blan. good evening to you. breaking news coming out of turkey where it's now 6:01 a.m. local time. it is january 1, 2017 in istanbul, turkey, and fortunately the headline is a terror attack according to to the governor of istanbul. that happened within the first hour of the new year. at this moment, at least 35 dead, at least 40 wounded. of those dead, one is a law enforcement officer of those who are wounded, ten critical. this information to us within the last three hours. we've been waiting for updates,

but they've been clear to say, law enforcement and officials from the government in turkey, to say that they will be slow in giving information. saying that they want to protect the ongoing operations happening at the reina nightclub. r reina nightclubs where 4,000 individuals can be held. celebrating the new year. only about an hour in, the report is that about 5 or 600 were inside the venue. it was a large nightclub. very popular. those who follow the travel websites or chatter will say it's a place that you had to be. upscale, young, the "it" culture there in istanbul. one of the places you need to go. it sits right on the strait. a very large waterway there in istanbul, turkey. it is a two-level restaurant and

nightclub, and again, you can see there, i believe that's the square, the red square you'll see right below the title of the reina nightclub restaurant. nobody has claimed responsibility. what we're watching right now -- and this is what we're hearing from our producer on the ground, is who did it and is that attacker, at least one, still in the nightclub? the security at the nightclub saying, yes. that was the last report. that the attacker is still in the nightclub. unknown, though, whether that attacker is alive or dead. in such situations where the numbers change quickly, as we saw there in the pulse nightclub in orlando, florida, and the bataclan in paris, if it is what the -- if it is the worst that most fear, then it'd be very difficult as they clear this particular incident. law enforcement trying to look through what is happening or what is not.

those who are alive, who are not alive and those who are wounded. nbc's matt bradley joins us now here at the top of the hour. 10:00 eastern, 6:03 a.m., very early in the morning. and the difference, matt, that we were discussing in the last hour is look at those live pictures on the left hand side. we've seen most vehicles leaving, not coming to this outside cordon. the cordon of two miles, that radius that they've put in place since the incident. the question is what stage we're at really in this investigation, in this desire to find the attacker which is at least one at this moment, matt. >> well, it's certainly hard to tell, richard. what we're looking at right now is actually a pretty quiet sort of picture. but if this is true what we're saying and what we're hearing from our producer on the ground, law enforcement officials is that there is a two-mile radius that's been cleared outside of this nightclub. and that means that basically

we're not going to be able to get anywhere close. there's actually already been kind of a gag order on this incident placed by the turkish authorities. they don't want the turkish media to report on this. they're proceeding with extreme caution. of course, this is one of these sort of once bitten, twice shy kind of scenarios, richard. there's been multiple attacks just over the last year. and turkey has really been battered over the last two years. not just by islamic state who they're fighting in northern syria, but also by kurdish insurrection, a separatist movement in the mountainous east of the country. and as you can see from that map, there's attacks that aren't just striking in the more sort of european more sort of koz me poll tan west of the country, they're striking in security and against civilians in the eastern part of the country. so turkey is right now sitting in the midst of a lot of very complicated, very anning it nisic political currents that

make it vulnerable to a lot of attacks and indeed, 180 turkish civilians were killed in 2016. so if you're looking at these images now, and you're hearing that the assailant as we've just been hearing is still at large or still inside this attack, you're going to be wondering what 2017 holds for your future. this is just such an ominous attack coming only moments after the new year. and as you mention, it's really hard to determine exactly what stage we're at here because we're probably -- these cameras are probably miles away, or at least nowhere near -- nowhere within shouting distance of the actual attack itself. so the information is going to be slow, the turkish government is on an extremely defensive posture. and we're not going to necessarily get any information in a timely fashion. even over the next several hours. the numbers you mentioned, the 35 dead, dozens more who have been wounded. those numbers could very easily go up as time goes on and as the

hour sort of slowly creeps by here. isn't going to make anything easier for us, richard. >> what might be interesting to the western viewer if they have been with us over the last three hours as we've been covering and you and i talking about this developing and breaking story is that in western breaking story lines as unfortunate incidents like this do happen, we do see data points change over time. and we have not seen the data points and we don't want it to increase essential, but we haven't seen changes in data points throughout the last three hours. it stayed static at 35 and 40, and again, those sort of data points we do not to want move, but in general, it underlines what you are saying, the sort of

media blackout of information they want to get it right if you will, but very -- not consistent with necessarily the way news stories like this are covered in the west. but one quick question to you here, matt. and we were speaking with a reporter from the "new york times" who covers this region, and she was reflecting on what this particular target was. you know, turkey being the cross roads as you have mentioned between asia, between europe, between the middle east, that cross roads politically, culturally, and geographically, so many different ideas and thoughts and people that this location what it might represent amongst all of that diversity. and the point was potentially making in her statement was that this represented something that was -- if you will, more western. >> well that's certainly true. as you mention, sort of the

bataclan target, the orlando nightclub, which was also -- we can't forget, that was also claimed by islamic state on some level. we can't really associate these things too closely with islamic state since they haven't claimed responsibility and there's no evidence showing who the assailant is much less affiliation with any particular group. i'm talking about in this istanbul case, but when it comes to turkey, when it comes to a nightclub, yes, turkey is a 99% muslim country, but it has a very secular outlook. it is a very strong cultural current within turk ir society. nightclubs like this in istanbul right at the gateway into europe, this is a prime target. but it's not necessarily that turkey is somehow unique culturally, but, you know, turkey has actually very much engaged in it's soldiers are

very much deployed in syria. and just right now, and between turkish fighters. backed up by russian elements. russian war craft. and it's isis from the air. so we can't separate attacks like this and we don't really know the culprit or the perpetrator here. becan't separate that from the greater neighborhoods. right now there's a blistering war going on in turkey. >> stand by, matt, thank you so much for that. and maybe more people stayed home instead of going out to reina nightclub on that new year's eve celebration. 6:10 a.m., live there in istanbul in turkey. i had that dream again -- that i was on the icelandic game show. and everyone knows me for discounts, like safe driver and paperless billing.

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we continue to follow news out of istanbul, turkey, slow but steady. new information that we have according to associated press is not confirmed by nbc news. according to the governor of istanbul, saying that the attacker armed with a long barrelled weapon killed a policeman and a civilian outside the reina nightclub. there you see in the upper right hand corner at around 1:45 a.m. local time. this on january 1, 2017. then entered and fired on people that were inside. he did not say who may have carried out the attack, but did say this, quote, unfortunately, he reigned bullets in a very cruel and merciless way on innocent people who were there to celebrate new year's and have fun. this according again the governor of istanbul telling reporters that. and then according to to the associated press, some of the --

according to to the news channel there, in istanbul, turkey, the assailant entered the reina nightclub there in this -- what is a very lively area for nightclubs and other bars an such was dressed in a santa claus outfit. this according to, again, to the associated press reporting what they are showing on local tv unconfirmed by nbc news. i want to bring in malcolm nance. msnbc contributor and terror analyst. 35 years in intelligence here. malcolm, you and i -- if we can, look at where we're at in the arc of the story now about three and a half, four hours into it. what is the one point you're watching. nothing or very little is happening, but again, this view

is about two miles out. >> well, right now in terms of the arc of this story, i think we're certainly coming to an end. for the most part, if that attacker hasn't been killed by turkish s.w.a.t. in the initial minutes of that attack, we may have a hostage barricade. and as we know with most of these situations we have seen this last year and a half, they end up being what we call al suicide hostage barricade, you have no intention of coming out. most note worthy, you know, we talked about this earlier in the unconfirmed video. gunman came in with a large bag. it looks like a very large assault kit. we don't know whether that was an explosive device, whether he was just coming in there and shoot everybody and then intends to explode that device, or if he is down right now, then what we're seeing in the video is, you know, law enforcement and ambulances standing off, allowing the forensic work and

the explosive ordinance disposal work to take place on the site before ambulances are brought down. >> you know one of the points that we were discussing earlier, and the detail will come out, is this question, malcolm. in the reina nightclub restaurant, two story structure, very large, traditional of, you know, these big dj that is come in internationally, people coming to party. just a sea of individuals, is that in the situation -- and maybe one might equate it to this based on what we were being told earlier about the structure of this building, of this nightclub, is a lot like loading up a superjumbo jet. people move in slowly and in an organized fashion. but if you had to get everybody out quickly, that's the problem. and in this case, in what can hold effectively double that amount of what a super jumbo might be, trying to get everybody out in a minute's notice, based on an attacker can

mean that -- as they go through this right now, trying to clear the building, they don't know who's on top of each other, potentially. remember those storylines coming out of bataclan and out of pulse, very ma cob, but that is what they have to go through right now, potentially. >> you're absolutely right. there are going to be piles of bodies. where they have fallen. you know, i've actually seen terrorist planning documents where the stampede effect was intended to be a victim-maker. you know, where they crowded people and they knew they were going to run to doors and they allowed them to get there, and then when they got jammed in there, then they were going to blow up their bombs or shoot their individuals. terrorists -- you know it's sbe entirely up to the terrorist cell. however the most note worthy thing we should veb we do not build our societies on the basis of defense or evacuation against terrorism. and this is what they rely on. they rely on soft targets.

they rely on the bataclan, they rely on, you know, the orlandos. for whatever their nefarious purposes are. but, in this circumstance, the political message has yet to be delivered. they've actually carried out the act of terror. they have instilled terror throughout the globe. they have cities all over the world now ramping up their security like we are in the united states. and to be on guard for that, but they have our eyes. so tomorrow, we will find out whoever claims this or the identity of the gunman, the political message that is, you know, this mass murder is intended to motivate. >> in the minute we've got before we have go to break here, malcolm. how do we discuss thousand might incite other attackers globally or not because they've heard about this? okay. i've seen this happen, i will now go do this. that's the concern we've seen, at least the question asked in new york city. >> you know, and i train a lot

of law enforcement every year on this very subject. and we have a very, you know, macabre to use your statement, and unfortunately in the united states, we often say in law enforcement, the second attack is always in america. we end to have copy cat attacks. not religiously based, but, you know, people who see a spectacular attack and they carry it out on a microkas m scale. the second airplane to be flown in 9/11, was it mentally -- in florida, and then another one in texas. so, these are the sort of things -- these attacks, the spectacle of terrorism harnesses the imagination of terrorist want to bes and the destabilization of people who have mental defects. and we could, potentially see a small scale, you know, version of this or it could incite a

person in a day, week, a month, a year to carry out a large scale version. >> malcolm, thank you for that. stand by if you can. we're going to take a short break. we'll go straight to new york city's time square speaking of which right after this couple of messages.

we continue to follow breaking news coming out of istanbul, turkey, and what that might mean for revelers in new york city and around the united states. this has the concern is a terror attack in istanbul, turk yeturk might incite an attacker. i will now do the same. that is the question, the concern, although what's been said so far by the new york police department, no new specific credible threats at this time. jonathan deeds from wnbc reporting that. also jonathan hearing from the new york police department that they are monitoring the events in turkey carefully. that they have and are redeploying some counterterror teams and patrol units to nightclubs across new york in added, visible signs of

security. they want to show that they are moving and that they are showing a sense of security to all of those thousands of individuals that you can see in this picture that go on and on and on as you go up further and further uptown and downtown from new york's times square where the ball will drop. we're so close. in about an half nour. new york's governor also, andrew cuomo putting out a statement within the last hour and a half, and we'll put that up for you. he, coming out and saying this, quote, as we -- in part, as we continue to learn the facts, i have directed all new york law enforcement to remain vigilant as new year's eve celebrations take place throughout the state. additionally, the new york state police at the new york state emergency operations center, the new york state intelligence center, and the division of homeland security services are actively monitoring the developments of the situation for any potential threats and remain in constant communication

with their local and federal partners. straight to that picture that you were seeing earlier. live here, new york times square. we are on the ground and has been speaking with individuals to get their reaction about what has happened in istanbul, turkey, and what concerns, if any, they have, and how they're talking about. sarah, what are you hearing? >> reporter: well richard, it is extremely loud here. so it's hard to hear much, but honestly, i heard what you were talking about as far as the governor of new york moving through the state in regards to istanbul and how they are keeping an eye on that situation. and they've taken extensive efforts here in time's square to make sure that the two million people estimated to be in this area are feeling safe and secure. and so far, people we've spoke to say that that is the case. they feel safe. they're very happy and excited to be here in times square, but let's talk about the effort that they're taking. these officers are putting in to make sure that people feel that way. we talk about those 65 dump trucks that are filled with 15

tons of sand. lining times square to prevent a possible terror attack. like those ones we've recently seen in france and in germany. that's just some of the things that officers are doing. they also have officers in the crowds. they're in the crowds, they're on rooftops, we've seen officers with k-9 dogs as well. and they're doing random sweeps of different places to try to make sure they're keeping their eyes out. telling people if you see something, stay say something. garages, theaters, cars, they've alerted the rental car companies to try to tell them if you see anything suspicious, let us know. they've welded down these manholes just in case if there is some possible attack, nothing will happen to those manholes where they would blow up from the ground. and possibly injure anyone, things that we have seen in the past. these are all things that local authorities are doing to try make sure people here feel secure. i think it is working, richard. >> sarah, thank you so much.

and it's good to hear that people are aware of it and continue to celebrate that, if any message, is probably what wants to come through from government officials despite what's happening in istanbul, turkey. we have had word within recent hours that president obama has been briefed on this situation. as well as statements made by the u.s. embassy for those who are still in the area in turk, to u.s. is citizens to and u.s. embassy saying this. reports of gunfire near the reina nightclub in istanbul. multiple casualties have been reported. and they ask that u.s. citizens should avoid the area as well as contact their loved ones. their family members in the united states. and that was also mentioning that president obama has been briefed on it to eric schulz from the white house had put out a statement earlier, saying that

the president continues to monitor what is happening in istanbul, turkey, and is aware of what is happening there in that country. also, the national security council ned price releasing a statement too. also condemning the attacks that have happened in istanbul, turkey, using very clear and distinct language. and i'll go back to eric schulz and what he put out earlier, quote, this afternoon the president was briefed business i had national security team on the attack in istanbul. the president expressed condolences for the innocent lives lost. directed his team to offer a appropriate assistance to the turkish authorities as necessary and keep them updated as warranted, end quote. so both local, state, and federal institutions are watching very carefully. what is happening in istanbul, turk turkey. it's now 6:29, it seems as we

were talking about earlier that we're at the end of the arc, we just don't know where they're at in this investigation. and in this instant on the ground. we'll discuss more of that right after a short break.

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live breaking news here at msnbc in new york city as we cover what is happening in istanbul, turkey. if you're just joining us at the bottom of the hour. i want to get you updated in terms what have we know right now. despite a media blackout there in istanbul, turkey, because of what they're saying is concern of ongoing operations happening on the ground at 6:33 a.m., we understand, at least 35 are confirmed dead in a nightclub attack. the reina nightclub in istanbul, turk turkey, also 40 wounded. of the wounded, ten are in critical condition. one of those killed of the 35 was a law enforcement officer. that is what we know at the moment. what is unknown is who is

responsible. our producer on the ground there in istanbul, turkey, speaking with security there at the nightclub, saying that -- what they understand is one individual, at least, is still in the reina nightclub restaurant. that was the news that we had about three, four hours ago. we have not gotten an update since, potentially because of this media blackout that was substituted. and they were very clear to put out the advisory that we may not be getting that news crews were going to be pushed back. there was a two-mile cordon at the moment. and again, we do not know who is responsible. we perhaps will get some information. the difference you're seeing here on the left-hand side, these are live pictures. and we're seeing more vehicles leaving. this particular camera is most likely of the two-plus mile radius cordon. more vehicles have leave than

enter. this could be the nightclub itself, potentially we don't know because again of this video that's coming in through either state-run tvturkey. i want to bring in jim cavanaugh. i was talking about the weather earlier. you can see the video from earlier on the right-hand side, live pictures on the left-hand side. the rain could have certainly reduced the numbers that were inside the nightclub because we were hearing earlier it could hold up to 1,000. and then the reports that have come in again not confirmed by nbc as of yet about 5, 600 people inside. and in a situation where the alleged attacker wanted to take out as many individuals as possible in a crowded -- in a crowded situation where individuals may be trampling upon others which we've seen in other attacks within the last

year, there were less people out tonight there in istanbul, turkey, in what is a very hot spot. a popular place to be and certainly on a new year's eve as they rang in january 1, 2017. that that was if you will a small silver lining, jim. >> well, that's right, richard. if there's less people, you can obviously, obviously maybe have more of a chance to escape. packed in a crowd inside of 1,000 people. you may not have as much chance to get through the crowds and move. as we saw in attacks like in the pulse nightclub, bataclan, very crowded, but when the shooting starts, people run to bathrooms, joining rooms, windows, climb out. hang, drop out the windows. like reports that you had earlier of them jumping into there. people flee. less people maybe there's a chance for -- to get away, but there's still a real chance that

people are still alive, trapped in there with the gunman and s.w.a.t. so that is what we don't have the answer to. if the gunman is in there, one or more, and they communicate with the turkish police through the negotiators, they will tell them, the shooters will tell the police who they are. they will tell them the reasons they're there as well. i mean, they will be blurting it out. it's like the bataclan, quick to tell you who they are, why they're there, what their grievances are, and that's going to happen. so the police can get that from them -- it'll be pouring out of the people, the shooters if they can get them in a dialogue. >> right. >> and you know, churchill says the fanatic is the guy who won't change -- won't stop talking, won't change the subject. you know, you can't keep it inside because they're such fanatics, extremists, terrorists, the police will get a better picture of who the

person or persons are, and then maybe be able to deal with them. terrorists are extremely difficult to negotiate with. extremely difficult. very little chance because they're suicidal often and homicidal and such fanatics, but there's always a chance. because they are human as well. so, never either negotiators would never give up and say we can't negotiate with a terrorist. you always try. and even if you can just buy some time, you know, the moscow theater, so many were killed, there were some negotiation, the bataclan, there was some negotiation. so you never give up. you always try, but it's a really uphill battle that's fanatical, suicidal, homicidal terrorists. remember richard, we've been watching kind of the slow feed and you pointed it out the difference, but, if there's no shooting and nobody is dying, and there's just talking going on, that's a good thing just on

it's face. so, talking, nobody dying, kind of moving along and s.w.a.t. can reposition to see if they can make a tactical maneuver to stop the shooter and of course you've been talking about all evening, does not want the camera to show the movement of their emergency assault or their deliberate assault or their position of their long rifle teams. the position of their armored vehicles. they don't want to show where they might be breaching the place to get in. the shooter can watch that on their smart phones, or the smart phone of any victim in there, it can defeat the police. one reason to kind of keep a lid on that is for that tactical maneuver. that said, i think the turkish government has, you know, a very different, hard line approach to journalists, so what we may be seeing is a mixture of that, you know, oppressive hardline

result, the treatment of journalists, and some appropriate restraint when any s.w.a.t. team is operating. i think we're seeing a combination of such. >> one of -- if you can say this, one of the changes or benefits post-9/11 is the globe alty that the law enforcement agencies now work. when i was reporting out of asia, it was common for me to bump into a representative. the nypd counterterrorism force. that was based in different countries around the world. they had as part of their infrastructure large fact-find ing groups that were, that were then these individuals from those groups, based in key countries around the world. and so when we look at turkey specifically here, how, how do their practices, based on that

sort of -- that interconnectiveness that i'm describing here. how do they processes, their practices, differ or how are they similar to that which we are used to seeing in the united states? >> well, some countries use a very much more militarized approach to dealing with terrorists like on the scale. so they would use the army, special forces, special operations units, not the police. other countries, like the united states or the uk use the police. and then, some countries have a combination of police and military special operations forces. so, there's a lot of cross training between all special operations forces and s.w.a.t. teams worldwide. because the discipline is very much the same when you're going after armed people holding a location, some of the tactics, some of the approaches, some of

the use of long rifles. how to gather intelligence, intercept communications. a lot of those are very similar. so the police have to know those things. in the united states, we used our domestic law enforcement and our local city, county, state, and federal s.w.a.t. and special response teams. and they do a great job doing that. we always have, you know, military can be backed up, but the best in the u.s. we don't use the military for those operations. commanders around the world, all the s.w.a.t. commanders in the united states, they're watching this, they're already gaming this. they are already paying attention as they do every single time. >> yeah. >> they're talking with their leaders. they're saying, okay, you know, let's watch the movement. let's hear the intelligence, let's change something. you know, we talked earlier, richard, about how important it is for the on-scene commander to be able to stop and intercept

communications at the venue. and you know, it's probably a lot of s.w.a.t. teams that are lacking some of that equipment domestically. they need that equipment. they need to be able to deploy it instantly because that's how they can lock the shooter or shooters down. and rescue the injured. and if they have to wait hours to get it there. slowly being deployed or spun up, it hurts. and a lot of times, that's fun, the money. so s.w.a.t. team, not only operate with guns and armored vehicles which is very visible, but they have to operate with intelligence unit, negotiators, and technical people that are very invisible to us as we watch these things unfold. and those things are critical to have the technical equipment, negotiator equipment, and those disciplines working in concert. all of that stuff has to be practiced and funded and news and s.w.a.t. commanders know it.

i know many of them over the years, a lot of times they try to get stuff, they can't get it, they can't get the money or the city council to explain to them, you need it. and i'm not necessarily talking about an armored vehicle, but other equipment that may be need to do. technical. so hopefully, turkey has got their game on it, istanbul is a major city in the world. and they'd be able to do that stuff and move in there. they can't just be based, you know, move a platoon in there and just start, you know, long rifles and disengage the guy. there's more to it of that when there is a balance. it has to be a maneuver. it's all about using were head. it's all about deploying the officers and the correct spot. it's all about trying to communicate. it's all about the communication. reading the intelligence and as soon as you exploit it, you get it out as quick as you can around turkey, europe, worldwide. who is this guy or guys?

who are they connected to? what are their reasons? all that it needs to be, you know, just flashed out as quick as we can. among intelligence and law enforcement. and at some point, maybe even value to believe get it to the public depending on what you find out. >> yeah, very different. many differences in process, not only in the information as we've describing that's allowed to the media in this case, but also as you're saying military versus law enforcement, we saw what looked like an m-raft like vehicle earlier on scene. something you may not -- which are anti-ied if you will armored vehicles. something you may not see in the west at an orlando situation. you may or may not, but some very important distinctions to be made here as we watch very carefully because the big questions that are outstanding is where is the suspect? still inside, is a suspect alive or dead? is the suspect or suspects -- are we looking at one or two or

more? and those really are the questions and again, those who are dead and wounded, the numbers certainly will change because we have not seen an ebb or flow on that for the last three or four hours. all of that still happening in this live picture on your left-hand side. and we're waiting to see what may happen. we'll discuss more of that right after a quick two or three minute break.

marie starts her chicken pot pie with a crust made from scratch and mixes crisp vegetables with all white meat chicken, and bakes it to perfection. because making the perfect dinner isn't easy as pie but finding someone to enjoy it with sure is. marie callender's. it's time to savor. we're following breaking news out of istanbul, turkey. and what is happening at this hour. 6:49 a.m. and you're looking at live pictures on the left-hand side, on the right-hand side, you can see some of the rush and some might call pandemonium, what was about 1:15 a.m., 2:17, on

january 1st lower right-hand side, as ambulances and law enforcement were gathering in an area in istanbul, turkey, close to what is called the reina nightclub and restaurant. very popular, upscale, the it place to be if you will there in istanbul, turkey. new year's eve celebration that turned into a horror. an attack were 35 were killed. i want to go to nbc's matt bradley. and as we've been talking about this, matt, there are so many different layers to this story coming out of turkey. out of istanbul, not only of course what you were describing earlier in syria, but also what is happening in the north and also the significance of what turkey is itself and the leadership. >> that's right, richard, you're closing in there on the east coast to your new year's celebration at midnight. i want you to think if you will, just getting away from the facts and the politics for a moment,

you know, so many people i've been seeing. so many of my friends are posting on social media and talking about, you know, what they thought of this past year, evaluating it, well imagine yourself as a turk. you know, turkey has seen 180 people killed in terrorist attacks, just in 2016. and this is the fourth major attack to strike turkey in just the last month. so if you can imagine that, you probably -- if you were going out to a nightclub like this or some celebration in turkey or one of the major kos me poll tan cities, probably eager to see the back of 2016 and ready to ring in the new year. that maybe would be more optimistic. just to see in the breaking early moments of 2017 to see these images that we're showing you now, richard. would just be so disheartening. as i mentioned before, you know, 2017 doesn't necessarily look like it's going to be an all that much of a better year for turkey. and it's very unfortunate, so many turks i have had such a

tough year, there was a massive coup just over the summer that president erdogan suppressed and cracked down on it causing even more political instability. and some human rights violations that a lot of human rights groups have noted. and, you know, the swirling politics, not just in the region, which i mentioned quite a bit earlier, richard, it's just the politics within turkey. have made this just such a difficult and retractable situation. and events like this really don't go any further to healing a lot of these open, gaping wounds that are really afflicting this country that sits right on the cross roads between europe and asia and some of the worst problems that are afflicting both. it's at the fulcrum of the region crisis that has royaled europe. when you think about the refugee crisis and the concern that's been raised in europe, especially in germany over the past couple of months, in turkey, it's multiple times that number, especially as the population.

the refugee population there and a lot of people there are going to be turning a harsh finger and a harsh glare on some of the refugees still living in turkey trying to take shelter from the raging civil war that's been going on for almost six years now. in neighboring syria. so again, as far as curtain raisers for 2017 go, this attack in less than, you know, about an hour into 2017 in turkey, just doesn't look good for a country that had already been staring at some ominous political future. richard. >> and important partner to the united states, not only because of our military forces on bases there, but also at nato alliance partner since the 1950s. and this is an important relationship for the united states and as the president has stated in his statement coming out of the white house about the president himself for one of his spokes people saying that it's an important relationship there watching carefully for the president of the united states,

president obama sends out his condolences to those families and friends and individuals related to this attack. nbc's matt bradley cannot thank you enough for all of your reporting throughout the coverage coming out of istanbul, turkey. thaurng my friend. i want to bring over jim cavanaugh. msnbc contributor and former atf agent. we're closing up the evening here. and if we were to move what is happening here whereby because we're about to see sunrise. the first of 2017 in istanbul, turkey. in about an hour and a half, but what is yet to happen in the united states and what counterathleticism officials are watching in new york city, in new york state, the governor, governor cuomo putting out statements as well as speaking earlier about this. and how they are ready and as you describe and reacting as a result of the attack. what is your sense of what is happening? not only as the ball drops here

in about an hour but all of the counterterrorism and law enforcement forces across the country might be doing right now? >> well, they know, richard, they know that the terrorists have inspired actors for example an event like this goes for a crowd. and, you know, if the crowd is at a new year's event, it's a hard target. then they go for another crowd. and therefore we have the attacks on the nightclub in istanbul, who also had, you know, over the years events but probably a lot of police presence, which they did, they ramped up their police presence in istanbul for the celebration. and they were public about that. so the terrorist go to a venue that is likely guarded, maybe one policeman at the door. so law enforcement were wise looking at that. that's why nypd is nimble. that's why they sent their officers some special squads out to venues that might have a crowd. because that's why where they'll

get their, you know, body count, that's why where they get the theater they want. and they're looking for the crowd. and, so, worldwide, police are also trying to get ahead of that. and get in front of that. and they're looking clearly to tell them what they have and what they found. that's just one piece of it. because somebody could be inspired that's not even from the same group or motivation as the guy in turkey. some other person for some other reason could just see this and want to do something. so, maybe we can get through the new year's with only this horrific attack. it's an awful as it is worldwide, that would be at least something, i mean, it's horrible for the turkish people. a the love families in agony tonight losing loved ones. many people still probably don't know if their loved ones were hurt and injured there. there's no communication, their cell phones, they're not

answering. it's just agony, agony, agony, as these thing goes on for the people involve. law enforcement has got a duty to get in there, resolve it as quickly and safely as they can. get the intelligence exploited, stop anything else, share that worldwide. and police need to take the cue from nypd, be nimble, sit back, try to get ahead if you're behind the terrorists been you're behind your deaths. you've got to always be, you know, thinking ahead of them, moving ahead of them. and then trying to stop them any time throughout. there are intelligence. they did not fail here. i mean, some intelligence came that this venue was under threat. >> they knew about it. right, right. >> somebody come from u.s. intelligence sources. so the failure's not intelligence, if you have that kind of information, you have to act to secure it. and you have to have, you know, a perimeter out there, another perimeter. >> jim, we'll have --

>> people stopping him and maybe stop it next time. >> jim, i can't thank you enough along with all of our other analysts and reporters that have helped in this reporting. we'll continue have more updates throughout the next hour and evening on what's happening in istanbul, turkey. thanks for being with us.

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