Federal law enforcement authorities have filed murder charges against Ahmed Abu Khattala, a prominent militia leader in Benghazi, Libya, in connection with the attacks on a diplomatic mission there last Sept. 11 that killed the United States ambassador and three other Americans, according to senior law enforcement officials.
[h=6]Bryan Denton for The New York Times[/h]J. Christopher Stevens, then deputy ambassador during Colonel Qaddafi’s rule, in Benghazi in April 2011.
At least two other foreigners have been charged in the attacks, the officials said.
Although the charges have been filed under seal in the United States, law enforcement officials are frustrated with the Libyan government and the State Department because there have been no arrests.
The Libyan government has little control over the areas where the suspects are believed to be, and arresting them will take significant negotiations and coordination between the American and Libyan governments.
Testifying before the House Judiciary Committee in May, Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. said the Justice Department had made significant progress in its investigation. It is unclear, however, whether the government had filed charges at that point.
“We are at a point where we have taken steps that I would say are definitive, concrete, and we are — we will be prepared shortly, I think, to reveal all that we have done,” Mr. Holder said.
He added: “I’m satisfied with the progress that we have made in the investigation. Regardless of what happened previously, we have made very, very, very substantial progress in that investigation.”
In an interview with The New York Times in October, Mr. Abu Khattala said that he had arrived at the American compound in Benghazi as gunfire broke out but that he had played no role in the attack, in which Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens was killed. He said he entered the compound at the end of the siege in an attempt to rescue Libyan guards who worked for the Americans and were trapped.
Mr. Abu Khattala accused American leaders of using the Benghazi attack to play “with the emotions of the American people” in an effort to “gather votes for their elections.”
[h=6]Bryan Denton for The New York Times[/h]J. Christopher Stevens, then deputy ambassador during Colonel Qaddafi’s rule, in Benghazi in April 2011.
- [h=6]Libya Attack Brings Challenges for U.S. (September 13, 2012)[/h]
- [h=6]Times Topic: Libya — the Benghazi Attacks[/h]
At least two other foreigners have been charged in the attacks, the officials said.
Although the charges have been filed under seal in the United States, law enforcement officials are frustrated with the Libyan government and the State Department because there have been no arrests.
The Libyan government has little control over the areas where the suspects are believed to be, and arresting them will take significant negotiations and coordination between the American and Libyan governments.
Testifying before the House Judiciary Committee in May, Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. said the Justice Department had made significant progress in its investigation. It is unclear, however, whether the government had filed charges at that point.
“We are at a point where we have taken steps that I would say are definitive, concrete, and we are — we will be prepared shortly, I think, to reveal all that we have done,” Mr. Holder said.
He added: “I’m satisfied with the progress that we have made in the investigation. Regardless of what happened previously, we have made very, very, very substantial progress in that investigation.”
In an interview with The New York Times in October, Mr. Abu Khattala said that he had arrived at the American compound in Benghazi as gunfire broke out but that he had played no role in the attack, in which Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens was killed. He said he entered the compound at the end of the siege in an attempt to rescue Libyan guards who worked for the Americans and were trapped.
Mr. Abu Khattala accused American leaders of using the Benghazi attack to play “with the emotions of the American people” in an effort to “gather votes for their elections.”