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CNN Live Today

Two People Still Missing in U.N. Headquarters Attack

Aired August 21, 2003 - 11:10   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: At least two people are still listed as missing in the attack on the U.N. headquarters in Baghdad. And, we understand now, at least 20 people were killed in the bombing. And some people that were taken out of that building have yet to be identified. We also learned that this morning from U.N. Secretary- General Kofi Annan.
CNN's Baghdad bureau chief Jane Arraf is tracking the recovery effort, as well as the investigation. She joins us now from the scene to give us the very latest.

Hello -- Jane.

JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF: Hello, Leon.

A sign of the devastation that that truck bomb caused is they haven't identified more than 10 of those victims. Now, the victims, those known to be dead are 23 in all, but it was a huge car bomb, a huge explosion, and the repercussions are still being felt, as we saw, throughout the U.N. and the whole international community, as well as throughout Baghdad. People are still shocked by that bombing.

Now, U.N. workers and U.N. staff here say they've been touched by an outpouring of letters and calls from Iraqis, telling them how sorry that they are. It's an indication, as well, that it's a complicated place. The U.N. has had a checkered history in the minds of many Iraqis here. It was responsible for sanctions for 10 years. But this incident, this car bombing that affected Iraqis and international staffers continues to shock everyone -- Leon.

HARRIS: Jane, what can you tell us, then, about the other news that's coming out of Iraq? And this ordinarily would have been the lead story and perhaps a positive headline coming for the administration -- that of the capture of the man called "Chemical Ali"

ARRAF: Well, I wish we could tell you more. What we can tell you is he is in U.S. custody. And, according to the U.S., which just announced this a short while ago, he has been in their custody for some days. Now, where he was caught, how he was caught, we are still waiting to hear. But the essential thing is that this man, who was so elusive that he was declared essentially dead by British forces after a laser-guided bomb slammed into his house in Basra, managed to hide out for the last few months and has just been caught recently.

It's believed that he has been in northern Iraq in that broad ranging area, where there are tribal loyalties to Ali Hassan al-Majid, who, in fact, was a cousin of Saddam Hussein's. Now, a lot of Iraqis won't believe it until they see it, see some sort of proof that he has been caught. But when they do see that, many of them will be overjoyed -- Leon.

HARRIS: Jane Arraf reporting live for us from Baghdad. Thank you, Jane.

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 21, 2003 - 11:10   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: At least two people are still listed as missing in the attack on the U.N. headquarters in Baghdad. And, we understand now, at least 20 people were killed in the bombing. And some people that were taken out of that building have yet to be identified. We also learned that this morning from U.N. Secretary- General Kofi Annan.
CNN's Baghdad bureau chief Jane Arraf is tracking the recovery effort, as well as the investigation. She joins us now from the scene to give us the very latest.

Hello -- Jane.

JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF: Hello, Leon.

A sign of the devastation that that truck bomb caused is they haven't identified more than 10 of those victims. Now, the victims, those known to be dead are 23 in all, but it was a huge car bomb, a huge explosion, and the repercussions are still being felt, as we saw, throughout the U.N. and the whole international community, as well as throughout Baghdad. People are still shocked by that bombing.

Now, U.N. workers and U.N. staff here say they've been touched by an outpouring of letters and calls from Iraqis, telling them how sorry that they are. It's an indication, as well, that it's a complicated place. The U.N. has had a checkered history in the minds of many Iraqis here. It was responsible for sanctions for 10 years. But this incident, this car bombing that affected Iraqis and international staffers continues to shock everyone -- Leon.

HARRIS: Jane, what can you tell us, then, about the other news that's coming out of Iraq? And this ordinarily would have been the lead story and perhaps a positive headline coming for the administration -- that of the capture of the man called "Chemical Ali"

ARRAF: Well, I wish we could tell you more. What we can tell you is he is in U.S. custody. And, according to the U.S., which just announced this a short while ago, he has been in their custody for some days. Now, where he was caught, how he was caught, we are still waiting to hear. But the essential thing is that this man, who was so elusive that he was declared essentially dead by British forces after a laser-guided bomb slammed into his house in Basra, managed to hide out for the last few months and has just been caught recently.

It's believed that he has been in northern Iraq in that broad ranging area, where there are tribal loyalties to Ali Hassan al-Majid, who, in fact, was a cousin of Saddam Hussein's. Now, a lot of Iraqis won't believe it until they see it, see some sort of proof that he has been caught. But when they do see that, many of them will be overjoyed -- Leon.

HARRIS: Jane Arraf reporting live for us from Baghdad. Thank you, Jane.

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