News

DATE=8/12/98 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-236978 TITLE=KENYA BOMBING (L UPDATE) BYLINE=CAROL PINEAU DATELINE=NAIROBI CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: KENYA SAYS A NUMBER OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ARRESTED IN CONNECTION WITH THE BOMBING OF THE U-S EMBASSY. CAROL PINEAU REPORTS FROM NAIROBI. TEXT: A STATEMENT FROM THE OFFICE OF KENYAN PRESIDENT DANIEL ARAP MOI SAYS THOSE ARRESTED ARE BEING QUESTIONED AND HAVE PROVIDED USEFUL LEADS INTO CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE BOMBING. THE STATEMENT GAVE NO FURTHER DETAILS ABOUT THE ARRESTS EARLIER, SEARCH OPERATIONS AT THE BOMBING SITE CAME TO A CLOSE, WITH THE FINAL DEATH TOLL STANDING AT 247. FIVE-THOUSAND PEOPLE WERE INJURED, 24 OF THEM STILL IN CRITICAL CONDITION IN NAIROBI HOSPITALS. THE SEARCH AND RESCUE WORKERS -- FROM FRANCE, ISRAEL, KENYA, AND THE UNITED STATES -- TOOK PART IN A BRIEF CEREMONY. TEAM LEADERS PLACED WREATHS ON A SMALL PILE OF CONCRETE RUBBLE AS A MEMORIAL TO THE PEOPLE KILLED IN THE BOMBING. U-S AMBASSADOR PRUDENCE BUSHNELL -- WHO WAS INJURED IN THE EXPLOSION -- SCATTERED RED ROSES OVER THE MOUND OF RUBBLE. ONE RESCUE WORKER, MEITAL HALAWI FROM THE ISRAELI ARMY, SAYS SHE STILL THINKS ABOUT THE TRAGIC LOSS OF LIFE. /// HALAWI ACT /// I AM SO SAID, I CAN NOT EVEN SPEAK, BECAUSE AFTER ALL YOU THINK ABOUT ALL THE PEOPLE WE TOOK OUT OF THERE. AND I HOPE THERE WILL NOT BE ANY MORE OF THESE HORRIBLE EVENTS. /// END ACT /// ISRAELI ARMY CAPTAIN EREZ MALKA SAID HE ALSO THOUGHT OF THE DEAD. /// MALKA ACT /// WE ARE FEELING VERY BAD THAT WE DID NOT GET THE LAST WOMAN ALIVE IN THE LAST HOURS, BUT WE DID A GOOD JOB. THE AMERICANS, THE FRENCH. THE KENYANS DID A GREAT JOB ON THIS SITE. /// END ACT /// NAIROBI PROVINCIAL COMMISSIONER JOSEPH KAGUTHI SAYS NOW THAT THE SEARCH EFFORTS HAVE COME TO A CLOSE, KENYA MUST START THE ENORMOUS TASK OF DEALING WITH THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF THE BOMBING. /// KAGUTHI ACT /// I WAS SEEING THAT THIS IS JUST A START. BUT THE MAIN JOB IS AHEAD. /// END ACT /// BOMB VICTIM GEORGE GITHIRI WAS AMONG THOSE WATCHING THE CEREMONY. MR. GITHIRI WAS ON THE 16TH FLOOR OF A NEARBY BANK BUILDING -- WHEN THE EXPLOSION SHATTERED WINDOWS AND TOPPLED DEBRIS ONTO HIM. /// GITHIRI ACT /// WHERE I WAS, LOOKING PROM OUTSIDE, IT WAS A MIRACLE. I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE GRACE OF GOD FOR SAVING ME. /// END ACT /// KENYAN OFFICIALS AND RELIGIOUS LEADERS PLAN MEMORIAL SERVICES FOR NEXT WEEK. (SIGNED) NEB/CP/JWH/RAE 12-Aug-98 2:32 PM EDT (1832 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .