Return to Transcripts main page
Connect the World
London Attack Police Investigation; Trump Renews Call For Travel Ban; Fighting With Love; Police Raid More Homes In East London; U.K. P.M. Calls For Tougher Internet Rules; Six Nations Cuts Ties With Qatar Over Terror Concerns; London Returns To Work After Weekend Horror. Aired 12-1p ET
Aired June 05, 2017 - 12:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[12:00:26] ROBYN CURNOW, CNN HOST: Hello and welcome back to our continuing coverage of the attack in London. I'm Robyn Curnow.
At this hour, we are waiting to hear the names of three men who are responsible for Saturday's terror outraged in London. The Prime Minister
says those responsible have been identified. Theresa May says the names will be released when the investigation permits.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan called the attackers perverse and poisonous and he says he's furious the terrorist are trying or using his faith to justify
what they did.
Meanwhile, police are restoring barriers on some bridges in London to make them safer for pedestrians. The Prime Minister is talking more about the
victims and the different countries they came from.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
THERESA MAY, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: The police are working hard to establish the identity of all of those who were tragically killed or
injured in the event on Saturday night. But it is now clear that sadly victims came from a numbers of nationalities.
This was an attack on London and the United Kingdom, but it was also an attack on the free world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CURNOW: Theresa May there. Well, let's go straight to New Scotland Yard, the London police headquarters. Samuel Burke was there. You back now,
Samuel. Just give us some sense of this investigation. Where are we at the moment? What do we know?
SAMUEL BURKE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Sorry about that, Robin. It's starting to rain here at Scotland Yard. We do know that raids were carried out this
morning and that 11 people had been detained.
And we know that the police know the identity of these three attackers. But the real reason it's so important that we learn the name of those three
attackers and that the public does so that we can get a better sense of if they were on the radar of the U.K. authority.
Melissa Bell, our correspondent, has done some reporting and that she spoke to somebody who lives near what is believed to be one of the attackers.
Woman says she recognized him from the footage that we have seen. And this woman says that she flagged him up to the authorities.
Now, we also know that some people said in the Muslim community up in Manchester that they have flagged up the terrorist attacker behind the
Ariana Grande concert and that maybe that had bond to the crafts. We heard that from U.K. media today that it looks like maybe that phone call didn't
go to the right department.
And just a short time ago, we had the commander of the police out here with members of the Muslim community and they said point-blank, Muslims need to
do more, but I said, how can you reconcile the possibility that Muslims up in Manchester were flagging up some and abated (ph) to the authorities and
it may have fallen through the cracks? And this is what the police commander told me.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAK CHISHTY, POLICE COMMANDER FOR ENGAGEMENT: Unlike a single person, a lone wolf kind of attack, they may keep everything to themselves. When you
got three people in concert necessarily there must have been some discussion around that and some people even the closest point to them must
do something. And we're saying that had a duty, the Muslim community say, they had that duty to report it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURKE: So, Robyn, essentially what he is saying there it's not enough for Muslims to just flag up the suspicions that they may have about their
fellow community members. That commander who is Muslim himself currently fasting on Ramadan. He said that people need to also flag up the attack
and he's saying that if three people knew about it then four people must have known about it, that's his assumption, and that they should have
flagged it up.
I spoke to members of the Muslim community, those leaders who are there pictured next to him, afterward and they say that they are pushing the
police given the reports that they heard that members of the Muslim community flagged up some (inaudible) and they want to know that the police
if they're receiving these calls are caring through on the information, Robyn.
CURNOW: Samuel Burke, today, outside a west and rainy in Scotland Yard. Thanks so much.
Now, Prime Minister Theresa May called terror rampage an attack on the free will, as we heard a little bit earlier, let's get straight to Downing
Street now. Nic Robertson is there for us. And what is also so critical is the timing of this attack in election this week.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: And it pushed Theresa May in a very, very difficult position as well as the other political
leaders here. They want to be sensitive to people's concerns about this attack. But at the same time the election is too close to cancel, and as
they have -- as most the politicians in Britain have said is the attack is an attack on the democracy and the election is the sort of fundamental
points of that democracy.
[12:05:08] So, the election and the campaigning will go ahead. In fact, Theresa May has now sort of switched really from focusing on the terrorism
investigation that the police and intelligence services are handling. And she is going comeback to political campaigning today.
That said, it does in a way put Theresa May open for criticism on the -- her leadership at the British Home Office. She oversaw reduction in the
number of police officers, that does been criticism as well, and there aren't enough armed police officers.
So, has just been prime minister for 10 months and the Home Secretary responsible for police prior to that and given that there's now been three
terror attacks in the space of three months. There is political criticism of the decisions that she has made over the past few years that could have
contributed to this. This is certainly something that the leader of the opposition, Jeremy Corbyn, has fixed on. He said that she should actually
resign for the accounts that she's made to the police force under her leadership. And his Labor Party is saying that they will increase the
police force by 10,000 officers but they not been played how they'll fund that however, Robyn.
CURNOW: And so that's the criticism of her job before she became prime minister which might have an impacts on response now, but what does this
mean for voters when they go to vote? Do you think this attacking in many ways buzz him? Did you actually put -- take the box or do you think it
gain, there is still that exhaustion that we spoke about last week?
ROBERTSON: There are lots of things that play here. You know, before the terror attack in Manchester and London, Theresa May was campaigning on a
very personality driven focus that she is the only one that can give the country stable and secure leadership and strong leadership going into the
Brexit negotiation that begin less than two weeks after this election, that the leader of the Labor Party, Jeremy Corbyn, isn't strong enough, isn't
the right figure.
That resonates to a degree with the voters across the country. That there are other issues that resonate as well the state of the British Health
Service, State of the Police is another one, the State of Education in the country as another one. So, there's a lot of other things out there other
than the terrorism issue.
But rightly, people are going to be have concerns when they go to vote, that this concerns about safety and security either the coastal politicians
there are encouraging the people to go out and vote that there will be and are additional police officers on the streets on police officer in London,
and a higher visible presence in other places around the country.
But in such circumstances it wouldn't be unexpected if there was a slightly lower turnouts and, obviously, depending on the level of turnout and who it
is a younger, older that come out that can also tip the scales of election.
So, will this cast a shadow over the election? Undoubtedly. Will it completely reshape it? Probably not. But will it impacted in some way?
How much? I think we have to say yes it will. But how much -- will it have real consequence? It's just not clear at the moment, Robyn.
CURNOW: Nic Robertson, currently reporting at this comprehensive in the last 48 hours or so. Thanks so much coming to us from 10 Downing Street.
Well, let's focus on the ongoing fast-moving investigation into the event of Saturday night. We know that 11 individuals are currently in police
custody. Sajjan Gohel is the International Security Director for the think tank Asia-Pacific Foundation. He joins us now from London.
We've heard the prime minister and other people say enough is enough, but what more needs to be done? What needs to change?
SAJJAN GOHEL, INTL. SECURITY DIRECTOR, ASIA PACIFIC FOUNDATION: Well, Robyn, one of the problems I'm afraid, is the fact that ISIS through its --
what they call just terror tactics, are able to carry out attacks spontaneously, sporadically, they are able to do it without the plot has
been -- is stopped. And this is the challenge now is that, how does one try and preempt this type of terrorism?
The other aspect that is connected to this is the fact that they are using encrypted messaging programs to communicate to plot and plan attacks, so
ISIS handlers, the intelligence operators as known as the EMINI (ph), for example, are able to use these programs to communicate with people in the
UK and give them guidance and that is partly what the prime minister is talking about, is that that needs to be looked at. And that's going to be
a very difficult discussion coming up in the aftermath of the elections because that means looking at potentially preventing people from accessing
these type of social media tools.
CURNOW: And it will be a conversation about free speech and also backdoors in terms of what kind of access governments gets too many of these media
company, that itself is a tough question, what else needs to be done?
GOHEL: Well, one thing is the fact that the ideology of ISIS needs to be clearly identified and exposed, very often, they are allowed to use the
pulpit of social media to get that propaganda out and it's never checked.
[12:10:06] It is never scrutinized. People don't look at the fine print about this difficult, the fact that they are killing Muslims in Iraq and
Syria, many of them women and children.
They portray themselves as representative of a faith but actually they do not discriminate in terms of who they kill a lot of those people in the
U.K. that may think that somehow they represent something genuine. They are actually misguided into thinking that with the fact that ISIS has been
responsible for creating massive graves of people in Iraq and Syria. They're finding them those massacres. For example, in Mosul City, ideology
needs to be looked at that there is something very warped and twisted about this death cult, and it is to come out clear needs to be illustrate to the
fact that they are killing people in Iraq and Syria, as well as in the west.
CURNOW: And this also talks about there in England you -- I mean there have been literally three attacks that are three months in the U.K. Is it
just bad luck that these three have got through because just in the last few weeks he heard security chief say they were dealing with up to 500
potential terror plots. Up until now the U.K. had been relatively unscathed kind of terror hitting Paris and Brussels, for example.
GOHEL: Well, I would argue that the British security services, the police authorities are some of the best in the world. They have disrupted many
plots. Since the Westminster attack a few months ago, five plots have been disrupted.
It's kind of old adage (ph), I guess that they have to be lucky all the time. The terrorist need to be a lucky just that one since it is part of
the problem that ISIS had, two years ago, focus on France and the bed met many of the attacks in Europe than last year. The focus moved to Belgium
and Germany., and now the U.K. is unfortunately having to deal with this.
It's also connected to the fact that the more territory ISIS loses in Iraq and Syria. They will want to try and show that they retain power and
control and as they slowly get dismantled, they will try and carry out as many attacks as possible to take down as many people as possible. And the
other thing that is important is the timing of this technologist before the general elections but during holy month of Ramadan.
Last year they carried out some eight attacks across the world in the Islamic world and in the West. And it is no coincidence that the trying to
do it during this time for their own nefarious purposes.
CURNOW: Yes. Let's not forget many families in Iraq and Afghanistan also lost loved one and isn't loved ones last week. This is not just isolated
U.K. this week, it is been a bloody Ramadan so far already. So with that in mind what more does the U.K., this is specifically talked about the U.K.
here, all we going to see more armed policemen on the street.
Is there going to be a change in lifestyle despite the fact that the British say keep calm and carry on where to find our life is not to change.
Do you think that they can be lawfully lasting impact in terms of how the states tried to protect these people?
GOHEL: Our lives are going to change. It's OK for the politicians to give sound bites about how this one impact on us. But it is impacting on us.
The fact that there are more armed police for a country that has never really had police officers carrying weapons, they are in now in greater
numbers.
That is a sign of the reality, the fact also with the police themselves having targets for terrorism. So things will continue to alter as we move
forward that needs to be also more front-line police officers to engage with the communities because if communities are effectively the best source
of intelligence there has to be greater interaction between the police and the community, which is already very good level. Far better than countries
like France and in Belgium, but they need to be more police officers.
And there's already been some controversy over the fact the police numbers have been reduced over the last few years is also going to have to be
greater cooperation with other countries. We keep talking about that some 16 years after 9/11, but that is something that still is required in.
I think, Robyn, one thing that is reminds me a lot of the problems that exist now is that these type of attacks are becoming the new normal.
There is almost virtually nothing one can do to stop somebody getting into a car turning into a lethal weapon. It is something that we can try and
contain. So for example when the British police landed near London Bridge, they were able to activate themselves within eight minutes that was very
important. So they can stop the attack, but they control them from proliferating.
CURNOW: And of course people around them incredibly vigilant and often act of bravery, a help that contain the situation even more. Sajjan Gohel
always great to have you on the show, thanks so much for joining us.
GOHEL: My pleasure.
CURNOW: Well Donald Trump has strongly condemned Saturday's terror attack and he is also renewed his feed with the London Mayor. We will have the
latest from the White House after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[12:17:02] CURNOW: Welcome back. You're watching CNN, I'm Robyn Curnow.
Donald Trump is using the London terror attacks to drum up support for is travel ban. The U.S. president has been back on Twitter today restating
his belief and quote, "Extreme vetting and criticizing the court that blocked his executive order.
Well, Joe Johns is with us, he joins us from the White House. And let's talk about these illegal rants over travel ban that could certainly have
legal consequences.
JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORESPONDENT: It could have legal consequences, Robyn. The president has essentially thrown his lawyers and
some of the people even and as administration, it starts with the Justice Department under the bus. It starts with the president acknowledging that,
he had to call this, a travel ban which it probably is nonetheless, his attorneys have been shying away from that language, and to make it easier
to argue in court.
So that's now all done because he said it's a travel ban. I think justice significant, the president has the made this administration focus on the
fact and the court as well. That he believes the right thing to do is to go back to the first Trump travel ban which was thrown out of the courts
because of its language, and because of its suggestion that it was creating a discriminatory situation for Muslims.
So it's created a lot of problems with what he is tweeted here and right at the time when the United State Supreme Court are trying to decide whether
even to hear the case to reinstate the president's travel ban, Robyn.
CURNOW: And the lower court as we know have used his words taking out his policy, taking at intense, his tweet. So it will be interesting to see if
this does go to the Supreme Court and they do take it on what kind of impact weight they attributes to those tweets this morning.
Again, it's also talk about another Twitter rants by the U.S. president, that one that is targeting the mayor of London twice. As the mayor tries
to deal with an attack sat what do you make of this, just the timing and the inopportune tone of it?
JOHNS: Well, it's pretty extraordinary again isn't it? The notion that the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, is dealing with a terrorist attack on his
city and now he's dealing with a Twitter attack from the American president, started over the weekend.
At first, President Trump tweeted talking about the numbers of casualties and numbers of dead, sort of making fun or attacking the mayor for
asserting that this was no reason to be alarmed among the people there. What the mayor has said in fact was -- it was no reason to be will alarmed
because there was a larger number of law enforcement people on the streets, so that began to be reported.
[12:14:59] And then today the president came back with yet another tweet insisting that, you know, more or less that he was right and that the mayor
of London had simply had to come up with another excuse to explain what he'd said.
So a very difficult situation I would assume for the mayor. Nonetheless, they have definitely under inflated in London, leaving her to a spokesman
for the mayor to response saying, he didn't have time to respond because he was dealing with the acts of the terrorist there in the city.
CURNOW: Yeah, he had to sort of basically say, you know, he can't deal with this because he's got more important things to do.
JOHNS: All right.
CURNOW: Joe Johns there at the White House, thanks so much.
JOHN: All right.
CURNOW: Also to come here CNN fighting terror with love, people in Manchester turn of by the thousands to on a victims on the bombing there
two weeks ago.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CURNOW: Welcome back, you're watching CNN. Britain is coming to terms as the third terrorist attack on it soil and this many month. Mid the horror
on Saturday night many stories of bravery and solidarity are emerging.
Earlier we heard from man who was caught up in the rampage.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICHARD ANGEL, WITNESS TO LONDON ATTACK: I didn't see this cowardly people do what I did. I saw there's active defiance. The guy who gave us our
heads up when could have run away. The guy that was throwing stuff at these cowardly people, the guy who put himself in a glass door to make sure
it was bolted close before they found the key. The emergency officers and the first responders that were there and kept us safe, the paramedics who -
- maybe I knew this before, but for the first time realized they run at danger, they didn't turn their back on the danger, to put the life in front
of them together while the rest of us are running for our lives.
They're the heroes of London. Manchester show the best of Britain two weeks ago and Londoners are doing the same now. And I am proud to be a
Londoner proudly part of the city. I'm proud to be this one to says, we will not be victims these people. They shall not, can not, will not win,
and we will not change our way of life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CURNOW: Richard Angel there witness to a fall out from the London Bridge attack powerful words there from him. And it has been 24 hours after the
London attack, tenths of thousands of people gathered in Manchester to honor those killed (inaudible) there two weeks ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CURNOW: Well, some of music's biggest stars perform at the benefit concert headline by Ariana Grande who was listening to there.
Phil Black was at the concert, he joins us now from Manchester. And as we had that guess there, Richard Angel talked to us. He kind of outlines the
sense of defiance London is feeling now. And of course Manchester feeling that in the last two weeks, but that comes at taking place against the
backdrop of both of these terror attacks.
PHIL BLACK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, indeed. The sense of defiance solidarity here and unity in Manchester, Robyn, has been really striking
over the last two weeks. But last night's concerts were simply the most powerful example of it that we have seen so far. And the organizers will
determined to go ahead despite the fact that attack had taken place in London, just the night before.
[15:25:03] This, no doubt, it took on a greater residence because of that as well. That crowd of 50,000 people that agreed to go overwhelmingly
because of what Manchester has experienced. But they was certainly thinking of London as well, so with the performers. It was he was
incredibly emotional. There's no doubt of about that really.
And what became clear over the course of the night was that opportunity to come together in that way was something that meant a great deal to all of
the people who gathered in that crowd, especially many of the people who'd been at the original Ariana Grande concert that was attacked two weeks ago.
These are people who had heard the blast and felt the fear and the panic that followed, really an extraordinary night with so many special moments.
Take a look at some of the highlights.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARIANA GRANDE, SINGER: And the pleasure was meeting Olivia's mommy two days ago. And as soon as I met her I started crying and he gave me a big
hug. And she said that, "Stop crying because Olivia wouldn't have wanted me to cry." And then she told me that Olivia would have wanted to hear the
hit.
There's someone performing together and be (inaudible) and strong. And even not --
It's so easy to always choose love is it? Tell them I love you, look in your -- look in their eyes say I love you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just want to take this moment to honor the people that were lost or that were taken. We love you so much. We have families,
we love you so much.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLACK: And it wasn't just the people at the venue that this meant something too, as we're being standing here in the rain broadcasting
through the day in the center of Manchester. This is the side of the still growing memorial to the victims of that attack, the 22 people killed,
including seven the seven children. People are still becoming here, they still coming here lane flows (ph). And they're been telling us many of
them they watch the concert at home on television, that means a lot to them too.
It doesn't take the pain away entirely. But everyone we're spoken to here at, the concert itself, they all talked about how this helps, what it meant
to them, what it meant to Manchester and crucially what they say was just a really defiant message against the violence that has ruined lives, both
here and in London as well, Robyn.
CURNOW: Yes. And one of the most powerful images I think from that piece of you also, that policemen holding hands as all those children in
listening to the music and sort of dancing with them, swaying with them. Thanks so much. Phil Black there on the ground in Manchester.
Now, poets and Manchester native Tony Walsh, he's honoring the victims of the attack as well. He's on the tram on his way home from the benefit
concert and who is giving impromptu reading of his poem "This is the Place" which celebrates Manchester. Take us.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TONY WALSH, POET: Because this is the place in our hearts, in our homes, because this is place that's a part of our bones, because Manchester gives
us such strength from the fact, that this is the place where we should give something back. Always remember, never forget, forever Manchester. Peace
and love.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CURNOW: Powerful moment there as people pay tribute to the victims of the London terror attack. We speak to the CEO of the British Red Cross about
the solidarity fund it is launching. That's next. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[12:31:24] CURNOW: Welcome back to our continuing coverage of the London terror attack. I'm Robyn Curnow. Let's update you on the latest out of
London this hour.
The British Prime Minister Theresa May says police know the identities of the attackers and that their names are expected to be released soon.
Officers search more than a number of homes in east London early this morning following raids in the same area on Sunday, which resulted in 11
people being held.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CRESSIDA DICK, LONDON METROPOLITAN POLICE COMMISSIONER: There are all out horror and all out sorrow and all out tragedy. There is some hope to hold
on to, which is about our people and their spirit. And that is also demonstrated today because London is back at work. People are getting on
with their lives.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CUNROW: Well, when tragedy strikes it can bring out the best in people. One of the attackers storm the restaurant stabbing a woman and as some
patrons held bottles and chairs to just get him out of the building. Critical care nurse, Carlos Pinto, was in the restaurant and helped the
victim. He told the story to Becky Anderson. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CARLOS PINTO, CRITICAL CARE NURSE: We run straight away to the girl and we are -- we assess her and we realized that she was bleeding quite a lot.
And we tried to do the first care to her.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN ANCHOR: Which is what?
PINTO: So, we start to stop him because she was bleeding and we tried to do some pressure in the area. We need to cut the old clothes to see which
part of the body she was with this -- where she was stabbed. And after that, we only have applied some pressure and some ice. We change her in a
nice position to make her comfortable. To make her -- to breathe well and to keep the legs at least high to keep the blood running in the main organs
that is most important.
ANDERSON: All of this also was -- that was chaos around you, correct?
PINTO: Yes, because when we start looking after her and tried to give her our best to help, the guy was in the restaurant. He was in the door and he
was not allowing no one go outside. This is when the people starting throwing to him the chairs, bottles all stuff.
ANDERSON: This is one of the attackers?
PINTO: Yes. And I was looking after her and people are trying to put him out the restaurant. We managed to put him out the restaurant. We closed
the gate and doctor -- we were inside for two hours and the head police waiting for the police and ambulance.
ANDERSON: And you waited with this young lady within the whole time.
PINTO: Yes.
ANDERSON: How did you do?
PINTO: Me and my colleague, we never left her. We stayed with her ever when we start hearing the -- someone shouting outside that we think that
was the police and I don't know if the terrorist as well. We stayed with her all the time. And we tried to make sure that she was breathing and she
was calm because the bleeding -- she needs conscious. But we told here we are a nurse, we don't leave you here, and we will do our best to keep you
alive until the paramedics arrive.
ANDERSON: And how did she do? Do you know?
PINTO: So, she was really in critical condition when -- because after two hours and all, we only called to stop the (inaudible) and to keep her
comfortable. But she was not breathing well at the end and she was pale and she was in critical condition when the paramedics arrived to take her
to the hospital.
[12:35:16] ANDERSON: Well, that's how -- did she survived?
PINTO: I hope. I'm trying to find her, but I didn't find her yet. And I hope if someone knows the girl that she was stabbed in the Alpha Store (ph)
that they can send a text to me.
ANDERSON: Bless you.
PINTO: Because I would like to know how she is.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CURNOW: We all heard one story among so many. Well, Prime Minister Theresa May is calling for a clamp down on the internet being used for
terror and wondered if some companies are providing "safe space for extremism to breed".
Well, Samuel Burke is at New Scotland Yard. He is monitoring those comments and as well the co-issues. What does she mean by that? And what
can be done? What is she planning?
SAMUEL BURKE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Robyn, Theresa May is really starting to sound a lot like then candidate Donald Trump. Back in 2015 on the campaign
trail President Trump said we need to close up that internet in some ways in certain areas. And now, Theresa May is saying that these platforms have
become a breeding ground for this type of ideology and now it's time for the U.K. to do something.
The problem is here, you probably heard for so long people like me reporting on the fact that the terrorist have been using social media. But
over the past year, maybe a little less, the social media companies have really finally given into that pressure both from the public, politicians,
and on their stock prices and started to clamp down, certainly not perfectly or completely.
But all the experts who monitor this tell us that the terrorist and extremist have been pushed off this platform like Facebook, Twitter,
Instagram and on to more secure platforms. Like what's app and telegram. And the issue there is, Robyn, is that these use encryption and they're
trying to make it so that people can't get into them whether it's government, good and bad, or hackers.
You remember just a couple of weeks ago I was reporting on your program about "WannaCry" that hack at least all across the world. Well, that was
an example of a backdoor that was used by the U.S. government expert say and then exploited by hackers once it got into their hands.
So what Theresa May needs to do here is gives specifics, which she hasn't had. Is she going to say, what's at Facebook have to trade a back door or
else we will ban them in the U.K. the way they're banned in China so that we can really have this debate once and for all and make it clear, because
there is no gray zone when it comes to this back door into encrypted technologies.
CURNOW: So this is multi-layers and this is beyond just a security issue, and clearly a critical security issue. The question is, would there be
voters support for that? The order and remand in the street, would they support that? And secondly, what do the media company says about that
possibility or even the suggestion of it by the British prime minister?
BURKE: I think it would depend on how you phrase that question to somebody. If I ask you, "Well, a terrorist use a messaging app last night,
do you think Theresa May should have access?" You'd probably say yes. But if somebody stole messages, private messages that you sent to your husband,
Robyn, you'd probably say no.
So, it is all about the framing. But, what the technology companies are saying, Facebook really coming out strong today trying to frame their
messages saying that "We want to be hostile to terrorist". But, again, they're not on social media. So, it goes back to these apps like Telegram.
We're not even certain where Telegrams servers are. They're not in the United States. So I think there's a lot less that they could do.
But, again, Theresa May really wants to make it clear to the American Technology Company she has to say, "Either we get a backdoor or you get out
of our country." And then we have to say what the public would say when they can't use these apps. And I think then the discussion would really
change. But, again, that's happened in some countries.
We have seen Brazil banned with that for a period of time. And we've seen China banned multiple apps. That's the type of discussions that needs to
be had here. We've heard from some experts who say what Theresa May is doing is politically expedient and convenient, but lack some intellectual
curiosity in a way because there need to be specifics offered up about what she wants these technology companies to do.
CURNOW: So while this is a conversation about how, perhaps, some social media has enabled terrorism, there is also the flipside where in many ways
technology is helping the police.
BURKE: That's right. And we've seen two real digital sides to this investigation. Just yesterday the police were out here at Scotland Yard
calling on the public anybody who was in the vicinity taking photos and videos on their smart phones to upload them to a website. The police now
are so accustom to dealing with all these content on social media that they know they don't want just what's on social media, Robyn, they want every
single picture, which is every video so that they can go through and piece it all together and create a timeline.
[12:40:15] For a period there, we didn't know if there were just three attackers, but what the police were doing was analyzing all of that video
to see. Did they see just those three attackers that they shot dead or was there a fourth person in the back on one of those videos?
Now that they've established that there were just three attackers and we know they know their identity, what they're doing today is most likely
trying to get into their phones, trying to access their social media account if they had them. Many of them had become very adept and have
deleted them before they carry out these types of attack. Also trying to get into their laptop and then trying to get into the messengers if they
can get into them.
But keep in mind, if they can get into the phone, oftentimes they can get into the messages even if they're encrypted between you and me. If you can
get into my phone, you can see everything that I've sent Robyn Curnow, undoubtedly what the police are trying to do at this very moment.
CURNOW: OK. That's fascinating stuff. And also, let's remind our audience, Theresa May says they have identified those three men and they
will release the names. We may feel the investigation warns it. Samuel Burke, keeping an eye of that and will, of course, bring us those details
as soon as they are all out. Thanks Samuel.
OK. We'll have more on the London terror attack shortly. Also ahead, airlines suspends flight to Qatar, the diplomatic crisis unfold in the gulf
region. Stay with us for that.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CRUNOW: Welcome back. I'm Robyn Curnow. You're watching CNN. And six countries, including Saudi Arabia and Egypt have cut diplomatic ties of
Qatar. They accused the Gulf State of supporting terrorism. But it's not just diplomatic ties. It's also major airlines in the region. They are
suspending flights to and from Qatar, some with immediate effect. And what is all of these means?
Ian Lee is monitoring developments from Istanbul. This is a serious crisis. Explain just what's happening.
IAN LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Robyn. It's not just that there are severing ties with Qatar nationals from those countries. It have 14
days to pack up their belongings and move back, whether they are in Qatar moving back to one of these six countries or Qatar in one of the six
countries moving back to Qatar.
And it doesn't just that, they are closing airspace to Qatar Airways, which means that it's going -- they have to travel further when it's going on
routs to Africa. It's going to have to go around Saudi Arabia, the UAE, other countries, which means it's going to be more difficult and cost more
for Qatar Airways. Also, this means that they're closing the borders and stopping trade. And this is something that's critical for Qatar.
Qatar gets a large amount of its food from Saudi Arabia coming across that border. With these ties cut, there will be a food shortage. And we're
already seeing it in Qatar people making a dash to the grocery store trying to buy food, trying to buy milk, eggs, chicken, things that come across
that border.
[12:45:09] This is really putting the squeeze on Qatar as now there are six countries, but we have seen over the course of the day, more country
signing on to this separating of diplomatic ties, Robyn.
CURNOW: And how did we get there?
LEE: Oil price has been growing for some time. There have been tensions between these countries. And there's a number of issues that they're
facing. One is the Muslim Brotherhood, which is considered a tourist organization on Saudi Arabia and the UAE. It outlawed in Egypt, but in
Qatar they support the Muslim Brotherhood.
You also have Iran. Qatar has cordial relations with Iran, but it's Saudi Arabia, again, an enemy to Iran. They recently had a summit in Saudi
Arabia where President Trump attended and under leaders of the Islamic world where they denounced Iran, said that it was a supporting terrorist
organization. That's the one big accusation against Qatar, is that it's supporting terrorist organizations. It's also creating instability in the
region. This is something that Qatar imminently denies saying that they aren't doing this.
You also have Al Jazeera, which has been a thorn in the side of many countries in the gulf world. In Egypt, it's banned and today in Saudi
Arabia. They close down the shop and sent the journalist out away. So, there are number of reasons, numbers of things that have created or at
least lend themselves to these prices. Robyn?
CURSOW: Thanks so much, Ian Lee. There is in the assemble (ph) laying out those consequences.
Let's talk more about it because the moves to isolate Qatar came soon of the U.S President Donald Trump visited the region. I want to bring in
Ayham Kamel, director of the Middle East and North Africa Program at the Eurasia Group. He joins us from London.
And broadly, though, what is this about? Is this about these old rivalries between Iran and Saudi Arabia?
AYHAM KAMEL, EURASIA GROUP: Well, that's part of it, Robyn. I think we have observed a lot of issues. It's about the contrary foreign policy
remaining independent. It's about Qatar supporting the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and Libya and other places. It's about Saudi Arabia asserting
itself as the leader of the GCC. And Qatar has been given a chance by Saudi Arabia and other countries, including the UAE to reassess its
policies. Those efforts or mediations have failed. Now, I think the states want Qatar to yield. And that's what where were heading.
CURSOW: So, is this about an emboldened Saudi?
KAMEL: Absolutely. This is a Saudi Arabia that feels that President Trump is behind it, that President Trump's administration is preoccupied with the
Iran threat. And they see this has a unique opportunity to force Qatar into concessions.
During President Obama's term I think the U.S. was much more willing to support a balance within the GCC or within the gulf. Today, we're seeing a
pro-Saudi leadership in the U.S. that's willing to support it no matter what.
CURSOW: So, it's no accident that these kinds of moves are taking place shortly after President Trump visited the region?
KAMEL: Absolutely. I think that the Trump visit really trigger this reaction. The Gulf States and Egypt saw an opportunity to force Qatar into
concessions and they took it. Definitely not a balance approach we're seeing from Washington. This is an administration that's focus on the Iran
and ISIS and much, much less interested in sovereignty and democracy promotion on human lives.
CURSOW: OK. So, then what are the consequences of this? We heard Ian Lee there talking about a squeeze, about pressure. The economic impact of
people in Qatar will be huge. What do you think is the domino effect of something like this?
KAMEL: Well, I think that the Qatar economy will definitely shrink. I think that they will have to barrow at a higher cost. Their business as
well becomes less competitive. Qatar Airways will have to fly through Iran and Turkey and, therefore, become less profitable, less competitive. But
mostly I think that it's a Qatar that is no longer able to act as have for investments or for financial transfers. This is Qatar that is contained.
There is no doubt about it.
CURSOW: OK. And the geopolitical consequence is still might just play out. For (ph) the region, Ayham Kamel, thank you so very much for joining
us.
I'm Robyn Cursow. You're watching CNN. And just ahead, we'll return to our coverage of the attack in London. And we will tell what we know about
the victims.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[12:51:17] CURSOW: Well, witnesses are describing the moments of sheer terror in London on Saturday night. Many people were trapped inside bars
or restaurants as police hunted down the terrorists.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LIAM CONNEL, HELPED VICTIM OF TERROR ATTACK: It was until police came and we have to duck to the ground that we kind of start to realized this was a
big thing. And at first, I, myself didn't actually think it was terrorism attack. I was just saying to my friend, oh, this part is just a sudden
incident, but it became very clear and very quickly that it was.
CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: What did you think was happening and when you learn about what it actually was? What did that meant to you when you are
out there with?
CONNEL: I mean, I just start (inaudible) and I think that was very much a welcome distraction. But on case to 10 (ph), nothing -- it was any on
case. We are struck to ground. It was very scary. And in terms of having to text family and friends in telling that we're OK and start sending word
that's bad. But, you know, the police were always there. They were -- they very much us feel safe. And I think it started to really sinking when
we saw someone who had been attacked.
CUOMO: What did you see and how did you help that person?
CONNEL: So, one of my friends have asked me and said that they feel that some -- behind me had been involved and he was -- he must be in outside.
So, I went over to him. I show them my hand, but then as soon as we saw that he'd been injured, so (inaudible) down.
My friend talking (ph) down, so it's coming down as I held like a bandage to his neck and he was just been ask (inaudible) stabbed. And he was very
much in shock, but we just kind of wanted to make sure that he's OK, which is holding this -- just holding the bandage to his neck. He can't even
stand. He had like some sort of wounds. I didn't see the wounds. It wasn't like he was of cutting blood, but he had been stabbed and he was in
bad way.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CURSOW: Now, Greater London's top police official said she's intensely proud of the response to Saturday's attack. The Metropolitan Police
commissioner say she's heard remarkable stories of extremely brave actions. Two police officers were seriously hurt, a British Transport officer and
the Metropolitan Police officer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DICK: The Metropolitan Police officer was off duty. He'd worked to shift that day. He was wearing plain clothes and hearing the commotion and
seeing what was going on, he dived in to assist uniformed colleagues who are being attacked by one of the terrorist, one of the men. In that
attack, he sustains serious stab wounds himself.
I've met his family and I've met them in the public who then step in together with another plain clothes officer and very likely saved his life.
It's an extraordinary story of courage by so many people, but he's a hero and I'm very proud of him, and our thoughts are with him and his family.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CURSOW: So many stories, London's top police official there. Now, after the weekend horror, some Londoners are returning to work today. They also
express appreciation for the police on the streets. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDINTIFIED MALE: (Inaudible) this morning. So, it's a run for favor (inaudible) not here. It's time to their off duty (inaudible) fantastic
job.
(OFF-MIC)
UNIDINTIFIED FEMALE: Unbelievable. Yeah. The fact that, you know, they've all been trained so well and they could get there so quickly, it's
very reassuring to start to think that this is the new normal now.
UNIDINTIFIED MALE: I'm scared. It makes you -- well, I think, look and run your back all time and be careful with the cafeterias.
[12:55:09] Well, you know, we have to live. You know, we're not scared of them. But we just have to live and look around you and then be safe at all
times.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would consider myself a reasonable liberal guy. And I'm feeling more and more angry and more and more upset about it coming
over the bridge this morning.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CUROW: Opinions weighted there from Londoners. Now, vigil to remember those who lost their lives is set to begin in just a few minutes time.
Seven people were killed and dozens of others were hurt in that attack. Erin McLaughlin has some of the victim stories. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ERIN MCLAUGHIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We're beginning to learn more about some of the victims killed that horrific night. Christine Archibald is the
first to be named, the Canadian national who moved to Europe to be with her fiance. She helped the homeless. She was there with her fiance on the
London Bridge when the terrorist van struck and killed her. Her family releasing a statement saying she was beautiful and loving. She would never
have understood the kind callus cruelty that claimed her life.
We're also hearing of heroic act that night. Journalist Geoff Ho was at a restaurant at Borough Market when the assailants arrived. He intervened to
help a bouncer when he was stabbed by one of the terrorist in the neck. Social media footage shows him calmly leaving the scene to seek medical
help bleeding from his neck. We understand from the newspaper that he works for that he is OK.
We're also hearing appeals for help. Marine Vincent is a French national. She was at the Borough Market as well, badly wounded by the terrorist,
brought here to the King's College Hospital. Doctors say that her injuries are so severe. It will take her some six to twelve months to fully
recover. One of the many lives forever altered that tragic night.
Erin McLaughlin, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CURNOW: Thanks Erin for that. Honoring the victims and there too all of these people there in front of the times (ph) by the city hall in London
also joining together. It's nearly 6:00 p.m. local time, joining together to honor the victims and those who continue to fight for their lives in
London hospitals.
We know that seven people died, 36 wounded, 18 of them still very much in critical condition. But this is an attack that has touched just us about
everybody in London that been huge shows of defiance. This too will be a sense of defiance, but at the same time thankfulness and grief for those
who lost their lives and for those who stood up and try to fight off these three attackers. This is the scene in London right now.
I'm watching -- thanks for watching. I'm Robyn Curnow. Your coverage of the London terror attack continues with Wolf Blitzer after this short
break. Thanks for joining us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END