U.S. arrests suspect in 2012 Benghazi consulate attack, Bondi says

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WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 06: U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi (C), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel (L) and U.S. Attorney for Washington, DC Jeanine Pirro make a press announcement at the Department of Justice on February 6, 2026 in Washington, DC. Bondi announced the FBI has captured and extradited Zubayr al-Bakoush, a suspect in the 2012 attack on the US Embassy in Benghazi, Libya.
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The U.S. has arrested a person suspected of playing a role in the 2012 attack on its consulate in Benghazi, Libya. Attorney General Pam Bondi said on Friday.

Bondi said Zubayar al-Bakoush has been extradited to the United States and will face murder, arson and terrorism related charges.

"The FBI has arrested one of the key participants behind the Benghazi attack. Zubayar al-Bakoush landed at Andrews Air Force Base at 3 a.m. this morning. He is in our custody," Bondi said at a news conference.

Four U.S. personnel were killed in the September 11, 2012, incident, which was initially thought to be a spontaneous reaction to protests but was later identified as a deliberate attack carried out by extremists, some of whom were linked to groups affiliated with al Qaeda.

A vehicle and the surrounding area are engulfed in flames after it was set on fire inside the US consulate compound in Benghazi late on September 11, 2012. An armed mob protesting over a film they said offended Islam, attacked the US consulate in Benghazi and set fire to the building, killing one American, witnesses and officials said.
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Two other people have been arrested and sentenced for playing a role in the attack.

The attack became a symbol of the chaos in Benghazi and Libya as a whole, highlighting the instability and the presence of terrorism in the region. It led to a series of investigations in the United States, in which congressional Republicans clashed with then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton ahead of her 2016 presidential run as a Democrat.