Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Saturday Morning News

Three Men Arrested in Connection to Morocco Bombings

Aired May 17, 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.


ROBIN MEADE, CNN ANCHOR: And, Anderson, right now, we're going to get the latest details on a series of deadly bombings in Morocco.
Our Jim Bitterman is tracking the developments from Casablanca, and he joins us now by phone.

Jim, good morning to you. What is known about the three people arrested in this?

JIM BITTERMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on phone): Good morning, Robin.

Well, one of the people arrested is thought to have been a bomber. He was arrested at the scene where I am right now, at the Fara (ph) Hotel, which is one of the sites that was hit last night. This hotel actually suffered probably the least damage of any of the sites.

Several -- it's believed to be two suicide bombers came in here last night around 9:30. One of them got as far as the double doors at the front of the hotel. And a security man tried to stop him. He stabbed the security man with a knife and proceeded inside and blew up his bomb.

The other person involved was trying to get into the hotel and go up to a higher floor, apparently, but he was injured by the first bomb, and his bomb never went off. So the police have taken him into custody.

And from him, I would imagine that they are going to be able to get more information about exactly who was responsible for this series of attacks, which now, according to the latest reports from radio and television in Morocco here, now there are reported 39 dead and 65 injured from these attacks, which took place at four different sites around the center of the city, within about maybe three or four miles radius, these different sites that were hit, including a Jewish community center.

And perhaps the worst hit was the Spanish social club, a place that on Friday night was packed with people having dinner, about 100 people inside the social club and restaurant. And at least 18 people were killed there, Robin.

MEADE: Well, the act of the number of how many Moroccans died in this, what are officials saying there in Morocco about the potential targets for this bombings?

BITTERMAN: Well, these sites that were picked were, in fact, kind of touristic sites. I mean, the Spanish social club, for instance, and this hotel, which would have been both the sites where there would be tourists. But, in fact, the dead seem to be mostly Moroccans who were involved, who were killed by these bombs.

At least 10 of the de0ad, it should be said, are the bombers themselves.

So it was a highly coordinated operation involving a number of people. The timing of this was within minutes. I mean, these bombs went off all within minutes around the various sites here in the center of the city. So, in fact, it was a very well-coordinated, very well-planned mission with a number of people who were willing to commit suicide collectively.

MEADE: All right, Jim Bitterman joining us by phone from Morocco on the latest on those explosions that happened last evening in Casablanca. Thank you so much, Jim.

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 17, 2003 - 09:02   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ROBIN MEADE, CNN ANCHOR: And, Anderson, right now, we're going to get the latest details on a series of deadly bombings in Morocco.
Our Jim Bitterman is tracking the developments from Casablanca, and he joins us now by phone.

Jim, good morning to you. What is known about the three people arrested in this?

JIM BITTERMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on phone): Good morning, Robin.

Well, one of the people arrested is thought to have been a bomber. He was arrested at the scene where I am right now, at the Fara (ph) Hotel, which is one of the sites that was hit last night. This hotel actually suffered probably the least damage of any of the sites.

Several -- it's believed to be two suicide bombers came in here last night around 9:30. One of them got as far as the double doors at the front of the hotel. And a security man tried to stop him. He stabbed the security man with a knife and proceeded inside and blew up his bomb.

The other person involved was trying to get into the hotel and go up to a higher floor, apparently, but he was injured by the first bomb, and his bomb never went off. So the police have taken him into custody.

And from him, I would imagine that they are going to be able to get more information about exactly who was responsible for this series of attacks, which now, according to the latest reports from radio and television in Morocco here, now there are reported 39 dead and 65 injured from these attacks, which took place at four different sites around the center of the city, within about maybe three or four miles radius, these different sites that were hit, including a Jewish community center.

And perhaps the worst hit was the Spanish social club, a place that on Friday night was packed with people having dinner, about 100 people inside the social club and restaurant. And at least 18 people were killed there, Robin.

MEADE: Well, the act of the number of how many Moroccans died in this, what are officials saying there in Morocco about the potential targets for this bombings?

BITTERMAN: Well, these sites that were picked were, in fact, kind of touristic sites. I mean, the Spanish social club, for instance, and this hotel, which would have been both the sites where there would be tourists. But, in fact, the dead seem to be mostly Moroccans who were involved, who were killed by these bombs.

At least 10 of the de0ad, it should be said, are the bombers themselves.

So it was a highly coordinated operation involving a number of people. The timing of this was within minutes. I mean, these bombs went off all within minutes around the various sites here in the center of the city. So, in fact, it was a very well-coordinated, very well-planned mission with a number of people who were willing to commit suicide collectively.

MEADE: All right, Jim Bitterman joining us by phone from Morocco on the latest on those explosions that happened last evening in Casablanca. Thank you so much, Jim.

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