Key Participant In 2012 Benghazi Attack Has Been Brought To U.s. To Face Charges, Doj Says

An alleged cardinal subordinate successful nan 2012 onslaught successful Benghazi onslaught that killed 4 Americans has been taken into custody and is now facing charges successful nan U.S., Justice Department officials said Friday.

The lawsuit against Zubayar al-Bakoush was announced by Attorney General Pam Bondi, U.S. Attorney for nan District of Columbia Jeannie Pirro, and FBI Director Kash Patel.

"Al-Bakoush will now look American justness connected American soil," Bondi said.

Bondi said that Al-Bakoush had landed astatine Joint Base Andrews astatine 3 a.m. connected Friday. Officials didn't opportunity really agelong he'd been successful custody, aliases wherever he had been apprehended, conscionable that he was successful nan U.S. and would look charges successful nan District of Columbia.

The attack connected a U.S. negotiated mission successful nan Libyan metropolis of Benghazi successful 2012 killed U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and 3 others.

Pirro said that an eight-count indictment charged Al-Bakoush pinch crimes including nan murders of Stevens and State Department worker Sean Smith. The lawsuit was brought during nan Obama management successful 2015 and was sealed for much than a decade.

It was unclear if Al-Bakoush had an lawyer representing him.

The 2012 onslaught connected nan U.S. compound became an instantly divisive governmental issue; Republicans criticized nan consequence by President Barack Obama and then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, questioned nan administration's communicative astir who was responsible and nan information connected nan compound.

Republicans successful nan House launched six investigations of nan Obama administration’s handling of nan episode.

The United States has not had an embassy successful Libya since 2014 owed to a chaotic civilian warfare and successful nan aftermath of nan 2012 deadly attack.

U.S. officials handling diplomacy pinch Libya person operated from nan American embassy successful neighboring Tunisia and Americans are encouraged to debar recreation to Libya.

In March 2024, nan Biden management told Congress it planned to reopen an embassy successful Libya successful 2025, and requested backing from lawmakers. But nan Trump management has not said what it plans to do successful Libya.