Three suspects in Friday's terrorist attack on the Israeli embassy in the west African country of Mauritania were arrested Saturday morning as they tried to escape a police roadblock. The identities of the three young men were not released.
Mauritanian officials were working together with Israeli and US authorities in their investigation of the incident in capital city of Nouakchott. Six terrorists yelled "Allah Hu Akbar!" ("G-d is great" in Arabic) and then opened fire at the embassy. The attackers exchanged shots with the embassy's guards before fleeing on foot to a getaway car.
No one on the embassy staff was hurt in the attack, said Israeli Ambassador Boaz Bismuth, who noted that few people were present at the time of the attack, approximately 2:00 a.m. Three people were injured, all French nationals, including a man who fell as he tried to flee the scene, a restaurant owner and a passerby.
Bismuth told reporters that despite foreign media reports, only one terrorist actually shot at the embassy. In an interview with IDF Army Radio, he added, "Both countries understand the severity of the incident."
There was no immediate comment from the Mauritanian government, which later claimed the target was a discotheque located next door to the embassy. The establishment is a popular spot with Western nationals.
After the attack the area was immediately roped off by Mauritanian authorities, who continued to block journalists and visitors from entering the area on Saturday.
Mauritania, which is a member of the Arab League, is one of three Muslim nations with diplomatic ties to Israel. Formal relations with the Jewish State were established in 1999.