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United Nations Compound in Baghdad Targeted by Suicide Bomber For Second Time in Over a Month

Aired September 22, 2003 - 13:15   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.


MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: For the second time in just over a month, the United Nations compounded Baghdad is targeted by a suicide bomber. Today's explosion at a checkpoint outside of the compound killed the attacker and an Iraqi security guard. Our senior international correspondent Nic Robertson is at the scene in Baghdad. He joins us now with the latest -- Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Miles, one of the reasons this attacker today was not as successful as killing as many people as what killed a month ago on the U.N. building is because of the new security measures the U.N. has put in place.

The suicide bomber tried to drive his car into the U.N. compound. He was turned back at a security checkpoint, well away from the buildings. He went back into a car park, a sort of holding area. And it was in there that he detonated his bomb and killed a security official who was close by him as well. Up to 19 other people were injured, four of them are still in critical condition in a hospital. But many of the injured were Iraqi security officials who were around the vehicle at the time when the explosion happened.

That is one way, really, that the U.N. was able to diminish the impact of this potentially far more -- killing device, if are you will, by keeping that further away from the building. But nevertheless, U.N. officials today are saying that they are very concerned about the situation here, that they are now reevaluating their staffing levels in Iraq because they just don't know what's going on happen to that the other offices elsewhere.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTONIA PARADELLA, DIR. WORLD FOOD PROGRAM: How many more people needs to die for the U.N. to operate here? I mean, we need to operate in safe conditions, in conditions where we can work with the Iraqis to improve the infrastructure, to give key humanitarian assistance in a very difficult time in Iraq.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON: Now the humanitarian assistance that U.N. provides here are programs like inoculation programs for children. Those types of programs could be affected. We do know that since the first bombing of the U.N. compound a month ago when the U.N. had some 600 staff in Iraq, they are right now down to about 50 -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Nic, lots of talk about Iraqi self-rule. The French President Jacques Chirac indicating he would support a United Nations- enhanced effort in Iraq to help the U.S. coalition. Assuming that there was an accelerated pace towards self-rule, I'm curious what Iraqis you meet on the street say about this notion of accepting self- governance sooner rather than later.

ROBERTSON: There is an acceptance here, if you will, that it is a good idea in principle, but many people realize that there are potential pitfalls if the coalition has withdrawn too quickly, that if there isn't a stable government in place, then the situation in Iraq could become much worse. Security could degenerate from where it is now. There could be factional fighting. There could be inter-ethnic fighting. People are concerned about the potential for that type of civil disorder.

However, many people also say, but on the other hand we don't want the occupation force here. We want them to get out. People are split in this view, but it seems that the majority recognize that they do need a good, strong government in place if any handover is to be successful -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: CNN's Nic Robertson telling bus divisions on the ground there in Iraq

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




Bomber For Second Time in Over a Month>


Aired September 22, 2003 - 13:15   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: For the second time in just over a month, the United Nations compounded Baghdad is targeted by a suicide bomber. Today's explosion at a checkpoint outside of the compound killed the attacker and an Iraqi security guard. Our senior international correspondent Nic Robertson is at the scene in Baghdad. He joins us now with the latest -- Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Miles, one of the reasons this attacker today was not as successful as killing as many people as what killed a month ago on the U.N. building is because of the new security measures the U.N. has put in place.

The suicide bomber tried to drive his car into the U.N. compound. He was turned back at a security checkpoint, well away from the buildings. He went back into a car park, a sort of holding area. And it was in there that he detonated his bomb and killed a security official who was close by him as well. Up to 19 other people were injured, four of them are still in critical condition in a hospital. But many of the injured were Iraqi security officials who were around the vehicle at the time when the explosion happened.

That is one way, really, that the U.N. was able to diminish the impact of this potentially far more -- killing device, if are you will, by keeping that further away from the building. But nevertheless, U.N. officials today are saying that they are very concerned about the situation here, that they are now reevaluating their staffing levels in Iraq because they just don't know what's going on happen to that the other offices elsewhere.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTONIA PARADELLA, DIR. WORLD FOOD PROGRAM: How many more people needs to die for the U.N. to operate here? I mean, we need to operate in safe conditions, in conditions where we can work with the Iraqis to improve the infrastructure, to give key humanitarian assistance in a very difficult time in Iraq.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON: Now the humanitarian assistance that U.N. provides here are programs like inoculation programs for children. Those types of programs could be affected. We do know that since the first bombing of the U.N. compound a month ago when the U.N. had some 600 staff in Iraq, they are right now down to about 50 -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Nic, lots of talk about Iraqi self-rule. The French President Jacques Chirac indicating he would support a United Nations- enhanced effort in Iraq to help the U.S. coalition. Assuming that there was an accelerated pace towards self-rule, I'm curious what Iraqis you meet on the street say about this notion of accepting self- governance sooner rather than later.

ROBERTSON: There is an acceptance here, if you will, that it is a good idea in principle, but many people realize that there are potential pitfalls if the coalition has withdrawn too quickly, that if there isn't a stable government in place, then the situation in Iraq could become much worse. Security could degenerate from where it is now. There could be factional fighting. There could be inter-ethnic fighting. People are concerned about the potential for that type of civil disorder.

However, many people also say, but on the other hand we don't want the occupation force here. We want them to get out. People are split in this view, but it seems that the majority recognize that they do need a good, strong government in place if any handover is to be successful -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: CNN's Nic Robertson telling bus divisions on the ground there in Iraq

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




Bomber For Second Time in Over a Month>