Ex-CIA chief says terrorists behind Libya attack

PanARMENIAN.Net - Former CIA chief Gen David Petraeus has told lawmakers that the deadly assault on a US consulate in Libya was a terror attack, BBC News reported.

During two appearances on Capitol Hill on Friday, November 16 he said the public explanation had been edited to prevent alerting groups under suspicion.

He gave evidence to the House Intelligence Committee and its Senate counterpart, both in closed session.

The testimony on Benghazi came one week after Gen Petraeus quit over an affair.

Gen Petraeus has said he left his post at the CIA only because of his extramarital affair with biographer Paula Broadwell, and not because of the CIA's handling of the attack.

He was briefly questioned over his personal life at the start of the morning's proceedings, but lawmakers accepted his word that his affair had not compromised national security.

Republicans have criticised the White House over the events in Benghazi, saying the administration misled the public.

US Ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens was among the four Americans who died in Benghazi on 11 September.