The Libyan national being prosecuted for his alleged participation in the September 2012 terrorist attacks in Benghazi faces charges that could be punishable by death, following an indictment by a federal grand jury in the District of Columbia on Tuesday.  

Ahmed Abu Khatallah, a.k.a. Ahmed Mukatallah, 43, faces 17 new charges related to the attack, which resulted in the deaths of Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and other U.S. government personnel. Ten of those new offenses could carry death sentences.  

Khatallah was initially indicted on June 26 on the charge of conspiracy to provide material support and resources to terrorists resulting in death. That charge carries a potential life sentence. “These additional charges reflect Ahmed Abu Khattalah’s integral role in the attack on U.S. facilities in Benghazi, which led to the deaths of four brave Americans,” Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. said in a statement. “We will never relent in pursuing justice against those who commit heinous acts of terrorism against the United States. Those who would do harm to our citizens—no matter how far away—should understand that our nation’s memory is long and our reach is far.”  

Khattalah will be arraigned on the 18 charges at an Oct. 20 hearing in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. At an earlier hearing, he pleaded not guilty to the terrorism conspiracy charge.  

The case is still being investigated by the FBI New York Field Office’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, and other agencies. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division.  

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