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U.S. Troops Have Captured What They Are Calling High-Value Target

Aired December 16, 2003 - 13:17   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: Now a story that we brought you not long ago. Our Nic Robertson reporting out of Iraq that U.S. troops have captured what they are calling a high-value target. Also 73 other Iraqis during a massive raid that took place today. I know Nic is getting information in by the moment, monitoring where he is right now.
Nic, what can you tell us? What more?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRSESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, we know the raid took place this morning. We know that it was targeting a high-value target in the town of Samarra. Samarra is a place where coalition forces have recently had several major ambushes against them. Three weeks ago a major ambush several places in the town at the same time resulting in 54 Iraqis being killed. An ambush yesterday resulted in 11 Iraqis being killed.

I'm joined now by Major Jocelyn Aberly from Task Force Iron Horse, 4th Infantry Division. Major Aberly, what else can you tell us about this raid this morning?

MAJ. JOCELYN ABERLY, U.S. ARMY 4TH INFANTRY DIVISION: This morning's raids were conducted by the 3rd Brigade. They're station in Fort Carson, Colorado, who have the area around Samarra and Bilad (ph). That's their area of operations. They've been conducting numerous raids in the operation, as our troops do here in Tikirt and around our other areas. This morning, they targeted an individual who was on their local high-value target, meaning that we had information that led us to believe that he was a possible Fedayeen leader or a financier for the anticoalition activity in the area.

ROBERTSON: What did they discover at the house?

ABERLY: When the first brigade went in, it was the first of the 8th Infantry Regiment, they discovered that there was actually, the target individual was at home, and he was also having a meeting with numerous military-aged males. There were no women, no children in the area, which suspects us to believe that we captured more than just a leader of a potential terrorist cell, perhaps a good part of that terrorist cell itself.

ROBERTSON: And there are 135 pounds of gunpowder there, and other ammunition. How important was it to capture him and so many people there?

ABERLY: Well, not only the people, but as the equipment, as you mentioned, is very important. Those are the primary ingredients for making improvised explosive devices, which have been effective against coalition forces. We have had casualties due to those. In fact, we had an ambush in Samarra where an IED was used yesterday morning. That failed, where we were able to kill 11 of the attackers.

ROBERTSON: Capturing so many people in a town that's presented so many problems to the coalition, does this mean, do you think, that you're now perhaps going to see a diminish in attack in Samarra?

ABERLY: I think what it means, what it shows to us is that although we've captured Saddam Hussein, there are still terror cells out there, who are still fighting against the coalition, who are fighting against a free Iraq, and we still have a job to do. The war is not over yet. We know we have a job to do, and we're going to do after those individuals and get them.

ROBERTSON: Major Jocelyn Aberley, thank you very much indeed.

ABERLY: Thank you.

ROBERTSON: Kyra, rounding up 73 Iraqis, all military age, plus one high-value target, coalitioned, in their terms, a success in Samarra -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Nic, you mentioned high-value target, of course, after the capture of Saddam Hussein, two remaining, I guess you could say hi-value targets, the king of clubs, the king of hearts in the Pentagon's stack of cards here. Do we know, do you have any idea or any tips that possibly this captured target could be one of these individuals?

ROBERTSON: That doesn't appear to be the case that it is a high value to be on that deck of cards. This appears to be an operative who is actively who is actually involved in anticoalition attacks in a town that sees regular attacks on coalition troops, even complex ambushes. What we have heard described about Samarra before is the degree of sophistication that's supplied to ambushes, multiple locations, people laying in wait, simultaneous attacks, has indicated a degree of military planning in advance. And for the coalition to be able to be able to capture so many they believe capable of planning such an attack is important in Samarra, but it doesn't appear at this stage, Kyra, as if it is one of these so-called deck of cards.

PHILLIPS: All right, our Nic Robertson reporting there from Tikrit. Once again, the last two high-ranking officials in the Iraqi Saddam Hussein regime that coalition forces are still looking for, the king of clubs, of course, Izan Ibrahim Al Douri (ph), and also the king of hearts, Hani Al-Latif Tilfa Al-Atkriti (ph), those two are the remaining individuals we can tell you that U.S. forces have been focusing in on, still not able to confirm if indeed this high-threat target that was captured today is one of those individuals.

Our Nic Robertson continuing to work that story.

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




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Aired December 16, 2003 - 13:17   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Now a story that we brought you not long ago. Our Nic Robertson reporting out of Iraq that U.S. troops have captured what they are calling a high-value target. Also 73 other Iraqis during a massive raid that took place today. I know Nic is getting information in by the moment, monitoring where he is right now.
Nic, what can you tell us? What more?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRSESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, we know the raid took place this morning. We know that it was targeting a high-value target in the town of Samarra. Samarra is a place where coalition forces have recently had several major ambushes against them. Three weeks ago a major ambush several places in the town at the same time resulting in 54 Iraqis being killed. An ambush yesterday resulted in 11 Iraqis being killed.

I'm joined now by Major Jocelyn Aberly from Task Force Iron Horse, 4th Infantry Division. Major Aberly, what else can you tell us about this raid this morning?

MAJ. JOCELYN ABERLY, U.S. ARMY 4TH INFANTRY DIVISION: This morning's raids were conducted by the 3rd Brigade. They're station in Fort Carson, Colorado, who have the area around Samarra and Bilad (ph). That's their area of operations. They've been conducting numerous raids in the operation, as our troops do here in Tikirt and around our other areas. This morning, they targeted an individual who was on their local high-value target, meaning that we had information that led us to believe that he was a possible Fedayeen leader or a financier for the anticoalition activity in the area.

ROBERTSON: What did they discover at the house?

ABERLY: When the first brigade went in, it was the first of the 8th Infantry Regiment, they discovered that there was actually, the target individual was at home, and he was also having a meeting with numerous military-aged males. There were no women, no children in the area, which suspects us to believe that we captured more than just a leader of a potential terrorist cell, perhaps a good part of that terrorist cell itself.

ROBERTSON: And there are 135 pounds of gunpowder there, and other ammunition. How important was it to capture him and so many people there?

ABERLY: Well, not only the people, but as the equipment, as you mentioned, is very important. Those are the primary ingredients for making improvised explosive devices, which have been effective against coalition forces. We have had casualties due to those. In fact, we had an ambush in Samarra where an IED was used yesterday morning. That failed, where we were able to kill 11 of the attackers.

ROBERTSON: Capturing so many people in a town that's presented so many problems to the coalition, does this mean, do you think, that you're now perhaps going to see a diminish in attack in Samarra?

ABERLY: I think what it means, what it shows to us is that although we've captured Saddam Hussein, there are still terror cells out there, who are still fighting against the coalition, who are fighting against a free Iraq, and we still have a job to do. The war is not over yet. We know we have a job to do, and we're going to do after those individuals and get them.

ROBERTSON: Major Jocelyn Aberley, thank you very much indeed.

ABERLY: Thank you.

ROBERTSON: Kyra, rounding up 73 Iraqis, all military age, plus one high-value target, coalitioned, in their terms, a success in Samarra -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Nic, you mentioned high-value target, of course, after the capture of Saddam Hussein, two remaining, I guess you could say hi-value targets, the king of clubs, the king of hearts in the Pentagon's stack of cards here. Do we know, do you have any idea or any tips that possibly this captured target could be one of these individuals?

ROBERTSON: That doesn't appear to be the case that it is a high value to be on that deck of cards. This appears to be an operative who is actively who is actually involved in anticoalition attacks in a town that sees regular attacks on coalition troops, even complex ambushes. What we have heard described about Samarra before is the degree of sophistication that's supplied to ambushes, multiple locations, people laying in wait, simultaneous attacks, has indicated a degree of military planning in advance. And for the coalition to be able to be able to capture so many they believe capable of planning such an attack is important in Samarra, but it doesn't appear at this stage, Kyra, as if it is one of these so-called deck of cards.

PHILLIPS: All right, our Nic Robertson reporting there from Tikrit. Once again, the last two high-ranking officials in the Iraqi Saddam Hussein regime that coalition forces are still looking for, the king of clubs, of course, Izan Ibrahim Al Douri (ph), and also the king of hearts, Hani Al-Latif Tilfa Al-Atkriti (ph), those two are the remaining individuals we can tell you that U.S. forces have been focusing in on, still not able to confirm if indeed this high-threat target that was captured today is one of those individuals.

Our Nic Robertson continuing to work that story.

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




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