Libya: We can't catch likely consulate attack culprits

(CBS News) BENGHAZI, Libya - The first reports from Libya last week said the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi came during a protest over an anti-Islamic movie.

On Thursday, for the first time, the White House called the assault "a terrorist attack." Four Americans were killed, including the U.S. ambassador.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton briefed members of Congress behind closed doors Thursday.

At a solemn memorial service, Libya's president paid his respects to Ambassador Christopher Stevens. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State William Burns had flown into the Libyan capital earlier under tight security.

Behind the scenes, an FBI team was preparing to fly to Benghazi to find out who carried out the attack.

The compound behind the walls of the consulate is the major crime scene, but any evidence left inside was badly contaminated by the looters and curious local people who flooded in after the attack.

Still, it should contribute valuable information to reconstruct what happened that night.

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Here's what eyewitnesses, officials, and Libyan commanders in charge that night have told CBS News: Sometime around 9:30 p.m. local time, about 70 armed men attacked the consulate's main gates with guns, grenades and RPGs, then stormed in, overwhelming local and American security.

With all four buildings on fire, the Libyan government ordered a local militia to the rescue.

The militia helped to ferry 31 Americans - and the body of Sean Smith - out of the back gate in armored cars to a house less than a mile away rented by the U.S. government. Shortly after that, it, too came under fierce attack.

In this photo taken Monday, April 11, 2011, then U.S. envoy Chris Stevens attends meetings at the Tibesty Hotel where an African Union delegation was meeting with opposition leaders in Benghazi, Libya.

/ Ben Curtis

What we still don't know is how - back at the compound - Ambassador Stevens got separated from his security detail, only to be found dead or dying just after midnight by the crowd.

Suspicion for the attack has focused on a powerful Islamist militia - Ansar al Sharia. It is so powerful that CBS News questions at the Interior Ministry made spokesman Izzedine Fezzen very nervous.

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"We don't have enough power to catch them," Fezzen said.

Maybe not, but as far as the U.S. government is concerned, doing nothing is not an option.

The Bengahzai attorney general said the Libyans don't have the expertise or technology to do a proper investigation. He said he hopes the FBI will begin its work soon.

[hayseedbears]

More like they don't want to catch them. Get a clue America, this is how the majority in the region feel. The great Satan is just fine to give them money, but down deep they want us all gone if we won't convert. Really funny, we manage just fine to find the perpetrators of crimes against them and don't give up until we do.
GET US OUT OF THIS REGION NOW.

[eroteme2]

An FBI team is peparing to fly to Benghazi to find these culprits. I wonder how we would react if Libya or any other country were to send a team of FBI equivalents to investigate the U.S.

[CO897]

Simple reciprocity. Our special forces train with counterparts in foreign countries. Same for the FBI and CIA. When something like this happens you have cooperative relationships already established.

[CO897]

The US media refuse to do the work of digging into what's really happening and why. You can find broader and more in depth coverage from foreign media sources. Believe it or not, Al Jazeera can be a useful source too.

This administration is stonewalling what actually happened in Libya until after the November election. The US media is content to let that happen.

Meanwhile, good, brave, people die. Tragic.

[tsigili]

They really have no intention of trying.

All of Islam, is anti-American, and indeed anti-freedom, as the religion is in and of itself, a DICTATORSHIP!

[rubberrezi]

GO SEALS!!!

[tmittelstaed]

We know the Libyan government is afraid of Ansar al Sharia

But that does not mean that Ansar al Sharia had anything to do with this.

The Libyan governmetn may simply be using this to try to get the US to take out a political enemy

While doing that may help them, it won't help anyone unless it's done right. And done right means being done in a way that the blame cannot be put on either the US or the Libyan government.

Ted

[inbethlehem]

Thank you President Obama for taking your time (despite the rantings and ravings of the neocon warmongers). Yes, the attackers were well armed. We know now that nascent Libyan government is still weak and that Ahmed Boukhatala's para-military army has control over this area of the country.

The question is, did the violence stem from the video (fomented by agitators) or was it pre-planned. Take all the time you need, Mr. President to get the policy right...specifically how we should respond to the legitimate, democratically-elected government of Libya.

It is refreshing to have a leader who does not rush to judgement like your predecessor and apparently like wannabe Romney is. Diplomacy is delicate and complex. Obama gets it. Neocons don't.

[gracescalia]

I'll TELL you the "policy" to take:
1)Hire the MOSSAD (Israeli secret police) to FIND these cancerous people and KILL THEM.
2) STOP SENDING AIDE to *ANY* country that has attacked us. PERIOD. Had a 9.1 earthquake? TOO BAD. Deal with it yourself. Had a tsunami? TOUGH LUCK. BAIL YOURSELF OUT--and TELL THEM it is PUNISHMENT for attacking us. Just go with "isolationism" like the U.S. did BEFORE World War 2. We are NOT the "world rescuers."
3)Control their nuclear proliferation by ANY means necessary, including attack.

The U.N. will be SHOCKED when the U.S. tells THEM to "step-up" and send aide.

[waltkovacs1]

the events of 9/11, in both egypt and libya, had nothing to do with a vid....nobody had ever seen. both the attack in egypt and libya were preplanned and used the vid as cover.

oh, and that wonderful militia fingered our guys.

since libya cant or wont get the perps...time to send in special forces and the drones

yipikaiye ************

dont need any more in

[askagain]

inbethlehem - Interpretation. In other words, do nothing. It is better to show the world that we are weak and willing to turn the other cheek.

[roncee1]

Obama could care less about what happened. He is too busy schmoozing with Letterman, Knowles, and Jay C. He even have the temerity to skip attending the intelligence briefings before and after the Benghazi tragedy. But then, he's not too intelligent anyway. The news media have made this empty shirt out to be something he never was and never will be.

[Swift29]

Wow. I can't even finish reading your excrement.

[yankskeptic]

When will the media quit campaigning for Obama and do their historical role of holding an Administration to doing its Constitutional job??? If it's not going to protect an ordinary US citizen like Warren Weinstein or even a US ambassador, how much lower can the media lower the performance standards for the Obama Administration???

[Swift29]

Oh PLEASE.

[romanov32]

Funny that Obama blames this low budget film for the attack. Also criticized the film maker for his judgement in making the film. Wonder who will be at fault in December, when the film his administration particpate in making with hollywood comes out? I am sure the middle east will love the movie of Osama being shot. President Obama can't even excersis better judgment than a small time film maker.

[Swift29]

Romanov you are a walking oxy-moron.