DATE=8/19/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-237323
TITLE=NAIROBI / HOTEL RAID (L)
BYLINE=CAROL PINEAU
DATELINE=NARIOBI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  AGENTS FROM THE U-S FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION AND 
KENYAN POLICE HAVE SEARCHED A NAIROBI HOTEL WHERE THEY REPORTEDLY
BELIEVE TERRORISTS ASSEMBLED THE BOMB EXPLODED NEAR THE U-S 
EMBASSY.  CAROL PINEAU REPORTS FROM NAIROBI.

TEXT:  F-B-I AGENTS AND KENYAN POLICE RAIDED THE HILLTOP HOTEL IN
DOWNTOWN NAIROBI ON TUESDAY.  

EMPLOYEES AT THE HOTEL SAY THE AGENTS SEALED OFF THE BUILDING FOR
NEARLY THREE HOURS WHILE INVESTIGATORS SEARCHED THE HOTEL, 
CONCENTRATING ON TWO ROOMS.  THEY DUSTED FOR FINGERPRINTS AND 
OTHER EVIDENCE, CONFISCATED THE HOTEL REGISTER AND RECEIPTS BOOK,
AND DETAINED THE MANAGER FOR QUESTIONING. 

THE KENYA TIMES NEWSPAPER REPORTED WEDNESDAY THAT THE SUSPECT 
EXTRADITED LAST FRIDAY FROM PAKISTAN TO KENYA, MOHAMMED SADDIQ 
ODEH (PRON:  HWAY'-DAH), LED INVESTIGATORS TO THE HOTEL. THE 
NEWSPAPER SAID MR. ODEH CHECKED INTO THE HOTEL THREE DAYS BEFORE 
THE BOMB BLAST, JOINING THREE OTHERS WHO ARRIVED THE DAY BEFORE. 
THE REPORT SAID THE BOMB, WHICH LEFT 247 DEAD AND MORE THAN FIVE 
THOUSAND INJURED, WAS THEN ASSEMBLED IN A SMALL TRUCK AND DRIVEN 
ACROSS TOWN TO THE U-S EMBASSY.

THE HILLTOP HOTEL, WHICH IS  NOT  LISTED IN THE NAIROBI TELEPHONE
DIRECTORY, IS A RUN-DOWN BUILDING IN A HEAVILY POPULATED DISTRICT
OF DOWNTOWN NAIROBI.  IT IS AN AREA OF THE CITY WHERE A FOREIGNER
WOULD  NOT  BE OUT OF PLACE.  BUT SEVERAL PEOPLE COULD HAVE SEEN 
THE SUSPECTS.  THERE IS A REFRESHMENTS STAND AND AN OPEN 
COURTYARD WHERE GUESTS MILL ABOUT. CONSTRUCTION CREWS ARE WORKING
IN MANY OF THE FIRST FLOOR ROOMS. 

KHALID SALEH IS THE SON OF THE OWNER OF THE HOTEL AND SHOP ON THE
GROUND FLOOR.  HE SAYS HE DOES  NOT  REMEMBER SEEING ANYONE 
UNUSUAL PRIOR TO THE BOMBING.  HE SAYS THE AREA IS TOO POPULATED 
FOR ANYONE TO BUILD A BOMB UNNOTICED.

                       ///  SALEH ACT  ///

         YOU KNOW, THIS IS LIKE A TRAIN STATION.  PEOPLE COME AND
         GO.  I'VE  NOT  SEEN ANY OF THEM.  IT'S A VERY BUSY 
         PLACE, AND YOU COULD HAVE DEFINITELY NOTICED. USUALLY 
         CLEANERS COME TO CLEAN EVERY DAY.  WE DON'T ALLOW PEOPLE
         TO GO WITH THE KEYS, SO IF THERE WERE ANYONE WHO WAS 
         ASSEMBLING A BOMB HERE, IT COULD  NOT  HAVE BEEN DONE 
         HER, DEFINITELY NOT, (I AM) 100-PERCENT (SURE). 

                        ///  END ACT  ///

FRANCIS ISHUGA CLEANS THE ROOMS AT THE HILL TOP HOTEL.  HE ALSO 
DOES  NOT  REMEMBER SEEING THE SUSPECTS OR ANYTHING UNUSUAL IN 
THE TWO ROOMS.

KISHOR RAGHWANI MANAGES THE CONSTRUCTION AT THE HILLTOP HOTEL. HE
SAYS THE POLICE OFTEN COME TO THE HOTEL BECAUSE OF FREQUENT 
ROBBERIES.  HE DOES  NOT  BELIEVE THE BOMBERS WOULD HAVE CHOSEN 
THE HOTEL.

                     ///  RAGHWANI ACT  ///

         IT IS  NOT  THE RIGHT PLACE TO DO SUCH KIND OF THINGS.  
         POLICE CAN COME ANYTIME, SO IT IS  NOT  A SAFE PLACE TO 
         COME AND DO SUCH KIND OF THINGS. 

                        ///  END ACT  ///

BUT MARTIN AYUB, A DRIVER OUTSIDE THE HOTEL, DISAGREES.

                       ///  AYUB ACT  ///

         THEY COULD ASSEMBLE IT, KNOWING THE PEOPLE HERE DON'T 
         KNOW MUCH ABOUT BOMBS.  YOU SEE MOST OF THE PEOPLE HERE 
         THEY ARE MECHANICS AND ALL THESE OTHER PEOPLE (TYPES OF 
         PROFESSIONS).  SO IF PEOPLE COME WITH THE BOMBS AND 
         START ASSEMBLING (THEM), NOBODY WOULD KNOW THAT THIS IS 
         A BOMB. 

                        ///  END ACT  ///

IN A BRIEF STATEMENT, THE F-B-I CONFIRMED AGENTS CONDUCTED A 
SEARCH AT THE HOTEL ON TUESDAY AND THAT THE INVESTIGATION WAS 
PROCEEDING IN A LOGICAL MANNER.  THE STATEMENT SAID THERE WILL BE
NO  FURTHER COMMENT AT THIS TIME.  (SIGNED) 

NEB/CP/JWH

19-Aug-98 11:03 AM EDT (1503 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.