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Turkey Expands Purge of Officials; Secretary of State John Kerry Meets with EU Officials; Looking Ahead to RNC Convention; Report Uncovers Russian State Supported Anti-Doping Cheating. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired July 18, 2016 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:17] LYNDA KINKADE, HOST: Turkey's president shows no mercy to those accused of plotting a coup. Thousands arrested. Calls to bring back
the death penalty. All while the country mourns the fallen.
Hello, we've also got reports from Istanbul and Ankara. We'll go live to those reports. And also ahead...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: "He was very much the stereotype of a petty criminal," he says. "There was nothing that would have suggested in
reality he was a jihadist."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: And investigators reveal more about the man behind the terror attack in Nice, France.
Also opening day in Cleveland, the Republican National Convention kicks off. Can the party unite behind Donald Trump?
Hello and welcome to Connect the World. I'm Lynda Kinkade sitting in for Becky Anderson.
Well, we begin in Turkey where a sweeping crackdown and the calls for the death penalty to be reintroduced are worrying western allies. More than
7,000 people have been arrested and more than 8,700 security officials have been suspended all for a plot to overthrow President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
27 alleged ringleaders were brought into court on Monday. They did not have access to
lawyers before their appearance.
Senior international correspondent Arwa Damon joins me now live from Istanbul.
Arwa, Mr. Erdogan wants the U.S. extradite a Muslim cleric from Pennsylvania who is the accused -- the accused ringleader of this attempted
coup. Has any evidence been presented at this stage?
ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: As far as we know, not yet. The Turkish government President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are accusing a cleric
named Fetullah Gulen who has been in self-imposed exile in the United States of basically being the mastermind of this coup. And it's worth
noting that it's not the first time that the Turkish government has leveled accusations against Gulen as being somehow implicit in trying to foment
unrest in Turkey or being behind protests against the government.
They do say they have compiled evidence that will prove to the U.S. authorities that Gulen -- Fetullah Gulen was, in fact, behind this coup.
And President Erdogan made something very clear. He said how the U.S. reacts to this evidence will be a clear indication of what kind of a friend
America is.
So, there is to a certain degree the potential out there for more tensions between America and the United States at a time when neither can
really afford it, Lynda.
KINKADE: And of course, Arwa, the funerals for many of the 232 people who died during that attempted coup continue. You were at some of those
funerals yesterday.
DAMON: We were. And the scenes there are absolutely heartbreaking, because not only is the population here trying to come to terms with the
violence, which was entirely unexpected, there are also these growing widespread fears about what this attempted coup means for the future of
their country.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAMON: The choking sorrow of loss overwhelming both young and old, some barely able to
walk, others collapsing under the weight of their emotions -- loved ones, neighbors and strangers came to funerals across Istanbul for those who
perished.
This is a nation deeply divided, united in this moment by grief. 48 hours after Friday's failed
coup, Hulia Gedik (ph) is among the many still trying to come to terms with it all.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): Every bit of news we got that night, every
explosion was not something happening just outside. It was as if each one tore our soul apart.
DAMON: And few know how, or if, their country will come together. Security is understandably very tight as the president and other top
government officials attend these funerals.
This is a nation bracing that, yes, had been bracing itself for more violence, but they were expecting something in the form of yet another
horrific ISIS attack or strikes carried out by the PKK. No one who we've spoken to said they ever imagined that an attempted military coup would be
what brought the country to the brink of such instability.
Amid the pain at one of the mass funerals, calls for capital punishment, banned by Turkish law. In response, President Erdogan pledged
he would take that demand to the relevant authorities and that the decision cannot be delayed, a chilling promise.
Erdogan has been a deeply polarizing figure. He does have significant support. And most of those who oppose what they describe as his increasing
authoritarian rule, do not support removing him from power in a coup. But there are growing fears that he will use this to purge the nation of any
voices of dissent.
Thousands have been rounded up in sweeping operations. Most members of the military, including the commander of the Incirlik air base from
where the U.S. launches its anti-ISIS attacks in Syria and Iraq.
Also detained judges, prosecutors and others.
And the government is demanding that the U.S. detain and expedite Fetullah Gulen, the cleric in self-imposed exile in America whom the
Turkish government says is behind the coup, an allegation he has denied.
The people power that arguably saved Erdogan is still in the streets, continuing to heed his call, creating an odd celebratory atmosphere as
Turkey is dragged into uncharted territory.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[11:06:37] DAMON: And how the government ends up deciding to navigate this uncharted territory is arguably going to be defining this nation's
future. On the one hand, President Erdogan could continue with these wide sweeping crackdowns. And as his opponents fear, effectively detain or
somehow silence any voices of dissent as we have been reporting or he could capitalize on this moment of rare unity between the country'smajor
political parties who did all stand together and condemn this attempted coup.
KINKADE: OK, Arwa Damon, thank you so much for your reporting live for us from Istanbul.
We also have our Nic Robertson, our international diplomatic editor covering developments from Ankara.
And Nic, 6,000 people have been rounded up from all ranks within the armed forces, many stripped of their clothes and are being detained in
horse stables.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Lynda, the numbers are big and they keep growing. We now understand it's over 7,000
military and others who have been detained. One-third of the country's leading generals and admirals have all been rounded up.
Some people we've seen photographs of have been detained in conditions that look very rudimentary, stripped of everything but their underwear,
kneeling in sawdust in what we're told is a horse stables here in Ankara, their hands flexicuffed behind their backs.
We've also seen close-up photographs of some of the 27 people, men that the government alleges were behind -- leading this coup. They're in
that courtroom behind me there right now. But the photographs we saw just yesterday, at least one of them -- one of those men alleged to be a coup
leader, a career officer, a four-star general. He's been -- he's served for NATO in Afghanistan. He's had many high and distinguished awards, he
looked as if he had been badly beaten about the head. His ear was bandaged, his arms also heavily bruised. And when he appeared in court
today, his injuries appeared worse than yesterday.
So, certainly at the moment for many people in Turkey, this is raising questions about how people are being detained. The numbers again huge.
Talk about suspensions, aside from those people detained, you have 8,777 police officers suspended, 1,500 members of the ministry of finance
suspended, more than 2,700 judges suspended. So, these are big, big numbers right now.
In fact, the government has said that all government workers are having their current leave canceled, they need to continue to turn up for
work at the moment. That's the situation the government faces
KINKADE: Yeah, huge concerns over whether those people will get a fair trial and humane treatment. Nic Robertson, thanks so much for that
update from Istanbul -- from Ankara. Thank you.
We're going to go to France now where authorities say they have yet to establish a link between ISIS and the terror attack in Nice that left 84
people dead. Earlier, a moment of silence was held to remember the victims on the Promenade de Anglais. That's where a gunman plowed a truck through
hundreds of people celebrating Bastille Day. Six people are in custody in relation to that attack.
Our Will Ripley is in Nice and joins us now live. Will, so much sorrow and heartache there. But some now turning to anger and they're
directing the anger primarily at the government.
WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There is a lot of anger at the government. And French President Francois Hollande at a moment of silence
earlier today was greeted with a chorus of boos from the crowd. And there is also -- and you can really feel it here
-- pure hatred for the man who did this, Mohammed Bouhlel.
This is where he died. And just within the past hours, this pile of trash and rocks has grown. People have come by, they're spit on it.
People are furious about what he did and they are demanding justice for the 84 people who died and the more than 200 who are still
injured, including 18 literally clinging to life at this moment. They're in a life-or-death situation,
according to doctors.
Brand new information coming in from the French prosecutor's office about the evidence that they seized from Bouhlel's home. They went through
his computer and they found videos of horrific car accidents. They found evidence that he was looking at ISIS decapitation videos, saying he started
growing his beard in the days leading up to the attack to resemble the appearance of a jihadist.
They say he started growing his beard in the days leading up to the attack to resemble the appearance of a jihadist.
They say that this type of rapid radicalization could especially occur with somebody who was mentally disturbed, because there's a lot of
speculation and belief that he had mental health issues. Also, July 4. He paid 1,600 euros to rent that truck. He needed to take out a loan before
the attack. And when he couldn't get the money, he sold his car. So all of it adding up to this.
In addition to the fact he was talking to people who helped him get weapons, he sent a text message to somebody about weapons. It's appearing
increasingly so that this person was radicalized and this was not a lone wolf incident, but a more coordinated attack.
We spoke with Bouhlel's lawyer, a man who helped get him out of prison earlier this year. and he says he's struggling with so many feelings.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RIPLEY: Mohamed Bouhlel was a delivery driver with a wife, three children, and a volatile personality. In March, he threw a wooden pallet
at another driver in a fit of road rage. Corentin Delobel was his lawyer in that case and got him a six-month suspended prison sentence.
"I told myself I did my job," he says, "but if I had done my job badly he might be in prison, and
maybe would have never done what he did."
He struggles with a sense of guilt and shock. Delobel says his weightlifting, heavy drinking client was not an extremist, but he did have
a record of domestic violence, accused of beating and humiliating his now estranged wife.
"He was very much the stereotype of a petty criminal," he says. "There was nothing that would
have suggested in reality he was a jihadist."
He says the attacker didn't really stand out in a crowd and wouldn't have raised any suspicion when prosecutors say he came here to the
Promenade des Anglais, not once, but twice, in the days leading up to the attack.
His brother says he even sent a photo that night of himself looking happy in the crowd.
Prosecutors also say Bouhlel sent a text message to someone just before the attack, telling them to bring more weapons. Police are
questioning several people. A source tells CNN those who knew Bouhlel say he began speaking in support of ISIS. The terror group has called him one
of its soldiers.
"He wasn't very intelligence," he says. "I imagine he could have been easily influenced by religion."
Bouhlel was never overtly religious, never on a watch list. France's interior minister says he likely radicalized very rapidly, committing one
of the worst terror attacks in recent history, and nobody, not even his lawyer, saw it coming.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
RIPLEY: The memorials continue to appear here. This is a man with a great smile, looks like he was maybe in his late 20s or 30s, name is
Michael. And we saw a woman who knew him earlier, putting down these candles and some flowers. And there's all the messages from his Facebook
friends saying how much they are going to miss him. He was one of the people who was mowed down, 84 people mowed down, and many other people with
catastrophic injuries, 500 people seeking psychological help for what this man did, Lynda, which just underscores the importance of this investigation
which is under way right now.
The French interior minister did say as of now, no definitive link to the terror group ISIS, which is important. Because obviously ISIS is
taking credit for this, saying that this man was one of their soldiers. This type of an event helps their propaganda, helps encourage other people
to join who might have similar mental issues, disturbances, violent tendencies. So, we have
to be very careful about linking this to ISIS.
But we certainly can't deny just the tragedy of what happens here as the memorials grow for all the people, families, children, friends who came
out here for a night of fireworks and they're never going to be seeing their families again.
[08:15:09] KINKADE: Yeah, so many people affected. Will Ripley for us reporting in Nice. Thank you.
Now to some other stories on our radar. Well, now to some other stories on our radar. The brother of a Pakistani social media star has
confessed to strangling her. He says he's proud of doing it because he objected to the kind of pictures she posted online. 25-year-old
Qandel Baloch described herself as a modern day feminist.
British lawmakers are debating whether to renew the country's Trident nuclear weapons program. The new Prime Minister Theresa May has said to
back its renewal. Missiles and the submarines that launch them, make the UK one of western Europe's two nuclear powers.
Most of the families who lost loved ones in the MH-17 air crash have reached a settlement
with Malaysian Airlines, that's according to lawyers representing the families. The amount is not being
disclosed. The plane was shot down over Ukraine two years ago killing all 298 people on board.
Well, all across the U.S., police are on high alert following an ambush against officers in Baton
Rouge, Louisiana. Three police officers were killed and three others wounded in a shooting there on Sunday. It's the second shooting targeting
police in less than two weeks.
Our Boris Sanchez has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Shots fired! Officer down! Shots fired! Officer down! Got a city offer down.
SANCHEZ (voice-over): Three officers ambushed and gunned down in Baton Rouge Sunday morning with three other officers wounded. At 8:40 a.m.
officers spotting a man dressed in black, wearing a mask and holding an AR- 15-style semiautomatic rifle near a convenience store. A law enforcement source says the killer, 29-year-old Gavin Eugene Long, a former Marine, was
intentionally trying to lure in police.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm hit. Left arm.
SANCHEZ: Two minutes later, gunshots rang out, the killer outgunning the officers at the scene. In the hail of bullets, three of them lost their
lives: 41-year-old Matthew Gerald; 32-year-old Montrell Jackson; and 45- year-old Brad Garafola.
Police ending the rampage by shooting the gunman.
CHIEF CARL DABADIE JR., BATON ROUGE POLICE: Don't think that this can't happen in your country. We never would have thought that this was
going to happen in Baton Rouge, but it has.
SANCHEZ: The attack coming just ten days after five officers were killed in the Dallas ambush by another former military veteran, 25- year-
old Micah Johnson, gunning down officers protecting a peaceful protest to the police killings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile.
COL. MIKE EDMONSON, LOUISIANA STATE POLICE SUPERINTENDENT: We want the prayers from around the country. You know, we're mourning just like Dallas.
I mean, my two partners, my two brothers right here, I was in the hospital with them. I saw firsthand the grief on their face as they were trying to
talk to the families. You know, this has got to stop.
SANCHEZ: Law enforcement sources tell CNN that the Baton Rouge killer rented a car from his hometown in Kansas City, stopping in Dallas, where he
shot this video on his cell phone before carrying out the attack.
The five-year veteran was discharged as a sergeant and spent about six months in Iraq. He tweeted about the Dallas killer, calling him, quote,
"one of us." And then a YouTube video urging viewers...
GAVIN EUGENE LONG, BATON ROUGE KILLER: You've got to fight back.
SANCHEZ: Tensions high in Baton Rouge since Alton Sterling's death nearly two weeks ago, Sterling's aunt pleading for peace.
VEDA WASHINGTON-ABUSALEH, ALTON STERLING'S AUNT: These people call these families, they tell them that their daddies and their mama's not
coming home no more. I know how they feel, because I got the same phone call. Stop this killing. Stop this killing.
SANCHEZ: One of the slain Baton Rouge officers posting this plea on Facebook after the Dallas ambush. Quote, "Please don't let hate infect your
heart." Montrell Jackson wrote, "If you see me or need a hug or want to say a prayer, I got you."
President Obama yet again forced to address a mass killing.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We need to temper our words and open our hearts, all of us.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Until we come together and this madness continues, we will surely perish as a people.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Well, still to come, Make America Safe Again: that's the theme for the opening day of the Republican National Convention. Donald
Trump hoping to finally unify his party this week around his controversial presidential bid. We're live in Cleveland just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:21:56] KINKADE: You're watching CNN. And this is Connect the World. I'm Lynda Kinkade. Welcome back.
Well, the stage is set for a crowning moment for Donald Trump this week. Less than two hours from now, the Republican National Convention
kicks off in Cleveland, Ohio. Trump has promised to inject some showbiz into the four days of festivities. He's hoping to unify the party behind
his presidential nomination after a bitterly divided primary campaign.
But that's not the only challenge. The convention comes at a very tense time in America and
Republicans want to strike the right tone as they officially introduce their nominee.
Let's get a live update from Cleveland. Our Hala Gorani is there.
Hala, this is all starting just a day after another mass shooting, a shooting that left three police officers dead. Ohio, of course, has an
open carry law there. Will that be suspended?
HALA GORANI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the governor, who ran for president here, says it's not in his power to suspend open carry laws in
the state of Ohio. So, it appears as though that is still going to be -- open carry rights across the state still something that people will be able
to use if they wish to openly carry firearms.
Of course, it's a little bit more tense. Security is very tight, though, we're talking miles and miles of extra security checks and outside
perimeters around this convention center.
But this event is kicking off, as you mentioned officially today. In the coming days, Donald Trump will officially become the nominee for the
Republican Party. And this is not something that the Republican establishment wanted. Many big names will not even show up.
You will have Ted Cruz, one of the major rivals, who was called Lying Ted throughout the campaign by Donald Trump, but he will come here and speak.
We don't know if he'll officially throw his support. But certainly he's going to use this very important stage to address Republican supporters.
Now, with me to discuss what to expect is Bakari Sellers, CNN political commentator. He supports Hillary Clinton, so is on the other
side, politically speaking, of where we are.
But let's talk a little bit about this party here, because they need to unify the Republican Party. I mentioned no big names. Marco Rubio, the
best he could do was tape an address that will be broadcast in this convention center. Will this party be able to unify itself?
BAKARI SELLERS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Usually at these conventions what you have are character witnesses for the nominee. And
what we're seeing are that many of Donald Trump's character witnesses are either his own family or B and C list celebrities.
The glitz and glamour that he promised not just the United States, but the world in his braggadocios bravado that he also shows is not what we're
going to see here.
GORANI: And why not?
SELLERS: I don't think he was...
GORANI: But he's a reality show star. I mean, by definition he's somebody who should be able to attract A-list celebrities.
SELLERS: Well, I think that is what people are starting to see as this general election progresses that a lot of what you see, you know, the
emperor has no clothes. I mean, it's that theory, that when you pull back the wool, you're seeing that there's not a lot of there there.
Because this event comes at a very pivotal time in this country where you had Minnesota, where
you've had Baton Rouge, where you've had Dallas and then you've had a Baton Rouge shooting again. And so this country really needs to come together.
So, the question is whether or not is Donald Trump going to be divisive as usual or is Donald Trump going to be a unifying figure,
something we haven't seen before.
GORANI: And let's talk about within the party, because within the party, I mentioned -- I mean you had -- apart from Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio
with that taped address, but no big names. So, therefore, how is this going to work for the party in November against Hillary Clinton in the
general election?
SELLERS: It even trickled down to his vice presidential pick, because Mike Pence is not even the top of the second tier.
GORANI: The Indiana Governor.
SELLERS: Indiana governor is not even the top of the second tier of possible vice presidential picks. I mean, you think about South Carolina
Governor Nikki Haley, South Carolina United States Senator Tim Scott.
You have the list...
GORANI: Condoleezza Rice.
SELLERS: Condoleeze Rice. Marco Rubio. The list goes on and on of people who would have actually given Donald Trump the necessary ability to
build his coalition.
Right now, Donald Trump is doing very poorly with minorities, very poorly with women, and Mike Pence doesn't help. And so far this convention
won't help either.
GORANI: But Bakari, this is not a done deal. I mean, some of these polls out there -- Ohio is one of them. The latest one, just the 10th of
July, an NBC News poll, 38 percent for Hillary Clinton where we are in Ohio, 38 percent for Donald Trump, 21 undecided or other.
This is a very important swing state. It's got to be a concern for supporters of Hillary Clinton at this stage.
SELLERS: Well, it is. I mean, Ohio has been neck and neck the entire race. Hillary Clinton has been winning in Virginia, been winning in
Florida, been winning in Colorado, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Michigan, but Ohio.
GORANI: By single digits though.
SELLERS: There's no doubt about it. But even this poll is taken after her worst week. Hillary Clinton's worst week came after the July 5
FBI report in which they said that she was extremely careless in dealing with classified information.
And so when you think about that and this poll coming after that, even after her worst week she's still tied with Donald Trump.
GORANI: Well, you're giving it a positive spin, aren't you.
SELLERS: That's what I'm supposed to do.
GORANI: But Bakari, explain to our international viewers -- I mean, we had a Brexit vote in the United Kingdom where some of the themes that I
think allowed the Brexit campaign to win there, we find in some post- industrial malaise areas of the United States, for instance. Is the Democratic Party doing a good enough job of reaching out to people who have
suffered from globalization, who are unhappy with their lives and who believe that Donald Trump is the candidate for them?
SELLERS: Well, I think that we not only have to continue to take that message to heart, that remain campaign. We have to learn the lessons from
that. But not only do we have to make sure we deal with that on issues such as trade, we have to make sure -- the Democratic platform is talking about making sure we keep trade, but we have
fair and strong trade, fair trade for workers, and that's very important.
Because what Donald Trump has been able to do is go in these communities in Michigan, in Ohio, and Pennsylvania, a lot of these Rust
Belt communities and been able to have this message.
But we also see how devastating Boris Johnson and the Brexit vote has been. And so we also can paint that picture that Donald Trump is on the
verge of making this country and our economy a very dangerous place to live, grow and raise a family.
GORANI: Some similar themes there, which is very interesting.
Bakari Sellers, we really appreciate your time today. Thanks for being with us.
We'll have a lot move coverage here from the convention in Cleveland in a special edition of our program at 3:00 p.m. eastern. So join us for
that. Back to you, Lynda.
KINKADE: Excellent. We look forward to tuning into that. Thanks Hala Gorani.
Well, you're watching CNN. And this is Connect the World. We'll be right back after a short break. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(HEADLINES)
[11:32:11] KINKADE: Just hours from now Republicans in the U.S. will converge on Cleveland where they're expected to nominate Donald Trump for
president. Large protests are expected outside the arena known locally as the Q. Martin Savidge explains how officials plan to control those
demonstrators without trampling on their right to be heard.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Establishing a protest zone in Cleveland hasn't been easy, because you run up against two very
different ideas. Security versus freedom of speech.
But eventually this was the compromise. West 20th and Lorraine, where at least it all starts. It's got access to public transportation and a wide
open area. But from here, you don't see the Q unless you're up at altitude, like we are now. Across the valley, over the river.
Which is why demonstrators will be allowed to march or parade about a mile and 3/4 towards downtown over a predetermined route that took months
of negotiation.
That is one of the guardians of transportation. It's a unique architectural feature of this beautiful art deco 1932 bridge. And the
protesters will come right over this. And they get a great view of The Q, but they can't get there.
And from a security point of view, it works out. They're hemmed in. Now if there is going to be trouble, it's on the other side. There is no
law specifically stating how close demonstrators must be able to approach. Court rulings have said it should be close enough for them to be seen and
heard.
(on-camera): This is the closest that the demonstrators will be able to get of the Quicken Loans Arena. We're right at the end of the bridge we
just crossed over. From here, they're supposed to turn and veer off in the opposite direction. Something they're potentially not likely to do. Because
they want to be seen and heard. And this is also where the police presence is likely to be very heavy.
And that's why there is a good chance, if there is conflict, it's going to happen right here. Because the demonstrators will be pushing in.
And of course law enforcement will be pushing back.
The police say as long as everyone remains peaceful, there won't be a problem. But if that changes, they also say they'll be ready.
Martin Savidge, CNN, Cleveland.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Well, we're less than three weeks away from the Olympic Games in Rio. And there are more shocking allegations against Russian
athletes. A report commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency has just been released outlining what it calls state-sponsored doping of Russian
athletes dating back to 2012. It also says the Russian ministry of sport oversaw the manipulation of athletes' analytical results and sample
swapping.
Well, let's get more from Richard McLaren. He is the independent head of one of Sochi investigations and joins us now from Toronto, Canada.
Great to have you with us. I was listening to your press conference a short time ago. You said Russian athletes could compete dirty, but be
certain of being reported clean. Talk to us about the sample swapping. What happened.
[11:35:17] RICHARD MCLAREN, SOCHI INVESTIGATOR: Well, a pool of clean urine from each athlete who was likely to be an elite performer at Sochi
was stored in freezers at the Sochi FSB building, and the athlete would be confident to continue using their doping substances because, when their
sample arrived at the Sochi lab for testing, this sample swapping would occur overnight and the clean sample that was already stored on site would
be brought in, and that would be the one that's analyzed and so there would be no positive.
KINKADE: Until now, as you point out in your report, this was a state dictated fail-safe system. How many sports are we talking about? How many
sports were involved in this?
MCLAREN: Well, at the winter Olympics, it involved any sport where the ministry decided that they wanted to protect the athlete. So, there
was a list of who was to be protected and those samples were swapped.
In the larger system, not a part of the Winter Olympic games, it was every single sample that was being run through the system, and then the
decision made -- treat the athlete...
KINKADE: You say you have evidence that is verifiable and that the key findings have been proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
So, with that in mind, should Russia be banned from the Olympics?
MCLAREN: Well, I was to provide a report that provided actual information from which others who have the authority to make those
decisions could act. So that's what I did. I provided the report.
It's not for me to say that they should be banned, that's other people's determination based on my work.
KINKADE: Right. So Russia, of course, was initially furious about the doping allegations when they came to light, but since you went through
the findings, as far as I understand it, Russia hasn't responded yet. Do you believe President Putin was fully aware of the system in place, and how
do you think they will respond?
MCLAREN: We have no information with respect to President Putin whatsoever, and I would rather wait and see their response than speculate
as to what it would be.
KINKADE: Some athletes have said that this was all political. They had nothing to do with it. In your opinion, would these athletes who
tested positive, but were then cleared to compete know that they were cheating the system?
MCLAREN: I'd say the answer to that is yes, they would know, because they have to provide the clean urine samples, and why would you be doing
that. And then they have to be informed that they can continue to use doping substances while competing at the games. So, how could they
possibly not know what they are doing.
KINKADE: What surprised you the most? Was it the extent of how far this went?
MCLAREN: Partly. What surprised me the most is the simple, efficient, effective mechanism they used to effectively turn every
potential positive into a negative so that you could never rely on any negatives because you don't know whether they're truly negative or not.
KINKADE: And this, of course, affected not just the Olympics, this affected other competitions.
MCLAREN: It did because the Moscow lab operated continuously for several years using this
methodology.
KINKADE: Sir, you say you can't make a recommendation they should be banned from the Olympics. What needs to happen going forward?
MCLAREN: I think people that have the authority to make those decisions should look at the
report, look at the evidence that's presented and then they have to decide whether it's appropriate and what action they should be taking.
KINKADE: And as you say, that evidence beyond a reasonable doubt. Richard McLaren, great to have you with us. We appreciate your time today.
Thanks so much.
MCLAREN: My pleasure.
KINKADE: Well, live from the CNN Center, this is Connect the World. Coming up, America's most traveling top diplomat is clocking up a few more
air miles as he looks to help help solve some of Europe's biggest troubles. Those details just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:43:08] KINKADE: You're watching CNN. And this is Connect the World. I'm Lynda Kinkade. Welcome back.
The U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is scheduled to land any minute now in London. Kerry is flying in from Brussels where he met with European
foreign ministers, touching on Friday's coup attempt in Turkey as well as Britain's exit from the EU.
One of Brexit's chief architects, now Britain's new foreign minister Boris Johnson was also there.
Our Nick Paton Walsh is covering all those developments. He joins us now live from London. Nic, great to have you with us.
The secretary of state has had a busy few days. He spoke about Turkey a number of times since
that failed coup. What else did he say today?
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, both he and the EU special minister were very keen today to make it absolutely clear
that whatever comes now after the failed coup in Turkey has to involve Turkey's continued respect for democracy and for human rights.
Now, in reference to suggestions of potentially Turkey may reintroduce the death penalty. High Representative Mogherini said that if that was the
case, it would completely remove the idea of Turkey ascending to the EU at some point, becoming an EU member. That's a distant prospect at the
moment, but if you have the death penalty, you can't be in the EU.
John Kerry seemed to hold out another set of standards to Turkey to uphold, mentioning how, of course, you have to have certain levels of
behavior if you want to be part of NATO. Now, that's been interpreted by some as suggesting he had out the idea that if Turkey goes too far they may
no longer be part of NATO. I don't think that's really quite what he meant.
But certainly both leaders very clear there as this continued set arrests get under way inside of Turkey and a lot of recriminations thrown
around after the disastrous events of the weekend, that President Erdogan should be clear to uphold the values which he came to power through, that's
through being elected himself, Lynda.
KINKADE: Of course, Secretary Kerry also spoke about the enduring relationship between the U.S. and the EU in the wake of the Brexit.
Is he expected to meet with Boris Johnson one-on-one in London?
[11:45:12] WALSH: Well, of course, they will meet together. And you couldn't imagine really two different men. One of the most traveled
diplomats, a Vietnam veteran, with a lengthy career on Capitol Hill, staggering Rolodex of international contacts, and frankly remarkable tenure
as secretary of state -- getting the Iran deal to happen himself.
And then Boris Johnson, for a while a journalist and the mayor of London, then the man who many say used a lot of falsity to push through the
case for Brexit and now the foreign secretary who has to try and execute that idea at some point in the future.
But the Brexit hasn't happened at this particular stage. And as each week passes here, greater complexity emerges to what Britain actually has
to do to get into position. Theresa May, the new prime minister here, saying well actually we need to know what our negotiating position is as
the United Kingdom before we trigger article 50 with the European Union. That makes rise the question of
where exactly does Scotland fit in all this. So, many hurdles here before we -- that is even triggered.
And I think possibly tomorrow's meeting between Boris Johnson and John Kerry perhaps more about men introducing themselves to each other, the
issue of terror certainly very clearly on the table right now. And I think possibly, too, the desire maybe of this is increasingly apparent for
perhaps some sort of Brexit-lite to maybe emerge from this, Tory politicians here in the United Kingdom, very clear that Brexit means
Brexit, but not really clear of the details, exactly what level of disengagement from the EU that means.
Boris Johnson saying that this will, whatever happens, not mean that UK, abandons, quote, is
abandoning, quote, its friends in the European Union.
So, a very complex position for him to navigate here and I think a lot of perhaps explaining to do to John Kerry as to exactly where does this
conservative government that's torn itself to pieces over this Brexit situation in the United Kingdom, what does it actually hope to get from it?
What is it going to present to the British people as the finished product from this referendum -- Lynda.
KINKADE: OK. Nick Paton Walsh for us staying across quite a few angles there in London. Thank you very much.
Well, live from the CNN Center, this is Connect the World. Coming up, a boost for one Middle Eastern state has its unique wetlands win a place in
the UNESCO world heritage list. Find out where after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:50:13] KINKADE: You're watching CNN. And this is Connect the World. I'm Lynda Kinkade. Welcome back.
We're returning to one of our top stories, the Turkish government is cracking down after last weekend's attempted coup. Thousands of people
have been arrested and thousands of officials have been suspended. And there are calls to reinstate the death penalty.
Well, for more on the situation in Turkey, I'm joined by Soli Ozel. He is a professor of international relations at Kadir Has University in
Istanbul.
Great to have you with us, professor.
Firstly, President Erdogan blames a Muslim cleric living in Pennsylvania for orchestrating this coup. Fetullah Gulen is, of course, 75
years. He's been in the U.S. since 1999. Is he capable of leading this coup?
SOLI OZEL, PROFESSOR, KADIR HAS UNIVERSITY: That is what the government says. There is a network of people, an organization inside the
country, that sees Mr. Gulen as a leader.
And I guess the government must have evidence that there's been a direct link, although Mr. Gulen himself has denied it.
But this has not a struggle that has begun only now. Mr. Gulen was thought at some point was an ally of the current government, in
establishing the bona fides of the civilian government against the old order in Turkey. Then, they ran afoul of one another, and the infiltration
of the Gulenist officers and members of the judiciary have been purged by the government thinking this was constituting a threat to their ability to
rule and that they were being sabotaged in different parts of the state apparatus.
That's why the president and most of his colleagues use the term the parallel state to accentuate what they believe the Gulenists have done in
the course of the years and decades.
So -- and this is going to be a matter of contention between the United States and Turkey as well because the government is firmly convinced
that those who tried to plot the coup are in one way or another either affiliated or associated with Mr. Gulen's movement, and therefore since
this is indeed a crime against the constitutional order, they would want to hold him responsible and they will call on the United States to help turkey
out on this matter.
KINKADE: That's right.
And of course, the U.S. has denied harboring anyone. And the U.S. secretary of state says
they haven't even seen a formal request for expedition. So, they are awaiting that.
But the president has compared Gulen and his supporters to a virus, a medieval cult of assassins. How threatened does Erdogan feel by Gulen?
OZEL: Well, I would suspect that the president would not use such strong words if he did not think that this organization was indeed
constituting a threat to either the constitutional order or to his rule, or to his party's rule inside Turkey. As I said, this is not a debate that
has begun now, this may have been brought to the attention of your viewers because of the tragic events of Friday night, which actually kept the
country on edge, and the tensions are just now subsiding and we're not there yet.
So, this is now in a way, as far as the government is concerned, an existential threat, therefore, the strength of the words that are being
used to define Mr. Gulen and his movement.
KINKADE: Looking right across the country, just paint a picture for us of the division, the cracks we are seeing within the Turkish society?
OZEL: Well, I think Turkish society on Friday night showed more unity than its cracks. But Turkish society does have a lot of cracks. There is
a divide that has been there between secular Turks and non-secular or more Islamic-oriented Turks. There is a Sunni-Alawite divide and there is
indeed a Kurdish problem which was resurrected last year and the fight by the PKK against the Turkish state and the Turkish state's response has
picked up.
So, there are plenty of issues that divide up Turkish society that are on the political space that have not been appropriately dealt with. But
for Friday night, I can say there was as close to unity as possible that you could find in Turkish society against the success of this
coup.
I guess a most Turks that have -- a lot of Turks have seen too many coups or coup attempts in their lives. And one thing that the country is
united in not wanting is really the success of a military coup. And in this particular case as things stand today, the coup did not succeed. And
we just have to now look forward to -- forward and see what will be done in order to repair the damage on the military, which is the second largest
military in NATO and in a very critical part of the world. And whether or not the divisions within the military can be healed appropriately. And
then we'll see how the government will handle this.
I found the remarks, or some of the remarks by the prime minister today rather conciliatory. And it was also revealed today that the former
chief of staff who retired last year in august, General Nejdev Dosef (ph) played an extraordinarily critical role along with the commander of the
first army in Istanbul. That means there is, of course, a rapport between certain
elements and higher ranking officers of the armed forces and the government. And now we have a long period of repairing the damage that
this botched coup has actually generated.
[11:56:20] KINKADE: And no doubt President Erdogan hoping to build his power base and support in the wake of this failed coup.
Professor Soli Ozel, thank you so much for your time.
In our Parting Shots, a rare bit of good news from the Middle East. Have a look at this, it's one of the world's newest heritage sites, the
Iraqi marshlands. The enormous wetland teams with fish, and wild fowl and sometimes tourists as well. It's a far cry from its condition in the 1990s
when dictator Saddam Hussein drained the marshes to punish the inhabitants.
Since Saddam's overthrow, the marshes have gradually come back to life. UNESCO says they are unique as one of the largest inland delta
systems in an extremely hot and dry region.
Well, to learn more about all the stories we've brought you today, including CNN's global exclusive interview with Turkey's president, which
will come to us shortly, you can head to our Facebook page. You can also find stories from our team working all around the world. That's at
Facebook.com/cnnconnect.
I'm Lynda Kinkade. That was Connect the World. Thanks for watching. Another edition of the International Desk is just ahead.
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