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CNN Live Today

Bombings in Morocco

Aired May 19, 2003 - 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: The death toll from that terrorist attack in Morocco has now risen to 42, including 13 suicide bombers. Police are also saying that another would-be bomber is now in custody and is being questioned.
Our Jim Bittermann joins us live from Casablanca with the very latest.

Hello, Jim.

JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Leon.

In fact, I'm outside the Casa De Spana (ph) here. This is a spot where most of those people died on Friday night. A suicide bomber barged past security guard at the front door, slashed his throat. And another suicide bomber joined him on the inside. There's an open courtyard in the inside, and they set off their bombs with a crowd of diners who were in the middle of dinner Friday night, killing most of those people who died in the attack, including one victim who just died last night. He was severely injured, and just died of his injuries last night.

Now this place has been sealed up all weekend long. French and American investigators, forensic teams, have gone through here over the weekend. There are still some investigations going on as they look for clues. The overall investigation, though, seems to be proceeding at somewhat of a rapid pace.

The Moroccan government has rounded up dozens and dozens of people. They released a lot of those, but they are holding a number of people, five or six depending on the reports that you read.

We're expecting to get a fuller report on exactly where the investigation stands just a short time from now, because the interior minister, Mustava Sahel (ph), has promised to give us a news conference and sort of update us on how things are going.

So far, though, they believe that there were 14 suicide bombers who were involved in the attack on Friday night. Eight of the 14 have been positively identified. They believe all 14 were Moroccans, although they say some people may have been Moroccans living outside the country, including some who may have gone for training outside of the country, before coming back for the attacks on Friday night -- Leon.

HARRIS: Thank you, Jim. Jim Bittermann in Casablanca, Morocco.

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Aired May 19, 2003 - 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: The death toll from that terrorist attack in Morocco has now risen to 42, including 13 suicide bombers. Police are also saying that another would-be bomber is now in custody and is being questioned.
Our Jim Bittermann joins us live from Casablanca with the very latest.

Hello, Jim.

JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Leon.

In fact, I'm outside the Casa De Spana (ph) here. This is a spot where most of those people died on Friday night. A suicide bomber barged past security guard at the front door, slashed his throat. And another suicide bomber joined him on the inside. There's an open courtyard in the inside, and they set off their bombs with a crowd of diners who were in the middle of dinner Friday night, killing most of those people who died in the attack, including one victim who just died last night. He was severely injured, and just died of his injuries last night.

Now this place has been sealed up all weekend long. French and American investigators, forensic teams, have gone through here over the weekend. There are still some investigations going on as they look for clues. The overall investigation, though, seems to be proceeding at somewhat of a rapid pace.

The Moroccan government has rounded up dozens and dozens of people. They released a lot of those, but they are holding a number of people, five or six depending on the reports that you read.

We're expecting to get a fuller report on exactly where the investigation stands just a short time from now, because the interior minister, Mustava Sahel (ph), has promised to give us a news conference and sort of update us on how things are going.

So far, though, they believe that there were 14 suicide bombers who were involved in the attack on Friday night. Eight of the 14 have been positively identified. They believe all 14 were Moroccans, although they say some people may have been Moroccans living outside the country, including some who may have gone for training outside of the country, before coming back for the attacks on Friday night -- Leon.

HARRIS: Thank you, Jim. Jim Bittermann in Casablanca, Morocco.

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