After Nuland weighed in, the reference to Ansar al-Sharia was scrubbed from the account.

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Mr Megarief says signals were intercepted between Ansar al-Sharia and al-Qaeda in the Maghreb, an umbrella for jihadist groups in north Africa.

ECONOMIST: Libya and its extremists

The president of Libya's parliament, Mohammed al-Magarief, asserted that U.S. intelligence had intercepted communications between elements of AQIM and Ansar al-Sharia, a group widely blamed for playing a part in the attack.

CNN: Phone call links Benghazi attack to al Qaeda commander

On Thursday, Libyan Prime Minister Mustafa Abushagur said eight detained in connection with that assault include members of Ansar al-Sharia, though he added that not all the attackers came from one specific group.

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But at Wednesday's hearing, Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-South Carolina, quoted what he said was an internal e-mail dated the day after the attack in which Assistant Secretary of State Beth Jones told the Libyan ambassador that Islamic group Ansar al-Sharia was responsible for the attack.

CNN: Obama has explaining to do on Benghazi