CNN "The Situation Room" Transcript: Paris Terrorist Attacks

Interview

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BLITZER: Jim Acosta is in Paris with the president. Jim, thanks very much.

Joining us now, Congressman Adam Schiff, who has just wrapped up a secret briefing in his role as the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee.

Congressman, thanks very much for joining us.

You have just come from this intelligence briefing and other restrictions on what you can say. But let's get through some of the sensitive issues right now.

First, French authorities, they are saying it's likely that this eighth Paris terrorists, Abdeslam, may have actually fled Europe and is in Syria right now. What are you hearing?

REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D), CALIFORNIA: Well, Wolf, I'm not sure that we know his whereabouts, whether he's still in France or Belgium or whether he's returned to Syria.

If I did know particulars, it's not something I would be able to share. But I don't think we have a definitive conclusion at this point about his location. Obviously, we're doing everything we can to assist our French and Belgian colleagues, providing whatever intelligence we can, running down any leads that we can, and using any selectors that we obtained to help them identify where he might be.

He's certainly at the very top of our list in terms of this investigation.

BLITZER: Here is what worries me, is that we're getting two different accounts of what is going on with this terrorist Abdeslam, one from France, from French intelligence, one from Belgium, Belgian intelligence. You would think these two countries would be working together, sharing intelligence. But I take it there have been some strains in that relationship.

SCHIFF: Well, I'm sure, in the wake of an attack like this, there was both cooperation and a lot of difficulty, because they are reacting to new information, but also there are gaps in what they are sharing with each other.

This is a broader problem, Wolf, than just France and Belgium. This is a problem all across Europe. And, ultimately, I think Europe is going to have to make a decision. They're either going to have to share information, create a unified list in real time, so that they can identify who is moving where, people who have returned from Syria in Iraq, for example.

Or they are going to have to end that unrestricted travel within Europe. But it can't have it both ways and maintain security, or they can expect, I think, unfortunately, more attacks like Paris.

BLITZER: You heard Jim Sciutto's report that there were other so-called ready-to-go terror plots in the works against various transport locations inside France, schools, Jewish neighborhoods.

What are you hearing about these other so-called plans?

SCHIFF: I think that's exactly right.

And that's why they can't let down their guard at all in Europe right now. It's not just an issue of this one cell, this one attack that may yet be in the works from Abaaoud and that group of plotters, but there may be additional ISIL operatives in Europe that have their own plans or may be given and delegated a certain amount of authority by ISIL in Syria to act on their own, to use the resources they have.

And as we have seen in January and now in November, access to weapons and firearms in Europe is quite easy. And that's making it possible to have these kind of Paris-Mumbai-style attacks.

BLITZER: Yes, French officials say it's a disaster in Belgium. You can just go to the train station in Brussels, they say, and you can buy an AK-47 or some other assault weapon for not too much money. So they are really critical of what is going on there.

All right, stand by, Congressman. We have much more to discuss.

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BLITZER: We're following the breaking news on global terror, the attacks on Paris.

Congressman Adam Schiff just wrapped up a secret briefing in his role as the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee. He's standing by on Capitol Hill.

Congressman, this eighth terrorist, Salah Abdeslam, his whereabouts right now unknown. We're hearing the Paris attackers had other attacks ready to go, including schools, transport locations, Jewish neighborhoods.

Here is the question, though. Is it safe for the president of the United States and about 150 other world leaders to be in Paris right now?

SCHIFF: I think it's safe for the president. The president will have every precaution taken on his behalf.

But it is a risk having that large a body at a time like this. It's a very tempting target for any of the European plotters that are still in France or Belgium that have that freedom of mobility in Europe.

So, it is a risk. But I think it's a risk the president felt important to take, that we wouldn't be cowed by these threats, that we would go about our business, that we would address other paramount priorities, like climate change. And I think it's the right decision.

BLITZER: This -- have you been briefed on any specific threats, not necessarily to the president, but threats here in the United States right now?

SCHIFF: Still no threats that emanate from the Paris plot.

But, again, the paramount concern is that people are inspired by what they saw in Paris. Some of these people that are at the fringes of our society that have been radicalized, they may choose now to act out. That's probably the near-term threat.

Over the longer term, though, it's a real concern. And it's part of the reason why you saw Jeh Johnson take the steps to tighten up this visa waiver program while we're looking into additional legislative action that may be necessary, and why ultimately we need to end that sanctuary that ISIS has in Iraq and Syria that it can derive resources, that it can take the time and have the luxury to plot against us.

BLITZER: So, when you say there are no specific threats related to the Paris terror attacks, are there other specific terror attacks against targets here in the United States?

SCHIFF: Well, we know that ISIL would like to attack us here, and they certainly are looking for ways that they can infiltrate into the country or they can inspire people online.

We know this is very much of goal of theirs. I think, in the near term, they realize we're a hard target to reach. They are going after the more proximate targets in Europe. It also has the advantage, in going after these European targets, of dividing Europe against itself.

And in this way, both the refugee crisis as well as the panic of these attacks and any internecine argument between European partners, as well as what we have seen between Russia and Turkey, this all inures to ISIS' benefit, unfortunately.

BLITZER: The White House announced a new senior adviser to the president today will focus solely on this war against ISIS. Is this a sign the White House is restructuring the overall approach?

SCHIFF: I don't think it's a sign that they are restructuring the overall approach, but they certainly want to have people whose only job when they get up in the morning and go to bed at night is try to determine what's the most effective way to attack this problem of ISIS.

It is a global threat. And, you know, I know you have been talking about this, too, Wolf, but there is increasing alarm at ISIS' growing presence and strength in places like Libya. And if we're not careful and we don't end this conflict between these would-be two governments in Libya that is allowing this vacuum, we could have ISIS holding major ground in yet another country. That would be a disaster of mammoth proportion.

BLITZER: Yes. They are taking over increasingly much more of Libya right now. We had a report from Brian Todd in the last hour on this worrisome development in North Africa.

Let's talk about Kabul, Afghanistan, right now. The U.S. Embassy there issued a specific warning, saying within the next 48 hours, there could be a terror strike, warning Americans in Afghanistan -- there are still 10,000 U.S. troops there, thousands of civilians at the embassy, contractors -- they're warning of a specific, credible threat.

What can you tell us about this?

SCHIFF: Well, I think that warning is well due.

I think there is information leading to the conclusion that there could very well be a significant attack, that it could be very imminent. Now, we have seen the Taliban, like other adversaries, are adaptive. And they may adapt to the fact that we have put this information out there and decide to wait, wait until we once again let down our defenses somewhat or people use the opportunity to travel more broadly or can't maintain that constant state of readiness to then unleash an attack.

But you have to give that kind of warning when you get specific, credible intelligence that a threat is in the works, an attack may be in the works. So it was very wise to issue the alert that they did.

BLITZER: Congressman Adam Schiff of the Intelligence Committee, Congressman, thanks very much for joining us.

SCHIFF: Thanks, Wolf.

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