A reward? For what?

Posted at 12:38 PM on January 29, 2008 by Bob Collins (1 Comments)

Add another voice to the outcry over the $5 million reward given to flight instructor Clarence Prevost, who first raised concerns to colleagues over Zacarias Moussaoui. But Charles Midby, who supervised two Minnesota immigration agents involved in Moussaoui's arrest on Aug. 16, 2001, isn't upset that the reward should've been split three ways; he's upset that there's any reward at all.

"It's just so obscene, beyond comprehension," said Midby to a McClatchey News reporter. "I can understand why the Muslims view us as such a rotten and decadent society when we feel we have to give something like that to an American do his basic responsibility."

Mark Cangemi, who was the agent in charge for the U.S. Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement for Minnesota and four other states, was equally upset.

"I'm very concerned that whoever made the decision that this award should be $5 million has now made it into a lottery. "Now it's, 'If I give something and it turns into something, I get my $5 million.' I think this whole thing has been mishandled. ... I think it sets a very poor precedent."

Somewhere, someone knows who decided on the amount of the reward and the recipient. But the State Department isn't talking. Its Rewards for Justice Web site shows the reward amounts available.

Comments (1)

I agree that the amount of the reward is obscene along with any need for one. It gives one pause to think, hmmm, who could I report for what and will I be able to retire. It breeds paranoia, perseverates bigotry & hatred and then has a possible monetary reward if you find just the right one. Start by throwing a needle in a haystack.. better yet throw 10,000,000, but only one is a "bad needle". Most will still try to find that needle by watching all the needles more carefully.
And what did the capture of Zacarias Moussaoui get us anyway? Information? the 9/11 victims back?
I guess I would rather remain clueless as usual.

Posted by Lee | January 29, 2008 5:58 PM

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