US Senate Intelligence Committee says Benghazi Sept. 11 attacks were preventable

WASHINGTON – The Senate Intelligence Committee says the deadly assault on a diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, could have been prevented if U.S. officials had heeded warnings of terrorist activity, including threats to Western targets, and had improved security in response.

The report also says analysts inaccurately referred to protests as the reason for the violence, without enough intelligence to rely on.

Committee chairman Dianne Feinstein, a Democrat, says she hopes this will put to rest conspiracy theories about the militant attacks that night. Republican vice chairman Saxby Chambliss says the report shows despite a deteriorating security situation in Benghazi, the U.S. government did not do enough to prevent the attacks.

The committee report makes 18 recommendations to improve security at diplomatic and intelligence posts overseas.