Libyan officials are searching for the gunmen who killed the US ambassador to Libya and three other Americans in an attack on the US consulate in Benghazi.

Ambassador Christopher Stevens died when militants attacked the consulate using firearms, bombs and rocket-propelled grenades. Survivors who fled to a safe house were ambushed again by gunmen who were lying in wait for them. Five Americans were wounded.

The attack came amidst a protest against a film which depicts the Prophet Mohammad as a fool and philanderer.

US president Barack Obama has vowed to bring the killers "to justice".

Here is how the story developed throughout the day.

4:44pm: The White House says US president Barack Obama and Libyan president Mohamed Magarief have agreed to investigate the attacks on the US consulate in Benghazi.

"The (US) president made it clear that we must work together to do whatever is necessary to identify the perpetrators of this attack and bring them to justice," the White House said in a statement.

"The two presidents agreed to work closely over the course of this investigation."

Mr Obama also called Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi about the protests in that country and said Egypt "must cooperate with the United States in securing US diplomatic facilities and personnel", the White House said.

"The president said that he rejects efforts to denigrate Islam, but underscored that there is never any justification for violence against innocents and acts that endanger American personnel and facilities."

4:17pm: Here is North American correspondent Craig McMurtrie's interview with former US ambassador Martin Indyk.

Sorry, this video has expired Former US ambassador pays tribute to Christopher Stevens ( Craig McMurtrie )

3:36pm: Afghan president Hamid Karzai has postponed a visit to Norway, fearing a violent backlash at home over the anti-Islam film that sparked riots in Libya and Egypt.

"He has cancelled his trip for the time being. He won't go, he's worried about possible riots over the release of the film," a presidential aide said.

"He prefers to stay at home at such a critical time."

In Norway, the foreign ministry confirmed that Mr Karzai's arrival had been delayed because the president felt the need to be in Afghanistan after recent events.

2:49pm: Indonesia has demanded that YouTube block the controversial film Innocence Of Muslims to prevent it being watched in the world's most populous Muslim nation.

"We demand YouTube block the Innocence Of Muslims videos from being watched in Indonesia," communications and information ministry spokesman Gatot Dewa Broto said.

"We are also working with internet service providers here to block access.

"We are still in talks with YouTube management and believe they will cooperate."

YouTube has already said it was restricting access in Libya and Egypt.

1:54pm: The Australian arm of a radical Islamic group has called for all US embassies to be removed from Muslim countries following the attack in Libya.

Uthman Badar from Hibz ut-Tahrir says the group does not condone killing diplomats but believes the presence of US embassies fuels violence.

"Muslims in the Muslim world (should) not merely react to protests at US embassies around the world, but they should work proactively to remove these embassies which are... primarily tools for colonial exploitation."

Uthman Badar believes the presence of US embassies fuels violence. ( AAP: Paul Miller )

1:36pm: The chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff has called on the pastor of a small fundamentalist church in Florida to withdraw his support for the film Innocence Of Muslims.

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Pastor Terry Jones made headlines around the world two years ago with his plan to burn the Koran.

He has told The World Today host Eleanor Hall about his involvement with the film.

"We were contacted by the producer there of the film several weeks ago. "Basically our involvement is we have talked to him several times and he desired for us to promote the film - our contacts, of course, because of our involvement with raising awareness of radical Islam."

What was your reaction when you heard that protests over this film had either sparked or been used as cover for an attack on the US consulate in Benghazi?

"I think it is definitely used as cover. I mean I think this is a typical Islamic or let's say radical Islamic reaction. "As we know they do not tolerate criticism of the Koran, of the prophet Mohammed or even or sharia law."

General Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, says he spoke to you by phone today and asked you to withdraw your support for the film. Did you agree to do that?

"I did speak to him this morning. As I told him, we first need to think about it. "I have not viewed the entire film myself. I have only viewed the trailer and that is what we have supported. "That is what we have put out on our press release today, that 13-minute trailer. "I understand his concerns. We share those concerns. "My only problem with that which was the question back to him is how long do we appease Islam? "How far do we back down because we are in this condition because we did back down and it is actually only going to get worse if we do not stand up."

Controversial Florida-based pastor Terry Jones. (file photo) ( Scott Audette: Reuters )

1:20pm: Middle East expert and the former US ambassador to Israel, Martin Indyk, worked with ambassador Chris Stevens.

He says he was a "joyful and enthusiastic" man and that his killing is a "tragedy".

Dr Indyk says he believes the attack on the US consulate in Libya is likely to have been premeditated.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Listen Duration: 4 minutes 34 seconds 4 m 34 s Martin Indyk speaks to The World Today Download 2.1 MB

He has told the ABC's North America correspondent Craig McMurtrie that US allies, including Australia, should review the security of their diplomats in the region.

1:05pm: Mohammad Al Fitore lives next door to the consulate in Benghazi and has told the BBC how the violence began.

"It was just cars into the street, but many cars, not one or two, many cars. "They hide in a small land in front of the American consulate and they attacked the consulate with an RPG (rocket-propelled grenade). "Then I heard some gun shooting, but really I don't know from where it started - from the American consulate or from the demonstrators. "After that the gun fire got louder and louder. I smell some of smoke. I thought that the consulate set on fire."

12:52pm: Canada's minister for foreign affairs, John Baird, has condemned the attack in Libya and said Ottawa would review security measures at its embassy in Tripoli.

12:17pm: Unsurprisingly, new Libyan prime minister Mustafa Abu Shagour says he will make security one of his top priorities. The country is still struggling with militias who have filled the power vacuum left by the downfall of former strongman Moamar Gaddafi.

11:57am: Bob Carr says he has asked DFAT to check the security of Australia's Middle East embassies.

11:38am: Reuters is reporting that security forces have fired tear gas to disperse stone-throwing demonstrators near the US embassy in Cairo.

11:25am: Libyans have been out on the streets to express their support for the US. This was the scene in Benghazi earlier on Wednesday (local time)

Libyans hold signs protesting against the killing of US ambassador Christopher Stevens ( Facebook: Libya Alhurra TV )

11:24am: Foreign Affairs Minister Bob Carr has just spoken in Canberra.

He said Australia had sent its condolences to the family of Christopher Stevens, and to Hillary Clinton and the rest of the State Department.

"There is a special sadness and a special tragedy about the death of a diplomat going about his or her duty. This is very sad. I have spoken to the US ambassador in Canberra today, we exchanged messages last night, we spoke today about this, I will speak to him further. He said he appreciated Australia's concerns."

Senator Carr said it would "be no surprise" if Al Qaeda was involved in the attack.

"It should be no surprise if it's got a presence in Libya, so many other armed groups are operating in Libya in the wreckage and the despoilation that followed the collapse of the Gaddafi regime. It is a concern."

And he also extended his condolences to the Libyan people.

"For Libya, too, a message of support and a message of support and a message of condolence.

"Libya continues to have security problems. Here is a country that was burdened with a dictatorship for decades. The people turned out, the fragile democracy, the people of this vulnerable state turned out on July 7 and voted in the first free elections. They elected a government, a government of brave democrats, and they deserve the support of the world as they move beyond this tragedy in their internal affairs."

Sorry, this video has expired Watch Bob Carr's press conference

11:09am: The US embassy in Tripoli has posted this video tribute to Christopher Stevens on its Facebook page.

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10:47am: The father of Melinda Taylor, the Australian lawyer who was held by a militia group in Libya earlier this year, says slain US ambassador Christopher Stevens was a "hero" for the way he helped his daughter.

Mr Stevens was one of the first diplomats to help secure the Australian's release from Libyan detention.

John Taylor says he was shocked to hear of his death,

"We're saddened to hear his loss at this sad time. It's a very brave thing to be a representative of your country in places where extremism goes on, [and] prevails. We wish them [the family] well. It's a sad time."





10:23am: The US Navy has ordered two destroyers into place off the coast of Libya in what officials have told AFP is a "precautionary measure".

10:18am: Bob Carr has told AM that Australia is "deeply saddened" by the deaths in Libya.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Listen Duration: 2 minutes 49 seconds 2 m 49 s Bob Carr speaks to AM Download 1.3 MB

10:09am: Footage is now coming in of a protest outside the US embassy in Cairo. The situation is calm, but riot police in full gear are ringing the building.

9:24am: Listen to AM's reports from this morning:

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Listen Duration: 3 minutes 19 seconds 3 m 19 s Manhunt for consulate attackers Download 1.5 MB

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Listen Duration: 3 minutes 19 seconds 3 m 19 s US withdraws consulate staff Download 1.5 MB

9:17am: Libyan officials speaking to Reuters have described the mayhem as US staff fled the burning consulate and a rescue team of US Marines ran into an ambush at a remote desert villa.

"It began to rain down on us," Captain Fathi al-Obeidi said, describing the moment the attack began, just as the Libyan security force was starting up the 10 pickup trucks and sedans they had brought to ferry the Americans to the airport.

"About six mortars fell directly on the path to the villa. During this firing, one of the marines whom I had brought with me was wounded and fell to the ground.

"As I was dragging the wounded marine to safety, some marines who were located on the roof of the villa as snipers shouted and the rest of the marines all hit the ground.

"A mortar hit the side of the house. One of the marines from the roof went flying and fell on top of us."

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8:51am: Mitt Romney and Barack Obama are trading blows over the administration response to the attacks in Benghazi and Cairo, with Obama accusing his rival of "shooting first and aiming later".

Romney was angry the US embassy in Cairo stood by a statement issued before its walls were breached, in which it condemned Innocence of Muslims as an attempt to "hurt the religious feelings of Muslims."

He accused Obama of weakening America's position in the world by apologising for US actions, saying the president had failed to uphold American values.

Mr Obama defended the embassy's action while making clear he was not involved in the decision.

"It came from folks on the ground who are potentially in danger," he said in the interview.

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8:27am: Two pieces from the New York Times:

8:15am: Here's a snapshot of the anger sparked by Innocence of Muslims:

Tuesday

3,000 demonstrators tear down the Stars and Stripes flag at Cairo's US embassy and replace it with a black Islamic flag

3,000 demonstrators tear down the Stars and Stripes flag at Cairo's US embassy and replace it with a black Islamic flag The Arab League condemns the film, saying it insults the Prophet Mohammed.

The Arab League condemns the film, saying it insults the Prophet Mohammed. An armed mob apparently protesting over the film attacks the US consulate in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi, killing US ambassador Chris Stevens and three other embassy officials.

Wednesday

Tunisian police fire tear gas to disperse hundreds of Salafist demonstrators outside the US embassy in Tunis.

Tunisian police fire tear gas to disperse hundreds of Salafist demonstrators outside the US embassy in Tunis. Protests are also held near US missions in Morocco and Sudan.

Protests are also held near US missions in Morocco and Sudan. Coptic activists in Egypt call a vigil in protest against the film which they say "insults Islam and the Prophet Mohammed".

Coptic activists in Egypt call a vigil in protest against the film which they say "insults Islam and the Prophet Mohammed". New York police increase security at Coptic Christian churches around the city.

Security personnel stand guard near the US embassy in Cairo on Wednesday ( Reuters: Mohamed Abd El Ghany )

7:50am: Although the attack was initially thought to have been an outpouring of anger provoked by Innocence of Muslims, reports are now suggesting it was a coordinated assault which one US politician says has the hallmarks of an Al Qaeda operation.

"The situation is certainly changing," correspondent Lisa Millar has told ABC News Breakfast.

"What was seen as an immediate reaction to that US-produced video which mocked the Islamic prophet, it was thought to be the cause and the only cause of this.

"But now administration officials are starting to suggest perhaps what we saw go on in Libya was a little more planned, that it wasn't the spontaneous outbreak of anger that perhaps was seen in Cairo.

"Because these two protests, one much more violent, were going on at the same time, so the suggestion is perhaps that, as the US administration officials are putting out at the moment, perhaps this was an Al Qaeda-related attack that was using the protests perhaps as a bit of a diversion."

In the Cairo incident Millar refers to, thousands of protesters watched as a group of men scaled the walls of the US embassy in Cairo and tore down a Stars and Stripes which was flying at half mast to mark the anniversary of the September 11 attacks.

This morning Mike Rogers, the Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, told CNN "there are still some fuzzy details... but clearly it has all the hallmarks of an Al-Qaeda-style event."

"For months we've seen Al-Qaeda looking for Western targets. That was all across northern Africa. We have seen certain activities that certainly lead you to believe today that it is an Al-Qaeda affiliated group," he said.

Protesters destroy the American flag pulled down from the US embassy in Cairo ( Reuters: Mohamed Abd El Ghany )

7:42am: In the latest developments this morning regarding Innocence of Muslims, the film which has sparked fury in parts of the Muslim world and could have provoked the attack on the consulate:

The director of the film "fell apart" when he heard of the killings and has gone into hiding, AFP reports;

The director of the film "fell apart" when he heard of the killings and has gone into hiding, AFP reports; Afghanistan blocks YouTube so its people can't view it;

Afghanistan blocks YouTube so its people can't view it; YouTube says it won't take a clip down, but blocks it in Libya and Egypt;

YouTube says it won't take a clip down, but blocks it in Libya and Egypt; The US military's top officer, General Martin Dempsey, urges controversial Koran-burning pastor Terry Jones to disavow the film;

The US military's top officer, General Martin Dempsey, urges controversial Koran-burning pastor Terry Jones to disavow the film; Egypt's government denounces the film but calls on Egyptians to exercise restraint.

7:28am: Here's more detail of what happened at the consulate during the attack late on Tuesday (local time)

A Libyan official says ambassador Chris Stevens was being driven to a safer location when his car was hit by a rocket.

A picture taken by an AFP photographer shows what witnesses say is the injured ambassador being aided by Libyans inside the premises of the consulate.

The picture shows an injured man wearing a white t-shirt and dark pants resembling Mr Stevens being carried by several Libyans.

A Libyan doctor who tried to treat the ambassador says he died from smoke inhalation.

Killed: US ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens ( AFP: Mahmud Turkia )

7:08am: Last night Foreign Affairs Minister Bob Carr told Lateline that the ambassador who died, Christopher Stevens, had previously helped secure the release of an Australian lawyer who had been held captive by a Libyan militia group.

"This is a diplomat who helped Australia. When we were fighting to get Melinda Taylor free from captivity from detention in Zintan, Libya, he was one of the diplomats who made representations," he said.

7:00am: Video: North America correspondent Lisa Millar says the response in the US has been swift, with flags flying at half-mast in Washington DC.

Barack Obama says he has "directed my administration to provide all necessary resources to support the security of our personnel in Libya, and to increase security at our diplomatic posts around the globe."

A 50-man US Marines anti-terrorism unit is reportedly being rushed to Libya to bolster security at US facilities there.

Sorry, this video has expired North America correspondent Lisa Millar speaks about the US response

6:59am: The United Nations has described the killings as "unjustifiable", saying they highlight the Libyan government's struggle to establish its authority.

This morning the UN Security Council and UN leader Ban Ki-moon both condemned the attack on the US consulate in Benghazi "in the strongest terms".

6:57am: Photo: A man runs away as the consulate erupts in flames behind him.

Flames pour from the US consulate during the attack ( Reuters: Esam Al-Fetori )

6:50am: It's still not clear who was behind the attack. More from Matt Brown on AM:

Libya's ambassador to the UK, Ahmed Jbril, blamed an Islamist group called Ansar Al Shariah for the assault - but the group has denied responsibility.

Libya's deputy interior minister Wanis al-Sharif says gunmen loyal to former dictator Moamar Gaddafi were responsible.

Mr Sharif also detailed a rescue operation in which commandos arrived at a farm, thought to be a safe house, where survivors of the initial attack had taken refuge.

"Once they arrived there, they faced heavy shooting from heavy guns, RPGs and machine guns, which resulted in two deaths. And between 12-19 were injured on the American side," he said.

Mr Sharif blamed the US consulate for failing to take the necessary security measures to cope with the protest.

"We are surprised that they did not take any security measures or evacuate their staff, knowing that there were people outside shouting and shooting. It was the consulate's mistake. We do not know why, maybe they had their own plans."

Libyan officials say several Libyan guards were also killed during the assault and the government will ensure those responsible are brought to justice.

6:43am: More from AM. The protest was ostensibly over a film called Innocence of Muslims. It denigrates Islam and shows Mohammad in a sex act.

The Associated Press reports the film’s writer and director, Sam Bacile, describes himself as an Israeli Jew, living in the US.

He says Islam is "a cancer" and he produced the $5 million film with the help of 100 Jewish donors.

Israel's foreign minister has told AFP that his country has no connection to the film, which he describes a "intolerable intolerance".

6:35am: Middle East correspondent Matt Brown has filed his piece for AM.

He says "local militiamen employed to protect the US consulate fought a losing battle against gunmen amidst an angry mob".

"Reporters and witnesses on the scene say those protesting against a low budget film which defames Mohammad were a mix of hardcore Islamists, tribesmen and local townspeople."

6:32am: In breaking news this morning, the US State Department says it is pulling its surviving staff out of Benghazi and reducing its staff levels in Tripoli to a bare minimum.

6:30am: Watch Lateline's report on the attacks

Sorry, this video has expired US ambassador to Libya killed in consulate attack

ABC/AFP/Reuters