U.S. to Pay $30M in Reward to Tipster

Yahoo! News ^ | July 31, 2003 | BARRY SCHWEID

[El Conservador]

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration has approved the payment of $30 million in reward money to the tipster who supplied the critical information that led U.S. troops to the hideout of Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s two sons, slain two weeks ago, a U.S. official said Thursday.

Secretary of State Colin Powell (news - web sites) decided to award the tipster $15 million each for information that led authorities to Odai and Qusai's hideout — a total of $30 million, the largest award ever made under the reward program.

The brothers were killed by TOW missiles fired into the villa in the northern city of Mosul where they had been hiding.

The U.S. government's policy is not to publicly identify informants.

But neighbors of Sheik Nawaf al-Zaydan Muhhamad, an Iraqi with ties to Saddam Hussein, have blamed him for tipping off coalition forces that the ousted Iraqi leader's sons Odai and Qusai were staying with him and his family.

They said they became suspicious of the sheik when his wife and their four daughters left the house early the morning of the shootings and did not return.

Three hours after the women left, U.S. troops walked up to the front door, knocked and asked all those inside to come out. Muhhamad and his only son, Shalan, left with their hands on their heads, neighbors said. Coalition forces took them away.

State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said the next U.S. goal is to get Saddam, himself. A $25 million reward has been posted for his capture.

[El Conservador]

KA-CHING!!!

[Hugin]

This has got to be the most money anybody has ever made off a pair of aces.

[slouch-no-more]

Gee. Couldn't we have negotiated this down to about $100?

[Ruth A.]

Anyone with half a brain would send the womenfolk away when the pig-Latin brothers or "piece or trash waiting to be collected" Saddam come calling. Hmm....

[The people have spoken]

This is good. Now other potential bounty hunters out there will know that the US keeps its word. Saddam and Osama, you're next!

[Ruth A.]

Got to stop those quickie proofs: of not or.

[clamboat]

I absolutely expected that this would have been negotiated down, not to a real dollar figure but to something like residency visa, house, and living expenses for a couple of years. Since it looks like they really are going to give the money away, I hope that they spread the word far and wide where it matters - in Iraq.

[navydad]

Another reason they don't want to name him (and he doesn't want them to name him) is they KNOW sooner or later (probably sooner) he will get robbed. But, his name will become common knowledge within the country regardless, and he will end up having to leave the country to survive.
And yes, I know most of the money will be deposited for him in a bank - but try telling that to the robbers.

[Burkeman1]

Good press- no red tape- no weasaling- just cutting the check and giving it to the tipster. This story may have more to do with getting Sadaam than anything else.