bassies began working quickly in both places to
begin rescue efforts.
Injuries ranged from mild to serious, and many
people were hospitalized in intensive care units. As
more people were pulled from the rubble and death
and injury tolls rose, the United States began ship-
ping in medical supplies such as antibiotics and
blood for transfusions, as well teams of doctors and
nurses to help the overwhelmed African authorities.
Initially, no one assumed responsibility for the
horrific acts, while investigations by the Federal Bu-
reau of Investigation (FBI) and authorities from
both Tanzania and Kenya were underway. There was
some question as to whether the United States had
received a warning about possible attacks on the Af-
rican embassies and had simply ignored them. Presi-
dent Bill Clinton’s administration insisted that the
attack came with relatively little warning. Officials at
the time stated that although all perceived threats
were taken seriously, there was no evidence to be-
lieve that the attacks on the embassies would in fact
take place.The Perpetrators The attacks on the embassies
were reportedly orchestrated by the Islamic terrorist
organization al-Qaeda. Led by Osama Bin Laden
and founded in Afghanistan, the organization has
openly stated its anti-U.S. position and has threat-
ened U.S. interests since its inception in the late
1980’s. Saudi-born Bin Laden got his start in the
mujahideen, a Muslim military group comprising
thousands of volunteers from the Middle East that888 U.S. embassy bombings in Africa The Nineties in America
The ruins of the U.S. embassy in Nairobi on August 7, 1998, after a car bomb exploded. The Nairobi and Dar es Salaam attacks brought
global attention to the terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden and his organization, al-Qaeda.(AP/Wide World Photos)