Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=3/30/03

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=IRAQ / WRAP (L-UPD)

NUMBER=2-301524

BYLINE=STEPHANIE HO

DATELINE=WASHINGTON

INTERNET=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Coalition warplanes again struck targets in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, and the commander of the U-S-led coalition says his forces remain undeterred by a suicide bombing that killed four American marines Saturday. V-O-A's Stephanie Ho reports from Washington.

TEXT: Central Command officials say their forces bombed an Iraqi military command center near Baghdad's international airport and an intelligence facility on the banks of the Tigris River.

In the south, fierce fighting continued in Basra, where British officers say they have captured a general from Saddam Hussein's army. In the north, explosions were reported around the city of Kirkuk.

U-S Commander Tommy Franks declared another military success in northern Iraq.

/// FRANKS ACT ///

Coalition forces have attacked and destroyed a massive terrorist facility in the last 48-hours in northern Iraq and ground forces, as we speak, are exploiting the results of that strike.

/// END ACT ///

In response to questions about changes in strategy following a suicide attack Saturday, General Franks says coalition forces will exercise more caution when dealing with civilians. Iraqi leaders claim more than four-thousand Arabs have voluntarily come to Iraq to stage suicide attacks.

/// OPt /// In another incident that is under investigation, a pick-up truck driven by a man in civilian clothes struck soldiers at a U-S military camp (Sunday) in Kuwait. There were injuries, but no one was reported killed in the incident. /// END OPT ///

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told Fox News Sunday he feels that Iraqi people must be having doubts about their leaders, who he says have practically disappeared.

/// RUMSFELD ACT ///

They have seen an attack on their leadership and we have not seen their leadership since. Where is Saddam Hussein? Where is Qusay, where is Uday, his sons? They are not talking.

/// END ACT ///

Mr. Rumsfeld added that he believes the families of some Iraqi leaders may have fled the country.

Meanwhile, he says U-S forces are holding about 45-hundred Iraqi prisoners of war.

On the humanitarian front, a British ship in the southern Iraqi port of Umm Qasr brought in relief supplies. But British forces spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Ronnie McCourt says large-scale aid distribution will begin only when security has improved.

/// MCCOURT ACT ///

We are not going to let any convoy go through unescorted into a dangerous area. We do not want to shoot ourselves in the foot (undermine our efforts), invite innocent civilian aid workers in and find they get ambushed or attacked.

/// END ACT ///

Anti-war demonstrations continue around the world. Tens-of-thousands of anti-war protesters came out in India and Indonesia, the largest demonstrations in both of those countries since the U-S-led war began earlier this month.

For the first time, Chinese authorities permitted a small anti-war demonstration at Peking University, but canceled another rally in a Beijing park. (SIGNED)

NEB/SHO/RAE