One of the main suspects in the 2012 Benghazi attack, one of the most notorious terrorist incidents targeting American soldiers overseas, has been apprehended and transported to the United States to face trial, authorities announced Friday.
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the arrest of Zubayar al-Bakoush, who is said to have participated in the attack that resulted in the death of US Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens and three other Americans including Sean Smith, Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty on September 11, 2012.
“You can run, but you can’t hide,” Bondi said during the news conference with FBI Director Kash Patel and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro.
One of the members of the militant formation Ansar al-Sharia in al-Bakoush was arrested abroad and sent to the custody of the United States at night.
Federal charges against him are unsealed, with a seven-count indictment including murder, attempted murder, providing material support to terrorists and arson.
Prosecutors allege that al-Bakoush was one of about 20 militants who broke into the gate of the US diplomatic mission, opened fire at the compound that killed Stevens and Smith, and that he was also involved in the surveillance of the compound.
A later mortar attack on an adjacent CIA outpost killed Woods and Doherty.
“Time will not stop us from going after these predators,” Pirro said, noting that several people who committed these acts are still at large.
Another couple of attackers have previously been convicted and sentenced in US courts. Al-Bakoush is subsequently scheduled to appear in court in Washington DC later on Friday.
