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Search Continues For Possible Terror Suspects

Romeny Urges Residents To Go About Business

POSTED: 5:13 pm EST January 20, 2005
UPDATED: 8:07 pm EST January 20, 2005

The search continued Thursday for several possible terror suspects that may be in or near Boston.

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NewsCenter 5's Janet Wu reported that state officials said that they've learned more about the four Chinese nationals and two unidentified Iraqis, however Gov. Mitt Romney urged residents to go about their business.

Thursday evening, the FBI announced that it was adding 10 names to those being sought in connection with the threat.

Four of the suspects were identified as Zengrong Lin, Wen Quin Zheng, Xiujin Chen and Guozhi Lin. None of the individuals have appeared on any previous terrorist watch lists, authorities said.

Law enforcement was vague about where they are looking for the men, but said that they received a number of phone calls since releasing their photos.

"In terms of the whereabouts of the four individuals, we are not certain where they are. We can’t say for certain that they are in the country. We do have an interest in identifying them, locating them and questioning them. They are not wanted at this point in time for any crimes. There is no evidence at this point in time that they committed any crimes," U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan said.

"We have no information that they are in Massachusetts at all," Boston Mayor Tom Menino said.

"They don't appear in anybody's watch list. They are not people of interest," Sullivan said.

The threat notice was phoned to California Highway Patrol in San Diego Wednesday via cell phone. An anonymous caller said he smuggled the suspects across the border. He refused to give his name and did not show up for a meeting with investigators, but he did leave pictures and names of some of the suspects at a drop site.

"By virtue of what has been received to date, I am not more concerned. I am not in a view that there's greater credibility or reliability of the source. It is still a very questionable source. There are some who would say that the information has a degree of unreliability to it," Romney said.

Federal officials said that they know nothing more about the two other individuals, who are allegedly with the Chinese men. The group allegedly slipped into the country from Mexico.

"If I were to speculate in this wide range of speculation -- could it be a hoax? Certainly. That is a possibility," Sullivan said.

Officials said that they delayed making public statements about the alleged illegal immigrants Wednesday because if they did not feel the public was being threatened.

Anyone with information about the threat or the suspects is asked to call the FBI at (617) 742-5533.

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