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CNN Live At Daybreak

Americans Killed In Church Attack To Be Flown Home From Pakistan

Aired March 18, 2002 - 05:06   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: A State Department official is in Pakistan to bring back the bodies of two Americans killed in a church attack.

Islamabad Bureau Chief Ash-Har Quraishi joins us live with more -- Ash-Har, good morning.

ASH-HAR QURAISHI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

Well, what we're hearing right now from the officials at the U.S. Embassy is that they're preparing the bodies of Barbara Green and her daughter Kirsten, both the, their diplomat -- I'm sorry, the husband of Barbara, a diplomat at the U.S. Embassy here, was also injured in that attack.

Now, the bodies are being prepared to be flown back to the United States. No word on when that might be happening.

Now, as far as the investigation goes, very few details emerging at this point, still conflicting reports as to how many attackers entered this church yesterday and lobbed these grenades at worshippers at the Protestant International Church.

Now, we spoke with witnesses and those that were injured in the attacking, telling us that chaos and confusion was basically what was happening there, that initially they weren't sure whether or not there was an attack, that there were smaller firecracker like sounds before the larger explosion.

We also understand from the government that Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has formed a committee to investigate the attack as well as monitor any lapses by security agencies that may be here in Pakistan guarding diplomats or churches. Security ha been stepped up at diplomatic missions and churches.

As far as the investigation is concerned, the interior ministry tells us that so far no group has claimed responsibility for the attack and that there have been no arrests but they do stress that the investigation is ongoing. Also, we've heard from political leaders and religious parties, religious leaders here in Pakistan, widespread condemnation of what has occurred here in Pakistan -- Carol.

COSTELLO: But there is a sense, Ash-Har, that this was against Americans.

QURAISHI: There is that sense. Some people are saying that, although many of the witnesses we spoke to say that they're not sure. I spoke to some Americans who were injured in the attack, some people who were witnesses, some people that were in the church. They say that, you know, some of them who have lived here for years feel that they're still safe here in Pakistan, feel that this may or may not have been attacks aimed at Americans or maybe just, maybe, they say, against Christians in general.

So far, though, just speculation at this point, although there has been a lot of strong sentiment against Americans since President Musharraf had joined the U.S.-led coalition on the war on terrorism and as well as his crackdown recently on militantism. So far, though, no concrete evidence pointing to who may be behind this terror attacks here in Islamabad -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right, thank you very much for joining us live this morning.

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