ABCNEWS Journalists Report From Gulf

April 10, 2003 -- News of a suicide bombing outside Baghdad heightens tensions in and around the city. The times on the following dispatches from ABCNEWS correspondents are all approximat

Bob Schmidt with the Third Infantry Division in Southern Baghdad 2 p.m. ET, 10 p.m. Iraq

The news of the suicide bomb attack was received here by some of the soldiers listening to shortwave radio. Word has gotten out. Also, the commanders of this Army unit that I'm with are telling the troops who are up toward the front lines, more toward where the civilians would be in Baghdad, to be on their guard and not let anyone approach them; to keep them at arm's length.

The U.S. military has been coming into contact with Iraqi civilians from the moment those troops rolled into Baghdad. Presumably, there is going to be the need at some point to restore order and come into further contact, close contact with Iraqi civilians. There lies the rub: that you really don't know who is going to be a suicide bomber or not. It's the kind of quandary the military finds itself in.

Linda Albin, Doha, Qatar1 p.m. ET, 9 p.m. ET

One Marine said that a man approached a checkpoint and pulled the pin on one or several grenades, which then detonated. At least four Marines are said to be seriously injured, and one person is dead, believed to be the suicide bomber. This is just the kind of thing that U.S. military officials had worried about — the Iraqis resorting to unconventional means, carrying out attacks against American troops.

Richard Engel, Baghdad12 p.m. ET, 8 p.m. Iraq

I've been out in the streets today, talking to many Iraqis. The initial impression is, of course, they are very happy. The things they are telling me now are nothing that I would have heard two or three days ago. They said that they are tasting freedom for the first time. They can trust people now and they feel that they can speak. They also said that they are very nervous and don't like all the looting that is going on. The want the U.S. Marines that are in the city to do more to protect them.

Vic Ratner, Kuwait City12 p.m. ET, 8 p.m. Iraq

Two Shiites who have been cooperating with U.S. troops were murdered in a mosque in Najaf. The mosque is one of the Shiites' holiest shrines. One of the men who was murdered had taken part in a conference of businessmen and religious leaders to form what was called a nucleus of a local assembly to run the city.

Tim Scheld, Doha, Qatar11 a.m. ET, 7 p.m. Iraq

Baghdad is clearly still a dangerous place, just ask elements of the Army's Third Infantry and the First Marine Expeditionary force, both of which came under fire from Iraqis near a mosque along the Tigris River

Jim Sciutto, Kirkuk, Iraq 9 a.m. ET, 5 p.m. Iraq

As soon as the troops were here, as soon as it appeared the city had fallen, the looting started. One place they have been looting is the palace that Special Forces have taken over, the same one that I am in right now. This palace belonged to an Iraqi general. People are taking carpets, refrigerators, and washing machines out the front door. They are also breaking up at every opportunity to slap pictures of Saddam Hussein with the bottom of their shoes, as a sign of disrespect.

There are people here who would call this a liberation. Certainly many of the Kurds who are living here in Kirkuk are happy to see U.S. and friendly Kurdish forces arrive. There's still some work to do to make sure the city is secure and then you might see attention directed south to Tikrit.

Aaron Katersky, with a Marine Unit at an airbase near Baghdad. 7 a.m. ET, 3 p.m. Iraq

Marines on the C-130 we just came in on, on the very windy airstrip, say the war is not over. They've heard about some celebrations going on, but say they expect to be here several more months. After spending the first couple of months of the war on a ship or camped out in the Kuwaiti desert, they're finally happy to be serving in Iraq.