Reuters is reporting that Christopher Stevens, 52, a career diplomat and ambassador to Libya, was killed when gunman fired rockets at him and three other staffers as they attempted to leave the U.S. consulate for a safer location. Another U.S. consular official was killed late on Tuesday evening when gunman attacked and burned the consulate in the eastern city of Benghazi.
President Obama strongly condemned the attacks and called on embassies across the globe to increase security.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton issued a statement following Stevens' death, saying that when the conflict with Libya unfolded last year, "Chris was one of the first Americans on the ground in Benghazi. He risked his own life to lend the Libyan people a helping hand to build the foundation for a new, free nation. He spent every day since helping to finish the work that he started. Chris was committed to advancing America’s values and interests, even when that meant putting himself in danger."
At the same time, in neighboring Egypt, demonstrators tore down an American flag and burned it during a protest about the same film. Muslims tried to raise a black flag with the words "There is no God but God, and Mohammad is his messenger", an eyewitness told Reuters.
The riots are in response to a 14-minute trailer of a movie made by a Jewish-American named Sam Bacile which portrays Muhammad as a fraud, a womanizer and a madman. The trailer was posted on YouTube in its original English version and another dubbed in Egyptian Arabic.
A YouTube spokesperson told Fox News that the website would not take down the video at this point because it does not violate their guidelines. Only those films including a threat of violence are removed from the site, not those expressing opinion.
"We take great care when we enforce our policies and try to allow as much content as possible while ensuring that our Community Guidelines are followed," the spokesperson said. "Flagged content that does not violate our Guidelines will remain on the site."
Bacile, an American citizen, said he had not anticipated such a furious reaction.
"I feel sorry for the embassy. I am mad," Bacile said.
He claimed to have produced the film in English and doesn't know who dubbed it into Arabic.
As to the murderous reaction of extremists around the globe, psychiatrist and Fox News contributor Dr. Keith Ablow appeared on Fox and Friends this morning to explain that this kind of murderous rampage is indicative of genuine insanity rather than religious fervor. He warned that people who embrace this kind of distorted expression of religious faith are capable of tremendous acts of violence, even nuclear attacks, and are not capable of considering the ramifications or, of feeling any guilt for, their actions.
As if in confirmation of Dr. Ablow's warning, Egyptian mosque preacher Mohamed Abu Gabal told a Reuter's reporter: "We sacrificed dozens and hundreds during the uprising for our dignity. The Prophet's dignity is more important to us and we are ready to sacrifice millions."
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