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CNN Newsnight Aaron Brown
Iraqi Spy Used Hidden Video Camera in Jessica Lynch Rescue
Aired April 15, 2003 - 23:15 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.
AARON BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: There has been tremendous excitement over the seven rescued American POW, as there should be. We don't want to lose sight of the first American to be rescued in Iraq, Private Jessica Lynch.
There's still an enormous amount of mystery surrounding Private Lynch, including how she sustained the injuries she continues to recover from. But we're beginning to learn more about her dramatic rescue at least, carried out it seems not just with brute force, but also with old-fashioned spy work.
The story from Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): CNN has learned that just hours before Private First Class Jessica Lynch was rescued by Special Forces, the CIA sent a trusted Iraqi operative, already on the agency payroll, into the hospital with a secret video camera provided by the Pentagon. His mission? To tape the building's interiors, critical information for planning the daring raid, a rescue the team would then tape themselves as it unfolded.
In the 72 hours before the April 1 rescue, the U.S. intelligence community began to hear whispers of Jessica Lynch's location. At least two enemy prisoners of war offered some information indicating she had been at another location in Nasiriya, but none of that could be verified.
Then, a local Iraqi man informed nearby Marines that Jessica Lynch was at the hospital. His information needed to be verified. But the CIA and the military were already working frantically on a number of leads, all pointing to the hospital in Nasiriya. The Defense Intelligence Agency obtained hospital blueprints for the commando team. It was then decided to risk sending in the Iraqi operative with a hidden video camera.
The rescue team was actually a group of Special Forces formed to hunt and capture regime leaders. They were diverted to this mission. It was Navy SEALS that went into the hospital, while Army Rangers provided outside security, and the Marines staged a diversion. At the same time, Air Force Special Forces were waiting outside to take Jessica Lynch to safety.
(on camera): The mission went off without a hitch. Indeed, by the time the Special Forces team got there, most Iraqi fighters had deserted the hospital, and the role of the CIA operative would remain hidden until now.
Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Rescue>
Aired April 15, 2003 - 23:15 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
AARON BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: There has been tremendous excitement over the seven rescued American POW, as there should be. We don't want to lose sight of the first American to be rescued in Iraq, Private Jessica Lynch.
There's still an enormous amount of mystery surrounding Private Lynch, including how she sustained the injuries she continues to recover from. But we're beginning to learn more about her dramatic rescue at least, carried out it seems not just with brute force, but also with old-fashioned spy work.
The story from Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): CNN has learned that just hours before Private First Class Jessica Lynch was rescued by Special Forces, the CIA sent a trusted Iraqi operative, already on the agency payroll, into the hospital with a secret video camera provided by the Pentagon. His mission? To tape the building's interiors, critical information for planning the daring raid, a rescue the team would then tape themselves as it unfolded.
In the 72 hours before the April 1 rescue, the U.S. intelligence community began to hear whispers of Jessica Lynch's location. At least two enemy prisoners of war offered some information indicating she had been at another location in Nasiriya, but none of that could be verified.
Then, a local Iraqi man informed nearby Marines that Jessica Lynch was at the hospital. His information needed to be verified. But the CIA and the military were already working frantically on a number of leads, all pointing to the hospital in Nasiriya. The Defense Intelligence Agency obtained hospital blueprints for the commando team. It was then decided to risk sending in the Iraqi operative with a hidden video camera.
The rescue team was actually a group of Special Forces formed to hunt and capture regime leaders. They were diverted to this mission. It was Navy SEALS that went into the hospital, while Army Rangers provided outside security, and the Marines staged a diversion. At the same time, Air Force Special Forces were waiting outside to take Jessica Lynch to safety.
(on camera): The mission went off without a hitch. Indeed, by the time the Special Forces team got there, most Iraqi fighters had deserted the hospital, and the role of the CIA operative would remain hidden until now.
Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Rescue>
