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CNN Live Saturday
Ayatollah Hakim Returns to Iraq
Aired May 10, 2003 - 16:36 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.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: In Iraq, a revered figure is back home after more than two decades of exile. With a crowd of supporters on hand, the head of the Shi'ite Muslim group arrived in Basra from neighboring Iran today. For more on that story and other new developments in Iraq, we turn to CNN's Jane Arraf in Baghdad. Jane, was there quite a reception for the ayatollah?
JANE ARRAF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, it was a reception that they'd been waiting 23 years to throw. Now, Mohammed Baqer al- Hakim arrived across the Iranian border into Basra to tens of thousands of cheering people. They mobbed his car, threw flowers at the car and the convoy. Some of them flung themselves at his convoy.
They have been waiting a very long time for their exiled leader. He has been under the protection of Iran for more than two decades, and he's coming back in what is essentially a triumphal tour, winding his way to the holy city of Najaf in the next few days.
Now, he's called for Iraq to be a modern Islamic state. And according to his brother, Abdul Aziz Al-Hakim, that means that Iraq should be governed by Islamic law.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): One of the points agreed upon by the opposition in London is that Islamic law should be basic for legislation in Iraq. Iraq is an Arab country that lives by Islamic laws. The majority are Muslims in Iraq, so this would be the natural thing to do. This does not mean an Islamic or Shi'ite government. It does mean paying respect to the faithful of this nation and to not put forward any legislation that contradicts Islamic doctrine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ARRAF: Now, as with many things, it's not clear exactly how much influence and how much power the Shi'as under the Ayatollah Hakim will have in this new government, or whether they want to take power in the new government, but one thing is clear, that they'll certainly have more power than they did under Saddam Hussein's regime.
Now, another new development, something else that's changing in this whirlwind of events here in Iraq is that the Iranian opposition, which has been here for decades, has been based in Iraq and has pledged to overthrow the Iranian government, has been essentially disbanded. They've been in the standoff with the U.S. Army in their bases near the Iranian border. The word is now that they have agreed to put their arms under U.S. control. The U.S. says that they must either disarm or be destroyed. And this is a temporary compromise -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, Jane Arraf from Baghdad, thank you.
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 May 10, 2003 - 16:36 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: In Iraq, a revered figure is back home after more than two decades of exile. With a crowd of supporters on hand, the head of the Shi'ite Muslim group arrived in Basra from neighboring Iran today. For more on that story and other new developments in Iraq, we turn to CNN's Jane Arraf in Baghdad. Jane, was there quite a reception for the ayatollah?
JANE ARRAF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, it was a reception that they'd been waiting 23 years to throw. Now, Mohammed Baqer al- Hakim arrived across the Iranian border into Basra to tens of thousands of cheering people. They mobbed his car, threw flowers at the car and the convoy. Some of them flung themselves at his convoy.
They have been waiting a very long time for their exiled leader. He has been under the protection of Iran for more than two decades, and he's coming back in what is essentially a triumphal tour, winding his way to the holy city of Najaf in the next few days.
Now, he's called for Iraq to be a modern Islamic state. And according to his brother, Abdul Aziz Al-Hakim, that means that Iraq should be governed by Islamic law.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): One of the points agreed upon by the opposition in London is that Islamic law should be basic for legislation in Iraq. Iraq is an Arab country that lives by Islamic laws. The majority are Muslims in Iraq, so this would be the natural thing to do. This does not mean an Islamic or Shi'ite government. It does mean paying respect to the faithful of this nation and to not put forward any legislation that contradicts Islamic doctrine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ARRAF: Now, as with many things, it's not clear exactly how much influence and how much power the Shi'as under the Ayatollah Hakim will have in this new government, or whether they want to take power in the new government, but one thing is clear, that they'll certainly have more power than they did under Saddam Hussein's regime.
Now, another new development, something else that's changing in this whirlwind of events here in Iraq is that the Iranian opposition, which has been here for decades, has been based in Iraq and has pledged to overthrow the Iranian government, has been essentially disbanded. They've been in the standoff with the U.S. Army in their bases near the Iranian border. The word is now that they have agreed to put their arms under U.S. control. The U.S. says that they must either disarm or be destroyed. And this is a temporary compromise -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, Jane Arraf from Baghdad, thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
