The 2012 terrorist attacks in Benghazi left four Americans dead, but apparently they weren’t murdered or anything. At least not by the guy who allegedly planned the whole thing:
WASHINGTON (AP) — Jury acquits suspected Libyan militant of most serious charges in Benghazi attack trial.
— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) November 28, 2017
Only 3 of 18 counts after a long trial and they were the lesser counts -Count 1 – Conspiracy to Provide Material Support —Count 16 – Maliciously destroying US property —Count 18 – Using a firearm during the attack. Not MURDER. https://t.co/jwqzi6GOpz
— Bret Baier (@BretBaier) November 28, 2017
Accused mastermind of 2012 Benghazi attacks is convicted of terrorism, acquitted of murder https://t.co/AedE22uY1R pic.twitter.com/b52YmrU0nu
— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) November 28, 2017
More from the L.A. Times:
A federal jury convicted a Libyan militia leader of several terrorism-related charges on Tuesday but acquitted him of all murder charges in the 2012 attacks that killed four Americans in Benghazi, a partial success for U.S. efforts to prosecute accused terrorists in civilian courts.
…
In mounting their case against [Ahmed Abu] Khatallah, U.S. prosecutors had to acknowledge that he wasn’t at the U.S. mission or CIA outpost when the shooting began, and did not set the fires or shoot the mortars.
Instead, they described him as an extremist who hated Americans and cited an array of circumstantial evidence to argue that he had masterminded the attacks.
They presented testimony from informants who said Khatallah had called for a strike on American spies during a meeting at a mosque in Benghazi, and cited phone records that showed Khatallah receiving calls just after the attacks began.
One witness said Khatallah said he wanted to kill “all the Americans.”
But masterminding the attacks that led to the brutal murders of four Americans doesn’t count as murder?
Abu Khatallah was convicted on terrorism-related charges but acquitted of murder today. He's been accused of planning the Benghazi terror attack that killed four Americans, and it took more than five years to get to this result
— Sarah Westwood (@sarahcwestwood) November 28, 2017
What, did he get the O.J. jury? https://t.co/zvOVzxHucq
— Jim Geraghty (@jimgeraghty) November 28, 2017
I guess the "a YouTube video did it" defense worked?
— Dan McLaughlin (@baseballcrank) November 28, 2017
Guess so.
Well yeah. Everyone knows that YouTube video murdered those 4 Americans. https://t.co/oXOEhaOE5X
— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) November 28, 2017
So, now what?
In light of the failure to get any of the murder charges to stick, it will be interesting to see if the Trump Administration will change course in the case of Mustafa al-Imam. https://t.co/7elNYUChy7
— Gabriel Malor (@gabrielmalor) November 28, 2017
Mustafa al-Imam, the *other* Benghazi suspect, has already been arraigned. He is charged with murder, material support for terrorism, and using a firearm in the commission of a crime.
— Gabriel Malor (@gabrielmalor) November 28, 2017
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