Suspected Libyan militant Ahmed Abu Khattala, pleaded not guilty in the US federal courthouse in Washington DC on Saturday to terrorism charges.
Federal charges filed against Abu Khattala included killing a person on American property and violation of firearms law.
Abu Khattala was accused of leading deadly attacks on September 12, 2022 on the US diplomatic compound in Benghazi that killed four Americans including US Ambassador Christopher Stevens.
American military Special Forces had captured Abu Khattala in Benghazi June 18 on and he is one of the foreign terror suspects to be prosecuted in US courts.
Meanwhile, Republicans in the Congress feel that Abu Khattala should not be entitled to any protections of the American legal system.
The crime committed in Benghazi is punishable by life in prison.
The Saturday hearing was held for 10 minutes amid tight security. During the hearing, Abu Khattala spoke just two words in Arabic. When asked to swear to tell the truth, Abu Khattala said ‘yes’ and when asked if he was having problems in understanding the proceedings, he simply said ‘no’.
On conclusion of the hearing, US Justice Department officials confirmed that they would soon file additional charges against Abu Khattala.
Abu Khatallah was not shackled when he appeared before Magistrate Judge John Facciola.
After the hearing, officials took away Abu Khatallah to an undisclosed destination.
Abu Khattala’s capture on June 18 marks a breakthrough in the American investigation. Since then, US officials had been questioning Abu Khattala aboard a Navy amphibious transport dock ship. The shop later transported the Libyan suspect to the United States.
On his arrival in the US, Abu Khattala was advised of his Miranda rights, according to an American official.
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, in a statement, said Abu Khatallah will soon face the full weight of the American justice system.
Eric Holder added that US will prove Abu Khatallah’s alleged role in the attack on Americans in Benghazi.
However, in October 2012 Abu Khatallah had denied he was a leader of Ansar al-Sharia, an Islamist group. US administration accuses the group was behind the assault on its consulate in Benghazi.
Abu Khatallah’s capture is a sort of victory for US President Barack Obama. For, Republicans had been accusing Obama for playing down the role of al Qaeda in the Benghazi attacks. They claimed that delivery of justice was being slowed down because of this.
Abu Khattala was an important personality in Benghazi’s circles of extremists. He was also popular among young radicals.
Abu Khattala lived in the Libyan city, where he was seen at several public spots even after Washington DC publicly accused him that he was a suspect in the 2012 attacks.
In January, Abu Khattala acknowledged that he was in Benghazi at the time of the attacks on US mission. He, however, denied he was involved in the attack.
He claimed that he was in fact organizing rescue operations to save the trapped people.
At the time of the attacks, witnesses are said to have seen Abu Khattala directing fighters outside the US mission.
However, there is no concrete evidence to pin down Abu Khattala for his involvement in the second attack.
