They said the US consulate¹（领事） attack was complex and professional, amid reports the perpetrators may have had links to jihadist groups.

 

The assault had earlier been thought to have been a spontaneous reaction to protests over an anti-Islamic film.

 

There were also clashes outside the US embassy in Cairo on Thursday.

 

Thousands of people gathered outside the building in the Egyptian capital for a second night, chanting and starting fires. Police and troops fired tear gas to break up the crowds, some of whom were seen carrying petrol bombs.

 

On Wednesday, demonstrators in Cairo angry at the film - called Innocence² of Muslims - had breached³ the walls of the US embassy and torn down the flag.

 

 

Armed men stormed the consulate in the city of Benghazi on Tuesday night.

 

It is believed Ambassador J Christopher Stevens died of smoke inhalation. Three other Americans and up to 10 Libyans also died in the attack.

 

On Wednesday, President Barack Obama vowed⁵ to bring to justice those behind the attack, but said the US would not "break bonds" with the new Libyan government.

 

A senior US official quoted by AFP news agency said the Benghazi attackers appeared to have used the demonstrations⁶ as a pretext⁷（借口，托辞） to staging an assault.

 

"This was a complex attack," he told the news agency. "They seemed to have used this (protest) as an opportunity."

 

US officials told Reuters news agency there were suspicions that a militia known as the Ansar al-Sharia brigade was responsible, although the group has denied the claim.

 

They said there were also reports that al-Qaeda's north Africa-based affiliate⁸, al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, may have been involved, the news agency reports.

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