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American Morning
Audiotape Said by Some to be Voice of Saddam Hussein
Aired May 07, 2003 - 08:04 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: We want to get back to the videotape now, now the audiotape, rather, said to be that voice of Saddam Hussein. The "Sydney Morning Herald," working in Baghdad, says that tape given to a pair of reporters in the Iraqi capital after two men failed to give it to the Al Jazeera network first. The newspaper says it will hand it over to U.S. authorities.
But first, Nic Robertson's been listening and watching.
He's live in Baghdad with more on this -- Nic, what is the message on that audiotape?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Bill, this appears to be the first call for organized resistance against what purports to be Saddam Hussein on this tape, saying against the U.S. occupation. It calls on Iraqi people to shoot at Americans, not to do any business with Americans and to write slogans on the wall against Americans here.
It also says that anyone who works with the Americans, with foreigners in Iraq, is a traitor to the Iraqi people. The statement is very interesting. It refers to Saddam Hussein's birthday, the 28th of April. It refers to the looting of Iraq's National Museum, both events occurring since Saddam Hussein was ousted from power, an indication perhaps that this was recorded quite recently and certainly the man on the tape who claims to be Saddam Hussein, saying that he is actually still inside Iraq.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Through the secret means, I'm talking to you from inside great Iraq and I say to you, the main task for you, Arab and Kurd, Shiite and Sunni, Muslim and Christian and the whole Iraqi people of all religions, your main task is to kick the enemy out from our country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTSON: Now, the tape also goes on to say that they will have to work in a secret style, perhaps a reference here to the days when Saddam Hussein and his Baath Party were an underground movement in Iraq in the 1960s. Certainly this the first voice apparently coming from Saddam Hussein calling for this organized resistance.
Now, people we played the tape to here this morning, a group of people who were protesting for jobs outside of this hotel, indicated that they didn't, that they did think it was Saddam Hussein's voice, but to them it just didn't really matter.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Whether Saddam was dead or alive, he's finished as far as Iraqis are concerned. Saddam is over. We don't want him. We don't want him.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, this is his voice. This is his voice. He's in Iraq, but we don't want to fight him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTSON: Well, certainly for anybody in Iraq, whether or not this is the voice of Saddam Hussein, it is an indication that perhaps he really hasn't gone. Whether or not he has or hasn't gone, it is very much a reminder to the United States, as well, that there is, there are elements here that are trying to organize against their presence in the country -- Bill.
HEMMER: Nic Robertson in Baghdad.
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 May 7, 2003 - 08:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: We want to get back to the videotape now, now the audiotape, rather, said to be that voice of Saddam Hussein. The "Sydney Morning Herald," working in Baghdad, says that tape given to a pair of reporters in the Iraqi capital after two men failed to give it to the Al Jazeera network first. The newspaper says it will hand it over to U.S. authorities.
But first, Nic Robertson's been listening and watching.
He's live in Baghdad with more on this -- Nic, what is the message on that audiotape?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Bill, this appears to be the first call for organized resistance against what purports to be Saddam Hussein on this tape, saying against the U.S. occupation. It calls on Iraqi people to shoot at Americans, not to do any business with Americans and to write slogans on the wall against Americans here.
It also says that anyone who works with the Americans, with foreigners in Iraq, is a traitor to the Iraqi people. The statement is very interesting. It refers to Saddam Hussein's birthday, the 28th of April. It refers to the looting of Iraq's National Museum, both events occurring since Saddam Hussein was ousted from power, an indication perhaps that this was recorded quite recently and certainly the man on the tape who claims to be Saddam Hussein, saying that he is actually still inside Iraq.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Through the secret means, I'm talking to you from inside great Iraq and I say to you, the main task for you, Arab and Kurd, Shiite and Sunni, Muslim and Christian and the whole Iraqi people of all religions, your main task is to kick the enemy out from our country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTSON: Now, the tape also goes on to say that they will have to work in a secret style, perhaps a reference here to the days when Saddam Hussein and his Baath Party were an underground movement in Iraq in the 1960s. Certainly this the first voice apparently coming from Saddam Hussein calling for this organized resistance.
Now, people we played the tape to here this morning, a group of people who were protesting for jobs outside of this hotel, indicated that they didn't, that they did think it was Saddam Hussein's voice, but to them it just didn't really matter.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Whether Saddam was dead or alive, he's finished as far as Iraqis are concerned. Saddam is over. We don't want him. We don't want him.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, this is his voice. This is his voice. He's in Iraq, but we don't want to fight him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTSON: Well, certainly for anybody in Iraq, whether or not this is the voice of Saddam Hussein, it is an indication that perhaps he really hasn't gone. Whether or not he has or hasn't gone, it is very much a reminder to the United States, as well, that there is, there are elements here that are trying to organize against their presence in the country -- Bill.
HEMMER: Nic Robertson in Baghdad.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
