◼ State Department: No video protest at the Benghazi consulate - FP Cable
Prior to the attack on the U.S. mission in Benghazi late in the evening on Sept. 11, there was no protest outside the compound, a senior State Department official confirmed today, contradicting initial administration statements suggesting that the attack was an opportunistic reaction to unrest caused by an anti-Islam video.◼ Meanwhile, the State Department denies they tried to link the Innocence of Muslims video to the attack.
In a conference call with reporters Tuesday, two senior State Department officials gave a detailed accounting of the events that lead to the death of Amb. Chris Stevens and three other Americans. The officials said that prior to the massive attack on the Benghazi compound by dozens of militants carrying heavy weaponry, there was no unrest outside the walls of the compound and no protest that anyone inside the compound was aware of.
In fact, Stevens hosted a series of meetings on the compound throughout the day, ending with a meeting with a Turkish diplomat that began at 7:30 in the evening, and all was quiet in the area.
"The ambassador walked guests out at 8:30 or so; there was nobody on the street. Then at 9:40 they saw on the security cameras that there were armed men invading the compound," a senior State Department official said. "Everything is calm at 8:30 pm, there is nothing unusual. There had been nothing unusual during the day outside."
"The White House story crumbling..." The latest incriminating information on the U.S. consulate attack in Benghazi, Libya indicates that the State Department turned down a request for additional security from concerned U.S. embassy staff. - Heritage
◼ CBS: State Department Told Benghazi Consulate To Stop Even Asking For More Security - Ace
Good God.
◼ CBS News reporter Sharyl Attkisson has sat down with Lt. Col. Andy Wood to discuss the security situation in Libya prior to them leaving in August and he told her that the State Dept. was telling them to stop asking for more security (Video) - The Right Scoop
◼ State Department officials: We never concluded the Benghazi attack was related to protest about a video - Doug Powers/Michelle Malkin
◼ AP sources: State Dept officials deny linking attack to anti-Islam video, raising questions - AP/Washington Post
