>Bombing in Africa
FBI Agents at the Scene
On August 7 1998 the US Embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Nairobia Kenya were bombed. The two embassies were both bombed at the same time by truck bombs. The bombings were the work of a local cell of Al Qaeda. Al Qaeda was led by Osama Bin Laden 213 people were killed in Nairobi including 12 Americans. In Dar es Salam 12 people were killed. In response President Clinton ordered cruise missile attacks on suspected Al Qaeda targets in Sudan and Afghanistan.
Eight years to the day that United States soldiers were deployed to Saudi Arabia in response to the invasion of Kuwait's by Iraq two bombs went off in US embassies in Africa. The bombing were perpetrated by Al Qaeda, until then an unknown group led by Osama bin Laden which objected to non-Muslim troops being stationed in Saudi Arabia. What were the exact goals of the attack are disputed to this day other than an attack on US targets, because of the US involvement in Saudi Arabia?
Planning for the attack on the embassies began in May 1998 when trucks to hold the bombs were purchased by a member of the bombing team in both Nairobi and Dar es Salaam. Both were filled with large bombs. On the morning of August 7th, the two trucks were driven in front of the American Embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam. At about 10:40 AM both trucks exploded. Two hundred thirteen people were killed in Nairobi while 4,000 were wounded. In Dar es, Salaam 11 were killed and 85 wounded. Almost all of those killed were locals. However, 12 American s were killed including two CIA officers and a Marine guard.
President Clinton went on national television to announce missile strikes on Sudan and Afghanistan. Osama bin Laden was placed on the FBI’s ten most wanted list.