By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Libyans protesting the Prophet Muhammad cartoons set fire to the Italian consulate in Benghazi on Friday in a riot that killed at least 10 people, an Italian diplomat said.
Libyan security officials said 11 people were killed or wounded during the six-hour riot when police firing bullets and tear gas tried to contain more than 1,000 demonstrators hurling rocks and bottles. The casualties included police officers, but the officials declined to say how many people had died.
Italian diplomat Domenico Bellantone said between 10 and 11 people had died, and all were Libyan _ either police or protesters. He spoke after the Libyan interior minister had briefed the Italian ambassador to Tripoli on the riot.