ISIS terrorists in Syria
ISIS terrorists in SyriaReuters

The United States on Wednesday announced it is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the location or identification of Tirad al-Jarba, better known as Abu-Muhammad al-Shimali, a key leader of the Islamic State (ISIS) jihadist group.

According to a statement from the State Department, al-Shimali serves as a key leader in the jihadist group’s Immigration and Logistics Committee, and is responsible for facilitating the travel of foreign terrorist fighters primarily through Gaziantep, Turkey.

He was added to the State Department’s Rewards for Justice Program.

“Al-Shimali and the ISIL Immigration and Logistics Committee coordinate smuggling activities, financial transfers, and the movement of supplies into Syria and Iraq from Europe, North Africa, and the Arabian Peninsula,” the statement said, using an alternative acronym for ISIS.

“In 2014, al-Shimali facilitated the travel from Turkey to Syria of prospective ISIL fighters from Australia, Europe, and the Middle East, and managed ISIL’s processing center for new recruits in Azaz, Syria,” said the State Department.

Al-Shimali was blacklisted on September 29 by the Treasury Department, blocking his financial assets and prohibiting U.S. persons and financial institutions from dealing with him, the statement said. On the same day, he was also listed on the United Nations Security Council Sanctions List, which imposes a travel ban, asset freeze, and arms embargo on Al-Shimali.

“The United States and the Global Coalition of 65 international partners are committed to degrading and ultimately defeating ISIL,” said the State Department. “Achieving this objective requires multiple, mutually reinforcing lines of effort. One of the Coalition’s efforts is stemming the flow of foreign terrorist fighters. This approach brings together homeland security, law enforcement, the justice sector, intelligence, diplomatic, military, capacity building, and information-sharing efforts.”

The United States has in the past offered bounties on leaders of ISIS in an attempt to ratchet up the pressure on the group, which claimed last week’s deadly attacks in Paris.

In May, the State Department added four names to the Rewards for Justice Program. The terrorist with the largest price - $7 million - on his head is Abdel Rahman Mustafa al-Qaduli.