CLAIM EMBASSY BEIRUT ATTACKED BECAUSE OF US-LIBYAN CLASHES

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 092099

FOLLOWING BEIRUT 1547 DTD 25 MAR SENT ACTION
SESTATE, INFO DAMASCUS TEL AVIV TUNIS CAIRO
RIYADH AMMAN ATHENS ROME PARIS LONDON, BEING
REPEATED FOR YOUR INFO:

QUOTE:
C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIRUT 01547

TERREP
E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PTER, MOPS, LY, US
SUBJ: CLAIM EMBASSY BEIRUT ATTACKED BECAUSE OF US-LIBYAN CLASHES

REFTEL: BEIRUT 01535 (NOTAL)

1. CONYUDENTIAL -- ENTIRE TEXT.

2. REUTERS OFFICE IN BEIRUT RECEIVED FOLLOWING TEXT ON MARCH 25:

QUOTE

IN REPLY TO U.S. ACTIONS AGAINST LIBYA AND TO ASSERT THE PAN-
ARAB ASPECT OF THE BATTLE, OUR FORCES SHELLED AT 4 P.M. THE
AMERICAN EMBASSY IN BEIRUT, THE DEN OF ESPIONAGE AND CONSPIRACY
FROM WHICH OUR ARAB PEOPLE IN LEBANON AND IN ALL PARTS OF THE
THE ARAB WORLD SUFFER. IT WAS AN EXPRESSION OF WRATH OF THE
ARAB MASSES AGAINST AMERICA AND OF DETERMINATION TO CONFRONT
THE AMERICAN PRESENCE WITH ALL FORMS AND POTENTIAL AND TO ACT
IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE ARAB MASSES AND REVOLUTION AND THE
STRUGGLING LEADER MU'AMMAR QADDHAFI. OUR FORCES WILL CONTINUE
TO CONFRONT AMERICAN INTERESTS EVERYWHERE UNTIL THE PIRATES STOP
THEIR INTRIGUES.

VANGUARDS OF THE REVOLUTIONARY ARAB FORCES

UNQUOTE

3. COMMENT: ACCORDING TO LOCAL MEDIA AT 4 P.M. A STALIN ORGAN
BARRAGE OF ABOUT 40 KATUSHA ROCKETS LANDED IN THE DBAYE PORT AREA,
ABOUT TWO KILOMETERS FROM THE EMBASSY COMPOUND. THE ROCKETS WERE
HEARD BY EMBASSY OFFICERS BUT NOT SEEN, AS THE POINT OF IMPACT
WAS NOT VISIBLE FROM EMBASSY COMPOUND. END COMMENT. BARTHOLOMEW
UNQUOTE


WHITEHEAD