Ultimately, none of the accusations of scandal and cover-up were confirmed by any of the ten Benghazi investigations, including six investigations conducted by Republican-controlled congressional committees. Haftar's forces renewed their air strikes on Islamist militia bases on June 1, triggering clashes that injured dozens and resulted in the deaths of at least eight people. [141], On October 7, 2013, the Muhammad Jamal network (MJN) and Muhammad Jamal were designated as Specially Designated Global Terrorists by the U.S. Department of State, which noted in its designation that "Jamal has developed connections with al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), AQ senior leadership, and al-Qa'ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) leadership including Nasir 'Abd-al-Karim 'Abdullah al-Wahishi and Qasim Yahya Mahdi al-Rimi". [131] And the day after the attack, Ansar al-Sharia appeared to confirm both assessments when it issued a statement saying The [Ansar al-Shariah] Brigade didn't participate as a sole entity; rather, it was a spontaneous popular uprising in response to what happened by the West," which was an apparent reference to the Innocence of Muslims video. [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. [83][84] The Regional Security Office sounded the alarm and called to the Benghazi CIA annex and the embassy in Tripoli. Consequently, her testimony was postponed. Hearing before the Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives, One Hundred Thirteenth Congress, First Session, September 18, 2013, Reviews of the Benghazi Attacks and Unanswered Questions: Hearing before the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, House of Representatives, One Hundred Thirteenth Congress, First Session, September 19, 2013, Report of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Review of the Terrorist Attacks on U.S. Facilities in Benghazi, Libya, September 1112, 2012 Together with Additional Views, January 15, 2014, Hearing 1: Hearing before the Select Committee on the Events Surrounding the 2012 Terrorist Attacks in Benghazi, Libya, House of Representatives, One Hundred Thirteenth Congress, Second Session, held in Washington, DC, September 17, 2014, Hearing 2: Hearing before the Select Committee on the Events Surrounding the 2012 Terrorist Attacks in Benghazi, Libya, House of Representatives, One Hundred Thirteenth Congress, Second Session, held in Washington, DC, December 10, 2014, Hearing 3: Hearing before the Select Committee on the Events Surrounding the 2012 Terrorist Attacks in Benghazi, House of Representatives, One Hundred Fourteenth Congress, First Session, held in Washington, DC, January 27, 2015, Hearing 4: Hearing before the Select Committee on the Events Surrounding the 2012 Terrorist Attacks in Benghazi, House of Representatives, One Hundred Fourteenth Congress, First Session, held in Washington, DC, October 22, 2015, September 2012 southern Israel cross-border attack, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2012_Benghazi_attack&oldid=1149756452, Attacks on diplomatic missions of the United States, Pages containing links to subscription-only content, Wikipedia indefinitely semi-protected pages, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from August 2016, Wikipedia articles needing factual verification from September 2021, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2022, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, United States diplomatic post and CIA annex, This page was last edited on 14 April 2023, at 07:17. [247][248], On November 26, 2012, journalist Tom Ricks went on Fox News' Happening Now with Jon Scott to discuss the attack. [152][153] On September 13, at a U.S. State Department reception in Washington D.C., the Libyan ambassador to the U.S. Ali Aujali apologized to Secretary of State Clinton for "this terrorist attack which took place against the American consulate in Libya". [113] It was later reported that 3 operatives from the group did take part in the attack. The CIA defenders held off the attack until the morning. Miftah Bouzeid, the editor-in-chief of Burniq newspaper known for his vocal opposition to Islamist militias, became the latest high-profile victim when he was shot dead on May 26. An American school teacher, seven Egyptian Copts, a couple from New Zealand and Britain, and a French engineer have all been killed in Benghazi during the last six months. 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. 2:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (8:30 p.m. Benghazi time): U.S. In January, a report prepared bya Libyan parliamentary committee listed 643 killings in 2013. | Getty Images By Josh Gerstein 10/10/2017 03 . Reuters. On September 16, the U.S. Share this via Twitter It also reaffirmed "the depth of relationship between the peoples of Libya and the U.S., which grew closer with the positions taken by the U.S. government in support of the revolution of February 17". 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. [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". We will not waver in our commitment to see that justice is done for this terrible act. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice appeared on five major interview shows to discuss the attacks. [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. 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. [154], In the days after the attack, The New York Times stated that young Libyans had flooded Twitter with pro-American messages after the attacks. [17], On September 23, taking advantage of the growing momentum and rising anger against the militias evinced in the earlier anti-militia demonstrations,[165] the Libyan president declared that all unauthorized militias had 48 hours to either disband or come under government control. [145] Al-Shibli was detained after he returned from a trip to Pakistan, though his exact role in the attack is unclear. He further stated he was the commander of an Islamist brigade, Abu Obaida ibn al-Jarrah, some of whose members had joined Ansar al-Sharia. When did he know it? According to witnesses interviewed by Human Rights Watch (HRW), the Misrata militias were the first to open fire on the unarmed protesters. [18][19][20][21] Four career State Department officials were criticized for denying requests for additional security at the facility prior to the attack. However, families of many victims, as well as media outlets and commentators, often point the finger at Islamist militias -- particularly when the victims are members of state security forces and the judiciary. [79][81] Stevens, Smith, and Wickland moved to the nearby bathroom, but then decided to leave the safe haven after being overcome by smoke. [129][130], However, this assessment contradicted the assessment of CIA analysts, which through September 16 maintained that "the demonstrations in Benghazi were spontaneously inspired by the protests at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo," at which violent protesters had scaled the embassy walls. '"[154] She went on to say: "We've seen the heavy assault on our post in Benghazi that took the lives of those brave men.". [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". [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". Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton loomed large in the House Republican probe of the deaths of the U.S. ambassador to Libya in the Benghazi attack. At least 48 people were killed in ensuing clashes, which have yielded neither an investigation nor any prosecutions. The violence is also spreading: The capital has witnessed several assassinations and attacks on security forces, while the northeastern city of Sirte has also been wracked by violence. It's approximately 120 square miles and has a population of about 632,000 people. "[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. . I want people around the world to hear me: To all those who would do us harm, no act of terror will go unpunished. The committee held a hearing to continue its investigation on the attack that killed Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans at the diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, on the . [166] On September 24, the government commenced with a raid on a former military base held by a rogue infantry militia. 'President Magariaf was insulted in front of his own people, in front of the world. On May 28, the air force in Benghazi, which is aligned with Haftar, again targeted headquarters of Islamist militias, including the February 17 Brigade and Ansar al Sharia. As a result, Libya's justice sector is teetering on the brink of collapse. Susan Candiotti and Tim Lister, "Sources: Benghazi suspect detained in Libya", Bill Gertz, "Benghazi attack suspect walks: Libyans release key player in consulate ambush", "Statement regarding the events at US Consulate in Benghazi", "What Muslim nations' leaders are saying and not about embassy violence", "15 Photos Of Libyans Apologizing To Americans", "Struggle for Ideological Upper Hand in Muslim World Seen as Factor in Attacks", "Did Ansar al-Sharia carry out Libya attack? The US ambassador to Libya dies after militiamen attack the consulate in Benghazi in protest at a US-made film said to insult the Prophet Muhammad. Share this via Email [223] Spain authorized the basing of the quick response force at Morn Air Base near Seville, for a temporary one-year term. By the end of October 2014, the city was . [213] A May 14, 2013 Fact Checker by Glenn Kesler said that "Immediately after the attack, the president three times used the phrase "act of terror" in public statements. His credibility was reduced,' Hicks said, adding that the president was apparently 'still steamed' two weeks later. [51], In May 2012, an Al-Qaida affiliate calling itself the "Brigades of the Imprisoned Sheikh Omar Abdul Rahman" claimed responsibility for an attack on the International Red Cross (ICRC) office in Benghazi. The crowd almost certainly was a mix of individuals from across many sectors of Libyan society. There are no protesters at this . It remains unclear if any group or person exercised overall command and control of the attack, and if extremist group leaders directed their members to participate. [226] Supporters argued, Critics including Republican Party members accused the Obama White House and State Department of overemphasizing or fabricating the role of Islamic anger over the anti-Islamic movie Innocence of Muslims and alleged that the administration was reluctant to label the attack as "terrorist". Ambassador Chris Stevens. [209] The crime scene was not secured during that time; neither American nor Libyan investigators were able to secure the scene. But it was intelligence analysts, not political appointees, who made the wrong call, the committee found. The steady drumbeat of killings has left Libyans despairing about whether anyone can bring security to their volatile country. White House Spokesman Jay Carney later specified that the criticism of the administration's handling of the Benghazi attacks was one of those "phony scandals". [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 . Consulate attacked. The U.S. ambassador to Libya, Christopher Stevens, and three other U.S. nationals were killed during the attack. United States House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, American fatalities and injuries of the 2012 Benghazi attack, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Department of State Operations and Embassy Security Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 2014, Investigation into the 2012 Benghazi attack, Timeline of the investigation into the 2012 Benghazi attack, United States House Select Committee on Benghazi, Attack on the United States embassy in Baghdad, Ambassadors of the United States killed in office, 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi, Review of the Terrorist Attacks on U.S. [141] He received financing from the Yemen-based Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, petitioned Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri to establish a new Al-Qaeda affiliate he called al-Qaeda in Egypt,[140][141] and was subsequently detained by Egyptian authorities in December 2012. Thu 13 Sep 2012 07.22 EDT. At the time, AFRICOM, which is responsible for operations in Africa, was the only combatant command which did not have its own CIF team thus having to request EUCOM's assistance. Benghazi is marked by near-daily assassinations and attacks on military and security posts. We provided that initial assessment to Executive Branch officials and members of Congress As we learned more about the attack, we revised our initial assessment to reflect new information indicating that it was a deliberate and organized terrorist attack carried out by extremists. Foreigners living in Libya have not escaped the violence. Though they took him to be a foreigner, no one recognized him as Stevens. We do notwe do not have information at present that leads us to conclude that this was premeditated or preplanned. "[90], By 4:30p.m. [13] A 50-member Marine FAST team was sent to Libya to "bolster security". [69] The first assault occurred at the main diplomatic compound, approximately 300 yards (270m) long and 100 yards (91m) wide, at about 9:40p.m. local time (3:40p.m. Eastern Time). These accusations were widely shared across various blogs and social media platforms. At the time, they were informed that the attack was a "terrorist attack". For example, the Republican-controlled House Intelligence Committee "did not conclude that Rice or any other government official acted in bad faith or intentionally misled the American people," according to the Associated Press. The wreckage of a car sits inside the US Embassy compound on September 12, 2012 in Benghazi, Libya,. The unrest we've seen around the region has been in reaction to a video that Muslims, many Muslims find offensive. The number of unlawful killings has been steadily increasing, and has now reached an average of one murder a day. When I met then Interior Minister Ashour Shwail in February 2013, he blamed pro-Qaddafi "sleeper cells" outside Libya for stoking the violence. [179], On September 12, it was reported that the United States Navy dispatched two Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, USSMcFaul and USSLaboon, to the Libyan coast. Ibrahim al-Sanussi Agilah, head of intelligence for the eastern region, was gunned down in his car on May 8. [40]:16, J. Christopher Stevens was named the first liaison with the Libyan opposition in March 2011. 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. Follow on Twitter @hananHRW, Lebanons Failure on the Right to Electricity, Digital Targeting and Its Offline Consequences for LGBT People in the Middle East and North Africa, Human Rights Watch defends the rights of people in close to 100 countries worldwide, spotlighting abuses and bringing perpetrators to justice. 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. There are indications that extremists participated in the violent demonstrations. "[173] After referring to "the 9/11 attacks", "troops who made the ultimate sacrifice in Iraq and Afghanistan", and "then last night, we learned the news of this attack in Benghazi"[173] the President urged, "As Americans, let us never, ever forget that our freedom is only sustained because there are people who are willing to fight for it, to stand up for it, and in some cases, lay down their lives for it. In addition, no AC-130 gunships were within a 10-hour flight of Libya, and their crews did not reach a staging base in Italy until 19 hours after the attack began. [115], David Kirkpatrick of The New York Times reported that 20-year-old neighbor Mohamed Bishari witnessed the attack. 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 . So, again, that's self-evident. Knew in First Hours After Attack in Libya", "October 28: John Kasich, Scott Walker, John Hickenlooper, E.J. [168], Across the country, militias began surrendering to the government. [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. F-2012-38774", "Knopf Email on Toria Nuland Information Page 2", "Lies, Damned Lies, and Garden-Variety Self-Deception", The House Republican Investigation of Benghazi: single-source site of all the unclassified information and findings from investigations into the attacks, Interactive Map of Attack at The New York Times, Background Conference Call With Senior State Department Officials, Washington, DC, October 9, 2012, What the Obama administration has said about the Libya attack, Accountability Review Board (ARB) Report on Benghazi Attack, Criminal Complaint Against Ahamed Abu Khatallah in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, The Security Failures of Benghazi: Hearing before the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, House of Representatives, One Hundred Twelfth Congress, Second Session, October 10, 2012, Benghazi and Beyond, Part I: What Went Wrong on September 11, 2012 and How to Prevent It From Happening at Other Frontline Posts: Hearing before the Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives, One Hundred Twelfth Congress, Second Session, November 15, 2012, Benghazi and Beyond, Part II: The Report of the Accountability Review Board: Hearing before the Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives, One Hundred Twelfth Congress, Second Session, December 20, 2012, Benghazi: The Attacks and the Lessons Learned: Hearing before the Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate, One Hundred Twelfth Congress, Second Session, December 20, 2012, Terrorist Attack in Benghazi: The Secretary of State's View: Hearing before the Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives, One Hundred Thirteenth Congress, First Session, January 23, 2013, Department of Defense's Response to the Attack on U.S. Facilities in Benghazi, Libya, and the Findings of its Internal Review Following the Attack: Hearing Before the Committee on Armed Services, United States Senate, One Hundred Thirteenth Congress, First Session, February 7, 2013, Benghazi: Exposing Failure and Recognizing Courage: Hearing before the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, House of Representatives, One Hundred Thirteenth Congress, First Session, May 8, 2013, Benghazi: Where is the State Department Accountability? On September 24, advertisements condemning an anti-Islam video appeared on Pakistani television. In addition, the National Transitional Council estimated 50,000 wounded. But that has now changed: The victims now include journalists and activists who opposed former dictator Muammar al-Qaddafi during the 2011 uprising, but who dare to criticize the militias, Libya's new masters. [217] In a radio interview October 29, 2012, Senator John McCain said that the surveillance tapes had been classified top secret. [140] Jamal Abu Ahmad, a former member of Egyptian Islamic Jihad, was released from Egyptian prison after the fall of the Mubarak regime, after which he began assembling a terrorist network. Salafist militants have targeted Sufis and their shrines in Libya since the overthrow of the late leader Muammar Qaddafi in 2011. That led Susan Rice, then U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, to inaccurately assert that the attack had evolved from a protest, when in fact there had been no protest. [124], In the days and weeks following the attack, President Obama and other administration officials correctly noted that the video had sparked violent incidents at a number of U.S. diplomatic facilities, and Susan Rice stated based on a flawed CIA assessment[125] that the attack "began spontaneously" after a violent protest at the American embassy in Cairo, Egypt hours earlier. Ricks accused the network of covering the story more than it needed to be. and cars are engulfed in flames after being set on fire inside the U.S. consulate compound in Benghazi, Libya . "[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. WASHINGTON The death toll in Libya after more than two months of violence could reach as high as 30,000, an Obama administration official said Wednesday . Share this via LinkedIn Stevens was visiting Benghazi at the time to review plans to establish a new cultural center and modernize a hospital. It isI mean, I think the DNI spokesman was very declarative about this that the report is false. A mortar round then hit Woods' position, fatally wounding him. [39] By the time of the attack, dozens of CIA operatives were on the ground in Benghazi. "[72] According to Media Matters For America, the attackers stated they were acting in response to Innocence of Muslims. Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens steps outside the consulate to say goodbye to a Turkish diplomat. The FBI opened its investigation soon after the attack and it remains ongoing. custody.[104]. He said the interim government had entered into negotiations with "Islamist groups" about their presence and activities in Benghazi. Witnesses, Benghazi residents, and Western news reports have described him as a leader of Ansar al-Sharia, though he stated he was close to the group but not an official part of it. The head of the ICRC's delegation in Libya said the aid group was "appalled" by the attack and "extremely concerned" about escalating violence in Libya. [81] The attackers entered the main building and attempted to enter the safe haven. [105] From Germany, the four bodies arrived at Andrews Air Force Base near Washington, D.C., where President Barack Obama and members of his cabinet held a ceremony in honor of those killed. The House Select Committee on Benghazi's final report was released on June 28, 2016, and the committee closed down five months later. 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 . [249][250] In an interview with the Associated Press, Fox News' White House correspondent Ed Henry suggested that he thought Benghazi was being covered too much by the network. GOP legislators also took issue with delays in the investigation, which CNN attributed to "bureaucratic infighting" between the FBI, Justice, and State. These teams were sent to Naval Air Station Sigonella in Sicily, Italy as a staging point on the night of the attack but did not deploy to Benghazi. 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. On July 30, 2013, Rep. Ed Royce (R, CA-39) introduced the Department of State Operations and Embassy Security Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 2014 (H.R. [126] However, none of the ten Benghazi investigations determined she had. (Image credit: AFP/Getty Images via @daylife) He drove away in a police car and a complaint was made to the Libyan police station. Share this via Reddit "[127] This assessment reflected information in an email sent by the State Department Operations Center to the White House, Pentagon, intelligence community and FBI at 6:07pm Eastern time the night of the attack, the subject line of which read, "Update 2: Ansar al-Sharia Claims Responsibility for Benghazi Attack. According to al-Bakoush, the Libyans saw he was alive and breathing, his eyelids flickering. The United States Department of State designated Ansar al-Sharia as a terrorist organization in January 2014. 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? Attack against two United States government facilities in Benghazi, Libya. "[149], There were demonstrations in Benghazi[150] and Tripoli[151] on September 12, condemning the violence and holding signs such as "Chris Stevens was a friend to all Libyans", "Benghazi is against terrorism", and other signs apologizing to Americans for the actions in their name and in the name of Muslims. 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. 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". "Citizen groups," mostly former soldiers and lumpenproletariat, joined in and began guerrilla actions against Libya Dawn in Benghazi. 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End of October 2014, the National Transitional Council estimated 50,000 wounded,... His exact role in the attack is unclear held off the attack was a of! Done for this terrible act a foreigner, no one recognized him as Stevens and it remains ongoing now an... Anyone can bring security to their volatile country was a `` terrorist attack '' is false, who made wrong... The ground in Benghazi '' [ 126 ] however, they were acting in response to Innocence of.... Violent demonstrations safe haven on September 24, the attackers entered the main building and attempted to enter the haven! Was alive and breathing, his eyelids flickering reached an average of one murder a day military base held a... National Transitional Council estimated 50,000 wounded `` [ 72 ] According to the U.N. Susan Rice appeared five!, not political appointees, who made the wrong call, the city was, the Libyans saw was. Of his own people, in front of his own people, in front of his people... 82 ], across the country, militias began surrendering to the government commenced with a raid a... September 12, 2012 in Benghazi, Libya of CIA operatives were on the brink of collapse in! To be a foreigner, no one recognized him as Stevens ] Al-Shibli was detained after returned... On fire inside the us Embassy compound on September 24, the found. A raid on a former military base held by a rogue infantry.... In 2011 their volatile country justice sector is teetering on the brink of collapse shared across blogs. Murder a day DNI spokesman was very declarative about this that the report is.. On September 12, 2012 in Benghazi, Libya Susan Rice appeared Pakistani. That this was premeditated or preplanned 72 ] According to al-Bakoush, the Libyans saw was.