Yahoo.com : US Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens killed in consulate attack in Benghazi

[twa]

admitting the obvious...finally
http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/po...rrorist_attack
The Sept. 11 attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi was in fact "a terrorist attack" and the U.S. government has indications that members of al Qaeda were directly involved, a top Obama administration official said Wednesday morning.

"I would say yes, they were killed in the course of a terrorist attack on our embassy," Matt Olsen, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, said Wednesday at a hearing of the Senate Homeland Security Committee

..Committee ranking Republican Susan Collins (R-ME) declared at the hearing that she believes the attacks were planned well in advance and she referenced information she had received from U.S. intelligence officials behind closed doors.

"First, I will tell you that based on the briefings I have had, I've come to the opposite conclusion and agree with the president of Libya that this was a premeditated, planned attack that was associated with the date of 9/11, the anniversary of 9/11," she said. "I just don't think that people come to protests equipped with RPGs and other heavy weapons. And the reports of complicity -- and they are many -- with the Libyan guards who were assigned to guard the consulate also suggest to me that this was premeditated."

Collins said she was concerned by the lack of security at the Benghazi consulate, especially since there had been an attack on the mission in June and a more serious attack on the British ambassador's convoy as well. Olsen said the U.S. government was aware of the danger but not of impending attack that killed the four Americans.

[visionary]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...88J11F20120920

Clinton forms panel to investigate Benghazi attack

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Thursday she has formed an "accountability review board" to investigate the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya that killed Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans.

Clinton told reporters that the panel would be chaired by Thomas Pickering, a highly regarded retired U.S. diplomat who served as ambassador to Russia, India, Israel, El Salvador, Nigeria, Jordan and at the U.S. Mission at the United Nations.

[visionary]

Video feed of rally in Benghazi today.
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/libya-alwataniya


http://bigstory.ap.org/article/libya...s-after-attack

Libyans hold giant march against militias

BENGHAZI, Libya (AP) — Around 30,000 Libyans marched through the eastern city of Benghazi on Friday in an unprecedented protest to demand the disbanding of powerful militias in the wake of last week's attack that killed the U.S. ambassador and three other Americans.

The attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, in which at least one militia is suspected of participating, has sparked a backlash among many Libyans against the multiple armed factions that have run rampant for months in cities around the country. The militias have become more powerful than the regular security forces, and successive governments since last year's fall of Moammar Gadhafi have been unable to rein them in.

The militias, which are the legacy of the "revolutionary brigades" that fought Gadhafi in the civil war, have taken on roles as security, guarding state facilities and neighborhoods, but they also are accused of acting like gangs, detaining people, intimidating critics and clashing in the streets.

Friday's march targeted in particular Ansar al-Shariah, a militia of Islamic extremists who officials and witnesses say participated in the consulate attack. The group is also accused of attacking Muslims who don't follow its harsh interpretation of Islam.

"No, no, to militias," the giant crowd chanted as it marched along a lake in the center of Benghazi, filling a broad boulevard. They carried banners and signs demanding that militias disband and that the government build up police to take their place in keeping security. "Benghazi is in a trap," signs read. "Where is the army, where is the police?"

Other signs mourned the killing of U.S. Amb. Chris Stevens, reading, "The ambassador was Libya's friend" and "Libya lost a friend."

"Benghazi has been thrown wide open, it's full of chaos, looting and crime," said Ihsan Abdel-Baqi, a woman in her 50s who joined the march. "We want our dignity back. We are not afraid of anything."

The giant crowd poured into a square in front of the main camp of Ansar al-Shariah in the city, unfurling a long Libyan flag and chanting, "With our lives and souls, we redeem you, Benghazi." Military helicopters and fighter jets flew overhead, and police mingled in the crowd.

Several thousand Ansar al-Shariah supporters lined up in front of the camp in the face of the crowd, waving black and white banners. But there was no immediate friction between the two sides.

[FLRedskins]

All I can say is Nuke and pave over

[Jumbo]

All I can say is Nuke and pave over

If that's all you can say, then next time just keep it to yourself.

[visionary]

Oh ****....I wonder what's going on.
I just got home from visiting a friend.
I need to look into this some more.


https://twitter.com/libyanproud

Breaking : Protesters breach Ansar Shariaa Brigade headquarters in Benghazi via @skynewsarabia
4:44 PM

https://twitter.com/Reuters

Hundreds of pro-government activists storm main Islamist military base in Libya's Benghazi - Reuters witnesses breaking
5:01 PM

https://twitter.com/2011feb17

Confirmed: SaveBenghazi protestors stormed AnsarAlSharia base. Just saw footage aired on @skynewsarabia. YESSSS!
5:05 PM

https://twitter.com/4Adam

[PIC] Ansar al Sharia battalion headquarters is stormed by Benghazi's youths. The building be handed over Nat. Army. pic.twitter.com/YAJQJcqa
5:17 PM

[Predicto]

Oh ****....I wonder what's going on.
I just got home from visiting a friend.
I need to look into this some more.


https://twitter.com/libyanproud



https://twitter.com/Reuters


https://twitter.com/2011feb17


https://twitter.com/4Adam

Wow. That is amazing (if accurate).

[visionary]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...88K17920120921

Protesters storm main Islamist militia HQ in Libya's Benghazi

Hundreds of pro-government protesters stormed the headquarters of the main Islamist militia group in Libya's eastern city of Benghazi on Friday, Reuters witnesses said.

Chanting "Libya, Libya", the demonstrators pulled down flags of the Ansar Al-Sharia militia and torched a vehicle inside the base. There was no sign of resistance from the militia.

Earlier, protesters entered a separate compound belonging to the militia.

https://twitter.com/EmadDlala

Bless you, all! You made the world proud tonight!
5:42 PM

Here's a video showing demonstrators storming Ansar Sharai brigade http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzyvJbLt4LQ
5:44 PM

It seems Ansar Sharai evacuated all weapons from the base? They can run but they can't hide
5:47 PM

Benghazi tonight made me recall the old days of the revolution when FFs would take over Gaddafi positions. Unforgettable
5:48 PM

https://twitter.com/zaidbenjamin

BREAKING: Protesters took control of Gout al-Sha'al brigade HQ in Libya's capital Tripoli - Picture pic.twitter.com/Za5w7oPK
5:40 PM

BREAKING: Protesters took control of a second Ansar al-Sharia'a post in Benghazi Libya stationed in al-Jala'a Hospital - Witnesses
5:49 PM

Video: Protesters are taking control of several Ansar al-Sharia posts in Benghazi http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHPpS9OMKzE …
5:54 PM

https://twitter.com/Brown_Moses

Protests from today in Libya, nicknamed "Rescue Benghazi" http://twitpic.com/ax09ag

https://twitter.com/JomanaCNN

CNN is covering tonights events in Benghazi @arwacnn & team on the ground.
5:31 PM

Libyans have had it- months now they've been calling for action by govt to disarm militias & build security forces. now they take the action
5:40 PM

If you missed it- Benghazi is on a mission tonight! Protesters storming number of militia HQs
6:04 PM

They're talking about it on CNN tv right now.

Arwa Damon gave a somewhat confusing report about Tripoli.
She said that protesters were being tricked by pro-Gaddafi elements to attack a government endorsed brigade.
From what I'm seeing on twitter all the stuff being done tonight has a wide range of popularity.
Also it seems the brigades being stormed are all responsible for shrine destruction and other criminal acts.
There are reports of the brigade in Tripoli shooting at protesters and others and wounding a few, including a news cameraman.

Things are a bit chaotic at the moment though, so we'll have to see what happens with all this.
There are reports of gunfire in Benghazi too now.
Things could get ugly if the government doesn't do their job for once as they should have ages ago.

[visionary]

http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2...ed-groups?lite

Protesting Libyans overrun militant compound in backlash against armed groups

Hundreds of Libyan protesters stormed the compound of Ansar al-Shariah in Benghazi Friday night, driving out its militant occupants and setting fire to the compound, in an unprecedented public backlash against armed groups that have run rampant in the country since the 2011 ouster of former dictator Moammar Gadhafi.

At least one person was killed and 20 wounded in the confrontation, a hospital source told Reuters on Saturday.

According to The New York Times, protesters seized control of several other militia headquarters in the city as well.

The demonstrators demanded that militias in the country hand over their weapons to the fledgling post-Gadhafi government, and declared their solidarity with the United States in condemning terrorism.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/22/wo...hazi.html?_r=0

Angry Libyans Target Militias, Forcing Flight

Galvanized by anger over the killing of the popular American ambassador here last week, thousands of Libyans marched through this city on Friday, demanding the disarming of the militias that helped topple the dictatorship but have troubled the country with their refusal to disband.

In a show of mass frustration at the armed groups, protesters seized control of several militia headquarters on Friday night and handed them over to Libya’s national army in what appeared to be a coordinated sweep. They also stormed the headquarters of Ansar al-Sharia, a hard-line Islamist militia that has been linked to the attack on the United States Mission in Benghazi that killed the ambassador and three other Americans.

As members of Ansar al-Sharia fled their headquarters, protesters set at least one vehicle on fire, and Reuters reported that one person was killed. There were unconfirmed reports that several had been wounded by the departing gunmen.

At the seized headquarters of another militia, protesters burned and pillaged a large number of weapons, and hundreds of looters could be seen walking away with automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenade launchers.

It was unclear whether the backlash against Ansar al-Sharia and the other militias on Friday represented an opportunity for the government to consolidate its power in the post-Qaddafi era or would lead to new violent confrontations.

But no weapons were left behind in most of the seizures, protesters and officials said, suggesting the militias had been anticipating such an event because of a buildup of resentment against them.

[Unforgiven]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/0...n_1905650.html

CNN Reveals Finding Ambassador Christopher Stevens' Journal And Discloses Reporting With It

I'm glad they returned it to his family, but it seems wrong to me they went through it to mine it for information for their own use first.

[visionary]

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa...155740677.html

Libya moves to ban non-state militias

Two groups in eastern city of Derna announce they will lay down arms, as Tripoli bans all non-state-sanctioned militias.

Authorities in Libya have announced a decision to dissolve all militias and armed groups that did not come under the authority of the state after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi.

The announcement was made by Mohammed al-Megaryef, the head of the Libyan national assembly, late on Saturday.

The authorities also decided to put in place an "operations room" in Benghazi bringing together the army, forces of the interior ministry and defence ministry brigades comprising former rebels.

They have called on the army to impose its authority by putting its own officers at the head of brigades born out of the 2011 revolt, which escalated into civil war and toppled Gaddafi's government.

The announcement of the ban came hours after two armed groups said they would lay down their weapons and leave their bases in the eastern city of Derna.

Derna residents say five military camps are now empty, after Abu Slim and Ansar al-Sharia, the two main militias in the area, withdrew.

"Abu Slim had three camps and Ansar al-Sharia had two. So it's five. Empty. All empty," Siraj Shennib, a 29-year-old linguistics professor who has been part of protests against the militia, told the Reuters news agency by telephone

[visionary]

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa...126439787.html

Libyan forces raid militia outposts

The Libyan army says it has raided several militia outposts operating outside government control in the capital, Tripoli, while in the east, the militia suspected in the September 11 attack on the US consulate has said that it has disbanded on orders of the country's president.

President Mohammed el-Megarief said late on Saturday all of the country's militias must come under government authority or disband, a move that appeared aimed at harnessing popular anger against the powerful armed groups following the attack that killed the US ambassador.

On Sunday, security forces raided a number of sites in the capital, including a military outpost on the main airport road, which were being used as bases by disparate militias since Muammar Gaddafi was driven from the capital around a year ago, according to military spokesman Ali al-Shakhli.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-w...al-initiative/

Clinton calls for action at start of NYC meeting

Former President Bill Clinton on Sunday challenged Wal-Mart to open a store in Libya and help create jobs in the world's most troubled areas.

"If the new president of Libya asked you to open a store in Tripoli, would you consider it?" Clinton asked Wal-Mart CEO Mike Duke at the opening session of the Clinton Global Initiative.

[visionary]

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Mid...#axzz27OQWP9VW

Libya army takes over two Benghazi brigades

BENGHAZI: A Libyan military official said Monday that the commanders of the two largest militia brigades in the eastern city of Benghazi have now been replaced by army officers.

"Army chief Yussef al-Mangush issued an order appointing Colonel Amrajaa al-Msheiti as commander of the February 17 Brigade, replacing Fawzi Bukatef," said the senior army officer on condition of anonymity.

"He also issued an order naming Colonel Salah al-Din bin Omran as head of the Raf Allah al-Sahati brigade, replacing Sheikh Mohammed al-Garabi," the same source added.

Fawzi Bukatef himself confirmed the decision, saying: "Msheiti is in office now."

[visionary]

http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/27/world/...html?hpt=hp_t1

Producer of inflammatory anti-Islam film arrested, ordered held without bail

Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, the man allegedly behind the inflammatory film "Innocence of Muslims," was ordered held without bail Thursday after being arrested in California and accused of violating his probation.

"He engaged in a likely pattern of deception both to his probation officers and the court," Judge Suzanne Segal said in issuing her ruling.

The preliminary bail hearing began with Segal asking the defendant -- dressed in gray slacks and a white and yellow striped T-shirt, with handcuffs and chain around his waist -- what his true name was.

"Mark Basseley Yousseff," he replied.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa...257436544.html

US reduces embassy staff in Libya

The United States is temporarily withdrawing more staff from its embassy in Libya's capital for security reasons, but hopes to send them back early next week, the US State Department has said.

"This is a temporary further drawdown of staff for security reasons. We will review our posture again early next week with the goal of restoring staff as soon as conditions allow," a State Department official said in New York on Thursday, where Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is attending the U.N. General Assembly.

US Ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens and three other Americans were killed during what Washington has called a terrorist attack on the US Consulate in Benghazi on September 11

The senior official declined to say how many staff were being withdrawn or discuss specifics, but a statement on the website of the US embassy in Tripoli warned of possible demonstrations in Tripoli and Benghazi on Friday.

"The demonstrations are a continuation of those that took place in Benghazi on September 21-22, 2012," it said, referring to protests in support of democracy and against the Islamist militias that Washington blames for the assault on its consulate. The demonstrations erupted into violence.

"Even demonstrations that are meant to be peaceful can become violent and unpredictable. You should avoid them if at all possible," the embassy said.

[twa]

Didn't I hear the FBI agents sent down there can't even get to Benghazi?

Shoulda telecommuted I guess