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CNN Saturday Morning News

U.S. Criticized for Bombing Mistakes

Aired October 27, 2001 - 07:00   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.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: As U.S.-led bombers strike new areas today in Afghanistan, the U.S. is being hit with criticism over bombing mistakes.

Let's go to CNN's Sheilah Kast in the Pentagon for the very latest. Good morning, Sheilah.

SHEILAH KAST, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

It is the second time in 10 days that the U.S. bombs have mistakenly struck International Red Cross warehouses. The Pentagon confirmed that early Friday in Kabul, two U.S. Navy jets each dropped a 2,000-pound bomb on a warehouse complex. The bombs were guided by signals from the global positioning satellite GPS system.

At about the same time, another Navy jet fired a missile laser- guided bomb at the compound, and it missed, and it landed in a residential area south of these warehouses. Several hours later, two B-52s dropped six more bombs on the warehouse complex.

The Red Cross said it is appalled by what happened.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARIO MUSA, RED CROSS: It's really deplorable and regrettable that these incident happened while we are -- ourself in the field are really giving all their energy left to help the needy people. A week from yesterday, the American government, through our source in Geneva, reminding them that there are rules in combat which foresee the protection of the Red Cross/Red Crescent emblem and reminding them of the location of this very clearly identified and marked installation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAST: The Pentagon said it regrets what it called "the inadvertent strike."

Although details are still being investigated, the Pentagon said in a statement, "Preliminary indications are that the warehouses were struck due to a human error in the targeting process."

CNN has been told that in the past, often the Taliban parked its vehicles near the Red Cross warehouses for cover -- Martin. SAVIDGE: Sheilah, did the Pentagon specifically say what human was responsible? In other words, was it a targeting problem or was it someone on board the aircraft that made the error?

KAST: No, they -- the statement said the investigation is continuing, and it talked only about a human error in the targeting process, which could be in the inputs, or it could be on the plane.

SAVIDGE: Sheilah Kast reporting to us live this morning from the Pentagon. Thanks very much.

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