Benghazi Attack: New Video Shows Key Suspect at Scene

A recently released video, shown only in court, places Zubayar Al‑Bakoush at the U. S. embassy in Benghazi on September 11, 2012. The footage shows him wearing camouflage and standing near the main gate as about twenty armed men burst in, an event that led to the deaths of four Americans. Al‑Bakoush, now 58, has been charged with murder and terrorism after being extradited to the United States. The indictment says he entered the compound, watched from a distance, and tried to get into staff vehicles. The attackers carried AK‑47s and rocket‑propelled grenades, and the attack killed Ambassador Chris Stevens, contractors Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty, and IT officer Sean Smith. The video was obtained after Al‑Bakoush arrived at a Virginia airfield following a transfer of custody. He did not enter a plea during the day’s hearing. The footage adds to other evidence already in federal files, such as images of him armed and near a torched vehicle. In related trials, prosecutors described Al‑Bakoush as the “tip of the spear” for the attack and a commander in the jihadist group Ansar al‑Sharia.Other defendants linked to the attack include Moustafa al‑Imam, who received a 19‑year sentence in 2020 for conspiracy and property destruction, and Ahmed Salimfaraj Abukhatallah, who was sentenced to 28 years in 2024 for conspiracy and property damage but cleared of murder. In both cases, prosecutors highlighted the connection between Al‑Bakoush and the other men, noting that his phone was on hand during Abukhatallah’s arrest. The new video shows Al‑Bakoush with a weapon, acting together with other attackers shortly after the initial breach. It paints a clearer picture of his active role in the attack, reinforcing the government’s case that he was not merely a peripheral figure but a central participant in the assault on the U. S. diplomatic compound.