WASHINGTON DC -
The U.S. Mission in Benghazi convened an “emergency meeting” less than a
month before the assault that killed Ambassador Chris Stevens and three
other Americans, because Al Qaeda had training camps in Benghazi and
the consulate could not defend against a “coordinated attack,” according
to a classified cable reviewed by Fox News.
Summarizing an Aug. 15 emergency meeting convened by the U.S. Mission
in Benghazi, the Aug. 16 cable marked “SECRET” said that the State
Department’s senior security officer, also known as the RSO, did not
believe the consulate could be protected.
“RSO (Regional Security Officer) expressed concerns with the ability
to defend Post in the event of a coordinated attack due to limited
manpower, security measures, weapons capabilities, host nation support,
and the overall size of the compound,” the cable said.
According to a review of the cable addressed to the Office of the
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the Emergency Action Committee was
also briefed “on the location of approximately ten Islamist militias and
AQ training camps within Benghazi … these groups ran the spectrum from
Islamist militias, such as the QRF Brigade and Ansar al-Sharia, to
‘Takfirist thugs.’” Each U.S. mission has a so-called Emergency Action
Committee that is responsible for security measures and emergency
planning.
The details in the cable seemed to foreshadow the deadly Sept. 11
attack on the U.S. compound, which was a coordinated, commando-style
assault using direct and indirect fire. Al Qaeda in North Africa and
Ansar al-Sharia, both mentioned in the cable, have since been implicated
in the consulate attack.