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American Morning

America Strikes Back: War Rages Over Afghanistan, Claims of Civilian Deaths Investigated; Capitol Hill Buildings Anthrax Free

Aired October 23, 2001 - 11:09   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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Some rather pertinent information came out of the Pentagon today. If you were with us yesterday, you saw some videotape the Taliban says is evidence that a U.S. helicopter was downed inside Afghanistan.

To Bob Franken, an explanation there this morning.

Bob, good morning.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.

There are actually several explanations coming from the Pentagon.

Before we get to the helicopter, I would like to talk for a moment about the United Nations ground workers backing up, in effect, some of the claims by Taliban yesterday that a hospital had been hit in the western part of Afghanistan, in the town of Herat. The Taliban said there were 100 casualties, that a hospital was hit. UN workers told their counterparts in Pakistan that that was the case.

But the Pentagon says although its investigation is not complete, the investigation thus far is showing a 1,000 pound bomb from an F-18 jet did not hit the military barracks that it had targeted in Herat, but rather landed in a field about 150 yards away and exploded, causing some degree of damage to what was described as either an elderly care facility -- but that might have been an old description of a place that had been turned into a hospital. The Pentagon says it has no reading on how many casualties, if any, there were at the building. But the Pentagon now believes it didn't hit the hospital -- or elderly care facility -- but did have a bomb go stray and land about 150 yards from its target in a field, and the explosion is what caused the damage.

That is an ongoing investigation. We'll probably have more about that at the briefing, which is going to occur at 1:30 this afternoon Eastern time.

Getting to that helicopter -- as you know, the Taliban claim that two helicopters had within shot down during the weekend's commando raids by U.S. forces. The Pentagon says that the wheels, the landing gear, displayed by them yesterday were landing gear from a troop transport ship; it's a specially outfitted CH-47, the old Chinook. Apparently, the were sheared off, according to the Pentagon's investigators when the helicopter through probably pilot error hit some sort of barricade at the site of the military attack. They're not being specific where that was.

At any rate, according to the Pentagon, the helicopter was able to use normal procedures under a circumstance like that and land by coming down rear first, without any damage or casualties whatsoever -- this is according to the Pentagon -- and that it was able to leave and get safely back into Pakistan.

There is a second helicopter that the Taliban claimed they had shot and caused to crash. The Pentagon has told us that that had malfunctions in Pakistan. It was an Apache helicopter that was waiting to do search-and-rescue missions. As we have already learned, sadly, two U.S. soldiers were killed when that one went down. The Pentagon says it went down by a mechanical malfunction.

Now there is a new twist to this. According to Pentagon officials, when a large second helicopter in Pakistan was going to pick up the remnants and move it, after the bodies had been removed, in fact it was transported to a second airfield. At that time, the large helicopter let the Apache down, went off to refuel, and received fire on the ground in Pakistan. According to the officials on the scene, it was some sporadic small arms fire. The helicopter returned fire. There were no casualties, according to Pentagon. Pakistani officials are investigating.

So as I said, Bill, there is a lot to bring you up to date.

One other thing: comment from the British defense department, saying that there's been a very successful military operation in coordination with the United States, and it has just about achieved its initial goals.

HEMMER: Bob, a lot to cover -- Bob Franken, at the Pentagon, thank you.

1:30 p.m. Eastern time the briefing there at the Pentagon rather, two hours and 15 minutes from now.

In the meantime, I want to follow up on a lot of the information Bob was just referring to and go live to Islamabad, the Pakistani capital, and pick things up with Walter Rodgers, to get a taste of what's being said on that side of the world today.

Walter, what do you have?

WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Bill.

Listening to Bob, the phrase "the fog of war" leaps to mind. That phrase "the fog of war" is certainly applicable as CNN has tried to get to the roots of the Taliban claim yesterday that the United States bombed a civilian hospital, killing over 100 people, civilians and medical personnel. You heard Bob say that the Pentagon is saying that one of its bombs may have gone astray and landed in a field, perhaps damaged a senior citizens home. Now there's a third party explanation of this, the third party being a United Nations spokesman here in Islamabad. According to UN officials who talked by radio phone to their people in Herat, where this incident is purported to have taken place, the United Nation employees there -- Afghan citizens -- say that what was hit was a Taliban military base on the outskirts of Herat, and one of the targets that was destroyed was a Taliban military hospital -- totally destroyed, according to UN officials.

No word on the numbers of casualties who would have been destroyed in that strike against the military base, which also hit a hospital. More importantly, there's no indication whatsoever that that hospital, if indeed that's what it was, had a red crescent on it, indicating that it was indeed a hospital.

Stephanie Bunker gave the UN's version of this event.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEPHANIE BUNKER, UN SPOKESMAN FOR AFGHANISTAN: Our information, which we received late this afternoon, is that a hospital in Herat was hit and it was reportedly destroyed. It was a military hospital in a military compound on the eastern outskirts of the city. The number of casualties are not known.

That's all the information we have on that for this time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RODGERS: The Taliban continue to make charges against both the United States and Britain, accusing those two countries of waging a war of terrorism against the Afghan people. They claimed at least 19 were killed; the word the Taliban used is "martyred."

Part of the problem in divining what is true and what is false in covering this war is that the Taliban itself has clamped a news blackout on events in Afghanistan, allowing only those elements out and those news leaks out which it figures are conducive to its cause. But the Taliban is the one that has got the news blackout in Afghanistan, and that's what is making accuracy so very difficult at this point -- Bill.

HEMMER: Walter, quickly, you heard from report from the Pentagon of some U.S. helicopters taking small arms fire on the Pakistan side of the border. There's no way to know at this point who that was on the ground. Have you heard reports about Taliban troops that may have gone over into Pakistani property?

RODGERS: You should know that the incident took place in Baluchistan, southwestern Pakistan. More than 70 percent of population there is Afghan. These people are hostile to the United States. Many of them are Taliban sympathizers, so it's not difficult to assume that the Taliban may indeed have some armed sympathizers who may have been shooting at that U.S. helicopter. As I say, there are an awful lot of Afghans in that area -- Bill.

HEMMER: Well noted, Walter. Thank you, Walter Rodgers, in Islamabad.

Back in this country, there is actually some good news on Capitol Hill.

Here's Kate Snow to talk more about the anthrax investigation in the Capitol Building -- Kate?

KATE SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Bill, a new statement this morning from the Capitol Hill Police spokesperson Dan Nichols, meant to allay some concerns. The statement says exhaustive test have been completed in the Capitol Building, and all results are negative. There is no evidence of anthrax contamination or exposure in the Capitol Building.

That's not a big surprise. Senators, after all, were returning to work here this morning, inside the Capitol Building. The Senate is now discussing a foreign aid bill and trying to work out a disagreement over how quickly to move on President Bush's judicial nominees, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee saying part of the problem is he can't get at some of the documents that he needs, which are locked up inside his Senate office, in a Senate office building.

Those are the buildings that are closed down today. Senate office buildings and House office building you see on the screen in blue and red are shut down throughout today, Sen. Bill Frist saying he suspects the buildings will be closed tomorrow and not open until Thursday at the earliest.

Republican Congressman Bill Thomas told CNN they will take as long as needed to be safe.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. BILL THOMAS (R), CALIFORNIA: As much time as is necessary to establish a secure base, make sure the parameters are secure so when people return to workplace, we can get back to usual productivity level. You don't want to bring people in and have them fearful of doing their ordinary jobs; otherwise, you have done a macho thing, and not really resolved the problem. Most of the problem right now is mental.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SNOW: Chairman Thomas was saying, in his opinion, there has been too much hysteria over the anthrax situation on Capitol Hill. At the same time, he says he thinks they made the prudent decision last week, Bill, in deciding to hold off and not hold session until tonight.

Back to you.

HEMMER: Kate Snow, on Capitol Hill.

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