Gunmen attack U.S. Embassy in Damascus

updated 8:44 p.m. ET Sept. 12, 2006

DAMASCUS, Syria - Syrian guards foiled an attempt by suspected al-Qaida-linked militants to blow up the U.S. Embassy on Tuesday, exchanging fire outside the compound’s walls with gunmen who shouted “God is great” and tried to storm in with automatic weapons and hand grenades.

The brazen, midmorning assault in a heavily guarded neighborhood of the capital could highlight the Syrian regime’s weakening grip on militants, who have battled Syrian security forces repeatedly in recent years.

The attack, which left at least 10 civilians and a Chinese diplomat wounded, also quickly brought to the surface entrenched differences between the United States and Syria, such as the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Damascus’ ties with Iran and Hezbollah and the war in neighboring Iraq.

The Bush administration praised Syria’s security forces for their professional response but then called on the country to play a constructive role in fighting terrorism.

“I do think that the Syrians reacted to this attack in a way that helped to secure our people, and we very much appreciate that,” Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said.

White House spokesman Tony Snow also thanked Syrian officials and called for Damascus to “become an ally and make the choice of fighting against terrorists.”

Syria critical of the U.S.
But Syria responded with a sharp criticism of the United States, blaming its policies in Lebanon, Iraq and the Palestinian territories for increasing Islamic militancy.

“It is regrettable that U.S. policies in the Middle East have fueled extremism, terrorism and anti-U.S. sentiment,” the Syrian Embassy in Washington said in a statement. “The U.S. should ... start looking at the root causes of terrorism and broker a comprehensive peace in the Middle East.”

It curtly said that Syria “performed its duties” under the Geneva Conventions to protect the embassy.

Anti-American sentiment has been rising across the Middle East since Israel’s 34-day blitz of Hezbollah in Lebanon that ended nearly a month ago, on top of turmoil in Iraq that many here blame on the United States.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Tuesday’s attack, but suspicion immediately fell on a little-known al-Qaida offshoot called Jund al-Sham, Arabic for Soldiers of Syria.

Syria’s ambassador to the U.S., Imad Moustapha, told The Associated Press it was too early to say but “it’s logically possible” Jund al-Sham was responsible.

If confirmed, it would be the boldest and most sophisticated attack yet by Jund al-Sham.

Attackers unknown
At the State Department, deputy spokesman Tom Casey said: “Clearly, it was an organized terrorist attack on our embassy. But exactly who was responsible for it and who they might be affiliated with and what their motives are, are things that we’ll just have to look at as the days go on.”

Three attackers and a Syrian guard were killed in the attempted bombing of the embassy, located in the same neighborhood as President Bashar Assad’s office and residence. A fourth attacker was wounded and arrested.

The attackers came in two cars, one of them an explosives-laden pickup truck. The first car pulled up in front of the embassy’s entrance and three gunmen burst out. Shouting “Allahu akbar” — “God is great” — they threw hand grenades and fired automatic weapons toward the gate and a Syrian guard post, sparking a 15-minute gunbattle.

At the same time, the truck — filled with pipe bombs rigged to gas canisters — pulled up to another gate on the other side of the triangle-shaped compound. But when the shooting erupted, the driver ran away without detonating it. The driver was shot and arrested, and the truck did not explode.

MORE FROM MIDEAST & N. AFRICA

Mideast & N. Africa Section Front

Israel to build new West Bank outpost Group: China world’s top executioner Obama visits Jerusalem's Western Wall Newsweek: Israeli envoy: Keep pressure on Iran Mideast & N. Africa Section Front   Add Mideast & N. Africa headlines to your news reader: