Embassy bomb victims' lawyer hopeful on compensation

Rescuers work to help survivors amid the devastation occasioned by an explosion targeting the US embassy in Nairobi August 7, 1998. A US attorney representing about 500 Kenyans affected by the bombing said August 5, 2013 he is "absolutely confident" of a favourable outcome to the long quest for compensation. FILE

A United States attorney representing about 500 Kenyans affected by the 1998 embassy bombing said on Monday he is "absolutely confident" of a favourable outcome to the long quest for compensation.

A US court could rule this year that the Kenyans are entitled to share between $10 million (Sh850m) and $20 million (Sh1.7bn), said Washington-based attorney Philip Musolino.

But even if that does occur, "another hurdle" looms in the form of a complicated effort to actually collect the proceeds from the US government, Mr Musolino added. The payments would come from assets seized from al-Qaeda.

The terrorist organisation carried out twin attacks in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam on August 7, 1998, that killed 212 Kenyans, 12 Americans and 10 Tanzanians.

"I've never been involved in a case that's taken this long," Mr Musolino said. "But however long it takes, we're not giving up."

"When something this horrific happens," the attorney added, "the pain never ends."

Saying "the repercussions are being felt today," Mr Musolino suggested that the 15th anniversary of the East Africa bombings could be a motivation for al-Qaeda's recently reported threat to attack US installations.

Several American embassies in North Africa and the Middle East have been closed due to fear of an imminent attack.

Should his Kenyan clients eventually be awarded damages, Mr Musolino's law firm will receive a share of the proceeds.

He said on Monday he has been working on the basis of "a very reduced contingency fee" that was approved by the Law Society of Kenya.

"It's not our goal to make an exorbitant profit," Mr Musolino said.