TSR: "This is a rare
public glimpse at the murky world of the covert
conflict being waged here..."
Thursday, July 09, 2009
Length: 3:03
LARGE (35.4 MB)
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SMALL (3.7 MB)
Michael talks to Wolf Blitzer about the "covert
conflict" and lays out the timeline.
WOLF
BLITZER: In Iraq today, at least 35 people were
killed in a double suicide bombing in the northern
city of Tal Afar -- 65 others were wounded.
Separately, another person was killed in a bombing,
this one apparently targeting a police patrol in
Kirkuk. And seven people were killed, more than 30
wounded, in a pair of bombings right in Baghdad.
All of this is happening amid important new
developments that could have a major impact on the
relationship between Washington and Tehran.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: And joining us now from Baghdad, our
correspondent Michael Ware.
Michael, some significant news potentially today.
After, what, two years, the U.S. military is now
releasing some Iranians that were arrested in Iraq.
What's going on?
MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, this is truly
an extraordinary story.
This is a rare public glimpse at the murky world of
the covert conflict being waged here in battlefield
Iraq between Iran and America. Now, these five
Iranians who were detained two-and-a-half years ago
and have been held by the Americans ever since,
Tehran says that they are diplomats. From the
beginning, the U.S. military has said, no, they are
elite operatives from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard
Corps who were supporting Shia militias.
Now, this fits into a much broader picture about this
secret war being fought essentially by the spies and
covert ops. These Iranians were arrested in January
2007, five of them. Nine days later, an
Iranian-backed Shia militia attempted to kidnap five
American soldiers. Now, that went awry. And the
soldiers were killed or executed.
A few months later, five British nationals were
snatched right from within the bowels of the ministry
of finance here in the capital, Baghdad. Now, those
five British hostages have remained -- spent,
celebrated or marked their second anniversary in
captivity back in May.
Now, just recently, the Americans released two very
senior Shia militia leaders backed by Iran. What
happened next? The bodies of two of the five British
hostages were given to the Brits. Now, with the
release of these five Iranians, we wait to see what
happens next in this covert war being fought here in
the shadows in Iraq -- Wolf.
BLITZER: What is the official explanation the U.S. is
giving for releasing these five Iranians?
WARE: It was a request from the Iraqi government, no
more, no less.
However, I will tell you that, in a briefing with a
senior U.S. official not so long ago, when I asked
about the release of one of the key militia leaders,
I was told to take my question up with the British.
BLITZER: Interesting.
WARE: You make of that what you will, Wolf.
BLITZER: All right, this shadow war is obviously
continuing.
Michael Ware in Baghdad, thanks very much.
WARE: Thanks, mate.