The short history of the 21st century is already marked indelibly by constant suicide attacks. Although it was the terrorists of Al Qaeda (of the Sunni branch of Islamism) who brought them to their deadliest expression during 9/11, the practice of immolation to achieve bloody coups had been initiated decades before by their religious enemies, the shia. These fundamentalists formed, at the beginning of the eighties of the 20th century, a radicalized minority in Lebanon, nursed by the successful Khomeinist revolution in Iran. His first suicide bombing, on April 18, 1983, targeted the US embassy in Beirut.
The author parked a delivery van with 900 kilos of explosive under the portico of the building. It caused 63 deaths, including eight CIA employees. It was the first of many outbursts.
