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Rewards for Justice Program

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Rewards for Justice Program (RFJ) is United States Department of State's national security interagency program that offers reward for information leading to the location or an arrest of leaders of terrorist groups, financiers of terrorism, including any individual that abide in plotting attacks carried out by foreign terrorist organizations.[3] RFJ directly addresses the foreign threat by identifying entities such as key leaders and financial mechanism of the foreign terrorist organizations. RFJ's mission objective is to obtain information that will protect American lives in best interest of U.S. national security. RFJ is managed by the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) administered by the U.S. State Department Office Bureau of Diplomatic Security.[4]

Rewards For Justice
Seal of the Rewards For Justice Program
Agency overview
FormedJune 6, 1984; 40 years ago (1984-06-06)
TypeCounterterrorism
MottoStop a Terrorist and Save Lives
Agency executives
Parent departmentU.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service
Websitewww.rewardsforjustice.net

The foreign threat intelligence committee includes the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) governed by the U.S. Department of State (DOS), Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) of the Department of Defense (DOD), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) under jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Secret Service and Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

History

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The program was established by the 1984 Act to Combat International Terrorism (Public Law 98-533),[5] and it is administered by the U.S. State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security.[6] The Rewards for Justice Program was formerly known as the Counter-Terror Rewards Program, soon shortened to the HEROES program. In 1993, DS launched www.heroes.net[7] to help publicize reward information. Brad Smith, a Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) special agent assigned to desk duty due to illness, served as the lone site administrator and program manager running the operation from his home.[8][9] By 1997, the site was getting more than one million hits a year from 102 countries.[10] Smith is also credited with the idea to put photos of wanted terrorists on matchbook covers.[8] DSS agents assigned to embassies and consulates throughout the world ensured that the matchbooks got wide distribution at bars and restaurants.

 
A Rewards for Justice bounty post

The Secretary of State is currently offering rewards for information that prevents or favorably resolves acts of international terrorism against U.S. persons or property worldwide. Rewards also may be paid for information leading to the arrest or conviction of terrorists attempting, committing, conspiring to commit, or aiding and abetting in the commission of such acts. As of 2022, The Rewards for Justice program has paid more than $250 million to 125 individuals for leading information that prevented international terrorist attacks or helped bring to justice those involved in prior acts.[11][12][13]

After the September 11 attacks, the list of wanted terrorists increased dramatically, and rewards were also increased, as part of the U.S. efforts to capture al-Qaeda leadership. However, the plan has been largely ineffective against Islamic terrorists.[14] The largest reward offered was $25 million for the leader of al-Qaeda, Osama bin Laden, and his deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, which had "attracted hundreds of anonymous calls but no reliable leads."[14] Osama bin Laden was shot and killed inside a private residential compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, by members of the United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group and Central Intelligence Agency operatives in a covert operation on May 2, 2011.

Robert A. Hartung, Assistant Director of Diplomatic Security's Threat Investigations and Analysis Directorate, announced on September 2, 2010 that the U.S. Department of State's Rewards for Justice program is offering rewards of up to $5 million each for information that leads law enforcement or security forces to Hakimullah Mehsud and Wali ur Rehman.[15][16][17][18] Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton presented a list of "the five most wanted terrorists" to Pakistan;[19] the list included Ayman al-Zawahiri, Mohammed Omar, Ilyas Kashmiri, Atiyah Abd al-Rahman and Sirajuddin Haqqani.[19] Each of these five had bounties issued against them by the program;[20] however, Kashmiri, who US Intelligence officials said they were 99% sure was killed in an airstrike in South Waziristan on June 3, 2011, was removed from the list.[20] Rahman was killed in an airstrike in North Waziristan in August 2011.[21] Omar died of tuberculosis in Karachi, Pakistan in April 2013.[22] Al-Zawahiri was killed in a drone strike in Kabul, Afghanistan in July 2022.[23]

Announcements

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On December 22, 2011, Rewards for Justice announced a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to Ezedin Abdel Aziz Khalil (aka Yasin al-Suri), the leader of an al-Qaeda fundraising network in Iran that transfers money and recruits via Iranian territory to Pakistan and Afghanistan.[24] It marked the first time that Rewards for Justice offered a reward for information leading to a terrorist financier.[25]

In April 2020, Rewards for Justice Program offered $5 million for information leading to identify North Korean hackers who target United States critical infrastructure.[26]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Designating Individuals and Entities with Ties to Terrorist Organizations". United States Department of State. Retrieved 2024-08-20.
  2. ^ "Deputy Secretary Blinken's Remarks | Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs". eca.state.gov. Retrieved 2024-08-20.
  3. ^ "Rewards for Justice and the Fight Against ISIS". United States Department of State. Retrieved 2023-12-16.
  4. ^ Department Of State. The Office of Electronic Information, Bureau of Public Affairs (2006-10-26). "Rewards for Justice Program". 2001-2009.state.gov. Retrieved 2023-12-16. The rewards program shall be designed to assist in the prevention of acts of international terrorism, international narcotics trafficking, serious violations of international humanitarian law, foreign election interference, transnational organized crime, and other transnational criminal acts.
  5. ^ "Public Law 98-53, An Act to Combat International Terrorism, Oct. 19, 1984" (PDF). www.govinfo.gov. Retrieved 2020-10-09.
  6. ^ "Top 10 Rewards for Terrorists". Time. 17 June 2014. Retrieved 2022-12-18.
  7. ^ "Bureau of Diplomatic Security". April 27, 1997. Archived from the original on 1997-04-27.
  8. ^ a b "U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing #12, 99-01-26". www.hri.org. Retrieved 2019-11-18.
  9. ^ "1/26/99: Death of Diplomatic Security Special Agent Brad Smith". 1997-2001.state.gov. Retrieved 2019-11-18.
  10. ^ Tiboni, Frank (August 24, 1998). "State Web site gathers tips on embassy blasts -". GCN. Retrieved 2019-11-18.
  11. ^ "Public Law 98-53, An Act to Combat International Terrorism, Oct. 19, 1984" (PDF). www.govinfo.gov. Retrieved 2020-10-09.
  12. ^ "Rewards for Justice – Reward Offer for Information on Foreign Interference in U.S. Elections". United States Department of State. Retrieved 2022-12-17.
  13. ^ "Success Stories". Washington, DC, U.S.A.: Rewards for Justice. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
  14. ^ a b Whitlock, Craig (17 May 2008). "Bounties a Bust in Hunt for Al-Qaeda". The Washington Post.
  15. ^ "Diplomatic Security Service announces $5 million dollar reward". U.S. Department of State. 2010-09-01. Retrieved 2011-12-20.
  16. ^ "Briefing of USG efforts to disrupt and dismantle Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP)". U.S. Department of State. Archived from the original on 2010-09-05. Retrieved 2011-12-20.
  17. ^ "Millions of dollars available for information leading to the capture of Terrorists". DSS Rewards for Justice. 27 May 2011.
  18. ^ "U.S. Pressures Pakistan to Go After Ayman Zawahiri and Other Militant Leaders". ABC News. 2011-05-27. Retrieved 2011-12-20.
  19. ^ a b "US draws up a list of 5 most wanted terrorists to be hit - PTI". Moneycontrol.com. 28 May 2011. Retrieved 2011-12-20.
  20. ^ a b "Wanted for Terrorism". Rewards for Justice. Retrieved 2011-12-20.
  21. ^ Mazzetti, Mark (27 August 2011). "C.I.A. Drone Is Said to Kill Al Qaeda's No. 2". The New York Times. Washington. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
  22. ^ "Afghan intel agency: Taliban leader died two years ago". USA Today. 29 July 2015.
  23. ^ "US kills al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in drone strike in Afghanistan". CNN. 2 August 2022.
  24. ^ "U.S. Offers $10M for Iran-Based Al Qaeda Financier". NewsCore. 22 December 2011. Archived from the original on December 23, 2011. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
  25. ^ "Briefing on New Rewards for Justice Reward Offer". U.S. Department of State. 22 December 2011. Retrieved 25 December 2011.
  26. ^ "U.S. Government Offers $5 Million Reward To Identify North Korean Hackers". Forbes. 16 April 2020.
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