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CNN Live Sunday

U.S. Missile Attack Near Syrian Border

Aired June 22, 2003 - 16:09   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.


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: New details, now, are emerging about a U.S. attack using Hellfire missiles on a convoy of vehicles near the Syrian border. CNN's Chris Plante is at the Pentagon with the details on that -- Chris.
CHRIS PLANTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredricka. That's right. The attack in question actually took place on Wednesday near the Syrian border. It was a special operations force known as Task Force 20, whose top priority is to pursue Saddam Hussein, his sons, and other senior members of the regime, that conducted the attack. Now, I'm told by U.S. officials here today that the intelligence gathered to put together this attack was gleaned in large part from information gathered from senior regime officials now in U.S. custody.

That would include general Abid Hamid Mahmud Al-Tikriti, seen here with Saddam Hussein, a close confidant of Saddam Hussein's, who was taken in custody just Wednesday, in fact, by Task Force 20. And I am told that intelligence gleaned from him and from other regime officials led to this attack. The attack was deemed to be successful. Now there have been a number of news reports, at least, suggesting that the target in this attack may have been Saddam Hussein himself or possibly his sons.

And I'm told by officials here that that is not the case, that they did not believe that these officials, although involved with the remnants of the regime over the past few weeks, the people in this convoy, it was not believed that the target was Saddam Hussein or his sons. There was also a report that DNA testing was ongoing. I'm told that, too, is a false report and is not the case. So Saddam Hussein and his sons are apparently still free and on the loose in Iraq with Task Force 20 continuing to pursue them -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Chris Plante, thanks very much, from the Pentagon.

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 June 22, 2003 - 16:09   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: New details, now, are emerging about a U.S. attack using Hellfire missiles on a convoy of vehicles near the Syrian border. CNN's Chris Plante is at the Pentagon with the details on that -- Chris.
CHRIS PLANTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredricka. That's right. The attack in question actually took place on Wednesday near the Syrian border. It was a special operations force known as Task Force 20, whose top priority is to pursue Saddam Hussein, his sons, and other senior members of the regime, that conducted the attack. Now, I'm told by U.S. officials here today that the intelligence gathered to put together this attack was gleaned in large part from information gathered from senior regime officials now in U.S. custody.

That would include general Abid Hamid Mahmud Al-Tikriti, seen here with Saddam Hussein, a close confidant of Saddam Hussein's, who was taken in custody just Wednesday, in fact, by Task Force 20. And I am told that intelligence gleaned from him and from other regime officials led to this attack. The attack was deemed to be successful. Now there have been a number of news reports, at least, suggesting that the target in this attack may have been Saddam Hussein himself or possibly his sons.

And I'm told by officials here that that is not the case, that they did not believe that these officials, although involved with the remnants of the regime over the past few weeks, the people in this convoy, it was not believed that the target was Saddam Hussein or his sons. There was also a report that DNA testing was ongoing. I'm told that, too, is a false report and is not the case. So Saddam Hussein and his sons are apparently still free and on the loose in Iraq with Task Force 20 continuing to pursue them -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Chris Plante, thanks very much, from the Pentagon.

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