Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal prosecutors say the Libyan militant charged in the 2012 Benghazi attacks is now in law enforcement custody, after being questioned aboard a U.S. Navy ship since his capture in Libya two weeks ago.
A U.S. official says Ahmed Abu Khattala (hah-TAH'-lah) was flown by military helicopter from a Navy amphibious transport dock ship to a National Park Service landing pad in Washington, D.C., today.
Security at the capital's federal courthouse has been heightened in anticipation of a possible court appearance by the suspect later today.
Abu Khattala faces criminal charges in the deaths of the U.S. ambassador to Libya and three other Americans from the 2012 attack. A criminal complaint filed last year charges him with terror-related crimes, including killing a person during an attack on a federal facility, a crime that can be punishable by death.
%@AP Links
133-v-31-(David Melendy, AP correspondent)--Amid tight courthouse security in Washington, the prosecutor's office says the suspect charged in the 2012 Benghazi attacks is in federal custody. AP correspondent David Melendy has more. ((watch for dating)) (28 Jun 2014)
<<CUT *133 (06/28/14)££ 00:31
APPHOTO WX301: FILE - This undated file image obtained from Facebook shows Ahmed Abu Khattala, an alleged leader of the deadly 2012 attacks on Americans in Benghazi, Libya, who was captured by U.S. special forces on Sunday, June 15, 2014, on the outskirts of Benghazi. Khattala, charged in the 2012 Benghazi attacks, is in U.S. custody amid tight security at the U.S. Federal Courthouse in Washington, Saturday, June 28, 2014. Khattala faces criminal charges in the deaths of the U.S. ambassador to Libya and three other Americans. (AP Photo, File) (18 Jun 2014)
<<APPHOTO WX301 (06/18/14)££
APPHOTO DCJL104: U.S. Marshalls guard the area outside of the federal U.S. District Court in Washington Saturday, June 28, 2014, after security was heightened in anticipation of a possible court appearance by captured Libyan militant Ahmed Abu Khattala later in the day. Khatallah is one of the men accused in the deadly Benghazi attack at the U.S. embassy in Libya. He faces criminal charges in the deaths of the US ambassador to Libya and three other Americans from the Sept. 11, 2012, attack. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) (28 Jun 2014)
<<APPHOTO DCJL104 (06/28/14)££
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
