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American Morning
The New Iraq: Pentagon Update
Aired April 22, 2003 - 08:09 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.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Back to the situation in Iraq now and Central Command.
Barbara Starr is at the Pentagon with the very latest on that
Barbara, what did you hear this morning from General Vincent Brooks?
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Heidi, even as Central Command is continuing to take some of those regime leaders into custody, General Brooks talked about the continuing concern about possible terrorist activity against U.S. forces in Iraq.
Now he talks, for example, about the fact that they had found over 800 vests packed with explosives, a lot of concern that those could be used for possible suicide attacks. And then he talks about some other interesting objects that U.S. forces had recently found.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRIG. GEN. VINCENT BROOKS, CENTRAL COMMAND: In other cases, we find objects that would normally be used in a casual setting being converted into deadly devices. You see some marble-looking coffee tables. These tables are actually laden with explosives and other materials that are intended to increase casualties and be more lethal when they're used. They're constructed with sophisticated electronic devices or timers, like you see in this case.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: Now rounding out some of the morning operational updates, General Brooks also said there is now a cease-fire with a group known as the People's Mujahideen. This, of course, is a group of armed Iranian dissidents that had been operating inside Iraq for some time. They are supporters of the Saddam Hussein regime. They have artillery and other weapons. They have exchanged many -- in many firefights with U.S. and coalition forces. But now there is a cease-fire in effect with the People's Mujahideen and they are beginning to lay down their arms as well -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Barbara, I'm wondering about the $650 million that was found. Any idea, at this point, what the plans will be for that money? Any chance of that going back into some sort of rebuilding of Iraq sort of funds?
STARR: Right. Well General Brooks showed some fascinating pictures of all that money being loaded up and trucked off to what he said was a secure location in Iraq. Of course they're going to have law enforcement officials, U.S. law enforcement take a very close look at all of this. Make sure, first of all, of course, that it is legitimate currency, try and figure out maybe where it came from, look at the serial numbers, that sort of thing. And once they determine all of that, the plan, as it now stands, is to put that money back into Iraq for rebuilding of the country. But a lot of law enforcement detective work still to be done before that final decision is made -- Heidi.
COLLINS: I'm sure there is. All right. Barbara Starr, at the Pentagon this morning, 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 April 22, 2003 - 08:09 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Back to the situation in Iraq now and Central Command.
Barbara Starr is at the Pentagon with the very latest on that
Barbara, what did you hear this morning from General Vincent Brooks?
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Heidi, even as Central Command is continuing to take some of those regime leaders into custody, General Brooks talked about the continuing concern about possible terrorist activity against U.S. forces in Iraq.
Now he talks, for example, about the fact that they had found over 800 vests packed with explosives, a lot of concern that those could be used for possible suicide attacks. And then he talks about some other interesting objects that U.S. forces had recently found.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRIG. GEN. VINCENT BROOKS, CENTRAL COMMAND: In other cases, we find objects that would normally be used in a casual setting being converted into deadly devices. You see some marble-looking coffee tables. These tables are actually laden with explosives and other materials that are intended to increase casualties and be more lethal when they're used. They're constructed with sophisticated electronic devices or timers, like you see in this case.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: Now rounding out some of the morning operational updates, General Brooks also said there is now a cease-fire with a group known as the People's Mujahideen. This, of course, is a group of armed Iranian dissidents that had been operating inside Iraq for some time. They are supporters of the Saddam Hussein regime. They have artillery and other weapons. They have exchanged many -- in many firefights with U.S. and coalition forces. But now there is a cease-fire in effect with the People's Mujahideen and they are beginning to lay down their arms as well -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Barbara, I'm wondering about the $650 million that was found. Any idea, at this point, what the plans will be for that money? Any chance of that going back into some sort of rebuilding of Iraq sort of funds?
STARR: Right. Well General Brooks showed some fascinating pictures of all that money being loaded up and trucked off to what he said was a secure location in Iraq. Of course they're going to have law enforcement officials, U.S. law enforcement take a very close look at all of this. Make sure, first of all, of course, that it is legitimate currency, try and figure out maybe where it came from, look at the serial numbers, that sort of thing. And once they determine all of that, the plan, as it now stands, is to put that money back into Iraq for rebuilding of the country. But a lot of law enforcement detective work still to be done before that final decision is made -- Heidi.
COLLINS: I'm sure there is. All right. Barbara Starr, at the Pentagon this morning, 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
