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Cables show Amb. Stevens voiced concern about security

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    James Rosen reports from Washington, D.C.

  • Duration 3:48
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Good evening I'm Bret -- Hours before his murder US ambassador Chris Stevens wrote a cable to his bosses -- the State Department.

Reiterating months of previous cables that security and Ben Ghazi and Libya in general was spiraling out of control.

That from several of more than.

150 pages of official State Department documents released today as part of an expansive house investigation.

Chief Washington correspondent James Rosen brings us the latest inject.

But good evening although these documents were written in the usual bureaucratic style of diplomats and security officers they now take on added poignancy.

-- impact on the reader that ranges from saddening.

To chilling.

On the day he died September 11 US ambassador to Libya Cris Stevens signed a three page cable labeled sensitive.

In which she alerted the State Department and multiple other agencies to quote growing problems with security in Ben Ghazi Stephens lamented that Libya's police and security forces were quote.

Two weeks to keep the country secure.

I'm stunned by these documents I figured -- -- probably some documents I had no idea would be like this.

And -- -- -- -- and Press Secretary now I would be.

-- -- to say the least.

Stevens is warnings had crescendo over three months time on June 25 he had signed another sensitive cable.

In which Stevens catalog what he called an increase in violent attacks against western interests including the use of an IED against the Bengals he consulate that month.

Islamic extremism appears to be on the rise in eastern Libya Stevens wrote adding.

The al-Qaeda flag has been spotted several times flying over government buildings and training facilities the committee will come to order to 166.

Pages of internal State Department papers were released by two Republican lawmakers congressman -- -- of California and Jason Shaffer of -- -- -- The documents include a number of emails and memos written by Eric Nordstrom the regional security officer who told a house hearing last week.

His request for more security -- Ben -- routinely rebuffed by the State Department one Nordstrom memo from February of this year noted the easy access -- neighborhood militias enjoyed to military grade weapons such as RPG's and vehicle mounted crew served machine guns or double play weapons 23 millimeter.

He also noted AK forty sevens heavy weapons and vehicle mounted weapons.

These were some of the very -- -- to kill Stephens and three other Americans on 9/11.

The fall of Moammar Qaddafi after four decades of authoritarian rule in Libya.

Led to the dissolution of the country's security forces the dispersal of tens of thousands of small and heavy weapons and rampant lawlessness.

In another memo from February of this year Nordstrom warned diplomatic security in Washington quote.

Al-Qaeda affiliated groups including al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb a Q I am and other violent extremist groups are likely to take advantage of the ongoing political turmoil in Libya.

Nordstrom added the US government remains concerned that such individuals and groups may use Libya as a platform from which to conduct attacks in the region.

There's two real aspects of this that we need to look at one.

It's the events leading up to the attack in the intelligence failures there.

And then what clearly what it's either that cover up or is gross incompetence following it.

State Department spokesman mark toner told me today the secretary of state will fully address these matters only after the department's internal review board has submitted its findings on Ben Ghazi.

Meantime congressman Elijah Cummings of Maryland the ranking Democrat on the house oversight and Government Reform Committee.

Lashed out -- chairman I -- after he released these documents accusing myself of promoting quote.

The most negative and distorted view possible of the attack and then -- ahead of the presidential debate -- on -- -- A debate on foreign policy James thank.

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