Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

No One Has Claimed Responsibility For Suicide Bombing in Pakistan

Aired June 14, 2002 - 10:03   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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Up first this hour here on CNN the targeting of the U.S. consulate in Karachi, Pakistan. No one has claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing, but suspicion is quickly falling on Al Qaeda.

For the latest let's go to Karachi where our Chris Burns joins us by phone.

Chris, hello.

CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Daryn.

Piles of broken glass, shattered windows all around the U.S. consulate here as we go around the consulate. A very, very spooky atmosphere here where lots of police, Pakistani police have cordoned off the ring around the U.S. consulate. There are trucks blocking the way. You can't even drive up close to the consulate.

This, of course, in the wake of that suicide bombing where the vehicle was crashed into a guard post just outside the consulate. The bomb went off killing eight to 11 people, according to authorities. Forty-five people injured, among them the only six people who inside the consulate, five locals and one U.S. Marine guard, all of them slightly injured, but injured nonetheless.

The bomb destroyed the boundary wall outside the consulate, shattered windows, destroyed several cars. Suspicion is quickly falling on Islamic militants. Pervez Musharraf, the Pakistani president, has been cracking down on for the last few months militants, some militants of whom have been launching other terror attacks.

Last month here in Karachi a car bomb destroyed a bus that killed 11 French workers and three Pakistanis. A couple of months before that was a grenade attack in a church in Islamabad killing five people including two Americans. Of course don't forget U.S. journalist Daniel Pearl who was killed here, kidnapped and killed here in Karachi early this year, Daryn.

KAGAN: And so Chris, no one is taking responsibility just yet. But what is it about this blast that is having some suspect al Qaeda?

BURNS: Well, in any case suicide bombing is immediately alerts officials here to believe that it could be Muslim militants. At the same time there is a crack down on al Qaeda. Just two days ago five people here in Karachi were arrested in the case related to Jose Padilla, the accused dirty bomb plotter. So there is a crackdown going on here. There are roundups going on and perhaps that could be linked, and I must say perhaps, could be linked to the bombing today -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Chris Burns on the scene in Karachi, Pakistan. Thank you so much.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com