WASHINGTON—With the death of the world’s most wanted terrorist, Osama bin Laden, and the arrest of Boston crime figure James “Whitey” Bulger on Wednesday, the FBI’s “10 Most Wanted” list has a couple of vacancies.
And it’s not immediately clear who will fill the gap.
An FBI spokesman said the bureau was trying to find replacements, but did not yet know who they would be.
Started in 1950 by the FBI’s first director, J. Edgar Hoover, the list is “designed to publicize particularly dangerous fugitives who might not otherwise merit nationwide attention,” according to the FBI website.
To choose the replacements for bin Laden, whose face on the 10 Most Wanted list now has a red “deceased” stripe across it, and Bulger, whose mugshot now reads “captured,” the FBI’s 56 local offices submit their “candidates” to the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division.
According to the FBI’s website, the nominees are reviewed by special CID agents, and ultimately forwarded to the FBI director, who gives the final approval.
To be chosen, the individual must have a lengthy criminal record or be considered particularly dangerous.
The FBI must also believe their capture will be aided by the extra publicity the list provides.
A minimum reward of $100,000 is offered for any information leading to the arrest of any of the fugitives.
Bin Laden merited a $25 million reward, and Bulger, who was added to the list in 1999 at the age of 69, a $2 million reward.
Among the remaining Ten Most Wanted are Jason Dereck Brown, accused of murder and armed robbery. According to the Most Wanted list, Brown speaks fluent French and has a master’s degree in international business.
Robert William Fisher is also on the list, wanted for allegedly killing his wife and two young children, then blowing up the house in which they lived.
According to the description on the FBI website, Fisher “has a noticeable gold crown on his upper left first bicuspid tooth” and “may walk with an exaggerated erect posture and his chest pushed out due to a lower back injury.”