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Length: 3:40
TONY HARRIS: It was, to
say the least, a daring raid. Today, one of the
biggest mass kidnappings since the start of the Iraq
war. Gunmen dressed as police kidnapped as many as
150 people from a Ministry of Education building in
Baghdad. The lightning quick raid prompting
universities across Iraq to shut down until security
is beefed up.
Along with the kidnappings, more deadly bombings in
the Iraqi campaign.
The latest now from CNN's Michael Ware in Baghdad --
Michael, good morning to you.
The first question, where were the authorities when
these kidnappings were taking place?
MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, strangely,
Tony, the part of the capital, Baghdad, where this
took place, it so happens is fairly heavily defended.
This is a well-to-do area of the capital not far from
the heavily fortified Green Zone. It's home to a
number of prominent Iraqi political figures and their
party headquarters.
So there's, strangely, an enormous security presence
within this area. And, like all government
institutions in this country, technically, government
forces should have been protecting this research
institute. Yet, as the Minister for Higher Education
told the nation in a televised address to parliament,
more than 80 gunmen showed up in Iraq security
uniforms.
They came in more than 20 cars. They claimed that
they were on a legitimate government mission and they
then went through the four-story building -- it
sounds like it was systematically -- before
disappearing with what the minister says is up to 150
hostages.
Now, police put the figure somewhat lower. What we
have heard cross over Iraqi local TV is that the
minister now says perhaps a small number of hostages
have been released. One report says it's as few as
three -- Tony.
HARRIS: And, Michael, my understanding is that men,
not women but men, were the targets of the
kidnappings.
Is that correct?
WARE: Absolutely. From what we understand, from what
the minister told the Iraqi parliament and from what
we're hearing from police sources and eyewitnesses,
is that as these clearly well-organized gunmen, who
had sealed off not just the institute but the
surrounding streets, went through the building, they
segregated the men and the women. And when they left
with their hostages, they left the women corralled
behind in a locked room.
HARRIS: And, Michael, there's been an incident in
Ramadi that has resulted in multiple deaths.
What can you tell us about that?
WARE: Well, from the U.S. military, there is this
unerring silence, not just on Ramadi, but on reports
of fighting, heavy fighting, indeed, here in the
capital last night, as well.
What we know of Ramadi is that according to hospital
sources in that western city, they have told -- the
officials at the hospital have told CNN that last
night at about 8:00 p.m. a U.S. raid was launched. As
a result, they say, 25 Iraqis were killed -- this is
according to the hospital officials -- and an untold
number wounded.
The same hospital officials and local eyewitnesses
that we've spoken to claim that the U.S. used tanks,
main gun-round tank fire, to -- as part of this raid.
Now, the U.S. military, on this and the reports of
air strikes in another part of the capital last
night, remain silent. Absolutely no comment -- Tony.
HARRIS: Huh.
Michael Ware for us in Baghdad.
Michael, thank you.
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TONY HARRIS: It was a
bold crime in broad daylight. Today, one of the
biggest mass kidnappings since the start of the Iraq
war. Gunmen dressed as police kidnapped as many as
150 people from a Ministry of Education building in
Baghdad.
The lightning-quick raid prompting universities
across Iraq to shut down until security is beefed up.
Along with the kidnappings, more deadly bombings in
the Iraqi capital.
The latest now from CNN's Michael Ware in Baghdad.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The Minister for
Higher Education here in Iraq, in a televised address
to parliament, outlined the events of the morning's
mass kidnapping that took place only four hours ago.
Now, while local police put the numbers of hostages
somewhat lower, the minister told the nation that
between 100 and 150 men have been taken in what, if
it proves to be true, is going to be one of the most
breathtaking insurgent or militia operations that
we've seen in recent times.
According to the minister's televised address, as
many as 80 gunmen in Iraqi security uniforms, driving
more than 20 vehicles, surrounded this government
research institute in the heart of the capital here,
Baghdad. They then entered the complex, segregating
men from women.
At the end of what they said was a legitimate
operation -- and according to one report, one of
these uniformed men even claimed they had the
American ambassador with them -- the gunmen then took
the 100 to 150 men and whisked them away, leaving the
women behind in a locked room.
As a result of all of this, the Minister of Higher
Education has now formally suspended all classes at
all universities, saying he's left with no other
choice. He doesn't want to see any other professors
killed.
So he's made official what has been a de facto
suspension of classes this semester. Since
universities opened, neither students nor professors
have been attending.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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KYRA PHILLIPS: They wore
official uniforms. They said they were on official
business, but they had something else in mind. Gunmen
staged a brazen kidnapping in Baghdad, leaving Iraqis
wondering whether and how their government can ever
protect them.
Here is CNN's Michael Ware.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Iraqi
security forces move in to seal off a Baghdad
university building, but, like so much in Iraq, it's
too little, too late.
Just a short time earlier, about 80 gunmen in similar
army or police uniforms had also set up a cordon
before pouring inside this four-story research
institute, claiming to be on official business,
segregating men from women, and within 20 minutes,
escaping in a convoy of more than 20 vehicles, taking
the men hostage -- the exact number, unknown; police
saying as many as 60, a government minister saying
it's up to 100. The only ones left behind, the
distraught women.
The sophisticated raid, executed at 10:00 a.m., just
after rush hour, was audacious -- so many gunmen, so
many hostages, possibly the largest mass kidnapping
of the war, all within the heart of the capital, with
more than 60,000 American and Iraqi troops on the
streets. The breathtaking scale of the kidnapping a
counterpoint to the previous day's visit by America's
top commander in the region, General John Abizaid.
Preparing to brief Congress, the general's quick trip
was designed to show U.S. support for Iraq's ailing
government, and according to Iraqi officials, to
press for rehabilitation of the country's security
forces. Need for that rehabilitation illustrated by
the next morning's kidnappings -- a clear sign of
either the government's inability to control its own
forces, or its weakness in the face of an unwavering
and robust insurgency that in the first 13 days of
November has already claimed the lives of more than
30 American servicemen.
Following the kidnap operation, university classes
were canceled across the city.
ABED THEYAB, IRAQI HIGHER EDUCATION MINISTER (through
translator): I'm not ready to see more professors get
killed. I have only one choice, which is suspend
classes at universities. We have no other choice.
WARE: His choice is token. Few students or professors
have dared attend lectures since the semester began
two months ago. Waves of kidnappings and
assassinations of the country's intelligentsia long
ago may study too dangerous.
Michael Ware, CNN, Baghdad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)