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Marathon of bringing al-Qaida’s Africa attackers to justice continues in New York US still pursuing long road to justice in 1998 Africa embassy bombings
(about 10 hours later)
On the morning of 7 August 1998 Ellen Karas saw her colleague peering out of the window of the US embassy in Nairobi, watching an altercation outside. It would be the last thing she ever saw. “I didn’t even hear the bomb blast,” Karas told the Guardian. “I was knocked out completely.”On the morning of 7 August 1998 Ellen Karas saw her colleague peering out of the window of the US embassy in Nairobi, watching an altercation outside. It would be the last thing she ever saw. “I didn’t even hear the bomb blast,” Karas told the Guardian. “I was knocked out completely.”
The US trade official awoke four hours later, buried in rubble. A truck carrying 300kg of explosives had detonated outside. She raised her right arm, pulled debris from her mouth and shouted for help. At the time Karas, who was on secondment in the Kenyan capital, thought the blindness was temporary. But after nine months in hospital, days of excruciating pain and hours of operations, her sight was impossible to restore.The US trade official awoke four hours later, buried in rubble. A truck carrying 300kg of explosives had detonated outside. She raised her right arm, pulled debris from her mouth and shouted for help. At the time Karas, who was on secondment in the Kenyan capital, thought the blindness was temporary. But after nine months in hospital, days of excruciating pain and hours of operations, her sight was impossible to restore.
The terrorist attack in Nairobi killed 213 people, mostly Kenyan civilians. A simultaneous bombing at the US embassy in Tanzania’s capital, Dar es Salaam, killed 11 local employees. The bomb blasts marked a turning point. They were the deadliest terrorist attacks east Africa has known, and the moment a then-obscure Islamist terrorist group, al-Qaida, and its leader, Osama bin Laden, became known as a global security threat.The terrorist attack in Nairobi killed 213 people, mostly Kenyan civilians. A simultaneous bombing at the US embassy in Tanzania’s capital, Dar es Salaam, killed 11 local employees. The bomb blasts marked a turning point. They were the deadliest terrorist attacks east Africa has known, and the moment a then-obscure Islamist terrorist group, al-Qaida, and its leader, Osama bin Laden, became known as a global security threat.
Within hours, President Bill Clinton had dubbed the attack “abhorrent” and “inhumane”, vowing to use “all the means at our disposal to bring those responsible to justice”.Within hours, President Bill Clinton had dubbed the attack “abhorrent” and “inhumane”, vowing to use “all the means at our disposal to bring those responsible to justice”.
Slowly but surely, the United States has pursued those accused. Six named in an indictment issued in November that year are serving life sentences at a “supermax” prison in Colorado. Several others – including Bin Laden – have been killed abroad. Four remain at large.Slowly but surely, the United States has pursued those accused. Six named in an indictment issued in November that year are serving life sentences at a “supermax” prison in Colorado. Several others – including Bin Laden – have been killed abroad. Four remain at large.
The long pursuit will continue in New York on Tuesday, with jury selection in the trial of Khalid al-Fawwaz, who is alleged to have assisted in the planning of the attacks, including supplying Bin Laden with a satellite phone, helping to establish businesses and residence in Kenya, and aiding the dissemination of a fatwa issued by Bin Laden calling for the deaths of American military personnel and civilians. Fawwaz is also accused of helping to create an al-Qaida media office in London between 1994 and the time of his arrest as “a cover for activity in support of al-Qaida’s ‘military’ activities and serve[d] as a conduit for messages”.The long pursuit will continue in New York on Tuesday, with jury selection in the trial of Khalid al-Fawwaz, who is alleged to have assisted in the planning of the attacks, including supplying Bin Laden with a satellite phone, helping to establish businesses and residence in Kenya, and aiding the dissemination of a fatwa issued by Bin Laden calling for the deaths of American military personnel and civilians. Fawwaz is also accused of helping to create an al-Qaida media office in London between 1994 and the time of his arrest as “a cover for activity in support of al-Qaida’s ‘military’ activities and serve[d] as a conduit for messages”.
Prosecuting this allegation has attracted some controversy, as the US attorney’s office weighs up the possibility of calling on journalists to testify that Fawwaz facilitated interviews with Bin Laden. John Miller, a former ABC News journalist who interviewed Bin Laden months before the 1998 attacks, is expected to give evidence. The prosecution is also reported to have called for the testimony of another journalist, Richard Bonin, a producer for 60 Minutes who attempted to secure an interview with the al-Qaida leader. Eric Holder, a federal attorney, reportedly withdrew a subpoena for Bonin’s testimony following press freedom complaints.Prosecuting this allegation has attracted some controversy, as the US attorney’s office weighs up the possibility of calling on journalists to testify that Fawwaz facilitated interviews with Bin Laden. John Miller, a former ABC News journalist who interviewed Bin Laden months before the 1998 attacks, is expected to give evidence. The prosecution is also reported to have called for the testimony of another journalist, Richard Bonin, a producer for 60 Minutes who attempted to secure an interview with the al-Qaida leader. Eric Holder, a federal attorney, reportedly withdrew a subpoena for Bonin’s testimony following press freedom complaints.
While Fawwaz has pleaded not guilty to the charges, the US department of justice has indicated it possesses overwhelming evidence of guilt, including documents seized in Afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks listing him on an al-Qaida members’ list.While Fawwaz has pleaded not guilty to the charges, the US department of justice has indicated it possesses overwhelming evidence of guilt, including documents seized in Afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks listing him on an al-Qaida members’ list.
Robert McFadden, a US counterintelligence officer who was stationed in a naval criminal intelligence service bureau in Bahrain at the time of the embassy attacks, said intelligence agencies, still heavily weighted towards assessing the threat emanating from the “cold war legacy”, had remained divided on the threat Bin Laden posed even then.Robert McFadden, a US counterintelligence officer who was stationed in a naval criminal intelligence service bureau in Bahrain at the time of the embassy attacks, said intelligence agencies, still heavily weighted towards assessing the threat emanating from the “cold war legacy”, had remained divided on the threat Bin Laden posed even then.
“Any debate within the US intelligence community over al-Qaida, this UBL [Bin Laden] character and their lethality was put to rest henceforth and forever more in August 1998,” McFadden recalled.“Any debate within the US intelligence community over al-Qaida, this UBL [Bin Laden] character and their lethality was put to rest henceforth and forever more in August 1998,” McFadden recalled.
Fawwaz, a Saudi Arabian national, was arrested in Britain within months of the attacks, but fought extradition for 14 years. In October 2012 he, along with Abu Hamza, a radical cleric who was given two life sentences in a separate terrorism case earlier this month, and Adel Abdul Bary, who pleaded guilty in September last year to some of the lesser of the 284 charges relating to his involvement in the 1998 attacks, were finally handed to US authorities.Fawwaz, a Saudi Arabian national, was arrested in Britain within months of the attacks, but fought extradition for 14 years. In October 2012 he, along with Abu Hamza, a radical cleric who was given two life sentences in a separate terrorism case earlier this month, and Adel Abdul Bary, who pleaded guilty in September last year to some of the lesser of the 284 charges relating to his involvement in the 1998 attacks, were finally handed to US authorities.
Fawwaz was due to stand trial with another of those indicted, Libyan national Anas al-Libi, who was captured by the US in an audacious special forces raid on his Tripoli home in 2013. Libi died of cancer earlier this month, delaying the trial. He had also pleaded not guilty.Fawwaz was due to stand trial with another of those indicted, Libyan national Anas al-Libi, who was captured by the US in an audacious special forces raid on his Tripoli home in 2013. Libi died of cancer earlier this month, delaying the trial. He had also pleaded not guilty.
The prosecution will not seek the death penalty, as it has for others convicted of the atrocities.The prosecution will not seek the death penalty, as it has for others convicted of the atrocities.
Ellen Karas will travel from Texas to attend the second week of the trial. She has been present as each of those convicted have appeared in court. She has never been able to look them in the eye. “I look at the direction they’re in. Obviously they can tell I’m blind … I get angry in the courtroom. I sit there and I listen … I think how can you have so little thought of mankind in life?”Ellen Karas will travel from Texas to attend the second week of the trial. She has been present as each of those convicted have appeared in court. She has never been able to look them in the eye. “I look at the direction they’re in. Obviously they can tell I’m blind … I get angry in the courtroom. I sit there and I listen … I think how can you have so little thought of mankind in life?”
Karas gave evidence at the 2001 trial of Mohammed al-Owhali, the bomber who drove the truck to the Nairobi embassy but fled just before the explosion. She was unable to hold back tears.Karas gave evidence at the 2001 trial of Mohammed al-Owhali, the bomber who drove the truck to the Nairobi embassy but fled just before the explosion. She was unable to hold back tears.
“While my brain understands, my heart does not. I could not understand why they felt that they had to kill people that they don’t even know, that they care so little for life that it doesn’t matter. We’re just a number, that’s one of the reasons we go to the courtroom. So they know we’re not just a number, that we’re a living person.”“While my brain understands, my heart does not. I could not understand why they felt that they had to kill people that they don’t even know, that they care so little for life that it doesn’t matter. We’re just a number, that’s one of the reasons we go to the courtroom. So they know we’re not just a number, that we’re a living person.”
The case is being watched in Kenya and Tanzania. Douglas Sidialo was heading to work in Nairobi on that morning in 1998. The former motorbike salesman was also left blind by the attack. “The blast was extremely loud and I was thrown to the ground. I was rescued by someone I do not know and taken to hospital. I was very bitter and angry when I realised that I would never see the light of day again. But I realised that I had to pick myself up.”The case is being watched in Kenya and Tanzania. Douglas Sidialo was heading to work in Nairobi on that morning in 1998. The former motorbike salesman was also left blind by the attack. “The blast was extremely loud and I was thrown to the ground. I was rescued by someone I do not know and taken to hospital. I was very bitter and angry when I realised that I would never see the light of day again. But I realised that I had to pick myself up.”
Sidialo rallied from the tragedy and is now an inspiration to many victims of terrorist attacks in the region, becoming a prominent blind adventurer. He was one of the first blind men to scale the Uhuru peak of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s tallest mountain. “What I can say to the folks behind the bombing is that it was very sad that they had to do his heinous and barbaric act of terrorism and cowardice,” said Sidialo. “They should be brought to justice.”Sidialo rallied from the tragedy and is now an inspiration to many victims of terrorist attacks in the region, becoming a prominent blind adventurer. He was one of the first blind men to scale the Uhuru peak of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s tallest mountain. “What I can say to the folks behind the bombing is that it was very sad that they had to do his heinous and barbaric act of terrorism and cowardice,” said Sidialo. “They should be brought to justice.”