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State Department warned less than a month before deadly attacks about al Qaeda, that US consulate couldn't defend against coordinated assault
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Disturbing new information about Ben Ghazi and the Obama administration.
Fox News obtaining classified cable sent in August from the US mission in Ben -- to the State Department in Washington.
The cable coming just weeks before the attack warned the -- Ghazi consulate could not sustain it coordinated attack.
But that is not all that was in that came up Fox's chief intelligence correspondent.
Katherine Harris who -- read that table is here with the latest Catherine.
Well -- -- and the status.
The cable is that I really believe having read it that it is this smoking gun warning here you've got this emergency meeting.
In -- Ghazi less than a month before the attack.
At that briefing that people -- told that there are 1010.
Islamist militias and al-Qaeda groups in -- Ghazi.
The constant can not sustain a coordinated attack.
And that they need extra help in this information.
Goes directly to the office of the secretary of state Hillary Clinton.
So again you got the culpability of the State Department this is a very specific warning.
The -- trouble.
They need help.
And they see an attack on the horizon -- -- what's the date on the -- -- the sixteenth of August is there any response any indication there's any -- response that came up between the sixteenth of August and the 11 September.
I don't know what the classified traffic was between the sixteenth in the eleventh.
But I ask the State Department today specifically.
Given the warnings and how detailed they were in the intelligence that al-Qaeda and he's malicious were operating in -- -- Was any extra security considered or put in place.
In light of the 9/11 anniversary -- three weeks out I think that's the critical question in the State Department said to me today.
They wouldn't comment because it's classified and they're also waiting for the outcome of this investigation.
Cool I was a signatory to the cable ambassador Stevens.
And and we say that was you went to the office of sec of state Hillary Clinton was any indication actually went to permanent with the office -- the office can be as far as I know that we sixty people -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- in this -- -- -- -- -- diplomatic security.
They're near East Asia desk and others but it is specifically address to her office how did you get to see it.
It came to me through confidential sources.
And that while women it sounds to me that things are starting to breakdown because we're starting to get you know information from the from the different sources both -- Jennifer Griffin can't -- is their -- and a brewing dissatisfaction how the administration is disseminate or not disseminate information.
I can't us speak for a ride these sources come forward but I believe based on this cable.
That the point that was being made that they wanted -- publicly not just in a classified setting.
Is that the warning that came from -- Ghazi was very specific it said we cannot withstand an attack.
The malicious are everywhere al-Qaeda is here this was known to -- US intelligence community as well.
And that they really could not see a situation where the security was going to turn around they said it was trending.
Negatively this comes three weeks three and half weeks before the attack.
I can't think of anything that would be more specific.
Then if these groups had email the State Department and said.
Here's the time here's the place and here's the method of the attack because the cable names the two groups al-Qaeda and on -- -- Sharia that we believe.
Were responsible for the -- telling us this came about me is that the page to pages it's a little over page.
So it's quite detailed -- very detailed there can be no doubt.
That this is really a cry for help.
From the people on the ground they also talk at length that they think -- 17 February brigade this is the Libyan militia.
-- supposed to be friendly to the United States it's really tasked with being the police force in then Ghazi.
Has been infiltrated.
By our enemies it's as -- 17 February brigade.
Is not sharing information with the Americans anymore so that's us and we had information right after the attack.
The district gate just kind of melted away during the attack they were nowhere to be found what would be the reason is any reason supplied as to why is this that cable wasn't acted on concern is very salient and precious book does anybody have any idea they get lost in the shuffle -- there was a diplomatic or political reason or.
Is there any reason wasn't ActiveX -- someone has sent to me looking at this whole story does he conspiracy when you can just -- competency.
I think we sometimes know the things move very slowly.
In Washington DC.
So -- I think that's I think that's one element but if you couple this.
With the fact that we are coming up to the 9/11 anniversary and you couple -- with the statements and that a videotape was somehow responsible.
What do you see.
Is that that is completely undercut this cable says the militias and al-Qaeda are here.
We essentially think that we are -- so to take this attack and to suggest for such a long period of time that it was a video.
When you have this classified cable in the intelligence.
It just doesn't match up what is it what why do you think that we're not getting much information out of out of the administration is it in part because it's the CI AO boards in the situation with a trying to cover mistakes.
I believe they're trying to have a real investigation I believe that we are also in the middle of something called an election.
And the final days and what I see is a growing body of evidence.
That the State Department has culpability.
For the death of the ambassador in those three Americans the warnings -- specific they were direct.
They named the enemy and they said that this consulate.
Needed more support and it also indicated the cable that the conflict should probably move a long term.
Into the annex we now know that's CIA facility in -- -- Catherine thank you have received very history and it and then -- -- -- -- -- -- -- OP for the State Department and how hard they work and they want takes such good care of the people so you know it's yeah it's important that the people who lost their lives have themselves honored with the facts and I think we're starting to get back with -- without any doubt I'm an agreement with -- another city and the facts need to.
As we need to get the facts Kevin thank thank you very much.
Right now more and you accusations over the handling of the -- attacked congressman Jason changes joins us -- -- -- Tiger.
Really -- listened to Catherine Herridge has.
Report about this -- Yes being a classified piece of material I really can't comment on it but I will tell you that we were bombed on June 6 that was a terrorist attack we do felt -- -- what happened then.
And -- also up point to an unclassified cable that went.
On that September 4 this -- for ambassador -- back to the State Department because on September 1 the Interior Minister there for Libya.
Put them on high alert saying we are losing control and eastern Libya so it was crystal clear from unclassified material that they were losing control the malicious were taking over there al-Qaeda Qaeda -- drug related organizations were flying flags -- government buildings.
-- -- -- -- It's to me are condemned the ninth sixteen cable about which -- justice -- -- 941 that you spoke about both have the you know import information once classified one's not.
How what would be why would one be classified and not the other and who makes that determination.
Well the State Department has some very rigid rules about that and I think the ambassador was abiding by those the week.
I again I can't -- comment on the classified but let's remember back when we -- -- on June 6.
So go ahead -- I'm I'm curious like him how -- curious whether the class -- admitted document classified is a very convenient way to keep things out of the hands of the public that kind of thing yet.
You know -- -- some media say it's classified that's it and it's been as protected or what.
Well oftentimes they're very specific information about sources and methods may -- specific people that are involved that are perhaps helping.
Our government we don't want those reveal that those people killed -- -- that would put it into a degree of classification where others is more general information that you can hand -- anybody and they can read and the information the committee has been talking about it released is on the unclassified category.
I just a short time after 9/11 you made a trip to Libya and you had a number of conversations.
Bob any spoken in the deputy chief of mission in Tripoli.
What did he tell you anything that he knew that night at about what had happened that night.
You know he he related this story which I haven't shared before he's a good man is -- name's Gregory hicks and I I think he's trying to do the right thing that he said that shortly after 9:40 PM what happened is his phone rang.
And he didn't recognize the number city and answer in an -- again again he didn't answer because he didn't recognize the number.
But -- given the persistence he did answer it was ambassador Stephens an ambassador Stevens as saying we're under attack foreigner attack.
Now I can't say that he told me specifically that always asking for help but that's kind of what I I I read into it.
He hung up the phone he immediately called in a Washington DC -- trigger all the mechanisms that need to be put on.
And then he wasn't able to contact Amanda in there -- hours and hours were we didn't know -- ambassador was but.
-- the trauma that that the real life trauma that he Webster I mean I really felt that in his voice it was -- it was hard to listen to -- He's gone through a lot but he did a great job.
Number of US senators have signed a letter to the present fact they I think -- -- seven letters to from the senate did to present Obama or his administration asking for answers.
Senator -- Pat Robertson went over today and also.
Armed services chair -- McCain has sent a letter over around in the house side we see in the letter.
Yes but -- in effect I chatted with him this evening is the chairman of armed services do and a great job in his letter in essence says.
Mr.
President you said you gave a direct order to protect.
All of those people make sure that we secure those people in Ben Ghazi.
But the military doesn't you know needs in order from the I -- I talk to specifically to general -- is the four star general.
He told me personally he did not get a directive from the White House from the -- the United States to engage in the firefight to help protect those people.
Mr.
President you can't have it both ways you can't say that you're doing everything you -- to protect the people -- Ben Ghazi.
What were under attack a firefight that starts at 940 at night goes to live the wee hours of the morning.
And did say he did everything when the military did not engage in and buck -- and -- spot on.
He's he's pushing the president on this C issued a letter it's on the website today up the armed services committee and people -- what got.
It could be possible that this that the president's statement everything you -- you know for better Forrest who had turned out to -- seven ambiguous one and that the said that the military didn't see it as a directive and be -- in these things have unfolded -- -- miserable horrible.
Terrible way.
-- not fire fight if there's ambiguity that's the president's problem the president is supposed to be in command.
He can't go out and tell the public I did everything we could to protect the people -- Ben -- that's not sure we have four dead Americans we got people sit in a hospital tonight.
With their loved ones and their friends you can't have a -- -- Mr.
President is not to.
The military has very structured if they were ordered to do so they would have gone in there and help save those people but they did not because I don't believe the president gave that order.
-- -- senator Roberts letter today.
He's -- in the present to answer questions and -- is saying that it he said members of the armed forces there now question the sacred bond of never leaving it -- ready in distress or danger so that's you know this is sort of unraveling in many different directions.
Three things the military did they said in a fast -- -- of Marines the day after into Tripoli they set up by drones out of a look at that this situation.
And then they help to the evacuation but they did not engage in the firefight we had proximity we -- capability the president did not pull the trigger he did not go in and help save those people.
-- thank you -- -- -- that we've we've does sometime get answers second Lotta questions -- thank you sir.
Thank you so so -- Obama administration --
