Kenya: Hotel Bombing Kills Eleven in Kenya

28 November 2002

Washington, DC — Seven Kenyans and two Israeli tourists were killed in a terrorist bomb blast as they sat down to breakfast Thursday, when a Landrover crashed into the lobby of the Paradise Hotel in Kikambala, about 15 miles from Mombasa.

Two men who were apparently the bombers were also killed, according to wire service reports. Simultaneously, at least two missiles were reportedly fired at an Israeli airliner departing Mombasa for Tel Aviv. No one was hurt.

In addition to the 11 dead, there are 80 wounded. Seventeen of the wounded were Israeli.

Kenyan government authorities are saying that they are sure that Osama Bin Laden's al-Quaeda is behind the attacks. Kenyan Ambassador to Israel John Sawe said in Tel Aviv: "There is no doubt in my mind that al-Quaeda is behind this attack, because we have no domestic problems, no terrorism in our country, and we have no problem with our neighbors, no problem whatsoever."

In a statement, Israeli Foreign Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that while it was "quite possible" that al-Quaeda was responsible for the attacks his government was looking into other possibilities.

Netanyahu called the missile attack a "very dangerous escalation of terror." It means that terror organization "and the regimes behind them are able to arm themselves with weapons which can cause mass casualties anywhere and everywhere."

Israel's army radio has reported the dead hotel attackers as Abdullah Ahmed Abdullah, an Egyptian, and Faed Ali Sayam, a "Kenyan Muslim." Three attackers fired the missiles at the aircraft, say Kenyan police.

They are still being sought.

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