Security Council condemns last month's terrorist attacks in Kenya

The United Nations Security Council today strongly condemned last month's terrorist attacks in Kenya, where a bomb blast shook a resort hotel and missiles were fired at an Israeli airliner.

By a vote of 14 in favour with Syria opposing, the Council adopted a resolution denouncing the two incidents and other recent terrorist acts in various countries, saying that it regarded such acts, "like any act of international terrorism, as a threat to international peace and security."

On 28 November, a bomb blew up at the Paradise Hotel in Kikambala, while missiles were fired at an Arkia Israeli Airlines flight leaving Mombassa.

In its resolution, the Council urged all countries to cooperate in efforts "to find and bring to justice the perpetrators, organizers and sponsors of these terrorist attacks." The text also expressed the 15-nation body's sympathy and condolences to the people and the Governments of Kenya and Israel, and to the victims of the terrorist attack and their families.

Syrian Ambassador Mikhail Wehbe said his country condemned the Kenya attack and extended its sympathy to the country's Government, but opposed the resolution because of references to Israel "at a time when it is exercising the highest forms of terrorism and is daily committing new crimes against humanity in the Arab occupied territories."