Libyan president tells NBC: 'Foreigners' involved in US Consulate attack

NBC's Ayman Mohyeldin spoke to Libyan President Mohamed Magariaf about the search for the group that killed four Americans in Benghazi.

Libyans and "foreigners" carried out the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi that killed the U.S. ambassador and three other Americans, Libyan President Mohamed Magariaf told NBC News on Saturday.

Magariaf's interview with NBC's Ayman Mohyeldin was the first time any Libyan official has said foreigners were involved in the planning and execution of the Tuesday night attack that took the lives of U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three others.


"We have assumptions and we have some information, and all that information we have now leads to the same direction about the perpetrators, the criminals," Magariaf told NBC in the interview aired on "Nightly News" Saturday.

Foreigners were involved in the planning and execution of the attack, he said.

Magariaf did not identify where the foreigners came from but said he was sharing details with U.S. officials.

Many people reportedly have exploited Libya's security vacuum and loopholes, Libyans have told NBC.

The violent protests in response to an anti-Islamic film have been spreading across the Middle East and the North Africa region, with attention focused on U.S. embassies and offices. NBC News' Jim Maceda reports.

Magariaf also added that Libyan authorities have suspects in custody.

Related:

Earlier Saturday, a security official told Reuters that Libyan authorities identified 50 people involved in the attack.

"We have names and we know who they are, but there could be more," said Abdel-Monem Al-Hurr, spokesman for Libya's Supreme Security Committee.

"Four have been arrested. Some of the others may have escaped via Benghazi airport, maybe to Egypt, but this not confirmed," Al-Hurr said. "We have given their names to all of the Libyan border entry points."

This article also includes reporting by Reuters.

NBC's Mike Taibbi has more on three men suspected of producing an anti-Islam film that is sparking outrage around the globe.

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So anytime Al Qaeda wants to kill Americans in one of our Embassies, all they need to do is post an offensive video to YouTube, claim it was an American, incite a riot for cover and then send operatives to the embassy with rocket propelled grenade launchers to kill as many people as they can. The President and the State Department will make the necessary excuses for the terrorists to try and mitigate the outrage.

How about this? How about we all agree that a movie, book, cartoon, song, limerick, painting or any other non-violent expression of an IDEA is not a legitimate excuse for violence?

And while we are at it, what kind of a religion has rules that extend beyond the people who practice the religion? I can see where Islam can forbid Muslims from depicting Mohammed. But how can it forbid non-Muslims from doing anything? How does that work?

    Reply#315 - Sun Sep 16, 2012 5:19 PM EDT

    somebody is trying to push the US in to ground war in the middl east, outcome would be , hugh cost death and destruction, more hatred, we should stay out of thr , thy dont want McDonnell's.. fkum

      Reply#316 - Sun Sep 16, 2012 8:20 PM EDT

      This attack had nothing to do with the film. It was an organized planed attack by pros to coincide with 9/11 and right under the nose of our POTUS and company. And some newspapers are saying we had forehand knowledge of a possible attack and did nothing. The on-going mess may be from the film but the initial attack was not. I have no doubt that it was done by infiltrators and not by an unorganized mob. Most mobs don't have RPGs and AK-47s.

        Reply#317 - Sun Sep 16, 2012 9:42 PM EDT

        Foreigners, meaning Muslims from another country?

        Here is the common bond.

        The religion of peace: Qu'ran- Sura's

        9:5. Then when the Sacred Months (the 1st,
        7th, 11th, and 12th months of the Islamic calendar) have passed, then kill the
        Mushrikun {unbelievers} wherever you find them, and capture them and besiege
        them, and prepare for them each and every ambush. But if they repent and
        perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat {the Islamic ritual prayers}), and give Zakat
        {alms}, then leave their way free. Verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most
        Merciful.

        8:39. And fight them until there is no more
        Fitnah (disbelief and polytheism: i.e. worshipping others besides Allah) and
        the religion (worship) will all be for Allah Alone [in the whole of the world].
        But if they cease (worshipping others besides Allah), then certainly, Allah is
        All-Seer of what they do.

        8:67. It is not for a Prophet that he should
        have prisoners of war (and free them with ransom) until he had made a great
        slaughter (among his enemies) in the land. You desire the good of this world
        (i.e. the money of ransom for freeing the captives), but Allah desires (for
        you) the Hereafter. And Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.

        9:29. Fight against those who believe not in
        Allah, nor in the Last Day, nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allah
        and His Messenger and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth (i.e.
        Islam) among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), until they pay
        the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.

        9:33. It is He {Allah} Who has sent His
        Messenger (Muhammad) with guidance and the religion of truth (Islam), to make
        it superior over all religions even though the Mushrikun (polytheists, pagans,
        idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah) hate (it).

        Alah Ham lika lotta,

        Lazarus

        • 2 votes
        Reply#318 - Sun Sep 16, 2012 10:38 PM EDT

        So why doesn't MSNBC take a vote on how many people actually think this had anything to do with the stupid you-tube clip/film??? Even the most devoted Obama supporters don't even believe that and the independents sure as heck don't. The only people supporting that belief besides the administration are the marketing guys here hired by certain Islamic organizations to promote Islam, and even the Muslim media is saying it was planned! Of all the stupid things to blame it on he could have picked a dozen better that would have gotten him more support. Just saying it was revenge for his killing Bin laden would have sounded better.

        • 1 vote
        Reply#319 - Mon Sep 17, 2012 2:23 AM EDT

        The media fans the flames. They cause loss of life for their own gains. Obviously the attack was planned, yet the media keeps leading every story with the video as the cause. As an aside, the fact those four died totally exposed shows a failure not only by Obama, but Hilary Clinton as well as they came under her purview. The widows of those men should have slapped her face when she approached them with her condolences.

          #319.1 - Mon Sep 17, 2012 10:41 AM EDT
          Reply

          And to think we have people in America that complain that our soldiers are mistreating the captives in gitmo these types of a--holes make me sick. We need a presadent who will deal with this problamatic skum here and abroad and refuse to let our forces protect our forign embassies and the people assigned to them, assign three or four platoons of marines to these embassys or remove our people from these locations. The this sh[t is going to perpetuate itself, I for one do not wish to endure it for another four years with our hands tied. And this film is just an excuse to escalate the attacks people are going to start attacking the're mosques here in the united states and then the bast-rds will be squeeling. make your votes count or accept more of this crap.

            Reply#320 - Mon Sep 17, 2012 2:36 AM EDT

            You claim to be an American, yet you have to ask: "Why is there no action being taken against this film". Suggest you go back and study a little about America.

            • 1 vote
            Reply#321 - Mon Sep 17, 2012 3:53 AM EDT

            We haven't had a decent POTUS since Reagan, and that goes for both parties. Our downward spiral will continue regardless of who wins the next election. We really do not have the choices we desparately need in perennial candidates. Wonder what this country will be known as in the future - doubt it will be the USA.

              Reply#322 - Mon Sep 17, 2012 10:36 AM EDT

              To hell with Libyas presadent, Our government needs to stop allowing them to make fools of us now, This perpetual sh;t is definately going to have an impact on the election and it will not be posative one for the dem's. The solution is to give back to them the same. Romney is looking more and more like a shoe in for presadent. we need to deal with the islamic problem and quit hoping that it goes away.

                Reply#323 - Mon Sep 17, 2012 8:11 PM EDT

                The Media is trying valiantly to sweep this mess under the rug for THE ONE.

                LOOK AT THESE EXPLOSIVE STATEMENTS BY BY THE LIBYAN PRESIDENT.

                HE INDICATES THAT OBAMA KNEW OF THE IMPENDING ATTACKS YET TOOK NO ACTION !

                …and the Libyan President even cites intercepted communications from the US government to prove it.

                This is a story that the American people deserve to hear, yet the major news organizations have chosen to withhold that information.

                The information was most certainly contained in the daily security briefings on the mornings of September 9th and 10th. Yet the president chose to skip those daily security briefings. We are told by his administration that he read the synopsis of those security briefings.

                Yet we are also told by his administration that the attack on the Libyan compound was spontaneous. The way our system of American
                democracy works, the free press makes certain all pertinent information is made available to the public. Then let the public decide.

                Issues of national security transcend politics. Yet the main stream media chooses to influence the election process by selectively withholding information.

                FELLOW PATRIOTS - HAMMER THIS STORY. POST IT ON EVERY NEWSPAPER ACROSS THE NATION. SEND IT AS A LETTER TO THE EDITOR UNTIL WE SHAME THEM INTO RUNNING
                THIS STORY !

                • 1 vote
                Reply#324 - Tue Sep 18, 2012 1:27 PM EDT

                Another fine example of the Obama world leadership and experienced world diplomacy....Apologize again Obama. and again, and again....Does that work for you?....It is embarrassing and disgusting for most of us... Media, Keep telling us that the whole world loves Obama.

                  Reply#325 - Tue Sep 18, 2012 9:36 PM EDT

                  You mean foreigners as in the Israeli Moussad? That's what I hear, and it is not only possible, but probable.

                    Reply#326 - Wed Sep 19, 2012 11:54 AM EDT

                    Obsolete....No one is going to believe your crap....you are trying to sell that Israel is behind the radical killers riots....Try for something a little more believable. There is no need to just make up lies...What is unbelievable is that the left is willing to make up the most outrageious lies.

                      #326.1 - Wed Sep 19, 2012 1:57 PM EDT
                      Reply

                      its mind blowing david gregory of NBC NEWS OBAMA who chairs meet the press practically insulted prime minister of isreal Netanyhu about his position on iran and the timing of which he pushed his agenda with obama suggesting a political favorite in the upcoming presidential election? gregory is a bias in the tank for obama jerk! Netanyahu has been after obama for months to get more serious about irans nuclear situation. yet gregory lets Rice spew the lies about whether the U.S.embassy attack in libya was a spontaneous event are a planned 9/11 in your face to America kind of an attack. now it seems all along that Rice was just (obama talking) and that it was a pre planned attack on 9/11 with some of irans fingerprints all over it and had nothing to do with the muhammad insult film. gregory is a total fake from top to bottom .BIAS from head to toe.

                        Reply#327 - Wed Sep 19, 2012 2:43 PM EDT

                        And the scumbag Obama, goes on Letterman. What a bogus POS!

                          Reply#328 - Wed Sep 19, 2012 6:16 PM EDT

                          Same thoughts DesertKing...amazing how the ignorant mass blindly supports Oscammer the Divider!!

                            #328.1 - Fri Sep 21, 2012 10:01 AM EDT
                            Reply

                            WOW...if it wasn't for the fact that our American Diplomats were tortured and killed on US Embassy soil, I would say this guy is a real comedian and is trying to get on a talk show. Like on the Letterman Show as Obummer did...

                              Reply#329 - Fri Sep 21, 2012 9:57 AM EDT
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