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CNN Live Sunday

Iraqi Guards for Shia Cleric Accidentally Kill Pregnant Woman

Aired August 31, 2003 - 11:02   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.


JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: A new sign Iraqis are on edge after Friday's mosque massacre. Iraqi guards for a Shia cleric opened fire on a speeding car near the religious leader's home.
Instead of attackers, they killed a woman in labor and her son, who was driving her to hospital. Two other family members were wounded.

CNN's Rym Brahimi has more now, live from Baghdad. And Rym, obviously a very tense situation. Things don't seem to be getting any better.

RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, John, a very tense situation. It started with a variety of manifestations of grief, if you will, throughout various areas in the country. Mainly, of course, Najaf and Baghdad.

In Najaf, overnight, a whole number of mourners have actually poured into the holy city in order to participate in the mourning processions with -- they're all really symbolic funerals, if you will, because so far my understanding is the remains of the Ayatollah Mohamed al Hakim have not been found for the time being.

Another procession started in Baghdad, early morning, as well, a symbolic one followed by some 6,000 people in the Iraqi capital. Now, they went to several neighborhoods. In that procession were also some women, which is an exception in this traditional society, a lot chanting both religious and political slogans, calling on to Saddam to come out so they can wage war against him, and also basically mourning the loss of the ayatollah that was the president of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq.

Tight security all around there. Iraqi police and the armed wing of the late ayatollah's political movement were ensuring security at that procession. They'll then move on to Karbala and spend a night there. In a day or two they will go to Najaf.

Now, in Najaf today, I understand the police have detained in the past couple of days a dozen men, two of them, Iraqi police say, are Pakistanis. One of them is Saudi, one of them Iranian, and another one Kuwaiti. It is not clear where the investigation is heading for the time being. It's in the hands of the Iraqi police. The coalition authority hasn't participated in that for the time being, because they haven't been asked to.

And just a sign of how tense the situation is, this afternoon two civilians got killed when their car was speeding in front of the home of a religious leader and the guards of that leader shot at the car killing a pregnant woman and her son. John?

VAUSE: Rym, let's just talk for a moment about the attack on the mosque. Also, any connection with the attack on the U.N. headquarters there in Baghdad? These attacks are becoming increasingly sophisticated and there is some suggestion both have been very similar.

BRAHIMI: It is striking that in one month, this month of August, it's been a very bloody month indeed. Three massive explosions. It started August 7 with the bombing at the Jordanian Embassy that killed at least 16 or 17 people, and then maybe a couple of weeks ago the bombing at the U.N. headquarters that killed at least 23 people. And now this massive bombing in Najaf at the holiest site for Shia Muslims, increasing not only in sophistication, but also the extent of the death toll and damage that it's creating, and also what it means for the Iraqi society.

There is the risk that a lot of Shias will take this beyond the death of the Ayatollah Mohamed al Hakim. A lot are seeing this as an attack directed against Shias and Shia Muslims at large.

VAUSE: And what can you tell us about the various leaders of the different groups there in Iraq holding back their militias, trying to prevent some kind of factional war, or battle, in Baghdad and around Iraq?

BRAHIMI: Well, definitely, that's been the great fear since this attack in particular, that it would lead to some civil war or sectarian violence. And a lot of the leaders, the Shia leaders and other leaders, have really been at pains to try and restrain their population. A lot of people immediately cried out for vengeance. There were rumors of groups of people marching out of their offices, or their homes, with guns and going in a certain direction. And then it seems to have still been contained to this point.

You could see this today in the procession, if you will, there was a lot of security. You could see the anger, the outpouring of grief in the procession, in the march toward Karbala and Najaf, but at the same time, there did seem to be a relative peace that prevailed over the entire event. John?

VAUSE: Rym Brahimi reporting live for us from the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. Thank you, Rym.

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




Woman>


Aired August 31, 2003 - 11:02   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: A new sign Iraqis are on edge after Friday's mosque massacre. Iraqi guards for a Shia cleric opened fire on a speeding car near the religious leader's home.
Instead of attackers, they killed a woman in labor and her son, who was driving her to hospital. Two other family members were wounded.

CNN's Rym Brahimi has more now, live from Baghdad. And Rym, obviously a very tense situation. Things don't seem to be getting any better.

RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, John, a very tense situation. It started with a variety of manifestations of grief, if you will, throughout various areas in the country. Mainly, of course, Najaf and Baghdad.

In Najaf, overnight, a whole number of mourners have actually poured into the holy city in order to participate in the mourning processions with -- they're all really symbolic funerals, if you will, because so far my understanding is the remains of the Ayatollah Mohamed al Hakim have not been found for the time being.

Another procession started in Baghdad, early morning, as well, a symbolic one followed by some 6,000 people in the Iraqi capital. Now, they went to several neighborhoods. In that procession were also some women, which is an exception in this traditional society, a lot chanting both religious and political slogans, calling on to Saddam to come out so they can wage war against him, and also basically mourning the loss of the ayatollah that was the president of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq.

Tight security all around there. Iraqi police and the armed wing of the late ayatollah's political movement were ensuring security at that procession. They'll then move on to Karbala and spend a night there. In a day or two they will go to Najaf.

Now, in Najaf today, I understand the police have detained in the past couple of days a dozen men, two of them, Iraqi police say, are Pakistanis. One of them is Saudi, one of them Iranian, and another one Kuwaiti. It is not clear where the investigation is heading for the time being. It's in the hands of the Iraqi police. The coalition authority hasn't participated in that for the time being, because they haven't been asked to.

And just a sign of how tense the situation is, this afternoon two civilians got killed when their car was speeding in front of the home of a religious leader and the guards of that leader shot at the car killing a pregnant woman and her son. John?

VAUSE: Rym, let's just talk for a moment about the attack on the mosque. Also, any connection with the attack on the U.N. headquarters there in Baghdad? These attacks are becoming increasingly sophisticated and there is some suggestion both have been very similar.

BRAHIMI: It is striking that in one month, this month of August, it's been a very bloody month indeed. Three massive explosions. It started August 7 with the bombing at the Jordanian Embassy that killed at least 16 or 17 people, and then maybe a couple of weeks ago the bombing at the U.N. headquarters that killed at least 23 people. And now this massive bombing in Najaf at the holiest site for Shia Muslims, increasing not only in sophistication, but also the extent of the death toll and damage that it's creating, and also what it means for the Iraqi society.

There is the risk that a lot of Shias will take this beyond the death of the Ayatollah Mohamed al Hakim. A lot are seeing this as an attack directed against Shias and Shia Muslims at large.

VAUSE: And what can you tell us about the various leaders of the different groups there in Iraq holding back their militias, trying to prevent some kind of factional war, or battle, in Baghdad and around Iraq?

BRAHIMI: Well, definitely, that's been the great fear since this attack in particular, that it would lead to some civil war or sectarian violence. And a lot of the leaders, the Shia leaders and other leaders, have really been at pains to try and restrain their population. A lot of people immediately cried out for vengeance. There were rumors of groups of people marching out of their offices, or their homes, with guns and going in a certain direction. And then it seems to have still been contained to this point.

You could see this today in the procession, if you will, there was a lot of security. You could see the anger, the outpouring of grief in the procession, in the march toward Karbala and Najaf, but at the same time, there did seem to be a relative peace that prevailed over the entire event. John?

VAUSE: Rym Brahimi reporting live for us from the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. Thank you, Rym.

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




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