Tycoon offers Bin Laden bounty

Bin Laden: A German businessman is offering $10m for information leading to his arrest

FRANKFURT, Germany -- A German Internet millionaire is offering of a $10 million reward for information on the U.S. terror attacks and the prime suspect, Osama bin Laden.

Kim Schmitz says he has been contacted by thousands of people from around the world in response to the offer which he placed on his Web site.

Schmitz, a 27-year-old ex-hacker turned capital investor, told Reuters: "Of course, we cannot say what's true or not. But we will forward all of it to the FBI."

Federal Bureau of Investigation spokeswoman Cindy McCraw in Washington, D.C. said she could not comment on how useful the tips might be without having seen them.

Although not familiar with Schmitz, McGraw said: "But any tips, we'll take a look at."

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Schmitz launched his campaign the day after Tuesday's attacks in New York and Washington.

He appealed for information about Saudi-born dissident Bin Laden, suspected by U.S. authorities as having coordinated the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

He says he is offering the $10 million reward in exchange "for information leading directly to the apprehension or conviction of (Bin Laden)."

Schmitz's Web site (www.kimble.org) provides a full description of Bin Laden, describes him as "leader of the terrorist organization Al-Qaeda 'The Base'" and that he walks with a cane. It also warns he is "considered armed and extremely dangerous."

Schmitz said he had received 10,000 e-mails in 24-hours and nearly 1,545,000 visitors to his Web site.

Schmitz was convicted of computer hacking in 1998 and has since made a fortune in computer security consulting.

He is reported to be worth about $200 million.