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U.N. Denying Angry Claims Inspectors Barged into Mosque
Aired January 23, 2003 - 10:05 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: Up first, this developing story: The United Nations is denying angry claims that inspectors barged into a mosque and violated its religious sanctity.
Let's go now to Iraq's capital. CNN's Nic Robertson is there in Baghdad and joins us now with the very latest.
Good morning, Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Heidi.
That's right, the U.N. inspection mission here saying they had no official inspection trip to that mosque. This is the main government- funded -- the biggest government-funded mosque, a very new mosque in Baghdad.
What they say happened was their inspectors not going out on an official mission, just on a private visit, went to look at this mosque because it was big, it was new. They were invited in, they say, into the mosque to look around. They took photographs.
Now, according to the imam, the religious leader at that mosque, this was -- the questions these inspectors asked when they went in weren't about weapons of mass destruction, and he called the act very provocative. But the United Nations here say, no, this was just a private trip just to go in and look around the mosque.
Now, we're also seeing on the streets more daily demonstrations, an indication perhaps that Iraq's government is preparing the people here for the potential of war. These demonstrations in support of President Saddam Hussein, against President Bush. The demonstrations on the streets in the morning are being replayed on the television here in the evening.
And perhaps another indication of the mood here, Iraq's newspaper by president Saddam Hussein's son, Uday Saddam Hussein, in the paper saying the bloodshed on September the 11th would be a picnic compared to the bloodshed if the United States chose to invade Iraq, that an indication of the mood here -- Heidi.
COLLINS: All right, CNN's Nic Robertson reporting from Baghdad today. Thank you.
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 January 23, 2003 - 10:05 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Up first, this developing story: The United Nations is denying angry claims that inspectors barged into a mosque and violated its religious sanctity.
Let's go now to Iraq's capital. CNN's Nic Robertson is there in Baghdad and joins us now with the very latest.
Good morning, Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Heidi.
That's right, the U.N. inspection mission here saying they had no official inspection trip to that mosque. This is the main government- funded -- the biggest government-funded mosque, a very new mosque in Baghdad.
What they say happened was their inspectors not going out on an official mission, just on a private visit, went to look at this mosque because it was big, it was new. They were invited in, they say, into the mosque to look around. They took photographs.
Now, according to the imam, the religious leader at that mosque, this was -- the questions these inspectors asked when they went in weren't about weapons of mass destruction, and he called the act very provocative. But the United Nations here say, no, this was just a private trip just to go in and look around the mosque.
Now, we're also seeing on the streets more daily demonstrations, an indication perhaps that Iraq's government is preparing the people here for the potential of war. These demonstrations in support of President Saddam Hussein, against President Bush. The demonstrations on the streets in the morning are being replayed on the television here in the evening.
And perhaps another indication of the mood here, Iraq's newspaper by president Saddam Hussein's son, Uday Saddam Hussein, in the paper saying the bloodshed on September the 11th would be a picnic compared to the bloodshed if the United States chose to invade Iraq, that an indication of the mood here -- Heidi.
COLLINS: All right, CNN's Nic Robertson reporting from Baghdad today. Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
