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CNN Live Saturday
Moroccan Police Arrest 27 in Connection With Terrorist Bombings
Aired May 18, 2003 - 18:49 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.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: All day long, we've been following these bombings in Morocco very closely, the investigation into yesterday's bombings. Jim Bittermann has just called in with more information on some arrests. We go to him now -- Jim.
JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Anderson, just a bit of an update. Morocco police have now detained 27 people in connection with those bombings. They say that they've picked those people up in Islamic circles throughout Morocco.
They are also making it clear exactly how many people were involved in the attacks. They said there were 14 people in five groups were involved in attacks. Most of the people involved were Moroccan, that's one that will come as something of a surprise to a lot of people here, because I think a lot of people in Morocco think -- would like to think that this place is kind of isolated from the kind of terrorism we saw last night. And they also say that a lot of the people arrested were -- a lot of people who are suspected, rather, in the bombings were very young, maybe between 18 and 22 years old, according to some police sources.
The king has taken personal charge of the investigation, he has gathered together his intelligence officers and his investigators and told them that he wants a very rapid and transparent investigation. And he's also told the families of victims that he is going to help them out financially -- Anderson.
COOPER: Jim, so right now -- how many are in custody, and is there any sense that more are out there?
BITTERMANN: Well, I think there's a sense that there's going to be more arrests. There are 27 in custody right now, and one of those in custody is, of course, this one suicide bomber whose bomb did not go off for whatever reason. And I think he is going to provide a key here in terms of other arrest that are made, because I think they are cross-examining him quite closely, I would say.
COOPER: All right, Jim Bittermann, thanks for the update, I appreciate it tonight, from Casablanca, Morocco.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Bombings>
Aired May 18, 2003 - 18:49 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: All day long, we've been following these bombings in Morocco very closely, the investigation into yesterday's bombings. Jim Bittermann has just called in with more information on some arrests. We go to him now -- Jim.
JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Anderson, just a bit of an update. Morocco police have now detained 27 people in connection with those bombings. They say that they've picked those people up in Islamic circles throughout Morocco.
They are also making it clear exactly how many people were involved in the attacks. They said there were 14 people in five groups were involved in attacks. Most of the people involved were Moroccan, that's one that will come as something of a surprise to a lot of people here, because I think a lot of people in Morocco think -- would like to think that this place is kind of isolated from the kind of terrorism we saw last night. And they also say that a lot of the people arrested were -- a lot of people who are suspected, rather, in the bombings were very young, maybe between 18 and 22 years old, according to some police sources.
The king has taken personal charge of the investigation, he has gathered together his intelligence officers and his investigators and told them that he wants a very rapid and transparent investigation. And he's also told the families of victims that he is going to help them out financially -- Anderson.
COOPER: Jim, so right now -- how many are in custody, and is there any sense that more are out there?
BITTERMANN: Well, I think there's a sense that there's going to be more arrests. There are 27 in custody right now, and one of those in custody is, of course, this one suicide bomber whose bomb did not go off for whatever reason. And I think he is going to provide a key here in terms of other arrest that are made, because I think they are cross-examining him quite closely, I would say.
COOPER: All right, Jim Bittermann, thanks for the update, I appreciate it tonight, from Casablanca, Morocco.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Bombings>
