Speaking on condition of anonymity, eastern-based military officials told Reuters Imam was believed to be a Syrian national aged between 35 and 40. He had lived in the Benghazi district of Laithi where he frequented the same Al-Awza‘i mosque as suspected ringleader Ahmed Abu Khatallah who was snatched by US forces in 2014, the officials said. Laithi was an Islamist stronghold that saw some of the heaviest fighting in a battle for control of Benghazi that began in 2014. In July, eastern-based military commander Khalifa Haftar announced victory in the campaign, which pitted his Libyan National Army (LNA) against Islamists and other opponents. The Benghazi attack, which killed Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans, was the topic of numerous congressional hearings, with Republican lawmakers critical of the way in which then-secretary of state Hillary Clinton handled the attack.

Source: Egypt Independent October 31, 2017 12:22 UTC