A Kenyan court has dismissed a compensation claim by the families and victims of the 1998 United States embassy bombing in Nairobi, which killed over 200 people and injured thousands. The attack, carried out by al-Qaeda, also targeted the US Embassy in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in a nearly simultaneous blast.
The court’s decision, delivered on Wednesday, stated that there was insufficient evidence to support the claim that the Kenyan government had failed to act on prior intelligence about the attack. Judge Lawrence Mugambi noted that the petitioners had alleged that the government was aware of potential security threats and had failed to prevent the infiltration of “dangerous elements” due to border and immigration failures.
The petitioners were required to demonstrate that specific intelligence existed and that the government had failed to act on it, the judge explained. While acknowledging that the state has a responsibility to protect its citizens’ right to life, Mugambi emphasized that this obligation depends on proof of prior knowledge of a potential threat.
The US government has already provided compensation to the families of its nationals who died or were injured in the blast, totaling over $5 billion. However, local victims have expressed disappointment and frustration with the Kenyan court’s decision, citing a sense of injustice. Mike Kitivo, a member of a consortium of victims, stated that the group is “truly disheartened” by the judgment and plans to appeal to the Court of Appeal and the International Criminal Court of Justice.
The victims’ group hopes to seek compensation from countries whose banks may have financed al-Qaeda’s terrorist activities. The case highlights the ongoing struggle for justice and accountability for the victims of the 1998 embassy bombings, which had a profound impact on international relations and global security. The next steps in the appeal process will be closely watched, as the victims and their families continue to seek recognition and compensation for their losses.
