Federal authorities announced Friday that Zubayr Al-Bakoush, an alleged key participant in the 2012 terrorist attack on the U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, has been taken into U.S. custody and will face prosecution in federal court.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel, and U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro made the announcement during a Justice Department press briefing in Washington.
The September 11, 2012, attack killed four Americans: U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens, State Department information officer Sean Smith, and CIA contractors Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods.
“Today, I’m proud to announce that the FBI has arrested one of the key participants behind the Benghazi attack,” Bondi said. “He is in our custody.”
According to the Justice Department, Al-Bakoush was arrested overseas and transferred to the United States early Friday morning. Officials declined to disclose details about the arrest location, citing the need to protect the integrity of ongoing investigations and prosecutions.
Pirro said Al-Bakoush was first charged by criminal complaint in 2015, which remained sealed for several years. An eight-count federal indictment has now been unsealed, charging him with offenses including murder, terrorism, arson, and conspiracy related to the Benghazi attack.
“An eight-count indictment has been unsealed and it charges Al-Bakoush with the murder of Ambassador Chris Stevens, the murder of State Department employee Sean Smith, and conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists,” Pirro said.
Patel said the arrest reflects years of sustained counterterrorism efforts across multiple agencies.
“When an act of terrorism of this magnitude strikes at the heart of our nation, we go to work,” Patel said. “We will hunt you down, we will bring you to justice, and you will face justice here in America.”
The case will proceed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Additional details are expected to emerge through court filings as the prosecution moves forward.