FBI questioning two 'Indians'

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

WASHINGTON, SEPT. 14. With officials casting the net far and wide to apprehend those involved in the attacks on New York and Washington, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating in Texas two individuals, who claim they are from India.

Datelined Fort Worth, the paper Star Telegram said the two men, who were pulled out of an Amtrak train on Wednesday after a routine search, had box cutters, thousands of dollars and hair dye. The paper identified the men as Mr. Ayub Ali Khan (51) and Mohammad Jaweed Azmath (47).

Their immigration status raised the initial concerns. They are being held by the Immigration and Naturalisation Service but have been questioned by the FBI for several hours. ``We are trying to determine whether there is any connection to the terrorist attacks,'' the FBI Special Agent, Ms. Lori Bailey, was quoted as saying by the paper. The men are said to have ties to the New York area. On Tuesday, they boarded a plane in Newark bound for San Antonio but the plane made a scheduled stop in St. Louis and stayed there as traffic was suspended in the aftermath of the hits on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The two then boarded the Amtrak train to San Antonio, the paper said quoting sources.

The federal authorities could not confirm whether both were from India. Officials said Mr. Azmath had produced two fake- looking passports and that Mr. Khan's name had surfaced on an INS deportation warrant. A federal source said both claimed to live together in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Mr. Khan and Mr. Azmath were taken into custody at the old Santa Fe train depot after a ``routine'' search by officers and agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration. ``They could not offer any paperwork which would support a residency in the United States. Therefore they were detained,'' Ms. Bailey was quoted as saying.

The DEA Task Force Inspector who searched the train is on record saying that the men cooperated fully. ``They were pretty cordial. There was never any altercation, verbal or otherwise,'' Sgt. Brad Johnson said.

The Star Telegram also reported that when federal authorities turned over Mr. Azmath to be booked into the Tarrant County Jail, he had an employee identification card, some foreign coins, an address book, a charm and $1.32. Mr. Khan had a watch, a necklace and $ 24.33. ``Authorities did not explain what happened to the box cutters, hair dye and the larger amounts of cash,'' it said.

Citing the arrests, The Los Angeles Times said authorities were trying to determine whether there was to have been a fifth hijack, perhaps from Dallas. Four planes were hijacked on Tuesday.

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