A wave of attacks killed at least 86 people in Shiite and Sunni areas of Iraq on Monday, officials said, pushing the death toll over the past week to more than 230 and extending some of the worst sectarian violence the country has seen. (May 20)
SHOTLIST:
AP TELEVISION – AP CLIENTS ONLY
Baghdad – May 20, 2013
1. Various of mangled vehicles in street
2. Various of injured people in hospital
3. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Abu Imad al-Muhamadawi, Shula resident:
“We have become accustomed to such explosions. We have seen blasts every day. These attacks will never frighten us, God willing.”‘
AP IMAGES – AP CLIENTS ONLY
4. STILLS of bombing aftermath
AP TELEVISION – AP CLIENTS ONLY
Baghdad – May 20, 2013
5. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Nouri al-Maliki, Iraqi Prime Minister:
” … such attacks remind us of the crimes which were committed in Iraq when it was a square for terrorism and terrorists (2006 and 2007).”
VOICE-OVER SCRIPT:
A WAVE OF CAR BOMBS AND SHOOTINGS ACROSS IRAQ … KILLING SCORES OF PEOPLE IN SHIITE AND SUNNI AREAS.
ALL OF IT … LEADING TO NEW FEARS ABOUT A RETURN TO WIDESPREAD SECTARIAN VIOLENCE IN THE COUNTRY.
THE ATTACKS HIT MARKET PLACES AND BUS STOPS DURING THE MORNING RUSH HOUR … PUSHING THE DEATH TOLL SINCE WEDNESDAY TO MORE THAN 200 PEOPLE.
THE WORST OF THE VIOLENCE … IN BAGHDAD … WITH 10 CAR BOMBS.
(NATS UP Arabic)
THIS RESIDENT SAYS …
SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Abu Imad al-Muhamadawi, Shula resident:
“We have become accustomed to such explosions. We have seen blasts every day. These attacks will never frighten us, God willing.”‘
THERE WAS NO IMMEDIATE CLAIM OF RESPONSIBILITY … BUT SUCH LARGE SCALE BOMBINGS ARE HALLMARKS OF AL-QAIDA IN IRAQ.
IRAQ’S PRIME MINISTER SAYS …
(NATS UP Arabic)
SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Nouri al-Maliki, Iraqi Prime Minister:
” … such attacks remind us of the crimes which were committed in Iraq when it was a square for terrorism and terrorists (2006 and 2007).”
TENSIONS IN IRAQ HAVE BEEN WORSENING … SINCE THE MINORITY SUNNIS BEGAN PROTESTING WHAT THEY SAY IS MISTREATMENT AT THE HANDS OF THE SHIITE-LED GOVERNMENT.
LEE POWELL, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
