WASHINGTON, Oct 19 (Reuters) – Top Democrats and Republicans
on the Senate Intelligence Committee are questioning why U.S.
spy agencies and government spokesmen initially played down
suspected al Qaeda links to the Sept. 11 attacks on the U.S.
mission in Benghazi, Libya.

Immediately after the Benghazi attacks, spy agencies
produced conflicting reports on who was behind them, U.S.
officials said. Most said extremists with possible al Qaeda ties
were involved. But a few reports, which the Obama administration
emphasized in public statements, said the attacks could have
been spontaneous protests against a U.S.-made anti-Muslim video.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – In the months before the deadly attack in Benghazi, Libya, U.S. and allied intelligence agencies warned the White House and State Department repeatedly that the region was becoming an increasingly dangerous vortex for jihadist groups loosely linked or sympathetic to al Qaeda, according to U.S. officials.

Despite those warnings, and bold public displays by Islamist militants around Benghazi, embassies in the region were advised to project a sense of calm and normalcy in the run-up to the anniversary of the September 11 attacks in the United States.

WASHINGTON, Oct 16 (Reuters) – In the months before the
deadly attack in Benghazi, Libya, U.S. and allied intelligence
agencies warned the White House and State Department repeatedly
that the region was becoming an increasingly dangerous vortex
for jihadist groups loosely linked or sympathetic to al Qaeda,
according to U.S. officials.

Despite those warning s , and bold public displays by Islamist
militants around Benghazi, embassies in the region were advised
to project a sense of calm and normalcy in the run-up to the
anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – State Department officials suspected that two Libyan guards hired by its own security contractor were behind an April incident in which a homemade bomb was hurled over the wall of the special mission in Benghazi, according to official emails obtained by Reuters.

But the men, who had been taken into custody the day of the attack, were released after questioning by Libyan officials because of a lack of “hard evidence” that could be used to prosecute them, the State Department emails show.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – State Department officials suspected that two Libyan guards hired by its own security contractor were behind an April incident in which a homemade bomb was hurled over the wall of the special mission in Benghazi, according to official emails obtained by Reuters.

But the men, who had been taken into custody the day of the attack, were released after questioning by Libyan officials because of a lack of “hard evidence” that could be used to prosecute them, the State Department emails show.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – London’s Sunday Times said it may take legal action against cyclist Lance Armstrong, including pursuing him for alleged fraud over a libel settlement, in the wake of the United States Anti-Doping Agency’s report labelling him a drug cheat.

The newspaper, which is owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, is “considering taking action to recover the money spent on a libel case he (Armstrong) brought and to pursue him for fraud,” said a Sunday Times spokeswoman.

WASHINGTON Oct 12 (Reuters) – London’s Sunday Times said it may take legal action against cyclist Lance Armstrong, including pursuing him for alleged fraud over a libel settlement, in the wake of the United States Anti-Doping Agency’s report labeling him a drug cheat.

The newspaper, which is owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp , is “considering taking action to recover the money spent on a libel case he (Armstrong) brought and to pursue him for fraud,” said a Sunday Times spokeswoman.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. intelligence efforts in Libya have suffered a significant setback due to the abandonment and exposure of a facility in Benghazi, Libya identified by a newspaper as a “CIA base” following a congressional hearing this week, according to U.S. government sources.

The intelligence post, located 1.2 miles from the U.S. mission that was targeted by militants in a September 11 attack, was evacuated of Americans after the assault that killed Ambassador Christopher Stevens. Three other Americans died in the attacks on U.S.-occupied buildings, including two who were hit in a mortar blast at the secret compound.

WASHINGTON, Oct 12 (Reuters) – U.S. intelligence efforts in
Libya have suffered a significant setback due to the abandonment
and exposure of a facility in Benghazi, Libya identified by a
newspaper as a “CIA base” following a congressional hearing this
week, according to U.S. government sources.

The intelligence post, located 1.2 miles (2 km) from the
U.S. mission that was targeted by militants in a Sept. 11
attack, was evacuated of Americans after the assault that killed
Ambassador Christopher Stevens. Three other Americans died in
the attacks on U.S.-occupied buildings, including two who were
hit in a mortar blast at the secret compound.

WASHINGTON, Oct 10 (Reuters) – A public clash in Congress on
Wednesday over photographs depicting the location of a second,
semi-secret U.S. facility in Benghazi, Libya put the spotlight
on a compound said to be more secure than the public American
mission where U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens died last
month.

When State Department officials, describing the chain of
events on the night Stevens and three others died in a terrorist
attack, displayed commercial satellite images of the two U.S.
facilities, Rep. Jason Chaffetz, a Utah Republican, sharply
accused them of divulging classified material.