Benghazi attacker guilty of terrorism, acquitted of murder

Nov. 28 (UPI) -- A federal jury in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday found Ahmed Abu Khatallah guilty of four of the 18 charges he faced for the 2012 attacks on U.S. facilities in Benghazi, Libya.

The jury acquitted him of the most serious charges he faced.

Khatallah, 46, is guilty of conspiracy to provide material support to attackers, destroying U.S. property and putting lives in jeopardy, and using or carrying a firearm during a violent crime. He faces up to 60 years in prison on the collective charges.

The jury acquitted Khatallah of murder and other more serious charges for the attack that killed U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens, State Department employee Sean Patrick Smith, and two contract security officers, Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods.

Khatallah is the only person who has been charged for the attack on the U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, though at least 20 militants stormed the facility. Prosecutors accused Khatallah of planning the attack for more than a year and said he was in command in person during the attack.