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CNN Live At Daybreak

Two Americans Ambushed in Kuwait Worked for Defense Department

Aired January 21, 2003 - 07:04   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.


PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to get back to our top story now, the attack in Kuwait. An American embassy source in Kuwait says the two men who were ambushed were civilians working for the Department of Defense.
Let's go live to Martin Savidge in Kuwait City for more details.

Good morning -- Martin.

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Paula.

It was a very gruesome, a very violent scene that we came across this morning north of Kuwait City on an intersection not that far away from Camp Doha. Camp Doha, of course, being the primary U.S. military base here in all of Kuwait.

This is what we know went down from talking to authorities and seeing the scene out there. The two Americans driving in an SUV, leaving Camp Doha, driving down this roadway, a pretty good highway, and they come to a four-way intersection with a traffic light. And it was there, apparently police think they were stopped at that traffic light that they came under attack.

An ambush is how it's being described by authorities here. They believe the gunman or gunmen were lying in wait at the side of the road, shielded by the cover of trees and brush that was there. Maybe not waiting specifically for these two men, but waiting for Westerners to come by, and apparently that opportunity rose right in front of them.

Police say judging by the evidence they saw on-site that the gunman may have been even so bold as to come out of hiding after firing and standing there almost point-blank range continuing to fire.

One American killed, the passenger, he was killed instantly. And then there is one wounded, and he is currently undergoing surgery right here in Kuwait -- Paula.

ZAHN: Earlier today, Ambassador Richard Jones suggested that this was a terrorist act. Has he provided reporters with anymore information on which terrorist group might be associated, or what linkage at all might be at work here?

SAVIDGE: It hasn't gone out to the media. He may have spoken to the Kuwaiti government. I'm sure they've been in close contact here. And we've been told that some members of the U.S. military are helping the Kuwaitis in this investigation.

Keep in mind, going on right now is a massive manhunt, No. 1, trying to find the gunman or gunmen. And also trying to figure out who exactly carried out this attack. By last word, there had been no official claim of responsibility.

There are concerns, of course, even the Kuwaiti government tells me this, that there could be pockets of al Qaeda operating here in Kuwait, and certainly there are sympathizers -- Paula.

ZAHN: Martin Savidge, thanks for the update -- appreciate it.

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Aired January 21, 2003 - 07:04   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to get back to our top story now, the attack in Kuwait. An American embassy source in Kuwait says the two men who were ambushed were civilians working for the Department of Defense.
Let's go live to Martin Savidge in Kuwait City for more details.

Good morning -- Martin.

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Paula.

It was a very gruesome, a very violent scene that we came across this morning north of Kuwait City on an intersection not that far away from Camp Doha. Camp Doha, of course, being the primary U.S. military base here in all of Kuwait.

This is what we know went down from talking to authorities and seeing the scene out there. The two Americans driving in an SUV, leaving Camp Doha, driving down this roadway, a pretty good highway, and they come to a four-way intersection with a traffic light. And it was there, apparently police think they were stopped at that traffic light that they came under attack.

An ambush is how it's being described by authorities here. They believe the gunman or gunmen were lying in wait at the side of the road, shielded by the cover of trees and brush that was there. Maybe not waiting specifically for these two men, but waiting for Westerners to come by, and apparently that opportunity rose right in front of them.

Police say judging by the evidence they saw on-site that the gunman may have been even so bold as to come out of hiding after firing and standing there almost point-blank range continuing to fire.

One American killed, the passenger, he was killed instantly. And then there is one wounded, and he is currently undergoing surgery right here in Kuwait -- Paula.

ZAHN: Earlier today, Ambassador Richard Jones suggested that this was a terrorist act. Has he provided reporters with anymore information on which terrorist group might be associated, or what linkage at all might be at work here?

SAVIDGE: It hasn't gone out to the media. He may have spoken to the Kuwaiti government. I'm sure they've been in close contact here. And we've been told that some members of the U.S. military are helping the Kuwaitis in this investigation.

Keep in mind, going on right now is a massive manhunt, No. 1, trying to find the gunman or gunmen. And also trying to figure out who exactly carried out this attack. By last word, there had been no official claim of responsibility.

There are concerns, of course, even the Kuwaiti government tells me this, that there could be pockets of al Qaeda operating here in Kuwait, and certainly there are sympathizers -- Paula.

ZAHN: Martin Savidge, thanks for the update -- appreciate it.

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




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