The US State Department Rewards for Justice Program has announced a reward offer of up to $10 million for any information which leads to the disruption of financial mechanisms of Lebanon’s Hezbollah.
“Mohammad Bazzi’s been arrested, but Hezbollah is still collecting revenue through people like him. So you may be eligible for a reward if you submit information about Hezbollah’s financial network,” Rewards for Justice said in a tweet.
The call for information and promotion of the $10 million reward possibility came on the heels of the arrest of an alleged top Hezbollah financier, 58-year old Mohammad Bazzi on Friday in Bucharest, Romania. It’s unclear whether a tip alerted US and allied security services to his whereabouts.
The State Dept-run program described on its website, “Hizballah relies on financing and facilitation networks to sustain operations and launch attacks globally.”
“Hizballah earns almost one billion dollars annually through direct financial support from Iran, international businesses and investments, donor networks, corruption, and money laundering activities,” it added.
Previously the same amount, $10 million, had been offered for information regarding the whereabouts of Bazzi, previously dubbed by the US a “global terrorist”.
Rewards for Justice this week said it will continuing offering these huge reward payments for further information which uncovers and thwarts revenue sources for Hezbollah and its donors, as well as financial institutions it uses for transactions.
Mohammad Ibrahim Bazzi was labeled a “global terrorist” by the United States in 2018.https://t.co/OnbjjukmmJ
— Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (@RFERL) February 25, 2023
Likely the large reward offering is also due to the fact that Hezbollah as an organization is well-known to be highly secretive. Even in Lebanon, where the paramilitary group is deeply involved in local politics and even runs charitable and community organizations, its supporters are known for staying tight-lipped on Hezbollah’s operations and hideouts of top commanders. Its local and regional popularity also is due to it periodically going to war against Israel.
Tyler Durden
Fri, 03/03/2023 – 05:45
