Threat closes British High Commission in Kenya
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The British High Commission in Kenya closed its embassy last night in reaction to a security threat.
"I can confirm that we have received a specific threat against the High Commission, and therefore we have decided to close until further notice," Mark Norton, the press and public affairs officer at the embassy, said. He said he could not give any more details on the nature of the threat to the building, which is in a semi-residential neighbourhood called Upper Hill in Nairobi.
The closure comes a week after three Israelis, nine Kenyans, three suicide bombers and an unidentified person were killed by a bomb-laden vehicle which rammed into the Hotel Paradise at the coastal tourist resort of Mombasa. An almost simultaneous missile attack narrowly missed an Israeli plane taking off nearby.
The hotel bombing was the worst terrorist attack in Kenya since 1998, when the US embassy in Nairobi was bombed, killing 219 people, including 12 Americans, and injuring 5,000 others.
Osama bin Laden's al-Qa'ida network has been blamed for that attack, and yesterday President George Bush also accused al-Qa'ida of carrying out last week's attacks in Kenya.
"I am concerned about al- Qa'ida anywhere. I believe that al-Qa'ida was involved in the African bombing in Kenya. I believe al-Qa'ida hates freedom. I believe al-Qa'ida will strike anywhere they can in order to disrupt civil society," he said.
Mr Bush is scheduled to hold talks on security in the Horn of Africa with the Kenyan President Daniel arap Moi in Washington today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments