FBI chief visits Tanzania embassy

THE DIRECTOR of the FBI, Louis Freeh, toured the damaged American Embassy in the Tanzanian capital of Dar es Salaam yesterday after flying from Washington to pursue investigations into the bombing.

Mr Freeh said investigators had as yet reached no conclusions about the possible involvement of two men still being held by Tanzania in connection with the bombing, although another FBI agent told reporters they would be right to assume a link between the nearly simultaneous bombings of the mission in Dar es Salaam and in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.

Mr Freeh met FBI agents and Tanzanian officials who have been investigating the bombing in which 10 people - eight Tanzanians, one Kenyan and one Somali - died.

"We haven't made any conclusions that anybody being held here is connected at this point to the bombing," Mr Freeh said. "But we do want to continue to work with our colleagues here to interview not just those individuals, but others who may have information."

Tanzania's Home Affairs Minister, Ali Ameir Mohammed, confirmed that two men of 14 originally detained are still in custody, but would not give their names or nationalities.

Mr Freeh was expected last night to travel on to Nairobi. Kenyan police said last week they were holding "at least five people" in connection with their inquiry into the Nairobi bomb.