Cablegate: Explosions in Africa: Are There Any American

O 101410Z AUG 98
FM AMEMBASSY BEIRUT
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7015
USIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4149
WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
SECDEF WASHDC//USDP/ASD-PA/ASD-ISA// IMMEDIATE
INFO AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
AMEMBASSY PARIS
AMEMBASSY LONDON
AMEMBASSY CAIRO
AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV
AMEMBASSY NICOSIA
USCINCEUR VAIHINGEN GE//EC/ECJ4-EDC (LTC CRUMRINE)//
USCINCEUR VAIHINGEN GE//EC/ECJ3-OC-0 (MAJ NORTH)//
JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK//OOA//
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
DIA WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIRUT 002888

STATE FOR NEA/ARN, SMEC, INR/NESA, INR/TNA, HA, IO,
S/P, PA, P/M, NEA/P, AND AID FOR ENE
USIA FOR NEA, R, P/F, P/G, P/P, P/FW, P/FN, P/M, TV/P,
P/R, TV/W; VOA/BRN, VOA NEWS/CA,
USIA FOR NEA - GOOD, OWEN, BELL, DATTA
WHITE HOUSE FOR NSC/COUNTRYMAN
PARIS ALSO FOR LEAF
LONDON ALSO FOR TUELLER
NICOSIA FOR ILMG ANO BSO

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC PTER PREL KILS PGOV MOPS LE IS SY
SUBJECT: EXPLOSIONS IN AFRICA: ARE THERE ANY AMERICAN
INTENTIONS TO ACCUSE LIBYA, IRAN, OR ISLAMIC RADICALS?

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1. SUMMARY
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THE TWO EXPLOSIONS WERE REPORTED ON THE FRONT-PAGE OF
EVERY NEWSPAPER IN LEBANON. MOST REPORTED THE EVENT
WITH NO EDITORIALIST REACTION. THE ONLY TWO
EDITORIALS THAT WERE WRITTEN WERE CONTRADICTORY.
JOSEPH SAMAHA OF ARAB NATIONALIST DAILY AS-SAFIR
WARNED THAT "BEING AN ENEMY TO THE US IS ONE THING AND
PLANNING TERRORIST ATTACKS IS ANOTHER." HE ADDED,
"WHOEVER PLANNED THESE ATTACKS MADE A BIG MISTAKE".
SYRIA'S MOUTHPIECE IN LEBANON 'ASH-SHARQ', HOWEVER,
RIDICULED THE AMERICAN STATEMENT ON HAVING SOME IDEAS
ABOUT THE IDENTITY OF THE PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE
EXPLOSIONS. ASH-SHARQ ACCUSED THE US OF INTENDING TO
IMPLICATE AN ARAB COUNTRY OR ARAB ISLAMISTS. IT
CONCLUDED THAT THE REAL ATTACKER IS THE CIA AND THE
JEWISH LOBBY. END SUMMARY.

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2. HEADLINES:
--------------

"TERRORISM TERRORIZES AMERICA IN THE HEART OF AFRICA"
(ARAB AFFAIRS ASH-SHARQ AL-AWSAT HEADLINE)

"WASHINGTON HAS SOME IDEAS ABOUT THE IDENTITY OF THE
TERRORISTS AND KENYA ARRESTED A SUSPECT IN ARAB
CLOTHES" (PRO-SUNNI AL-LIWA' HEADLINE)

"UNKNOWN ISLAMIC ORGANIZATION CLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY
FOR EXPLOSIONS" (ARAB AFFAIRS AL-HAYAT HEADLINE)

"WHO HIT AMERICAN TARGETS?" (SENSATIONALIST AD-DIYAR
HEADLINE)

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3. EXCERPTS FROM EDITORIALS:
-----------------------------

"WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR EXPLOSIONS IN AFRICA" A FRONT-
PAGE EDITORIAL BY AWNI AL-KA'KI IN SYRIA'S MOUTHPIECE
PRO-BA'TH DAILY 'ASH-SHARQ' (08/8):"IT IS TOO EARLY TO
DETERMINE THE IDENTITY OF PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE
EXPLOSIONS IN AFRICA. HOWEVER, A FEW HOURS FOLLOWING
THE EXPLOSIONS, THE US ANNOUNCED THAT IT HAS SOME IDEA
ABOUT WHO DID IT. HOW DID THE US GET ITS IDEAS SO
FAST? THIS AMERICAN STATEMENT CARRIES DANGEROUS
INDICATIONS. IT MEANS THAT THE WHITE HOUSE INTENDS TO
ACCUSE SOMEBODY, MOST PROBABLY AN ARAB STATE.
WHAT IS THE US PLANNING TO DO? PERHAPS IT INTENDS TO
ACCUSE LIBYA FOLLOWING THE AFRICAN COUNTRIES' DECISION
TO LIFT EMBARGO AGAINST LIBYA. PERHAPS THE US INTENDS
TO ACCUSE IRAN BECAUSE IRAN'S NEW OPENNESS TOWARDS THE
US BOTHERS ISRAEL. FINALLY, THE US MAY ACCUSE ALL
ISLAMISTS!
WE BELIEVE THAT THE PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE FOR EXPLOSIONS
ARE THE JEWISH LOBBY AND THE CIA."

"WHO DARES" A FRONT-PAGE EDITORIAL BY JOSEPH SAMAHA IN
ARAB NATIONALIST AS-SAFIR (O8/8)"THE MESSAGE SENT BY
THE EGYPTIAN ISLAMIC "JIHAD" CLAIMING RESPONSIBILITY
FOR THE EXPLOSIONS IN AFRICA, (WHETHER THEY ARE REALLY
RESPONSIBLE OR NOT), ENFEEBLES THE ARABS' ABILITY TO
DEFEND THEMSELVES FROM BEING AUTOMATICALLY ACCUSED OF
TERRORIST ACTS AGAINST US INTERESTS AROUND THE
WORLD... WHOEVER PLANS TERRORIST ATTACKS AGAINST THE
US IS COMMITTING A GRAVE MISTAKE. TERRORIST ATTACKS
OF THIS TYPE WILL NEVER OUST CLINTON OR CHANGE
AMERICAN POLICY. ON THE CONTRARY, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
WILL NEITHER FORSAKE THEIR PRESIDENT IN TIMES OF
CRISIS, NOR RELENT TO TERRORISTS' DEMANDS. THE
RESULT? MOST OF THE DEAD AND INJURED ARE INNOCENT
PEOPLE WHOSE DEATHS WON'T FULFILL THE TERRORISTS'
DESIRES AND DREAMS."

4. POC FOR THIS REPORT IS PETER VROOMAN, POL OFFICER.

BERRY

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