Trump's DOJ Seeks Justice for Victims of Benghazi

Terence P. Jeffrey
Tue, 10 Feb 2026 17:55:08 -0800
Opinion

It happened exactly 11 years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States.

Chris Stevens, the U.S. ambassador to Libya, was visiting the State Department's mission in the Libyan city of Benghazi, where the CIA also maintained a nearby Annex.

On Jan. 15, 2014, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence published a detailed report on the terrorist attack made against these U.S. facilities on the night of Sept. 11, 2012.
Updated: Wed Feb 11, 2026

It happened exactly 11 years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States.

Chris Stevens, the U.S. ambassador to Libya, was visiting the State Department's mission in the Libyan city of Benghazi, where the CIA also maintained a nearby Annex.

On Jan. 15, 2014, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence published a detailed report on the terrorist attack made against these U.S. facilities on the night of Sept. 11, 2012.

At 9:42 p.m. — as recorded by a surveillance camera — "armed attackers advanced toward the U.S. compound," and "a local police vehicle" that had been stationed outside the compound pulled away. Some of these attackers climbed over the mission's gate and then opened it.

"Over the course of the entire attack on the Mission facility," said the committee's report, "at least 60 different attackers entered the U.S. compound and can be seen on the surveillance video recovered from the Mission facility."

What did they do there?

"Ambassador Chris Stevens was in the residence of the Main Building ('Building C'), along with a Diplomatic Security agent, and Information Management Officer Sean Smith," said the report. "The three of them proceeded to the 'safe area' in the building."

Then, diplomatic security agents "contacted CIA personnel at the Annex to ask for assistance."

But within three minutes of entering this State Department property, the terrorists had begun to destroy it.

"After entering the Mission facility, the attackers used diesel fuel to set fire to the barracks/guard house of the Libyan 17th February Brigade militia, which served as a security force provided by the host nation for the Mission compound, and then proceeded towards the main buildings of the compound."

This is when they started killing Americans.

"The attackers used diesel fuel to set the Main Building ablaze where Ambassador Stevens was secured in the 'safe area,'" said the Intelligence Committee's report. "Thick smoke rapidly filled the entire structure. The attacks moved unimpeded throughout the compound, entering and exiting buildings at will."

"A DS agent began leading the Ambassador and Sean Smith toward the emergency escape window to escape the smoke," said the report. "Nearing unconsciousness himself, the agent opened the emergency escape window and crawled out. He then realized he had become separated from the Ambassador and Sean Smith in the smoke, so he reentered and searched the building multiple times."

He eventually "climbed a ladder to the roof where he radioed other DS agents for assistance."

Twenty-one minutes after this attack had started a "CIA security team" headed from the CIA Annex to the State Department's mission. Seven minutes after that they "made their way onto the compound in the face of enemy fire.'"

At 10:30 p.m. that night, additional DS agents arrived at the building where Stevens and Smith had taken refuge. There they found Smith, who had already died.

The CIA security team, helped by the Libyan militia that worked at the compound, went looking for the missing ambassador.

"During this time, State and CIA personnel re-entered the burning compound numerous times in an attempt to locate Ambassador Stevens, but to no avail," said the report.

They then drove in "armored vehicles" to the CIA Annex, taking Smith's body with them. When they got there, they were again attacked by the terrorists with "sporadic small arms fire" and "rocket-propelled grenades."

Meanwhile, some Libyans did discover Stevens at the State Department mission and brought him to a hospital. "Despite attempts to revive him," said the committee report, "Ambassador Stevens had no heartbeat and had perished from smoke inhalation."

And this terrorist attack was not yet over.

At 5:15 a.m., according to the report, the terrorists started firing at the Annex again. Security officers "Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty were killed when they took direct mortar fire as they engaged the enemy from the roof of the Annex," it said.

More than 13 years have passed since this evil attack. But now justice may be served on one of its alleged perpetrators. On Feb. 6, Attorney General Pam Bondi held a press conference with FBI Director Kash Patel and Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia.

"We lost four American lives that day, Ambassador Chris Stevens, Sean Smith, with the State Department, and two CIA contractors, Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods," Bondi said of the Sept. 11, 2012, terrorist attack in Benghazi. "We have never forgotten those heroes, and we have never stopped seeking justice for that crime against our nation."

"Today, I'm proud to announce that the FBI has arrested one of the key participants behind the Benghazi attack," said Bondi. "Zubayar Al-Bakoush landed at Andrews Air Force Base at 3 a.m. this morning. He is in our custody. He was greeted by Director Patel and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro."

"Al-Bakoush will now face American justice on American soil," said Bondi. "We will prosecute this alleged terrorist to the fullest extent of the law. He will face charges related to murder, terrorism, arson, among others. 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. It might not happen overnight, but it will happen.

"You can run, but you cannot hide," she said.

Two others have already been convicted for their involvement in the Benghazi attack. "The Department of Justice previously charged and convicted two leaders in the Benghazi attack on federal terrorism charges and other offenses," said a Justice Department press release about the Al-Bakoush indictment. "Ahmed Abu Khatallah, aka Ahmed Mukatallah was sentenced in June 2018 to 22 years in prison and resentenced in September 2024 to 28 years in prison. Mustafa al-Imam was sentenced in January 2020 to nearly 20 years."

Hopefully Al-Bakoush will not be the last alleged participant in the Benghazi terrorist attack to be brought to the United States to stand trial.