Following the 2012 diplomatic missions attacks that began on September 11, 2012, many nations and public officials released statements. Widespread early news coverage said that the protests were a spontaneous response to an online preview of Innocence of Muslims, a movie considered offensive to Muslims. Later consideration of the Libya attack's complexity, of statements made by some Libyan officials, and of the potentially symbolic date (the anniversary of the September 11 attacks) fueled speculation of preplanned efforts. U.S. missions in Cairo, Egypt, and Benghazi, Libya, were attacked during the first day of the protest.
Egypt Egyptian Prime Minister Hisham Kandil condemned violence, saying: "What happened at the U.S. embassy in Cairo is regrettable and [is] rejected by all Egyptian people and cannot be justified, especially if we consider that the people that produced this low film have no relation to the U.S. government. We ask the American government to take a firm position towards this film's producers within the framework of international charters that criminalise acts that stir strife on the basis of race, color or religion." Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi issued a statement 24 hours after the event, saying: "The presidency deplores the most vicious attempt to insult the person of Muhammad and condemns people who produced this extremist film" and asked President Obama to "act against the film". It added that the President had instructed Egyptian Embassy in the U.S. to "take possible legal action to respond to those persons who seek to sabotage the relations and dialogue between peoples and nations."
The site Onislam, which is affiliated with Al Azhar, issued a fatwa condemning the violence.Attacking U.S. embassies for Prophet Film: Illegal? - Relations during Peace - counsels - OnIslam.net Al Azhar itself issued a fatwa condemning the violence."Al-Azhar Scholars Condemn Offensive Prophet Film", OnIslam.net
The initial reactions of President Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood were received coldly in the US. Both American media, policy experts and President Obama contrasted the allegedly insufficient and "mild" Egyptian reaction with the Libyan reaction, which they praised. Martin S. Indyk, a former U.S. ambassador to Egypt, criticized the "precious little" that Egyptian police did "the fourth time an embassy was assaulted in Cairo," while others criticized that the Morsi's 24-hour wait before his allegedly "mild" initial rebuke of the embassy attack, which allegedly seemed to focus more on condemnation of film. In an interview, Obama remarked that though Egypt was not hostile, it was not "necessarily an ally," though the administration later backed off from this statement. In a late-night phone call, Obama warned Morsi that relations could be jeopardized if Egypt failed to protect diplomats. Two days after, a particular Arabic release by the Brotherhood saying "Egyptians rise up to support Muhammad in front of the American Embassy. Sept. 11," was attacked by the U.S. embassy in a statement.
Responding to this criticism, both Morsi and the Brotherhood took a much harder line against the embassy attacks, promising charges against those who scaled the embassy's walls, offering condolences for Stevens' death, and appearing on Egyptian television, telling Egyptians of their "religious duty to protect our guests and those who come to us from outside our nation ... I know that the people attacking the embassies do not represent any of us." Meanwhile, one Muslim Brotherhood spokesman defended its rhetoric, saying they balanced anger at the film with urging restraint, while its strategist, Khairat el-Shater wrote a letter to the NY Times, explaining that "Despite our resentment of the continued appearance of productions like the anti-Muslim film that led to the current violence, we do not hold the American government or its citizens responsible for acts of the few that abuse the laws protecting freedom of expression."
Libya
Libyan Prime Minister Mustafa Abushagur's office condemned the attack and extended condolences, saying: "While strongly condemning any attempt to abuse the person of Muhammad, or an insult to our holy places and prejudice against the faith, we reject and strongly condemn the use of force to terrorise innocent people and the killing of innocent people." It also reaffirmed "the depth of relationship between the peoples of Libya and the U.S., which grew closer with the positions taken by the U.S. government in support of the revolution of February 17." Mohamed Yousef el-Magariaf, the President of the General National Congress of Libya, said: "We apologise to the United States, the people and to the whole world for what happened. We confirm that no-one will escape from punishment and questioning." He also said "we expect the world to cooperate with us to confront to what is meant out of this kind of act of cowardice."
Libyans held demonstrations in Benghazi (Additional such photographs.) and Tripoli on September 12, condemning the violence and holding signs such as, "Chris Stevens was a friend to all Libyans", and apologizing to Americans for the actions in their name and in the name of Muslims. The New York Times noted that young Libyans had also flooded Twitter with pro-American messages after the attacks.
It has been noted that Libyans are typically more positively inclined towards the US than their neighbors. A 2012 Gallup poll noted that "A majority of Libyans (54%) surveyed in March and April 2012 approve of the leadership of the U.S. -- among the highest approval Gallup has ever recorded in the ... region, outside of Israel." Another poll in Eastern Libya, taken in 2011, reported that the population was at the same time both deeply religious conservative Muslims and very pro-American, with 90% of respondents reporting favorable views of the US.
Ali Aujali, the ambassador to the U.S., praised Stevens as a "dear friend" and a "real hero" at a reception in Washington alongside Hillary Clinton. He also urged the U.S. to continue supporting Libya this "very difficult time" and that the young Libyan government needed help so that it could "maintain ... security and stability in our country." The Libyan response to the crisis was praised and appreciated in the U.S., with U.S. President Barack Obama emphasising how the Libyans "helped our diplomats to safety" the following day. A New York Times editorial criticised Egypt's government for not doing "what Libyan leaders did."
The Islamic institution of Dar al-Ifta' al-Libiyya, headed by Libya's Grand Mufti Al-Sadiq al-Ghiryani, issued a statement strongly condemning the attacks on the US diplomats and Libyan forces, citing a hadith by the Islamic prophet Muhammad, "Whoever killed a Mu'ahid (a person who is granted the pledge of protection by the Muslims) shall not smell the fragrance of Paradise though its fragrance can be smelt at a distance of forty years (of traveling)".
Yemen Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Al-Hadi reacted to the attack in Sana'a and extended his apologies to the U.S., according to a statement released by the Yemeni Embassy in Washington, D.C. The statement added that the President instructed officials to "conduct an expeditious and thorough investigation into today's events" and confirmed that the perpetrators "will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law."
United States Government
U.S. President Barack Obama said that he "strongly condemned this outrageous attack" on U.S. diplomatic facilities. He further ordered that security be increased at all such facilities. Obama stated with respect to the death of four diplomats in Benghazi: "Today we mourn four more Americans who represent the very best of the United States of America. We will not waver in our commitment to see that justice is done for this terrible act. And make no mistake, justice will be done." A Marine FAST team was sent to Libya to help with security.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said: "Some have sought to justify this vicious behavior as a response to inflammatory material posted on the internet. The United States deplores any intentional effort to denigrate the religious beliefs of others. But let me be clear: There is never any justification for violent acts of this kind." She also said: "America's commitment to religious tolerance goes back to the very beginning of our nation. But let me be clear, there is no justification for this -- none. Violence like this is no way to honor a religion or faith and as long as there are those who would take innocent life in the name of God, the world will never know a true and lasting peace." Minnesota Democrat Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, condemned both the film and the protests. He stated that the "amateurish and stupid" film was "deeply offensive" to "anyone who respects the faith of others", while at the same time emphasising that "the United States government had no role in creating this film. In fact, the government has condemned it and the American people have rejected it; it violates the American value of religious tolerance. Responding with violence is never justified. And those who think they are doing so in the name of Islam are wrong and ill informed." U.S. Congressmen, including Rand Paul, Tom McClintock, and Jeff Landry, asked that aid to Egypt and Libya be halted or cut. U.S. Senators John McCain, Lindsey Graham and Joe Lieberman stated: "[W]e cannot give in to the temptation to believe that our support for the democratic aspirations of people in Libya, Egypt, and elsewhere in the broader Middle East is naive or mistaken. We cannot resign ourselves to the false belief that the Arab Spring is doomed to be defined not by the desire for democracy and freedom that has inspired millions of people to peaceful action, but by the dark fanaticism of terrorists." If Americans would do this, it "would not only be a victory for the extremists and their associates, but a betrayal of everything for which Chris Stevens and his colleagues stood and gave their lives."
The Obama administration opened an investigation into whether the attack in Libya was a planned terrorist attack on the 11th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, because it was "too coordinated or professional to be spontaneous", rather than a spontaneous mob that was angry over a YouTube video criticising Islam. According to The New York Times and CNN, officials within the Obama administration have said that they believe the attack in Benghazi was deliberate, and reports indicate one or more pro-al Qaeda groups may have been involved in the attack.
The United States Navy dispatched two s, and , to the Libyan coast. The destroyers are equipped with Tomahawk cruise missiles. American unmanned aerial vehicles were also sent to fly over Libya to search for the perpetrators of the attack. The Pentagon announced it had sent FAST Marines to Yemen to bolster U.S. embassy security there after the attack.
Cairo embassy statement At 6:17 EST in the United States, 11 September - The embassy in Cairo released a statement:
The Embassy of the United States in Cairo condemns the continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims – as we condemn efforts to offend believers of all religions. Today, the 11th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, Americans are honoring our patriots and those who serve our nation as the fitting response to the enemies of democracy. Respect for religious beliefs is a cornerstone of American democracy. We firmly reject the actions by those who abuse the universal right of free speech to hurt the religious beliefs of other.