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CNN Live Sunday

Bomb Set Off Outside Leading Shiite Cleric's Office

Aired August 24, 2003 - 16:04   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.


RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: Turning now to Iraq, where it was another deadly weekend for both Iraqis and Americans. U.S. Central Command, today, said two U.S. soldiers lost their lives Saturday in separate non-hostile incidents. And a bomb exploded today in Najaf outside the home of one of Iraq's top Shiite Muslim clerics. CNN s Ben Wedeman is there. He joins us now by videophone -- Ben.
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Renay. Three people were killed and ten wounded, including one very seriously, when a bomb went off outside the home of one of the leading Shiite clerics here in Najaf, which is really the heart of Shiite Iraq. There was Ayatollah Muhammad Saeed. He's one of the most prominent Shiite clerics here in this country.

What happened was a gas cylinder containing some sort of explosive device went off right outside his office, causing a huge hole to be blown in the side of it. Now, the blast killed two of his bodyguards and one of the workers, and basically, most of the wounded were just passersby in this area. Now, according to both, one of his spokesmen as well as other sources, the Ayatollah had received threats from individuals. It's not quite clear who.

He was told he should leave the city within three days or he would be killed. Now, in the blast, he was only slightly injured, hit by small flecks of glass. But this blast has obviously caused a lot of tensions to be ignited here in this city where there are a variety of clerical families who are really competing for power. Now, we did speak to one of his spokesmen, also, who said that Iraqi police are leading the investigation into the blast, that American forces did come to inspect the site.

However, the spokesman held the Americans partially responsible for the incident, Renay, saying that they should have provided better security in Najaf as a whole, although I must add that the actual security provided to the Ayatollah was his own -- Renay.

SAN MIGUEL: All right. Ben Wedeman reporting live from Iraq. Thanks so much for that report.

A new "Newsweek" poll is showing that most Americans are worried about the situation in Iraq, but still believe the U.S. was justified in going to war. Almost 70 percent of those surveyed say they're very concerned, or somewhat concerned, that the U.S. will get bogged down in Iraq for many years without making much progress. Twenty-eight percent say they're not too concerned or not concerned at all. Still, 61 percent of those polled say the U.S. did the right thing in taking military action against Iraq. A third of those surveyed disagree. 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 24, 2003 - 16:04   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: Turning now to Iraq, where it was another deadly weekend for both Iraqis and Americans. U.S. Central Command, today, said two U.S. soldiers lost their lives Saturday in separate non-hostile incidents. And a bomb exploded today in Najaf outside the home of one of Iraq's top Shiite Muslim clerics. CNN s Ben Wedeman is there. He joins us now by videophone -- Ben.
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Renay. Three people were killed and ten wounded, including one very seriously, when a bomb went off outside the home of one of the leading Shiite clerics here in Najaf, which is really the heart of Shiite Iraq. There was Ayatollah Muhammad Saeed. He's one of the most prominent Shiite clerics here in this country.

What happened was a gas cylinder containing some sort of explosive device went off right outside his office, causing a huge hole to be blown in the side of it. Now, the blast killed two of his bodyguards and one of the workers, and basically, most of the wounded were just passersby in this area. Now, according to both, one of his spokesmen as well as other sources, the Ayatollah had received threats from individuals. It's not quite clear who.

He was told he should leave the city within three days or he would be killed. Now, in the blast, he was only slightly injured, hit by small flecks of glass. But this blast has obviously caused a lot of tensions to be ignited here in this city where there are a variety of clerical families who are really competing for power. Now, we did speak to one of his spokesmen, also, who said that Iraqi police are leading the investigation into the blast, that American forces did come to inspect the site.

However, the spokesman held the Americans partially responsible for the incident, Renay, saying that they should have provided better security in Najaf as a whole, although I must add that the actual security provided to the Ayatollah was his own -- Renay.

SAN MIGUEL: All right. Ben Wedeman reporting live from Iraq. Thanks so much for that report.

A new "Newsweek" poll is showing that most Americans are worried about the situation in Iraq, but still believe the U.S. was justified in going to war. Almost 70 percent of those surveyed say they're very concerned, or somewhat concerned, that the U.S. will get bogged down in Iraq for many years without making much progress. Twenty-eight percent say they're not too concerned or not concerned at all. Still, 61 percent of those polled say the U.S. did the right thing in taking military action against Iraq. A third of those surveyed disagree. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com