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CNN Live At Daybreak

Tikrit Raids Net 30 Detainees, 12 Suspects

Aired January 09, 2004 - 06:33   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: The pressure is on as coalition forces turn up the heat in Tikrit. Call it a roundup, as 12 suspected insurgents are taken into custody.
Live to Baghdad now and Satinder Bindra.

Hello -- Satinder.

SATINDER BINDRA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Carol.

And the United States forces here are putting some heat on anti- insurgent forces -- on anti-U.S. forces, rather. This, after a U.S. helicopter was shot down just yesterday just west of Baghdad in a place called Fallujah. All nine people on board that helicopter were killed.

Also yesterday, a large U.S. transport plane came under fire. It was fired on with a missile. This plane made an emergency landing, and all 63 people on board were unharmed.

Now, as these incidents go on, there's also something else which is going on here. There is a great deal of anticipation in Iraq. This, after the U.S. administrator here, Mr. Paul Bremer, announced that up to 500 Iraqi detainees could be released.

Now, the largest number of detainees is believed to be held here at the Abu Ghraib prison just west of Baghdad. People have been gathering here since yesterday.

And this morning, a U.S. major has just announced there will be no releases from the Abu Ghraib prison. The U.S. major telling us that many of the detainees will now be released from police stations. He did not give any further details.

This has obviously touched off a bit of a storm of protest here. One person, in fact, telling me -- quote -- "If the United States treats us this way, they should expect something in return."

So, obviously emotions are quite high here.

Carol -- back to you.

COSTELLO: Is there any speculation as to why coalition forces are releasing the prisoners in this new way?

BINDRA: Well, this is a step to promote reconciliation in Iraq. The U.S. administrator is saying once these people are released, they can go back to their families. They can go back to building a new Iraq.

Now, most Iraqis have been very happy and very pleased with this announcement, but for the family members who have been waiting for several months, it's a very trying and understandably very emotional time. They're questioning and they're asking why it's still taking so long.

Carol -- back to you.

COSTELLO: I think you misunderstood my question. I mean, why are they releasing the prisoners from police stations instead of from the actual prison?

BINDRA: Right. Carol, these detainees have been kept at various places. These detainees have been spread across Iraq. Some of them are here, for instance, at large detention centers. Some have been detained at police stations.

And what also happens by doing it this way, U.S. forces believe it will preserve the privacy of families, because if there is a large release here, then the media can be here at one central spot. By doing it in smaller bursts from police stations, then U.S. forces also believe it will provide some privacy to families who are concerned.

Back to you.

COSTELLO: Thank you. Satinder Bindra reporting live from Baghdad.

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 January 9, 2004 - 06:33   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The pressure is on as coalition forces turn up the heat in Tikrit. Call it a roundup, as 12 suspected insurgents are taken into custody.
Live to Baghdad now and Satinder Bindra.

Hello -- Satinder.

SATINDER BINDRA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Carol.

And the United States forces here are putting some heat on anti- insurgent forces -- on anti-U.S. forces, rather. This, after a U.S. helicopter was shot down just yesterday just west of Baghdad in a place called Fallujah. All nine people on board that helicopter were killed.

Also yesterday, a large U.S. transport plane came under fire. It was fired on with a missile. This plane made an emergency landing, and all 63 people on board were unharmed.

Now, as these incidents go on, there's also something else which is going on here. There is a great deal of anticipation in Iraq. This, after the U.S. administrator here, Mr. Paul Bremer, announced that up to 500 Iraqi detainees could be released.

Now, the largest number of detainees is believed to be held here at the Abu Ghraib prison just west of Baghdad. People have been gathering here since yesterday.

And this morning, a U.S. major has just announced there will be no releases from the Abu Ghraib prison. The U.S. major telling us that many of the detainees will now be released from police stations. He did not give any further details.

This has obviously touched off a bit of a storm of protest here. One person, in fact, telling me -- quote -- "If the United States treats us this way, they should expect something in return."

So, obviously emotions are quite high here.

Carol -- back to you.

COSTELLO: Is there any speculation as to why coalition forces are releasing the prisoners in this new way?

BINDRA: Well, this is a step to promote reconciliation in Iraq. The U.S. administrator is saying once these people are released, they can go back to their families. They can go back to building a new Iraq.

Now, most Iraqis have been very happy and very pleased with this announcement, but for the family members who have been waiting for several months, it's a very trying and understandably very emotional time. They're questioning and they're asking why it's still taking so long.

Carol -- back to you.

COSTELLO: I think you misunderstood my question. I mean, why are they releasing the prisoners from police stations instead of from the actual prison?

BINDRA: Right. Carol, these detainees have been kept at various places. These detainees have been spread across Iraq. Some of them are here, for instance, at large detention centers. Some have been detained at police stations.

And what also happens by doing it this way, U.S. forces believe it will preserve the privacy of families, because if there is a large release here, then the media can be here at one central spot. By doing it in smaller bursts from police stations, then U.S. forces also believe it will provide some privacy to families who are concerned.

Back to you.

COSTELLO: Thank you. Satinder Bindra reporting live from Baghdad.

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