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CNN Live Today

Interview With Zainab al-Suwaij

Aired December 15, 2003 - 10:32   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: Now we go live to Baghdad and welcome our guest. Good morning and good afternoon to you in Baghdad. Good evening, it appears. What is the mood like there in Baghdad?
ZAINAB AL-SUWAIJ, DIRECTOR, AMERICAN ISLAMIC CONGRESS: Good morning to you. It's wonderful, it's been a very full day of joy and happiness for all Iraqis. Actually I've been traveling through the country from the south to Baghdad yesterday and you see how people are happy and how they are excited after hearing the news of capturing the dictator.

So it's a wonderful day. People are giving away candies and dancing in the streets and singing and all of that.

KAGAN: Tell me how you actually heard the news.

AL-SUWAIJ: I was actually traveling in the car and I received a call from my sister telling me about that. And I thought she was joking. I didn't believe it at first, but then turns out to be true.

While I was watching people -- I was driving the car, and see them dancing and shooting bullets in the air and all of the happiness on their faces. So finally I believe that was true and I'm glad it's true.

KAGAN: Are people there, though, scared to go out generally? That there's a greater fear of the terrorism that is taking place across Iraq, even more than they were scared of what Saddam Hussein might mean to them at this point?

AL-SUWAIJ: Well, people are actually normally going out in the street today. And they cannot just stop being happy and excited.

Yes, there's some fear, but I think the excitement of the news that they have heard, it's taking this fear away.

KAGAN: And then what do you hear out on the streets? Are people saying what they would like to see happen with Saddam Hussein now?

AL-SUWAIJ: Well, they want to see him being judged by Iraqi courts and taken to a tribunal and get what he deserves for all the crimes that he did against his own people.

KAGAN: And other than that, other than the capture of Saddam Hussein, what do you think -- how would you describe -- what is the biggest challenge for Iraqis now in their daily lives? AL-SUWAIJ: Well, the biggest challenge is first to see Saddam and getting what he deserves. Second, to have a Democratic government and a leadership and for the security to be set and everything like that.

KAGAN: Are you still hopeful that can happen in your home country, that has so many different religious and cultures that these groups of people can come together and govern?

AL-SUWAIJ: I'm optimistic. Especially after, you know, capturing Saddam was a dream. And this is a dream come true so nothing is impossible. I think this will happen and all Iraqis or most of the Iraqis are for it and it's going to happen soon.

KAGAN: And if you would allow us a personal update, a lot of people have been watching CNN, have followed your story, you're here in the U.S., you have been separated from your family for a number of years. Obviously now back in Baghdad. Is this where you will stay or come back to the U.S.?

AL-SUWAIJ: Well, I still have my family here but I still have family in the U.S., as well. So I will work here for a while and then go back to the U.S. and be with my family. And I don't know what the future will bring.

KAGAN: Both countries get to share in your presence. Thank you for reporting for us and letting us know what it was actually like to be in your home country when the news came that Saddam Hussein had been captured.

Zainab al-Suwaij of the American Islamic Congress, 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 December 15, 2003 - 10:32   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Now we go live to Baghdad and welcome our guest. Good morning and good afternoon to you in Baghdad. Good evening, it appears. What is the mood like there in Baghdad?
ZAINAB AL-SUWAIJ, DIRECTOR, AMERICAN ISLAMIC CONGRESS: Good morning to you. It's wonderful, it's been a very full day of joy and happiness for all Iraqis. Actually I've been traveling through the country from the south to Baghdad yesterday and you see how people are happy and how they are excited after hearing the news of capturing the dictator.

So it's a wonderful day. People are giving away candies and dancing in the streets and singing and all of that.

KAGAN: Tell me how you actually heard the news.

AL-SUWAIJ: I was actually traveling in the car and I received a call from my sister telling me about that. And I thought she was joking. I didn't believe it at first, but then turns out to be true.

While I was watching people -- I was driving the car, and see them dancing and shooting bullets in the air and all of the happiness on their faces. So finally I believe that was true and I'm glad it's true.

KAGAN: Are people there, though, scared to go out generally? That there's a greater fear of the terrorism that is taking place across Iraq, even more than they were scared of what Saddam Hussein might mean to them at this point?

AL-SUWAIJ: Well, people are actually normally going out in the street today. And they cannot just stop being happy and excited.

Yes, there's some fear, but I think the excitement of the news that they have heard, it's taking this fear away.

KAGAN: And then what do you hear out on the streets? Are people saying what they would like to see happen with Saddam Hussein now?

AL-SUWAIJ: Well, they want to see him being judged by Iraqi courts and taken to a tribunal and get what he deserves for all the crimes that he did against his own people.

KAGAN: And other than that, other than the capture of Saddam Hussein, what do you think -- how would you describe -- what is the biggest challenge for Iraqis now in their daily lives? AL-SUWAIJ: Well, the biggest challenge is first to see Saddam and getting what he deserves. Second, to have a Democratic government and a leadership and for the security to be set and everything like that.

KAGAN: Are you still hopeful that can happen in your home country, that has so many different religious and cultures that these groups of people can come together and govern?

AL-SUWAIJ: I'm optimistic. Especially after, you know, capturing Saddam was a dream. And this is a dream come true so nothing is impossible. I think this will happen and all Iraqis or most of the Iraqis are for it and it's going to happen soon.

KAGAN: And if you would allow us a personal update, a lot of people have been watching CNN, have followed your story, you're here in the U.S., you have been separated from your family for a number of years. Obviously now back in Baghdad. Is this where you will stay or come back to the U.S.?

AL-SUWAIJ: Well, I still have my family here but I still have family in the U.S., as well. So I will work here for a while and then go back to the U.S. and be with my family. And I don't know what the future will bring.

KAGAN: Both countries get to share in your presence. Thank you for reporting for us and letting us know what it was actually like to be in your home country when the news came that Saddam Hussein had been captured.

Zainab al-Suwaij of the American Islamic Congress, 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