Going Down the Memory Lane of Series of Terror Attacks in Kenya

By Amina Faki

“Refugees are men, women, and children caught in the fury of war, or the cross hairs of persecution. Far from being terrorists, they are often the victims of terrorism. Targeting the weakest does not show strength” Angelina Jolie

It all started as an act of Kindness in July 1976 when Kenya’s first President Jomo Kenyatta allowed an Israel Defense Forces task force to cross the Kenyan airspace and refuel at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on its way to Entebbe International Airport in Uganda.

Israel required help from the East African country for the success of its Operation Entebbe raid to extract people from a hostage crisis.

Perceived as Western interest and Israeli support, this incident led to anger from Islamic extremist, which led to series of terrorist attack in the country.

Below is a chain of terrorist attacks in the country that left many killed, many wounded and more left homeless;

2017: Northern Parts of Kenya

In recent weeks of May, the East African nation has lost 20 officers in various attacks, mostly on deserted roads in the vast northern region bordering Somalia, in which the militants used Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs)

2015: Garissa attack

In April 2015, gunmen stormed the Garissa University College killing almost 150 people and wounding several. The attackers claimed to be from the Al-Shabaab militant group and indicated that they were retaliating over non-Muslims occupying Muslim territory. The militants took several students hostage, freeing Muslims but withholding Christians. Over 500 students were still unaccounted for.

2014: Mpeketoni attacks

Between 15 June and 17 June 2014, more than 60 people were killed in attacks in and near Mpeketoni, Lamu County. The Somalia-based Al-Shabaab militant group claimed responsibility, but the Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta asserted that the attacks were organized by local politicians with ties to a network of gangs. Correspondents from the area suggested that the attacks may have been motivated by ethnic or religious hatred, or revenge for land grabbing.

2013: Westgate Mall attack

The events took place on 21^st September 2013 when Al-Shabaab associated gunmen targeted and shot customers at Nairobi’s Westgate Shopping Mall. At least 67 people were killed in the attack and left many wounded.

2012: Al-Shabaab attacks

In October 2011, a coordinated operation between the Somali military and the Kenyan military began against the Al-Shabaab group of insurgents in southern Somalia. The mission was officially led by the Somali army, with the Kenyan forces providing a support role.  Since then, a series of explosions have rocked various areas in Kenya, bombings which are believed to have been retaliatory attacks by Al-Shabaab.  In early June 2012, Kenyan forces were formally integrated into AMISOM.

According to US Embassy in the past 2011/2012, there have been at least 17 attacks involving grenades or explosive devices in Kenya. At least 48 people died in these attacks, and around 200 people were injured. Nine of these attacks occurred in North Eastern Province, including locations in Dadaab, Wajir, and Garissa. Four attacks occurred in Nairobi, and four in Mombasa. Targets included police stations and police vehicles, nightclubs and bars, churches, a religious gathering, a downtown building of small shops, and a bus station. A more recent attack involved two simultaneous assaults on churches in Garissa on 1 July 2012. In this attack, 17 people were killed and about 50 people were injured.

2002: Kikambala Hotel Bombing and Arkia Airlines missile attack in Mombasa

On 28 November 2002, two missiles were fired at an Israeli passenger airliner as it took off from Mombasa airport but missed. Subsequently, there was an attack on the Kikambala Hotel when it was receiving Israeli tourists.

The hotel blast occurred just after some 60 visitors had checked into the hotel, all of them from Israel, hotel officials said. 13 were killed and 80 injured. Ten Kenyans died, nine of whom were employed by the hotel, most of them were said to be traditional dancers who came to welcome the 140 guests arriving from Israel by state-chartered jet and three Israelis, two of whom were children. Almost simultaneously, two shoulder-launched Strela-2(SA-7) surface-to-air missiles were fired at another chartered Boeing 257 airliner owned by Israel-based Arkia Airlines as it took off from Moi International Airport.

1998: United States Embassy Bombings

On 7 August, between 10:30 a.m. and 10:40 a.m. local time, suicide bombers in trucks laden with explosives parked outside the embassies in Dar es Salaam and Nairobi, and almost simultaneously detonated. 213 people were killed in the Nairobi blast, while 11 were killed in Dar es Salaam. An estimated 4,000 in Nairobi were wounded, and another 85 in Dar es Salaam.

Seismological readings analyzed after the bombs indicated energy of between 3–17 tons of highly explosive material. Although the attacks were directed at American facilities, the vast majority of casualties were local citizens of the two African countries; 12 Americans were killed including two CIA employees and US Marine In the Nairobi Embassy.

A group calling itself Liberation Army for Holy Sites took credit for the bombings. American investigators believed that the term was a cover used by Egyptian Islamic Jihad, who had perpetrated the bombing.

1980: Norfolk Hotel bombing

The Norfolk hotel in Nairobi, owned by a prominent member of the local Jewish community, was bombed on 31 December 1980. The bomb killed 20 people of several nationalities, wounded 87 more, and destroyed much of the west wing. It was believed to be an act of revenge by pro-Palestinian militants for Kenya’s supporting role in Israel’s Operation Entebbe.

According to reports about that incident, international security agencies in conjunction with the Kenya Police had a prime suspect within hours. He was identified as 34-year-old Qaddura Mohammed Abdel al-Hamid of Morocco, and he was said to have checked into the Norfolk Hotel in Nairobi in the last week of 1980. Al-Hamid was found to have paid for his room up until New Year’s Day but slipped away on the afternoon of 31 December. He had boarded a plane for Saudi Arabia by the time the guests at the Norfolk assembled for a New Year’s Eve dinner

1975: Nairobi bombing and the murder of J M Kariuki

In early 1975, the first bombs to strike independent Kenya exploded. In February, there were two blasts in central Nairobi, inside the Starlight nightclub and in a travel bureau near the Hilton hotel. The day after the second explosion, J M Kariuki revealed in Parliament that his car had been hit “by what seemed to be bullets”. There were rumors of a botched attempt on his life. They were followed by a more serious blast in a Nairobi bus on 1 March, which killed 30 people. Despite a massive public outcry and a police manhunt, no arrests were made. For several days thereafter, the city lived in fear, destabilized by numerous telephone bomb hoaxes.

On 2 March 1975, the day after the OTC bus blast, security officials including General Service Unit Commander Ben Gethi publicly accosted JM Kariuki outside the Hilton hotel. Various police officers, including European police reservist Patrick Shaw, had been following JM throughout the day. Gethi asked Kariuki to accompany the security officials into a convoy of cars and took him to an unknown destination

The bombings stopped after the news of the disappearance and murder of JM Kariuki became public

I wish to express my most profound condolences for all the fallen Kenyans who have ever been killed and injured in the outrageous terrorist attacks, and more widely to all Kenya and all the people of Kenya who have been so movingly affected. The only consolation is that it strengthens our solidarity and resolve to protect fundamental liberties.