Return to Transcripts main page

Live From...

Bombing Near Chechnya Made Have Been Aided by Female Terrorists

Aired December 05, 2003 - 14:18   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: A savage attack on a commuter near Chechnya in southern Russia leaves scores dead and more than 170 wounded. The explosion ripped through the front carriages in the early morning rush hour. Among the bloodied bodies scattered in the wreckage Russian officials say they found the remains of a suicide bomber. And they believe he had help from three women.
We get more now from CNN's Ryan Chilcote who is live at the central hospital in Yessentuki, Russia -- Ryan.

RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Miles, a horrific day here by all accounts. Forty-one dead, that's now the official death toll. More than 150 wounded. More than half of those people being treated in the hospital behind me. Some 20 of them in intensive care.

I was told by a doctor that those 20, according to that doctor, quote, "have a 50/50 chance of making it through the night." Most of them suffering from very severe head wounds from that blast.

I also was in the trauma unit and had a chance to speak with a couple of the victims. I spoke with a 17-year-old girl who said, The people who did this to me are beasts. She was on her way to school.

I then spoke with a 15-year-old girl. She, believe it or not, had survived a previous terrorist act here about three months ago, in a similar attack on a commuter train.

Just unbelievable to imagine the grief here. The Russian president spoke on national television. He said this is a terrorist act that was meant to disrupt the Russian parliamentary elections that are set to happen here on Sunday.

The Russian justice minister also spoke. He said this appears to be connected to Chechnya. Now Chechnya is a Russian region, just a couple hour's drive from here, Miles. It is where Russian forces, for almost a decade now, have been leading an off and on guerrilla war -- fighting an off and on guerrilla war with Chechen separatists who want independence from this country.

Those separatists have used terrorism in the past outside of Chechnya, in the heartland of Russia. Still, no one has claimed responsibility for this attack. But Russian officials saying that this has all of the telltale sign of a Chechen terrorist attack -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Ryan, could you tell us a little more about the allegation that there were three female accomplices involved in this?

CHILCOTE: Sure. Well, there was one man -- they found his body inside the train. They say he was a definite suicide bomber. They found a bag next to him that had about 25 pounds of explosives inside of it. He also had grenades wrapped around his legs.

They also say he was helped by three women, as you mentioned. One which, according to the head of the Russian federal security service, "is not going to make it," as he put it. Not clear what her status is. But obviously, she was somehow wounded in that attack. But according to that Russian official, not going to make it.

And two other women who as this train was moving were able to jump out of the train car just before the blast went off. Now Russian officials say they had help from outside. They say that there was a car parked next to the train tracks that some of the eyewitnesses reported seeing that appeared to be observing or coordinating this attack.

Also the head of the Russian federal security service very interestingly said they retained two women in the neighboring republic of Ingushetia -- that's also right next to Chechnya -- that were preparing suicide bombing attacks, but he didn't explain whether they had any connection with this one today -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: CNN's Ryan Chilcote, working a very long day there in Yessentuki, Russia. Thanks very much.

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




Terrorists>


Aired December 5, 2003 - 14:18   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: A savage attack on a commuter near Chechnya in southern Russia leaves scores dead and more than 170 wounded. The explosion ripped through the front carriages in the early morning rush hour. Among the bloodied bodies scattered in the wreckage Russian officials say they found the remains of a suicide bomber. And they believe he had help from three women.
We get more now from CNN's Ryan Chilcote who is live at the central hospital in Yessentuki, Russia -- Ryan.

RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Miles, a horrific day here by all accounts. Forty-one dead, that's now the official death toll. More than 150 wounded. More than half of those people being treated in the hospital behind me. Some 20 of them in intensive care.

I was told by a doctor that those 20, according to that doctor, quote, "have a 50/50 chance of making it through the night." Most of them suffering from very severe head wounds from that blast.

I also was in the trauma unit and had a chance to speak with a couple of the victims. I spoke with a 17-year-old girl who said, The people who did this to me are beasts. She was on her way to school.

I then spoke with a 15-year-old girl. She, believe it or not, had survived a previous terrorist act here about three months ago, in a similar attack on a commuter train.

Just unbelievable to imagine the grief here. The Russian president spoke on national television. He said this is a terrorist act that was meant to disrupt the Russian parliamentary elections that are set to happen here on Sunday.

The Russian justice minister also spoke. He said this appears to be connected to Chechnya. Now Chechnya is a Russian region, just a couple hour's drive from here, Miles. It is where Russian forces, for almost a decade now, have been leading an off and on guerrilla war -- fighting an off and on guerrilla war with Chechen separatists who want independence from this country.

Those separatists have used terrorism in the past outside of Chechnya, in the heartland of Russia. Still, no one has claimed responsibility for this attack. But Russian officials saying that this has all of the telltale sign of a Chechen terrorist attack -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Ryan, could you tell us a little more about the allegation that there were three female accomplices involved in this?

CHILCOTE: Sure. Well, there was one man -- they found his body inside the train. They say he was a definite suicide bomber. They found a bag next to him that had about 25 pounds of explosives inside of it. He also had grenades wrapped around his legs.

They also say he was helped by three women, as you mentioned. One which, according to the head of the Russian federal security service, "is not going to make it," as he put it. Not clear what her status is. But obviously, she was somehow wounded in that attack. But according to that Russian official, not going to make it.

And two other women who as this train was moving were able to jump out of the train car just before the blast went off. Now Russian officials say they had help from outside. They say that there was a car parked next to the train tracks that some of the eyewitnesses reported seeing that appeared to be observing or coordinating this attack.

Also the head of the Russian federal security service very interestingly said they retained two women in the neighboring republic of Ingushetia -- that's also right next to Chechnya -- that were preparing suicide bombing attacks, but he didn't explain whether they had any connection with this one today -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: CNN's Ryan Chilcote, working a very long day there in Yessentuki, Russia. Thanks very much.

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




Terrorists>