MOMBASA, Kenya - Fifteen people died in a suicide bomb attack today on a hotel hosting Israeli tourists in the Kenyan resort of Mombasa, while an Israeli jetliner narrowly escaped a simultaneous missile attack.

Kenya said the culprits may be linked to al-Qaeda, the Islamic extremist network behind a devastating attack on the US embassy in Nairobi four years ago.

A vehicle with three people inside burst through a barrier around the Paradise Mombasa hotel on the Indian Ocean coast and rammed through the front entrance, exploding in the lobby.

At almost the same time, a charter plane of Israel's Arkia airlines carrying 261 passengers came under attack from two missiles as it took off from Mombasa. They narrowly missed.

Police said nine Africans and three Israelis, including two children, died in the attack on the eve of Hanukkah, a major Jewish holiday. The three attackers also died instantly.

A previously unknown group calling itself the Army of Palestine claimed responsibility in Beirut. However, Lebanon dismissed the group as a "fictional organization."

Two arrested

Kenyan police said they had arrested two people in Mombasa in connection with the attacks following a tip-off.

"We are holding two people of Arab descent," said Julius Sunkuli, Kenya's minister for internal security.

The United States condemned the attacks, denouncing the cycle of violence and urging Palestinians to take immediate action to halt terrorism.

"We deplore the violence," said White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe, but cautioned that it was "premature to rule al-Qaeda in or out."

Johndroe said the US was ready to help both Kenyan and Israeli authorities track down the culprits.

US Secretary of State Colin Powell also condemned the attacks, urging Palestinians to take "immediate and sustained steps to eradicate the infrastructure of terrorism and violence."

He asked Israeli citizens not to let the attacks silence them as they went out to vote in Thursday's primary election.

Missile launcher found

The explosion, at around 8:25 am (0525 GMT) in the town of Kikambala north of Mombasa city limits, was so intense that part of the hotel roof collapsed.

Police said they had recovered a missile launcher and casings of exploded missiles used in the attack on the plane. They were looking for a white vehicle and the occupants.

After landing the targeted Arkia Boeing 757 safely in Tel Aviv, pilot Rafi Marek said he "felt a slight bump" shortly after take-off in Mombasa and then "saw two white stripes" beside the aircraft.

Passengers who noticed a noise and a bump said cabin crew told them the plane must have hit a bird.

Suspicion is focused on Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network, blamed for a car-bomb attack on the US embassy in Nairobi in 1998, killing 213 and injuring some 5,000.

"You can't rule out the group that struck at us in 1998," Vice President Musalia Mudavadi said.

Grenade attack

Hours after the Kenya attacks, a polling station in Israeli of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's right-wing Likud party - electing its leader for the next general election - was targeted by a shooting and grenade attack claiming six civilian lives.

Police shot down two gunmen.

"There is no doubt that one of the reasons for this upsurge in terrorist actvity is probably an effort to try and disrupt the electoral process in Israel and Israeli democracy," said Israeli government spokesman Raanan Gissin.

The attacks also came on the eve of the 1947 UN resolution dividing the former British mandate of Palestine and leading to the creation of the state of Israel.

EU Commission President Romano Prodi called for a united effort to fight terrorism.

"Terrorism is becoming more powerful and we must make our action more powerful by coordination, exchange of information, making one fight against terrorism and not different centers fighting terrorism," he said.

Security tightened

Other world leaders were less willing to point the finger at al-Qaeda.

"I personally see no evidence which immediately links the al-Qaeda organisation to this outrage but obviously we are assessing all the indications that we have," said British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw.

German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer saw the attacks as a bid to deepen the crisis in the Middle East: "It is an attack designed to escalate the situation in the Middle East by killing innocent people," he said.

In Paris, a French foreign ministry spokesman condemned the attacks with "the utmost firmness."

Kenyan authorities meanwhile stepped up security.

"We have put tight security measures at all exit and entry points," a statement issued by police headquarters said.

"Security in all towns along the coast has been beefed up and marine and aerial patrols strengthened to check any terrorists attempting to escape," said the statement signed by police spokesman King'ori Mwangi.

Soft target

After the attack the US embassy in Nairobi sent security personnel to protect hundreds of Americans on a cruise ship in Mombasa's port.

Officials feared the Marco Polo, with 350 US citizens on board, provided another soft target for attacks. The ship was due to leave Mombasa on Thursday evening.

The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) said it had boosted security in all national parks and tourist lodges. AFP