Suspicious Package Detonated In New Jersey; ISIS Claims Minnesota Mall Stabbings
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: There are similarities between the bombs used in the explosions this weekend in New York and also New Jersey. And new details into the stabbing spree at a Minnesota mall. ISIS now claims responsibility for that attack. Welcome back to EARLY START, everyone, I'm John Berman.</s>CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Christine Romans. It is 30 minutes past the hour. Breaking overnight, new terror fears. Up to five devices, apparently pipe bombs, found in a trash can right next to train tracks in Elizabeth, New Jersey. The bomb squad is on the scene there, detonating one device already. This, of course, in the wake of an explosion Saturday night right here in New York City. Many developments in this story overnight. Breaking them all down for us this morning is CNN's Rachel Crane. She is in Elizabeth. Good morning, Rachel. What are the latest developments?</s>RACHEL CRANE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Christine. Well, the FBI, the local authorities, the bomb squad here on site responding to that backpack that the mayor says housed up to five devices (audio gap) that made it. That's when the bomb squad was using a robot. It clipped one of those wires. I actually heard that boom as I happened to be on the phone with the mayor at the time. He tells us that there was no timer or cell phone connected to these devices. He also said that those devices are still on scene, that the FBI is encasing them, and that they will ultimately go to Quantico where the FBI will continue this investigation. Now, the FBI is referring to these devices as IEDs -- improvised explosive devices -- and they have said that they have rendered the area secure. Now, the mayor also pointed out that this trash can where the backpack was found very close to a pub, and he says that there is surveillance footage and that the authorities are reviewing it now -- Christine.</s>ROMANS: The ultimate case, if you see something, say something. Those two men found it in the trash can. All right, Rachel Crane, thank you so much for that.</s>BERMAN: All right, also breaking overnight, police and the FBI -- they conducted a traffic stop of what they're calling a vehicle of interest in the Manhattan bombing. They questioned folks in a car.Apparently this car -- it was in Brooklyn. It was taken into custody right there, the people questioned. We are not clear right now as to the status of the people being questioned in that vehicle so that could be an interesting development. This all comes as new surveillance video appears to show that one person was in two key locations Saturday night. He's first seen on video with the rolling duffle bag near the scene of the blast on 23rd Street before that bomb went off. Then, again, a few blocks away where the second undetonated bomb was found.</s>ROMANS: And, of course, there was another attack this weekend. ISIS now claiming responsibility for a multiple stabbing attack at a Minnesota mall. Now, the attacker knifed nine people before an off- duty police officer shot him dead. Officials say three of those people remain hospitalized, one in life-threatening condition. Right now the FBI is calling Saturday's attack a potential act of terrorism. Authorities have not yet identified the attacker but the Minneapolis "StarTribune" spoke with the man's family. The father of the attacker told the newspaper he is a 22-year-old college student born in Kenya. He is Somali. He grew up in the U.S. CNN has not confirmed that information. The FBI says it is still trying to determine whether the attacker had any direct contact with ISIS. CNN contributor Michael Weiss joins us now to help break down all of these latest developments. He is a senior editor at "The Daily Beast" and co-author of "</s>ISIS: Inside the Army of Terror". Well, let's talk about New York and New Jersey right now. This is a manhunt underway. They're trying to find out who did this, are they related. What is your initial gut read on what's happening here in New York and New Jersey?</s>MICHAEL WEISS, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, it would be one hell of a coincidence if they weren't related. I mean, two devices within a few blocks from each other in Manhattan and then this IED or series of IEDs that were planted not that far way in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Look, if this is some act of international terror or Jihadist in nature -- look at the calendar. You've got the U.N. General Assembly happening this week. This would be the time to wage these sort of discombobulating opportunistic attacks very close in the tri-state area, particularly in New York City which, I mean, is still -- The old line used to be, after 9/11, pick up any Jihadi in the world and he's got a map of Manhattan in his pocket. Today, actually, it's now he's got a map of Paris in his pocket because that seems to be the new hub for -- especially ISIS-related attacks.</s>BERMAN: Governor Andrew Cuomo, on Sunday, said there's no known tie to international terror. But that, in and of itself, means something very specific, right? They've seen no signs that this attack Saturday night and these other bombs that were planted were directly ordered. They picked up no intelligence they were ordered by anyone overseas but that doesn't necessarily mean not inspired by.</s>WEISS: Yes. I mean, the definition of what is related to international terror is evolving and changing all the time. In San Bernardino, these guys didn't have a direct line to ISIS HQ, but that's not the point. ISIS has said very explicitly -- and this is a two-year strategy for them. Actually, it goes back even farther than that but for the sake of argument let's say it's the last two years since the founding of the caliphate. Inspire, radicalize, remotely ideologize people everywhere around the world. Some of them don't even have to be Muslim. A lot of people go off to join ISIS just because they're psychopaths. They're gangsters and petty criminals and they're drawn to the ultraviolence of ISIS and what it --</s>ROMANS: From loser to lion.</s>WEISS: Loser to lion, exactly. So, for them, this is a kind of human wave campaign, if you like. So until we know who did this and the guy is captured or killed and then we kind of have a deep dive into his background, you won't necessarily know he is an ISIS Jihadi.</s>ROMANS: Yes. You know, the Minnesota case is so interesting. We're learning more about who the attacker is. He was wearing a private security uniform. A college student, 22 years old, according to his family who told the local newspaper there. ISIS claiming responsibility, but he is Somali. Al-Shabaab is the terror group. There's been a big concern among the Somali diaspora. What do you make of all that?</s>WEISS: Yes, well, as I said in the last segment, I had gotten a bit of information from the defector from ISIS who, himself, has informants inside what's known as the Amn al-Kharji, which is their foreign intelligence branch or their CIA, if you like. These are the guys who plan these attacks abroad. And he said within the next three months they're planning something in Minnesota and he specifically said it was going to be a member of the Somali diaspora community. Now, dressing up as a security guard -- I mean, it's a knife attack so it's pretty rudimentary but there's some forethought into this, right? This wasn't some random guy who had a moment of insanity and went around stabbing people, it was premeditated. He knew he had to get past security cordons. He wanted to dress up and look like a member of the security detail of the mall. It suggests to me that this was probably Jihadi in nature.</s>BERMAN: All right, Michael Weiss, thanks so much --</s>WEISS: Sure.</s>BERMAN: -- for being with us. Appreciate your time this morning.</s>WEISS: Yes.</s>BERMAN: All right, this terror in the headlines -- obviously, it will play into the presidential race today. Both candidates on the stump. We'll give you the very latest -- that's next.</s>ROMANS: A trip to the emergency room can be stressful and costly but one facility is looking to save some senior citizens time and money be equipping them with iPads. "CNNMONEY"s Vanessa Yurkevich takes us behind the technology.</s>LEROY STRUBBERG, PATIENT: OK, it's ready for blood pressure.</s>VANESSA YURKEVICH, DIGITAL CORRESPONDENT, "CNNMONEY": Leroy Strubberg lives 60 miles from any major city in Missouri. He's 80 years old and he's recovering from three small strokes.</s>STRUBBERG: This is when I get to pedal back over there.</s>YURKEVICH: Heart disease, like Leroy's, costs the U.S. $358 billion per year, the cost for care that's only increasing. To keep costs down but still provide efficient care for people like Leroy, hospitals are going virtual.</s>STRUBBERG: Hi, Megan.</s>MEGAN: Hello, Leroy.</s>STRUBBERG: Boy, you look lovely today.</s>YURKEVICH: Leroy is one of 250 starter patients in Mercy Virtual Care program. It's part of Mercy Hospital and the goal is to keep people from continually using the emergency room. Leroy talks to nurses twice a week through his iPad and back at Mercy they analyze vital signs that can raise red flags and report it back to the patient's doctor.</s>DR. J. GAVIN HELTON, MEDICAL DIRECTOR, MERCY VIRTUAL AMBULATORY MEDICINE: Can I see your elbow again that you had issues with? The sickest five percent of patients are typically responsible for about half of the health care spent. They're spending half of your health care dollar while their quality of life deteriorates and so we need an answer for those patients.</s>YURKEVICH: And under new federal guidelines hospitals are now partly responsibility for keeping costs down and continual emergency room visits could mean a penalty. Mercy estimates that they've reduced emergency room visits for their patients by one-third.</s>STRUBBERG: That has been a big reward to me and the satisfaction that I've got somebody to talk to and to help keep checking me -- am I OK.