Accused Benghazi ringleader convicted of terrorism charges in attacks that killed U.S. ambassador

Source: The Washington Post




Accused Benghazi ringleader convicted of terrorism charges in 2012 attacks that killed U.S. ambassador

By Spencer S. Hsu November 28 at 4:07 PM

A Libyan militant accused of being a ringleader of the 2012 Benghazi attacks on U.S. facilities was convicted on terrorism charges Tuesday in the assaults that killed U.S. ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and three other Americans. But the jury found the militant not guilty of the most serious of the charges, including murder.

The case was seen as a test of detention and interrogation policies developed under the Obama administration to capture terror suspects overseas for criminal trial, with the result likely to factor into assessments of the suitability of civilian courts for terrorism prosecutions.

The jury in Washington, D.C., deliberated for five days after a seven-week trial before convicting Ahmed Abu Khattala, 46, in the attack the night of Sept. 11 at a U.S. diplomatic mission that killed Stevens and State Department employee Sean Smith in a fire, and in a second attack that took place before down on Sept. 12 on a nearby CIA annex , where CIA contractors Tyrone S. Woods and Glen Doherty were killed by mortar strikes. The jury acquitted Abu Khattala of all but four of the 18 charges against him.

At trial, his defense team said Abu Khattala was drawn to the fiery scene in his hometown as a bystander. They questioned the credibility of three Libyan witnesses who testified they saw or heard Abu Khattala take steps to plan, execute or claim responsibility for the attacks.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/accused-benghazi-ringleader-convicted-of-terrorism-charges-in-2012-attacks-that-killed-us-ambassador/2017/11/28/39fca3b8-ca37-11e7-aa96-54417592cf72_story.html