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CNN Live Saturday
U.S. Government Says It Will Help Morocco Investigate Suicide Attacks
Aired May 17, 2003 - 14:02 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.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. government is condemning the suicide bombings that killed 41 people in Morocco. It says it will help Morocco find those responsible for the bombings. We get the latest now this story from CNN's Jim Bittermann from Casablanca.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): This is the hotel Farrah (ph) right in the center of Casablanca. One of the main boulevards right here, and last night there was quite a pitched battle right in the front door. You can sort of see some of the damage. There standing in the front door is the security manager for the hotel. He told me earlier that in fact what happened here is that one of his agents tried to stop a suicide bomber. He tried to stop him. He was stabbed to death on the spot by the suicide bomber. The bomber continued on, and accompanied by another person armed with bombs and a sack with a lot of explosives in it.
The first man exploded his bomb, killing himself and the baggage handler, and the second bomber was injured or at least was incapacitated by that first attack and his bomb didn't go off, so the security people in the hotel arrested him. They turned him over to police, where he's now in custody.
Now, he's one of three people who have been arrested, and police are hoping I am sure that he could tell them a little bit more of what motives behind these attacks were and what their targets were.
Jim Bittermann, CNN, Casablanca.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: And more reaction now to the bombings. Ed Gabriel is the former U.S. ambassador to Morocco serving under President Clinton from 1997 to 2001. He is with us live now on the phone from Easton, Maryland. Thank you very much for being with us, Mr. Ambassador. Tell us what your take is on this so far, as to what has happened in Morocco, if you would?
ED GABRIEL, FORMER AMBASSADOR TO MOROCCO: Heidi, in talking to a number of Moroccan officials this morning as well as U.S. government officials, I think it's clear that there's a two-pronged reason for this attack by these people. One was because of the country's longstanding friendship with the United States and its extremely close cooperation in the war on terrorism. But the other reason seems to be that the country's been pursuing a kind of modern and political and social reforms that al Qaeda is opposed to. And quite frankly, if -- if al Qaeda was involved in this effort, I think it represents an expansion in the region, in the Arab region away from its -- away from these conservative governments in the region and now attacking the reform movements in the Middle East -- primary among them, of course, is Morocco.
COLLINS: Do you think there is a message tied to these blasts? Mr. Gabriel, I am wondering maybe a message for the allies to the U.S.?
GABRIEL: Well, yes, I think what is being said here is that these are people who are saying for religious purposes, extremists religious purposes, we don't like countries that are involved in reformist kinds of activities. Countries that are religiously tolerant and have openness in the areas of democracy and in economics. And so what they're saying is we're coming to get you as well.
So what's important here is America realize this and look at friends like Morocco who have done so much to be with them, for the people like Morocco get the support from America that they need. You know, President Bush asked the question, are you with us or with them? Morocco answered by saying, we're with you. Now I think they need to ask America, are you going to be with us? Because today for them, it's 9/11 in Morocco.
COLLINS: Well, on that very note, has Morocco been taking precautions in the past to guard against terror? And will this event likely change the way they do that?
GABRIEL: Heidi, I think the fact that no Americans were targeted and thank God were not killed is an example of how closely Morocco has cooperated with the United States, because they have sealed off any potential American targets. So they take this pretty seriously. But of course, there is some introspection that goes on with when this kind of thing happens. It happened in our country, and I am sure it is happening in Morocco and they are really going to have to count on their friends like America to come and be at their aid as well now.
COLLINS: And if Morocco, then, has then a targeted terror, what other countries do you think need to be concerned?
GABRIEL: Well, if in fact al Qaeda was involved in this effort, I think any countries now that have reform-minded agenda that are religiously tolerant and care about economic and democratic reforms are going to be targets. So I think you're going to see this, I guess, with more moderate Arab states now in the area.
COLLINS: All right, Ed Gabriel, former U.S. ambassador to Morocco. We certainly appreciate your insight on all of this today. Thank you again.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Suicide Attacks>
Aired May 17, 2003 - 14:02 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. government is condemning the suicide bombings that killed 41 people in Morocco. It says it will help Morocco find those responsible for the bombings. We get the latest now this story from CNN's Jim Bittermann from Casablanca.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): This is the hotel Farrah (ph) right in the center of Casablanca. One of the main boulevards right here, and last night there was quite a pitched battle right in the front door. You can sort of see some of the damage. There standing in the front door is the security manager for the hotel. He told me earlier that in fact what happened here is that one of his agents tried to stop a suicide bomber. He tried to stop him. He was stabbed to death on the spot by the suicide bomber. The bomber continued on, and accompanied by another person armed with bombs and a sack with a lot of explosives in it.
The first man exploded his bomb, killing himself and the baggage handler, and the second bomber was injured or at least was incapacitated by that first attack and his bomb didn't go off, so the security people in the hotel arrested him. They turned him over to police, where he's now in custody.
Now, he's one of three people who have been arrested, and police are hoping I am sure that he could tell them a little bit more of what motives behind these attacks were and what their targets were.
Jim Bittermann, CNN, Casablanca.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: And more reaction now to the bombings. Ed Gabriel is the former U.S. ambassador to Morocco serving under President Clinton from 1997 to 2001. He is with us live now on the phone from Easton, Maryland. Thank you very much for being with us, Mr. Ambassador. Tell us what your take is on this so far, as to what has happened in Morocco, if you would?
ED GABRIEL, FORMER AMBASSADOR TO MOROCCO: Heidi, in talking to a number of Moroccan officials this morning as well as U.S. government officials, I think it's clear that there's a two-pronged reason for this attack by these people. One was because of the country's longstanding friendship with the United States and its extremely close cooperation in the war on terrorism. But the other reason seems to be that the country's been pursuing a kind of modern and political and social reforms that al Qaeda is opposed to. And quite frankly, if -- if al Qaeda was involved in this effort, I think it represents an expansion in the region, in the Arab region away from its -- away from these conservative governments in the region and now attacking the reform movements in the Middle East -- primary among them, of course, is Morocco.
COLLINS: Do you think there is a message tied to these blasts? Mr. Gabriel, I am wondering maybe a message for the allies to the U.S.?
GABRIEL: Well, yes, I think what is being said here is that these are people who are saying for religious purposes, extremists religious purposes, we don't like countries that are involved in reformist kinds of activities. Countries that are religiously tolerant and have openness in the areas of democracy and in economics. And so what they're saying is we're coming to get you as well.
So what's important here is America realize this and look at friends like Morocco who have done so much to be with them, for the people like Morocco get the support from America that they need. You know, President Bush asked the question, are you with us or with them? Morocco answered by saying, we're with you. Now I think they need to ask America, are you going to be with us? Because today for them, it's 9/11 in Morocco.
COLLINS: Well, on that very note, has Morocco been taking precautions in the past to guard against terror? And will this event likely change the way they do that?
GABRIEL: Heidi, I think the fact that no Americans were targeted and thank God were not killed is an example of how closely Morocco has cooperated with the United States, because they have sealed off any potential American targets. So they take this pretty seriously. But of course, there is some introspection that goes on with when this kind of thing happens. It happened in our country, and I am sure it is happening in Morocco and they are really going to have to count on their friends like America to come and be at their aid as well now.
COLLINS: And if Morocco, then, has then a targeted terror, what other countries do you think need to be concerned?
GABRIEL: Well, if in fact al Qaeda was involved in this effort, I think any countries now that have reform-minded agenda that are religiously tolerant and care about economic and democratic reforms are going to be targets. So I think you're going to see this, I guess, with more moderate Arab states now in the area.
COLLINS: All right, Ed Gabriel, former U.S. ambassador to Morocco. We certainly appreciate your insight on all of this today. Thank you again.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Suicide Attacks>
