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Most US embassy staff to leave Pakistan

Most US embassy personnel were leaving Pakistan and other Americans were urged to join them today after a suspect in the east African embassy bombings was caught in Pakistan and turned over to Kenyan authorities.

The bombings in Nairobi, Kenya and in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania on August 7 has claimed 257 people.

The suspect, identified as Mohammad Sadik Howaida, is a 34-year-old Palestinian engineer who confessed to helping plan the bombing. He reportedly told investigators that six other conspirators slipped through the airport on August 7 and apparently made their way to Afghanistan. Howaida was reportedly calm and collected during his confession.

US embassy spokesperson Richard Hoagland said all but about 50 of the usual contingent of about 120 in the embassy in Islamabad and consulates in Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar would leave under security orders from the state department. They and their families will begin leaving tomorrow, he said.

"American citizens currently in Pakistan are urged ... to consider seriously departing Pakistan,'' the embassy added in a statement. It noted airports were open and commercial flights available, but added the embassy was arranging additional flights.

Figures on the numbers of Americans other than embassy staff in Pakistan were not immediately available.

Hoagland refused to say whether the precautions had been prompted by a specific threat. He said they were part of a security advisory that also covered Eritrea, Iran and Mongolia. In Washington yesterday, the state department updated its Worldwide Caution for Americans, warning specifically against all travel to Pakistan .

The state department issued a similar warning hours after the August 7 embassy explosions in Kenya and Tanzania and cited the potential for more threats. The revised Worldwide Caution referred to "subsequent threats'' without elaborating.

The Pakistani newspaper, The News, quoting unnamed government sources, said Howaida also claimed the attack was sponsored by Osama bin Laden, a Saudi harboured in neighbouring Afghanistan who US officials have identified as a possible suspect in the bombings.

The United States has said bin Laden is among the world's most militant sponsors of terrorism. He has been vocal in his hatred of what he sees as US imperialism and pledged to drive US troops out of bases in places like his native Saudi Arabia.

The circumstances surrounding Pakistan's handling of the case remain unclear. The News reported that one of its sources said Howaida was handed over to US officials who took him to an undisclosed location, while another source told The News he was handed over to Kenyan officials in Nairobi.

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