Libyan Muslim acquitted of most serious charges in Benghazi jihad massacre, found guilty of terrorism
This is a war, and the Benghazi jihad massacre was one battle in that war. Yet authorities continue to prosecute these jihadis as if they were a series of criminals committing separate and discrete criminal acts that are unrelated to one another. If we had arrested and tried separately in criminal court every German and Japanese soldier captured during World War II, which side would have won that war? This myopia is self-defeating at best, and as the jihad continues, that will become increasingly obvious.
“Libyan cleared of most serious charges in Benghazi attack,” by Sadie Gurman, Associated Press, November 28, 2017:
WASHINGTON (AP) — A Libyan militant was convicted Tuesday of terrorism charges stemming from the 2012 Benghazi attacks that killed the U.S. ambassador and three other Americans. But a federal jury found him not guilty of murder, the most serious charge associated with the rampage he was accused of orchestrating.The attack became instant political fodder in the 2012 presidential campaign, with Republicans accusing the Obama administration of intentionally misleading the public and stonewalling congressional investigators, though officials denied any wrongdoing. Some were particularly critical of then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s handling of the conflict, which dogged her during her presidential campaign.But the seven-week trial of Ahmed Abu Khattala was largely free of political intrigue.Jurors convicted Khattala on four counts, including providing material support for terrorism and destroying property and placing lives in jeopardy at the U.S. compound, but acquitted him on 14 others. Even with the mixed verdict, Khattala, 46, still faces the possibility of life imprisonment for his conviction on a federal firearms office.Prosecutors accused Khattala of directing the attack aimed at killing personnel and plundering maps, documents and other property from the U.S. mission in Benghazi. But defense attorneys said their evidence against him was shoddy.Ambassador Chris Stevens was killed in the first attack at the U.S. mission, along with Sean Patrick Smith, a State Department information management officer. Nearly eight hours later at a CIA complex nearby, two more Americans, contract security officers Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty, died in a mortar attack.“Today, a small measure of justice was meted out,” CIA Director Mike Pompeo said in a message to CIA employees. Of Khattala he added: “It took intelligence to find him, soldiers to assist in capturing him, law enforcement to interview him, and a legal team to put him away. Khattala’s sentencing is to follow; but no term in prison will bring our people back.”…
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