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NYC Officials, FBI Address Bombings, Capture of Rahami. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired September 19, 2016 - 13:30   ET

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


[13:30:00] BILL DE BLASIO, (D), NEW YORK CITY MAYOR: That is something that proved to be very helpful in this instance, getting that message out broadly, putting everyone on alert in a mutual way. We believe that was very helpful in this equation. But there is still information we'll need going forward. So I want people to be patient because it will be an ongoing investigation. I want people to be vigilant.

And, finally, as I said, even though this suspect is apprehended, I said, over the last 24 hours, we will have a very strong and visible NYPD presence because of this incident, and the obviously because of the United Nations General Assembly. You will continue to see throughout the week a strong visible NYPD presence, especially from our critical response command, our strategic response group. You will see heavily trained officers and well-armed officers. You will see our officers in the subway. You will see bags being checked, bomb sniffing dogs. That will continue throughout the week. And we want that high level of readiness, of course, from the NYPD.

So I ask all New Yorkers, continue your vigilance, continue to share information with law enforcement.

And I want to thank Assistant Director Sweeney for the exceptional work and the great cooperation of the FBI in this matter.

Thank you.

Thank you, sir.

WILLIAM SWEENEY, FBI SPECIAL AGENT, NEW YORK: Good afternoon. Since the last briefing we provided yesterday, hundreds of personnel from the New York and Newark, New Jersey, JTTFs along with the NYPD Detective Bureau have been working around the clock developing and tracking leads reviewing surveillance footage, employing sophisticated investigative techniques and executing searches. Based on our evidence collection and supported by other analysis, the JTTF began to focus on Ahmad Khan Rahami, working to develop his whereabouts and possible locations for surveillance. Last night, the JTTF conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle near the Verrazano Bridge in Brooklyn. That vehicle had been observed by JTTF personnel at a location associated with Rahami. Based on the totality of circumstances, the JTTF executed a stop of that vehicle. The passengers in the car were questioned by JTTF agents and detectives. No one in that car is under arrest. Based on our evidence collection, supported by other analysis,

searches and conducted at residences in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and in Perth, Anboy (ph), New Jersey, additional leads followed as well and we turned to the public this morning more assistance initially using a more recent photo of Rahami. A short time ago, as you know, Rahami was arrested in Linden, New Jersey. Two Linden police officers were injured in apprehending him. And our thoughts are with them and we hope for their quick recovery.

We will continue to conduct investigative activity to ensure we completely understand Rahami's social network. For that reason, I do not plan to answer specific questions about our techniques or our knowledge of the devices, other than that we have directly linked Rahami devices from New York and from Saturday in New Jersey.

The work of the first responders, law enforcement personnel and contributions of an engaged public have been exceptional.

Thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So obviously a lot has happened over the last 40 or so hours. I want to add my comments to those of the people standing behind me, condolences to the officers and victims in New York.

I believe a charge probably launched based on the shooting of the officers in Linden, New Jersey, by the local prosecutor there in Union County. While that is pending and the defendant is being held, you can expect that the U.S. attorney's office here, perhaps the U.S. attorney's office in New Jersey, will be working to put together as comprehensive and thorough a collection of allegations as makes sense. We are not rushing against each other to bring charges. We have all been racing together to try to catch the perpetrator and that's now done. But we'll take a lot care and a lot of time to make sure if we bring charges in the Manhattan District Court we do it in a way that's careful and thorough.

Thanks.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Do you have any knowledge in Mr. Rahami in training for -- (INAUDIBLE) -- since you did say he's been associated with devices in Newark and New Jersey?

SWEENEY: We have no knowledge with the investigation that continues.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE) -- incident in ruling out last Night, what happened in Elizabeth, connecting it to that at all?

SWEENEY: No. We're not ruling anything out. The investigations take a while. The evidence collection at different scenes takes time. We're absolutely not ruling anything out.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Who was in the car you pulled over?

[13:35:14] SWEENEY: I'm not going to comment on that. UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Would you please speak to whether there are

cells now under investigation? Anything that at least gives us an inkling where this investigation might be leading now?

SWEENEY: Sure. The question about cells, I have no indication there is a cell operating in the area or in the city. The investigation is ongoing. As we develop more information, we continue to go. But I have no indication there's a cell operating here.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: For Mr. Sweeney. Was the -- (INAUDIBLE) -- put out any help? I understand there may have been a photo which triggered some civilian to call and say -- (INAUDIBLE).

SWEENEY: I believe it was a help. I don't know that for fact myself, but I believe that's what initiated the call to the Linden P.D. You'd have to confirm that with New Jersey.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: And -- (INAUDIBLE) -- the target was just an opportunity -- (INAUDIBLE).

SWEENEY: No. I haven't any information on that at all yet.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: And the commissioner for the FBI -- (INAUDIBLE) -- invested a lot of money to track people in the city or events just like this that were you able to use, whether facial recognition or surveillance cameras (INAUDIBLE).

SWEENEY: I won't comment on the types of tools we use, other than to say the tools in the city are fabulous. They are exceptional. They're necessary.

I think the other comments I leave for the commissioner.

JAMES O'NEILL, COMMISSIONER, NEW YORK POLICE DEPARTMENT: So a lot of technology involved in this, but a lot of good, old-fashioned police work, too, between the FBI and NYPD, members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force. This is a pretty quick turnaround. This happened 50 hours ago, and we have our suspect in custody. I think it's a tremendous job by all involved. The alert system is very helpful to police department and the FBI and in this instance and other instances, also gets everybody involved, that sense of shared responsibility, amidst 36,000 of us, a number of FBI agents. If we can get everybody engaged in the city helping keep us safe, this is the way to go. This is the future.

Dean (ph)?

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: The pressure cooker. How is it -- (INAUDIBLE) -- in terms of gaining information? Not having to have exploded yesterday, quite safe, what did you gain from that pressure cooker and any video that helped you with it?

O'NEILL: Bill?

SWEENEY: I want comment specifically on something from the pressure cooker that led us somewhere. Any piece of evidence we obtain whether a piece, fragment, something whole, is worthwhile. So I would leave it at that.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Commissioner, was there anything significant about the particular day on Saturday that you knew of?

O'NEILL: Lisa, that's all part of the investigation. With the motivation, we don't have that yet. This is going to be part, as we go forward here.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: For the -- (INAUDIBLE) -- was Rahami on a radar of any kind, and do you believe there are any other bombers or bombs that for, or -- (INAUDIBLE).

O'NEILL: Bill?

SWEENEY: I don't do -- I don't have information we're actually looking for any kind of device as all, but we keep all options open and the investigation is ongoing. We'll see what we see.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: On your radar?

SWEENEY: There's nothing to indicate currently on radar. We had a report of a domestic incident some time ago. The allegations recanted. I don't have any other information. We'll keep digging.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: For the mayor. Was Governor Cuomo invited here, are you working with him. And the criticism that you guys haven't really had that many joint appearances?

DE BLASIO: Yes, he was invited. Yes, we're working with him. Obviously, we got together at the site yesterday and spoke to the folks in the community. A lot of close coordination with the state, with the federal government, et cetera, and I think we're all -- you know, you can see the results of this kind of combined effort, and as the commissioner said, including the people very deeply in helping us get to the solution here has made a huge difference. So a high level of coordination.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Why wouldn't you --

(CROSSTALK)

DE BLASIO: Ask his team about that.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Commissioner, does the suspect have a record and any sense in this early stage at what point he may have become radicalized?

O'NEILL: I don't have -- I -- the question as radicalization, I don't have information yet to show what the path of radicalization was.

Your first question was about a record.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Yes.

O'NEILL: To be honest, I currently do not recall what I read on the record and would have to get back to you. UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: A remark by Donald Trump, who says law

enforcement officials should probably go back to some type of profiling in order to prevent things like this. (INAUDIBLE) -- widespread sort of -- (INAUDIBLE) --

[13:40:07] DE BLASIO: I think we, right now, are addressing a specific crisis. And I think even, though it's a perfectly fair question, I don't think we want to talk about partisan politics at this point.

I would say I'm very, very proud of the work of the NYPD and the FBI, and the way they have so quickly found this suspect, and the kind of cooperation that's going on. So I have a lot of faith in law enforcement and how they do things right now. I would think what we want to know now is what the chances there could be another device and what they should be looking for as their asked to be vigilant?

UNIDENTIFIED REPORT: Commissioner -- (INAUDIBLE QUESTION)

O'NEILL: Marsha (ph), at this point, we are extremely grateful we're able to apprehend the suspect out in Linden, New Jersey. As I always say, we always have to be in a state of alert, in New York City. We are the number-one target in the world. But as far as this investigation, and working, again, with the FBI, I think, you know, I'm a lot -- a lot happier today than I was yesterday. So I think all New Yorkers should feel secure that the NYPD and all the other law enforcement agencies in New York City will continue to keep them safe. And we'll continue in this investigation to make sure that we get to know who was involved, and why, which are the important things. Thanks. Sure.

DE BLASIO: Let me add to that quickly, Marsha (ph). First of all, there is no other individual we're looking for at this point in time, and that's very important, to answer your question. Second, vigilance is called for, and it's very, very important, unusual, particularly an unattended package, that they report it immediately. Call it in or find a law enforcement officer. So I think the commissioner's exactly right. We are have are very appreciative for the men and women who worked to get this suspect. We want to remain vigilant.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: So did anybody give us a fill on the apprehension and also are you glad the suspect survived the apprehension? How valuable is that to you?

SWEENEY: The apprehension, myself, I'm definitely, much more relieved than I was last night. The fact he survived is excellent, from an investigative value and the fact we didn't lose a life.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: And -- (INAUDIBLE) -- where he's been living, can you tell us who he is.

SWEENEY: I can't tell you who he is. We have to build out that whole picture and I don't have enough information to fill that out.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION)

SWEENEY: In New Jersey, most recently, but I'm would have to go back and look the address history. I'm not in a position to do that.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: And -- (INAUDIBLE) -- at his house, in his car, on him that was just -- suggests radicalization or intent now?

SWEENEY: No, right now.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Mr. Mayor, Mr. Commissioner, on the emergency alert, can you specify how that was helpful, given caught in New Jersey. And given this is the first time used for a manhunt purpose like this, how was that decision reached and do you contemplate using it in the future?

DE BLASIO: Several questions. We think it's a very valuable tool. We think it created a lot of focus and urgency. Our law enforcement colleagues including colleagues in New Jersey will be able to fill in the blanks for you on exactly what the positive effect was, but from what we know right now it definitely contributed to the successful apprehension of this suspect.

This is a tool we will use again in the future in similar situations. There obviously was an eminent threat and a very appropriate situation in which to use it, and another example of the innovation going on with NYPD and OEM that there was a way to reach people, different from the past. No more a wanted poster on the precinct house wall. This is a modern approach that really engaged the whole community. So, yes, we will use it, and the reason used in this case was the specific potential danger and it made sense to do a very broad alert.

Thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: The two gentlemen with the suitcase on 27 -- (INAUDIBLE).

SWEENEY: We'll let Chief Boyce talk about that.

ROBERT BOYCE, NYPD CHIEF OF DETECTIVES: To answer your question, we identified -- well, we have a video of two persons who picked up the bag, took the device out of it and then walked off with the bag. Now, we went back to see where they came from. They look like there were two gentlemen just strolling up and down 7th avenue at the time. We have no idea that would link them to this at all. However, we still want to talk to them, obviously. We're considering them witnesses right now. Once they picked up the bag, they seemed incredulous, picked it up off the street, and walked off with it. We'll find out, put their images out and hopefully get them identified.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Yes. To clarify, Commissioner, based on what you said earlier, and based on what you know, do you believe this guy -- (INAUDIBLE).

[13:45:07] O'NEILL: That's allowing to be public (ph). Right now we have what we need to have, and that's as we go forward in this investigation, that's part of what we do, talk to family, friends, see what connection are. This is part of an active investigation.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION) O'NEILL: Right now we're not actively seeking anyone.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Back in the individual and the bag. Any identification of -- (INAUDIBLE) -- any way to tell -- (INAUDIBLE).

BOYCE: Good question. To be determined once we speak to them. It's difficult to say right now, if they at all inadvertently perhaps even pull add wire. That's something for us when we talk to them going forward. Can't say that now because I don't know if they played a role or not.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: And played there -- are you hat the undetonated pressure cooker was, in fact, a device? Can you say that definitively? And while you're there, did this arrest at all make you rethink Central Park?

BOYCE: Again, with the central park, go back to that. From what we have now, know now, two separate incidents completely. Two different devices, wholly different and a couple months ago. We're always rethinking Central Part because it's still an open case. The other question I can't answer right now.

Mr. Sweeney might be able to answer that question.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Can you say the undetonated pressure cooker was now in fact a device?

SWEENEY: I'm not willing to say that, and I'm not describing the device and how it would work.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE) -- working into custody last night, are they still in custody -- (INAUDIBLE) -- can you describe whether they could still face charges?

SWEENEY: Five individuals from last night are not still in custody, and I'm not going to discuss what they could face in the potential future.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Mr. Sweeney or for Commissioner O'Neill, did the suspect make any statements during or after the -- (INAUDIBLE).

SWEENEY: The question is about, did the subject make any statements during the apprehension today? No, not that I'm aware of. But New Jersey and a team from the Newark JTTF are out there. So that will continue as well.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Mr. O'Neill, how valuable were surveillance cameras in identifying Rahami and/or his associates? (INAUDIBLE) -- all over the place, surveillance cameras and some images available to us?

O'NEILL: That's the world we live in now. Any street, any incident in New York City you get to, most of the time, that's captured on video surveillance. As we go forward on the investigation as we continue to gather more surveillance video it's going to help us move forward with this case, and make sure that this, this suspect, this subject, is brought to justice, and pays the maximum price.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Two more questions, please.

Ashley?

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Yes. I just want to ask, what kind of terrorism are we talking about? You can assume that it's -- (INAUDIBLE) -- obviously nothing you can do, and talking about fundamental and -- (INAUDIBLE) -- terrorism what criteria is here Thursday that wasn't present yesterday that makes you now willing to say, this is terror?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So in understanding how to reach a terrorism charge in a criminal investigation, you have to understand the difference between a bomb going off in a crowded street in New York City as a terrifying act. Whether that's an act of terrorism requires that you find out who did it, which is something we didn't know at the early stages of yesterday. And then why they did it, in order to get the statutory requirements. The basic definition of terrorism on the federal law side is the use of fear, violence or intimidation or the threat of to achieve political or social change.

From the outset of this case, our first priority was to understand who was behind it, and to identify that person and bring that person into custody. Our ability to see through the rest of that optic which is, why they did it, what was behind it, and whether it was terrorism, us first to understand who did it.

The searches conducted last night, the interviews being conducted today, the broadening understanding about the suspect who's in custody right now, for the shooting of a police officer, or police officers, is going to be the part that brings the elements forward that will eventually result in a charge. And it will be laid out in those charges documents. That's -- that's kind of the process piece behind your question of, how do you get from, from there to terrorism?

And the amount of progress that was made in 24 hours, between the work of the JTTF, the Intel team, some extraordinary work by the detective bureau in terms of surging the number of people to do the video canvas in the immediate area and expand that out in concentric circles to develop the elements that brought us to the identification of this person, were all the steps to get us there.

So, that's a question that, as Bill Sweeney has said, it will be part of the investigation, but those pieces are still being gathered.

[13:50:21] UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Can you, without divulging any trade secrets, can you say a little bit more about what leads you to believe that the explosion on 23rd Street and the at Seaside Park are somehow linked, or what links him, given the differences and the type of bombs that went off?

SWEENEY: The question is about, how do we link the device at Seaside Park to the device in New Jersey. The only thing I can say is by evidence and analysis. I can't go beyond that.

(CROSSTALK)

O'NEILL: Thank you, everybody.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: There's the news conference with New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio; the FBI officer on the scene; as well as James O'Neill, the new police commissioner in New York; Bill Sweeney, the FBI representative in New York, the agent in charge of that area.

Bill de Blasio, the mayor saying this clearly was an act of terror. He also said no other individual -- they're looking for no other individual, at least right now.

Let's discuss and analyze what we just heard, important information. Joining us, our justice correspondent, Pamela Brown; our law enforcement analyst and former FBI assistant director, Tom Fuentes; and CNN national security analyst and author of "United States of Jihad," Peter Bergen.

Each of you give me your immediate reaction because you've been investigating this very closely.

Pamela, what jumps out at you, what we just heard?

PAMELA BROWN, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: I would say a couple thins. The fact they're saying they're not looking for any other individuals. We know how early it is in the investigation. My colleague, Evan Perez, and I had been hearing there was a high suspicion that he didn't do this alone. You know, the bombs, there were different kinds of bombs, pipe bombs, a pressure cooker. That's interesting to me, they haven't identified anyone else. They questioned the five people in the car. They're not in custody, as we heard Bill Sweeney say, assistant director of the FBI. It will be interesting to see once they interview the suspect, who's in the hospital right now, if there are any other individuals.

TOM FUENTES, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: That's the same thing I was thinking. They haven't identified anybody else they're looking for. So far, it appears he acted alone. By now, they would have a lot more information about that if he was tied with other people, and they would be putting that out because of the threat of that. If there's additional co-conspirators out there, there's a continuing danger to the city and the region. The fact they're so far not able to identify somebody else is a pretty good sign.

BLITZER: The suspicion was that maybe this individual distributed these homemade bombs, if you will, but there was a bomb maker who was actually helping him build these bombs. That was the suspicion going into this news conference.

FUENTES: Many of us also thought there could be two bomb makers, one that did the pipe bombs that were used in New Jersey, and then the pressure cooker bombs, in Manhattan, so that indicated that -- but they're all fairly rudimentary devices, so it would be possible for one person to become skilled enough to do the separate devices.

BROWN: What I found interesting on that note is we know from law enforcement sources, his - fingerprints were found on the on 27th Street, which was a huge clue in order to identify him as a suspect. We heard Bill Sweeney say they connected the bomb that went off in seaside, New Jersey, to the suspect. So, clearly, there appears to be evidence tying him to that as well.

FUENTES: It could be -- when I was running the FBI operation in Iraq in 2003, we had exploded devices, and the pieces from some of those devices had fingerprints and DNA on them. It's possible even from the 23rd Street device that they could have gotten physical evidence from that, identifying to him as well as well the 27th Street pressure cooker that did not explode.

BLITZER: Peter, you studied terrorism for a long time. This individual now in custody, apprehended, Ahmad Khan Rahami, 28 years old, naturalized U.S. citizen, born in Afghanistan. Does this have, based on everything you've seen so far, the hallmarks of at least some sort of ISIS or other terror organization inspired event?

PETER BERGEN, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST & AUTHOR: This guy is absolutely typical of every Paris attack we've seen since 9/11. Conducted by American citizens, lethal terrorist attacks. American citizens or legal residents. Typically, they're not refugees or recent immigrants.

The other thing interesting here, Wolf, is that he was not on the radar of law enforcement for militancy. Usually, when someone engages in a significant terror attack like the one we've just seen, the FBI -- he's usually come to the attention of the FBI. The exception is the San Bernardino case, the couple, who killed 14, who were not on law enforcement. But a lot of these people, the Boston Marathon attacks, the Ft. Hood attacks, usually, the FBI has interviewed somebody or at least thought they might be of interest. So, the fact -- it remains a question to me, how did this guy sail beneath the attention of the law enforcement?

[13:55:26] BROWN: Also, as we learn more information about the suspect. My friend, Drew Griffin, have been talking to his friends and family. We learned from a friend that he's been back to Afghanistan, where he was born, multiple times. The timing of that is unclear, but you would imagine that could raise suspicion among authorities. Clearly, it did not, though, because he was not on any terror watch list until he was identified recently as a suspect in these bombings.

BLITZER: He was apparently implicated in a domestic incident a few years ago, we just heard from Peter King, of the House Homeland Security Committee, apparently drawing a knife, or whatever, to his sister. We just heard the FBI director in New York, Bill Sweeney, say that was recanted, that particular incident, meaning the accusation against him was recanted, presumably, by the sister. But that raises some alarm bells, too.

FUENTES: That's typical of a family disturbance like that. The family member who raises the complaint often recants, often says, never mind, and it was just a domestic dispute. The FBI, if they started tracking every person in this country because they were accused of a domestic disturbance, much less not even convicted, you just wouldn't be able to do it.

BLITZER: And multiple trips back and forth to Afghanistan, that would not raise the interest of the FBI?

FUENTES: It would depend on how many trips, when he took them, and after he became a citizen. We have a lot of people that go back to their original countries because they have family there. So, in and of itself, going to visit family isn't going to by itself raise those --

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: Peter?

BERGEN: Domestic abuse will be increasingly seen as an interesting precursor. The Nice attacker was violent to his wife. The Orlando attacker, his first wife claimed the Orlando terrorist was abusing her. If you're willing to abuse a family member, as Tom points out, often these things get recanted because it's embarrassing, that may be a sign they may they're willing to do other forms of violence.

BROWN: Another interesting thing, his family apparently filed a lawsuit against the city of Elizabeth, New Jersey, because there were issues with a chicken restaurant the family owned, and police, with noise ordinances and tickets that police were giving. The family, in this lawsuit, claimed they were being discriminated against for their Muslim religion. Perhaps, that could be --

BLITZER: Apparently, they were open 24 hours a day and residents were complaining about the noise and crowds that were gathering overnight, and eventually the city shut it down.

All right, guys, we'll stay on top of all this.

This breaking news we're following at CNN.

I'll be back at 5:00 p.m. eastern in "The Situation Room."

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