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CNN Sunday Morning

U.S. Marines in Fallujah Await Orders; Interview With Fadi Fadel

Aired April 25, 2004 - 09:00   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.


RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. This is CNN SUNDAY MORNING. I'm Renay San Miguel.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone. I'm Catherine Callaway. It is 6:00 a.m. on the West Coast. Thanks to all of you starting out your day early with us. Here's what's ahead in the next hour of CNN SUNDAY MORNING.

The latest from Iraq, including an update on the situation in Fallujah, as U.S. Marines await word on whether they will be ordered to try to take the volatile city.

And women rallying in Washington. Hundreds of thousands are expected in the nation's capital as abortion rights supporters take aim at the president.

And it's music with a message. We'll talk with one band putting what it says is a positive spin on music.

SAN MIGUEL: First, here's a look at what's happening at this hour.

A coalition soldier is dead after his Humvee was hit by a roadside bomb in northeastern Baghdad. Two other soldiers were wounded in the attack on the military convoy. Witnesses say that some people, including children, celebrated around the burning vehicle.

Afghanistan's president is urging former Taliban members to vote in the September elections. Hamid Karzai said only about 150 hard- line Taliban members are criminals and that others can be rehabilitated. Meanwhile, police arrested a man they believe was planning a suicide attack on Karzai.

Chinese health officials say they have found four more suspected cases of SARS in Beijing. More than 300 people, mostly from a SARS lab in the capital, are under quarantine. China already listed two lab workers as confirmed cases, but the World Health Organization has not confirmed either of them.

Firefighters in Illinois are still battling a blaze at a chemical plant two days after that facility was rocked by a huge explosion. Four people were killed in the blast. It's still unknown what caused that Friday night explosion.

CALLAWAY: As we just told you, across Iraq today, more signs of violence and instability. Coalition troops and Iraqi civilians are killed, and the tense cease-fire in Fallujah looks increasingly like a standoff. There is a lot going on.

Let's turn right to our Jim Clancy for the latest developments. He's joining us from Baghdad -- Jim.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM CLANCY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A U.S. military Humvee burned furiously, sending up clouds of black smoke Sunday after a roadside bomb attack that sent the American death toll higher in Iraq. One soldier was killed and two others wounded. Iraqi doctors reported two boys who had been nearby were also killed.

Iraqi civilians and coalition troops came under fire from insurgents across Iraq, creating an atmosphere of insecurity even as the capital welcomed a staunch supporter of the war, Prime Minister John Howard. Australia's prime minister laid a wreath during his short visit to Baghdad, a visit kept secret until he landed at the capital's international airport. John Howard's trip coincided with ANZAC Day, when Australian remembers its war dead and those who serve in its armed forces.

JOHN HOWARD, AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER: And I want to say from the bottom of my heart to the men and women of the Australian defense force who are serving in the name of their nation here in Iraq, thank you for the wonderful work that you are doing.

CLANCY: Howard's political opponents at home want the remaining 850 Australian troops back by Christmas, saying their work as air traffic controllers at the airport is not critical to the Iraq mission.

Apparent suicide bombers attempted to hit Iraq's main oil terminal overnight about 10 kilometers off shore in the Gulf. The Al Amaya (ph) terminal is Iraq's main oil export route for loading crude onto tankers. Two U.S. servicemen were killed and at least three others wounded when they attempted to board a dow that was entering an exclusion zone around the terminal. The dow exploded as they approached. Two other vessels that tried to enter the zone later also exploded as they came under fire.

The troubled town of Fallujah was relatively quiet west of Baghdad Sunday as coalition troops said they would allow more than 60 families to return as part of the uneasy truce there. That truce has been extended, although coalition commanders threaten unless progress is made, U.S. Marines could storm the city. At the same time, the coalition has been straining to reinforce that truce and get gunmen off the streets and Iraqi police back in control.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SAN MIGUEL: And that was Jim Clancy reporting. As he just told us, U.S. Marines surrounding Fallujah are holding fire for now, while President Bush and his White House advisers discuss options on invading the besieged city. White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux joins us now live with more on that -- Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

President Bush is hunkered down at Camp David this weekend. He is conferring with his top military advisers, his national security team, through video conference calls over the weekend.

The administration really faces a tough military decision, but also a political one as well. The administration's fears, the concerns here is that if the coalition, if the forces do go in, they could risk intensifying the resistance against the coalition, that this could essentially explode throughout the whole country. These insurgents, they also risk the possibility of civilian casualties, despite the fact that they've got plans to hit those insurgents in particular.

Also, there's a risk, of course, to lose the public relations battle not only with the Iraqis, but also with the modern Arab allies. All eyes now are on Fallujah.

And finally, of course, this is certainly going to complicate the efforts to turn power back to the Iraqi people over in some 10 weeks, that this certainly could make Lakhdar Brahimi's job a bit more difficult. But the president's thinking here is they don't want to embolden these insurgents if they don't do anything. Certainly they hope negotiations are going to work. We expect that we'll get an update within the hour.

SAN MIGUEL: Suzanne, one quick question, and I'll ask you the same one I asked Jim Clancy earlier. Maybe you could shed some light on it. The administration, does it believe that the people who are talking, who are negotiating with the coalition troops outside of Fallujah actually have any kind of control over those insurgents who are inside taking shots at the U.S. soldiers there?

MALVEAUX: It certainly is difficult to say because they really can't tell at this point. You have people who are inside, of course, the city of Fallujah, those who are negotiating outside, some of them who have lost credibility through their close relationship with the United States and coalition forces. It is really a big test not only for the coalition, but also for those Sunni Muslims, those who are inside. Do they have the kind of bargaining power, do they have the credibility to actually keep those insurgents from attacking even further.

SAN MIGUEL: Suzanne Malveaux live at the White House. Thank you.

(LIVE EVENT)

CALLAWAY: There are still a number of people officials believe are being held hostage in Iraq. Among them, a U.S. soldier and an American contractor. But thankfully, for one Canadian man the ordeal is over. Fadi Fadel was working with the International Rescue committee, that is a humanitarian organization. He was abducted and held captive for nearly 10 days before he was released just last week. He joins us this morning from Montreal.

So very good to see you.

FADI FADEL, INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE: Thank you.

CALLAWAY: We just heard Dan Senor say that the situation in Najaf is deteriorating, with the stockpiling of weapons in that area. And I understand that is where you were abducted. Can you tell us what happened?

FADEL: Well, there were some clashes a couple days ago before I was kidnapped. But actually, on Tuesday, the 6th of April, they came into my house and I was just about getting ready to go to bed. I brushed my teeth, and a gang of people stormed the house and they took me. They blindfolded me, tied my hands behind my back, and then put me in the organization's car and drove away with me.

CALLAWAY: And can you tell us what all occurred during that abduction? We understand the group is Ansar Adin (ph), and they accused you of being an Israeli spy?

FADEL: Well, this is what they wanted me to admit. I kept -- you know, they had my Canadian passport, first thing. They actually got it in the house before we got into the car.

We got there, and during the 48 hours, three days, I don't know, I'm not sure, but the timing, there was a lot of, you know, maltreatment by them. They want me to confess that I'm an Israeli spy, that I collaborate with the coalition forces. And I kept on stressing the fact I'm a humanitarian aid worker, I'm here to help the children. But it didn't go with them.

But finally, they put me in front of a video camera and they wanted me to say my name and the organization that I worked with, my nationality. And then they wanted know say that I collaborate with the state of Israel. And I refused to lie, but they had a couple, you know, guns pointed at my head behind the camera.

So I said my name, my nationality, the organization, and I collaborated with Israel. But then the video that was released was dubbed. It was not my voice or anything.

CALLAWAY: It wasn't?

FADEL: No.

CALLAWAY: And we understand that you were beaten repeatedly and burned with cigarettes?

FADEL: Yes. During the first 48 hours it was quite a harsh -- a nightmare for me. They wanted me to, you know, admit that I'm a spy, something that I refused to say.

CALLAWAY: And you never did admit that despite the beatings, despite being burned?

FADEL: No.

CALLAWAY: And what do you think got you through this ordeal? How did you expect it to end? And why do you think you were released?

FADEL: I don't know. These questions are still unanswered for me. There's a couple times I thought I'm going to die.

I was sort of trusting god. I was praying a lot, and I was hoping that, you know, my government and the organization that I worked for, the International Rescue Committee, are doing what they can to get me out.

CALLAWAY: We understand that you actually want to return there to continue your work.

FADEL: Well, the mission in Iraq, I come from an Arabic heritage, and going to Iraq was sort of a personal goal that I wanted to participate in the humanitarian effort and, you know, introducing democracy and children's rights. I sought that job and I got it.

I went there. I was very happy. International Rescue Committee was doing a great job there. We were well received.

So this is the work of a few, not the work of the people, the many people and the many clergy and community leaders I met over there. And there's a humanitarian crisis going on in Iraq, and there's a need for humanitarian workers to go back. But the -- unfortunately, the security situation is not permitting us to do so.

CALLAWAY: And I don't think your family is going to permit you to return either.

FADEL: Yes.

CALLAWAY: And finally, we're running out of time here, but it has to be odd to be watching the situation in Iraq now from home in Canada.

FADEL: Sorry?

CALLAWAY: It has to be difficult. What is it like watching the war from Canada?

FADEL: It's unnerving. It's unnerving to see how the situation is growing from bad to worse. And I keep thinking about the children and what's going on to them and how neglected they are.

CALLAWAY: Fadi Fadel, thank you so much for being with us. And we're so glad you're home.

FADEL: You're welcome.

CALLAWAY: I know your family is. And good luck with your work.

FADEL: Thank you.

CALLAWAY: We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SAN MIGUEL: A protest march in the nation's capital tops our look at stories making news across America. Police estimate about 800 people took part in demonstrations aimed at world financial leaders. Two arrests were made. The World Bank and International Monetary Fund members are holing their semi-annual meetings.

About 1,500 people gathered at Minnesota resort for the funeral of 22-year-old Dru Sjodin. Sjodin's body was found a week ago. She had been missing since late November.

A 2-year-old boy remains missing after his mother's pickup truck was swept away by flash floods in Arkansas. The boy's 3-year-old sister was killed in the flooding, but the mother survived. Later today, the governor of Arkansas is expected to declare a state of emergency in the area. We only hope that the weather in Arkansas gives those folks in Arkansas a break.

(WEATHER REPORT)

SAN MIGUEL: Well, Washington, D.C. is the site opposing rallies today over the issue of abortion. Up next, a man who stands firmly on the side of anti-abortion activism. Randall Terry will join us right after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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 April 25, 2004 - 09:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. This is CNN SUNDAY MORNING. I'm Renay San Miguel.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone. I'm Catherine Callaway. It is 6:00 a.m. on the West Coast. Thanks to all of you starting out your day early with us. Here's what's ahead in the next hour of CNN SUNDAY MORNING.

The latest from Iraq, including an update on the situation in Fallujah, as U.S. Marines await word on whether they will be ordered to try to take the volatile city.

And women rallying in Washington. Hundreds of thousands are expected in the nation's capital as abortion rights supporters take aim at the president.

And it's music with a message. We'll talk with one band putting what it says is a positive spin on music.

SAN MIGUEL: First, here's a look at what's happening at this hour.

A coalition soldier is dead after his Humvee was hit by a roadside bomb in northeastern Baghdad. Two other soldiers were wounded in the attack on the military convoy. Witnesses say that some people, including children, celebrated around the burning vehicle.

Afghanistan's president is urging former Taliban members to vote in the September elections. Hamid Karzai said only about 150 hard- line Taliban members are criminals and that others can be rehabilitated. Meanwhile, police arrested a man they believe was planning a suicide attack on Karzai.

Chinese health officials say they have found four more suspected cases of SARS in Beijing. More than 300 people, mostly from a SARS lab in the capital, are under quarantine. China already listed two lab workers as confirmed cases, but the World Health Organization has not confirmed either of them.

Firefighters in Illinois are still battling a blaze at a chemical plant two days after that facility was rocked by a huge explosion. Four people were killed in the blast. It's still unknown what caused that Friday night explosion.

CALLAWAY: As we just told you, across Iraq today, more signs of violence and instability. Coalition troops and Iraqi civilians are killed, and the tense cease-fire in Fallujah looks increasingly like a standoff. There is a lot going on.

Let's turn right to our Jim Clancy for the latest developments. He's joining us from Baghdad -- Jim.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM CLANCY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A U.S. military Humvee burned furiously, sending up clouds of black smoke Sunday after a roadside bomb attack that sent the American death toll higher in Iraq. One soldier was killed and two others wounded. Iraqi doctors reported two boys who had been nearby were also killed.

Iraqi civilians and coalition troops came under fire from insurgents across Iraq, creating an atmosphere of insecurity even as the capital welcomed a staunch supporter of the war, Prime Minister John Howard. Australia's prime minister laid a wreath during his short visit to Baghdad, a visit kept secret until he landed at the capital's international airport. John Howard's trip coincided with ANZAC Day, when Australian remembers its war dead and those who serve in its armed forces.

JOHN HOWARD, AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER: And I want to say from the bottom of my heart to the men and women of the Australian defense force who are serving in the name of their nation here in Iraq, thank you for the wonderful work that you are doing.

CLANCY: Howard's political opponents at home want the remaining 850 Australian troops back by Christmas, saying their work as air traffic controllers at the airport is not critical to the Iraq mission.

Apparent suicide bombers attempted to hit Iraq's main oil terminal overnight about 10 kilometers off shore in the Gulf. The Al Amaya (ph) terminal is Iraq's main oil export route for loading crude onto tankers. Two U.S. servicemen were killed and at least three others wounded when they attempted to board a dow that was entering an exclusion zone around the terminal. The dow exploded as they approached. Two other vessels that tried to enter the zone later also exploded as they came under fire.

The troubled town of Fallujah was relatively quiet west of Baghdad Sunday as coalition troops said they would allow more than 60 families to return as part of the uneasy truce there. That truce has been extended, although coalition commanders threaten unless progress is made, U.S. Marines could storm the city. At the same time, the coalition has been straining to reinforce that truce and get gunmen off the streets and Iraqi police back in control.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SAN MIGUEL: And that was Jim Clancy reporting. As he just told us, U.S. Marines surrounding Fallujah are holding fire for now, while President Bush and his White House advisers discuss options on invading the besieged city. White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux joins us now live with more on that -- Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

President Bush is hunkered down at Camp David this weekend. He is conferring with his top military advisers, his national security team, through video conference calls over the weekend.

The administration really faces a tough military decision, but also a political one as well. The administration's fears, the concerns here is that if the coalition, if the forces do go in, they could risk intensifying the resistance against the coalition, that this could essentially explode throughout the whole country. These insurgents, they also risk the possibility of civilian casualties, despite the fact that they've got plans to hit those insurgents in particular.

Also, there's a risk, of course, to lose the public relations battle not only with the Iraqis, but also with the modern Arab allies. All eyes now are on Fallujah.

And finally, of course, this is certainly going to complicate the efforts to turn power back to the Iraqi people over in some 10 weeks, that this certainly could make Lakhdar Brahimi's job a bit more difficult. But the president's thinking here is they don't want to embolden these insurgents if they don't do anything. Certainly they hope negotiations are going to work. We expect that we'll get an update within the hour.

SAN MIGUEL: Suzanne, one quick question, and I'll ask you the same one I asked Jim Clancy earlier. Maybe you could shed some light on it. The administration, does it believe that the people who are talking, who are negotiating with the coalition troops outside of Fallujah actually have any kind of control over those insurgents who are inside taking shots at the U.S. soldiers there?

MALVEAUX: It certainly is difficult to say because they really can't tell at this point. You have people who are inside, of course, the city of Fallujah, those who are negotiating outside, some of them who have lost credibility through their close relationship with the United States and coalition forces. It is really a big test not only for the coalition, but also for those Sunni Muslims, those who are inside. Do they have the kind of bargaining power, do they have the credibility to actually keep those insurgents from attacking even further.

SAN MIGUEL: Suzanne Malveaux live at the White House. Thank you.

(LIVE EVENT)

CALLAWAY: There are still a number of people officials believe are being held hostage in Iraq. Among them, a U.S. soldier and an American contractor. But thankfully, for one Canadian man the ordeal is over. Fadi Fadel was working with the International Rescue committee, that is a humanitarian organization. He was abducted and held captive for nearly 10 days before he was released just last week. He joins us this morning from Montreal.

So very good to see you.

FADI FADEL, INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE: Thank you.

CALLAWAY: We just heard Dan Senor say that the situation in Najaf is deteriorating, with the stockpiling of weapons in that area. And I understand that is where you were abducted. Can you tell us what happened?

FADEL: Well, there were some clashes a couple days ago before I was kidnapped. But actually, on Tuesday, the 6th of April, they came into my house and I was just about getting ready to go to bed. I brushed my teeth, and a gang of people stormed the house and they took me. They blindfolded me, tied my hands behind my back, and then put me in the organization's car and drove away with me.

CALLAWAY: And can you tell us what all occurred during that abduction? We understand the group is Ansar Adin (ph), and they accused you of being an Israeli spy?

FADEL: Well, this is what they wanted me to admit. I kept -- you know, they had my Canadian passport, first thing. They actually got it in the house before we got into the car.

We got there, and during the 48 hours, three days, I don't know, I'm not sure, but the timing, there was a lot of, you know, maltreatment by them. They want me to confess that I'm an Israeli spy, that I collaborate with the coalition forces. And I kept on stressing the fact I'm a humanitarian aid worker, I'm here to help the children. But it didn't go with them.

But finally, they put me in front of a video camera and they wanted me to say my name and the organization that I worked with, my nationality. And then they wanted know say that I collaborate with the state of Israel. And I refused to lie, but they had a couple, you know, guns pointed at my head behind the camera.

So I said my name, my nationality, the organization, and I collaborated with Israel. But then the video that was released was dubbed. It was not my voice or anything.

CALLAWAY: It wasn't?

FADEL: No.

CALLAWAY: And we understand that you were beaten repeatedly and burned with cigarettes?

FADEL: Yes. During the first 48 hours it was quite a harsh -- a nightmare for me. They wanted me to, you know, admit that I'm a spy, something that I refused to say.

CALLAWAY: And you never did admit that despite the beatings, despite being burned?

FADEL: No.

CALLAWAY: And what do you think got you through this ordeal? How did you expect it to end? And why do you think you were released?

FADEL: I don't know. These questions are still unanswered for me. There's a couple times I thought I'm going to die.

I was sort of trusting god. I was praying a lot, and I was hoping that, you know, my government and the organization that I worked for, the International Rescue Committee, are doing what they can to get me out.

CALLAWAY: We understand that you actually want to return there to continue your work.

FADEL: Well, the mission in Iraq, I come from an Arabic heritage, and going to Iraq was sort of a personal goal that I wanted to participate in the humanitarian effort and, you know, introducing democracy and children's rights. I sought that job and I got it.

I went there. I was very happy. International Rescue Committee was doing a great job there. We were well received.

So this is the work of a few, not the work of the people, the many people and the many clergy and community leaders I met over there. And there's a humanitarian crisis going on in Iraq, and there's a need for humanitarian workers to go back. But the -- unfortunately, the security situation is not permitting us to do so.

CALLAWAY: And I don't think your family is going to permit you to return either.

FADEL: Yes.

CALLAWAY: And finally, we're running out of time here, but it has to be odd to be watching the situation in Iraq now from home in Canada.

FADEL: Sorry?

CALLAWAY: It has to be difficult. What is it like watching the war from Canada?

FADEL: It's unnerving. It's unnerving to see how the situation is growing from bad to worse. And I keep thinking about the children and what's going on to them and how neglected they are.

CALLAWAY: Fadi Fadel, thank you so much for being with us. And we're so glad you're home.

FADEL: You're welcome.

CALLAWAY: I know your family is. And good luck with your work.

FADEL: Thank you.

CALLAWAY: We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SAN MIGUEL: A protest march in the nation's capital tops our look at stories making news across America. Police estimate about 800 people took part in demonstrations aimed at world financial leaders. Two arrests were made. The World Bank and International Monetary Fund members are holing their semi-annual meetings.

About 1,500 people gathered at Minnesota resort for the funeral of 22-year-old Dru Sjodin. Sjodin's body was found a week ago. She had been missing since late November.

A 2-year-old boy remains missing after his mother's pickup truck was swept away by flash floods in Arkansas. The boy's 3-year-old sister was killed in the flooding, but the mother survived. Later today, the governor of Arkansas is expected to declare a state of emergency in the area. We only hope that the weather in Arkansas gives those folks in Arkansas a break.

(WEATHER REPORT)

SAN MIGUEL: Well, Washington, D.C. is the site opposing rallies today over the issue of abortion. Up next, a man who stands firmly on the side of anti-abortion activism. Randall Terry will join us right after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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