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CNN Live Today

More Death, Violence in Iraq Overnight

Aired September 25, 2003 - 10:00   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.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: A number of overnight developments in Iraq to tell you about. They violently underlined that nation's post- war volatility. Insurgents appeared to have step up attacks on Western targets.
Let's get the latest now from the capital of Iraq where our Michael Holmes is standing by in Baghdad. Michael, hello.

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Daryn. Yes, a lot to get through. First of all, you mentioned in the headlines there about the attack that happened in Mosul. Let's tell you the details of that.

It was a convoy from the 101st Airborne. They were driving along when they came under what the U.S. military is calling a complex attack. It started with roadside bombs, or as the military calls them IEDs, Improvised Explosive Devices. That was then followed by small arms fire.

Now, during this attack eight soldiers were wounded as you pointed out. Three of them are considered to be in serious condition. This just happened in western Mosul today.

Now, also, another thing that we can report to you, goes back a little bit further than today. It concerns that friendly fire incident that happened in Fallujah back on September 12. You may remember that there was an awful lot of confusion over this incident, U.S. troops opening fire on Iraqi security officers. They killed eight of them, and also a Jordanian soldier.

Well the U.S. military has completed its investigation and says the U.S. soldiers have been cleared of any wrongdoing. They acted within the rules of engagement.

Now, another bit of activity here in Baghdad this morning. Certainly for our colleagues at NBC News. They had leased a hotel, a small hotel here in Baghdad. They centered their operations there, living there, working out of there. And a bomb was placed outside an exterior wall this morning about 7:00 a.m. local time.

Now what happened was it blew out part of the wall and on the ground floor killed the Somali man who was the night manager of the hotel. The NBC staffers were on the first and second floors directly above where the bomb went off. All their windows were blown in. There were a couple of staffers who got some minor cuts from flying glass. One man, a sound man, David Moodi(ph), he ended up with a fairly severe cut on his right forearm. All is well with the NBC staff. However, they have moved from that location. Certainly a change in targets, if, indeed, they were the focus of that attack. The targets of that attack, it does appear that they were given they were the only people in the hotel.

One other thing, Daryn, that you also mentioned in the headlines. One of the members of the Iraqi Governing Council, one of only three women on that count, Dr. Akila al-Hashimi died this day, Thursday. She was shot in an ambush on Saturday.

She was wounded in the stomach and in the leg along with three people also traveling with her. They were also wounded. She died of her wounds after basically going downhill in the last 24, 48 hours.

She was the only member of the governing council who had strong links to the former Ba'athist regime of Saddam. And as such was in many ways a link between the old regime and the new Governing Council. An outpouring of praise from her from both the U.S. Civil Administrator Paul Bremer and also from the Governing Council itself, which declared that she was a martyr and announced three days of official mourning. Back to you.

KAGAN: Michael, that is a 25-member council. Are there any plans to replace her?

HOLMES: I'm sure that she will be replaced. The interesting thing about the council, many, most, in fact, are Iraqi exiles who have returned here to take part in the new governing council. She was somebody who was here all along, very involved in the regime of Saddam Hussein in the foreign affairs departments and the like.

In fact, she was tipped to become the Iraq's first or newest ambassador to the United Nations before she was shot. She was actually going to New York to take part in the General Assembly there, as well.

So certainly a tragedy for the council and what we're seeing, really, is a broadening of those who are being targeted by those activists who want U.S. troops out of this country. And now, of course, involving the media, as well -- Daryn.

KAGAN: All right, Michael Holmes, be careful, you and our crew. Clearly very dangerous times in Baghdad. Appreciate your report.

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 September 25, 2003 - 10:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: A number of overnight developments in Iraq to tell you about. They violently underlined that nation's post- war volatility. Insurgents appeared to have step up attacks on Western targets.
Let's get the latest now from the capital of Iraq where our Michael Holmes is standing by in Baghdad. Michael, hello.

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Daryn. Yes, a lot to get through. First of all, you mentioned in the headlines there about the attack that happened in Mosul. Let's tell you the details of that.

It was a convoy from the 101st Airborne. They were driving along when they came under what the U.S. military is calling a complex attack. It started with roadside bombs, or as the military calls them IEDs, Improvised Explosive Devices. That was then followed by small arms fire.

Now, during this attack eight soldiers were wounded as you pointed out. Three of them are considered to be in serious condition. This just happened in western Mosul today.

Now, also, another thing that we can report to you, goes back a little bit further than today. It concerns that friendly fire incident that happened in Fallujah back on September 12. You may remember that there was an awful lot of confusion over this incident, U.S. troops opening fire on Iraqi security officers. They killed eight of them, and also a Jordanian soldier.

Well the U.S. military has completed its investigation and says the U.S. soldiers have been cleared of any wrongdoing. They acted within the rules of engagement.

Now, another bit of activity here in Baghdad this morning. Certainly for our colleagues at NBC News. They had leased a hotel, a small hotel here in Baghdad. They centered their operations there, living there, working out of there. And a bomb was placed outside an exterior wall this morning about 7:00 a.m. local time.

Now what happened was it blew out part of the wall and on the ground floor killed the Somali man who was the night manager of the hotel. The NBC staffers were on the first and second floors directly above where the bomb went off. All their windows were blown in. There were a couple of staffers who got some minor cuts from flying glass. One man, a sound man, David Moodi(ph), he ended up with a fairly severe cut on his right forearm. All is well with the NBC staff. However, they have moved from that location. Certainly a change in targets, if, indeed, they were the focus of that attack. The targets of that attack, it does appear that they were given they were the only people in the hotel.

One other thing, Daryn, that you also mentioned in the headlines. One of the members of the Iraqi Governing Council, one of only three women on that count, Dr. Akila al-Hashimi died this day, Thursday. She was shot in an ambush on Saturday.

She was wounded in the stomach and in the leg along with three people also traveling with her. They were also wounded. She died of her wounds after basically going downhill in the last 24, 48 hours.

She was the only member of the governing council who had strong links to the former Ba'athist regime of Saddam. And as such was in many ways a link between the old regime and the new Governing Council. An outpouring of praise from her from both the U.S. Civil Administrator Paul Bremer and also from the Governing Council itself, which declared that she was a martyr and announced three days of official mourning. Back to you.

KAGAN: Michael, that is a 25-member council. Are there any plans to replace her?

HOLMES: I'm sure that she will be replaced. The interesting thing about the council, many, most, in fact, are Iraqi exiles who have returned here to take part in the new governing council. She was somebody who was here all along, very involved in the regime of Saddam Hussein in the foreign affairs departments and the like.

In fact, she was tipped to become the Iraq's first or newest ambassador to the United Nations before she was shot. She was actually going to New York to take part in the General Assembly there, as well.

So certainly a tragedy for the council and what we're seeing, really, is a broadening of those who are being targeted by those activists who want U.S. troops out of this country. And now, of course, involving the media, as well -- Daryn.

KAGAN: All right, Michael Holmes, be careful, you and our crew. Clearly very dangerous times in Baghdad. Appreciate your report.

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