Belgrade Court Acquits Suspects In 2008 Attack On U.S. Embassy

Protesters storm the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade in February 2008

A Serbian court has acquitted the suspects in the 2008 arson attack on the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade.

The Appeals Court of Belgrade said on January 16 that it had overturned suspended prison sentences for four suspects and confirmed an earlier acquittal of three other people by a lower court.

Prosecutors failed to provide enough evidence to back the indictment, a statement said.

Demonstrators tried to storm the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade and set part of it ablaze in February 2008 as tens of thousands of people took to the streets of the Serbian capital to protest Kosovo's declaration of independence a few days earlier.

A 20-year-old man died in the incident, which has burdened relations between Washington and Belgrade for years.

Dozens of people were injured in the violence, which also included attacks on several European embassies but caused less damage.

The United States has been a strong advocate of Kosovo’s independence from Serbia and was among the first countries to recognize the new state.

Serbia does not recognize Kosovo's independence.

With reporting by AP