Court rejects request for bail from alleged Benghazi mastermind

WASHINGTON – The alleged ringleader of the 2012 Benghazi attack against a U.S. mission in Libya was denied bail Wednesday as his court-appointed attorney complained prosecutors have failed to provide concrete evidence of his direct involvement in the raid that left four Americans dead, including the U.S. ambassador.

Dressed in a dark green jumpsuit, Ahmed Abu Khatallah, who was captured by the U.S. in Benghazi on June 15, sat silently during the hearing in federal court a few blocks from the Capitol, listening to an Arabic translation of the proceeding. He is being held in Alexandria, Virginia, as he awaits criminal trial.

Michael DiLorenzo, an assistant U.S. attorney in the District of Columbia, told Magistrate Judge Deborah Robinson that Khatallah’s continued detention was necessary to ensure that he appeared in court.

To bolster their case, prosecutors released new details about Khatallah’s alleged role in the Sept. 11, 2012, attack that killed U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans.

Officials cited Khatallah’s “hatred” of the U.S., his complaints before the attack about the presence of an American facility in Benghazi, his links to known terrorist groups and his fear of U.S. retaliation after the attack.

Khatallah has pleaded not guilty to charges of providing material support and resources for a terrorist attack. A conviction on those counts could lead to life in prison. Prosecutors have said they may file additional charges that carry the death penalty.