U.S. commandos swarmed the residence of a key suspect in the 2012 attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi during a nighttime raid in Libya on Sunday, taking the senior ringleader captive and quickly moving him out of Libya and onto a U.S. warship.

According to officials, the raid, which has been viewed as a major victory by the White House, was quick and clean, allowing military units to move in and out under cover of darkness and with no casualties.

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The operation, which was a joint effort by Special Operations and the FBI, had been in the works for months and was given the go-ahead by President Obama on Friday.

U.S. intelligence officials have reportedly been tracking the suspect for some time and decided to swoop in and grab him at a time when he was isolated. Officials stated that he wasn't captured at his own home.

Authorities released a statement on Tuesday saying that the suspect, Ahmed Abu Khatallah, is currently being interrogated by a special group of intelligence investigators and will be transported to the United States, where he faces criminal charges.

A spokesman for the U.S. Marshals Service did not immediately respond to questions as to where the Khatallah will be detained, but suspects involved in terrorism cases are generally held at the D.C. jail.  

Officials believe that Khatallah masterminded the September 11, 2012 attack, which resulted in the death of U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens.

The raid represented a major victory for President Barack Obama, who has faced intense criticism over his administration's handling of the September 11, 2012 Benghazi assault and its aftermath. Obama had promised to bring the perpetrators quickly to justice but failed, quickly becoming embroiled in a case which has dragged on for over two years. 

TagsAhmed Abu Khatallah, Benghazi attack