Compensation for Families of Nairobi Bombing Victims

Answer: The Department believes that all victims of terrorism deserve compensation, for all of their suffering and losses, from those responsible for the terrorist acts. Where circumstances do not permit such direct recovery, reasonable compensation through other mechanisms is appropriate.

The United States is deeply sympathetic to the many victims of the heinous terrorist attacks on our embassies in Nairobi and Tanzania. Indeed, the Department has worked hard to ensure that the families of the American victims of the Nairobi bombing have received all payments to which they are entitled under a uniform framework of benefits established by Congress for U.S. Government employees who are killed or injured in these circumstances. The United States government has also provided substantial assistance to both Kenya and Tanzania specifically to help them deal with the humanitarian and economic impact of the attacks.

The Department is developing a proposal for a comprehensive program of fair, equitable, and prompt compensation for all U.S. victims of international terrorism. A provision in the recently enacted appropriations act for the Commerce, Justice and State Departments expresses Congress’ wish that the President submit just such a legislative proposal covering all United States victims of international terrorism since November 1, 1979 and their families, which would include those who suffered as a result of the bombings in East Africa.