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Iraq's Shiite Leader of Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution Assassinated
Aired August 29, 2003 - 10:11 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 CNN ANCHOR: As we've reported this morning, Iraq's Shiite leader of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution was assassinated a short time ago in Najaf. At least 16 other people were killed.
CNN's senior international correspondent, Walt Rodgers, has the latest from Baghdad.
Hello, Walt.
WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Wolf.
Today's bombing in Najaf, outside the famous Immal Ali (ph) mosque is a horrendous blow to American efforts to restore order and stability in Iraq. That is an area which is nominally under the control and protection of American troops, and this sends a terribly negative signal to the people of Iraq that the Americans are not protecting the people they're here to protect.
Yesterday, you'll recall the top American general here was calling on Iraqis to come forward and help with intelligence. And yet, the Americans are not even protecting the Al Hakim (ph) family. You recall the uncle of the man killed today, Mohammed Al Hakim on Monday narrowly escaped death. Today, his nephew was killed in a huge car bomb, at least accident outside the mosque. Actually, it wasn't an accident -- it was naked attempts at murder. And the Americans are going to ultimately be held responsible for this, because the Al Hakim family is a family which had allied itself with the Americans against Saddam Hussein. Indeed, Saddam had a death warrant out against the man who was killed today, Mohammed Bakar Al Hakim (ph), and many members of the family had been killed by Saddam Hussein. This would seem a very clear message to the Shias of Iraq and to the Al Hakim family, there's a price to be paid for helping the Americans -- Leon.
HARRIS: Is it clear, though, who actually may have been responsible for this? Isn't it true there could have been a number of different groups here?
RODGERS: It is true, and that is one of the possibilities which is out there. No one has claimed responsibility at this point. Remember, The Shias of Iraq have a long record of war against each other. The Al Hakim family, which tended to be somewhat more passive, relatively speaking, to those Shias in Iraq who tended to be more aligned with the late Ayatollah Khomeni in Iran. So there's a schism there which could have provoked this violence. So you have two or three schools of thought. It could be inter-Shia, but it could just as easily be the Baathists, the remnants of Saddam Hussein, carrying out the death warrant against Mohammed Bakar Al Hakim that Saddam had issued before Saddam was toppled -- Leon.
HARRIS: All right, no doubt, this could have some very serious implications down the road. Walt Rodgers, reporting live for us from Baghdad. Thanks, Walt.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Revolution Assassinated>
Aired August 29, 2003 - 10:11 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN CNN ANCHOR: As we've reported this morning, Iraq's Shiite leader of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution was assassinated a short time ago in Najaf. At least 16 other people were killed.
CNN's senior international correspondent, Walt Rodgers, has the latest from Baghdad.
Hello, Walt.
WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Wolf.
Today's bombing in Najaf, outside the famous Immal Ali (ph) mosque is a horrendous blow to American efforts to restore order and stability in Iraq. That is an area which is nominally under the control and protection of American troops, and this sends a terribly negative signal to the people of Iraq that the Americans are not protecting the people they're here to protect.
Yesterday, you'll recall the top American general here was calling on Iraqis to come forward and help with intelligence. And yet, the Americans are not even protecting the Al Hakim (ph) family. You recall the uncle of the man killed today, Mohammed Al Hakim on Monday narrowly escaped death. Today, his nephew was killed in a huge car bomb, at least accident outside the mosque. Actually, it wasn't an accident -- it was naked attempts at murder. And the Americans are going to ultimately be held responsible for this, because the Al Hakim family is a family which had allied itself with the Americans against Saddam Hussein. Indeed, Saddam had a death warrant out against the man who was killed today, Mohammed Bakar Al Hakim (ph), and many members of the family had been killed by Saddam Hussein. This would seem a very clear message to the Shias of Iraq and to the Al Hakim family, there's a price to be paid for helping the Americans -- Leon.
HARRIS: Is it clear, though, who actually may have been responsible for this? Isn't it true there could have been a number of different groups here?
RODGERS: It is true, and that is one of the possibilities which is out there. No one has claimed responsibility at this point. Remember, The Shias of Iraq have a long record of war against each other. The Al Hakim family, which tended to be somewhat more passive, relatively speaking, to those Shias in Iraq who tended to be more aligned with the late Ayatollah Khomeni in Iran. So there's a schism there which could have provoked this violence. So you have two or three schools of thought. It could be inter-Shia, but it could just as easily be the Baathists, the remnants of Saddam Hussein, carrying out the death warrant against Mohammed Bakar Al Hakim that Saddam had issued before Saddam was toppled -- Leon.
HARRIS: All right, no doubt, this could have some very serious implications down the road. Walt Rodgers, reporting live for us from Baghdad. Thanks, Walt.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Revolution Assassinated>
