Libyan officials announce four arrests in Benghazi consulate attack

posted at 8:41 am on September 14, 2012 by Ed Morrissey

Libyan officials this morning announced the arrest of four people in the attack on the American consulate that ended with the murder of Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and three other Americans. Who are the suspects? So far the Libyans aren’t sharing much about their identities, but they’re not looking for random rioters. NBC News reports that the Libyans are convinced that the riot was a deliberate cover to get to the American personnel:

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

So far, the US isn’t going that far, holding off on any accusations of a planned terrorist attack. If true, it would prompt further questions about American intel and preparedness on such an obvious target date as the anniversary of 9/11. Questions have already arisen over the lack of effective security and the apparent exposure of a prepared safe house.  If this was a planned operation by al-Qaeda, which has filled the vacuum left in the eastern part of the country by the Western-led toppling of the Qaddafi regime, it will be a huge public-relations boon for the terrorist network, which has been on its heels for the last several years.  It’s interesting to note, though, that no one has yet credibly claimed credit for Stevens’ assassination.

The Libyan government has acted with much more energy in response to the riot than the Egyptian government in Cairo has with the ongoing protests there.  That’s certainly a demonstration of the relative strength of alliances in the region.

Tags: , , , , ,

Related Posts:

Breaking on Hot Air

Blowback

Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.

Trackbacks/Pings

Trackback URL

Comments

Grey Bar Motel time, seriously.

Vanceone on May 20, 2013 at 5:24 PM

Someone call the plumber.

rightmind on May 20, 2013 at 5:26 PM

There’s nothing like being shamed in front of the nation for your role in a terror attack that killed an ambassador while the precise charges against you remain scrupulously secret.

Whaddya mean he’s not going under the bus quietly?????
White House COS

ted c on May 20, 2013 at 5:26 PM

I am more shocked that The Daily Beast did this story.

Is it at the point where Journalists feel they can start being Journalists again, instead of Obama groupie/sycophants?

portlandon on May 20, 2013 at 5:27 PM

Trapped in a purgatory
of their own conceit…

The web of lies they weave
gets tighter and tighter
in its deceit
until it bottoms out -
at a very low frequency -
and implodes.

It may be just a matter of perception –
they can’t undo their wrongs
for fear it’d undermine their
perceived authority –
an authority they think they require
to stay in charge.

Yet all the while,
the more they talk,
the more they lie,
and the deeper down the hole they go.

There’s nothing I need to go back to -
nothing to re-litigate -
nothing to defend -
and certainly nothing to prove
to the unworthy.

Just wait…
just wait and feed them rope.

http://raymmax.wordpress.com/

CTSherman on May 20, 2013 at 5:28 PM

This guy better stay FAR away from Fort Marcy Park.

portlandon on May 20, 2013 at 5:28 PM

apparently these innocent scapegoats aren’t as willing to go down with the ship. not as willing as the LSM is.

t8stlikchkn on May 20, 2013 at 5:30 PM

I am more shocked that The Daily Beast did this story.

Is it at the point where Journalists feel they can start being Journalists again, instead of Obama groupie/sycophants?

portlandon on May 20, 2013 at 5:27 PM

Nah, they just have to do one article critical of their master..then they can claim they spoke truth to power before they resume their kneeling position.

HumpBot Salvation on May 20, 2013 at 5:30 PM

one official at State claims that Maxwell was supposed to be quietly reinstated and reassigned to another department once the spotlight on Benghazi had dimmed — which shows you how serious State is about imposing any sort of real discipline over the attack, even on its scapegoats — but that Mills eventually nixed that arrangement.

hmmmm.

ted c on May 20, 2013 at 5:30 PM

Maybe they’re just making an example of Maxwell and sending a message to any other State Dept employees who might want to talk too much. He didn’t have any involvement and he’s under the bus. Image what happens to people with whom they’re really angry.

Curtiss on May 20, 2013 at 5:30 PM

A source who spoke to the Daily Beast claims that the classified ARB section accuses Maxwell of not having read his daily security briefings

Then Obama is equally culpable, since he doesn’t read his security briefings either.

ss396 on May 20, 2013 at 5:30 PM

Just read about Billy Dale and what Hillary did to him and you will fully understand what is happening.

Here

right2bright on May 20, 2013 at 5:32 PM

Is this the 4th shoe?

esr1951 on May 20, 2013 at 5:32 PM

A source who spoke to the Daily Beast claims that the classified ARB section accuses Maxwell of not having read his daily security briefings (a charge he doesn’t directly deny)

So we can place Dear Liar on administrative leave? he asks hopefully.

rbj on May 20, 2013 at 5:33 PM

Welcome to AmeriKa!!!

Schadenfreude on May 20, 2013 at 5:33 PM

…the lives of seven innocent long-time career Government employees were shattered, their reputations smeared, to make way for the ambitions and arrogance of the President’s friends and family. We learned that the FBI and IRS became involved in this matter because of Harry Thomason’s false allegations that Travel Office Director Billy Dale received illegal “kickbacks” from a charter airline company. The White House knew very quickly that the alleged source of the kickback charges denied ever making them. But upon learning this fact, the White House did nothing to correct the public record it had created through misinformation.

In fact, long after President Clinton’s White House staff knew the allegations were false, they continued in their efforts to make a case against the beleaguered and increasingly impoverished Billy Dale. The Department of Justice (“DOJ”) case, U.S. v. Billy Ray Dale, was sorely lacking in evidence. It was compromised by missing records that had not been secured by the Clinton White House or the Justice Department.

right2bright on May 20, 2013 at 5:33 PM

Mills has to testify. She may be the only person, possibly apart from Hillary herself, who can explain State’s suspicious maneuverings after the attack.

1) Irrelevant.
2) I don’t recall.
3) What difference, at this point, does it make!
4) ???

I expect a new one is in the offing, but there will be at least one of each of the others.

Dusty on May 20, 2013 at 5:33 PM

Is this the 4th shoe?

esr1951 on May 20, 2013 at 5:32 PM

Yeah, but we’ll need to run through Imelda Marco’s closet before the low-info honey boo boo’s get it.

HumpBot Salvation on May 20, 2013 at 5:35 PM

Maxwell and the other officials were placed on administrative leave…

…

A source who spoke to the Daily Beast claims that the classified ARB section accuses Maxwell of not having read his daily security briefings

So does that mean we can place President Obama on administrative leave too?

Why is Obama skipping more than half of his daily intelligence meetings?

By Marc A. Thiessen,September 10, 2012

President Obama is touting his foreign policy experience on the campaign trail, but startling new statistics suggest that national security has not necessarily been the personal priority the president makes it out to be. It turns out that more than half the time, the commander in chief does not attend his daily intelligence meeting.

The Government Accountability Institute, a new conservative investigative research organization, examined President Obama’s schedule from the day he took office until mid-June 2012, to see how often he attended his Presidential Daily Brief (PDB) — the meeting at which he is briefed on the most critical intelligence threats to the country. During his first 1,225 days in office, Obama attended his PDB just 536 times — or 43.8 percent of the time. During 2011 and the first half of 2012, his attendance became even less frequent — falling to just over 38 percent. By contrast, Obama’s predecessor, George W. Bush almost never missed his daily intelligence meeting.

http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2012-09-10/opinions/35497283_1_intelligence-president-obama-obama-officials

Note the September 10th date of Marc Thiessen’s column – One day before the September 11th attack in Benghazi.

wren on May 20, 2013 at 5:38 PM

And why is a deputy assistant secretary being singled out for punishment when the ARB report pointed the finger at the assistant secretaries?

Layers of an onion. You’ve got to hold somebody responsible but assistant secretaries get a little to close to “She whose candidacy must not be mucked up with a few dead Americans” You can’t really make a plausible case for careerists without an impressive title so you go with a deputy assistant secretary. Impressive title with none of the authority.

Happy Nomad on May 20, 2013 at 5:39 PM

Page 123.

Mrs. Clinton has the most unappetizing combination of qualities to be met in many days’ march: she is a tyrant and a bully when she can dare to be, and an ingratiating populist when that will serve.
.
.
.
She is entirely un-self-critical and quite devoid of reflective capacity, and has never found that any of her numerous misfortunes or embarrassments are her own fault, because the fault invariably lies with others

C. Hitchens – No One Left To Lie To

50sGuy on May 20, 2013 at 5:41 PM

Slowly it turns, step by step. Walk the investigation up the ladder. We will see how and who succumbs to the pressure.

jake49 on May 20, 2013 at 5:42 PM

This guy better stay FAR away from Fort Marcy Park.

portlandon on May 20, 2013 at 5:28 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gO7uemm6Yo

davidk on May 20, 2013 at 5:43 PM

*sweep under the rug*
-lsm

cmsinaz on May 20, 2013 at 5:44 PM

So who does this Mills thing report to ?
Killery
or
Huma ?
BTW, wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could see the communications between Hussein’s vayjayjay Valerie and Killery’s puppetmaster Huma around say…..September 2012?

burrata on May 20, 2013 at 5:44 PM

apparently these innocent scapegoats aren’t as willing to go down with the ship. not as willing as the LSM is.

t8stlikchkn on May 20, 2013 at 5:30 PM

The lsm goes down pretty easily for barky.

VegasRick on May 20, 2013 at 5:44 PM

More from Mr. Maxwell

The Queen’s Henchmen
request the pleasure of your company
at a Lynching – to be held
at 23rd and C Streets NW
on Tuesday, December 18, 2012
just past sunset.

Dress: Formal, Masks and Hoods -
the four being lynched
must never know the identities
of their executioners, or what/
whose sin required their sacrifice.

A blood sacrifice –
to divert the hounds -
to appease the gods -
to cleanse our filth and
satisfy our guilty consciences.

Arrive promptly at sunset –
injustice will be swift.
there will be no trial,
no review of evidence,
no due process, and no
accountability.

Dress warmly -
a chilling effect will instantly
envelop Foggy Bottom.
Extrajudicial.
Total impunity.
A kangaroo court in
a banana republic.

B.Y.O.B.
Refreshments will not be served
because of the continuing resolution.

And the ones being lynched?
Who cares? They are pawns in a game.
Our game. All suckers, all fools,
all knaves who volunteered to serve -
Us. And the truth? The truth?
What difference at this point does it make?

In the event of inclement weather,
or the Queen’s incapacitation,
her Henchmen will carry out this lynching -
as ordered, as planned.

CTSherman on May 20, 2013 at 5:47 PM

o/t

Meredith Dake ‏@meredithdake 2m

Multiple fatalities reported by News 9. “We’re not going to try 2 keep count right now.” Cars crushed on I-35. My god. Drive that every day.

Resist We Much on May 20, 2013 at 5:47 PM

Better get that subpoena out fast. Before Mills is “transferred” overseas.

GarandFan on May 20, 2013 at 5:48 PM

There’s nothing like being shamed in front of the nation for your role in a terror attack that killed an ambassador while the precise charges against you remain scrupulously secret.

It’s slightly better than becoming a political prisoner like Youtube guy.

forest on May 20, 2013 at 5:49 PM

Are they so ate up with socialism that they will go down with the ship?

Where is (are) the one(s) who will say, “Enough” and will name names and open closets.?

davidk on May 20, 2013 at 5:49 PM

…the lives of seven innocent long-time career Government employees were shattered, their reputations smeared, to make way for the ambitions and arrogance of the President’s friends and family. We learned that the FBI and IRS became involved in this matter because of Harry Thomason’s false allegations that Travel Office Director Billy Dale received illegal “kickbacks” from a charter airline company. The White House knew very quickly that the alleged source of the kickback charges denied ever making them. But upon learning this fact, the White House did nothing to correct the public record it had created through misinformation.

In fact, long after President Clinton’s White House staff knew the allegations were false, they continued in their efforts to make a case against the beleaguered and increasingly impoverished Billy Dale. The Department of Justice (“DOJ”) case, U.S. v. Billy Ray Dale, was sorely lacking in evidence. It was compromised by missing records that had not been secured by the Clinton White House or the Justice Department.

right2bright on May 20, 2013 at 5:33 PM

This is who Hillary is. The conspiracy theories and mutters about Vince Foster’s death don’t look so wild when you understand that these people were ready to ruin the lives of innocent people for no better reason than to give those jobs to their own cronies.

For a real prize, like protecting her political future, I can’t imagine much that Hillary would not do.

There Goes the Neighborhood on May 20, 2013 at 5:52 PM

*sweep under the rug*
-lsm

cmsinaz on May 20, 2013 at 5:44 PM

There’s so much under that rug already the bump is getting a bit noticeable.

Liam on May 20, 2013 at 5:52 PM

i know this is o/t..but while we are all talking about the barry scandals, the progressive wing of the R party continues to work for Schumer in pushing thru their immigration ‘reform’

this thing from York shows how the R progs are actually under the thumb of Schumer…taking his lead. Doing the bidding of your big business donors is an ugly business…well…unless you like $$$$$$$$$$$ a lot..and these guys do

One of the defining features of the Senate Judiciary Committee meetings considering amendments to the Gang of Eight immigration reform bill is that the two Republican Gang members on the committee — Sens. Lindsey Graham and Jeff Flake — have often sided with unanimous Democrats to vote down GOP amendments. There have been reports that the bipartisan Gang has met before each session to consider which amendments are acceptable and which are not. The result of those meetings was dramatically in evidence Monday afternoon.

http://washingtonexaminer.com/schumer-gives-gop-pass-to-vote-against-benefits-for-immigrants/article/2530118

r keller on May 20, 2013 at 5:53 PM

Comrade Maxwell probably said something less then flattering about Commissioner Clinton will Comrade Mills was listening.

…to the Gulag for some re-education!

Deafdog on May 20, 2013 at 5:53 PM

This guy better stay FAR away from Fort Marcy Park.

portlandon on May 20, 2013 at 5:28 PM

…and the whole state of Illinois.

slickwillie2001 on May 20, 2013 at 5:55 PM

Welcome to hell Ms. Mills, enjoy your stay.

Tangerinesong on May 20, 2013 at 5:55 PM

r keller on May 20, 2013 at 5:53 PM

And it is not just that it rewards lawbreakers, with disastrous results to our country,its amendments are a smorgasbord laden with pork designed to buy votes from reluctant senators.

Rubio has bitten the big one with this outrage.

davidk on May 20, 2013 at 5:58 PM

With all this going on, how do Hillary and BO’s approval numbers keep rising?

TimBuk3 on May 20, 2013 at 5:59 PM

i got your back mills
-holder

cmsinaz on May 20, 2013 at 5:59 PM

And it is not just that it rewards lawbreakers, with disastrous results to our country,its amendments are a smorgasbord laden with pork designed to buy votes from reluctant senators.

Rubio has bitten the big one with this outrage.

davidk on May 20, 2013 at 5:58 PM

Speaking of the Final Destruction Bill? Full Worldwide Reciprocity for US citizens or nothing at all. Full 7 trillion up-front funding shared by Mexico and the UN or nothing at all.

oldroy on May 20, 2013 at 6:01 PM

r keller….any Republican Representative that votes for this bill believing their Progressive colleagues BS will be summarily dispatched when practicable from the party. Look, all Pug Established representatives will do nothing of value for us moving forward or we wouldn’t be sitting in a progressive hell hole that we’ve been in now for 4.3 years. They have failed miserable and they now want my support? How funny. The Pug Establishment is a lot like Obama but in this instance they fail to realize they have allowed all the damage that can be propounded upon us by Obama, Schumer, Pelosi, et al., and that their time is over. We’re in a whole new world they don’t recognize in any way whatsoever.

Tangerinesong on May 20, 2013 at 6:06 PM

Liam on May 20, 2013 at 5:52 PM

heh

cmsinaz on May 20, 2013 at 6:07 PM

With all this going on, how do Hillary and BO’s approval numbers keep rising?

TimBuk3 on May 20, 2013 at 5:59 PM

D+9 I believe.

CW on May 20, 2013 at 6:07 PM

Has this been on HotAir yet?

The horrific incident apparently occurred at a home in Whatcom County, while her mother was in the shower, reports The Bellingham Herald. Gonzalez-Jose will serve nearly seven years in prison as a result of the crime and will be deported upon release. [Emphasis added]

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/05/20/pedophile-protection-rapist-takes-young-girl-to-planned-parenthood-for-an-abortion-to-hide-his-crime/

davidk on May 20, 2013 at 6:14 PM

The horrific incident apparently occurred at a home in Whatcom County, while her mother was in the shower, reports The Bellingham Herald. Gonzalez-Jose will serve nearly seven years in prison as a result of the crime and will be deported upon release. [Emphasis added]

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/05/20/pedophile-protection-rapist-takes-young-girl-to-planned-parenthood-for-an-abortion-to-hide-his-crime/

davidk on May 20, 2013 at 6:14 PM

So even illegals know where to get abortions for the children they rape .

burrata on May 20, 2013 at 6:19 PM

So even illegals know where to get abortions for the children they rape .

burrata on May 20, 2013 at 6:19 PM

The sanctity of abortion has to be protected. Cases like this are so rare that abortion can’t be condemned for the occasional instance that slips through the cracks. The guy is getting seven years and then gets deported. What more do you want?

Love,
The Left

PS — Free Mumia and Gosnell! /

Liam on May 20, 2013 at 6:41 PM

Sooner or later, one of these patsies is going to decide they’ve had enough, and secrets will be spilled.

mintycrys on May 20, 2013 at 6:43 PM

Do Maxwell and Mills have adjoining parking places at Foggy Bottom?
Perhaps he parked in a manner slightly encroaching upon “her space”, and this is payback time.

Another Drew on May 20, 2013 at 6:47 PM

With all this going on, how do Hillary and BO’s approval numbers keep rising?

TimBuk3 on May 20, 2013 at 5:59 PM

Why should anyone like them less?

They are the victims of smears, lies and the machinations of the evil, sexist, racist congress in a witch hunt.

IlikedAUH2O on May 20, 2013 at 7:26 PM

With all the news of the past week, it really is a shame it is not May 20, 2012 today. What a diference a year woud have made.

Imagine how many “Independents”, and more than a few Democrats, would have had their eyes opened wide.

fred5678 on May 20, 2013 at 7:45 PM

This is very odd behavior.

Cindy Munford on May 20, 2013 at 8:25 PM

And Hill, you deserve every bit of the blame.

mixplix on May 20, 2013 at 8:32 PM

It’s getting hard to keep track of all the corrupt players in this administration.
Like opening a cabinet filled with cockroaches- hard to tell which one is which.
Except the one over there with the jug ears.
And the screeching one over there with the dirty blond hair and coke bottle glasses.

justltl on May 20, 2013 at 8:33 PM

BTW, wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could see the communications between Hussein’s vayjayjay Valerie and Killery’s puppetmaster Huma around say…..September 2012?
burrata on May 20, 2013 at 5:44 PM

VJ: “Allahu Akbar” (Allah is greatest)
HA: “Insh’allah” (as Allah wills it)

winoceros on May 21, 2013 at 5:41 AM

The buck stops over there.

Good Lt on May 21, 2013 at 7:49 AM