The Steady Drip: US Arrests Key Suspect in 2012 Benghazi Attack, DOJ Announces (Connecting the Dots: The Annenberg-Dreier Commission at Sunnylands, Thomas Pickering, Benghazi, Libya, CIA, The U.S. State Department, The Atlantic Council of the United States & Soros Funding, All Networking)

US Arrests Key Suspect in 2012 Benghazi Attack, DOJ Announces (Connecting the Dots: The Annenberg-Dreier Commission at Sunnylands, Thomas Pickering, Benghazi, Libya, CIA, The U.S. State Department, The Atlantic Council of the United States & Soros Funding, All Networking)

Four Americans were killed in the Sept. 11, 2012, attack on U.S. diplomatic outposts in Benghazi, Libya.

The Epoch Times

Ryan Morgan

2/6/2026|Updated: 2/6/2026

https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/us-apprehends-key-suspect-in-2012-benghazi-attack-doj-announces-5981826

WASHINGTON—The U.S. government has apprehended a key suspect in the Sept. 11, 2012, attack on U.S. diplomatic outposts in Benghazi, Libya, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on Feb. 6.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Bondi identified the arrested suspect as Zubayar ⁠al-Bakoush. Bondi said the FBI apprehended Bakoush, but did not specify where he was found.

“The individual was apprehended and transferred over the night and into custody early this morning at an airfield. And so that’s about all you can say on that matter,” FBI Director Kash Patel added.

Bondi said Bakoush landed at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland at around 3 a.m. local time on Friday.

Four Americans were killed in the 2012 Benghazi attack, including U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens, State Department employee Sean Smith, and CIA contractors Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty.

The attack targeted a diplomatic compound that also served as Stevens’s residence, as well as a nearby CIA annex.

U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro said Bakoush faces an eight-count criminal indictment, including charges for the murders of Stevens and Smith, and the attempted murder of State Department Special Agent Scott Wicklund. He is also charged with conspiracy to provide material support for terrorism and an arson-related offense.

“Let this case serve as a reminder: if you commit a crime against the American people, anywhere in this world, President Trump’s Justice Department will find you,” Bondi said. “It might not happen overnight, but it will happen.”

Pirro said she contacted the families of the four Americans killed in the attack.

“Time will not stop us from going after these predators, no matter how long it takes, in order to fulfill our obligation to those families who suffered horrific pain at the hands of these violent terrorists,” Pirro said.

The U.S. government has described Ansar al-Sharia in Benghazi as one of the groups primarily responsible for the 2012 attack. The U.S. State Department designated Ansar al-Sharia in Benghazi as a foreign terrorist organization in 2014.

Bakoush is the third person to face criminal prosecution in connection with the 2012 Benghazi attack.

The U.S. government previously prosecuted Ahmed Abu Khatallah and ‌Mustafa al-Imam in connection with the attack.

In 2018, Khatallah was sentenced to 22 years in prison in connection with the attack. The U.S. government has described Khattalah as a senior leader of Ansar al-Sharia in Benghazi.

Imam was sentenced in 2020 to about 20 years in prison.

U.S. forces killed another person of interest in the attack, Ali Awni al-Harzi, in a June 2015 airstrike in Mosul, Iraq. At the time, the Pentagon described Harzi as a known ISIS operative.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Connecting the Dots:

Ready PAC (Ready For Hillary) supported the 2016 Hillary Rodham Clinton presidential campaign.

George Soros was a co-chair, national finance council for the Ready PAC (Ready For Hillary), is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations and Alexander Soros’s father.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.

Alexander Soros is George Soros’s son and married to Huma Abedin.

Huma Abedin Soros is married to Alexander Soros, was the vice chairman for the 2016 Hillary Rodham Clinton presidential campaign, married to Anthony D. Weiner, a consultant for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation and a senior adviser to secretary for the U.S. Department of State.

Anthony D. Weiner was married to Huma Abedin (Soros) and an advisory board member for the MWW Group.

MWW Group was a funder for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.

Hillary Rodham Clinton was the candidate for the 2016 Hillary Rodham Clinton presidential campaign, and Huma Abedin, her aide, a director at the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation and the secretary at the U.S. Department of State for the Barack Obama Administration.

Ready PAC (Ready For Hillary) supported the 2016 Hillary Rodham Clinton presidential campaign.

George Soros was a co-chair, national finance council for the Ready PAC (Ready For Hillary), is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation and the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).
Madeleine K. Albright was an honorary director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a secretary for the U.S. Department of State.

Elizabeth Frawley Bagley is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a special representative for global partnerships for the U.S. Department of State.

James A. Baker III is an honorary director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a secretary for the U.S. Department of State.

Richard L. Armitage is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a deputy secretary for the U.S. Department of State.

Esther Brimmer is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was an assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of State.

R. Nicholas Burns is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was an undersecretary for the U.S. Department of State.

Richard R. Burt is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was an assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of State.

Kenneth W. Dam is a lifetime director for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a deputy secretary for the U.S. Department of State.

Paula J. Dobriansky is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was an undersecretary - democracy & global affairs for the U.S. Department of State.

Stuart E. Eizenstat is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was an undersecretary for the U.S. Department of State.

Robert S. Gelbard is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was an assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of State.

Robert D. Hormats is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was an undersecretary for the U.S. Department of State.

Reuben Jeffery III is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was an undersecretary for the U.S. Department of State.

James L. Jones Jr. is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a special envoy for Middle East Security for the U.S. Department of State.

Henry A. Kissinger was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a secretary for the U.S. Department of State.

Thomas R. Nides is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a deputy secretary of state for the U.S. Department of State.

Carlos Pascual is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a special envoy, international energy affairs for the U.S. Department of State.

Colin L. Powell was an honorary director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a secretary for the U.S. Department of State.

Condoleezza Rice is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was the secretary for the U.S. Department of State.

George P. Shultz was an honorary director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a secretary for the U.S. Department of State.

William H. Taft IV is a lifetime director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a legal adviser for the U.S. Department of State.

Ellen O. Tauscher was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a special envoy for strategic stability & missile defense for the U.S. Department of State.

Melanne Verveer is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was an ambassador-at-large for global women's issues for the U.S. Department of State.

Peter Bass was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a deputy assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of State.

William J. Burns was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a deputy secretary for the U.S. Department of State.

Warren Christopher was an honorary director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a secretary of state, secretary for the U.S. Department of State.

Chas. W. Freeman Jr. was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a principal deputy assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of State.

Janet G. Mullins Grissom was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and an assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of State.

Marc Grossman was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and an undersecretary for the U.S. Department of State.

Alexander M. Haig Jr. was an honorary director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a secretary for the U.S. Department of State.

Richard C. Holbrooke was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a special envoy to Afghanistan, Pakistan, assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of State.

William A. Nitze was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a deputy assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of State.

Torkel L. Patterson was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a deputy assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of State.

Susan E. Rice was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and an assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of State.

Rozanne L. Ridgway was a co-chair for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and an assistant secretary of state for Europe & Canada for the U.S. Department of State.

Stanley O. Roth was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and an assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of State.

Anne-Marie Slaughter was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a director of policy planning for the U.S. Department of State.

James B. Steinberg was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a deputy secretary for the U.S. Department of State.

John C. Whitehead was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a deputy secretary for the U.S. Department of State.

Thomas R. Pickering was an undersecretary for the U.S. Department of State, the chairman of review board that investigated the 2012 attack on U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya in 2013, a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) a co-chair for the International Crisis Group and a distinguished fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations, a board member for the International Crisis Group and was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank) and the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Bloomberg Family Foundation was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Michael R. Bloomberg is the founder of the Bloomberg Family Foundation and the founder of Everytown for Gun Safety.

Everytown for Gun Safety is a “Gun Safety, Gun Control” group for guns.

Michael G. Mullen is an advisory board member for Everytown for Gun Safety and was the vice chairman of review board that investigated the 2012 attack on U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya in 2013.

Warren E. Buffett is an advisory board member for Everytown for Gun Safety and an adviser for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).

Michael Douglas is a director at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank) and a friend of George Soros.

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) was a funder for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations, a friend of Michael Douglas and was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) and the Brookings Institution (think tank).

David A. Hamburg is an adviser for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank) and the president emeritus for the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank), the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) and the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Cameron F. Kerry is a fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank), John F. Kerry’s brother and a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP.

Newton N. Minow is an honorary trustee at the Carnegie Corporation of New York, a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago and a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP.

R. Eden Martin is the president of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and counsel at Sidley Austin LLP.

Michelle Obama was a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP.

Barack Obama was an intern at Sidley Austin LLP and the president for the Barack Obama Administration.

Hillary Rodham Clinton was the secretary at the U.S. Department of State for the Barack Obama Administration, the candidate for the 2016 Hillary Rodham Clinton presidential campaign, Huma Abedin was her aide and a director at the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.

Huma Abedin Soros was the vice chairman for the 2016 Hillary Rodham Clinton presidential campaign, married to Anthony D. Weiner, a consultant for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation, a senior adviser to secretary for the U.S. Department of State and is married to Alexander Soros.

Anthony D. Weiner was married to Huma Abedin (Soros) and an advisory board member for the MWW Group.

MWW Group was a funder for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.

Ready PAC (Ready For Hillary) supported the 2016 Hillary Rodham Clinton presidential campaign.

Alexander Soros is George Soros’s son and married to Huma Abedin.

George Soros was a co-chair, national finance council for the Ready PAC (Ready For Hillary), is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations and Alexander Soros’s father.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Thomas R. Pickering is a distinguished fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank), and was an undersecretary for the U.S. Department of State, the chairman of review board that investigated the 2012 attack on U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya in 2013.

Cass R. Sunstein is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank), a member of the Review Group on Intelligence and Communications Technologies and married to Samantha Power.

Michael J. Morell is a member of the Review Group on Intelligence and Communications Technologies, works at Beacon Global Strategies and was the deputy director for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

Julianne Smith is the SVP for Beacon Global Strategies and was the deputy national security adviser to the vice president for the Barack Obama administration.

Samantha Power was the United Nations U.S. ambassador for the Barack Obama administration, a board member for the International Crisis Group, a director at the International Rescue Committee, Barack Obama’s aide and married to Cass R. Sunstein.

George Soros is a board member for the International Crisis Group and was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the International Rescue Committee and the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Condoleezza Rice is an overseer at the International Rescue Committee, a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), was the secretary for the U.S. Department of State and Muammar Abu Minyar Al-Qadhafi said he loved her & kept scrapbook of her photos.

Thomas R. Pickering is a co-chair for the International Crisis Group, was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), an undersecretary for the U.S. Department of State and the chairman of review board that investigated the 2012 attack on U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya in 2013.

Muammar Abu Minyar Al-Qadhafi said he loved Condoleezza Rice & kept scrapbook of her photos and was the Libya leader.

J. Christopher Stevens was the U.S. ambassador for Libya and killed in the 2012 attack on U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya.

Thomas R. Pickering was the chairman of review board that investigated the 2012 attack on U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya in 2013, an undersecretary for the U.S. Department of State and a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Bloomberg Family Foundation was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Michael R. Bloomberg is the founder of the Bloomberg Family Foundation and the founder of Everytown for Gun Safety.

Everytown for Gun Safety is a “Gun Safety, Gun Control” group for guns.

Warren E. Buffett is an advisory board member for Everytown for Gun Safety and an adviser for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).

Michael Douglas is a director at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank) and a friend of George Soros.

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) was a funder for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations, a friend of Michael Douglas and was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) and the Brookings Institution (think tank).

David A. Hamburg is an adviser for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank) and the president emeritus for the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Cameron F. Kerry is a fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank), John F. Kerry’s brother and a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP.

Newton N. Minow is an honorary trustee at the Carnegie Corporation of New York, a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago and a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP.

R. Eden Martin is the president of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and counsel at Sidley Austin LLP.

Michelle Obama was a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP.

Barack Obama was an intern at Sidley Austin LLP and the president for the Barack Obama Administration.

Anthony D. Weiner was married to Huma Abedin (Soros) and an advisory board member for the MWW Group.

MWW Group was a funder for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.

Ready PAC (Ready For Hillary) supported the 2016 Hillary Rodham Clinton presidential campaign.

Alexander Soros is George Soros’s son and married to Huma Abedin.

George Soros was a co-chair, national finance council for the Ready PAC (Ready For Hillary), the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society, is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations and Alexander Soros’s father.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Thomas R. Pickering is a distinguished fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank), an advisory board member for the Annenberg-Dreier Commission at Sunnylands, was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), an undersecretary for the U.S. Department of State, the chairman of review board that investigated the 2012 attack on U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya in 2013.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Madeleine K. Albright is a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), an advisory board member for the Annenberg-Dreier Commission at Sunnylands and was the secretary at the U.S. Department of State for the William J. Clinton administration.

Jared Cohen is an advisory board member for the Annenberg-Dreier Commission at Sunnylands, was a policy planning staffer for the U.S. Department of State and an Oxford University Rhodes scholar.

William J. Clinton was an Oxford University Rhodes scholar and is the founder of the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

Ira C. Magaziner is the CEO & vice chairman, Clinton Health Access Initiative for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation, was a senior assistant to the president for the William J. Clinton administration, and an Oxford University Rhodes scholar.

Ronan Farrow was Hillary Rodham Clinton’s special adviser for global youth issues, and an Oxford University Rhodes scholar.

Jake Sullivan was Hillary Rodham Clinton’s deputy chief of staff, a policy planning director for the U.S. Department of State, an Oxford University Rhodes scholar, and is a senior policy adviser for the 2016 Hillary Rodham Clinton presidential campaign.