Former Guantanamo Bay detainee and his terrorist group 'took part in the fatal attack on the American consulate in Benghazi'
- Abu Sufian bin Qumu, 54, is now the head of a terrorist group in Libya but was released from Guantanamo Bay prison in 2007
- New reports from government sources reaffirm earlier beliefs that he was involved in the fatal 2012 attack on the American consulate in Benghazi
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Mystery man: Sufian bin Qumu, 54, is believed to
have been involved in the Benghazi attack on the American consulate in
2012, years after he was released from Guantanamo Bay prison
A prisoner that was released from Guantanamo Bay is now the leader of a terror group and new reports reveal that he led his men to participate in the attack on the American consulate in Benghazi.
The Washington Post reports that it is still unclear whether or not Abu Sufian bin Qumu was the one to plan the attack or if he just happened to be in Benghazi when they decided to join in the raid.
Qumu, 54, is now the head of a group called Ansar al-Sharia which is based out of Darnah, a town several hours from the Libyan capital of Benghazi.
Ansar al-Sharia has not yet been formally labeled as a foreign terrorist organization, but The Washington Post tells that the State Department will be announcing that new title to the branches in Tunisia and Libya, including the one headed by Qumu in Darnah.
This is not the first time that Qumu's name has been tied to the Benghazi assault as Fox News initially reported an alleged connection in an article less than two weeks after the attack.
This partial confirmation- at least that he was connected if not leading the assault- comes as a blow to former President George W. Bush's record on the fight against terrorism.
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One of the hundreds: While at Guantanamo Bay, Qumu was referred to as Prisoner 557 (stock photo used)
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Lingering questions: It remains unclear what
level of involvement Qumu and his terrorist group played in the attack
that left four dead; the State Department is still trying to investigate
and arrest suspects
The Republican President was the head of the American charge against al Qaeda following the terrorist attack on September 11 but the decision to free this particular man- known during his time in Guantanamo as Prisoner 557- will undoubtedly raise other questions.
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Victim: American Ambassador Chris Stevens was one of four people killed during the attack
Qumu began his fighting career when he drove tanks for the Libyan army and then spent 10 years in prison for an undisclosed charge.
Following his release, he moved to Egypt then Afghanistan.
There he became connected to al Qaeda and was trained in a camp run by Osama bin Laden in 1993, according to files released by WikiLeaks.
He worked with and for bin Laden in Sudan and then Pakistan, where he was eventually arrested and turned over to American forces.
The files stated that Qumu had 'long-term association with Islamic extremist jihad and members of al-Qaida and other extremist groups' and 'detainee’s alias is found on a list of probable al-Qaida personnel receiving monthly stipends'.
The reports also noted that his medical files from Guantanamo described him as having a personality disorder and untreated tuberculosis.
Qumu was released from Guantanamo Bay in 2007 by President Bush who approved the order to have him transferred back to Libyan authorities after then-leader Moammar Gaddafi.
The timeline differs here according to different sources, but The Washington Post reports that he was released from a Libyan jail a year later in 2008 while others say that Qumu was one of 38 prisoners released from the notorious Abu Salim prison in 2010 in celebration of his 41st year in power.
Either scenario gave the former Guantanamo detainee enough time to start re-climbing the terrorist ladder before the September 11, 2012 attack on the American consulate that left Ambassador Chris Stevens and three others dead.
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