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)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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