(Credit: Twitter @Rewards4Justice)
BEIRUT — The US State Department announced Monday that it is offering a reward of up to $3 million for information about the April 18, 1983 bombing of the US Embassy in Beirut, which at the time was located in Ain al-Mreisseh.
Here’s what we know:
• The bomb attack destroyed the US Embassy in Beirut, leaving 52 people dead and tens more injured, and forcing the US to relocate its diplomatic mission to Aoukar, north of the capital. On Monday, US Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea paid tribute to the victims of this attack.
• In a tweet, Rewards for Justice Arabic, the official Arabic-language account of the US State Department, wrote, “In April 1983, a Hezbollah terrorist detonated a bomb in front of the US Embassy in Beirut, killing and wounding more than 80 people. You may receive a reward of up to $3 million if you have information that leads to preventing such attacks or helps bring former perpetrators to justice.”
• Shea commemorated “the terrible attack that claimed 52 lives.” She also noted the attack had not only killed Americans, but also Lebanese employees and security officers. “Since 1983, we have continued to renew our commitment to peace and security in Lebanon,” she said. “The United States remains committed to bringing justice to victims. We are fighting the harmful influence of terrorist organizations like Hezbollah,” Shea added.