doctors' orders and got the shot, well they still got sick this winter anyway. this is "way too early." hey, everybody. good morning. i'm thomas roberts. it is friday january 16th. welcome to "way too early." we are show the that did get the flu shot, though we still have been coughing and sneezing through this season. we'll have more on that story coming up. also, this breaking news we're following right now as we speak there is a press conference taking place in belgium. they're talking about this overnight raid that took place. they're speaking in french now. they're also speaking in dutch at some points and then also taking questions in english. we're going to dip back in when they do start answering questions once again in english. this is all as france comes to grips with the paris attacks that happened from a week ago. now officials in neighboring belgium say that 13 people have been detained after a series of anti-terror raids that thwarted a major terrorism plot which

could have just been hours away. police say two suspected extremists were killed in one raid and a third suspect who was injured is now facing terrorism charges. at this hour a manhunt is under way in belgium for additional suspects. this operation took place in verviers 80 miles away from brussels. amateur video captures this intense shootout between special forces and the suspects. police say the heavily armed suspects they opened fire as the s.w.a.t. teams were closing in. one witness says the fighting was so intense that the smell of gunpowder remained long after the shooting ended. another witness says she swore it was another attack going on. and there may be links to the paris attack. ans arms dealer from belgium apparently sold weapons to the paris gunmen. the threat system is now at the second highest level and u.s. officials tell nbc news that extra mars and

extra marines were put on duty at the embassy there. moments ago, the prosecutor in that live press conference revealed they found police uniforms at the apartment. let's go back to the press room and listen in. >> -- at the police buildings. no, no. they had plans to kill police men. i cannot give any comment on any plans for abducting or beheading people. police in the streets or in the buildings. >> -- named two men. can you rule out the names? >> i cannot give any comment on identifications of persons. i will not -- you have to understand that we give specific -- no information about identity of people arrested people wanted and those two were killed yesterday.

>> you say you haven't identified the two dead yet. the identification process is still going forward. yesterday, i understand that you said -- they were both belgium and all three were belgian nationals. how do you know that if you don't know who they are? >> official identification we're waiting for. we have a fairly good idea who was in the house. >> you can say they're definitely syria -- >> i can't say definitely syria. several members of the group which we have arrested have been in syria. i cannot confirm the people in verviers have been in syria. still using the investigation to show. >> did you get everybody you're looking for? did anybody get away? >> let's say we arrested already the people we wanted to arrest. but i cannot confirm that we have arrested everybody from this group, of course.

that's for the investigate to show. >> more arrests expected? >> i cannot confirm that. >> you said you arrested 13 people. >> -- with these arrests last night, with these operations or do you think it is still growing? to what extent is this a belgium problem versus a european problem? >> i have no idea. and if we diminish eded or put a level in high for terrorist threat in belgium, but i cannot confirm that this operation is a belgium operation. of course, it all links with other countries, but this group was specifically here to commit terrorist attacks in belgium. >> can you talk more about the links with other countrys? >> no. >> -- like al qaeda and -- >> no. at this time we cannot give any comment on links with other terrorist group or terrorist group or tell you to which

terrorist group they're affiliated. >> the 13 people arrested does that -- >> excuse me. >> the 13 people arrested does that include the two people? >> no. >> 13 plus two in france. >> -- this operation results from the intelligence from the united states instead of intelligence from france and belgium. can you say anything about that? >> i cannot give any comment on that. i cannot give any comment on that. >> is the operation related to the delay of the act work by -- >> no there is no relation whatsoever between those two cases. and certain not to delay about the verdict in the antwerp case. >> is there any connection to sharia for belgium, the suspects here? >> several suspects has been syria and came back. that we can confirm. >> any connection to specifically sharia for belgium. >> excuse he? >> is there any connection

between the suspects and sharia for belgium? >> sharia are for belgium? i can cannot give any comment on that. >> jewish schools in brussels -- on monday. can you talk more about the threat on the jewish community in belgium? >> no we cannot give any comment on the threats. that's for other people to talk about. >> what made you decide to act now? >> the investigation itself. we have an ongoing investigation and at the certain time we decided to intervene, especially because we thought that the threats for terrorist attack was very imminent. >> days hours? >> could have been hour and certainly more than a day or few days.

[ speaking foreign language ] >> listening to this live press conference taking place in belgium after this overnight raid that took place there in verviers outside of brussels. we were questioning there in english. they have gone back to taking questions in french. but breaking down what we have learned that they would not confirm whether or not the u.s. was involved with intelligence transfer of information to bring down this terrorist cell under observation. what they do confirm is 13 people have been arrested two people are dead. what they found were police uniforms weapons like ak-47s, bomb-making materials. they don't have official identification of the two dead but they can definitely say that some of these people have been to syria. and now they won't give a link or not to whether these people have any connection to what took

place in paris. they're back to taking questions in english. let's dip back in. this is what happens when you're trying to do a press conference in many languages. we missed what they were doing there. we'll check in with ron allen, he's been monitoring the press conference. he joins us from paris. what we're hearing there is the fact they talk about the 13 arrests that took place in belgium, also two that took place in paris overnight. but they say that this -- this cell is specific to something that was going to happen in belgium. and not anything that has any greater connection to what we witnessed last week in paris. >> reporter: yes that's what we have been hearing, tom, there was to direct connection between the raid last night in belgium and the attacks in paris. we also know that the gunman who carried out the raids, the attack in paris last week we believe got their guns weaponry

from belgium. we know one of the suspects amedy coulibaly, was perhaps in belgium not long before the attacks. he allegedly bought a vehicle there for his wife and we suspect he might have bought more than just a vehicle for his wife. there was an arms dealer from belgium who turned himself into authorities after the "charlie hebdo" attacks here who may have given them information that led to the raids. back to you, thomas. >> let me jump in. back to the press conference now. back to english. >> -- we will not hesitate to ask them. thus the places that were -- >> phone taps part of this investigation? >> i cannot confirm that. >> are there going to be further security restrictions i suppose? >> well the terror threat level

has been raised which means more security measures will be taken, but for specific details, i will have to refer you to the authorities for that. >> talk about the increased police presence in brussels across belgium? >> i think it is quite obvious that there is more police presence in belgium. the level of threat has been elevated, which implyicates there is more protection for certain persons and certain places. and now that we have a specific problem that policeman has been been -- probably the attacks, more protection for buildings, housing, policemen. >> extra personnel deployed? >> i have no idea.

[ speaking foreign language ] >> all right, so we're hearing the threat level has been raised. this is belgium's second highest level. ron allen still standing by for us in paris. sorry to interrupt. you were talking about the fact that the arms dealer from belgium reportedly sold weapons to the paris gunmen. there is a connection how belgium -- how close it is just the northern neighbor there to france. >> reporter: yes. it is a three-hour train ride from here to -- from paris to brussels. just also, thomas we're also hearing from the security officials here, the interior minister in france giving a press conference as well. and he is confirming overnight there were 12 people arrested who are in custody now in connection with the attacks here last week. they are suspected of providing logistic support or other support to the kouachi brothers and coulibaly who carried out at

tack at the grocery store and "charlie hebdo" magazine here. that investigation is ongoing as well. as you know we have been saying are for the past several days there are a number of other suspects who are believed to have been part of that plot. for example, it never has been determined who drove the gunmen to the jewish supermarket to carry out that attack. we also saw in the videotape with coulibaly's girlfriend, wife going into syria from turkey, we saw a man in that videotape. we don't know who he is. we have some idea who he is but don't know what role he may have played in the paris attacks as well. there are other suspects that have been named. also this morning, there was a -- just to give you a sense of the tension here there was a bomb threat at a major train station here the train station was evacuated. the -- it turned out to be nothing, but police are taking no chances. and because, again, there is still a threat of more attacks. one more thing i can tell you, in germany overnight, there were a number of raids, 11 raids, 11

different locations, two people arrested there, who are believed to have contacts connections as well to jihadi groups and recruiting, financing fighters going from europe into syria and iraq. so this common problem in all of these countries, germany, belgium and france and others here, they're literally hundreds if not thousands of young fighters who are going from europe into syria and iraq and coming back. and these are the people that were -- that the belgium authorities were going after, the kouachi brothers and coulibaly here in france are believed to have a similar connection, same thing in germany, and elsewhere. it is a very serious problem here that is now coming to light. all these european governments are taking extreme and aggressive measures to try and root out these groups now because there is the real fear real concern about another attack. you heard the belgium authorities say they thought that attack would happen within hours if not days certainly.

so that gives you a sense of the real concern there. here belgium has always been something of a hub for terrorist activity. there is a lot of weapons available there. something of an arms bazaar a lot of money flows through there. there is a huge port. antwerp where weaponry comes in. there is also a big organized crime problem there. so again, just a heightened state of alert here across europe. >> we remember the kouachi brothers were taken down taken down in a town a short distance from the borders of belgium and germany. ron, more specifically, to the trip that the secretary of state john kerry is now in paris. the white house did express remorse for not sending someone with a higher profile at the unity rally where world leaders locked arms on sunday. what is on the secretary's agenda now in paris? >> reporter: well this morning he's already made a visit to the grocery store where four jewish residents were killed. and where the gunman took hostages, as many as a dozen hostages.

i laid a wreath there, touring the site with the foreign minister of france and also meeting some of the people in that area. he then went over to the magazine "charlie hebdo" and toured that site as well. laid flowers and a wreath there, said a number of prayers, and greeted people there as well. he's going to have a meeting with the french president and other high officials here throughout the day to discuss security measures and intelligence gathering measures. france has been a partner in this war on terrorism that is happening against isis. france is a partner, coalition partner in the air strikes going on there and they just renewed their commitment to do that a couple of days ago and sent an aircraft carrier to the region upping their involvement there. all of those are issues on the secretary's agenda. he said he was coming here secretary kerry did, to give the french people a big hug, to express america's condolences and support and deep concern for what has been happening here. and to pledge solidarity going forward. >> they have our support.

ron allen from paris, ron, thank you, appreciate it. we'll bring you any developments on this story as they happen on "way too early" and the next hour on "morning joe". starting today, a lot easier for americans to travel to cuba than it has been for more than half a century. new rules outlined take effect today, allowing americans to travel to cuba without special permits in bringing goods like cuban cigars back home. however, regular tourism remains banned and many u.s. travelers will be required to go on supervised trips. the preapproved categories include family visits and educational activities. but americans can now use credit cards in cuba and u.s. airlines can fly there. the new rules come into effect days after cuba released all 53 of its political prisoners. top republicans, they are in sunny san diego on the heels of their historic midterm wins and looking ahead to 2016. mitt romney is slated to speak this evening with top party leaders aren't jumping at his possible reentrance into the

fray. politico reporting more than a dozen committee members are skeptical and a co-chair expressed his doubts. >> i'm not happy, frankly, with the way he's chosen to re-enter presidential politics. i think his friends need to be honest with him about that. he's a great man. would be a great president. but there is not a lot of good press for somebody losing the election and coming back four years later and becoming the nominee. >> wisconsin governor scott walker is making waves of his own, he said it is time for fresh ideas, telling the wisconsin state journal, while i think mitt is a good man, i think he would have been a good president, but i think particularly when you look at where things shape up in two years, i this it is pretty hard to make an argument about going forward. when you're arguing about people and ideas from the past. last night he also took an opportunity to slam hillary clinton as too inside washington, d.c. >> it is almost overwhelmingly

likely that hillary clinton, the former secretary of state, is going to be the nominee for the other party. and i think the other big loser on november 4th wasn't just washington and the president, it was hillary rodham clinton. she embodies washington. she lives in washington. she worked in washington. you look at everything that people dislike about washington she embodies it. what we need is a contrast that says we need a fresh, new perspective that says the answers to the ailments of our nation do not come out of our nation's capitol. >> the winter meeting, tea party favorite dr. ben carson who compared the islamic state to another famous group of rebels from american history. look at this. >> a bunch of ragtag militia men defeated the most powerful and professional military force on the planet. why? because they believed in what they were doing. they were willing to die for what they believed in.

the british were not. fast-forward to today. what do we have? we have got isis. they got the wrong philosophy. but they're willing to die for what they believe while we are busily giving away every belief and every value for the sake of political correctness. we have to change that. >> carson predicted the media would pounce on the statements and suggest that he was equating isis to the u.s. he dismissed such a conclusion as ridiculous. don't go anywhere. we have much more on "way too early" right after this. we encourage you to stick around.

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grown in america. picked and packed at the peak of ripeness. with no artificial ingredients. del monte. bursting with life. want to dig into this one. new poll numbers show what mark new yorkers think about the ongoing rift. an overwhelming majority 67% disapprove of officers turning

their backs on the mayor at the funerals for their slain comrades. but a majority of new yorkers are also displeased with how the mayor handled the department. when asked whether the mayor supports police 47% said yes. but there were big divisions among blacks and whites. 69% of blacks believe the mayor supports officers. while the same is true for only 36% of whites. there is also a racial disparity when it comes to the mayor's handling of the police protests. 76% of blacks approve, while 57% of whites disapproved. one person new yorkers are pleased with is the police commissioner. bill bratton's approval rating at 56%, up 12 points from last month. coming up on the top of "morning joe," breaking news from belgium we have been carrying this half hour. 13 people arrested in terror raids across that country. we're going to speak to the top pentagon spokesman john kirby about this because during that press conference they wouldn't confirm if u.s. intelligence helped bring down this terror cell in belgium.

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welcome back everybody. that will do it for "way too early," the friday edition. i had to apologize to mika. mika, i didn't bring the puppy to work today, the one that patrick picked up on the street. >> yeah. i was going to adopt the puppy. >> i know well we had three friends, can we put his face up.

we gave him a bath last night, getting him cleaned up. we had so many friends that want to adopt this little guy. >> that's so nice. >> there he is dancing in the kitchen. >> i was going to have him sit on the set with us on a little pillow. i think what we can do now, since you hold a found for that one, follow that story, let's bring other rescues in here and they can sit and co-host until they get -- >> wait until i tell you the special magic trick he can do but i can only tell you in private. >> stop it. >> morning joe starts right now. thanks, mika. >> see you.

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it's friday january 16th. welcome to "morning joe." we have donny deutsch. donny, big news. we can say it right? >> yes. >> it's out. you have a new show. >> a new show. >> on what network? >> usa network. picked it up. it's a comedy that i star in and