The long shadow of the 2012 Benghazi attack returned to the headlines this week with the arrest of Zubayr Al-Bakoush, alleged to be one of the ringleaders behind the deadly assault on the U.S. consulate in Libya that killed four Americans.
According to Fox News, U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C., Jeanine Pirro promised that justice for the victims remains a top priority.
“The American cavalry never came, to our disappointment, in 2012,” Pirro said Sunday on “Fox & Friends Weekend.” “We’re coming for you now. We’ve got him. We’ve got a lot more coming.”
Pirro criticized the Obama administration’s handling of the attack, claiming that more could have been done at the time to protect American personnel.
“The president said we did everything we could. They didn’t do everything they could. Americans watched in horror as four Americans were being killed, not by peaceful protests that went awry,” she said.
On September 11, 2012, militants armed with AK-47s, grenades, and other weapons stormed the U.S. Special Mission in Benghazi, setting fires and breaking into buildings. The attack left Ambassador Chris Stevens, U.S. Foreign Service Officer Sean Smith, and CIA contractors Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty dead.
Pirro questioned why rapid response options were not deployed, suggesting that F-16s or a quick reaction team could have changed the outcome.
“Benghazi was the most dangerous place on earth for Americans, and they put them there without protection. And they lied to us on the Sunday morning talk shows. They lied to us in Congress… It was only through President Trump that we’re now going to get some kind of justice,” she said.
Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed that Al-Bakoush faces an eight-count indictment, including charges of murder, terrorism, and arson, all connected to the 2012 attack.
Pirro emphasized that the investigation is ongoing. “We are not done yet,” she said, signaling that federal authorities continue to pursue those responsible for one of the deadliest attacks on Americans abroad in recent history.
This arrest marks a significant step in the long-delayed pursuit of accountability for the Benghazi victims and reignites scrutiny over the government’s response to the tragedy.
