Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live At Daybreak
Five Suspects Detained in Roadside Bombing
Aired October 16, 2003 - 06:07 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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Did they get them? Well, we do know some people have been detained in Gaza. Whether those in custody were directly responsible for bombing a U.S. convoy, well, we don't know.
Let's head live to Gaza and Chris Burns to find out more.
Hello -- Chris.
CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, hello, Carol.
The U.S. embassy here confirms an FBI team, a crack team, a flyaway team they call it, has come from the United States. They have arrived here in the region. They're on their way to the bombing site.
Let me show you a newspaper here in the meantime. This is the front page of the "Al Quds" (ph) newspaper, an independent newspaper, showing the anger by the Palestinian leadership, condemning that bombing attack against the Americans, condemning it as an ugly incident. And in the headline: "Ordering an investigation with Americans" -- "with Americans," underlining the importance of cooperating with the Americans, not only in this bombing investigation, but also in trying to push ahead with the Middle East peace process.
Now, overnight, the Palestinian Authority security forces say they have arrested at least five suspects, three of them -- at least three of them from the Jabaliya refugee camp near where the bombing occurred in northern Gaza. They are allegedly part of a breakaway faction of one of those militant organizations that did not necessarily condemn, but they certainly distanced themselves and denied any involvement in that bombing. So, it does appear that it might be a number of freelancers in a splinter organization, and that is what the PA security forces are going after.
But they also -- and it also indicates -- there also are indications that the PA is increasing perhaps a crackdown. Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has elevated a couple of his commanders to head security forces and police, and one of those commanders is seen as a tough law-and-order guy who has rounded up militants in the past. So, that could point in that direction.
Meanwhile, that investigation is there on the ground. Palestinian security forces have secured the bombing site. And FBI investigators are to arrive, perhaps today, to continue with the investigation, although FBI investigators first came yesterday and they were stoned by locals who are angry at the Americans for showing support for Israel. Meanwhile, as Israel is continuing its crackdown in southern Gaza, looking for what they say are tunnels that the militants are using to ferry weapons from Egypt, the Palestinian sources say at least one more Palestinian has been killed and six injured -- Carol.
COSTELLO: All right, thanks for the update live from Gaza, Chris Burns.
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 October 16, 2003 - 06:07 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Did they get them? Well, we do know some people have been detained in Gaza. Whether those in custody were directly responsible for bombing a U.S. convoy, well, we don't know.
Let's head live to Gaza and Chris Burns to find out more.
Hello -- Chris.
CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, hello, Carol.
The U.S. embassy here confirms an FBI team, a crack team, a flyaway team they call it, has come from the United States. They have arrived here in the region. They're on their way to the bombing site.
Let me show you a newspaper here in the meantime. This is the front page of the "Al Quds" (ph) newspaper, an independent newspaper, showing the anger by the Palestinian leadership, condemning that bombing attack against the Americans, condemning it as an ugly incident. And in the headline: "Ordering an investigation with Americans" -- "with Americans," underlining the importance of cooperating with the Americans, not only in this bombing investigation, but also in trying to push ahead with the Middle East peace process.
Now, overnight, the Palestinian Authority security forces say they have arrested at least five suspects, three of them -- at least three of them from the Jabaliya refugee camp near where the bombing occurred in northern Gaza. They are allegedly part of a breakaway faction of one of those militant organizations that did not necessarily condemn, but they certainly distanced themselves and denied any involvement in that bombing. So, it does appear that it might be a number of freelancers in a splinter organization, and that is what the PA security forces are going after.
But they also -- and it also indicates -- there also are indications that the PA is increasing perhaps a crackdown. Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has elevated a couple of his commanders to head security forces and police, and one of those commanders is seen as a tough law-and-order guy who has rounded up militants in the past. So, that could point in that direction.
Meanwhile, that investigation is there on the ground. Palestinian security forces have secured the bombing site. And FBI investigators are to arrive, perhaps today, to continue with the investigation, although FBI investigators first came yesterday and they were stoned by locals who are angry at the Americans for showing support for Israel. Meanwhile, as Israel is continuing its crackdown in southern Gaza, looking for what they say are tunnels that the militants are using to ferry weapons from Egypt, the Palestinian sources say at least one more Palestinian has been killed and six injured -- Carol.
COSTELLO: All right, thanks for the update live from Gaza, Chris Burns.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
