US officials probing possibility of planned Libya attack
WASHINGTON (AP) -- U.S. officials say the Obama administration is investigating whether the assault on the U.S. consulate in Libya was a planned terrorist strike to mark the anniversary of 9/11, and not a spontaneous mob enraged over a anti-Islamic YouTube video
President Barack Obama vowed in a Rose Garden address that the U.S. would "work with the Libyan government to bring to justice" to those who killed Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other American personnel. Intelligence officials said the attack on the Benghazi consulate was too coordinated or professional to be spontaneous, according to a U.S. counterterrorism official.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the incident publicly.
Video blocked
YouTube has blocked a video attacking Islam's prophet Muhammad in Egypt, which supposedly sparked the outrage.
YouTube has continued to leave the video on its site, but has blocked access to it in Egypt. The Google-Inc.-owned video site did not immediately comment Wednesday.
The 14-minute video is a trailer to an amateurish, low-budget movie titled "Innocence of Muslims," which depicts Muhammad as a feckless philanderer who approved of child sexual abuse.
The U.N. Security Council and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon have condemned "in the strongest terms" the attacks.
The council statement Wednesday said "diplomatic personnel and civilians" were injured but gave no numbers.
The council urged Libyan and Egyptian authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice and ensure that diplomatic premises and personnel are protected as required by the Vienna conventions.
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