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Iraq Complains About Inspection of Mosque

Aired January 22, 2003 - 13:01   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.


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: More bad blood between Iraq and the weapons inspectors. Today, the chief inspector renewed his complaints of Iraqi obstruction, and Iraq is bristling at the inspection this week of a Baghdad mosque.
CNN's Nic Robertson standing by in the Iraqi capital to tell us what's happening -- Nic.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, this isn't just any mosque. It is the biggest and newest government-funded mosque here in Baghdad. It opened in only May last year. The imam at that mosque came here to the Information Ministry, held a press conference, and told us that on Monday, five U.N. weapons inspectors had visited the mosque. He said that they had gone in, that they had asked questions about the construction of the mosque, about its engineering dimensions, about how many people it could hold. He said that this was unacceptable, that the mosque had nothing to do with weapons of mass destruction. Indeed, he described the act as provocative.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I would like to ask the inspectors through all the cameras here and all the microphones, are they looking for weapons of mass destruction or are they actually investigating the level of faith in our hearts? This is provocation to the Muslims of Iraq.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON: Now, he said it would have been dangerous had the inspectors come at prayer time, because the people praying in the mosque would not have accepted this. He called on the Muslim world to look at this and to form an opinion, not only about the U.N. inspections, but particularly about the United States, who he blamed for pushing the U.N. inspectors to do this.

Now, Kyra, we've talked with the U.N. officials here in Baghdad. So far, they say, they are investigating this issue. But of all the team leaders they've talked to so far, they have not so far been able to find anyone who knows anything about this. They're still looking into it -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, live from Baghdad, Nic Robertson. Thank you.

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





Aired January 22, 2003 - 13:01   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: More bad blood between Iraq and the weapons inspectors. Today, the chief inspector renewed his complaints of Iraqi obstruction, and Iraq is bristling at the inspection this week of a Baghdad mosque.
CNN's Nic Robertson standing by in the Iraqi capital to tell us what's happening -- Nic.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, this isn't just any mosque. It is the biggest and newest government-funded mosque here in Baghdad. It opened in only May last year. The imam at that mosque came here to the Information Ministry, held a press conference, and told us that on Monday, five U.N. weapons inspectors had visited the mosque. He said that they had gone in, that they had asked questions about the construction of the mosque, about its engineering dimensions, about how many people it could hold. He said that this was unacceptable, that the mosque had nothing to do with weapons of mass destruction. Indeed, he described the act as provocative.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I would like to ask the inspectors through all the cameras here and all the microphones, are they looking for weapons of mass destruction or are they actually investigating the level of faith in our hearts? This is provocation to the Muslims of Iraq.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON: Now, he said it would have been dangerous had the inspectors come at prayer time, because the people praying in the mosque would not have accepted this. He called on the Muslim world to look at this and to form an opinion, not only about the U.N. inspections, but particularly about the United States, who he blamed for pushing the U.N. inspectors to do this.

Now, Kyra, we've talked with the U.N. officials here in Baghdad. So far, they say, they are investigating this issue. But of all the team leaders they've talked to so far, they have not so far been able to find anyone who knows anything about this. They're still looking into it -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, live from Baghdad, Nic Robertson. Thank you.

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