Copter Nears U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Guards Open Fire

BEIRUT — Guards at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut opened fire on a U.N. helicopter because they believed it might be about to make a kamikaze-style attack on the building, U.N. sources said today.

The sources, who declined to be identified, said the incident took place Sunday when the helicopter flown by an Italian pilot for a U.N. peace-keeping force based in southern Lebanon dipped over the embassy.

Guards opened fire with their M-16 rifles on the white helicopter with the letters “U.N.” on its sides, and a slug hit the craft about three feet from the pilot’s foot, the sources said.

The sources said the guards opened fire because they feared the U.N. chopper was stolen and was being used for a kamikaze-style attack on the embassy.