Khadaffy Janjalani (Deceased)

Kidnapping and Murder of Americans in the Philippines.

RFJ paid a reward totaling $5 million to multiple individuals who provided information on Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) leader Khadaffy Janjalani. On June 7, 2007, the U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines presided over the reward presentation to the individuals in a public ceremony on the island of Jolo. 

Khadaffy Janjalani was among the highest-ranking leaders of the Philippines-based terrorist organization ASG. Janjalani was responsible for the kidnappings and deaths of Filipino and U.S. citizens. He was linked to the kidnappings of Martin and Gracia Burnham and two other U.S. citizens and was directly responsible for the beheading of U.S. citizen Guillermo Sobero. Janjalani had also planned and implemented many attacks against U.S. interests, including plots against the U.S. Embassy in Manila, the February 2004 sinking of the Superferry 14, and the 2005 Valentine’s Day triple bombings, which, in total, killed or injured hundreds of innocent people. 

On September 4, 2006, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, acting on information provided by several individuals, launched an operation to capture Janjalani. During the operation, Janjalani reportedly was seriously wounded but escaped. In the subsequent months, rumors of Janjalani’s death surfaced. In late January 2007, two individuals came forward with information regarding the location of Janjalani’s body. After performing DNA tests, the FBI confirmed that Janjalani was, in fact, dead. All of the information provided by these individuals proved to be vital to the location and eventual identification of Janjalani.