US embassy in Belgrade attacked

[leobold1]

BBC NEWS | Europe | US embassy in Belgrade attacked

Several hundred protesters have attacked the US and other embassies in Serbia's capital in anger at Western support for Kosovo's independence.
Protesters broke into the US compound and briefly set part of the embassy alight. Firemen later found an unidentified charred body inside.

The UK, Belgian, Croatian and Turkish missions were also attacked.

The violence followed a peaceful rally earlier by at least 150,000 people outside the main parliament building.

The US, UK, Germany and Italy are among those to have recognised Kosovo.

Earlier, Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica delivered an impassioned speech condemning the territory's secession.

"As long as we live, Kosovo is Serbia. Kosovo belongs to the Serbian people," he told the flag-waving crowd.

Most Serbs regard Kosovo as their religious and cultural heartland.

Ripped flag

In New York the US ambassador to the United Nations, Zalmay Khalilzad, expressed outrage at the attack, and said he would ask for a Security Council condemnation.

He said the Serbian government should be reminded "of its responsibility to protect diplomatic facilities".

Serbian President Boris Tadic appealed for calm.

"This only keeps Kosovo distant from Serbia," he said.

About 1,000 protesters attacked the building, throwing flares through the window while others scaled walls to rip down the US flag.

At the time there appeared to be no police protecting the embassy, but riot police later intervened, firing tear gas.

The fires raged for half an hour, and when firemen finally managed to get inside the building they found a charred body.

The body has not been identified, though US officials said all embassy staff of US nationality had been accounted for.

State department spokesman Sean McCormack said the protesters had entered the chancellery but did not breach the embassy's secure area, and the entire compound had now been cleared.

Washington received assurances from Mr Kostunica that there would be no repeat of the incident, he added.

Kosovo 'stolen'

Several other embassies were also attacked by crowds. There are reports of various businesses and restaurants being attacked.

Up to 100 people are believed to have been injured.

Serbia, supported by Russia and China, says Kosovo's Sunday declaration violates international law.

During Thursday's rally, ultra-nationalist leader Tomislav Nikolic accused the US and EU of trying to steal Kosovo.

"Hitler could not take it away from us, and neither will today's [Western powers]."

After the speeches, the crowd marched to the city's biggest church, the Temple of Saint Sava.

Thick, black smoke had also earlier billowed from the crossing point at Merdare, 50km (30 miles) north-east of Kosovo's capital Pristina, as Serb army reservists tried to enter Kosovo.

"We are here in support of the Serbs who still live in Kosovo," Dejan Milosevic, one of the organisers, told the Associated Press news agency.

The Kosovo police, backed by Czech troops from the Nato-led peacekeeping force, put a steel barrier across the road and were able to hold their line.

Protest rallies were also held in the Bosnian Serb republic (Republika Srpska). There were unconfirmed reports of injuries as several hundred protesters clashed with police outside the US consulate in Banja Luka.

In the coming weeks, an almost 2,000-strong EU mission will be deployed to help the country develop its police force and judiciary.

[redtanker]

I saw this on the news today. thanks for the update. I hope this all settles down quick but we all know thats not likely

[Snowden]

Kosovo is primarily Orthodox Christian; Serbia is Islamic. Those are at least a good part of the dynamics here.

[Woodmonkey]

Unfortunately (or fortunately, however you want to look at it), we went in on the side of the Muslims in Kosovo and turned the Christian Serbs against us. Our intervention also made it possible for the Muslim Kosovo to break away from Serbia. Will that be repeated in other countries where there are concentrations of Muslims?

[Snowden]

Yes, that's just what we did, Katie -- what Bill Clinton authorized. It's not much wonder that the Christians there don't trust us! What other of their perceived allies bombed them? Really, some of our presidents have done such stupid things, but he was the worst. I'm so tired of people telling me what a great president Clinton was, when he bombed an empty terrorist training camp, a vital pharmaceutical factory and Christians.

Yet my Liberal friends say he will go down in history as one of the best presidents we've ever had? Best for whom? Not the US and not our allies, who now cannot trust us.