The Rev. Bob Blackwell and wife Kay, appointed missionaries of the Episcopal Church who live in Damascus, Syria, were at their home on September 12 when Syrian guards foiled an attempt by suspected Al Qaeda-linked militants to blow up the U.S. embassy.

The guards exchanged fire outside the compound's walls with gunmen who tried to storm in with automatic weapons and hand grenades.

No Americans were hurt and the embassy was not damaged in the midmorning attack, according to an Associated Press report.

The Blackwells serve the English-speaking congregation of All Saints Episcopal Church. The only English-speaking Protestant congregation in Syria, All Saints is a part of the Episcopal Diocese in Jerusalem and the Middle East.

Blackwell sent the following account of the attack and life in Damascus to the Episcopal Church Center on September 13:

Living in the embassy section of Damascus, we thought we were safe. There are security guards in front of every building and security cameras monitoring the street. The Chinese and Iraqi embassies are
directly across the street from our house. The U.S. Embassy is a half a block away at the main intersection. There are two elementary schools on either side of our four-story apartment building. Nobody would ever try an attack in this area, we were sure.

Article from ENS: Full story and photograph:
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/3577_77839_ENG_HTM.htm