1 Dead In U.S. Embassy Mob Attack

Serb Rioters Set Fire To Office Inside U.S. Embassy In Belgrade After Massive Protest Against Kosovo's Independence

(CBS/AP)  Angry Serbs broke into the U.S. Embassy and set fire to an office Thursday night as rioters rampaged through Belgrade's streets, putting an exclamation point of violence to a day of mass protest against Western support for an independent Kosovo.

At least 150,000 people rallied in Belgrade, waving Serbian flags and signs proclaiming "Stop USA terror," to denounce the bid by Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority to create their own state out of what Serbs consider the ancient heartland of their culture.

Several hundred men broke away from the massive protest, battering gates and burning the U.S. flag - eventually breaking down doors and setting the U.S. Embassy's visa section on fire, reports CBS News correspondent Sheila MacVicar.

Crowds also ransacked a McDonald's, looted stores and fought with police in front of other diplomatic compounds in a display of the resentment seething in Serbia over the secession of what has been its southernmost province.

A charred body was found in the U.S. Embassy after the fire was put out, but all staff were accounted for, embassy spokeswoman Rian Harris said. Belgrade's Pink TV said the body appeared to be that of a rioter.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Serbian security "wasn't adequate" at the embassy and said the U.S. government warned Serbia's leaders it would hold them personally responsible for further damage.

"The Embassy for the last few days has been well protected by police but the police today appear to be a bit overstressed because there was an extremely large peaceful official protest in front of the federal parliament building earlier in the day," reporter Neil MacDonald in Belgrade tells CBS Radio News.

Coming after smaller outbursts of violence in Belgrade as well as attacks on a U.N. building and police checkpoints in Kosovo, the outburst underlined the determination of Serbs not to give up Kosovo quietly.

The Serbian government has said it won't resort to military force, but the street violence could be a tactic to slow moves by more countries to follow the U.S., Britain, Germany and France in quickly recognizing Kosovo's independence.

Russia and China lead the states standing with Serbia, worrying that Kosovo's example could encourage separatist sentiment elsewhere. The Kremlin has underlined its displeasure by hinting it might back separatists in pro-Western nations such as the former Soviet republic of Georgia.

Serbian officials dismissed violence earlier in the week as "insignificant," and no police were guarding the U.S. Embassy compound even though it had been targeted previously. American officials said the offices had been closed at midday because of security concerns.

Milorad Veljovic, a top Interior Ministry official, said that security forces had the situation under control and that mobs had been broken up.

Masked men smashed their way inside the compound's consular building, tore down the U.S. flag and tried to throw furniture from an office. They set fire to the office and flames shot up the side of the building.

The State Department officials said no protesters got into the embassy's main chancery section, a separate area that was manned by a U.S. Marine guard unit and some security personnel.

Police arrived about 45 minutes after the blaze broke out, and after the rioters left the building. A half dozen fire trucks also appeared and quickly doused the flames, leaving the front facade and two police guard posts on the sidewalk smoldering.

Officers from an elite paramilitary police unit drove armored jeeps outside the embassy and fired dozens of tear gas canisters to disperse the crowd. Rioters wheeled out large garbage bins in an unsuccessful attempt to block the police vehicles. Thick clouds of tear gas obscured hung in the street as officers chased rioters into nearby side streets.

It was the first attack on a U.S. Embassy since Sept. 12, 2006, when Syrian security guards stopped an attempt to blow up the compound. The last time a mob broke into one was the Iranians' seizure of the U.S. Embassy on Nov. 4, 1979, taking the American staffers hostage.

Critics of Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica accused his nationalistic government of tolerating the violence over Kosovo, perhaps as an excuse to crack down on pro-Western forces in the country.

"I cannot tell if the authorities are going to allow this to escalate, and how long they will let this go on, but it is absolutely clear that it is all under their control," said Vesna Pesic from the pro-Western Liberal Democratic Party whose offices also have been attacked.

The same group of protesters that attacked the U.S. Embassy also targeted the neighboring Croatian Embassy. Smaller groups assaulted police posts outside the Turkish and British embassies in another part of the city but were beaten back.

Rioters broke into a McDonald's restaurant and demolished it. Other shops also were ransacked and people were seen carrying off running shoes, track suits and other sporting goods from a department store.

Police chased small violent groups in areas near the national parliament, where the huge protest rally was held earlier in the afternoon.

Police also were guarding the independent B92 television station - viewed by nationalists as pro-Western - as youths started gathering nearby.

Doctors at Belgrade's emergency clinic reported treating 96 injured, 32 of them policemen. All were lightly injured, said Dusan Jovanovic, deputy chief of the clinic. He added that most of the injured protesters were "extremely drunk."

Serbian President Boris Tadic, who was visiting Romania, appealed for calm and urged protesters to get off the streets. He said the violence was "damaging" Serbia's efforts to defend its claim to Kosovo.

The government went all out to make the mass demonstration outside the parliament a success. Schools were closed and the state railway offered free rides to bring people to Belgrade.

"Is there any other nation on Earth from whom (the great powers) are demanding that they give up their identity, to give up our brothers in Kosovo?" Kostunica, the prime minister, told the crowd.

Tomislav Nikolic, a member of the ultra-nationalist Radical Party, which is Serbia's largest, accused the U.S. and the European Union of stealing Kosovo. Protesters booed and jeered at every mention of the U.S. and EU.

"We will not rest until Kosovo is again under Serbia's control. Hitler could not take it away from us, and neither will today's (Western powers)," Nikolic said.

[nolalou]

"Why do Muslims always burn things up?
Where is the Muslim outrage in the US over this?
Why are there Muslims at all?
Posted by jeff92706"

Maybe you should learn a little about Serbia before you post your opinions! Most Serbians are orthodox Christians, NOT Muslim, you IDIOT!

[nolalou]

Posted by Infidel_US
"Hey Bill, I thought you and Hillary had this FIXED????"

Infidel_US, when will idiots like you stop blaming everything on Clinton? This riot happened due the the US recognition of an independent Kosovo, which just happened last week, not in the 90s when Clinton was President! You want to blame someone, try Bush.. remember, for better or worse, he''s the president now! Stop living in the past, you ******!

[papabc]

"America did not recognize Kosovo ... Bush did! Cowboy diplomacy once again. The Senate has advise and consent powers ... let them debate Kosova independence, then vote up or down. Bush goes too far!

Posted by emelder at 12:19 AM : Feb 22, 2008"

So did Britain, France & Germany.....in fact Russia & Serbia were the only countries strongly opposed.

Feel stupider?
========================

We should not of recognized Kosovo. As an American and Conservative I feel that we were not represented by our President in this. If congress backs him then Washington again, miss-represented the American People and our wishes.

[easeup-2009]

"America did not recognize Kosovo ... Bush did! Cowboy diplomacy once again. The Senate has advise and consent powers ... let them debate Kosova independence, then vote up or down. Bush goes too far!

Posted by emelder at 12:19 AM : Feb 22, 2008"

So did Britain, France & Germany.....in fact Russia & Serbia were the only countries strongly opposed.

Feel stupider?

[gunnerv1]

SchoolCrazy The Guards didn''t use a gun here!

[antizion]

Our courages diplomats (rich kids) ran like little girls and left a security guard behind for mob meat. Yum.

[antizion]

"The US pissed off the Iranians by supporting the murderous and torturous Shah of Iran who we put, and kept in power so we could control the oil. Halliburton, ExxonMobil did a lot of business there."

They still do a lot of business there. Why do you think the biggest contractor in the Iraq war (Cheneys Haliburton) moved their corporation to the middle east? It was because they had been doing business with Iran under a front company all these decades. That''s why.

America has been sold out by the zionist pigs that have controlled the white house since they killed Kennedy.

[antizion]

A moron wrote - "Why do Muslims always burn things up?
Where is the Muslim outrage in the US over this?
Why are there Muslims at all?
Posted by jeff92706"

Dear moron,

Nobody has done more of that than the US all over the world. You don''t get out much do you..

[emelder]

America did not recognize Kosovo ... Bush did! Cowboy diplomacy once again. The Senate has advise and consent powers ... let them debate Kosova independence, then vote up or down. Bush goes too far!

[ndjam]

This is the reason why the U.S should mind their own business. Stay out of everyones business or youll burn. As you seen today the U.S embassy is burning. Serbia is not going to allow filth to take over in their land.

[brianbwb-2009]

Posted by donyang2000 at 11:05 PM : Feb 21, 2008

You will never get it, will you? Take your porn spam elsewhere. Reported, again.

[grazinggoat]

Why do Muslims always burn things up?

Where is the Muslim outrage in the US over this?

Why are there Muslims at all?
Posted by jeff92706 at 10:47 PM : Feb 21, 2008

-jeff92706, Serbs are Christians and they happened to burn our embassy in Belgrade.

-Stop drinking before you read, iddiott! Now where are the Christians to stop this? Huh idddiottt? Why don''t you ask sickrick!...

[ixoye_02]

Destroy Belgrade and divide the rest of Serbia among Croatia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Bosnia, and Bulgaria....these Serbs are generating hatred and anger among some Americans to the extent that we could careless about the Serbo-Nazi nation. Burn that!!

[jowand]

Serbia is proving to be just as irresponsible with protecting the American Embassy as they were with protecting Muslims in Kosovo from ethnic cleansing, just like Serb authorities are looking the other way now, they were looking the other way then too! A Serbian pattern of irresponsibility!
Posted by tbweb at 10:07 PM : Feb 21, 2008

Iran didn''t protect our Embassy either in 1979.

[bozworth4]

If there was a secret radical Muslim in the white house as president what would He CHANGE? Would He CHANGE the way to make it easy for terrorists to get into this country to over throw this country? Would He CHANGE the laws for any of His kind? Would He hang out with those who supported tyranny? Would He impose martial law? Could He start unjust wars for His hidden ideology? Could His decisions CHANGE the course for America? Would He CHANGE your civil liberties? Last of all would He CHANGE your right to vote? Believe me when I say there are no one with hidden agenda%u2019s in this world! If there was a secret radical Muslim in the white house as president what would He CHANGE?




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by pilgrimsway at 10:03 PM : Feb 21, 2008
Except for the Muslim part the rest sounds like King George II. No democrats or republicans, only politicians! They would pimp the constitution for a Euro.

[jowand]

If there was a secret radical Muslim in the white house as president what would He CHANGE? Would He CHANGE the way to make it easy for terrorists to get into this country to over throw this country? Would He CHANGE the laws for any of His kind? Would He hang out with those who supported tyranny? Would He impose martial law? Could He start unjust wars for His hidden ideology? Could His decisions CHANGE the course for America? Would He CHANGE your civil liberties? Last of all would He CHANGE your right to vote? Believe me when I say there are no one with hidden agenda%u2019s in this world! If there was a secret radical Muslim in the white house as president what would He CHANGE?
Posted by pilgrimsway at 10:03 PM : Feb 21, 2008

But there isn''t.

[tbweb]

Serbia is proving to be just as irresponsible with protecting the American Embassy as they were with protecting Muslims in Kosovo from ethnic cleansing, just like Serb authorities are looking the other way now, they were looking the other way then too! A Serbian pattern of irresponsibility!

[pilgrimsway-2009]

If there was a secret radical Muslim in the white house as president what would He CHANGE? Would He CHANGE the way to make it easy for terrorists to get into this country to over throw this country? Would He CHANGE the laws for any of His kind? Would He hang out with those who supported tyranny? Would He impose martial law? Could He start unjust wars for His hidden ideology? Could His decisions CHANGE the course for America? Would He CHANGE your civil liberties? Last of all would He CHANGE your right to vote? Believe me when I say there are no one with hidden agenda%u2019s in this world! If there was a secret radical Muslim in the white house as president what would He CHANGE?

[pilgrimsway-2009]

If there was a secret radical Muslim in the white house as president what would He CHANGE? Would He CHANGE the way to make it easy for terrorists to get into this country to over through this country? Would He CHANGE the laws for any of His kind? Would He hang out with those who supported tyranny? Would He impose martial law? Could He start unjust wars for His hidden ideology? Could His decisions CHANGE the course for America? Would He change your civil liberties? Last of all would He change your right to vote? Believe me when I say there are no one with hidden agenda%u2019s in this world! If there was a secret radical Muslim in the white house as president what would He CHANGE?

[mediapreachr]

I don''t know why,for the life of me,when some foreigners are angry at the USA-they ransack some McDonalds.
Is that our national symbol??
I thought was the Statue of Liberty...