The 1998 African embassy bombings occurred on August 7, 1998 when two teams of Al Qaeda operatives drove trucks, filled with explosives, up to the U.S. embassies in Nairobi, Kenya and in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The blasts, coordinated to be simultaneous at 10:30 a.m., went off nine minutes apart. 213 people will killed in Kenya, including 12 Americans, and 11 were killed in Tanzania. But, the vast majority of the victims were Africans, including many Muslims.[1]
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Shortly before the bomb blast at 10:35 a.m., a grenade exploded outside of the embassy in Nairobi. The grenade explosion drew people to the scene and people in the buildings to the windows. The bomb detonated in the rear of the embassy, in a outdoor parking lot, at the entrance gate to an underground parking garage.[2] The blast in Nairobi also reduced the seven-story Ufundi Cooperative House's secretarial school building, located next to the embassy, to rubble. 213 people were killed in the attack in Kenya, including 12 Americans. Thousands more were injured by shards of glass, including U.S. Ambassador Prudence Bushnell, or experienced other injuries and were being treated at hospitals.[3]
Within a few days, a 170-member Israeli specialized rescue team arrived in Nairobi to assist and provide coordination. The Israeli team spent hours digging through the rubble to reach Gatili Nganga, a businessman still alive. He was pulled from the rubble at 10:45 p.m. on August 8 — 35 hours after the bomb blast.[4] Rescue workers from France and the United States, including the Fairfax County Urban Search and Rescue team, also arrived within days to provide assistance.[2]
The U.S. embassy in Tanzania was housed in a white three-story structure, located outside of central Dar es Salaam. The effect of the bomb blast in Dar es Salaam was far less severe than what occurred in Nairobi.[5]
A video camera on the roof of the embassy in Dar es Salaam remained intact after the bombing. The camera was pointed towards the entrance gate, and it was taken by investigators as possible evidence. A water truck was at the entrance awaiting security clearance when the blast occurred. Investigators were looking at the truck, thinking the bomb could have been attached to it. Investigators also considered the possibility that the bomb could have been attached to a car.[6]
Eyewitness accounts provided important clues as to what occurred in Nairobi. A security guard saw a yellow pickup truck with an enclosed cargo area approach the embassy's entrance to the basement parking lot. One of the truck occupants demanded the guard open the gate, but the guard refused. The occupant then got out and opened fire on the guard. The truck occupant appeared to be wearing a blue guard uniform, very similar to what the real security guards wore. A U.S. marine came towards the scene and opened fire on the attacker, who then threw a hand grenade into the embassy grounds. The guard ran away, fearing for his life, and then the truck exploded.[7]
On August 11, U.S. authorities announced a $2 million reward for information about the embassy bombings. The Central Intelligence Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation worked on leads in the investigation. Among the leads, a terrorist manifesto that praised Osama bin Laden had been delivered to a newspaper in Cairo. The statement demanded that the American military get out of Saudi Arabia, that the U.S. end support for Israel, and the statement demanded the release of Islamic militants in prison, "first and foremost Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman," who was in prison in the United States for his role in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. Foreign intelligence agencies had also picked up vague warnings that an Islamic terrorist group could be planning an attack.[8]
In the aftermath, the FBI sent 60 agents to Nairobi, and another 60 to Dar es Salaam to help in the investigation.[8] FBI agents in Nairobi, assisted by Kenyan police technicians, worked to reconstruct pieces of vehicles in order to identify pieces belonging to the pickup truck. FBI agents were also at Kenya's Criminal Investigations Division headquarters, working on the investigation. British engineers and explosives experts were also on hand to help in the investigation.[2] Within days, the FBI had assembled the largest investigative team ever to assist in an overseas investigation. FBI agent Sheila Horan was in Kenya to lead the investigation. Authorities in Kenya and Tanzania provided extensive cooperation and access to the FBI to evidence, witnesses, and suspects, giving confidence that the case could be solved. In addition to looking at physical evidence, agents scoured the vicinity, visiting car rental agencies, talking to airline representatives, and others who might have useful information. Authorities were also looking at intelligence information collected by the U.S. and foreign countries.[9]
After the attacks, leaders from around the world expressed outrage and gave condolences to Kenya, Tanzania, and the United States. Many also offered to send supplies, rescue and medical teams, and other forms of assistance to Kenya and Tanzania.[10]
In the aftermath of the embassy bombings, several other embassies were temporarily closed including those in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Kampala, Uganda. As well, a threat was made to the embassy in Swaziland on August 12, prompting the embassy to be evacuated for several hours. Other embassies cut back hours and staff, including the embassy in the Ivory Coast.[11]
Many Kenyans criticized the Americans for being more concerned about their own people, and not doing enough to help the Kenyan people.[12]
The embassy building in Nairobi was built in 1981. After the attacks in Beirut in 1983, new security standards were mandated for U.S. embassies. But, due to a lack of funds, only some received security upgrades. The embassy in Nairobi was not upgraded, however it was slated for a $3 million rehabilitation and security improvement to begin in January 1999.[13] Ambassador Bushnell had submitted two requests for a new, safer embassy building, but both requests were turned down for budget reasons. As well, the ambassador's request only mentioned general vulnerabilities.[14]
The embassy in Dar es Saleem was situated very close to the narrow street in front, without the amount of setback required for newer embassies. The Tanzania embassy had been built in the 1970s, and was originally used as an embassy by the Israeli government.[6] In 1988, $750,000 was spent on the embassy in Dar es Salaam, but it too did not fully comply with security standards. Kenya and Tanzania were seen as low-risk countries, so there was not any urgency to get more funding and have the embassies upgraded.[13]