Egyptian gets $27 million for Mohammed's arrest tip

CNN ^ | Wednesday, March 12, 2003 Posted: 1:12 PM EST (1812 GMT) | Kelli Arena

[FreedomCalls]

WASHINGTON (CNN) --An Egyptian radical will get $27 million as a reward for giving the United States information that led authorities to alleged September 11, 2001, mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, government sources said Wednesday.

The sources, confirming a story previously reported in a British paper and in Newsweek, said the unnamed Egyptian was captured during a raid in Quetta, Pakistan, last month. The Egyptian was described as an al Qaeda foot soldier.

[FreedomCalls]

The little t**d demands $2M more to move his family? Can't he do that with the $25M? I don't like the whole idea of paying reward money anyway. Has Congress authorized this expenditure of my tax money?

[NittanyLion]

The Egyptian was described as an al Qaeda foot soldier.

Gee, great. Now my tax money can be filtered back to terrorist groups who plot against the US and Israel...

[smith288]

Watch that money real close

[John123]

The little t**d demands $2M more to move his family? Can't he do that with the $25M? I don't like the whole idea of paying reward money anyway. Has Congress authorized this expenditure of my tax money?

If you put everything in perspective, $27 million is pretty cheap to get Khalid Shaikh Mohammed off the streets. The WTC disaster costs us over $100 billion.

[Bogey78O]

Hope this guy knows we can sieze this money at the drop of a hat if he tries to filter it back to his friends.

I hope he tries.

[Dat]

Yes, but now we know who to watch.

[Rockitz]

Hopefully siezure of Khalid Shaikh Mohammed's accounts will more than make up for this small loss.

[Steven W.]

not likely - this guy is going to be praying for his well being every day and enjoying the good life. bucks well spent IMO - how many man hours does it save dollar for dollar? and which is the greater risk, KSM running free with all of AlQaeda's plans or resources (well over $25 million) or this stooly who's just one the lottery?

[CurlyDave]

The little t**d demands $2M more to move his family? Can't he do that with the $25M? I don't like the whole idea of paying reward money anyway. Has Congress authorized this expenditure of my tax money?

It gets results.

If we renege getting information in the future will be harder, much harder.

If the $25M saves American lives it is worth it.

What part of this is hard to understand? Most people over there hate America and the only way we can get cooperation is by offering bribes.

[xm177e2]

An Egyptian radical will get $27 million as a reward for giving the United States information that led authorities to alleged September 11, 2001, mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, government sources said Wednesday

So if America is giving money to terrorists, doesn't that make us a terrorist state? </sarcasm>

[7 x 77]

I don't like the whole idea of paying reward money anyway.

How come? It seems like a bargain.

[NittanyLion]

not likely - this guy is going to be praying for his well being every day and enjoying the good life. bucks well spent IMO - how many man hours does it save dollar for dollar? and which is the greater risk, KSM running free with all of AlQaeda's plans or resources (well over $25 million) or this stooly who's just one the lottery?

You're absolutely right. It's just hard to accept giving a reward to an Al Qaeda member himself. If we take the person out of the equation, it's money well-spent; his former standing shouldn't play a role in whether he gets the reward. Hopefully this will serve to illustrate that, if we'll reward an Al Qaeda member, we'll certainly make good on rewards to anyone else.

[mombonn]

The little t**d demands $2M more to move his family?

What's another $2M? The "little t**d" risked his life.

How many lives may be saved as a result of his tip?

Of all the things my tax dollars go toward, I'd sooner have them go to him than sinators clintbilly, dasshole, kennedy, et al.

[cowtowney]

What do you suppose it is costing us to fight Al-Queda and Saddam?

Billions...

This is cheap. We get them to do the work for us for cheap.

[Ecliptic]

Lets see says the USA: should I keep my $25M or get this number 2 guy? Humm, save lots of lives or keep the money...have a trail to OBL or keep the money...you do the math...

[RightWhale]

Has Congress authorized this expenditure of my tax money?

Sure is cheaper than combing the planet for primaries.

[Hodar]

if he tries to filter it back to his friends.

Sanity check ... he betrayed his terrorist cause, and gave up a senior leader for his profit. What do you think the bounty on his head will be?

[FreedomCalls]

This is cheap. We get them to do the work for us for cheap.

A Rolex and a couple of bottles of Jack Daniels is cheap. $27 million is not cheap.

[Redcloak]

Sheikh Mahmood Ali Baba bin Skyhook, you just sold out your radical Islamic brethren; what are you going to do now?

"I'm going to Disneyland!!"

[teletech]

I'd give this little terrorist POS 20 bucks a month until he collects the 25 mil IF he lives that long.