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11/05/03
 It
was five years ago today that Usama bin Laden was formally
indicted in a New York City federal court for his role in
the bombings of U.S. embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar
es Salaam, Tanzania. A record $5 million reward was offered
for information leading directly to his arrest -- a sum that
has, in the wake of the 9/11/2001 attacks in the United States,
risen to up to $25 million. It goes without saying that bin
Laden is #1 on the FBI's
Most Wanted Terrorist list.
"KENBOM/TANBOM".
That's what FBI investigators called the case of those nearly
simultaneous blasts in East African capitals. Two hundred
and twenty-four people died, including 12 Americans, and more
than 4,500 people were wounded. Those on the scene talked
about the destruction with steel in their voices, vowing to
bring those responsible to justice.
In the
end, some 900 FBI investigators deployed to those two locations
to assist in the recovery of evidence, to help identify the
victims at the bomb sites, and to work with their colleagues
on the ground to track down the terrorists. Extraordinary
efforts of federal and international partners led to the identification,
arrest, and extradition to the United States of four members
of the al-Qaeda terrorist network for their role in the bombings.
Each was found guilty in a court of law and was sentenced
to life imprisonment.
But Usama
bin Laden is still at large.
Can
you help? In memory of those innocents who lost their
lives or were harmed in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam; in memory
of those innocents who lost their lives or were harmed in
the deadly attacks in New York and Washington; in memory of
people everywhere who have been harmed by Usama bin Laden's
terrorist plans, we ask that anyone with information about
bin Laden report it to the proper authorities. In the United
States, please contact your closest
FBI field office. Outside the United States, please contact
the nearest American embassy or consulate.
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