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American Morning
CIA Involved in Lynch Rescue
Aired April 15, 2003 - 07:54 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 at the Pentagon, there is breaking news this morning. Barbara Starr is all over it. More news today now on Jessica Lynch. Barbara, what do you have? Good morning.
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, Bill. Good morning. CNN has learned that the rescue of Jessica Lynch actually involved the CIA. CNN has learned that the CIA sent a trusted Iraqi asset, a man that was in the pay of the CIA, into the hospital hours before the rescue with a hidden video camera to tape the entire hospital, the route in, the route out, Jessica Lynch's room, everything was taped by this CIA asset with a hidden video camera to ensure that the Special Forces team would be successful. The CIA asset was trained and equipped with this video camera by the Pentagon, by officials of the Defense Intelligence Agency.
So for the first time now, we are learning that there was much more intelligence involved than the one thing we had heard about, which was a local Iraqi man who had come to the Marines with reports that Jessica Lynch was in this hospital.
In fact, sources tell us that was just an additional piece of information to what they already had. We have also learned that days before the rescue, there had been initial intelligence from at least two enemy prisoners of war that Jessica Lynch might be alive, and might be under Iraqi control. They now believe the information these enemy prisoners of war gave them indicated that Jessica Lynch was first held in another location, and then moved to this hospital where the rescue took place. And, of course, the rescue finally taking place by a Special Forces unit that was particularly formed for Iraq. This was a team that was moving through the Nasiriya area and was hunting down Iraqi war criminals and Iraqi most wanted. They were then diverted to this mission. And when they did go to rescue Jessica Lynch, we know that it was U.S. Navy SEALS that actually went into the hospital. Army Rangers provided security outside, but they had the information from the CIA that ensured their success -- Bill.
HEMMER: Interesting developments there. Barbara Starr at the Pentagon. Many thanks for that report. We'll be in touch throughout the morning.
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 April 15, 2003 - 07:54 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Meanwhile at the Pentagon, there is breaking news this morning. Barbara Starr is all over it. More news today now on Jessica Lynch. Barbara, what do you have? Good morning.
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, Bill. Good morning. CNN has learned that the rescue of Jessica Lynch actually involved the CIA. CNN has learned that the CIA sent a trusted Iraqi asset, a man that was in the pay of the CIA, into the hospital hours before the rescue with a hidden video camera to tape the entire hospital, the route in, the route out, Jessica Lynch's room, everything was taped by this CIA asset with a hidden video camera to ensure that the Special Forces team would be successful. The CIA asset was trained and equipped with this video camera by the Pentagon, by officials of the Defense Intelligence Agency.
So for the first time now, we are learning that there was much more intelligence involved than the one thing we had heard about, which was a local Iraqi man who had come to the Marines with reports that Jessica Lynch was in this hospital.
In fact, sources tell us that was just an additional piece of information to what they already had. We have also learned that days before the rescue, there had been initial intelligence from at least two enemy prisoners of war that Jessica Lynch might be alive, and might be under Iraqi control. They now believe the information these enemy prisoners of war gave them indicated that Jessica Lynch was first held in another location, and then moved to this hospital where the rescue took place. And, of course, the rescue finally taking place by a Special Forces unit that was particularly formed for Iraq. This was a team that was moving through the Nasiriya area and was hunting down Iraqi war criminals and Iraqi most wanted. They were then diverted to this mission. And when they did go to rescue Jessica Lynch, we know that it was U.S. Navy SEALS that actually went into the hospital. Army Rangers provided security outside, but they had the information from the CIA that ensured their success -- Bill.
HEMMER: Interesting developments there. Barbara Starr at the Pentagon. Many thanks for that report. We'll be in touch throughout the morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
