News

USIS Washington 
File

07 August 1998

TEXT: SECRETARY OF STATE ALBRIGHT ON THE US EMBASSY BOMBINGS

(SecState condemns "cowardly acts of apparent terrorism") (480)



Rome -- Secretary of State Albright condemned the August 7 bombing of
US Embassy buildings in Nairobi and Dar-es-Salaam as "dastardly and
cowardly acts of apparent terrorism" and vowed that the United States
"will spare no effort and use all means at our disposal to track down
and punish the perpetrators of these outrageous acts."


Albright was in Rome to attend the wedding of her spokesman, James
Rubin. The bombings in Kenya and Tanzania, however, cut short her stay
and she flew back to Washington immediately after making her public
statement to the press.


So far, there have been no claims of responsibility for the bombings,
Albright said.


Following is the State Department text:



(begin text)



US DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Office of the Spokesman



August 7, 1998



STATEMENT BY SECRETARY OF STATE

MADELEINE K. ALBRIGHT



I would like to express my deepest condolences to the victims of the
appalling bombings that occurred this morning at or adjacent to the US
Embassy buildings in Nairobi, Kenya and Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.


The bombings have resulted in numerous injuries and in severe damage
to both installations. Tragically, we also understand that there have
been a number of deaths, including of some US Embassy personnel in
Nairobi. We will now be in the process of confirming this information
and notifying next-of-kin before releasing it publicly. My heart goes
out to the families of these brave Americans, our local employees and
citizens of both of these countries who perished or were injured in
these tragic bombings.


Our Embassies in Nairobi and Dar-es-Salaam are performing heroically
under the most difficult circumstances imaginable. They are working
with local authorities in both countries to help bring victims out of
the wreckage and to bring urgent medical attention to the injured. The
United States government is currently mobilizing all necessary
capabilities both inside and outside the region to deal with all
aspects of this human catastrophe.


I have spoken with Foreign Minister Godana of Kenya to express my
condolences for the tragic deaths and injuries of Kenyan citizens and
to offer full United States support in dealing with this tragedy. I
will soon be in touch with Foreign Minister Kikwete of Tanzania to
convey the same message.


As of yet there has been no claim of responsibility for these
dastardly and cowardly acts of apparent terrorism. Let me assure the
American people, however, that if as seems probable these attacks are
confirmed to have been terrorist in nature, the United States will
spare no effort and use all means at our disposal to track down and
punish the perpetrators of these outrageous acts.


Finally, I am planning to return immediately to the United States to
confer with the President on this challenge to the nation's security.


(end text)