A later report from an independent review board concluded "there was no protest prior to the attacks. "[183] He went on to say: There was no intelligence that in any way could have been acted on to prevent these attacks. American UAVs were also sent to fly over Libya to search for the perpetrators of the attack.[181]. [80][81], Diplomatic Security Service Special Agent Scott Wickland secured Stevens and Sean Smith, an information management officer, in the main building's safe haven. In his Univision Town Hall appearance on September 20, President Obama said that the "natural protests that arose because of the outrage over the video were used as an excuse by extremists to see if they can also directly harm U.S. He also urged the United States to continue supporting Libya as it went "through a very difficult time" and that the young Libyan government needed help so that it could "maintain security and stability in our country". Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and U.S. government personnel Sean Smith, Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty died in the attack at the Mission and the nearby Annex in Benghazi. In November, a largely peaceful demonstration turned violent in Tripoli, as demonstrators marched to a neighborhood occupied largely by militias from Misrata and called on them to quit the capital. Henry said, "We've had the proper emphasis, but I would not be so deluded to say that some of our shows, some of our commentators, have covered it more than it needed to be covered. House Republicans investigating the 2012 terrorist attacks in Benghazi, Libya, have found no new evidence to conclude that Hillary Clinton, secretary of state at the time, was culpable in the . [55] The Brigades claimed that the attack was in response to the killing of Abu Yahya al Libi, a Libyan al-Qaeda leader who had just died in an American drone attack, and was also timed to coincide with the imminent arrival of a United States Diplomat. CHRIS HONDROS, an American photographer whose work has appeared in The Economist, has been killed in Libya. [91], Just after midnight, the CIA annex came under machine gun, rocket and mortar fire. The four men were killed on Sept. 11, 2012, when a coalition of extremists attacked U.S. facilities in Benghazi. [207], On CNN's State of the Union with Candy Crowley on September 30, Crowley observed that "Friday we got the administration's sort of definitive statement that this now looks as though it was a pre-planned attack by a terrorist group, some of whom were at least sympathetic to al Qaeda," and asked the senior Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator John McCain, "why do you think and are you bothered that it has taken them this long from September 11th to now to get to this conclusion?" [191], In a White House press briefing on September 18, press secretary Jay Carney explained the attack to reporters: "I'm saying that based on information that weour initial information, and that includes all informationwe saw no evidence to back up claims by others that this was a preplanned or premeditated attack; that we saw evidence that it was sparked by the reaction to this video. Two British protection officers were injured in the attack when their convoy was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade 300 meters from their consulate office. But it was intelligence analysts, not political appointees, who made the wrong call, the committee found. A burnt house and a car are seen inside the United States Embassy compound in Benghazi, Libya, following an attack on the building on Sept. 11, 2012. In my three years in Libya, this is one of my most depressing duties. [40]:4748 The evacuation of about 30 Americans included six State Department personnel and Smith's bodythey were unable to locate Ambassador Stevens at the time. 4 Americans died in Libya and everyone on earth knew the name "Benghazi". Initial analysis by the CIA, repeated by top government officials, indicated that the attack spontaneously arose from a protest. "[210], To assist the Libyan government in disbanding extremist groups, the Obama administration allocated $8 million to begin building an elite Libyan commando force over the next year. Jan. 23, 2020. ET, Pentagon officials had informed Defense Secretary Leon Panetta about the attack. [7] Senior intelligence officials later . The GNC also failed to reverse a 2012 law that grants immunity from prosecution for acts "promoting or protecting the [2011] revolution," which in practice propagated a culture of impunity and selective justice. [41] After the end of the war, both the CIA and the United States' State Department were tasked with continuing to identify and collect arms that had flooded the country during the war, particularly shoulder-fired missiles taken from the arsenal of the Gaddafi regime,[42][43] as well as securing Libyan chemical weapons stockpiles, and helping to train Libya's new intelligence service. Details emerge on former SEAL's final actions in Benghazi", US military's response questioned in wake, Dad of U.S. bodyguard 'blown up twice' in Benghazi says State Department should admit mistakes, "Video shows Libyans helping rescue U.S. ambassador after attack", "Libya witness: Stevens was alive when found", "Video shows Libyans trying to rescue U.S. ambassador", "President Obama on the Attack in Benghazi", "Diplomat: Ambassador in Benghazi Said, 'We're Under Attack'", "Video shows Libyans trying to save U.S. ambassador", "US ambassador killed in Libya attack: Chris Stevens 'given CPR for 90 minutes', says Benghazi doctor", "Diplomats' Bodies Return to U.S., and Libyan Guards Recount Deadly Riot", "Revealed: inside story of US envoy's assassination", "Statement on the Death of American Personnel in Benghazi, Libya", "Statement on the Deaths of Tyrone S. Woods and Glen A. Doherty in Benghazi, Libya", "Clinton Recognizes Victims of Benghazi Attacks", "Former Navy SEALs identified as consulate attack victims", "Libya Attack Brings Challenges for U.S.", "U.S. ambassador Chris Stevens killed in consulate attack in Libya", Paul Cruickshank, Tim Lister, Nic Robertson, and Fran Townsend, "Sources: 3 al Qaeda operatives took part in Benghazi attack", Paul Cruickshank, "Analysts search for clues in al-Zawahiri remarks on Benghazi", Paul Cruickshank, Tim Lister and Nic Robertson, "Phone call links Benghazi attack to al Qaeda commander", "Terrorist Designations of Ansar al-Sharia as an Alias for Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula", Attack by Fringe Group Highlights the Problem of Libya's Militias, Election-Year Stakes Overshadow Nuances of Libya Investigation, "US ambassador killed in Libya: investigators probe whether Benghazi assault was planned", "Libya Attack Pre-Planned By Terror Group? Without a functioning legal system, the house of cards that is the Libyan state will collapse. Though they took him to be a foreigner, no one recognized him as Stevens. [221], In March 2013, Representative Duncan D. Hunter introduced legislation into the 113th Congress to authorize awarding of Congressional Gold Medals to Doherty and Woods for their actions that led to their deaths. [81][82] The rest of the agents left to retrieve their weapons and tried to return to the main building. [155] A 2012 Gallup poll noted that "A majority of Libyans (54%) surveyed in March and April 2012 approve of the leadership of the U.S.among the highest approval Gallup has ever recorded in the region, outside of Israel. Before the attack, the CIA was monitoring Ansar al-Sharia and suspected members of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, as well as attempting to define the leadership and loyalty of the various militias present and their interaction with the Salafi elements of Libyan society. one prominent former judge asked me. [38] In addition, it has been reported that in the summer of 2012, American Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) missions had begun to target Libyan militias linked to the Al-Qaeda network of Yasin al-Suri. When the State Department failed to respond to the request by February 4, 2013, Judicial Watch filed a lawsuit, which resulted in seven photographs being delivered on June 6, 2013. On the same day, Libya's Deputy Ambassador to the United Kingdom Ahmad Jibril told the BBC that Ansar Al-Sharia was behind the attack. Libyans walk on the grounds of the gutted U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, after an attack that killed four Americans, including Ambassador Chris Stevens, Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012. The government's reaction -- declaring the operation a "coup" and calling for a no-fly zone over Benghazi -- did little to slow events. "[239] However, immediately upon release of the committee's report on November 21, 2014, the Associated Press reported that the Committee did not conclude that any "government official acted in bad faith or intentionally misled the American people. Ambassador Chris Stevens, 52, died as he and a group of embassy employees went to the consulate to try to evacuate staff as a crowd of hundreds attacked the consulate Tuesday evening, many of them firing machine-guns and rocket-propelled grenades. A taxi driver in Tripoli told me recently he "hated Qaddafi," but wished for a Qaddafi to bring back some order. They will need a broader vision than what has so far been on display: The current crisis can't be fixed with only the usual post-conflict capacity-building and training workshops. [166] Hours before the announcement, in Derna, the two main militias (one of them Ansar al-Sharia) active in the city both withdrew, leaving both their five military bases behind. On December 15, it was reported that she had become dehydrated from the flu, fainted, and sustained a concussion. [162][163] Some militia members accused the protestors of being Gaddafi loyalists, looking to disarm the militias in the wake of the revolution. Join our movement today. [78][76] A Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) agent viewed on the consulate's security cameras "a large number of men, armed men, flowing into the compound". Watch highlights from the House hearing about an attack in Benghazi, Libya, in 2012, when Hillary Rodham Clinton was secretary of state. "[134] Obama spoke accurately, because five American embassies were the sites of violent protests due to the video, but Benghazi was not an embassy, it was a "diplomatic post." officials disciplined after Benghazi probe", "Transcript of Hillary Clinton's testimony on Benghazi attack", "First criminal charges filed in Benghazi attack probe", "Terrorist Designations of Three Ansar al-Shari'a Organizations and Leaders", "Lawmaker: If CNN can interview suspect in Benghazi attack, why can't FBI? The National also reported arms being hoarded in Misrata, despite simultaneous reporting by other outlets that militias were surrendering in Misrata.[171]. [267] John Dickerson of Slate says the e-mail refers to the worldwide protests against Innocence of Muslims and not the Benghazi attack.[268]. The earliest attacks were straightforward, targeting the Qaddafi-era state security forces and judiciary. The 2012 Benghazi attack was a coordinated attack against two United States government facilities in Benghazi, Libya, by members of the Islamic militant group Ansar al-Sharia. "[230] According to critics, the consulate site should have been secured better both before and after the attack. The security guards briefly detained the man before releasing him. [167], Handling the militias had been difficult as the government had been forced to rely on some of them for protection and security. Other ways to share ", "New York Times stands by Benghazi story", "U.S. captures Benghazi suspect in secret raid", "Mustafa al-Imam Sentenced to 236 Months in Prison for September 2012 Terrorist Attack in Benghazi, Libya", "Man seized over Benghazi attack is Syrian linked to suspected ringleader -Libyan officials", "Benghazi under scrutiny at congressional hearing live blog", "Benghazi witness points finger at Clinton on lapses in consulate security", "Clinton's role in the Benghazi fiasco and blame-shifting", Committee on Oversight and Government Reform House of Representatives, "U.S. officials blocked rescue efforts while Benghazi burned, Congress told", "Exclusive: Dozens of CIA operatives on the ground during Benghazi attack", "Deadly Attack in Libya Was Major Blow to C.I.A. In February on 1942, the deportation of the Jews of Cyrenaica/Benghazi to the Giado concentration camp as part of the Final Solution for the Jews of Libya began, setting off "dealing", first . interests. There is no easy answer to what happens next, and no magic wand. "[62], Ambassador Stevens' diary, which was later found at the compound, recorded his concern about the growing al-Qaeda presence in the area and his worry about being on an al-Qaeda hit list. On May 30, 2013, it was reported that the Republican National Committee filed a FOIA for "any and all emails or other documents containing the terms 'Libya' and/or 'Benghazi' dated between September 11, 2012 and November 7, 2012 directed from or to U.S. Department of State employees originating from, or addressed to, persons whose email addresses end in either 'barackobama.com' or 'dnc.org'". A Libyan man was sentenced to more than 19 years in prison on Thursday for his role in the 2012 terrorist attack on two U.S. government facilities in Benghazi that killed four Americans. [224], On May 13, 2013, President Obama stated during a news conference, "The day after it happened, I acknowledged that this was an act of terrorism." Share this via Printer. over the loudspeaker. Libyans are tiring of the chaos. But you know, to be clear, it is, from my perspective, less important today looking backwards as to why these militants decided they did it than to find them and bring them to justice, and then maybe we'll figure out what was going on in the meantime. By Neil Vigdor. . As Doherty attempted to reposition and take cover, a second round fell on him, killing him. [162][163] Protesters burnt a car and a building of at least one facility, and looted weapons. [166] On September 24, the government commenced with a raid on a former military base held by a rogue infantry militia. Today we mourn four more Americans who represent the very best of the United States of America. [191][243] None of the ten investigations into Benghazi found that any senior Obama administration officials had acted improperly. [45][40]:56[38][46][47] Investigative journalist Seymour Hersh cites an anonymous former senior Defense Department Intelligence Official, saying "The consulate's only mission was to provide cover for the moving of arms. [241], Multiple conservative media outlets, most notably Fox News, promulgated an elaborate narrative of a scandal and cover-up by officials of the Obama administration, including, among other things, accusations that officials issued a "stand-down order" to preclude a military rescue operation; that officials knowingly lied by repeatedly asserting the attack was spontaneously triggered by the Innocence of Muslims video rather than a pre-planned terrorist attack; that a secret CIA gun-running operation to Syrian rebels was being conducted out of Libya; that President Obama and Hillary Clinton were absent and negligent on the night of the attack; that Hillary Clinton had personally declined multiple requests for more security at the compound; that a live video feed of the attack was viewed at the White House or State Department; that Ambassador Stevens had been captured by terrorists and dragged through the streets; and that witnesses had been prevented from testifying. The investigation is ongoing, and the U.S. government is working with Libyan authorities to bring to justice those responsible for the deaths of U.S. [115], David Kirkpatrick of The New York Times reported that 20-year-old neighbor Mohamed Bishari witnessed the attack. [113] It was later reported that 3 operatives from the group did take part in the attack. [52], The Brigades of the Imprisoned Sheikh Omar Abdul Rahman released a video of what it said was its detonation of an explosive device outside the gates of the U.S. consulate on June 6, which caused no casualties but blew a hole in the consulate's perimeter wall,[53][54] described by one individual as "big enough for forty men to go through". Attack!" [166][167] The government also mandated that bearing arms in public was now illegal, as were armed checkpoints. None of that is true, according to the House Intelligence Committee report. Mustafa al-Imam, a Libyan national approximately 48 years old, was found guilty of terrorism charges for his participation in the Sept. 11, 2012, attack on the U.S. Special Mission and Annex in Benghazi, Libya. [145] Al-Shibli was detained after he returned from a trip to Pakistan, though his exact role in the attack is unclear. [176], Secretary of State Clinton also made a statement on September 12, describing the perpetrators as "heavily armed militants" and "a small and savage groupnot the people or government of Libya". [6][7] His requests were denied and according to Nordstrom, State Department Official Charlene Lamb wanted to keep the security presence in Benghazi "artificially low".[64]. The survivors later find out that Chris Stevens was found alive by local libyans and was taken to the hospital by local libyans, where he was pronounced dead. He was a member of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group, which tried to overthrow the Gadhafi regime in the mid-1990s. Sean Smith noticed this surveillance, and messaged a friend online around noon, "Assuming we don't die tonight. At the same time, a JSOC operator was using a hand-held device displaying images from a Predator drone above, which had been sent by the DOD's US Africa Command after request. On September 12, U.S. President Barack Obama condemned "this outrageous attack" on U.S. diplomatic facilities[173] and stated that "since our founding, the United States has been a nation that respects all faiths. Two former Navy SEALs who were among four Americans killed last week in an attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, died after rushing to the aid of their colleagues, according to sources . Obama administration officials, most notably Susan Rice, were provided this early assessment and repeated it to media outlets, only to be later contradicted as further intelligence assessments were made. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice for her appearances on Sunday news shows two days later, and it "sets out the Administration's view of the cause of the Benghazi attacks". ", "Remarks at Reception Marking Eid ul-Fitr", "Clinton: Libya Attacks By A 'Savage Group,' Not Libyan Government Or Its People", "Opinion Briefing: Libyans Eye New Relations With the West", "Eastern Libya poll indicates political Islam will closely follow democracy", "Survey of Public Opinion in Eastern Libya", Bob Schieffer, ""Face the Nation" transcripts, September 16, 2012: Libyan Pres. By the end of October 2014, the city was . Magariaf, Amb. On Sept. 11, 2012, Ansar l-Sharia armed militants attacked a U.S. diplomatic compound and then a CIA annex in Benghazi, Libya, killing four Americans, including U.S. "[161], On September 21, about 30,000 Libyans marched through Benghazi calling for support of the rule of law and for an end to the armed militias that had formed during the Libyan Civil War to oppose Colonel Gaddafi. 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