The US Department of State announced on Tuesday that its Rewards for Justice program is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information on Ahmad al-Hamidawi, the leader of the Iraqi-based terrorist group Kata’ib Hezbollah (KH), a US-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO).
In a statement, the State Department noted that just last month, al-Hamidawi directed KH attacks on US diplomatic facilities. It added that for years, KH has repeatedly targeted US personnel and facilities in Iraq with IEDs, rockets, and unmanned aircraft systems, kidnapped US citizens, and killed innocent Iraqi civilians.
The statement further noted that Al-Hamidawi received political, military, and intelligence training from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and serves as Secretary General of KH and on KH’s shura council. As the leader of KH, al-Hamidawi has played a central role in planning attacks against US and Iraqi government security forces since 2007.
In his leadership role, al-Hamidawi continues to incite violence through mass protests and attacks targeting the US embassy in Iraq, said the State Department. On February 26, 2020, the Department of State designated al-Hamidawi as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) pursuant to Executive Order 13224. Among other consequences, all his property and interests that are in the United States, that hereafter come within the United States, or hereafter come within the possession or control of US persons, are blocked, and US persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with him.
On June 24, 2009, the Department of State designated KH as an FTO under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended. As a result of this designation, noted the State Department, US persons are prohibited from providing material support or resources to, or engaging in other transactions with KH, and all property and interests in property of the organization that are in the US, or come within the US, or the control of US persons are frozen.
It further pointed out that KH members have received extensive training, weapons, and other support from Iran’s IRGC-Qods Force (QF) and Iran-supported Lebanese Hezbollah, both of which are US-designated FTOs. KH works closely with IRGC-QF and closely follows the direction of Iran’s supreme leader. KH has conducted terrorist attacks in an effort to expel US and Coalition armed forces from the country, establish an Iran-aligned government in Iraq, and advance Iranian interests throughout the Middle East.
Kata’ib Hezbollah was also responsible for the kidnapping of Israeli researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov and held her captive for two and a half years. Tsurkov was released this past September following US pressure and with the assistance of Iraqi security services.
Most recently, the group kidnapped American journalist Shelly Kittleson from a Baghdad street corner. She was freed last Tuesday after a week. US officials worked with the Iraqi government to secure her release.