Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live At Daybreak

Italy Mourns Bombing Victims

Aired November 18, 2003 - 06:08   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.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Still no definitive word on who blew up Italian military headquarters in Nasiriyah, but the 19 Italians, who were killed there, are being mourned today in Rome by millions.
Let's head live to Rome and Paula Hancocks, as we take a live look at the basilica.

Hello -- Paula.

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Carol.

Yes, it is a national day of mourning here in Italy, the state funeral undergoing at the moment. The 19 coffins of those that fell last week in Nasiriyah in Iraq at the front of the basilica, draped with the tricolori flags, thousands mourning inside the basilica, thousands more outside. They had to put screens up so that everyone can see what's happening and pay their last respects.

On the procession from the Viturio Manuel (ph) monument, where the coffins were laid yesterday, where thousands saw them, they went four or five kilometers along the road. Thousands of Italians applauded the coffins as they drove past in that procession to show their sign of respect and appreciation for what Italians are doing in Iraq at the moment.

Now, to gauge some sort of -- how the national unity really has come about, I'm joined by Professor Franco Pavoncello from the John Cabot University.

Professor, thank you for joining me.

FRANCO PAVONCELLO, PROFESSOR, JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY: Sure.

HANCOCKS: What would you say is the overwhelming feeling of national unity in Italy at the moment?

PAVONCELLO: Well, now, we have a feeling -- an overwhelming feeling of grief and an overwhelming feeling of pride in what these young men and women did. And also the determination to stay put for now and facing terrorism. And I think that this is a milestone of national pride in this country, which has perceived itself as a democratic country going on a peace mission. So, the uproar and, you know, the commotion is very widespread and touches all the various parties and sectors of the population.

HANCOCKS: Would you say this sort of reaction is fairly unprecedented? If you look around, there are thousands of people around. There are tricolori flags hanging from windows. How unusual is this sort of reaction as a whole of Italy?

PAVONCELLO: Well, this is one of the largest mass of outpouring of solidarity that we've seen in Italy in the past few decades. Let's not forget that this is the largest number of killings in a combat zone since World War II. And you are talking about policemen, the Carabinieri, one of the Italian police, people who have families, people that you see on the streets. And I think that this has brought together a very large sense of solidarity among all Italians, which is being shown today.

HANCOCKS: Professor Franco Pavoncello, thank you for joining me.

PAVONCELLO: Thank you.

HANCOCKS: So, here in Rome, the mass is still going on at the moment, and it will be for another hour or so. And there has also been much respect. There have been schoolchildren having a minute of silence. There have been shops closing for 10 minutes to show their own respect -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Paula Hancocks reporting live from Rome 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 November 18, 2003 - 06:08   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Still no definitive word on who blew up Italian military headquarters in Nasiriyah, but the 19 Italians, who were killed there, are being mourned today in Rome by millions.
Let's head live to Rome and Paula Hancocks, as we take a live look at the basilica.

Hello -- Paula.

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Carol.

Yes, it is a national day of mourning here in Italy, the state funeral undergoing at the moment. The 19 coffins of those that fell last week in Nasiriyah in Iraq at the front of the basilica, draped with the tricolori flags, thousands mourning inside the basilica, thousands more outside. They had to put screens up so that everyone can see what's happening and pay their last respects.

On the procession from the Viturio Manuel (ph) monument, where the coffins were laid yesterday, where thousands saw them, they went four or five kilometers along the road. Thousands of Italians applauded the coffins as they drove past in that procession to show their sign of respect and appreciation for what Italians are doing in Iraq at the moment.

Now, to gauge some sort of -- how the national unity really has come about, I'm joined by Professor Franco Pavoncello from the John Cabot University.

Professor, thank you for joining me.

FRANCO PAVONCELLO, PROFESSOR, JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY: Sure.

HANCOCKS: What would you say is the overwhelming feeling of national unity in Italy at the moment?

PAVONCELLO: Well, now, we have a feeling -- an overwhelming feeling of grief and an overwhelming feeling of pride in what these young men and women did. And also the determination to stay put for now and facing terrorism. And I think that this is a milestone of national pride in this country, which has perceived itself as a democratic country going on a peace mission. So, the uproar and, you know, the commotion is very widespread and touches all the various parties and sectors of the population.

HANCOCKS: Would you say this sort of reaction is fairly unprecedented? If you look around, there are thousands of people around. There are tricolori flags hanging from windows. How unusual is this sort of reaction as a whole of Italy?

PAVONCELLO: Well, this is one of the largest mass of outpouring of solidarity that we've seen in Italy in the past few decades. Let's not forget that this is the largest number of killings in a combat zone since World War II. And you are talking about policemen, the Carabinieri, one of the Italian police, people who have families, people that you see on the streets. And I think that this has brought together a very large sense of solidarity among all Italians, which is being shown today.

HANCOCKS: Professor Franco Pavoncello, thank you for joining me.

PAVONCELLO: Thank you.

HANCOCKS: So, here in Rome, the mass is still going on at the moment, and it will be for another hour or so. And there has also been much respect. There have been schoolchildren having a minute of silence. There have been shops closing for 10 minutes to show their own respect -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Paula Hancocks reporting live from Rome 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.