‘Charismatic’ Afghan interior minister on FBI wanted lists
On 7 September, the Taliban announced the composition of its new government for Afghanistan, which includes no women – but at least one sanctioned person.
According to reports, the government’s interior minister is Sirajuddin Haqqani, son of the founder of the Haqqani network, which the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (‘OFAC’) has described as ‘…a Taliban-affiliated group of militants that operates out of North Waziristan Agency.’
Listing information on the United Nations website says that ‘Sirajuddin Jallaloudine Haqqani was listed on 13 September 2007 pursuant to paragraphs 1 and 12 of resolution 1735 (2006) as being associated with Al-Qaida, Usama bin Laden or the Taliban for “participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing, or perpetrating of acts or activities by, in conjunction with, under the name of, on behalf or in support of”, “recruiting for” or “otherwise supporting acts or activities of” the Taliban, Al-Qaida and Jaish-i-Mohammed.’
It described Haqqani as ‘…one of the most prominent, influential, charismatic and experienced leaders within the Haqqani Network, a group of fighters with a close association with both the Taliban and Al-Qaida and has been one of the major operational commanders of the network since 2004. After the fall of the Taliban in 2001, Sirajuddin Haqqani took control of the Haqqani Network and has since then led the group into the forefront of insurgent activities in Afghanistan.’
It further describes him as ‘strongly associated with the Taliban’ and as a ‘key conduit for terrorist operations in Afghanistan and supporting activities in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan,’ and says that he ‘was involved in the suicide bombing attack against a Police Academy bus in Kabul on 18 June 2007 which killed 35 police officers.’
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (‘FBI’) says on its website, ‘The Rewards For Justice Program, United States Department of State, is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information leading directly to the arrest of Sirajuddin Haqqani.’ The website offers the opportunity to download a printable ‘Wanted’ poster.
