US President Barack Obama: "There is absolutely no justification for this type of senseless violence"
Posted on 09/12/2012 3:02:56 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
US President Barack Obama has vowed to bring to justice those who killed the US ambassador to Libya during protests against a film that mocks Islam.
But he told reporters that the attack on the American consulate in Benghazi would not break the bonds between the US and the new Libyan government.
His election rival Mitt Romney criticised his handling of the crisis.
Ambassador J Christopher Stevens reportedly died of smoke inhalation after a crowd stormed the consulate.
Three other Americans were also killed and the consulate set ablaze, in what the White House described as a "complex" attack. Unconfirmed reports - including Arab officials - suggest the violence could have been planned in advance.
The assault on Tuesday night included the use of rocket-propelled grenades, reports say. Charred vehicles could be seen parked near the damaged buildings on Wednesday.
US officials confirmed that all remaining staff in Benghazi had been evacuated and the US diplomatic mission in Tripoli had been reduced to emergency staffing.
A US marine anti-terrorism team is being sent to Libya to bolster security after the attack, a US defence source told reporters in Washington.
Protesters against the film attacked the US embassy in Cairo on Tuesday night. 'Especially tragic'
Speaking in the Rose Garden at the White House, President Obama told reporters: "Make no mistake. Justice will be done."
He said he condemned "in the strongest possible terms the outrageous and shocking" attack.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...
Roughly, reports are hazy, this is how it went down:
Unarmed “protesters” using the cover of the Cairo embassy protest went to the lightly protected consulate office in Benghazi. They gathered a crowd but made no incursion, just chanting.
Militants from the Shaykh Omar Abdulrahman Brigades, an AQ affiliate responsible for a number of bombings and shootings in Libya staged the initially peaceful protest as a cover for the planned assassination of Ambassador Stevens.
Ambassador Stevens with two Marine guards and a visiting USAF communication specialist decided to drive to the consulate to either manage the situation or help evacuate to a nearby safe house. The consulate security was composed of Libyan nationals whom were advised of the travel of Stevens.
It appears that a Libyan security guard was in league with the Shaykh Omar Abdulrahman Brigades and advised them on the ambush timing.
As the ambassador’s vehicle neared the consulate it was hit with an RPG and disabled. Steven’s and the other three then engaged a running gunfight until they could get to the consulate.
The consulate was then attacked with RPG’s and small arms until they evacuated to a safe house nearby. The Marine guards likely died as a rear guard.
The double agent Libyan security guard likely tipped off the militants as to the safe house location that was then attacked and set on fire. The occupants were trapped and suffered smoke inhalation, the cause of death of Ambassador Stevens.
The militants withdrew and the remaining occupants of the safe house exfiltrated as they were able. Friendly Libyans found Stevens and carried him to the hospital where he was declared dead.
The attack was in retaliation for the killing of AQ#2 Abu Yahya al-Libi in June. This attack was likely planned and led by Abdulbasit Azuz, a long-time associate of Ayman al-Zawahiri. Azuz is old school AQ muj, fought the Russians in Afghanistan.
Azuz was sent by Zawahiri to Libya from Pakistan in early 2011 to start a branch of AQ. They have a training camp near Derna, Libya with about 30 militants. They are connected to the AQ in the Islamic Maghreb that are well established to the west and likely participated in the raid also.
US President Barack Obama: "There is absolutely no justification for this type of senseless violence"
Thanks for that!
What? Send a letter all in CAPS to the Libyan government???
Yeah, right. Just like his “foreign policy” protected our people in the embassies. Now he has to figure out a way to better hide his next payment to the Muslim Brotherhood....
And like OJ, our fearless president will search every golf course in order to bring the real criminals to justice.
quick! get the lawyers!!
I am starting to believe that the Obama regime will go after Terry Jones.
I have actually been to the Embassy in Cairo. In 1982, we got along with everyone we met. We never saw any anti-american sentiment..
I’m sure Zero will get around to solving this one right after he stops the Iranian nuclear weapons program.
Yeah, right. I’ll believe it when I see it.
Bush would already have a team over there and planning action.
Does anyone know why our Security inside Embassy; our Military; did NOT shoot when these terrorists climbed over wall and into Compound? Were they directed not to use their fire power - or what?
Bush said after 9-11 that we would hunt them down and kill them
Obummer says we will get justice.
I guess New York City should get ready for the trial.
It seems odd that three of the four were killed by gunshots but Stevens died from smoke inhalation.
just like the Afghani police and counter terror folks we have been training who turn around and kill our soldiers..
That should do it.
Isn’t the host country responsible for protecting embassies and consulates?
After the first World Trade Center bombing Clinton said we will get justice.
So NYC had better get ready for something.
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