The United States Department of State’s Rewards for Justice (RFJ) program is offering a reward of up to $10 million (Sh1.29 billion at current exchange rate) for information leading to the arrest or conviction of Abdullahi Banati.
The reward is also offered for information that may lead to the arrest of any other individual responsible for the January 5, 2020, terrorist attack on US and Kenyan personnel at the Manda Bay Airfield in Kenya.
In the pre-dawn attack, al-Shabaab terrorists killed a US service member and two US Department of Defense (DoD) contractors.
They wounded two other US soldiers and a third DoD contractor. A Kenyan soldier was also wounded during the attack.
“As the principal East African affiliate of the al-Qa’ida terrorist organization, Al-Shabaab is responsible for numerous terrorist attacks in Kenya, Somalia, and neighboring countries that have killed thousands of people, including US citizens.
“The terrorist group continues to plot, plan, and conspire to commit terrorist acts against the United States, US interests, and foreign partners,” the US Embassy said.
Al-Shabaab’s official Shahada News Agency, a spokesperson for the group claimed responsibility for the attack.
The Manda Bay Airfield is part of a Kenyan Defense Forces military base utilized by US armed forces to provide training and counterterrorism support to East African partners, respond to crises, and protect US interests in the region.
Any person with information on the suspects can reach the Rewards for Justice through tip lines via Signal, Telegram, or WhatsApp at +1-202-702-7843 (English), +1-202-975-9160 (Somali), and +1-202-718-4649 (Swahili).
“All information will be kept strictly confidential.”
The US designated al-Shabaab as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) in March 2008.
In April 2010, the group was also designated by the UN Security Council’s Somalia Sanctions Committee pursuant to paragraph 8 of resolution 1844 (2008).
