LEBANON: BEIRUT: RUSSIAN EMBASSY GRENADE ATTACK (2)

(3 Jan 2000) Natural Sound

A bold grenade attack on the Russian embassy in Beirut has left one assailant dead - and the rest pursued through the streets in heavy rain.

Security officials say a policeman was also killed in Monday's attack, which happened on a busy thoroughfare in the Muslim part of Beirut.

It remains unclear who the attackers were, but they may have been Muslims angry about the war in Chechnya.

Moscow has expressed concern over the incident but said it would refrain from comment until an investigation was completed.

Four rocket-propelled grenades were fired at the Russian embassy - killing a police officer and wounding six others.

A diplomat said there were no Russian casualties in the assault on the embassy and that there was no serious damage to the embassy.

Within moments of the midday attack, Lebanese army troops in armoured personnel carriers and trucks fanned out in the area at the busy Corniche Mazraa thoroughfare.

They were joined by policemen from the Helou Barracks, located close to the embassy.

The troops sealed off neighbouring buildings and streets and searched for the unknown assailants.

In scenes reminiscent of the civil war, troops opened fire at a building near the embassy where one of the assailants was apparently hiding out.

He was later gunned down by security forces who stormed his hideout.

After the attack, which lasted only a few minutes, troops carrying assault rifles ordered people indoors as shopkeepers shuttered their stores and evacuated during the search.

The cordon was lifted about two hours later.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but it may be related to Russia's war against Muslim rebels in Chechnya.

Lebanese militants opposed to Russia's campaign against fellow Muslims in the Caucasus have staged protests and have been raising money for the beleaguered Chechens.

A television station identified the dead assailant as a Palestinian and said he carried a
paper with the words: "In sacrifice for Chechnya".

Private radio station Voice of Free Lebanon said the paper found on the assailant was addressed "The Call of Grozny".

It wasn't clear if the reports conflicted or if the paper said both things.

The dead suspect was removed from the building and his body taken away by ambulance.

Wounded police officers were taken to the American University hospital.

It was the most serious attack on a foreign diplomatic mission in Lebanon since the end of the 1975-90 civil war.

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