Return to Transcripts main page

WORLD RIGHT NOW WITH HALA GORANI

Latest on Terror Arrest n Belgium; Belgian Prosecutor's Office Press Event; Palmyra Liberated, But Cultural Treasures Damaged; Pope Francis on Family Matters. Aired 3-4p ET

Aired April 8, 2016 - 15:00:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


HALA GORANI, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Well, we begin this hour with major breaking news. Welcome, everyone. I'm Hala Gorani. Fast-moving

significant developments this hour out of Brussels, for months, this was one of Europe's most wanted men, Mohamed Abrini, the last known suspect

linked to November's terror attacks in Paris which killed 130 people.

Now, we have confirmation from the Belgium prosecutor's office that Abrini was one of two people arrested in Brussels today. Now, the question being

asked out there is he the third unidentified suspect in the Brussels airport bombing? The man in white? The so-called man in white there, with

two other men the morning of the attack, March 22nd.

If that is confirmed and it has not been confirmed yet, it would mean he played a key role in both Paris and Brussels. We're awaiting a news

conference that will take place in about half hour from now, 9:30 p.m., Belgian time.

Let's go to CNN's Kellie Morgan, she is live in Brussels with more. Tell us about these arrests, two men arrested, one of them Mohamed Abrini,

what's the latest?

KELLIE MORGAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, an extraordinary day and much- needed development in this investigation into the Brussels attacks. Much needed, and huge turn of events given that just yesterday, 24 hours ago,

prosecutors released of the CCTV footage of the men, the third airport bomber, showing the route that he took after abandoning his suitcase bomb

at the airport and then fleeing.

They had released that footage to launch an appeal, reaching out to the public for more information and now, today, they have netted two of the

most wanted men in Europe.

Both of them with linked to Paris suspect, Salah Abdeslam. Both of them were named among eight suspects on a European security bulletin that was

put out in the day after the Brussels attacks.

Now what we know, of course, about Mohamed Abrini is that he grew up -- he was a childhood friend of Salah Abdeslam. They grew up here in Belgium.

They were seen together in a car in just days before the Paris attacks.

And also, now we know him by a different name as well, investigators believe that he is indeed the second Metro bomber that they were looking

for. The man who worked alongside, the Metro station, Hala, so a big development.

Two really big fish and European authorities will be delighted, really, to have netted these men as they tried to unravel this web of terror that

clearly has tentacles stretching across Europe -- Hala.

GORANI: And it's interesting this happened after the third suspect was shown. Though no confirmation certainly that Mohamed Abrini is the man in

the hat seen in the CCTV footage. But can you tell us where were the arrests made? Were the two men arrested together?

MORGAN: Well, that's a detail we're hoping to learn a little bit more when the prosecutor holds that press conference in the next half hour. We don't

know, we don't have an exact location of where the arrest took place, nor whether the arrest took place in the same location.

So yes, waiting for some more detail. We're waiting to find out whether or not Abrini is the third airport bomber. That has been reported in -- by

the local public broadcaster here.

They say he is that man, we do not have confirmation of that, but this would be a huge break if indeed that is the case. What you have here, are

two men who were wanted by police.

The two men who were directly involved in the -- in those terror blasts on March 22nd, both men had abandoned the scene, and they were fears that

maybe they were plotting yet another attack. Big day here in Belgium -- Hala.

GORANI: It's certainly would be interesting if they were still together knowing that they were both being searched for. Thanks very much, Kellie

Morgan in Brussels.

Let's bring in our CNN terrorism analyst, Paul Cruickshank now. He joins me now live from New York is where Paul is. Let's talk a little bit about

the significance of this and the fact that this comes a day after authorities released that CCTV footage of the man wearing the hat.

All right, so let's talk about Mohamed Abrini and how important his capture is today -- Paul.

PAUL CRUICKSHANK, CNN TERRORISM ANALYST: Well, Hala, it's a key breakthrough. He was one of the two most wanted men in Europe. The other

most wanted man was also arrested, he'd be using the alias.

These were two individuals who were deeply involved with the Brussels and Paris terror attack network and were urgently being searched by Belgian and

European security officials, especially in the wake of the Brussels attack, a concern that these two men could be involved in future attacks.

[15:05:13]And the fact they have now been taken into custody mutualizes that threat, Hala, but there is still concern that there are more

individuals still out there.

And we understand that more than a dozen are believed to still be out there with some kind of connection to the Paris and Brussels playing a logistical

support role in those attacks.

The worry is still that some of those may move forward with terrorist attack plotting. It was just three weeks ago that Salah Abdeslam and a

fellow accomplice were arrested on a Friday. The Tuesday after that we saw the Brussels attacks.

What happened in that case was his fellow co-conspirators accelerated their attack planning. This is a big breakthrough, a big moment of success for

Belgian authorities. That concern that others still out there could not accelerate their plans. Yet again.

GORANI: That's the concern because as you mentioned, we were on the air for several hours when Salah Abdeslam was arrested three weeks. As you

mentioned, just a few days later, the airport and Metro attacks took place.

I guess -- and I wanted to show by the way to our viewers, we keep adding mug shots and photos to this very extensive network of terrorists across

Europe, but this is basically the Paris terror attack suspects with Mohamed Abrini squarely in the middle there.

We know he's in custody now. Everyone hoping now that this is it, Paul, right? That we've kind of caught the major players in this network, and

that, you know, at least this particular cell has been dismantled.

CRUICKSHANK: We're not there yet, at this point. This is not it. There are others still out there as I said, they believe more than a dozen still

out there connected to this same network.

They've identified four of those individuals on the day after the Brussels attacks. There was a European security bulletin with suspects wanted in

connection with Paris and Brussels attacks.

Amongst the names on that list, a Dutch national, (inaudible), who went to join ISIS in Syria was believed to be connected to the plot. The plot that

preceded Paris in Eastern Belgian.

Also, another individual, (inaudible), a Belgian national, somebody who also believed to have joined is in Syria, one of the four that they've

identified that they still want to get that they believe had a possible connection with the Paris and Brussels attack.

A Turkish national who spent a lot of time in western Germany and who moved up the ranks with ISIS in Syria, called the same dealer, still at large

unaccounted for. There was a picture posted of him and the Paris ring leader, Abdelhamid Abaaoud.

And a Brussels resident of Malian decent, (inaudible), according to some reports had been killed in Syria, but now they fear he faked his own death

potentially to come back to Europe.

So just to give you a sense, Hala, that there are other names, other individuals they still want to find, they still want to get into custody

before there can be more attacks.

And beyond those names, ISIS is accelerating their attack plans against Europe, full throttle, trying to send recruits back from Syria to launch

more and more attacks.

GORANI: All right. Certainly that's one of the priorities now. They've succeeded in some attacks like Paris and Brussels. Thanks very much, Paul

Cruickshank. We'll stay in touch as well for more on the breaking news story.

And just to reiterate, in about 20, 22 minutes' time, we're expecting a news conference from the Belgian prosecutor. There hopefully we'll get

more details on Mohamed Abrini and whether or not they believe he's the man in the hat seen in the CCTV footage on March 22nd.

What about the other man who was arrested with him? Were they together? Were they arrested separately? How were they found? Are there other

people out there?

So many questions still that people have in Belgium, France, an around Europe with fears that more attacks are being planned. So, we'll get to

that in a moment, but first let's talk about some major news coming from Pope Francis.

He is today pushing open the doors of the Catholic Church just a bit wider with a sweeping declaration of policy meant to promote greater tolerance.

He wrote a paper urging priests to be more accepting of gays and lesbians, divorced Catholics and others living with what he calls irregular

lifestyles.

While he still insists that the church must strenuously promote only marriage between a man and a woman, he says, quote, "There is no stereotype

of the ideal family," unquote, and he says divorced Catholics who remarry should be welcomed in the church.

[15:10:03]But while the paper calls for the tolerance and flexibility, it does not change Catholic doctrine on homosexuality, marriage, birth

control, or abortion. It doesn't go that far.

So Pope Francis' paper contains ideas likely to make both liberals and conservatives happy, but not for both. It also may not go far enough.

Vatican correspondent, Delia Gallagher, joins me now from Rome with more. How -- I mean, how surprising, how -- is this revolutionary coming from a

pope?

DELIA GALLAGHER, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Well, there's a lot about Francis that is revolutionary and certainly it's a revolutionary shift in

emphasis, Hala, what we see here is not a change in doctrine, but it is a change in the way the doctrine is put into practice.

And a prime example of that is the question of divorced and remarried Catholics. That was one of the hot issues of this document and the pope

resolved it in this way.

We should explain that divorced and remarried Catholics previously from receiving communion. And they want -- there were those who wanted them to

be allowed to receive communion as full participation in the Catholic Church.

And others who said no, that's against the rules, can't happen. The pope says I'm not going to issue a blanket statement on that from Rome.

That is something that can be divided, the individual consciousness of those people together with their parish priests reviewing the particulars

of their situation.

That is something that is relatively new to allow that responsibility to be put on the local priest on the individual consciousness of people involved

to change the emphasis.

It's not an entirely new statement, but it is saying, we're going to put the emphasis on the individuals now to think about in their conscious the

particulars of their case, recognizing that not all divorces happen --

There are a lot of situations in family life that are very complex and we cannot do a one size fits all rule. That's what the pope is saying in this

document -- Hala.

GORANI: All right. Delia Gallagher, thanks very much for that.

We reported over the last 24 hours that ISIS had kidnapped about 300 cement factory workers near Damascus this week. Well, they have been released for

the most part. This is coming into us now.

The terror group's online media wing claims that they released them today, Friday, Amak says the workers were released after they were determined to

be Muslims who were not loyalists of the Assad regime.

However, ISIS continues to hold 20 people because they are members of regime affiliated militias and that four others were executed for being

ISIS says members of the minority Drews sect, unfortunately killed.

Now to a high profile trip meant to shore up Iraq's fight against ISIS. The American Secretary of State John Kerry made an unannounced visit to

Baghdad today.

He met with the prime minister there making clear he has Washington's support as he tries to implement controversial reforms. But Kerry also

stressed that Iraq's political crisis must not interfere with the war on ISIS.

He says the top priority remains recapturing Mosul. That is the second largest city that ISIS controls. Let's bring in senior international

correspondent, Arwa Damon.

She has been filing exclusive reports from the front lines near Mosul all week and joins us now live from Erbil. Arwa, what were you able to see as

you and your team approached Mosul as the army prepares down the line to try to retake it from ISIS?

ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Hala, from a number of fronts, the Iraqi army did manage to capture a handful of

villages, but that is at the stage been paused. The Iraqis found themselves bogged down and after a series of missteps decided to wait for

reinforcements.

That is not the only challenge that is facing this nation, nor is it a battle against ISIS the only threat. There is one potentially that could

be posed at the Mosul dam.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAMON (voice-over): It has been described by some as the most dangerous dam in the world. The Mosul dam, the largest in Iraq, which produced

hydroelectricity is built on a foundation of soft rock, making erosion a constant challenge.

We enter the underbelly of the dam to see how it is even still standing. Completed in the mid-1980s, what keeps it all intact is a process that

needs to happen daily. Workers are drilling bore holes this one will go down 150 meters or around 500 feet.

(on camera): Drilling that particular distance takes about a week. And the machines go up and down along the length of the dam.

[15:15:07]Breaking up and then re-pouring cement to try to ensure this stability of the dam's foundation.

(voice-over): It's a process called grouting. When ISIS took over the dam in 2014, this was halted for 45 days. Intense around the clock routing

reverse those weaknesses.

The U.S. recently issued a stark warning describing the potential for collapse as, quote, "serious and unprecedented." A catastrophic event that

would see Mosul, Iraq's second largest city and under ISIS control entirely submerged with flooding as far downstream as Baghdad.

That warning set the lives of up to 1.5 million Iraqis would be at risk. But the dam's manager insists that disaster is not imminent.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): If the dam were to collapse when the water level is at 330 meters above sea water, then yes, Mosul would be

flooded. But with current levels, there would be minimal damage.

DAMON: The seepage is one of the reasons why he says the U.S. is so concerned. But he claims his team has determined that it is not impacting

the dam's foundation. Still last year, the U.S. installed an early warning system they monitor regularly and there is an urgent need for repairs.

(on camera): Millions of Iraqis are directly reliant on the Mosul dam in one way or another. But years of neglect by the Iraqi government due to

politics, bureaucracy, and corruption, are already being felt.

(voice-over): Couple that with security concerns that for years kept international companies from taking up the job. An Italian company has

just been contracted to repair and refurbish the dam, but work is yet to begin.

And in Iraq where nothing is ever entirely predictable, it is always the best to plan for the worst.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DAMON: And that is why, Hala, the U.S. did issue that warning, trying to urge residents to stay away, also from the banks of the river if they can

help it.

Now the U.S. does not necessarily know when the dam is going to collapse. And at this point in time, this specific point in time, there are no

indications that it is going to collapse.

However, the U.S. says that anything could happen, it could happen within a week, a month, or even a few years, but regardless, it's not a risk that

they are willing to take.

GORANI: OK, Arwa Damon in Erbil, thanks very much.

Back to our breaking news this hour, and I want to bring you dramatic new video just into CNN. This is the very moment that Belgian police made one

of two arrests reported today. So you can see police officers there with a man clearly face down being cuffed.

There's one police officer standing guard there. Another taking care of, mobilizing and cuffing the suspect. Now, the thing is we can't confirm who

of the two is being detained there.

It's either Mohamed Abrini or the man named as Osama Kraiam (ph), the same as a man named as Naim Alhamad (ph) linked to the Brussels attacks because

his DNA was found in the apartment of the bomb makers.

I'm going to let this video run here. What's going to happen at some point, they're going to hoist them up and stuff him in the back of that

car.

So you have two officers on the suspect, one standing guard, and another one preparing. This is obviously amateur video. There you have it, one of

the two suspects again not sure, this is one of the two.

We know both men were arrested today and both are believed to have links to Paris and Brussels. All right, we'll have a lot more on Brussels and what

happened later in the program.

Still to come, the gloves came off, now the gloves are kind of coming back on. We'll see how the U.S. Democratic presidential candidates are dialing

back a heated it row over qualifications. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:21:38]

GORANI: The brutal murder of a young blogger in Bangladesh sparked protests about the state of free speech in the country. Nazimuddin Samad

was targeted for his writings attacking religious dogma.

He certainly was not the first. He was the sixth writer to be brutally murdered in the capital of Daka in a little over a year. Samad was

ambushed on Wednesday night by attackers with machetes and then he was shot. It was very well planned.

The Bangladeshi justice minister spoke earlier to CNN about the killing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (via telephone): When you are saying somebody else's religious feelings. It's natural. Of course, we accept people's

expression. We surely -- we are willing to protect it can, but the thing is that it should be contained to that extent that it does not hurt

somebody else's feelings.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GORANI: Well, there you have it. Justice minister from Bangladesh saying don't hurt the feelings of people who believe in a certain type of

religious dogma or a certain religion after the murder of that blogger and that has raised some eyebrows speaking to us earlier on CNN.

Let's turn now our attention to the Panama papers. The British Prime Minister David Cameron is facing calls to resign over the scandal. Mr.

Cameron recently said he'd sold over $40,000 worth of shares at a Panamanian based trust set up by his late father.

But he argued he'd done so before becoming prime minister and that he had paid all the required taxes. Up against him though continued and spread

beyond the U.K. In an interview earlier today, the French foreign minister appeared to join the chorus criticism.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): It is both immoral and in certain cases illegal because it's about avoiding taxes, not showing what you have

earned and how you earned it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GORANI: Quote, "Of course, she is qualified," with those words Bernie Sanders probably hopes to put days of back and forth bickering with Hillary

Clinton behind him.

The Democratic candidates have been arguing over who really has the qualifications or not to become president. Sanders reversed himself today

after calling Clinton unqualified.

But his campaign manager took a more nuance approach saying Clinton may have the resume, but that doesn't mean she has the judgment. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEFF WEAVER, BERNIE SANDERS CAMPAIGN MANAGER: The number of experts that pointed out that the vacuum that was created in Iraq after the Iraq war

with the deposing of Saddam Hussein and Gaddafi allowed the expansion in Libya. She's not the only one responsible, but she certainly bears some

responsibility.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GORANI: Clinton says she would take Sanders over Republican candidates, Donald Trump and Ted Cruz any time. So that also was sort of, you know,

trying to make nice. Clinton is campaigning today in New York. It's the next critical battle ground.

[15:25:02]Suzanne Malveaux joins me now live from Rochester. All right, let's talk about New York now that the candidates have sort of tried to put

their feud behind them and campaign again for the critical state.

Who has the edge in New York? Hillary Clinton was senator in New York. Bernie Sanders is originally from Brooklyn, who's ahead?

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, Hala, it's hard to say, but people say it's getting close. So far Hillary Clinton is ahead, but a

Quinnipiac poll shows they could be 10 to 12 points difference here.

You know that Bernie Sanders born and raised in Brooklyn and of course, this is the adopted home state of Hillary Clinton, 291 delegates, pledged

delegates. This is a grand prize and it's a critical moment for the Democratic Party.

The thing about the two of them, we saw the tensions really heightened yesterday. It was really kind of a phenomenal moment because it had been a

very civil competition between the two.

But we did see after Bernie Sanders said that she was unqualified, walked that back and just moments ago we heard from Clinton, this is in Buffalo,

New York, where she said, look, again, that she thought it was a silly thing of all the things that she has been called, she has never been called

unqualified.

And she noted that Bernie reversed himself, Bernie Sanders reversed himself on that. What happened behind the scenes, Hala, was that party officials

looked at this, the Democrats and said look, we don't want to give up the one advantage we have when it comes to the Republicans.

And that is trying to get on board, there's not a civil war going on within our party, we've got to be able to unify, even if it's close and comes down

to a contested convention, these people have to unite.

But so far, it is really very, very bitter. They're trying to push it back a little bit, but it is still extremely competitive and we will hear,

continue to hear, some of the real differences between these two candidates when it comes to the Iraq war, when it comes to the economy, when it comes

to education and health care, very similar policies, but also some sharp differences as well -- Hala.

GORANI: Sure, now Bill Clinton, of course, is known as one of the best campaigners really in recent American history, political and American

history, and he's out on the campaign trail for his wife, Hillary. But he's making news, what happened exactly with Bill Clinton that made

headlines, Suzanne?

MALVEAUX: Sure, Hala. This is something that you really have to watch in order to believe. This is really a rare moment that we have seen a former

president as emotional as he got yesterday. This was at a rally in Pennsylvania, out campaigning for his wife.

The protest group Black Lives Matter confronted him on a number of issues, first, the 94 crime bill that he sponsored and pushed forward under his

administration, which incarcerated a lot of African-American young men.

And also the fact that Hillary Clinton previously, a long time ago, talked about super predators as these criminals on the street and that they had to

be rounded up, this kind of language that many people find offensive. The protesters confronted him and this is how he responded.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON: I don't know how you would characterize the gang leaders who got 13-year-old kids hopped up on crack

and sent them out on to the street to murder other African-American children. Maybe you thought they were good citizens, she didn't. She

didn't. You are defending the people who killed the lives you say matter. Tell the truth.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: So that moment, a lot of people noticing that, really kind of a little worried, maybe even put off by the kind of emotion that I was

expressing there and distraction.

Some people saw it being out of touch with the campaign, with her own campaign because Hillary Clinton has repudiated her own previous statement

using those words super predator and also pushed back label the on the crime bill.

A lot of people seeing the crime bill not seeing the thing that caused it to go down and largely incarcerated many young African-American men.

So today we heard from Bill Clinton again trying to clean this up, if you will, saying there were people shouting at him during this protest and he

felt like he did something that he almost in his words, he said almost want to apologize for.

And so that was his way he also blames his age, his old age on perhaps getting a little too emotional during that time, but this is clearly not

something that the Clinton campaign wants to focus or dwell on. It was something that they really needed to move beyond and get over -- Hala.

GORANI: All right, well, he did apologize. So we'll see if that continues to be an issue. Susan, always good --

MALVEAUX: Thank you.

GORANI: We'll see you soon in Rochester, New York.

Coming up on THE WORLD RIGHT NOW, the very latest on today's terror arrest in Belgium. We'll have more expert analysis from CNN's senior

correspondents. Also we are expecting a news conference from the prosecutor. We'll see what comes out of that. Stay with us. We'll be

right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:30:00]

GORANI: Coming up on "The World Right Now" the latest on the terror arrest in Belgium. We'll have more expert analysis from CNN's team of

correspondents. Also we're expecting a news conference from the prosecutor. We'll see what comes out of that. Stay with us. We'll be right back.

Welcome back, our breaking news the last known suspect linked to November's terrorist attacks in Paris, arrested in Brussels today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GORANI: Mohamed Abrini was one of two people detained by Belgium police on Friday. That confirmation coming from the Belgium Prosecutor's Office.

Officials are expected to update the media on the arrest shortly. We'll take you live to Brussels by the way when this news conference.

And also this is the dramatic video that just came into CNN in the last 15 minutes showing the moment Belgian police made one of the arrests. We don't

know if it's Mohamed Abrini or if it's the other suspect arrested today, Naim Al-Hamid. Although there is reason to believe perhaps that it is

Abrini, though we do not have that confirmation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GORANI: Now also among the other stories we're keeping an eye on this hour before we get more on Brussels, Greece has deported a second group of

migrants to Turkey following a four-day pause.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GORANI: The deportations are the result of a controversial new deal between Turkey and the E.U. Around 325 people have now been sent back to Turkey

since Monday.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GORANI: And Pope Francis has published new guidelines on family life meant to promote greater tolerance.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GORANI: The 260 page document urges the church to be more accepting of gays and lesbians, divorced Catholics, and others living in what he calls

irregular situations. But while it calls for more tolerance in practice, it does not in any way change official doctrines.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GORANI: All right, are we going to this news conference now? I believe we are going live to Brussels where we're going to hear now from Belgium

prosecutors with more on today's arrest. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

THIERRY WERTS, SPOKESMAN BELGIAN FEDERAL PROSECUTORS OFFICE: (As transcribed) Brussels the following suspects were arrested. Mohamed

Abrini. This was the means of a vehicle hired by some of Islam which was put into operation on 3rd October 2015 in Germany. This enquiry is

continuing actively in order to verify whether (inaudible) and the second person arrested at the Metro station, these people were noticed in company

with El-Bakraui just before the attacks.

Moreover these people were filmed in Brussels with the bags that were used at the time of the attack at the airport in Brussels this afternoon.

[15:35:10]

WERTS, (As translated) Mohamed Abrini was also arrested at (inaudible) as well as two other people who are deprived of their freedom. Their

fingerprints and DNA were identified in different places. In particular the (inaudible) and others as well as the Renault Clio car that was used

during the Paris attacks.

Mohamed Abrini was already the subject of a search as you know relative to the Paris attacks of November 13, 2015.

He was noticed on the 11th November around 7:00 p.m. together with Salah Abdeslam on the motorway in the direction of Paris. Moreover Mohamed

Abrini and Salah Abdeslam were seen driving together just before the attacks and in flats where the suicide bombers stayed before the attacks.

This enquiry is continuing to determine whether Mohamed Abrini was the third person present at the Brussels National Airport attacks named as the

man with the hat.

So the legal actions are continuing very actively. At this stage, we cannot communicate any more details. Other details will follow in particular from

tomorrow.

ERIC VAN DER SYPT: SPOKESMAN, BELGIUM FEDERAL PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE: (As translated): Good evening. [Speaking Foreign Language]

GORANI: All right, we're going to break away from this. We heard from the prosecutor speaking in French a little bit earlier, that was the Flemish

version. Thierry Werts saying, and confirming, that Mohamed Abrini was arrested today and two other men arrested as well and I believe if I

understood correctly that those two other men who were arrested were in some way connected or filmed or spotted with the metro station bomber who

is Khalid El Brakoui just before the attack and that they were linked through DNA with one of the cars used in the Paris attacks.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GORANI: Let's get to our - we have our senior international diplomatic editor, Nic Robertson, and CNN justice correspondent, Pamela Brown, joining

us now.

Pamela, let's start with you here. So the prosecutor is confirming Mohamed Albrini but no other names but saying two other men were arrested today as

well.

PAMELA BROWN, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well they - we have learned that Osama Krayem who was believed to be connected to the attacks very early on,

he was operating under a pseudonym, he was one of the men arrested though we didn't hear him say his name explicitly in that press conference. But

what's significant to me is that he said they're working to determine if Albrini is the man in the hat.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: There has been speculation for a while now that indeed he was based on the fact that he was connected to the Paris attacks, close to Salah

Abdeslam. He was incognito, the person in the hat incognito, and there would be good reason for Albrini to want to be under disguise given how

much his picture has been out there.

And in addition just through the process of elimination through intelligence gathering officials believe that perhaps he could be the man

in the hat. But as you heard him say, they're still trying to firmly establish that. But this is certainly significant Hala, that these arrests

have been made. It takes some key players off the chest board but the concern of the threat in Europe continues. As one official I spoke to

today said there are still multiple players connected to this network believed to be operating in Europe who could be working on multiple plots.

GORANI: All right, and Nic, you were listening as well to the Belgium prosecutor.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GORANI: It was very brief, we didn't get any more details on whether or not he believed Albrini was the man in the hat filmed on March 22nd, that

morning the attacks took place at the airport. And also, but not naming though we understand through our sources, that Naim Al Hamed is one of the

two other men arrested.

So let's talk a little bit about what we know about Mohamed Albrini and what the prosecutor said on him.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: We know that he was seen driving with Salah Abdeslam to Paris two days before the attack in

that Renault Clio car. We know that car was used to deliver some of the attackers. We understand as well that he was involved in renting an

appointment (inaudible) before the attack. So the fundamentals there are that he was a key piece of plotting and planning this attack in Paris.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[15:40:12]

ROBERTSON: And as it was the same cell that perpetrated the attack in Brussels as in Paris, he is believed therefore to have had a role in that.

Indeed one of the second people the prosecutor didn't name we know as Naim Al Hamid or also Osama Krayem played an operational role in that attack.

So for Abrini this if you will gives the police the opportunity to have two people who know a lot of details about the planning of the Paris attack and

will give them an opportunity to play one against the other as they investigate and interrogate them. Of course they do have a right to remain

silent but the information that they have will be about this broader network and that is what's critical to the police still. And the most in

essence when Salah Abdeslam was arrested the key question would have been is there anything else operational.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON: So you can bet these three people the police have today that's going to be their first question.

GORANI: And Nic, I understand we have English translation once again from this news conference, let's listen in.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SYPT: At the same moment two of the persons have been arrested. Fingerprints and DNA of Albrini were retrieved not only in the safe houses

in (inaudible) but also in the vehicle, Renault Clio, that was used during the Paris attacks.

Some time ago already a look out warning was issued for Albrini in connection with the investigation concerning the Paris attacks of November

13th, 2015. He was seen in the company of Salah Abdeslam on November 11th at about 7:00 p.m. in a gas station in (inaudible) the highway in the

direction of Paris.

Moreover the investigation into the Paris attacks have shown that Mohamed Albrini and Salah Abdeslam rented an apart hotel in (inaudible) sometime

before the attacks. Some of the suicide bombers stayed in this rental flat just before the attack in Paris.

At the moment investigators are verifying whether Albrini Mohamed can be positively identified as being the third person present during the attacks

in Brussels National Airport, the so called man with the hat.

The investigation continues. Currently in the interest of the investigation no further details can be given.

[Speaking foreign language]

GORANI: There speaking again in Flemish but Pamela Brown, our justice correspondent, we just heard an English which frankly for me was just a bit

clearer than that translation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GORANI: Confirming once again Mohamed Albrini was arrested, still working to positively identify Albrini as potentially as the man in the hat in that

CCTV footage.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GORANI: And also the good thing here is he is alive, he's captured alive, they're going to be able to talk with him and time is of the essence here

because the last time a key suspect was captured alive two days later we had terrible attacks in the Belgian capital.

BROWN: Absolutely. So these first 24 hours are really key to get him to talk. The question is will he. Salah Abdeslam you'll remember in the very

beginning his lawyer came out and said he's cooperating then a few days later the attacks happened at the airport and metro stop. And so

investigators are wanting to get through to him and get him to tell them whether there are other attacks in the works and who might be a part of

that. It could be a challenge though because as I just mentioned, Salah Abdeslam clearly didn't give them the key information that would have

helped them prevent the attacks.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: But what's significant here not only is Albrini off the chessboard who was connected to the Paris attacks. But if he is indeed the man in the

hat that will be a huge deal because that man in the hat has been of significant concern to European officials, American officials, not knowing

his identity, not knowing where he is, not knowing if he's plotting more attacks.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: So they're going to want to get to the bottom of whether or not Albrini is him or not. Hala?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GORANI: And Nic - and Nic of course the issue now is how close are we to having really netted this cell in its entirety. Are there other operatives

out there right now still plotting who now know that this Albrini guy is in detention and could potentially talk and spill the beans. Is that going to

accelerate other plans?

ROBERTSON: There's a potential for it and I think that's why we're hearing so much caution from the prosecutor here not willing to say even the names

of the two other people although we understand we have the name of one of them. They're not willing to give any other details so it seems that they

want to keep as much as possible under wraps.

[15:45:05]

ROBERTSON: But the short answer is no, they've got a ways to go. Go back to the summer last year, intelligence authorities in Europe understood

there were 60 ISIS members sent to Europe to attack five different cities. We understand from the French after the Paris attacks that there was a much

larger network behind these attacks than they understood. There have been some arrests, a lot of the arrests that have gone on in Belgium have been

to disrupt the network as much as possible. But there are still key people out there that they want perhaps half a dozen and associated others who've

been charged in (inaudible). And the bottom line is authorities really don't still have a handle on the total issue, total problem. They have this

network they may be developing a better picture but it's far from done.

GORANI: It's a remarkably extensive network. Every few weeks it seems like we're adding a mug shot or a picture of one of them. I mean this was just

Paris, you add Brussels to this one and we're adding other names and suspects we don't have pictures for.

ROBERTSON: And some of them have several names.

GORANI: And some of them in fact, Osama Krayem whose name was floated as one of the two others arrested is also known as Naim Al Hamed linked to the

Brussels attacks believed to have potentially come into Europe through Greece posing as a refugee.

ROBERTSON: Posing as a refugee as two of the suicide bombers, Iraqis who posted as refugees - two of the suicide bombers at the Stadium of France

came in that route as well.

But here's another thing we understand about Krayem and also somebody who was shot in an operation shortly before the attack in Brussels to try to

arrest Salah Abdeslam. Both these men appear to have spent some time living in Sweden as well. So you have people that lived in Sweden that

have come, you've had people that have lived in France come to Brussels. They've gone off different types (inaudible) and come back by very

nefarious routes.

I mean one of them, Krayem we understand there's a possibility he also came back with these - in amongst refugees, got to a migrant center in Germany,

somebody sent him 600 euros, $600 and then drove from Brussels to pick him up and bring him back to Brussels.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GORANI: It's just - it's just actually remarkable how well organized this network is.

ROBERTSON: And these are the few details that we have so far.

GORANI: and we certainly don't have them all. Nic Robertson thanks very much.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GORANI: This is "The World Right Now."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GORANI: An alias of the Syrian government steps in to help restore priceless ruins damaged by ISIS. We'll be right back.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GORANI: Syria's ancient ruins in Palmyra are now free from ISIS control, but it could take years to undo the damage that militants inflicted on the

archaeological treasures and certainly some have been lost forever.

Matthew Chance shows us how one of Russia's most prominent museums is offering a helping hand.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The old amphitheater at Palmyra was used by ISIS as a backdrop for public

executions. Russian drone video shows it's now one of the few monuments there still standing.

[15:50:05]

CHANCE: Other irreplaceable structures, like this monumental roman arch was simply raised to the ground by the so called Islamic state. The Kremlin

says helping recapture and now demine Palmyra is one of the major achievements of its air war.

For now, one of the Russia's most prominent museums with an important Palmyra collection wants to help restore the unique site.

SERGEY NIKITIN, HERITAGE MUSUEM: Because Palmyra is one of the few surviving ancient cities. When we come to Rome, we see ruins (inaudible)

Palmyra is an ancient stage, it stays as it was, so it's a great subject and great archaeological site.

CHANCE: Russia's archaeological interest and expertise in Palmyra is real, this hermitage collection of artifacts from the city like these (inaudible)

stones inscribed with ancient Greek and Aramaic scripts. It is one of the most important outside of Syria. Even more so now that so much of Palmyra

has been destroyed by Islamic state.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And you protect them down on this pyramid.

CHANCE: You can see them as a hologram.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can see them as a hologram in the middle.

CHANCE: And volunteers at the museum are developing a more high-trek approach, building holographic models of the now destroyed buildings of

Palmyra breathing life they say into the ancient city.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The main point is that the reconstructions that I made that are now shown in the hologram are real reconstructions with the real

sizes and texture of how it used to be before the explosions, before all the problem.

CHANCE: Right, so that could be really useful when it comes to restoring for the site.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Exactly.

CHANCE: But only once Palmyra is secure say museum officials will the Russian team be sent to assess the archaeological damage. It could be years

before the cultural vandalism of ISIS is undone.

Matthew Chance, CNN, St. Petersburg.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GORANI: Well don't forget, you can get all of our interviews and latest news and the best video on our Facebook page, facebook.com/halagoranicnn.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GORANI: We'll have more reaction to the Pope's landmark statement on family values in just a moment. Stay with us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GORANI: All right. Catholics are reacting to what's being described as a landmark statement from Pope Francis on family issues. Let's bring in CNN

senior Vatican analyst, John Allen, he joins me now from New York via Skype. First, what is in this statement?

JOHN ALLEN, CNN SENIOR VATICAN ANALYST: Well, Hala, this is a big document sprawling document. It's more than 260 pages, more than 60,000 words. It's

a good candidate for the longest papal document issued so there's a lot of it. But in terms of news interest, I think the thing most people are

focusing on is what the Pope had to say about the hot button issue of whether divorced and civilly remarried Catholics, that is Catholics whose

marriages breakdown and they get remarried outside of the church.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALLEN: Whether they can receive communion. Under the current church rules, they're barred and although the Pope said he's not going to change that

rule, he is going to give pastors permission that his parish priest permission to work with people on an individual basis to try to figure out

exactly what their situation is.

[15:55:04]

ALLEN: And if the judgment at the end of that discernment, is that these people aren't responsible for the situation they find themselves in, then

they could come back to communion. And if that happens on a wide basis, that would be a pretty big deal.

GORANI: And he also spoke about gays and lesbians.

ALLEN: Yes, that's right. He repeated what he has said many times which is he wants the church to be welcoming, tolerant, compassionate, and

inclusive. But he did not signal any shift in the churches condemnation of gay marriage. On the contrary he reaffirmed traditional catholic teaching

that marriage is a relationship between a man and a woman, it's permanent, and it has to be open to new life, which is basically papal code for no to

birth control.

GORANI: Right. So if it doesn't change doctrine, this statement, which it doesn't, clearly, does it change anything?

ALLEN: I think it changes the vibe of the church on the ground. I mean, you know the Catholic Church has always had doctrine of course, but it also has

what's called pastoral practice which means how that doctrine is applied. Do you take a very hard line or do you take a more flexible and tolerant

and understanding line?

I think those who favor the more tolerant and flexible line have felt for a long time that official (inaudible) suspicious of them. I mean now all of

the sudden, you have a Pope not only endorsing that, but actually calling them to go further and faster. And I think at the grassroots, Hala, that's

a kind of sea change in the way the (inaudible) feels from the inside.

GORANI: And do you get the sense that this is going to attract more people who feel disenfranchised from the Catholic church back into the church

because the Pope has made these sort of inclusive, more tolerant statements to people who in the past haven't been able to take to participate in

religious practice?

ALLEN: Well, you know, Hala, when I move around, I mean I do meet a lot of people who find the kind, the way Francis just projects welcome and

projects openness to be very attractive. But of course you know the vast majority of those people are not going to be to Sunday mass in St. Peters

Basilica in Rome, they're going to be going to their local parish around the corner. And so the real question becomes not so much what has Francis

said, to what extent that's translated into reality in the actual practice of the Catholic Church at the grassroots. And there I think the jury is

still out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GORANI: John Allen, thanks very much always a pleasure. I'm Hala Gorani, this has been "The World Right Now" thanks for watching. "Quest Means

Business" is up next, stay with us.

END