Manhunt for Istanbul Nightclub Attacker Intensifies
COOPER: Well, the other breaking news tonight, we're following the escalating manhunt for the terrorist who gun downed dozens of people on New Years Eve in Istanbul. Authorities have released photos of the suspect to Turkish media including one, apparently, taken from this video making the rounds on social media. As we've said on the top to program, ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack, which claimed victims from across the globe, men and women celebrating the start of a New Year at a popular club when they came under fire. Here again is our Sara Sidner.</s>SIDNER: Video from a party inside the upscale reign on night club the moment Istanbul entered 2017. Just 75 minutes later, mayhem. Flashes from a gun held by a man as he begins his killing spree. First outside, shooting a police officer and security guard, then he opened fire inside. 39 people are killed, 69 injured, the victims from all over the world, including the United States.</s>WILLIAM RAAK, AMERICAN VICTIM OF TURKISH NIGHTCLUB ATTACK: I got shot in the fucking leg, man. He's crazy. People came and shooting everything.</s>SIDNER: William Jacob Raak survived the night of terror. Seven of the nine people he entered the club with left with bullet ones. Raak, now heading home.</s>RAAK: For me, I wake up in the United States, I eat breakfast. You guys wake up and have to think of this, it's so sad. And I really wish everybody here the best.</s>SIDNER: But the worse was yet to come for the victims' families. 24 hours after the massacre, the funerals began this one for Fatih Cakmak, another security guard. His mother's moans pierce the silence. His father in shocked. His son had survived this car bomb attack three weeks ago at an Istanbul stadium, but not the nightclub massacre.</s>HASAN CAKMAK, FAITH CAKMAK'S FATHER: (Speaking foreign language).</s>SIDNER: "He was one in a million. If he wasn't special, hundreds of people would not have bothered to show up here," he says. This sorrow will be multiplied 39 times. This is just one of the families forced to say good bye to their young loved ones after the reign in night club attack. 27 of the 39 victims were foreign nationals, including a film producer and a fashion designer from India, a beautiful 19-year old Israeli citizen with a full life awaiting her. A massive manhunt is now underway for the man believed to be the lone attacker. Turkish authorities say they have his fingerprints and image but still have not caught him. The aim of the attack, though, has come into focus as ISIS claimed responsibility, using social media, saying in part, a soldier of the brave caliphate attacked one of the most popular nightclubs while Christians were celebrating their holiday. But the majority killed were Muslim, many from Saudi, Arabia. The killer's ideology against the western ideals failing to change minds but succeeding in sowing sorrow.</s>COOPER: And Sara joins us tonight from Istanbul. So, this manhunt in the video that just out, the alleged attacker, I mean, do Turkish authorities think they're closer to catching him?</s>SIDNER: They do. They think they're getting closer and closer with every new clue that they've been able to find. But, Anderson, it is now been more than 48 hours since this attacked happened there at the course border with theory here. And they do not know the attacker's name, and they do not know his whereabouts at this hour.</s>COOPER: And Turkey is experienced, I mean, a big uptick in attacks, have they all been claimed by ISIS?</s>SIDNER: No. Interestingly, there have been times when the government thought that ISIS perpetrated the attack. But, this is the first time, Anderson, which makes it significant, that ISIS has officially said that it was behind this terrible massacre.</s>COOPER: And you mentioned some of the security? I mean how much security was there at this club? Do we know?</s>SIDNER: We know that there were at least two security guards because two security guards were killed. We also know there was a policeman who was killed. And in this particular neighborhood, Anderson, it's quite a place where a lot of people end up going, because there are cafes that are affordable. There are shops that people go to. And at night, there are a lot of nightclubs. The Reina nightclub is the most famous. But certainly, there are others in the area. So it's usually filled with people, and Istanbul was on high alert. There was a bigger police presence in the neighborhood than there has been in a while because of all the premise attacks, including the attack in December, where the security guard that we just showed who died in this particular attack, avoided being killed when there was a bombing at stadium, Anderson.</s>COOPER: Sara Sidner. Sara, thanks for the reporting. More breaking news ahead tonight, including the new evidence that appears to weaken President-elect Trump's claim that we don't know who hacked the e- mails of the Democratic Party officials and Hillary Clinton's campaign chief. More on that ahead.