President Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton honor the Americans killed in the Benghazi attack
Washington Post:
U.S. Special Operations forces captured one of the suspected ringleaders of the terrorist attacks in Benghazi in a secret raid in Libya over the weekend, the first time one of the accused perpetrators of the 2012 assault has been apprehended, according to U.S. officials.
The officials said Ahmed Abu Khattala was captured Sunday near Benghazi by American troops, working alongside the FBI, following months of planning, and was now in U.S. custody “in a secure location outside Libya.” The officials said there were no casualties in the operation, and that all U.S. personnel involved have safely left Libya.
The big story here is that a key suspect in the Benghazi attack is now in U.S. custody, showing that President Obama meant it when he pledged that the U.S. would find those responsible and bring them to justice and finally giving the GOP's Benghazi committee something real to talk about. Of course, if they did that, they might have to take impeachment off the table, so I wouldn't hold your breath.
9:32 AM PT: President Obama releases a statement, calling the arrest part of our nation's "unwavering commitment to bring to justice those responsible for harming Americans" and including this line...
I recently authorized an operation in Libya to detain an individual charged for his role in these attacks, Ahmed Abu Khatallah.
...which I'm sure will somehow serve as the basis of articles of impeachment to be drafted soon by Darrell Issa or Trey Gowdy. (The
full statement is below the fold.)
President Obama's full statement:
The United States has an unwavering commitment to bring to justice those responsible for harming Americans. Since the deadly attacks on our facilities in Benghazi, I have made it a priority to find and bring to justice those responsible for the deaths of four brave Americans. I recently authorized an operation in Libya to detain an individual charged for his role in these attacks, Ahmed Abu Khatallah. The fact that he is now in U.S. custody is a testament to the painstaking efforts of our military, law enforcement, and intelligence personnel. Because of their courage and professionalism, this individual will now face the full weight of the American justice system.
Even as we welcome the success of this operation, we also pause to remember the four Americans who gave their lives in Benghazi representing their country: Ambassador Chris Stevens, Sean Smith, Tyrone Woods, and Glen Doherty. As I said shortly after the attack, they exemplified the values that we stand for as a nation, including a commitment to freedom and justice. All Americans should be grateful for their service, just as we are grateful to all our personnel – civilian and military – who represent our country around the globe. We will continue to honor our fallen by carrying on their efforts in support of the Libyan people’s aspirations to live in a peaceful, prosperous, and democratic society.
With this operation, the United States has once again demonstrated that we will do whatever it takes to see that justice is done when people harm Americans. We will continue our efforts to bring to justice those who were responsible for the Benghazi attacks. We will remain vigilant against all acts of terrorism, and we will continue to prioritize the protection of our service-members and civilians overseas. We will also sustain our support for the Libyan people, as they work to overcome years of tyranny and do the difficult work of building a democracy.