Washington — The FBI has arrested one of the “key participants” behind the terrorist attack on U.S. facilities in Benghazi, Libya, in 2012 that led to the deaths of four Americans, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on Friday.
“Today, I’m proud to announce that the FBI has arrested one of the key participants behind the Benghazi attack,” Bondi said. The suspect, named Zubayr al-Bakoush, was transferred to the U.S. overnight, Bondi said.
The attorney general said Al-Bakoush will face charges of terrorism, arson and murder, among others, later on Friday. Bondi made the announcement of his capture alongside FBI Director Kash Patel and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro.
“You can run, but you cannot hide,” Bondi said.
The State Department and CIA worked with the FBI to make the arrest possible, Bondi said. Patel and Bondi declined to give many details about how the suspect was tracked down, except to say he was picked up “overseas.” Pirro said there are more people out there responsible for the killings that day in 2012, and the federal government won’t stop hunting for them.
“Let me be very clear — there are more of them out there,” Pirro said. “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.”
U.S. Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens and three others — Sean Smith, Tyrone Woods, and Glen Doherty — were killed in the attack on a U.S. diplomatic compound and nearby CIA outpost by militants with the group Ansar al-Sharia. Pirro said she informed the surviving family members ahead of time that the U.S. was capturing Al-Bakoush.
