Reply #7: US offers cash for information on al Qaeda's Masri ($5 million)

[sabra]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N30126658.htm

US offers cash for information on al Qaeda's Masri

WASHINGTON, June 30 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Friday authorized a reward of up to $5 million to anyone providing information leading to Abu Ayyub al-Masri, a senior al Qaeda leader in Iraq.

The Egyptian-born Masri is believed to be the successor to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the al Qaeda leader in Iraq who was killed in a U.S. bombing raid earlier in June. The U.S. bounty for Zarqawi was $25 million.

Masri trained in Afghanistan and formed al Qaeda's first cell in Baghdad, according to the U.S. military. U.S. officials describe him as an explosives expert trained in the construction of improvised bombs.

"We encourage anyone with information on al-Masri's location to contact the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, any U.S. military commander in Iraq, any U.S. embassy or consulate, or the Rewards for Justice staff," said Adam Ereli, a spokesman for the State Department.