Admitted Terrorist Set to Walk Free in Days
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: An admitted al Qaeda terrorist, who was plotting a bomb attack on the New York City subway system, will soon walk out of prison a free name. It's a name you will remember, Najibullah Zazi, picked up in 2009 for planning what was then considered one of the most dangerous terrorist plots since 9/11. Prosecutors now say, after that, he had a complete change of heart, basically, turning on al Qaeda, turning on his friends, turning on even some of his own family to work with the government. Prosecutors say this, that, "He provided critical intelligence and unique insight regarding al Qaeda and its members." And now, the judge overseeing his case says he deserves a second chance. Joining me right now, CNN national correspondent, Athena Jones. Athena, we were talking about the break. So much to this, it is an extraordinary story that they detail in the court documents of how, what has all changed, they say, in his mind.</s>ATHENA JONES, CNN NATIONAL CORRSEPONDENT: Absolutely. And Zazi, in his own words, talking about his transformation. The judge called it a once unthinkable second chance that has now come his way. As you said, 10 years ago, he was a would-be terrorist. He wanted to bomb the New York City subway system around the anniversary of 9/11. He was facing life in prison. Now he's getting 10 years on the three counts he pleaded guilty to in 2010. His lawyer said he could be released within days. The reason is because of what prosecutors and this federal judge in Brooklyn called an extraordinary level of cooperation. He worked extensively with government investigators, meeting with them over 100 times, testifying in multiple trials, providing what prosecutors say, and you pointed out, is critical intelligence. He looked at photographs, helped in numerous ways. The judge called it unprecedented. Zazi himself said he tried to correct what he called "my horrific mistake" by cooperating with the government. He went over a transformation in his nine-plus years in jail. He said he got his GED and developed a new understanding of the Koran. He cites those for changing his perspective.</s>BOLDUAN: He said he now knows the real meaning of Islam and how he was corrupted. It all started with an audio tape from Anwar al Awlaki that was actually sent to him. It's an amazing story.</s>JONES: Now he's completely disavowed all terrorist ideology. A full transformation.</s>BOLDUAN: Remarkable. Is he going to be in Witness Protection, I mean --</s>JONES: It seems likely. You read in the documents that he did this at great personal cost to himself. They talk about him breaking down on the stand and crying while he was testifying against a close friend, and this being a personal cost not only emotionally but to his safety</s>BOLDUAN: Yes, right.</s>JONES: -- with potential retaliation from al Qaeda. You're going to expect he'll have some kind of protection.</s>BOLDUAN: Athena, great to see you. Thank you so much. I'm fascinated by this. I know you are as well. Joining me now, Paul Cruickshank, CNN terrorism analyst and editor-in- chief at the "CTC Sentinel." The judge in the case said this is an unprecedented level of cooperation, when you see where this man began. This doesn't happen often, Paul. What do you make of this?</s>PAUL CRUICKSHANK, CNN TERRORISM ANALYST: It doesn't happen often. It has happened in the past. We have actually seen another American al Qaeda recruit recently released from prison. He also provided very extensive cooperation. But this is a real redemption story. Zazi was responsible for the most serious terrorist plot on U.S. soil since 9/11. He and his cell were going to target multiple New York City subway lines, suicide bombings on a scale of the 2005 London bombings. He went over to the tribal areas of Pakistan where he met with senior members of al Qaeda's external attack planning apparatus. He got hands-on bomb making training in the tribal areas of Pakistan. So when he eventually started cooperating with authorities in the United States, he was literally able to draw them a map of the al Qaeda terrorist organization as it existed then in the tribal areas of Pakistan, an organization, which, at that point, was still extremely dangerous to U.S. interests. So no doubt, this could have contributed to saving lives. This is a very sort of stunning redemption story when it comes to Zazi. He does seem really genuinely contrite. He talks about how he was misled by distorted interpretations of Islam, notably Anwar al Awlaki, an American cleric who was based in Yemen --</s>CRUICKSHANK: -- who was putting out a bunch of radical messages.</s>BOLDUAN: Let me ask you this. You study, you track, you study radicalization. This started with someone handing him an audiotape of Anwar al Awlaki. Is there something to learn from this? I'm kind of fascinated with the idea of, like, how -- what was it about either Najibullah Zazi or his radicalization or something that he goes to the dark side and now he's back. I mean, and also out there, what is the promise that he doesn't revert?</s>CRUICKSHANK: I think there's a very simple answer. He saw himself as a soldier of God. He believed -- he came to believe that the United States was at war with Islam, and he was persuaded that he needed to fight back. He even believed, not only that he would attain paradise by doing that, but he would avoid eternal damnation by doing that. What changed for him? Well, he came to understand that is not the message of Islam, not the message in the Koran. In fact, the message is the exact opposite of that. That's what changed for him. And that's why all of this useful intelligence came into the United States which, no doubt, has saved lives.</s>BOLDUAN: Fascinating story. Great to see you, Paul. Thank you. Coming up for us, historic jobs numbers. High marks on the economy. That is great news for the president. That's great news for the economy. What does it mean, though, for his 2020 challengers? I'm going to discuss that with John Kasich, next.