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CNN Live Today

Grenade Attack Kills, Wounds Several, Including Americans

Aired March 18, 2002 - 12:06   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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Now want to push on to the attack in Pakistan that killed two Americans there. Ten other Americans, among dozens of people wounded when at least one man entered a Protestant church and started throwing grenades.

As we reported, the State Department has issued a warning this morning saying additional attacks against Americans could be imminent. Ash-har Quraishi, more now from Islamabad.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ASH-HAR QURAISHI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): 6-month-old Johann (ph) is lucky to be alive. He was in his mother's lap at the front of the church when the attackers entered.

GABRIELA (ph), ATTACK SURVIVOR: I heard what sounded like a firecracker, you know, it is like, who would throw a firecracker? And then I -- I turned a little bit, my head, and I just saw how people were kind of ducking down, and there was like shock in the voices of the people, not loud screams, I didn't hear that, but like I realized -- man, there is something serious going on.

QURAISHI: Moments later, the first explosion.

JOHN BARSTAD, ATTACK SURVIVOR: Right after I heard the first one, I put them (ph) on the floor, and went on top of them. And then, there was another explosion.

QURAISHI: The bones in Gabriela's arm shattered when a grenade exploded near her. She believes her arm is the reason Johann escaped with only minor scratches. John, who is originally from California, says that despite what happened, his feelings about living in Pakistan have not changed.

BARSTAD: There is quite a lot of anti-American or anti-foreign -- what should I say -- responses, but that's not by the majority. That's only a minority here, and we have so many neighbors and friends that are out to protect us.

QURAISHI: While most of the children were in other rooms, some, like 3-year-old Ian (ph), saw the attacks as they took place. His mother was injured just before his eyes. His father now tries to comfort him. On our way to the hospital, he was saying, They did it on purpose, Daddy, they did it on purpose. I mean, he had some awareness of what had happened and was quite -- just couldn't believe that anyone would do that.

QURAISHI (on camera): The fact that this attack occurred in what is considered to be one of the safest areas in Pakistan has many worried here. President Pervez Musharraf has ordered tightened security around diplomatic missions and churches around the country.

Ash-har Quraishi, CNN, Islamabad, Pakistan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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