Return to Transcripts main page
American Morning
Two American Soldiers Die in Iraq
Aired August 22, 2003 - 09:03 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: Back to Iraq now, the U.S. military confirming today that two more American service members have died in Iraq. Meanwhile, that bombing investigation, authorities looking into the possibility about whether or not Iraqi security guards at that U.N. compound actually assisted the attackers. This according to a report today in the "New York Times."
Rym Brahimi back in Baghdad watching the developments again for us today there -- Rym, hello.
RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Bill.
We've just heard from Bernard Kerik, who's the chief person in charge of police here from the coalition authority people, and he's just told CNN that, indeed, they are looking at potential local staff that would have been involved in this bombing. The reason being that there are concerns that some of them may have acted as agents before the war with the Iraqi secret service. Also questions raised by the fact that whoever did that bombing, said Bernard Kerik, knew exactly where Sergio de Mello, the U.N. special envoy who was killed in the blast along with 22 other people, where exactly de Mello was and at what time he was in his office.
So definitely questions here about whether the possibility of this being an inside job.
Bernard Kerik also told us that this was most definitely a terrorist attack. He said that they were sort of looking at different, obviously different directions. The Iraqi police, he said, is leading the investigation with the assistance of the FBI.
Now, apparently this was, this has been, this is something that they're going to be looking at very, very closely in the coming days, as the investigation continues. The site has been cordoned off further than it had been in previous days. No access to the building or to the compound whatsoever if you're not part of the teams doing the investigation or clearing the rubble.
Meanwhile, Bill, as you mentioned, two U.S. soldiers were killed. Indeed, one of them in Hillah. He was shot at close range in a town about an hour's drive south of Baghdad. His car apparently was slowed down in the congested traffic. Another U.S. soldier was killed in a small arms range when it caught fire -- Bill.
HEMMER: Rym, back to this investigation. Now that you've confirmed, in fact, the focus of the investigation right now, what has Bernard Kerik said about the level of cooperation they're getting from the guards there, or lack thereof?
BRAHIMI: Well, he hasn't actually gone into those details. But there were reports earlier, I believe, that some of the guards there had refused to cooperate, citing diplomatic immunity. We haven't been able to confirm that for the time being. But, of course, there are a lot of people who work there who, apart from just the security guards, there are a lot of people who work there that will probably be questioned with regard to what happened -- Bill.
HEMMER: Rym Brahimi 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 August 22, 2003 - 09:03 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Back to Iraq now, the U.S. military confirming today that two more American service members have died in Iraq. Meanwhile, that bombing investigation, authorities looking into the possibility about whether or not Iraqi security guards at that U.N. compound actually assisted the attackers. This according to a report today in the "New York Times."
Rym Brahimi back in Baghdad watching the developments again for us today there -- Rym, hello.
RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Bill.
We've just heard from Bernard Kerik, who's the chief person in charge of police here from the coalition authority people, and he's just told CNN that, indeed, they are looking at potential local staff that would have been involved in this bombing. The reason being that there are concerns that some of them may have acted as agents before the war with the Iraqi secret service. Also questions raised by the fact that whoever did that bombing, said Bernard Kerik, knew exactly where Sergio de Mello, the U.N. special envoy who was killed in the blast along with 22 other people, where exactly de Mello was and at what time he was in his office.
So definitely questions here about whether the possibility of this being an inside job.
Bernard Kerik also told us that this was most definitely a terrorist attack. He said that they were sort of looking at different, obviously different directions. The Iraqi police, he said, is leading the investigation with the assistance of the FBI.
Now, apparently this was, this has been, this is something that they're going to be looking at very, very closely in the coming days, as the investigation continues. The site has been cordoned off further than it had been in previous days. No access to the building or to the compound whatsoever if you're not part of the teams doing the investigation or clearing the rubble.
Meanwhile, Bill, as you mentioned, two U.S. soldiers were killed. Indeed, one of them in Hillah. He was shot at close range in a town about an hour's drive south of Baghdad. His car apparently was slowed down in the congested traffic. Another U.S. soldier was killed in a small arms range when it caught fire -- Bill.
HEMMER: Rym, back to this investigation. Now that you've confirmed, in fact, the focus of the investigation right now, what has Bernard Kerik said about the level of cooperation they're getting from the guards there, or lack thereof?
BRAHIMI: Well, he hasn't actually gone into those details. But there were reports earlier, I believe, that some of the guards there had refused to cooperate, citing diplomatic immunity. We haven't been able to confirm that for the time being. But, of course, there are a lot of people who work there who, apart from just the security guards, there are a lot of people who work there that will probably be questioned with regard to what happened -- Bill.
HEMMER: Rym Brahimi 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
