North Korea has accused the United States of allowing a “terrorist” act against Cuba to occur on American soil. The North Korean foreign ministry stated that the recent attack on the Cuban embassy in Washington was a result of the “despicable anti-Cuban” intentions of the U.S. The statement further claimed that the United States has failed to ensure the safety of the Cuban mission and is focused on labeling countries it dislikes, like Cuba, as state sponsors of terrorism. North Korea, along with Syria and Iran, is also on the State Department list of state sponsors of terrorism.
An unidentified individual attacked the embassy on September 24 using two Molotov cocktails. Fortunately, no one was injured, and there was minimal damage. The North Korean spokesman described the incident as a “grave terrorist attack” and drew attention to a similar incident in 2020 in which someone fired a rifle at the embassy, suggesting a pattern of attacks. The spokesman alleged that these incidents occurred with the tacit approval of the US administration.
A man was arrested and indicted by US authorities shortly after the 2020 shooting incident. In response, the North Korean spokesman called on the United States to acknowledge responsibility for not only the recent attack but also for past terrorist cases. The spokesman urged the US to investigate these incidents and demonstrate sincerity, rather than focusing on designating countries as state sponsors of terrorism.
The White House national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, strongly condemned the attack and assured that US law enforcement authorities would conduct an investigation. As of now, no one has been taken into custody, and the investigation remains ongoing, according to the Secret Service.
The Cuban embassy in Washington reopened in 2015 when Cuba and the US restored diplomatic ties. The Cuban government has repeatedly criticized the United States for keeping Cuba on its terrorism list and maintaining a Cold War-era economic embargo.
(Reporting by Jack Kim; Editing by William Mallard)
Credit: The Star : News Feed
