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CNN Live At Daybreak

New Info on U.N. Bombing Investigation

Aired August 22, 2003 - 05:04   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: More on the U.N. bombing investigation live from the scene.
Rym Brahimi joins us live from Baghdad -- good morning, Rym.

RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Carol.

Well, as you know, the people working around the scene last night actually exploded part of that building. The ceiling was hanging very dangerously and was a threat, both to investigators and people from the research and rescue team who are still, it seems to me, looking for bodies. Two bodies are still missing.

Now, the United Nations security coordinator is on his way to Baghdad. He's due to arrive within the next two weeks. But the FBI here is in charge of the investigation and is continuing that work. A lot of the rubble that's been pulled out of the scene has actually been dumped to a site nearby and they're going to use that, as well, for analysis.

But, of course, you mentioned those questions raised about whether or not it could have been an inside job. And definitely I think what raises those questions is the precision with which the office of Sergio de Mello, the U.N. envoy, the U.N. special envoy, was hit. So that raises one question, of course. And it is well known that a lot of the security guards would have been if not special agents or secret agents, everybody at that time, if you remember, Carol, had to report to the secret services if they were working with foreign companies. So there's that suspect of the investigation.

There's also questions about where the truck came from. And the Israeli -- some Israeli officials have alleged that the truck may have come from Syria. Those allegations have been very, very loudly rejected by Syria, saying there's no question, it didn't come from neighboring Syria. And then there's also the other issue of the combination of explosives that was seen as quite a unique combination -- Carol.

COSTELLO: You know, I don't know, as I recall, though, that road that the truck was parked on before it blew up is easily accessible.

BRAHIMI: That's right, Carol. It's a road that's not, that's really more easily accessible than the front gate entrance, where they would have had to pass some sort of security and there is a couple of barriers that you would have to pass, not impossible to do, but definitely on that side also they would have hit the cafeteria, if they'd gone in through the main entrance, and maybe part of the briefing room. But they wouldn't have had that specific part of the building. So, yes, it could be, you know, it could go either way.

You know, of course, Carol, that one group has claimed responsibility for it on the Arabic satellite channel, a group called the -- hang on, I have it here -- it's a group called the Armed Vanguards of the Second Army of Muhammad. And they say that they've promised, also, to make war on all foreigners and do similar acts. Again, a lot of questions around that -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Yes, and that is a group, by the way, that no one's ever heard of before. So, of course, we will continue to investigate.

Rym Brahimi 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 - 05:04   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: More on the U.N. bombing investigation live from the scene.
Rym Brahimi joins us live from Baghdad -- good morning, Rym.

RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Carol.

Well, as you know, the people working around the scene last night actually exploded part of that building. The ceiling was hanging very dangerously and was a threat, both to investigators and people from the research and rescue team who are still, it seems to me, looking for bodies. Two bodies are still missing.

Now, the United Nations security coordinator is on his way to Baghdad. He's due to arrive within the next two weeks. But the FBI here is in charge of the investigation and is continuing that work. A lot of the rubble that's been pulled out of the scene has actually been dumped to a site nearby and they're going to use that, as well, for analysis.

But, of course, you mentioned those questions raised about whether or not it could have been an inside job. And definitely I think what raises those questions is the precision with which the office of Sergio de Mello, the U.N. envoy, the U.N. special envoy, was hit. So that raises one question, of course. And it is well known that a lot of the security guards would have been if not special agents or secret agents, everybody at that time, if you remember, Carol, had to report to the secret services if they were working with foreign companies. So there's that suspect of the investigation.

There's also questions about where the truck came from. And the Israeli -- some Israeli officials have alleged that the truck may have come from Syria. Those allegations have been very, very loudly rejected by Syria, saying there's no question, it didn't come from neighboring Syria. And then there's also the other issue of the combination of explosives that was seen as quite a unique combination -- Carol.

COSTELLO: You know, I don't know, as I recall, though, that road that the truck was parked on before it blew up is easily accessible.

BRAHIMI: That's right, Carol. It's a road that's not, that's really more easily accessible than the front gate entrance, where they would have had to pass some sort of security and there is a couple of barriers that you would have to pass, not impossible to do, but definitely on that side also they would have hit the cafeteria, if they'd gone in through the main entrance, and maybe part of the briefing room. But they wouldn't have had that specific part of the building. So, yes, it could be, you know, it could go either way.

You know, of course, Carol, that one group has claimed responsibility for it on the Arabic satellite channel, a group called the -- hang on, I have it here -- it's a group called the Armed Vanguards of the Second Army of Muhammad. And they say that they've promised, also, to make war on all foreigners and do similar acts. Again, a lot of questions around that -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Yes, and that is a group, by the way, that no one's ever heard of before. So, of course, we will continue to investigate.

Rym Brahimi 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