Lebanese judicial authorities have formally charged a man responsible for opening fire at the US embassy in Beirut with affiliations to ISIS, a judicial source revealed on Tuesday, according to AFP.
The incident occurred last month when a Syrian national, Qais Farraj, engaged in gunfire at the embassy's entrance, resulting in his serious injury and subsequent arrest.
"The government's commissioner to the military courts, Judge Fadi Akiki, has indicted Qais Farraj with charges related to belonging to ISIS and committing terrorist acts through the attack on the embassy," disclosed the official to AFP.
Due to his critical condition, Farraj has not yet been interrogated and remains under intensive care at Beirut military hospital, the official added.
Furthermore, the assailant was found to be in possession of unauthorized firearms, stated the anonymous official, citing limitations on speaking to the media.
"In addition to Farraj, Akiki has also pressed charges against two individuals involved in illegally trafficking the machine gun and ammunition used in the attack," the official continued.
Following the incident, Lebanese authorities conducted a series of arrests, apprehending 20 individuals including Farraj's family members and clerics associated with him.
In a separate incident in September last year, another gunman targeted the US embassy, although no casualties were reported. Lebanese police alleged that incident stemmed from a delivery driver's perceived grievances against embassy security personnel.