[allAfrica.com] Suicide Bombers Kill 15 in Kenyan Hotel This Day (Lagos) NEWS November 29, 2002 Posted to the web November 29, 2002 Lagos At least 15 people died yesterday in a suicide bombing at an Israeli-owned hotel in Mombasa, Kenya, just as two missiles were fired at an Israeli holiday jet that had taken off from the city's airport. The missiles narrowly missed the Arkia airline plane - a Boeing 757 carrying 261 passengers - but a large part of the Paradise Hotel was reduced to rubble and the rest is a smouldering shell. Kenyan police said three suicide bombers were killed, along with nine Kenyans and three Israelis, two of whom were children. About 80 people were injured in the attack, most of them Kenyans. A doctor at Coast General Hospital in Mombasa told the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) that 40 injured had been admitted, three of them in critical condition. The police have detained two people who were in the area of the hotel bombing. In Lebanon, a previously unknown group called the Army of Palestine has said it carried out the attacks. But Kenyan and Israeli officials speculated that Osama Bin Laden's al-Qaeda network might have been responsible. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said: "We shall fight anyone who tries - and unfortunately sometimes succeeds - in hurting us". He told Israelis the aim of "terrorists" was "to kill young and old, women and children, only because they are Jews". But he added: "Don't let terrorism frighten you". The US Government condemned the attacks, but said it was too early to blame al- Qaeda. "The United States Government deplores this violence," said White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe. "We stand prepared to offer the governments of Kenya and Israel any assistance necessary in this investigation." If confirmed as the work of al-Qaeda, it would be their first direct attack on Israelis - despite Bin Laden's hostility towards Israel. Mombasa, on Kenya's Indian Ocean coast, is a popular destination for foreign visitors and the hotel was frequented mainly by Israeli tourists. In 1998, the US embassies in Kenya and neighbouring Tanzania were attacked in nearly simultaneous car bombings that killed 219 people and 12 people respectively. The US blamed al-Qaeda. Coordinated, synchronised attacks are a hallmark of al-Qaeda, and the BBC's security correspondent Frank Gardner says months of careful surveillance clearly went into the latest Kenya attacks. Eyewitnesses said an all-terrain vehicle with three men on board crashed through a barrier outside the Paradise Hotel and headed towards the lobby. One man got out and ran towards the reception, where he set off an explosion, while the others stayed in the vehicle, which blew up at the same time, witnesses said. The blast occurred just after some 60 visitors had checked into the hotel, all of them from Israel, hotel officials said. Most of the Kenyan victims were said to be traditional dancers. Al-Manar television in Lebanon later reported a short statement from a group called the Army of Palestine claiming responsibility for the attacks. The group said it wanted the world to hear the "voice of the refugees" on the 55th anniversary of the partition of Palestine. The attacks happened within a few minutes of each other, just after 0800 local time (0500 GMT). They coincide with important primary elections in Israel, with Prime Minister Sharon facing a party leadership challenge from Foreign Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The airliner landed safely at Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv about five hours after the missile attack. It was escorted in by Israeli F-15 fighter jets. Relieved passengers broke into tears and sang a traditional Israeli song. Kenyan police said a missile launcher and two missile casings were found in the Changamwe area of Mombasa, about two kilometres from the airport. The Israeli pilot, Rafi Marik, said he saw two white smoke trails passing "not very far" from the left wing of the aircraft before disappearing after a few seconds. Some of the passengers said they heard a loud noise just after take-off. The Arkia charter company has a regular weekly service flying tourists between Tel Aviv and Mombasa.   =============================================================================   Copyright © 2002 This Day. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). =============================================================================