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Belgian Police Search for Bombing Suspect; Fear and Calls for Unity after Brussels Attacks; Survivors of Airport Attack Tell Their Story; "Western Tuesday" Results; Mormon Missionaries Injured in Brussels Attacks. Aired 1-2a ET

Aired March 23, 2016 - 01:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


[01:00:25] MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, I'm Max Foster, live in Brussels, where it's just gone 6:00 in the morning. The Belgian capital is waking up to the aftermath of a nightmare. The city on virtual lockdown since Tuesday's terror attacks. At least 30 people were killed, hundreds more were wounded in bombings at an airport and a metro station.

Police are hunting for the prime suspect in the airport bombing. This surveillance image shows the three men police say are behind the attack. The two in black allegedly blew themselves up. Plus the other planted a bomb at the airport then he left, he's on the run. The taxi driver who drove them to the airport told police he picked them up in the Schaerbeek neighborhood. So police raided the residence where they found nail bombs, chemicals and an ISIS flag.

Brussels security sources tell CNN the Brussels bombings are tied to the same network who was behind the Paris attacks last year.

Senior international correspondent Nima Elbagir has more on how the day unfolded.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Passengers run for their lives at Belgium's Zaventem airport. Screams and smoke fill the terminal after two explosions tear through the departure lounge, turning the airport into a scene of devastation and death. Outside more scenes of panic as passengers and airport staff flee in the chaos.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I heard an explosion. Got out the first block. And then when we came out of the elevator, on that moment, the second bomb exploded. And then we saw doors flying, glass ceiling coming down.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I hear an explosion. Now the ceiling is going down, and then I just go under the sink, and then the second explosion went. And then everything is black. And I see, when I go out, I see all the -- a lot of people with blood.

ELBAGIR: Belgian authorities say at least one of the two airport explosions was a suicide bombing. Police also detonated a possible bomb belt they found at the airport. About an hour after the attack at the airport, across town, another

explosion. This blast underground as a bomb at a metro station strikes the heart of the city. Near the headquarters of the EU. Passengers left in the dark, walk along the tracks to safety. The injured treated on the side of the road. Even veteran emergency workers are horrified.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can't explain. It looked like war, it's unbelievable -- it's really hard. I'm an old firefighter. I have almost 45 years of service. And it's the first time I see something so terrible.

ELBAGIR: Belgium's prime minister called it a dark day for his country.

CHARLES MICHEL, BELGIAN PRIME MINISTER (Through Translator): We feared a terrorist attack would happen and this is what happened. In Zaventem and in the metro station in Brussels, terrorists have committed murder.

ELBAGIR: Belgium is now on the highest state of alert as authorities hit the streets looking for those responsible for Tuesday's carnage and who might launch more attacks.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Well, Nima joins me now live in Brussels. And it was -- I mean, it was less than 24 hours ago that all this happened. You're at the airport shortly afterwards. But this idea that someone managed to escape despite all the surveillance, despite all of the police here. But where is he?

ELBAGIR: Well, for the second time, again, you remember Salah Abdeslam they arrived at the address in Forest. They didn't even realize that he was in there and he escaped out the back. And it was only when he was picked up, calling the number of someone who was already under their surveillance that the trail was picked back up. So this is now the second time that this has happened in Belgium. And you really feel that the authorities are really -- the public is also reeling. People are really scared. There have now been so many instances that where they feel that their safety has not been guaranteed by their government.

FOSTER: We don't know anything about the attack yet at the metro station. Why would the authorities be so quiet on that? Does that suggest that they are on to something.

ELBAGIR: Well, they have been trying very hard to limit the flow of information. And for months now we've been hearing that they believed it was the information that was in the public domain after Paris that allowed Salah Abdeslam to escape. So there is an aspect to that. But then also there's the reality they could not -- they could possibly not know his real identity.

[01:05:05] The man they knew as Soufiane Kayal, they only recently discovered was an Algerian citizen called Mohamed Belkaid. So -- sorry, Najim Laachraoui. So in these situations often there are so many aliases, there are so many fake documents and identifies, it takes them a while to really sift through that.

FOSTER: Hopes are high that the European authorities this time are working in better coordination than they were after the Paris attacks. It was Abdeslam, for example, some people suspect he managed to escape because the authorities weren't sharing information closely enough. What sense are you getting about that today?

ELBAGIR: Well, U.S. officials are saying that they are watching very closely. That so far there is a sense that information is moving. But they likened it to America post-911. Even within -- and this is just one country. That even within those agencies that were handling that, there wasn't enough information sharing. And that is still their concern in the early stages of this investigation here.

FOSTER: As we look behind us, memorials taking shape, isn't it? Very slowly actually. And it will grow and it is reminiscent, isn't it, of the Place de la Republique in Paris when we had that again last year. But in terms of the city, is it getting back to normal? Because as I walked down here today, I saw tube stations still closed.

ELBAGIR: The expectation is that some transit systems will reopen, some train lines will reopen. Schools will now reopen, the lockdown in Saint-Denis, asking people to remain in their homes has been lifted. And just speaking to people, seeing them, some of these people overnight in here, there is a sense that people want to get out, they want to see people, they want to be out in their city. They want to feel -- as one person put it that they are undefeated in the face of this.

FOSTER: OK. Nima, thank you very much indeed.

We're following all the angles for you. I want to turn now to journalist Chris Burns. He's a former CNN correspondent. He's live there at the Maelbeek metro station where the attack took place yesterday.

You ride on the train daily, don't you, Chris? So how are people in your community feeling about things today? As it sinks in, they manage to sleep on it at least?

CHRIS BURNS, JOURNALIST: Well, Max, a lot of shock among many people here. In fact, also you might look at one of the newspapers here where they're saying war in the middle of Brussels, and with some of the pictures of the victims, those who survived and those who also died. There are all kinds of different families, former officials, diplomats.

It's extensive and the grief is going to grow today as people come to grips with those who were victims either lived or died during those attacks. Just about three blocks down the street, to my -- to the right is where the Maelbeek station is. We saw through the night, there were forensics teams that went down into the metro station to continue this investigation. Trying to glean some evidence that could connect to whoever plotted and carried out the attacks. And what kind of explosive device was involved. Police are being very, very tightlipped about anything that they have found yet. But we will be waiting and watching to see what they -- what they come up with.

Over my shoulder is the European Commission. This area is the heart of the European Union. The commission in back of it is the European Council. The flags that you see over my shoulder are all flying at half staff. There's three days of mourning here in Brussels and across Belgium as the country wakes up, as you say, to this horror and tries to come to grips with it, Max.

FOSTER: More than 200 people injured in this horrific set of attacks. Also the stories of people coming out with the people trapped on that horrendous underground station. Those images we saw, so -- you know, so difficult to watch and so difficult to listen to. But what was it like for them as they try to carry out their normal daily duties?

BURNS: Well, absolutely, Max, this was during rush hour. These trains were packed at the time. I've ridden this train many times to come here to the European parliament. And it is -- it was horrible. There -- we see the images of people being evacuated out of a tunnel. In fact that's another one of the front page newspapers showing this evacuation out of a tunnel where the train had to stop just before it got in the tunnel.

The other one, the one that blew up was in the station. There was another one that's coming from the other direction that stopped in the middle of the tunnel. And the people were evacuated from that. So we also talked to a spokesman for the firefighters.

[01:10:04] I think you heard a sound bite from him a little bit earlier there. And he said that it was the worst thing he had ever seen to hear and see the screams and the people, the victims on the floor of the subway station was something he has never seen before, Max.

FOSTER: Chris, thank you.

The subway station as you were saying, happened close to the European corridor, the EU institutions are actually faced. And just to give you a sense of how close these institutions are, the EU ambassador to Rwanda, Michael Ryan, joins me. He was at a nearby station when he says he felt the explosion. He joins us now by phone.

Thank you for joining us, Michael. Just describe what was happening at the time of the explosion in your life.

MICHAEL RYAN, EU AMBASSADOR TO RWANDA: Good morning, Max. And condolences to all the victims, the families of the victims of these bombings both at the airport and at Maelbeek. I was on the metro coming from the direction toward Schuman Station. And as all those who know Brussels Schuman is really at the heart of the European Union zone in Brussels. Maelbeek is the next station.

I got off at Schuman, my metro train went on to Maelbeek. And I was 30 seconds on the platform going up the escalator towards the surface when I could feel the impact of the explosion which had just taken place at Maelbeek, which is about 500 or 600 meters further down the track. And that was the feeling of rushing there and rumbling of and the shaking of the walls and equipment at Schuman.

So it felt, and I think those around me who were going up on the elevator felt an explosion had taken place. And we were all on some sense of alert because an hour earlier, the explosions at Zaventem airport, the main airport of Brussels, were well known. So I think people put two and two together very quickly and made their way quickly out of Schuman Station to the surface, and to their work, as I was doing. I was on the way to work in the headquarters of the European Union Diplomacy Foreign Policy Institution and Mission there.

FOSTER: Obviously the shock you feel is hard for other people to really understand, without having been through what you went through. But this wasn't a surprise to you presumably because you've been warned that Brussels could come under attack, it could be the transport system. And it could be trying to do something near the buildings you work in because they're so symbolic. But it's finally happened. And what's that realization like for you?

RYAN: Well, I think you're right there, Max. There was a sense after the arrest of the allegedly ringleader of the Paris attacks in Brussels four or five days ago, that security -- security alert was at a higher level. But it's hard when people go about their daily business to grasp the reality until the reality happens. And I think that reality is very much amounts to the citizens of Brussels at the moment. And that -- they have been attacked, and they've been attacked badly. And the fact that the second attack was in the hearts of the European Union, I think it's very -- hugely symbolic. And I think we get the message.

FOSTER: OK. Michael Ryan, thank you. Good to hear that you're safe.

So many people injured and so many people died as well. And we're getting these live pictures now of the airport for you. We want to sort of keep you connected with this ongoing investigation. We're learning more all the time about the victims of these horrific attacks.

Previous state media, for example, reporting that Adelma Marina Tapia Ruiz was killed at the airport that you're seeing there less than 24 hours ago. The 36-year-old Peruvian national waited to board a flight with her Belgian husband and their 3-year-old twin daughters. Her family left the boarding area moments before the blast. And at least they survived.

Professional basketball player, Sebastian Bellen, was seriously wounded in the airport attack as well. According to his former coach at Michigan's Oakland University, Bellen was standing in line at the check-in counter when the blast went off. This is an unsecure area. People weren't expecting this to happen there. He's currently in intensive care.

And in a show of solidarity many Brussels residents opened their homes to those in need on Tuesday. They were using the Twitter #opendoor and #openhouse to help people find a safe place as the authorities were saying stay indoors. What if you didn't have an indoors to go to?

[01:15:05] Danni Mic tweeted, "If you're stuck in Brussels and need sleep, shower, or a couch, my door near Brussels Center is open to you today."

Many people are also offering food and drinks for those stranded. Francois Gerard, for instance, tweeted, "I have shelter, food and Belgian beer for 1 to 3 people." In Antwerp, others are opening their homes to entire families, meanwhile. Jullien posted, "Can accommodate a family if stuck in Brussels today. Equipped with babies, too." Heartening to see there.

Now the terror attacks in Brussels have other countries on higher alert as well. Up next, how the U.S. is stepping up security measures at so-called soft target areas.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FOSTER: This was the scene in Brussels on Tuesday. The crowd gathered around a man playing a cello at an impromptu vigil for those killed in the terrorist attacks.

[01:20:06] I'm Max Foster in Brussels. You're watching CNN's special coverage of the terror attacks here in the Belgian capital.

Right now authorities looking for the man in the light jacket you see here and the hat, in connection to Tuesday's airport explosions. Police believe the other two were suicide bombers who killed at least 10 people there. One of their bombs went off outside the security checkpoints around 8:00 a.m. local time. And an hour later, terrorists exploded a bomb at a busy subway station in the heart of the city killing at least 20 people there. ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attacks.

It's a real concern now for other countries in the wake of Tuesday's attacks. In the U.S. authorities are deploying special teams at soft target areas as they're called and increasing already tight security in train stations and airports.

CNN aviation correspondent Rene Marsh has more on that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RENE MARSH, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): U.S. cities nationwide are on heightened alert. New York City is stepping up its police and National Guard presence. High visibility anti-terrorist patrols can be seen in the subway system where officers are checking bags for explosives. Signs at New York's Penn Station alert passengers about random checks and the city's three major airports have heightened security as well.

MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO, NEW YORK CITY: Expect to see extraordinary NYPD presence out over the coming days as a sign of our readiness to protect people at all times.

MARSH: Airports in cities across the country, including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Miami, and Los Angeles are also ramping up their security presence. Police Chief Patrick Gannon oversees LAX, one of the busiest airports in the world.

PATRICK GANNON, LOS ANGELES WORLD OF AIRPORTS CHIEF OF POLICE: We never want to be predictable. We always feel that if you're predictable, you're vulnerable.

MARSH: So-called soft targets like train stations and U.S. airports have long been a security concern. Areas like passenger drop-off, airline ticket counters, baggage claim, and all other areas before the security checkpoint are potentially susceptible.

GANNON: We employ our own intel analysts that provide us with airport specific and transportation system, specific information that helps us in our daily deployment of our officers.

MARSH: In the nation's capital, bomb-sniffing dogs and SWAT can be seen on patrol.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The K9s that are stationed here are trained. I think they're the best in the country.

MARSH: Amtrak police are conducting random bag checks, an ongoing show of force around the country.

Rene Marsh, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Steve Moore is a retired supervisory special agent for the FBI and a CNN law enforcement contributor as well. He joins us from Los Angeles right now.

Thanks so much for joining us. Are the agencies around the world reacting in a coordinated manner this time because they failed to do so in many ways after Paris?

STEVE MOORE, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT CONTRIBUTOR: Yes. They are very coordinated right now. I believe the FBI, NYPD have agents and detectives en route to Brussels right now. Other countries I would assume are doing the exact same thing. Bringing their terrorism experts over to Brussels. So that you can all sit down at the same table and finally look each other in the eye and say, let's put the cards on the table here.

FOSTER: When someone's on the run, you need information to be fed through the system very quickly indeed, don't you? But here in Europe the problem is always that you've got different jurisdictions, different security agencies. You don't want to share everything. They just wanted to decide what to share. So that's always going to be a problem, isn't it, at a time like this?

MOORE: Yes, it is. But as, you know, I've said, if you can come up with a common currency that you can also come up with a common intelligence system. It's important that they all get on the same page right now. And I think they can do it if they're willing to say, look what's at stake.

FOSTER: In terms of the metro attacks, we still haven't got any information, have we -- we got this image from the airport of those three alleged attackers there. Two suicide bombers there, but why aren't we getting any information, do you think? What's your hunch about why we aren't getting information about the attackers at the metro station?

MOORE: Well, the attackers at the metro, we don't know where they got on the train. So they're probably going through films of all the different metro stops. There's -- there's just so much more possibilities on that one. And they're also -- keep in mind, they've got dozens of different investigations going on right now. They're trying to figure out, was this TATP, was this PETN explosive? There are so many ramifications to this. They're probably just over their heads right now with things to do.

[01:25:04] FOSTER: And in terms of sort of chaos that's ensued as a result, how quickly can the metro get back up and running? I know there's a real will to back in the face of defiance, really, in the face of ISIS. They don't want the whole system to be in lockdown for a long period of time. But actually the investigators need that space, don't they, for some time?

MOORE: They absolutely do need the space. The evidence is down there, the things that will connect this bombing to other bombings are all in that -- in that section. So this is going to be something where, if you want the trains back up immediately, that's fine. If you really want to get the best investigative result -- product out of this, you need to let the investigators having the station for a day or two.

FOSTER: OK. Steve Moore, thank you for your analysis there.

And we're talking about the criticism of the European system when it comes to reacting to things like this. The Australian prime minister Malcolm Turbnull has condemned the attacks and criticizes Europe's security, saying, quote, "It's a sad state of affairs in Europe. They've allowed their security measures to slip and this is a lesson for all of us to absolutely keep your guard up at all times."

Now call for unity in the face of a ruthless enemy, world leaders respond to the Brussels attacks. We'll bring you some of the other comments coming from around the world.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:01:30]

(MUSIC PLAYING)

FOSTER: I'm Max Foster in Brussels. You're watching CNN's special coverage of the terror attacks on the airport and the metro station in this Belgian capital.

A massive manhunt is underway at this hour for those behind the deadly bombings. Authorities say this airport surveillance picture shows the two suicide bombers dressed in black. They suspect the other man planted a bomb at the airport but then left.

About an hour later another bomb tore through a crowded metro station. In all, at least 30 people are dead, hundreds more are wounded.

We're going to bring in CNN's senior international correspondent Nima Elbagir at this point.

And in terms of the investigation, I mean, where do they go from here if they don't know where (INAUDIBLE) is and they're not giving us all the information about the metro station. It's difficult to know which way they're taking this.

ELBAGIR: Well, our understanding is that there is it a huge manhunt underway and the Belgian prime minister has said that there are homes around this country currently being searched, Max. They have already discussed what they found in the original search site in Schaerbeek, chemicals, an ISIS flag and a nail bomb.

And this was from the tipoff that they received from the taxi driver, who says that he dropped the men off in Schaerbeek -- the man on the run in Schaerbeek after the airport -- after he left the airport. And he recognized him from the picture that's being circulated by authorities. So they've already had one very strong lead.

But the question facing authorities is, where else does this network extend to? And we saw with Saleh Abdeslam the escaped Paris attacker that those safe houses dotted all over the city. So it was a tip-off in one district, in Fareh (ph), that actually led them not necessarily to him. They were looking for further evidence. But it led them to the house where he was.

They then realized through following the DNA evidence that there were a series of safe houses not just in Fareh (ph) but in other districts. Ultimately, though, he was found in Molenbeek. And so this is what authorities are dealing with here. They don't know how far the web of this network is extending.

FOSTER: In terms of where he might be, the longer it is, obviously, the further he could have gone. But the assumption now being, based on Abdeslam that he may very well be hiding out in the city?

ELBAGIR: Yes and with these kinds of situations, time is so against you because the trail gets colder as time goes by unless you get lucky. And so they got lucky with Saleh Abdeslam because he contacted someone that was already within their surveillance network. They got lucky yesterday when this taxi driver saw the picture and called in to authorities.

So they are chasing down all these avenues but there also has to be some kind of element of good fortune in so many of these situations to resolve them.

There will be pictures as well from the metro station but we are not seeing them -- why, do you think? ELBAGIR: Authorities we understand are still combing through that surveillance footage. So they're trying very much to limit the information that is in the public domain, unless it is of use to them. So they very quickly disseminated that picture from the surveillance camera inside the airport because they knew they needed the public's help.

Unless there is someone still alive out of that train station attack that they are actively searching, they could be keeping a lot of that information very much still close to their chests.

FOSTER: Nima, thank you very much indeed.

The violence in Belgium has spread fear across Europe, over which city could be hit next as well, especially after the attacks in Paris last year. Diana Magnay has more on the reaction around the world.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DIANA MAGNAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The debris, the screams, the fear of every traveler as every capital city that they will become the target as this time Brussels was. In the metro, the confusion of evacuating along train tracks through tunnels in a morning commute. And yet, post-Paris, the feeling in Europe that this was only a matter of time.

CHARLES MICHEL, BELGIAN PRIME MINISTER (through translator): We feared a terrorist attack would happen. And this is what happened. (INAUDIBLE) and in the metro station in Brussels, terrorists have committed murder. But confronted with a situation in which there are many dead and many wounded.

MAGNAY (voice-over): As Brussels treated its wounded, European capitals stepped up security at airports, railway stations and ports.

France's Francois Hollande holding a crisis meeting, Britain's David Cameron, too.

DAVID CAMERON, PRIME MINISTER, GREAT BRITAIN: These were attacks in Belgium. They could just be attacks -- just as well be attacks in Britain or in France or Germany or elsewhere in Europe. And we need to stand together against these appalling terrorists and make sure they can never win.

FRANCOIS HOLLANDE, PRESIDENT OF FRANCE (through translator): France and Belgium are connected, connected by a horror which we have just shared once again. And I express to the Belgian government our support so we can bring them all the means necessary.

MAGNAY (voice-over): The U.S. president's first major --

[00:01:35]

MAGNAY (voice-over): -- speech on Cuban soil, his first reflections devoted to the people of Belgium. BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This is yet another reminder that the world must unite. We must be together, regardless of nationality or race or faith in fighting against the scourge of terrorism. We can and we will defeat those who threaten the safety and security of people all around the world.

MAGNAY (voice-over): And in Jordan, the E.U.'s foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, overwhelmed at a press conference --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We stand with you today and with our friends in Europe and with all peace-loving nations and --

FEDERICA MOGHERINI, E.U. HIGH REPRESENTATIVE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS: Stop it.

MAGNAY (voice-over): -- leaving in tears.

After terrorists struck at the heart of Europe's institutions, Brussels now a city that's counting its dead as investigators wonder what they missed -- Diana Magnay, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: When I arrived here this morning, I saw someone just sitting in front of the candles there, crying, weeping. This is going to be the point where people come to try to make sense of what happened yesterday, less than 24 hours ago.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FOSTER: You're joining me from Central Brussels, where a makeshift memorial is taking shape for the victims of the attacks of the airport and also in the metro here just yesterday.

I want to speak now to Giulia Paravicini (ph). She's a reporter for "Politico." She's actually walked 3 kilometers yesterday to get to the Brussels airport to cover this story. She's interviewed a number of eyewitnesses, horrific accounts coming from them. She joins us now.

Thanks for joining us.

Which is the story that really sticks with you most from yesterday?

GIULIA PARAVICINI (PH), "POLITICO": I would say the most touching story is the one of the couple who was withdrawing some cash probably to go somewhere to spend it on holiday. And the man I spoke to told me he suddenly heard someone talking or screaming something in Arabic.

And after that, the leg of the woman exploded because a huge explosion occurred. And the husband, who was basically standing next to her, also lost a leg.

And there was a police officer who was running towards them to help them. And he also lost a leg.

So I think this very normal moment that becomes such a terrific, horrible scene is something that really I will probably never forget.

And then the scene of a woman, who was holding her one baby and covered in blood and screaming, "Where is my baby?" because she had lost her second one.

So I would say those were among the two most touching stories I heard from yesterday's recollection at the airport.

FOSTER: Most the people describing how they -- it felt like a war zone, in many ways, and the contrast with --

[00:01:40]

FOSTER: -- a major European city and those sorts of scenes, is a real struggle for people in Brussels.

And that's despite the fact that you were expecting this, weren't you?

Particularly an attack on the transport system here?

PARAVICINI (PH): The foreign affairs ministry had said on Saturday, after one Saleh Abdeslam, of the Paris attackers, had been captured that he was planning to do more attacks.

And intelligence communities were aware that Brussels was among one of the targets. So it was, let's say, not completely unexpected, especially since they had found explosives in an apartment they had raided exactly a week ago. So I think it was in the air for sure.

FOSTER: OK, Giulia, thank you very much for your thoughts on your awful day yesterday. And the investigations continue.

I want to turn to my colleagues now, John Vause and Isha Sesay there in Los Angeles because you've got some updates on the U.S. presidential primary we want to bring you as well -- John and Isha.

ISHA SESAY, CNN HOST: Thank you, Max.

All right. Well, Hillary Clinton won Arizona's primary on Tuesday, moving the Democratic front-runner one step closer to her party's nomination; 75 delegates are at stake in Arizona.

JOHN VAUSE, CNN HOST: Let's have a look at the results in Utah. They're still coming in. So far, a very, very big lead there for Bernie Sanders, he has almost 75 percent of the vote. And does believe that there's been a projection on Utah. Let's go to our coverage on CNN USA.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: Bernie Sanders, he's the winner in the Utah Democratic presidential caucuses, a big win for Bernie Sanders in Utah right now. He wins the Democratic caucuses in Utah. Earlier, Hillary Clinton was the winner in the Arizona Democratic primary. Let's go over to John King. We're watching this 1:1 so far, big win in Utah for Bernie Sanders, big win for Hillary Clinton in Arizona.

JOHN KING, CNN HOST: And the map for Bernie Sanders, really only at 11 percent but it's pretty clear, he's at nearly 75 percent of the vote, including in Salt Lake County, winning with 76 percent of the vote, with 13 percent in. So it's pretty clear it's a projection, with a relatively small percentage of the vote in.

But it's crystal clear to us, Bernie Sanders is having a very big night in Utah tonight. You mention that margin, remember proportional Democratic rules. So if he keeps this margin up, he'll get 74-75 percent of the delegates at stake tonight. And you mentioned Hillary Clinton's win in Arizona. So it's a counter in terms of 1:1 for wins, more delegates in Arizona but 1:1 there for wins.

And if you just take a peek at what this means delegate-wise, if you come up to the map here, here's the Democratic map, we already have Hillary Clinton winning Arizona. Look at Senator Sanders here, it's actually going to be a little bigger than this. This is at a 55-45 the way the software's built for the night and that would get Bernie Sanders up to 898. He'll get a couple more so he'll cross 900 with this win tonight.

Still significantly behind Senator Clinton but he gets a win, which will help him say I'm winning states.

BLITZER: And it looks like he could get a win in Idaho, too.

KING: Looks like we'll get a win in Idaho, too. And if you add those 27 delegates, again, this is based -- that split is based on a 55-45. So Senator Sanders could get 15 or 16 if he matches the Utah results. So that would get him over -- that gets him at 911, add three or four to that, 915. He's on a potential to get closer to 920 by the end of the night. Again, that would still leave him more than 320 behind.

But two wins, add some delegates and make the case that, as we go to Washington State, Alaska and Hawaii on Saturday, Bernie Sanders could end this week, winning five of the six contests. He might not make a huge dent in the delegate chase but he'll make a small dent. He'll have five wins. He'll keep raising money and he's says he's not going anywhere -- Wolf.

BLITZER: And if Bernie Sanders wins these two states, Utah and Idaho, he will have won 11 states plus Democrats abroad, the primary for the Democrats living around the world. Hillary Clinton wins Arizona, she will have won 18 states plus two territories in the Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa, for those who are keeping track.

KING: And just a quick point, Sanders supporters often say when I converse with them on Twitter, because I do because I enjoy their comments, they often say, well, you should discount a lot of Hillary Clinton's states because she's winning states the Democrats never win in the general election.

Sure, that's true. She won all these states across the South. But I would just say they should be careful about this. Number one, that's how President Obama won the nomination. That's how you win the nomination.

And, two, look at these states Senator Sanders is winning, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Utah, Idaho, they're not exactly Democratic strongholds come November.

So a win is a win in the primary process. You worry about the general election if you're the nominee.

BLITZER: Good point, John, thanks very much.

Anderson, back to you.

SESAY: Breaking away from Wolf Blitzer and John King there, announcing that win for Bernie Sanders in Utah. Let's take a closer look at Tuesday's results.

David Jacobson joins us, he's a Democratic strategist and a campaign consultant with Shellman Communications. There you have it, confirmation of that win for Bernie Sanders.

We're also joined by John Thomas, a Republican consultant.

Gentlemen, good to have you with us again.

A win for Bernie Sanders?

No surprise but what's it worth?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Here it comes, this is it.

(CROSSTALK)

[00:01:45]

DAVE JACOBSON, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: He needed a big upset this evening, and I think the opportunity was really Arizona. Hillary Clinton's been leading in double-digits in that state for months now. It's right next to Nevada, where she picked up a huge decisive win just a couple weeks ago.

And so had he won Arizona, I think that would have helped set a narrative that maybe this was a comeback opportunity for him. But he was expected to win Utah, he's expected to win Idaho, he's expected to do well with the caucus states we've got coming up on Saturday: Alaska, Hawaii and Washington State. So no surprises tonight.

VAUSE: Let's talk Arizona. This was, as you say, a big win for Hillary Clinton, also a very -- a big win for Donald Trump.

How much do you think the terror attacks in Brussels played into the win, the very decisive win for both these candidates?

It changed the campaign after the Paris attacks, looking for a strong leader for the Republicans. Looking for someone experienced on foreign policy side for Hillary Clinton.

JACOBSON: I think with regards to Arizona, they have a robust early voting strategy, so people have already been voting for weeks. In fact, people were voting when Marco Rubio was still in the race. This was before you had a lot of the violence that's erupted in the last couple weeks with Donald Trump rallies. Ad so I think that's -- tonight's results are reflective of what's happened over the course of the last couple of weeks.

VAUSE: As opposed to the last 24 hours?

JACOBSON: There's no doubt that Donald Trump has been feeding red meat to his base supporters, an angry white electorate primarily with his attacks on Muslims, on women, on Latinos, on building the wall.

And so obviously, in a city like Arizona, where you have S.B. 1070, you have former governor Jan Brewer --

(CROSSTALK)

JACOBSON: -- and immigration is such a dominating issue in that state. So it's no surprise that he's --

JOHN THOMAS, REPUBLICAN CONSULTANT: It doesn't hurt to win a news cycle the day of the election. Dave's point is right. Early voting obviously was strong for both Clinton and Trump but winning the news cycle, the last thing these voters are thinking of, as they go into the voting booth, is that we need a strong commander in chief and both Clinton and Trump are the strongest in their field on those issues.

SESAY: To that point, as you make the point, we heard a lot from Donald Trump on this day, also from Ted Cruz, all of them trying to outdo each other as the best commander in chief given the opportunity.

We'll need to take a listen to Hillary Clinton now and what she had to say as she slammed Donald Trump and Ted Cruz for their response to the terror attacks in Belgium. And then you can react on the other side.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON, FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: America doesn't panic, we don't build walls or turn our backs on our allies, we can't throw out everything we know about what works and what doesn't and start torturing people.

What Donald Trump, Ted Cruz and others are suggesting is not only wrong, it's dangerous. It will not keep us safe. This is a time for America to lead, not cower.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SESAY: So, gentlemen, an example with her setting that stage with the general election argument. That's what she's doing here?

THOMAS: Well, she's leaving Bernie Sanders in the dust, saying, this is already a general election and look at me, I'm ready to take the fight to those evil Republicans, it's a smart play. But I think Republicans would make the argument, saying actually perhaps the attacks happened today, because America wasn't leading for the last eight years and taking the fight directly to ISIS. So there are two sides to that coin, but strategically she did the right thing for her base.

VAUSE: OK. Let's go to Utah for a minute. This is crucial for Ted Cruz. And it's, what, 3 percent of the vote has actually come in. So not a lot at this point but Ted Cruz way in front, 58.8 percent; John Kasich at 22 percent; Donald Trump, 19.2 percent.

THOMAS: This is critical. If Ted Cruz can take that -- break that 50 percent threshold in Utah like Dave was saying, this is the last indicator we're going to have on the Republican side for 26 or 27 days.

So Ted's got to show big momentum and if he doesn't capture 50 percent, it's just harder for him to make the "I'm the best person to beat Donald Trump" argument.

VAUSE: So we're looking now, Cruz moving forward. And I guess for John Kasich, who didn't really campaign in that state, though, but what's his role moving forward?

THOMAS: Spoiler in chief?

JACOBSON: You look at the arithmetic, there's no way that he can get to that --

VAUSE: He needs 108 percent.

(CROSSTALK)

SESAY: -- Kasich isn't now looking to win in this race, he's looking to win at a convention, right?

That's his strategy.

JACOBSON: Right. And you have got big states coming up like California, where it's winner-take-all by congressional district. So Kasich says, I'm going to pull out my car and go out to California all the way out into the June primary. It's feasible that he could pick up a couple delegates in such a delegate-rich state.

So his goal is to go into the convention with more delegates than he has today and try to steal the nomination from a Ted Cruz or Donald Trump.

THOMAS: That's really hard because if once we get to the point that John Kasich could be eligible to get the nomination and the voting rounds --

[00:01:50]

THOMAS: -- it opens up to other candidates, Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan, you name it. VAUSE: And Mitt Romney is campaigning pretty well these days.

(LAUGHTER)

(CROSSTALK)

SESAY: Always a pleasure having you. Thank you both so much.

VAUSE: OK. That is the latest on the U.S. race for the White House. Let's go back now to Max Foster in Brussels -- Max.

FOSTER: Thank you, John. One of the survivors of the Belgium terror attacks got caught up in the blast at the airport. But this isn't the first time he's escaped a terror attack, would you believe. We're going to bring you his story, live from Brussels next.

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FOSTER: Hours after the deadly attacks in Brussels, the lights of Paris' Eiffel Tower lit up in the colors of Belgium's flag. Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo announced the display of solidarity on Twitter, saying, "We are united."

A State Department official, meanwhile, says the U.S. is still trying to track down a fair number of missing Americans after the Belgium attacks. It's not clear whether they would have been involved in the attacks. But the wounded do include four Mormon missionaries and CNN's Kyung Lah has more on their story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Every phone call, you have to hope it's him.

CHAD WELLS, MASON'S FATHER: We're on pins and needles every phone call.

KYUNG LAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The call that might be from their son, Mason, 19 years old, 20 months into serving his Mormon mission in France and Belgium, Mason Wells was with his missionary partner, Joe Emby (ph) and elder Richard Norby (ph), dropping off Fanny Rachel Klain (ph) at the Brussels airport.

CHAD WELLS: And the departure, one of the bombs went off there and that's where Mason's injured.

LAH (voice-over): All of them were hurt but expected to survive. The Wells, who live just outside Salt Lake City, haven't been able to speak to their son. They know he was close enough to the blast to be hurt, burns and foot injuries.

LAH: What is it like being parents and having your son in the middle of something like this? CHAD WELLS: I think the word is, you feel helpless, you feel scared because there's not a lot you can do.

LAH (voice-over): This isn't this family's first time in the center of a terror attack.

2013: Mason and his father had just left this block of the Boston Marathon when the first explosion went off. Moments later, Chad Wells explaining what he saw to Wolf Blitzer.

BLITZER: Chad Wells, are you on the phone right now?

CHAD WELLS: Yes, Wolf, I'm on the phone. I can hear you.

LAH: How strange is this for your family to be involved in two of these?

CHAD WELLS: I think two is enough for a lifetime now. I'm just dumbfounded, to be honest. And all I can hope is that the Boston experience gave Mason some peace because I know that he was --

[00:01:55]

CHAD WELLS: -- in the terminal right there when the blast happened and it was pretty chaotic, from what I heard.

LAH: And you have the map here to trace his travels?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, didn't expect him to be in Belgium but he started in Rouen.

LAH (voice-over): The Boston terror attack didn't quell Mason's desire to serve his church internationally as a witness in the second attack. The Wells hope their son's mission centered on peace holds lessons.

CHAD WELLS: And so I think this is a good wakeup call to not only the citizens of America and Belgium and France but to the world that we need to come together as humanity and not pull ourselves apart.

LAH (voice-over): As we're finishing our interview...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. And tell me about your head, honey.

LAH (voice-over): -- the call from Mason.

CHAD WELLS: Mason, I'm going to catch a flight over to Paris.

LAH: What was it like to finally hear his voice?

CHAD WELLS: It's was amazing relief, pure joy to hear Mason's voice, to know that he's alive, he's OK.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: One positive at least coming out there. I'm Max Foster live in Brussels. I'll be right back with CNN's continuing coverage of the Belgian terror attacks.