Houstonians react to attack on U.S. consulate in Libya

  Crystal KobziaHOUSTON (KTRK) -- The attack on the U.S. consulate in Libya in Libya is drawing strong reactions all around the world and here in Houston.

The U.S. has responded swiftly and strongly to prevent more attacks like this one from happening against Americans.

Here locally, an expert on homeland security and terrorism says she believes the attack on the U.S. embassy in Benghazi was most likely planned.

Joan Neuhaus Schaan from the Baker Institute in Housto tells us she can't imagine the attack that killed four Americans was pure coincidence, since it happened on 9-11. And she says the same can be said for the attack that happened on the embassy in Cairo, considering they took the date of 9-11 and used that date to tear down the American flag, burn it and replace it with the Jihad flag.

"You can count of the fact that there will be aliments that have been watching every person who comes and goes, every vehicle that comes and goes, they know their travel patterns and this was likely a well planned attack," said Neuhaus Schaan.

Nadine Mustafa with the Libyan American Organization in Houston says she believes education is key, saying as long as people know these types of attacks are at the hands of small groups and not the masses, that clarifies the magnitude of the situation.

"It's really disappointing and it's really discouraging but the good thing is we have so many community members that are totally dedicated to righting the wrongs and overcoming these miscommunications, bridging the barriers," Mustafa said.

Mustafa believes it's unfair to say Libya is an unsafe place to be. She travels to Libya about twice a year and just got back from a trip this past August. She believes this was a singular event that happened at the U.S. Embassy. She tells us she has only experienced admiration and gratitude for what America has done for Libya while she is there.

Mustafa says the Libyan American Organization condemns this type of violence, saying there is no excuse for this behavior.

There are only about 100 Libyan American families here in Houston.

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