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Terror in Baghdad: U.N.'s Grief, Investigation Update

Aired August 22, 2003 - 15:32   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.


MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The U.N. family is mourning the loss of its members killed in Tuesday's terror attack on its headquarters in Baghdad, while the investigation appears to be taking a new turn.
CNN's Rym Brahimi on duty in Baghdad.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The Air Force here in Baghdad was the scene of a memorial service commemorating Sergio Vieira De Mello, who died when a bomb hit the United Nations compound in Baghdad on Tuesday. Sergio Vieira De Mello will also be remembered with a few other colleagues including his chief of staff, Nadia Unis (ph), very important member of that team here and also a very successful Egyptian woman who added a lot of dynamism to all of the departments she's worked in at the United Nations. Their bodies, along with the bodies of a few other U.N. workers are to be flown out of Iraq today.

The investigation, meanwhile, continues at the site of the attack. The Iraqi police, we're told, is leading the investigation with the assistance of the FBI. Bernard Kerik, who is' the main adviser at the Interior Ministry here in Iraq, has told CNN that there will be some focus on local Iraqi staff that worked at the United Nations, the reason being it seems that some of them may have been suspected of working previously through the latest war here in Iraq with the Iraqi regime and with the Iraqi secret service. It's not clear whether Sergio de Mello's office was specifically targeted, but Bernard Kerik said whoever carried out the attack definitely knew where that office was and at what time Sergio de Mello would be in there.

The U.N. security coordinator is on his way to Baghdad. He's expected in the Iraqi capital within the next few days. The United Nations staff here that hasn't been evacuated, remains determined to continue their work. Operations resume on Saturday.

Rym Brahimi, CNN, Baghdad.

(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 August 22, 2003 - 15:32   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The U.N. family is mourning the loss of its members killed in Tuesday's terror attack on its headquarters in Baghdad, while the investigation appears to be taking a new turn.
CNN's Rym Brahimi on duty in Baghdad.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The Air Force here in Baghdad was the scene of a memorial service commemorating Sergio Vieira De Mello, who died when a bomb hit the United Nations compound in Baghdad on Tuesday. Sergio Vieira De Mello will also be remembered with a few other colleagues including his chief of staff, Nadia Unis (ph), very important member of that team here and also a very successful Egyptian woman who added a lot of dynamism to all of the departments she's worked in at the United Nations. Their bodies, along with the bodies of a few other U.N. workers are to be flown out of Iraq today.

The investigation, meanwhile, continues at the site of the attack. The Iraqi police, we're told, is leading the investigation with the assistance of the FBI. Bernard Kerik, who is' the main adviser at the Interior Ministry here in Iraq, has told CNN that there will be some focus on local Iraqi staff that worked at the United Nations, the reason being it seems that some of them may have been suspected of working previously through the latest war here in Iraq with the Iraqi regime and with the Iraqi secret service. It's not clear whether Sergio de Mello's office was specifically targeted, but Bernard Kerik said whoever carried out the attack definitely knew where that office was and at what time Sergio de Mello would be in there.

The U.N. security coordinator is on his way to Baghdad. He's expected in the Iraqi capital within the next few days. The United Nations staff here that hasn't been evacuated, remains determined to continue their work. Operations resume on Saturday.

Rym Brahimi, CNN, Baghdad.

(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