Government needs help hunting terrorists

The United States added four more names on Tuesday to the list of high-value targets sought by the “Rewards for Justice” program.

According to The Straits Times, the U.S. is targeting ISIS leaders, offering multi-million-dollar bounties for tips that lead to their capture or death.  Rewards range between $3 to 7 million dollars, with the highest bounty being offered for militant Abd al-Rahman Mustafa al-Qaduli.

Al-Qaduli is described by Rewards for Justice, a program administered by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security, as a senior ISIS official who reintegrated into the militant group when he was released from prison in 2012.  The Department has alleged he had been a deputy for the late Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, former leader of Al-Qaeda’s Iraqi factions, who was killed by U.S. forces as seen in this video.

Abu Mohammed al-Ardnani, a Syrian militant, has a bounty of $5 million on his head.  Al-Adnani is the considered the official spokesman for ISIS, as well as one of its senior leaders.  Rewards for Justice lists him as one of the first foreign fighters to oppose Coalition Forces in Iraq before taking his current role.

Omar al-Shishani, a Georgian national whose birth name is Tarhan Tayumrazovich Batirashvili, also has a $5 million dollar reward for his capture or death.  He is accused of overseeing a prison where numerous foreign hostages were being held.  He has also held several high positions within in ISIS.

The last of the four new names is Tariq bin al-Tahar bin al-Falih al-Awni al-Hazrzi.  This militant has a $3 million bounty against him.  Rewards for Justice lists him as accused of acting as an ISIS fundraiser, a field commander and the head of a unit of bombers.

The Rewards for Justice Program was established by the 1984 Act to Combat International Terrorism.  According to its website, under the program the U.S. Secretary of State may authorize rewards for information that leads to the arrest or conviction of anyone who plans, commits, or attempts international terrorist acts against U.S. persons or property. The program is still looking for information on most attacks that have occurred on the U.S. or American citizens.

Over $125 million has been paid to over 80 individuals who have provided information to the program.  In 1995, information received from an informant led to the arrest of Ramzi Ahmed Yousef, known bombing the World Trade Center only two years earlier.  A tip in 1993 led authorities to Uday and Qusay Hussein, the sons of Sadam Hussein.  There was a stand-off between the brothers and authorities for about four hours, which left the two brothers dead.