Washington, Dec 30: The US Federal Bureau of Investigation has launched a public nationwide manhunt for five individuals of Arab origin, who are believed to have illegally entered the United States about five days ago. The five have been identified as Abid Noraiz Ali, Iftikhar Khozmai Ali, Mustafa Khan Owasi, Adil Pervez and Akbar Jamal, according to a statement released by the FBI yesterday.
Their photographs posted on the agency's web site showed five dark-haired men aged between 19 and 33 wearing casual western clothes and sporting crew cuts.
But FBI officials warned the names and the dates of birth of the wanted men could be fictitious.
"Although the FBI has no specific information that these individuals are connected to any potential terrorist activities, based upon information developed in the course of on-going investigations, the FBI would like to locate and question these persons," the bureau pointed out.
The five are suspected of having entered the United States, reportedly from Canada, on or around December 24, as most Americans prepared to celebrate Christmas.
It was not immediately clear how the individuals managed to cross the border amid heightened post-9/11 security, or whether they traveled individually or as a group.
The FBI said it was closely working with the US customs service, the transportation security administration, the immigration and naturalization service and local law enforcement agencies in the US and around the world to apprehend the men, whose nationality has not been disclosed. Bureau Report