This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22459439

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
US official describes Benghazi consulate attack Benghazi attack: Hicks 'stunned' at Rice explanation
(about 9 hours later)
A top US official who was in Libya during a deadly attack on the US consulate in Benghazi has given the first public account of the event. A top US official who was in Libya during the deadly attack on the US Consulate in Benghazi has given the first public account of the event.
Gregory Hicks, deputy chief of mission in Tripoli, described events on 11 September, in testimony in a committee of the US House of Representatives. Gregory Hicks, deputy chief of mission in Tripoli, said he was "stunned" by UN Ambassador Susan Rice's comments that the attack was spontaneous.
Envoy Christopher Stevens and three other Americans died in the attack. He also told lawmakers he received a phone call from US Envoy Christopher Stevens, just before he died.
Some Republicans accuse the White House of hiding information, while Democrats say the issue has become politicised. Three other Americans were killed in the attack on 11 September 2012.
During several hours of emotional testimony before a House of Representatives committee on Wednesday, Mr Hicks described the moment he was informed of the attack.
He said he was in Tripoli watching TV when he received a phone call from Ambassador Stevens.
"Greg, we're under attack," the ambassador reportedly told Mr Hicks by telephone before the line cut.
He later received a phone call from the Libyan prime minister informing him of Ambassador Steven's death.
"I think it is the saddest phone call I have ever had in my life," Mr Hicks said.
After the disrupted phone call with Ambassador Stevens, Mr Hicks said he received calls from Libyans using the ambassador's phone who said they had the envoy with them.
But Mr Hicks decided not to act on the calls, fearing an ambush.
UN Ambassador Susan Rice has been the focus of outrage from Republicans in Congress, for giving the news media what has been acknowledged as an incorrect explanation for the attack.
She said on a Sunday chat show on 16 September that the attack had grown out of an anti-US protest, while other officials have said they knew at the time it was an organised, armed assault, possibly by an Islamist militant group.
"My jaw dropped and I was embarrassed," Mr Hicks said on his reaction to her interview.
Some Republicans accuse the White House of hiding information about the attack, while Democrats say the issue has become politicised.
The BBC's Jane O'Brien in Washington says Wednesday's testimony will do nothing to dispel Republican concerns that President Barack Obama tried to cover up a terrorist attack in the run-up to a presidential election.The BBC's Jane O'Brien in Washington says Wednesday's testimony will do nothing to dispel Republican concerns that President Barack Obama tried to cover up a terrorist attack in the run-up to a presidential election.
Democrats will continue to say there was no attempt to mislead the public, our correspondents adds.Democrats will continue to say there was no attempt to mislead the public, our correspondents adds.
UN Ambassador Susan Rice has been the focus of outrage from Republicans in Congress, for giving the news media what has been acknowledged as an incorrect explanation for the attack.
She said on a Sunday chat show on 16 September that the attack had grown out of an anti-US protest, while other officials have said they knew at the time it was an organised, armed assault.
'Need to evacuate''Need to evacuate'
At Wednesday's hearing, Mr Hicks expressed frustration with the lack of a US military response during the night-time attack, saying one could have deterred a second assault.At Wednesday's hearing, Mr Hicks expressed frustration with the lack of a US military response during the night-time attack, saying one could have deterred a second assault.
The Pentagon has said nothing could have been done to assist the Americans in Benghazi.The Pentagon has said nothing could have been done to assist the Americans in Benghazi.
Mr Hicks and two other state department employees criticised an official review undertaken after the attack, saying many people with first-hand knowledge of the event were not interviewed and it focused too much on lower-ranking officials.Mr Hicks and two other state department employees criticised an official review undertaken after the attack, saying many people with first-hand knowledge of the event were not interviewed and it focused too much on lower-ranking officials.
The review found that poor leadership and management in two state department teams led to a security plan that was "inadequate for Benghazi and grossly inadequate to deal with the attack that took place".The review found that poor leadership and management in two state department teams led to a security plan that was "inadequate for Benghazi and grossly inadequate to deal with the attack that took place".
During several hours of testimony, Mr Hicks told the panel he was in Tripoli watching TV when he was first alerted to the attack. Mr Hicks told the panel he spoke to people at the State Department and to Libyan officials, and had a conversation with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton around 02:00 on the night of the attack.
"Greg, we're under attack," the ambassador reportedly told Mr Hicks by telephone before the line cut out.
Mr Hicks told lawmakers he also spoke to people at the state department and to Libyan officials, and had a conversation with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton around 02:00 on the night of the attack.
"Secretary of State Clinton called me along with her senior staff... and she asked me what was going on. And I briefed her on developments," Mr Hicks told congressmen."Secretary of State Clinton called me along with her senior staff... and she asked me what was going on. And I briefed her on developments," Mr Hicks told congressmen.
"Most of the conversation was about the search for Ambassador Stevens. It was also about what we were going to do with our personnel in Benghazi, and I told her that we would need to evacuate. She said that was the right thing to do.""Most of the conversation was about the search for Ambassador Stevens. It was also about what we were going to do with our personnel in Benghazi, and I told her that we would need to evacuate. She said that was the right thing to do."
Mr Hicks described the call from the Libyan prime minister in which he learned Stevens was dead as the saddest of his life.
Later, Mr Hicks said, he received calls from Libyans using the ambassador's phone who said they had the envoy with them.
But Mr Hicks decided not to act on the calls, fearing an ambush.
The ambassador died of smoke inhalation when he was trapped in the burning consulate building, after armed men stormed the compound.The ambassador died of smoke inhalation when he was trapped in the burning consulate building, after armed men stormed the compound.
State department employee Sean Smith and former Navy Seals Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty also died in the attack.State department employee Sean Smith and former Navy Seals Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty also died in the attack.
Mrs Clinton angrily defended her handling of the Benghazi raid in a series of hearings on Capitol Hill in January.Mrs Clinton angrily defended her handling of the Benghazi raid in a series of hearings on Capitol Hill in January.