American Ambassador to Libya Killed by Rioters
September 12, 2012
The United States ambassador to Libya and three other Americans were killed in an attack on the U.S. consulate in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi. Libyan Ambassador John Christopher Stevens and the other victims died as rioters attacked with rocket-propelled grenades and machine gun fire. In Cairo, the capital of Egypt, an angry mob also scaled the wall of the U.S. embassy and pulled down and burned the American flag. Initial reports linked the violence in both Libya and Egypt to a film highly critical of Islam and the Prophet Muhammad. However, later reports and some U.S. officials suggested the assault was a well planned and well organized attack by heavily armed militants.
A statement issued by President Barack Obama said, in part, “I strongly condemn the outrageous attack on our diplomatic facility in Benghazi, which took the lives of four Americans, including Ambassador Chris Stevens. While the United States rejects efforts to denigrate the religious beliefs of others, we must all unequivocally oppose the kind of senseless violence that took the lives of these public servants.” Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton also condemned what she called a “vicious and violent attack.”
Libya and Egypt are part of the Arab world, areas where most people speak Arabic as their native language. (World Book map)
The film linked to the violence, Innocence of Muslims, was reportedly written and produced by one Sam Bacile, identified in some news reports as an Israeli filmmaker living in California. However, there were some conflicting reports suggesting that Bacile was a pseudonym for an anti-Muslim zealot who appeared to have intentionally stoked fury in the Arab world. A 13-minute trailer for the film was posted on the video-sharing website YouTube.
Additional World Book articles:
- Diplomatic corp
- Foreign Service
- The Middle East: From Fall to Spring (a special report)
