Maybe the Americans will now get a taste of what we went through

Consolata Wanjiru Mugo Kenya bomb survivor

But Kenyans are being reminded of the 1998 bombing of the US embassy in Nairobi and the BBC's Grey Phombeah says they have received the news with shock.

Other Africans are concerned about friends and family who are now living in the US.

Sierra Leone's Information Minister told the BBC's Focus on Africa that: "People are flabbergasted."

Crowded around

He said that people are crowded around radio sets and televisions for the latest news.

Kenya's President Daniel arap Moi said that terrorism can never be the basis for the solution of any conflict.

But some Kenyans who feel that the US should pay compensation for the injuries they suffered will watch closely how US victims are treated.

Many Kenyans want US compensation for the injuries they sustained in the August 1998 bombing

"Maybe the Americans will now get a taste of what we went through," said Consolata Wanjiru Mugo, who was injured in the Kenyan blast. "They will feel what it was like as innocent people to be attacked in this way. It will be quite interesting to see how they treat their own people, compared to the way they have treated us."

Our Zamfara correspondent says the Islamic Youth Organisation will be holding a march on Wednesday to celebrate the attacks.

Cancelled flights

He said they feel that Muslims are being killed in the Middle East on a daily basis and now it is the turn of the US to pay.

In recent years, South Africa has also been hit by terrorist attacks and South Africa Airways has responded by immediately cancelling all flights to the US.

The militant Muslim group, People Against Gangsterism and Drugs, PAGAD, which has been accused of responsibility for some of the bombings, declined to comment on the US attacks.