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American Morning

Interview with Zainab Al-Suwaij

Aired March 28, 2003 - 08:55   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: Meanwhile, let's talk about Zainab Al- Suwaij. She is from Boston, Massachusetts. She grew up in Iraq. She left there right at the end of the Persian Gulf War, right around the time she was 20 years old at the time. Now an American citizen with the American Islamic Congress and she has relatives, family members still in Basra, still Umm Qasr, still in the city of Baghdad as well. She's our guest today in Boston. I want to say welcome to you and thanks for your time here on CNN.
I know recently you've talked to some members of your family. Part of the things they're telling you is about this tight government security. What does that mean for them in terms of living in Baghdad right now?

ZAINAB AL-SUWAIJ, AMERICAN ISLAMIC CONGRESS: Well, they told me that the government is really controlling everything and the forces there and especially the Republican Guard is forcing the people and taking them out of their homes and giving them weapons to go and fight. Also, if they refuse, they take a family member and they threaten them. They will kill the member if they don't obey the order.

HEMMER: Wow, so they're telling you that firsthand, which corroborates the reporting we've been getting out of Baghdad and other cities as well.

AL-SUWAIJ: That's right. It's the same thing, and they kept saying it's very tight, it's very tight. What's taking you so long? And when are you coming?

HEMMER: They're wondering about the Americans, what's taking them so long, is that what they're saying?

AL-SUWAIJ: That's right. They're saying what's taking you so long to come. Come fast and we are waiting, and I told them -- to my relatives, who - they are not in Basra, I told them that Umm Qasr is free. I saw it in TV. They said we don't know anything. We're really confused. We don't know what's going on.

HEMMER: How are they, then, getting their information? Iraqi television is one source, but radio is out there as well. Is there a good source of information for them?

AL-SUWAIJ: Apparently, what I gathered from the information that they told me that really they don't have a good source of information. Even the radio is probably the government is trying not to stop the radio signal to the people inside Iraq. And they did that in the war, in the previous war in 1991 and also in the '80s during Iraq/Iran war. So they really...

(CROSSTALK)

AL-SUWAIJ: ... don't have a clear information.

HEMMER: Quickly, I apologize for talking -- satellite delay here. What are they saying about Saddam Hussein? Do they believe he's alive?

AL-SUWAIJ: Well they -- at this point, they didn't really talk about that and they don't know for sure. But if you ask me my personal opinion, I think he is alive.

HEMMER: Yes. What about the Fedayeen? Do they have any comment on that movement?

AL-SUWAIJ: Well, they said they are controlling most of the areas and as I said, it's -- the security is really tight and people cannot really move. Otherwise, they will have an uprising just like what happened in 1991.

HEMMER: I see. Zainab, listen, I only a couple of seconds left here. Have they expressed any surprise with the amount of fight the Iraqi military is giving the U.S. and British right now?

AL-SUWAIJ: They didn't say anything, but all what they said about the -- I asked them about the bombing and if they are OK. They said we are OK. There is nothing really on the residential area, but the main bombing is focusing on the military bases and on the government offices.

HEMMER: All right, listen, come back. I've got a million questions for you. Perhaps in the weekend, we can bring you back if you have more conversations with your relatives in Iraq. Zainab Al- Suwaij in Boston with the American Islamic Congress, appreciate your time and your comments today.

Let's get a break quickly, hear a report from the Pentagon when we come back.








Aired March 28, 2003 - 08:55   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Meanwhile, let's talk about Zainab Al- Suwaij. She is from Boston, Massachusetts. She grew up in Iraq. She left there right at the end of the Persian Gulf War, right around the time she was 20 years old at the time. Now an American citizen with the American Islamic Congress and she has relatives, family members still in Basra, still Umm Qasr, still in the city of Baghdad as well. She's our guest today in Boston. I want to say welcome to you and thanks for your time here on CNN.
I know recently you've talked to some members of your family. Part of the things they're telling you is about this tight government security. What does that mean for them in terms of living in Baghdad right now?

ZAINAB AL-SUWAIJ, AMERICAN ISLAMIC CONGRESS: Well, they told me that the government is really controlling everything and the forces there and especially the Republican Guard is forcing the people and taking them out of their homes and giving them weapons to go and fight. Also, if they refuse, they take a family member and they threaten them. They will kill the member if they don't obey the order.

HEMMER: Wow, so they're telling you that firsthand, which corroborates the reporting we've been getting out of Baghdad and other cities as well.

AL-SUWAIJ: That's right. It's the same thing, and they kept saying it's very tight, it's very tight. What's taking you so long? And when are you coming?

HEMMER: They're wondering about the Americans, what's taking them so long, is that what they're saying?

AL-SUWAIJ: That's right. They're saying what's taking you so long to come. Come fast and we are waiting, and I told them -- to my relatives, who - they are not in Basra, I told them that Umm Qasr is free. I saw it in TV. They said we don't know anything. We're really confused. We don't know what's going on.

HEMMER: How are they, then, getting their information? Iraqi television is one source, but radio is out there as well. Is there a good source of information for them?

AL-SUWAIJ: Apparently, what I gathered from the information that they told me that really they don't have a good source of information. Even the radio is probably the government is trying not to stop the radio signal to the people inside Iraq. And they did that in the war, in the previous war in 1991 and also in the '80s during Iraq/Iran war. So they really...

(CROSSTALK)

AL-SUWAIJ: ... don't have a clear information.

HEMMER: Quickly, I apologize for talking -- satellite delay here. What are they saying about Saddam Hussein? Do they believe he's alive?

AL-SUWAIJ: Well they -- at this point, they didn't really talk about that and they don't know for sure. But if you ask me my personal opinion, I think he is alive.

HEMMER: Yes. What about the Fedayeen? Do they have any comment on that movement?

AL-SUWAIJ: Well, they said they are controlling most of the areas and as I said, it's -- the security is really tight and people cannot really move. Otherwise, they will have an uprising just like what happened in 1991.

HEMMER: I see. Zainab, listen, I only a couple of seconds left here. Have they expressed any surprise with the amount of fight the Iraqi military is giving the U.S. and British right now?

AL-SUWAIJ: They didn't say anything, but all what they said about the -- I asked them about the bombing and if they are OK. They said we are OK. There is nothing really on the residential area, but the main bombing is focusing on the military bases and on the government offices.

HEMMER: All right, listen, come back. I've got a million questions for you. Perhaps in the weekend, we can bring you back if you have more conversations with your relatives in Iraq. Zainab Al- Suwaij in Boston with the American Islamic Congress, appreciate your time and your comments today.

Let's get a break quickly, hear a report from the Pentagon when we come back.