WASHINGTON (CN) – Witnesses began painting a picture Wednesday of what transpired during the capture of the suspected mastermind of the deadly attack on the American diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, in 2012, contradicting assertions he was mistreated during and after his arrest.
In the dark of night early on June 16, 2014, a man who identified himself only as FBI Special Agent Johnson recalled arriving to a one-bedroom villa off the coast south of Benghazi with seven U.S. commandos.
The only FBI agent present, Johnson wore jeans, a soccer jersey and a track suit jacket, he said.
Johnson and his team waited in the dark for suspected Libyan militia leader Ahmed Abu Khatallah to arrive, along with a comrade whom Johnson said during testimony had lured Khatallah there for capture.
Johnson waited in a bedroom while three commandos threw Khatallah to the ground, after which a 3- to 4-minute struggle ensued. Johnson described Khatallah as "very stout" and a "well-built man," recalling that he kicked and flailed violently on the ground.
When Johnson emerged from the bedroom he held Khatallah's legs down while another commando removed a pistol in a hip holster. Once they handcuffed him, Johnson said he took Khatallah into the bathroom with an Arabic translator.
There, Johnson recalls identifying himself as an American and telling Khatallah he would be taken to the United States.
Johnson later revealed during questioning from Khatallah's attorney Jeffrey Robinson, however, that he did not include those details in his FBI report on the capture.
That could become important as U.S. District Judge Christopher R. Cooper weighs whether to suppress statements Khatallah made to FBI agents during the 13 days he spent aboard a Navy ship en route from Benghazi to the U.S.
Khatallah, 46, claims the statements were coerced and that he repeatedly asked for an attorney to be present during interrogations, but never got one.
Cooper will have to decide if the statements he made were involuntary and therefore inadmissible in court.
While questioning Johnson, Robinson recounted the experience from Khatallah's perspective: strangers grabbed him in the dark and assaulted him. Wouldn't you react violently under these circumstances, Robinson asked Johnson.
"I think so," Johnson replied, preferring instead to describe Khatallah as having been apprehended and not assaulted.
But Johnson, along with FBI Special Agent Robert Daniel Story – who received Khatallah on the USS New York – testified that Khatallah was treated well.
The prosecution showed pictures of the "pod" where Khatallah slept. It showed a futon-style bed on the floor with a box next to it, a prayer rug and Quran resting on top. Story testified they did this out of respect: Because the Quran is sacred to Muslims, it cannot touch the floor.
Photos also revealed the word "qibla" written in Arabic on the pod wall, showing Khatallah the direction to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Muslims must face Mecca when they pray five times a day.
Later, military doctor Brad Smith testified that he examined Khatallah 25 times and administered medical treatment for injuries sustained during his capture.
But Khatallah's defense attorneys painted a darker picture of what he went through.
Once subdued, the capture team placed a face mask and sound-muffling headphones on Khatallah, gagged him and guided him 500 meters from the villa to a boat. Several hours later, a cargo hoist heaved him aboard the USS New York.