Rewards for Justice Program

The Rewards for Justice Program is the counter-terrorism rewards program of the United States Department of State. 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. The Rewards for Justice Program has paid more than $77 million for information that prevented international terrorist attacks or helped bring to justice those involved in prior acts. [ [http://www.rewardsforjustice.net/index.cfm?page=Rewards_program&language=english Mission of the Rewards Program] , Rewards for Justice website] The program was established by the 1984 Act to Combat International Terrorism (Public Law 98-533). The program is administered by the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security. The Director of the Diplomatic Security Service chairs an interagency committee which reviews reward candidates and then recommends rewards to the Secretary of State. he committee includes members from the staffs of the White House National Security Council, Central Intelligence Agency, Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, Department of the Treasury, Department of State, and others as appropriate.

The program dates to 1984. 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. [Whitlock, Craig. " [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/16/AR2008051603921.html?hpid=topnews Bounties a Bust in Hunt for Al-Qaeda] ." "Washington Post" 17 May 2008.] The largest rewards offered are $25 million each for al-Qaeda leaders Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri, which have "attracted hundreds of anonymous calls but no reliable leads." [Whitlock.]

External links

* [http://www.rewardsforjustice.net/ Rewards for Justice website]
* [http://www.state.gov/m/ds/terrorism/c8651.htm Rewards for Justice Program] – a description at the Bureau of Diplomatic Security website
* [http://www.state.gov/coalition/cr/fs/12712.htm Factsheet] (August 15, 2002) from the U.S. Department of State

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