A major suspect in the 2012 terrorist attack on the U.S. compound in Benghazi, Libya has been apprehended and brought to American soil to face justice, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Friday.
Zubayr Al-Bakoush arrived at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland at 3 a.m. on Friday after being extradited to the United States. He faces an eight-count indictment including murder, terrorism, and arson charges related to the September 11, 2012 attack that claimed the lives of four Americans.
"Today, I am proud to announce that the FBI has arrested one of the key participants behind the Benghazi attack," Bondi stated during a press conference alongside FBI Director Kash Patel and U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C. Jeanine Pirro.
The charges include the murders of U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and State Department employee Sean Smith, as well as the attempted murder of State Department Special Agent Scott Wicklund. Al-Bakoush also faces conspiracy charges for providing material support to terrorists that resulted in the deaths of four Americans.
"We have never stopped seeking justice for that crime against our nation," Bondi emphasized. "You can run, but you cannot hide."
According to officials, Al-Bakoush was initially charged by sealed complaint in 2015. The case remained under seal for 11 years as authorities worked to locate and apprehend the suspect overseas. The State Department and CIA collaborated with the FBI to make the arrest possible, though officials declined to provide specific details about the capture operation.
"From day one, Kash and Dan would sit in meetings and say, 'We're going to get him,'" Bondi said. "And they did."
The 2012 Benghazi attack began on the evening of September 11 and continued into the following day. Initially believed to be a spontaneous reaction to protests, the incident was later confirmed as a deliberate terrorist attack carried out by extremists with ties to groups affiliated with al Qaeda.
In addition to Ambassador Stevens and Sean Smith, the attack also killed CIA contractors Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty. The assault involved armed militants attacking the diplomatic compound and a nearby CIA annex.
The case became highly politicized in the years following the attack, with extensive congressional investigations examining security measures, military response, and the Obama administration's handling of the incident and its aftermath.
Al-Bakoush will be prosecuted in U.S. federal court, though it remains unclear whether he has legal representation at this time. The arrest marks a significant development in the long-running investigation into one of the deadliest attacks on American diplomatic facilities in recent history.
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