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| Benghazi attack: US officials look for answers over deadly consulate assault | Benghazi attack: US officials look for answers over deadly consulate assault |
| (21 days later) | |
| US officials suspect the assault on its consulate in Benghazi, in which the American ambassador, Chris Stevens, and three other diplomats died, may have been planned to coincide with the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. | US officials suspect the assault on its consulate in Benghazi, in which the American ambassador, Chris Stevens, and three other diplomats died, may have been planned to coincide with the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. |
| Some officials drew attention to the scale of the assault, ostensibly over an anti-Muslim film, compared to an earlier protest in Cairo. US officials said that heavily armed men, some carrying rocket propelled grenades and mortars, took part in the attack on the Benghazi consulate, whereas in Egypt the crowd was unarmed. | Some officials drew attention to the scale of the assault, ostensibly over an anti-Muslim film, compared to an earlier protest in Cairo. US officials said that heavily armed men, some carrying rocket propelled grenades and mortars, took part in the attack on the Benghazi consulate, whereas in Egypt the crowd was unarmed. |
| Attention has also been drawn to an al-Qaida video posted about a day before the attack in which the group's leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, called on Libyans to avenge the death of his Libyan deputy, Abu Yahya al-Libi, in an American drone strike in June. | Attention has also been drawn to an al-Qaida video posted about a day before the attack in which the group's leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, called on Libyans to avenge the death of his Libyan deputy, Abu Yahya al-Libi, in an American drone strike in June. |
| But as more details of the circumstances emerged, other officials suggested that the assault appeared to be more opportunistic than planned days ahead. | But as more details of the circumstances emerged, other officials suggested that the assault appeared to be more opportunistic than planned days ahead. |
| For a start, the timing of the storming of the consulate, coming late in the evening, raises doubts about whether it was intended to coincide with the 11th anniversary of 9/11. | For a start, the timing of the storming of the consulate, coming late in the evening, raises doubts about whether it was intended to coincide with the 11th anniversary of 9/11. |
| Senior administration officials also said they believe that the consulate building, which was burned and looted, was the intended target, and that Stevens was an accidental victim. The attackers are unlikely to have known the ambassador was visiting from Tripoli. | Senior administration officials also said they believe that the consulate building, which was burned and looted, was the intended target, and that Stevens was an accidental victim. The attackers are unlikely to have known the ambassador was visiting from Tripoli. |
| At some point during the evening, peaceful protests began outside the US consulate – apparently a follow-on from the demonstrations in Cairo. US officials were unable to say when the first protesters arrived, but the building began taking fire at about 10pm Libyan time. Fifteen minutes later, the attackers got past "robust security" – American and Libyan – and into the building, setting it ablaze. Looters also moved in. | At some point during the evening, peaceful protests began outside the US consulate – apparently a follow-on from the demonstrations in Cairo. US officials were unable to say when the first protesters arrived, but the building began taking fire at about 10pm Libyan time. Fifteen minutes later, the attackers got past "robust security" – American and Libyan – and into the building, setting it ablaze. Looters also moved in. |
| Officials said there were three people inside at the time – Stevens, Sean Smith, a state department technician, and an American security guard. The guard escaped, but went back into the building to try and find Stevens. He came across Smith, who was already dead, but could not find the ambassador before being driven out again by the fire and thick smoke. | Officials said there were three people inside at the time – Stevens, Sean Smith, a state department technician, and an American security guard. The guard escaped, but went back into the building to try and find Stevens. He came across Smith, who was already dead, but could not find the ambassador before being driven out again by the fire and thick smoke. |
| About an hour later, American security personnel were able to get back into the consulate but Stevens was gone. US officials said that at some point – although they do not know the time – the ambassador either escaped the consulate or was helped out and was taken to hospital by Libyans. | About an hour later, American security personnel were able to get back into the consulate but Stevens was gone. US officials said that at some point – although they do not know the time – the ambassador either escaped the consulate or was helped out and was taken to hospital by Libyans. |
| US officials did not discover Stevens was dead until his body was returned to them at Benghazi airport at about dawn on Wednesday. They say they do not yet know the cause of his death, although a doctor at the hospital who treated Stevens told the Associated Press he succumbed to smoke inhalation. The Libyan press reported that he was unconscious when he arrived at the hospital and died after 90 minutes of efforts to revive him. | US officials did not discover Stevens was dead until his body was returned to them at Benghazi airport at about dawn on Wednesday. They say they do not yet know the cause of his death, although a doctor at the hospital who treated Stevens told the Associated Press he succumbed to smoke inhalation. The Libyan press reported that he was unconscious when he arrived at the hospital and died after 90 minutes of efforts to revive him. |
| US officials declined to speculate on who was behind the attack, but one said that intelligence of potential assaults on American targets to mark the anniversary of 9/11 did not flag up any particular warnings in Benghazi. | US officials declined to speculate on who was behind the attack, but one said that intelligence of potential assaults on American targets to mark the anniversary of 9/11 did not flag up any particular warnings in Benghazi. |
| Another leaned toward the idea that the attack either used the cover of the peaceful demonstration over the controversial anti-Muslim film for an armed assault on the consulate or, if there was any pre-planning, that it was only a matter of hours in response to the protests in Egypt. Al-Jazeera reported that armed men encouraged civilians to go to the consulate to protest. | Another leaned toward the idea that the attack either used the cover of the peaceful demonstration over the controversial anti-Muslim film for an armed assault on the consulate or, if there was any pre-planning, that it was only a matter of hours in response to the protests in Egypt. Al-Jazeera reported that armed men encouraged civilians to go to the consulate to protest. |
| A US official also said that a Libyan militia, formed during the revolution, came to the defence of the consulate. | A US official also said that a Libyan militia, formed during the revolution, came to the defence of the consulate. |
| Libya's ambassador to Washington, Ali Aujali, told Foreign Policy that the attackers were loyal to the deposed dictator Muammar Gaddafi. US officials were sceptical, pointing instead to Islamic extremists who have carried out other attacks on diplomats in Benghazi. | Libya's ambassador to Washington, Ali Aujali, told Foreign Policy that the attackers were loyal to the deposed dictator Muammar Gaddafi. US officials were sceptical, pointing instead to Islamic extremists who have carried out other attacks on diplomats in Benghazi. |
| High on the list of suspects is the Imprisoned Omar Abdul Rahman Brigades, which emerged earlier this year claiming responsibility for an attack on the International Red Cross offices. It has been linked to a rocket attack on the British ambassador's convoy in Benghazi in June, and was responsible for a bomb attack outside the US consulate the same month. The attack did not cause injuries, but the group left leaflets saying the bomb was in retaliation for the American drone strike that killed Libi. It also filmed the explosion and used it in a jihadist video. The leaflets promised more attacks against the US. | High on the list of suspects is the Imprisoned Omar Abdul Rahman Brigades, which emerged earlier this year claiming responsibility for an attack on the International Red Cross offices. It has been linked to a rocket attack on the British ambassador's convoy in Benghazi in June, and was responsible for a bomb attack outside the US consulate the same month. The attack did not cause injuries, but the group left leaflets saying the bomb was in retaliation for the American drone strike that killed Libi. It also filmed the explosion and used it in a jihadist video. The leaflets promised more attacks against the US. |
| The US military responded with drone surveillance over camps used by militants in Libya's eastern desert. | The US military responded with drone surveillance over camps used by militants in Libya's eastern desert. |
| Salafi groups have also been responsible in recent weeks for the destruction of Sufi mosques and shrines, and have desecrated British commonwealth graves from the second world war. However, there is little evidence they have widespread support in Libya. Their principal political voices, the al-Watan and Umma al-Wasat parties, failed to win any seats in July's elections. | Salafi groups have also been responsible in recent weeks for the destruction of Sufi mosques and shrines, and have desecrated British commonwealth graves from the second world war. However, there is little evidence they have widespread support in Libya. Their principal political voices, the al-Watan and Umma al-Wasat parties, failed to win any seats in July's elections. |
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