Four Americans, Glen Doherty, Tyrone Woods, Sean Smith, and Christopher Stevens, were killed in an attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi on the 11th anniversary of 9/11 in what the White House now calls a “terrorist attack.”   Two of the four who were killed, Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods, were ex-navy seals.  All four worked at the consulate.

U.S.officials believe that this attack was not spontaneous.  It could’ve been planned by who the Washington Post calls “extremists” and “inspired by al Qaida.”  White House spokesman Jay Carney said, “We are looking at indications that individuals involved in the attack may have had connections to al-Qaida affiliates.”

At first there was confusion over whether this attack was committed by protestors or terrorists.  The cause of this confusion is due to the fact that there have been protests all over the Middle East and Africa recently.  People are protesting a YouTube trailer of an American film, “The Innocence of Muslims,” which portrays Islam in a negative way.

Protests are occurring in other countries including Tunisia, Yemen, Egypt, Sudan, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, and many others.

The bodies of the four Americans were returned back home on Sept. 14 and a ceremony was held for them in Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.  President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke at the ceremony.