The operation to capture top al-Qaeda operative Abu Anas al-Libi, detained in a secure location outside Libya, was approved by US President Barack Obama, the Pentagon said on Sunday.
"The successful capture operation was made possible by superb work and coordination across our national security agencies and the intelligence community, and was approved by President Obama," Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.
On October 5, the Department of Defense, acting under military authorities, conducted the operation to apprehend longtime al-Qaeda member al-Libi in Libya.
He is currently lawfully detained under the law of war in a secure location outside of Libya, Little said.
"Wherever possible, our first priority is and always has been to apprehend terrorist suspects, and to preserve the opportunity to elicit valuable intelligence that can help us protect the American people," he said.
Little said al-Libi has been indicted in the Southern District of New York in connection with his alleged role in al-Qaeda's conspiracy to kill US nationals and to conduct attacks against US interests worldwide, which included plots to attack US forces stationed in Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Somalia, as well as US embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Nairobi, Kenya.
According to CNN, al-Libi was captured yesterday by a group of 10 masked men when he was leaving his home for morning prayers.
Citing al-Libi's wife, a source said the al-Qaeda leader tried to reach into his car to grab his gun -- but the US forces quickly snatched him, the report said.
In Bali, Indonesia, Secretary of State John Kerry said the US "will never stop in its effort to hold those accountable" who conduct acts of terror.
"Those members of al-Qaeda and other terrorist organisations literally can run," he said, "but they can't hide."
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