where we can cross live to chris phillips chris is the former head of the national counterterrorism security office chris always a pleasure having you on the program spain know the target why do you think that is if it is confirmed to be a terror attack. we must we mustn't get into the idea that this is a one country to country problem this is this is a worldwide problem and it's right across it is literally right across the world from indonesia philippines through the whole of europe this is a problem that we been facing for a long time now the fact that attacks haven't taken place in spain recently is quite surprising bear in mind the number of attacks that have happened in europe but unfortunately it's something that we're going to have to face for quite a few years to come so you think there is no particular link to all this some of the guests have been speaking to earlier are sure my saying that perhaps it's happening in countries where there are tourists of countries that are involved in the middle east conflict britain or france for instance have a lot of tourist britain particularly

chris philips former head of the national counterterrorism security office in the u.k. always good to get your expertise. ok let's keep the live in else going on find out what we know more with our tease emily suit and really what we have been hearing here is a lot of international leaders condemning the attack as to be expected at what has been said. well you know in condemnation of what happened in barcelona today really has been pouring in from all over the world will start with russia the russian president vladimir putin he has come out and said that the terrorist incident in barcelona shows the need for united international efforts to fight terrorism and over in the u.k. the prime minister theresa may she tweeted saying that the u.k. stands with spain against tara and meanwhile her foreign secretary boris johnson also tweeted concerned and saddened by barcelona attack our thoughts are with those affected doing all we can to identify whether brits need help now of course britain suffered from vehicle attacks by islamist terrorists themselves back in march at westmin

counterterrorism security office, with us throughout the morning. security issues arising from this, and protection going forward , from this, and protection going forward, also, lead, the latest from the spanish authorities, they believe there may have been eight people involved in a cell that carried out the attack in barcelona, in terms of arrests and suspected attackers dead, three arrests have been made, five are dead, what will been made, five are dead, what will be going on to try to make sure they can piece together the numbers involved in each separate incident as far as they understand it, and the figures involved in each one marrying up between different incidents. there will be a number of actions as part of the initial investigation, one of the main things is to confirm that if this was a coordinated cell working together, is that everybody accounted for? do we have the three suspects in custody and those that have been shot, anybody else still out there, potentially the first driver at las ramblas, the five killed later on, or is he st

that is, by the way, a ten-year position running all counterterror national security, drug enforcement, everything. >> that right there, therein lies the challenge for chief of staff, retired general kelly, that you have a president of the united states who takes to twitter and just makes pronouncements that have wide-ranging, far-reaching impacts on the rest of the government. so the story that politico has out there, the president got tired of the search for fbi director and just announced it. last week we were gob smacked by the tweets he sent out announcing that transgender service members were no longer welcome in the military. so i think for general kelly, it's great that he's bringing order and systems or, as they like to say in the building behind me, returning to regular order, that's great. but if you don't have the -- if the president is not going to abide by the rules, such as they are, then all of kelly's efforts will be for naught. let's not forget something else, ari. those tweets are considered official statements. >> yeah. >> so they're not just willy-nilly, you know,

, national counterterrorism center will be invited to come, saying racial intolerance deserves no place in america, it is imperative we find ways too to rid our nation of scourge of white supremacist. you remember yesterday, the answer and question second with president trump and reporters, he was asked whether or not the person driving the car, was a domestic terrorist or not, president did not want to whole heartedly embrace that term, saying that person is a murderer, he wants whatever happens would lead to a swift conviction. in washington on 12th. congress will take up this issue. involving the threat of domestic terrorism. gerri: blake, i hate to turn this back to money and agenda. we're a business network. on this day funeral of heather heyer, her tragic death, this would be something else added to the agenda will get more attention than anything else. it is going to be again top of list of head headlines in your view. we'll we spend all our time talking about hearings and investigations and putting thins that americans elected president trump for, changing taxes reforming taxes

two of the soldiers were linked to a national security operation reportedly have serious injuries. a manhunt is under way to find the driver who sped off. the counterterrorism department is investigating now. meanwhile the u.s. embassy in france warning u.s. citizens to avoid this area. we'll bring you more information on this breaking story as soon as we have it. >>> meanwhile, the entertainment

, the national counterterrorism center, the fbi and others and if they were known they were blocked from entering the u.s. as you know, david, spain is a visa waiver country, that you don't need a visa to travel into the united states. the authorities are trying to work out whether this person or persons were known to us and we could have stopped them from entering the u.s. or another situation where they were radicalized and totally under the radar. also within the last hour we heard from the vice president who is traveling in panama. >> the latest scenes of carnage and mayhem sicken us all. whatever inspired today's terror attack, the united states stand ready to assist the people of spain and find and punish those responsible. reporter: the acting secretary of homeland security, elaine duke, is fully briefed and monitoring the situation in barcelona. her old boss, john kelly, who is chief of staff at the white house, is keeping president trump up-to-date about the attack that increasingly appears to be coordinated and the work of a small cell. the attack began about four hours ago wit

i will ask our counterterrorism expert how jihadists are evading security services. also, with germany's national election just weeks away, a message tonight to voters from the free democrats. the free democrats leader says it is time the country changed its mentality. danish police have confirmed the body found in waters off of copenhagen is that of a swedish journalist. the inventor and submarine -=- is is charged with her murder. and covering up the confederacy. charlottesville dumps a monument of robert e. lee. ♪ brent: i am brent goff. it is good to have you with us. as the dust settles after last weweek's terror attacks in catalonia, investigators in spain and other european cities are beginning to connect the dots in an investigation that has broader implications across europe. some of the catalonian cell visited paris before the attacks leading authorities to investigate whetether they are papart of a larger islamist network. reporter: these are the remains of the bomb making facility on the coast south of barcelona. it is unclear how the group was able to

he's the former director of the national counterterrorism center. michael, as we heard vehicles now an easy weapon of choice for terrorists, but how do authorities stop them? >> it is very difficult, obviously. because these are widely available. anybody can drive a car, lester. but officials throughout the world and the united states included will have to look at these high traffic areas which attract lots of tourists and the like and may have to erect more vehicle barriers than people are used to. that's one of the last lines of defenses. and obviously, you want to find the terrorists before they get that far, but those defenses may well be necessary. >> as we reported, isis claiming responsibility here, we keep seeing evidence that the military effort against isis in places like western iraq is working. is that translating, though, to these cities where these actors continue to stage these attacks? >> well, i think that is an important strategic step, to disrupt the organization and ultimately take some of the wind out of their sails, but that do

cbs news national security analyst fran townsend was homeland security and counterterrorism adviser to president george w. bush. fran, good morning. >> good morning. >> first with the news. u.s. law enforcement officials telling cbs news this morning that they have indications this was more than just an inspired isis attack. what does that mean? >> if you look at the events as they unfolded, you had the house which blew up when they failed to put together these gas canisters probably for a car bomb. then you had the tragic sort of seven-block, right, rage of this car, killing 14. you also had on cambrils last night another car attack, people injured. you've got five dead there. they were wearing suicide belts. you look at the chronology, this was a fairly large cell, had to have been in place for a while, pretty good planning although their execution of the explosive elements was not so good. so i think that this looks like a you're hearing from law enforcement now much more directly controlled than just merely inspired. this wasn't somebody who got up and decided to take a car and ram

he's the former director of the national counterterrorism center. michael, as we heard vehicles now an easy weapon of choice for terrorists, but how do authorities stop them? >> it is very difficult, obviously. because these are widely available. anybody can drive a car, lester. but officials throughout the world and the united states included will have to look at these high traffic areas which attract lots of tourists and the like and may have to erect more vehicle barriers than people are used to. that's one of the last lines of defenses. and obviously, you want to find the terrorists before they get that far, but those defenses may well be necessary. isis claiming responsibility here, we keep seeing evidence that the military effort against isis in places like western iraq is working. is that translating, though, to these cities where these actors continue to stage these attacks? >> well, i think that is an important strategic step, to disrupt the organization and ultimately take some of the wind out of their sails, but that doesn't really help i

, critics say sebastian gorka doesn't have the authority to speak on national security. which is why republican and terrorist expert michael smith calls sebastian gorka a fake terrorism expert. >> the description that comes to mind is an enthusiast. >> and it comes from others, even those who know sebastian gorka professionally, all of them saying he lacks practical experience in government, has never served as an adviser, and sebastian gorka's resume shows no evidence he speaks arabic or has spent any extended time in an arabic country. mia bloom sat with him at the defense intelligence meeting. >> he made errors, all you had to do was see lawrence of arabia to know he was wrong on accounts. >> he advised president trump in february on key issues. >> and we are charged with doing long-range initiatives of real importance to the president. and it's a enough of task forces. >> reporter: his title is deputy extremist assistant to the president, and strategist. >> so there are questions on what sebastian gorka's role really is. white house aides view him with skepticism, bo

two soldiers are linked to a national security operation. they reportedly have serious injuries. the counterterrorism department is investigating this entire incident. meanwhile, the u.s. embassy in france warns u.s. citizens to avoid this area. >>> when we come back, president trump's response to the north korea threat. too forceful? we'll have a fellow republican, an iraq and afghanistan war veteran if the president backed himself into a corner. here to f. nothing's wrong with the elevator. right. but you want to fix it. right. so who sent you? new guy. what new guy? watson. my analysis of sensor and maintenance data indicates elevator 3 will malfunction in 2 days. there you go. you still need a pass. there you go. rethink your allergy pills. flonase sensimist allergy relief helps block 6 key inflammatory substances with a gentle mist. most allergy pills only block one. and 6 is greater than one. flonase sensimist. ♪ >>> i think what the president is doing is sending a strong message to north korea in language that kim jong-un would understand because he doesn't seem to under

security policies and was appointed deputy assistant and strategist in january this year google has been so combative that in the in his backing of trump that he's either be called their president pit bull. the latest in a long list all the losses for trump's administration which have now come on successive fridays last week president fired steve ballmer and his senior strategist before him it was chief of staff rates pre-birth press secretary sean spicer deputy chief of staff katie walsh and national security advisor michael flynn porker we can martin from paste action told is the high white house turn over isn't good for policy making. the more people come and go the less likely that they settle in understand how washington works and is able to get down to the business of getting things accomplished right it takes time new administration takes time to get their sea legs takes time to make the connections and move things forward and that's if you're actually have someone who has the experience to work in government and is there if you have people coming and going especially ones wi

security policies and was appointed deputy assistant and strategist in january this year who has been so convert it to have in his backing of trump that he's even been called the president's pit bull while he's the latest in a long list of losses for trump's administration which if no come on successive fridays last week president trump fired steve bannon every here. before him it was chief of staff raines priebus a press secretary sean spicer deputy chief of staff ok.d. walsh and national security advisor michael flynn or less discussed is further shall we and cross live to paul creek a martin a political and communications director he said action thank you for joining us on the program mr martin now a lot of people will be thinking here we go again yet another white house departure what kind of impact do you think this could have on. well hopefully we'll have a positive one in which people say the adults at the table will start having more policy influence you know i work for peace actions i'm not necessarily up a big fan of generals but i'm glad the generals are being around the pr

she was president obama's assistant for homeland security and counterterrorism, and thus was responsible for natural disasters. lisa, thanks for joining us. natural disasters can mark defining moments for the president. the main job is to keep americans safe. what is the president's precise role during a crisis like this? >> reporter: good evening, jake. the focus on the president ought to be supporting the state and local first responders, making sure the federal government is postured to move quickly, to be prepositioned to provide assistance to the governor, to the local officials on the ground. and we're seeing those steps being taken. president trump was briefed this morning. it appears from the reports coming out of the white house, his homeland security adviser gave a briefing this afternoon. the message should be one of support to the state and local officials, and indicating to those who are in the path of the storm to listen to and heed those warnings and those directions for evacuation to -- so those who are in the path of the storm should be listening to that information and

we have a national security expert who says the world can learn from israel and how to counterterrorism. israel has been really leading the way on fighting terrorism. we're going to have more on that next. don't go away this lovely lady has a typical airline credit card. so she only earns double miles on purchases she makes from that airline. what'd you earn double miles on, please? ugh. that's unfortunate. there's a better option. the capital one venture card. with venture, you earn unlimited double miles on every purchase, everywhere, every day. not just airline purchases. seems like a no-brainer. what's in your wallet? liz: we have a new report barcelona security chief rejected calls last year to install these concrete barriers in this tourist spot in barcelona. the barriers protect pedestrians from a terror attack by vehicle. instead, the police opted to increase police presence. this despite a level four terror alert. joining me now, he's elite special forces member and former israel counterterrorism unit member. he's aaron cohen. aaron, it's so difficult second-guessing these guys

tried to join national security council, was denied security clearance and has ties to ultra right groups in hungary, which is descended from actual nazis. here he is proudly wearing their pin. he denies ties to the group, said he wore it as a tribute to his dad. this is what he had to say about recent fire bombing of a mosque in minnesota. >> great rule. all initial reports are false. you have to check them, you have to find out who the perpetrators are. we had a series of crimes committed, alleged hate crimes by right wing individuals in the last six months that turned out to be propagated from the left. when you have people fake hate crimes in the last six months with some regularity, i think it is wise, don't you, to find out what exactly is going on. >> he called an attack on a mosque a false flag. this is the guy with the president's ear. the guy who said days ago that white supremacists are not the problem. joining me, national spokesperson for move on.org, dana milbank, msnbc correspondent, gabriel sherman, curt bar kel a former correspondent for breitbart. curt, i am going to you

two of the soldiers were linked to a national security operation reportedly have serious injuries. a manhunt is under way to find the driver who sped off. the counterterrorism department is investigating now. meanwhile the u.s. embassy in france warning u.s. citizens to avoid this area. we'll bring you more information on this breaking story as soon as we have it. >>> meanwhile, the entertainment world is mourning and paying tribute to a country crossover giant. legendary singer, actor, musician who played with everyone from elvis to sinatra to the beach boys. we take a look at glen campbell's incredible career. ♪ like a rhinestone cowboy." >> glen campbell was a country boy who made it big with success in music, television and film. he was born in a small town in arkansas. around 1960 he moved to los angeles becoming a session musician playing for dean martin, frank sinatra and merle haggard. it wasn't until 1967 he hit it big with the release of two big blockbuster albums, "gentle on my mind," "by the time i get to phoenix," both earning two grammys. in 1968 "the wichita linema

called the national intelligence officer for counterterrorism. one man. he was not in a position to get any intelligence from anybody but where the next attack is going to occur. it was all on the defensive side. >> terrorism was going virtually unchecked. >> in those days, there was never a heads up. now, we have the national security agency out vacuuming the sky. they're able to tell you that, gee, we think something is happening. in 1985, this came, this was a bolt out of the sky. literally. >> watch declassified: hijacked terror in the sky, tonight at 9:00 eastern, here on cnn. >>> the cnn exclusive this morning, we're learning the fbi watched twitter and facebook on election day 2016. they were tracking russian fake news campaigns. we'll tell you why and what they found next. >>> also, one million jobs in six months. the july jobs report marking a milestone for president trump. where the job market is seeing growth and where it could use some help. that's ahead. before it ends. choose from the is turbo, es 350 or nx turbo for $299 a month fo

officer for counterterrorism. one man, but he was not in a position to get any intelligence from anybody about where the next attack is going to occur. it was all on the defensive side. >> terrorism was going virtually unchecked. in those days there was never a heads up. now we have the national security agency out vacuuming the sky and they're able to tell you that gee, we think something is happening. in 1985 this came. this was a bolt out of the sky. literally. >> you can watch the new episode at 9:00 p.m. eastern and pacific right here on cnn. we're back after this. at the lexus golden opportunity tesales event before it ends. choose from the is turbo, es 350 or nx turbo for $299 a month for 36 months if you lease now. experience amazing at your lexus dealer. but with odor free blue-emu continuous pain relief spray, pain used to shut me down during pick-up games. i can box out any muscle or joint pain immediately. blue-emu continuous pain relief spray. it works fast and you won't stink. >>> remember when candi

reagan administration, there was a position called the national intelligence officer for counterterrorism. one man, but he was not in a position to get any intelligence from anybody but where the next attack is going to cur. it was all on the defensive side. >> terrorism was going virtually unchecked. >> in those days, there was never a heads-up. now, we have the national security agency out vacuuming the sky and they're able to tell you that, gee, we think something is happening. in 1985, this came, this was a bolt out of the sky, literally. >> that really was a remarkable time. so you saw in the clip, robert is joining us right now. you were on the fbi team which brought the hijacker to the u.s. for prosecution. what was your initial reaction to this lone surviving hijacker, oma omar, being released from that maltese prison? >> well, we had to get revak. we weren't given much advanced notice whatsoever he was release sod we had developed contingency plans. i had formed up a team of specialists deployed anywhere in the world to capture him. and when we received information that he ood be

supporting the afghan national security forces with train, advise, and assist would be another one. >> and have some air power at their disposal they don't have today? >> yes, sir. >> okay, syria. today, we take raqqah back, we better have a plan post-raqqah, right? >> yes, sir. >> what role do you think the united states should play in terms of stabilizing syria when raqqah falls? >> it's actually i think a bigger task than that, senator. raqqah is the current center of external planning for isis in syria. they have already begun a migration towards the middle euphrates valley. until we have worked either by, with, and through partners on the ground or the syrian government shows a willingness to actually deny sanctuary to isis, they will continue to be a threat to stability in iraq and in the region. >> and air power -- >> we won't be done when we're done in raqqah. >> air power is deployed in syria against isil today? american air power? >> air power from 69 nations are used in syria today as well as a very small number of ground forces that are providing advice and assistance to t

maria: joining us is national security and foreign policy expert and secretary of transatlantic parliamentary group on counterterrorism wiley ferris --walid phasres. are these attacks becoming the new norm in the west? getting in a van and plowing through clouds? >> they have already over the past two years, specifically over the last year we have seen these attacks repeatedly in france and great britain and sweden and spain. my projection is now that they have discovered this is a weapon we have a hard time opposing they will continue with it and not just in europe but in other liberal democracies, potentially here. the study of what to do tactically in these situations in my view, we need to look at the strategy how to defeat isis in the region and how to defeat its networks here at home. maria: is there anything about these attacks we are talking about this morning in spain that indicates there is a cell in spain? that this is more organized than past terrorist attacks? >> looking at what i call the operation, there were two events, spanish authorities, more information during the day were

tried to join national security council, was denied security clearance and has ties to ultra right groups in hungary, which is descended from actual nazis. here he is proudly wearing their pin. he denies ties to the group, said he wore it as a tribute to his dad. this is what he had to say about recent fire bombing of a mosque in minnesota. >> great rule. all initial reports are false. you have to check them, you have to find out who the perpetrators are. we had a series of crimes committed, alleged hate crimes by right wing individuals in the last six months that turned out to be propagated from the left. when you have people fake hate crimes in the last six months with some regularity, i think it is wise, don't you, to find out what exactly is going on. >> he called an attack on a mosque a false flag. this is the guy with the president's ear. the guy who said days ago that white supremacists are not the problem. joining me, national spokesperson for move on.org, dana milbank, msnbc correspondent, gabriel sherman, curt bar kel a former correspondent for breitbart. curt, i am going to you