Family of Glen Doherty not playing blame game in consulate attack

WINCHESTER (FOX 25 / MyFoxBoston.com) The sister of a Winchester native killed in the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi is responding to Wednesday's testimony before Congress.

During the testimony, State Department officials confirmed they never believed the Sept. 11, 2012 attack on the consulate was a film protest gone awry. At the same time, a deputy secretary said the security levels at the consulate were "adequate and appropriate for the threat level that day." That statement could be seen as insulting to the families of those who lost loved ones that day.

Kate Quigley lost her brother, Glen Doherty, in the ambush. She watched some of Wednesday's testimony in Washington D.C. and gave FOX 25 her reaction. She says that nobody expects the worst is going to happen and asked if any government can ever be prepared for an attack like the one that claimed her brother's life.

Doherty, a former Navy Seal, was working for a private security contractor and was called to the consulate to provide assistance during the attack. Quigley says her family knew early on that this was the work of professionals.

"We knew in our hearts from day one that it had nothing to do with a movie - only because Glen was that good," says Quigley. "There is no way somebody that highly trained would go down from anything short of what is now coming out."

The family says they knew the truth about the attack long before the rest of the nation.

"We certainly got conflicting reports and we also have a lot of friends in high places so a lot of it just came through personal channels," says Quigley.

Quigley adds that she doesn't know why the motive for the attack was distorted.

"I have no idea why it was spun that way probably because it was Sept. 11 and nobody wants to admit what happened again that day," Quigley tells FOX 25.

Quigley says she isn't looking to the government for answers about whether or not this attack could have been prevented had security been increased. She says it won't change anything for her family.

"I feel like everybody is trying to blame somebody right now - the State Department, the Democrats, the Republicans," says Quigley. "My favorite quote over the past week came from my brother, Greg Doherty, who said 'why don't we blame the terrorists?' That's who's at fault here."

Quigley also told FOX 25 about a new foundation her family plans to launch this weekend.

The Glen Doherty Foundation will find deserving candidates, perhaps military families whose loved ones are deployed or families grieving the loss of a family member, like the Doherty family. The foundation will pay for the person or family to go on a trip or advance their education.

To donate to the foundation, visit glendohertyfoundation.org.

Cox Media Group