Israel vows to avenge horror at the Hotel Paradise
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Your support makes all the difference.Al-Qa'ida demonstrated its ability to strike unexpectedly with a synchronised suicide bombing and missile assault yesterday on an Israeli-owned hotel and aircraft in Kenya.
Al-Qa'ida demonstrated its ability to strike unexpectedly with a synchronised suicide bombing and missile assault yesterday on an Israeli-owned hotel and aircraft in Kenya.
The attacks killed at least 15 people and, but for two misdirected surface-to-air missiles, could have slaughtered hundreds. They came on the eve of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah and may represent the first direct assault on Israel by Osama bin Laden's organisation. There had been widespread fears of another "spectacular" to match the 11 September and Bali strikes, but the two-pronged attack in East Africa took most security experts by surprise.
Israel said the bombers would be tracked down and Prime Minister Ariel Sharon ordered Mossad, the intelligence agency, to find them. Mossad is working with Kenyan police and US intelligence experts. Police last night questioned two men who were detained as they tried to check out of a Mombasa hotel.
Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Foreign Minister, said although al-Qa'ida was the prime suspect, the authorities were examining other possibilities because Palestinian militants had been trying to buy shoulder-held missiles from Iran and the Lebanese guerrilla group Hizbollah. A previously unknown Beirut-based Palestinian group also made a claim of responsibility.
Mr Netanyahu called the attack "a very dangerous escalation of terror''. He added: "It means that terror organisations and the regimes behind them are able to arm themselves with weapons which can cause mass casualties anywhere and everywhere. Today, they're firing the missiles at Israeli planes, tomorrow they'll fire missiles at American planes, British planes, every country's aircraft."
Kenya is already known as a base for al-Qa'ida. In August 1998 it bombed the US embassy in the capital, Nairobi, killing more than 200 people. The US embassy in Tanzania was attacked on the same day, killing 12 people.
The Kenyan government said it had picked up reports in the past six months that the country could be attacked again and in September a Yemeni al-Qa'ida suspect was arrested trying to enter the country under a false identity.
The Australian government issued a stark warning to its citizens a fortnight ago to avoid Mombasa, raising questions last night as to why other Western intelligence agencies did not issue similar warnings. The advice from Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs said the threat to Westerners visiting Mombasa was "very high" and that those living in the city should consider leaving.
A French anti-terrorism think-tank also said information had been circulating for three weeks that al-Qa'ida was planning an attack in East Africa.
Yesterday's assault began at about 8am local time when two Soviet-era heat-seeking Strela missiles were fired from a four-wheel-drive vehicle at an Israeli charter aircraft taking off from Mombasa's Moi International Airport for Tel Aviv. According to some of the 261 passengers on the plane, mostly tourists returning to Israel, the missiles missed their target by less than a metre. Witnesses said the men who launched the missiles were of Arab appearance.
A few moments later, another four-wheel-drive, also carrying three men of Arab appearance, crashed through a security barrier at the Israeli-owned Hotel Paradise, on the coast nine miles north of Mombasa. Many of the tourists on the plane had been staying at the hotel, which was just checking in a batch of guests who arrived at the airport earlier.
The vehicle rammed into the hotel and one bomber ran into the reception area. He detonated a bomb strapped to his chest at the same time as the two men inside the vehicle detonated their explosives. Some reports said a light aircraft also flew above the hotel, dropping three small bombs. The blast ripped through the hotel, unleashing a firestorm that quickly engulfed the thatch-roofed complex of buildings.
At least three Israelis and six Kenyans – believed to be mostly a group of traditional dancers who had welcomed the tourists – died with the three bombers. More than 80 were injured. The Israeli dead included brothers aged 12 and 13.
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