The suspected ringleader of a deadly 2012 attack on the American consulate in the Libyan city of Benghazi arrived in the United States today in the custody of US authorities.
Four Americans including US ambassador Christopher Stevens were killed on September 11, 2012 when gunmen stormed the US consulate and set it on fire and a CIA outpost was also targeted, in an attack that shocked Washington and has become a highly charged political issue.
"Ahmed Abu Khatallah is in law enforcement custody," a Department of Justice spokesman said in an email to AFP, declining to give further details.
The US State Department has identified Khatallah as a senior leader of Ansar al-Sharia, a Libyan Islamist group it brands a "terrorist" organization responsible for a spate of attacks and assassinations.
US commandos captured Khatallah who could face the death penalty earlier this month in a covert raid on Libyan soil and he was transferred to the United States after being interred on a US Navy vessel.
Special forces, working with FBI agents, carried out the stealth operation to seize Khatallah whom the US has accused of being the attack ringleader under cover of darkness and withdrew without losses. Libya accused Washington of violating its sovereignty.
The raid two weeks ago represented a victory for US President Barack Obama, who has faced intense criticism over his administration's handling of the Benghazi assault and its aftermath.
Khatallah was flown to Washington by helicopter shortly after sunrise from the Navy warship the New York, where he has been held since his high-profile capture, The New York Times reported, quoting US government officials.
The suspect was being held under tight security in a federal courthouse in the US capital, the Times said.
The Benghazi attack raised questions about security at US missions worldwide and has been the subject of fierce political debate. Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton faced hostile questioning before lawmakers over the issue.
