Libyan President: Attack Premeditated, Al-Qaeda Involved, US Warned Beforehand

Libya’s highest politician says the United States government was warned about a pending attack on its diplomatic staff three days before it took place.

Libyan President Mohammed el-Megarif says his government received word of the pending attack and passed that information to US diplomatic officials no later than 48 hours before the attack.

President Megarif said the attack was planned by an Islamist group with links to Al-Qaeda.

A senior Libyan official in Benghazi says he also warned US diplomats three days before the attacks took place.

US Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice appeared on various Sunday morning news programs to assure Americans the Obama administration had no prior knowledge of the Libyan attack that cost Ambassador Christopher Stevens his life. She said the attack was not premeditated nor was it part of a greater, orchestrated attack against the US. 

Other officials have claimed the attack was “not premeditated” and have denounced reports that there was “credible information” about the attack before it took place. Secretary of State Clinton has stood by these statements, as well.