Return to Transcripts main page
Live From...
President Bush Condemns Hamas Suicide Bombing
Aired August 22, 2003 - 15:29 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: The White House retaliates against Hamas. President Bush says the group has shown its true colors by breaking a truce with a deadly suicide bombing.
Standing by is CNN's Suzanne Malveaux. She's traveling with Mr. Bush in the Great Northwest, the town of Burbank, Washington -- Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, President Bush is now in Seattle, Washington.
And we've just got word that the president is going to speak in about five minutes, at 3:35 Eastern Standard Time. And he is probably going to give us a readout. He just finished an economic meeting. And we'll see if he actually answers some questions and addresses the latest on what has happened with Hamas.
But it's become very clear that the president is not wasting any time in punishing Hamas for that deadly attack in Israel on Tuesday that killed 20 people. President Bush earlier today, in a written statement, announced that he's directing the Treasury Department to block and freeze the assets of six top Hamas leaders, as well as the assets of five nongovernmental organizations believed to have contributed financially to the terrorist organization.
The president put out that statement and he said -- I'm quoting here -- "by claiming responsibility for the despicable act of terror on August 19, Hamas has reaffirmed that it is a terrorist organization committed to violence against Israelis and to undermining progress toward peace between Israel and the Palestinian people."
The treasury secretary, John Snow, also put out a dramatic statement. He said -- and I'm quoting here -- "Hamas' leaders and those who provide their funding again have the blood of innocents on their hands. Empty words cannot wash them clean. As they resist the road map for peace, Hamas is devastating the dreams of the Palestinians for freedom, prosperity and an independent state."
Now, similar action has been taken against other terrorist organizations like al Qaeda. We have been given some information about the Hamas leaders. They are all political leaders of Hamas. There are three that based are Syria, two based in Gaza and one in Lebanon. As far as those NGOs, they are also based in Europe, throughout Europe, in France, Switzerland, Britain, Austria and Lebanon.
What is most significant here, Kyra, is the fact that all of these leaders, that they are targeting, are political leaders. And a Treasury official says this is a clear indication that this administration is no longer making a distinction between the political leadership and the military, the more extreme leadership of the Hamas organization, that they see it all as one and the same and that these political leaders are as equally responsible for those terrorist attacks -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right. Suzanne Malveaux, 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 August 22, 2003 - 15:29 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The White House retaliates against Hamas. President Bush says the group has shown its true colors by breaking a truce with a deadly suicide bombing.
Standing by is CNN's Suzanne Malveaux. She's traveling with Mr. Bush in the Great Northwest, the town of Burbank, Washington -- Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, President Bush is now in Seattle, Washington.
And we've just got word that the president is going to speak in about five minutes, at 3:35 Eastern Standard Time. And he is probably going to give us a readout. He just finished an economic meeting. And we'll see if he actually answers some questions and addresses the latest on what has happened with Hamas.
But it's become very clear that the president is not wasting any time in punishing Hamas for that deadly attack in Israel on Tuesday that killed 20 people. President Bush earlier today, in a written statement, announced that he's directing the Treasury Department to block and freeze the assets of six top Hamas leaders, as well as the assets of five nongovernmental organizations believed to have contributed financially to the terrorist organization.
The president put out that statement and he said -- I'm quoting here -- "by claiming responsibility for the despicable act of terror on August 19, Hamas has reaffirmed that it is a terrorist organization committed to violence against Israelis and to undermining progress toward peace between Israel and the Palestinian people."
The treasury secretary, John Snow, also put out a dramatic statement. He said -- and I'm quoting here -- "Hamas' leaders and those who provide their funding again have the blood of innocents on their hands. Empty words cannot wash them clean. As they resist the road map for peace, Hamas is devastating the dreams of the Palestinians for freedom, prosperity and an independent state."
Now, similar action has been taken against other terrorist organizations like al Qaeda. We have been given some information about the Hamas leaders. They are all political leaders of Hamas. There are three that based are Syria, two based in Gaza and one in Lebanon. As far as those NGOs, they are also based in Europe, throughout Europe, in France, Switzerland, Britain, Austria and Lebanon.
What is most significant here, Kyra, is the fact that all of these leaders, that they are targeting, are political leaders. And a Treasury official says this is a clear indication that this administration is no longer making a distinction between the political leadership and the military, the more extreme leadership of the Hamas organization, that they see it all as one and the same and that these political leaders are as equally responsible for those terrorist attacks -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right. Suzanne Malveaux, 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
