The US Government has offered a $5 million bounty for information on the location of Jehad Serwan Mostafa, popularly called Ahmed Gurey, a high-ranking member of the Al-Shabaab militant group located in Somalia.
Mostafa, 41, a U.S. citizen and previous resident of California, has held leadership positions with the Al-Qaeda connected terrorist group responsible for attacks in East African countries like Kenya and Somalia, according to the State Department Rewards for Justice Program.
He is on the FBI‘s Most Wanted Terrorists List. Mostapha lived and graduated from college in San Diego, California, before going to Somalia in 2005, according to the US government.
It is believed he participated in attacks against Ethiopian forces before joining al-Shabaab in approximately 2008.
“With al-Shabaab, Mostafa has functioned in many critical capacities, including serving as a military instructor at the group’s training camps, leading foreign fighters, operating in the group’s media wing, acting as an intermediary between al-Shabaab and other terrorist organizations, and leading the group’s use of explosives in terrorist attacks,” The US State Department Rewards for Justice said Sunday.
He is also said to have played a key role in planning operations in Somalia and East Africa against the Somali government and internationally supported African Union soldiers.
“As a result, Mostafa continues to pose a direct threat to U.S. forces, civilians, and interests,” the State Department said.
According to the State Department, Mostafa was charged on charges of conspiring to provide material assistance to terrorists, conspiring to offer material support to al-Shabaab, and giving material support to al-Shabaab on October 9, 2009.
Mostafa was charged with terrorism-related activities in a superseding indictment unsealed in federal court in the United States on December 2, 2019.
The US government offered a reward of up to $6 million for information on the whereabouts of four other important commanders associated to the Al-Shabaab terrorist group in November of last year.