The United States Department of Justice has announced the arrest of terrorist leader, Zubayr al-Bakoush who was involved in the US consulate attack in Benghazi on September 11, 2012. The terrorist leader is a Libyan national and member of the Benghazi Shura Council.
US Attorney General Pam Bondi stated that a ‘key participant’ in the attack on the US embassy in Benghazi, Libya has been arrested. The attacks claimed the lives of four US citizens including US Ambassador Christopher Stevens.
Zubayr al-Bakoush has now been extradited and sent to the US to face murder, arson and terrorism charges.
Benghazi arrests in the US
After the overthrow and murder of leader, Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, the US embassy in Benghazi was stormed. Gaddafi’s government was destabilized through a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) operation which was led by the US.
The US attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, said that the terrorist had previously been charged in 2015 with the murder of Stevens and another employee of the State Department, Sean Smith. He was also charged with the attempted murder of a special agent of the Department.
Other casualties of the incident include US government employees, Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty. The US Congress began investigating faults in security amidst the killings which took place in Benghazi.
Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s role also fell under scrutiny during this period. However, in 2015, she took responsibility for the deaths of the US citizens.
It is important to note that terrorist leader, Zubayr al-Bakoush, is the third person to have been arrested by the US in connection with the Benghazi incident. The former include the arrests of Mustafa al-Imam in 2017 and Ahmed Abu Khattala in 2014.
