Report: Ansar al-Sharia Had a House Near Benghazi Compound

Since the attack in Benghazi on September 11, 2012 there have been reports that the militants who attacked the compound seemed very familiar with its layout. Today, Fox News‘ Adam Housley reported new information that may help explain why.

Housley reported this morning that sources with knowledge of the situation say Ansar al-Sharia rented a house very near the compound which became the U.S. Consulate. The source tells Fox News, “We warned D.C. about the guys who moved in next door, but nobody knew what to do and nothing was done.“

Months before the attack on the U.S. site, Ansar al-Sharia held a kind of military parade in Benghazi, riding through the streets in trucks mounted with weapons. Despite this and a series of attacks on western targets in the city, the State Department continued to take a lax approach to security at the U.S. compound.

Housley’s sources also indicated the consulate had requested sandbags and a belt-fed machine gun weeks before the attack. When asked about this yesterday, State Department spokesperson Marie Harf said the claim sounded “dubious.” By the following morning the State Department had contacted Fox to say that a machine gun had been requested and that the request was being considered on the day of the attack.

Here’s is Housley’s video report from this morning on America’s Newsroom: