U.S. President Barack Obama, however, said it was too early to say whether the attack was pre-planned.

As dawn broke Wednesday, the magnitude of the previous night's events were felt by both Americans and Libyans. Charred debris and ash littered the floor of the burned-out consulate. A small American flag lay amid the rubble. And both the governments of the United States and Libya, on this "very, very difficult day," mourned the loss of Stevens, who had helped save Benghazi during last year's revolution.

"He risked his life to stop a tyrant, then gave his life trying to help build a better Libya," U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said.