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Allied Planes Hit Radar at Iraqi Airport

Aired September 26, 2002 - 11:08   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.


LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: In the meantime, we now have re- established that link with Jane Arraf. Let's check in with her, before we lose it again.
Jane -- are you there?

JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF: I am here, Leon.

Well, Iraq is trying to highlight what everyone has been ignoring for the past few years, that there are almost daily U.S. and British attacks in the north and south over the no-fly zones. This one, Iraq says, destroyed the radar installations at the Basra Airport. Now, that's an airport that has flights daily between Baghdad and Basra, it does. It also damaged part of the terminal.

The U.S. story, of course, is quite different. The United States says it did strike near the airport, but what it hit was a mobile radar system. Mobile, meaning that can it can, of course, be moved back and forth. The U.S. says this military installation was put in the civilian airport.

Iraq, though, is using everything it can to counter this gathering U.S. threat, including diplomatic means. President Saddam Hussein meeting today with his top advisers. He has announced that he is sending Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz to Turkey and his foreign minister, Naji Sabri, to Iran -- two countries, of course, that would play a crucial role in either supporting or repelling any U.S. strikes -- Leon.

HARRIS: Jane, I'd like to know if there has been any response or if anyone over there has even noticed the statement that was made by Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice here last night, stating that there is a link between Baghdad and al Qaeda. Any reaction there?

ARRAF: We can be quite sure that they are watching at the palace, and in other places of power here in Iraq, but there is no official reaction yet. The only reaction, of course, that really counts in Iraq comes from the presidential palace, from President Saddam Hussein, and that does take a while to filter down.

The reaction throughout, though, has been to say that this is entirely baseless; that there are no credible reports and no evidence of contacts even between al Qaeda and Iraqi officials.

They also point out that hardly any other country believes that this is going on. If it were the case, they say, we would have had proof by now, and more specific evidence of these links that have been raised. So, a complete denial of links between al Qaeda and Iraq.

Furthermore, they point out that ideologically, there is quite a big gap between President Saddam Hussein and people like Osama bin Laden. There is no love lost between the two. And diplomats believe that there really is quite a gap between what the two were aiming for and what the two believe.

But again, Iraq completely denying throughout that it does have links with al Qaeda -- Leon.

HARRIS: Jane Arraf reporting live for us in the evening hours there in Baghdad. Thank, Jane -- take care and be careful.

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






Aired September 26, 2002 - 11:08   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: In the meantime, we now have re- established that link with Jane Arraf. Let's check in with her, before we lose it again.
Jane -- are you there?

JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF: I am here, Leon.

Well, Iraq is trying to highlight what everyone has been ignoring for the past few years, that there are almost daily U.S. and British attacks in the north and south over the no-fly zones. This one, Iraq says, destroyed the radar installations at the Basra Airport. Now, that's an airport that has flights daily between Baghdad and Basra, it does. It also damaged part of the terminal.

The U.S. story, of course, is quite different. The United States says it did strike near the airport, but what it hit was a mobile radar system. Mobile, meaning that can it can, of course, be moved back and forth. The U.S. says this military installation was put in the civilian airport.

Iraq, though, is using everything it can to counter this gathering U.S. threat, including diplomatic means. President Saddam Hussein meeting today with his top advisers. He has announced that he is sending Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz to Turkey and his foreign minister, Naji Sabri, to Iran -- two countries, of course, that would play a crucial role in either supporting or repelling any U.S. strikes -- Leon.

HARRIS: Jane, I'd like to know if there has been any response or if anyone over there has even noticed the statement that was made by Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice here last night, stating that there is a link between Baghdad and al Qaeda. Any reaction there?

ARRAF: We can be quite sure that they are watching at the palace, and in other places of power here in Iraq, but there is no official reaction yet. The only reaction, of course, that really counts in Iraq comes from the presidential palace, from President Saddam Hussein, and that does take a while to filter down.

The reaction throughout, though, has been to say that this is entirely baseless; that there are no credible reports and no evidence of contacts even between al Qaeda and Iraqi officials.

They also point out that hardly any other country believes that this is going on. If it were the case, they say, we would have had proof by now, and more specific evidence of these links that have been raised. So, a complete denial of links between al Qaeda and Iraq.

Furthermore, they point out that ideologically, there is quite a big gap between President Saddam Hussein and people like Osama bin Laden. There is no love lost between the two. And diplomats believe that there really is quite a gap between what the two were aiming for and what the two believe.

But again, Iraq completely denying throughout that it does have links with al Qaeda -- Leon.

HARRIS: Jane Arraf reporting live for us in the evening hours there in Baghdad. Thank, Jane -- take care and be careful.

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