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After Al-Zarqawi; Seven Dead, 20 Hurt in Shelling of Gaza Beach

Aired June 09, 2006 - 14:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta.
Coming up, he was the most wanted man in Iraq, with a $25 million bounty on his head. So who draws the dough now that Zarqawi's dead?

And a family picnic-turned-bloody massacre. Heartache and anger on a Gaza beach. CNN takes you there live.

He's dead and gone and, in the words of President Bush, will never murder again. But we now know Abu Musab al-Zarqawi did not die immediately when U.S. Air Force jets dropped a pair of 500-pound bombs on his hideout. Five others were killed in that attack, but the U.S. military revealed today that Zarqawi was found alive, at least initially.

Our Pentagon correspondent, Barbara Starr, asked about it at this morning's briefing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Can you give us the definitive word now? Do you have any information that Zarqawi initially survived the airstrike, that he was alive at any point in the hands of either Iraqi or U.S. forces?

MAJ. GEN. WILLIAM CALDWELL, U.S. ARMY: I'm reading the report. I did not talk specifically to any uniformed person, but according to the report, we did, in fact, see him alive. There was some kind of movement he had on the stretcher, and he died shortly thereafter.

STARR: Did anyone render medical assistance to him?

CALDWELL: As I was reading the report, they went into the process to provide medical care to him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Al-Zarqawi in Iraq is no more. Post-al Zarqawi Iraq is unknown. Most politicians and military officials are upbeat about Iraq's future without the lion of al Qaeda, but the people who have to live there, well, they're not so sure.

CNN's John Vause reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The deserted city streets of Baghdad. For four hours at the time of noon prayers, all traffic was banned from the capital and northern city of Baquba. The logic was simple, no cars mean no suicide car bombings.

"It's a healthy security move," said this Baghdad resident. And he was right. While the streets were quiet, so, too, the insurgents.

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and his fighters often targeted Shiite mosques with car bombs, especially at Friday prayers, the most important and most crowded day of worship. The Iraqi government still fears there will be bloody retaliation for the death of the man known as "The Prince of al Qaeda." And while many Iraqis have celebrated his demise, many others fear it will have little impact on the daily violence.

"I believe nothing will change," says this man. "It's not because of Zarqawi. If they want to improve the security, they should control the militias in the country."

And some have questioned whether al-Zarqawi was as big to the insurgency a as the U.S. claimed.

MARWAN SHEHADEH, VISION RESEARCH INSTITUTE (through translator): From the first moment of the American occupation of Iraq, the Americans had deliberately exaggerated Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's role as an excuse for the continued American presence in Iraq and to link Iraqi resistance to global terror.

VAUSE: Zarqawi's foreign fighters have been only a small part of the overall violence in Iraq. And his brutal tactic, kidnappings, beheadings, and targeting civilians, according to some U.S. assessments, cost him support not only among Iraqis, but within al Qaeda as well.

(on camera): The U.S. military expects Zarqawi to be quickly replaced, but his death might just ease some of the tensions between Sunnis an Shiites which have pushed this country to the brink of civil war.

John Vause, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: His relatives say they're neither surprised nor sad that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is dead. One brother said the family had long anticipated that he'd be killed. Another family member says he's happy Zarqawi is a martyr.

CNN producer Kevin Flower joins me now from Amman, Jordan, not far from Zarqawi's birthplace in Zarqa.

Kevin, how are people in his hometown reacting to the news? I understand it was a pretty long wait.

KEVIN FLOWER, CNN PRODUCER: Well, Kyra, I should tell you first about our journey to get there. We went this morning, and it was clear that the Jordanian security apparatus forces didn't want us in Zarqa at all. And it took us a number -- a number of hours of convincing them to let us into the city to begin with.

But then once we got there, the reaction from residents there is decidedly mixed. And there is some simmering resentment about the attention being paid to the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

A number of people telling us that they thought Zarqawi wasn't the terrorist, but that Bush and Blair were the terrorists, and that the deaths of civilians in Iraq and in other places like Palestine were the real terrorism that were taking place in the Middle East right now. Now, this isn't the only reaction we got, but it was certainly -- it's certainly a -- something we heard a lot of while we were there.

Now, we also tried to visit with the family members of Zarqawi, and the Jordanian security forces and police would not let us anywhere near the mourning tent where three days of mourning are going on right now for Zarqawi -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Did you get close to Zarqawi's family, Kevin?

FLOWER: Well, we got close to the -- his birthplace, and there were a few relatives around there. But like I said, there's a neighborhood where the mourning was going on for Zarqawi. There's a tent set up, and the police would not let us anywhere near there.

Now, this had come after yesterday, when some reporters had gone there and had stones thrown at them by local residents and chased out. So we were -- we were only able to get some distance away and see it from on top of a hilltop overlooking the neighborhood.

PHILLIPS: Now, some of the sentiments there are not the sentiments of Jordanians on the whole, right? How is the country reacting?

FLOWER: Oh, I think overall there's a lot of relief in Jordan that Zarqawi is dead. You have to remember that just last November he was the mastermind of a triple suicide bombing here, which over 60 people were killed. And that took place here in Amman in the heart of the tourist area.

Three hotels were struck in that. In one, 38 people were killed in a wedding party.

Now, this was a real wakeup call, a real shock to Jordanians here. It was the first large-scale terrorist attack here, and really brought home the war next door in Iraq, brought it home here to the Jordanians.

So a lot of resentment, a lot of anger at Zarqawi for his role in that. So results -- you know, obviously the result here is relief that, you know, he's no longer a threat.

PHILLIPS: CNN's Kevin Flower in Amman, Jordan. Thanks, Kevin.

Palestinians call it a massacre, Israelis reportedly say it was a mistake. The video we're about to show you is pretty intense. You may find it a bit disturbing to watch. If you want to, here it is.

Well, medics say that seven Palestinians were killed today when Israelis artillery shells hit a beach where families were picnicking.

CNN's Fionnuala Sweeney following developments from Jerusalem.

What do we know, Fionnuala?

FIONNUALA SWEENEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it is been, Kyra, an extremely intense day of military firing on both sides of the Gaza- Israel border. Overnight, there was a very senior member of the Hamas government who was killed in a military airstrike, and that bred a lot of resentment on to the streets of Gaza earlier Friday when his funeral took place.

But as you showed there, the video, the most striking incident taking place later this afternoon when Israeli gun ships fired on a beach. Let's have a look again at that video.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SWEENEY (voice over): Grief on a Gaza beach. This girl had been having a picnic with family members when artillery shells fired from an Israeli gun boat off the coast hit the sand.

Her father among seven people killed. Her distress uncontrollable. She is inconsolable.

Red Crescent workers arrived to take away the body. An afternoon at the beach gone very wrong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SWEENEY: Among the seven people killed were three children ranging in age from 18 months to seven years. And it should be said that in other incidents which took place during the day, Israeli airplanes struck at a car carrying three Hamas activists. Three people were killed, three militants, and also another car in which two other militants were killed.

Now, Israel's defense for this is that it says that it is trying to prevent militants launching airstrikes from southern Gaza into northern Israel. There have been eight incidents of people killed on the Israeli side of the border over the last five or six years from Kassam rockets. And increasingly, Kyra, they have become a huge problem and a strategic problem for the Israeli army.

However, since those Israeli navy gun boats fired into that beach, killing seven people, the Israeli army has decided to call off all military action until an investigation is carried out. But perhaps more strikingly, as well, in the last few minutes we are hearing from the armed wing of Hamas, which has observed an unofficial truce with Israel over the last year, has said to CNN that it will resume hostilities -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Fionnuala Sweeney, we'll follow the investigation. Thank you.

Some mourn, some celebrate. A martyr to many, an enemy to millions. Well, you know how the U.S. feels about the death of a most wanted terrorist. What does the Arab community think?

More LIVE FROM coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, al-Zarqawi was not universally loved. Nor was he universally hated in the Arab world.

Octavia Nasr joins me here in Atlanta. She's CNN's senior editor of Arab Affairs. Let's talk about the reaction she's hearing about Zarqawi's death.

What have you heard so far? I mean, do we start with the Internet, or have you been talking with folks overseas?

OCTAVIA NASR, CNN SR. EDITOR, ARAB AFFAIRS: Well, let's start with the newspapers and the TV stations.

You know, first of all, important to say Zarqawi was never treated with respect that was given to Osama bin Laden or Zawahiri. So he was always seen as the foreign fighter that came to Iraq and basically crossed the line.

He's criticized for crossing the line and the beheadings and the hostage-taking, terrorizing Iraq and the region and so forth. So with his death, it was interesting to see the headlines.

The headlines were all sort of good riddance, you know, the head of evil is gone, is terminated. But also a little worry about the future.

You know, in "An-Nahar" newspaper, for example -- in "Al-Hayat" newspaper, as a matter of fact, saying something like, "Now the whole region awaits the successor and the revenge."

And, you know, this sentiment is really echoed across the Middle East. You know, people saying, this is not going to go well. And basically there's also a newspaper saying, you know, the worst is yet to come, basically calling -- you know, saying that the insurgency is going to be fueled by this death instead of being shut down.

PHILLIPS: So the Internet -- none of these groups have named a successor yet?

NASR: As a matter of fact, they have. There is a name that's been floating around. As a matter of fact, the man who announced the death yesterday from Al Qaeda in Iraq group, this man signed the statement yesterday as the number two man in command. And many experts are saying then he's the one who replaces him.

Today they made an announcement that he replaces him. Of course the U.S. has a totally different name for the successor. And who knows. We will see in the coming days if there is an attack that Al Qaeda in Iraq is going to claim responsibility for. We'll see whose name it's going to bear.

But, you know, another thing to say on this story. Not all the voices are against Zarqawi. There are -- believe it or not, there are some voices that are praising his -- his qualities, you know, saying that he was a good commander, that he was a good leader, he was courageous, he was able to hire many, many fighters to join in the insurgency.

And, you know, some people are surprised to see that, even in the Arab world, surprised to see that there are voices that are calling in support of Zarqawi. But they do exist. So it's important to say that there are people who are talking about him as a hero.

And basically, when you think about it, Kyra, you know, these fighters, they go to Iraq like they used to go to Afghanistan seeking martyrdom. So basically, they are not interested in living. They are more interested in dying, and being treated as martyrs. And that's happening on the Internet today.

PHILLIPS: What about the Zawahiri tape?

NASR: You know, the Zawahiri tape is an interesting element. And why today, you know, you might ask. Today is a busy day with the Zarqawi death and all that, but here's a new tape from Zawahiri that aired on Al-Jazeera.

A very important element in it is the Palestinian element. He's calling on Palestinians to boycott the referendum. And that is an important point.

Some experts I spoke with today said that the reason he's doing this, he's focusing his attention on Palestine. He says a rift there between the Fatah movement led by the president of the Palestinian Authority and the Hamas-led government. And basically, he's step in, trying to take advantage of that.

And of course there were news -- we've heard news before of a possible al Qaeda penetration inside the Palestinian territories. So you have to wonder. It's something we will be monitoring to see if people will listen to Zawahiri and boycott the referendum or not.

PHILLIPS: I was looking at the Internet when we were talking about (INAUDIBLE) the Internet. What's the deal with those cartoons?

NASR: The cartoons are interesting. You know, going back to the story of the fall of Zarqawi, look at this cartoon that we were -- here, this one.

You remember the fall of the statue of Saddam Hussein.

PHILLIPS: Saddam's statue.

NASR: Exactly. That's what this cartoonist is trying to portray here. There's the -- Zarqawi with his dagger, and basically beheading people, and this is a sign that a new era is about to happen.

If we have time, and want to look at more cartoons, I think they have this universal language. They speak the universal language.

This one comes from Saudi Arabia. And you see the face of terror there, of Zarqawi, and the pencil erasing the picture.

PHILLIPS: "New Iraq."

NASR: And you can see in English there, "New Iraq." Basically a new Iraq. Moving away terror and starting anew.

And this one also by Savro (ph). You see bin Laden there totally shocked because he's sitting on -- what's written on his stool is "Al Qaeda," which is the base in Arabic. And you see one of the legs was shot down by a U.S. missile, and that leg is Zarqawi. So basically, the indication here is that one leg is off, three more to go, and bin Laden is worried.

PHILLIPS: Are these -- are these well-known cartoonists?

NASR: These are very well-known cartoonists and very respectable newspapers. And, you know, that is an indication of how the Arab world is dealing with this story.

You know, not much fear. Not much fear of the al Qaeda and its leaders, but basically trying to look forward, saying that, you know, number one...

PHILLIPS: Slowly but surely they're just losing the threat factor?

NASR: Right. And also saying that it's not over.

PHILLIPS: Yes.

NASR: You know, that this is one step in the right direction, but it certainly isn't over.

PHILLIPS: Octavia Nasr, thank you so much.

NASR: Any time.

PHILLIPS: Well, Zarqawi's death is said to have yielded a treasure trove of weapons and information. U.S. forces showed some of that treasure today. Bomb-making material, military gear, passports and night vision goggles hidden beneath floorboards -- rifles, small arms ammunition, rockets.

And overnight, U.S. troops raided almost 40 homes in the same area as the al-Zarqawi airstrike. Along with the weapons, they picked up computer equipment and electronics. They say they will help them start dismantling the organization.

Now, Saturday and Sunday night at 8:00 Eastern on CNN, the world's most wanted. One name can be stricken from that list, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. He's dead. But Osama bin Laden and his top deputies remain at large.

CNN Presents "Profiles: This Trio of Terror" this weekend at 8:00 p.m. The world's most wanted. Only on CNN.

And Saturday at 7:00 Eastern, Wolf Blitzer hosts "Iraq: A Week at War." CNN's team of correspondents around the world brings you the only in-depth look at major events on the war on terror. The strike against al-Zarqawi in Iraq, the new tape from al-Zawahiri, and then an alleged terror plot foiled in Canada.

CNN's Wolf Blitzer hosts "Iraq: A Week at War," Saturday night, 7:00 p.m. Eastern. only on CNN.

South Carolina sets the ultimate penalty for some sex offenders. Details on one of the toughest laws in the nation when LIVE FROM returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: And you always start with paper. You know that. If you're going to act like children, you're going to be treated like children. That's what a federal judge is saying in Tampa, Florida.

He got sick of bickering lawyers in an insurance suit. An argument over where to take a sworn statement from a witness was the last straw. The judge ordered both sides to meet at a neutral location on June 30th at 4:00 p.m. sharp and settle their dispute with a game of rock, paper scissors. The winner gets to choose a location for the witness statement and gets to stay up a half-hour later.

Smoking is being banned in more and more places, but big tobacco companies are developing new products that can accommodate those restrictions.

Susan Lisovicz live from the New York Stock Exchange with the details on that story.

(BUSINESS REPORT)

PHILLIPS: Well, drought and war have left hundreds of people dead, thousands of people on the run in Somalia. Now things appear to be getting, if anything, worse. We'll get closer to the chaos next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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