Magarief Says Attack on US Consulate in Benghazi Unrelated to Anti-Islam Fi

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Mohammed Magarief, he believes attack on US consulate was a pre-planned act of terrorism involving elements of al-Qaeda.


Mohammed al-Magarief, the president of Libya's General Assembly said on Wednesday that the deadly September 11 attack on the US consulate in Benghazi was a pre-planned assault that had "nothing to do with" an anti-Islam online video.

In an interview with NBC News, Magarief said that the attackers fired rocket-propelled grenades and mortar rounds with such accuracy that the attack had to have been planned and carried out by experienced militants.

When asked if the offensive anti-Islam movie - which sparked violent protests across the Muslim world - had anything to do with the assault, Magarief replied: "Not on this attack."

"Reaction should have been, if it was genuine, should have been six months earlier. So it was postponed until the 11th of September," he said, adding: "They chose this date, 11th of September, to carry a certain message."

The attack on the consulate, which killed US ambassador Chris Stevens and four other Americans, was initially said to have been part of a protest over the film, but the White House later called it a "terrorist attack".

Magarief told NBC there were no protesters at the consulate before the attack, which he said came in two waves - with militants firing grenades at the consulate and then attacking an annex with mortar rounds.

"It's a pre-planned act of terrorism," he said, adding that the film had "nothing to do with this attack."

Magarief said that based on the accuracy of the assault, he believes the attackers must have had training and experience using the weapons.

Magarief said that while Libyans appeared to be behind the attack that "these Libyans do not represent the Libyan people or Libyan population in any sense of the word."

Libyan officials have condemned the attack and have vowed to help the United States bring the perpetrators to justice.

Magarief Says Attack on US Consulate in Benghazi Unrelated to Anti-Islam Film