Posted on 09/17/2012 9:56:05 AM PDT by indpndtguy
CAIRO—Ambassador Chris Stevens was still breathing when Libyans stumbled across him inside a room in the American embassy in Benghazi, pulled him out and drove him to a hospital after last week’s deadly attack in the eastern Libyan city, witnesses told the Associated Press on Monday.
Fahd al-Bakoush, a freelance videographer, was among the Libyan civilians searching through the embassy after gunmen and protesters rampaged through it last Tuesday night. Al-Bakoush said he heard someone call out that he had tripped over a dead body.
A group of people gathered as several men pulled the seemingly lifeless form from the room. They saw he was alive and a foreigner, though no one recognized him as Stevens, al-Bakoush said.
READ MORE: Arrests made in U.S. embassy attack; operation precisely timed by militants: Libyan minister
He was breathing and his eyelids flickered, he said. “I tested his pulse and he was alive,” he said “No doubt. His face was blackened and he was like a paralyzed person.”
Video taken by al-Bakoush and posted on YouTube shows Stevens being carried out of a small dark room through a window with a raised shutter and being laid on the floor. One man touches his neck to feel for a pulse. Some of the men shout, “God is great.”
The video has been authenticated since Stevens’ face is clearly visible and he is wearing the same white t-shirt seen in authenticated photos of him being carried away one another man’s shoulders, presumably moments later. Two colleagues of al-Bakoush who also witnessed the scene confirmed that he took the footage.
READ MORE: Arab Awakening coverage
Stevens and three other Americans were killed in the attack on the consulate, part of a wave of assaults on U.S. diplomatic missions in Muslim countries over a low-budget movie made in the United States that denigrates the Prophet Muhammad.
The accounts of all three witnesses mesh with that of the doctor who treated Stevens that night. Last week, the doctor told The Associated Press that Stevens was nearly lifeless when he was brought by Libyans, with no other Americans around, to the Benghazi hospital where he worked. He said Stevens had severe asphyxia from the smoke and that he tried to resuscitate him with no success. Only later did security officials confirm it was Stevens.
A freelance photographer who was with al-Bakoush at the scene, Abdel-Qader Fadl, said Stevens was unconscious and “maybe moved his head, but only once.”
Ahmed Shams, a 22-year-old arts student who works with the two, said the group cried out “God is great” in celebration after discovering he wasn’t dead. “We were happy to see him alive. The youth tried to rescue him. But there was no security, no ambulances, nothing to help,” he said.
The men carried Stevens to a private car to drive him to the hospital since there was no ambulance, all three witnesses said.
No question about that.
Ever see Sean Connery movie titled "Wrong is Right"?
Check it out.
Thanks for info on the 4th individual/victim.
I don't get that sense.
Where were the other three bodies when the Ambassador was detected?
That has never been clear to me but my general assumption is that they were killed at a different location.
Sean Smith probably died of smoke inhalation (judging by the pictures of the burned out room and some testimony that I read)
Out of respect for the families I choose not to say anything else right now.When I found out I threw up! All I can say is it was planned, it was preventable and they were following orders not to have live ammo. Obama should be impeached. I was so mad when they kept telling everybody it had to do with a video THAT NOBODY SAW AND I DOUBT EXIST. There is alot more of the to be told. Obama has made us weaker and the terrorists stronger. They have strengthened during his 1 term. At least with Bush we had something to show for the spending; our safety.
You're right about that. Welcome to FR by the way.
I look at these pics of him, and I weep.
They are such animals.
What is wrong with these leftists, media, Obama, Pelosi, et al? They’re just a guilty in their lies and godlessness as these animals.
Thank you. I will keep an eye out for you. I promise to post here when I get the word.
That drove me crazy. At least tell whether he was an employee at the consulate.
There is so much misinformation and rumor, etc. surrounding this horrible event, a true and accurate narrative and timeline are pretty hard to make, isn't it.
Thanks for your reply!
Wonder if empty head/empty suit/empty chair even knows anything of import.
Too busy campaigning to attend meetings.
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