Professional Documents
Culture Documents
EVAN PEREZ, CNN JUSTICE REPORTER: The recent attacks in Beirut, perhaps
the downing of the Russian airliner and now, Paris, shows us that ISIS is supplanting
al Qaeda as the most dangerous terrorist group in the world.
What we`re seeing here is ISIS moving to really phase two of its development.
Attacks like the one in Paris really are indiscriminate.
They`re meant to kill as many civilians as possible. Hitting the French capital on a
Friday when people are out on a beautiful evening is the kind of attack that will shake
Western society for many years to come.
In response to this, the FBI has been increasing training for police departments around
the country to get ready for what type of attacks ISIS likes to carry out. What we`ve
seen is increased security at nightclubs, at stadium, any place where people gather.
The FBI says that the vast majority of the 900 or so investigation of extremists in this
country are ISIS-focused.
This is a terrorist organization that is no longer just trying to build and control
territory in Iraq and Syria. It is trying to project attacks in the West. And that is a scary
prospect for counter- terrorism officials around the world.
AZUZ: That said, American officials say there`s no credible or specific threat to the
U.S. at the moment.
And as far as France`s response to the attacks goes, President Hollande says his nation
would be ruthless in fighting back against Daesh, another name for ISIS. Last night,
the French air force said it launched a major bombardment of ISIS targets in Raqqa,
Syria.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The skies have been
darkened by the horrific attacks that took place in Paris. The killing of innocent
people based on a twisted ideology is an attack not just on France, not just on Turkey,
but it`s an attack on the civilized world.
AZUZ: President Obama was criticized about another statement he recently made
about ISIS. The day before the Paris attacks, he said in an interview that U.S. strategy
had contained the terrorist group. Afterward, an Obama administration official said
that by contained, the president meant that ISIS`s momentum on the ground in Iraq
and Syria had been stopped.
Meanwhile, Paris is both a city in shock and a city on edge. French authorities say it`s
possible that some terrorism suspects may still be at large. In addition to a state of
emergency, France`s government announced three days of national mourning for
victims of the attacks. Memorials have appeared at several places in the city.
And though many Parisians have been fearless in their determination to go out in
public, a panic broke out last night near one of the attack sites.
Officials don`t know why people suddenly started screaming and running away.
Ben Wedeman was there shortly before this happened and police cleared the area.
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): In times like these, it`s far better to light a candle than curse the darkness.
Darkness fell on Paris Friday evening, but the lights haven`t gone out.
With hundreds flocking today to the Place de la Republique with a simple message:
ANIQUE, PARIS RESIDENT: We are not afraid. Don`t stay at home. Be outside and
say to the world, we are not afraid.
WEDEMAN: The signs say it all, "resistance", "not afraid".
THOMAS, PARIS RESIDENT: We`re under shock obviously, but we`re not scared,
and this is not how we`re going to give up our values. Today, more than ever, we will
stand up for the "liberte, egalite, fraternite". I guess, as painful as it is, it is in a day
such as this one again that those words have meaning for all of us as a community.
And again, this is something that we`ll have to do together.
WEDEMAN: The posters on the monument from last January`s attack fading. That
pain fading with it now revived.
(on camera): After the attacks that police advised people to stay at home, and here at
this square, through a loud speaker, the police had been advising people to leave this
square, to leave the area. But they`re just not leaving.
(voice-over): But the attacks bring in to sharp focus a jarring truth, says Paris resident
Ben Kramer.
BEN KRAMER, PARIS RESIDENT: We have to realize that we are at war.
WEDEMAN: A war against dark forces in the City of Light.
Ben Wedeman, CNN, Paris.
AZUZ: Blue, white and red, the colors of the French flag, colors illuminating the top
of One World Trade Center in New York, the Opera House in Sidney, Australia, two
of the many landmarks worldwide, which glowed in silence support of the people of
Paris. The attacks involved and brought together so much more than the population of
one city.