May 27, 2009

 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Office of the Spokesman

STATEMENT BY IAN KELLY, SPOKESMAN

Rewards for Justice — Khair Mundos Reward Offer

 

The Department of State announces a reward offer of up to $500,000 for information leading to the location, arrest and/or conviction of Khair Mundos, a key leader and financier of the Philippines-based Abu Sayyaf Group.

Mundos’s arrest in May 2004 on the first-ever money laundering charges against terrorists grew out of an investigation initiated by U.S. authorities in coordination with Philippine officials.  Mundos confessed to having arranged the transfer of funds from al-Qaida to Abu Sayyaf Group leader Khadaffy Janjalani to be used in bombings and other criminal acts throughout the island of Mindanao.  In February 2007, Mundos escaped from a provincial jail.  Because of his leadership position in the Abu Sayyaf Group, whose terrorist attacks have resulted in the deaths of U.S. and Filipino citizens, U.S. authorities consider Mundos to be a threat to U.S. and Filipino citizens and interests.

Mundos is believed to be hiding in southern Mindanao.  More information about Mundos is located on the Rewards for Justice website at www.rewardsforjustice.net/mundos.

We encourage anyone with information on Mundos’s location to contact U.S. Embassy Manila by calling or texting 0918-948-6412 or calling 02-526 – 9832/3/4, any U.S. Government official or military commander, or the Rewards for Justice staff via the website (www.rewardsforjustice.net), e-mail (RFJ@state.gov) or mail (Rewards for Justice, Washington, DC 20520-0303, USA).  All information will be kept strictly confidential.

Since its inception in 1984, the Rewards for Justice Program has paid more than $80 million to more than 50 persons for information that prevented international terrorist attacks or helped bring to justice those involved in prior attacks.

 

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