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Operation Ivy Blizzard Having Good Results

Aired December 17, 2003 - 14:29   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: More now on the capture of that high- level target and also 73 other detainees out in the area of Samarra, just outside Baghdad. Our Nic Robertson with the latest developments now -- Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, we know there were 73 Iraqis picked up in a raid two days ago, just outside Samarra, at a farmhouse believed to be perhaps part of a bombmaking cell.

We also know from coalition officials during that during Operation Ivy Blizzard the operation going on in Samarra right now, they have picked up at least 30 detainees.

What we've seen here at this base outside Samarra are some of these detainees going through processing. They're brought here to this base for questioning, they're filtered through, processed here for up to 96 hours. We are told there are currently 93 detainees here, the 73, plus 20 others, currently going through that processing.

What we've also learned from coalition officials here is that as part of that processing, they will go from here to Tikrit, to the base in Tikrit. If they are important enough, they will go to Baghdad they will be processed in Baghdad. If they're just low-level members, they will be given a prison sentence in Baghdad.

What we've learned from coalition officials now is that those people deemed to be senior enough, those people who are picked up and in questioning determined to be senior-level, perhaps former Ba'ath Party members, perhaps planners within the anti-coalition forces, perhaps financiers within the anti-coalition forces, these people, we have learned today, are being transported to Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, for further questioning and detention.

So far, detainees, as far as we know, until now at least, the information we have was that they were very likely being processed in Iraq -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, Nic Robertson. We'll continue to check back in with you. 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 December 17, 2003 - 14:29   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: More now on the capture of that high- level target and also 73 other detainees out in the area of Samarra, just outside Baghdad. Our Nic Robertson with the latest developments now -- Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, we know there were 73 Iraqis picked up in a raid two days ago, just outside Samarra, at a farmhouse believed to be perhaps part of a bombmaking cell.

We also know from coalition officials during that during Operation Ivy Blizzard the operation going on in Samarra right now, they have picked up at least 30 detainees.

What we've seen here at this base outside Samarra are some of these detainees going through processing. They're brought here to this base for questioning, they're filtered through, processed here for up to 96 hours. We are told there are currently 93 detainees here, the 73, plus 20 others, currently going through that processing.

What we've also learned from coalition officials here is that as part of that processing, they will go from here to Tikrit, to the base in Tikrit. If they are important enough, they will go to Baghdad they will be processed in Baghdad. If they're just low-level members, they will be given a prison sentence in Baghdad.

What we've learned from coalition officials now is that those people deemed to be senior enough, those people who are picked up and in questioning determined to be senior-level, perhaps former Ba'ath Party members, perhaps planners within the anti-coalition forces, perhaps financiers within the anti-coalition forces, these people, we have learned today, are being transported to Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, for further questioning and detention.

So far, detainees, as far as we know, until now at least, the information we have was that they were very likely being processed in Iraq -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, Nic Robertson. We'll continue to check back in with you. 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