Warning Shots Fired at U.N. Copter Over U.S. Beirut Embassy
Marine guards at the U.S. Embassy annex outside Beirut fired warning shots at a U.N. helicopter that hovered over the building, a Western diplomat said Thursday.
The diplomat, who asked not to be identified further, said the incident happened four days ago and caused no injuries.
“The Marine guards who are always on alert fired several warning shots at the helicopter that hovered over, forcing it to divert course,” the diplomat said.
Lebanese security officials said the guards opened fire, apparently fearing a suicide attack against the building located in Awkar, a Christian area just northeast of Beirut.
Western and Lebanese terror experts have speculated that suicide attackers would change tactics from land attacks and begin assaulting Western targets from the air with explosive-laden small planes or helicopters.
Security has grown tighter around the embassy annex since September, 1984, when a suicide driver blew up his explosive-laden vehicle outside the building, killing 12 people, including two U.S. servicemen.
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