Above: former US Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens (Photo: US Embassy in Libya)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

The government of the Bahamas said it stood with its ally the United States and joined other “free and democratic” countries in condemning what it called a “cowardly” attack on the US Consulate in Benghazi that killed four American diplomats.

The attack killed the United States Ambassador to Libya, Chris Sevens, along with three embassy staff members.

“We are shocked and dismayed by the disregard for life and this overt and violent display of intransigence by a fanatical minority towards the principles of freedom of expression and sovereignty, tenets that we hold so dear,” Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell said in a statement.

The Bahamian government said it reiterated its commitment to “freedom, democracy, tolerance and the prevalence of the rule of law as foundational pillars to an ordered and peaceful society.”

“Diplomacy must always be the preferred option in resolving conflicts, whether the conflicts exist on a personal, national, or international level,” Mitchell said.