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U.S. Denies Al-Jazeera Claim Journalists Targeted

Aired April 08, 2003 - 15:15   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 WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: In Baghdad today, three international journalists were killed and several others were wounded by U.S. military fire. Later in the day, as you're seeing here, journalists held a candlelight vigil for their colleagues at the Palestine Hotel, where many reporters are staying.
CNN's Rym Brahimi has more on the day's deadly incidents, and some of the criticism being directed towards U.S. forces.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Exchange of fire between Iraqi and U.S. troops took the battle from the presidential compound said to be under U.S. control to the ministry of planning nearby. And then on to the Jumaliya (ph) Bridge, further north, as U.S. troops advanced deeper into the Iraqi capital.

Al-Jazeera journalist (UNINTELLIGIBLE) was killed and his colleague was injured when the TV organization's office on the Tigris River was hit in the early hours of the morning.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Our colleagues, who were at the offices confirm and believe that this bombing was deliberate. They were hit by two missiles, not one. And the second bombing of Abu Dhabi offices confirmed their views.

BRAHIMI: That second bombing took Abu Dhabi TV off the air for four hours. A U.S. State Department spokesman said on Al-Jazeera TV that the bombing was not deliberate.

Both of the houses hit are located on the west of Baghdad, a residential enclave near a state-run hotel surrounded by government buildings.

Moving from the west side of town to the east side of the river, U.S. tanks on the bridge were reportedly being fired at from the Palestine Hotel, according to a U.S. military spokesman. The Palestine holds dozens of local and international journalists covering the war, was hit by at least one shell from a U.S. tank. A Reuters journalist was killed and three others wounded in their makeshift office on the 15th floor. A Spanish journalist was also killed.

Red Cross officials say hospitals are now overwhelmed with the stream of casualties, and one of the main Baghdad high-tech hospitals is now without water and electricity. As U.S.-led forces bring the war into the heart of the Iraqi capital, the conflict is taking a new, even more deadly turn for residents in Baghdad and the journalists covering the conflict.

Rym Brahimi, CNN, Amman, Jordan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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 April 8, 2003 - 15:15   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: In Baghdad today, three international journalists were killed and several others were wounded by U.S. military fire. Later in the day, as you're seeing here, journalists held a candlelight vigil for their colleagues at the Palestine Hotel, where many reporters are staying.
CNN's Rym Brahimi has more on the day's deadly incidents, and some of the criticism being directed towards U.S. forces.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Exchange of fire between Iraqi and U.S. troops took the battle from the presidential compound said to be under U.S. control to the ministry of planning nearby. And then on to the Jumaliya (ph) Bridge, further north, as U.S. troops advanced deeper into the Iraqi capital.

Al-Jazeera journalist (UNINTELLIGIBLE) was killed and his colleague was injured when the TV organization's office on the Tigris River was hit in the early hours of the morning.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Our colleagues, who were at the offices confirm and believe that this bombing was deliberate. They were hit by two missiles, not one. And the second bombing of Abu Dhabi offices confirmed their views.

BRAHIMI: That second bombing took Abu Dhabi TV off the air for four hours. A U.S. State Department spokesman said on Al-Jazeera TV that the bombing was not deliberate.

Both of the houses hit are located on the west of Baghdad, a residential enclave near a state-run hotel surrounded by government buildings.

Moving from the west side of town to the east side of the river, U.S. tanks on the bridge were reportedly being fired at from the Palestine Hotel, according to a U.S. military spokesman. The Palestine holds dozens of local and international journalists covering the war, was hit by at least one shell from a U.S. tank. A Reuters journalist was killed and three others wounded in their makeshift office on the 15th floor. A Spanish journalist was also killed.

Red Cross officials say hospitals are now overwhelmed with the stream of casualties, and one of the main Baghdad high-tech hospitals is now without water and electricity. As U.S.-led forces bring the war into the heart of the Iraqi capital, the conflict is taking a new, even more deadly turn for residents in Baghdad and the journalists covering the conflict.

Rym Brahimi, CNN, Amman, Jordan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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