Benghazi attack suspect caught, extradited to US: DOJ

(NEW YORK) — A suspect in the 2012 terrorist attack on the U.S. embassy in Benghazi, Libya, has been arrested and brought back to the United States, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Friday.

Zubayr al-Bakoush was brought back to Andrews Air Force Base at 3:00 a.m., Bondi said at a press conference alongside FBI Director Kash Patel and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro.

On Sept. 11, 2012, a group of men stormed into the diplomatic compound in Benghazi in an attack that killed four Americans.

The suspect is charged with the murder of Ambassador Chris Stevens and three others.

Pirro said Bakoush was first charged by complaint in 2015, which was sealed for 11 years. The eight-count indictment has now been unsealed, she said.

“It charges Bakoush with the murder of Ambassador Chris Stevens, the murder of State Department employee Sean Smith, the attempted murder of State Department Special Agent Scott Wicklund and conspiracy to provide materials for terrorists and support that resulted in the death of four Americans, as well as arson at the special mission,” Pirro added.

al-Bakoush made his initial appearance before a magistrate judge while in custody later Friday. He was represented by a stand-in attorney and the court deferred his arraignment until a permanent appointed counsel is assigned.

Prosecutors said they will seek pretrial detention. A detention hearing is expected to be held next week.

This is the first arrest in nearly nine years in connection with the attack.

In 2017, the U.S. captured one of the suspects in the attack — Mustafa al-Imam — and extradited him back to the U.S. for trial. He was later convicted on two criminal counts and sentenced to 19 years in prison.

-ABC News’ Briana Stewart contributed to this report.

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