WASHINGTON, March 25: The United States on Wednesday offered $5 million each for information leading to Baitullah Mehsud and for Sirajuddin Haqqani and $1 million for Abu Yahya Al-Libi.

The offer, announced two days before the unveiling of the new US strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, indicates a hardening of Washington’s stance against the militants hiding along the Pak-Afghan border. But reports attributed to senior US officials also indicate a willingness to include ‘reconcilable’ militants in the new peace process to be announced by President Barak Obama on Friday.

While the United States has offered large cash rewards for terrorism suspects in the past as well, until recently they regarded Mehsud mainly as a threat to Pakistan. Previous US drone attacks had avoided targeting Mehsud’s hideouts but this changed earlier this month when US drones also began to target Mehsud and his men.

The change reflects a US desire to work closely with Pakistan for eradicating all extremists, whether they target Pakistan or the United States.

On Wednesday afternoon, the US Department of State issued three brief statements, saying that it’s offering lucrative cash awards for information about the three suspects under its Rewards for Justice Programme. The programme offers cash rewards for information leading to the arrest, and/or conviction of dangerous criminals. The state department identified Baitullah Mehsud as the senior leader of the Taliban Movement of Pakistan.
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