HOUSTON – Houstonians with ties to Libya said Wednesday that they hope the United States and Libya can move forward and continue a good relationship after an attack that killed an ambassador.
The U.S. consulate building was still burning when President Barack Obama ordered in U.S. Marines to protect American officials remaining in Libya.
Four Americans were killed in the attacks, including U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was Stevens' friend.
"He risked his life to stop a tyrant, then gave his life trying to help build a better Libya," said Clinton.
Militants said they were outraged by an Internet video posted online ridiculing Islam and the Prophet Mohammed. They carried machine guns and rocket propelled grenades during the attacks.
Nearly 7,000 miles away from Benghazi, Libya, Nagib Mustafa, speaking at his home in Houston, said the angry mob of killers does not fairly represent all Libyans.
"When I left the country, it was 1979. The reason I left is what we are talking about right now," said Mustafa.
"Hopefully the U.S., and the people of the U.S., and Libya, and the people of Libya, will take this as a test, as a hurdle, and go beyond that and continue our good relationship with both countries," he said.
Joan Neuhaus-Schaan is the fellow for homeland security and terrorism at the Baker Institute at Rice University. She said she does not believe that the killing is truly linked to the video.
"Those sorts of incidences are just excuses and they have occurred over a long period of time. Just some minor excuse to cause a protest or cause an act of violence," said Neuhaus-Schaan.