U.S. Offers $5M Reward for Information on 1994 Panama Plane Bombing Linked to Hezbollah

The United States announced a $5 million reward for information on the 1994 bombing of Alas Chiricanas Flight 901 in Panama, which killed 21 people, including three Americans.

The midair explosion occurred shortly after the plane departed from an airport in Panama's Caribbean province of Colon, claiming the lives of all on board—mostly members of Panama’s Jewish community. The incident, linked to Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, remains unresolved.

According to a statement from the U.S. State Department and Washington’s embassy in Panama, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence concluded that Hezbollah was responsible for the bombing. The statement further identified Ali Hawa Jamal as the suspect who allegedly carried the bomb onto the aircraft, where he also perished in the attack.

Relatives of the victims expressed support for the renewed investigation. Ana Karina Smith Cain, who lost her grandfather in the bombing, noted that this development reinforces that “the United States and world justice system have not forgotten this case.” She added, “It was an extremely tragic day of indescribable pain for the families of the victims. Hopefully, at some point, those responsible can be brought to trial.”

The incident’s revival in the public eye comes amid increased hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, triggered by escalating conflict following Hamas’s October 7 attacks. Hezbollah has conducted cross-border strikes on northern Israeli areas, and Israel has responded with heightened airstrikes and ground operations targeting the Iran-backed group in Lebanon.