise him, Becky.
ANDERSON: Kenya's authorities, Nima, making it clear that they can't be held responsible for what happened to him after he was handed back to UK authorities, which puts the onus, of course, squarely on British security forces. He would appears, at least, failed to track him on his return, right?
ELBAGIR: Well, it is incredibly embarrassing given the high level of cooperation that's been going on for years between the UK and Kenya. And Kenya, as you said, has been very quick to hold up its hands and say we immediately called him what they're calling the revalant authorities. I'll leave you to pass that phrasing.
But they're saying we very quickly alerted the United Kingdom that we had a British national here. And then we removed him from our territory.
What happened to him next, they say, really isn't our responsibility. And that will return the spotlight back to the UK and what MI-5 did and didn't know, Becky.
ANDERSON: Nima Elgabir on the coast of Kenya for you this evening with another string on this story.
Fear growing as the backlash against Muslims in Britain becomes more intense. During today's protest in London by the English Defense League, 13 people were arrested. Matthew Chance reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, this is the latest protest that's been organized by the English Defense League, the EDL, far right extremist group here. They're concerned about what they say is a spread of Islamic fundamentalism on the streets of Britain. They've been spurred on very much by that terrible killing of Lee Rigby, the British soldier in southeast London.
And what they're demanding is for the British government to take action now.
What are you defending England against?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Our own culture, because they're coming over here and they're...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're defending terrorists.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have to stop offending people. It's our own country.
CHANCE: Critics of this organization say it's merely a front for racism.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's not racism, because I've got black friends, I've got Muslim friends. I'm here to defend my country, because (inaudible) got killed the other day. He got killed for no reason? Well, because the Muslim terrorists.
CHANCE: Well, across the political divide, there is this counter- demonstration that's been organized by a collection of anti-fascist groups. They're very angry that the EDL has been given permission at all to protest on the streets of the British capital. They're concerned that the English Defense League is capitalizing on the killing of Drummer Lee Rigby and trying to divide Britain.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There will be no (inaudible) There will be no Hitlers, there will be no more Mussolinis, because we'll stand up against you. And we will never surrender. We'll fight you and any (inaudible) stand against us.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We do not want extreme Islam in our country. I mean, it took last Wednesday, it took 90 dead in 7/7. It took countless attacks, no go areas in Bolton, (inaudible), you name it, up north it happens. And we're out to stop that.
If we cannot walk free in our own streets in our own country, then in that case call me fascist, call me racist. All I am is trying to defend my people like they would defend me.
CHANCE: There you have it, in the aftermath of the killing of that British soldier on the streets of southeast London, emotions running extremely high indeed across the political divide. And of course it's the British police that are standing in between the two sides.
Matthew Chance, CNN, in central London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: You're watching Connect the World tonight, joining the dots in our top story fears in Britain of a wave of Islamophobia in the wake of the knifing to death of a British soldier. Demonstrations across British cities by the anti-Muslim English Defense League, closely monitored by UK police, minor confrontations.
That as another arrest is made in last week's murder. Four people are now currently in custody.
Still to come this hour, a wave of bombs hit Baghdad, causing chaos and destruction across the city. We'll have the latest from the ground as the death toll continues to rise.
A strong message on a solemn occasion. President Obama tells America not to forget as he lays a wreath on Memorial Day.
Then it's dubbed the richest game in football. Which match and why when Connect the World continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANERSON: Welcome back. I'm Becky Anderson. Well, at least 51 people have died in Baghdad after a series of car bombs exploded across the city. 11 bombs hit modern shopping areas in the mainly Shiite districts of the Iraqi capital. Health officials say around 160 people have also been wounded.
Will Dunlop from AFP joins me now live from Baghdad. What's the scene like on the ground, Will?
WILL DUNLOP, JOURNALIST: Well, there have been dozens of -- well over a dozen attacks in mainly in Shiite areas. This is just the latest series of bombings to hit Shiite areas of Baghdad so far this month. And it comes amid a much broader wave of violence in which more than 500 people have been killed in May and more than 460 last month as well.
ANDERSON: Is there any understanding, yet, as to why these increased attacks by Sunnis over Shiites are happening. And what's the government doing in order to try and prevent this going forward?
DUNLOP: Well, it's actually generally thought to widespread discontent within the Sunni community. There are many Sunnis accuse the government of politically marginalizing their leadership and also targeting them with unwarranted arrest and terrorism charges. That creates a lot of discontent that feeds into violence, both encouraging militants to carry out attacks and also passive allowance of the militants to operate in various areas.
As far as government response, there was some shakeups in top security positions that were announced last week. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki replaced some security command leaders and division commanders. But it's fairly early for that to have had any effect on the ground.
ANDERSON: So efforts being made by the government after much criticism over the past couple of weeks as these -- as these numbers of deaths continue to raise.
Will, thank you for that. Will Dunlop on the ground for you in Iraq this evening.
European Union foreign ministers have just a few days left to resolve a major disagreement over Syria. They met today in Brussels to debate whether to arm Syrian rebels. Now weapons embargo is due to expire this week. Austria's foreign minister says they failed to reach agreement, but other diplomats suggest they'll try again soon.
Much more in this story ahead in about 15 minutes here on Connect the World.
Palestinian officials say they won't make political concessions in exchange for economic benefits. They are responding to a new plan by John Kerry to bring $4 billion in investment to the West Bank. U.S. Secretary of State outline the proposal at the World Economic Forum. The Palestine Investment Fund in Ramallah issued a statement today saying any economic plan must be part of a political framework that will ensure the creation of a Palestinian State.
Americans are observing Memorial Day, which remembers the nation's fallen soldiers. President Barack Obama laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington. He asked Americans to not forget troops' current work and to remember that nation still faces conflict.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: America stands at a crossroads. But even as we turn a page on a decade of conflict, even as we look forward, let us never forget as we gather here today that our nation is still at war.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, it's been another roller coaster ride for the Japanese stock market. Monday, stocks fell 3.2 percent. Export driven companies like Toyota and Sony dragging the market there lower Monday. No harm done to European equities, though. Shares rose after a two day drop. Trading, though, very thin. Volumes very small with both the UK and U.S. markets closed for public holidays.
And do remember, traders in Asian stocks kicking off Tuesday sessions in a couple of hours from now. If they take a lead from Europe, expect those shares to go slightly lower, one would guess.
In India, authorities are on a huge manhunt for hundreds of Maoist rebels who attacked a convoy of local politicians. Now that attack happened in the central state of Chhattisgarh on Saturday. At least 24 people were killed, including several members of the ruling Congress Party.
The government has struggled to control Maoist rebels for decades as Praveen Swami from our sister network IBN explains.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRAVEEN SWAMI, CNN-IBN SECURITY ANALYST: Maoists in southern Chhattisgarh, the region where this attack took place, have been extremely hostile to efforts of mainstream political parties to establish a presence there. Over the last couple of years, violence has waned and mainstream political actors have been trying to reestablish some kind of presence. Saturday's massacre was clearly a bloody, but effective way of telling them that they aren't welcome in the region.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, so far no arrests have been made.
A school boy is being held by South African authorities after allegedly murdering four family members. CNN's Nkepile Mabuse reports from Johannesburg.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NKEPILE MABUSE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A police dog sniffing for clues, a search for a murder weapon believed to be an ax. A stake marks the place where the dog found a 3-month-old baby hacked to death Saturday morning.
ACHAEL DLAMINI, COMMUNITY LEADER: I never see such (inaudible) like this one, or similar to this one.
MABUSE: Community leader Achael Dlamini was called to a scene that he says left him ill.
DLAMINI: That baby was cut twice.
MABUSE: In this yard, a 14-year-old boy allegedly butchered his grandmother, mother, brother and sister. The boy's aunt says the killing began on Friday night.
NOVA NCOYO, SUSPECT'S AUNT: The body of his mom was lying here. There was blood everywhere, everywhere here.
MABUSE: She says every member of the family who tried to intervene was murdered.
NCOYO: The other boy (inaudible) was coming out of here. Also, he did the same thing.
MABUSE: Violence against women and children is not uncommon in this neighborhood, nor is it in this country.
But everyone here is shocked that this time the suspect is a school boy.
What kind of a boy was he?
NCOYO: He was beating his mother from time to time.
MABUSE: Police are investigating reports that the boy drank his baby sister's blood in an apparent Satanic ritual. Dlamini was among those who found and held the boy until police arrived.
DLAMINI: They said there's a call that is coming to him said he must do this.
MABUSE: He heard voices?
DLAMINI: He hears voices says he must do this so he'll be a millionaire.
MABUSE: Police say the boy was taken to hospital for a psychological evaluation.
Nkepile Mabuse, CNN, Johannesburg.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Live from London, this is Connect the World. I'm Becky Anderson for you. About 19 minutes past 9:00 here. Still ahead, Syrian rebels get a diplomatic boost from U.S. Senator John McCain. We'll tell you about his surprise visit to Syria.
First, though, sports as the defending champions both take to the court at the French Open on Monday. That, after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: You're watching Connect the World live from London. I'm Becky Anderson for you.
Both the men's and women's champions began defense of their titles at the French Open on Monday. One had an easy time of it, the other not so much. Pedro Pinto joins me now to tell us all about it.
Gone on, then, pray tell who struggled in Paris?
PEDRO PINTO, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Well, you would think that maybe it would be Maria Sharapova since she has only won the French Open once and that was last season, but no it was seven-time winner Rafael Nadal who lost the first set of his match against a player that not that many people would have heard of, David Brands of Germany, ranked 58 in the world.
He went down in the first set, was stretched to a tiebreak in the second before he finally found his groove and then went through in four sets.
Still not the kind of start he would ideally want to have considering that this is such a grueling tournament. And you spend so many hours out on court anywhere on clay that you really need to make sure that your first rounds go relatively quickly and easily.
Maria Sharapova had a straight set victory, lasted under an hour, her match did. So she looked pretty good out there. 6-2, 6-1 was her score. Didn't face a break point the whole match. So Sharapova looking good.
Of course, she always looks good to be fair...
ANDERSON: I knew you were going to say that.
PINTO: You know I was going to say that? She always good to be fair, but her game looked good.
ANDERSON: Looking good on the court.
All right. Nadal's been phenomenal, hasn't he, since his return from injury. So you would not have expected the sort of performance you saw today.
PINTO: Not at all, because he had a seven month layoff. And since he came back, he won five titles this year. As you would expect on clay, he's dominated most tournaments. He did lose in Monte Carlo for the first time in his career to Novak Djokovic in the final there, but he is the favorite in Paris. Seven-time winner. And no one was really expecting this. But maybe it's a little rust. Maybe it's a little jitters from your first match. Sometimes even the big stars feel it when they get started.
ANDERSON: Let's talk about the revolving doors of football management. We know that The Special One is on his way back to west London to Chelsea of course with an inordinate amount of money. Meantime, Rafael Benitez moving from Chelsea where he was much disliked, I guess is the right line and despite the fact that -- despite the fact that he did so well with them, onto where?
PINTO: Well, it's been confirmed, it's official, Rafael Benitez is the new Napoli manager. There were a few stories out there on the weekend, a few rumors that there had been a deal agreed with the Serie A club who has clinched qualification for the Champion's League next season. And it's just been confirmed about an hour ago by the Napoli chairman Aurelio de Laurentiis, picture was tweeted out with both men shaking their hands. No details yet on the length of the contract or how much he'll be making.
But Rafa was actually quite successful. We're having a look at some pictures from the Europa League triumph over my home team Benfica a couple of weeks ago. He was just out there in the States with Chelsea playing in a couple of friendlies with Manchester City. He's got a new job now.
ANDERSON: And he's got another European tournament to play in, of course.
PINTO: He does. He's got the Champion's League next year with Napoli now.
ANDERSON: Good stuff.
All right, listen, you would think something called the richest game in football would be the Champion's League final or the World Cup final, but I know you're going to surprise both me and our viewers tonight by filling us in on what really is the world's richest game?
PINTO: Yeah, it's unbelievable, because it's not even in the top division of any country in Europe, it's the championship playoff final. So it's...
ANDERSON: The old division two.
PINTO: Yeah, the old second division. And it's one game to decide a place in the Premier League. And it's worth $180 million dollars.
ANDERSON: I find that extraordinary.
PINTO: It is, because the Premier League is the richest club competition in the world nationally. And I can actually break down these numbers for you because it's not as if you get $180 million paycheck, but they are staggered out through two or three different installments, if you like.
The one that they're guaranteed right away is the television revenue. They get prize money for the place they finish in, at least $1.25 million. And then the parachute payments at the top, I'll explain that very quickly, when clubs are relegated, they get a payment to help them deal with the new reality of playing in a lower league with lower budgets with lower TV revenue. So they're not going to make those $90 million yet, they've just guarantee them once they go back to the Championship if they go back to the Championship.
ANDERSON: Which they sort of generally do. You and I were talking about this before. There are a number of teams sort of go up and down.
PINTO: Yeah, a lot of yoyo clubs. Crystal Palace has been one of them. First time in the Premier League since 2005.
ANDERSON: Yeah, good. Lovely, thank you.
PINTO: All right.
ANDERSON: Pedro Pinto in the house. The latest world news headlines just ahead. His show coming up in an hour from now.
We'll do the headlines, plus EU foreign ministers try to bridge a deep divide over whether to arm Syrian rebels and get you an update on their crucial meeting in Brussels.
And on the face of a wave, a surfer has to trust his instincts. A rare chat with the reigning king of the sport Kelly Slater.
And as anti-gay marriage protests fit the streets of Paris, a lesbian love story picks up the top award at Cannes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: This is Connect the World, the top stories this hour. At least 51 people have died in Baghdad after a series of car bombs exploded across the city. 11 bombs exploded in mainly Shiite districts of the Iraqi capital. Health officials there say around 160 people have also been wounded.
U.S. Senator John McCain made an unannounced trip to Syria today visiting with rebel leaders. He's an outspoken advocate of arming the rebels and is the highest ranking elected U.S. official to visit Syria since the war began.
In Britain, a 50-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the killing of a soldier in London. He's being detained on suspicion of conspiracy to murder. It brings the total number of arrests to ten, though two of those were freed without charge, and four released on bail.
Earlier on Monday, hundreds of English Defense League supporters, enraged by the killing of Lee Rigby, marched near the central London office of British prime minister David Cameron.
And Americans are remembering fallen soldiers as they observe a Memorial Day. President Barack Obama laid a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington. He asked Americans not to forget troops' current work and to remember that the nation is still at war.
World diplomats are working on several fronts today to try to help resolve the war in Syria. US Secretary of State John Kerry meeting with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov in Paris, discussing an upcoming peace conference.
In Brussels, EU foreign minister are trying to break a deadlock over whether to arm Syrian rebels. Austria, which strongly opposed the move, says they failed to reach agreement at that meeting. Some diplomats suggest they could try again later this evening. Britain and France leading the push to lift an arms embargo.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILLIAM HAGUE, BRITISH FOREIGN MINISTER: There is a difference over what is appropriate now for the EU to do, and in our view, it's important to show that we are prepared to amend our arms embargo so that the Assad regime gets a clear signal that it has to negotiate seriously.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: William Hague speaking earlier. Well, one of the strongest US advocates for arming Syrian rebels made an unannounced visit to Syria today. Senator John McCain met briefly with rebel leaders. CNN's Nick Paton Walsh is following his trip from Beirut.
This shuttle diplomacy getting a surprise addition in the form of the US senator, who's been one of Obama's harshest critics to date on Syria. What was the point of this trip, Nick?
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Clearly, it was to say the organizers to show how easy it is to go into Syria. Obviously, I think McCain wanted to provide some degree of credibility and boost to the head -- the military head of the Syrian rebels, General Salim Idris.
He appears to have crossed over from the Turkish city of Kilis through the Bab al Salame gate about a kilometer inside Turkey. It has mostly refugee camps when I was there last January, and they've got a while to go until they meet the first major town of Azaz, it's been heavily bombarded.
But he was there, obviously, to meet Syrian opposition leaders, talk about his fears about extremism, but I think above all to show he's willing to go there, he's more interested than the Obama administration, who've lengthily been philosophical about their intervention, I think concerned about being bogged down again in another Middle Eastern conflict.
And I'm sure this will be deeply embarrassing, frankly, for the White House, who at this point are finding the options ahead of them in the months simply shrinking, Becky.
ANDERSON: Yes, and we're still waiting to hear if anything substantive comes out of Kerry's meeting with his Russian counterpart in Paris tonight. These diplomats all over Europe and the Middle East this evening. How real are the fears of a spillover of this Syrian fight into neighboring countries at this point, Nick?
WALSH: Well, you talk about this diplomacy. It seems to be escalating, because I think the growing realization is we are looking more at a regional conflict here rather than simply the sectarian violence staying inside Syria. Maybe that is why we're seeing the EU talking so furiously about their arms embargo, the Russians and the Americans meeting.
The key game-changing fact has been the open statement over the weekend, while many had criticized them of doing for a year almost that Hezbollah, the key military and political actor here inside Lebanon, are now openly fighting across the border in the city of Qusayr alongside the Assad regime saying clearly on Saturday they would fight to the end for Bashar al-Assad.
That's a huge deal in Lebanon, because of the risk of repercussions here. Syrian rebels, Sunni perhaps, fighting against the predominately Shia Hezbollah, back in their homeland of Lebanon. This country, as you know, in the 80s torn apart by sectarian strife.
Many had hoped that Lebanese policy of dissociation, trying to be detached from what was happening across the border, could sustain itself. But Hezbollah's open step into this conflict coupled, it's fair to say, with the consistent presence of Sunni Syrian rebels inside Lebanon, too -- they often use it as a base -- that many fear, waves of panic this weekend could see some violence spreading here. Becky?
ANDERSON: Nick Paton Walsh is in Beirut for you this evening. Let's get some perspective on all of these developments from a member of the opposition Syrian National Council. Khalid Saleh is director of the Syrian Coalition Media Office. He joins us now from Istanbul.
And much effort, certainly on the US and Russian side, to get everybody together at a -- an international conference on Syria at some point next year.
Now, the Syrians have said in principle they are willing to attend that meeting. Are you and the SNC?
KHALID SALEH, DIRECTOR, SYRIAN COALITION MEDIA OFFICE: Well, what we've said is that in general, we agree to the principle. We welcome any political solution that's going to bring an end to the crisis, which Assad has put us through.
However, we had a couple of things that we always remind all of our allies, especially in the Friends of Syria group, first any solution must meet the aspirations of the Syrian people in establishing a democratic and a free country.
Second, the transitional period must start with the departure of Assad and the heads of the security apparatus. I'm a bit concerned, because the news coming out from France at this point tells us that Mr. Kerry in Lavrov might have agreed -- and I must use "might," because we're not still sure - - that no discussions in Geneva II will be around military or security forces --
ANDERSON: But you wouldn't go -- let me stop you there, sir, because we need the news tonight. So, if that were the case, you wouldn't be prepared as an organization to turn up, right?
SALEH: It would make me really wonder what the value of the discussion will be.
ANDERSON: OK.
SALEH: We're not going there to have negotiations for the sake of negotiations. We want to have --
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: OK, let me put this to you -- let me put this to you tonight, because one of the -- it seems to me one of the problems that the West has with the Syrian opposition is that there is no sort of one overarching organization that anybody feels speaks for everybody.
Now, speaking to the "Daily Beast" today, General Salim Idris, who of course is the leader of the Supreme Military Council of the Free Syrian Army, was with John McCain on this surprise visit to Turkey and Syria, and he said this:
"What we want from the US government is to take the decision to support the Syrian revolution with weapons and ammunition, anti-tank missiles, and anti-aircraft weapons. Of course, we want a no-fly zone and we ask for strategic strikes against Hezbollah, both inside Lebanon and inside Syria." This is crucial. Do you support what General Idris has written and said today?
SALEH: Definitely. These were the specific demands --
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: Strikes inside Lebanon and Syria?
SALEH: Well, Hezbollah is a terrorist organization. It's not a Lebanese organization, it's an Iranian organization. The EU is considering putting them on the terrorist list. We've made the specific demands -- the same demands to the Friends of Syria group.
Hezbollah militias, according to intelligence reports that we're receiving from Western countries, they're telling us that Hezbollah militias are fully engaged at this point. They're throwing tens of thousands of fighters into Syria.
And we also have pictures today coming out of Iran where they're asking for volunteers and sending them to fight against innocent Syrians, which is a big disaster for us, because you have Hezbollah militias, you have Iranian generals and Iranian, now, volunteers. We have Russian weapons that are arriving --
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: OK --
SALEH: -- two to three times per week. It's a -- Syrians are fighting against some major powers. Add to that the 13th largest army in the world, the Syrian Army, which is --
ANDERSON: Let me put this to you. Let me put this to you. Two questions. Firstly, have you been given a deadline by the US as to whether you will attend this meeting or not? Yes or no?
SALEH: No, we have not been given a deadline.
ANDERSON: OK, fine.
SALEH: Many details are still vague, by the way. No place --
ANDERSON: OK, so no to the deadline tonight. Right. One of the problems, again, that the international community has is the idea of arming the rebels -- and this is what the Austrians and, for example, the Swedes are saying tonight -- arming the rebels, easing the embargo on Syrian rebels, might mean that extremists get -- and I'm looking here -- anti-tank missiles, ammunition, anti-aircraft weapons, into their hands.
So, effectively, until somebody can delineate where these arms are going, there are many members of the international community who find the prospect of arming extremist militants in Syria -- and I think we all agree that they are fighting on the ground under the umbrella, as it were, of the rebels -- that's too worrying a thought. That's not going to happen, is it?
SALEH: Well, here's the deal. So, the US, France, and England have been very involved, they've been monitoring the SNC, which is headed by General Salim Idris. They've been monitoring it now for over six months, six and a half months.
And they're able to watch the non-lethal aid and how it is distributed to the different brigades. There is a very specific monitoring system, auditing systems, and the US monitors this very, very closely, and that's the reason they chose to provide General Salim Idris with --
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: But hang on a minute, let me very briefly -- how can anybody monitor anything on the ground when very few people get the chance to even be in the areas where these arms are being used?
SALEH: Not at all, actually. People go in and out of Syria all the time. Reporters go in and out of Syria all the time. What we'd add, let me give you an example about chemical weapons. We have reports -- and we have reports that Saraqeb, which is a liberated area, that chemical weapons were used there.
We invited the United Nations, we invited the US, England, we invited the French, to come in. It's open, we have full control over the land. And we said come here, take samples, and determine by yourself, let the evidence show who is using the chemical weapons. The same thing applies to weapons.
Now, let me give you an example about something -- some of the stuff that General Salim Idris is doing. They are going to the different brigades that are fighting. If they find a single minor fighting within these brigades, then they are cut off of any supplies.
If they find any foreign fighter fighting amongst these brigades, they are cut off supplies completely. So, we are very aware of the concerns of the international community and we're telling them, listen, we have the same concerns and we want to make sure that we are all -- that the weapons don't fall into the wrong hands.
ANDERSON: On the same page. All right, Khalid, thank you for that. Let's talk again soon. Khalid Saleh is in Turkey this evening on what is a very fast-moving and developing story. Many strands, we'll keep you bang- up-to-date, of course, here on CNN as we get more.
Live from London, you're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Becky Anderson. Security and celebrity come with being the world's top surfer, but all he's looking for, well, it's the perfect swell. As part of our Art of Movement series, a chat with Kelly Slater. Also ahead --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ZACH GALIFIANAKIS AS ALAN, "HANGOVER 3": We can't be friends anymore. When we get together, bad things happen and people get hurt.
KEN JEONG AS MR. CHOW, "HANGOVER 3": Yes, that's the point, it's funny.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: It's pegged as the last trip for the Wolf Pack, but is it? I sit down with the cast of "The Hangover 3."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Some of the world's top surfers can make their sport look like an art form. Mastering the waves, wind, and weather isn't easy. It can take a lifetime to catch a perfect wave. Well, 11-time world champion Kelly Slater has had unrivaled success in the sport. In a rare interview, Nick Glass fond out just how hard Slater works to hone his skills.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NICK GLASS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Beautiful, elemental, ever-restless and, as often as not, mesmerizing. Without breaking waves, what would surfers do? No waves, no surf, no surfing.
For a thousand years or more, men have paddled out into the sea with their boards and ridden the waves.
GLASS (on camera): For the last 50 years or so, surfing has graduated from a subculture to a serious sport with a global following, particularly on the internet. Tens of millions of people do it. Many others follow it.
GLASS (voice-over): Pro surfers nimble up on an autumn morning in Rio de Janeiro. The world professional tour, the surfing circus, has rolled up on the beach.
JOSH KERR, PROFESSIONAL SURFER: There's so many different variables in our sport, like so many different variables. You have to know -- obviously, the ocean is a base in itself. And to know it so well, know everywhere where the water is moving, where the currents are going.
GLASS: The sport has become thrillingly acrobatic and aerial, as physically demanding as Olympic gymnastics or diving. Kelly Slater from Florida is the acknowledged master of surfing, King Kelly. And he's practically deified. Just getting him on and off the beach takes twice as many security men as anyone else. In-depth interviews are rare.
KELLY SLATER, CHAMPION SURFER: I'm not religious, but surfing's my religion, if I have religion. It's -- it's like a full-on addiction for me. I just love it. I'm just obsessive about it.
GLASS: Slater has been world champion no less than 11 times. He's though profoundly about the sea and how waves move.
SLATER: The ocean waves, the whole thing as a mechanism, it has a life, it has a pattern to it. It has a thing that's happening. You have to just fit into it the right way. You have to learn how to read all the signals and the signs and the movements and be able to put yourself in the place you want to in that environment.
Once you've done it enough, you start to understand where you can be, you start to understand how close to the waves or how late you can take off. It's just a -- it's just a lifelong calculation, really.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: And you can check out more about our new Art of Movement series online, the show highlighting the latest innovations in science and technology, everything from ballet to bionics, and exploring how those cultural currents are shaping our lives, cnn.com/artofmovement.
Coming up after this short break, the winner of this year's top prize at the Cannes Film Festival. We're going to take a look at why many believe it is a controversial choice, up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEVEN SPIELBERG, JURY PRESIDENT, CANNES FILM FESTIVAL: Adele, Lea, and Abdellatif.
(CROWD CHEERS)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Celebrations as French film "Blue is the Warmest Color" wins the most-coveted prize at the Cannes Film Festival, that being the Palme d'Or. Well, the choice by the Steven Spielberg-led jury is being cheered by some and considered controversial by others.
The film by the Tunisian-born director Abdellatif Kechiche is about a same-sex relationship between two women in modern-day France, and its acclaim comes hot on the heels of the country's decision to legalize gay marriage.
For more, I'm joined live by Agnes Poirier, who is just back from Cannes. A surprise to some, acclaimed by many. A political statement, though, do you think, given what we are seeing in France at present, with the gay marriage legislation and the protests?
AGNES POIRIER, FILM CRITIC: It's very interesting, because Steven Spielberg, the jury -- the president of the jury in Cannes this year, at the post-ceremony press conference said "No, no, no, we're not making a political point." But actually, he had just done one.
Because as they were giving the Palme d'Or to Abdellatif Kechiche, the riot police in the streets of Paris were actually fighting a last, we think, march of protesters against same-sex marriage, although it is already passed as law. So, of course, it's a political point, but it's also an artistic one. Very often in Cannes, arts meet politics.
ANDERSON: The Palme d'Or can catapult a filmmaker to international renown, of course. It's happened before and it'll happen again. I believe this was picked up for US distribution during Cannes by IFC's Sundance Select. Will it make money at the box office?
POIRIER: Well, it will. Palme d'Or, whether they are very hardcore auteur films, always get a boost, obviously, throughout the world. Now, it is a three-hour long film, and Abdellatif Kechiche is not very well-known from a mainstream audience in the world, but I'm sure it will find an audience outside of France, there is no doubt about it.
ANDERSON: All right. Well, listen, there's always fun and games at Cannes, and there certainly were this year, with the stars, the movies, the heists and all. We were down there for the couple of days at the beginning. One of my favorites for the Palme d'Or was "Behind the Candelabra." And we're going to show a little bit of that as you talk. What was yours?
POIRIER: Well, actually, I really enjoyed Steven Soderbergh's film very much. I don't think it's a very good title. It should be called "Liberace," and actually, it's the French title. But Michael Douglas and Matt Damon gave amazing performances.
And it is -- it's interesting, because it's a TV drama produced by HBO, and it is such a pity that Michael Douglas won't be able to be considered for an Oscar in the United States. I -- we were a lot of film critics in Cannes thinking that it would get the Best Actor prize. And it's a pity that he didn't. But it's a wonderful film. I must say, I was pit between that one and Abdellatif Kechiche's film.
ANDERSON: Excellent. Good stuff. All right. Well, we thank you for joining us. Get yourself into the warm. It was a miserable old week at Cannes so far as the weather was concerned, so let's hope we find some better weather in Europe in the week to come. Agnes, thank you for that.
Well, the party is now over in Cannes. So too, it seems, for a group of characters known as the Wolf Pack. I am, of course, talking about the boys in the buddy road trip movie "The Hangover."
The third installment of the comedy has opened in cinemas, and while it's been pegged as the last, the final scene would suggest otherwise. I caught up with the gang to find out if this is, indeed, the end of the mayhem.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN GOODMAN AS MARSHALL, "THE HANGOVER 3": Where is he? Leslie Chow stole $21 million from me, and I figure the Wolf Pack has the best chance of finding him.
ANDERSON: Does it feel, Brad, as if you are on a road trip when you're making these films? And please tell me it's not the last one, by the way.
BRADLEY COOPER, "PHIL": It is the last one. It feels like -- it feels like we've done one long television show or something, with little breaks in between. I think it's pretty rare to be able to do three movies in six years. Usually it takes -- somebody doesn't want to come back, or scheduling.
But really, we all -- because I think we love working with each other -- and Warner Brothers and Todd Phillips, we all made it work.
ED HELMS, "STU": I'd do anything with these guys and with Todd, so how could --
COOPER: Pretty much. I mean, yes.
HELMS: Clearly, I have no standards.
COOPER: What's left, honestly?
HELMS: But it's such a privilege to come to work and hang out and laugh with these guys. And so, it's a no-brainer.
JUSTIN BARTHA AS DOUG, "THE HANGOVER 3": We're all here to tell you about an awesome place called New Horizons.
GALIFIANAKIS AS ALAN: That does sound awesome.
SASHA BARRESE AS TRACY, "THE HANGOVER 3": Alan, this is an intervention.
BARTHA AS DOUG: We drive you there today, and I promise you will come back a changed man.
GALIFIANAKIS AS ALAN: You going, Phil?
COOPER AS PHIL: I love you, Alan.
(CRYING)
ANDERSON: Zach, the film centers around you this time. Your character is completely mad. Do you relate to him in any way?
GALIFIANAKIS: I like when people are not self-aware. It always makes me laugh. Maybe there's an element, but I don't know. It doesn't stick out so much if there is one. Or maybe I'm too stupid to realize it, you know what I mean?
COOPER: Maybe you're not self-aware enough.
GALIFIANAKIS: Yes.
ANDERSON: Did anybody know Zach had a voice like he does, by the way?
COOPER: No, I was surprised.
HELMS: He really kept that under wraps.
GALIFIANAKIS: I have a concert tonight at Royal Albert Hall if you want to go.
COOPER AS PHIL: My God, he's got the voice of an angel.
HELMS AS STU: It's breathtaking.
(GALIFIANAKIS SINGING OPERA ARIA)
ANDERSON: You say this is the last, the third, to a certain extent, sort of tying up some loose ends --
TODD PHILLIPS, DIRECTOR, "THE HANGOVER 3": Yes.
ANDERSON: -- as it were, in the storylines in the last two. But the postscript somewhat teases the audience. Tell us that there is another one.
PHILLIPS: No, there isn't another one, but the postscript really is about that this is going to -- that even though they've kind of paid for their sins with this movie -- and by sins, I mean the bad decisions of the first movie -- and even though it is all over, this is never going to stop happening to them. They just have a black cloud that hangs over their head.
GALIFIANAKIS AS ALAN: We can't be friends anymore. When we get together, bad things happen and people get hurt.
JEONG AS MR. CHOW: Yes, that's the point. It's funny.
ANDERSON: You do a lot of stunt in this movie as well. Do you do those stunts?
JEONG: No. A lot of -- the parachute, that was a great team of, ooh, amazing, amazing people that were kind of flying Chows all over Vegas. But there is a point in the movie where I do a 30-foot free fall drop with water coming down --
ANDERSON: Spewed out.
JEONG: And that's 30 -- yes, spewed out, like 30-feet drop. And that was me.
ANDERSON: Is this really the last?
JEONG: Oh, this is the last "Hangover," absolutely. I wouldn't mind a Chow spin-off. I mean, I love -- Mr. Chow is my favorite character, so I would do anything as Mr. Chow.
JEONG AS CHOW: Hey, fat stuff. Quick, give me some sugar.
ALAN: Mwa!
HELMS AS STU: Did he just kiss him?
COOPER AS PHIL: What are you doing here?
JEONG AS CHOW: Same old, same old. Ooh, I got into cock fighting.
GALIFIANAKIS AS ALAN: Oh, cock fighting, that sounds wonderful.
JEONG AS CHOW: Stand still, I'm trying to help!
HELMS AS STU: Are you out of your mind?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Mr. Chow is back, you heard it here first. I'm Becky Anderson, that was CONNECT THE WORLD on this Monday. We thank you for watching.
END
