USS Cole bombing
Damage to USS Cole
Location	Aden, Yemen
Target(s)	USS Cole (U.S. Navy)
Date	October 12, 2000 11:18 am (UTC+3)
Attack Type	suicide bombing
Fatalities	17 sailors, 2 suicide bombers
Injuries	39 sailors
Perpetrator(s)	al-Qaeda, carried out by Ibrahim al-Thawr and Abdullah al-Misawa

The USS Cole bombing was a suicide bombing attack against the U.S. Navy guided missile destroyer USS Cole (DDG 67) on October 12, 2000 while it was harbored in the Yemeni port of Aden. 17 sailors were killed. Image File history File links USS_Cole_damage. ... Port of Aden (around 1910). ... The second USS Cole (DDG 67) is an Arleigh Burke-class Aegis guided missile destroyer homeported in NS Norfolk, Virginia. ... USN redirects here. ... October 12 is the 285th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (286th in leap years). ... This article is about the year 2000. ... ... A suicide bombing is an attack using a bomb in which the individual(s) carrying the explosive materials composing the bomb intend(s) and expect(s) to die upon detonation (see suicide). ... Al-Qaeda (Arabic: القاعدة, the foundation or the base) is the name given to a worldwide network of militant Islamist organizations under the leadership of Osama bin Laden. ... A suicide bombing is an attack using a bomb in which the individual(s) carrying the explosive materials composing the bomb intend(s) and expect(s) to die upon detonation (see suicide). ... USN redirects here. ... A guided missile is a military rocket that can be directed in flight to change its flight path. ... USS Lassen, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet or battle group and defend them against smaller, short-range attackers (originally torpedo boats, later submarines and aircraft). ... The second USS Cole (DDG 67) is an Arleigh Burke-class Aegis guided missile destroyer homeported in NS Norfolk, Virginia. ... October 12 is the 285th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (286th in leap years). ... This article is about the year 2000. ... Port of Aden (around 1910). ...

The attack On October 12, 2000, USS Cole, under the command of Commander Kirk Lippold, set in to Aden harbor for a routine fuel stop. Cole completed mooring at 09:30. Refueling started at 10:30. At 11:18 local time (08:18 UTC, a small craft approached the port side of the destroyer, and an explosion occurred, putting a 35-by-36-foot gash in the ship's port side. The blast hit the ship's galley, where crew were lining up for lunch. "I Survived a Terrorist Attack"; Jennifer Kudrik talks about the attack on the USS Cole,publisher Cosmopolitan magazine date=September 1, 2001. The crew fought flooding in the engineering spaces and had the damage under control by the evening. Divers inspected the hull and determined the keel was not damaged.

Seventeen sailors were killed and 39 others were injured in the blast. The injured sailors were taken to the United States Army's Landstuhl Regional Medical Center near Ramstein, Germany, and later to the U.S. The attack was the deadliest against a US Naval vessel since the Iraqi attack on the USS Stark FFG-31 on May 17th, 1987.

The asymmetric warfare attack, organized and directed by Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda terrorist organization, was carried out by suicide bombers Ibrahim al-Thawr and Abdullah al-Misawa.

After the attack

The Military Sealift Command fleet ocean tug USNS Catawba tows Cole to the MV Blue Marlin

The first naval ship on the scene to assist the stricken Cole was the Royal Navy Type 23 frigate, HMS Marlborough, under the command of Capt Anthony Rix, RN. She was on passage to the UK after a six-month deployment in the Gulf. Marlborough had full medical and damage control teams on board and when her offer of assistance was accepted she immediately diverted to Aden. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2100x1441, 835 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): USS Cole bombing ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2100x1441, 835 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): USS Cole bombing ... MV Blue Marlin carrying USS Cole M/V Blue Marlin and her sister ship M/V Black Marlin comprise the Marlin class of semi-submersible heavy-lift ship. ... The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore the Senior Service). ... The Type 23 frigate is a class of warship serving with the Royal Navy, also known as the Duke class. ... HMS Marlborough (F233) is a Type 23 frigate of the Royal Navy. ...

The first U.S. military support to arrive was a U.S. Marine platoon with the 2nd Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team Company (FAST), based out of Yorktown, Virginia. The Marines from 4th Platoon, 2nd FAST arrived on the 13th from a security mission in Doha, Qatar. The FAST platoon secured the USS Cole and a near by hotel that was housing the U.S. Ambassador to Yemen. United States Marine Corps Emblem The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is the second smallest of the five branches of the United States armed forces, with 170,000 active and 40,000 reserve Marines as of 2002. ... Two marines from the 1st Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Team (FAST) Battalion guarding an Iraqi oil rig in April 2004 The Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team (FAST) is a branch of the United States Marine Corps security forces capable of rapidly deploying to improve security at United States Government installations worldwide. ... York Hall is a government building on Yorktowns historic Main Street. ... Doha (Arabic: الدوحة;, Ad-Dawhah) (population 370,000) is the capital of Qatar, located on the Persian Gulf. ...

USS Donald Cook and USS Hawes made best speed to arrive in the vicinity of Aden that afternoon providing repair and logistical support. Catawba, Camden, Anchorage, Duluth, and Tarawa arrived in Aden some days later, providing watch relief crews, harbor security, damage control equipment, billeting, and food service for the crew of the Cole. LCU 1666 provided daily runs from the Tarawa with hot food and supplies and ferrying personnel to and from all other Naval vessels supporting USS Cole. In the remaining days LCU 1632 and various personnel from LCU 1666 teamed up to patrol around the Cole while the MV Blue Marlin was preparing to take up station to receive the Cole. USS Donald Cook (DDG-75) is an Arleigh Burke class destroyer in the United States Navy. ... USS Hawes (FFG-53) is a later model Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided missile frigate. ... The Catawba is a USNS vessel and is a fleet tug boat. ... The USS Camden (AOE-2) is the second ship of the United States Navy to bear the name Camden, after the city of Camden, New Jersey that lies on the Delaware River across from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ... USS Anchorage (LSD-36) was a dock landing ship of the United States Navy. ... USS Duluth (LPD-6), an Austin class amphibious transport dock, is the second ship of the United States Navy named for the city in Minnesota. ... USS Tarawa (LHA-1), nicknamed Eagle of the Sea, is a United States Navy amphibious assault ship, the lead ship of her class, and the second ship to be named for Tarawa Atoll, site of a Marine landing during World War II. The first Tarawa was the USS Tarawa (CV...

MV Blue Marlin carrying USS Cole

In a form of transport pioneered in 1988 by the USS Samuel B. Roberts aboard the Mighty Servant 2, Cole was hauled from Aden aboard the Norwegian heavy semi-submersible salvage ship MV Blue Marlin (see Figure 2). She arrived in Pascagoula, Mississippi December 24, 2000. Download high resolution version (900x675, 76 KB)Description: M/V Blue Marlin carrying USS Cole (DDG-67). ... Download high resolution version (900x675, 76 KB)Description: M/V Blue Marlin carrying USS Cole (DDG-67). ... USS (FFG-58) is one of the final ships in the United States Navys Oliver Hazard Perry class of guided missile frigates. ... Mighty Servant 2 was a semi-submersible heavy-lift ship. ... MV Mighty Servant 2 carries USS from Dubai to Newport, R.I., in 1988. ... MV Blue Marlin carrying USS Cole M/V Blue Marlin and her sister ship M/V Black Marlin comprise the Marlin class of semi-submersible heavy-lift ship. ... Sign for Pascagoula on U.S. Route 90 Pascagoula is a city in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. ... December 24 is the 358th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (359th in leap years). ... This article is about the year 2000. ...

Rules of engagement

The destroyer's rules of engagement, as approved by the Pentagon, kept its guards from firing upon the small boat loaded with explosives as it neared them without first obtaining permission from the Cole's captain or another officer. Petty Officer John Washak said that right after the blast, a senior chief petty officer ordered him to turn an M-60 machine gun on the Cole's fantail away from a second small boat approaching. "With blood still on my face," he said, he was told: "That's the rules of engagement: no shooting unless we're shot at." He added, "In the military, it's like we're trained to hesitate now. If somebody had seen something wrong and shot, he probably would have been court-martialed." Petty Officer Jennifer Kudrick said that if the sentries had fired on the suicide craft "we would have gotten in more trouble for shooting two foreigners than losing 17 American sailors."

Consequences and after-effects

President Bill Clinton declared, "If, as it now appears, this was an act of terrorism, it was a despicable and cowardly act. We will find out who was responsible and hold them accountable". Some critics [1] [2] [3] [4] have pointed out that, under U.S. law, an attack against a military target does not meet the legal definition of terrorism (see: 22 USC § 2656f(d)(2)). William Jefferson Bill Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III[1] on August 19, 1946) was the 42nd President of the United States, serving from 1993 to 2001. ...

On January 19, 2001, The Navy completed and released its Judge Advocate General Manual (JAGMAN) investigation of the incident, concluding that Cole's commanding officer Commander Kirk Lippold "acted reasonably in adjusting his force protection posture based on his assessment of the situation that presented itself" when Cole arrived in Aden to refuel. The JAGMAN also concluded that "the commanding officer of Cole did not have the specific intelligence, focused training, appropriate equipment or on-scene security support to effectively prevent or deter such a determined, preplanned assault on his ship" and recommended significant changes in Navy procedures. January 19 is the 19th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... USN redirects here. ... Judge Advocate Generals Corps, also known as JAG, can refer to the judicial arm of any of the United States armed forces, consisting of autonomous departments in the Air Force, Army, United States Coast Guard and Navy. ... CDR Kirk Lippold, USN Commander Kirk Lippold, USN, was Captain of the USS Cole on October 12, 2000 when the ship was attacked and bombed by Al-Qaeda terrorists. ...

On November 3, 2002, the CIA fired a AGM-114 Hellfire missile from a Predator UAV at a vehicle carrying Abu Ali al-Harithi, a suspected planner of the bombing plot. Also in the vehicle was Ahmed Hijazi, a U.S. citizen. Both were killed. This operation was carried out on Yemeni soil. November 3 is the 307th day of the year (308th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 58 days remaining. ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... The CIA Seal The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is an American intelligence agency, responsible for obtaining and analyzing information about foreign governments, corporations, and individuals, and reporting such information to the various branches of the U.S. Government. ... AGM-114 Hellfire Type Air-To-Ground Missile Nationality United States Era Cold War Launch platform Helicopter, UAV Target armored vehicles History Builder Lockheed Martin Date of design   Production period   Service duration   Operators See main text Variants See main text Number built   Specifications Type   Diameter 17. ... Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle flies on a simulated Navy aerial reconnaissance flight off southern California in December 1995. ... Abu Ali al-Harithi Abu Ali al-Harithi was a citizen of Yemen and a suspected al-Qaida operative who is believed to have been the mastermind behind the October 2000 USS Cole bombing. ... Ahmed Hijazi was a U.S. citizen killed by the U.S. CIA during a covert mission in Yemen in November 2002. ...

On September 29, 2004, a Yemeni judge sentenced Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri and Jamal al-Badawi to death for their roles in the bombing. Al-Nashiri, believed to be the operation's mastermind, is currently being held by the U.S. at an undisclosed location. Al-Badawi, in Yemeni custody, denounced the verdict as "an American one." Four others were sentenced to prison terms of five to 10 years for their involvement, including one Yemeni who had videotaped the attack. September 29 is the 272nd day of the year (273rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... al_Nashiri was the head of al_Qaida for the Arabian peninsula. ... Categories: Stub | Al-Qaida members ...

On February 3, 2006, 23 suspected or convicted Al-Qaeda members escaped from jail in Yemen. This number included 13 who were convicted of the USS Cole bombings and the bombing of the French tanker Limburg in 2002. Among those who reportedly escaped was Al-Badawi. Al-Qaeda's Yemeni number two Abu Assem al-Ahdal may also be among those now on the loose. [5] February 3 is the 34th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... The Limburg was a French-flagged oil tanker, chartered by a Malaysian oil firm. ...

Both the Clinton Administration and the Bush Administration have been criticized for failing to respond militarily to the attack on the USS Cole before September 11, 2001. The 9-11 Commission Report cites one source who said in February 2001, "[bin Laden] complained frequently that the United States had not yet attacked [in response to the Cole]... Bin Ladin wanted the United States to attack, and if it did not he would launch something bigger." [6] President Clintons Cabinet, circa 1993 Headed by President of the United States Bill Clinton, the Clinton Administation was the executive branch of the federal government of the United States from 1993 to 2001. ... George W. Bush administration is the administration of the 43rd president of the United States of America, 2001-present George H. W. Bush administration is the administration of the 41st president of the United States of America, 1989-1993 This is a disambiguation page, a list of pages that otherwise... This article or section should be merged with Summary of 9/11 Commission Report The cover of the final 9/11 report, which can be purchased in bookstores across the United States and around the world The 9/11 Commission Report, officially titled The Final Report of the National Commission...

Evidence of al-Qaeda's involvement was inconclusive for months after the attack. The staff of the 9-11 Commission found that al-Qaeda's direction of the bombing was under investigation but "increasingly clear" on November 11, 2000. It was an "unproven assumption" in late November. By December 21 the CIA had made a "preliminary judgment" that "al Qaeda appeared to have supported the attack," with no "definitive conclusion." [7] Al-Qaeda (Arabic: القاعدة, the foundation or the base) is the name given to a worldwide network of militant Islamist organizations under the leadership of Osama bin Laden. ... The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, also known as the 9/11 Commission, was set up in late 2002 to prepare a full and complete account of the circumstances surrounding the September 11, 2001 attacks including preparedness for and the immediate response to the attacks. ...

Accounts thereafter are varied and somewhat contradictory.

Then-National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice told the Commission that when the administration took office on January 20, 2001, "We knew that there was speculation that the 2000 Cole attack was al Qaeda... We received, I think, on January 25th the same assessment [of al-Qaeda responsibility]. It was preliminary. It was not clear." The Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, commonly referred to as the National Security Advisor, serves as the chief advisor to the President of the United States on national security issues. ... Condoleezza Rice (born November 14, 1954) is the 66th United States Secretary of State, and the second in the administration of President George W. Bush to hold the office. ...

Newsweek reported that on the following day, "six days after Bush took office," the FBI "believed they had clear evidence tying the bombers to Al Qaeda." [8] The Washington Post reported that, on February 9, Vice President Dick Cheney was briefed on bin Laden's responsibility "without hedge." [9] Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries â€¢ Politics Portal      The Vice President of the United States is the first in the presidential line of succession... Richard Bruce Dick Cheney (born January 30, 1941) is the 46th and current Vice President of the United States, serving under President George W. Bush. ...

These conclusions are contrasted by testimony of key figures before the 9/11 Commission, summarized in the 9/11 Commission Report. Former CIA Director George Tenet testified (page 196) that he "believed he laid out what was knowable early in the investigation, and that this evidence never really changed until after 9/11." [10] The report suggests (pages 201 - 202) that the official assessment was similarly vague until least March of 2001: The Commissions seal The references in this article would be clearer with a different and/or consistent style of citation, footnoting or external linking. ... The cover of the final 9/11 report, which can be purchased in bookstores across the United States and around the world The references in this article would be clearer with a different and/or consistent style of citation, footnoting or external linking. ... George Tenet George John Tenet (born January 5, 1953) is Distinguished Professor in the Practice of Diplomacy at Georgetown University and was previously the Director of Central Intelligence for the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. ...

On January 25, Tenet briefed the President on the Cole investigation. The written briefing repeated for top officials of the new administration what the CIA had told the Clinton White House in November. This included the "preliminary judgment" that al Qaeda was responsible, with the caveat that no evidence had yet been found that Bin Ladin himself ordered the attack... in March 2001, the CIA's briefing slides for Rice were still describing the CIA's "preliminary judgment" that a "strong circumstantial case" could be made against al Qaeda but noting that the CIA continued to lack "conclusive information on external command and control" of the attack. [11]

According to Dr. Rice, the decision not to respond militarily to the Cole bombing was President Bush's. She said he "made clear to us that he did not want to respond to al Qaeda one attack at a time. He told me he was 'tired of swatting flies.'" The administration instead began work on a new strategy to eliminate al-Qaeda. [12]

Related attacks

One of the 2000 millennium attack plots, the attempted bombing of USS The Sullivans, is widely seen as a trial run of the Cole bombing. This attack failed when the bombers' boat, overloaded with explosives, began to sink. The organization Al-Qaida encouraged attacks against Israel and the United States on or around January 1, 2000. ... USS The Sullivans (DDG-68), an Arleigh Burke-class Aegis guided missile destroyer, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the five Sullivan brothers — George, Francis, Joseph, Madison, and Albert Sullivan, aged 19 to 27 — who lost their lives when their ship, Juneau, was...

References

External links

• Detailed information and timeline
• Department of Defense Casualty release
• U.S. Navy and Marine Casualties in Wars, Conflicts, Terrorist Acts, and other Hostile Acts