US Expels Lebanese Consul General Over Alleged Terrorism Support

Washington, D.C. (Terror Monitor) — US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has ordered Lebanon’s consul general in Detroit, Michigan, Ibrahim Charara, to leave the United States after the State Department designated him persona non grata over controversial social media posts attributed to him that appeared to praise the 1983 bombing of a US Marine barracks in Beirut.

Charara has since left the United States, according to reports published on Monday. The decision has also prompted the Lebanese government to arrange a replacement diplomat to take charge of its consulate in Detroit.

A US State Department spokesperson confirmed that Charara had been designated persona non grata, saying Washington would not tolerate individuals who celebrate or justify terrorist attacks.

“Terrorists murdered Americans and our colleagues in the bombings of the US Embassy compounds in Beirut in 1983 and 1984. We will never forget them,” the spokesperson said in a statement quoted by several media outlets.

The spokesperson added that the State Department regularly reviews information concerning members of foreign diplomatic missions accredited to the United States, including potential national security concerns, and takes appropriate action in accordance with US law and international obligations.

“Anyone in the United States who celebrates or justifies terrorist attacks has no place in our country,” the spokesperson said.

Controversial Posts Linked to 1983 Beirut Bombing

The decision followed renewed attention to social media posts attributed to Charara dating back to October 2021.

According to reports, one of the posts described the attack on the US Marine barracks in Beirut as a form of “heroic resistance” that brought an end to what the writer called the American military occupation of Lebanon.

The post reportedly stated: “On this day, the heroic resistance to the American military occupation of Beirut ended with a single strike that documents the defeat of neocolonialism on our land.”

Another post attributed to the diplomat referred to the Beirut Marine barracks and the US military base at Al-Tanf in Syria, declaring opposition to what it described as occupation.

The posts reportedly appeared on an X account associated with Charara, although their authorship has been disputed.

The controversy gained renewed attention after the US-based Washington Free Beacon published a report on November 2 highlighting the diplomat's earlier social media activity.

1983 Attack Killed 241 American Service Members

The Beirut Marine barracks bombing took place on October 23, 1983, during the Lebanese Civil War.

A suicide bomber drove an explosives-laden truck into a building housing US Marines near Beirut International Airport, killing 241 American service members, including 220 Marines.

The attack was one of the deadliest incidents involving US military personnel overseas and became a defining event in Washington's military involvement in Lebanon.

The bombing has been widely attributed to Hezbollah, although the organization has historically disputed responsibility for the attack.

Lebanese Sources Dispute Authorship of Social Media Posts

While Washington cited the controversial posts as the reason for its decision, sources close to Charara disputed his responsibility for the content.

According to L'Orient-Le Jour, a source close to the diplomat claimed that his social media account had been hacked years earlier and that Charara had no access to the account, its associated email address or telephone number.

The source also maintained that the diplomat had not authored the posts in question.

The allegation of account hacking has not been independently verified.

The controversy has therefore raised questions over the authorship of the posts, although the US administration proceeded with its decision to declare Charara persona non grata.

Lebanon Announces Replacement for Detroit Consulate

Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji announced on Sunday that a replacement diplomat would be dispatched to Detroit following Charara's departure.

In a statement posted on X, Rajji said Lebanon respected international conventions and diplomatic norms and had immediately taken steps to send a diplomat on a special assignment to Michigan.

He said the replacement would arrive within two days to oversee the consulate general, handle the needs of Lebanese citizens and ensure that consular services continued without interruption until a new consul general was formally appointed.

Rajji's announcement came after Charara left the United States on Sunday.

Videos circulated by Lebanese media showed members of the Lebanese community accompanying him at Detroit airport before his departure.

International Media Coverage

The development has been reported by international outlets and news organisations, including Anadolu Agency, Al-Monitor, Arab News, The National and Lebanon's L'Orient-Le Jour.

Anadolu Agency reported that the US decision followed the circulation of the diplomat's old social media posts and cited Lebanese media reports about the formal notification of his expulsion.

Al-Monitor reported on November 9 that Charara had left the United States and that Lebanon was arranging a temporary replacement for the Detroit consulate.

L'Orient-Le Jour also reported the account-hacking allegation made by a source close to the diplomat, while noting that the Lebanese government had not initially issued a detailed public response to the US decision.

The case highlights Washington's willingness to take diplomatic action over social media activity attributed to foreign officials, particularly when such content is viewed by the US government as celebrating or justifying attacks against American personnel.