CBS cameraman, soundman killed by roadside bomb in Iraq; correspondent in critical condition

(AP) A car bomb exploded near a CBS News crew covering American troops in Iraq on Memorial Day, killing a cameraman and a soundman and seriously injuring the correspondent, the network said.

Veteran cameraman Paul Douglas, 48, and soundman James Brolan, 42, were killed, said Kelli Edwards, a CBS News spokeswoman. Correspondent Kimberly Dozier, 39, was in critical condition at a U.S. military hospital in Baghdad after undergoing surgery.

CBS News did not release any additional information about her injuries but said doctors were cautiously optimistic about her prognosis.

"Our deepest sympathy goes out to the families of Paul and James, and we are hoping and praying for a complete recovery by Kimberly," CBS News President Sean McManus said in a statement.

CBS News reported on its Web site that the three journalists were with the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division and had gotten out of their armored vehicle after a "curious incident." A nearby car packed with explosives then detonated, the network said.

Douglas and Brolan died at the scene. All three journalists were believed to have been wearing protective gear at the time, CBS said.

It was one of eight blasts in Iraq that killed at least 33 people Monday and wounded dozens in the worst wave of violence to hit Baghdad in days.

Douglas, who was based in London, had worked for CBS News since the early 1990s in places including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Rwanda and Bosnia. Brolan, who also was based in London, had worked with CBS News during the last year in Baghdad and Afghanistan as a freelancer.

Dozier has been reporting on the war in Iraq for nearly three years, CBS said. She had served as the chief correspondent for WCBS-TV New York's Middle East bureau in Jerusalem, and previously was London bureau chief and chief European correspondent for CBS Radio News.

"Kimberly, Paul and James were veterans of war coverage who proved their bravery and dedication every single day," McManus said. "They always volunteered for dangerous assignments and were invaluable in our attempt to report the news to the American public."

Dozens of journalists have been injured, killed or kidnapped in Iraq since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein.

Before Monday's attack, the Committee to Protect Journalists had put the number of journalists killed in Iraq at 69. Of those, nearly three-quarters were Iraqis, the New York-based group said.

In January, ABC News anchor Bob Woodruff and cameraman Doug Vogt were injured while covering the war in Iraq. They were standing in the hatch of an Iraqi mechanized vehicle, reporting on the war from the Iraqi troops' perspective, when a roadside bomb exploded. Both were wearing body armor, which doctors say likely saved their lives.

Woodruff, who co-anchored "World News Tonight" with Elizabeth Vargas, is still recovering from serious head injuries. ABC News announced last week that Charles Gibson will take over as "World News Tonight" anchor.

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On the Net:

CBS News: http://www.cbsnews.com

Committee to Protect Journalists: http://www.cpj.org