Charlotte Observer Logo

‘I could have skinned him alive' | Charlotte Observer

×
  • E-edition
  • Customer Service
  • Advertise
  • Newsletters

    • News
    • Local
    • Crime
    • Databases
    • Education
    • Election
    • Politics
    • Nation/World
    • Special Reports
    • North Carolina
    • South Carolina
    • Corrections
    • Columnists
    • Retro Charlotte
    • Your Schools
    • All Blogs & Columns
    • Sports
    • Carolina Panthers
    • Charlotte Hornets
    • That's Racin'
    • High Schools
    • College Sports
    • Charlotte Knights/MLB
    • Other Sports
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Inside the Panthers
    • Inside the NBA
    • Prep Insiders
    • Scott Fowler
    • Tom Sorensen
    • All Blogs & Columns
    • Politics
    • Elections
    • The North Carolina Influencer Series
    • RNC 2020
    • Business
    • Banking
    • Stocks Center
    • Top Workplaces
    • National Business
    • What's in Store
    • Development
    • All Blogs & Columns
    • Living
    • Religion
    • Food & Drink
    • Health & Family
    • Home & Garden
    • CLT Style
    • Travel
    • Living Here Guide
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • I'll Bite
    • Kathleen Purvis
    • All Blogs & Columns
    • Arts/Culture
    • Events
    • Movie News & Reviews
    • Restaurants
    • Music/Nightlife
    • Television
    • Books
    • Comics
    • Puzzles & Games
    • Rewards
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • All Blogs & Columns
    • Opinion
    • Editorials
    • Influencers Opinion
    • Kevin Siers
    • Letters
    • Submit an Op-ed
    • Submit a Letter
    • Viewpoint
    • All Blogs & Columns
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • O-Pinion
    • You Write The Caption
    • Taylor Batten
    • Peter St. Onge
  • Celebrations
  • Obituaries
  • TV Listings

  • Public Notices
  • Cars
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Virtual Career Fair
  • Homes
  • Classifieds
  • Place an ad
  • Mobile & Apps

  • MomsCharlotte
  • Carolina Bride Magazine
  • South Park Magazine

News

‘I could have skinned him alive'

By Tom Maliti - Associated Press

    ORDER REPRINT →

August 08, 2008 12:00 AM

Douglas Sidialo woke up in a Nairobi hospital 10 years ago, devastated to find he had been blinded by flying glass after al-Qaida bombed the American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.

His thoughts immediately turned to revenge on terror leader Osama bin Laden.

“I could have skinned him alive,” said Sidialo, who was among the hundreds marking the 10-year anniversary Thursday of the bombings that killed more than 200 people and wounded 5,000.

The bombings Aug. 7, 1998, were the first major al-Qaida attack on U.S. targets. The alleged mastermind, Fazul Abdullah Mohammed, has been on the run for years; he apparently escaped a police raid on the Kenyan coast last weekend.

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to The Charlotte Observer

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

On Thursday, Prime Minister Raila Odinga said Mohammed's recent escape shows the country remains at risk.

“The stark revelations of the last few days have reminded us yet again that we have terrorists in our midst still planning awful deeds,” Odinga said during a ceremony at the downtown site of the former embassy, which is now a memorial garden.

Mohammed still has a $5 million bounty on his head.

“We must therefore never relax our vigilance against these extremists,” Odinga told the crowd of about 400. “Let me assure Kenyans that this government will do everything possible to prevent us from ever again being attacked.”

Odinga also said the world needs to resolve the political crises of the Middle East and nearby Somalia, or else “new extremists will continue to be created.”

George Mimba, a technology manager, said he was working at the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi 10 years ago when a pickup truck rigged as a bomb exploded outside the four-story building. Within minutes, another bomb shattered the U.S. mission in Tanzania's commercial capital, Dar es Salaam.

Mimba, 44, said he can still see his colleagues buried under smoldering rubble and can still picture Nairobi's streets stained with blood.

“That day is still as fresh as today,” Mimba said at a somber ceremony at the embassy.

Mimba said he was thrown to the floor when the bombs went off. He quickly regained consciousness and jumped out of the second floor “so that my body could be found intact.”

“I do not know why I survived. I do not know what God wants me to do,” Mimba told The Associated Press.

The U.S. ambassador to Kenya, Michael Ranneberger, said during both ceremonies that Kenya and Tanzania were honoring the victims by strengthening their democracies to prevent another attack in the future.

  Comments  

Videos

Rookie USA Kids Fashion Show features celebrities in Charlotte

Charlotte welcomes the NBA All-Star game

View More Video

Trending Stories

After multiple attempts, Charlotte council member Braxton Winston gets served

February 15, 2019 11:29 AM

That trendy CBD product in your smoothie? Adding it is illegal, NC officials say

February 15, 2019 11:56 AM

Largest tribe in East called NC home for centuries. Feds say it’s not Indian enough.

February 15, 2019 08:40 AM

In Charlotte, Dave Chappelle makes more transgender jokes — and makes no apologies

February 15, 2019 01:47 AM

The NBA All-Star Celebrity Game was looking weak. Then some strong basketball saved it.

February 16, 2019 02:26 AM

things to do

Read Next

Vatican defrocks former US cardinal McCarrick over sex abuse

World

Vatican defrocks former US cardinal McCarrick over sex abuse

By FRANCES D'EMILIO and NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 16, 2019 10:44 AM

The Vatican says Pope Francis has defrocked former U.S. Cardinal Theodore McCarrick after Vatican officials found him guilty of soliciting for sex while hearing confession.

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to The Charlotte Observer

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE NEWS

National Business

Correction: Lithium Ion Batteries-Recycling story

February 16, 2019 10:12 AM
Hurricane Florence killed millions of chickens and turkeys. Now farmers are putting them to use.

North Carolina

Hurricane Florence killed millions of chickens and turkeys. Now farmers are putting them to use.

February 16, 2019 08:29 AM
Illinois man being fired from job fatally shoots 5 workers

National

Illinois man being fired from job fatally shoots 5 workers

February 16, 2019 07:00 AM
The Latest: Booker kicks off first visit to New Hampshire

National Politics

The Latest: Booker kicks off first visit to New Hampshire

February 16, 2019 10:46 AM
London Fashion Week: Jasper Conran goes for monastic chic

World

London Fashion Week: Jasper Conran goes for monastic chic

February 16, 2019 10:42 AM
Anniversary of Stonewall uprising celebrated in Juneau

National Politics

Anniversary of Stonewall uprising celebrated in Juneau

February 16, 2019 10:35 AM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

Charlotte Observer App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
  • Photo Store
Advertising
  • Information
  • Place a Classified
Copyright
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story