Report: Benghazi attack suspect found dead

A suspect in the 2012 Benghazi attacks was found dead in Libya Monday, according to a report by CNN.

{mosads}Faraj al-Shibli, whose name is also spelled Chalabi, was found dead, a Libyan source and locals in the eastern Libyan town of Marj told CNN.

The locals said his body was found Monday in Marj, about 60 miles from Benghazi, and a Libyan source said al-Shibli was last seen detained by a local militia in Marj on Saturday.

{mosads}Arab news outlet Al Arabiya English tweeted the news Monday, but appeared to not publish a report about the development.

Authorities told CNN al-Shibli had contact with al Qaeda members in Pakistan and al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), whose members a U.S. official said participated in the 2012 attacks.

Libyan authorities detained him in March 2013, after he was linked to the attacks, and FBI officials were able to interview him, several officials told CNN.

CNN did not say why al-Shibli was released at the time and how he might have died, but violence has escalated in recent days as liberal and Islamic militias have clashed. The United Nations evacuated its staff from Libya Monday because of the deteriorating security situation.

The report comes a month after Ahmed Abu Khattala was captured near Benghazi by U.S. special operations forces. He’s the first suspect in the 2012 attacks whom the U.S. has apprehended.

Earlier this month, a federal judge ordered Khattala to be held in prison without bond pending his trial, which hasn’t been scheduled.

Khattala has pleaded not guilty to a single conspiracy charge of providing material support to terrorists.