Libyan suspected in Benghazi attack now in U.S. federal custody - official

Reuters
The remnants of cars from an attack on the U.S. Consulate, which killed U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens, are seen near the wall of the consulate in Benghazi, September 11, 2013, on the first anniversary of the attack. REUTERS/Esam Omran Al-Fetori

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Libyan militia leader suspected in the 2012 attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi that killed four Americans was in federal custody on Saturday morning, the U.S. attorney's office in Washington said. "Ahmed Abu Khatallah is in law enforcement custody," said Bill Miller, spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office for the District of Columbia. Miller would not comment on where Khatallah was being held. U.S. officials told Reuters on Thursday that Khattallah was expected to arrive in the United States this weekend. CNN and The New York Times reported that Khatallah was brought to federal court in Washington from a Navy warship where he has been held since his June 15 capture. Khatallah was taken aboard the USS New York, an amphibious transport ship, after his seizure by U.S. special operations forces in a raid on the outskirts of Benghazi. He is expected to be prosecuted in the U.S. criminal justice system. U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans died in the Sept. 11, 2012, Benghazi attack. Khatallah is charged with killing a person on U.S. property, a firearms violation and providing material support to terrorism. The charges were filed in July 2013 but kept under a court seal until this month.