Lebanese authorities accuse US embassy shooter of ISIS ties: AFP judicial source

Lebanese authorities charged a man who opened fire on the US Embassy in Beirut with the crime of belonging to ISIS, a judicial source said Tuesday.

Last month, a Syrian man was arrested for shooting at the embassy entrance after having been seriously injured in the attack.

“The government’s commissioner to the military courts, Judge Fadi Akiki, charged Syrian national Qais Farraj with the crime of belonging to [ISIS] and carrying out terrorist acts” by perpetrating the embassy attack, the official told AFP.

The official said that Farraj has yet to be interrogated because he is still in intensive care at the Beirut military hospital, recovering from grave injuries after being shot by the Lebanese army.

The attacker also had unlicensed weapons, said the official who requested anonymity.

“Akiki also charged two other people with the crime of trafficking unlicensed weapons. The two had sold Farraj the machine gun and ammunition used in the attack,” he added.

Last month, Lebanese authorities arrested 20 people after the shooting, including Farraj’s father, brother, and clerics with links to the attacker.

AFP