Christopher Stevens
CRIME SCENE: A torched car sits yesterday outside the US consulate in Libya, where Christopher Stevens (inset) was killed. (
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The al Qaeda-linked terrorists emerged from their garrisons under a moonless sky in Benghazi, picked up their weapons and headed toward the US consulate.
The 50-person unit arrived at the mission at 10 p.m. Libya time, easily blending into a mob protesting a US-made film insulting the prophet Mohammed.
The thousands-strong protest provided the perfect cover — and the terrorists readied their AK-47 machine guns, mortars and powerful rocket-propelled grenade launchers.
They quickly stormed the consulate, fending off a group of lightly armed Libyan security guards who fired into the air only to be fired upon themselves.
After a 15-minute exchange, during which several guards were killed, the officers fled.
The terrorists then unleashed machine-gun bursts and rocket-propelled grenades into the windows. They “began firing into the main building, setting it on fire,” a senior Obama administration official said.
Inside were US Ambassador Christopher Stevens, 52, communications officer Sean Smith, 32, and an unidentified security officer.
“They became separated from each other due to the heavy dark black smoke as they were trying to evacuate the burning building,” said the official.
“The security officer made it outside and then he and other security personnel returned to the burning building in an attempt to rescue Chris and Sean.”
They found Smith dead, but “were unable . . . locate Chris before they were driven from the building by the heavy fire and smoke and the continuing small-arms fire,” said the official.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Stevens body was pulled from the consulate.
But Reuters quoted a Libyan official as saying Stevens and several staffers dashed to a nearby vehicle in an attempt to flee.
Terrorists spotted the getaway car — likely not knowing Stevens was inside — and fired at least one RPG, scoring a direct hit.
The civilians rushed Stevens to Benghazi Medical Center.
Dr. Ziad Abu Zeid, who treated Stevens, said he died of asphyxiation, apparently from smoke inhalation.
“We tried to revive him for an hour and a half, but with no success,” he said.
Stevens died at about 1 a.m. yesterday.
Three Americans were also wounded in the raid.
Elsewhere in Benghazi, about 35 other American personnel were rushed to a safe house until they could be rescued by US troops.
But that villa soon came under an attack by more heavily armed men — a well-planned assault that included a mortar barrage that killed two unidentified Americans, likely from the military, Libyan officials said.
The Libyan security guards are believed to have tipped off the terrorists about the villa’s location, officials said.
US and Libyan security officers finally regained control of the compound 80 minutes after the initial attack.