Two Terrorists Added to Rewards For Justice's Most Wanted List

Two Terrorists Added to Rewards For Justice's Most Wanted List, Secretary Rice Authorizes Up To $5 Million Reward For Each Terrorist

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has authorized the addition of Mohammed Ali Hamadei and Ramadan Abdullah Mohammad Shallah to the U.S. State Department Bureau of Diplomatic Security's Rewards for Justice (RFJ) Program, each with a potential reward of up to $5 million.

Hamadei and Shallah were added to RFJ's Most Wanted List at the request of the FBI's Counterterrorism Division; both are also on the FBI's Most Wanted Terrorists List.

Hamadei, an alleged member of the terrorist organization Lebanese Hizballah, is believed to be living in Lebanon. A Federal Grand Jury in Washington, D.C., indicted Hamadei on 15 charges in 1985 for his role in planning and participating in the hijacking of TWA Flight 847. This hijacking resulted in assaults on various passengers and crew members, and the murder of Petty Officer Robert D. Stethem, United States Navy. The indictment charges included: Violations of Aircraft Piracy in the Special Aircraft Jurisdiction of the United States; Unlawful Placing of a Destructive Device on an Aircraft; Hostage Taking; Murder; Assault on a Passenger; and Conspiracy.

Ramadan Abdullah Mohammad Shallah is wanted for conspiracy to conduct the affairs of the terrorist organization Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) through a pattern of racketeering activities such as bombings, murder, extortions and money laundering. Shallah was one of the original founding members of the PIJ. Since 1995, he has been the Secretary-General and leader of the organization, which is headquartered in Damascus, Syria. Shallah was officially listed as a Specially Designated Terrorist in 1995, and indicted in a 53-count indictment in the United States District Court, Middle District of Florida, in 2003.

Diplomatic Security Assistant Secretary Richard J. Griffin said, "The RFJ program continues to be one of the most valuable tools in the U.S. fight against international terrorism. Thousands of innocent lives have been saved through information received under this program. We thank the FBI and all our fellow law enforcement organizations for their noteworthy diligence and assistance in this critical effort. Together we make a difference."

Assistant Director Joseph Billy, Counterterrorism Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation stated, "The FBI is working closely with our law enforcement and intelligence community partners to bring all necessary resources to bear to protect the American public from terrorist attacks and the nefarious activities from extremely dangerous terrorists like Ramadan Abdullah Mohammad Shallah and Mohammed Ali Hamadei. We appreciate the continued support from the U.S. Department of State's Rewards for Justice Program. We agree that with the combined strength of law enforcement and intelligence components at home and abroad, and with a vigilant and engaged public, we will ensure the successful apprehension of Most Wanted Terrorists."

Anyone with information on a past or planned act of international terrorism against U.S. persons or property worldwide, or regarding the location of a key terrorist leader, is urged to contact RFJ directly at the following:

Internet: rewardsforjustice.net (secure online tip form) E-mail: RFJ@state.gov Hotline: 1-800-US-REWARDS (1-800-877-3927) Mail: Rewards for Justice, Washington, DC 20522-0303

In addition, anyone in the United States with information may contact the nearest Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) or FBI field office. Persons located overseas may also contact the Regional Security Office at the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

Since its inception, Rewards for Justice has paid more than $62 million to more than 40 people who have provided credible information that has brought terrorists to justice or prevented acts of international terrorism. Established by the 1984 Act to Combat International Terrorism, the program is administered by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Diplomatic Security.

The Bureau of Diplomatic Security is the U.S. Department of State's law enforcement and security arm. The special agents, engineers, and security professionals of the Bureau are responsible for the security of 285 U.S. diplomatic facilities around the world. In the United States, Diplomatic Security personnel protect the U.S. Secretary of State and high-ranking foreign dignitaries and officials visiting the United States, investigate passport and visa fraud, and conduct personnel security investigations. More information about the U.S. Department of State and the Bureau of Diplomatic Security may be obtained at www.state.gov/m/ds.

Fact Sheet, Washington, DC. February 12, 2007

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President Meets with President Adamkus of Lithuania (VIDEO)

President Bush Meets with President Adamkus of Lithuania, FULL STREAMING VIDEO, Oval Office. 11:02 A.M. EST. In Focus: Global Diplomacy

PRESIDENT BUSH: It's my honor to welcome a personal friend and a friend of freedom and peace to the Oval Office. Mr. President, I respect you, I respect your country. Lithuania has been a country whose history has been one of great tragedy.

You, yourself, have lived through that tragedy. And it's so refreshing for a person like me to talk to somebody and to strategize with somebody who knows the great blessings of living in a free society.

The example of your country is an important example for the world, and that is that freedom is universal, that those of us who have the benefits of living in a free society must prevent a country such as yours from ever again being subjected to the tyranny of a few. You know full well the suffering that your relatives went through.

And, therefore, I find it -- I'm not surprised that in a struggling democracy like Afghanistan, your country has stood up bravely to support the Karzai government and the people of Afghanistan. And I thank you. And I thank the citizens of your country for your willingness to contribute to peace by helping a young democracy survive. I thank you very much for your support for the people of Iraq. It's hard work in Iraq. But, nevertheless, it is inspiring to know that Lithuania has said, we want to help the people realize the blessings of a free society.

We talked about a lot of issues. We talked about energy independence. I was very pleased by the strategy that you and others in the Baltics are working to achieve to achieve energy independence. We share the same objectives here in America, and I look forward to working with you as new technologies become available to make us all less dependent on oil and natural gas.

Secondly, the President was quite adamant about visa waiver. I can understand your strong position, Mr. President. I thank you very much for your clarity of thought. There should be no doubt that here in the Oval Office that President Adamkus represented the will of the majority of the Lithuanian people, when we discussed visa waiver and his desire for the people of his country to be treated like most of the other people in the European Union. I assured him we'll work with Congress to get a fair piece of legislation forward as quickly as possible so we can deal with this issue once and for all.

All in all, I'm so grateful that you and the First Lady came by to say hello here in the Oval Office. And I know Laura was very much looking forward to entertaining your good wife over there at the Residence. I thought the business session here went very well in a very constructive way. And, again, I welcome you back to the Oval Office.

PRESIDENT ADAMKUS: Thank you very much, Mr. President. I believe the visit is just reconfirmation of the Lithuanian people for what we stand for. And I believe there is no doubt that our commitments -- international commitments, joining United States, actually based on the principles, principles which were the guiding light for us during the very difficult times of the Soviet occupation, almost for half of the century.

But at the same time, like I indicated to you, knowing what it means to be free and knowing, I mean, that this freedom still is not available in some parts of the world, this is why we are with our, I would say, meager resources, but standing by you in Afghanistan, in Iraq, in Kosovo. And definitely we are going to stand shoulder to shoulder just to make sure that the remaining Iraq people who cannot even enjoy today those kind of privileges -- free speech, respect for human rights -- would be given to them.

So I want to just thank you once again, I mean, for the support we are receiving. We are going to work together, especially in developing situations like we just mentioned during our conversations here about the latest statements in Munich. I believe this is not going to sway away the free people from the -- I mean, its ideals, the direction we are going together, and I think that the final outcome will be this is what we dream about, this is for what the American people stand for, for centuries and the day is coming.

PRESIDENT BUSH: Thank you, sir.

PRESIDENT ADAMKUS: Thank you very much.

END 11:07 A.M. EST. For Immediate Release, Office of the Press Secretary, February 12, 2007

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