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Extra Caution Urged for Americans in Jordan After U.S. Diplomat Gunned Down

Aired October 28, 2002 - 13:05   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.


MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: Extra caution urged for Americans in Jordan, after a U.S. diplomat was gunned down outside his home today in Amman. Jordan authorities searching for the masked gunman that fled after shooting Lawrence Foley seven or eight times, killing him instantly. This type of attack is virtually unheard of in Jordan.
CNN's Jerrold Kessel joins us now via videophone from Amman.

Anymore about who the attacker was, or who may be responsible, Jerrold?

JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No, everybody's being tight lipped on that. But the Jordanian authorities and U.S. officials at the U.S. Embassy here, Marty, but really, it's a question of shock setting in here, as you rightly say, the first time a Western diplomat has been gunned down in what's been regarded as normally a very safe capital of the Middle East.

But the Jordanian authorities promising the U.S. that the killer will be caught. That was the message given to the U.S. embassy today, from the king himself, from the U.S. -- from other top Jordanian officials from the prime minister down, saying that they saw this as an assault on Jordan itself. But the shock not only because it is such a rare thing, also because of the nature of man described, Lawrence Foley, 62-year-old head executive director of U.S. aid here, as a man who had dedicated his whole life to helping other people. That's what the message in a sort of eulogy in a briefing given by the U.S. ambassador a short while ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EDWARD GNEHM JR., U.S. AMB. TO JORDAN: Virginia told me earlier today, and I'm quoting here. "Larry was proud to serve Jordan." She said, "She was personally comforted knowing that Larry had said to her only last night, I'm where I want to be doing what I want to do."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KESSEL: And colleagues saying that that was the message of Laurence Foley's life, from when he began as a Peace Corps activist back in the early '60s in India.

But the U.S. ambassador was absolutely would not be drawn on the question of motive or responsibility in who might have carried out this deed. He would not even term it terrorism, only calling it an outrage, an incomprehensible act, he said. But clearly, there is a good deal of consternation, a good deal of concern, as the Jordanian and U.S. officials are promising to work and are said to be working closely together to try to track down the killer.

But really, Marty, the concern goes even beyond that, because what's been exposed here is just how fragile the situation of Jordan, a key ally of the U.S. in the region is, at a time when the Middle East is in really a very volatile situation -- Marty.

SAVIDGE: Jerrold, I just returned from the region last week. And weren't there warnings in Jordan, specifically for Americans, to be cautious?

KESSEL: No, the ambassador was very explicit about that. He said we had no specific warnings, specific alerts, but at the same time, he pointed out, he had taken up a position here, his tour of duty here in Amman, on the 10th of September last year, and he said, he had one normal day as an ambassador. And ever since then, really they're been on alert, but even despite that, they have now called for Americans in Jordan to be on extra special vigilant, and there is heightened security at the U.S. embassy -- Marty.

SAVIDGE: Jerrold Kessel, thank you very much, reporting to us live via videophone from Amman, Jordan.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com



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Diplomat Gunned Down>


Aired October 28, 2002 - 13:05   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: Extra caution urged for Americans in Jordan, after a U.S. diplomat was gunned down outside his home today in Amman. Jordan authorities searching for the masked gunman that fled after shooting Lawrence Foley seven or eight times, killing him instantly. This type of attack is virtually unheard of in Jordan.
CNN's Jerrold Kessel joins us now via videophone from Amman.

Anymore about who the attacker was, or who may be responsible, Jerrold?

JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No, everybody's being tight lipped on that. But the Jordanian authorities and U.S. officials at the U.S. Embassy here, Marty, but really, it's a question of shock setting in here, as you rightly say, the first time a Western diplomat has been gunned down in what's been regarded as normally a very safe capital of the Middle East.

But the Jordanian authorities promising the U.S. that the killer will be caught. That was the message given to the U.S. embassy today, from the king himself, from the U.S. -- from other top Jordanian officials from the prime minister down, saying that they saw this as an assault on Jordan itself. But the shock not only because it is such a rare thing, also because of the nature of man described, Lawrence Foley, 62-year-old head executive director of U.S. aid here, as a man who had dedicated his whole life to helping other people. That's what the message in a sort of eulogy in a briefing given by the U.S. ambassador a short while ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EDWARD GNEHM JR., U.S. AMB. TO JORDAN: Virginia told me earlier today, and I'm quoting here. "Larry was proud to serve Jordan." She said, "She was personally comforted knowing that Larry had said to her only last night, I'm where I want to be doing what I want to do."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KESSEL: And colleagues saying that that was the message of Laurence Foley's life, from when he began as a Peace Corps activist back in the early '60s in India.

But the U.S. ambassador was absolutely would not be drawn on the question of motive or responsibility in who might have carried out this deed. He would not even term it terrorism, only calling it an outrage, an incomprehensible act, he said. But clearly, there is a good deal of consternation, a good deal of concern, as the Jordanian and U.S. officials are promising to work and are said to be working closely together to try to track down the killer.

But really, Marty, the concern goes even beyond that, because what's been exposed here is just how fragile the situation of Jordan, a key ally of the U.S. in the region is, at a time when the Middle East is in really a very volatile situation -- Marty.

SAVIDGE: Jerrold, I just returned from the region last week. And weren't there warnings in Jordan, specifically for Americans, to be cautious?

KESSEL: No, the ambassador was very explicit about that. He said we had no specific warnings, specific alerts, but at the same time, he pointed out, he had taken up a position here, his tour of duty here in Amman, on the 10th of September last year, and he said, he had one normal day as an ambassador. And ever since then, really they're been on alert, but even despite that, they have now called for Americans in Jordan to be on extra special vigilant, and there is heightened security at the U.S. embassy -- Marty.

SAVIDGE: Jerrold Kessel, thank you very much, reporting to us live via videophone from Amman, Jordan.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com



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Diplomat Gunned Down>