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CNN Live Today

Deadly Day in Iraq

Aired August 07, 2003 - 11:13   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.


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Well now to Iraq. A huge car bomb killed at least 10 people today at the Jordanian embassy in Baghdad.
Let's check in with CNN's Harris Whitbeck as the U.S. investigation into the blast gears up -- Harris.

HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Fredricka.

Military forensic experts were at the site of that bombing shortly after it occurred. They were sifting through the rubble, trying to find evidence to point them towards who was behind it. The explosion was quite strong. It caused the collapse of the main outer wall of that embassy, and it also destroyed several vehicles. In fact, one vehicle actually landed on the roof of the embassy.

Now, as you said, there were several people killed. Among them, at least four Iraqi policeman who were guarding the embassy when the car bomb went off. There are also several pedestrians who are walking through the area, they were hit by shrapnel. There were dozens who were injured.

Now shortly after the explosion happened, a group of young Iraqi men who were nearby stormed inside embassy. They started looting what was there. And they also started defacing some of the pictures of the Jordanian royal family. Many people here in Iraq are upset with Jordan's King Abdullah because he gave what he terms humanitarian asylum to Saddam Hussein's two daughters.

Now there also people in Iraq who feel that Jordan has gotten too close to the United States, and they feel Jordan actually supported Washington as it led a coalition to occupy Iraq.

Now in terms of the investigation, Bernard Kerik, who is the senior adviser to the Iraqi ministry to the interior, showed up at the scene, and he issued a plea for help for information on who might be behind the attack.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BERNARD KERIK, SR. ADVISER TO IRAQI MINISTRY OF INTERIOR: We urge anyone that has attack to come forward. We will have an information center here for the next at least 12 hours. People can come forward and talk to us about anything they may have seen, anything that appears to be suspect, and that information will be turned over to the Iraqi police investigators.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITBECK: Now, Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez, who commands U.S. military forces in Iraq, termed the attack on the embassy today as the worst attack on a soft target since the U.S. invaded -- or rather occupied Iraq -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Now, Harris, they had officials there saying they're leaving the cooperation of people there. But in such a climate, is there really a realistic expectation that they just might be able to get that kind of cooperation from the people there?

WHITBECK: Well, it's really hard to say, Fredricka. The U.S. military has reported successes in getting information and tips from the Iraqi population when it comes to the raids that it's launching in several parts of the country, as it searches for Saddam Hussein and his close associates. They feel that they have made inroads toward gaining the trust of the Iraqi population.

But in a situation like this one, where we're talking about a terrorist act committed by people who simply don't know who it might be, the question still remains whether people have the information, and if they do have the information, whether they will come forward with it.

WHITFIELD: All right, Harris Whitbeck, thanks very much, from Baghdad.

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 August 7, 2003 - 11:13   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Well now to Iraq. A huge car bomb killed at least 10 people today at the Jordanian embassy in Baghdad.
Let's check in with CNN's Harris Whitbeck as the U.S. investigation into the blast gears up -- Harris.

HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Fredricka.

Military forensic experts were at the site of that bombing shortly after it occurred. They were sifting through the rubble, trying to find evidence to point them towards who was behind it. The explosion was quite strong. It caused the collapse of the main outer wall of that embassy, and it also destroyed several vehicles. In fact, one vehicle actually landed on the roof of the embassy.

Now, as you said, there were several people killed. Among them, at least four Iraqi policeman who were guarding the embassy when the car bomb went off. There are also several pedestrians who are walking through the area, they were hit by shrapnel. There were dozens who were injured.

Now shortly after the explosion happened, a group of young Iraqi men who were nearby stormed inside embassy. They started looting what was there. And they also started defacing some of the pictures of the Jordanian royal family. Many people here in Iraq are upset with Jordan's King Abdullah because he gave what he terms humanitarian asylum to Saddam Hussein's two daughters.

Now there also people in Iraq who feel that Jordan has gotten too close to the United States, and they feel Jordan actually supported Washington as it led a coalition to occupy Iraq.

Now in terms of the investigation, Bernard Kerik, who is the senior adviser to the Iraqi ministry to the interior, showed up at the scene, and he issued a plea for help for information on who might be behind the attack.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BERNARD KERIK, SR. ADVISER TO IRAQI MINISTRY OF INTERIOR: We urge anyone that has attack to come forward. We will have an information center here for the next at least 12 hours. People can come forward and talk to us about anything they may have seen, anything that appears to be suspect, and that information will be turned over to the Iraqi police investigators.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITBECK: Now, Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez, who commands U.S. military forces in Iraq, termed the attack on the embassy today as the worst attack on a soft target since the U.S. invaded -- or rather occupied Iraq -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Now, Harris, they had officials there saying they're leaving the cooperation of people there. But in such a climate, is there really a realistic expectation that they just might be able to get that kind of cooperation from the people there?

WHITBECK: Well, it's really hard to say, Fredricka. The U.S. military has reported successes in getting information and tips from the Iraqi population when it comes to the raids that it's launching in several parts of the country, as it searches for Saddam Hussein and his close associates. They feel that they have made inroads toward gaining the trust of the Iraqi population.

But in a situation like this one, where we're talking about a terrorist act committed by people who simply don't know who it might be, the question still remains whether people have the information, and if they do have the information, whether they will come forward with it.

WHITFIELD: All right, Harris Whitbeck, thanks very much, from Baghdad.

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