Bounty on two Americans tied to Somali terror group
http://security.blogs.cnn.com/2013/03/20/first-on-cnn-bounty-on-two-americans-tied-to-somali-terror-group/
By Elise Labott
The State Department has put a multimillion-dollar bounty on the heads of
two Americans who the United States claims belong to an al Qaeda affiliate
in Somalia, CNN has learned.
Posters and matchbooks in Somali and English emblazoned with the names and
pictures of Omar Shafik Hammami and Jehad Serwan Mostafa tout rewards up to
$5 million each for information leading to their arrest or conviction. Both
men are on the FBI's Most Wanted Terrorists List.
Image on matchbox to be distributed as part of the Rewards for Justice
program
The rewards are being offered through the State Department's Rewards for
Justice Program.
Hammami and Mostafa are members of Al-Shabaab, the al Qaeda affiliate in
Somalia, and "have made significant contributions to this terrorist
organization's media and military activities," according to a State
Department statement on the rewards, obtained by CNN. They are both are
believed to be in Somalia and speak English, Arabic and Somali.
A senior FBI official said the United States has information that both men
"had a persistent interest in targeting U.S. interests" and are "believed to
be involved in planning attacks on U.S. persons or property." But it is
unclear what specific attacks against Americans, even ones that have been
thwarted, these men have taken part in. Officials said that information is
classified.
Hammami, a 29-year-old Alabama native, moved to Somalia in 2006. The State
Department claims he joined Al-Shabaab there and received training from
Islamic militants, rising through the organization's ranks to command a
contingent of foreign fighters. Officials say he was also a "propagandist"
for the group, helping to recruit English-speaking youth through writings,
rap songs and video statements.
An Alabama court indicted him in 2009 on charges of providing support to a
terrorist group.
Image on matchbox to be distributed as part of the Rewards for Justice
program
In July 2011, the Treasury Department placed him on a blacklist prohibiting
Americans from doing business with individuals and groups threatening
stability in Somalia.
Hammami has been engaged in a public rift with Al-Shabaab over the past
year. Last March, he first expressed concern about his safety in an
extraordinary Web video. He has since criticized the group's leaders for
corruption and living extravagant lifestyles with money fighters collect
from Somali residents, and for fighting only in Somalia while ignoring
global jihad.
Hammami's family has said they fear for his life.
But the senior FBI official told CNN that Hammami's current status with the
group is "immaterial" and that the reward is based on the actions he has
already taken to threaten U.S. interests.
"We still believe he is an individual of great significance to the
activities that are going on in Somalia with Al-Shabaab," the official said.
Mostafa is believed to be either 27 or 32. He was born in Wisconsin before
moving California, where he attended college. He traveled to Somalia in
2005, where officials say he led foreign fighters for Al-Shabaab and served
as a media expert and recruiter. He was indicted in California on charges of
providing material support to Al-Shabaab.
Al-Shabaab was labeled a foreign terrorist organization by the State
Department in 2008. The group was responsible for the July 2010 suicide
bombings in Kampala, Uganda, that killed more than 70 people, including a
U.S. citizen, gathering to watch a World Cup final soccer match. Al-Shabaab
is also believed to be responsible for numerous other attacks in Somalia
that have killed international aid workers, journalists, civilian leaders
and African Union peacekeepers.
In February 2012 the group's leader, Ahmed Abdi aw-Mohamed and al Qaeda
leader Ayman al-Zawahiri released a video announcing the alliance of the two
organizations. The Rewards for Justice Program is already offering up to $7
million for information on seven other Al-Shabaab leaders.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton approved the rewards before
leaving office. Officials said they hope the rewards will generate new leads
from both Somalia and in Somali-American communities in the United States.
In addition to the posters and matchbooks, U.S. officials will be talking
with local media in Somalia to reach people that may have information about
the men's whereabouts.
It is rare for the United States to offer a reward for an American citizen.
The most notable previous reward offered for an American was $1 million for
Adam Gadahn, who has served as senior operative and spokesman for the core
al Qaeda organization.
Officials said that in addition to their leadership roles with a terrorist
group, the men are of great interest because of their work trying to recruit
other English-speaking youth.
"Anytime we have U.S. citizens who are trying to affiliate with groups to
obtain experience and training and have the opportunity to bring back that
lethal experience back to the United States, it's a concern," a State
Department diplomatic security official said. "There is no question the
cases against these two guys are based on their activities to date. However,
we have a continuing interest in terrorist activates in Somalia right up to
now. And these men serve as very powerful images for radicalization and
recruitment."
The new bounties raise the question of what the United States will do with
the men once they find them. The Obama administration drew fire from
Congress and human rights groups for killing two Americans who belonged to
the al Qaeda branch in Yemen. In September 2011, U.S. drone strikes killed
Anwar al-Awlaki, a firebrand preacher from New Mexico who began running
propaganda for al Qaeda in the Arab Peninsula and rose to become a senior
operative in the group, and Samir Khan from North Carolina, who created an
English-language Internet magazine for the group
Both officials said the Rewards for Justice Program - administered by the
State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security - is not involved in drone
programs and the intent of the reward is to obtain information that will
lead to the men's apprehension and prosecution.
"The purpose of the program is to gather information to bring these guys
back lawfully," the senior FBI official said. "We want to bring these people
before a court."
The Rewards for Justice Program pays large sums of money for information
that leads to the arrest or conviction of anyone who plans, commits or
attempts international terrorist acts. Earlier this year, President Obama
expanded the program to include payments for information about people
involved in transnational organized crime or foreign nationals wanted by any
international criminal tribunal for war crimes or genocide.
The program has a track record of gaining actionable intelligence. Since its
inception in 1984, the program has paid more than $125 million to more than
80 people who provided information that put terrorists behind bars or
prevented acts of international terrorism worldwide. The program was central
to the capture of Saddam Hussein's sons Odai and Qusai; Ramzi Yousef,
convicted of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing; and others.
Under the Rewards for Justice Program, a $25 million reward was offered for
information leading to the capture of Osama bin Laden.
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