US offers reward for capture of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders
Washington is offering a $5 million reward for the tracking and arrest of Saleh al-Arouri, head of Hamas' political bureau, and Hezbollah cadres Mohammed Harb and Haitham Ali Tabatabaei. The US State Department says al-Arouri is also a founder of Hamas's military wing.
A $5 million reward for the capture and handover of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders; this is the reward that the US State Department is offering for those who find Saleh al-Arouri, deputy head of Hamas' political bureau, and Khalil Yusuf Muhammad Harb and Haitham Ali Tabatabaei, senior commanders of Lebanese Hezbollah.
Al-Arouri is reported to be living in Lebanon. The US State Department accuses him of collaborating with the Quds Force (the overseas branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps), which supports Hamas' military operations in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank with its financial contributions.
Al-Arouri is also accused of participating in many terrorist attacks, including the kidnapping of American citizen Naftali Frankel. Two senior Hezbollah cadres have also been accused of playing serious roles in the group's military operations.
Hamas condemned the reward for Al-Arouri's surrender and said in a statement: "The US action after the Palestinian resistance in Gaza is a service to the occupying Israel."
The US State Department has previously designated Jawad Nasrallah, the son of Hezbollah leader, as a terrorist, calling him “the future leader of Hezbollah’s militias.” The statement from the department states that Jawad Nasrallah has been busy recruiting individuals to participate in terrorist attacks against Israel in recent years.
The ministry also blacklisted the Mujahideen Brigade, which is close to Lebanon's Hezbollah, and is accused of collaborating with Hezbollah in a series of attacks against Israel.
The US State Department statement said that the blacklisting of Jawad Nasrallah and the Mujahideen Brigades is intended to prevent them from planning and carrying out terrorist attacks. The assets and properties of those on the US blacklist will be frozen, and their transactions with US companies or citizens will also be prohibited.
The US Treasury Department has also sanctioned four Iraqis for their ties to Hezbollah in Lebanon. The four are said to have worked with Hezbollah in financial transactions, arms and other equipment, with Iranian assistance.
Source: DW
