Lebanese authorities charge US Embassy shooter with affiliation to militant Islamic State group

A justice astatine Lebanon’s subject tribunal has charged the gunman who opened occurrence astatine the U.S. embassy adjacent Beirut with being affiliated to the militant Islamic State group

BEIRUT -- A justice astatine Lebanon's subject tribunal connected Tuesday charged the gunman who opened occurrence astatine the U.S. embassy adjacent Beirut with being affiliated to the militant Islamic State group, information and judicial officials said.

Lebanese soldiers changeable and arrested the gunman successful aboriginal June, aboriginal identified arsenic Kaiss Farraj from Syria, aft a shootout that lasted astir 30 minutes and injured an embassy information guard.

The Islamic State radical has not claimed work for the attack, nor has immoderate different group.

The onslaught took spot arsenic tensions simmered successful the tiny Mediterranean country, wherever warring betwixt Hezbollah militants and Israeli troops has displaced thousands on the border, pursuing years of governmental deadlock and economical hardship.

Lebanese media published photos that look to amusement a bloodied attacker wearing a achromatic vest with the words “Islamic State” written successful Arabic and the English initials “I” and “S.”

Judicial and information officials acquainted with the probe antecedently told The Associated Press that Farraj initially appeared to beryllium a lone wolf and not linked to immoderate extremist group. The Lebanese Army soon aft the shootout raided the eastbound Lebanese towns of Majdal Anjar and adjacent Suweiri, wherever it arrested 3 relatives of the fishy and 2 different radical believed to beryllium associated with him.

The 2 officials added that Government Commissioner to the Military Court Judge Fadi Akiki besides charged 2 others who sold weapons to the gunman with selling unlicensed firearms. They spoke connected information of anonymity successful enactment with regulations.

The officials said that Farraj, who was changeable 3 times successful the shootout, is successful mediocre wellness and remains unconscious.

In 1983, a deadly bombing onslaught connected the U.S. Embassy successful Beirut killed 63 people. U.S. officials blasted the onslaught connected the Lebanese militant radical Hezbollah.

Following that attack, the embassy was moved from cardinal Beirut to the Christian suburb of Aukar, northbound of the capital. Another weaponry onslaught struck the caller determination connected Sept. 20, 1984.

In September 2023, Lebanese information forces detained a Lebanese antheral who opened occurrence extracurricular the U.S. Embassy. There were nary casualties successful that attack.

In October 2023, hundreds of protesters clashed with Lebanese information forces successful demonstrations adjacent the U.S. Embassy successful enactment of Gaza’s radical and the militant radical Hamas successful its warfare with Israel.