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Libya: Protesters decry attack on U.S. Embassy, take over headquarters of Islamic supremacist group

Sep 22, 2012 10:50 am By Robert Spencer

If the government and mainstream media narrative about Islam being a Religion of Peace that has been “hijacked” by a Tiny Minority of Extremists were true, we would be seeing this kind of thing frequently: Muslims not only registering their public disapproval of those who riot and murder in the name of Islam, but taking real action to stop them. Instead, there are only a handful of such stories, at best, since 9/11. Now, why is that? The learned analysts dare not ask that question, or answer it.

“Decrying attack, protesters overtake Islamist group’s HQ in Benghazi,” by Arwa Damon for CNN, September 22 (thanks to all who sent this in):

Benghazi, Libya (CNN) — Ten days after four Americans were killed in their Libyan city, hundreds marched in Benghazi and took over the headquarters of a radical Islamist group tied to the attack.

Thousands of protesters had taken to the street earlier Friday, loudly declaring that they — and not those behind last week’s deadly attack — represent the real sentiments of the Libyan people.

“I am sorry, America,” one man said. “This is the real Libya.”

In the evening, an offshoot of several hundred people then headed toward the headquarters for Ansar al-Sharia, a loosely connected radical Islamist group.

As militia members fled, the protesters torched a vehicle and took over the group’s building without firing a single shot. Some of those involved claimed to have freed at least 20 captives held inside, and expressed their intent to assume control over other Ansar al-Sharia buildings.

Army General Naji al-Shuaibi said the citizens, whom he referred to as “revolutionaries of the February 17 uprising,” later asked that the Ansar al-Sharia headquarters be handed over to the Libyan army.

“Indeed, we rushed here and we will now take it over,” said the general. “There are also other places that we intend to take over (which belong to armed groups) if the revolutionaries and the people allow us to do so.”

But some of the protesters gathered at locations that house forces loyal to the national authority, he said, including the headquarters of the Rufallah al-Sihati battalion. Gunfire could be heard at the headquarters, but it was not initially clear who was responsible.

Mohamed al-Magariaf, president of Libya’s General National Congress, thanked the protesters for helping evict “armed groups. He also said the Rufallah al-Sihati brigade was actually “under the command of — and committed to — the national authority,” the case appeared to be one of mistaken identity. Magariaf asked demonstrators to stop their activities and go home….

Initial reports indicated that, ahead of the consular attack, Ansar al-Sharia had organized a protest to decry an inflammatory film that mocks the Prophet Mohammed and also protest the United States, where the film was privately produced.

On Thursday, Libyan Prime Minister Mustafa Abushagur said eight detained in connection with that assault include members of Ansar al-Sharia, though he added that not all the attackers came from one specific group.

Responding to the report from Benghazi, U.S. Sen. John McCain applauded the citizens’ efforts Friday and said it represented the true, freedom-loving Libya that he and other U.S. officials involved in the country knew.

“Somewhere Chris Stevens is smiling,” the Arizona Republican said. “This is what we knew … about Libya.”

We’ll see.

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