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CNN Live At Daybreak

Big Explosion in Jalalabad, Afghanistan This Morning

Aired April 08, 2002 - 05:09   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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: You know, there was a big explosion in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, too, this morning. The blast ripped through a convoy carrying Afghanistan's interim defense minister. He did escape unhurt.

Our own Walter Rodgers suspects the blast was an assassination attempt and he was also in that convoy. Walter joins us live by phone with more -- Walter, are you OK?

WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We're just fine, Carol. But a bomb did explode along the motorcade route of Afghanistan's interim defense minister, Mohammed Faheem (ph), killing four people and injuring more than 20 others, according to Afghan officials traveling with the defense minister. Mr. Faheem himself was not injured, but later said, "It was not only an attempt to kill me, but to disrupt and send a message."

The defense minister is an ethnic Tajik and he came to Jalalabad, a Pashtu city, on a goodwill tour to promote national Afghan unity. The governor of Jalalabad, Haji Kadeer (ph), a Pashtu, blamed the assassination attempt on "criminal elements" and promised to arrest those responsible within a few days.

When the explosion took, was detonated, we were probably seven, eight, nine cars back. And a huge cloud of black smoke ascended into the air. Eyewitnesses said the bomb was planted in a generator, a gasoline generator, and explode in a fire fall beside the third car in the defense minister's motorcade. The defense minister, Mr. Faheem, was in the fourth car. A phalanx of soldiers were beside the car and even before the bomb went off they were running along flying protective flanks for the defense minister.

Despite the assassination attempt, however, Afghanistan's interim defense minister is continuing his stay here in Jalalabad -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right, Walter Rodgers reporting live for us from Afghanistan.

And we're glad you're OK, too, Walter.

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