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Libyan President: Benghazi Attack Was Pre-Planned

Magarief: Anti-Islam film 'had nothing to do with this attack'

September 26, 2012

Libyan President Mohammed Magarief said Wednesday he has "no doubt" that the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi was an act of terrorism that was pre-planned and had "nothing" to do with an anti-Islam film, in an interview with NBC:

ANN CURRY: Would you call the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi an act of terrorism?

LIBYAN PRESIDENT MOHAMMED MAGARIEF: I have no doubt about that, and it's a pre-planned act of terrorism directed against American citizens.

CURRY: What is your evidence that it was a pre-planned act of terrorism?

MAGARIEF: Number one is choosing the date, 11th of September. It has all the significance. We take the facts about the way it was executed, you can see there's enough proof that it is a pre-planned act of terrorism.

CURRY: Describe the attack based on your investigation.

MAGARIEF: It's too early for me to give the details, but it was launched with a high degree of accuracy, which means the perpetrators must have had some kind of exercise on how to hit and launch these rockets.

CURRY: You're confirming that rpgs were used in the initial attack.

MAGARIEF: And mortars.

CURRY: Mortars were use in the subsequent attack.

MAGARIEF: At the safe house, yes.

CURRY: And do you know how many mortars were used?

MAGARIEF: About five.

CURRY: And you're saying these were fired with such accuracy--

MAGARIEF: Yes.

CURRY: That this could not have been done by someone who did not have experience.

MAGARIEF: Experience and knew what he was doing.

CURRY: And this is what is helping convince you that this was a pre-planned attack, not a reaction to a controversial movie?

MAGARIEF: No doubt. Yes, I have no doubt about this.

CURRY: Do you think movie had anything to do--

MAGARIEF: Of course --

CURRY: Do you think movie had anything to do with the attack?

MAGARIEF: Not on this attack, it had nothing to do with this attack.

Published under: Benghazi , Video