Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live At Daybreak

Series of Baghdad Blasts

Aired October 27, 2003 - 06:01   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.


HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: It is another bloody day in Baghdad. At least four bombings have taken place -- the largest and deadliest targeted Red Cross headquarters.
We take you live to the scene of that attack. Our Baghdad bureau chief, Jane Arraf, is joining us now with new information this morning.

Jane -- hello.

JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF: Hello, Heidi.

Well, we've just gotten word that among the other attacks that have taken place, these four car bombs -- three of them successful, one of them attempted -- at police stations around Baghdad, there are two fatalities, two American soldiers. Now, presumably, lots more Iraqi fatalities, dead and wounded.

And here at the International Committee of the Red Cross, you can see they are picking up the debris. Now, there were at least 10 people killed here, at least a couple of them who worked for the ICRC, quite possibly Iraqi local staff. Thirteen more wounded, according to the hospital next door.

And the shock of this is still resonating with Red Cross employees. We spoke to spokeswoman Nada Doumani, who said that she thought that the Red Cross was almost invulnerable, because people knew of the humanitarian work they were doing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NADA DOUMANI, RED CROSS SPOKESWOMAN: Maybe it was an illusion to believe that people should know and they ought to know that after 23 years what our mandate, what our identity, how impartially or how neutral we are, how not associated with any party we are. And we hope that the Iraqis know it.

I don't know who committed this crime today. I don't know who did it. But whoever -- I mean, of course, for me, I can't -- still now, I can't understand why we've been targeted, although we've managed throughout the whole years to maintain a humanitarian line, our humanitarian mission. We've done this without any discrimination concerning the people we're trying to help.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ARRAF: Now, one of the worst things about what was already a horrifying incident, according to people here, is that the truck that the explosives were packed in, the suicide truck, had a symbol of the Red Cross, and it's the Muslim equivalent of the Red Cross on this attack on the first day of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan -- Heidi.

COLLINS: Jane, we also know that things are obviously trying to get back to normal, at least a little bit. We've been hearing from some of the military commanders who say we know the curfew has been lifted, there was a main bridge that opened yesterday, some businesses are trying to or at least thinking about coming into Baghdad. After something like this overnight, what are the thoughts now? Are people going to be scared off?

ARRAF: Well, it's a feature of Baghdad life and Iraqi life. Iraqis are very resilient. Now, this is all new to them. They've seen lots of horrible things -- wars, sanctions, a horrible regime that did truly terrible things to some of the people here. But they've kind of learned to adapt. And even though this car bomb had exploded -- there are several others in other cities -- it generally has not prevented life from progressing forward by steps.

Now, there is more money coming into the economy. That means more shops are opening. The curfew has been lifted. This is a horrible event, which is resonating throughout the city, since it is unprecedented. And the attacks on the police stations certainly will make people possibly afraid to go to the police stations. It doesn't mean that the whole city has stopped, and it doesn't mean that the whole city is unsafe. It just really points out the random nature of these attacks, that no one is immune to them -- Heidi.

COLLINS: All right, Jane Arraf, thanks so much for the very latest coming to us live from Baghdad this morning.

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 27, 2003 - 06:01   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: It is another bloody day in Baghdad. At least four bombings have taken place -- the largest and deadliest targeted Red Cross headquarters.
We take you live to the scene of that attack. Our Baghdad bureau chief, Jane Arraf, is joining us now with new information this morning.

Jane -- hello.

JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF: Hello, Heidi.

Well, we've just gotten word that among the other attacks that have taken place, these four car bombs -- three of them successful, one of them attempted -- at police stations around Baghdad, there are two fatalities, two American soldiers. Now, presumably, lots more Iraqi fatalities, dead and wounded.

And here at the International Committee of the Red Cross, you can see they are picking up the debris. Now, there were at least 10 people killed here, at least a couple of them who worked for the ICRC, quite possibly Iraqi local staff. Thirteen more wounded, according to the hospital next door.

And the shock of this is still resonating with Red Cross employees. We spoke to spokeswoman Nada Doumani, who said that she thought that the Red Cross was almost invulnerable, because people knew of the humanitarian work they were doing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NADA DOUMANI, RED CROSS SPOKESWOMAN: Maybe it was an illusion to believe that people should know and they ought to know that after 23 years what our mandate, what our identity, how impartially or how neutral we are, how not associated with any party we are. And we hope that the Iraqis know it.

I don't know who committed this crime today. I don't know who did it. But whoever -- I mean, of course, for me, I can't -- still now, I can't understand why we've been targeted, although we've managed throughout the whole years to maintain a humanitarian line, our humanitarian mission. We've done this without any discrimination concerning the people we're trying to help.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ARRAF: Now, one of the worst things about what was already a horrifying incident, according to people here, is that the truck that the explosives were packed in, the suicide truck, had a symbol of the Red Cross, and it's the Muslim equivalent of the Red Cross on this attack on the first day of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan -- Heidi.

COLLINS: Jane, we also know that things are obviously trying to get back to normal, at least a little bit. We've been hearing from some of the military commanders who say we know the curfew has been lifted, there was a main bridge that opened yesterday, some businesses are trying to or at least thinking about coming into Baghdad. After something like this overnight, what are the thoughts now? Are people going to be scared off?

ARRAF: Well, it's a feature of Baghdad life and Iraqi life. Iraqis are very resilient. Now, this is all new to them. They've seen lots of horrible things -- wars, sanctions, a horrible regime that did truly terrible things to some of the people here. But they've kind of learned to adapt. And even though this car bomb had exploded -- there are several others in other cities -- it generally has not prevented life from progressing forward by steps.

Now, there is more money coming into the economy. That means more shops are opening. The curfew has been lifted. This is a horrible event, which is resonating throughout the city, since it is unprecedented. And the attacks on the police stations certainly will make people possibly afraid to go to the police stations. It doesn't mean that the whole city has stopped, and it doesn't mean that the whole city is unsafe. It just really points out the random nature of these attacks, that no one is immune to them -- Heidi.

COLLINS: All right, Jane Arraf, thanks so much for the very latest coming to us live from Baghdad this morning.

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