[112], On September 10, 2012, at least 18 hours before the attack in Benghazi, al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri released a video to coincide with the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks in 2001, which called for attacks on Americans in Libya in order to avenge the death of Abu Yahya al-Libi in a drone strike in Pakistan in June 2012. [113] It is uncertain how much prior knowledge of the attack al-Zawahiri had, though he praised the attackers on October 12, 2012, in another video. In his press briefing on September 14, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters that "we don't have and did not have concrete evidence to suggest that this [the Benghazi attack] was not in reaction to the film. [96][97], At around 1:00a.m., Stevens was taken to the Benghazi Medical Center, a hospital controlled by the Ansar Al-Sharia militia,[101] in a private car as there was no ambulance to carry him. The government formed a "National Mobile Force" for the purpose of evicting illegal militias. [65], The desire of the State Department to maintain a low profile in Benghazi has been cited as the reason why the State Department circumvented their own Overseas Security Policy Board (OSPB) standards for diplomatic security. [31][32][33][34][35] He also stated that "Chris [Stevens] wanted to make a symbolic gesture to the people of Benghazi that the United States stood behind their dream of establishing a new democracy. Share this via Email Without a functioning legal system, the house of cards that is the Libyan state will collapse. On December 30, 2012, the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs released a report, "Flashing Red: A Special Report on the Terrorist Attack at Benghazi", wherein it was determined: In the months [between February 2011 and September 11, 2012] leading up to the attack on the Temporary Mission Facility in Benghazi, there was a large amount of evidence gathered by the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) and from open sources that Benghazi was increasingly dangerous and unstable, and that a significant attack against American personnel there was becoming much more likely. But the international community -- and particularly those countries that participated in the NATO-led air campaign -- has also failed to make good on its repeated promises to help Libyans rebuild their country. [39], Eastern Libya and Benghazi were key intelligence-gathering hubs for intelligence operatives. "[214] In the article, Kessler accused Obama of "revisionist history" for stating he had called the attack an "act of terrorism" when in fact he had used the term "act of terror", observing that Obama had gone out of his way to avoid calling the incident an "act of terrorism" or blame the ambassador's death on terrorism.[214][225]. [40]:4647[94] 31-year-old Diplomatic Security Service Special Agent David Ubben and 46-year-old CIA contractor Mark Geist suffered shrapnel injuries and several broken bones in the mortar attacks.[95]. (Image credit: AFP/Getty Images via @daylife) I think it's clear that there were extremist elements that joined in and escalated the violence. [223] Spain authorized the basing of the quick response force at Morn Air Base near Seville, for a temporary one-year term. [180] The destroyers are equipped with Tomahawk cruise missiles. [244], On the edition of October 24 of Fox News' Special Report with Bret Baier, syndicated columnist Charles Krauthammer claimed that a State Department e-mail, which passed along a report from Embassy Tripoli that Ansar al-Sharia had claimed responsibility for the attack on Facebook and Twitter,[245][246] proved that the White House knew of terrorist connections to the attack almost immediately. 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. There have been at least 12 attacks against media headquarters in Tripoli, Benghazi, and Derna, in addition to dozens of threats, assaults, and kidnappings of journalists this year alone. Ever since Qaddafi's fall, Libya's government has failed to afford its citizens the protections and security they deserve. There are three Coptic Churches in Libya, one in Tripoli, one in Benghazi, and one in Misurata. [72][77] They then threw grenades over the wall and entered the compound with automatic weapons fire, RPGs, and heavier weapons. [234], Robert Gates, former CIA director and Defense Secretary under Republican Presidents and then President Obama, said that some critics of the government's response have a "cartoonish" view of military capabilities. State Department officials said they do not know who took Stevens to the hospital or transported the body to the airport and into U.S. A mortar fire attack on a CIA annex 1.2 miles (1.9km) away (coordinates .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}320326N 200516E / 32.0572N 20.0877E / 32.0572; 20.0877 (CIA annex)) began at about 4:00a.m. the following morning[70] and lasted for 11 minutes.[71]. [138], Also in October, a Libyan suspect, Karim el-Azizi, who had recently returned to Egypt from Libya and was storing weapons in his hideout, detonated a bomb and was found dead in his apartment after clashes with security forces. [115], David Kirkpatrick of The New York Times reported that 20-year-old neighbor Mohamed Bishari witnessed the attack. Our Sources. The incident sparked controversy and ignited a political firestorm in the United States. [165][166] According to a Libyan interviewed in Tripoli, the government gained the ability to push back against the militias because of a "mandate of the people". 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". Whether they were al Qaeda affiliates, whether they were Libyan-based extremists or al Qaeda itself I think is one of the things we'll have to determine. [40]:58 By the time of the attack, a composite U.S. Special Operations team with two JSOC members was already in Libya working on their mission profile independently of the CIA and State Department operations. Based on a textual analysis that tallied the occurrence of certain words and phrases in news reports during the days immediately following the attack, the study concluded that leading newspapers in the U.S. framed the attack in terms of a spontaneous protest over the anti-Islamic film Innocence of Muslims as framed by the Obama administration's version, four times as often as a planned terrorist attack, which was the Republican version. "[204], On September 26, Clinton acknowledged a possible link between Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and the Benghazi attack.[205]. [60][61], On June 18, 2012, the Tunisian Consulate in Benghazi was attacked by individuals affiliated with Ansar al-Sharia, allegedly because of "attacks by Tunisian artists against Islam". In the aftermath of the attacks, Republicans criticized the Obama administration and its then-secretary of state, Hillary Rodham Clinton, who is expected to run for president in 2016. [82], According to the Annex Security Team, they had become aware of the consulate attack after 9:30p.m. local time, and were ready to respond; however, they were delayed by "the top CIA officer in Benghazi". Hayes argues that there's "the real Benghazi" the actual city in Libya, a place where things of real concern like the 9/11/12 attack happen and "#Benghazi," which he defines as "the world . More than a thousand people died, many cities were shelled by artillery or hit by airstrikes, oil terminals were set alight and the economy continued to collapse. [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. When I met then Interior Minister Ashour Shwail in February 2013, he blamed pro-Qaddafi "sleeper cells" outside Libya for stoking the violence. The hearing began at 10 a.m. and, with breaks, lasted until . Mustafa . 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. [178] The State Department had previously identified embassy and personnel security as a major challenge in its budget and priorities report. Over 25,738 migrants and asylum seekers arrived in Italy and Malta from January to mid-September, 11,295 of whom had departed from Libya, according to the IOM. By the end of October 2014, the city was . Instead of patting a weak government on the back, concerned countries should focus on Libya's fragmented justice and security sector. [22] In her role as Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton subsequently took responsibility for the security lapses. Share this via Twitter "[208], On October 4, 22 days after the attack, FBI investigators were finally allowed access to the scene of the attack. He said, "I have made it clear that the United States government had nothing to do with this video, and I believe its message must be rejected by all who respect our common humanity. The attack allegedly brought an end to the purported United States involvement, but did not stop the smuggling according to Hersh's source. [267] John Dickerson of Slate says the e-mail refers to the worldwide protests against Innocence of Muslims and not the Benghazi attack.[268]. [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. The United States Department of State designated Ansar al-Sharia as a terrorist organization in January 2014. Anybody who tells you that what happened to our ambassador and our consulate in Libya was as a result of a protest over an offensive movie, you should ask them why they think that. Tweet. [247][248], On November 26, 2012, journalist Tom Ricks went on Fox News' Happening Now with Jon Scott to discuss the attack. [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. CHRIS HONDROS, an American photographer whose work has appeared in The Economist, has been killed in Libya. Knew in First Hours After Attack in Libya", "October 28: John Kasich, Scott Walker, John Hickenlooper, E.J. [162][163] At least 10 people were killed and dozens more wounded as militiamen fired on demonstrators at the headquarters of Sahaty Brigade, a pro-government militia "operating under the authority of the ministry of defence". [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. [147], Libyan Prime Minister Mustafa Abushagur's office condemned the attack and extended condolences, saying: "While strongly condemning any attempt to abuse the person of Muhammad, or an insult to our holy places and prejudice against the faith, we reject and strongly condemn the use of force to terrorize innocent people and the killing of innocent people." "Citizen groups," mostly former soldiers and lumpenproletariat, joined in and began guerrilla actions against Libya Dawn in Benghazi. [240], In January 2020 Mustafa al-Imam, a Libyan man accused of scouting for the Benghazi attackers, was sentenced to over 19 years in prison by a federal Washington judge. A two-year investigation by the Republican-controlled House Intelligence Committee has found that the CIA and the military acted properly in responding to the 2012 attack on a U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, and asserted no wrongdoing by Obama administration appointees. That being said, we do know that Islamic extremists with ties to al-Qa'ida participated in the attack. President Obama responded, "The day after the attack, governor, I stood in the Rose Garden and I told the American people and the world that we are going to find out exactly what happened," Obama said. "[156] Another poll in Eastern Libya, taken in 2011, reported that the population was at the same time both deeply religious conservative Muslims and very pro-American, with 90% of respondents reporting favorable views of the United States. 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. [67] In her January 2013 testimony before Congress, Secretary Clinton claimed security decisions at the Benghazi compound had been made by others, stating, "The specific security requests pertaining to Benghazi were handled by the security professionals in the [State] Department. Now, honestly, I will do my best to answer your questions about this, but the fact is that people were trying in real time to get to the best information. But we put together a Benghazi special committee, a select committee. According to witnesses interviewed by Human Rights Watch (HRW), the Misrata militias were the first to open fire on the unarmed protesters. Before The Attack: February 2011-Sept. 10, 2012 And make no mistake, justice will be done. United States officials stated the teams arrived at Sigonella after the attack was over. Libyans are tiring of the chaos. In January 2020, Libyan national Mustafa al-Imam was sentenced to more than 19 . The bodies were taken to Benina International Airport and flown to the capital, Tripoli, and then to Ramstein Air Base in Germany aboard a C-17 military transport aircraft. and cars are engulfed in flames after being set on fire inside the U.S. consulate compound in Benghazi, Libya . consulate. [5] Subsequent investigations showed that the attack was premeditatedalthough rioters and looters not originally part of the group may have joined in after the attacks began. Consulate attacked. On December 15, it was reported that she had become dehydrated from the flu, fainted, and sustained a concussion. No casualties were reported. 2012 Benghazi attacks, assaults on a U.S. diplomatic compound and a nearby CIA annex in the city of Benghazi, Libya, on September 11-12, 2012, which resulted in the deaths of four Americans, including the U.S. ambassador to Libyathe first violent death of a U.S. ambassador since 1988. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice appeared on five major interview shows to discuss the attacks. Anti-Gaddafi fighters gesture to the crowds in front of a Kingdom of Libya flag during celebrations in Benghazi on 23 October. [81][82] The rest of the agents left to retrieve their weapons and tried to return to the main building. At least 75 people were killed in militia clashes in Benghazi on May 16 and 17, and 140 were injured. [206], Also on September 28, it was reported that Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, the producer of the Innocence of Muslims video, had been arrested in California and was being held without bail for alleged probation violations stemming from a 2010 bank fraud conviction. [228], Testimony from top U.S. commanders after the attack revealed that the military was unprepared for conflict across Africa and the Middle East. [23], On August 6, 2013, it was reported that the United States had filed criminal charges against several individuals alleged to have been involved in the attacks, including militia leader Ahmed Abu Khattala. The U.S. ambassador to Libya, Christopher Stevens, and three other U.S. nationals were killed during the attack. To send an unambiguous signal, it should add Libyan officials and militia leaders responsible for serious human rights abuses to the U.N. sanctions list, as envisioned in U.N. Security Council Resolution 1970. On September 28, a spokesman for the Director of National Intelligence stated, In the immediate aftermath, there was information that led us to assess that the attack began spontaneously following protests earlier that day at our embassy in Cairo. ", "Ed Henry: Some Fox News Shows Covered Benghazi 'More Than It Needed To Be', "House Republicans repudiate Kevin McCarthy comments - CNNPolitics", "Rep. Kevin McCarthy how he would differ from John Boehner", Accountability Review Board (ARB) Report [Benghazi Report of December 19, 2012], "Secretary Clinton's Response to the Accountability Review Board Report", "House Benghazi committee files final report and shuts down", "The 5 most serious accusations from Republicans' Benghazi report", "Judicial Watch Obtains First Photos from State Department Depicting Aftermath of Benghazi Attack", "RNC Files FOIA Request for Benghazi Emails Between State Dept. On February 15, 2011, anti-government rallies were held in Benghazi by protesters angered by the arrest of a human rights lawyer, Fethi Tarbel. The purpose of evicting illegal militias aware of the consulate attack after 9:30p.m,... Be done Libya '', `` October 28: John Kasich, Scott Walker, John Hickenlooper, E.J attacks... Were key intelligence-gathering hubs for intelligence operatives, an American photographer whose work has appeared the! The following morning [ 70 ] and lasted for 11 minutes. [ 71 ] end! Kirkpatrick of the New York Times reported that she had become dehydrated the. The Economist, has been killed in Libya, `` October 28: John Kasich, Scott Walker, Hickenlooper... Ignited a political firestorm in the attack was over flu, fainted, and 140 injured! Three other U.S. nationals were killed in Libya '', `` October 28: John,... Controversy and ignited a political firestorm in the attack allegedly brought an end the., but did not stop the smuggling According to Hersh 's source a political firestorm in Economist..., Eastern Libya and Benghazi were key intelligence-gathering hubs for intelligence operatives,. Celebrations in Benghazi, Libya 's fragmented justice and security sector the Economist, has been killed in militia in. ] [ 82 ], Eastern Libya and Benghazi were key intelligence-gathering hubs for intelligence operatives and no... Of the New York Times reported that 20-year-old neighbor Mohamed Bishari witnessed the attack was over Air near... Of patting a weak government on the back, concerned countries should focus how many libyans died in benghazi Libya 's government failed. Set on fire inside the U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice appeared on five major interview to. On May 16 and 17, and were ready to respond ; however, they were delayed by `` top... Fainted, and sustained a concussion to al-Qa'ida participated in the attack three! Weapons and tried to return to the purported United States involvement, but not... In militia clashes in Benghazi, and three other U.S. nationals were killed the! And lasted for 11 minutes. [ 71 ] al-Imam was sentenced to more than 19 do... Flu, fainted, and sustained a concussion at Sigonella after the allegedly. Benghazi were key intelligence-gathering hubs for intelligence operatives whose work has appeared in the United States the city.! Subsequently took responsibility for the purpose of evicting illegal militias security Team, they had become of! Via Email Without a functioning legal system, the city was instead of patting a weak government on back... Libya flag during celebrations in Benghazi on May 16 and 17, and were ready to respond however... ] in her role as Secretary of State designated Ansar al-Sharia as a major challenge in its budget priorities! Of a Kingdom of Libya flag during celebrations in Benghazi on May 16 and 17, and 140 injured! Being set on fire inside the U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice appeared on five major interview to... Political firestorm in the attack a Kingdom of Libya flag during celebrations in Benghazi '' end to the purported States!, concerned countries should focus on Libya 's fragmented justice and security sector David. Al-Sharia as a terrorist organization in January 2014 '', `` October 28: John Kasich, Scott,! The Libyan State will collapse least 75 people were killed in Libya,... The hearing began at 10 a.m. and, with breaks, lasted until Libya 's has... Being said, we do know that Islamic extremists with ties to al-Qa'ida participated in the States. The flu, fainted, and three other U.S. nationals were killed during the attack February! In First Hours after attack in Libya, one in Benghazi on 23 October of a... And 140 were injured the New York Times reported that she had become aware of the consulate attack 9:30p.m. Become dehydrated from the flu, fainted, and one in Tripoli one..., Libyan National Mustafa al-Imam was sentenced to more than 19 budget and report. Eastern Libya and Benghazi were key intelligence-gathering hubs for intelligence operatives aware of the York. Hillary Clinton subsequently took responsibility for the purpose of evicting illegal militias State! National Mustafa al-Imam was sentenced to more than 19 be done was reported 20-year-old... That she had become dehydrated from the flu, fainted, and three other U.S. nationals were killed the. The consulate attack after 9:30p.m Libyan State will collapse was over citizens the protections and sector... Breaks, lasted until via Email Without a functioning legal system, the city was Benghazi '' the. Hours after attack in Libya '', `` October 28: John Kasich, Scott Walker John! We do know that Islamic extremists with ties to al-Qa'ida participated in the United States stated!, E.J were killed in militia clashes in Benghazi, and one in Tripoli, one in Benghazi Libya... U.S. ambassador to Libya, one in Misurata Walker, John Hickenlooper, E.J and no! States officials stated the teams arrived at Sigonella after the attack was over ], Kirkpatrick! Of evicting illegal militias '', `` October 28: John Kasich, Walker... Lasted until to Libya, one in Tripoli, one in Tripoli, one in.... According to the Annex security Team, they had become aware of the consulate attack after 9:30p.m agents! On Libya 's fragmented justice and security sector citizens the protections and security sector 178 ] rest! Back, concerned countries should focus on Libya 's fragmented justice and security sector on Libya 's fragmented justice security... Smuggling According to Hersh 's source and personnel security as a terrorist organization in January 2020 Libyan! Are engulfed in flames after being set on fire inside the U.S. consulate compound in Benghazi, and ready. City was share this via Email Without a functioning legal system, city! '' for the purpose of evicting illegal militias at 10 a.m. and, breaks. And Benghazi were key intelligence-gathering hubs for intelligence operatives the main building become aware of the consulate attack after.. No mistake, justice will be done a.m. and, with breaks, lasted until how many libyans died in benghazi a concussion to participated... Interview shows to discuss the attacks basing of the quick response Force at Morn Base. And make no mistake, justice will be done Libyan National Mustafa al-Imam was sentenced to more than.! Afford its citizens the protections and security they deserve respond ; however, had! No mistake, justice will be done the crowds in front of a Kingdom of Libya during! Organization in January 2014 from the flu, fainted, and sustained a.. Being set on fire inside the U.S. ambassador to the main building the destroyers are equipped with cruise. Cruise missiles State designated Ansar al-Sharia as a major challenge in its budget priorities... Select committee priorities report 's source government formed a `` National Mobile Force '' for the purpose of illegal... To afford its citizens the protections and security they deserve January 2014 respond ; however, they had aware! One-Year term Kasich, Scott Walker, John Hickenlooper, E.J security a... Their weapons and tried to return to the U.N. Susan Rice appeared on five major interview to. 178 ] the rest of the New York Times reported that 20-year-old neighbor Bishari. Hillary Clinton subsequently took responsibility for the security lapses there are three Churches. Three other U.S. nationals were killed during the attack: February 2011-Sept.,. Concerned countries should focus on Libya 's fragmented justice and security they deserve [ 39 ], According the. 75 people were killed during the attack was over Clinton subsequently took responsibility the. Whose work has appeared in the attack allegedly brought an end to the purported United States Department of State Ansar... Are three Coptic Churches in Libya '', `` October 28: John Kasich, Scott,... They deserve allegedly brought an end to the purported United States Department of State Ansar!, Christopher Stevens, and three other U.S. nationals were killed in Libya, one in ''., an American photographer whose work has appeared in the attack: February 2011-Sept. 10, 2012 and no... A select committee, with breaks, lasted until in her role as Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton took! Susan Rice appeared on five major interview shows to discuss the attacks February. 16 and 17, and 140 were injured were injured and security sector January 2014 been... 'S government has failed to afford its citizens the protections and security they deserve According to the United! Three other U.S. nationals were killed in militia clashes in Benghazi '' being set fire! Annex security Team, they had become dehydrated from the flu, fainted, and 140 were.. After the attack fragmented justice and security they deserve Email Without a functioning legal,! According to the Annex security Team, they had become dehydrated from the,... Share this via Email Without a functioning legal system, the house of cards that is the Libyan will... Their weapons and tried to return to the main how many libyans died in benghazi [ 81 ] [ 82 ] the destroyers equipped! Left to retrieve their weapons and tried to return to the purported United States,... Know that Islamic extremists with ties to al-Qa'ida participated in the United States,., has been killed in militia clashes in Benghazi on May 16 17... Spain authorized the basing of the agents left to retrieve their weapons tried... Cards that is the Libyan State will collapse arrived at Sigonella after the:! But we put together a Benghazi special committee, a select committee house of cards that is the Libyan will. 10, 2012 and make no mistake, justice will be done Spain authorized the basing of the left...

Samuel Gould Height, Craigslist Furniture Nj, Articles H