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Breaking News

Former Iraqi Vice President Ramadan in U.S. Custody

Aired August 19, 2003 - 06:41   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.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We have breaking news right now. Another one of Iraq's most wanted is captured.
David Clinch is here to tell us about it.

I know you have been trying to confirm this now.

DAVID CLINCH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL EDITOR: Right. Carol, very briefly, I mean I've got to get back in this story very quickly.

We're just hearing confirmed now from Iraq that the Kurds in northern Iraq are saying that they captured and handed over to U.S. forces the former Iraqi Vice President Ramadan. Now this man a particularly unpleasant member of the Saddam Hussein hierarchy. During the war itself, we heard from him saying that suicide attacks during the war against U.S. soldiers were -- quote -- "pleasant news."

And also related to the story we are covering today, he said at the time, in the last press conference, we heard from him then that the United States would turn the whole Arab world into suicide attackers against the Americans. And that, unfortunately, the other aspect of the story we're covering today. Paul Bremer and others telling us they are seeing increasing signs of militants coming in from all around the Arab world into Iraq to fight against the Americans. Bremer telling us also last night in an interview with Paula Zahn that the attacks on the infrastructure in Iraq costing billions.

Another success, though, today is this is confirmed absolutely by the coalition, which we expect it to shortly. We're getting...

COSTELLO: Yes, and he may or may not have anything to do with organizing these people who are coming in.

CLINCH: Absolutely. Right now we're getting our information from the Kurds. The coalition putting a release together, we'll get that shortly. But this, again, a particularly nasty member of the Saddam Hussein regime and again, apparently captured in northern Iraq.

COSTELLO: Yes, that's interesting.

CLINCH: So that's where the emphasis in Mosul in northern Iraq, according to the Kurds, that's where the emphasis is on the search for him and of course for Saddam Hussein still is.

COSTELLO: Got you. And by the way, he was No. 20 on the most wanted list, right? CLINCH: Absolutely.

COSTELLO: All right, David Clinch, many thanks.

CLINCH: OK.

COSTELLO: We'll let you get back to work.

CLINCH: All right.

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 19, 2003 - 06:41   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We have breaking news right now. Another one of Iraq's most wanted is captured.
David Clinch is here to tell us about it.

I know you have been trying to confirm this now.

DAVID CLINCH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL EDITOR: Right. Carol, very briefly, I mean I've got to get back in this story very quickly.

We're just hearing confirmed now from Iraq that the Kurds in northern Iraq are saying that they captured and handed over to U.S. forces the former Iraqi Vice President Ramadan. Now this man a particularly unpleasant member of the Saddam Hussein hierarchy. During the war itself, we heard from him saying that suicide attacks during the war against U.S. soldiers were -- quote -- "pleasant news."

And also related to the story we are covering today, he said at the time, in the last press conference, we heard from him then that the United States would turn the whole Arab world into suicide attackers against the Americans. And that, unfortunately, the other aspect of the story we're covering today. Paul Bremer and others telling us they are seeing increasing signs of militants coming in from all around the Arab world into Iraq to fight against the Americans. Bremer telling us also last night in an interview with Paula Zahn that the attacks on the infrastructure in Iraq costing billions.

Another success, though, today is this is confirmed absolutely by the coalition, which we expect it to shortly. We're getting...

COSTELLO: Yes, and he may or may not have anything to do with organizing these people who are coming in.

CLINCH: Absolutely. Right now we're getting our information from the Kurds. The coalition putting a release together, we'll get that shortly. But this, again, a particularly nasty member of the Saddam Hussein regime and again, apparently captured in northern Iraq.

COSTELLO: Yes, that's interesting.

CLINCH: So that's where the emphasis in Mosul in northern Iraq, according to the Kurds, that's where the emphasis is on the search for him and of course for Saddam Hussein still is.

COSTELLO: Got you. And by the way, he was No. 20 on the most wanted list, right? CLINCH: Absolutely.

COSTELLO: All right, David Clinch, many thanks.

CLINCH: OK.

COSTELLO: We'll let you get back to work.

CLINCH: All right.

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