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Subscribe to RSSIn a statement from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, officials said they are revising their initial assessment of the attack in Benghazi to reflect new information indicating that it was a "deliberate and organized terrorist attack carried out by extremists." NBC's Pete Williams reports.
For security reasons, FBI agents are staying away from the Libyan city where a U.S. ambassador and three other Americans were killed, two law enforcement officials said Friday.
The officials say the bureau is not going to put agents in harm's way and that the city of Benghazi must be made secure before the FBI sends investigators there.
The officials demanded anonymity because they are not authorized to speak on the record about an ongoing investigation.
FBI agents were sent to Libya last week to look into the Sept. 11 attack that killed Ambassador Chris Stevens, a State Department computer expert and two former U.S. Navy Seals.
Terrorist groups in Libya tried to coalesce in month leading to consulate attack, officials say
At FBI headquarters Friday, spokesman Paul Bresson said "we are moving forward with our investigation," but Bresson declined to comment on the specific location of the agents.
Several questions still remain as to why top U.S. officials offered the wrong initial assessment of the Benghazi attacks that killed four Americans. Was there a cover-up? Or were they trying to avoid acknowledging mistakes so close to the presidential election? The Obama administration has denied any wrongdoing. NBC's Andrea Mitchell reports.
Separately, the State Department is further reducing the U.S. Embassy staff in Tripoli for security reasons. The embassy warned Americans of possible demonstrations in the capital and Benghazi on Friday.
On Thursday, Libya's leader said his government had disbanded about 10 militia groups and will continue to take action against Muslim extremists.
President Mohammed el-Megarif said the attack on the U.S. Consulate earlier this month that killed the four Americans was a final straw. He did not say when the militias were disbanded, or how many remain.
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"The embassy warned Americans of possible demonstrations in the capital and Benghazi on Friday."
I wouldn't hang around anywhere in Libya for now, but that's just me.
I hope Americans living there would listen and take a prolonged vacation elsewhere.
Obama fall guy announced. Some one had to take it versus the infallible Obama...
This makes no sense. CNN has been to the site. How much classified information has been abandoned? Are we so weak that we can not get to that embassy?
I am just glad this is Obamas problem and not Bush. If Bush would have been the chief and this happened, the media and liberals would be wanting to crucify the man.
Trying to understand your comment on being glad its Obama's problem. Is that because you want it swept under the rug by the liberal press (if American doesn't see it, it doesn't exist)? Or are you glad it should be a black eye for Obama? Hopefully the later...but in the end four Americans are dead and this administration is using a lame lie to not have to take a position and do anything. "Everything is fine here, nothing to see, move along. Move along..."
Get real I should have left the statement out. I want Obama to go down, but not at the expense of lives. His administration is responsible for this, and it should be front page news. Not many care about this topic, only 25 posts.
ROFLMAO!!
What is there to investigate now? We know what happened and we know why it happened and we know who did it.
The time to investigate would have been when our Ambassador was concerned it was GOING to happen. The time to investigate would have been when our current president was warned of the possibility it was GOING to happen. The time to investigate would have been on the upcoming anniversary of 9/11.
There is an old saying in the United States of America about closing the barn door after the horses have left. There is another one about common sense.
Does Obama know anything at all about the United States of America?
Where is the story about our government being told there was going to be an attack? Where is the story that the Presdident continues to talk about a video that doesnt have anything to do with our embassy being attacked. Is this a news site or election headquarters???
The people in this country had better wake up!
Where is the story about our government being informed there was going to be an attack on our embassy before it happened?
Where is the story about a president that continues to talk about a video being the cause of an attack on our embassy and it actually doesn't have anything to do with the attack?
Where is the story about an election season coverup??
Is this a news site or an election headquarters?
The people in this country had better wake up!
Is NBC a news site? I believe anyone with 2 or more working brain cells understands using NBC & news in the same sentence is a oxymoron.
I have a couple of friends that are left leaning. Even they are laughing at NBC and Andrea Mitchell.
I continue to read the news NBC writes so I have a good idea what is in the thinking of "HOW CAN WE FOOL THEM TODAY" administration. The other reason is for what ever reason, their weather forecasts are basically accurate.
I have come to the conclusion that 25% of the people think NBC is a good source for news. These are the same people that stand outside waiting for the mother ship to descend............tin foil hats optional!
Why did the Obama administration lie about this attack when it was obviously terrorism? Why is the media sweeping it under the rug. The story is buried on NBC and no where to be seen on CNN, ABC, CBS or Fox
Fox is all over this and try a look at BBC World... I just came back from India and London and its pretty blunt that this was America being niave and stupid...
What? They think there will be more premeditated attacks on our consulate?
This is not merely a conservative view folks - its the world view - all except Obama and is followers.
Or maybe they finally have done the security sweep and found the area a risk...
Why is the liberal press ignoring this huge mistake by Obama and his administration?
Why isn't America incensed by a president who calls the murder of 4 Americans "simply bumps in the road"?
the above writers all sound like employees of the corrupt fox news right wing advertising network. i guess you want another mid-east war. the best you can do is get out of this part of the world, the USA is hated because of its support of Israel. the ambassador would have had access to all the intelligence regarding threats and he decided to go to an unprotected consulate anyway. what cover up are you right winger nuts talking about? this part of the world always has these type attacks, its a dangerous place.
The US is hated there because of our democracy We are infidels to them if we support Israel or not.
janedoe. you are right to some extent. i am not a mid-east scholar but i do know that even moderate Muslim's question democracy and feel it does not work. if you look at the US congress, it would be hard to argue with them. other reasons Muslim's hate the US 1) we have killed about a half a million of their people in the last 15 years. 2) America has supported most of the mid-east dictators (in various countries) that have persecuted Muslim's for decades, it seems to Muslim's that the USA supports dictators out of convenience, 3) our 2ND amendment rights, the most liberal in the world, offend Muslim's when their religious figures are blasphemed against, it makes our people look like atheists, 4) the blind support of Israel causes problems, in that Muslim's and Israel have been waring for thousands of years and the USA continues to support Israel without question even to the point of currently being near another unjust war with Iran.
Why would we have FBI agents investigating this? Wouldn't an attack in a foreign country be a CIA thing? Or does the FBI have special jurisdiction over embassies?
In either case, I don't see the point. The Libyan government seems to be responding very well to the incident, so let's leave it them.
Any U.S. embassy or consulate office is deemed by international law to the soil of the USA. It falls by our law, that it is the jurisdiction of the FBI to investigate.
On the flip side, now Janet can proclaim it to be work place violence.
Typical example on how the Obama Administration outright lies to the american people....hillary.and company were saying for days that it was the film...and the fact was they knew at the time they were saying that it was the film it was not...thats lying.....and again these are the criminals you vote for.
If these comments are the epitomy of American exceptionalism. I'm ashamed. Does anyone offer support to the people of this new democracy. Thiirty thounsand storm an arms depot to stop milita having arms to make terrorist acts on anyone including those who were amoung the thirty thousand who acted in such a brave manner. There are Lybians who want Freedom...the hope of Freedom. Who understand possibly more than us in this century, what that possiblity means to them. Why do we make everything about politics. Why do we make evrything so black and white? The world my friends are very degrees of grey. Why do we condem this burgening light of Freedom?
There is a tiny light of hope. tiny...It seems that exetremest were at play...the thirty thousands voices that said no more ...we want our time...we want our chance to have Freedom ...need our help...we must support those wh cry out for Freedom...we must stand as best we can to keep the tiny light of hope from flickering out ...we must give them hope...and hold steadfast in the faith that the Lybian people want nothing more than to experience the lack of supression by terroist dicitators...we must have faith that the Lybian people have a dream of their demcracy. I can't help wonder if the tables were turned, this was our bid for our country to flourish under the word Freedom...in this time, in this century... would the French come to our defense to help us win our Freedom?
May we do what we can to support the Lybian dream of Freedom. May we remain friends though their fight until Freedom comes to pass to their country. May it soon rise and flourish. May it become a great and good bond. May we remain deverse, yet see eye to eye in the values of basic Freedom...voices that can be heard, to express ourselves without threat of violence, to live and laugh, to create greater opportunities for our families and our friends. May we have a reslove to know these things for Lybians and Americans.
May are diplomats and military personnel know, we are thankful they choose to do their jobs each and everyday.
Did you ever think that some of this maybe operational redirection? Granted YouTube and Twitter would never be used by the US in that matter...we don't need to know everything...we need to let our troops and diplomats do there job. Yet, I can understand, crongress waslied to when we entered the Iraqi war.
Somhow...I don't think drones...while effective for helping the people of Lybia avoid genecide...is the same thing as a full on war...not at this time. We as Americans have been blessed by God...May we as Americans hope and have faith in the Lybian people may they continue to be blessed with the reslove to fight for their light of Freedom, and may we do what we can to support that.
All is well.. High officials demanded to remain anonymous while leaking this story because they were NOT AUTHORIZED to comment...(yet they did).
That alone should be enough to warn the American People of deliberate government subterfuge and the sabotage of our trust within our Federal Police Agencies.
None of these people are to be trusted. FBI BATF CIA SECRET SERVICE.and don't get me started on the Department of Justice and the Attorney General.
They won't be allowed to Benghazi till the government can back peddle on all the lies they have told.
Can't have the American public know the truth.