UTV|COLOMBO – A jury on Tuesday acquitted a Libyan militant of murder charges in connection with a 2012 attack on a U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya which left four Americans dead.
Ahmed Abu Khatallah was accused of being a ringleader in the September 11, 2012 attack which killed Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other US nationals.
He was charged with 18 counts ranging from murder and conspiring to provide material support to terrorists, and maliciously damaging and destroying U.S. property.
He was facing multiple death penalty charges for the 2012 attack.
But on Tuesday he was acquitted on all but four of those charges, according to media reports.
He still faces up to 60 years in prison after being found guilty of terrorism charges including conspiracy to provide material support for terrorism, he was not found responsible for the deaths of Ambassador Chris Stevens, Sean Smith, Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty.
Khatalla, 46, was captured by US Special Forces in June 2014 and shipped to the US on a naval vessel, where he was held in Alexandra, Virginia.
According to prosecutors, Khattala drove to the diplomatic mission with other militants and a group of about 20 breached the main gate and later launched an attack with assault rifles, grenades and other weapons. (Foreign Media Reports)
