State Department Denies Claim It Had Advance Knowledge of U.S. Embassy Attacks

On Thursday TheBlaze uncovered a scathing report published by the British news outlet, The Independent, claiming that the U.S. State Department had prior knowledge that Islamic militants were plotting to attack U.S. embassies in Egypt and Libya and chose to turn a blind eye. Now, the Obama administration is vehemently denying the accusations that two Navy SEALs, one U.S. ambassador and another civil servant were killed as a result of a "security breach" and disregarding “credible information” about a possible attack. TheBlaze's Jason Howerton wrote:

Senior diplomatic sources say the U.S. State Department had credible information, 48 hours prior to the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya and the embassy in Cairo, that American locations may be targeted, however, no warnings were issued, no “lock down” orders given, The Independent reports.

On Tuesday, a mob of radical Islamists stormed the consulate in Benghazi, killing U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans in a fiery assault. Officials say the murders of the four men were likely the result of “a serious and continuing security breach,” the report states.

(Related: Obama Says Egypt Is 'Not an Ally,' State Dept. Corrects Him)

On Friday, however, U.S. official told POLITICO that there was “no intelligence indicating that the attack in Benghazi was premeditated.”

Shawn Turner, spokesman for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence backed up the official's claims, emailing: “This is absolutely wrong. We are not aware of any actionable intelligence indicating that an attack on the U.S. Mission in Benghazi was planned or imminent.”