Military

DATE=09/20/01

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-280799

TITLE=ATTACKS / KENYA (L ONLY)

BYLINE=KATY SALMON

DATELINE=NAIROBI

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Fear is growing in Kenya that the country may suffer if the United States retaliates for last week's terrorist attacks in New York and Washington. Katy Salmon talked with a professor in Nairobi about why Kenyans are fearful.

TEXT: More than two hundred Kenyans were killed when terrorists bombed the U-S embassy in Nairobi in 1998. The man U-S authorities have linked to that bombing, Osama bin Laden, has been named by U-S leaders as a prime suspect in last week's attacks. Kenyans are now growing concerned that any U-S effort to get Mr. bin Laden, who is now believed to be in Afghanistan, may again make their country a terrorist target

Professor Peter Anyang' Nyong'o of the African Academy of Sciences in Nairobi says Kenya's importance as a naval base for the United States puts it directly in the line of fire.

/// ANYANG' NYONG'O ACT ///

Supposing the U-S retaliated? How far would the retaliation go? And supposing for example in that process the U-S were to use Kenya as a landing base or something. The other side begins retaliating against those who have helped the U-S. We would definitely be involved in it.

/// END ACT ///

Like many Kenyans, Professor Anyang' Nyong'o opposes a U-S military attack, saying Washington has tried it before and it has not worked.

/// 2ND ANYANG' NYONG'O ACT ///

The danger of a military response is one, you are likely to hit the wrong target. (The U-S bombed Sudan) after the bombing in Nairobi. If that happens this time, it will be on a wider scale than what happened in Khartoum and the destruction will be enormous and the resentment will be equally enormous.

///END ACT///

Mr. Anyang' Nyong'o says that, if Osama bin Laden is found to be responsible for last week's attacks, he should be tried in an international court of justice.

/// OPT TO END /// At a recent conference in Nairobi, African scholars drew up a resolution calling for a global summit to discuss and eliminate the causes of terrorism. They are sending the resolution to U-N Secretary General Kofi Annan, the African Union, and the U-S government. (Signed)

NEB/KS/KL/RH