A man accused of having ties to the deadly attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, has been taken into custody in Egypt and is being questioned for his suspected involvement.
Four Americans were killed in that September 11 attack in Benghazi, including U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three men from San Diego: diplomat Sean Smith, 34, and former Navy SEALS Glen Doherty and Tyrone “Ty” Woods.
Doherty and Woods were working as security contractors in Libya.
On Saturday, authorities took suspect Mohammed Abu Jamal Ahmed into custody in Egypt. Two intelligence sources in Cairo tell NBC News that Ahmed is also accused of transporting weapons from Libya to Egypt.
He's described as in his late 30s, and is known among Egyptian intelligence officials for his involvement with radical militant groups in Egypt, Libya, Afghanistan and Iraq.
Ahmed was in prison in Egypt before the uprising there, but escaped after the country's revolution.
He has not been formally charged but is being questioned about his involvement in the attack in Benghazi.
NBC 7 spoke with defense strategist Glen Irvine about this potential break in the case. Irvine said it's important that U.S. Intelligence be involved in questioning Ahmed.
"The real important thing is, can we get in the room with Egypt officials to interrogate as much information as we can from him, to really get a good grip of what actually happened in Benghazi [and see] if he was involved? More importantly, what is the spread of these terrorist groups?" said Irvine.
At this point, it is unclear exactly what role Ahmed may have played in the attack in Libya, but his arrest may lead to some answers for the families of those Americans killed in the attack.
On Sunday, friends of Ty Woods held a fundraiser in San Diego for Woods’ family at the JBA Speed Shop on Kearny Villa Road.
