US authorities have arrested a key suspect linked to the 2012 Benghazi attack and transferred him to the United States to face trial.
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the arrest of Zubayar al-Bakoush during a joint briefing with FBI Director Kash Patel and US Attorney Jeanine Pirro. Officials confirmed that foreign authorities detained the suspect and handed him over to US custody overnight.
The Benghazi attack remains one of the deadliest assaults on US diplomatic personnel overseas. Militants stormed the US diplomatic compound in Libya on September 11, 2012. The attack killed US Ambassador Chris Stevens and State Department official Sean Smith.
Later that night, a mortar strike hit a nearby CIA annexe. The assault claimed the lives of former Navy SEALs Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said the US has arrested a person suspected of playing a central role in the 2012 attack on its consulate in Benghazi, Libya https://t.co/wh1Xv2zZgI pic.twitter.com/OZqnfiIeas
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 6, 2026Prosecutors allege that al-Bakoush belonged to the militant group Ansar al-Sharia. According to court filings, he was among roughly 20 fighters who breached the compound’s main gate. Investigators say he helped set fires inside the facility and took part in surveillance operations before the attack.
Federal prosecutors unsealed an indictment charging al-Bakoush with seven criminal counts. The charges include murder, attempted murder, providing material support to terrorists, and arson.
“You can run, but you cannot hide,” Bondi said during the announcement. She stressed that the passage of time would not prevent justice.
US Attorney Jeanine Pirro said investigators continue to pursue other suspects. She noted that several individuals involved in the attack remain at large. Authorities previously convicted and sentenced two other attackers in US courts.
Al-Bakoush is scheduled to appear before a federal court in Washington, DC. The court will formally present the charges and determine next procedural steps.
The arrest marks another development in the long-running effort to hold those responsible for the Benghazi attack accountable. US officials say the case remains a priority more than a decade after the deadly assault.
