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CNN Live At Daybreak

Recovery Efforts Ongoing at Bombing Scene in Baghdad

Aired August 22, 2003 - 06:02   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: Now for the latest in Iraq. We don't know many details, but we do know two more U.S. service members have died in Iraq. One soldier died in a fire at a small-arms range in Baghdad. The second service member was killed in Hillah. That's just south of Baghdad.
Was the bombing of the U.N. building in Baghdad an inside job? "The New York Times" is reporting FBI investigators are now looking into the possibility that the bombers were aided by Iraqi security guards employed by the United Nations.

And Saddam Hussein's cousin, the man known as "Chemical Ali," is no longer on the run. He is now in U.S. military custody.

Back to the U.N. bombing now, though, we don't know much about the group claiming responsibility, except its name: the Armed Vanguards of the Second Mohammed Army. As for the investigation itself, well, let's head live to Baghdad and Rym Brahimi.

Bring us up-to-date -- Rym.

RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, it's still early days, as you know, since the huge bombing that attacked the U.N. headquarters here, but still, it does seem that, slowly, the pieces of the puzzle are emerging.

You have various elements that investigators will be looking at. Of course, the Armed Vanguard of the Second Army of Mohammed -- I think I got it right this time. That's the group that claimed responsibility on the Arabic satellite channel Al Jazeera; also, promising that more action -- similar acts will be taken against foreigners here in Iraq.

Then, you have the question of the truck that was used in that bombing -- a flatbed truck, we're told, similar to the one used in the Jordanian embassy bombing two weeks ago. But the combination and a number of explosives that were used on that truck is different. It's a unique combination from what we understand.

And then, of course, the big question of whether or not this was an inside job. That question raised by the fact that the bomb really seemed to specifically target the office of Sergio Vieira de Mello, the U.N. special representative here that was killed in the blast, along with 22 other people. A lot of questions as to whether or not somebody from the U.S. who would have known where that office was would have handed over that information or maybe participated in this action -- Carol. COSTELLO: Rym Brahimi reporting live from Baghdad this morning.

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 22, 2003 - 06:02   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Now for the latest in Iraq. We don't know many details, but we do know two more U.S. service members have died in Iraq. One soldier died in a fire at a small-arms range in Baghdad. The second service member was killed in Hillah. That's just south of Baghdad.
Was the bombing of the U.N. building in Baghdad an inside job? "The New York Times" is reporting FBI investigators are now looking into the possibility that the bombers were aided by Iraqi security guards employed by the United Nations.

And Saddam Hussein's cousin, the man known as "Chemical Ali," is no longer on the run. He is now in U.S. military custody.

Back to the U.N. bombing now, though, we don't know much about the group claiming responsibility, except its name: the Armed Vanguards of the Second Mohammed Army. As for the investigation itself, well, let's head live to Baghdad and Rym Brahimi.

Bring us up-to-date -- Rym.

RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, it's still early days, as you know, since the huge bombing that attacked the U.N. headquarters here, but still, it does seem that, slowly, the pieces of the puzzle are emerging.

You have various elements that investigators will be looking at. Of course, the Armed Vanguard of the Second Army of Mohammed -- I think I got it right this time. That's the group that claimed responsibility on the Arabic satellite channel Al Jazeera; also, promising that more action -- similar acts will be taken against foreigners here in Iraq.

Then, you have the question of the truck that was used in that bombing -- a flatbed truck, we're told, similar to the one used in the Jordanian embassy bombing two weeks ago. But the combination and a number of explosives that were used on that truck is different. It's a unique combination from what we understand.

And then, of course, the big question of whether or not this was an inside job. That question raised by the fact that the bomb really seemed to specifically target the office of Sergio Vieira de Mello, the U.N. special representative here that was killed in the blast, along with 22 other people. A lot of questions as to whether or not somebody from the U.S. who would have known where that office was would have handed over that information or maybe participated in this action -- Carol. COSTELLO: Rym Brahimi reporting live from Baghdad this morning.

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