THE BIG STORY WITH JOHN GIBSON

Interview With Skip Brandon.

Published by: International Wire

Publication Date: 22-JUL-05

JOHN GIBSON, HOST: Hi, everybody. This is "The Big Story." I'm John Gibson.

British police arrest two more men one day after that latest bombing in London. They say both arrests are terror-related. But only one has a clear connection to yesterday's attacks. Police also shot dead a terror suspect this morning in a subway station right in front of stunned commuters.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK WHITBY, WITNESS: So, I looked to my right, saw the guy run on to the train. He was running so fast, he half-tripped. And bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, five shots.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GIBSON: London police released photos of the suspect in yesterday's attacks. They are asking the public to look out -- to be on the lookout for these four men.

David Lee Miller live in London's Stockwell station with the latest on this investigation.

David Lee, how you doing?

MILLER: Hi, John.

So far, we're doing well, two arrests today, and the day is not over. It's 10:00 local time here, still two hours to go. A massive manhunt is still under way throughout this country.

Let's start with the latest information here at the Stockwell subway station here. Just a short time ago, the authorities here, not far from where I am standing, they arrested a man in connection with the anti-terror investigation. The authorities have not revealed the reason why that arrest took place. But they also point out that they did search some type of home or a business. This is a largely residential area, so we can only presume it's a business.

But, again, on that point, the authorities haven't said anymore than somebody has been arrested following the search of a facility in the neighborhood.

Earlier, one man was shot and killed here. The authorities are saying that his identity is not being released, subject to formal I.D. And, at this time, it's not officially known if he is directly linked to yesterday's bombing.

What happened earlier today is that authorities had a suspect under surveillance. This particular suspect was wearing a very heavy coat. That is highly suspicious because the temperature was well into the 70s today. It was a very warm day. They followed the suspect into the subway station directly behind me here, the Stockwell station. They asked him to stop more than once. They ignored his commands.

He jumped over a turnstile. He entered one of the subway cars and, at that point, he was shot five times and killed. One of the witnesses said the scene was utter chaos.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MOSTAPHA ZAROU, WITNESS: At least 15 to 20 people armed with machine guns shouting. Everyone was, you know, running into the station. And the actual passengers, they were -- some of them were crying. They were scared. They didn't know exactly what was happening.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MILLER: Now, at this hour, a search is under way for the four men believed to be the bombers responsible for yesterday's botched attacks. Authorities here have literally looked at hundreds and hundreds of hours of surveillance video. They have come up with these four images, the quality of the pictures very good indeed, these pictures being broadcast all around the U.K. tonight.

Tomorrow, they will be published in every newspaper here, the authorities asking friends, family and the general public to come forward if they have any information about these four men. But, at the same time, they are very quick to add that these men should not be approached, that the authorities should be contacted. These men are considered extremely, extremely dangerous.

And this is not just a local problem here in London, John. There is also a nationwide terror concern here. And just a short time ago, we got word that, in the second largest city in England, in Birmingham, the authorities there have made an arrest. That, they say, is in conjunction with the terror investigation. Under the U.K. terror laws, they have also confiscated two suitcases.

And very, very importantly, lastly, we should point out, John, that a major clue here could be the knapsack that authorities already have in their possession that was confiscated yesterday that was found on bus number 26. The bomb didn't go off as intended. And it could provide a treasure trove of possible clues -- back to you.

(CROSSTALK)

GIBSON: David Lee Miller in London -- David, thank you very much.

British police are not messing around, after two terror attacks in two weeks. They chased down that one suspect at Stockwell station, tackled him and shot him dead before he could set off any explosives. Of course, it turned out he didn't have a bomb on him.

Here to talk about how the Brits are going on the offensive against terror suspect is Skip Brandon. He's a former FBI deputy assistant director of counterintelligence and counterterrorism, as well as a founding partner of his Smith Brandon International, a consulting firm.

So, Skip, what kind of grade do you give the Brits today?

SKIP BRANDON, FORMER ASSISTANT FBI DIRECTOR OF COUNTERTERRORISM: Probably an A-plus. They are under a lot of pressure. But ever since the original bombings a few weeks ago in London, I think they have moved very, very decisively, very quickly. I'm impressed.

GIBSON: What about this business of that very dramatic scene in the subway of a tackle and kill team.

BRANDON: Yes.

GIBSON: Chasing this guy down, three cops, three or four cops, tackling him and then one coming behind with a gun and shooting him dead. What about that, especially since he didn't turn out to have explosives on him?

BRANDON: Well, we don't know all of the details on this.

But I think the message is that, in fact, they are, effectively, trying to guard the British people. And when you get somebody that doesn't -- doesn't stop when you say stop, under those kinds of circumstances, dressed like he was, running away from them, it's a tough call. But they may have acted properly.

GIBSON: And what do you think about this kind of instant replay, where we're seeing the four bombers?

BRANDON: Yes.

GIBSON: Within 24 hours, their pictures all -- well, over the world, but certainly all over London, and certainly neighbors are going to know who those people are. If -- if the cops don't already know who they are, they will in a few minutes.

BRANDON: Yes. I sure hope so. And I think that's going to happen, because, in fact, not only have the police done a marvelous job in the U.K. From what I have read, all of the communities, all of the communities have really responded to this threat. And I think that's what we hope for.

GIBSON: Skip, what are we supposed to learn from what the Brits have done? What can we do better that they have done in the last few days?

BRANDON: Well, long range, I think one thing for us to look at -- and I'm not being critical of our police at all, but the British have always been very, very effective at what I guess is called, commonly called community policing, the police officer on the beat, the same police officer every day.

They get to know the community. And the community has trust in them. That's what we have to make sure that we develop, so that we get the help for our police. The police get the help that they need. The second thing is, and I think there's a message here for us. It sounds trite to say it, but our world has changed and it may have changed for a long, long time. It may have changed permanently.

The British are reacting properly. The British citizens are used to this. They have given up a lot of freedoms that we take for granted, the freedom just to walk on the subway, for example, without being searched. We're going to have to live with some of that.

GIBSON: Skip Brandon -- Skip, thanks very much.

BRANDON: Surely.