NR: "We've just received
some breaking news..."
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Length: 2:47
LARGE (32.3 MB)
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SMALL (3.4 MB)
What was planned as another update on the
bombings of Christian churches starts out with some
breaking news of an attempted bombing targeting US
Ambassador Christopher Hill.
TOM
FOREMAN: Over in Iraq, a series of church bombings
has rocked Baghdad, six in 24 hours. We're getting
reports of some deaths, many injuries, let's go right
to CNN's Michael Ware who is in the capital city.
Michael, what do you know?
MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Tom, before we
come to the series of church bombings, let me just
tell you we have just received some breaking news. A
roadside explosive detonated this afternoon near the
convoy of the U.S. ambassador, Christopher Hill. U.S.
embassy spokespeople have confirmed that an explosion
did detonate near the ambassador's convoy in southern
Iraq.
I can tell you that from information we are
receiving, it was in the southern province of Dikar,
which is traditionally being controlled by
Iranian-backed militias. The U.S. embassy says that
no embassy officials were hurt, however, an
investigation is now under way.
Now, that happened sometime today. But as you said,
Tom, this evening, we've had five bombings at
different churches here in Baghdad, all within a
space of about three hours. That brings to a total of
six church bombings in 24 hours, in all of which,
four people were killed and 32 were wounded. Tom.
FOREMAN: What else do you know about those roadside
bombing you mentioned at the top there, Michael? This
is disturbing news, no doubt. When they say it was
near the convoy, do we have any idea how near and how
hot has that region been up to this point?
WARE: That's a very good question, Tom. Firstly, we
don't know any further details than that. We just
literally received the confirmation from the U.S.
embassy just moments before I went to air.
However, I can tell you about that province. That's a
southern province that, by and large, except for
particular Shia uprisings, mainly by the Mehdi Army,
has been an area that has been relatively quiet for
the U.S. military throughout the course of the war.
It certainly hasn't been as restive as say, western
Anbar province that al-Qaeda controlled. And it
certainly hasn't been like Diyala province, to the
north of Baghdad.
It's a province like much of the south that
militarily in terms of attacks on coalition forces,
was relatively stable, largely because unlike in the
west and to the north, al Qaeda has not been able to
operate with freedom of movement because it's a an
area that essentially been monopolized by
Iranian-backed militias. So the fact that an
explosive has detonated near the U.S. ambassador's
convoy in an area like that poses some open-ended
questions, to say the least. Tom?
FOREMAN: All right. Michael, we will be checking back
in with you throughout the hour to see what is going
on over there and you will be all over it. Thanks so
much, Michael.