The State Department announced on Thursday that a reward of up to $10 million is being offered for any information leading to the capture of an Iran-based al Qaeda financier named Ezedin Abdel Aziz Khalil, also known as Yasin al Suri. In July, the Treasury Department added al Suri and five other al Qaeda terrorists to its list of specially designated terrorists. [See LWJ report, Treasury targets Iran's 'secret deal' with al Qaeda.]
The six designated al Qaeda operatives have used Iranian soil to funnel funds and terrorists throughout the Middle East. They have done so as part of "an agreement between al Qaeda and the Iranian government," according to Treasury.
One of the six, Atiyah Abd al Rahman, was subsequently killed in a US drone strike in August. According to Treasury, Osama bin Laden appointed Rahman as al Qaeda's "emissary in Iran, a position which allowed him to travel in and out of Iran with the permission of Iranian officials."
The addition of al Suri to the Rewards for Justice Program is the first time that a reward has been offered for information leading to the capture of terrorist financier, according to the US government officials who briefed the press.
"Under an agreement between al Qaeda and the Government of Iran, Yasin al Suri has helped move money and recruits through Iran to al Qaeda leaders in neighboring countries in the region," Robert Hartung, the State Department Assistant Director for Threat Investigations and Analysis, explained during the briefing.
"From his sanctuary inside Iran, he has moved terrorist recruits through Iran to al Qaeda leaders in Pakistan and in Afghanistan," Hartung added. "He has also arranged for the release of al Qaeda operatives from Iranian prisons and their transfer to Pakistan. And he has funneled significant amounts of money through Iran to al Qaeda's leadership in Afghanistan and Iraq. He is a dedicated terrorist working in support of al Qaeda with the support of the Government of Iran, which the Department of State has designated a state sponsor of terrorism."
The Treasury Department's Assistant Director of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Eytan Fisch, also spoke at the briefing. Fisch described al Suri as a "senior al Qaeda facilitator" who Iranian authorities have allowed "to operate within Iran's borders since 2005."
"Al Suri's network has served as a financial conduit, collecting funds from donors throughout the Gulf and moving those funds via Iran to al Qaeda's leadership in Afghanistan and Iraq," Fisch added. "Al Suri's network also serves as the core pipeline for al Qaeda to funnel operatives and facilitators from the Middle East to Afghanistan and Pakistan."
The six designated al Qaeda operatives have used Iranian soil to funnel funds and terrorists throughout the Middle East. They have done so as part of "an agreement between al Qaeda and the Iranian government," according to Treasury.
One of the six, Atiyah Abd al Rahman, was subsequently killed in a US drone strike in August. According to Treasury, Osama bin Laden appointed Rahman as al Qaeda's "emissary in Iran, a position which allowed him to travel in and out of Iran with the permission of Iranian officials."
The addition of al Suri to the Rewards for Justice Program is the first time that a reward has been offered for information leading to the capture of terrorist financier, according to the US government officials who briefed the press.
"Under an agreement between al Qaeda and the Government of Iran, Yasin al Suri has helped move money and recruits through Iran to al Qaeda leaders in neighboring countries in the region," Robert Hartung, the State Department Assistant Director for Threat Investigations and Analysis, explained during the briefing.
"From his sanctuary inside Iran, he has moved terrorist recruits through Iran to al Qaeda leaders in Pakistan and in Afghanistan," Hartung added. "He has also arranged for the release of al Qaeda operatives from Iranian prisons and their transfer to Pakistan. And he has funneled significant amounts of money through Iran to al Qaeda's leadership in Afghanistan and Iraq. He is a dedicated terrorist working in support of al Qaeda with the support of the Government of Iran, which the Department of State has designated a state sponsor of terrorism."
The Treasury Department's Assistant Director of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Eytan Fisch, also spoke at the briefing. Fisch described al Suri as a "senior al Qaeda facilitator" who Iranian authorities have allowed "to operate within Iran's borders since 2005."
"Al Suri's network has served as a financial conduit, collecting funds from donors throughout the Gulf and moving those funds via Iran to al Qaeda's leadership in Afghanistan and Iraq," Fisch added. "Al Suri's network also serves as the core pipeline for al Qaeda to funnel operatives and facilitators from the Middle East to Afghanistan and Pakistan."
Related articles
- US offers $10 million reward for Iran-based al Qaeda financier (longwarjournal.org)
- U.S. Offers $10 Million Bounty for al Qaeda Financier in Iran (abcnews.go.com)
- U.S. Offers $10M Reward For Al Qaeda Financier (foxnews.com)
- U.S. announces $10 million bounty on key al-Qaeda financier eluding a six-year capture in Iran (dailymail.co.uk)
- U.S. offers $10 million for al Qaeda financier (cnn.com)
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