BEIRUT (AP) – Lebanese security forces have detained a man suspected of being behind last week’s shooting outside the United States (US) embassy north of Beirut in which no one was hurt, police said on Monday.
The Internal Security Forces said in a statement that they have detained a Lebanese citizen born in 1997 in a suburb of Beirut. They identified the suspect only by the initials MK.
Authorities said the suspect confessed to carrying out the shooting. The weapon used has been confiscated and the suspect is being questioned.
US embassy spokesperson Jake Nelson said: “We are grateful for the speedy and thorough investigation by the local authorities.”
Shots were fired last Wednesday night near the entrance to the embassy compound in Aukar, a northern suburb of Beirut. No one claimed responsibility for the shooting and the motives behind it were not known.
After the shooting, the Lebanese army launched an investigation, which included analysing security camera footage from the area.
Lebanon has a long history of attacks against Americans.
The deadliest of the attacks occurred in October 1983, when a suicide truck bomber drove into a four-storey building, killing 241 American service members at the US Marine barracks at the Beirut airport.
Earlier that year, on April 18, 1983, a bombing attack on the US Embassy in Beirut killed 63 people, including at least 17 Americans.
Top CIA officials were among those who died.
of the United States Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon. PHOTO: AP
