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Ahmed Abu Khattala, suspected of masterminding the 2012 terrorist attack on the United States embassy in Benghazi, pled not guilty to a single charge of conspiracy after arriving in the U.S. this morning.
Abu Khattala’s appearance at the federal courthouse in Washington, D.C. was his first public one since he was captured 13 days ago in Libya. The Saturday hearing — a rarity — lasted less than 10 minutes, although officials believe the subsequent proceedings could be incredibly lengthy.
Abu Khattala charged with terror-related crimes after deadly attack on the American diplomatic outpost in Benghazi in 2012 that killed the United States ambassador and three others. He was captured by American commandos at a seaside villa near Benghazi two weeks ago and questioned on a US warship.Then he was flown to Washington by helicopter from a Navy warship steamed across the Atlantic Ocean from the Mediterranean Sea.
Khattala’s public defender, Michelle Peterson, entered the not guilty plea to one count of “conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists” on which a federal grand jury in the District had indicted him Thursday.
That crime is punishable by life in prison. The government said it soon would file more charges against Abu Khattala.
Abu Khattala becomes the most recent foreign terror suspect to be prosecuted in American courts, a forum the Obama administration contends is both fairer and more efficient than the military tribunal process used at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The case is being tried in Washington despite concerns from Republicans in Congress who say he should not be entitled to the protections of the US legal system.
Agencies/Canadajournal
