BEIRUT– A Lebanese military court judge on Tuesday charged the gunman who He opened fire on the US embassy near Beirut. with being affiliated with the Islamic State militant group, security and judicial officials said.
Lebanese soldiers shot and arrested the gunman in early June, later identified as Kaiss Farraj of Syria, after a shootout that lasted nearly 30 minutes and injured an embassy security guard.
The Islamic State group has not claimed responsibility for the attack, nor has any other group.
The attack took place as tensions simmered in the small Mediterranean country, where fighting between Hezbollah militants and Israeli troops have displaced thousands of people along the border, after years of political stagnation and economic hardship.
Lebanese media published photographs that appear to show a bloodied attacker wearing a black vest with the words “Islamic State” written in Arabic and the English initials “I” and “S.”
Judicial and security officials familiar with the investigation previously told The Associated Press that Farraj initially appeared to be a lone wolf and not linked to any extremist group. Shortly after the shooting, the Lebanese army raided the eastern Lebanese towns of Majdal Anjar and nearby Suweiri, where they arrested three relatives of the suspect and two other people believed to be associated with him.
The two officials added that the government commissioner of the military court judge, Fadi Akiki, also accused two others who sold weapons to the gunman of selling firearms without a license. They spoke on condition of anonymity in accordance with regulations.
Officials said Farraj, who was shot three times in the shooting, is in poor health and remains unconscious.
In 1983, a deadly bomb attack on the US embassy in Beirut killed 63 people. U.S. officials blame the attack on Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
After that attack, the embassy was moved from the center of Beirut to the Christian suburb of Aukar, north of the capital. Another bomb attack hit the new location on September 20, 1984.
In September 2023, Lebanese security forces detained a Lebanese man who He opened fire in front of the United States embassy.. There were no victims in that attack.
In October 2023, hundreds of protesters clashed with Lebanese security forces in demonstrations near the US embassy in support of the people of Gaza and the militant group. Hamas in its war with Israel.
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