RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney is accusing Vice President Joe Biden of contradicting sworn testimony by State Department officials regarding the terrorist attack that killed four Americans in Libya on the Sept. 11 anniversary.

In a campaign debate Thursday night, Biden said ‘‘we weren’t told’’ about requests for additional security at the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi. A State Department official told Congress this week that requests for extra protection there had been denied.

Romney says the public has a right to know exactly what happened before the attacks. He adds that questions about it shouldn’t be brushed aside.

The White House says Biden was speaking just for the White House, for himself and the president.