2012 Benghazi Consulate Attack In Focus: Key Suspect Zubayar Al-Bakoush Arrested, Charges Pressed - What We Know So Far

(MENAFN- Live Mint) ** 2012 Benghazi consulate attack:** United States on Friday arrested Zubayar al-Bakoush, who is suspected of playing a central role in the 2012 attack on its consulate in Benghazi, Libya, Attorney General Pam Bondi.

The US attorney general said Zubayar al-Bakoush has been extradited to the United States and will face murder, arson and terrorism-related charges, reported Reuters.

What happened in Benghazi 2012 attack?

On September 11, 2012, a group of men stormed into the compounds of the US Consulate in Libya’s Benghazi in an attack that killed four Americans. The attack, initially thought to be a spontaneous reaction to protests, was later identified as a deliberate attack carried out by some people who were linked to groups affiliated with al Qaeda, mentioned a report by Reuters.

The criminal case against al-Bakoush was first brought during the Obama administration in 2015 and was sealed for more than a decade. It was announced Friday by Bondi, the top US prosecutor in the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro and FBI Director Kash Patel, who all praised the work of law enforcement agents.

Attorney General Pam Bondi said that Zubayr al-Bakoush landed at Joint Base Andrews at 3 a.m. (local time) on Friday and would be tried in federal court in the District of Columbia. Officials have not mentioned any details on how long the key suspect would be in custody, or where he had been apprehended, reported NBC News.

Who is Zubayr al-Bakoush?

– Al-Bakoush is the third person to face criminal charges stemming from the attack.

– According to a report by ABC News, the suspect is charged with the murder of Ambassador Chris Stevens and three others.

• Bakoush faces an eight-count indictment that includes charges of murder, attempted murder, arson and conspiracy to support terrorists, said Pirro.

Two others facing criminal charges in connection with the attack are Ahmed Abu Khatallah and Mustafa al-Imam. Both of them are serving lengthy prison terms, while another suspect, Ali Awni al-Harzi, was killed in an airstrike in Iraq in 2015.

Following the attack, Republicans had strongly criticised the response of then President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, questioning both the administration’s account of who was responsible and the level of security at the US compound. The episode triggered six separate investigations by House Republicans into how the Obama administration handled the attack.

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

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