Federal authorities have apprehended the alleged leader behind the 2012 attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has pledged to pursue “American justice.”
The suspect, identified as Zubair Al Bakush, faces charges including murder, terrorism, and arson, as reported by Fox News.
In a statement regarding the arrest, Bondi stated, “Zubair al Bakush will now face American justice on American soil. We will prosecute this suspected terrorist to the fullest extent of the law. If you commit a crime against an American citizen anywhere in this world, President Trump’s Department of Justice will find you. It may not happen overnight, but it will happen. You can run, but you can’t hide.”
The attack led to the deaths of four Americans, including U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens, who was also a victim of the violence in 2012, as reported by NBC News.
Video footage from the incident depicted fire, a damaged building, and a destroyed vehicle parked outside.
Jeanine Pirro, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, also announced the arrests. She indicated that an eight-count indictment against Al Bakush included charges related to the murders of Stevens and State Department employee Sean Smith. This case, initially filed during the Obama administration in 2015, had remained sealed for over a decade.
Interestingly, Bondi referenced a past statement from former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton regarding Benghazi, remarking, “Hillary Clinton once famously said of Benghazi, ‘What difference would it make at this point?’ Well, that makes a difference for Donald Trump.”
FBI Director Kash Patel joined Bondi and Pirro in announcing the arrests, highlighting the completion of a foreign custody transfer of the suspect. He also named the Americans who lost their lives: Ambassador Chris Stevens, Sean Smith, Tyrone Woods, and Glenn Doherty.
Patel remarked, “After more than a decade of the U.S. manhunt, Al Bakush landed in Virginia early this morning and is in custody.” He emphasized that this is a significant moment for the nation, conveying a clear message from President Trump’s administration that those who attack American service members will ultimately see justice, no matter how long it takes.
