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CNN Live Today

Attacks in Iraq

Aired September 25, 2003 - 11:08   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: All right, I want to take it overseas right now. There were two attacks in Iraq today, one apparently targeting journalists, and the other a U.S. convoy in Mosul.
Let's get you up to speed with our Michael Holmes on duty in Baghdad this morning.

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Daryn.

KAGAN: Hello, Michael.

HOLMES: Indeed. Good to see you again, Daryn.

That's right, this attack in Mosul, what the military is calling a very complex attack. You had a convoy of vehicles from the 101st Airborne driving along in western Mosul, improvised explosive device, another word for a bomb, went off, and then small arms fire. At the end of the exchange, eight U.S. soldiers wounded, and three of those are in a critical condition we're told.

Now, also another incident that happened a little bit -- a little time ago. Back on September 12th, you may remember that there was a friendly fire incident involving U.S. troops and Iraqi security officers. That happened in Fallujah, which as I say, is in the Sunni Triangle, very much a hotbed of activity. A misunderstanding took place. U.S. troops opening fire on those policemen. Eight were killed. One Jordanian soldier also caught up in it, was killed.

What happened today was that the U.S. military announced that its investigation into that incident is complete, and has exonerated, or cleared all of the U.S. soldiers of any wrongdoing. They abided by the rules of engagement, according to Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez, the U.S. military commander here.

Now you mentioned the bombing at a hotel. A disturbing trend, if indeed it becomes a trend, because it appears that the media was the target. NBC had leased out this hotel, this three-story hotel. And at about 7:00 this morning, a bomb was left on the exterior wall. It exploded, caused significant damage, not major damage, but we're told it wasn't a well-placed bomb. It could have been a lot worse.

As it is, it blew a hole in the wall, killed a Somali night manager, and on the two floors above that -- that's where the NBC staff were just waking up at 7:00 in the morning -- their windows all blew in, and several of them were showered with glass. One soundman had quite a nasty cut on his forearm, but the Somali man the only death in that situation. Another death to report to you, this time an Iraqi politician, one who was proving reasonably popular, too, on the Iraqi Governing Council, her name Dr. Akill Al Hashimi. She was shot in an ambush back on Saturday. She was shot in the stomach and in the leg as she left her home with an entourage. Three other people in that entourage also wounded. She underwent a couple of surgeries, was doing well for a couple of days, but she died this morning local time.

We're pointing out, she was one of three women on the governing council. Also the only member of the council who had very significant ties to the old Baathist regime of Saddam Hussein, yet she was well accepted on the council, and there has been three days of mourning proposed by the council for her.

Daryn, back to you.

KAGAN: Michael Holmes in Baghdad. Michael, thank you for that.

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 - 11:08   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, I want to take it overseas right now. There were two attacks in Iraq today, one apparently targeting journalists, and the other a U.S. convoy in Mosul.
Let's get you up to speed with our Michael Holmes on duty in Baghdad this morning.

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Daryn.

KAGAN: Hello, Michael.

HOLMES: Indeed. Good to see you again, Daryn.

That's right, this attack in Mosul, what the military is calling a very complex attack. You had a convoy of vehicles from the 101st Airborne driving along in western Mosul, improvised explosive device, another word for a bomb, went off, and then small arms fire. At the end of the exchange, eight U.S. soldiers wounded, and three of those are in a critical condition we're told.

Now, also another incident that happened a little bit -- a little time ago. Back on September 12th, you may remember that there was a friendly fire incident involving U.S. troops and Iraqi security officers. That happened in Fallujah, which as I say, is in the Sunni Triangle, very much a hotbed of activity. A misunderstanding took place. U.S. troops opening fire on those policemen. Eight were killed. One Jordanian soldier also caught up in it, was killed.

What happened today was that the U.S. military announced that its investigation into that incident is complete, and has exonerated, or cleared all of the U.S. soldiers of any wrongdoing. They abided by the rules of engagement, according to Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez, the U.S. military commander here.

Now you mentioned the bombing at a hotel. A disturbing trend, if indeed it becomes a trend, because it appears that the media was the target. NBC had leased out this hotel, this three-story hotel. And at about 7:00 this morning, a bomb was left on the exterior wall. It exploded, caused significant damage, not major damage, but we're told it wasn't a well-placed bomb. It could have been a lot worse.

As it is, it blew a hole in the wall, killed a Somali night manager, and on the two floors above that -- that's where the NBC staff were just waking up at 7:00 in the morning -- their windows all blew in, and several of them were showered with glass. One soundman had quite a nasty cut on his forearm, but the Somali man the only death in that situation. Another death to report to you, this time an Iraqi politician, one who was proving reasonably popular, too, on the Iraqi Governing Council, her name Dr. Akill Al Hashimi. She was shot in an ambush back on Saturday. She was shot in the stomach and in the leg as she left her home with an entourage. Three other people in that entourage also wounded. She underwent a couple of surgeries, was doing well for a couple of days, but she died this morning local time.

We're pointing out, she was one of three women on the governing council. Also the only member of the council who had very significant ties to the old Baathist regime of Saddam Hussein, yet she was well accepted on the council, and there has been three days of mourning proposed by the council for her.

Daryn, back to you.

KAGAN: Michael Holmes in Baghdad. Michael, thank you for that.

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