The Washington Post has posted a video purportedly showing US commandos capturing a Libyan al-Qaeda operative in Tripoli last year, yanking him out of his car before dawn.
In grainy black-and-white footage obtained by the Post yesterday, Anas al-Libi drives up in front of his walled house at 6:38 a.M. In the early morning darkness.
A white van trailing Libi's car stops alongside his vehicle and at least three men jump out with guns drawn. A second car blocks Libi's car from the front while a third car idles down the street.
The men quickly yank Libi -- wanted in connection with the 1998 US embassy bombings in East Africa -- from his car.
He is then shoved into the van, according to the video, which was taken from a closed-circuit camera in the neighborhood, the Post wrote.
In less than two minutes, the US team drives away with Libi and his car.
Men and later a woman emerge from Libi's house, looking confused as they gaze out at over an empty street.
Officials had previously confirmed that US special operations forces had abducted Libi in Tripoli but had not described the operation in any detail.
After the October 5 raid, Libi was brought to an American naval ship off the coast, the USS San Antonio.
He was later flown to New York, where he was charged over the 1998 US embassy bombings in East Africa that killed 244 people. He has pleaded not guilty.
The Washington Post report said the Libyan government is paying for Libi's legal defense.
Pentagon and other US administration officials declined to comment on the video, but issued no statement denying the clip's authenticity.
