Accused militant is taken into custody in the deadly 2012 Benghazi attack

After more than a decade on the run, a key suspect in the deadly 2012 Benghazi attack that claimed four American lives has been taken into U.S. custody, the Justice Department announced Friday.

Zubayar Al-Bakoush, 58, identified as a member of an extremist militia in Libya, appeared in federal court in Washington hours after arriving at a Virginia airfield following what FBI Director Kash Patel described as a “transfer of custody.” Appearing in a wheelchair and wearing a gray hoodie, Al-Bakoush did not enter a plea during his initial hearing.

“I have complete trust in the court and the jury,” Al-Bakoush told the federal magistrate through a remote interpreter. He added that he has “complete confidence” there will be justice in his case.

The newly unsealed indictment charges Al-Bakoush with multiple serious offenses including murder, attempted murder, arson, and conspiring to provide material support to terrorists. Prosecutors allege he participated in the armed mob that breached the U.S. diplomatic compound’s front gates with assault rifles and explosives, conducted surveillance, and attempted to break into diplomatic mission staff vehicles.

“We have never stopped seeking justice for that crime against our nation,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said at a press conference alongside Patel and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, whose office will prosecute the case.

The September 11, 2012, attack began when militants armed with AK-47s and grenade launchers stormed the consulate compound in Benghazi, setting buildings ablaze. Ambassador Chris Stevens and State Department employee Sean Smith died from smoke inhalation during the initial assault. Other personnel escaped to a nearby annex facility, which subsequently came under attack from gunfire and precision mortar fire, resulting in the deaths of security officers Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty.

This arrest marks the third major prosecution related to the Benghazi attack. Ahmed Abu Khattala, captured in Libya in 2014 and described as a ringleader of the assault, was convicted and sentenced to more than 20 years in prison. Another Libyan national, Mustafa al-Imam, was captured in 2017 and later convicted for his involvement.

The Benghazi attack quickly became a deeply divisive political issue in Washington, with Republicans challenging then-President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton over security failures, the military response, and shifting explanations about the attack’s motivation and perpetrators.

A final report from a Republican-led congressional panel criticized the Obama administration for security deficiencies at the Libyan outpost and slow response to the attack, but found no personal wrongdoing by Clinton. Democrats dismissed the investigation as politically motivated, with Clinton herself stating it was “time to move on” after multiple investigations yielded similar conclusions.

U.S. Attorney Pirro emphasized the government’s commitment to bringing all perpetrators to justice, regardless of how much time has passed. “The Benghazi saga was a painful one for Americans. It has stayed with all of us,” Pirro said. “Let me be very clear: There are more of them out there. Time will not stop us from going after these predators no matter how long it takes in order to fulfill our obligation to those families who suffered horrific pain at the hands of these violent terrorists.”

The prosecution of Al-Bakoush represents another chapter in the United States’ long-running efforts to bring closure and accountability for an attack that shocked the nation and highlighted the dangerous conditions facing diplomatic personnel in volatile regions. Following his initial appearance, Al-Bakoush was ordered detained until a hearing tentatively scheduled for next week.

As the case proceeds through the federal court system, it will likely reignite public attention on an event that has remained a painful memory for many Americans, particularly the families of those killed in the attack.