Libyan national Ahmed Abu Khatallah, who was captured by American forces in Libya, has been charged with a death-eligible offense for his alleged role in a terror attack on the US Consulate in Benghazi nearly two years ago.
The charges were announced by the Department of Justice upon unsealing of a three-count criminal complaint.
"The lead count in the complaint is a death-eligible offense," the Department of Justice said.
The complaint, which was filed under seal on July 15 last year, in the US District Court for the District of Columbia, charges Khatallah with killing a person in the course of an attack on a federal facility involving the use of a firearm and dangerous weapon and attempting and conspiring to do the same.
He has also been charged with providing, attempting and conspiring to provide material support to terrorists resulting in death and discharging, brandishing, using, carrying and possession of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
Khatallah, aka Ahmed Mukatalah, 43, has been charged for his alleged participation in the September 11, 2012, attack on the US Special Mission and Annex in Benghazi, Libya, which resulted in the deaths of four Americans.
"Our nation's memory is long, and our reach is far," said US Attorney General Eric Holder.
"The arrest of Ahmed Abu Khatallah represents a significant milestone in our efforts to ensure justice is served for the heinous and cowardly attack on the US diplomatic facility in Benghazi," he said.
Since that attack - which caused the deaths of Ambassador J Christopher Stevens, Sean Smith, Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty - the US, he said, has conducted a thorough, unrelenting investigation, across continents, to find the perpetrators.
The arrest of Khatallah proves that the US government will expend any effort necessary to pursue terrorists who harm Americans, he added.
"Khatallah currently faces criminal charges on three counts, and we retain the option of adding additional charges in the coming days. Even as we begin the process of putting Khatallah on trial and seeking his conviction before a jury, our investigation will remain ongoing as we work to identify and arrest any co-conspirators. This is our pledge; we owe the victims of the Benghazi attack and their loved ones nothing less," Holder said.
"The terrorist attacks on our diplomatic facilities in Benghazi were an affront to our nation and heartbreaking for the families of the four courageous Americans who perished that day," said John Carlin, Assistant Attorney General for the National Security Division.
The charges were announced by the Department of Justice upon unsealing of a three-count criminal complaint.
"The lead count in the complaint is a death-eligible offense," the Department of Justice said.
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Khatallah was arrested by the US Special Forces in a secret operation in Libya on June 15, and is currently in American custody in a secure location outside the US and en route to the country to face the charges against him, the Pentagon said.
The complaint, which was filed under seal on July 15 last year, in the US District Court for the District of Columbia, charges Khatallah with killing a person in the course of an attack on a federal facility involving the use of a firearm and dangerous weapon and attempting and conspiring to do the same.
He has also been charged with providing, attempting and conspiring to provide material support to terrorists resulting in death and discharging, brandishing, using, carrying and possession of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
Khatallah, aka Ahmed Mukatalah, 43, has been charged for his alleged participation in the September 11, 2012, attack on the US Special Mission and Annex in Benghazi, Libya, which resulted in the deaths of four Americans.
"Our nation's memory is long, and our reach is far," said US Attorney General Eric Holder.
"The arrest of Ahmed Abu Khatallah represents a significant milestone in our efforts to ensure justice is served for the heinous and cowardly attack on the US diplomatic facility in Benghazi," he said.
Since that attack - which caused the deaths of Ambassador J Christopher Stevens, Sean Smith, Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty - the US, he said, has conducted a thorough, unrelenting investigation, across continents, to find the perpetrators.
The arrest of Khatallah proves that the US government will expend any effort necessary to pursue terrorists who harm Americans, he added.
"Khatallah currently faces criminal charges on three counts, and we retain the option of adding additional charges in the coming days. Even as we begin the process of putting Khatallah on trial and seeking his conviction before a jury, our investigation will remain ongoing as we work to identify and arrest any co-conspirators. This is our pledge; we owe the victims of the Benghazi attack and their loved ones nothing less," Holder said.
"The terrorist attacks on our diplomatic facilities in Benghazi were an affront to our nation and heartbreaking for the families of the four courageous Americans who perished that day," said John Carlin, Assistant Attorney General for the National Security Division.