Washington ( Obama Touts Capture of Suspect in Benghazi Attack )

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama confirmed on Tuesday that he authorized the operation in Libya to capture one of the men suspected in the deadly September 2012 attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi and vowed that the prisoner “will now face the full weight of the American justice system.”

The apprehension of Ahmed Abu Khatallah “is a testament to the painstaking efforts of our military, law enforcement, and intelligence personnel,” the president said in a statement.

“With this operation, the United States has once again demonstrated that we will do whatever it takes to see that justice is done when people harm Americans,” Obama said.

The Pentagon said earlier Tuesday that a joint operation of military Special Forces and FBI agents captured Khatallah, reputed leader of the Islamic terrorist organization Ansar al-Shariah, in eastern Libya.

U.S. investigators suspect Khatallah led the Sept. 12, 2012, attack against the consulate in Benghazi.

Washington’s ambassador to Libya, Chris Stevens, was killed in the strike along with a State Department security officer and two CIA contractors.

The president promised to keep working to bring the rest of the Benghazi attackers to justice.

“We will remain vigilant against all acts of terrorism, and we will continue to prioritize the protection of our service-members and civilians overseas,” he said.

Obama, who had been harshly criticized by the Republican opposition for making no headway in catching those guilty of the attack, said he had always made it a “priority to find and bring to justice those responsible for the deaths of four brave Americans.”