Overview
Additional details have been released regarding the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya. During a protest outside of the consulate armed militants attacked the building with rocket propelled grenades (RPG), setting it on fire. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and other staff members were escorted to a safe room which subsequently filled with smoke. Stevens then attempted to seek refuge elsewhere but died of smoke inhalation in the process. It is unclear where his body was found. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.
U.S. officials are now reporting that the attack was pre-planned and that the accompanying protest was used as a diversion. It is unclear if militants took advantage of the protest or if it was part of the plan. Although the motive is still unclear, the violence was initially thought to be related to a film trailer that negatively depicted the prophet Mohammed. However, there is renewed speculation that the attack may have been carried out in retaliation for the death of Abu Yahya al-Libi. Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri issued a call for revenge just prior to the incident in a 9/11 anniversary video.
Key Points
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The U.S. Consulate in Benghazi was previously attacked last June, when an explosive device went off at the front gates of the diplomatic mission. The jihadist group, the ‘Imprisoned Omar Abdul Rahman Brigades,’ claimed responsibility for the attack. The group stated that it was in retaliation for the death of Abu Yahya al-Libi.
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At this time, it is unclear whether it is intentional or coincidental that the June attack also coincided with a visit from a senior State Department official. However, the U.S. ambassador is not believed to be the direct target of that attack.
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The other potential motive for the attack was a film entitled “Innocence of Muslims,” The filmmaker produced it under the pseudonym, Sam Bacile. His real name and affiliation are unknown. According to a film consultant, Bacile went into hiding. He is quoted as saying that the film is a “political statement condemning the religion” and that “Islam is cancer.”
Implications
The use of protests as a diversionary tactic has been used before. Typically, demonstrations or riots have been staged by insurgents to divert attention from individual targets, which were then effectively attacked. This has repeatedly been the case in Pakistan and Afghanistan. However, as terrorist networks evolve, the tactic appears to be spreading throughout the region. In the wake of the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, violent protests are taking place in Cairo, Sana’a, Tunis, Gaza, Bagdad, Tehran, Tel Aviv and Kabul spurring a major increase in security measures at U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide. Additionally, the scope and intensity of protests could potentially expand in days to come to other areas, including European capitals.
The physical protests have primarily targeted political entities. While no commercial property has been impacted at this time, there could be economic implications for the future. During the 2005 demonstrations against the Danish cartoon depicting Mohammed, there was a boycott of Danish products in the Muslim world that led to a 15.5% reduction in imports. While it is unlikely that the United States would be impacted to that degree, U.S. commercial interests in local economies could experience localized effects.