The White House Briefing Room
August 7, 1998
PRESS BRIEFING BY COLONEL P.J. CROWLEY AND BARRY TOIV
THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary ______________________________________________________________ For Immediate Release August 7, 1998 PRESS BRIEFING BY COLONEL P.J. CROWLEY AND BARRY TOIV The Briefing Room 1:43 P.M. EDT COLONEL CROWLEY: Good afternoon. Welcome to the White House, Friday afternoon. Just to bring you up to date on what has transpired since you heard from the President a little while ago, he has had the opportunity to talk to our chief diplomats in both Nairobi and Dar es Salaam. He first talked to John Lange, the Charge in Tanzania, and then to Prudence Bushnell, the Ambassador in Nairobi. He expressed again on behalf of the American people our thoughts and prayers to the American community during this difficult day and its aftermath. He expressed to them both our willingness to provide whatever assistance we can, and I'll talk about some assistance that is about to get underway and head for Africa in a moment. He again expressed his determination that we will ultimately, in cooperation with the two host governments, find out who is responsible for this attack and bring them to justice. He had the opportunity to hear from the two diplomats in terms of the situation on the ground there and for most of those details -- I know you have many questions about the status on the ground. I think the State Department later on in the day will have a more detailed briefing of what has transpired there. And the two Ambassadors spoke in glowing terms about the response of the American community in both countries, the fact that, as I think Ambassador Bushnell spoke about the American community in Nairobi in particular -- they are performing as true Americans, very tough, trying to help steady the situation on the ground there. And they spoke glowingly about the response that they've received from other countries, particularly the embassy staffs in both cities, who have offered tremendous assistance both in terms of helping with the humanitarian needs that exist on the ground and also with the security requirements. So each of those conversations lasted about 10 minutes. Throughout the day the President has been fully engaged on this issue, starting at 5:30 a.m. this morning, when he was first briefed by the National Security Advisor, Sandy Berger. He has had update briefings through the course of the morning and into the afternoon. Sandy is chairing a principals committee meeting as we speak to review the situation and what we know. And I would expect later on this afternoon the President will probably have the opportunity to talk with the Presidents of both Tanzania and Kenya, both to thank them for the initial response that they have provided in response to this attack, also to express our condolences to each country because, while it's clear that this attack was directed at our facilities in each city, the death toll and the injuries have primarily been borne by the citizens of Kenya and Tanzania. And I think you can expect that the President will stay engaged in this issue throughout the weekend. Q What can you tell us about the reported shootout at the U.S. embassy in Kenya just before the explosion? COLONEL CROWLEY: I have no information on that. Q How many American casualties? COLONEL CROWLEY: Helen, I think, if you don't mind, I'll defer to the State Department on that, primarily because we are in the process of notifying next of kin. We have, as the President said, had several Americans killed in Nairobi as a result of this attack. We are not aware of any Americans killed in Tanzania. But I'll defer to the State Department later on to provide those kinds of numbers. Q Is there still no claim of responsibility? Do we have any idea who did this, who's responsible? COLONEL CROWLEY: I'm not aware of any public claim of responsibility. Obviously, we are already underway in terms of investigating what has transpired. In connection with that, within the hour we should have an aircraft leaving Germany with medical supplies and a small security team, surgical team that will be on its way to Nairobi to provide some assistance to our American community there. We also have other medical evacuation aircraft on standby in the event that they are needed. We have an interagency team that consists of communication experts, counterterrorism experts, investigators, additional security personnel that will be departing shortly and heading to the region to help spearhead the investigation. Q The surgical team is on the same plane? COLONEL CROWLEY: The surgical team, no. We have a worldwide response to this. We have Marines coming from the Central Command region that will help provide security as well. So there are lots of things that are in the process of getting in train to respond to the requirements we have on the ground in both Nairobi and Dar es Salaam. Q P.J., is the administration aware of the Islamic Jihad message that was sent from Egypt to Agence France yesterday that complained about three of its militants being extradited from Eastern Europe and pledging to punish the United States for that? COLONEL CROWLEY: Scott, let me just say that terrorism is a fact of life in the world today. We are very conscious of threats against American facilities, against American people, around the world. We take those threats very seriously. It's not my place here to get into any particulars. These aspects will be thoroughly investigated and, as the President expressed, we are determined that we will find out who did this and we will bring them to justice. We've had some success: some cases that you've heard about, some cases you haven't heard about. We don't forgive. We don't forget. And ultimately, whoever is responsible for this attack will brought to justice. Q P.J., that note that I mentioned, though, is there any particular reason to give it a higher degree of credibility than anything else? COLONEL CROWLEY: I expect that we will thoroughly investigate this. I'm certain that we have some ideas already as to who might be responsible. It's not my place to cite that information here -- lots of it touches on intelligence matters. Threats that we get against Americans every day around the world we take very seriously, we take appropriate security precautions. But terrorism is a fact of life. It's something that has reared its ugly head before, and I'm afraid it will again. Q What's the President's thinking about the security at embassies around the world? And does he think it's adequate, or does he think more needs to be done? COLONEL CROWLEY: It's very difficult to give a blanket response to that. Obviously, say, in recent years we have experienced terrorist attacks around the world. It's something that the administration has had as one of its highest priorities since the Clinton administration started, and even as a United States government priority before that. For example, just in May, if you recall the President's speech at Annapolis, he talked about emerging global transnational threats of which terrorism is perhaps the most significant. We have through the years taken tremendous precautions to try to upgrade our security at facilities around the world, at embassies around the world. And we will continue to do so. By the same token, this appears to have been a very well-coordinated, very well-planned attack, clearly no the work of amateurs. And there is, unfortunately, at the end of the day only so much you can do to guard against terrorist attacks. Q I guess my question is, these two embassies were chosen and others weren't. Is there some reason to believe that these two embassies were less secure or less protected than others? COLONEL CROWLEY: I think again, that's the kind of information that the State Department, the folks who are responsible for diplomatic security -- will be a part of their briefing this afternoon. I think that's the kind of detail that I would probably defer to them. Q P.J., has in the past been any inklings of any problems in Tanzania and Kenya? Both countries seem to have great relations with the U.S. Has there been any -- COLONEL CROWLEY: I mean, it's entirely possible, going back to Mara's question, that sometimes facilities are selected primarily because you have -- you would not expect to have that kind of problem in one place and not another. I mean, this is the kind of thing that will be investigated. Q As we follow up on what I think you called hunches earlier about who might be responsible, has the United States contacted any other governments for help in either trying to find certain individuals or touching base with certain organizations? COLONEL CROWLEY: We have already launched our investigation. I am sure that we are checking within the intelligence community to see what we know, what other governments where we have had some success in the past may know. Again, this will be something that we will thoroughly investigate as we go forward. I would expect that the President may well make some future calls to heads of state to follow up on this. Q P.J., what sort of cooperation do you expect from Tanzania and Kenya on this investigation? COLONEL CROWLEY: We've had some excellent cooperation so far. They have helped us in terms of securing the site. Obviously, one of the keys to the investigation will be preserving evidence on the scene so that when our experts get there, they will have the full resources available to be able to conduct their investigation -- looking at situations like Oklahoma City, for example, where even the tiniest fragment of evidence ultimately is the key that unlocks the door that leads to a successful investigation. So these will be the kinds of things that are happening on the ground right now in terms of securing the site so that the evidence will be there when the experts arrive. Q When will those experts arrive? Is that the FBI team that's on its way, or can you tell us a little more -- COLONEL CROWLEY: It will be the interagency team; the FBI will be involved, other investigators, other experts in the area of counter-terrorism. Again, we are determined and we will do everything that we need to do. We will leave no stone unturned until we find out who is responsible. Q Are they on their way now, those experts? COLONEL CROWLEY: If they haven't physically -- if they aren't wheels up yet, they should be shortly. Q On another subject, slightly, are we aware of a new secret guided missile that Israel was firing at Lebanon? COLONEL CROWLEY: I have not heard that information. Q There is a -- could you try to find out? COLONEL CROWLEY: I'll see what I can find out. Q You say they will be brought to justice. The record in the past of bombings against our embassies overseas has not been one of being able to bring anyone to justice. I know that when Klinghoffer (sp) was pushed into the ocean, we forced an Egyptian airliner down, but then Italy let the people go. What makes you believe that somehow this time we're going to be able to find these people and bring them to justice? COLONEL CROWLEY: I think it's very premature, but I can -- I don't want to get into too many specifics, but you had the case of the killer of the CIA employees outside of Langley, you've had the case of an aircraft bomber Rashid who we have recently brought to justice. So the President is very determined about this. As I said, we do not forgive; we do not forget. This very well could take a number of years. But we will find out who did this, and we will bring them to justice. Q P.J., did anyone U.S. installation anywhere in the world receive a warning that there was a reason to believe that a terrorist threat was imminent? COLONEL CROWLEY: Scott, we're aware of terrorist threats every day around the world. I will -- Q Any special message in the last, say, 72 hours that there was something afoot anywhere? COLONEL CROWLEY: Again, these are the types of things that we will investigate thoroughly. I think it's very difficult for me here to judge what information was available worldwide. All I can tell you is the intelligence community sees this as one of the highest threats, the preeminent threat that we perhaps face in the world today. We devote a great deal of attention to it. We take threats very seriously. When we do gauge threats as serious, we put out appropriate warnings to facilities around the world. In fact, since this attack, we have taken appropriate steps both in the region and around the world in light of the two bombings today. Q P.J., the question is did any such message as you just described go out in the last several days? COLONEL CROWLEY: Again, I cannot comment on any specific information at this point from this podium. Q You're saying you don't know or you can't say? COLONEL CROWLEY: I'm not going to say. Q P.J., what do you say to suggestions that cutbacks to the State Department's budget in recent years may have undermined security or the ability to monitor threats to U.S. installations overseas? COLONEL CROWLEY: I think as a large issue, we have been concerned overall about the amount of resources that are devoted to conducting our foreign policy. And I think Secretary State Albright and others have been very vocal on the Hill in expressing concerns. I think I'll defer to the State Department to address any specifics in terms of the specific aspect of our foreign policy budget that may be devoted to security. I don't feel I'm qualified to do that. But, obviously, it is an issue that we have been concerned about, that over the years the amount of resources devoted to foreign policy and the conduct of our diplomacy have been cut back. Q Just on a related question, there was a study of embassy security in the early-mid 1980s after the Beirut attacks. A number of embassies were either reconstructed or remodeled with extra security. Do you know if these two embassies were part of that program? COLONEL CROWLEY: I do know that security reviews have been conducted at all of our embassies around the world. These two embassies did not have the setbacks that perhaps other embassies around the world have had. I can't judge at this point how that might have contributed to the attack. Q When was the last security review? COLONEL CROWLEY: Again, probably -- I'll defer to the State Department; it's their diplomatic security, it's their normal review of security at all of their posts around the world. Q You don't know if it's yearly, or you don't know -- COLONEL CROWLEY: I think Pat Kennedy, for example, will be among those who will be at this briefing this afternoon. Q P.J., to follow up, these were not sort of the fortress-like embassies that one might see in Jordan or some other countries where they're way back from the road, there are huge walls? COLONEL CROWLEY: I think it's safe to say that we set the security at particular posts based on the threat that we know at any particular time. But again, I'll push this to State. I think they're much more qualified to respond. Q One of the complaints of the intelligence agency is that when they come across information and pass it along, some claim that it doesn't get proper consideration in the administration here. COLONEL CROWLEY: I can't think of an ambassador, I can't think of a commander, who wouldn't act appropriately when given prompt information from the intelligence community on a specific threat. I don't have anything to say that that was the case in this particular instance. Q Is there any information as yet as to what type of explosives, how it was delivered, anything from that review that would lead you to believe, a guess or a source of where it might come from? COLONEL CROWLEY: At this point, I think, obviously, the attack only happened earlier this morning. I think those are the kinds of issues that will be thoroughly investigated as soon as our experts get on the ground. Q Is the U.S. going to head the investigations and the Tanzanians and Kenyans have agreed to that? COLONEL CROWLEY: I think both countries have agreed to cooperate fully. Part of what -- each of diplomats told the President in the call today that they will pledge full cooperation. I think, as you know, embassies are a sovereign territory of the United States, so I think we will have the ability to do the investigation. Q Next. MR. TOIV: Hi. Any questions? Q Is the President meeting with his attorneys today? MR. TOIV: I don't know. He'll be meeting with them frequently between now and the 17th, but I don't know if he's meeting with them today. Q What is on the President's schedule this afternoon? MR. TOIV: If they come in, I'm sure you'll see them. There's no remaining public schedule today. Q Does the President have any reaction to yesterday's reported testimony by Ms. Lewinsky? MR. TOIV: No. The President, as he said last Friday, is not going to have any comment on this situation between now and the 17th. ............ END 2:20 P.M. EDT