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CNN Live Saturday
Famous Baghdad Hotel Ah Rashid Attacked With Homemade Missile Launcher
Aired September 27, 2003 - 12:04 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.
JUDY FORTIN, CNN ANCHOR: On to Iraq now, a new target, the hotel made famous as the home of journalists during the Gulf War 12 years ago, the Al Rashid Hotel. Earlier, American forces killed two Iraqis west of the capital. Details now from CNN's Harris Whitbeck in Baghdad.
Harris, hello.
HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello Judy. More details on that attack on the Al Rashid hotel which occurred early this morning in Baghdad. U.S. Military is now saying that four rockets were apparently launched at the hotel. They were launched by a homemade multiple rocket launcher which was powered by a motorcycle battery.
Now, only one of those rockets actually hit the Al Rashid, the other one hit a courtyard in front of it and two others hit nearby houses. Very little damage to report and no injuries to report, but the attack is certainly symbolic, in the sense that it hit, what is considered by many to be, one of the largest symbols of the American occupation of Iraq, the al Rashid houses top military and civilian American officials who are working in Baghdad and again, the U.S. is saying that they see a change in tactics in the sense that different types of targets are now being chosen by those who are waging these attacks.
Meanwhile, in Fallujah, Iraqi police are saying that four people were actually killed during that incident involving U.S. soldiers late last night. The U.S. military says only two were killed, they are saying that soldiers fired upon a van from which shots were fired at soldiers manning a checkpoint. Now, Fallujah residents, and this according to wire reports, saying that they are vowing revenge for these deaths and that the "Reuters" news agency is saying there were several wounded including one small child -- Judy.
FORTIN: Harris, today the Al Rashid was targeted, the other day a hotel housing NBC journalists. Are people in Iraq increasingly concerned that hotels are becoming a target, now?
WHITBECK: Well, that is certainly a concern. There has -- certainly has been a change in the type of targets that are being chosen, and people are saying that more softer targets, such as the ones you just mentioned, are being targeted. So yes, people are concerned.
Again, the U.S. military says that they don't feel that number of incidents has increased, they just say that the number of incidents made public has increased and that's where this perception comes from. But again, definitely there is a sense of more tension in the Iraqi capital and as these attacks continue more people are getting more concerned.
FORTIN: Thank you. Harris Whitbeck in Iraq.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Missile Launcher>
Aired September 27, 2003 - 12:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JUDY FORTIN, CNN ANCHOR: On to Iraq now, a new target, the hotel made famous as the home of journalists during the Gulf War 12 years ago, the Al Rashid Hotel. Earlier, American forces killed two Iraqis west of the capital. Details now from CNN's Harris Whitbeck in Baghdad.
Harris, hello.
HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello Judy. More details on that attack on the Al Rashid hotel which occurred early this morning in Baghdad. U.S. Military is now saying that four rockets were apparently launched at the hotel. They were launched by a homemade multiple rocket launcher which was powered by a motorcycle battery.
Now, only one of those rockets actually hit the Al Rashid, the other one hit a courtyard in front of it and two others hit nearby houses. Very little damage to report and no injuries to report, but the attack is certainly symbolic, in the sense that it hit, what is considered by many to be, one of the largest symbols of the American occupation of Iraq, the al Rashid houses top military and civilian American officials who are working in Baghdad and again, the U.S. is saying that they see a change in tactics in the sense that different types of targets are now being chosen by those who are waging these attacks.
Meanwhile, in Fallujah, Iraqi police are saying that four people were actually killed during that incident involving U.S. soldiers late last night. The U.S. military says only two were killed, they are saying that soldiers fired upon a van from which shots were fired at soldiers manning a checkpoint. Now, Fallujah residents, and this according to wire reports, saying that they are vowing revenge for these deaths and that the "Reuters" news agency is saying there were several wounded including one small child -- Judy.
FORTIN: Harris, today the Al Rashid was targeted, the other day a hotel housing NBC journalists. Are people in Iraq increasingly concerned that hotels are becoming a target, now?
WHITBECK: Well, that is certainly a concern. There has -- certainly has been a change in the type of targets that are being chosen, and people are saying that more softer targets, such as the ones you just mentioned, are being targeted. So yes, people are concerned.
Again, the U.S. military says that they don't feel that number of incidents has increased, they just say that the number of incidents made public has increased and that's where this perception comes from. But again, definitely there is a sense of more tension in the Iraqi capital and as these attacks continue more people are getting more concerned.
FORTIN: Thank you. Harris Whitbeck in Iraq.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Missile Launcher>
