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American Morning

Iraq Attack

Aired July 09, 2003 - 09:02   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.


SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: CENTCOM is confirming today that two more Iraqis from the list of the 55 most wanted are in custody. But there's also news this morning that U.S. forces in Fallujah were attacked.
Baghdad bureau chief Jane Arraf Has the latest developments for us this morning live in the capital.

Good morning, Jane.

JANE ARRAF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.

It was an attack. It was a rocket-propelled grenade attack and these are increasingly common. No casualties in this one. But we have to remember, for all the attacks we hear about, there are a lot we don't. U.S. officials have said there's an average of more than a dozen attacks and attempted attacks a day on U.S. forces in Iraq.

Now, as part of the effort to combat that, they are continuing to search for those people on the most wanted list. So far, Saddam and his sons are the most sought after and most elusive targets, but they have nabbed two others. They are Missan Huddar Al Hadi (ph), who is a member of the Revolutionary Command Council, Saddam Hussein's highest body in the land, as well a as a member of the regional Baath Party command. And Mahmoud Ziabo Ahmed (ph), who is a former interior minister. He was relieved of duty two years ago, but he is remembered, and not fondly, by Iraqis who worked under him. Some of them overjoyed that he'd been caught.

The first gave himself up, but the former interior minister was arrested and taken into custody. Now, all sorts of things going on well. A gunfight today erupting in the streets of Baghdad, between unknown gunmen, Iraqi police and U.S. forces. No reported deaths in that one. But it's an indication that this city is still very unsettled.

Now, U.S. Central Command says that one of the arrests they made related to about 400 rocket-propelled grenades that they picked up from a vehicle that they checked at a checkpoint. That announcement just today.

They're continuing to train Iraqi police, by the way, those people showing up for three weeks of training. The first class is graduating next week. We watched some of the training today. They're being taught how to apprehend suspects, human rights and how to defend themselves against gunmen, all very useful skills -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Jane Arraf, reporting for us from Baghdad this morning, thanks for that.

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 July 9, 2003 - 09:02   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: CENTCOM is confirming today that two more Iraqis from the list of the 55 most wanted are in custody. But there's also news this morning that U.S. forces in Fallujah were attacked.
Baghdad bureau chief Jane Arraf Has the latest developments for us this morning live in the capital.

Good morning, Jane.

JANE ARRAF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.

It was an attack. It was a rocket-propelled grenade attack and these are increasingly common. No casualties in this one. But we have to remember, for all the attacks we hear about, there are a lot we don't. U.S. officials have said there's an average of more than a dozen attacks and attempted attacks a day on U.S. forces in Iraq.

Now, as part of the effort to combat that, they are continuing to search for those people on the most wanted list. So far, Saddam and his sons are the most sought after and most elusive targets, but they have nabbed two others. They are Missan Huddar Al Hadi (ph), who is a member of the Revolutionary Command Council, Saddam Hussein's highest body in the land, as well a as a member of the regional Baath Party command. And Mahmoud Ziabo Ahmed (ph), who is a former interior minister. He was relieved of duty two years ago, but he is remembered, and not fondly, by Iraqis who worked under him. Some of them overjoyed that he'd been caught.

The first gave himself up, but the former interior minister was arrested and taken into custody. Now, all sorts of things going on well. A gunfight today erupting in the streets of Baghdad, between unknown gunmen, Iraqi police and U.S. forces. No reported deaths in that one. But it's an indication that this city is still very unsettled.

Now, U.S. Central Command says that one of the arrests they made related to about 400 rocket-propelled grenades that they picked up from a vehicle that they checked at a checkpoint. That announcement just today.

They're continuing to train Iraqi police, by the way, those people showing up for three weeks of training. The first class is graduating next week. We watched some of the training today. They're being taught how to apprehend suspects, human rights and how to defend themselves against gunmen, all very useful skills -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Jane Arraf, reporting for us from Baghdad this morning, thanks for that.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com