$error = '2014-06-04T15:24:21-05:00 syslog_dp [0x80e00099][ftp][error] secure-backup(FBB): trans(5487)';

$time = (split /\s/, $error)[0];
print $time, "\n";

# or you could do this:
($time) = $error =~ /^(\S+)/;
print $time, "\n";